Adopting the older child

Right now I am babysitting for a friend who has a cute little daughter. At the moment she is also fostering her sisters kids. For various reasons her sister can't take care of them and they are in the foster care system. This may probably lead to a foster to adopt situation. They are looking for a more permanent willing foster family. They are cute! They are well behaved! They are affectionate! They are bright!
I have a tender spot for the older children in the world who do not have parents to provide for them. I know many families looking to adopt but seeking infants only. I am not judging. Each adoption story is full of pain, love and faith. The ratio for waiting parents to newborns is not very good. However, there is need in the world for parents who can meet the needs of the older child. True, they will have a history to deal with that a newborn won't. Sometimes that means a big leap of faith required on the adopted parent part. But, I'll tell you now, that I have heard more success stories then failures. You will have hard days but you will have good days too and soon enough the good days will out number the hard ones.
So, could you take on a older child? This is between you and Lord. But I ask you to consider it. You can only do what you feel you are capable of. However, most people are capable of more then they think.

Clothe Diapers Service Project

I got an email from the lady who serves on the Foyer De Sion board. They are so Grateful for our donation. She also said that she felt compelled to ask me a favor. They have a huge need for clothe diaper and she has seen how you can make clothe diapers from old shirts. I told I her I would see what I can do about that. This would be a great service project for anyone off for the summer who needs a good thing to do, a family reunion project, an eagle or personal progress project. I looked on the web and found these sites. They all are a little bit different. Check it out and see which ones looks the best for your skill level. If you can make some and get them to me I will work on getting them to orphanages.

Thrifty Fun
Back Woods Home
Associated Content
Made Easy

Thanks All!

Tell Me Why-Declan Galbraith

Wearing the Cause

I belong to a yahoo group about adopting from Ghana and this cute girl posted a message on the board yesterday. It said...
"My name is S.L. and I am 10 years old. My family is adopting two children from Ghana, Africa. When I was 7 I used to watch lots of adoption videos and read lots of adoption blogs. I feel called to the orphans and I love it! I prayed for a sister for 3 years. Now, I'm getting a sister and God blessed me with a brother, too. I am selling t-shirts to raise money to buy food and supplies for the orphans. When we go I will be taking all of the money to Ghana with me. When I return, I'm going to keep helping the orphans."
How cute is that! The shirts are cute and you can visit here blog here to purchase one. Also if you post the You Tube video on you facebook and let them know you will be entered in to a drawing for a free shirt.
On that note I also have a few shirts left over from the fundraiser. If you scroll down you will see it. They are $5.00 each and the money goes to help children in Haiti.
Thanks all!

How much good can you do with four grand?

I gave TC a call and asked him his advise for how to best distribute our funds raised. He is with Utah Haiti Relief and has been going down every few weeks. I told him two things had to happen.
1. The money needed to be used for children.
2. They money needed to be used where it was needed the most.
He told me some of the orphanages are doing well but he has received calls about some that are on their last bag of rice and needing help. He is going down to evaluate the situation. He also told me of this sweet 3 year old boy he met last time he was there. How he needed to get a hospital ASAP. TC is leaving with a team on Thursday to return to Haiti and find those needs. He is also going to see if this sad little boy is still alive and if he can get some treatment. I have told TC to keep in touch with me. He will keep me posted on where our money will be best used. I will post all that here.
Since we originally started this for Foyer De Sion some of the money will still go directly to them. They also received all of the supplies and food donated too. That went on a container Saturday and should be well on it's way to them. TC will hand deliver their part of our donation to him this weekend.

New totals are in!

Thank you Ang for working so hard and getting some extra stuff sold this weekend.
Our new total is
$4,010.34.
I will keep you posted on how this is dispersed. We will be able to make a contribution to a few different Haiti orphanages now. Thanks everyone!

Mothers for Haiti Fundraiser

Um......who can raise $3,680.34 for orphans in Haiti within five hours.....we can!

Yes, the fundraiser was a huge success. The weather was awesome. It could not have been better. I am so grateful for all the wonderful women who helped out and became some of my newest and dearest friends. Each of them are on their own journey of adoption and each has a remarkable story of hope, faith and endurance. I am so grateful to know you all. You all helped me get through a very painful and emotionally hard time. You were glimmers of light in some very dark days I have had these past months.

HH, I love you so much and I am so grateful the Lord brought you and your sweet daughter into my life to remind me of things I could not afford to forget and keep my eyes looking to the horizon of Ghana!
SH, You are so incredible and kind. I love seeing your two beautiful babies and hope of things to come. You are always worried about me and all your inquiries made me feel so special.
AT, You are such a "get'er done" kind of gal and I needed that so bad. Thanks for stepping in when you knew I was overwhelmed and easing some of my load.
HG and LT, thanks for all your help. You are powerful women to me and I look up to you both for what you are doing right now in your very homes.
CW, ST, and CH, thanks for all your insight. You are great women and I am grateful to have crossed paths with you!
SD, Thanks for stepping in last minute and helping out. I hope you felt a little healing and more hope return to that sweet heart of yours.
AL, You rock. You are like a sister to me and I knew I could count on you to help me. THANK YOU!!!!!
NB, I love you ! You are the greatest. Your spirit just shines out of you. I know you will find what you are looking for!
DW- You need to know how much love I have for you. You are the tool the Lord used to point me into the right direction. Thank you for being humble enough to hear that prompting and make that connection. Thank you for sharing it with me when you did. I believe your words were "This could be nothing but ..." Well, we know it was nothing after all and you will always have a welcome seat in my home and hug waiting in my arms.
KB and AW- thanks for just showing up to do whatever was needed! Your awesome!

Thank you to everyone else who came to help, support, and give. I saw old friends and new friends, family and strangers who all just wanted to do what they could and help. Together we made a big difference.
I am so blessed to know wonderful people. The Lord has surrounded me with the best! My heart is full of gratitude and love for all of you. I know we will keep working together to ease the burden placed upon the heads of the innocent around the world.

I am so looking forward to our SUSHI night!

FUNDRAISER THIS SATURDAY!

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE! PLEASE PLAN ON COMING TO THE MOTHERS FOR HAITI EVENT AT THE ADDRESS ABOVE. A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO IT AND I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT FUN FOR EVERYONE. THEY SAY THAT THE WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE GREAT BY SATURDAY. I HOPE SO. FEEL FREE TO BRING ANY ITEMS LISTED ON THE SIDE BAR HERE. REMEMBER ALL THE MONEY WILL GO TO HELP ORPHANS IN HAITI. SEE YOU THEN!
AIMEE

A vote for Becky is vote for Ghana!

My awesome friend Becky Ketarkus (remember the name you will need it) is one of the five finalist in the American Idol mom contest. If she wins, she gets $5,000.00 donated to any charity of her choice. If you have been reading my blog you know that all the LH kids are no longer at LH and she is changing Abes Fund to a non profit that will help get these displaced kids food and schooling. They are now MY SONS friends that this $ would be helping. If you are my friend or family member, this makes it personal to you. She can do so much with that amount of money in Ghana. Please, hit this link and vote for her. You can vote 4 times a day. This would be the greatest gift to my new sons to know that their friends have a chance too.

The End and a Beginning

A few days ago, I could do no more then dream of the day I would be able to write a blog entry and know without a doubt who my children were. It has been a heart wrenching two weeks for me. I felt I could go no further. I knew I was at my breaking point. My friends were concerned because I did not want to do anything. I did not feel like being the social butterfly I am. I could not even get out of bed in the morning except to check my inbox and after finding it empty, would crawl back into bed, even more defeated.
Then came the good tiding from Ghana. The boys were safe! I'm pretty sure I heard angels singing. My heart raced and flooded with joy. As my friend Deann will attest to, I was overcome as looked at the pictures of the boys just taken hours ago in front of the Ghana temple with their new foster dad. "Has Heaven ever made more beautiful children than those two" I said to her with tear rolling down my checks. I think that is when I knew my answers to all my questions I had been asking the Lord.
Many things proceeded to happen following that day and by Saturday R had been given some heavenly insight too and his heart finally caught up with mine. "Let's do it!" he said. I don't think I have ever loved him more then that minute!
I will not blog about our adoption anymore on this site. This site began as a way for me to express my feeling about the world and I have also made it a source of humanitarian efforts. It will continue to be so and I will continue to post about all the efforts I am involved in with Haiti plus the growing needs to help the displaced children of LH. However, now that we know exactly who we are adopting, I will only blog about the boys on our family blog. They are my family now. The link is on the sidebar or you may click here. I have also gone through my older post and taken out names and details for more privacy.
I am so blessed. I am so happy. I know this is where the Lord has been leading us. Thank you to everyone who prayed. I received so many comments through email and facebook and in person. I know I have had a good support network and ask you to keep praying because it is not over until I have that paper in my possession as I board an American bound plane with two of the most perfect boys holding my hands!
This is the end of my quest to find my children but the beginning of my adventure to bring them safely home!