The time has finally come!

Yay! Its finally time to fly off. I've never been out of the contdo y before & am very excited to visit such a beautiful country. Its still so hard.to believe I will be holding Brigita in less than 48 hours. Another family.left yesterday to visit the 2 boys they are adopting. We are staying in the same building. I'm excited to meet them & their boys. Please remember us all in prayers! Now I'm off to get ready!

Its a Date!!!

 

Yep...that's right! I get to visit my girl NEXT WEEK!!

 

 

I received Brigita's official referral with new pictures and an update on

08/16/12!

 

I fly out on August 29th! I will land in her country on August 30th but can't go get her until August 31st. But, on August 31st, the little beauty above (all grown up now at 7 and a half) will be in my arms!

 

I am so excited! I haven't slept well in a couple of weeks. Work is busy getting everything as tied up as possible, especially since we are majorly short staffed!

 

I have a wonderful friend, Liz, that is going with me! I couldn't be happier at this moment....except I found out the process is a little longer than I had expected. Brigita will not be coming home by Thanksgiving. But there is a chance she will be here for Christmas. Please pray she is though!

Feels Like Home

Don't just imagine it from the child's side.

Imagine it from the parents' side too!

This is a two-sided opportunity!

You will not just be rescuing a child but filling a void in yourself and your life that you may not have even known was there.

Don't feel you can adopt?

Can you help another parent/child fill that void?

Even just by $25, $50, $100....



Happy Happy Days

First, Brigita...

I finally received Brigita's official referral. I am very happy to say that those who are caring for her clearly CARE ABOUT her. Though the information still indicates a very low functioning child, there are terms of endearment, trying to help her with things, and wanting people to give her love. It makes me so happy. I'm awaiting confirmation that orphan court will be available the days I want to travel, but it looks like I should be flying out August 29th, arrive in her country on August 30th (b/c they are several hours ahead of us) and then meet my baby on August 31st!!!! I can hardly wait! I have already gotten most of what I and Brigita need for the trip. A dear friend, Liz, is going to travel with me. She is one of Brigita's "aunts."

Oh, I also got new pictures of Brigita!! She is so gorgeous and appears to be healthier overall. She looks as if she may have gained some weight, her hair is longer and shinier, and she just looks good. She was diagnosed with Celiac's disease back in August 2011. She also had several infections and illnesses from August through October (nothing major). I'm glad to see she has received medical attention. Again, her facility and country really does try to take care of their children.

Flapjack Fundraiser was today!

While we did not have the turnout I would have hoped for, we still did not do badly and had a fun time.

Several people were unable to attend but blessed us with donations. Our total profit/donations was $436.00.

Certainly nothing to complain about!

Families

There are so many families traveling right now, dealing with serious illnesses and accidents, and fighting to overcome obstacles in their lives or with their adoption. One family is Jon and Yvonne. Their beautiful daughter is in very serious condition and needs constant prayer! Selah (along with Jon and their son Sam) were in drowing accident. Dear Selah is fighting for her life. But she has proven herself before. Selah is a miracle for certain. I pray that God knows we are not done seeing what this little girl is capable of. Please pray for her family as well. Also, Connor has been a sick little boy. But his charm and health are currently coming through. But please remember him in prayer. He's had a rough time of things. Also, there is another little boy known as Nikita that fell and seriously cracked his head. He is in a country that does not have good medical care. Although I last saw he was doing better and had opened his eyes and said he wanted to go home, I don't think he's even close to being out of the woods! Please remember Nikita and his family. His mother is reported to be a wonderful woman with a heart for orphans.

Now for victories! Sam has been freed from her small prison in Bulgaria! She has been in a really bad, awful place (but that has a director fighting for change, thank you Director for your efforts and hard work!). And Lyla is coming alive right before the eyes of her caregivers and family! She needs this family! She knows she belongs there! She looks like a different child.

There are many more families in need of prayer. Please check Reeces Rainbow and the traveling now families to see those who are in need of prayer as they meet their children, go before court, tansition to a new life with a bigger family. Check out New Committments and My Family Found Me page for those that are first getting started. And of course all the families in between!

Submitted! Reviewed! Accepted! Registered!

My dossier has been submitted and I am now registered to adopt in Brigita's country!

They have sent me 2 referrals but neither were Brigita. However, I was told I could request the referral for any already listed child.

So, yesterday my official request for Brigita was sent to her country. We also asked for updated information.

Hopefully I will hear back on Monday.

I am in the process of arranging travel dates but it will be in the next few weeks!!

I so happy and grateful to God for everything he has done for me in this journey. He has lead me to this journey. Its so hard to trust things to work out and be okay but when we trust God, praise him, and follow him, he blesses us. God is always faithful!

Team Work Tuesday- Owen 3G

Saethre-Chotzen Syndrome

What does that mean?

 What should I expect from a child diagnosed with this?

What a scary sounding disorder!!

This is an inherited condition.

There are several physical traits associated with this disorder:

1) Fusion of cranial structure causing a asymmetric head and face

2) low-set hair line

3) droopy eyelids and/or wide set eyes

4) beaked nose and possible deviated septum

5) abnormalities of fingers and/or toes

6) Intelligience is not usually impaired

But what does all this really mean?

It means a beautiful, sweet little boy has been left without a family for no reason...for fear...for the inability to look beyond the exterior and see the person, the child.

Owen 3G

Born December 2007

Here is the link to post about Owen with pictures of him throughout his life. He is so cute!!

Please consider donating to Owen 3G or welcoming this wonderful boy to your family. He already has over $3000 in his grant! Married couples, single moms, and Canadians welcome! No family size restrictions.



Nothing New

Unfortunately I have nothing new to report in regards to my dossier submision. This is the 4th week since my dossier was mailed to Brigita's country. Technically any time now I could hear that I have been submitted, receive the referrals, and there after travel dates. Though I know and trust that God's timing will be revealed, I still can't help but anxiously wait! I am so glad I have a smart phone that alerts me when I have emails. Otherwise there is no telling how often I would be checking my email. Actually, it would probably be best if I didn't have a smart phone. I can't check my personal email at work and then would have to wait until I got home to check my email. Maybe cut down on some of the obsession. Every time I hear my phone ding I'm jumping to check it. Mornings are the worst. Her country is ahead of us in time. So when I wake up, its after lunch in her country. But my agency is 3 hours behind my time. So I have to wait for them to get to work to check their email. I really know that I most likely won't receive the email about submission until probably 9pm my time. But I still anxiously check every email alert I get no matter what time of day. God is so faithful. He knows our inner most thoughts and feelings. He led me to the following verse:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD you God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

The benefit that Madeline Monroe put together in Wisconsin went fabulously! They raised $700 with a spaghetti dinner, silent auction, and donations! I am so grateful to Maddie, her family, their church and church family, as well as all the others that attended the event. Thank you all and I pray that God blesses you!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                    

  Don't forget about the Flapjack Fundraiser

 on August 18th from 8am-10am

at the Applebee's in Smithfield, NC

(1260 N. Brightleaf Blvd)

$7 per person