The Final Count for Give1Save1

It's an hour before midnight and a few trickles of donations are still coming in. We just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped us raise money for Sevi's adoption. A little over $800 was raised:)
Thank you!

Only two days left!

We only have TWO DAYS LEFT in our Give1 Save1 fundraiser! Our goal is to raise $1,250 more in these last two days to reach $2,000. We need all of your help to get there, please share share share with everyone you know! Here is the link again: http://tinyurl.com/sevikat
 We have been so blessed by all the friends and family who have already stepped forward and helped and supported us. Thank you and please keep praying for us and our Sevi girl :)

 

 

Beth

 

Our Family Book Reached Sevi... Take a Look!

I hope you find this as big of a treat as we did. This is Sevi recieving her family book. A family book is a book adoptive families can create through photo company's like Shutterfly.  The books are a way to introduce the waiting children to their new families and homes.  Adoptive families network with other adoptive parents who are traveling  in order to get these books and care packages to their children. We are so grateful for those who traveled and helped get things to Maida when she was still there and now Sevi.
Since my daughter and myself was able to meet Sevi when we were in the Congo last November we were able to add photo's that included us with her. That was exciting for her, along with the nannies from the orphanage getting to see pictures of Maida with her new family! Just click on the link below and enjoy!

http://youtu.be/4DdPPHQxCNU

And remember this week we are the featured family at Give1Save1. You, our readers can help us bring Sevi home by sharing this link with everyone you know. Please join efforts with us!
Heres the link for the give1save1fundraiser: http://tinyurl.com/sevikat

 

Beth

Carried Home

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.
But those who make their journey home across time & miles,
growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them,
are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us
by God's very own hands."
~ Kristi Larson

 

This was Maida in June of 2012. Five months before carried home.

We Are Live!

Just got word our family's adoption story is being featured NOW! whoot whoot!! on Give1Save1's blog. What is Give1Save1?
An adoption blog that helps adoptive families raise funds for their adoption so that families can go get their kids. Is that not awesome??
It is a wonderful opportunity for us to raise the needed funds to bring Sevi home. The motto of Give1save1 is give $1 to save 1 life. Can you give more than a dollar? ABSOLUTELY! But don't underestimate what $1 can do! Besides donating towards our adoption at this blog we need you, our readers to promote promote promote our family this week. Share the link with your facebook friends, send out the link to those family members and friends who aren't facebook users through email.
Help spread the Word for us. For Sevi...
Thank You!

http://give1save1africa.blogspot.com/

Two Children, Two Very Different Adoptions

It's been five months since we met Sevi. Five months since we met her sweet spirited self and I'm missing her and ready for her to come home.
This adoption is very different than when we went through the process for Maida. With Maida we had no first hand knowledge of the DRC other than what we read. We knew nothing of the child we said yes to, and had very little understanding of how the paperwork was done that would make her our own, or the importance of specific documents that enables two countries goverments to agree in letting us bring her home.

With Sevi we know her, we met her and spent two weeks with her when we traveled to pick up Maida in November.
We experienced the beauty and the tragedy of the DR Congo. We saw first hand the tragic reality for so many children who contract malaria, when children have no one in their life who can afford a few dollars to buy medicine that would spare their life.

We now know exactly what documents are needed, and what those documents will mean in making us family. It happened so much faster with Maida, and it seems to be taking so long with Sevi. Last time around I thought if I just knew what to expect and the time frame to expect it in, it would help ease some of the adoption anxiety. But let me tell you... It's done the opposite!

I find myself tapping my foot, drumming my fingers and shooting off emails to my agency to enquire about our documents. I want to reach across the ocean and see to it that MY child's paperwork is being noticed in the stacks of documents that are being handled in the courts of Kinshasa.

Doesn't Sevi deserve to come home? Hasn't she been in that orphanage long enough? Isn't it time for her to learn what family is and who God is and how much she is loved? My answer is yes. And I'm sure you agree with me; but like our last adoption I have to be reminded whose child Sevi really is. Gods. He has just given us the blessing of raising her. He is using us-Mom, Dad, brother and many sisters, to know what love is. What grace is. To know what family is and what commitment is.
Personally I'd like to get on with all this family love fest for Sevi in person. But like with Maida, God reminds me that He is still working in the waiting. Our waiting, and persevering is already teaching Sevi about commitment as we wait on her and climb mountains for her. She is already beginning to experience love and trust as we follow through in bringing her home like we said we would that last day we said our goodbyes in the Congo five months ago.
She is a smart girl, a very smart girl. And I know she will know one thing about this family before ever coming home: We want her and love her.
And I know while we wait for funds, and for paperwork, God is using this time to make us better prepared for her and her for us.



 



Beth

The Difference a Year Makes When Someone Says Yes

                                     

 

 

 

 

 

                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WE ARE SO GLAD WE SAID YES TO YOU MAIDA GRACE!