Worthy

When you are rooting for 65 it can be rather daunting and a bit depressing.

 

 

 

Especially when 2 days after writing a heart-felt post, you realize that only ONE babe jumped the 1,000 wall.

 

Only one.

 

Until you look closely.

 

 

 

  

On Monday 44 babes needed to get over the 500 wall.

 

Today - 14 babes are left.

 

Only $2,240 is needed to get them over the 500 wall!

 

 

 

And the rest of the babes are quietly, slowly climbing.

 

It's not a stagnant wall.

 

 

And the babes OVER 1,000... many of them are still climbing.

 

It's HUGE, quiet progress.

 

 

It means that somewhere out there - lots of people are loving on 100 babes.

 

They are worthy of that love.

 

They are worthy of your love on this Friday morning.

 

They are worth your time and your prayers and your love.

 

 

Please consider clicking HERE and picking a babe or two or three and sowing into their lives your prayers, your love and your donations.

 

PLEASE!

 

 

 

65 to 0

The magic number is 0

 

Zero

 

Right now the number is 65....

 

Yikes!!

 

New Year's Eve is 4 days away and we have 39,772 to raise and 65 babes who need to get over the 1,000 wall!

 

THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

 

Yep.

 

 

That's one way to look at it.

 

OR... we can say... we have 4 days to go to raise awareness... advocate for children who desperately need families.... and raise as much as we can in their grant accounts!!

 

The goal is 1,000 in each account.

 

The ultimate goal... find families!!

 

So get on board.

 

Pick a child.

 

Yell. Give. Advocate..... ADOPT!!

 

 

(Yesterday the three tinies at the bottom of the tree jumped up on the tree... THANK YOU to those who helped jump them up - they aren't over the wall but they are no longer drifting down at the bottom!)...

 

 

Here are three more tinies who are down at the bottom!!

 

 

 

Please help me get them up!

 

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE MACC TREE!!

 



Down to Business

Well... enough of the fluff and stuff ... enough of the sweet pictures of my kids...

 

 

We need to get down to business...

 

 

The Angel Tree this year is in definite need of some serious attention!!

 

My three Angels had a blast the last two days enjoying all the Christmas festivities...

 

 

But there are 100 Angels on the Angel tree who are NOT enjoying their Christmas.

 

Not one bit.

 

And what I am not enjoying is seeing how many of them are still under the 1,000 goal... in fact MOST of them are under $500.00

 

That has got to change!!

 

 

This little angel is currently at the very bottom of the tree...

 

 

 

Seriously??

 

And what about this tiny little one?? He's down there too!!

 

 

And this tiny baby?? She's at the very very bottom right now.

 

 

 

It's time, People!!

 

CLICK HERE.

 

Go pick a baby. Or two or three.

 

Let's get down to business and get these babes moved up the tree!!

 

Silent Night

Christmas Eve at the Nalle's

 

 

 

 

 

Silent Night. Holy Night.

 

For to us a child is born.

 

And that is what we celebrate!

 

 

 

 

 

We Said NO!

 

A year ago she was just a whisper in our - we are never going to adopt again - hearts...

 

 

Three years ago he was a whisper we didn't even know about....

 

 

 

Eight years ago he was a whisper in our - no special needs, no international adoption - hearts...

 

 

 

Today two of the three of them are counting the hours until Christmas.

 

 

The third... Well, she's pretty oblivious to the proceedings but we think she is going to figure it all out pretty quickly on Christmas morning...

 

They were just whispers.

 

Holy Spirit whispers.

 

We fought against them. We questioned them. We argued. We said no. We said no again.

 

There were so many reasons to say no.

 

Money. Time. Our age. Our biological sons. Money. Time.

 

We said no.

 

Last year we said no.

 

Three years ago we were only going to adopt a girl.

 

Eight years ago we were never ever going to adopt special needs or internationally.

 

Here we are... two days from Christmas and our two little boys are counting the hours and our little girl is wrecking crazy havoc on our lives. We are a bit tired, pretty broke, definitely overwhelmed, yet we would not trade any of them for the world.

 

Our whispers.

 

Is the Lord whispering to you?

 

Are you hearing and struggling?  Are you wondering? Are you counting the cost and finding it to be too much? Are you worried about your bio kids? Money? Time?

 

 

 

I get it. We've been there and done that.

 

 

If you are hearing that whisper - take the time. Listen. Pray. Talk. Discuss. Count the cost. Consider.

 

We said NO.

 

We said no again.

 

And again.

 

And we have three whispers currently tucked in their beds sleeping as I write.

 

We understand the fear. We recognize the cost. We know that the decision is a life-altering decision.

 

Just pray.

 

And listen.

 

Cadence, Jenni, Ronald and so many more are waiting.

Pray. Advocate. Adopt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing Tall and Proud

WoW!!

 

Cadence and Ronald jumped the $1,000 wall and are moving higher!!  GO CHECK IT OUT HERE. I am doing a sweet little jig here at my desk!! THANK YOU THANK YOU to each of you who gave!! THANK YOU!

 

Jenni is a little over halfway... She met her 200 matching grant but still needs $412.00 to get over the wall!

 

On our first day at Mary's institute we had to spend time sitting in the car waiting for our facilitator. Paperwork over there is heavy and time consuming, so car sitting is a rather common occurrence. 

 

The institute was preparing for the first day of school which is a very very big event over there.

 

Part of their preparations included practicing for an outside ceremony in front of the main building.

 

While we were sitting there, one of the caretakers walked by holding the hands of a tiny little girl and a tiny little boy.

 

I about leaped out of the car when I realized that the tiny little girl was Jenni.

 

She had a part to play in the ceremony.

 

We didn't get to see the ceremony, but I was blessed to sit there and watch her practicing from a distance pleading under my breath for the Lord to bring a family for her. She was so well behaved and standing so straight and tall.  Even from a distance I could tell she was really proud to be part of the ceremony.

 

Later we had a chance to see her up close. I only got a few grainy pictures of her but in the few minutes that we spent with her she stole my heart. She's a precious little one.

 

She has so much spirit and life in her. Mary goes crazy every time she sees Jenni's pictures. They were best friends and I know she misses her. I will never forget Jenni throwing herself into my arms and crying out "Mama" knowing she was being left behind.

 

I so want for her to have a family. I know she would thrive. She needs surgery for her cleft palate, but she will never get it there!  Because she is 'disabled' she will be institutionalized for the rest of her life. Break my heart!

 

Please help me share Jenni.

 

Please help me raise her grant account. 

 

Her page is HERE and on it there is a video you can watch of her!

 

I would love one day to share with our little one that her best friend has a family!

 

 

MIRACLE OF ADOPTION CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN

 

But They Matter

 

We love her so much.

 

Our six year old toddler.

 

 

She is into everything. Her favorite activity is to rearrange stuff. Unfortunately, we can't find things after she has rearranged... like her brand new social security card. It's been stuffed in some hideyhole or the freezer or a drawer or something.

 

 

She's not confessing. I'm at a loss.

 

Don't be fooled by her sweet looks and adorable smile!

 

She's a total mess maker!

 

 

She can tear up a room in a matter of minutes but she does get points for being a great cleaner... except for the - we can't find where she PUT STUFF problem.

 

Don't be fooled by their cute faces either!

 

 

They make their share of messes too.

 

It hasn't been easy these past few weeks. Mary Sasha's seizures have not eased despite medication tweaks and changes and additions etc. Her toddler behaviors make it almost impossible to get anything done each day. One of our sons is struggling with his own personal issues and has needed to be my shadow this week. Needless to say, I am not getting any work accomplished which is making me a bit crazy!

 

But we wouldn't trade it.

 

We know this is what God has called us to do.

 

They matter.

 

Our former orphans.

 

Just three among millions upon millions.

 

They mattered so much to us that we crossed the ocean to bring them home.

 

Despite the exhaustion, despite the trenches, despite the struggles, despite the issues, we love them dearly. They are our sons and daughter.

 

---------------------------

 

Cadence, Ronald and Jenni matter too.

 

Three orphans among millions.

 

Last Friday, I was so excited because we had a triple match for them!

 

Unfortunately, we have not met their matches yet!!

 

I know that asking for orphans is getting old.

 

I know that money is tight and needs are great and burnout from giving is a real issue. I know.

 

But they matter. They really do. We met two of them. Jenni and Cadence. Another family met Ronald. They are such precious children. I can't stand the thought that they are family-less. 

 

I know they are just three among millions... but THEY MATTER!!!

CADENCE, RONALD AND JENNI!

 

 

 

Cadence needs $119.00

Ronald needs $119.00

Jenni needs $109.00

 

That's $347.00 and then $600 will be poured into their grant accounts - 200 for each.

 

PLEASE!!

 

Our three former orphans matter and these three do too!

 

They really do matter.