Taras

When we adopted last year, we saw a little boy who appeared to have a mild disability at the orphanage and we tried to find out about "Taras" People kept thinking we were talking about a different boy and finally we found out that we'd had the name wrong...his name was "Ivan" and not "Taras" and turns out he was adopted by a Ukrainian family. We were happy about that, though a little disappointed in a selfish way that we couldn't adopt him after thinking about and praying about him so long. We had wondered when we were there if maybe he was one of the reason we couldn't adopt Lacie at the same time with Sean (so we'd go back and get him too) but obviously it wasn't God's will for him to be in our family.

The other little boy that he'd been mixed up with, Taras, was honestly not what we were "looking" for... partly because the other boy was heavy on our hearts. While Ivan seemed mildy delayed, Taras seemed more disabled. He has a different chromosomal disorder (18th) than Downs, but we don't know much about him except that he can't sit on his own but he can feed himself. In the pictures he's always lying in the crib. John got to see him briefly last year and in the pictures, he obviously has a sweet, happy personality.

Our family had prayed God would show us if we should adopt any other child than Lacie while we were there and we prayed specifically about ones we knew-- 3 of them in particularly. We found out that the other 2 were either adopted or being adopted--praise God! As we prayed we began to care alot about this little boy.

Maybe because last time I'd opened my heart to adopting Lacie along with Sean, and she ended up not available yet, and partly from fear of the unknown I have been hesitant....will he be able to improve with therapy? will he be in a wheelchair forever? I've wrestled with these thoughts and in many ways its been harder than committing to SEan, who though disabled is physically pretty high level.

All through it, my children's sweet love and simple faith have blessed me...
they love Taras like a brother. They were thrilled at the thought of welcoming him into our family. They believe with God anything is possible....and it is!
I realized how selfish I was being thinking about all of the implications to ME or some might add to my children (in their eyes). What about the implications for TARAS? Like being transferred to a mental institution at the age of 4 (which is what he just turned....so in September he might be transferred) or spending the rest of his days in a crib, without the opportunity for therapy? What about never seeing God's amazing creation? or not knowing what it is to be truly loved?

I've been blessed by so many people I've met through this adoption process. I was contacted by a lady who has a son with a similar disorder as Taras who started a ministry to encourage parents who are diagnosed with a disability (I'll add that in here once I find the link). She told me that she tells God that heaven is not long enough to thank Him for her precious son Peter, who loves more than anyone she knows.

I've also been blessed by other adopting parents who took a leap of faith to give a loving home to a child that some might call too disabled to be adopted or improve. Like our friends who first motivated us to consider special needs adoption...their son Sean had severe physical disability causing seizures every few minutes and he wasn't expected to improve....a year later we saw them and he was laughing at his daddy tickling him, was seizure free,and had grown! Love is powerful and God delights in bringing restoration to orphans whom he so loves.

Also, we knew God would have to provide abundantly if we could adopt a second child too...and He has been providing in many ways (see earlier posts) So, God is opening our hearts (parents sometimes take longer) and we are prayerfully seeking ot adopt this little boy too....here are a couple pictures. Please pray if God wills that we will make it there before he would be transferred...




Do you know any good boy names that start with a "T"??

Got it!

Our revised I171H came in the mail...
so we're all set and won't have to worry about our permission from US to adopt expiring (which it would've in August) Yeah!

Trying to finalize our travel plans and tickets here...what a headache. Those guys have a tough job--especially when dealing with people like me who need to know all the different options. We hope to get that done today or tomorrow and then focus on....

packing!
getting the house in order
last minute shopping
getting everything set for the kids
and, as if we weren't busy enough already....

packing for moving! (and finding a new home to live too) We will be moving to Virgina in the early Fall. We've been praying about moving closer to family, especially when my dad had emmergency cardiac surgery, and God opened that door, as John was offered a job in his company that is a good opportunity for him. Things here are a whirlwind as we anticipate a move soon after the adoption!

Preschool resource for special needs

If you have children with special needs or preschoolers, we just learned of some products that look great....you can copy past the link below to learn about these products and about a give away offer too! I think SEan would really like them.

http://www.only1mom .com/2010/ 06/videos- and-give- away.html

Pray for these children

When we traveled last year we learned of some children with special needs at the orphanage. I wanted to share their pictures in hope that others will join us in praying for a family to find them and make room for them in their hearts and their home. The hardest part about adopting is seeing so many others who you can't bring home...all so longing for and needing a Mommy or Daddy to call their own...someone to love them. Often at the orphanage, the children would run to John and I and say "Papa" and "Mama"! It was heartbreaking!
Even more heartbreaking was to see how the less able-bodied orphans, those with significant disabilities, often were not taken outside like the rest of the children and often confined in cribs or a stroller. Where we were, we did get the sense that the children were taken good care in general. We thank God for how some of the caregivers seemed to care alot about Sean. But even if they were well meaning, with so many children, not your own, the "least of these" who may be more challenging to care for, or who can't fight for attention like the others, are at a great disadvantage. Of course, their greatest disadvantage is that often these disabled kids are transferred to an institution around age 4. A friend just posted an enlightening story about the institution that their son came from. It makes me so sad and so want to do more. Here is the links (you'd need to copy paste it):

http://www.worldnextdoor.org/2009/04/romaniv-boys-orphanage/



This is Yulia. I only saw her taken outside one time in the 2 week time we were there. She was often in the crib or stroller and would benefit so much from therapy and a wheelchair. She would smile when we gave her attention. She can pull up to stand in her crib I think.




This is Lera. She is on Reeces Rainbow (www.reecesrainbow.com) She has a chromosomal disorder (you can read about it on the RR site)




This is Dima. He was very adorable and it sounded like he had made improvements despite his many challenges, and would benefit so much from therapy and love of a family!






This is Sasha. He has many challenges but seemed to have a happy personality.



There are so many children in these orphanages, discarded because they have a disability. We are so blessed in this country to have access to therapy and medical care. Over there, there is little hope, unless they are adopted.
WE've thought often since starting this adoption journey, how all of us are "disabled" in some way or another, and we are all sinners, at the mercy of God and in need of His love and grace through Jesus Christ. How wonderful that He loves us and provides the way for us to be adopted into His family through faith in His Son, and we can all call Him our heavenly Father. I pray that He will keep these little ones in His care and give them grace.

Heres an update of that institution from above, after a group of christians started to visit there...

http://www.worldnextdoor.org/2010/06/return-to-romaniv/
So amazing!

Our appointment date!

We finally found out our appointment date....JULY 19th!

It is later than we'd hoped and it will require an extension to our USCIS approval which expires August 12th.

We'd sent in a request for an extension just in case and we found out they needed another homestudy sent overnight as they'd only be processing orphan petitions at that sight through this Friday,
so we did,
and I just heard that it will be going out in the mail today! Praise God :)

Now we have to decide on our travel plans and arrangements for our children. It is such a hard decision and is harder this time with more little ones. Please keep us in your prayers.

We'll keep our blog public a while longer since it won't be for almost a month that we travel.

We're so glad to finally KNOW so we can start planning. Its getting close!

Dossier finally accepted.....waiting to travel

After waiting about 3 weeks, we finally heard that we may have to do one of our documents over again, so we've been praying and waiting to find out....

we finally heard a couple days ago that our dossier is accepted! We're very thankful.

Now we wait to hear of our travel date--the date we have to be there in Ukraine to get our referral. Praying for God's perfect timing in all of it and trying to get ready, as much as we can.

We wil probably make our blog private in the next couple of weeks before we travel, so if you'd like an invite, please email: childrenpreciousinhissight@gmail.com
We'd love for you to follow our journey over there. Its a great encouragement to know that people are coming alongside you and praying for you. It is not an easy thing--I think going over to adopt Sean was the hardest thing I've ever done in some ways as you feel so out of "control" being in a foreign country, being so far from loved ones, and seeing the many orphans you can't help. It will be even harder this time. Your prayers and comments are a blessing!

On T.V.--our adoption story!

We were bllessed with a news reporter coming to our fundraiser for our adoption last weekend. We'd prayed that it would raise awareness about special needs adoptions so it was a great answer to prayer. There is a little more in the write up than in what is on the video clip, including website to Reeces Rainbow and our address.
Praise God!

Here is the link:


http://www.kotatv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12663401

* You may have to copy paste the link as I wasn't sure how to get it link directly on a regular post.

In God's hands

As we've been fundraising all these months, we're continually reminded that it is not us but God who is our provider.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you think about all that has to be raised (estimated $24,000 for one child in Ukraine) and all that has to be done for the adoption, let alone fudnraising!

We've done many different things to raise funds--some have gone well, some have really not --or atleast from our worldly point of view, but when you think about it, no effort done for God and to benefit "the least of these" is not in vain.

God will bless what he wants and how He wants and work through who He wants!


A few craftsales/yardsales we had didn't appear to yield any gain--but we did get some word out of what we were doing, and maybe cause someone to pause and consider why we were doing this.

Our "parents day out" didn't get any interest...thats okay, as we needed that day off I think :)

Last week we had a final yard sale and book fundraiser and only 2 families came! But they were generous, and turns out one mother took a collection at her church and gave us a little more than $400 they collected...that was so encouraging!

John sent out an email to those we know and love urging others to give--and despite my initial concern it might offend, God worked in hearts and more donations were sent.

TODAY we had a big local fundraiser with some really great musicians who happen to be friends of ours....a christian singing choir group that also plays instuments, "Joyful Noise" and then "Heirs of Baird" a family group that play violin, guitar, bass, piccolo, and more....
we had lots of stuff donated for a silent auction...
our kids had made lots of bracelets to fundraie with...

and...

not many people came :(

BUT.....
we reminded ourselves that God is in control and would bring who He wanted...

and guess what?
He brought a news reporter who interviewed John and our big girls and filmed--which means our prayer for raising awareness for special needs adoption is being answered!
(we'll post once we find out more!)

and I got to talk to a lady who is burdended for RR orphans here and who has prayed for our Lacie for a long time...
and the kids had a blast...and even made bracelets and cards for us to give orphans when we travel...
and some more people learned about RR and why we're doing what we're doing...
and our kids sold or got orders for about 30 bracelets....(so happy for them!)
and despite the low turnout, we raised another $900 I think!

Last weekend, a family in Iowa put on the concert (of music by a talented young man named Austin) to benefit us for our adoption throug Reece's Rainbow...
and He blessed it tremendously. The concert raised over $8,000 that night I believe and even before that, between people who donated but couldn't come and this family's giving and work matching donations, they had raised $11,000...
totally about $20,000!

Showing us God's hand again...this family did not even know us yet God put this on their heart...and blessed it and many people were touched and gave generously.
We humbly thank Him and are reminded that His ways are not our ways, and He is faithful to provide.

We have been praying all along about adopting a second special needs child when we adopt Lacie, a little boy named Taras, and we thank God for how He is providing the way for us, and also allowing us the blessing of raising awareness to help other orphans as well...

again, its not about us, but about God and His great and wonderful purposes. May He be glorified in our lives!

Waiting, Fundraising, and watching

We are waiting to hear any day about our travel date...the date we need to be in Lacie's country to get her referral. Usually you hear something around 2 weeks...sometimes sooner, like last time we heard in 9 days.It has been about 7 so far. Once we get "the date" things will be a whirlwind of getting ready, making plane reservations, packing, etc.

While we wait, we continue to raise funds and watch God's marvelous provisions. My dear husband sent out an email to friends and family the day we were submitted sharing the urgency of our situation to raise the remaining funds and challenging everyone who could to sacrificially give to help us rescue Lacie. Praise God, more donations have been received, more than $2,000 and they keep trickling in. We are continually and humbly amazed by how God is making the way.

I was reminded that when we committed to Lacie, we didn't have any savings or a house to sell (which helped us tremendously last adoption) so we knew it would have to be an act of God to open the doors. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe this is really happening...that in a few weeks we will be traveling again overseas to adopt. It is abundantly clear that God's hand is in this despite our weaknesses, doubts and fears and inability to make it happen ourselves.

It is amazing to us how many lives He has touched so far--even total strangers who are touched by Lacie's story, praying for her and helping how they can and in different ways. We are grateful and pray that is God is glorified, for we know that we wouldn't be doing this if He hadn't so worked in our hearts, and we know that the money raised so far wouldn't be raised apart from Him either.

We have 3 final fundraising efforts going on as we wait...
1) a benefit concert in Iowa, where a young man will share his God given musical talent Sat. June 5....organized by a family who God led to raise money for our family by God's grace!

2) a yardsale/book fundraiser Fri and Sat...I promise my husband it is the last one!

3) a local fundraiser June 12 where John will share our adoption testimony and there will be live music from our talented friends, food, a silent auction, and a Lacie Bracelet shop....for donations.

Please pray for these efforts and lets continue to watch what God does. We even pray that more will be raised than we need so that we can help another adopting family. We also pray that the lives touched from our journey will spur others to care for many other orphans as well.