Almost out of time...

My Kate has a family! I am so excited for her. I can't wait to see who her family is! At the same time, I'm sad that Anastasia is not there with her. Anastasia is still waiting and you can see her HERE.

There are several children currently available who are in DESPERATE need of a family. These children are about to age out of the system, meaning they will *forever* loose their chance of having a family and living outside the walls of an institution.

Sam: Sam will turn 16 in May and needs a homestudy-ready family ASAP. He would make an amazing son. He's intelligent, loves soccer, and speaks some English already. His only special need is some of his fingers are deformed. PLEASE help him find a family. Read all about him HERE.

Bernadette: A sweet girl the Reece's Rainbow community has dubbed "Sunshine girl". She is 15 years old and has down syndrome, but she is about the size and mental age of a 7-8 year old. A family would be so blessed to have her!

Laurel: Laurel looks so sweet in her picture! She's about to age out in a few months. She's in a good place now, but she's set to be transferred to an adult institution soon and her life will be over. She has arthrogryposis. Please don't leave Laurel behind! She has so much to offer.

Harmony: Harmony lives in Asia and is also about to age out. She has down syndrome. Harmony is doing VERY well. She goes to school and lives in the dorms. She completes her homework and has good self-care skills. Harmony would be such a great addition to a family! 

Kate and Anastasia

My girls Kate and Anastasia still need a family! Their grants have been growing, and together they have over $5000 in grant money! They would be fantastic sisters. Please, someone go get them!
Kate
Anastasia

It's Orphan Sunday

Today is Orphan Sunday. It's a day to remember and pray for all 163 million orphans in the world. It's a great day to bring awareness to others about the plight of the orphan, as well as sharing resources on how to help orphans. But don't pray for orphans today, and forget about them tomorrow! If you'd like more info, look under the tabs at the top of this blog for links. And, as always, consider opening your home to a child in need! (Do I sound like a broken record yet? :-) )
Here is a post from my family blog that shows just how much of a difference a family can make to a child:

October marks six months home for Charlie.

When we met him, he was 3.5 years old and weighed only 16 pounds. 

Charlie was very weak, and had just begun sitting up on his own. He frequently fell over. Our 1.5 hour visits completely wore him out. He had no language. He wore size 9 month pants.

When he first came home, he was quite sick. We were in the ER one week after he came home, then again 2 days later for an 8-day stay. 

Once we got him healthier, we saw the real Charlie start to come out! We found out he's smart, a good imitator, and very observant. He's a quick learner! He quickly learned his first word, "All done!". It was a long summer as we met with many specialists and dealt with lots of fevers. In his first five months home, Charlie had 5 ER visits, 3 hospital stays (not including surgery), 2 day procedures requiring full sedation, a sleep study, one failed heart surgery attempt, and numerous consults, doctor appointments, xrays, and labs. And, finally, the heart surgery we'd been waiting for! 

Now, at 6 months home, Charlie has truly blossomed. He is my Superman. He's gained a whooping 11 pounds, weighing in at 27lbs. He's now in size 24 month clothes and is finally catching up to his little brother in size! He's gained a lot of strength and energy, as well. Charlie can sit for long periods of time, roll across the room, and bear weight on his legs for up to a minute! He works really hard at physical therapy and leaves us amazed. He's learned a half dozen spoken words and around 30 signs. 

Charlie is a completely different kid than the one we met in the orphanage. He's come so far in so many ways. I am so glad God blessed me with Charlie. I love you, rock star!

Help adopting families!

Lately I've been feeling led to donate to more adopting families, but I had no idea who to give to. Today I found a huge fundraiser going on for dozens of families! They are all in one place, so you can choose which family you'd like to give to. Then be entered to win a prize! More details and all the families here: http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2011/10/together-we-can.html. Good luck choosing! ;-)

Kate

Recently I wrote about Anastasia, who is listed on Reece's Rainbow. She just turned 9 years old and wants (and needs!) a family of her very own. There's another little girl in her orphanage - Kate - who has also captured my heart. Kate is 7.5 years old and has down syndrome. She's a capable young girl who REALLY wants a mama. It breaks my heart knowing that these two are waiting, knowing what a mama is, and knowing they don't have one. They know they're missing something. I wonder, often, what they're thinking. Do they think it's their fault? Do they feel like no one would ever want them? Do they wonder why no one has come for them yet? Do they know they're lovable?

Oh, those girls.
I would l.o.v.e to bring them home, and snuggle with them, let them grow out their hair, read to them. I would love to teach them how deeply they are loved. It would be so long before we could give them a family. There's no reason to keep them waiting. There IS a family out there for these beautiful girls. PLEASE consider adding these girls to your family. If there is anything I can do to help a family adopting one (or both!) of these girls, I will do it! I can't wait to see these girls home.

HERE is a link to Kate's profile.
HERE is a link to Anastasia's.

Theo has a family!

I first wrote about Theo in June. I am so happy to say that he finally has a family! He's so cute. I'm glad he'll be going home to his family soon!

Let's support adopting families!

I know first-hand how expensive adoption can be. Finding and raising funds is not fun, and it's embarrassing to ask for money. No one WANTS to beg for every dollar they can get. But families 
 will do whatever they can to bring home their children. People are always willing to give money and gits to families who give birth to a new baby - adopting families deserve the same! They are getting a new child in their home, and working hard to do so. Let's support them!

Diamond necklace giveaway from a family adopting two boys from Eastern Europe. They are in "crunch time" - they are leaving soon and really need to raise their final amount!

Cookie Lee Jewelry fundraiser for a family adopting a little boy in EE - also in crunch time!

31 Fundraiser for a family adopting a little girl in EE. 

Here's an Etsy shop for a family adopting from EE. Cute stuff and all proceeds go to the adoption. 

Several fundraisers going at this blog of a mom working to bring her sweet girl home.

This family urgently needs initial funds to officially commit to their child before his file is returned to his country.

Or how about an Ipad2 giveaway from a family adopting two sweeties from EE?

And here's a great fundraiser for a family adopting a sweet little boy. 

 

Baby Theo has a video!

Baby Theo, listed with Spence-Chapin.org, has a video! He's so cute. He's been waiting for a family since January. I hope this video helps him find a family soon!

This is a domestic adoption. Families need a completed homestudy. Read about Theo and watch his video HERE!

Happy Birthday, Anastasia!

Sweet Anastasia stole my heart the first time I saw her picture. There's only a short blurb about her on Reece's Rainbow, but it's enough for me to know that she would be the *perfect* daughter for someone, somewhere. There is no good reason why this young lady should be growing older in an orphanage, when she should be at home growing up in her family. Today is her birthday. She's nine years old. She'll be a teenager in a few years, with no mama to guide her through that sea of changes, hormones, drama, school, friends, boys, and learning to be who she is meant to be. Who God made her to be. Please, someone, save this beautiful girl. Save my Anastasia.

Here's her profile on Reece's Rainbow:
Anastasia
Girl, Born June 29, 2002

Anastasia is a lovely young lady with blonde hair and blue eyes.  She dressed her in prettiest dress to have her photo taken, hoping her forever family will see how pretty she is and choose to bring her home.  Anastasia was born with CP, and has difficulty walking, but she is very smart and affectionate and doing well.    Physical therapy will work wonders for her.  She will be a wonderful daughter for anyone who considers her!

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

 

See Anastasia's picture HERE.

Baby boy who is waiting for a Mama!

Theo is a little boy in the US who was born in January. He's been waiting for his forever family since then! Theo was born with some challenges leading to spastic quadriplegia. He's doing well and needs a family to help him be the best he can be! Theo's been waiting for awhile, where is his family? He's so cute! Read about him HERE. 

Gifts for the Graduates

Great news! Bible Orphan Ministry was able to use donated money to buy a small saucepan, 2 dishes, 1 cup, and 1 spoon and fork for 81 graduating orphans! BOM wrapped them up in beautiful packages. You can see pictures HERE. What a gift for these orphans - not just the kitchen utensils, but knowing that someone cares for them.

These graduates are now without hope of finding a family. They will carry this gift with them for a long time - even after the kitchen utensils are gone. The gift of knowing that someone cared enough to buy them a gift, NEW items wrapped up beautifully just for them.
Millions of orphans are aging out of the system every year. With no gifts. With no family.

Give a child the gift of a family.

ONE WEEK to help graduating orphans!

Do you remember your 16th birthday? I sure do. Sweet Sixteen usually means big parties and getting your driver's license. For a lot of kids, it signals freedom - in the next few years, you'll be graduating high school, maybe going to college, moving out of your parent's house. It's a time to celebrate!

Unless, of course, you're an orphan. If you are an orphan, turning 16 is a time of dread, fear, and hopelessness. Once you turn 16 - only 14 in some countries - your chances of finding a family are over. You will never get the chance to call someone mama, or have a family to call yours, or a HOME. In fact, the home you've known for the last few years is no longer yours, either. Your time is up, and it's time to "graduate". What a nice way of saying you're no longer welcome in the only place you've had to live, with the only people you've known. You're put out into the streets, ill-prepared, poorly educated, with the awful stigma of Orphan attached to you. You might as well have it stamped onto your forehead. If you are lucky, you may find a minimum wage job and scratch out a "living". More likely, you'll turn to crime, drugs, and prostitution. If you get pregnant, you'll have no way to support your child, and they will end up in an orphanage as well.

Maybe, you'll lose all hope and end your own life. Like so many others before you.

Seems pretty bleak, doesn't it?

Most of us are blessed, and have families and a home and food. You have been blessed so that you can bless others! My dear friends at Bible Orphan Ministry would really love to help some of these former orphans who are aging out of the orphanage. I really admire my friends, they are wonderful people who are fulfilling the Lord's call to help those in need. And they really need our help! Bible Orphan Ministry would like to buy items to help graduating orphans in their new life. Please read THIS POST to see a glimpse of their heart and passion for these kids. Visit THIS BLOG to donate, and you will be entered in a drawing. They only have a week left! Please help these kids!

I'm waiting for you...

Biggest FUNdraiser Ever!

Eight-year-old Vanya really needs a family. He's waiting in an orphanage in the same country where my son is. Everyday, Vanya asks his caregivers is today is the day someone has chosen him. If today he finally has a family. So far, no one has come for him. And his time is running short - soon he will be transferred to a place he cannot be adopted from. The Eli Project ministry has an adoption grant fund set up for Vanya, and Adeye at No Greater Joy Mom is having an AMAZING fundraiser for him! I have never seen so many prizes in one place! Please visit HERE to check out the fundraiser, or visit The Eli Project to learn more about their ministry and how to help kids like Vanya.

My posts about adoption are coming. :) Tomorrow morning I leave to go get my son!

Fun Fundraiser!

The Hazelton Family is adopting a little boy from my son's country. They have just begun the process and are in need of funds to bring their little guy home! They are doing a fundraiser with some beautiful and unique giveaways. Check it out HERE - the first giveaway is tonight!

Do You have questions about adoption?

Have you thought about adopting, but don't know where to start? Or is this a new idea to you, and you have questions? I will be writing a few posts about adoption, and I would love to answer your questions! Leave a comment or email me. If I don't know the answer to your question, I will find it!
I'm looking forward to answering questions and writing these posts about adoption. I'll be sharing them with you soon!

Say Yes

Look at their little faces...oh bless my heart! The little boy who says, "I could feel the LOVE!" - how can you resist that??

A Broken Heart

I have spent the last week in Eastern Europe, working on adopting our new son! He's a cutie pie. We still have a few more weeks before he'll actually be home, and we're loving him up while we are here.

Look at those teeny fingers! You may notice that they look slightly blue. Not awfully, just enough to notice. That's because our little boy has a hole in his heart. It's fixable, and once we get it fixed, he'll be stronger and grow like a weed! But he's 3 already, and his heart hasn't been fixed yet. Before we got here, we could pretend that it hadn't been fixed because his country didn't have the technology, or because it didn't really need to be fixed, yet. But that wasn't the truth. I knew that, but I didn't want to believe it.

The truth is, my son's heart hasn't been fixed because he has down syndrome. Oh, that makes me cringe.
He has been brought to the heart hospital in Capitol City several times, where they refused him surgery. Because he has an extra chromosome. That's why. that's the reason.

Our facilitator (whom I adore!) told us that everyone will understand if we decided not to adopt our son after meeting him. He is a "difficult case". So, the social workers and inspectors and orphanage staff would understand if we walked away, chose a different child. One who was not a "difficult case". But us walking away would mean the death of our son. As our facilitator said, "There is no line for [our son]." And yet, everyone would understand if we chose to let him die.

There's more that I tried to pretend wasn't real, before I got hear. I'd heard many stories about the horrible institutions, they way people were treated, and the hopelessness of children who were "imperfect". I've even told others. But I always tried to pretend that things weren't like that anymore, that that's the way things USED to be, or RARELY are. Of course, that's not the truth. Things are getting better, and there are a lot of people who care. But there are still buildings where people of all ages are treated like animals, because they can't defend themselves. Places where there are not enough medicine, where there isn't enough warmth, and where there is CERTAINLY not enough love.
In most places, the caregivers are doing the best they can with what they have. They do really care. But there just isn't enough to go around. For example, if you don't have enough money to buy enough food for all the children, there definitely isn't enough money to buy things like birthday presents. Or more than one pair of underwear. Or mattresses that aren't stained, holey, and useless.

I refuse to accept this. I refuse to go on living as if I didn't know what was happening. There are so many ways people can help. Why aren't they? Where is the Church? Haven't we been called to help those in need?

The need is great. God is greater. Go and be His hands and feet. 



"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me, declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 22:16)

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (Matthew 25:35)

"Remember those…who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." (Hebrews 13:3)

Baby House 19

It's been a little while since I've posted. I've been a bit busy - we leave in just one week to go meet our new son! There's so much to do in such a short amount of time. His new bed is up in our room, his clothes are hanging in the closet, our suitcases are filling up. Oh, how I long to hold my sweet little boy!

He's waiting for us, and we're dreaming of him.

Who is dreaming of Karina? Or Nadia? Miley, or Thomas? These are all children in our boy's orphanage - children who have no mamas coming to rescue them. No mamas putting away little clothes just for them, no names being mulled over, no futures being planned for.

Karina, in particular, desperately needs a family. She will certainly not survive if she doesn't receive medical care soon. Sweet baby girl.

And then there's Easton, Niko, and Sasha. These three boys grew up in the very same baby house as my little boy. They had the same nannies, played with the same toys. But these three boys have now been transferred - moved from the baby house. They are "older children" (but hardly old at 5 years old!) and have minor special needs - making it hard for them to find families. Some great mamas have set up a fundraiser to help these boys find families! Check out the fundraiser HERE and you might even win a great prize!

Consider donating to one of these little children. At the very least, click the link to the fundraiser where you can learn more about Easton, Niko, and Sasha, and the orphans in Eastern Europe. It is a beautifully written post. Plus, they are just too cute!

I Refuse

‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care.
I don’t want to say another empty prayer.
Oh, I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself.
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse.

I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately,
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of you, oh God.
So, if you say move,
Then it’s time for me to follow through,
And do what I was made to do.
Show them who you are.

I love, love, love this song by Josh Wilson.
He wrote it after the massive floods in Tennesee last year. He had been praying for the people affected, and praying that God would move people's hearts to give their resources and their time to help. Then, Mr. Wilson remembered that we are ALL called to be the hands and feet of God! He states in one of his videos, "I can't do everything, but I refuse to do nothing."
This is pretty much my mantra. I can't do everything, I can't save all the children, I can't heal all the hurts. But I absolutely REFUSE to do nothing! There are so many people in need, but even more of us who can help.
I am absolutely astounded by the number of people doing nothing.  I didn't notice until recently; I started looking around with a different view. Suddenly, my eyes were opened to the great need in the world. Before then, I was wrapped up in my own world. Then I stumbled upon hundreds of faces of little children waiting for a family, and I was crushed and hooked at the same time.
Some days, it rips my heart out that I can't save them all. There are about 76 children I would like to be a mama to! I can't save them all. But I can't do nothing.
So let's spread the word.
There's so many ways to help; which are you doing?