Since it's "official" now..

..I can annouce that WE ARE GOING BACK! And by going back I mean going back to EE (Eastern Europe) to adopt another sweet baby boy! :) Meet Jonathan:

I am reposting the rest of this from my mom's adoption/ family blog - My God is Lord.

He is listed as "Turner" on Reece's Rainbow and here is his profile:

Boy, Born July 2010

Sweet Muffin! Turner is in URGENT NEED of heart surgery. He needs a family quickly. After we lost Marlena on the operating table, the facilitation team and Turner's caregivers feel he will most benefit from having surgery at home with his family in the US where he can recover properly. Despite his heart condition, he is growing well and a chunky monkey!
PLEASE SOMEONE RESCUE TURNER. Turner is in a region which has a history of waiving the 10 day wait for urgent medical needs. Although this can never be guaranteed, our facilitation team will do all they can to ensure the judge is well aware of the risks of wasted time for this child.

More photos available. Married couples only.
From his medical records: patent ductus arteriosus, patent foramen ovale, needs surgery URGENT!
$189.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

We will be changing his name to Jonathan for 2 reasons: I already have a nephew named Turner and there is only room for one Turner in our family. LOL (But Jonathan's birthday is only 3 days after Turner's, so that is fun.) And also, I don't think Turner is in the Bible, and we have to keep with tradition here. :-) Jonathan has been on our "boy" list of names for awhile and means "gift from the Lord".  We thought that was appropriate.

As you can see from his profile above, he is in urgent need of heart surgery, so we are preparing ourselves as best we can for that potential. I say "potential" for a few reasons. First, IF his profile is correct (taking it with a grain of salt), according to the nurse that works for the pediatric cardiologist that Elijah saw, the PDA and the PFO are really not that big of deal and most likely the holes will close on their own. Secondly, I believe in the power of prayer and the healing power of the Great Physician!  So, even if his heart is in need of surgery right now, I have no doubt the Lord could heal him right now if He chooses to do so. I would humbly ask you to pray for his healing too.

Sorry, this is already getting long, but there is more to share. I want to tell you about how the Lord has been so faithful to us over the past month. It was a month ago yesterday that we held Noah James for the first and last time. It was a horrific day both physically and emotionally, but God has been faithful to carry us through. But about a week before we found out Noah had gone to be with Jesus, the Lord laid "Turner" on my heart - very heavily. Just like He did with Elijah at the beginning. I couldn't stop thinking about him. Pat and I prayed and prayed about bringing him home (yes, even though we would be having a baby the end of August). Crazy, huh??? Yes, crazy in the world's eyes (mine too!), but not God's. We didn't have clarity or unity on what God wanted us to do before we lost Noah.  But after we did, it became very clear to us. We obviously know that Jonathan is not going to replace Noah by any means, but we also don't want Noah's passing to be for nothing either.  It is really hard to explain, I'm not sure I even understand it all. But God is God and we are just trying to walk in obedience to what He would have us do in our lives.

We hope to have him home before his first birthday in July!  How is that possible? Glad you asked. :-) As we explained in on our FSP page on RR, we were originally approved last fall for 2 children on our I-171H (aka "The Golden Ticket") through USCIS, so we don't have to go through that process again. We are praying to have our dossier submitted in EE on May 12th!!! I'll save the details of our dossier prep for another blog post, but the Lord has blessed the process and it has gone very quickly! (If I have totally confused you with these abbreviations and terms, please see the "Adoption Terms Glossary" tab at the top right of the blog, right under the new family photo.)

Oh, and by the way, if Jonathan looks familiar to some of you, I advocated for him here and here. :-)  The first time was when he was heavy on my heart. The second time was after our dossier was almost complete. LOL There are personal reasons why we decided to wait to make this big announcement, so I hope you'll forgive us for that. But in that second post about "This is War",...ya, we've been feeling that attack in more than one way, so I would appreciate your prayers for our family.

Thanks so much if you actually read this far! And don't worry, we'll still have plenty of updates and photos of Elijah here! :-) May the Lord bless you today!



Waiting Wednesday: Natalia

I had a really, really hard time deciding who to do this week for my Waiting Wednesday post. I finally decided, so meet Natalia!

Natalia (1)

Girl, Born March 6, 2003

Natalia is a GORGEOUS little girl with brown hair and giant blue eyes.   She is 6 years old.   She is a very smart little girl, but her medical records show cognitive delay and some epileptic issues.   Her seizures are infrequent, and she does take medication to control it.   Her cognitive delay is likely a result of the seizures though.   She also has some strabismus (crossed/lazy eye), but this can be corrected in the US.  Natalia is able to speak, and when our missionary asked her if she would tell us something , she was trying to rehearse a little poem!  Natalia is not able to walk on her own.  She is carried everywhere.   We are uncertain as to WHY this is, but can only know in our hearts that her life will be greatly improved to have therapy and a family of her own.   She is a very nice little girl, happy and friendly and beautiful.   She will truly thrive in a family environment.

From her medical records:  epilepsy and flat feet

Natalia is already living in an institution, so we need a family for her right away!  She recently lost her adoptive family, so her situation is urgent!   She is STILL living at the "not so good" place, and is unable to walk on her own yet.  We need to get her out immediately.

As with all children living in these difficult conditions,  this child's cognitive development has regressed significantly since he/she was younger.  It is of crucial importance that any family considering the adoption of an older child from the mental institution setting be well prepared for what to expect with regards to how the neglect and lack of adequate medical care and nourishment has affected this child.    These children all have TREMENDOUS potential for improvement, and deserve to have a life outside these four walls. 

These children are truly living on borrowed time, and families should be home study approved before an official commitment can be made for this child.

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

Isn't she just gorgeous?!?! I can't believe she doesn't have a family yet, though as it says in her profile, she has lost one before. The orphanage where she is living is an institution, meaning she has been transferred, and she is living on borrowed time. She needs out NOW. Please, is she your daughter?

Resurrection

Awhile ago I posted a prayer request for Carrington. She is now HOME! Praise God!

We sang this song on Sunday at church, and it is on of my favorite Easter songs ever! (Well, I don't have very many favorite Easter songs, but I still love this one!)

You are probably wondering what that song has to do with Carrington. Well, on Reece's Rainbow, she was/is listed with the name Anastasiya. This is what her profile looked like before she found a family. (Click on it to make it larger.)

If you go here, there is a list of Russian names and their meanings. A few names down on the list is Anastasiya.

If you can't see that, it says that Anastasiya means Resurrection. Let's take a look at the word 'Resurrection'. From the dictionary, it means: Resurrection: the act of rising from the dead.

And how true that is for our little Carrington. I don't know if Anastasiya (spelled a different way) was her real name or was just the name whoever listed her on RR gave her. Either way, it was totally God naming her.

When Carrington (Anastasiya) came home, she was immediately rushed to the hospital. The doctors said her body was shutting down to die and she would have died within a few days if she had stayed at the orphanage. But God's timing is perfect! He planned that she would make it home before she passed on, and look at her now! At home and thriving! Just like God's timing was perfect when Jesus was on earth 2000 years ago. He wouldn't let anyone take Jesus' life before it was his time. And the same when Jesus comes again! It won't be a moment too soon because Jesus was impatient, or a moment to late because Jesus forgot. It will be at the exact perfect time, that God already has planned! And you could pretty much say that Carrington is risen from the dead! (Or if you prefer, her deathbed.)

Do you see now why Resurrection is such a fitting meaning for Carrington? Now go back up and listen to that song again. Jesus has risen from the dead! Amen!

Happy Easter 2011!

Happy Easter Everyone! This Easter season, please remember the price Jesus paid for your enternal life 2000 yeas ago. Please also keep in mind the millions of orphans that are spending this joyous day in a crib, alone. And please go read my mom's post on her blog My God is Lord: Children of God. Happy Easter!

Waiting Wednesday: Andrey S.

Two days late.. Sorry! Better late than never! This week's Waiting Wednesday post is about sweet Andrey!

Andrey S. (14)
Boy, Born December 28, 2006

Andrey is a tiny little monkey!   HE REALLY NEEDS A FAMILY.   He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He has also has strabismus, which can be corrected surgically here in the US. Andrey will greatly benefit from early intervention therapy, and will just blossom the way all of our other children have! This little one has an ASD and a PDA, with some impairment of circulation. He will need heart surgery when he gets home.

MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE

From a missionary who visited with him in November 2010:  " Andrey seems to have regressed since the last photo that was taken of him. He has very low muscle tone and, while he is able to sit up on his own, his not able to stand, even with help. He was playing with toys and I got lots of smiles and laughter out of him when I tickled him. He definitely has some significant delays but I believe he could truly blossom with the love and therapy a family would provide. Oh how I pray he gets the chance…"

From one of our adoptive families who visited with him in May 2009: " He is such a little cutie! I am not sure if he is sitting on his own because he was propped against this fence outside and I didn't get a chance to snuggle him. But he is good size, a bit small for a 2 year old, but with therapy and stimulation, it would only be a matter of time before he thrives!! "

From his caregivers in April 2010:  Selectively comes into contact with adults. Has commitment to the toys: rattles, musical toys.  Self-sitting. Not walking yet.   Eat with spoon, drinking from a cup with an adult. 

$4555.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

Nevermind the pink lace in his picture, this sweet little one is a boy! He desperately needs a family, and is losing all of his skills. There are lots of photos available, and he already has $4555 in his adoption grant! My friend Rachel posted him last week, please read that here. And please watch this video about him!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Is he your son?

You Can Make a Difference!

Rachel wrote and posted this on her blog and I had share because it's so inspiring! Please go visit her blog here.

~~~~~~

^{Matthew 14:15-21}

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” ¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

I just want to say that every little thing makes a difference. It may not seem like a few coins will do a lot, but we serve a mighty God, and He can multiply any gift. The boy who gave the five loaves and two fish to Jesus didn't think that it may not be enough; he just gave what he had. He didn't think, "I'd better not give anything, because it won't feed everyone." No, he did what he could. He gave a couple fish and some bread, to feed 5,000 people. And God multiplied it and fed all five thousand people in the crowd, with some left over.

Again, I'm asking that you please start a coin jar for Matthew. It might not seem like the jar will do much to help. But every little thing matters. Right now, $10,787 is needed for him to come home. That seems like a lot, but God is bigger than that. He can use everything you can give. Also, if you send in a picture of you're jar to this blog, you have a chance to win a prize! But even if you don't win a prize, you're a winner in saving a precious little boy. Don't think that you won't make a difference, because you can.

Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. ~Anonymous

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can. ~Sydney Smith

Matthew's Jars

I would like you to meet Matthew! He is still waiting for a family of his own.

His baby picture

From RR:
Matthew I.
Date of Birth: December 2008
Gender: Male
Eyes: Blue
Hair: brown
Nature: Quiet
SINGLE MOMS WELCOME!


Don't tell me he isn't cute! Now here is the deal, there is a family, the Plummer's who are bringing home a sweet girl named Barbara. They are fully funded for their adoption of her, but, Matthew is in the same orphanage, and if they can raise $12,000 more, they can bring him home too! That may seem like a BIG amount but we serve a BIGGER God! And they are already $1238 of the way there (that money is already in Matthew's grant)! One of the ways they are trying to earn money is with this fundraiser!

I'll let the post from Barbara's soon-to-be mama on Two Lives One Journey explain the rest:

There is a connection between the four jars, pearls, Matthew and give aways. I am asking that each and everyone of you find and empty jar and titling it "Matthew's Jar" decorate it any way you please and for the next 6 weeks collect all the change you can scrap up from pennies to quarters. At the end of the six weeks I am asking that what ever change you have gathered that you  would donate it to Matthew's grant. Email me a photo of your family's jar for Matthew so I can post it to this blog. You will then be entered into the Pearl necklace Give Away and other goodies.  On May 23 I will draw for two people to win one of the pearl necklaces (Photo below) and other stuff. These are real authentic pearls. They were given to me by a friend to do what I pleased with in hopes to raise money for our adoption. I am donating them for this give away to help Matthew get home to whom ever it may be.

This is going to be fun. Get your family involved. Have your kids ask friends and relatives for any spare change. We can all give change to make a change in this sweet boys life.

IF you would like to make a monetary donation before the six weeks is up please click on his photo on the right hand side of this blog. (Note from Sarah: I have one on this blog too.)

The giveaway items:






"18

 



"18 Six strands of ribbon

 


This set of bracelet,s hand made by
me, will also be giving away. I sell them
for $26/set



I will also give this set of bracelets away, hand
Made by Me
sold for $26/set

Please consider participating in this fun fundraiser and giveaway!!! And remember, any donation to Matthew's account will stay with him, and be given to his future family if the Plummers can't bring him home.

Our Jar - there is already almost $20 in it!

The Plummer's Jar

My BFF Rachel is Matthew's Easter Warrior, and she is the one who made me fall in love with him. :) We are scheming up more fundraisers, so I'll let you know what we come up with. But I would encourage you to go check out her blog - Proverbs 24:12, and follow it! :)

Rachel's Jar

Waiting Wednesday: Eddie!

Update: Eddie, soon to be Gideon, has a family now! Praise God! Please visit their blog here - http://addtothebeauty-evensen.blogspot.com/

I am going to start doing "Waiting Wednesday" posts. And I am going to start with sweet Eddie.

Meet Eddie:

His info from RR (Reece's Rainbow)-

Eddie (54)

Boy, Born August 23, 2006

HELP!!!   I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!!!

Eddie was born with Cerebral Palsy. He also shows many facial features of a child with fetal alcohol syndrome.  Eddie has an open oval window and an extra ventricular chord in his heart.  He is said to have a moderate mental delay.

$16114.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption.

Our family has a special connection to Eddie. Remember how I mentioned in my first post that my little brother Elijah recently came home from a poor orphanage in Eastern Europe? Well, in an orphanage, there are "grouppas" or groups. Elijah's group (at the time my parents were there) there were 7 kids, one of them was Shea (who has a family coming for him!), and another one was Eddie! My mom's didn't realize until the end that it was him, so unfortuanately she didn't get many pictures of him, but fortunately she did get some! :) The top two pictures above are of Eddie are pictures my mom got of him, and the 3rd one is his previous one that was on RR.

Eddie was treated horribly. My mom said that when she stayed to watch Elijah eat his lunch, Eddie did one thing to upset the nanny feeding him, and she carried him off by one arm to his crib, with out the rest of his lunch. My mom also said that when all the other boys were out playing in the playroom, most of the time Eddie was stuck in his crib. All he wanted was a little love and attention, and that's why he was smiling when my mom went over to take pictures of him. My mom also saw Eddie take a few steps too!

Since my mom has been there, Eddie has been transferred to an institution. Please read this very moving post about being transferred written by my friend Briana (the sweet girl she had at the end has since found a family! :))! Fortunately for Eddie, he can still be adopted even though he is transferred. But, he is at a very high risk of perishing if he is not adopted soon! Please someone consider rescuing this sweet child! He has over $16,000 in his grant! Which means it would be $7,000 or less for you to adopt him! I am also Eddie's Easter Warrior, (see button on sidebar).

I'll leave you tonight with some videos of sweet Eddie! At the time my mom didn't realize he was "Eddie", so she didn't take them of him, but he is in them.


It is easy to see Eddie in this video. He is to the far right, behind the nanny's arms and has a white sheet wrapped around his head. Why??? Because my mom saw about a week before this, he had scratched the back of his ears raw and bleeding. Sadly, this is something extremely understimulated and severely neglected children do to have some sort of stimulation.  All of the boys loved the bubbles!

This video is from the little "party" my mom had for the boys in the grouppa. Eddie was allowed to play only for a little bit, and then he was removed from the room and put in his crib. :-(

Someone please rescue Eddie!

A Croc found...

Post about Soul Surfer coming soon. :)


A Croc was found in the Mississippi river near LaCrosse, WI...

Verrrry Scary....

Sorry,  I just HAD to post this....

You know you are going to share it with the next person! (There are share buttons on the bottom of the post - Facebook, Blog, Email, Twitter, Buzz, etc.) :)

Soul Surfer

I'm going to see this movie tomorrow when it comes out with a couple friends, and I'm REALLY excited to see it. It's based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton and it's about a teenage surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack, and overcomes the odds by even staying alive. She goes on to become one of the best surfers in the US, with only one arm.



I loved it as soon as I saw the trailer, and after watching many more interviews and videos about the true story, and hearing a couple broadcasts interviewing Bethany Hamilton on our local Christian radio station, I am dying to see it! :) While it's not labeled as a "religious" movie, it maintains a Christian view through the whole thing by including a band performing "Blessed be Your Name", which is the song that helped Bethany and her family through that hard time of their lives, as well as reading from the Bible for comfort, and something as simple as praying at the dinner table before they eat.

My favorite line from all the trailers (and I'm sure it will be my favorite line in the whole movie!) is when Bethany says very determinedly, "I don't need easy, I just need possible." My second favorite part is the conversation in the clip below.

I'm really looking forward to seeing it (as you can tell!) and I'll let you know how it is! :)