One Whole Year

I was reading over old emails last week and found

one I wrote one year ago today to Heather (Anya's mom).

You may remember that one year ago 

Heather's family had just met Anya and were

trying to raise the last of the funds they needed to bring her home.

So I got this great idea to enter my daughter's picture

in one of those Parent Magazine Cute Kids Contest.

The goal was to get enough people to vote for her that we

would win the $250 prize and then be able to donate it

to Anya's Adoption Account.

I mean, who wouldn't want to vote for my adorable daughter

to help bring home another adorable child.

But we didn't win that prize.

Instead it set us on a whole new path.

Here is my email to Heather last year:

Hi Heather, I'm sorry the contest didn't happen the way I had hoped. But I think something bigger is going on here and I want to ignore it because it scares me and I'm not sure how to tell my husband. I have been searching Reeces website more and more. I can't seem to go to bed at night without doing so. I have read more blogs written by amazing families that are in the process or have already adopted one of these precious children. The child I keep being lead to is Carlene. I just googled her name and found a blog where someone is asking that people raise money for her. I then saw your name in the blog. Did you meet Carlene? I can't even begin to tell you have confused I am right now. I don't know if this is what Heavenly Father wants of me or if I am just feeling compassion for these little ones. I feel so overwhelmed with life as it is right now and I can't even imagine raising that much money. Anyway, I'm not sure why I am writing this email accept that I am sure you can relate. I read an incredible blog today. I don't know if you have read it before but here is the link. If you have any information on Carlene or more pictures please let me know. I am scared to death on what all this means. Thanks for listening and I apologize again the our fund raiser didn't work out so well. Katrina

The blog that I was referring to was written by Julia

and she titled it "A Whisper"

When I read the words she had written I felt as if I could have written them

myself. They were exactly how I was feeling.

Then a picture.  A smiling face.  A helpless child.  The Holy Spirit whisper becomes a scream. 

This child.  In that country. GO.  Now.  Say yes.  Despite the bank account.  Despite the schedule.  Despite the arguments.  Despite it all.  GO. 

A few days after I wrote this email and read this blog

Carlene got a family.

But the feeling still wouldn't go away.

I thought after she got a family I could go back to my normal happy life

and just forget the feelings I had been having.

But they didn't go away.

They just grew stronger.

Talk to your husband anyway.

Plant the seed. 

It will need time to grow in him.

And it did need time to grow. 

About 6 months to be exact. 

But that is when Carlene became available again. 

So even though we have only been at this for 6 months

Carlene has been in my hear for a year now.

Soon sweet girl. 

Soon it will be your turn.

Until then here is a song from when I was a child

that is heard on the movie The Rescuers.

This is my song to my sweet Carlene.

And so this year as you read  "A Whisper"
And as you listen to Someone's Waiting for You
Ask yourself  if one of these sweet little girls who still need a family could be your daughter.

This is Celine She was just recently moved to the same Institution   that Carlene is at. 
She has a warrior named Leah who has been working so hard to raise money for Celine so that she can have a family too.
As of today, Celine has just over $7,500 in her grant account to help towards the cost of her adoption.

This is Megan
Megan is one of the little cuties we considered when we thought Carlene had a family already.
She is the same age as Carlene and is in the  same region as her.
Megan has over $16,000 in her grant account to help a family with the cost of her adoption.
So if that whisper that you have been trying to ignore is  growing louder it maybe that your time is drawing near.
These girls have all had to be brave for far too long.
It is time for them to have a family.
It is time for them to be loved by a mom and a dad, not just taken care of by overworked caregivers that change swifts frequently.
So the next time you hear that Whisper or Yell  ask yourself
Am I the Someone who is waiting to love them?

My Christmas Miracle

Last Christmas I made a video of one of my all time favorite Christmas songs.

The song comes from an album called "The Forgotten Carols"

and has this beautiful song on it about a little shepherd boy that

fell asleep and didn't get to go and see the Christ child

but how he still believed the story even without seeing it.

I love this song because it shows the miracle that Christmas really is.
It shows that a lot of times you have to trust and believe in things
even when you can't see them.
And it shows that there are miracles that still happen today.
Sometimes 
these miracles do not happen the way we think they should.
And sometimes we do not take notice of them
because they do not seem spectacular.
But there are so many miracles that happen all around us
if we just take the time to notice.
This Christmas I did not get the miracle I had been praying for.
And a few nights ago I was really sad that things were not
progressing the way I thought they should.
I was feeling sad and depressed about not knowing more about our little girl.
So I started searching for anything that might help me feel closer to her.
And I found it in the strangest place.
And once again I felt God wrap his arms around me and 
remind me that He's got this.
And that miracles come in His time and in His way.
And I wish so much that I could share my 
Christmas Miracle with all of you.
But now is not the time.
And it might not even seems miraculous to you.
But to me
It was a Christmas miracle and a hug for God. 

Merry Christmas 
Praying that next year she will get to be home celebrating with us.

The Winners and a Big Thank You

Thank You

To everyone who has supported use in our give-away

by either donating or sharing or praying for us.

I am not sure I can adequately express how 

grateful we really are for all the support and love we have received.

We were able to raise 

$2,560.50 during this give-away.

We will be traveling sometime

in late February or early March.

And now the winners

There were 677 entries in our give-away

and my neighbor used Random.org to generate the winners for me.

GIFT #1

Apple® - iPad® 2 with Wi-Fi - 16GB - Black or White

#571 donated on 12/18/2011

Kathy M

GIFT #2

$20 Amazon Gift Card

#63 donated on 11/28/2011

Yuliya G

GIFT#3

My memories Suite V3

Includes downloadable software and a $10 code for digital paper kits

#86 donated on 11/29/2011

Jennifer M

GIFT #4

$25 gift code to be used at 

My memories.com  on any beautiful kits you choose.

#616 Shared on FB

Briana J

GIFT #5

This beautiful interchangeable Watch Band and Watch Face 

from Beadit Online

#515 donated on 12/18/2011

Jessica R

GIFT #6

A $15 gift code to be used at 

Sassy Cassey's Fashions 

#469 donated on 12/15/2011

Jennifer S

GIFT #7

A $20 gift code to be used at

Sparkle In Pink

#284 donated on 12/07/2011

Jennifer S

GIFT #8

A $25 gift code to be used at
Story Time Felt and More

#644 donated on 12/19/2011

Jamie and James

I will be contacting the winners to get them their gifts ASAP
or they can contact me at
cans4carlene@yahoo.com

Thank you again to everyone who is helping to love our little girl home.

Gotcha Day Tradition

First I would like to say a big

THANK YOU 

to all who donated or shared our iPad 2 give-away so far.

It is still going on until December 15th and you can click here to enter and 

see all the great gifts you could receive with only a $5.00 donation 

or sharing on your blog or Facebook page.

But I also wanted to share with you a great opportunity

you have to make really cute scrapbook pages 

and cards by using this amazing software

My Memories Suite V3.

This new version  just came out last month 

and it is sooo fun to use.

Plus, if you purchase it using the code STMMMS69334 

you receive $10 off and a $10 coupon to use on digital paper kits 

and you receive 4 entries into our iPad give-away 

because every time the software is purchased using 

STMMMS69334

We receive $20 towards our adoption.

My Memories also has a fun Facebook page and blog

where they have challenges and contest.

This weeks contest is called Family Traditions

and I have entered our tradition of going to Disneyland every year 

on December 13th because that is Nevaeh's Gotcha Day.

If you would like to read more about this fun day that we had

you can go here .

The other thing I love about this company is you can use

the digital paper they offer for free or 

other kits you can find for free all over the internet.

Right now they have this free kit called Santa

Below you fill find some of the other

stuff I have been doing this past month while learning

to use this new program.

The layouts above our my first attempt

at making my very own personalized Christmas Cards.

Another plus is that I can upload these layouts to 

any of the popular printing companies:

Shutterful, Snapfish, Winkflash, Picaboo, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and on and on.

And at Costco I can print out a 12x12 page and stick it in a regular scrapbook.

I can even add embellishments after it is printed.

The list of possibilities are endless.

It would make my day if you would share

this wonderful opportunity with others.

Then they can become obsessed with digital scrapbooking too :)