Are you curious?

Have you been wondering what kind of goodies are going to be available in our silent auction?

Guess what?!?!

Now you can go find out!

The auction is up, and you are more than welcome to go and check it out, look around, and see what kinds of items we will have available for bidding.  Auction rules are listed - make sure you read them over and contact us with any questions.  

You can find the auction by clicking on the tab above, or by following this link:

Bringing Home Peter Auction

 

Bidding starts on at 12:01am, Pacific Time, on Sunday, April 1st.   Good luck!

Random updates..

There's been so much going on the past few days, so bear with me if this is kind of all jumbled up.  On top of everything that's been happening, our youngest rascal has been down for the count with a stomach bug, and that's kind of left me a bit scattered!  Here goes on the updates:

*****

First update!  I know I've mentioned before that we are making and selling rosaries for an ongoing means of raising funds for Peter's adoption.  You can see pictures of them here, and learn a bit about them.  Well, we have a BIG update regarding those.  You see, it's common in the Catholic world to have sacramentals (material objects used in prayer or worship of God) blessed.  It's not required, but it's definitely something that we consider ideal or desirable.   We'd been having the rosaries blessed by our parish priest whenever we had an order for one, and then sending them out to the person who had requested the rosary. 

Today, however, I got a message from a friend who works down at our local diocesan center.  He was letting me know that if I could be down there this afternoon, Bishop Olmsted himself would be able to bless the rosaries that we were offering via this blog.  So, I packed up everything:  all the ones we already had made, the ones that were currently under construction, and all the supplies that we had on hand, and threw all of that (and the three rascals) into the car and headed downtown.   Bishop Olmsted graciously invited us into his office, listened to Peter's story, and proceeded to bless all of what I had brought downtown.   Sooo...for you Catholics out there, our rosaries are now blessed by none other than Bishop Olmsted himself, who we just adore.   Many thanks to our friend at the diocese, and to Bishop Olmsted for inviting us down!  

****

Second update!   Remember Malcolm?  

Two days ago, a bunch of bloggers rallied to help raise funds for this little boy's journey to his forever family.  I'm happy to report that his fund has almost DOUBLED in that time (from $7100 to just under $14,000!!)  ...aaaannnndddd.....more importantly, was officially committed to by a family today!   Malcolm officially moved to the "My Family Found Me" page at Reece's Rainbow this morning. 

I can say that I am super excited for this little boy!  You see, we know the family personally, and kind of live in the same general area.  Not only am I excited that Malcolm (who I fell in love with months ago!) is going to an amazing family, but I'm super excited that some day, when his family decides he is ready to meet the community, I'll get to see this little boy and hug him myself!

*****

And last but not least, I wanted to give out a shout out to a couple of really special people.  We had our fundraising BBQ last weekend (pictures are here) and it was a great success.  However, we never, ever, ever would have been able to pull it off without the help of two of our friends who really went the extra mile for us on Saturday.  (and the day before, as they baked up a ton of the desserts that we served at the meal itself!).  

So, Lore and Bill, without you, the day wouldn't have been such a great success.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for spending the day with us, moving tables, chairs, grills, food, etc.  Thank you for bringing your own grill and helping to prepare the food.  Thank you for staying out after everyone had left to help move those same tables, chairs, and grills again.  You guys worked HARD on Saturday, and we are very, very grateful.  Thank you so much for everything!!!

It's Malcolm Monday!

Remember awhile back, when I mentioned a little boy who went by the name of Malcolm?  He is about to turn five, and at that point, he will be transferred to an institution, unless he has a family. 

Well, after a flurry of information and blogging by many different people, a few families inquired about Malcolm.  One family, whom I know personally, is working as hard as they can to be able to officially commit to little Malcolm.   Home study appointments have been made, funds are starting to be raised, and paperwork is being filled out. 

But they need our help.   They have, overall, about $48K to raise to bring this little guy home.  (You can see the breakdown on their blog - follow the link above).    They've been told that they could be traveling as early as this summer for their first trip over, and so we have a very pressing deadline in front of us.  A large chunk of that money needs to be raised by this summer.

Malcolm's story has kind of hit the blogosphere, thanks in part to this amazing video:

Today, bloggers from all over the internet are spreading the word about Malcolm.   Together, we can work to get this little guy home to his family as quickly as possible.   If you can, make a donation here. 

These amazing bloggers have shared incredible stories, all of them relating to Malcolm and how he has touched their lives (and their own adoption stories).   Check those posts out here:

Carla

Kara

JoAnna

Jen
Returning to Rome

Brianna

Leila  - Check out this giveaway!!

Please, help us bring this little guy home.  Let's show him (and his family) how this amazing community can rally around them! 

Basking in the glow of friendship...

Thanks to all those who came to celebrate our little guy today and help us raise money to bring him home.  It was a huge success, and we really enjoyed seeing so many friends.   There was much laughter, lots of smiles and giggles from the kids running around, and an overwhelming sense of joy and love for Peter.   I cannot wait until he can come home and experience it for himself.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything, all of you.  A super big thank you goes out to all of you who helped us plan and carryout today's festivities, from the shopping/baking/food prep, to setting up and cleaning up today.  We couldn't have done this with out you.  Thank you.  

Celebrating our little guy

Getting the pavilion set up for the festivities

Starting to fill up with friends and family

Enjoying the food, friends, and laughter.   We're excited to share this community with Peter.

BBQ Reminder!

 

Don't forget about our bbq!  Food has been purchased and arranged for.....and we're getting excited to celebrate our little guy with you!

Share the link, even if you're not in the Phoenix area - someone out there may be!

 

Silent Auction Teaser, part 2

Remember this post?   I kind of bragged about all the awesome things that had been rolling in for the silent auction that starts on April 1?

I'm excited to say that the goodies have gotten even better!  On top of those awesome auction items, we've also got:

- a gift certificate for a FREE portrait session by Direction Studios (side note:  she travels, too!!)

- a gift certificate for a custom made, professional,  hardcover scrapbook!  (I know I'd love for someone else to put one of these together for me - my box of pictures isn't really getting compiled into a scrapbook in the way I had planned! haha)

- a gift certificate for custom, handmade invitations or notecards  (have a wedding coming up?  Expecting a baby soon?  What an awesome way to announce the news!)

- a gift certificate for a made-to-order cake (and these cakes are FUN!)

- a two CD set from Sean Clive  (who co-wrote the theme song for the 2011 National Catholic Youth Conference!!)

- two tickets to the Arizona Science Center

- a TON of awesome handmade items: artwork, hats, hairbows, tutus, all kinds of stuff.....

- and last, but not least....one of these:

Yes, that's right, it's a Samantha American Girls doll.  You know, the retired doll that you can't buy anymore?  Yep, I have one of those, in awesome condition, AS WELL AS a bunch of Samantha accessories, in our April auction.  These are currently being sold on the internet for over $300!  This could be your chance, guys!  :-)

So mark your calendars now, and watch for the auction to start on April 1st!  It's definitely going to be a lot of fun!

A funny for your weekend...

A few posts back, I blogged about awkward conversations and asked for advice on how to answer the questions that I kept being asked, time and time again, during these conversations. 

Well, the past couple of weeks....we've hit a new level of awkwardness in public.  This one makes me laugh a bit, so I thought I'd share it with you, and let you giggle along with me.

The past couple of weeks, Rascal #2 (age 6) has been talking about Peter a lot.  Asking about when he'll be able to come home, telling us about things he wants to teach him to do, making comments about how we'll have to buy Peter his own bike (while riding his own bike outside), things like that.  I can tell that he's trying to process everything in his mind, and seeing as he's the most sensitive and introverted of our three boys, I can see that he's starting to really understand and get excited for Peter to join our family.  It's very fun to watch, as a parent.

Rascal #2 has always been our "shy-est" child when it comes to public interactions, too.   The past year of homeschooling, I think, has really helped boost his confidence level, though.  He's able to learn things on his own timetable, and really get to a point of excelling with a skill, before having to do it for an "audience."  A large classroom was torturous for him at times, but most especially when he had to answer questions or perform a new skill in front of a group of peers for the first time.   His increased confidence level has led to some interesting moments, though.    He's finally answering questions asked of him by people out in public (things like those sitting around us at church, or whatnot - I'm not talking about walking up to total strangers and having detailed conversations, don't worry!).  Seeing as he's just recently turned 6, sometimes those answers can be pretty funny!

Anywho, I tell you all of this only to set the stage for the conversation that's now happened three times with strangers in public.   It's pretty common - especially when I'm out and about on my own with the three boys - for people to comment on the fact that our family consists of three little boys.  It's typically an older (read: grandma age) woman, and the conversation typically starts with her admitting that she had 1, 2, or 3 boys herself, and how much fun she had with her own boys.   I've gotten used to these comments and conversations, and I actually kind of enjoy them.   I do enjoy my boys - even on their most energetic of days! - and I enjoy seeing the smiles that they bring to these women's faces.   

Recently, though, Rascal #2 is causing a few awkward pauses when we're in the midst of these conversations.  How?

By saying something like:

"Soon we'll have FOUR little boys!"

or 

"Wait until there are FOUR of us boys!"

or 

"When Peter gets here, we'll have FOUR little boys!"

It inevitably causes the woman to try and take a discreet glance at my midsection, which, while I've lost 40 pounds in the past year, is still a bit lumpy and oversized.   Depending on what shirt I'm wearing, it could be really hard to tell whether or not Rascal #2 is talking about his mother being pregnant again.  I always feel so sorry for these poor women as they try to judge, "Is she pregnant or not?  What is this child talking about?!?!" in the split second that the conversation requires, and as they try to figure out what to say.   Talk about awkwardness!  haha

I usually try to quickly cut off their floundering glances with a "That's right, Rascal.  When the adoption is final (even though that's not really the "right" word when dealing with Hong Kong, it's the easiest for him to understand), and Peter comes home, there will be four of you boys!"   The woman usually meets my eyes with a glance of gratefulness.   Usually there are a few giggles at this point, and we move on our separate ways....it's a pretty funny experience, probably for both of us!

Out of the mouths of babes, right?!?!

Oh, Rascal #2, you keep us laughing!

Can we rally today?

I think one of the scariest aspects of this whole adoption process is the price tag attached to bringing home your child. I cannot even begin to tell you how many sleepless nights we spent, just awake and talking about how we would ever begin to afford the adoption of our child.   Even though Mike has a good job, one that is reliable and secure (which in and of itself is a HUGE plus in today's economy), we knew that we were not going to be able to pay outright for an entire adoption.   Not to mention that we're one of the "lucky" ones who found their child in a country where the adoption costs are relatively low.  (Hong Kong is, on average, about half the cost of other countries, say, Russia, where the cost of adoption is upwards of $30K). 

The cost of adoption - even a special needs child - is overwhelming scary.  Yes, there are grants out there that you can apply for, but a lot of them have very stringent application requirements, and while they could be a very possible option for a family, they can't be taken for granted when figuring out the logistics of adoption.  I suppose, in our mind, they became a "bonus" for adopting:  we would try for them, and hope for them....but not rely on them.   We needed to have a plan for finding the money without those grants.  

There are even tax credits for adoption out there currently.  However, the future of those past 2012 is up in the air at the moment.   The chance of finalizing our adoption in time to take advantage of the current tax credits is pretty slim, considering the length of the Hong Kong process.  Other countries might have a better chance of meeting this deadline.  We're holding out hope that the tax credits will be renewed (even in a different form, it would be nice to have some tax benefit to apply for), but just like with the grants, we didn't want to take it for granted when figuring out how to pay for the costs of bringing Peter home.

One thing I did NOT expect when figuring out how we were going to financially afford to bring Peter home was the incredible outpouring of support from the community-at-large.  I can't even say just our friends and family, because there have been messages and donations that have come in to help from people we didn't even know.   Our "village" (if you will) has grown exponentially, and one thing that has been reaffirmed over and over again in the past few months is that there is an amazing body of people out there who, for various reasons, have made it their mission in life to facilitate the adoptions of other families.  These tireless advocates have shown us, time and time again, that there is a support network out there - including financial support - that is hidden behind websites like Reece's Rainbow.   The amount of connections and new friendships that have come out of this experience - in just the short amount of time that we've been "public" with it - is astounding.

We saw it with Malcolm, whose grant grew from $2K to over $6K in the course of a weekend (and is still growing, at over $7K now)...and now has a family discerning bringing him home.

We saw it with Oliver, whose grant grew from a measly $13 to almost $3K, with the generous matching donation of an advocate, over a few days time.

We're seeing it with children who are being found by their forever families, through the tireless advocacy of many, many people. 

Can we possibly  - through a joint effort - see it happen again this coming weekend?   

I've been made aware of a few causes that need our support.  The first is a family who will be traveling in two very short weeks, but still has an urgent need for funding.  You can read about them here:

The Cutler Family

The second is a little boy, Nicholas, who needs a family.  I know that Nicholas' family is out there, probably discerning bringing him home right now, and I'm almost positive that at a price tag of about $30K, money is a huge obstacle.  Can we rally around him, and find him some financial support?  You can learn more about Nicholas here:

Nicholas

And last, but definitely not least, Reece's Rainbow is still in the  midst of their "21 Days of Hope" campaign, which raises the funding they need for a year of operational costs.  Can you help by donating even just a few dollars?  Follow the link below (or click on the button at the top right corner of our blog) to learn more about this effort:

21 Days of Hope

I've been amazed at the support that I've seen throughout the past couple of months.  Sometimes it's been directed at our own family, but more often than not, it's been for someone else, and I've finally just been made aware of it.   Money should not be an obstacle for any of these children finding their home, and there are people out there who work tirelessly to make sure that it isn't.

Can we rally around them, and join our efforts to theirs?

Patience is a virtue, right?

I'm so not patient.  I know I've mentioned it a few times on here already...but this adoption process is definitely giving me a chance to work on the virtue of patience.  God's way of giving me a chance to become holier, right?  ;-)

Anywho, we're still in waiting mode.  Paperwork is done, dossier is ready to go to Hong Kong....as soon as we get our fingerprint clearance from Arizona.  Everything else is just sitting at the adoption agency, ready to send off.   Unfortunately, we could still be waiting another two months or so for that clearance.   I'm not sure how I'm going to handle two more months of waiting around before we can even cross off the next step!  Lots of reading, I suppose.  

Once the dossier is sent off, we're told that Hong Kong adoptions typically average about a year.   While we're still hopeful we might be able to bring Peter home by the end of this year...I'm trying to be realistic and not get my hopes up.  Instead, I'm trying to focus on his new life with us starting next spring, just as new life is blossoming like crazy outside.  (And let me tell you, spring in Arizona is awesome.  Definitely the best time to visit, in my opinion!)

We're getting ready for the big bbq in a few weeks.  It sounds like it's going to be a big turnout, and one of the things that excites me most about the bbq is the fact that it's pulling together almost every aspect of our lives:  friends, family, coworkers, our church family, etc.   People that we've come to know and love in the past 8 months (how long we've been in AZ) are coming from every part of our lives to join us in celebrating this little guy and his journey home.  It's kind of spectacular, really.  Even more exciting are the people we haven't yet met in "real life" but have met through different adoption forums and blogs that just so happen to live in the same general area as we do.   When we started this process months ago, I didn't realize just how much our "village" was going to expand.  Since we "went public" with the adoption journey, our little village has really just exploded with new members.  I'm very grateful for that, and very excited as to where we are being led with these new friendships.  

A lot of this village expansion wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for a certain advocacy group, Reece's Rainbow.  Through RR, we've met some amazing people, and found an incredible source of support.   If you have a minute, please take a look at their website.  They do such amazing work, advocating for orphans throughout the world.  Right now, they are in the middle of their "21 Days of Hope" campaign.  This campaign helps them raise the funding needed to continue on for another year.  If you can donate, please do.  Families like mine are so grateful for the support and advocacy that RR provides to our children, and your support would allow them to continue their work and help many other families (and children).   If you cannot donate at this time, maybe consider becoming a prayer warrior or guardian angel for one of the children on their website.   Support for RR can be given in so many ways....please click here to check out the information (or follow the button at the top right of our blog).  THANK YOU!

I want to say thank you, again, to our growing village.  You are making this experience one so memorable for us.  I cannot express my appreciation enough!

While we're in "waiting mode"....

We'll make a few silly faces.

Okay, not really. 

Well...we DID have a silly face contest at dinner tonight (and yes, I pulled out the camera for dinner.  I'm a dork, I'll admit it).  It was just a goofy night, after a very busy day of running around.

Adoption process-wise, things are kind of in a holding pattern.  Our end of the paperwork is done, all of the training videos/quizzes are finished, all of our home visits are finished, reports are written up...and we're just waiting for clearance from the state.  Of course, we apparently happen to live in one of the slowest states in the country for approving home studies, so it could be a bit longer.  For someone who doesn't like to wait (cough, cough, me)....this is kind of torture.

We're using the time to read lots (trying to prepare a bit for caring for a child with Down Syndrome), make connections in the adoption community here in town, and of course, raise funds.  Once the approvals go through, we'll have another round of fees to pay (yuck), so we're trying to get prepared for that.  We're going shopping this weekend for all of the food for the BBQ at the end of the month (yay for deep freezers!!), and the rosaries are up online, and are starting to sell.  Let me know if you're interested in learning any more about either fundraising opportunity.   Items for the auction in April are showing up on my doorstep, too, and let me just say....I am SO excited to kick off the auction!  We've got some amazing donations already coming in - and many more to come.  April's going to be a fun month around here!

Thanks for following along on our journey, and I'll be back soon! 

A New Dream

It's interesting to me what kinds of conversations come up when people find out that we're adopting.  

Usually it starts with a comment along the lines of, "Oh you're finally getting your girl, huh?"

We smile, sometimes give a little giggle, and then explain that, no, actually, we're adopting another little boy.

They usually look at us a little confused for a moment, and don't know what to say.  Honestly, I hate that awkwardness, so I usually try to head it off by explaining that girls have a much better chance at finding a forever family, and since we already know and love raising boys, we're the perfect candidates for a little boy's forever family. 

Eventually the conversation ends up turning to the fact that we're adopting a special needs child, one with Down Syndrome.  The conversation usually ends up going one of two ways.  Either we get asked 1) why not adopt a special needs child domestically instead of from halfway around the world or 2) don't you realize that you're going to be a caregiver to this child for the rest of your life - you'll never be "free"?

I'll be totally honest here.  I'm not really sure how is the best way to handle these conversations.  Each one kind of lends itself to another awkward pause.  Maybe some of you out there who are either more tactful or more experienced (or both!) than me could leave some suggestions below.  I typically end up stumbling over my words, and never know just how much information to give out, or how much to keep in, and if I decide NOT to give full answers, how do I do that without seeming offensive or standoff-ish?   It seems like a catch-22:  Either I give the truthful answer and risk stepping on toes...or I try to evade - or condense - the truth and end up stepping on toes as I retreat from the conversation.   

We really feel called to adopting a child with Down Syndrome.  It's hard to explain that to someone, especially if they don't happen to be religious.  How do you explain - without seeming like a nutcase/Pollyanna type - that you just know that this is what you were meant to do?  That you felt that you were being called to this role, by God Himself?   It doesn't fit nicely into words.  And then how do you go from there - being called to adopt a DS child - to answer the question of why not domestic adoption.....without stepping right into the pro-life/pro-choice mess?  Adopting a DS child domestically isn't really an option, as over 90% of children with DS are aborted in our country.   It's a sticky question to try and answer without stepping on toes.  There has to be a non-offensive answer....I just haven't found it yet.

And then we move onto question #2.  This one is even harder for me, I'll be truthful.  I did struggle with the idea of physically caring for a child for the rest of my life, with a good chance of said child never leaving home or living on their own.  Yes, I know there is some chance that he will be able to live independently, but there is also an inherent chance that he won't be able to ever get to that point.  To give you a bit of background, Mike and I are both young.  We started our family when we were barely 23 years old, after being married at just barely 22 years old.  We're young.  We used to often joke about how "nice" it would be to be in our early 40s when the kids were leaving home for college.  We'd dream about traveling internationally again - without kids - in our 40s, while we were still quite young.   Accepting the fact that adopting a special needs child was going to have to change those dreams a bit (we can still travel...just most likely won't be alone) was a hard bridge for me to cross.    I'm a selfish person.  I think we all are, deep down, unless we're one of the Saints.   Our culture is one that breeds selfishness - always working to better ourselves without helping those around us.   That's the culture I was living in - and I was being called to turn around from it and walk against the current.  It was a hard call to answer in this regard, and I still don't know how to answer that question without seeming snarky or giving too much personal information.   It seems to simple (and snotty, honestly) to say "Yes, I realize and accept the future caring for a child with Down Syndrome," but the long answer, including my struggles coming to embrace that future, seems too personal in a casual conversation.  At the same time, though,  I don't want it to come out sounding too "happy-go-lucky" and implying that we haven't given it much thought, prayer, or discussion.  I would worry that a response like that would feel like I was "blowing off" the person's concern.

But the truth is that I haven't given up on any dreams - - they've just been adjusted to include this new, wonderful reality that we're walking into.  My dreams aren't being crushed...they're being expanded! 

Now how do I take all of this and condense it into short, socially appropriate answers?

 I'm SO not good at this kind of thing....

We got to give away an iPad today!

Well, more precisely....we got to SHIP an iPad today!  Here's how the giveaway ended up:

The iPad is on its way to Patty, and I'm so grateful to everyone for having had this opportunity to share some fun and joy!

Patty, I hope you enjoy the gift!!

The Call to Help The Orphan

I seem to be completely immersed in the world of adoption recently.  Friends in real life are also journeying on this path, it seems everywhere I turn online, I'm greeted with another person who's either in the process of adopting or advocating for adoption.  I'm sure it's just because I'm more aware of it now - it's striking close to home - but it reminds me of when I first found out I was pregnant.   I remember walking down the streets of Charleston, South Carolina (where we were vacationing at the time), and seeing pregnant women EVERYWHERE.  

The more I read and see about the plight of the orphan, the more I feel that God truly was calling us, as a family, to this role of adoptive family.  I feel more and more strongly that we are truly stepping out on the path that He has determined for us, no matter how scary or overwhelming that path may feel. 

The more I read and learn about the multitudes of children who need a home, who are hoping for forever families, the more convinced I am that we all - regardless of ability to actually CARE for the child, physically - are being called to step forward and help the orphan.  We all have a responsibility to care for and nurture our brothers and sisters throughout the world, regardless of faith, ethnicity, or even socioeconomic status.  

But, how, can I help? you may be wondering.    I understand that not everyone has discretionary income - we don't, really, either.  We're saving up our money for Peter's adoption by sacrificing other things we could use/want (such as no more going out to eat, no new clothes unless they're from Goodwill, etc).  That's why we're fundraising, to be totally honest!  I completely understand feeling like you can't help because you don't have the financial ability to adopt or donate at this time.   What I want to emphasize though is that helping the orphan doesn't HAVE to mean that you spend every last dime either adopting yourself or paying for someone else to adopt.  It could be as simple as raising awareness or praying for a particular child.  God can do all things through us - if we just give Him room to move.

Now, believe me, I am so incredibly appreciative to those who have donated money to our adoption.  I truly am.  I'm not writing this post as a way to claim that their support isn't worthwhile, or that we don't feel an immense gratitude towards them.  That's not true at all.  Because of your support, we will be able to bring Peter home more quickly (hopefully), while still being able to eat and feed our family.   I can never put into words how grateful I am for that financial support.

What I'm trying to say is that I am just as thankful, and feel truly blessed, knowing that so many of you out there are holding us up in prayer, sending good vibes and well wishes on a daily basis.  You're donating something just as precious as money (in my eyes!!) - your time.  I know how hard it is to take even a few minutes out of our busy daily lives to think about someone else - to compose and send a quick email to friends and family who might be interested in hearing about Peter - to hand a friend a flyer about the BBQ - and so on.  I appreciate these donations of time just as much as I appreciate the donations of money.  You are truly important to our adoption journey, as well.  Without you - Peter would not be wrapped in prayers on a daily basis, and that support for him means more to me than I could ever truly express.

This experience over the past few years has made me realize just how many people out there are working tirelessly to try and raise awareness for the orphan and help them find forever families.  I've learned more about what it takes to adopt from different countries than I ever thought it was possible.  I've learned more about what gives a child the best chance of finding a family......and what often holds people back from taking the leap of faith that is adopting a child.

It seems that the children who have the least chance of finding a forever family are those with special needs, boys, and those who have an incredible cost attached to their adoption.   Organizations like Reece's Rainbow work around the clock (seriously - we've talked to them at all times of the day/night!!) to help to raise funds and awareness for these children who often have the smallest possible chance of finding a home outside of an orphanage or institution.  I am in awe of advocacy groups like RR.

I'm also in awe of ordinary people, living ordinary lives, who are working incredibly hard to do the same thing, in a grassroots-type of advocacy.  Last week, I saw a little boy, Malcolm, have his grant increased to over $5200, from barely $2000, in the course of one weekend......all because of the dedication of one blogger. 

Today is no different.  A friend, Leila, at Little Catholic Bubble, is stepping out in faith for another orphan, Oliver.  Oliver is almost 5, and is facing a life of being bed-ridden in an institution, unless he is adopted.  Leila, in an act of incredible generosity, is offering to match any funds donated to Oliver, because she can't adopt him herself at this time.  (Matching is up to a pretty nice dollar amount, by the way.  Her goal is to get him onto the "Sizable Grants" page at Reece's Rainbow over this weekend). 

Do you think you can help Oliver come home?  Can you spread the word, say a prayer, or donate a few dollars to his fund?   Leila (and I) would be over-the-moon if Oliver was able to come home soon.  Let's help him get there!

*************

iPad update:  We are waiting for the list of donors from Reece's Rainbow.  I will give away that iPad as soon as possible!!!!  Stay tuned!