My sweet kids get it! They know what it means to love the orphan, to pursue bringing another sister home! They come home from school saying can I ask so and so if they want to buy a t-shirt or bracelet so we can get A home. I hate that we have to try and fundraise because Gary and I don't like feeling like we need help. But boy am I proud of my kids for seeing the need and wanting to help.
The Bible says in James 1:27 - Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The statistics for the Ukraine orphan who has to leave the orphanage at age 16 or 17 are not good. A few get to go to a trade school, most times not a trade of their choosing. The majority are just left to make their way on their own with no family. More than 50% will turn to crime or prostitution and 10-15% will commit suicide by age 18.
This just makes me want to get to A so much more. She deserves a family who loves her and siblings who want her to be their sister and a mom and dad to call her own, She needs to know that she is important and her life matters. But above all this, we want her to know the awesome God we serve that has chosen this lucky family to be hers.
1 Thess 5:24 says, The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.
I believe that with all my heart.
~Tina
Monday, August 31, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
T-Shirts
Here is a sample of the t-shirt we are selling to help bring A home. Click on the link and it will take you to the sight to order. It comes in youth sizes also.
www.booster.com/
Thanks to everyone who has and is supporting us.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
www.booster.com/
Thanks to everyone who has and is supporting us.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
First Day of School
Today was the first day of school and the kids were so excited.
Even though Carson was excited, there were a few tears. He is so attached to Gary and loves farming so much and watching old westerns that the thought of being gone all day was a little too much to take. So when they got home, who was the one that came running off the bus, yep, Carson. As always, there were lots of stories and they had a good first day.
I got a card and donation today from a longtime, sweet friend. She has been there for me through a lot of things in my life and she knows my heart for my family. Here is the outside of her card.
I love it!
What she didn't realize that would bring back some old memories for me and a reassurance from God that we are doing what he called us to, on the back, Victoria Elizabeth, the name of my first foster child.
The years have passed since she was in my home with her sister, Angelica Violet, but I never stop thinking of them. They would be 21 and 19 yrs old now. I would love to see them again!
And here is a random picture of some cool clouds while I was waiting for the bus to arrive this afternoon. Oh how I love how peaceful my life is now.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
I got a card and donation today from a longtime, sweet friend. She has been there for me through a lot of things in my life and she knows my heart for my family. Here is the outside of her card.
I love it!
What she didn't realize that would bring back some old memories for me and a reassurance from God that we are doing what he called us to, on the back, Victoria Elizabeth, the name of my first foster child.
The years have passed since she was in my home with her sister, Angelica Violet, but I never stop thinking of them. They would be 21 and 19 yrs old now. I would love to see them again!
And here is a random picture of some cool clouds while I was waiting for the bus to arrive this afternoon. Oh how I love how peaceful my life is now.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Winner, Winner
We went to the MO State Fair on Thursday, which happened to be Gary's birthday, and we had one HOT time. In fact I got so hot that Gary took the kids to ride most of the rides while I ventured in and out of the buildings and cooled off. So not too many pictures of our day.
Today is August 15 and time for our 1st drawing from the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser. I had Peyton draw out a name and since the winner wishes to remain anonymous, I will just give the initials, JT.
She wins this small matryoshka.
Thank you everyone for donating to our adoption. You are making it possible. We will be drawing one name on the 15th of each month until we travel. I am also adding another prize to the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser, a 7 in blue tablet. This will be the prize we draw for in January.
Also, how many people would be interested in buying a t-shirt if I designed one for our adoption?
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
Today is August 15 and time for our 1st drawing from the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser. I had Peyton draw out a name and since the winner wishes to remain anonymous, I will just give the initials, JT.
She wins this small matryoshka.
Thank you everyone for donating to our adoption. You are making it possible. We will be drawing one name on the 15th of each month until we travel. I am also adding another prize to the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser, a 7 in blue tablet. This will be the prize we draw for in January.
Also, how many people would be interested in buying a t-shirt if I designed one for our adoption?
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Friends
Thankful for the friendships that Peyton has made since she came home in 2012. The class that they put her in at school has been perfect for her. The kids are so kind and really seem to enjoy Peyton. When they found out that we were selling bracelets to be able to bring Peyton's friend home from Ukraine, they started buying bracelets and telling their friends about it. How awesome is that, that a group of 13/14 year olds would think enough of their friend to help out! I love that their hearts are where they should be and what a reflection of good parenting!
We will be doing our first drawing from the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser on August 15. There is still time to enter the drawing that will be ongoing until we get to A in Ukraine and we will draw on the 15th of each month until we travel. Check out my link http://gandtbell.blogspot.com/2015/07/adoption-puzzle-fundraiser.html to see the details on the fundraiser.
Here are the pieces that have names of the people that have donated so far. I'm not showing the names as some people wish to remain anonymous.
I also have something else that I am working on with my sister-in-love that I hope to share with you very soon. She has been so supportive of us with this adoption and I can not thank her enough.
Having support, people who believe in you when there are days that are hard because we wish we could get there quicker, yeah, that cheering squad is what keeps us going. Thank you friends who have already donated. You mean the world to us and I go through that list of people every day and thank God for each of you.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
We will be doing our first drawing from the Adoption Puzzle Fundraiser on August 15. There is still time to enter the drawing that will be ongoing until we get to A in Ukraine and we will draw on the 15th of each month until we travel. Check out my link http://gandtbell.blogspot.com/2015/07/adoption-puzzle-fundraiser.html to see the details on the fundraiser.
I also have something else that I am working on with my sister-in-love that I hope to share with you very soon. She has been so supportive of us with this adoption and I can not thank her enough.
Having support, people who believe in you when there are days that are hard because we wish we could get there quicker, yeah, that cheering squad is what keeps us going. Thank you friends who have already donated. You mean the world to us and I go through that list of people every day and thank God for each of you.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
Thursday, August 6, 2015
One Less
We have a garden this year, first time ever since Gary and I got married 15 years ago. I never felt like I could take a garden on with working outside the home and devoting my other time to family. Now that I am a free woman I am loving our garden and oh what I have missed out on all these years. There is something so satisfying about seeing the fruit of your labor. I now have more appreciation of why Gary loves to farm.
Since this was our first garden I didn't plant much; tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers. The cucumbers have done so well I thought I would make some pickles. I found a recipe that made it so easy. We will see how they taste in a few days.
Summer is winding down and the kids will be back to school on the 19th. I'm not sure where the summer went but boy have I enjoyed how relaxing my life is now. We will go to the state fair next week; our annual end of summer fun. The kids always look forward to that.
And finally, last night I had a dream. I don't dream much so when I do and it is so vivid that I remember it the next morning, I usually take it to heart. So here it is, I was in our house by myself. I'm not sure where the kids were. Gary came in and said he had something he needed me to see. He had in his hand a piece of Fenton glassware (we used to collect that before kids). He said look in the bottom of this pitcher and see what it says. So he held it up to the light and I saw the words, ONE LESS. For those in the adoption world you know exactly what I mean. For those not familiar with adoption, when the adoption of our children is complete we always post there is One Less orphan in the world today. Oh my goodness did the chills come. Thank you God for once again showing me you have this.
I found this video today of Matthew West talking about and singing his song, One Less.
Simply Love,
Tina
Since this was our first garden I didn't plant much; tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers. The cucumbers have done so well I thought I would make some pickles. I found a recipe that made it so easy. We will see how they taste in a few days.
Summer is winding down and the kids will be back to school on the 19th. I'm not sure where the summer went but boy have I enjoyed how relaxing my life is now. We will go to the state fair next week; our annual end of summer fun. The kids always look forward to that.
And finally, last night I had a dream. I don't dream much so when I do and it is so vivid that I remember it the next morning, I usually take it to heart. So here it is, I was in our house by myself. I'm not sure where the kids were. Gary came in and said he had something he needed me to see. He had in his hand a piece of Fenton glassware (we used to collect that before kids). He said look in the bottom of this pitcher and see what it says. So he held it up to the light and I saw the words, ONE LESS. For those in the adoption world you know exactly what I mean. For those not familiar with adoption, when the adoption of our children is complete we always post there is One Less orphan in the world today. Oh my goodness did the chills come. Thank you God for once again showing me you have this.
I found this video today of Matthew West talking about and singing his song, One Less.
Simply Love,
Tina
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Faithful God
I have had several people this week remind me of how faithful God is and He will provide for our adoption. I was just reading my friend's blog today and she quoted Hebrews 10:23 - Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. I love this and rest in this assurance.
We had our first homestudy visit today and all went well. I have a few more documents to finish up and then that part should be done on our end. We are hoping to have our homestudy in hand by the end of this month or the first part of September. Then we will send that along with some other paperwork to USCIS to get permission to bring A in to the country. While we are waiting to get the document from USCIS, we will work on the other paperwork for our dossier that has to be submitted to the Ministry of Social Policy in Ukraine. We are hoping to submit those at the end of October or early November and get a travel date for early next year.
To give everyone an idea of some of the cost to complete an international adoption:
Homestudy - $900
Primary agency (Hague accredited) - $3,000
USCIS - $890
Dossier apostilles - $100
Ukraine facilitator - $15,000
This does not include airfare or food, housing and transportation while in Ukraine.
There you have it, our big hurdle. Gary and I are not very good at shouting out for what we need. We both have always tried to do things ourselves. I guess because of pride and not wanting to be a burden to others.
So tonight, think about our sweet girl across the big pond who doesn't know we are coming for her. She doesn't realize how loved she already is. How she has 4 brothers and a sister who can't wait to see her. How life for her is about to take a new direction and we get to be a part of that. How our faithful God is going to make it all possible because He says in His word, I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
We had our first homestudy visit today and all went well. I have a few more documents to finish up and then that part should be done on our end. We are hoping to have our homestudy in hand by the end of this month or the first part of September. Then we will send that along with some other paperwork to USCIS to get permission to bring A in to the country. While we are waiting to get the document from USCIS, we will work on the other paperwork for our dossier that has to be submitted to the Ministry of Social Policy in Ukraine. We are hoping to submit those at the end of October or early November and get a travel date for early next year.
To give everyone an idea of some of the cost to complete an international adoption:
Homestudy - $900
Primary agency (Hague accredited) - $3,000
USCIS - $890
Dossier apostilles - $100
Ukraine facilitator - $15,000
This does not include airfare or food, housing and transportation while in Ukraine.
There you have it, our big hurdle. Gary and I are not very good at shouting out for what we need. We both have always tried to do things ourselves. I guess because of pride and not wanting to be a burden to others.
So tonight, think about our sweet girl across the big pond who doesn't know we are coming for her. She doesn't realize how loved she already is. How she has 4 brothers and a sister who can't wait to see her. How life for her is about to take a new direction and we get to be a part of that. How our faithful God is going to make it all possible because He says in His word, I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.
Simply ~ Love,
Tina
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