Generating RR parents

What a great night! A night of grilling, kids playing in the yard, and moms gabbing! The kids and I went to visit Timothy and his family.  They are one of the real reasons we started this journey.  It was exciting to be able to banter about adoption, cooking, kids.  We even got to sneak away for a few and go to the grocery store.  Interesting how as you get older and add kids to the mix that a trip to the grocery store with a girlfriend qualifies as a social event.

Yesterday was my turn to go to the doctor.  Just happy that's over with and that I have my "you're healthy enough to adopt a child" letter.

Our story wasn't in The Hawkeye today, so that makes me HOPE that it runs tomorrow.  Pray that it generates the type of support we really need.

The Ladies of the Moose in Mount Pleasant are meeting with us on May 13th.  I hope that works out good too.

I was so excited to see on facebook that close friends of ours are now considering adopting through Reece's Rainbow.  It's amazing how God is finding these beautiful children homes!  It's not something that you wake up one day and think hey I'm going to do this.  It's a whisper you hear when visiting the website.  So far all of  you out there who have or are embarking on this journey, YOU are the microphone that makes HIS whisper heard.

Thank you to everyone who reads our blog.  Please consider becoming a follower and please share it with others.  And as always, thank you for the support!

The Hawkeye is coming!

I am so excited and scared and nervous and thankful and oh my!  The Hawkeye will be here soon to interview us, yes us!  Oh my.  I broke out the ol makeup and everything.  Does make up expire?

So we did a whirlwind cleaning on the house.  Hopefully they don't look to hard. 

Pray for us everyone that this publicity will help bring Jeremiah home a little easier and hopefully many other boys and girls through Reece's Rainbow.

Jonah
Owen
Tanner

These are the boys that we want to have homes soon!  If we could we would bring them all home.
Timothy of course started our journey.  But, it was sweet Jonah who led us to buckle down and get serious.  We were going to commit to him, but he had another family who was in the process.  For some reason that family wasn't able to commit to him.  By then we had already commited to Jeremiah.  God wanted us to have Jeremiah, but Jonah still holds a piece of my heart.  Pray he finds a home.  Tanner would do so well here in the states.  Dialysis is in his future.  Tanner has nearly all his funds raised for him!  He just needs a mommy and daddy soon!


Thank you everyone once again.  Please help us to see those donation numbers go up fast!  We have a long road ahead.  Don't forget just $1 could win you the mcdonald's meal!

Thank you thank you

A positive day

I had the most positive response yet from my co-workers yesterday.  It was amazing how supportive and positive people were being.  At one of the places I work, you are allowed to send out a mass email to the "sales" group when you have a fundraiser or something to get rid of.  It's like a constant e-flee market that nearly all the employees participate in.  With in minutes of having sent the email, I had people inquiring and wanting to buy enchiladas!  It was a boost of encouragement. 

Later in the evening, I was looking through the paper and well, I'll admit it, I usually read my horoscope.  I don't live for it, but when it's there, hey I'll read it :)  Here's what it said "Fundraising will go well today.  If you join efforts with others, you might see new uses for things...."  WOW! too weird that it was right on today.

We had good news. We probably have renters for our rental house!  Even though we can't seem to sell it!  But these folks don't mind that its on the market!  Praise the Lord!

The kids got a clean bill of health and a letter to prove it.  David and I sat down and filled out the "questionnaire" for our home study.  I'm a nervous nellie over this home study.  The thought of every part of our lives being questioned and evaluated.  *shivers*  But, bottom line I know we are good parents and that is what counts!

Appointments

Today is the kid's doctor appointment to get a letter stating they are healthy.  David had his, mine is Friday.  The Home Study is approaching sooooo quickly.  Gratefully, the reference letters are starting to roll in.  My employers were very quick and compliant with the verification letters.  David's job finally got around to it, but neglected to get it notarized.....

We had a nice weekend with family.  My little sis turned 5, yup you read that right :)  It was the first time I had been back to the house since my dad passed away in February.  It was definetely rough.  Along with family came "opinions" of our decision to give our little boy without a family a home.  Luckily, others were present to remind those "opinions" that we had thought this through.  I am amazed at how many times I hear the same "well this and well you do realize"  Yes, we realize! I know they just love us and are trying to "protect" us.  It's still fustrating.  I'm sure some of you who have been through this journey understand all too well.

Tonight we will be making deviled eggs out of all the Easter eggs.  I avoid egg salad and the like most of the year since at Easter, there's always plenty to follow.

We keep thinking about our boy.  I hope he knows somewhere in his heart the mommy and daddy are coming.  I can't wait to be there for him when he needs a hug.  It's so sad to think about him and all the other kids not having so many of the things we take for granted.

Keep praying for our journey.  Pray our rental house sells!  That would lift such a weight off our shoulders. That being sad, anyone want to buy a cute 2 bedroom ranch with a HUGE yard?  Worth a shot right :)

Thanks again everyone who is praying for us and those who have financially contributed.

Encouragement

The last two days have been great in the encouragement department.  Just this morning one of our local businesses in Mount Pleasant agreed to sell tickets to our Pizza Hut fundraiser.  So please everyone who is local support Pep Gas (Pep stop) at 901 East Washington in Mount Pleasant.  Tell them thank you!

Today is Good Friday.  Remember today the sacrifice that was made for each of us to have the chance of eternal life. 

Still time to enter for your chance to receive a FREE McDonald's Value Meal.  Thank you to all of you who have entered thus far.

Have a great Easter weekend everyone.  Thank you for supporting us, next year Jeremiah will get to celebrate Easter as a member of a family!!!!!!!!

When do I get my Brother?

Oh my wonderful Jed, he has asked me at least a dozen times in the last three hours...."when do I get my brother?" I just keep telling him to pray God's gives us what we need to bring him home soon. With a little pout, he says ok.

We dyed Easter eggs tonight.  Even though Jeremiah couldn't be here to enjoy the yearly activity, we remembered him.  On our walk tonight, I just kept remembering soon there will be three sets of little hands and maybe a babe in a stroller. 

The big exciting news of the day is another RR mom sent the bestest email ever!  It included more recent pictures of Jeremiah and stories about him.  Wow! It felt like seeing the first ultrasound pictures.  His poor little "mug shot" just doesn't do his preciousness justice.

I was so encouraged to see the donation go up again today.  I am so grateful that people are supporting us in so many ways.

First give away! McDonald's

OK, who doesn't like McDonald's or know at least someone who does?  We need $700 by May 4th to complete our home study....a crucial step to this process.

So...........! Using the chip in button enter for your chance to win a FREE super value meal of your choice!  Make sure you put your name in so I can make sure and get it mailed to the right person.  For every $1 you donate via the chip in button, you will be entered for a chance to win the meal.  I will announce the winner on the blog May 3rd, that way if you are one of my Des Moines friends, I can hand deliver it.

This give away isn't part of the tax deductible opportunity.  For a tax deductible opportunity use the official Reece's Rainbow Donate Now under Jeremy's picture.

Thank you to every one, no gift is too small.  We are always thankful!

It takes a community to raise a child, well its going to take a community to give this guy a community :)

An attempt to answer some of the questions

I am quickly finding out about the huge family Reece's Rainbow parents and supporters are.  Today, I found a blog of a mom in the Chicago area climbing the same mountain.  I will attempt to appropriately site her blog as a source, :) She really hit home for me on answering some of the tough questions people ask.

Taking some thoughts from alongtheroadadoption.blogspot.com

Why We Said Yes

Sarah's answer:
I could go on and on about this being my calling, something I've known is in my future since I was a kid, having a special education background... yeah, adoption has always been in the cards.
I could recite and list all the Bible scriptures that specifically command us to care for three groups of people: orphans, widows, and the alien (strangers.) I could say that we as Christians are specifically commanded to involve ourselves in providing for these people.
Because that's all true.

But as for now? As for why Elisha?

It's simply this. God showed her to me. He told me her name. He told me she is our daughter. He told me to fight for her.
And I thought, why not?
Because our bank account is low? She has nothing.
Because our house is too busy already? She has nothing.
Because we want our kids to be able to have "stuff" that kids "deserve"? She  has   NOTHING.

So granted that is another mom speaking of her daughter, but plug in him for her and son for daughter and you get the idea. 

We want to be this little man's home, his soft place, his family, his real family.  It's so hard to think that there are so many kids who were simply abadoned.  They call this an orphanage, but so many of these kids weren't orphans, they were just different "imperfect", "special needs" "a burden to society"  THESE ARE LIVES! These are little boys and girls that need parents not nannies or workers.

In a letter from Reece's Rainbow to us thanking us for taking this journey "We know this ministry is making a true difference. June of 2011 marks our 5-year anniversary! The advocacy efforts and available adoption grants of Reece’s Rainbow have brought more than 500+ waiting orphans with Down syndrome and other special needs out of foreign orphanages and mental institutions into loving, “forever families” in the US and Canada. More than $1,500,000 has been disbursed to make this possible. Money is the ONLY thing standing between the families and these children. Thank you for being part of this life-changing opportunity!"

Thank you to each and everyone of you who have supported us with your own time, talents, thoughts, and prayers. 

Fear and doubt do not come from above.  We will make this goal!

Walk by Faith

2 Corinthian 5:7, "We walk by faith, not by sight..."  Oh Lord, help me to stay faithful today.  It has been a difficult day with difficult opinions. 

I still don't have all the answers.  The answers to the questions like, "Why a special needs child?" "Why not just have a baby? (I have the answer to that one :) ) "Why international?" "How did you pick him?"  The only answer I have for any of these questions thus far is that, God spoke, we obeyed. 

We are so in love with this little guy already.  It is purely by faith that we are able to put one foot in front of the other as we climb this mountain. 

Again thank you to everyone who has a had a positive word and smile for us.  Maybe its just the weather.....

For those of you praying, pray that our rental house sells ASAP! That will make the mountain a little smaller.

New here!

Thank you to each and everyone of you for you love and support during our long journey.  More info to come as I learn how to navigate the blogging world.

We are expecting!  A three year old!  I just can't wait to give him his first hug from his forever MOM!