Provision

I just wanted to give a little update on our Both Hands project we did a couple weeks back to help raise funds to bring Carissa home. We served our friend Rita for a day and us and the volunteers sent out letters, emails and spread the word via social media to sponsor us to work on her house. The sponsorship funds went directly to help us bring our daughter home to her forever family.

I must say, that we almost decided not to do the project. I had a difficult couple of months during the summer where I was just weary, especially on the fundraising front. I was scared of losing friendships, of offending people by asking too much, by seeming needy or whatever. Just a lot of fear that I knew was wrong, but just had a hard time shaking. We tried a few different plans to earn the money ourselves, without having to ask anything of anybody. They didn't work out. We even tried a couple of fundraisers that are usually pretty popular and those didn't really bring much funds in. I was thinking that maybe we just needed to take the hint and stop all those efforts and just put the rest of the adoption on credit cards or a loan and worry about it when we got home. I had come across the Both Hands fundraiser early in the process and we both absolutely loved the idea. But, we were still waiting on our home study to be approved at the time. Then, it was a busy, huge process to get other grant applications filled out, paperwork authenticated, etc. So, I had nearly put it out of my mind as a possibility, figuring it would just be too late to get it done and that people might be annoyed since we had already had some other fundraisers/fundraising pages and such out there.

I'm so glad that we didn't give up on this and that we had some awesome friends encourage us to follow through with doing this project. It ended up being far more than a fundraiser. We worked together with our friends to serve someone who really just needed the help. We formed a bond and a friendship with Rita and plan to carry on that relationship for the long term. I just really love her so much and am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to get to know her and her story. This most likely would not have happened if not for the Both Hands project. So, God orchestrated this so perfectly to really change and bless some hearts that day.

So, without further ado, I'm happy to announce that because of this project, we are now fully funded! We can now concentrate on packing and preparing our hearts and our home to welcome our daughter home. This has totally floored us! We are so relieved and so grateful for everyone's generosity, prayers and hard work throughout this whole process. We could not have done this without you. God has worked through you to give this little girl a mommy, daddy, sister and brother that love her so very much. A home, a forever family, nighttime hugs and kisses and cuddles...oh, that girl is going to get so much cuddles! She is going to know that she is loved. She is going to know that she was created by an awesome God who loves her more than we ever could. She is going to know, that no matter her difficulties in life, she was made just the way God needed her to be to accomplish His plan for her and those around her. She has a hope and a future!

We are so humbled and blessed to have such an awesome community that has supported us in all different ways in bringing our little girl home. Carissa is one loved little girl! and I can't wait to tell her about how so many people loved her and prayed for her before they even knew her.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:16

We are getting close. Most likely, only a little over a month before our girl is in our arms and she gets to meet her forever family. We can't wait for that day!

The olders....part two...

My soon to be middle child...and the only boy...poor thing. ;o)

 

He's a crazy ball of energy. He definitely gives us a run for our money.

 

I'm telling you. This look says it all!

 

My Seany boy is a great gift. He brings energy and humor to the family. He can be such a handful sometimes and frustrate us all. You would think, looking at how active he is and how much he likes all things zombie, explosive, fighting, lightsabering and violent dinosaur, that he would be quite aggressive.

 

 

 And yes, he can get totally out of control. But, he is so soft hearted and empathetic when he thinks someone or something is hurt.

And he loves babies.

 

And he was so proud the day his little cousin came into the world.

 

Like his sister, he loves the outdoors.

 

Science and bugs and creepy crawlies, oh my!

 

This little guy is a cuddler and he loves fiercely.

 

He loves his sister. (And, oh my! Those piercing blue eyes just draw you in.)

 

 

He loves his cousin, Aiden.

 

 

 

And he loves his daddy so much.

 

He's smart, loyal, and funny.

 

A total ham from day one.

 

This kido is pretty awesome.

Pretty darn cute when he was little.

 

And pretty handsome nowadays too.

 

 

And I just love him so much!

 

The Olders...part one...

So, while we are waiting for some additional, final paperwork to work on, I realized that if you look way back in the blog...way before adoption was on our radar, there was a bit about my older two kidos, but that was 4 years ago. I thought it would be fun to kind of introduce them to those that have only been following since the adoption announcement.

Breanna is the first born and totally has the first born personality. She was the only one for four years and it shows in a lot of ways. She has always like to command the attention and be the boss. Something I have always told myself will make her a great leader someday if we direct her in the right direction.

 

At the Age of 3, full of spunk and personality.

 

 

This child tests me, frustrates me on a daily basis. She is just like me in many ways, possibly many of the things I don't like in myself. She has taught me much about myself in her 12 years of life. Things I know God desperately needed me learn, so He gave her to me; and I'm so thankful. She is like me, but opposite of me at the same time. She has my impatience and stubbornness, but she also has the personality traits that I wish I had. She's always been very social from a young age. She is funny, cutting jokes from the age of two.

 

My silly girl.

 

 

 She's full of spunk, personality and energy. She's just a total goof! And I love her so much. We may butt heads on a regular basis, but I love the conversations we have when we are alone in the car or out on a shopping date. I love how smart and beautiful she is.

She is also adventurous and loves nature and all things science.

 

 

At home in the great outdoors.

 

 

 

 

 And she loves little kids and they love her.

 

 

 

She is also one of those people that will defend the cause of the weak, the lonely, the overlooked. I have seen her on multiple occasions, seek out another child that was alone, left behind, maybe even shunned by the other kids and attempt to include them, make them feel a part of her group, special. I have also heard stories of her defending a child that was being teased by others. When she was in second grade, she got into trouble for attacking another child. I totally was dumbfounded. Come to find out, she had witnessed that child being pretty mean, calling another child names and pushing him, so her being the defender that she is, proceeded to tackle the meanie child. The one that was being teased went home and told his mom about what Breanna did. That mom proceeded to search me and the teacher out the next day and thank Breanna for defending her son. Needless to say, Breanna did not get the slightest punishment from us. It was a proud moment. And she still has that in her heart at 12. I really envision her taking on an important cause someday and just really making a huge difference in the world.

 

One tough cookie! I'm telling ya, don't mess with her friends or family. ;o)

 

Beautiful, inside and out.

 

I love my precious eldest child so much!

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



I800 Approval and Both Hands

Well, I thought this would be a good time to update as a couple things have happened since I last posted.
On Saturday, we did our Both Hands project and it was awesome! We had a great time serving with several of our friends and family. I highly recommend this project if you are looking for a fundraiser for your adoption or even for a fundraiser for your church's adoption ministry, or orphan care ministry. It is a really well run organization. They pretty much held our hands all along the way, giving us all the letter templates, forms, hints and recommendations for every step in the process. It was a great experience! Please take a look at the video that our friend Adam made of our day.





This morning I awoke with a fantastic email. Carissa's immigration has been pre approved! This basically means that I have one more form to fill out on this side of the Ocean (Carissa's Visa application) and then it and the approval get sent to China and we basically await travel approval. Yay! This process has a few steps in there and will take a few weeks, but we are getting so close! We can't wait to snuggle our girl!

Doesn't she look super snuggly?!?