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 :)

All I Really Want For Christmas....

Today is National Adoption Day...

Today as you think about what your 

plans are for Thanksgiving and for Christmas...

Today think about what it might be like

if all you wanted was a family to 

eat Thanksgiving dinner with

or wake up to on Christmas morning...

Today give words of encouragement 

to those who have decided to 

add a new member to their family

instead of telling them how hard it will be...

Today find out how you can help 

those who have been abandoned by their families

or those who are trying to adopt or foster them...

Today as you think about how grateful you are

for everything you have....

Today go out and make a difference...

Because all they really want for Christmas
is a FAMILY

All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
A shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I win
There's so much I could ask for, but there's just one thing I need


All I really want for Christmas is someone who'll be here
To sing me happy birthday for the next 100 years
And It's okay if they're not perfect or even if they're a little broken
That's alright, 'Cause so am I


Well, I guess I should go, it's almost time for bed
Maybe next time I write you I'll be at home


'Cause all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
Tell me I'll never be alone, someone whose love will never end
Of all that I could ask for, well, there's just one thing I need


All I really want for Christmas



All I really want for Christmas

 is a family...... 

I am so grateful that this will
be the last Thanksgiving and Christmas that our little one
will have to spend in an institution.

Because all we want for Christmas is for her to part of our family

What's the Hold Up

When I first started this blog

I promised myself it wouldn't be one of those boring

blogs were all you got was an update of what was happening once of week

or where everyday I was hounding you to help us with a fundraiser.

But as we end our first trimester (yes it has now been over 3 months)

since starting on this journey

 I am finding it harder 

to share things with you that I think you will find uplifting or interesting.

I mean 

It seems silly for me to post

We all went to the doctors today to have physicals so check that off the list.

Or, the psychology reports came back but there was a mistake made on

it so we are waiting for it to be mailed again.

I could post

Had everything notarized today and it was $310

then I found out it was all notarized wrong.

See

Not very exciting.

But I do know that there are some of you 

who may be thinking

WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG?

Are they doing anything to get this poor little girl home?

Well

Yes and No.

We do our part as fast as we can

and then we wait, and wait and wait some more for

freed back to see what we need to do next.

Have I every mentioned that 

I HATE WAITING!

It really is not one of my better qualities. 

I was so excited because I thought

we were finally ready to move forward.

I found out that our homestudy was finally 

FINISHED.

That means we can go to Sacramento

and have everything apostilled 

(a fancy word for cost a lot of money to make sure your notary is legit)

I was planning on leaving on Wednesday afternoon 

and making the 8 hour drive to Sacramento

so that I would not have to wait about 2 weeks 

to get everything back.

Then I found out that my homestudy agency 

did not fill out all the extra paperwork 

that has to go with the homestudy :(

So now

I wait again.

They said they hope they will have it finished 

and ready by Tuesday morning 

but they can't promise anything.

The only thing that keeps me from going insane about this

is the fact that the region we are adopting from

is not accepting any dossiers (all those papers we have to have just right to get an appointment)

right now. 

Not sure why.

Rumor has it too many adoptions this year 

and they don't want to do more than last year

or 

change of authority in her region.

Who knows.

All I know is my hopes of 

traveling in December are quickly fading.

It will most likely be January at the earliest. 

That's just they way things roll 

in the international adoption world. 

So my giant fundraiser that I had planned 

starting Thanksgiving weekend in hopes

that during the fundraiser I would have cute pictures of us

with Carlene to post is not going to happen the way I planned.

So I am going to have to hope and pray it goes over well

anyway without new cute pictures of her.

 Because we do have about $10,000 to raise still before

April or May when we are hoping to bring her home. 

Speaking of fundraisers

Thanks to everyone who participated in the

last one. 

We made $166 from it :)

And if you do want to know more about the day to 

day happenings of our adoption

you should consider following along at

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Orphan-No-More/148027775296415.

I post the boring updates there more frequently ;)

And because I can't stand when a post doesn't have pictures

here is one of Nevaeh and I from Halloween.

So even though it seems like forever

Remember that next Halloween

Our little one will be forced dressed up like us too.

And I'll have another creepy looking doll (according to my children)

for her too.

Anyone want to suggest what we all should be?

And the Winner is

I would like to thank everyone who

participated in our Feel the Love/Share the Love fundraiser.

I do not know the exact total we raised yet 

but I am very grateful to everyone who either purchase,

blogged or shared on FB for me.

And I hope that everyone who will now have this 

beautiful print hanging in their home

will know of the love I also have for them for 

helping to bring our little one home.

I was excited to find out that according to Random.org the 

winner is Jill who is adopting Tanner on Reece's Rainbow.

So Jill, if you would please email me

at cans4carlene@yahoo.com

with your address and which print you

would like for being the winner

I will be happy to get that sent out to you.

I would like to let all my blog followers know that 

I now have a Facebook page setup.

It is

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Orphan-No-More/148027775296415.

I will be announcing what we plan to name our little one and

why we chose it once I get 100 likes.

Right now I have 95.

I will not be announcing it on my blog

so if you want to know what we

are naming her make sure to go like my FB page.

Plus, you will be kept up-to-date on 

how the whole adoption process is going.

I hope everyone who reads this knows

how much your love and support means to us. 

We are so excited to get this sweet little girl home to her forever family.