~Why~

Why do we want to adopt? Why do we need to adopt? Why do we post consistently to try to raise funds to adopt? Why do we fundraise? We do we need your help?

All of the answers to these questions are pretty simple and can be summed up by looking at these photos below! These are children that Reece's Rainbow have had posted in the past that have now passed on! They passed away without ever getting the chance at having a daddy, mommy, siblings, or any family. Some died very sick, some no doubt died hungry, and just as sad, they died most likely alone..not being held or cared for! I don't even want to know how their little bodies were handled afterwards! These photos are just but a few of the orphans dying on a daily basis! Please take a look and a moment to remember these faces and pray that we can make a commitment to do something about the future of all of the other listed orphans! Please start with helping us bring Ava home to her family where she belongs!!!

You should never assume you are entitled to health, healthy children, or a healthy family! You should never take for granted that you are with your children and they are healthy with a full tummy and a smile on their face! You should however by thankful for all of these things!!!

~I'm donating my birthday~

Can I actually do this? The answer is I don't know but I am sure going to give it a try :)

Today (the 26th) is actually my 28th birthday! I do not need or want anything other than to get Ava home as fast as the adoption process allows. However, to do this we have to be funded. We are working continuously on this adoption, whether it be homestudy paperwork, other forms, medical visits, paying the upfront fees, fundraising, blogging, etc....we are constantly going!!! Adoption is a hard process and it is very time consuming! Even if we were fully funded we are looking at several months of waiting and paperwork chasing just because that is how the process works with international adoption. 

Back to the point :)  Being all I want or need is to get Ava home and she needs it more than anything....PLEASE use this as an excuse to donate to to Ava's grant. Also, we are technically not allowed to list her birthday (although we only know the month and year) so please let this be her birthday for this year because we will not have her for this year's birthday.  Up until now, her birthday has never been acknowledged and is only representative of the day she was left without a family.

I mentioned in a previous post $28 for my 28th birthday in efforts of helping to bring Ava home! However, that is just a figure for a catchy blog post...and just an idea that would help to bring alot in to boost her grant.  ANY AMOUNT you can give or just helping in anyway in general would be greatly appreciated.

PLEASE dont give up on Ava. We have a long way to go and we need to be continuously making progress to be able to fully fund bringing her home! 

PLEASE don't let this birthday be like all of the other unacknowledged birthdays! I want her to know that she was thought of this year even though she wasn't with us!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

UPDATE: ANYONE THAT DONATES $28 or more will get a FREE taggie blankie donated by my friend Christina!  PLEASE help bring Ava home!!!!

~Progress~

Someone donated today! Thank GOD and thank you to whoever donated (I'm pretty sure I know who it was):) Please consider donating or participating in a fundraiser! Thank you!!!! Refer to my posts on the left for our Rada Cutlery fundraiser.

~Good days and then days like today~

Some days in adoption are really good days. These are the days when words of encouragement are pouring in, people are praying, people are posting, Ava's grant is increasing, fundraisers are being participated in...and then there are days like this...or a few days in a roll like this. Days were minimal people have spoke words of encouragement, minimal people have reposted about Ava, her grant has not increased, fundraisers are not being participated in...these are the days when you can't help but wonder just who really cares! I am fully aware that I have a multitude of family and friends that do care and who are working to help get her home! To these people, and they know who they are...we will forever be grateful. These are the people that are doing all of the things mentioned above. That being said, what about the others? Have people became so self-absorbed and caught up in their own lives that they don't realize that children are dying that need them? Do they not realize that literally every penny counts in bringing Ava and children in her situation home. Even if you don't feel led to do something for Ava, please do something for one of these children...they need us all. In just 2010, we fully funded (ourselves) Gabby's adoption and we are funding a lot of this one! However, there is only so much we can do. We are saving literally pennies! We have went on a spending freeze not buying anything not necessary, we are using any and all resources we have to get her here. However, it's not enough...we need help...Ava needs help. We have worked our entire adult lives for lower-middle class pay and we have done every thing expected of us. We gave all of those earnings and savings to a precious baby girl in 2010 and we haven't regretted it for one second! If I had all of the money again, I'd be giving it away right now to go get Ava! Remember, most people can afford to raise children but I know very few that can drop more than $20,000 to go get one and then raise he/she. For everyone that thinks "if you can't afford to adopt her, how will you afford to raise her"....well here is one for you. Affording the utilities of maintaining a house that you rent is a common thing to be able to do, does that mean you have the money to go buy a house? NO! If it did, everyone would be home owners. It's two separate things. The point of this post mainly is to say PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT AVA! Please don't assume you can't help. There is a way for everyone to help and I do mean EVERYONE! Again, I am so incredibly thankful to those who have prayed, reposted about Ava, donated, fundraised, continue to fundraise, purchased from a fundraiser, donated items to auction off, sent encouraging comments, etc. We are so incredibly thankful that God has put you in our lives to help and that you have a heart for human kind outside of your immidiate family! I'd like to give a particularly special thanks to a new friend that found our blog in the beginning, Becky! Becky lives far from us, does not know us, has no obligation to us and yet she is 100% committed to helping us in any way she can to get Ava home. She has donated, posted on her blog about Ava, has offered items to sell for Ava (coming soon). Offered to sponsor Ava on her blog, etc. This woman is incredible and does things as she feels led to do them. I think we could all take a page from her book, including myself. Thank you Becky and thank you to everyone helping bring Ava home!!! We love you all! We are at a training for work right now in Nashville but as soon as we get home and settled in, I am going to fix my blog to where there are links to our fundraisers easily accessible at all times..so please keep an eye out!

~Rada Cutlery Fundraiser~

I'm so excited about this our new fundraiser to help bring Ava home!  The fundraiser is through Rada Cutlery. They have a huge selection of kitchen ware, candles, cookbooks, men's sporting knives, etc. There is something for everybody. We recieve 40% of the proceeds towards Ava's adoption! With mother's day around the corner,this would be the perfect fundraiser to purchase from...sure to impress your mom, grandmother,wife, anyone for that matter.

The link to our fundraiser is:

http://helpourfundraiser.com

The internet ordering number is 503880

The password is avapreslei

THANK YOU All so much.

~One less birthday forgotten~

This Thursday is my 28th birthday! Being that we are not allowed to announce Ava's birthday (we only know the month and year anyways...not the date), I would like to use my birthday as a celebratory day for her birthday! I'm asking that anyone reading this please donate $28 for my 28th birthday as all I want or need is to get Ava home!!! Also, she will not have any type of recognition or celebration outside of what we are doing here (which she will not know about) on her birthday this year. However, LORD WILLING and with your donations, she will be partying next year on her birthday!!! As of now, to her, a birthday only means the day she was abandoned for not being good enough in her own country!!! Please help us to change this and get her home!!!  Obviously, any amount of donation is appreciated and much needed!!! This is just something we are asking everyone to participate in for this week as it could help really make a HUGE difference in her grant and in getting her home.  Consider splitting your donation with a family member or two if you want to donate the $28 and can't.  Also, PLEASE repost this as many times as you can throughout this week and let's see if we can't make a difference for Ava on this birthday so that next birthday she will know just how many people really did care when she was in the orphanage!!!! Thank you all so much!!! You can donate by clicking the donate button above Or By contacting me and asking for a mailing address to mail a check or money order to! 

~FIVE for FRIDAY~

Five for Five Friday!!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP US REACH THIS GOAL TODAY!!! Five for Five Friday has extra important value this week!!!! The goal of Five for Five Friday is for someone to contact five of their family members, friends, facebook friends, church members, colleagues, etc and get each of them to donate $5 with you (making the total donation between the five of you $25).  If we can get just 10 people to successfully contact five people to share their donation (total of $25).... WE WILL BE HITTING A BIG STEP...we will have hit the $2,000 range in Ava's grant!!!! Obviously, this works if just 10 people donate $25 as well.  And of course, all donations (whether you participate in this or not) and every penny counts toward achieving our goal for today and our goal of saving Ava and bringing her home!!!! You can donate by going clicking the donate button on this page!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help is reach this goal today!!!!! PLEASE repost this throughout the day, I'd greatly appreciate it!! THANK YOU

~Late night/early morning thinking~

As I sit here at 2:00 a.m. unable to sleep, so many things are running through my head. Ava (Yulia's) grant has made a wonderful start and we are so appreciative for all who have made this happen thus far.  I've tried repeatedly to reinforce that no amount of donation is too small to help bring this child home! This sweet girl has been in our hearts for so long and the thoughts of her being anywhere other than with us is nearly unbearable! That being said, we are so thankful, really thankful isn't a sufficient enough word to describe the gratitude to all who have donated, participated in helping us fundraise, purchased from a fundraiser, shared our story, etc.  I noticed earlier that people from across the United States and even outside of the United States are sharing our story through their blogs. Thank you!

I'm thinking back to just a couple of weeks ago when I was in my kitchen doing absolutely nothing to trigger any emotions when I just started crying and feeling overwhelmed with saddness for a child that I knew was ours and basically being held captive in another country where a large percentage of the population is unwilling to accept her for who she is and give her a chance at life.  I am so very thankful that we have been to this orphanage and we know their are some loving caregivers at this orphanage who do their best to take care of the children. However, I want her home! I want to watch her sleeping peacefully as I am watching Gabby right now. I want to know that her little tummy is full and she is not thirsty. I want to know that if she gets sick she will get cared for.  In addition to all of this, I want her to know that someone loves her! I want her to feel her daddy's arms around her and know that everything is going to be alright FINALLY. I want her to hear her momma singing to her and rocking her to sleep. MOST OF ALL, I want her to see the precious little face of the little girl she knew before we even knew, our sweet Gabby. I want her to see her SISTER!  I want to watch them be happy together and not have to worry ever again if someone will come for them to save them.

Gabby has been such a blessing to our family. As a matter of a fact, Gabby has made our family! Anyone that meets her knows how precious she is and even people who haven't met her love her! This little girl brought a whole new light into our family and even our town.  Now our sweet Ava is stealing hearts as well.  There are so many children in this world needing families.  Special needs children are very dear to my heart.  After Ava's adoption, my plan is to make myself available and useful to families who are choosing to adopt special needs children. 

I know I am rambling on but its really all I can do.  I love Gabby more than life itself and I have the best husband that anyone could ask for, but we are missing a big piece of our family and we need help bringing her home!  Alot of people I am sure are probably wondering or are judging and saying, "if you can't afford to adopt her then you don't need to be doing it" or "if you can't afford to adopt her, how will you afford to raise her?" To me, anyone who has said this or asks this obviously has not thought what they are saying through before they say it.  For instance, if you have a child right now, chances are you are raising them just fine and can meet all of their daily needs. Now what if someone ask you to drop $20-25,000 dollars out of no where to keep them or in Gabby's case it was $35,000. You'd be doing exactally what we and many other adopting families are doing, fundraising! Charities all over the world fundraise for their cause and our cause is to save this child's life and reunite her with her "meant to be sister" so obviously we are going to fundraise.

Jason and I have always believed in giving our 10% and for the most part of our lives together we have given at least this to different causes and sometimes churches.  We have always felt more led to give our tithes to something near and dear to our hearts and to something we felt led to give to. We hope that you will pray about Ava (Yulia) and if you are led to give to her, please do so to bring her home!

To those we don't know that have been donating...THANK YOU! Please feel free to message or comment me anytime! We are thrilled that our story and these sweet girls have touched your hearts enough for you to be so generous! Please don't forget us throughout your day to day lives. Pray for us and as you feel led, continue to support our efforts! THANK YOU

~Tutu Dress & Tutu Fundraiser~

ATTENTION MOMS, AUNTS, GRANDMOTHERS, OR ANYONE that has a little princess in their lives :) Kasey Creech has graciously donated this tutu dress to benefit Ava's adoption! The bidding on the dress will need to begin at $15 and will start now! We will end the bidding on Sunday 4-22-12 at 9:00 p.m and the highest bidder will be the winner. If you live in the Harlan County area, arrangements for pick up can be made, if you live outside of the Harlan County area a shipping charge will apply. This cute (country stye tutu dress) is a size 5/6!You will need to bid by commenting on this post or my fb. Thank you!

ATTENTION MOMS, AUNTS, GRANDMOTHERS, OR ANYONE that has a little princess in their lives :) Kasey Creech has graciously donated this tutu to benefit Ava's adoption! The bidding on the tutu will need to begin at $15 and will start now! We will end the bidding on Sunday 4-22-12 at 9:00 p.m and the highest bidder will be the winner. If you live in the Harlan County area, arrangements for pick up can be made, if you live outside of the Harlan County area a shipping charge will apply. This adorable tutut is a one size fits all but fits a 3-8 best! You will need to bid by commenting on this post or my fb. THANK YOU!

~Today's Update~

Just wanted to thank those who have donated today and participated in the "Two 4 Tuesday" challenge. I don't know who you were (unless you were one of the ones that told me) but thank you. I will get a list of donors this Friday and send a thank you post out :) Also, thank you to whoever it was that just ordered form our celebrating homes fundraiser!!! Remember you, can order from this wonderful selection by going to http://www.celebratinghome.com/Fundraiser/1205/FR_CampaignReport.aspx We receive 50% of whatever you spend and you get beautiful home decor and more :) Also, this was today's challenge and it's not over yet :) ~Two 4 Tuesday~ Today's challenge is simple. Call up or message a family member or friend and ask if they mind matching your donation of just $2, making a total donation of just $4 between the two of you. If enough people do this, we could see baby Ava (Yulia)'s fund increase today. Even if only one person does this then we have made progress for the day :) You can donate by going to my blog and clicking the donate button. You can still participate in this challenge even if you don't have a debit or credit card, by contacting me and asking about sending a check or money order. Please consider donating to Ava (Yulia)'s fund! Donations and fundraising will be primarily the support needed to bring her home. P.S this challenge can be done with any amount and you don't have to have someone to match your amount. All donations are greatly appreciated and much needed!!!

~Two for Tuesday~

~Two 4 Tuesday~ Today's challenge is simple. Call up or message a family member or friend and ask if they mind matching your donation of just $2, making a total donation of just $4 between the two of you. If enough people do this, we could see baby Ava (Yulia)'s fund increase today. Even if only one person does this then we have made progress for the day :) You can donate by going to my blog and clicking the donate button. You can still participate in this challenge even if you don't have a debit or credit card, by contacting me and asking about sending a check or money order. Please consider donating to Ava (Yulia)'s fund! Donations and fundraising will be primarily the support needed to bring her home. P.S this challenge can be done with any amount and you don't have to have someone to match your amount. All donations are greatly appreciated and much needed!!

~I was praying YOU would read this~

Yes YOU!!!! How do I know you you are? I don't! However, I'm searching for YOU. The person who will unselfishly put aside something they wanted or caught their eyes today and please donate to Ava's grant!!! Our baby girl is undoubtfully in that crib as we speak WAITING!!! Just waiting on someone to pick her up, sit her down and play with her, let her run free for just a while, feed her, hug her, change her diaper (if they have any to change her with), and most importantly she is waiting on a family to do all of those things for her and with her. I hope and pray that YOU will make a difference in her waiting today by donating any amount! We are working so hard to do everything we can to get her here and we will continue to do this until she is here but we need YOUR help!! Please don't wait to help, she has waited long enough. We need families who are willing to stick this journey out with us and be there for us to support us through the entire journey!!! We are grateful to everyone who has helped in ANY way but please don't stop now, not with so much more work to be done! This adoption is going to take many months to complete and we need to be fundraising and gathering donations throughout every minute of it to make it possible to bring that little face home!! If their is anything you can do (donating, fundraising, donating items to auction, praying, spreading the word, fundraising ideas, etc) PLEASE contact me. Her waiting in her little crib in her country is no different than of you were to pass her on the street alone in a crib waiting. You wouldn't leave her there so please don't leave her now!!! Thank you all so much!!!

~Update on Auctions~

We will be ending the bid on the Mary Kay Basket and the fourth of July tutu tomorrow, Sunday 4-15-12 at noon! The primitive blanket bidding will end on Monday 4-16-12 at noon! Please bid while its still available! Thank you so much!

**See previous posts for bidding by clicking on the titles to the left of this post. THANKS!

~FOURTH OF JULY TUTU AUCTION~

ATTENTION MOMS, DADS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS, or FRIENDS of a little princess!!!!!! Lets start the bidding on this gorgeous fourth of july tutu and bow at $30.  Christy Cobb Wilkinson has very thoughtfully contacted Andrea Helton Simpson who donated this beautiful tutu and bow to auction off to help bring Ava home!!!!  We will begin the bidding now and we will end the bidding next Friday 4-20-12 at 9:00 p.m. unless we reach a really high bid (in which case we will give 24 hours notice that the auction will end in 24 hours) so that everyone has time to bid what they would like to bid.  Each bid will need to be increased by $3 from the previous bid. You can bid by commenting on facebook or on this blog. This is a ridiculously cute tutu for the fourth of july and trust me (it will be here before you know it). When the auction is over, you will need to contact Andrea to let her know the size you need. Let the bidding begin and thanks so much!!!!!

Update: Kasey Creech bid $30 on 4-12-12 at 3:43 p.m. via fb.

Update: Michelle Green bid $40 on 04-14-12 at 12:30 p.m. via fb.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: We will be ending the bid on this tutu tomorrow (Sunday 4-15-12 at noon)!!! Please bid while it is still available!!!!

~Just Rambling On~

We just wanted to say THANK YOU to Sarah Peters and her husband for their very generous donation we recieved in the mail yesterday! Seeing and hearing the support we are recieving to help bring Ava home is overwhelming and very touching!  Also, this week, we recieve other donations online although I will not recieve the list of who those were from until next Friday, but THANK YOU in advance!
We are so blessed to have so many people supporting us on this journey and to know that so many people care about this little girl's well being! We have a wonderful group of women that are working hard to sell Celebrating Home items as a fundraiser, people are purchasing items from this fundraiser, Eva Bargo McCoig donated a Mary Kay Basket that we are currently auctioning off, Snobia Brock donated a quilt that we are currently auctioning off, people are bidding on these items (which is a great help), many people have donated, many people have donated time to help fundraise, and many people are PRAYING!
Just in case you are wondering what we are doing, I'll tell you! So far we have completed the homestudy application and paid the $50 fee out of our pocket, we have completed all of the homestudy (visits) not report, one requiring travel, the fees for this will be due in the next week or so of $1,500 in which we will be paying out of our pocket, we have been gathering loads of paperwork required for the homestudy, we completed the application process and commitment process through Reece's Rainbow and paid this fee $1,305.00 total (we paid this out of pocket already). We have mailed in our TN Bureau Criminal Background checks and paid $58.00 out of pocket. We have completed LOADS of paperwork and still have much much more to do! We have spent a small fortune on mailing things and so forth. We have managed to get our immigration fee put back which will come later on in a couple of months (over $800). Jason and Gabby have had their medical visits for the homestudy and we have paid for those (mine is on Tuesday). We have been spending alot of time keeping track of all of the fundraising and coordination of everything going on with this adoption. And obviously we have been continuing to work our jobs, raise Gabby, and do our best attempt and keeping up with everyday life.  I tell you all this so that you can see we are extremely busy and we have already spent alot of money!  We should be able to pay for all of the things from here until time to travel (BUT THEN COMES THE BIG PAYMENTS) this is when the $9,000 facilitation fee and approximately $5-6,000 in traveling expenses will come (not counting plane tickets, which we are going to do our best to cover).
As you can see, WE NEED HELP TO SAVE AVA! Its impossible for us to do alone. So far, everyone has been incredible. If we keep this same pace up, she will be home no problem. However, this is a long process and will take 6 to 7 months to complete. Our fear is having others not be as patient as what we have to be. We appreciate everyone's support but please understand we need ALL OF YOU throughout this ENTIRE process! We need our people that are fundraising to be available to fundraise throught the process, our people donating to continue doing what they can when they can, etc...Basically, we need people to commit to helping bring Ava home the way we have committed to actually bringing her home! 
Some of the ways you can help:
(1.) Please pray for Ava!!! Pray she is being well taken care of and that she will be ok until we can get to her. Pray that all of our efforts to bring her home pay off!
(2.) Donate: You can donate ANY AMOUNT thorugh our blog or you can message me and ask for our address if you dont have a debit or credit card. ALL donations are tax deductible as Reece's Rainbow is a non-profit agency and we are using their services.
(3.) Purchase or bid from a fundraiser:
       -Celebrating homes fundraiser (we get 50% of total sells profit):
 http://www.celebratinghome.com/fundraiser/1205/OnlineFundraiserHome.aspx
You can purchase directly from the link above and have it shipped to your house or ask me about one of the sells reps that might live close to you in which you can purchase from a book.
       -Bid on our current auction for the Mary Kay Basket  or Primitive Quilt (ask me about how to do both)
(4.) Participate in helping to sell fundraising items, reposting status, telling family and friends, informing your church of the situation, etc. (word of mouth can go a long way).
(5.) Ask your employer for a matching grant, donation of funds, donation of items or services that we can auction, etc (Remember, a company will sometimes make large contributions to non-profit organizations because that can be a big tax break for them).
(6.) If you have anything that you can donate that we can auction or sell chances on that would be greatly appreciated.
(7.) We need people who can make dinners and sell them around Harlan (could you do this)?
(8.) We need people to check with businesses to see if they would be interested in contributing to the cause (could you do this)?
WE appreciate ANY efforts!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

~Mary Kay & Primitive Blanket Auction Fundraiser~

ATTENTION: MARY KAY Silent Auction FUNDRAISER!! This fundraiser is to benefit Ava's adoption. This Mary Kay basket includes the satin hands set, 2 in 1 body wash and shave, velocity facial cleaner and moisturizer, eye makeup remover, ultimate mascara, chocolate kiss eyeshadow and pink diamonds lip gloss (if you were to buy all of this you would pay $119). Our starting bid will need to start at $50 that is less than half of the value!!!! Each bid will need to increase from the previous bid by a minimum of $3. All bids will need to be placed by commenting on my blog or facebook. I will keep you updated through my status and through my blog. The bidding for this product will end on Friday 4-20-12 at 10:00 p.m. where the highest bidder will be the winner! You will be provided with multiple payment options at that time. Remember bidding doesn't mean that you have to submit payment as you bid, bidding means you are attempting to outbid others to win in the end. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider participating in this wonderful fundraiser for a great cause. Thank you so much!!!!

Update: The starting bid of $50 was made on 4-11-12 at 8:25 p.m. by Rachel High via my fb page.

Update: Allison Tuinstra bid $53 on 4-11-12 at 8:47 p.m. via The Reece's Rainbow Forum.

Update: Natasha Burgess bid $56 on 4-11-12 at 9:02 p.m. via fb.

Update: Rachel High bid $60 4-11-12 at 9:04 p.m. via fb.

Update: Natasha Burgess $65 4-11-12 at 9:09 p.m. via fb.

Update: Rachel High bid $70 4-12-12 at 1:00 p.m. via fb.

UPDATE:  We will be ending the bid on the Mary Kay Basket tomorrow, Sunday 4-15-12 at noon! Please bid whle this is still available! Your going to get an awesome deal on the basket!!!!

Attention all PRIMITIVE ladies!!! This blanket, donated by Snobia Brock from her primitive shop (which has beautiful decor), is going up for bidding starting right now. The starting bid will need to be $35 and each bid will need to be raised a minimum of $3 from the previous bid. The bidding will end next Friday 4-20-2012 at 10:00 p.m. The person with the highest bid at 10:00 p.m. will be the winner. Upon that time, I will contact you to give you multiple payment options and we will arrange pick up or delivery.  This is a beautiful blanket and is 100% cotton so it is made really good! This would be the perfect couch or bed throw or would be perfect to sit on a primitive bench. You need to bid by commenting on this status, the picture, or my blog. I will keep it updated regularly. 100% of the proceeds will go to our adoption so this is the perfect way to contribute to the adoption and decorate your home! Also, please remember, their is more beautiful items just like this at Snobia's shop! Let the bidding begin and good luck! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Update: Autumn Couch bid $35 on 4-13-12 at 12:57 a.m. via fb.

Update: Amber Nolan bid $40 on 4-13-12 at 1:09 p.m. via fb.

UPDATE:  We will be ending the bid on the Primitive Blanket Monday 4-16-12 at noon! Please bid whle this is still available!

~Amazing~

TODAY was an AMAZING day! Today we finished the last visit of our homestudy.  Obviously, we have to wait for clearances and other paperwork to come in before our homestudy report can be drafted, but HUGE progress was made today!  In addition to finishing up the homestudy visits, we had an amazing day as far as donations! We were very blessed to have found a lady who's company that she works for has a matching grant program.  This company is able to match her $500 donation (although it takes 6 weeks to process).  Also, we recieved an additional $250 in donations from someone or a few people.  I am only able to recieve reports every other week regarding who our donors are (to avoid aggrevating our already too busy facilitation team).  Remember, funds donated to Ava (Yulia's) grant aren't given to us until we recieve a travel date (which is many many many months away).  However, this will be the time when the majority of the large fees are due so it works out perfectly.  Days like today give us such encouragement and reassurance that trusting in God to provide for what seems to be at times impossible, is the only way to get through this! Thank you all for working so hard to help us bring this sweet girl home to her family!

~Sylvia~

Celebrating Home Fundraiser

Please consider purchasing from our celebrating home fundraiser. We receive half of the profit towards Ava's adoption!!!! Plus, it's a great way to style up your home :) http://www.celebratinghome.com/fundraiser/1205/OnlineFundraiserHome.aspx Also, remember, you can view all posts, beginning to end by clicking older posts or clicking the titles to the left Of this paragraph :) THANK YOU!!!!

~Daily Challenge/Goal~

Today's challenge/goal: FIVE for FIVE Friday! Call up or message five of your family members and/or friends and ask if they will donate $5 to Ava (Yulia)'s grant. If you can do this, for every person that successfully does this, Ava's fund will increase by $25!!! If enough people do this, we could see a dramatic change in her grant today! Remember, it is going to take advocating for this child daily to be able to bring her home!!! Yes, adoption takes a while but we are going to need a while to save and raise thousands of dollars so we must stay vigilant!! Thank you all for your help and I hope to be able to help each of you one day in something you do or need...maybe even saving a child to bring into your family :)

~The Reality of A Special Needs Child or Orphan in Eastern Europe~

The reality of a special needs child in Eastern Europe is much different than that of a special needs child in America!  The harsh reality is that a child with special needs in Eastern Europe is most times thought of as a burden to a family that has very little means to provide and no health care.  Most, pretty much all, of these children will be sent to orphanages where they will remain there until around the age of 4 where they will be sent to or scheduled to be sent to an institution where they will most likely continue to decline or die.  These children are underfed, under-weight, and under-loved!!!! THEY NEED US! They sit there day in and day out, WAITING on a mommy and daddy who will come to rescue them from what lies ahead!  PLEASE help us to save one of these children. Our little Ava (Yulia) has spent far too long waiting! I remember seeing Gabby for the first time.  When they placed her in my arms, her pale skin was striking!  She had bald spots in her head, she was tiny, and starving!  She was sick and not recieving any care whatsoever!  The thoughts of Ava being in the very same shape right now is terrifying! PLEASE HELP! She doesn't have to keep waiting! Remember, donations through Reeces Rainbow (click our donate button about) are taxe deductable!!!! If you can help, please do so! You wont find a better way to contribute!!!! THANKS SO MUCH!

~I Remember~

Its amazing how I had forgot just how busy the process of an international adoption was. I hadn't totally forgot but I had forgot alot.  This one is so much more busy than the last one, mostly in part because of fundraising and the urgent need to gather the funds for the adoption.  Between the homestudy paperwork, dossier paperwork, fundraising, making boxes to set out in places for donations, creating everything I need for each fundraiser, calling places for fundrasing ideas, etc (the list could go on and on and on), I am busy all of the time and even find myself dreaming about doing these things.  Not to mention keeping up a business, home, and raising a child!  I wont lie, this process is VERY hard and VERY stressful but it is so worth it in the end to have saved a life and added an addition to the family.  We are doing everything within our power to ensure Ava (Yulia) will be brought home!  THANKFULLY, we have people who have donated, and who are donating their time and efforts for fundraising! We appreciate each and everyone of you and just know that none of this would be possible without God or you all!  For everyone reading please consider donating or purchasing from a fundraiser!  Thank you so much!

~Sylvia~

~TuTu Cute Fundraiser~

Thanks to a very generous facebook friend (Norma Pittman) we now have the cutest little tutu up for auction!  Norma has agreed to allow the highest bidder to pick the colors and obviously size can be adusted. So if you have a little princess for this tutu or know of anyone who has one, please consider bidding today on this adorable 3 piece outfit that includes the tutu and two hair pieces.  The picture below is a sample (you can order this one in the size you need, or change the colors).  Bids are starting at $15 and each bid will require a $2 increase from the previous bid (example: the first bid should be for $15 and the next $17 and the next $19, etc). You can bid as much as you'd like as long as you bid the minimum $2 increase.  This is a WONDERFUL way to contribute to saving a life and you get something for your own little princess or someone else's princess!!! So lets get the bid going!!! You will need to submit your bid by commenting either on my blog or on my facebook post.  Once you have been declared the highest bidder you will it will be announced and we ask that you submit payment through the donate button located on my blog using a debit or credit card. If you need to mail you payment using a check or money order that is fine too but the making of your tutu cannot begin until payment is recieved.  Please pass this along to as many people as you can.  The bidding will begin now and end tonight at midnight if we reach a minimum of twenty five dollars on the bid.  If we have not reached a minimum of $25 on the bidding at midnight we will extend it until midnight tomorrow night.  The highest bidder at the ending time will be the winner!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Here is the sample!!! (Remember you can get this one or create your own colors)

~ Two 4 Tuesday~

Today's challenge is simple. Call up or message a family member or friend and ask if they mind matching your donation of just $2, making a total donation of just $4 between the two of you.  If enough people do this, we could see baby Ava (Yulia)'s fund increase today.  Even if only one person does this then we have made progress for the day :)  You can donate by clicking the donate button at the top right of the page.  You can still participate in this challenge even if you don't have a debit or credit card, by contacting me and asking about sending a check or money order.  Please consider donating to Ava (Yulia)'s fund! Donations and fundraising will be primarily the support needed to bring her home.

~WHAT A CUTIE~

                                   Oh my goodness..Look at this picture of our sweet Ava Preslei (Yulia)

This could mean she would be walking by now!!!! :)  Not sure where she would have got such a cute dress.  Probably donations, as the orphange has minimal clothing for the children and usually the girls and boys switch out clothing. Can't wait to see those white cheeks get a little color to them!!!

~Sylvia~

~SO THANKFUL~

I can't tell you just how thankful I am today! I'm thankful to GOD to be alive, for my family to be healthy and happy, and for his guidance throughout life and this adoption.  I'm also thankful that we were able to commit to Ava ("Yulia)! I'm thankful that she was posted to the RR website today and our family sponsorship page was set up. I'm thankful to the couple of people who donated today!  As I sit here and watch Gabby sleep, I can't help but be emotional and so very thankful for her!!! She has been the greatest blessing of my life. People tell me all the time how we saved her and I can't help but think of how she also saved us!  She changed our lives and made us have a whole new perspective on life. She has taught us so much so fast.  I also can't help but to think about our other sweet girl an ocean away! Is she sleeping right now? Is she wondering where her daddy and mommy are? Is she hungry? Is she crying? Is she sick? So much goes through my head, not just for her but for all of the babies.  It seems so unreasonable to think that these babies have to lie there and go through what they go through with so many of us able to change their lives.  Sometimes I wonder if people take the time to think about how much they really can do instead of what they can't do. If you can pray, if you can send a message or comment, if you can repost a message to spread the word, if you can help fundraise, if you can participate/buy from a fundraiser, if you can even donate a $1 you have contributed!  Everything counts!!!!  I've had people tell me that I am going to make myself miserable if I keep thinking about "those orphans" all the time.  Well, "those orphans" are human, they are babies, and they need us.  I don't understand how you can ignore the facts once their eyes have been opened to the harsh reality that lies ahead of these precious children.  If you have been blessed with a healthy and happy family, please take time to make a difference. 

~Sylvia~