Where to buy Arrow Warriors?

Hey friends.

Thanks so much to all of your comments, messages and texts.

many have asked where to buy our arrow warrior products.

Well of course i post on instagram and Facebook...but that seems to be not very convenient...
so i've tried to update our etsy....

i will try and keep that up to date too....Check it out weekly if possible...I'd really like to fund this picnic by all of your support.

With GOD all things are possible.

Check out ---->> arrow Warriors on etsy.

Thanks friends.

Gina

Foster Care + Arrow Warriors= YOU and me bridging the gap...

hey there friends.

So you all know that "Arrow Warriors" was birthed to help provide for things that kids in foster care might be in need of...
It can range from a bed (you all provided those a few months back with Arrow Warriors purchases)

to
a pair of glasses (the state only provides one pair no matter what...so if your vision changes, oh well.)

to
a grandparents needs to accept their grandchildren as a placement while applying to become licensed.

And many more scenarios.

So a need arose yesterday. I received a phone call asking for help.

You see...

One weekend a year kids in foster care get one day to hopefully just be kids.

To forget their anxiety, their worries, their anger and just be kids.

To actually play with their siblings. for many this is the only time of the year they get to see them.
(if you don't know what this is like, i'd suggest watching the movie CAMP, they do a great job showing the siblings getting to see each other for the first time...also getting to let loose for a week)

 to not be at a parent visit. but just have fun.

So what is it...

Its a picnic for foster kids.

They get to jump on inflateables.

They get to have snow cones.

Eat hot dogs.

play games.

To just be a kid for a day.

I'm sure your thinking...can't they just be kids every day?
in short no. See kids in foster care have a schedule. Their identity is in this schedule. They know that Monday through friday they get up at 7:15am. They have breakfast at 8am. They have lunch at 11am and they have dinner at 6pm. They also know Monday-Friday's from 8:30-4 for the first time in their lives they go to school like every other kid. Seems normal, but when you have been left home by yourself at 3, 4 and 5 years old instead of going to school to prevent cps being called because of bruising or signs of starvation or because if you do actually go to school no one ever picks you up when everyone else has gone home with their mom and dad...and so someone got the great idea to put you on a bus because, well then for sure you would get home...only to have to ride the entire bus route back to school because no one was at home to get you either. And so you remind your foster mom "please don't forget me."
And then to know that on Monday and Wednesdays you go to a location to see your Mom who shows up 50% of the time to spend time with you.
And then to know that Wednesdays you go to church for the first time in your young life, and learned that you are cared for by so many and that Jesus is real and that he LOVES you.
Then to know that on Friday's you see your dad and stay at what is his new home for two nights. And your not sure what time breakfast is and if you will get lunch and dinner and who knows when you'll get one or the other or both, because your schedule is off from what you are use to... And because your worried about your dad because he hasn't had a consistent job in your life, you steal money from your foster brother so your dad can have money to pay rent so he doesn't loose getting to see you on the weekends...
And then to know you go back to your foster families on Sundays...
And it all starts all over again for the next week.  Not to mention court dates, and early on assessments and doctors apts and therapists.

So this picnic is important to these kids. And why wouldn't you and i want to see these kids be kids.

The picnic had a large gift card donated...and had a few large donors for the park, the snow cones and the ice and inflatables just backed out.

Which is where you and I come in..and Arrow Warriors.

Arrow Warriors is giving 50% to picnic from every purchase.

The need is big...its $1,200.00 -$1,500.00  to make this picnic happen.  I know God cares about each and everyone of these kids. And he can provide for this for these kids.

I will be posting bags and pouches that i have available...please consider being a part of these kids having just one day to be kids.  I need to make this deficit up by June 1st. Don't need a bag? or pouch? but want to donate...email me at daysnumbrd@gmail.com


thank you friends for being a part. Nothing is too big for God.

God speaking to my heart.

Within the last few weeks...a few things have transpired in my life that God is really using to teach me some things.
one being that no one that i know has ever been forced into correction with God or repentance with Him with HARSH words...
words like...God won't hear your prayers until everything is right...
or when you respond when someone asks you a question and its not the response they want..your now being called an "attacker"or unbiblical....
The above words are not the words of God I was just reading in my bible.
God's words are love and gentleness...it says His gentleness is unsearchhable...due to the vastness of it...
Sometimes we have the right heart but the wrong approach.
God is showing me in my life when I've had the right heart but the wrong...very wrong approach....
I've let my passion get in the way of His gentleness to friends who are struggling or going through a rough time...
The scriptures actually say this life is rough yo. okay..well lets minus the yo...but you get the point...It says HE upholds all who fall...because this life is tough...yet God is good and there is NO limit to HIS power, HIS love and HIS concern for HIS people.

The key word is HIS. He chose us. Not you or me choosing each other...but HIM...so who are we to say HE has turned his back on us because we aren't doing things the way you or I or jim-bob down the street would say we should.

The bible also says The Lord is gracious and Full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to ALL...and His tender mercies..
So who are we to say otherwise...
I guess my point in this blog post is to say...I will be different in this area...I'm not going to win a friend struggling to repentance with harsh words...or a friend who is sad into even happy with "stop that...you have so much to be thankful for"...rather I'm going to be compassionate knowing that I would want the same..but also because I believe thats what jesus would ask us to do.

So to anyone I've been overly passionate and less compassionate with...I'm very sorry. I'm a terrible work in progress...and I'm slow.
seriously...when someone says something to me...it takes me an entire day to come up with the words to respond..because I'm slow...
Anyways... lets extend Grace...even when its not due..

XOXO
Gina

Meeting [Notes]

We had our big meeting with the President of our agency.
It went well.
I was having a bit of a stressful day to start....I thought...man I should just reschedule this meeting..because my head is not in it at the moment.
I was working on Emma's valentines for the party today...
Also getting newly aquatinted with our new foster loves...
They are crazy cute...
but like with any new placement learning boundaries, and that they are loved here.

So I went into our meeting with my rockstar hubby. He asked me to reiterate my heart on this to him, before we left for the meeting, so he could help convey it well to the president of Ennis.

I don't know if I could actually express how thankful I am to him of being such an encouragement in this ministry.

We sat before him...sharing our heart. Bob shared his heart...and how great the need really is. How our state is failing our kids. How broken the system really is. I really am thankful for our agency. What president of any agency would want to sit down and discuss a foster parents heart? Not many that I know of.

Did you know that kids in foster care get [1] pair of glasses. Doesn't matter if their prescription has changed..they get one pair. That is the state for you. Sad that these kids who have already gone through so much have to continue being last in the states eyes too.

So yesterday after conveying our heart, we wrote a check to Ennis for $270.00 for safe sleep.  What is safe sleep you ask?
Well,  its what prevents kids from having to enter foster care because of the lack of beds in the home[really because of poverty].
You guys! Your purchases just helped keep 7 kids in their homes. 7 kids not have to enter foster care because of poverty. Your purchase did that. 
The need is great, not gonna lie, the goal is big[huge!].  3,000 safe sleep beds are needed just in our county alone.
I'm not letting that big number scare me...or say how could that need ever been met...it can and one by one..it will be met.

We are working closely with our agency that if a need arises they will contact us. The needs that may arise is a relative caregiver needing help while being licensed...or a birthparent who needs a bed for their children to get them home...or bottles. Guys can you imagine the only thing keeping a child/baby from being able to go home is one set of bottles? Thats just beyond my comprehension...but that is the state for you.  Your purchase is going to help situations like these that might arise...and of course the safe sleep project.

So I hope you will continue to share our heart in helping be a small part of the puzzle for these kids.  Lets put the kids first for once. I'm beyond saddened that these kids needs have not come first in many years. But I am praying big GOD size prayers for this to change. You can help be that change.

Our Etsy shop is listed on the side tab <-----over arrow="" p="" there...under="" warriors="">
Still available....

We hold ready to ship sales, usually one of a kind on Instagram on Thursday evenings at 9pm eastern.

Want a custom order? Email me at daysnumbrd at gmail dot com.

Thanks friends...can't wait to share more of all that God is going to do through your purchases!

XOXO!
Gina

Bubby's stock....

hello friends.

I've never made wallets before but I figured I'd try and I think they came out pretty good.

Now me being a perfectionist they aren't up to my normal standards. Many of you have asked if they are available and with my husbands prodding i will make them available alone with other purses and pouches that haven't met my standards.

These "less than perfect" items will be called Bubby's stock.
You see when foster kids(foster arrows) come into care, they are often times than perfect or even damaged but they deserve the same love and care as any other children.  These "less than perfect" items can be loved the same way  these foster kids deserve to be loved and are a good reminder that these kids are broken and "less than perfect" in the worlds eyes but they are loved and cherished in Jesus' eyes(and ours).
So when I sell an item from Bubby's stock i will list what part i'm not all that pleased about it, but know that these ones are nearest to my heart because they are just like these children that are foster arrows and we love them through the brokenness.

These items are not clearance items, but rather my special stock.

To find out more about Bubby and why it's called Bubby's stock click the link at the top next to home button that says "about Bubby's stock"....to see our heart, exposed.

Arrow*warrriors... what does it mean??

Hey friends..or shall I say WARRIORS.

i wanted to explain my heart and decision to change my pouch name from Difference Maker to Arrow Warriors.

i was reading this morning in Psalm 127...
and in verse 3-4 it says Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward,
Like ARROWS in the hand of a WARRIOR,
so are the children of ones youth.

and of course I loved verse 5...
HAPPY is the man who has his quiver full of them(although it doesn't really pertain to what I'm talking about right now.)

You see these children, my children, your children [ALL] children are little arrows.
and [WE] yes, you and me are WARRIORS for them. For their hearts. For their protection. because of LOVE, we can be WARRIORS for the little arrows.

i pray daily for my arrows...the ones here, the ones that have moved on, i so badly want them to make the bullseye...all i can do as a mama warrior is pray for them all and guide the ones here with me because He guides me.

I felt it fitting and felt it was actually the most perfect to change our name to arrow*WARRIORS.

please join in me in being a warrior for these arrows.
also you can now find us on Etsy... right here...

arrowWARRIORS

 XOXO!
Gina

The zippered pouch #arrow-WARRIORS project

So heres a little behind my heart on why I'm making these zippered pouches.




Kids [arrows] in foster care go through a really tough transition being yanked from their home(no matter how bad it was their...it was still theirs)and put with families that they've never met before...some loving..some not so loving...
Our hope is that instead of yanking these arrows from their home and putting them with families that they don't know...that a relative would be able to step up and take them. Now this isn't always best..but when it is best we want to foster that. And sometimes its just an electric bill that they may not be able to afford to pay because of the extra mouths they need to feed...or maybe they don't have the extra grocery money to be able to feed the extra kids...thats where we'd like to come in. Our hopes is to help provide for these relatives stepping up for their own families while they get licensed....or take other steps to have a better situation financially so that the kids that have entered their home will be well taken care of...and from a family member. The transition would be less hard on them...which I believe would make for less long term diagnoses.

My husband and I have seen many kids come through our doors..and the heart ache of the unknown to them...While we are loving and they have all they need here...is almost unbearable to these kids. We've had kids run away...kids try and hurt themselves...kids diagnosed with ODD, RAD ect..
I know not every situation is best for the kids entering foster care to stay with a relative...and trust me when I say, the agency is looking for any and every reason to say the relative home is not fit...but when they do say its fit..we want to step up and help.  This last Christmas we were able to give Christmas to a grandpa that stepped up to take his 3 grandkids entering foster care...part was our youth group and part was tony and I...and really this is where this idea was birthed...This grandpa stepped up with nothing extra...in fact in the red...and He made it..but it he still makes it barely each month...I know just having Christmas provided for them was a huge relief for them...

So I'm selling these pouches...In hopes to help more Grandpas out their who love their grands and are willing to step up to bring them to their home...their familiar home.
DON'T GET ME WRONG...I will happily open my home to as many foster babes that need it...I love them all so much!
I'm just praying HE sells as much as needed to for this that HE has birthed in my heart.
I'm on instagram as mrstgiraud ...which is where I sell most of my pouches...between $25.00-$40.00... Also just re-opened my etsy shop.
Interested in a pouch to support foster care? Comment here or hit me up on Instagram.


Thanks for listening to my heart friends.

Have a blessed day!
Gina