Bringing Home Our Girls

Adoption is a calling from the Lord

2012-03-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite adoption scripture. Isaiah is talking about the last days:

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of they tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare them not." Isaiah 54:1-2

Adoption is a wonderful calling!

The Adoption Race

2012-03-01T14:36:00.002-07:00

For the past two months we have been taking one step forward, two steps back with this adoption process. Which makes it feel like we are further behind then when we first started ;). I am starting to feel like the hamster running in his wheel. Am I just pretending that I am making progress when really we are just spinning our wheels? We have been super busy but I don't think that actually counts as progress. How do you do it day after day Mr. Hamster without getting totally discouraged? The answer: learn how to enjoy the journey. Easier said then done.

So I am going to try to stop focusing so much on the girls and my desire to bring them home, and more on trying to enjoy the journey: appreciating all the miracles that are happening, God's involvement in our family, the amazing new friends and people I am meeting along the way, the generosity of strangers to our adoption fund, the changes that are happening in people's mind set, all of it. Maybe it will make this stress-case mom chill out a little :). Because honestly, so far, the stressing out has done very little but give me a ulcer (literally).

Question 11: Why not adopt from the US?

2012-02-28T16:02:00.001-07:00

I am going to preface this question by saying that I do not think one type of adoption is better then another. I believe that you need to go where the Lord calls you because that is where you will find YOUR child. I believe that ALL children are deserving of a loving family no matter the geographical location, race, disability, age, etc. Kids here in the US do not deserve to be adopted more then kids in any other country. We are all God's children and geographical boundries mean NOTHING to HIM. My family has adopted domestically and internationally. We went where the Lord called us. And now He is calling us to adopt these two girls.

That being said, there is A LOT of misconception about domestic adoptions.

For every healthy non-african american newborn placed for adoption in the US, there are 35 waiting adoptive families. For every healthy african american newborn placed for adoption in the US, there are 12 waiting adoptive families. There is not a huge NEED for families to adopt healthy babies domestically.

But what about babies and toddlers with Down Syndrome? Robin Steele runs a fantastic adoption ministry placing babies with Down Syndrome for adoption domestically. There are currently over 200 families on her wait list and she does an average of 26 placements a year. Why the great demand? Because a) children with Down Syndrome are a huge blessing and b) they are aborted at a rate of 90% in this country so very few ever are born, let alone come available for adoption. Again, the need is just not there for adoptive families.

What about other special needs? I actually run Special Angels Adoption in which we help agencies find adoptive families for special needs newborns and toddlers (www.specialangelsadoption.org) domestically. I LOVE this work. It is very rewarding. The demand is much lower for babies with significant special needs but so far (knock on wood) we have yet to have a situation where we could not find a family for a baby (as long as the fees were in the realm of reasonable). No matter what level of special needs, we have been able to find loving, qualified, wonderful families.

What about all the kids we hear about in the media languishing in the foster care system waiting to be adopted? I am sorry to say that much of what you have heard to propaganda. Seriously. Through my work with Special Angels Adoption, we have helped many, many couples adopt special needs little ones who were legally free through the foster care system. Unless the child has a trach, there is typically 50-100 families applying for every child under the age of 8 no matter what the special needs or race of the child (for some reason, children with trachs are very hard to place). Why do they wait on the photolistings so long? Because the process through the state is very slow. They are not waiting for lack of families but they are waiting for the process. The need is just not there, in fact, it is the highest level of competition. Now, for children over the age of 8, the story is much, much different. There are many, many teenagers who need loving homes. And they do deserve one no matter what. That being said, we do not feel qualified as a family to deal with the issues that are frequently present with older child adoptions. It takes a very special type of person and we are sooooo glad that there are wonderful families out there adopting older children from the foster care system. It is just not our calling.

So why all the propaganda to adopt from the foster care system? Well, first of all, they need foster parents. The vast majority of children who enter the foster care system never come available for adoption because they are reunited with their families. That is the goal of the foster care system, when they are safely able to bring families back together they do so. Thus foster families are needed much more then adoptive families. Also, there are many, many older children waiting to be adopted through the foster care system. Especially if you are able to handle teenagers, the need is high.

Contrast all of this with the region our girls are being adopted from. In the last 4 years, there has only been one child with Down Syndrome adopted from there per year. Only one! Despite the fact that there are SEVERAL waiting. This year, there will be 3 children with Down Syndrome (ours and one other), setting a huge record. Our daughter has been in the orphanage waiting for a family for 5 YEARS. No one has come forward, until now. If they stay, they will end up in mental asylums, never to have a normal life in society. In fact, they have been totally rejected by their society because of their special need. There is literally no place for them. In this region of the world nearly 100% of children with Down Syndrome reside in orphanages. The NEED is HUGE. I have been to dozens of orphanages around the world, both good and bad, and I can honestly say that an orphanage is no place for any child to grow up.

Even a child in the foster care family, though FAR from ideal, lives in a home within the community. They are allowed to attend school, get proper medical care, live with a family, etc. I am not saying these kids don't need permanent families, THEY DO! But compared to our daughters' fate if not adopted, they have several advantages.

Again, I am not saying that one type of adoption is better then another. You should go where the Lord calls you because He knows where YOUR child is. That is why we are going where we are going. But be careful not to be judgemental of those adopting international vs domestically. Your perception may be based upon emotional misinformation instead of the facts.

Question 10: How do you pay the medical bills for 8 (soon to be 10) special needs children?

2012-02-27T16:52:00.003-07:00

How do you pay for all the medical bills of having 8 special needs children?

Our insurance is like most in that it has a max family out of pocket dollar amount. In other words, once you have paid a certain amount in medical bills, everything is free after that. Since we brought our first two children home in 2000 we have met the max out of pocket by March every year. So adding more special needs kiddos has not added to our medical bills. We just budget our max out of pocket every year and so it is expected and not a shock to the system.

For perscriptions, we have found a great mail order pharmacy that does not charge us any copays. They just take what our insurance pays. This helps with medications that are regular and expected. We still have to go to a regular pharmacy for unexpected illnesses and that can get pricey if everyone gets strep throat at once!

For things not covered by insurance, like our handicap accessible van, ramps, toilet chairs, bath chairs, elevator, lifts, specialized swings, bikes and seats, we buy most of our stuff used. Families who get medicaid (we don't) get all these things paid for usually so they are willing to sell them for way cheap if not give them away once their kiddos no longer need it. For example, Clarissa needed a toilet/shower chair and our insurance would not cover it. New they are $3,000. I bought hers used for $125 and it had only been used for 6 months and was like new. www.ksl.com, www.ebay.com and www.craigslist.com are all great places to find used equipment for special needs kiddos.

Keep the questions coming! They are fun to answer and give me something to blog about while we wait and wait and wait and wait and wait. ;)

25 Shops!!

2012-02-21T16:00:00.005-07:00

We now have 25 shops that will donate a percentage of your purchase to our adoption fund if you enter their website from our blog! No additional cost to you! Please, if you need to do some online shopping, check to see if we have the merchant you need.

To participate, just scroll down the page and on the right hand side you will see "Shopping for a Great Cause". Find a merchant you are interested in, and click on the link. It is that simple!

READ THIS!!

2012-02-21T11:31:00.002-07:00

I have personally seen these amazing miracle transformations with 6 of my kiddos. THIS is why adoption is so important. THIS is why you should support adoption (or even adopt yourself).

http://networkedblogs.com/ufjp4

Question 9: What do you do for YOU?

2012-02-16T14:37:00.004-07:00

As a mom it is easy to get lost in the needs of your family. It is important to do things that you recharge your batteries or you will not be a very nice and happy mom! These are the things that I do for ME.

* I take a 30 minute bath in my big sunken tub EVERY morning. It is my time to unwind, think about my day, pray, do nothing.

* I go on a date every week with my hubby. Aahh . . . sweet escape!

* I go to church. Nothing like going to church to recharge and gain a little eternal perspective.

* I run an adoption ministry. I LOVE helping special needs little ones find their forever adoptive families: www.specialangelsadoption.org

* I talk on the phone or go out with my girlfriends when our schedules will allow. If you can find people who get you and love you for exactly who you are, it is priceless.

* About every 6 months I hire a cleaning crew to come in and get my whole house spotless at once (if only for a moment).

What you do for you? What recharges your batteries?

AWESOME POST!

2012-02-16T14:28:00.001-07:00

This might make you uncomfortable, but PLEASE, PLEASE read it. This is what I have dedicated my life to:

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/02/if-not-usthen-who.html

Please Pray

2012-02-16T14:23:00.002-07:00

Please pray! We have run up against some adoption problems. They will lead to delays but we are not stopping. Just every day that goes by without the girls is HARD. Please pray with us for quick resolution.

Progress Update

2012-02-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

After a month of our adoption agency revising and editing our homestudy it is finally complete. I am so thrilled to finally get past the FIRST FREAKING STEP! Tomorrow we send off the last two forms that need to go into our dossier (adoption paperwork). It then needs to go to our state capital for all the notaries to be authenticated, then it will be translated, then shipped overseas. International adoption is FULL of steps and red tape! But it is all worth it when that new child/children enters your family. Suddenly, you forget all the process and think it was all no big deal compared to the reward.

Shutterfly!

2012-02-12T15:52:00.002-07:00

I am soooo excited!! Shutterfly is now one of the merchants that will give us a % of purchases made after people enter their store through our blog. I LOVE LOVE Shutterfly. I have made a ton of photobooks (scrapbooks) through them. My kids adore looking through them.

Just look on the right hand side of our blog and scroll down until you see Shopping for a Great Cause. Click on the Shutterfly link.

Question 7: Why two?

2012-02-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

Why are you adopting two unrelated children at the same time? Won't that make the transition harder?

Because they are our girls. We have never adopted a child that we did not feel a VERY STRONG knowledge that they were meant to come to our family. Although we have adopted siblings before, we have never adopted 2 unrelated children at the same time. But I guess they are related, they are siblings, because they are meant to be sisters. It is just legal paperwork that says they are not right now. But God knows. And I am certainly not going to leave one behind for later!

What I am amazed to discover is that we are not alone. Many, many families have been called to adopt more then one unrelated children with significant special needs at the same time. Here are some blogs of other families adopting more then one at a time through Reeces Rainbow. The need is just so high that God is sending them two by two, or by threes or even fours!

http://jenniferloveslobsters.blogspot.com/

http://dearlittlegirlofmine.blogspot.com/

http://www.themiracleiwitnessed.blogspot.com/

http://www.findingrdaughter.blogspot.com/

http://www.becauseyouareloved.blogspot.com/

http://vannicefamilyjourney.blogspot.com/

http://atorchforteagan.blogspot.com/

http://thekirklandfamily-valkirk26.blogspot.com/

http://theroaddownhome.blogspot.com/

http://thesousabrownfamily.blogspot.com/

http://www.weretakingbabysteps.blogspot.com/

http://www.myreallifebyyvonne.blogspot.com/

http://shupefamilydreams.blogspot.com/

http://godsrainbowsinourlives.blogspot.com/

http://addtothebeauty-evensen.blogspot.com/

http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/

http://threemorejacobsons.blogspot.com/

http://acinder-ellastory.blogspot.com/

http://gathermychildren.blogspot.com/

http://www.findingourlittleone.blogspot.com/

Love this Bracelet!

2012-02-11T16:00:00.002-07:00

So I went to go check out West Coast Jewelry's website and oh my gosh, love! There is so much cute stuff! This bracelet in particular has me drooling:

http://www.westcoastjewelry.com/Coastal-Creations-Beads-Bermuda-Shorts/dp/B004LPOXM6?ie=UTF8&id=Coastal%20Creations%20Beads%20Bermuda%20Shorts&field_product_site_launch_date_utc=-1y&field_availability=-1&field_browse=2638376011&searchSize=12&searchNodeID=2638376011&searchPage=1&refinementHistory=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchRank=price

Question 6: What are your tricks to raising a large family?

2012-02-11T14:58:00.002-07:00

Raising a large family requires organization and cooperation. My children know that their help is desperately needed, there is no way mom can do it on her own. The added benefit is that because each child contributes, they all feel very valued and part of the team.

1) Many hands make for light work. We have 8 abled bodied helpers in our house and that means that a lot can get done (or undone) very quickly. One of my favorite things to do is a few times throughout the day, I will say, "Everyone pick up 10 things bigger then your thumb and put them away. Mark, set, go!" In a matter of a couple of minutes we have put away 80 things! Do you know how long that would take me on my own?! Sometimes I mix it up to make it more fun like, "Everyone find 5 things that have the letter E in its name and put them away." Or "Everyone find 8 things with blue on it and put it away." Or "Boys are going to do the living room, girls are going to do the dining room, lets race to see who finishes first."

2) Everyone has chores. Everyone has 2 rooms in addition to their bedrooms that they are in charge of cleaning once a day.

3) I shop clearance. I have set rules I have made up for myself when it comes to shopping. They are my dollar lines in the sand. When things get down below my dollar line, I buy LOTS. For example, I will not buy canned vegies or fruit for more then 55 cents a can. Eventually the price always drops down to that level and then I buy a couple of cases of each kind. Then we have enough until the price drops again. Same goes for kids shoes and clothes, I will not buy unless they drop below my dollar line. I am usually buying when the season is over and storing for next year. This especially works for buying sports equipment for next year. I also buy future sizes and store them, for example shoes (you know they will eventually be every size). Here are some of my dollar lines:
Canned Vegies and Fruit: 55 cents
Canned Soup: 50 cents
Meat (I buy very, very little meat): 1.99 lb (less if it has bones)
Cereal: $1.99 box (no sugar kinds)
Canned Beans: 50 cents
Pasta: $1.00 a large bag
Frozen juices: 50 cents
Kids Shirts: $3.50
Kids Shoes: $8.00 (only nice brands, cheap brands don't last)
Kids Jeans: $6.00
Kids Coats: $9.00
Kids Snow Boots: $10.00
Kids Winter Gloves: $3.00

As for Mom? I buy all my clothes at thrift stores. It is so fun to find a great find!

4) Divide and conquer. Kevin and I have come to realize that it is just too stressful for both of us (and thus the whole family) to attend every sport, event, meeting, etc. So we take turns going to the kids various activities. It is also great because after, lets say a soccer match, we can take that child out for ice cream or something and they can get some valuable one on one time. Since many of our kids activities also often conflict (ie they are held at the same time) it allows us to do two at once.

5) Don't sweat the small stuff. My house is clean, it is not a museum by any means. And it is not all clean at the same time. That is just impossible. We have learned that a little bit of mess is not something to stress about. Spending time as a family is much more important then living in a perfectly put together home.

6) Hand-me-downs. We pass clothes, toys, etc down the line from oldest to youngest. Well, at least we used to. Now, my 4 oldest are the exact same size and my 3 middle are the exact same size. They have really thrown off my entire system!

7) Our piano teacher comes to our home. Instead of carting all the kids off to piano, she comes to us. In 2 1/2 hours she has all 5 kids in lessons done and I have not had to leave or figure out what to do with the little ones.

8) We have chosen pediatritions, dentists, opthamologists and therapists that will take us all at once, assembly line style. That way, I only have to do the dentist twice a year (no more then a "regular" mom).

9) Date night! This is how we keep our marriage sane. We go on a date night every week. We are still madly in love but it hard to get in a word edge wise with so many little ones wanting your attention.

10) LARGE home (9 bedrooms), LARGE van (seats 13 plus the wheelchair), LARGE travel trailer (sleeps 10, more if we put kiddos on the floor), 2 LARGE washers and dryers (they are quads so I can do 8 loads at once), LARGE table (it is square seating 4 on each side allowing space for up to 16). Our moto is go large or go home!!

11) If it is not on the calendar it does not exist. We have a family calendar where EVERYONE'S (including the husbands) activities are written down. If it doesn't get written down, then no guarentees that you will be able to do it because our family takes daily careful planning.

12) Family Night. Every Monday night EVERYONE is required to be home. We have family devotional, play games, have a treat, do service or go on a special outing as an entire family.

13) Family meals. Dinners are required attendance. We sit down as a family once a day and share our stories, worries, dreams and food.

14) I buy some things wholesale. Because we have a large group, I can buy many things in wholesale bulk. For example, underwear, socks, towels, dish cloths, paper plates, napkins, easter dresses, etc.

15) The environmentalists are going to hate me for this but my mission is to save orphans, not trees. We use only paper products. Paper plates, cups, napkins, etc. That way, we only wash pans.

Keep the questions coming! It is fun to answer them!

Tax Credit

2012-02-10T14:43:00.001-07:00

Please take the time and go sign this petition. Without the Adoption Tax credit, thousands of orphans would not have families. I can personally think of 10 in my family that would not ;). This tax credit is the only way we have been able to afford to bring these precious children into our family.

http://www.change.org/petitions/make-adoption-costs-fully-refundable-in-the-2012-2013-tax-years?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=share_with_facebook_friends

Great article!

2012-02-09T13:10:00.002-07:00

Awesome article on how we all tend to limit our potential, written by one of my heros, Erin Henderson.

http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=764

Names

2012-02-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Reserving the right to change our minds once we have met the girls, we think we have decided on names!

Mary Cherie (after my aunt Cherie) and Elena Danielle (after my hubby's brother Daniel).

We think they are cute, cute, cute, just like our girls.

Getting Discouraged Already!

2012-02-07T13:14:00.001-07:00

You think after all of our adoptions, I would learn patience. Nope! I am incredibly impatient. Today I hit a wall. I hate the adoption process! I hate paperwork and that everything is soooooooo slow! I just want to go get the girls. It has been a month and a half and I feel like we have made little to no progress
:(.

Sure we have signed a lot of things, sure we have gathered tons of paperwork, sure we have had to bug friends and relatives, doctors, realtors, employers etc for recommendations. Sure we have had background checks and child abuse screenings. But none of this so far has been seen by the foreign government. There are several steps to get it all there. Several approvals that must be had. And so our family stays seperated.

And we are only a month into the 6-12 month process!! How am I possibly going to stay sane?

I am obsessed with Babushkas!!

2012-01-31T16:46:00.001-07:00

I LOVE everything that has Babushka dolls on them. I really have become obsessed. I would love to do the girls room with a Babushka theme. Look how adorable!! Oh how I wish I could sew better!

I found this one at All Posters!

All Yard Hearts Sold!!

2012-01-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

We sold the last of our Yard Hearts today!! It is a scary thing to make 55 yard hearts and hope that they all get sold and you do not end up with a yard full off 55 hearts. A big thank you to all those who helped bring our girls home and showed your support by putting a heart in your yard. I cannot believe how quickly they all went. What a blessing!

Adoption Brings Everyone Together!

2012-01-28T11:47:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun last night. We met with other families adopting special needs sweeties from the same country as our girls. I could have stayed all night, we had so much fun talking. Two of the families already have girls with Down Syndrome! I loved hearing them talk about their girls. To quote my dear friend Dena, people with Down Syndrome are the sprinkles on the cupcake of life.

One of the families is also adopting a girl with DS from the same region as us and is in the same place in the paperwork as us. I really hope that we get to travel together. It would so wonderful to have that support!

I love hanging out with other people who truly "get us". They do not question your motives, your sanity or your ability to adopt a child with special needs. They just celebrate with you. I really needed that. So many people just do not realize the HUGE MASSIVE blessing our children are in our lives precisely because of who they are not despite it.

Pictured above is another sweet girl in the same region as our girls. She needs a family ASAP!! She currently has a $7800 grant available to help with her adoption.

Family Pictures to Send in with Our Paperwork

2012-01-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

Look at what a cute family I have!

New Give Away!

2012-01-26T17:50:00.002-07:00

New Give Away!! Anyone who donates $20 or more to the yellow donate button on the right hand side of this blog will get to pick a quilting pattern of their choice for free at Diary of A Quilter. Just make sure you put pattern in the comments.

http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/p/shop-diary-of-quilter.html

Thank you so much Amy Smart for your generosity!!

And don't forget our quilting and photography contest going on right now! Check out all the details at
http://where-love-resides.blogspot.com

Please spread the word to everyone you know who loves to sew!

The Complication of Names

2012-01-26T10:38:00.001-07:00

We may have to change Alyssa's name. Which is sad, because I LOVE that name. Our daughter Clarissa is deaf with cochlear implants and cannot tell the difference between Alyssa and Clarissa (say them out loud, they are very similar). We also have an Allison, which complicates matters (we cannot use her code name Alice either). I want to pick a name that is close enough to Alyssa that it is an easy transition, but different enough the girls can figure out who I am talking to ;). Top of the list right now is Ellisa, which I must admit is pretty darn cute! Pronounced El-ee-sa.

Feel free to post suggestions!

GREAT news!

2012-01-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

I heard from our agency today that because of the girls' special needs that their country will be expediting our case and as long as nothing goes wrong (major wood knocking), we should be home with them in 6 months!!! Yeah!

That being said, international adoption is famous for things going wrong so we are cautiously optimistic.

PLEASE WATCH!

2012-01-24T10:31:00.001-07:00

Please, please watch! It made me bawl and miss my girls so terribly. I wish so much I could get on a plane today!!

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/utah-family-saves-ukraine-girl-15236476

Question 5: Why do you have two different donation links on your blog? What is the difference?

2012-01-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

If you look to the right hand side of this blog, you will see that there are two different places you can donate. The reason for that is the following:

The first donation button (the one that says Reeces Rainbow and has the girl's pictures) takes you to the Reeces Rainbow website. You can donate money to our girls through Reeces Rainbow (a nonprofit) and that will allow you to get the tax write-off. Reeces Rainbow will in turn give us the money when we travel. If for any reason, we were not able to complete the adoption, the money would stay in the girl's account. The great thing is that you get a tax write off which rocks! The bad thing is, I am not given any information about who donated what so I cannot thank you. It basically become an anonymous donation for us. So if you have given using this method, THANK YOU! Unfortunately, I won't be able to send you a personal thank you because we don't know who the donations come from.

The second donation button (the one further down that is yellow) goes directly to our paypal account. You do not get a tax write off as we are not a non-profit ;). The nice thing is that this money we get immediately to help pay for the adoption fees that are due prior to our first trip. We also know who sent the money and can thank you.

Either way, we are soooooooooooooooooo thankful for all those who have shown their love and support. You can see our thermometer going up almost every day! I get so excited when I get to inch that mercury up!!

Question 4: How did you originally convince your husband to have an adoptive family?

2012-01-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

Truthfully, I didn't have to. My husband and I both knew we wanted to adopt special needs children before we ever met. It was obviously part of our life calling from the beginning. What can I say, I know we were meant to be together! Who else would do the insane things we do ;)?

That being said, I have seen A LOT of hesitant husbands over the years. We affectionately call it Reluctant Husband Syndrome or RHS. You find it in most biological families and adoptive families when it comes to adding more children to the family. It actually makes a lot of sense to me. We all have different stewardships, even within a marriage. I believe that God has given women the stewardship to grow and nurture her family. I believe that He has called the husbands to provide for and protect their families. Both are called to help one another in these divine responsibilities. Yet, they are in many ways in conflict with one another. When it is time to add to the family, the mother feels it first. Why? Because that is her stewardship. This sends the husband into panic because it will mean more to provide for, more to protect, more responsibility, and in an effort to fulfill his stewardship, he says no. He is just doing his job and she is just doing hers. But, once you bring the Lord into the equation, there is no longer conflict. Both parties KNOW the right answer.

So if you feel like the Lord is calling you to adopt and your spouse is suffering from RHS ;), bring the Lord into the conversation. Go together to the place where you most easily feel the Spirit and pray together. You will find all confusion melt away as the worries of the world will no longer matter. God answers prayers and I know He will answer yours. The key is being willing to accept it ;).

Note: The picture above is not my husband. I just thought it was too perfect.

Look How Close!

2012-01-21T18:19:00.001-07:00

Look how close we are getting to having the money we need to bring home the girls!! We have dropped below the $10K mark for what we need! Miracles, miracles, miracles!

When we startedlooking at adopting two little girls from EE we were looking at over $75K in costs! The Lord said we had two little girls with Down Syndrome in Siberia and we were terrified of how we would ever come up with that kind of money when we basically had nothing left from medical bills, Jonathan's adoption, our remodel and the wheelchair elevator. We were not planning this adoption. It took us by total surprise, so we were scared of overcoming that huge financial hurdle. But we had faith that like all of our other adoptions, the Lord would provide the way. We said yes, not knowing how but knowing with God all things are possible.

Then the miracles started pooring in! Here is how they happened:

We signed up with WACAP (our adoption agency) and they said that they would do one of the girls' adoption for FREE. Right off the bat, $30,000 disappeared. They then gave us a $10,000 grant for the other girl's adoption.

Through the amazing collective efforts of lots of people fundraising and donating to Alyssa and Mary's adoption funds on Reeces Rainbow, we were given a grant of $20,000.

Kevin was given a bonus of $5,000.

The federal government accidently sent us two SSI checks for Jonathan after his adoption was finalized. We tried to send them back but they said, no it is ok, our fault! Resulting in $1,000.

The state of utah reimbursed us $2,000 for Jonathan's attorney fees.

Through additional scrimping, searching and fundraising, we now only need $9,780!! All of this has happened in less then one month. You cannot tell me that God does not have His hand in this adoption when we went from over $75,000 needed to $9,780 needed in LESS THEN ONE MONTH!

I KNOW we can do it. But I also KNOW that this will not be possible alone. God uses His faithful to bring about His work through inspiration and good works. I am so grateful to all those who have already been our angels on earth. I recognize the miracle happening before my eyes. Do you? Please be a part of the miracle. You do not have to adopt to save an orphan, you can help support others in their adoption journey. It is too much to handle by oneself. But with God and angels on earth all things are possible.

The Yard Hearts Are Done!!

2012-01-19T15:57:00.001-07:00

Alyssa and Mary's yard hearts are ready to be sold! They turned out so cute! We are selling them for $25 for one heart or $40 for two hearts. Please consider buying one for your yard and
showing your support and love for the girls!
I have visions of my neighborhood filled with hearts for the girls. Free delivery if you are local. All the money goes towards bringing Alyssa and Mary home! If you are interested in purchasing one and are a local family, please paypal the money to mom2khmertwins@yahoo.com (with note in the comment section letting me know you are buying hearts). If you are not local, please email me so I can figure out shipping.

Thanks!

1st Paperwork DONE!

2012-01-19T10:04:00.001-07:00

All of our intial paperwork is now done!! Our agency is going to have it authenticated and translated then it gets shipped off! Then we wait . . . .

Love it!!

2012-01-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

Want to know what people with Down Syndrome are like? The truth is they are more alike than different. Check out this awesome video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg2ZBPw2LyE&feature=related

Spare Change

2012-01-17T18:52:00.002-07:00

Today I recieved a most wonderful gift. A college student at Auburn University has been putting her spare change into a piggy bank for Alyssa. She sent the piggy bank and all the change she had been saving (along with some adorable gifts for the girls). Can you believe that?! I was never so poor and self-focused as when I was in college. But this sweet student has been faithfully saving to help bring our little girl home. I was truly moved! And the total? $96.41

We were so amazed as a family at her caring sacrifice and how quickly change can add up, that we decided to search our home for spare change as well. We all gave everything we could find. Our total? $194.21

All together? $290.62

We now have the piggy bank (affectionately named Petal) in our entry way. Our plan is to empty our change every day into Petal to help save for the remaining adoption expense.

It has made me start to think how much spare change everyone has sitting around that they have not even counted, do not even consider when balancing their finances, would not even notice if it disappeared. Do you have any? If you do, please consider bringing it by to help fill up Petal. Or if you live far away, could you count it up and then donated by clicking one of the donation buttons to the right? A small pile of change may not seem like a lot, but when everyone's is added together, it could create a big change in the lives of two sweet girls.

Any change you could spare, would be greatly appreciated!!

Comments

2012-01-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

My favorite part about this blog are the comments! You guys build me up. Thank you so much! I would encourage everyone to read the comments below the posts. There are so many people who have been praying for my girls long before we ever "met" them.

Question 3: I would love to hear about your other children!

2012-01-16T19:20:00.001-07:00

My pleasure! I love talking about my cute children!

This is Z! He is 11. He was adopted from Cambodia at the age of 4 months old. He has traumatic brain injury. He has some learning issues and is developmentally delayed. He is also fantastic with little ones, especially babies! He is one of the best caregivers I have ever seen. He is also very creative and a fantastic artist. He is constantly creating works of art using different medias.

This is M! She is also 11 (she is Zachary's twin) and adopted from Cambodia at 4 months old. M has childhood psoradic arthritis but she does not let her slow her down. She is an amazing athlete and a great friend to all. She receives great grades and is well known throughout the school for her good attitude. She is also the most unselfish, honest and spiritual person I know. She works hard at everything she does and is a huge help around the house.

This is A! She is 8 and is my "homemade" daughter. She has macrocephally which results in her having very poor balance and coordination but a brilliant intellect. She is a genius. She has skipped a grade and is still the top of her class. She is in the gifted program at school. She is a beautiful musician and can play music by ear. She is also very outgoing and never afraid to try anything new. I wish I could steal some of her amazing confidence.

This is E! We adopted him from Haiti at 3 years old and he is now 9 years old. He had been horrifically abuse and neglected. He had also lived in 3 orphanages before we brought him home. The result was that he has some severe developmental delays and attachment issues. Today though he is fully bonded to his family and has caught right up. He does awesome in school despite having ADHD and is a great help to those around him. He is fun and silly. He is also an incredible athlete and is amazing at any sport he tries. We are excited to see if he picks the NFL or the NBA someday ;).

This is N! She is 7 and is E's biological sister. She was adopted from Haiti at 20 months. She was near death when we brought her home. She was physically the size of a 6 month old, but developmentally a newborn due to severe neglect, starvation and abuse. N also has some brain injuries that result in ADHD but she is brilliant at school. N has skipped a grade, is still doing A+ work and we are applying for her to enter the gifted program next year. N is our talented performer. She loves to dance, sing and act. She has been in several performances and her dramatic antics keep us all entertained.

This is C! She is 7 and was originally adopted from Haiti by another family but upon learning that she had severe cerebral palsy, they decided they were not fit to be her parents. We adopted C domestically at the age of 2 years old. In addition to CP, C is also deaf. Despite her body not working right, her mind is very bright. She recently skipped a grade as well in a normal academic class and loves to learn. She is my sweetheart. She is always happy, patient and loving to all. She brings the spirit of love and joy with her every where she goes. She uses ASL to communicate so we have learned a 2nd language! C is an impressive horseback rider and has even been in shows and special needs rodeos.

This is T! He is 5 and was adopted from Ethiopia at 2 years old. He was originally diagnosed as being deaf but then we discovered his ears were just full of scar tissue from chronic untreated ear infections. Once his ears were drilled out, he could hear! T continues to have speech delays due to not hearing his first 3 years of life, but that does not mean he does not have a lot to say! T is our very vocal and opinionated child. He has learned to be heard! He is doing wonderfully in Kindergarten and loves to play with his friends and siblings. He is very affectionate and has a great passion for life.

This is J! He is 4 years old and was adopted a year ago from Las Vegas. He was horrifically abused, neglected and starved in his first home. When we brought him home, he was 3 but was only wearing 12-18 month size clothing and looked like a concentration camp victim. He was developmentally only 4 months old. But with food and lots of love, he has thrived. He is now 18 moths old developmentally, wearing 3T clothes and is making huge strides every day. J was a micropremie and has hydrocephalus and a shunt. He also has minor CP. Despite these challenges he is the happiest child we have ever met. He has only cried a handful of times and loves all of his family with many kisses and hugs. He is the delight of everyone in our home. He just started talking and it is the most adorable thing on earth.

We also have 6 sweet angel babies waiting for us on the other side that are a part of our family. I suffered 4 miscarriages, C's twin sister died at only 2 weeks old while still in Haiti and we fostered a baby from Liberia while she received medical treatment here in the US that did not survive her surgery. They are sealed to our family and we look forward to being reunited one day!

When do we get to meet your sweet girls?

2012-01-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

Good question! I have been trying to pin down a timeline by talking to other families who have adopted from this region. As far as I can tell, it looks like it will be 6-12 months from now until we can bring them home. I know, not very specific!! International adoption is known for its major bumps in the road as well so you just never know.

Questions and Answers!

2012-01-15T18:16:00.002-07:00

I know there are a lot of you out there with questions. So feel free to ask! I will try and answer them as best as I can. Just comment below with your question.

So here is one that we get frequently that I will start out with.

How do you plan on supporting all of your children in the future? For example, weddings, missions, college, adult dependent children, etc.

My first and best response is that we have faith that the Lord will provide. If you would have told me 11 years ago that we would have been able to afford and raise 8 children, I would have called you crazy (let alone 10). But we truly believe the words of Nephi when he says:

"I will do and do the things the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." 1 Nephi 3:7

We have seen this very clearly in our lives. If you do what the Lord asks, He will always provide a way. The trick is to have the faith to do it before you have the answers on how he is going to provide. We have always had what we needed and more! We live in a nice home, in a wonderful neighborhood. We have always been able to provide for our children both temporally and spiritually. We go to church and home devotionals every week. We have clothing and food. Our children are involved in piano, cello, sports, tumbling, horseback riding, scouts, etc. We have good health insurance for our children so they can recieve the many surgeries and therapies they have required. We take family trips and I really don't think we miss out on anything that smaller families have. We have never wanted for anything that were needs and very little that were wants.

So why would I worry about the future, when the Lord has never failed us? Why would I doubt Him? He will not abandon us in the future.

All that being said, I believe that we too must do our part in order for the Lord to bless us.

Kevin has never had a day of unemployment. He has been willing to do the most menial of jobs in between his "real" employment. He is an honest and hard worker. His employers love him. He has integrity and is responsible. Because of this, and the Lord's blessings, we have always enjoyed a stable and good income.

We are honest in our dealings. We do not take out debt unless it is absolutely necessary. We do not take out loans for purchases (except houses), including for cars. We save a lot of money by not paying interest. When we do take out loans, like a mortgage, we have always paid it on time. We have a beautiful credit score in the 800's because we meet our obligations. This also allows us to save a ton of money because we get good interest rates, we do not pay late fees and we save carefully for the things that are important, while avoiding the things we cannot afford that aren't.

We save and plan for the future. For our kid's college we have purchased a rental cottage. It will be payed off by the time the kids go to college. The current rent more then covers the expense. When we bought it, it was a disaster, but we worked hard as a family and now it is adorable. We can use the rent after it is paid off to help pay for college. We are also hoping for scholarships on some of our kids. We have 3 children who have skipped grades, and all are very hard workers in school. We make education a very high priority. We also believe in our children working during college. I learned A LOT more and took it a lot more seriously when I was responsible for the bill.

Then it is the plan to use this cottage for one or more of our less independent children to live in when they get older. It is just down the street from us. Our disabled children as adults will recieve SSI, medicaid, food stamps and rent subsidy to help them make ends meet if necessary. We also will strongly encourage employment no matter what the disability. We also have a large home that we could make a basement apartment for a less independent child to live in. As our children become more independent, the expense of caring for them will equalize or lessen.

When we die, we have a huge life insurance policy so that less independent children can be provided for. They will also have the added benefit of a close very large family to help look after them.

Things are really changing for the disabled though. The opportunities are growing for employment and independent living. We met a man who has such severe CP that he must drive his power wheelchair and communicate by blowing through a straw. Despite this, he lives completely independent, has a great job, is married with kids and is very happy. Our daughter Clarissa, might have severe CP but she is brilliant and I know one day she will live on her own. Many people with disabilities, mental, cognitive or physical, live full, successful lives. Techonology is improving rapidly that will only make this more of a reality.

As far as missions and weddings go, our children are already saving. We feel it is important to give children allowance from a very young age so they learn to manage money responsibly. Our children put 50% of what they make into a savings account at the bank (and they give 10% in tithing). Our hope is that as they get older, this will become a habit that will carry them through their teens years as they get "real" jobs. We expect that our children will be able to pay for their own missions. It is amazing how much they have already saved!! If the girls decide to get married and not go, this will become their wedding fund. If not, we will have 2+ years to save for their weddings while they serve their missions. We believe their missions will be more meaningful for them because they have saved their whole lives to go. What a sense of accomplishment they will have!

But even the best laid plans can go astray when tragedy strikes. This is where the Lord makes up the difference. When we do all that we can do, if it is not enough, the Lord will provide a way to accomplish the things He wants for your life, and honestly, the other things do not matter.

I hope that this gives some peace to worried loved ones and hope and inspiration to others. Do not fear the future. The Lord does not work in fear. Fear does not come from Him. Fear is a tool of the devil to keep you from living up to your full potentional and having extraordinary lives. So if you are feeling fear, know the source and discard it. Have faith that if you are following God's will for your life, the rest will simply fall into place. The things that don't, were designed for your benefit, to learn and grow and become more refined. So either way, you benefit!

Opposition

2012-01-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

The greater the good you are trying to achieve, the greater the opposition. The key is to have an unyielding persistance in the face of those who are critical. Do what you know is right, do not take opposition as an insult but as a compliment that if Satan is working so hard against you, you must be doing something he really hates! People do not want you to be extrodinary. It makes them uncomfortable with their own normal lives. But we must never apologize for what makes us special. Reaching for normal is not what we were sent on this earth to do. Where would the world be without the people who would not yeild to the prejudice and fear of the people around them? Thank you Martin Luther King Jr! I am leaning on your inspiration while fighting my own opposition.

Fighting for their Lives!

2012-01-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

We are literally fighting for the lives of our girls. Below is a link to those children whose mommies and daddies did not get to them in time and they did not survive. Please help us spread the word about our fundraisers, please consider donating, please pray for their protection. We cannot do this alone.

I have already had one daughter die because she did not get to us in time. I do not ever want to go through that again.

http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=in+memory

Kelly

The Affects Of Being Transferred

2012-01-12T17:40:00.002-07:00

PLEASE go to the following blog. It shows very clearly what happens to these sweet children once they are transferred. We have got to get my girls home NOW. Please pray for our paperwork, we are only missing ONE thing to submit to our initial paperwork overseas.

http://www.matthew18vs14.blogspot.com/2012/01/waiting-wednesday-ksenia.html

Kelly

Valentines Fundraiser

2012-01-12T08:24:00.002-07:00

We are doing another fundraiser! We are selling cute heart yard signs to decorate for Valentines! This way everyone can

show their love and support for the girls

by displaying the heart in your front yard. I have visions of my neighborhood covered in hearts for the girls. If you are local, we will deliver it to you free of charge. If you are not, please email me so I can figure out shipping costs. The hearts will be similar to the ones above but they will be red.

Cost is $25 for one heart or $40 for two hearts.

Thank you so much for your love and support!

Please email me at kelly@specialangelsadoption.org to reserve yours!

We told the kids!!

2012-01-08T17:35:00.002-07:00

We told the kids that we are adopting!! You have to watch their awesome reaction!

http://youtu.be/cNI5aSvzJRw

Alyssa is on borrowed time!

2012-01-05T13:27:00.001-07:00

At age 4, children with special needs residing in orphanages in EE are typically transferred to institutions. The stats I recieved from the national Down Syndrome support group in our girls' country is that 78% with significant special needs die within a year of this transfer due to the care being so poor. Alyssa is 5, she should have been transferred by now but by the grace and mercy of God she has not. She still could be at any moment so we need to complete her adoption as soon as possible! We are doing our very best to get the paperwork done at rapid pace. Unfortunately, a lot of it is out of our hands. Please pray with us that God will move paperwork mountains for us and protect little Alyssa until we can get to her. Please pray that the needed funds will find their way to us. Please help spread the word about the other children on the brink of institutionalization or the sweet ones already transferred.

Do you wonder what these insitituions in EE are like? Check out this investigative report (do not watch with small children in the room).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1kbayAdlgg

Please Check Out Our Super Fun Fundraiser!

2012-01-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

Are you artistic? Do you like to quilt, take pictures or write poetry? Do you know someone who does? Do you know someone who knows someone who does? Please check out and spread the word about our current fundraiser. We are getting closer but we still need a lot of help to bring the girls home!

where-love-resides.blogspot.com

What?! Another Adoption?!!

2011-12-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

I know that many friends, family and even strangers, are going to think that we have lost our minds. And in many ways, we have! We have dedicated our lives to the Lord and have promised Him that anything He asks, we will do because we have complete faith and trust that He knows best, that He can make our weak things strong, and that He will provide. This is not just something we recite on Sunday while at church, we live it! We are passionate about handing over our lives to the Lord. And so far, that has meant a WONDERFUL, full-filling, meaningful, happy and yes even tiring life. But we would rather go to bed exhausted knowing that we made a difference then go to bed wondering what the meaning of our lives are. We would have never planned our lives like this, given our way. Thank the Lord we were not given our way!!

We do not just "up and adopt every orphan we see". Over the last 11 years, we have seen thousands of orphans. Through Kelly's ministry Special Angels Adoption, www.specialangelsadoption.org, we are approached by 5 or 6 adoption situations a day. We do not bring these children home because they are not our children. We have only brought home 8, so far, out of the 135 million orphans in the world. We have brought home the ones the Lord told us to and we have a strong testimony that they are meant to be with us. It is amazing how you just recognize your child. No matter the race, disability, location, obstacles, etc, you recognize your child and are willing to move whatever mountains stand in your way to bring them home.

Imagine if you discovered one of your children had suddenly been taken. They were missing. And when you found them, they had somehow ended up in an orphanage in Russia. What would stop you from going to get them? The expense? The travel? The language or cultural barriers? The time off work? The time away from your other children? The inconvenience? The negativity of those around you calling you crazy? Fear of your own inadequecy? My guess would be nothing. Nothing anyone could say or do would keep you from retrieving your child and bringing them safely home. We have lived through this experience several times over with our adoptions. Have we been afraid? YES! But we have been more afraid of losing our child.

"But I thought you said you were DONE?"

My question to you is, "Why on earth did you believe me?" Hee, hee! I was done at 3 kids, then 5, then VERY done at 6, then at 8 children I declared, "No more! This is all! We are happy and complete! Any more would be crazy!" And then the Lord called. Truthfully, I didn't answer for awhile. I am stubborn that way. Finally after lots of pestering, I listened and I could not deny the fact that I have always known I would have a daughter with Down Syndrome. I knew we were not done. Maybe we will never be? Maybe this will be the last of our adoptions? All I can say is, "What if it were your daughter?"

Why Down Syndrome??

2011-12-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

The easy and best answer is because that is what our daughters have!

The truth is that the Lord has been preparing us for a long time for a daughter with Down Syndrome.

About 1982: When I was a little girl, I had a baby hospital in my room. I had several dolls with various different illnesses and impairments. I was either their nurse or their mother (depending on my mood that day). This was my favorite game.

1994: While sitting in my car at my High School, I had a very strong spiritual impression that I would adopt children with special needs from orphanages.

1996: While dating, my husband Kevin, told me that he wanted to adopt special needs children. I told him of my spiritual impression. We were thrilled we were on the same page.

1997: I was working as a waitress at Denny's. My favorite customers were a husband and wife that came in every night for dinner. They always sat in my section. They both had Down Syndrome. I instantly fell in love with them and would look forward to talking with them.

1998: I was called as a primary teacher for our church. I was assigned a class that had only 3 ten year old boys. All 3 of them had Down Syndrome!

1999: While walking through the parking lot to my college graduation ceremony, I had a strong impression I would have a daughter with Down Syndrome. I was surprised and thrilled! Not even a moment later, I heard my parents have this conversation:
Dad: Kelly and Kevin are both brilliant. They are going to have super smart kids!
Mom: Maybe. But I also think they would be great parents to kids with disabilities like Down Syndrome.
I felt a jolt of lightening go through my body. Little did I know how much my bachelors degree in a medical field that I got that day would later pay off in my life!

2000: We brought home our twins from Cambodia. This was our first experience as parents of special needs children. We were hooked! We went on to adopt 8 more times and have 1 birth child. Our children's special needs include: severe neglect, severe abuse, sensory integration disabilities, premies, deaf, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, adhd, childhood arthritis, learning disabilities, failure to thrive, developmental disabilities, language delays, G-tubes, multiple surgeries, hydrocephalus, rickets, immune problems, asthma, microcephally, macrocephally, balance and coordination issues, and the list goes on! We have become pros at therapies, doctors, special education, IEP's, medical equipment, medication, etc. We love it. It is our calling in life! Our lives are full of ramps, lifts, tubes, wires, laughter, hugs, kisses and joy! By being involved with the special needs community, we have had lots of exposure to people with different disabilities. Those with Down Syndrome always tend to be our favorite.

2003: After many fertility treatments, I got pregnant. And this one stuck (we have had 4 miscarriages). Since it was a high risk pregnancy, I had an ultrasound every month. Everyone said she looked like she had Down Syndrome. She had all the markers. Through my college training I could also tell that she had a very high chance of having Down Syndrome. My triple screen blood test came back abnormal. I was offered an amnio but I refused given my miscarriage history. We prepared to have a Down Syndrome child and were very excited. We became good friends with a couple who had a baby with DS, we researched, we planned and then Allison came out without Down Syndrome. She had macrocephally instead.

2004: Reeces Rainbow www.reecesrainbow.org was founded as an adoption ministry to help get families for Down Syndrome children living in orphanages overseas. I instantly fell in love with the ministry and especially the children listed. Our family has donated to several children's adoption funds over the years. Although, there were many, many adorable children and babies on this website over the years, much to our disappointment, we did not feel any were ours.

2010: One of my good friends brought home a baby girl with Down Syndrome. I felt myself jealous depsite my many blessings.

June 2011: I decide to close our doors to adoption. It is time to move on "to the next phase of our lives" whatever that means. I do find it strange that the Lord never sent us a daughter with Down Syndrome but decided it was just my selfish desire and not meant to be.

November 2011: I want to know for sure that we are done adding to our family so that we can begin making other plans (with our money, hee hee). I fast for an answer but do not listen. For days I am grumpy, irratable, and mean. I know the Lord is trying to talk to me but I will not listen, I fear what He has to say. I actively avoid the Lord. Finally, my hubby comes to me and begs me to fix whatever is robbing our home of the Spirit. I finally go to my knees. The Lord in His love reminds me that I have a daughter with Down Syndrome missing.

December 2011: I see Alyssa and Mary on the Reeces Rainbow website. Out of all the children listed (there are a lot!) I am drawn to these girls. Then I find out that they are not only in the same country but the same city. I fast again about the girls. The only answer I get is that it will be obvious. What? Then over the next couple of days whole series of "coinsedences" keep leading me back to these 2 girls over and over again. I am confused and go to one of my good friends who says, "Duh, isn't obvious??" Enough said.

What is life like without a family?

2011-12-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what children do all day who do not have a family to love them? Ever wonder what children do who do not have enough stimulation or attention?

They self-stimulate. A bunch of our kiddos have come home with self-stimulating behaviors. They rock, they bang their heads, they chew (not suck) on their hands, they pull out their hair, they pick that their skin. Why? Because if a baby's nervous system is not stimulated enough, they will die. Literally, roll over and just die. The smart ones figure out how to keep their nervous system alive by forcefully stimulating it, over and over again.

Here is a video of sweet little ones in an orphanage in Russia. Notice the self-stimulating behavior, they are crying out to be touched, loved, talked to, played with!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn6YazL5QUU&feature=player_embedded