Journey to a Promise

Top 5 Signs You've Had TOO Much Coffee

2011-11-30T14:56:00.000-05:00

You’re eyes feel like they might pop out of your head, you are THAT awake!
Every time you sit down to check email or Facebook you start twitching and can’t type a coherent sentence.
The Folger’s commercial song won’t stop going in circles in your head, even though the last time you saw it was some time yesterday (The best part of Waking up…. )
You’re very active child is looking at YOU like YOU’VE lost your mind, as you zoom past her for the 4^th time in 10 minutes looking for the ringing phone.
Even though there’s no one home but you and your non-verbal child you can’t stop talking to EVERYBODY!

* I know, I've been on hiatus and pop back in with something silly. There's been a bit of STUFF going on in my life lately and if you're my friend on Facebook you probably already know ALL about it. I promise I will be back to finish all of Liza's One Year Ago.... posts and to hopefully keep up-to-date a little better :)

Fundraiser Friday: FacePie

2011-10-14T23:41:00.001-04:00

No, I didn't mean to type FaceBook.

FacePie: Pie specifically made or bought for the sole purpose of being smashed into some crazy orphan lovin' individual's face.

Um, ok.... let me start over.

When we were in Ukraine adopting Liza I got the chance to play with this little guy a couple of times.

Don't you just LOVE that smile!

His name is Andriy and he has a family waiting for a travel date to go and meet him and start the process to bring him home. His Mama, Amanda, has been working her tail off to bring him home and part of the last fundraiser she's put together has included several people taking a pie to the face once Andriy's ransom reaches certain dollar amounts raised.

Renee went first. See....

Mmmm, coconut creme.... hehe

Then it was Gretchen's turn.

Pumpkin pie IS one of my favorites.... :D

And the fun doesn't stop there. Wanna guess who's next?

That's Catherine. She says she's hoping for a chocolate pie. I think chocolate pie sounds pretty good.

But, I have really been craving a Starbucks Salted Caramel coffee. So, for my pie I think I'm gonna try to find a recipe that will taste similar to that. Wish me luck!!

AND, go and donate $10 or more to see me get FacePied, or whatever you wanna call it. You'll also get a chance at an Ipad2, or a Nook, or a Kindle, or a couple other cool prizes. So, if I've ever ticked you off, got on your nerves, or made you wanna choke me - here's your chance. You can see me get pied, you don't even have to tell me that you helped make it happen, and you feel better about whatever it was I did. I know my kids wanna donate, and my mom, and.......

One Year Ago Today: Elizaveta Collette Lorenz

2011-10-12T22:06:00.000-04:00

One of the only pics I have of her as a baby.

On this day last year we went to court and a Ukrainian judge officially made us the parents of Elizaveta K and changed her name to Elizaveta Collette Lorenz. We still had the 10 day wait to get through but as of 10/12/10 we were Elizaveta's parents. One of the best and most exciting days of my life. Pretty much the same feeling as when I gave birth to my boys.

Liza has a family

Going to court in Ukraine was one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the whole adoption process. I was so scared that we would stand in front of the judge and she would say, "No way! You can't possible think I'm going to let YOU parent this child." But, she didn't do that. Thank God and Yulia, our facilitator, who worked hard to get us to that point and helped us to stay calm for court.


Yulia and Liza. I'm so glad I took this picture of them.

The judge did have some reservations about Liza growing up with two teenage brothers. According to her, "All teenagers are mean." She wanted to know how we would keep her brothers from making fun of her or mistreating her and I tried to assure her that my boys were not that way, but she just didn't seem to believe it. I'm thinking she dealt with too many juvenile cases in her courtroom. I wish she could see Liza with her brothers now. She lights up when we pick them up from school. Loves to wrestle with them on the floor. "Sings" silly songs that Noah teaches her and is the only one that can bring Austin out of a "teenage mood".


He's so mean. Can't you tell? lol

I think they like each other. Whaddaya think?

In the end I guess the judge decided having a family with teenage brothers was better than not having a family at all and granted us a little Promise and Victory. Elizaveta = God's Promise and Collette = Victory.

The greatest gift we brought home from Ukraine.

One Year Ago Today: Meeting My Dream

2011-10-05T23:28:00.000-04:00

The very first picture I took of her.
Can you see the fear in those eyes? Poor baby :(

Early morning on Tuesday October 5, 2010 we rolled into Krivoy Rog on the overnight train from Kiev. I didn't sleep that ENTIRE night on that darn train. I'm sure it was just because I knew the next day I was going to finally meet the little girl from my dream for the first time. I was once again excited/nervous all at the same time. I did write a post last year, but it was a few days late due to computer and internet issues and I did leave a few things out.

This year, after being her mom for a year, I'm not afraid to say what I was afraid to say last year.

When we first met Liza they had taken her from her groupa, put her hair up and dressed her in pink, and had her playing with toys she probably didn't get to play with that often. We walked into the room and I was just immediately in awe that she was actually there in front of me. I remember having my camera ready, walking in and saying "There she is!" and then totally forgetting to take pics or video for a bit. But, after just enjoying watching her for a few minutes I caught her interaction with her baby doll. It's so nice to have this to look back on now.

Not long after she fed her baby, and herself, I went over and tried to get her to let me play. She wasn't really having it but the Speech Therapist, who you see in the video with her, encouraged her to let me and gave me a plastic spoon (like the ones you use for picnics). Liza decided she liked my spoon better, which she still does by the way, took it from me and started "feeding herself" with it. Next thing we all knew she had taken a bite out of the spoon and the ST was frantically trying to get the piece out of her mouth. She ended up having to pick her up, take her out of the room, and bring her back once the piece of spoon had been removed from her mouth. It was kind of funny then and looking back now I'm still laughing, although I should've known from that encounter just how stubborn my girl was. Too bad I didn't get THAT on video!

In the room with the Speech Therapist, who she was familiar with, we were just a couple people who talked funny and she wasn't too worried about us. Once they let us go down to the visitation room with her it was obvious to us that she didn't care for us. In fact, I see now that she was scared of us. My poor Girl.

She was making what we called her "hissing sound".
It was like she was trying to scare us away.

The only way she would allow me to hold her at first
Poor girl :(

Obviously these pictures don't look like the ones that you hope to see on adoption blogs and that's probably why I never got around to sharing them. But, it's good to see that things don't always go picture perfect at first. For us, it took a little time for her to warm up, but she did and we knew that it might be that way because those who'd adopted before us weren't afraid to be honest about the hard things.

I remember after visiting with Liza for a while our facilitator, Yulia, coming in and asking us for our decision. We just looked at her cause we didn't know what she meant, and she said, "Do you want her? If you do I have to start the paperwork?" We just laughed and I said, "Yes! We want her!" I can honestly say that is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

After we visited with Liza that morning we left to get some lunch, do a little more paperwork, and do some grocery shopping for our stay in Krivoy Rog. We spent some time talking about how our morning went and I remember at one point Rick and I talked about Liza and how she met our expectations. I was honest and admitted that I was a little worried that she would never bond with us and I think I even mentioned the fear of institutional autism. I see now that she was scared to death of us and I was overwhelmed with all that we'd already gone through and was tired from not having slept the night before. Our evening visit was like a gift from God telling me not to worry. There was no night and day change, but things were better and maybe my perspective had changed a bit.

See for your self:

She let me play in her favorite toy with her. She didn't even
wanna let other kids in there, but she let me :)

She decided she kinda liked him too.

She's a fast learner and she let us know it by learning the sign for "crazy" and doing it on demand. Well, she needed to know what she was getting herself into, didn't she? LOL

Yep, I'm a little crazy. She's a little stubborn. We actually make a pretty good pair. I'm so glad that we stuck it out through all the stress and all the scares. She has been worth every moment.

One Year Ago Today: We Saw WHO in Kiev?!

2011-10-04T22:50:00.000-04:00


Credit: Naum Furman, News 4 KMOV.com

After all the excitement of losing Liza, learning about Sasha, and then winning Liza back we had a few days to just hang out in Kiev. During that time we had to move out of the first apartment we were in to an area of the city a little closer to Kreschatik Street. At one point we got stuck in a traffic jam and our driver, Yuri, said that it was because former US President, Bill Clinton, was giving a speech on AIDS/HIV prevention at a rally being held on Kreschatik. We thought that was pretty neat but that was about it.... at the time.

The next morning, knowing it was our last day in Kiev until we came back with Liza, we went out to walk around a bit more. We found a nice Coffee House, I think it was one actually called "Coffee House", and went in to sit and have - what else? Coffee!!

We sat at a table by a window, ordered our coffee, and talked about what else we wanted to see before we left for Krivoy Rog that night. I stopped after a bit and looked out the window and saw this pretty large entourage of people heading our way at the corner across from my window. In the middle of this entourage was a tall gentleman with a handsome head of grey hair. My eyes grew big and I said, "Is that President Clinton heading this way?!" Rick looked and said something like "no way." then "Yeah, I think it is..." and then he said, "Wouldn't it be something if he came in here to get coffee?"

And then that's exactly what happened! I remember Rick and I just looking at each other in disbelief. I mean, really! We LIVE an hour from DC and go there all the time and have never run into any famous Government folks or famous folks period. Then we fly half-way round the World and end up sitting at a table less than 10 feet from a former President and the husband of our current Secretary of State. Crazy, right?

Of course, we have NO proof of this because that was the ONE time I forgot to bring the camera and we were too nervous to actually go up to him and try and talk to him. Besides that one of his security folks came and stood right behind me! Talk about feeling nervous! I was like, "I'm probably the smallest, quietest person in this place but apparently this guy thinks I'm the biggest threat?!" There was no way I was making any moves to even try to approach Mr. President with Big Scary Security Guy at my back. Of course, he could've just chosen the spot behind my chair because it was in front of a pretty large window. Eh, who knows?

In hind sight I wish that I had plucked up the courage to go and try to speak with him. He seemed very friendly and approachable, quite a few young Ukrainians did go and speak with him. I wonder if we might have mentioned that we were there adopting, and that we had chosen to adopt a child with special needs. Maybe even mentioned Reece's Rainbow. Maybe a door might have even been opened to talk about the adoption of children with HIV and Project Hopeful, especially since President Clinton was in Kiev specifically to talk about HIV/AIDS.

Despite the fact that Rick and I both chickened out on our chance to talk to President Clinton I still think it was one of the coolest things to happen on our trip. Who knows? Maybe on one of our trips to DC we'll run into him again.

Sasha's Story

2011-10-01T07:30:00.002-04:00


Almost exactly like the SDA photo.

Sweet, sweet Sasha. I am so glad that our lives got intertwined with hers. Even though I never met her and I was afraid I wouldn't love her like I loved Liza, somehow I developed a fondness for her after all. I remember asking Andrea if there was anyway that she could be added to Reece's Rainbow when we knew we would be going to KR for Liza. I felt responsible for her once I knew she was there and I was "leaving her behind".

After we came home I would find her picture on the Ukraine photolisting website and pray that a family would come for her. Eventually life took over and I never did know what became of her being added to Reece's Rainbow. Then one day we went to help another family in our area with a fundraiser and found out they were going to the region that Sasha was in. I asked her about any other children available in that region and she said that she didn't know of any that fir Sasha's age. When I got home later that day I checked the Ukraine site again and there she was. So, I emailed Andrea and asked her about Sasha and this is what she said:

"This little Sasha is our Josephine, she is being adopted by the Cutler family."

Wow! What a difference :)

I was so happy to hear that news!!! Sasha has a family and will be going home to Texas just as soon as her Mama and Daddy can get to her. I can't wait to see photos of her with her family. Growing and changing even more. Learning what it means to be a sister, a daughter, and a cherished treasure. I am so glad Sasha's story didn't end that day we won Liza back, even though it looked like we had left Sasha behind. She was only waiting for the family that was really meant to be hers. The Cutler Family.

One Year Ago Today: Winning Liza

2011-10-01T00:04:00.000-04:00

September 30,2010

(read the previous post first)

On the morning of September 30, 2010 Rick and I prepared to go to our SDA appointment. We had thought we would be going to get the referral of a little girl we had known as Liza K for almost 20 months. But the day before we had been told that she was unadoptable and there was almost no way that her status would be changed in order for us to adopt her in 2010. Sometime that morning, or maybe even the night before, we had decided that if we really had to give up on Liza we would come back for her as soon as she could be made adoptable by the courts. Serge had told us that a judge could do that but it would take about 6 months. I knew how to put together a dossier and get through immigration by this time and I figured the next time things would go a LOT faster!

When we got to the SDA office we prepared to go in - trying the whole time to keep a positive outlook. Eventually it was our turn and Serge went in with us. It was obvious that he was well liked and well known by the ladies in the office and that made us feel a little better. We didn't understand what was being said at first but the next thing I knew they had a folder out with our name on it and there were the CSPs I had sent months before. Then there was a picture of a little girl taken out of that folder and laid aside. It was "my" baby girl's paperwork being laid aside because of a paperwork error. It broke my heart and that's when I started to cry. We were told again that because of the paperwork issue Liza was not adoptable and we would need to choose another child, then Serge said something to the SDA lady and she brought out 3 more folders. Inside these were the little girls that fit our parameters. I only remember two of them and only because one was almost our daughter and the other was being mourned just a week later when news came that she had passed away. Her name was Anne-Marie.

I remember Serge kind of "helping" us to choose. He told us that one of the children had more needs than the others. Then when Rick showed interest in the little girl with the rosy cheeks and long hair Serge mentioned that she was in a region that he hadn't worked in before. One that they would like to get into because it would mean opportunities for more children to be known about and better chances for them to be adopted. We eventually chose the little one with the long hair and rosy cheeks. Serge told us that her name was Alexandra but she was called Sasha. Rick seemed to already be smitten, but I wasn't sure. I didn't think that I could love this little girl the way she deserved because my heart was so disappointed over the little girl I had loved for nearly two years. Serge had told us sometime during this whole procedure that we would have until about 5 or 6 THAT day only, for Liza's parents to be found and the paperwork to be fixed. Then we could get Liza's referral when we came back to pick up official referrals. Ok, whatever you say, but if it means there's still a chance for me to meet my dream face to face then okey doke!

We left the SDA trying to grow accustomed to the thought of traveling to a region we hadn't even heard of before that morning and, myself, trying to believe that I could give up my hopes for Liza to come home with us and fall in love with Sasha. I spent most of the day continuing to pray that Liza's parents would both be found in Krivoy Rog and making plans to return to Ukraine and adopt Liza in about 6 months if need be. I remember at lunch that day, where we were served pizza with peppers on it after asking for "pepperoni pizza", talking with the missionaries in KR who loved Liza and knew her personally and telling them that if we didn't get good news that day about Liza's parents we were planning to come back and adopt her in six months after bringing Sasha home. We would just have two little girls with Down syndrome to love!

Later that day after getting down again thinking about leaving Liza in Ukraine, even if it was only for another six months or however long it took to get her adoptable, I had the sudden thought that I should call Yulia. I knew that she was the facilitator who worked in Krivoy Rog for Serge's team almost exclusively and her number was already in our phone that the team had given us the day we had arrived. Hmmmm? Why hadn't I already thought of that?! So, I called Yulia and told her who I was and who we had come to adopt. She knew exactly what child I meant because Liza was one of her favorites from that orphanage and it had broken her heart to find out that she wasn' going to be able to be adopted. She had been busting her butt already looking for L's parents and was about to give up because, well, her boss told her we had chosen another child. Yep, Serge told her that we were giving up because we had chosen another child to adopt. Not that we wanted all options to be exhausted and then we were moving on, that we had given up. This did not make me happy.....

I still praise God to this day that I had that sudden urge to call Yulia. A woman I had never met and never spoken to. Never even exchanged so much as an email. Calling her wasn't an immediate end to our dilemma but it did set things back in motion. As soon as I told Yulia that we were not giving up until we had to she dove right back into the search and told me that she had already located Liza's dad and thought she might have a chance at funding mom too because as dad put it when told that mom had moved to Moscow, "That's sh**, she's right here in Krivoy Rog!"

I remember both of us crying at one point and Yulia saying that she was so glad that we weren't giving up. I also remember telling her that if it came to it we wanted to come back for Liza as soon as she WAS available for adoption. I remember her telling me that she would do everything she could for the next few hours that she had left in that day and would call me to let me know either way. I remember hanging up the phone with a renewed sense of hope that things would be alright. But, yet there was that picture of Sasha in the back of my mind. Because now, winning Liza meant Sasha losing her chance.

Later that evening, a while after the time that I thought Yulia would call, she did. She called. I think you all know what her news was, right? She had found Liza's parents, they had signed all new paperwork that would allow Liza to be adopted, and everything was going to be ok after all. Except that now my heart knows of a little girl named Sasha in a region that Reece's Rainbow doesn't even work in who may never get another chance.

Sasha's story isn't over yet, though. It's coming next.....

One Year Ago Yesterday: Losing Liza..... ??

2011-09-30T23:04:00.000-04:00

September 29, 2010

September 29, 2010 was Austin's 14th birthday, but I was the one who got the surprise and it wasn't a good one. We'd been in Ukraine for one whole day and had recovered somewhat from our jetlagged tiredness. We'd decided to go out and explore Kiev and hoped to meet up with a few other families at TGIFs later that evening. Then we got a call.....

Serge called us as we were walking along Kreschatik Street and asked us if we would meet him at TGIFridays, he had some news for us. I KNEW it wasn't good. I just knew. But, Rick was sure that it was just to go over what our process would be like at the SDA the next day. I knew, from all the blogs I'd read and all the folks I knew who had been through the process before us that it wasn't typical to have a meeting with Serge before the SDA. I was right.

I remember getting to TGIFs and finding Serge, and then I remember seeing a bunch of faces I'd previously only seen online at a table in the corner. The families had decided to get together for lunch instead of dinner and we didn't know because we'd been out and internet wasn't working. I remember wondering if they knew something was wrong when we passed them and only said hello and went upstairs. I remember wondering if those who'd had their SDA appointments already had also had a meeting with Serge the day before, but I knew they hadn't. Something was not right. I remember wanting to hear what Serge had to say and get it over with but not wanting to know because I knew it wouldn't be good. It wasn't.

After 20 months of being in process to adopt Liza we were told that there was a problem with her paperwork and she wasn't adoptable. Apparently her parents had not signed the right papers when they abandoned her to the baby house. That meant that if her parents could not be found and/or weren't willing to sign new paperwork she would not be adoptable and we would need to choose another child to adopt. On top of that, her parents had divorced and rumor had it that her mom was living in Moscow. There was talk of having to fly her here IF she could even be found there. It looked bleak, very bleak. Serge was telling me not to cry and I just remember thinking, "I'm not gonna cry cause I am NOT giving up! Do you realize what I've already been through just to get HERE?!" I didn't say it out loud cause it seemed no one else thought there was any hope left. So, I let them think what they wanted - knowing the whole time that it wasn't over yet.

After that we went to Serge's apartment to look through the children still available on Reece's Rainbow that fit with the small parameters set by our Homestudy (it had been written specifically to adopt Liza) and Rick's age(he was already over 45). The child had to be a girl, had to be between the ages of 4 years 8 months and 5 years 11 months. I remember there being talk about possibly not adopting a child with Down syndrome, but another disability. I just knew that I had come to adopt a child with Down syndrome and if we did have to choose another child I was planning on that child also having DS. But, no one seemed to want my opinion or maybe I just wasn't in the mood to "shop" for another child so I just continued to keep my thoughts to myself.

After a while Serge had another appointment to get to so he drove us back to TGIFriday's and we walked back to our apartment. I remember later going out to find an internet cafe, since our computer wouldn't work, and looking at the little girls on RR trying to decide who would take Liza's place if it really came to that. That was so hard. How could we give up on Liza? But yet, it could be another little girls chance, and how could we not want that?

After that hard, hard day we went back to our apartment to get ready for our SDA appointment the next day. We must have talked to the kids at some point and wished Austin a happy birthday but I honestly don't remember that at all. I do remember knowing I wasn't going to be able to sleep and I was right. I spent most of the night laying in bed or pacing. But then I remembered a couple of verses that had gotten me through at other times that we had faced mountains and won. Psalm 60:12, Zephaniah 3:17, and Psalm 18: 2&3 got me through that night. After reading these verses over and over to myself out loud and praying I knew that no matter what happened the next day He was still ultimately in control and I was right in the middle of His plan.

September 30, 2010 coming soon.....

Austin is 15!

2011-09-29T07:30:00.003-04:00

Handsome devil, isn't he?

I can not believe it but my baby is 15 years old today! And as he keeps reminding me, he will be able to get his learner's permit in 9 months. Lord help me!

A little list of Austin. Austin is:

smarter than his mother - he's in 10th grade Governor's school and doing well
funnier than his mother - the wit, the sarcasm he says the funniest things out of nowhere sometimes
TALLER than his mother - I went to Ukraine and he was almost as tall AS me, I came back and he was taller. I cried....
A really great big brother to Liza and a good role model for Noah

Happy Birthday Austin! I love you so much. You're the one who who taught me what it meant to be a mom. To put someone else's needs, wants, and safety before my own. I'm really proud of the young man that you've become and I just know that great things are in your future.

One Year Ago Today: We Are Here!

2011-09-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

Last year on this day we had gotten to Ukraine and thought we'd be getting Liza's referral in a couple days and meeting up with a whole lot of other Reece's Rainbow families. We didn't know that the next day we would be facing the biggest mountain yet and our lives would intersect with a little girl, and later a family, that would eventually make the pain of those hours worth it.

That story comes next, but today is just a reminder of where we were on Sept. 28 2010. I was bored, jet-lagged, and a weird combination of nervous/anxious and curious/excited all at once. I'm pretty sure we did go out and explore the area we were staying in and maybe even had dinner with another family - I'm a little foggy on that now. We were determined to make the most of our adventure and I think we did.

Below is last year's post from today:

"And "here" would be the country that Liza lives in. We have our appointment to get her official referral on Thursday and I am really hoping we get to go to her region and meet her on Friday. This has been a long time coming and I am so ready to see her walk through those doors for the first time so I can actually lay eyes on my dream come true.

So far, things are not bad here and I think that's how they'll be. I am tired, hungry, and feeling a little lonely (cause Rick was sleeping - now getting up), but I think after I really get some good rest and some good food I will be ready to face this adventure with a big smile on my face. How can I not rejoice?! We are SO close!! Praise the Lord!"

One Year Ago Today: The Incident on the Way Over

2011-09-27T10:49:00.001-04:00

On this day last year we left Virginia on a plane headed to Germany, where we then got on another plane that took us to Ukraine. I remember being nervous, worried that I had forgotten something important, and at the same time SO incredibly excited that in just a few days I would actually be meeting the dream I had held onto for almost 20 months. It was indescribable, really.

But, the plane ride was not really what I expected, at least the first one. I think that I envisioned it as a time to read and to catch up on sleep but something happend that made that not the case and if I hadn't been so tired and jet-lagged when we got to Ukraine I'm sure I would've blogged about it then. Since I didn't I'm going to try to remember it now.

I don't really remember boarding the plane but I remember finding my seat and getting into it. It was one of three in the middle of the plane and it was, of course the one in the middle. I remember hoping that a nice not so big person would sit beside me because I had Rick on one side and I didn't want to feel too claustrophobic. Well, I found the perfect saying to describe what happened next:

Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope. ~Titus Maccius Plautus

So, of course, the passenger that sat next to me was a rather tall, rather muscular guy who didn't seem so nice. Actually he seemed quite fidgety and bothered. I figured I would be ok, I'd just read my books, talk to Rick, watch a movie or two, sleep, it would all be fine. Then I heard my next door neighbor ask the flight attendant if he had time to go to the restroom and she told him no. He got even more fidgety and bothered and then used a few curse words and got even MORE fidgety and bothered. Then I smelled a smell that I remembered from potty training days and I thought, "No way!!"

But, yes, it turns out Mr. FidgetyBothered had wet himself and I had to sit beside him all the way to Germany!

Honestly, I almost felt sorry for the guy because I could tell he didn't want anyone to know what had happened and I just can't imagine how it did happen. Although, I suspect alcohol played a role because he smelled slightly of alcohol as well.

So, needless to say, it was not a real comfortable flight. I tried not to get too close to Mr. FB because, well... you know. But, yet, I didn't want him to know I knew. I was also worried if I fell really asleep my head would roll over to his shoulder and that was not something I wanted to let happen. Sorry if that sounds mean, but it was a weird situation.

There you go, that's the story of the smelly guy that I alluded to at the end of my last OYAT post. I wonder what others would have done if they had been in my place. Would you have asked to move to another seat? Tried to show a little more compassion to Mr. FB? What would you have done if it was you?

Fundraiser Friday: A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim

2011-09-16T18:10:00.002-04:00

Announcement - The winners of the giveaway are Eidmon and Megan. Please contact Linda and look thru her site to choose the clip you would like to receive. Congrats to you and thanks for playing!! :)

Maybe it's not right for me to plug "my own" fundraiser on Fundraiser Friday, but technically it's not "my" fundraiser. It's for Maxim and Linda is the one providing the goodies - I just happen to be the one lucky enough to share it with you all. So, I'm making this my FF post for this week and that's all there is to it ;o)

So, if you remember how this works, there was a winner drawn yesterday for last week's part of the fundraiser/giveaway. That winner is "Eidmon". So, Eidmon if you'll email Linda at mrsmenk at menk dot us or leave her a message on either her personal Facebook page or her Lilla-Rose page she will get you your free clip. Congrats!!

Ok, now for those of you who have not entered the giveaway yet, you still have time and there's a good chance you could be the winner of a free clip. It's SO easy. All you have to do is Like Linda's Lilla-Rose Facebook page and leave a comment here letting us know. Then you get extra entries for sharing on your blog, your Facebook page, or even twitter - then come back here again and leave us a comment letting us know. REALLY easy! And don't forget, 15% of all sales goes into Maxim's grant fund.

And can I beg? PLEASE, PLEASE do this! WE had hardly any interest this last week and it's broken both of our hearts, because we want to see M's grant fund grow and we'd love to see his face get seen by someone who might decide they love him so much they want to bring him home. So, share everywhere you can with everyone you know. Come on, I need something to make me smile - trust me.

A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim
Remember him? You know I couldn't let you forget!
Just recently Reece's Rainbow has made it possible for the older children (6+) to have their own grant funds again. I was so excited about this for one main reason, and his name is Maxim. I plan to build his grant as high as I can so that when his mom and dad find him money won't be standing in their way. Thanks to a friend of mine I've been given my first opportunity to do that.

Linda Menke has recently started her own business with Lilla-Rose. They are the most beautiful hair clips I've seen in a while. I've already picked out this Celtic Knot clip for Liza. Linda has offered to donate 15% of all sales for the next two weeks to Maxim's grant fund. In addition to that she will be giving away one Lilla-Rose product each week by random drawing. To be entered into the giveaway see the bullet points below (cause, remember, I get confused).

For one entry go to Linda's Lilla-Rose Facebook page and "LIKE" it. Leave a comment here on my blog to help us confirm.
For another entry place an order of a product from Linda's Lilla-Rose website. Then leave a comment here. Remember 15% of all purchases will be donated to Maxim's grant fund.
Or go to Linda's website and choose your favorite piece and leave a comment here telling us what it is.
For one additional entry post to your own Facebook or Blog about this Fundraiser/Giveaway then come back here and comment with the link to your post.
Please make sure to leave a comment or comments HERE with every thing that you do that would earn you an entry into the giveaway. Linda will be keeping track of the likes on her Facebook page and I'll be tracking comments and posts here, and we just don't want to miss anybody. Thanks!!

Father's House - Small Update

2011-09-12T12:11:00.000-04:00

Remember not long ago I posted about Father's House? Well, they have a blog now and are working on a website. Shane has been working hard to raise the needed funds to keep the Home running. Right now they are in need of $2000 to buy firewood to heat the home. I'll copy what Shane wrote on the Father's House blog here but to chip in to help using the chip-in box at the bottom of that post you'll have to click the link above. Thanks for giving and sharing!

Baby, It's cold outside!

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

- John Wesley

Last year, we could no longer afford the $1500 a month for public heating, so we switched to heating with firewood. We asked God's people for help and they answered!

It is now that time again. We are in need of $2000 by the end of the month to purchase firewood to heat the orphanage through the winter. Would you prayerfully consider helping?

We are not a registered charity yet. If you'd like to give by check and receive a receipt for tax purposes, our missionary friends in the region have offered to receive donations on our behalf. Please email me for the information on how to do this. My name is Shane, fathershouseua@gmail.com or call (219)313-1424.

One Year Ago Today: Making Memories

2011-09-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

Old Glory Outside Nationals Park / Photo by Rachel Levitin

Still loving Facebook's tendency to randomly remind me of what I was doing last year. I just wish they were a little easier to find. Today's reminder of last year brought back a memory I would have forgotten since I apparently left my camera at home that day. Here's what I shared on 9/11/10: "Decided @last minute to go to Nationals game. Perfect day: it's Heroes Day; weather's beautiful. A young Vet thru first pitch, got standing ovation."

We had gone to Maryland to visit Rick's oldest daughter and her husband and while there we decided to go watch the Nationals play. It turned out to be a nice time and we were glad we went. Not really because of the game itself, although that was fun, but because of how they recognized firefighters, police officers, and military personnel throughout the game. I was really glad to be able to share that with my kids before we left for almost 2 months to bring Liza into our family. A huge change, but one none of us would change if we had to.

After a day of remembering what happened on 9-11-01 it was nice to be able to remember a great day spent with the family. I don't ever expect or want to forget what happened on that day 10 years ago, but I'm still thankful for a sweet memory to end the day with.

Mom Rant

2011-09-08T08:30:00.000-04:00

I just need some advice or encouragement or just to know that I'm not the only one. Or something. I can't really post on Facebook anymore cause the folks who attend the same institution that keeps making me rant this same old rant are tired of seeing it and they all think I'm asking for too much or I'm just "that mom". You know, the one who sees discrimination everywhere just because my child has an extra chromosome. So, I'm just gonna lay it all out here and see what kinda feedback I get.

Let's say you take your child to functions at this institute where babysitters have been hired, on the institutions dime, to watch the children of those who are attending said function. Yet every time you drop your child off you get the distinct feeling that they're not happy to see her and then when you go back to get her she's been separated to a different room. Sometimes with younger children, sometimes with older children, and sometimes alone. And, no matter where she's at, EVERY TIME it's obvious no one's really paying attention to her.

Or several times you go back for her and she's done #2 and no one's bothered to change her or to get you so that you could do it since they don't want to. Even when you bring a bag with all the essentials.

Or, even though there are babysitters hired by the institution for the function-goers children, you're other older children are asked to stay with your daughter (without pay) - either in the room with the other children and babysitters or in a separate room. Or you are expected to give a little more notice that "your child" will be there so that they could "prepare".

So, am I wrong to be angry? To think that there is some discrimination going on? Am I being "that mom"? Or am I right to feel like I do? To be tired of being told I'm expecting too much, when all I'm really expecting is for my child to be treated like all the other function-goers children?

A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim

2011-09-07T15:24:00.000-04:00


Remember him? You know I couldn't let you forget!

Just recently Reece's Rainbow has made it possible for the older children (6+) to have their own grant funds again. I was so excited about this for one main reason, and his name is Maxim. I plan to build his grant as high as I can so that when his mom and dad find him money won't be standing in their way. Thanks to a friend of mine I've been given my first opportunity to do that.

Linda Menke has recently started her own business with Lilla-Rose. They are the most beautiful hair clips I've seen in a while. I've already picked out this Celtic Knot clip for Liza. Linda has offered to donate 15% of all sales for the next two weeks to Maxim's grant fund. In addition to that she will be giving away one Lilla-Rose product each week by random drawing. To be entered into the giveaway see the bullet points below (cause, remember, I get confused).

For one entry go to Linda's Lilla-Rose Facebook page and "LIKE" it. Leave a comment here on my blog to help us confirm.
For another entry place an order of a product from Linda's Lilla-Rose website. Then leave a comment here. Remember 15% of all purchases will be donated to Maxim's grant fund.
Or go to Linda's website and choose your favorite piece and leave a comment here telling us what it is.
For one additional entry post to your own Facebook or Blog about this Fundraiser/Giveaway then come back here and comment with the link to your post.

Please make sure to leave a comment or comments HERE with every thing that you do that would earn you an entry into the giveaway. Linda will be keeping track of the likes on her Facebook page and I'll be tracking comments and posts here, and we just don't want to miss anybody. Thanks!!

One Year Ago Today: A Special Date

2011-09-02T23:31:00.000-04:00

*This was my post last year on this date. Little did I know then that there was going to be one more big mountain to fell. Praise God we did move that last mountain and now the most beautiful blessing to ever come out of Ukraine is sleeping beside me as I type this.*

Nope, not the kind of date where Rickydoodle and I get all dolled up and go out on the town. Is it called "dolled up" if I'm talking about Ricky? Probably not... don't tell him I said that....

Anyway! This special date is September 30th 9AM. Not 9AM our time, it will actually be 2AM our time or 11PM on the 29th if you're on the West coast. But, don't worry about all that cause what really matters is that at.........................

9AM LIZA'S TIME on the 30th we will finally be getting the official referral from her country to adopt her!!! Hallelujah!

Woo hooo!!!!! How excited am I?! I want to pack right now and buy plane tickets, go over there and just camp out outside the offices where we get this referral. I don't know how I will make it the next 3 weeks until it's really time to go. I guess I'll have to find ways to stay bus. Oh, I can NOT wait to hold her!!

Isn't she a doll?!

Liza: "Mom? You comin' yet?"

Me: "Yes! Baby girl I am ON MY WAY!!"

*So far these posts have probably been a little boring, but there was a lot of our trip last year that got left out. Like the guy who sat beside me on one of the flights and..... well, let's just say I was wishing for nose plugs. And the famous American and his "entourage" that walked into the coffee house we were sitting in in Kiev, the one day I left the camera in the apartment. And the little girl that almost became our daughter.*

Conversations With Liza: I'm a Gorilla!

2011-08-28T22:10:00.000-04:00

Anyone else watch Signing Time? Liza loves ST - she's mildly obsessed with it and I think she believes that Rachel is her best friend. Actually, there are days I feel like Rachel is my best friend. She's helped me get so much ~~blogging~~ housework done.

One of Liza's favorite's to watch is The Zoo Train. They play a fun little game where one of the children makes the animal sign and the other guesses what they are. For the past week Liza has been playing this game with me, except she's always a gorilla. I think she just likes it because you get to beat on your chest.

Ok, so all this week she's come up to me at random times and signed gorilla. At first I was just saying "gorilla" but then I started saying "Liza's a gorilla!" kinda like they do on Zoo Train and she loved it. Tonight she wanted to watch ST but The Brothers were watching Chuck and were not ready to share the TV and DVD player yet. So, she sat on my lap and was bing "my baby", this is what I tell her when she's being cuddly and puts her head on my shoulder. Then we had this conversation:

Liza: signs "gorilla"

Me: "Liza's a gorilla!"

Liza: (grins and then puts her head on my shoulder)

Me: "Aww, are you mama's baby?"

Liza: looks at me and signs "gorilla" again with a grin then puts her head back on my shoulder

Me: "Oh, you're Mama's baby gorilla?"

Liza: grins and shakes her head "yes"

I kinda like her being a baby gorilla, cause the other option is her being a baby dog - AKA puhpuhpuh. And, when she's a puhpuhpuh she gives kisses......... just like a real puhpuhpuh does. Cute, but icky...... LOL

Fundraiser Friday: Honoring Derek L and Bringing Liam Home

2011-08-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

This FF post is a little bit different than most. There are no prizes to possibly win for your donation, except the feeling of knowing that you honored a good man's memory and helped a wonderful mom get her little boy home. And isn't that really good enough? We're talking about bringing a little boy from the reality of an institution to the much more awesome reality of a loving family. Specifically a loving mom and four awesome brothers. All the prizes you could possibly win just have to pale in comparison to that.

Derek Loux was an Intercessory missionary at IHOP-KC who was passionate about orphans and adoption. He would have been 39 yesterday and his family has chosen to honor him by helping Amy Lucas and her family bring Liam home.

I'll let you read what his Sister~~-in-law~~, Tracie, wrote and ask that you consider giving in honor of Derek. It will possibly be the greatest thing you have the opportunity to do today. (All content below copied directly from this blog post, A Birthday Gift for Derek Loux.)

A Birthday Gift for Derek Loux

Today would have been my brother Derek’s 39th birthday. (Forgive me for dropping the “in-law” part. I’ve always hated that little tag.)

This is the letter that I will place on his grave tonight.

Derek,
I can’t even believe we are here celebrating another birthday without you. The ache in our hearts seems to just grow. The reality of the space you are no longer here to fill just seems to get deeper. I miss you so much, my brother, my friend.

This year I am incredibly sad that you were not here to met our newest son, Matthias. I hold him sometimes and think of you, knowing that you would just gobble him to pieces. You’d be so proud of Mattie. He’s a fighter. He’s so strong and courageous. Much like your little Josiah, he’s melting hearts left and right with his killer smile and endearing little expressions. Oh how I wish you could have met him. He’s your kind of guy.

I can’t tell you how many times this year, thoughts of you and remembrances of words spoken, have spurred me on in this journey we’re now on.

You’d be so proud of your brother. He’s laid down so much for his family this year and he’s done it with joy. He’s an amazing Dad. I know if you were here, you’d be cheering him on and taking him out to check on his heart. I wish so much that you were here to do that.

And your wife. Well, you knew it all along, she’s a one of a kind treasure. You don’t need me to tell you that she’s amazing, but I’m telling you anyway. She’s walked this journey so well. Hurting deeply but loving completely, giving passionately, and serving selflessly.

I tell you things you probably already know just because I miss being able to talk to you.

I miss you. Life is just not right without you.

Love,
Tracie

Because I believe that gifts are important as we celebrate birthday’s, I would like to ask that on behalf of the entire Loux Family, you consider being part of giving Derek an incredible birthday gift today.

I don’t need to tell you that Derek was a fierce champion for justice and was deeply passionate about the church rising up for the cause of the orphan. So today when I asked the Lord to show me how we could GIVE as we celebrate Derek’s life, one family came to mind.

Amy Lucas is a single Mom to four sons. Amy’s oldest son Jimmy (24) was born with Down syndrome and Amy’s life was changed forever. After Jimmy’s birth, Amy was inspired to become a special education teacher. She is currently a middle school special education teacher, a job that is so rewarding for her. Amy’s next son Ben is 19 and he and Jimmy are very close. When Jimmy turned 18, Amy had the desire to adopt. She had always wanted to have more children and decided now was the time. In 2005, she adopted Caleb 8(then 2 years old) from Russia. Caleb also has Down syndrome and he is the firecracker of the family. He has added so much love and fun to the family, that Amy just had to bring another little one with Ds home. In 2009, Amy adopted Elijah 4 (then 2) from Russia. Raising children with Ds is the best part of Amy’s life. They bring more joy into her life than she could ever have imagined! Even though Amy thought her family was complete, her heart ached for the orphans left behind. And then God spoke to Amy by placing another little boy on her heart, and Amy is more than excited to begin the process again to bring another son home. Although the financial piece of adoption is great, Amy has faith that God will provide.

There is currently $6000 is Ivan’s Adoption Fund. Amy still needs to raise $7500 to be complete this adoption and her dossier has already been mailed and she is waiting on a travel date.

We are asking that you mark each donation “Happy Birthday Derek Loux”- I would love to report to Renee by the end of the day that this entire $7500 was raised in celebration of Derek’s life!

The donate button on her blog with the Reece’s Rainbow symbol allows you to give tax-deductibly, knowing that every penny given will go directly to Ivan’s Adoption Fund.

Please give and help get this sweet little boy home to his family. Give $10, $50, $100, $1000, I don’t really care how much, just give!

CLICK HERE TO GIVE!! (under Ivan’s picture on this link, click the DONATE button)

One Year Ago Today: Sunday Snapshot 8/22/10

2011-08-21T18:36:00.000-04:00

Ok, it wasn't quite a year ago to the exact date, but it's only one day off. This was my Sunday Snapshot post from last year on 8/22 - I was still so excited that we would soon be going to meet her for the first time. I kept going thru all the pictures I'd received of her throughout all those long months of waiting and almost couldn't believe that soon I wouldn't have to look at a picture anymore. That I'd actually be looking at her beautiful face in person. I just can't put into words how amazing that moment really was.

(Last years post is in italics and, now that I know her, I have added little updates to some of my thoughts from that time in bold.)

Now that we have been submitted, and I no longer have to stress over adoption paperwork, I find I'm getting my blogging mojo back some. I am really happy about that.

Since we have been submitted and we are just waiting for a date to travel to get that sweet girl we've been dreaming of for so long I decided that this week's "Sunday Snapshot" should be dedicated to her. All the pictures, or a good bit of them, that I have been blessed with since we started this journey. I know that having folks to send these to us was a total blessing because so many families adopting from her country do not have that. Each and every one was a lifeline of sorts to help me to hold on through all the hurdles that we had to go over.

This is the first one I ever saw of her. How can you resist that face? It's REALLY hard. Wonder how much harder it will be when it's actually standing in front of me?! Oh boy.... All I can say is, Thank God I had practice being a Mama already or she would be running the household right now. Ahem, not that she doesn't already think she does.

This one was next and it made me sad in a way. Cause she was obviously growing up and I was missing it, but also there just seemed to be something sad about the way she was standing there all alone. Does anyone else see it? Or am I just seeing it through the eyes of a mom missing her little one? I think I figured out why she looks sad here. She was actually tired and maybe a little nervous. This is the therapy room at her baby house, which we saw rarely get used. There's a window in the background and you can see it's dark out. She was probably ready to go to bed and she couldn't walk at that time so she was most likely nervous about being stood for the pic.

I think this one is just my favorite! Her expression here tells me so much. Maybe it's because she reminds me of some of Noah's facial expressions but I have a feeling that she and he have very similar personalities. Full of silly and stinkerisms! One of these days I'll post a photo I have of him making this face along with this one of hers and you all can tell me if I'm wrong. Plus, you can see her sweet little hands here. Aren't they just the cutest? I'm gonna kiss those soon :) Stinkerisms and silliness for sure! I was right on about that. And I still have to find that pic of Noah making this same face.

Another one of my faves. It's just cute. It's almost as if she's saying she doesn't really have time for all this picture takin'. But, there's also maybe a little bit of a longing, "Here I am Mom and Dad, Where are you?" look. This is also one of the last pics I got that she still had her "baby" look to her face. She really doesn't like to wait around for you to get a good pic of her, you better be ready to catch a good one when you can. I need to get a faster camera :)

These three, I call the Red Coat Pics, I got sometime late last fall. She is just doing her own thing. Swinging, making faces, trying to call me on the phone. I'm sure she was asking just where the heck I was at. Notice how she doesn't really give a smile but it's not as if she doesn't want her pic taken? I think she's just really a stinker who loves to make faces when you want her to actually smile at the camera. I'm looking forward to finding out for sure. No smiling for the camera for this girl. But, they still manage to come out pretty cute.

This one I got in the Early Spring. Noah calls this her Strawberry Shortcake outfit... lol Yeah, she seems real thrilled with it too, huh? :) No more strawberry shortcake outfits.

This is a recent one that I just got from a family that went to her region for a missions trip. They got to spend time with her and tell her about me. I am pretty sure most of my guesses from looking at her photos are pretty accurate. There's one of her famous picture faces again! Pretty sure I've gotten some shots like this in the last few months.

Just the day before we were submitted I found these on another Missionary's blog and when I left her a comment she sent them to me. She has lost a lot of her baby look, but she is still so super cute. Even half naked with a funny hat on her head! Did you notice how you could almost see her ribs in these photos? Not anymore. She's filled out, got longer hair, and well, she still likes to run around naked. Who doesn't? LOL

We are so excited to go and get her. To wrap her in a Mom and Dad's love, to teach her about Jesus - although I am pretty sure she's already heard His name before. I have pretty bows to put in her hair and new shoes and clothes. All ready for her to begin her new life. From Orphan to UnOphan, as someone I know recently said. Keep praying favor over our dossier and that I would find things to keep myself busy in the meantime. We are ALMOST THERE!

This year I am thanking God that she is here with us. Every day I look at her and am overwhelmed at the blessing of Liza. She's a Promise kept and represents Victory now and to come. And, I get to be her Mama. That just blows my mind.

August 2011

One Year Ago Today: Submitted

2011-08-19T22:30:00.001-04:00

Anybody else noticed the new thing Facebook is doing now? Showing your status from "a year ago today"? I noticed it a couple days ago and it reminded me of the night one of my boys decided to see how many stick pretzels he could get in his mouth at once. I had forgotten about that and it was nice to have that reminder and laugh about it all over again. He got 20, by the way.

Today's reminder from a year ago was this:

‎"WE were SUBMITTED!!!! Oh, my gosh... I think I am gonna go berserk if I don't let a screech out. Hallelujah..... Thank you Jesus! WE finally made it to this point. Now just to hear a travel datte in about 2-3 weeks. YAY!! Liza we are coming!!"

I was pretty excited as you can see by the excessive use of capitalization and exclamation points, not to mention the way I spelled date, you may not know this but when I misspell a word it irks me to pieces. But, wasn't nothing bringing my high down that day.... lol.

Lately, as we're getting closer and closer to the first anniversary of all the more exciting parts of our adoption process I find myself looking at Liza and just marveling that she's really here (yes, I am still doing that almost 10 months later) and that she's been with us for almost a year now. If you've been reading along here for a while you know our process had lots of bumps, twists, and turns. So, to look at her after all we went through to get her here, I see a miracle every time. I feel sorry for everyone who doesn't get to look at her and see what I see.

All that emotion coupled with the news of the little ones literally wasting away in another Eastern European country has really been bringing me to tears the past few days. I cry for them, because right now they are not someone's precious, beautiful princess or sweet little prince. I also find myself crying because I know that Liza was so close to that being her fate. I thank God every time that she is here and not in the institution she would have went to if we had been unable to get her, which almost happened.

There's a lot of our adoption story that got left out because we were busy, overwhelmed, and a lot of times didn't have a reliable internet connection. I've decided to go back in time a little bit and share all the things that never got shared before. Like Liza's story that we were told the day we met her, broke my heart. And the story of Sasha and how she was almost our daughter instead of Liza. As happy as I am that Liza is here I still think of that little one and wonder if her day will ever come.

I think one year later is a good time to finally go back and tell the whole story. It's a good one, although bittersweet in some places and maybe a bit confusing in others. I'm kinda looking forward to it :)

Fundraiser Friday: Good Grief and One for MANY

2011-08-19T11:06:00.000-04:00

This week I have two different fundraisers that I just couldn't choose between so I decided to feature both.

Gentry and Luis Zuzunaga are adopting Maria. They have already made one trip to visit her and are waiting for their next trip for court and then to bring her home.

Check out that Smile! How can you resist?

The Zuzunaga's have been given the opportunity to giveaway an E-book to raise the money for Maria's ransom. Good Grief was written by a friend of Gentry's, Erica McNeal, who has experienced real periods of grief in her life. These are her words to describe her book,

Here's how the giveaway works:

Every $15 or more donation to the chip-in in their sidebar is a purchase of the book. All proceeds go to their Reece's Rainbow grant fund.
At every $100 milestone they will draw a name and that person will receive a $20 Starbucks card. It'd be like getting the book for free and winning a coffee to sip as you read it :)

Go and check them out and get yourself a possibly free book.

Then there's Amanda and David Burlingham, they are adopting Liza's orphanage "brother", Andriy.

When I met him I never saw a smile like this.
He has been moved to a very nice place,
but soon will be in an even better place, a FAMILY :)

Amanda has a giveaway going on her blog that she's calling One for MANY. The idea is to benefit not only her family's adoption but five other families as well. They have some amazing prizes to give away over there. Isn't it amazing the creativity we Mamas come up with to get our babies home?

These are the other families that will be blessed when you enter:

Just a little sample of what you will find when you go over to Amanda's blog to take a look:

Nook Color
Nintendo Black Wii Console w/Mario Kart
Apple iPod touch 8GB With
Ematic 11-in-1 Accessory Kit for iPod Touch (4th Generation)

She also has tons of great Etsy items to giveaway.

This is just a small sample. There are so many more beautiful items.
You have to go see for yourself.

This is how it works:
$5 = 1 chance
$10 = 3 chances
$25 = 10 chances
$50 = 30 chances

Please go and check out both of these awesome fundraisers, donate for a chance to win something, and help bring these kids home to their families.

Orphan Victory Foundation: Father's House

2011-08-15T07:44:00.002-04:00

Hmmm? So, what is Orphan Victory Foundation? It's a ministry that has been growing in mine and Rick's hearts since before we even fell in love with Liza. During our adoption process the dream became bigger and eventually we met with someone to talk about how to get it started and make it "real". That was a little over a year ago and OVF has really just been a name that gets junk mail at our address and a dream in our hearts that we just haven't known where to begin with or felt we didn't have the time to devote to "right now". I'm going to dedicate a page on my blog to share more about OVF in the next few days, but for now I want to talk about a ministry in Ukraine that I hope OVF will be able to walk along side of.

Just recently we were given the opportunity to partner with some friends of ours in helping a Christian run orphanage, Father's House, in Kharkov, Ukraine, get back on it's feet. I'm excited about partnering with Shane and Diana Lewis and Room for One More Child to help keep Father's House running for all the kids who call it home.

Shane wrote a blog post back in February telling just a little of the needs that Father's House was facing at that time, and since then things have gotten worse. You can read Shane's words, and see photos of some of the kids, here. I wanted to share one of the comments left on his post just a few days ago by a lady who has personal knowledge of the ministry and the people who run it.

"Hi Shane,

my name is Luba Stefoglo, and I'm daughter of Mikhail Scherbinin, president of the Charitable Fund Children Assistance Center "Otchiy Dom". Juliana Khorolskaya, orphanage's director, asked me contact you. She said that you visited "Father's Home" and even wanted to adopt few children, and know about their difficult situation. As you may know, in previous years the orphanage was mostly sponsored by few private people (me, my siblings, and few other relatives), and now we’re experiencing big financial difficulties and had to stop our support. So Father’s Home is being forced to shut down and send the kids to government owned orphanages. That’s an absolute catastrophe for the children as they love and are used to loving, accepting and encouraging Christian atmosphere, as well as enormous heartbreak for everybody who works there because they have been building this for years, love the kids and want them to grow into happy, God honoring people. Well, I don't think I have to tell you what a wonderful place Father's Home is, and that every one on their staff truly has a heart for serving the Lord and orphans. In order to stay open, they need somebody to provide for their operating expenses."

So, what can we do to help? Room for One More Child is collecting donations to be held for Father's House and sent to cover the monthly budget each month. You can donate by going here and clicking the big button that says "click to donate now", then when you are directed to paypal and log-in you can choose the amount of your donation and in the notes section make sure to mark that your donation is for "Father's House" in Ukraine.

Right now the biggest need is to take the financial strain off of them so that they can concentrate on the children in their care. Eventually, though, the goal is to open a transition house for the kids who age out. After that the dream is to have housing that can accommodate short term missions teams and even adopting families. But, for now we have to start at the beginning and that's keeping the doors of "Father's House" open.

To stay open the home needs $36,000 to operate for the year. In order to do this we are looking for 36 people who will be willing to sponsor the home at $100 a month. If you can't do a sponsorship on your own consider partnering with a friend or even with a group of friends. Or sponsor at $25, $50, or $75 a month. Ideally we would love to have 36 people sponsoring at $100 a month in order to ensure that FH stays open and there's even some cushion for those unexpected expenses that come along, but we know that there are folks who want to help but can only do so in smaller amounts and we gladly accept any and every donation to help Father's House keep operating.

Ok, so just to recap, here are some bullet points. Cause I tend to get confused and if anyone else reading this can relate... well, you prob need the bullet points too.

Father's House is a Ukrainian Christian run orphanage in Kharkov, Ukraine
They are in danger of shutting and sending all the kids to state-run orphanages
They need $36,000 a year to operate
With 36 sponsors at $100 a month we can keep them open
Donations should be sent to Room For One More Child here (remember to note it's for Father's House)
This is a great way to see James 1:27 come alive in your own life.

Fundraiser Friday: Changing Realities

2011-08-12T11:02:00.002-04:00

I listened to Randy Bohlender's podcast speaking on funding adoptions this morning and felt like he was sharing my own heart but so much better than I could do. I shared, in a blog post I titled Reality and Fundraising, how I feel about fundraising for adoptions. And I'll just say it again, it's not about a family gaining a new child, it's about a child/children getting a family versus the reality they currently live in.

Since I don't have a fundraising family to focus on today I wanted to share Randy's thoughts and re-post what I wrote back in June. Finances should never be a hindrance to a family who wants to adopt or a hindrance to a child being placed in a loving family. Please listen to Randy's podcast. He says it so much better than I can, and really goes in depth to the heart of what adoption is really about and why the Church needs to be involved.

Reality and Fundraising

Ever wondered why folks fundraise for adoption? You think, "why should I help them "have a baby"? Because it's not about that family gaining a new child, it's about THAT CHILD getting a family versus the reality they currently live in. That's truly the bottom line. Unfortunately changing these kids' realities costs a lot of money :( Thank you to ALL who gave to help change Liza's reality!

*posted as my FB status

I wonder just how many adoptive families have faced these types of questions and attitudes? Unfortunately too many that I know have and it really breaks my heart. Not just for them but for the kids who wait while those who want to come and bring change are stifled by those who can't see past the dollar signs. Because really, isn't that what the problem really is?

Why are people offended that we are asking for help to pay the ransom needed to change the reality for these children? Would they be just as offended if a mother whose child was abducted asked for help to raise the money to pay the kidnappers in order to get her child back? What if my child was severely ill and we needed to raise the funds to pay his medical bills. Would that offend you?

Maybe you'd say those scenarios aren't really the same and I'd have to ask you why you don't think so.

Is it because the child I want to adopt isn't "mine" yet? Well, that may be true but that same child is God's child. You would have to be able to tell me that you don't believe that HE wants you to help me pay the ransom to change HIS child's reality or if you can't do that to be supportive in some tangible way.
Is it because you don't really believe that the reality orphan children live in is anything like a child living with a severe illness or a child being held against their will by those who care nothing for them?

Have you read Carrington's story? What about Theo's? And now there's also Victoria. If you have, do you still think their stories are nothing like that of a child who's seriously ill? Or a child who's being held against their will by people who don't care? Is their former reality the kind that a child should have to live in just because we might be offended that someone is fundraising in order to make a difference for them?

Or maybe you're ok with giving to a family raising money to adopt a waiting listed child, but a family adopting a newborn is different? But how is it? Why is it different?

If you call yourself Pro-Life then adoption is something you ought to be supporting in SOME way, and the best way if you can't or aren't willing to adopt yourself, is to support those who are whether the child they hope to adopt is born or unborn.
Mothers who want to place their children for adoption need the assurance that there are families waiting to adopt their babies when they're born. Those families need our help to stand in the gap. The alternative reality for those babies is foster care or life in an orphanage. Do you want to tell that mother that's the reality for her child because you just can't support adoption?

These families are hoping to adopt children who need families. Children who may be born and waiting in foster care or orphanages or children who are unborn, whose mothers are hoping for just the right family to step forward. They need our help to stand in the gap and help them reach these children. But honestly, it's not about them - it's about the children whose realities they are desperately trying to change. When you consider giving think of the children first.

Brooke and Michael Annessa - Adopting a (hopefully) soon to be born infant they will name Adelyn.

Renee and Steve Tam - Adopting a little girl with DS they are naming Paisley. They hope to travel soon!

Amanda and David Burlingham - Adopting a little boy who was once Liza's buddy and happens to be blind. I got to hold this little guy and can't wait for him to meet his family!

Amy Lucas - Adopting Liam, a little guy with DS who will be her 5th son :) Gotta love little boys! Moving fast so she would really appreciate the support.

Ann and Jason Plummer - Adopting Barbara and Matthew, 2 little ones with Down Syndrome.

Jenn and Chris Abell - Adopting Olga, who I had dubbed "Liza's twin" when she was waiting :) They look some alike and have that same mischievous gleam in the eye, oh and the same extra chromosome!

Things I Ponder: Confrontation

2011-08-11T07:40:00.000-04:00

*Disclaimer: This post is not a finger pointing at ANYONE. It is just my thoughts on an issue that's been on my mind recently for a number of reasons. This is just my way of getting it out, possibly hearing others thoughts on it, and maybe even educating myself.*

I don't really like confrontation, but I do feel there are right ways and wrong ways to handle it. Most of my life I have avoided confrontation in anyway that I could if I really didn't want to be involved or didn't have a big interest in what the whole issue was about. Not to say that I don't get mad, because I do. Just ask my husband. Or anyone whose ever done something mean to my little brothers, my kids, or my friends. Those scenarios are about the only time I can confront somebody and not feel timid about it. Not that I don't shake in my proverbial boots the whole time, but that's usually a mix of anger and nerves.

My mom still loves to tell the story of when I was in around 5th grade and stood up to the two biggest guys on my bus. They had it coming and at that particular moment I still think I could've done damage if they had wanted to try to "put me in my place". Here's what happened:

We had just moved from town out to the country and hadn't been riding this bus very long and in our small Georgia county all the kids on a particular bus route rode the same bus - there was no "Elementary bus", "Jr. High bus", etc. My youngest brother, who we always called Junior, was in Kindergarten I believe and I was VERY protective of both of my little bros. One morning, maybe the first day of school, we got on the bus and as we were walking further back, my baby bro in front of me, Junior steps on the foot of the big guy in the middle of the bus. I mean BIG, I am pretty sure this dude was a football player and I know he was in High school. So, little bro steps on this dude's foot and next thing I know Big Dude pushes my little brother across the aisle into Big Dude #2! Oh, heck no!! Well, Big Sister (who's not so big. Maybe 50 lbs at 11 years old, for real.) was not standing for that kind of treatment of her little brother for one second! Before I really even knew what I was doing I had snatched my little brother out from between these two huge morons and immediately began to berate them both. It went a little something like this: "what do you think you're doing?! How dare you push him?! He's a little boy!" Big Dude #1 said something to the effect of: "he stepped on my new shoes". And I gave him this incredulous look and blasted him again with: "look at how small he is and look at your foot. you really think he was going to do any damage?!" By this time the bus driver was yelling at all of us and made ME come and sit in the front of the bus. I was mad at her for that, but I understand now that she felt she was protecting me. Looking back I am pretty sure that Big Dude #1 and #2 were laughing at me under their breath, but I didn't care. One thing I do know is that neither I or my two little brothers ever had any more issues on that bus.

So, what's my point? I don't know exactly. This is just an issue I've been thinking on lately. One thing that I've learned through the years is that the best way to deal with an issue when confrontation really needs to take place is to just suck it up and deal with it head to head, so to speak. Maybe not EXACTLY the way I dealt with it when it came to the issue with Big Dudes #1 & #2, although sometimes that's the only way to get through to some folks, but it is best to just deal with it. The opposite of what I mean here is what happened to me at the local library the other day. I'll tell the story and then what I think would've been a better way for it to be handled.

I'm at the library with my children last week and have put Liza in the van and then started it because the boys were coming right behind me. Then I remembered that I needed to call the main branch about a book that had been lost so, as the boys were walking out, I called and forgot I had already started the van. An older lady who was sitting in her vehicle beside us gets out and begins to putter around her vehicle. Then she begins to fake cough and says, "oh carbon monoxide! turn it off...." and I'm thinking to myself, 'is she talking about me?'. Then I realize that my vehicle is still running. She putters some more and makes a few more comments, all the while I am still on the phone about the "lost" book and trying to figure out why this grown woman in the library parking lot is acting like a child. Eventually she goes inside, right about the time the mystery of the lost book is cleared up and I hang up the phone, put my van in drive and leave.

My children heard everything that this lady said and when we were leaving they asked me why she did it and what was her point, basically. I used it as a teaching moment on confrontation and how to do it correctly. Well, to be totally honest, first I told them she was a jackass - then I told them how I felt she should've handled the situation. What she really should've done was come over to my side of my vehicle and respectfully asked me to turn my car off. She could've given reasons why she believed it was the right thing to do if she felt like she needed to or not. But, I would've had so much more respect for her if she had just confronted me in a respectful manner rather than the way that she did it. Honestly, I didn't even realize that I had the car running the whole time until she said something. I was just taking care of something I didn't want to forget about and it never crossed my mind that I was "polluting the environment". Plus, the way she handled it made me feel kind of disrespected and that's something I'm still pondering. Ummm, and just so you all know, my car does not put off foul smelling fumes. I know all cars put out some pollution but it's not pouring stinky exhaust out when it's running. Just sayin'....

Two different stories, but both sort of about the same thing. Only two different ways to handle it. Wondering what others think about this whole issue of confrontation and the ways that we handle it.

Conversations With Liza- More on "The Brothers"

2011-08-05T11:05:00.000-04:00

The other day we were at my friend, Tari's, house so that I could have my weekly piano lesson from her. If you've never stopped by her blog, you should, she has a knack for laying out the Truth with grace and compassion, AND she's a beautiful worshipper.

Ok, so we were at Tari's and she and I are talking and working on helping me learn to play piano (someday I'm gonna be awesome) and Liza comes to the door, which is blocked cause Tari has a new puppy. She looks over the barrier at us and our conversation begins. Translations to Liza's signs/gestures in italics and parentheses.

Me: "What's up Liza?"

Liza: points in the room (Hey mom, let me come in there with you.)

Me: "No, go find your brothers. Where's Austin?"

Liza: shrugs, then points in A's direction (I know where they are and I am NOT falling for that trick.)

Me: "Go get them. Go see 'The Brothers'."

Liza: signs "brothers" and makes a shushing sound. (They told me to be quiet! Can you believe that?!)

Me: "Did they tell you to 'shhh'?"

Liza: nods, then walks over to the stairs and signs "cry". (That's what I just said. Now, I'm gonna cry. Sooo, you'll let me climb these stairs, right?)

Me: (laughing) "you're gonna cry cause they told you to shh? (I giggle as she nods) no, you're not."

Liza: she starts to climb the stairs, which I've told her not to do already (I've distracted you and now I'm gonna climb the stairs, finally)

Me: (sternly) "Liza, don't climb the stairs." (she looks at me) "I mean it! Go see 'The Brothers'."

Liza: climbs down and kinda shrugs over her shoulders, throwing her hands down as she walks away. (Darn it! Fine mom, whatev!!!)

Of course, by this time Tari and I are cracking up. This girl is a character.

Fresh Air Fund

2011-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

I remember meeting a family years ago who volunteered with the Fresh Air Fund. I had never heard of it before and thought it sounded like a great idea. I was able to witness the joy of the children that the family was hosting and I thought it was a great idea.

Here's a blurb about the program from the Fresh Air website:
"Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps."

Recently I was contacted by someone who works for the Fresh Air Fund and asked to advocate for them. They are currently looking for host families who will welcome the children into their homes and sponsors to help defray the costs. If you've ever thought of hosting a child this is a really wonderful program. This quote sums it up, I think: "A child taking a walk in the grass barefoot, gazing at the stars, being outdoors and enjoying a slower pace - that's what it's all about." - Joan, PA

Fundraiser Friday - Paisley and the Tam Family

2011-07-29T08:30:00.004-04:00

Love those brown eyes!!

Renee and Steve Tam are adopting Valeria, who they are calling Paisley. They hope to travel to meet Paisley for the first time in September and are hard at work raising the last of the money needed to be fully funded by that time. Their giveaway is awesome and I have dubbed Renee "The Fundraiser Queen" .

She's not sure if she accepts that title but I can tell you she definitely is the "Toffee Queen" and if you enter the giveaway you have a chance at finding that out for yourself. Because for every $1000 they raise in this giveaway three donators names will be drawn and will win some of Renee's amazing white chocolate toffee AND the recipe for the famous toffee. I think that's quite a prize on it's own and it's just a little extra incentive to give generously and tell your friends about it!

Renee's World-famous toffee.
Just LOOKS mouth-watering, doesn't it?
It is! Trust me.

But, I've gotten a little ahead of myself. The toffee is great but, like I said, it's just an extra incentive. You can also win:

An Ipad2 32GB w/Wifi in black
A Nikon D3000 SLR
A couple of really cute prints from Etsy
A $50 Starbucks giftcard
A $50 Target giftcard
$50 to spend on Lisa Leonard jewelry
Two of the cutest wreaths made from BURLAP! (who knew burlap could be so cute?! it is...)
Four really cute and colorful key fobs (you choose)
$50 to use at Posh and Prissy (Liza has one of her bows. SO cute)
A pair of squeaker shoes (dontcha love little kids in squeaky shoes?)
$50 to use at Vera Bradley
A basketful of beautiful homemade soap
Three custom pillowcases

Whew, I think that's everything. Go over to Renee's blog, Chasing Moonlight, and check everything out. This is definitely something that you want to get in on. I still can't decide which prize is better the toffee or that Ipad2, or even those burlap wreaths :) Which one are you hoping for?

Music and Life: Fighting Dragons

2011-07-26T21:27:00.000-04:00

We are big fans of Taylor Swift here in our house. I think she seems like the sweetest person and so far she doesn't seem to have let her fame go to her head. On top of that, she's a very gifted singer/songwriter and there aren't a whole lot of her songs that we don't love.

This one is mine and Noah's favorite song by her right now. I had listened to it a few times and just knew I liked it but had never paid attention to the lyrics. Then one day Noah asked me to play the "dragon song" while we were on a long car trip and after the second time hearing it I really paid attention and realized that not only was the music good but the words really had a great message.

Some of my favorite lyrics are:
"And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, "this is absurd"
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world"
and
"long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you"

Don't we all wish for just one day where this is our song? I know I've felt like a member of that "band of thieves" waiting for my moment to rule the World.

I'm dedicating this song to my kids. I hope that someday they all have moments like this in their lives. That they celebrate the walls they crash through. That they have friends they can trust to fight the dragons alongside of. That someday the Kingdom lights will shine just for them and that they prove all the cynics wrong.

Conversations With Liza

2011-07-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

Liza had only one word when we got her out of the orphanage. That was "Nyet" (No). I'm putting her clothes on her, she's chanting "net-net-net!". I'm brushing her hair, she's chanting "net-net-net!" Washing her hair, "net-net-net!" You get the picture, right? It was kind of annoying, yet kind of cute at the same time. I should have known then what we were in for.

Now that she's been home for eight months she's learned to communicate lots more words through either signing or speaking, mostly signing. In the beginning she just used one sign at a time, signing "juice" for juice, signing "daddy" to ask for Daddy, signing "eat" when she was hungry, etc. Lately she's been stringing signs together to really have conversations with us. It's really been fun to watch her transition and grow like she has.

Last night as I was getting her out of the bath tub, ok wait, let me rephrase that. Last night after the water drained out of the tub so she would finally get out, she started whining and "crying". Basically, she was having a fit cause she does not like getting out of the water, and here comes Austin to the rescue. She won't get out for me, even with the water gone so Austin gets a towel, takes her out, and wraps her up. This is the series of signs that followed and my interpretation of that conversation.

Liza signs:

Brother
cry
myself/mine "points to her nose" (she made this one up herself)
brother again
work

This is Mom's interpretation of what she was trying to tell me, and if you had seen her grin during this whole convo you would know that I am spot on!

"Mom, when I cry my brothers come running to make it better. That's the way it works."

Yep, that's exactly the way it works and on one hand I know I am in deep doo-doo, but on the other hand I'm just so glad I get to be a part of watching her be the Princess of our household. She's got us all wrapped. And we are totally fine with that.

Fundraiser Friday - Phoebe and the Smith Family

2011-07-22T13:44:00.001-04:00

Isn't she darling?!

Lisa and Matthew Smith are in the process of adopting Phoebe (and hopefully 1 more). They started this journey with hopes of adopting a precious little girl named Yana, but complications that could not be overcome arose. Instead of giving up they decided to move forward and are now waiting to go and meet Phoebe next month.

In the meantime, to raise the last bit of funds needed to complete the adoption they are having an American Girl doll fundraiser. Every little girl would love to own their very own American Girl doll, right? I know I would love for Liza to have one but honestly the cost of the dolls makes me cringe. That's what makes this giveaway great. For a $5 donation to their adoption fund you are entered once to win an American Girl doll package, and the package goes up as the amount donated on their chip-in goes up.

An example of prize package one (you choose your doll)
Check out Lisa's post for more example photos of other packages.

Here's how it works:

1st package Valued at $119 which includes doll, book and accessory package.
When donations reach/exceed $2000 winner receives $179 package which is the starter collection. If the doll you choose does not have the starter package you will get your doll and anything up to $179.
When donations reach/exceed $5000 winner receives the best friends package valued at $234. If your doll does not have a best friend then you will receive your doll and accessories up to $234.
When donations reach/exceed $10,000 winner receives a world collection valued at $439. If your doll does not have this collection, we will give you a package at $439.

So, if you want to win this prize it would be best for everyone (especially Phoebe and her mystery sister) if you share with everyone you know and donate for at least a few entries. They also have a couple of other prizes you could be entered for: Longaberger/Pampered Chef/31/Tupperware bundle or a Vera Bradley Purse and wallet bundle. Look for the chip-in in Lisa's post to donate and donate NUMEROUS times :) Let's help change Phoebe's and her sister's reality!

Fundraiser Friday (A little late) - Andriy and the Burlingham Family

2011-07-17T08:30:00.001-04:00

This Fundraiser Friday post is really special to me because the little boy whose family I am spotlighting is a little one that I had the opportunity to hold and really get to know, even if just a little bit. Andriy has the sweetest smile and the most precious laugh. When I met him his smile seemed very shy and his laugh was quiet and didn't happen very often. His most favorite thing to do when I played with him was to hold my hands and rock back and forth just smiling his shy, sweet smile with his head down. My heart was captured and I am SO SO excited for him and for his family!

Amanda and David are soon to be Andriy's Mom and Dad and their newest fundraiser is one of the coolest I've seen lately. They are doing a Leaves of Love fundraiser, for each $10 donation made a leaf (w/donors name written inside) will be added to Andriy's tree in a lovely Fall color, and when he is home it will be a work of art that tells the story of all those who cared enough to help change his reality. They are also giving away chances at a quilt and selling puzzle pieces along with the prints that are added to the tree.

Here's a rundown of what your donation could get you:
$5 One quilt entry

$10 One Leaf, 2 quilt entry

$15 One Leaf , 3 quilt entries, Your name on the puzzle

$20 Two Leafs, 4 quilt entries, Your name on the puzzle

$25 Two Leafs, 5 quilt entries, Your name on the puzzle

$30 Three Leafs, 6 quilt entries, Your name on the puzzle

Cookie Monsters

2011-07-09T08:30:00.001-04:00

Remember I was urging everyone to visit Charlie's Chocolate Factory? Well, we got our goodies from CCF, and let me tell you! They are just as amazing as everyone said, honestly.

Pictures speak a thousand words, right? So, I'll let them and Liza (the boys are anti-camera these days) tell the story.

First Bite.

You can't see her but the puppy is trying to snatch a bite.
Not happening!

Mmmmmm, that's pretty good!

Oh, you know what's about to happen, right?

Seriously, you can't guess what happened next?
...
...
...

Yep, Liza ate Austin's cookie!
(*This was NOT staged, I was just quick with
the camera for once!)

Pretty dadgum proud of myself right now,
if I do say so myself :)
Now, Austin - he's not so proud.
Better be looking out next time Brother!

Fundraiser Friday - Olga and the Abell Family

2011-07-08T08:30:00.000-04:00

Jenn and Chris Abell are adopting the sweet girl above, her name is Olga. Isn't she just a cutie-pie? The first time I saw her photo I thought how much she reminded me of Liza - ok sure, it was probably just the blonde hair and fair skin, but then I read her description and it mentioned something about her being "determined" and that she liked to help the other children. Well, that really sounds like someone I know who happens to be cute, blonde, and a bit sassy. So, when I found out Olga had a family determined to come for her I was pretty excited for her and for them. Now, I have the privilege of sharing some of the fundraisers they are doing in order to raise the money needed to bring Olga home.

On July 16th they are hosting A Dinner for Olga in Port Orchard, Washington. They're serving pulled pork sandwiches along with some tasty side dishes and strawberry lemonade or sweet tea to drink. Sounds really good and if I didn't know they were all the way over in Washington I would think they were here in Virginia or a little further South judging by that menu (trust me, even here in "Northern" VA it's sometimes hard to find sweet tea!). If you're anywhere close to them and would like to actually attend Olga's Dinner you can purchase a ticket at their event page, and if you do go eat a little extra for me, ok? If you're out of town but want to donate you can go the event page purchase a ticket and then send Jenn an email letting her know you're not actually attending along with a message for Olga.

They also have a couple other fundraisers going on right now that you should check out. Jenn's friend, Stephanie, is hosting Christmas in July for Olga throughout July. She is calling it a "give-to" and here's how it works, she has these beautiful Christmas ornaments and for every $10 donation to the Abell's adoption fund she is giving an ornament to Olga along with a message sent by the contributor. Sounds like a great gift for Olga on her first Christmas with a family! Olga has also been chosen as the Jars of Hopes and Dreams child for the month of July. Who knew the change that could fill up a jar could be used to change the life of a child?

On top of all that the Abell's are sending everyone who contributes to any of these fundraisers a keychain to help you remember why you gave.

Front side

Back side

Please head over to the Abell Family's blog and help Olga come home to her family.

Things I Never Thought I'd Say to My Daughter

2011-07-07T08:30:00.000-04:00

Liza is crazy, seriously. We call her a Crazy Chica, and she signs back to us that she's a crazy chicken... LOL

I find myself saying things all the time to her that I never thought I'd say to my daughter, or maybe to my child period. Here are a few examples:

"Oh Lord! Don't drink from the dog bowl!"
"You're not a dog, you're a girl!"
"Liza, don't lick the counter!"
"Liza don't bite Grandma's toes!"
Please don't lick your brother."

So, what do you think? Anyone else find theirself saying unexpected things to their kids? Surely she's not the only Crazy Chica (or chicken) out there.

Fundraiser Friday (a couple days early) - Olga E's Puzzle

2011-07-06T17:22:00.002-04:00

Monica lives in Norway and is committed to advocating and raising money for a little girl called Olga E. She is running a puzzle fundraiser to raise money for Olga's adoption grant and raise awareness so that her family can find her. We all know that the higher a child's grant is the more likely a family will step forward to adopt them. Because, adoption is expensive and the cost is what holds willing families back all to often.

Each piece is only $1 so go over and sponsor a few pieces and put Monica to the test as she adds the pieces to make Olga's puzzle come together.

(There will still be a FF post on Friday. I had a couple requests with fundraisers going on now and didn't want to miss any.)

Who is Andrea G

2011-07-06T10:40:00.000-04:00

Maybe you've noticed that I mention her name a lot since coming home from Ukraine. I "met" Andrea about a month or so before we went to Ukraine because she had written about "her angels" on her blog and one of them just happened to be my angel. BTW - thanks to the Anonymous commenter who shared that post with me. See, sometimes Anonymous can be nice! (all you bloggers know what I mean, right?)

We feel so blessed to have gotten to know Andrea and to have had her insight into some of the things Liza did when we first met her. I remember one day I took Liza back up to groupa and let go of her hand to leave. I stayed and watched for a minute to see what would happen and my sweet angel walked right up to another child (pretty sure it was Diana), who is incapable of defending herself, and slapped her across the face! It broke my heart in two to see her do that. Of course, my fierce sense of right and wrong couldn't let that go so I marched right over to Liza and took her hand and told her with a stern look and a stern voice, "I DO NOT like that! Not Nice!" But, inside I was thinking, "my child is a monster. why would she do such a thing?" You know, all the silly Mama hysterics we can get into. Thankfully, Andrea witnessed the whole thing and was able to share with me why she thought Liza had done what she did. Seems it was a way to get attention from the caregivers that she and a few of the others practiced regularly :( It really set my heart at ease to have Andrea's insight into why she did what she did.

Andrea's heart for adoption and the kids who wait is huge and she is always open to sharing what she knows with prospective parents. She also has great info on Krivoy Rog and the different orphanages that she was able to visit. While we were there she taught us to take the bus on our own which really helped with boredom and saved us money on hiring a driver. She also helped us find the church that is right around the corner from the orphanage and that was such a lifesaver for us. I don't know how we would've made it without the fellowship at the church, and with Andrea herself, for all the weeks we were there.

Andrea is now back home in Canada, but advocates for her kids every chance she gets. We love her heart and are so glad we were given the chance to get to know her. I wonder if that's why God had our process take so much longer, because if we had gone to Ukraine when I wanted to we would never have met her. Looking back now I wouldn't change things if it meant losing the opportunity to meet her. Go check out Andrea's blog, Ambassador of Love, and the kids she loves but had to leave behind.

We love you Andrea!! :) Many kisses from your girl... <3

Project T.L.C.

2011-07-04T11:48:00.000-04:00

What about the ones left behind? That's what I keep asking myself ever since we came home. Because no matter how we advocate or how many children I, or my friends, or your friends, adopt we really can't save them all. Isn't that heartbreaking? It almost brings you to the point of throwing in the towel, huh?

ALMOST, but when I feel that way there's a story I heard once that keeps me moving, keeps me determined.

The Legend of the Starfish

A man was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy walked slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean. The man, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, "I have been watching what you are doing, son. You have a good heart, and I know you mean well, but do you realize how many beaches there are around here and how many starfish are dying on every beach every day. Do you really think that what you are doing is going to make a difference?" The boy looked up at the man, and then he looked down at a starfish by his feet. He picked up the starfish, and as he gently tossed it back into the ocean, he said, "It makes a difference to that one."

No matter how many times I read that story I tear up every time. "It makes a difference to that one."

I have some friends who adopted a few children from Ukraine and two of them brought one child home literally on death's door. Stephanie, Shelly, and Boston decided they had to do something to make a difference for the ones they weren't able to rescue so they started Project T.L.C. to provide for some of the needs of the children that were left behind in institutions in the Crimea region of Ukraine.

They will be sending someone over with basic hygiene supplies in the Fall and are in need of donations to make this happen. Can we all be like the young man in the story and look through eyes of hope and compassion? Knowing that maybe we can't save them all but we CAN make a difference for just one.

Speaking of Fundraising/Fundraiser Friday - Charlotte's Chocolate Factory

2011-07-01T11:41:00.000-04:00

Since I let my heart fall out about families, orphans, and fundraising the other day I can't seem to stop thinking about it. I really believe in adoption fundraising and have decided I want to support those who are in the trenches, so to speak, like I was at one time - and who knows, may be again someday (and no, that's not some super secret announcement). If you or someone you know is fundraising for adoption please let me know so I can highlight them one week. Email me at hismissionmine at yahoo dot com.

So, Fundraiser Friday is starting today featuring friends I made not long after Liza came home and had the pleasure of meeting, ironically, at another family's adoption fundraiser.

Charlotte (aka Charlie)
Who wouldn't wanna spend some time with this cutie? :)

Kelly and Kyle Dirkes are adopting Charlie, a sweet little muffin with the same extra chromosome that Liza has. I met Kelly and Kyle not long after they committed to Charlie and have found Kelly to be a good friend ever since that night. She's helped me with computer and picture issues, and offered valuable advice on IEP navigating. I am really looking forward to meeting Miss Charlie when she comes home.

Kelly is putting her love of baking to good use through Charlotte's Chocolate Factory for the next week and is inviting you all to indulge yourselves and help Sweet Charlie come home. I have been told these treats are delicious! I can't wait for mine to get here - I'm hoping I can hide them from Rick and the kids... lol

I mean, really! Even the packaging is pretty.

Go on over and visit Charlies Chocolate Factory and hook yourself up. You get some yummy treats and the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping bring Charlotte home. It's a win-win, seriously!

Reality and Fundraising

2011-06-29T21:15:00.000-04:00

*posted as my FB status

Maybe you'd say those scenarios aren't really the same and I'd have to ask you why you don't think so.

Is it because the child I want to adopt isn't "mine" yet? Well, that may be true but that same child is God's child. You would have to be able to tell me that you don't believe that HE wants you to help me pay the ransom to change HIS child's reality or if you can't do that to be supportive in some tangible way.
Is it because you don't really believe that the reality orphan children live in is anything like a child living with a severe illness or a child being held against their will by those who care nothing for them?

Have you read Carrington's story? What about Theo's? And now there's also Victoria. If you have, do you still think their stories are nothing like that of a child who's seriously ill? Or a child who's being held against their will by people who don't care? Is their former reality the kind that a child should have to live in just because we might be offended that someone is fundraising in order to make a difference for them?

Or maybe you're ok with giving to a family raising money to adopt a waiting listed child, but a family adopting a newborn is different? But how is it? Why is it different?

If you call yourself Pro-Life then adoption is something you ought to be supporting in SOME way, and the best way if you can't or aren't willing to adopt yourself, is to support those who are whether the child they hope to adopt is born or unborn.
Mothers who want to place their children for adoption need the assurance that there are families waiting to adopt their babies when they're born. Those families need our help to stand in the gap. The alternative reality for those babies is foster care or life in an orphanage. Do you want to tell that mother that's the reality for her child because you just can't support adoption?

Brooke and Michael Annessa - Adopting a (hopefully) soon to be born infant they will name Adelyn.

Renee and Steve Tam - Adopting a little girl with DS they are naming Paisley. They hope to travel soon!

Amanda and David Burlingham - Adopting a little boy who was once Liza's buddy and happens to be blind. I got to hold this little guy and can't wait for him to meet his family!

Amy Lucas - Adopting Liam, a little guy with DS who will be her 5th son :) Gotta love little boys! Moving fast so she would really appreciate the support.

Ann and Jason Plummer - Adopting Barbara and Matthew, 2 little ones with Down Syndrome.

Jenn and Chris Abell - Adopting Olga, who I had dubbed "Liza's twin" when she was waiting :) They look some alike and have that same mischievous gleam in the eye, oh and the same extra chromosome!

6 Months in Photos

2011-06-13T16:23:00.000-04:00

I have been seriously lacking in updates on this blog, heck in just blogging period. Facebook, I love you but I blame you for my lack of blogging ability for a while now (not that I was ever this amazing blogger, but you know...), it's just so easy to go and throw up a little blurb every now and then over there and post photos too. After I've done that I usually get sucked into what everyone else is up to and somehow blogging just never happens. The first step towards recovering from an addiction is admitting it, right? So, I admit to an addiction to Facebook. We'll see where that takes us :)

Since Liza has been home now for more than SIX months I knew I needed to do a really nice update post on her progress. The other day I was looking thru all the pics of her from orphanage to present and even I was struck by the total difference in even her appearance. Rick and I both have been at a loss as to what to call it and then on Facebook my friend Renee Tam shared something that struck me and I realized what the difference was -" ‎'Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.' — Maya Angelou I can't wait to see Paisley thrive, she's been just surviving long enough..." in case you don't know Renee is adopting a little girl she's naming Paisley who shares that little something extra with Liza.

For the past 6+ months we have had the privilege and honor to watch as Liza went from just surviving to really THRIVING. It has been amazing to watch and I thought the best way to celebrate the past 6 months and share with you all the difference we've seen was to start at the beginning - the first day we met her - and move forward to the present in pictures.

Typical Daddy/Daughter Interaction

2011-05-24T21:04:00.000-04:00

Couldn't find a good pic of them together. But, this'll do, right? :)

So, we're out having lunch today and this is what takes place.

Liza is sitting beside Rick on the booth seat across from me. She is eating nothing but french fries and he wants her to eat her chicken. (BTW- how did she turn into a typical American kid so fast?)

Rick tells her to eat her chicken and then gives her a stern look as she picks up another french fry.

She looks at him as if to say, "what?" That doesn't work so she puts on a cute face and shakes her ponytail at him.

He almost smiled, but didn't quite crack. He says, "Liza eat your chicken." and tries another stern look.

She leans behind his back and kisses his shoulder.

Dad eats the chicken and she eats her french fries.

Liza 1 / Daddy 0

Liza's "Brother's and Sister's" - Brody

2011-05-23T16:49:00.000-04:00

I've shared before about some of Liza's friends that she grew up with who are still waiting. Recently a friend who is adopting one of Liza's friends referred to these other kids as her son's "brothers and sisters" and I realized that she was right. These kids were the only brothers and sisters that Liza knew until we brought her home. They fought just like siblings do. As I was told Liza and Victoria did quite a bit before V was transferred. I really hope that a family finds her soon and that we can get the girls together again. I'd love to see what they think of each other when they don't have to fight for the attention of the adults in their lives.

My friend, Andrea was able to spend lot's of time with all of these children and since she has returned home it has become her greatest hope to see them all adopted by loving families. She posted recently about Brody.

When we were in Ukraine we were able to meet Brody and I haven't been able to forget him. Poor Brody just cried constantly and even at times would harm himself by banging his head on the floor as hard as he could. Unfortunately, when he did this no one tried to stop him :( It was almost as if at four years old he already felt that all hope for him was gone. It totally broke my heart and I prayed for him to receive help from somewhere. To have someone who would love him no matter what. Andrea did just that every chance she had, but we all knew that her time there was going to come to a close and we worried what life for Brody would be like then.

Praise God that before Andrea left Brody was transferred! Wait, since when do we rejoice about a kid being transferred? This transfer turned out to be a good thing for Brody. Andrea said he is much calmer, his head no longer has ping pong ball size knots on it, he is loved and treated with respect. That is something worthy of praising God for! It would be even better, though, if he had a family. Please go and read Andrea's post about Brody. If you know of someone looking for a sweet boy who has so much potential. Who just needs to continue to have hope poured back into him, please share Brody's story with them. He is worth it!

5/5/5 Warrioring

2011-05-12T09:51:00.000-04:00

I love to say Warrioring :) I don't know if it's even really a word, but I just like the way it sounds and what it stands for. It means we are literally fighting for the lives of kids who have no one else to fight for them. I never really thought of myself as a fighter until I realized how passionate I was about the least of these. Whether it's the orphan around the World, the young man in the grocery store who no one else wants to look at because he has an extra chromosome, or even just my little brother who, at 6 years old, had the audacity to step on the brand new shoes of one of the high school football players (that's a story I should really share someday).

As of May 5 Reece's Rainbow has launched a new Warrior program to advocate for all of the children listed who are five years old. Why only the five year olds? Because five is the average age that a child will be transferred to the institution. Liza was TWO months from turning five when we took her from the orphanage and I know that's where she would've gone if we had been denied her referral, which almost happened. She actually should have gone at four but because they knew we were coming and she was a favorite they held her as long as they could.

Those of you who have met her:

Can you imagine this child living in an institution?

I know how far she's come in the amount of time she's been with us and I shudder to think what a transfer would've meant to her. New faces, new routine, all new caregivers. Maybe she wouldn't have been the favorite anymore. Maybe her tendencies to try to be in charge of everyone wouldn't have been seen as cute and endearing. Maybe her Drama Queen moments would've landed her on the bottom of the pyramid when it came to attention, feeding, bathing, and all those other little things that are needed to keep at least a semblance of health and happiness. Just thinking of the possibilities causes me to praise God once again for changing the circumstances that could've kept us from receiving her referral in Ukraine. That's another story I should tell someday....

So, now we come back to sweet Callie.

We originally planned to adopt from China but then weren't qualified. So, she is my China baby of my heart till her Mama finds her :)

She is in China, she's five, and she desperately needs the same chance at a new life that Liza has been given. Please help me find her Mama or donate to her fund to help her Mama/Papa find her. Do it because you have a heart for orphans. Do it as a tribute to Liza. Do it because we are commanded to care for the Widow and the orphan. Do it because Callie has no voice except the one that we give her.

Celebrating Zara

2011-03-14T11:07:00.002-04:00

Who's Zara?

She is.

Precious, right?

Today is Zara's birthday, and my friend Julia wrote a post dedicated to this sweet one. It touched my heart, made me cry, and I decided I needed to dedicate a blog post to Miss Zara as well. It's the least I can do for such a sweetheart on her birthday when there's nothing else I can do. I wish I could visit her, hold her, whisper in her ear that someone cares for her today on her birthday, and everyday. Doesn't she deserve that just as much as any other child? Breaks my heart that there is no celebration of Zara today as she turns 2 years old.

I was going to try to stir myself to post about Liza's first day of school. And that is VERY important! Can you believe it?! This child who for almost FIVE whole years was considered not worth teaching actually went to school today! I am in awe every time I think of it. I will post photos and highlights of that later but the contrast is what struck me.

Today I celebrate Liza's first day of school. But, Zara lays alone all day long. Most likely the only time she will be talked to (or at) or paid any attention to will be to get her diaper changed and to be fed. AND IT'S HER BIRTHDAY! Breaks my heart that something that should be celebrated so joyously is just passed as another day. Oh Jesus! Please let your baby know she is celebrated and loved today, and everyday!

Please share Zara's story. Go and read Julia's post and share it on Facebook or your own blogs. She needs to be celebrated today. Two years ago on this day a precious gift was given, so far the family this gift was meant for has not discovered her yet, but still - she is a gift. A precious treasure.

Wild Olive Giveaway!!

2011-02-25T15:19:00.001-05:00

One of these days I AM going to win one of these give-aways... LOL

This time Wild Olive is giving away FIVE of their new Transform Your Mind hoodies. They are so Purrrtttyyy. Go and see for yourself, seriously. All you have to do is visit, grab the button that looks like the pic at the top of this post, blog about it, and link up back at Wild Olive. You can also get extra entries for Like-ing them on FB, and following on Twitter. Easy peasy.

Thanks Wild Olive for this chance to win - I really needed something to lift my spirits at the end of this LONG week. Guess, I need to work on Transforming MY mind, huh? :)

Things I Ponder: Too Many Fights

2011-02-24T15:39:00.001-05:00

Last night was Life group with one of my really good friends, Tari (You should check her blog. She has such awesome truths to share). She's been teaching us about Prophetic Worship and it's been really good. The best part for me has been learning that worship is also warfare. That when we are in a place where we just want to cry, scream, or may be experiencing the worst pain of our lives making a conscious choice to worship can help us to come out on the other side of it.

One of the verses last night that we went over was 2 Chronicles 20:17

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

We talked about how we are also told that God is fighting our battles for us. Something I've heard my whole lfie, but yet is SO hard for met to do! I am a fighter, I'll admit it. If I wasn't Liza probably wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be where I am right now. If there is a fight that I need to fight I will stand my ground and fight until there are no weapons left for me to use.

I really kind of like this about myself, I hope that doesn't sound prideful. But, how does this part of me fit in with the promise of God that He will fight my battles for me? Have I been using up all my energy fighting battles that He wold gladly fight for me? Or have I been doing what I am supposed to do and He is fighting the parts of the battle that maybe I can't see? Questions like this have been rattling around in my head today.

What about when it comes to battles that involve our children? How do we allow God to fight those battles? One of my sons has said some things to someone who used to be a friend of his that were hurtful, not only to this friend but to the friend's Mother, and also to me because I'm his Mom and I hate that he made such a choice. How do I let God fight this battle without shirking my parental duties? What about the battle for my other son and his issues with school and not being able to complete his work. I'm at a loss and want to "give it to God". But, what does that look like? Then there's the battle to get Liza the services we think she needs from the local school system and not what they think they want to give her. What does giving that battle to God look like without just sitting back, praying, and waiting for something to happen?

Right now I just feel like there are too many fights to fight. I think the biggest fight I may be fighting at the moment is giving up the battles. I guess I need to go and play some worship music on my keyboard and sing all my cares away. It worked for Jehoshaphat and his folks.

22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Does anyone else ever feel this way? How do you let go of the fight?

Signing Family

2011-02-22T23:08:00.000-05:00

Hmm, I typed that and I realized that some might think what I mean is a family that signs. While we are quickly becoming a family that signs, what I really mean is the actual signing of the word "family". That's what Liza's been doing a lot lately. She learned to sign that word, along with about 50 or so others from the three Signing Time videos that we have. Which she absolutely LOVES!

I can remember one morning, when she'd been home about two weeks, asking her if she was happy to have a family and how she smiled at me so big and then signed "happy". Since then I have caught her a few times just randomly walking through the house signing "family". It's so cute and so sweet and just such a testimony to the fact that EVERYONE wants to be loved! And guess what, they don't care if they have to be taken halfway around the World to be placed into a situation where they will be loved. You will never convince me that orphans are better off in orphanages in their own country so that they can retain their "culture". I assure you, if you go into any orphanage and ask the majority of kids there they will tell you that they want a family - they won't care what the family looks like or where the family comes from, just that the family will love them and be there for them.

So, what am I getting at besides the fact my daughter can sign "family"? This picture below and what hit me today when I looked at it again for one of a hundred times, but this time saw something I'd never noticed before. Do you see it?

Maxim is signing "FAMILY"!! He was telling me the day that I met him that he wants a family. He may not have known that was what he was doing but I know WHO knows every language under the sun and can even speak through a child who has no language!

Today as I watched Liza sign "family" out of the blue once again, I posted about it on Twitter and really didn't think a whole lot about it after that, except to smile every now and then. Then as I was puttering around my kitchen I looked up at Maxim's, Andrey's, and Vanessa's pictures to pray over them and suddenly it hit me what I was seeing. I thought at the time that it looked like he was trying to make a heart with his fingers, but now that I have seen a child who was once an orphan sign "family" I immediately recognized the cry.

I know you can see it too, can't you? Don't you see the pleading in his eyes? Scroll back up and take a look. It's there - that strong longing. The cry of Maxim's heart is to have a family who will love him and give him everything he will need to succeed. It's the cry of my heart as well. "Now that I have seen, I am responsible" (Albertine - Brooke Fraser).

Wow! I have seen and I am responsible. Now, I have helped you to see and you too are responsible. Please share on Facebook, your blogs, twitter, and everywhere else that you can and help me to find Maxim's family. Please don't shrug this off and go on to the next thing. I have held him in my arms and I just cannot let go until he has a family. Please help me and others who love him, like Stephanie, to find Maxim's family.

Lost and Found Dreams

2011-02-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

Darn, I seem to be really stuck on dreams here lately, huh? I do mean dreams but not the kind of dreams you have while you're sleeping. I mean the dreams of who you wanna be when you grow up.

The kind little girls have that go kinda like this, "I'm gonna go to college and become a teacher! And then I'm gonna get married to a guy who is funny like Daddy but has more hair. And we're gonna have 6 babies and name them Rosie, Molly, JonJon, Peter, Lexie, and Bob." (Not stolen from any actual little girls I've known or been but probably pretty close)

Or that little boys have that go like this, "I'm gonna be a firefighter and Veterinarian! And then an astronaut and a construction worker! And then I'm gonna be a garbage man so I can ride on the back of the garbage truck!" (very possibly a mish-mash of the preschool dreams of two little boys I love who aren't so little anymore - ~~cough Austin/Noah cough~~ )

Today I was reading some messages a couple other adoptive Mamas had shared. One of them was working on genealogy and found that a few generations back she had ancestors that had lived and worked in the town she is adopting her son from. How cool is that?! Then another Mama said she had looked through her middle school yearbook on a whim and found some notes she had written from back then on the region she had just been to and adopted her daughter from. I don't know about you, but that kinda stuff just gets me excited! It's like God holding a megaphone and shouting, "Hey! I knew what I was doing all along! Even when the thought of these children or any children being a part of your lives wasn't on the radar for you. I KNEW!" Isn't He good?

It made me think of when I was a little girl. I loved my baby dolls! Ask my Mama, she'll tell you how much I loved them. I had ~~about a thousand~~ quite a few of them, and it's a good thing I slept on a double-sized pullout sleeper couch cause ALL my babies had to sleep with me. Well, I couldn't leave any of them out! Are you nuts, and hurt their feelings?! No way!

I also used to say for years that I was gonna grow up and be a Mama. I was gonna be a Mama who had LOTS of babies, maybe even a hundred (I seriously told my Grandma and my Mom this, even started making a list of their names once). I can remember once telling my Mom that I was going to have lots of children some biological and some adopted. That we would be such a large family that we would need a newsletter to keep up with each other. I can still remember her smiling at me and saying something like, "You'll change your mind someday." At the time, No - I didn't think anything could change my mind. All I wanted to do was be a Mama to lots of kids, no matter where they might come from.

BUT, uh oh, there's that word. But. Can't ever be good after a story about a little girl's dream, right? Yeah....

Life kinda takes over, doesn't it? You have all these dreams and visions of what you want your life to be like but life is full of so many twists and turns that take us away, a lot of times, from the roads we think we need to be on to make those dreams come true. Until one day we wake up living a total different life than what we thought it would be like at 6 or 9 or 12 or even 15. Which, isn't always a bad thing. In some cases it could be a very similar life to the one imagined, only even better. Or much more than a little girl/boy could've ever dreamed. Or the little girl/boy simply allowed her/his dreams to evolve into something entirely different, but still their own as they grew up. Sometimes, though, the changes that life throws at us can cause our dreams to be completely disrailed and forgotten.

That's what happened to my dreams. Instead of marrying a good guy and beginning to raise a large family, I made some poor choices that led me to an unplanned pregnancy at 19 years old. Having a baby with a guy who I can now say did not deserve me. Once the shock wore off I was happy that I was going to be a Mom, but by this time in my life the dream of many babies from many places was forgotten (by me, but not by God). As the years went on, I found myself at 24 years old a single mom with TWO babies and trying to get back on my feet after finally gathering up the courage to leave that man that never deserved me. At this point in my life, after all I had gone through, I really felt that my two boys were the only children I would ever have and my dream was dead. It was as if that little girl with the dream of mothering many babies from many places had never existed. Isn't that sad?

But GOD! Don't you love how when He enters the picture you know Victory is coming? There is a reason we call Him the Redeemer. Not just because He's redeemed us from death to Life, but because He can take what we've broken or lost, or what's been stolen from us, and even what we've forgotten and redeem them; placing them back into our hands when we are ready for them again.

That's what He has done for me and for my dream of being a Mama to many. Ever since Rick and I were married and we started talking about adoption my dream slowly started coming back to me. Until one day I realized that the desire to have LOTS of children was coming back to me and the dreams I had as a little girl came flooding back. Memories that had been killed long ago were reawakened, and passions were rekindled. The dreams of my childhood have been completely re-awoken in me to the point that I can't imagine doing anything else but chasing after this dream. Fleshing it out more and more as I go along. I was meant to be a Mama to many babies from many places. I even catch myself praying sometimes that God would fill our home with the Nations, just like the song by Hillsong that says, "Oh Lord I ask for the Nations". I can't wait to see how He's going to continue to make this dream come true. I know that it may not look like I imagine it but this time I won't forget this dream that has been placed back into my hands. What a good Daddy he is!

Do you have a dream from your childhood that maybe you've forgotten? I believe that He gives us those dreams at a young age because we have such strong faith to believe that we can do whatever is in our hearts to do. So, don't be afraid to ask for your forgotten or even dead dreams back. I believe that He is faithful to give them back to us, I've seen Him do it for me :)

Like the New Look?

2011-02-21T14:33:00.000-05:00

I am definitely not blogger savvy, especially when it comes to changing the way things look. But, I think I did a pretty decent job using the new templates blogger offers. Now, if only I could figure out how to put a picture in my header and get the sidebars to not be transparent I would be really happy. Anyone with Know-how got any advice for me on how to figure those two things out without breaking everything? :)

Missing Kids

2011-02-16T16:16:00.000-05:00

I've been Dreaming again. Anyone remember why it can be dangerous when I dream? Especially if I'm dreaming of kids? Oh yeah, that's one of the final signs that convinced me that we really were supposed to travel halfway across the World and bring this little treasure home.

I love it that God speaks to me in dreams. I don't really know why but I do, I think because they tell a story the way I can better understand. I am so much more a visual learner than anything else. God probably wants to hit me over the head so that I'll "get it" I sometimes think. When I dream and it feels so real, like it sticks with me for days, I know that God is speaking to me. Sometimes I'm not sure what the message is or I try to put my own spin on it, but He's given me good friends who can usually help me put the pieces together. Or the message is pretty simple and straight forward.

So, what's the point and where do the missing kids come into all this? Yeah.....

Lately, I've been having dreams of my own children, but they're children I've never met, or that I don't remember giving birth to. I have "lost" these children and can't seem to find them or even, sometimes, know where to begin to look for them. But, once I realize I'm missing them the urge to find them and make sure they are safe is so strong that I usually wake up with a yearning in my heart that I can't get rid of. I have dreamed a version of this dream at least three times that I can remember in the past couple weeks. Sometimes there are multiple children, sometimes only one. Sometimes boys and sometimes girls.

Last night I dreamed that I had given birth to a little girl, but I didn't remember it. I found out about her through a friend, I believe, and once I knew of her I had to find her. It seems that she had been born with a random genetic condition and the doctors and nurses felt it was better for all if we didn't know of her, if we just forgot about her. (Sound Familiar to anyone?) When I found her she was alone, tiny, frightened, and I knew that she was slated for death. I took her and challenged any doctors, nurses or even well-meaning friends to stop me. They didn't.

What exactly does this dream or the others mean? I don't know. Maybe this latest one was just a different re-telling of Liza's story. She was alone, frightened, tiny, and she was destined for a place where her life would have held no importance to anyone. I challenged anyone to stop me from getting to her. They didn't.

Maybe it means there are other children out there that are missing from our family? I really don't know, but I am praying that if there really are children missing from this family that God would make it clear and He would make a way. Of course, I already have a few that I would love to go and get if I just got the go ahead.

What I do know is that there are lots of children waiting for their families to find them. They ARE missing from their families and right now maybe their Moms and Dads don't even know they're missing them. I pray that God would reveal this to the ones who are supposed to parent these children.

Missing Kids- all over the World. There are about 147 Million plus! Missing, but right under our noses. Please pray with me that their families would find them. Would realize they are missing them. Pray and ask God if maybe you are missing someone or a couple/few someones from your family.

Spreading the Truth Pandemic

2011-02-15T14:39:00.001-05:00

My Sweet Friend, Carolyn, founder of Project Hopeful made this video with her family and some friends a while back. I shared it on Facebook but never posted it here. I watched it again today and cried. Again. The truth is so beautiful. Really, isn't it? All I can think is if the truth in this video is spread how many children left alone and dying could be saved. Their lives literally saved as they are placed in families who are willing to love them and give them every opportunity to be healthy and to just be children.

Some of the things stated in the video that stick out to me - that I really need to remember for those conversations with folks stuck in the 80's are:

There has NEVER been a case of HIV transmission in a normal family living situation (that's not 1 or 2 cases here or there. that's N.E.V.E.R!!)
HIV is considered a chronic, but manageable disease. (like diabetes, psoriasis, Celiac's, and Chrohn's)
HIV is 100% preventable! WOW! Did you see that? ONE HUNDRED PERCENT :)
HIV can be controlled with medication so that it can become UNDETECTABLE in blood tests. Umm, let me say again - WOW!
HIV is only spread 3 ways - Mother to infant (birth or breastfeeding), sharing drug needles, unprotected sex.

These are the truths about HIV/AIDS, but so many don't realize. They really are stuck in the 80's. Even including people in my family. But, that's ok because I know these truths now and I use them every chance I get to try and change mind-sets. It's important, not for me but for the ones who wait.

Like Angie! O.M.G! If you don't want to snatch her up and kiss her sweet face there is something wrong with you. Just sayin'. She is in the place Liza came from so I can tell you lots about it if you're interested. She waits only because of a diagnosis of HIV, seriously? And people go home from this country all the time because they weren't shown children under ages 3 or 4 without "serious medical concerns". I say to them, "PLEASE people! Get over yourselves!"

There's also Marcus. Oh, this sweetheart just looks like he needs his Mama :( Where ARE you Marcus' Mama?!

PLEASE look at this Beautiful baby boy! Wow! Sutton is gorgeous, ain't no two ways about it, he just is. The region he's in is FAST and easy. Someone is missing out on this baby boy. And they say there are no healthy children under 6 in this country. Guess that depends on your definition of healthy, now doesn't it?

Here's Wyatt. He's in the same region with Sutton and has the sweetest smile. His bio describes him as a wonderful little boy. He just needs a family to encourage him to continue to grow into a wise and caring young man.

Handsome Avery. He's available to be adopted by single moms. Hooray for single mommies! (There should be a song for single moms, I imagine it to the tune of Beyonce's "Single Ladies"... LOL) Somebody, Single Mommy or Married Mommy, snatch him out of there and into your family.

Sweet Little Benji-baby (that's Noah's middle name and I use to call him that.. don't tell him I posted that here!) This little fella is also where Liza is from and I think I may have seen him once or twice but am not positive. If it was him he was a very friendly little guy- sweet and CUTE!

I can't leave out Larisa. Such a beautiful girl! She also represents all the "Older kids" who will age out and have almost no options because of Orphan status compounded by HIV status. This is SO wrong! Please someone take a chance on her. If it's not you then spread the word about her until her family sees her face and realizes they are missing her. Please....

Kaylee, because I have always had a soft spot for her. I am almost sure I have posted about her before but am too lazy to go find a link. We all thought she had a family, but just recently found out that she still waits. Dad-gum it she is CUTE! I know there is a family waiting for her somewhere, perhaps somewhere near me ;o)

Anna B, has also stolen my heart. I don't know why, maybe because of her beginnings, she was a preemie who they didn't think would make it the first year and then she just blossomed! I love it when the under-dog proves everybody wrong. I think she will accomplish whatever she sets her mind to, she just needs a family to help her along the way. Plus, she just looks like a little fairy or an elf, doesn't she? :)

There are so many more kids who are waiting, you can see them here on Reece's Rainbow. Only because they have a diagnosis of HIV. Now that you know the Truth, aren't you wondering, like me - WHY? Please go to Project Hopeful for more info on adopting a child with HIV/AIDS.

Things I Ponder: What Can We Handle?

2011-02-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about this for a long time and almost wrote a post about it but I just couldn't get it right. So, I left it alone. Then the other day it was brought back to me, thanks to a discussion with Rickydoodle and a friend's status on Facebook.

The discussion with Rick started as we discussed an adoption situation we knew of where a family went to adopt a child, met the child, and then went home without completing the adoption. This happens all the time when couples are looking to adopt a child as healthy as possible and they feel the child they've met has more needs than they can handle, but it doesn't usually happen when the child and the child's needs are known before the meeting. I was having a hard time understanding and Rick just kept saying, "there must have been something they felt they couldn't handle." My reply was, "I just can't fathom that. I can't think of anything that I can't handle." and I meant it, but it got me to wondering.

Why do I feel that way? I'm not a "STRONG, Brave" person. I don't have everything all figured out. I'm just a tiny, little woman who loves my family and believes passionately in adoption and seeing Justice done for those who are in need. It kind of stuck with me and I think I was even in danger of starting to think too highly of myself. Believing that I am strong and capable on my own.

Then my friend, Stephanie, posted this as her status on Facebook:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Trust me, when you take this to heart you will forget what it was like to be afraid. :)"

And that's when I realized my ability to handle all the things that have come my way in life and to 100% believe that I can also handle any disability a child God calls us to adopt may have, is because I DO believe this.

I don't have strength in myself but I have every ounce of the strength that I need in HIM. I know it's true because I can remember a time that there were special needs that I felt I couldn't handle, and if I'm being honest, there is at least one that I still feel that way about (RAD). I never thought that I could handle a child with autism, but then the very first day we met Liza she was so terrified of us and trying to make us go away I was convinced that she was autistic. Even being afraid that she had a need that I couldn't "handle" I knew that we had been called to be her parents and that He would give us whatever we would need to parent her no matter what. And well, turns out I was wrong and once her fear subsided and she grew to trust us the "real Liza" emerged. But, I learned a lesson in that experience. That maybe, if I believe that I can do ALL things through He who gives me strength, I really can handle those things that I think that I can't.

Maybe I'm guilty of thinking that everyone should think like I do? Maybe it comes down to calling and not what we can or can not "handle"? I don't know, and I honestly didn't post this to point fingers or to make myself look like something I'm not. Trust me, I have just as many issues as the next person, maybe more. This is just something I've been pondering for the past few days. I do think if more people could get a revelation of just what they can "handle" when they really believe that they "can do ALL things through Christ" that more kids with special needs (HIV, Down syndrome, CP, FAS, Autism, etc) would have families.

That's what I'm pondering today. Any wisdom anyone else would care to share with me please feel free to comment. And please know that I really am NOT pointing fingers at any one. I'm just trying to grow and share with any one who cares to listen.

Meeting Cool People

2011-02-05T22:07:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had the honor of attending a fundraiser for another family in our area adopting a Reece's Rainbow child. The House family is adopting Martin from a country that is almost a relative to the one Liza is from. It was such a fun night. We got to meet some really nice people and sow into the adoption of another child. Martin has actually already been sent to an institution and the Melissa and Charlie are working really hard to get him out of there as soon as they can. Please consider going to their Family Sponsorship Page and helping them with a donation.

We also got to meet the Dirkes Family. Kelly and Kyle were so nice and easy to talk to. They are bringing home a little girl they are naming Charlotte and already call Charlie. I love the nickname Charlie for a little girl, so cute! That was pretty cool, and then later on I looked around and saw a cute little face I recognized from her Mama's blog. Bethany and her family were there and it was really neat to finally talk "In Real Life" to someone whose blog I've followed since a little before we committed to Liza.

BUT, the MOST amazing thing about tonight was meeting this beautiful Lady! An angel to all of us who have adopted or are adopting children we fell in love with because of Reece's Rainbow.

Yep! Andrea and her family were there! It was so awesome to watch her meet Liza for the first time. She cried, I cried, Liza hugged her and went back to eating. LOL I have said to myself many times since we brought Liza home that Andrea is our hero. If not for her we would never have known of Liza, we wouldn't have Liza with us now. People Magazine had it right when they honored her as a Hero Among Us - she truly is. If it wasn't real to me before it became real tonight when I saw how seeing Liza happy and healthy blessed her to the point of crying happy tears.

Tonight was a great night!

Miracle for Masha

2011-02-02T13:39:00.000-05:00

Masha has over $17,000 in her Grant!!

Masha

Kind of a sappy sounding title, but whatever, I guess I am a sappy kind of person. Masha needs a family ASAP, and she doesn't have time for me to try to gather my thoughts and think of something witty to say or a title that might grab somebody's attention. She's set to soon, very soon, be sent to an institution that no child has been adopted out of. That is pretty much a death sentence for her, especially since right now at 4 years old she weighs 13 pounds and is the size of a ONE year old!

My friend Shelly and her husband are at her orphanage right now adopting their daughter and have visited with Masha. Here's what Shelly has to say about her:
"She has FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) and is the sweetest little muffin. Do not by any means let the diagnosis of FAS scare you off as Brian and I were blessed yesterday to be able to interact with her for close to 15 minutes and in that time she dispalyed more skills and cognitive abilities than most children we have encountered. Oh my is she a complete doll with a great sense of humor and a smile that lit up the room. We started playing peek-a-boo and immediately she copied us and just giggled up a storm! She also was talking to us, in Russian, but nevertheless she was talking. Then I started blowing her kisses and she acted as if she was catching them then laughed out loud.
Ok, so this is where I need you and please just take 2 minutes to help. You see we just found out yesterday that Masha was getting her physical, not to give her general medical care, but to prepare her for transfer to the adult mental institution. The very same place that Reagan is in now. The very director who has never allowed one single adoption. The place where a small child will be left to lay around with no interaction or love. The place these children are sent to die. Masha is 4 years old yet she weighs about 13 pounds and is the same size as our little Carrington. Currently prayers are being sent up all over this world for our little Reagan as Monday will be the day we face the biggest mountain yet: the Director. This woman will determine whether or not Reagan will have the chance to know the love of a family and whether or not Reagan will even get to see her next birthday. We have every bit of faith God called us over here to bring Reagan home but our emotional distress is over Masha and her future."

So, please help us find Masha's family! Post this to Facebook or twitter or wherever. Just get the word out so that this child can be saved from the place that she will be sent. Thanks!

Help Me Out HERE!!

2011-01-26T20:12:00.000-05:00

Can someone please go and get these kids already??!! Every day I check the My Family Found Me page hoping to see at least one of them on there and every day I am disappointed. Please put me out of my misery by committing to one of these babies or sharing with someone who has been missing them and may not have known it until they see their face.

Andrey S

This little guy will soon be the ONLY CHILD with DS left in Liza's former orphanage. On one hand that's great! So many will be going home soon or already have, but on the other hand it's sad for Little A. He has no one who seems to even be interested in him :( This little boy is deserving of a family just like all the other kids that have left or are leaving deserve theirs.

Charity

Oh my goodness!! I have fallen head over heels for this little cutie, and every day I say to myself, "Self! What in the World are you thinking? Self... I'm talkin to you!! Don't even think about it!" As much as I may wish, we just can't go back right now for Charity or any other child. So, please save my Self from myself ;o) You know by adopting her or finding someone who will. Me, myself, and I would really appreciate it!

Sonya :)

Sonya was Noah's Christmas Stocking Angel, and now he has her picture printed out to remember to pray for her. We would be ecsatic if she was to have a family - soon!

Kathleen

Isn't she cute?! She was Austin's Christmas Stocking Angel and we have her pic printed too. Kathleen's family? Where are you? Come on out and make our day!!

Antonio

Oh. Em. Gee!! I can not get over how cute he is! Antonio is another one who will watch all his friends leave soon but he will still be there. I can't believe no one has stepped forward for him yet... Come on, PLEASE!

Evan :)

My little buddy, Evan! Still waiting and still just as cute as he can be :)

Maxim!!

Also still waiting :( I don't know how much more I can take of every day looking to see if Maxim's been moved to the MFFM page and every day seeing that he's still on the Older Boy's page. Every time the shared grant on that page goes up into the few thousands I think "this time is his time", but so far I've been wrong :(

Below are a few more cuties, a couple with HIV or CP, who are still waiting. So deserving of families - each and everyone of them. Please help me get the word out abut them.

Honestly, I've tried to be funny here and keep everything light, but these kids NEED families! And there is a big part of me that just doesn't want to be nice about it anymore. Sorry, but that's the way it is. If you say you love Jesus and you care about what he cares about - then you should care about every single face you see here. If you say you have a heart for the orphan and "someday" you want to adopt, then I say to you, "what's the hold up?!!" Get down in the dirt, it's time to get dirty! Just sayin'....

The Greatest Daddy

2011-01-19T16:48:00.000-05:00

When I was really young my parents got divorced. I grew up not knowing my Bio Dad and not having a close Father/Daughter type relationship with my Step-dad. Most of my girlfriends all had that close relationship with their dads. You know what I mean, where Daddy is the best guy in the World, when he gets home from work you run to give him a hug, it's no big deal to just curl up on Dad's lap while you both watch TV. I never understood it, but I knew instinctively that I was missing out on something. It bothered me for many years and is probably why for too long I allowed myself to fall for the wrong kind of guy just to feel like a man cared for me.

When I was pregnant with Austin and found myself alone living with friends I started going to Church and rededicated my life to the Lord. One night I was laying in my bed thinking of my baby soon to arrive and really feeling the "loss" of a DADDY throughout my life. I was crying and asking God why I never was allowed to have a Daddy/Daughter relationship like so many of my friends had with their dads. This was His answer to me:

"MY Child, you have never been without a Daddy. I've ALWAYS been with you."

That night I finally got it and have never forgotten, even when I have wandered off my own way. God is my Daddy, He is the greatest Daddy I could ever hope or dream of having.

One More Who Will Be One Less

2011-01-18T12:19:00.000-05:00

Sweet Tanya

Remember the beautiful little face above? I do. I think of the one those sweet cherub cheeks belong to almost every day. Yesterday I got some of the best news since Rick told me he wanted us to adopt Liza.

TANYA IS GETTING A FAMILY!!!!

I was so happy when I heard the news from Andrea that I couldn't even type a coherent reply back to her. All I could do was cry. Thank you God for Tanya's family! I may never know them but I will be forever grateful to them for being the answer to my prayers for this child that I grew to love in just three short weeks.

In my happiness though, I can't help but continue to remember the ones who will once again be left behind when Tanya goes home with her new Mama and Papa.

Vika!!

Oh, sweet Coca-Cola! Every time I see this picture of her I am just reminded how much I love this girl. She is so full of fire and life and I SO want to see her taught to channel that into a passion for Jesus. Just imagine the damage one little fired up Coca-Cola girl could do for the kingdom of God! Kinda gets me fired up just thinking about it :) Vika's family where are you??!!

Maxim :)

Then, of course, I could not finish a post about the kids who wait without including my buddy Maxim. More and more of the older boys on Reece's Rainbow are being chosen. But, day after day Maxim still waits for his turn. I wonder if it's because the place where he's at is considered "not that bad" . He is fed, clothed, kept from the cold and from harm. But is he being encouraged to be everything that he could be? I wonder if he had been born into a loving family where he would be right now? Would he be in Kindergarten today? Learning his ABC's and 123's? Would he be a lover of Signing Time with a sign vocabulary that would blow us all away? Would he be a music lover learning to play the piano? Maybe you think he doesn't have a lot of potential. To that I say, I say, "So what?". So what if he doesn't live up to your idea of "potential". Especially if you are a Christian and a pro-life Christian (which if you're Christian you ought to be pro-life! Just sayin'). Who decides Maxim's potential? You or the God who created him just the way he is?

I am celebrating Tanya's Victory today. Soon she will have what she's been longing for - her own Mama and Papa. But, at the same time I mourn for those ones who I love who seem to be overlooked over and over again. Waiting anxiously for the day that it will be their turn to be the chosen ones. I pray their day comes soon!
*Please click over to this link on Andrea G's blog for the faces of some other sweet kids who wait from Liza's orphanage! Most of them are also listed on Reece's Rainbow here and here.*

Two and a half Months

2011-01-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Then (first day we met)

Now (Christmas day)

That's how long Liza has been out of the orphanage. Only two and a half months. In that time she has begun to change and develop SO much. I'm not sure anyone who knew her before would believe what a different child she is.

When we first met her she tried to scare us away with a "dragon noise" she had perfected somewhere along her journey thru life in an orphanage. It's hard to describe but it was almost like a hissing and was very obviously aggressive. She also had only two sounds that she communicated through, and they really weren't anything anyone could understand. She would say, "Ah papa papapapa" when she was conversing with you and "Ah wuh ah wuh" when she was telling you what to do. When she started with the "ah wuh's" you knew you were in trouble cause you were supposed to get busy doing something, but only she knew what it was! Usually that was when she would grab you by the hand and direct you to whatever it was. Let's hope you figured it out or you were probably gonna get a smack. Hey, orphanage behaviors! This is all she knew. She taught herself to take on the role of being in charge and watched everything that happened around her. She got really good at imitating and because of that we have a pretty good guess what things are like in the place that she came from. I, for one, would love to shake the hand of whoever taught her to go around blinking, pointing, and saying," Ah-hummm!!!" when something's happening she doesn't agree with (that's a little sarcasm there - in case you couldn't tell). Honestly, though all the little behaviors like that are part of who she is, they can be annoying, but they also make us smile.

The other day I started writing down all the signs she's learned since she's been with us and I was amazed! I didn't realize just how many she has learned until they were written down. She learned about 10-12 while we were in U***** from me and from other Moms we met. Since we have been home she has fallen in love with Signing Time and would watch it all day if I would let her. she has learned about FIFTY signs from watching ST. I was just blown away when I started counting them! this girl is smart, and I'm not just saying that cause I'm her Mama.

She also has started to say words. She actually had a few just a couple weeks after leaving the orphanage. I think her first word was Dog, and to that she has added Hi, Oh yeah, off, up, and really. She can also say Mama, Papa, Noah, and sometimes Austin. She just seems to prefer to sign everything right now though. The funniest thing she does is instead of talking to us she has started making what we call the "piggy noise", it comes from the back of her throat and we can't figure out how she does it. Sometimes she will carry on an entire conversation with you just oinking at you. It's really cute, but I hope she starts to try to use actual words someday and not just oinking.

Some other things that have changed are her eating habits and mobility. She used to pack her mouth full of food until she would choke. I stopped letting her feed herself early on because of this. Now she most of the time takes bites of her food and waits before she tries to put more in her mouth. She is back to feeding herself and for the most part does a really great job at it. She learned to walk maybe eight months to a year ago and was still very unsteady when we met her and preferred to ride in a stroller or be held - now she is starting to try to run and wants to walk most of the time. She also learned to jump and it's one of her favorite things to do.

We are hoping she will start school two days a week soon at the local public Special Ed preschool. She amazed the teachers when she went to be evaluated the other day. I had a feeling that might happen. We really want her to have a full year of preschool and then go on to kindergarten at 6 almost 7, but right now that's up in the air since that particular class has never allowed children that old to stay in the program. I guess we'll see what happens.

We have been so amazed at how she has come out of her shell and showed us just what she's always been capable of. There are so many kids who still wait for someone to see the potential in them and just give them a chance to thrive like Liza has done in just the short amount of time that we've known her. We are so blessed to be her family and get to see first hand just what God has in store for her life. We know that this is just the beginning.

Blind Bartimaeus

2011-01-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

I decided to take the challenge to read the New Testament thru in 30 days and continue to do that each month of this year. (Check it out at YouVersion if you're interested). The other day I was reading Mark 10 and I got to the story of Blind Bartimaeus and I just read it over and over again. Here's what it says:

46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

It made me think of Maxim and all the kids on Reece's Rainbow, and all the kids just waiting somewhere to be seen - to be heard. What if they are Bartimaeus in this moment? What if we are their voice? What happens if we don't cry out for them?

They are crying out for Jesus to have mercy on them. It's up to us to decide if we will be their voice. Or will we be the ones who tell them to be quiet? That Jesus is too busy for them. When really it's us who are too busy for them, aren't we?

I saw this quote the other day and I loved it: ““We will go before God to be judged, and God will ask us, ‘Where are your wounds?’ And we will say, ‘We have no wounds.’ And God will ask, ‘Was nothing worth fighting for?’” — Rev. Allan Boesak”

I'd like to stand before God and proudly show off my battle scars, knowing that I have tried my hardest to be the hands and feet of Jesus. When I see a "blind Bartimaeus" who needs to me to be his voice I want to do what it takes to yell at the top of my lungs on his behalf: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on them".

Do you notice at the very end of those verses Jesus tells him to go his way, but instead he "followed Jesus on the road"? I believe that is what these ones who we bring before the Throne will do. They will follow Jesus and shine such a light that they will cause others to turn and follow Him to.

Please don't be afraid to be the voice of a "Blind Bartimaeus" today! Whether it's a child in foster care who know one else is willing to take a chance on, the homeless man you see on the street every day, or a child like Maxim who waits for some one to be his voice. Our wounds will be so worth it someday.

Blog From My Phone?

2010-12-21T23:19:00.001-05:00

I have a new phone (sorta new ~ got it before we went for Liza) and supposedly I can blog from my phone using this cool little app. This is a test. Anyone seeing this? I hope it works! :)

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Music and Life: This Christmas

2010-12-17T00:18:00.000-05:00

I love this song. It has been one of my favorite Christmas songs by a Christian artist since it was first released. the story of the little boy touches you and draws you in. It just makes you remember what Christmas is really supposed to be about.

But THIS Christmas it hits me so much harder. This Christmas everytime I hear this song I can't help but look at my daughter and ache for the Christmases that she was alone, but in the same moment rejoice that she is now no longer an orphan. That This Christmas she will celebrate with a family. She will belong.

But, still the tears come. My throat clogs up and I can't talk. Because This Christmas I remember the faces of the children who are still there. The ones who will be all alone This Christmas. I can't stand the thought. I'm crying as I type this. "My" sweet hearts - the ones I held and loved on. The ones I saw from across the room because I wasn't allowed to go in to them and they were never allowed to come out because they can't walk, or they can't see. These faces are haunting me This Christmas. I can't stand the thought that there are children who will pass Christmas day as if it were just another day. Now that I have seen them and held them it is so much more real to me. My heart is breaking.

This Christmas my prayer, my wish, the only thing I really want is for them to have families who want them. Who will move Heaven and Earth to bring them home. That truly is my hearts cry.

Please visit Reece's Rainbow. I beg you to especially take a look at Maxim or Evan or Kate or just any of the hundreds of kids listed who need families so desperately.

Sunday Snapshot: So, Where's Liza?

2010-11-28T22:02:00.000-05:00

Well, she is AT HOME!! Finally :)

Gotta love her silly faces! LOL This is on the plane.

We actually have been home 10 days today, but this is the first chance I've had to update here. Hmm, wonder why? Not like I've been busy......

What? did I make a mess?

Liza has been busy too. Wrapping everybody she meets around her little fingers.

Meeting her cousin Jayvion. They liked each other alot.

Playing Great Grandma's piano. I hope my Grandma was looking down on her and smiling.

She turned her high chair into a "machina".

Then she roped one of "The Brothers" (Noah) into playing Machina with her.
He loved it, I'm pretty sure.

She ate Spaghetti all by herself!

She made a mess with all her new toys.

And after all that she was worn out!

She has jumped right into our family just like she always knew she was supposed to be here. Her transition really has been so easy so far, I really believe that God answered our prayers to prepare her for us before we got to her. He is good and He is faithful!

Music and Life: Can't Forget What I Saw

2010-11-15T06:15:00.001-05:00

I've shared this song before but the video was slightly different. I have loved the song ever since the first time I heard it, I felt like she was singing my heart's cry. But, since I have been here and so many of those faces have become real, and not just pictures on my computer screen, this song has even more meaning.

I saw what I saw and I really can't forget it. People talk about how there is a hunger in the children's eyes and it makes you tear up, but it's not real until you've seen it yourself. Until you've held them in your arms and you know that when you leave you can't take them all with you. I laughed when they chased after us for snacks and attention, but I cried my last day there knowing I was leaving them behind.

Come on just imagine for a minute. Can you see what I've seen? The need is so great, but we have been called to meet it. All it takes is one step of faith. I promise He will meet you there. He is FAITHFUL and He has called.

Religion that God our Father accepts as

pure and faultless is this: to look after

orphans and widows

in their distress and to keep oneself

from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Please consider giving a donation to Reece's Rainbow today to give these children a home, a hope, and a future. You could donate to Evan, my Christmas Angel, or any of the other kids listed on Reece's Rainbow. The only thing that stands in the way of all of these kids having families is money. It's the honest truth, in the last few months I have seen at least 3 kids have families commit to them the MOMENT there grants were fully funded. Please give or go. Allow yourself to see what I, and so many others, have seen. It is SO worth how your heart may break!

Journey to a Promise

Top 5 Signs You've Had TOO Much Coffee

Fundraiser Friday: FacePie

One Year Ago Today: Elizaveta Collette Lorenz

One Year Ago Today: Meeting My Dream

One Year Ago Today: We Saw WHO in Kiev?!

Sasha's Story

One Year Ago Today: Winning Liza

One Year Ago Yesterday: Losing Liza..... ??

Austin is 15!

One Year Ago Today: We Are Here!

One Year Ago Today: The Incident on the Way Over

Fundraiser Friday: A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim

*Announcement - The winners of the giveaway are Eidmon and Megan. Please contact Linda and look thru her site to choose the clip you would like to receive. Congrats to you and thanks for playing!! :) *

A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim

Father's House - Small Update

Baby, It's cold outside!

“Do all the good you can,By all the means you can,In all the ways you can,In all the places you can,At all the times you can,To all the people you can,As long as ever you can.”

One Year Ago Today: Making Memories

Mom Rant

A Lilla-Rose Giveaway/Fundraiser for Maxim

One Year Ago Today: A Special Date

Conversations With Liza: I'm a Gorilla!

Fundraiser Friday: Honoring Derek L and Bringing Liam Home

CLICK HERE TO GIVE!! (under Ivan’s picture on this link, click the DONATE button)

One Year Ago Today: Sunday Snapshot 8/22/10

One Year Ago Today: Submitted

Fundraiser Friday: Good Grief and One for MANY

"fills in the gap between people who are hurting that don’t know

what they need and their loved ones who don’t know how to help!"

Apple iPod touch 8GB With

Ematic 11-in-1 Accessory Kit for iPod Touch (4th Generation)

Orphan Victory Foundation: Father's House

Fundraiser Friday: Changing Realities

Things I Ponder: Confrontation

Conversations With Liza- More on "The Brothers"

Fresh Air Fund

Fundraiser Friday - Paisley and the Tam Family

Music and Life: Fighting Dragons

Conversations With Liza

Fundraiser Friday - Phoebe and the Smith Family

Fundraiser Friday (A little late) - Andriy and the Burlingham Family

Cookie Monsters

Fundraiser Friday - Olga and the Abell Family

Things I Never Thought I'd Say to My Daughter

Fundraiser Friday (a couple days early) - Olga E's Puzzle

Who is Andrea G

Project T.L.C.

Speaking of Fundraising/Fundraiser Friday - Charlotte's Chocolate Factory

Reality and Fundraising

6 Months in Photos

Typical Daddy/Daughter Interaction

Liza's "Brother's and Sister's" - Brody

5/5/5 Warrioring

Celebrating Zara

Wild Olive Giveaway!!

Things I Ponder: Too Many Fights

Signing Family

Lost and Found Dreams

Like the New Look?

Missing Kids

Spreading the Truth Pandemic

Things I Ponder: What Can We Handle?

Meeting Cool People

Miracle for Masha

Help Me Out HERE!!

The Greatest Daddy

One More Who Will Be One Less

Two and a half Months

Blind Bartimaeus

Blog From My Phone?

Music and Life: This Christmas

Sunday Snapshot: So, Where's Liza?

Music and Life: Can't Forget What I Saw

Announcement - The winners of the giveaway are Eidmon and Megan. Please contact Linda and look thru her site to choose the clip you would like to receive. Congrats to you and thanks for playing!! :)

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”