49, 48, 46....Heavy Numbers Indeed!

Any idea what those numbers could signify?  I'll let you know at the end of this blog (yes, you may scroll down to find out!).

We are counting the days/hours until we fly away to the other side of the planet to bring Christy into our home forever.  Lots of contemplating things right now....how to pack things I use every day....how our trip will go....and firsts.

There will be lots of firsts - the first time Christy gets tucked in bed by her mommy, the first time she wakes up to a mommy and a daddy, the first time she flies in an airplane (oh my!), the first time she has siblings....and so many, many more.  I have no idea if she will appreciate all these first when they happen, but we know that they are so important!  I hope we get to see her light up in surprise frequently, like she did in this photo!

Right now I'm working on getting things all settled in my business so that it can run with little help from me for a few weeks.  I will still check emails and do some management from Bulgaria, but I certainly can't do any cutting or sewing while away.  I am all done cutting (thankfully as I was nearly blister range on my fingers and some of my knuckles are no happy about cutting lately!), but have a few small sewing projects to finish up.  I'm hoping I can get those done by Thursday!

I would like to ask for a few things that you could pray about for us.  First, that we make all our connections. We have two layovers both ways, and one is going to be on the tight side - in Philadelphia on our way home we have a 2 1/2 hour layover, but we have to go through immigration and  collect our check in luggage and go through customs before we can re-check out luggage and get to our flight.  This is barely enough time.  Thankfully we will be on the same flight technically and most of the fellow flyers from the first leg will also be going to the second flight, so it is unlikely that we will get left behind.  Secondly that we will remain healthy throughout the trip, especially Christy. Thirdly, that we will have a great time and that Christy's adjustment to us will go smoothly.  Fourthly, that everything/everyone  staying at home will be healthy and safe.  And lastly, that God will be glorified in our lives and that other will be inspired to save an orphan!

Speaking of saving orphans, it's been a long time since I advocated for any orphans.  If you have been reading my blog for a long time you will remember when I was advocating!  I advocated for three little girls and two of them are now with their forever families!

Nastia (who we knew as Alexandra) was this precious tiny girl who had brittle bone disease.  She came home almost exactly a year ago.  She has had a wonderful time adjusting to having a family.  She talks very good English and even sings songs from Disney movies!  She has had two surgeries (not without complications, but she's doing great now) to correct the problems in her legs from multiple fractures that had not been properly set.  She now has rods in both legs to straighten and strengthen her legs in hope that someday she will be able to walk!

Gemma (her new name is a secret but they refer to her as "M" on their blog Carry Your Light) has also been home for a long time. She came home last summer.  While in many ways she is thriving in her forever family, her transition has been difficult and she is struggling with seizures that so far medications have not been able to control.  Her family is loving her and doing so well at trusting in Jesus for strength and giving Him the glory.  I'm sure they'd appreciate your prayers!

Kimberley is a little girl in South America that I was also advocating for, but she does not have a forever family yet.  Two Years...think back to what was happening in your life 2 years ago....our youngest, Carese was just a newborn 2 years ago...and yet two years have gone by and Kimberley still have no family working to bring her home.

And she is not alone - there are hundreds of children on Reece's Rainbow that are still waiting for families, and hundreds of thousands around the world waiting for families.  Please think about what you can do for an orphan today - advocate/share someone on your social network, donate to an orphan's adoption fund or to a family who is in the process of adoption, or come alongside a family who is or has adopted to support and encourage them!

So, what are those numbers?  Those are the weights of our three check in luggage!  There is a 50 pound limit, and we are trying to stay just under in case our scale is different from theirs.  We also have two carry on bags, two back packs and a car seat...we are going to be loaded!

Orphan No More!!!!!

I am here to share the story of a little girl who crawled into my heart back in July.  I blogged about the photos that I had received of her.  I advocated for her, I raised funds for her.  She was 6 years old and the size of a toddler!

We even considered adopting her...but a child with brittle bone disease didn't sound like the best fit for our big family, for obvious reasons!

So I prayer.  We prayed.  Her fund grew and grew...until she was nearly fully funded even!

And then it happened - her family found her! In November I was able to make contact with "Alexandra"s new family.  They were adoptive parents already and were going to work to adopt her as quickly as possible.

Her new mother and one of her brothers traveled to Ukr@ine a few weeks ago, and this morning I got word that the adoption is final!









Let me introduce to you....Nastia Kate Frye and her new mommy, Tammy Frye!

So amazing to see God work in all the details to ransom this precious jewel and give her a hope for a life in a loving family and receiving the medical care she so desperately needs!

Great News, But Prayer Needed

I just found out that Alexandria's adoptive family, The Frye Family, has been fully funded!  I also found out that they have complete their home study update, and their dossier is on it's way to Alexandria's home country!  Please pray for this family as they pursue this adoption, as there have been some rulings in this country that will make it tough for them to ransom this precious little one and bring her home for the care she so desperately need!

You can follow their adoption story on their blog, The Frye Family Five.  I'll try to update here as well as I hear more about their journey to bring her home.

I will be removing her from my sidebar, to prepare for the next orphan...

Thanksgiving - A family for Alexandra! Plus updates on Gemma and Kimberley

This precious angel that I've been advocating for has a huge adoption grant and now she has a family!  If you want to follow their adoption story, please check out The Frye Family Five blog to see what's happening and how things work with her country.

You can donate to their adoption fund here:

Alexandra for the Frye Family

You might be wondering where Alexandra's money went...it's still there - click on her link and you'll see it. They don't add her funds to the family's funds due to the country she is from and how they work...but if all goes well, her funds will be used for her adoption into the Frye family!

I am so excited to follow their adoption story!

I am also excited to see that Kimberley is on the Angel Tree 2012  at Reece's Rainbow this year! Please think about helping to raise funds for her adoption, and share her on your social media so her forever family can find her!

And I have an update from the Browns (Carry Your Light) who are adopting Gemma!  They completed their homestudy and they have submitted their dossier and are awaiting news of when they can travel to meet Gemma!  What an exciting time!  They are facing huge traveling costs, as well as money for the adoption process once their dossier has been approved, but they only have around $750 in their adoption grant.  Please consider helping them out!

All donations to these children are tax deductible too!

As we gather with our families for Thanksgiving, I pray that these three sweet little girls will be celebrating Thanksgiving with their forever families next year!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I have to say that last year just before Thanksgiving I was suffering from an ear infection and had ended up in the ER after passing out at home.  I remember praying fervently for the safety of our baby.  At that Thanksgiving, we couldn't know what the future held.  I had no idea if Carese would be born safe and sound and if I would survive her birth.  Now, looking back, we can see how God orchestrated so many miracles to preserve both our lives.  So this Thanksgiving I am praising God for the precious little girl that is such a big blessing to our home:

Auction for Orphans Up and Running!

Help Alexadra Find Her Forever Family!

I have started my first ever fundraising event!

I have started an auction fundraiser as a Facebook Event and you can check it out here:


Facebook Auction for Orphans!


You can participate several ways:

Bid on items - there's my home made soap, hand made print Snap-EZ Pocket Diapers (all smalls so far), household items, clothing, crocheted baby hat, hand sewn baby blanket with matching burp clothes and more - we are adding new items almost everyday!

List Items - Anyone can add an item for auction, just post a photo, a description, a starting bid and an auction ending date. Not money will go to the seller, and the seller must cover shipping (contact me if this is a problem). The auctions can last past the existng date (right now it's 8/6) as we will extend that date as long as we have live auctions! I will donate the money as soon as it is received by me/when auction ends and send the address for mailing to the seller. Thanks everyone!!!

Publicize the Auction - share it on your Facebook/blog/website

Please help these orphans get adopted!  


Each of these children's adoptive parents will need approximately $25,000 to adopt them!

100% of the proceeds go directly to these three children that I am advocating for!

Shipping will be covered by the seller unless other arrangements have been made!

Thanks for helping!

This Breaks My Heart - But There Is Hope!

Yesterday I was checking on Alexandra's page on Reece's Rainbow and was soooo excited to see that she had been given an anonymous grant donation of $5,000!  Unbelievable!  I was so thankful to my Lord that He moved someone to donate to her adoption.

But today my heart is broken for her.  I also noticed yesterday that they mentioned that they had additional photos available of her so I requested the photos.  This is what I got today and it breaks my heart:

Do you see those precious little legs?  It says in her information "united multiple fractures of extremities, ribs" due to her "Brittle Bone Disease" and now you can see what that means!  Poor Alexandra needs her forever family to commit to adopting her and bring her home so she can have proper medical attention and nutrition to strengthen her bones!

Do you see her size?  I have no idea, but she looks to me like she weighs less than 20 pounds.  That's find for a baby, but Alexandra, IS FIVE YEARS OLD!

Do you see that smile?  In spite of everything she still gave a little smile for the camera.  She is in there, living this nightmare of inhumane care, but she has not mental retardation.  Just a physical disease that makes her bones weak.  

Please consider adopting Alexandra.

Please share this blog post. 

Please share her Reece's Rainbow Page. 

Please consider donating towards her adoption, even small donations will get her closer to being adopted.  

And Please Pray For Alexandra! - you can print this flyer (click on it to see it full size) and post it on your refrigerator: