~Memorial Day~ Ipad Giveaway, Blankets, Painting~

As yesterday was a day that  many of us celebrated and remember all of the men and women who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, we also remembered all of our loved ones we've lost througout the years. For me that involved, my dad, granny, grandfather, cousins, and friends! Somehow, more sadly than all of those I couldn't help but think about all of the children that are dying on a daily basis around the world, waiting for families to come for them! There are so many things we cannot control in life and death is often one of them.  While it is true we cannot control death...in a weird kind of way...in regards to orphans we can control it somewhat! These children ARE dying everyday that they don't have a family to care for them. Everyday that passes, is a day that is closer to them being institutionalized, therefore shortening their lives by MANY MANY years!!! That being said the quicker we can find families to come for them, or help committed families to go get them...we are SAVING THEIR LIVES!!!

If you'd like to help our family go get/save our second child, we would greatly appreciate it! Our girls lived in the orphanage together and need to be reunited as soon as possibly. Our little one (Ava) that is still in the orphange is turning 3 in a couple of weeks and at the age of 4 they begin considering institutionalizing these children!  Being our family just adopted Gabby less than two years ago, we must have helping bringing Ava home!!! Raising a child at home is much different in regards to funding as compared to coming up with thousands just to get them home! Here are some of the ways you can help now....and in return get some fabulous stuff!!!

IPAD GIVEAWAY!!!!

Our ipad giveaway is going on right now and will last until June 15th!

Find the details here: http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/ipad-giveaway_15.html

Also don't forget that when you donate $35 or more for the ipad giveaway you will get a FREE handmade baby blanket made by myself. See samples below. I can do customized colors and characters :) You must tell me by message, comment, or email at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com that you wish to receive a blanket.  Look how adorable!!!

ORIGINAL UKRAINIAN PAINTING!!!

This is a painting that our facilitator has donated to us to help us with the cost of our adoption. If you would like to win this painting please see our ipad giveaway link above. The same rules apply to the painting regarding sharing this with friends and donating for entries into the giveaway! This is a beautiful painting for anyone to own. Especially the parents of little ones from Ukraine!

In addition to everything listed above, we have a list of fundraisers on the right side of our blog. If you have any questions in regards to any fundraiser, you can email me at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

~FREE BABY BLANKET~& the iPad giveaway

You read correctly :) with your donation of $35 or more to our sweet Ava's grant or chip-in you will receive a free baby blanket :) Your choice of a boy or girls's blanket! Also, you will receive multiple entries into our IPAD GIVEAWAY that is going on now until June 15th.  Go here: http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/ipad-giveaway_15.html for more iPad information or scroll down my blog and click the picture of the iPad on the right. Just think of what all you would be doing!!! You would be helping to reunite our girls, save a life (Ava), receiving a free baby blanket, and receiving multiple chances to possibly win an IPad. Some people have even donated to receive the blanket, only to request that the blanket be sent to another adopting family as a gift for their child!!! Talk about giving!!! I hope you will consider donating and helping us to bring Ava home! Even of you don't less than $35 you can receive IPad giveaway entries for as little as $5, again refer to the iPad giveaway post. Thank you all so much!!!

~IPad Giveaway~ Free Blanket!!!

Please don't forget our IPAD GIVEAWAY going on NOW! Just a little more than 3 weeks until the winner is picked!!! A donation of just $5 gets you one entry. I know my most recent posts have mostly been about the iPad giveaway but that is because we are depending on this fundraiser to provide some major funding for Ava! Refer to this post for the iPad giveaway complete information: Or scroll down my blog and click on the picture of the iPad on the right side :) Let me just point out that anyone that makes a donation of $35 or more will not only get all of their entries into the giveaway but also a FREE handmade baby blanket (boy or girl, your choice)just for donating! I'll ship it to you for free as well (anywhere in the US). Please email me at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com to let me know of you would like a blanket for your donation of $35 or more. I prefer donations to be given to the chip-in, however if your preference is the donation button for the grant through RR to receive a tax deductible reciept, that is completely fine and very much appreciated :) Thank you all!!!

~Something for everybody~

There is truly something in our fundraisers for everyone!!! IPAD GIVEAWAY! You don't want to miss getting your entry into this giveaway! Somebody is going to win this NEW IPAD with wifi and 4G!!! Giveaway ends June 15, 2012 and a winner will be drawn on recording and posted :) Also, the next person to donate $30 or more gets a FREE blanket for a little girl that I handmade :) never been used! Email me for pictures :) you still get the iPad entries as well!!! AVON FUNDRAISER! (something for everyone here definitely....shampoo, conditioner, lotion, makeup,perfume, cologne, deodorant, clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, etc..mostly stuff you by all the time and not just for women) VELATA FUNDRAISER! (chocolate)   (click join party beside of "journey to reunite two angels" Wo doesn't love chocolate!!! RADA FUNDRAISER! (cutlery & kitchen items) (type Internet ordering number " 503880" and password " avapreslei " for us to receive credit) You can't beat these prices anywhere, especially for the quality!You can never have too many kitchen supplies :) also, they have knives, etc for men!!! THIRTY-ONE FUNDRAISER! (totes, personalized items) (click "my parties" then click "shop now" by the adoption fundraiser event) Awesome, personalized totes and an unbelievable price. Spend $30 and your next item is 30% off! CELEBRATING HOME FUNDRAISER! (candles and other home accessories) One of my favorites outside of Avon! The candles smell great and inviting. They make beautiful gifts as well. Plus we get 50% ROSARY FUNDRAISER!!! (shop at my friend Becky's etsy shop, purchase a rosary, and we receive 15% for the month of May) You don't have to be Catholic to see the beauty in these gorgeous, handmade rosaries! Told you there was something for everyone!

~A dose of reality~

I do not make these posts to ruin your day and I do know all to well the pain that comes with seeing pictures like these. Sometimes people would prefer not to know or see what goes on in the world around them, however, that doesn't make it go away...it just keeps you and many others unaware. Unawareness equals not doing anything to prevent what's going on.

The little girl pictured was a beautiful and healthy girl waiting for a family. A family never went for her and so she went to the institution...you can see what happened from there :(

This is why we CANNOT allow this to happen to Ava! I've said this before but I will say it again because I want to be sure everyone reads it and fully understands! This would have been Gabby's reality had we not went for her and this will be Ava's reality if we ALL don't do something about it. We need help friends, we don't have thousands of dollars so shortly after Gabby's adoption to do this on our own. We will give all the money we have, we will fundraise tirelessly, we will stay in Ukraine for a month to bring her home, we will raise her, care for her, fund her entire life once she is home, and love her.....but we have to get her here first and in order to do that...we need you!

PLEASE, see that this is nothing to ignore or put off! PLEASE donate today!

If you do, there are perks in addition to saving a life you could win an IPAD!!! A NEW iPad with wifi and 4G!!!

Go here http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/ipad-giveaway_15.html

Also, I have fundraisers listed all down the right side of my blog. One of my favorites is the Avon fundraiser because you buy things you use everyday and will need to buy anyway (shampoo, conditioner, lotions, makeup, clothes, shoes, jewelry, the list goes on and on) plus your helping bring home Ava!
Go here
http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/avon-fundraiser_15.html

THANK YOU ALL!
~Sylvia~

~If you'd like to see these two girls brought back together~

Then PLEASE help! The two most important ways you can help right now are listed below! They are awesome fundraisers for ANYONE and couldn't be more AFFORDABLE! First is the IPAD GIVEAWAY!!! Who doesn't want an IPAD, and to get one for just $5 would be insane!!! :) you can even enter this giveaway be sharing it on fb, twitter, etc.

Click here for information on the IPAD GIVEAWAY :
http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/ipad-giveaway_15.html

Second is our AVON fundraiser! Whether you are a woman, man, or child...there is something for you in AVON! Avon's prices are ridiculously cheap (better than most if not all department stores! If you buy shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, lotion, creams, makeup, clothes, jewelry, shoes, purses, baby items, etc.....you can buy from Avon and help bring our girl's back together! Next order is due on 5-22-2012

Click here for information in the AVON fundraiser:
http://journeytoreunitetwoangels.blogspot.com/2012/05/avon-fundraiser_15.html

THANK YOU ALL!

~Sylvia~

IPAD GIVEAWAY

IPAD GIVEAWAY!!! Here is your chance to get that IPAD you've been wanting! Plus you can help BRING TWO SWEET GIRLS BACK TOGETHER!!! Our daughters!!!

Details:

Donate:

$5= 1 entry up and 1 additional entry for every $5 (up to 15)

$20=5 entries

Each additional $5 donation in addition to the $20 gets you an additional entry!

$50=15 entries!!!

Each additional $5 donation in addition to the $50 gets you an additional entry.

$100= 50 entries!!!

Each additional $5 donation in addition to the $100 gets you two additional entries.

*Another way to get an entry is to share this post on your blog, Facebook, twitter, or other means and gain 1 entry. (limited to one per week out of respect to monetary donors). You must email me jsgamiddleton@gmail.com a copy or tag me in however you share this.

All donations must be given via my "chip in button" on my blog (which goes directly to us now and is preferred) or the donate button on my blog which is linked to a tax deductible donation page through Reece's Rainbow. Remember that the chip in button is linked to paypal and will deduct 2.9% of your donation as well as .30 cent for paypal fees.

You must message or comment me afterwards so I know who gave the donation, else wise I will not know.

The winner will be announced when we draw on June 15th. The drawing will be recorded and posted :)


Thank you all and good luck!!!

Two 4 Tuesday!!!!! Please help reunite our girls!

~Two 4 Tuesday~

Two 4 Tuesday is something I have been doing for Ava's adoption fundraiser! Its really simple and when enough people do it, it helps tremendously!!!!

Basically, you contact by telephone, messaging, email, text, whatever a friend and see if they match your donation of just $2 making the total donation $4, hence two 4 Tuesday :) You can do this with any amount the $1, $10, whatever. We appreciate it all!

Please consider donating today! Her grant is at a stand still for the past little while and it would be really encouraging to see it move and get us that much closer to bringing her home! We have a long ways to go with fundraising and you can make a difference!!!

You can donate by:

clicking the donate or chip in button to donate. Remember donate button goes through Reece's Rainbow and is tax deductible. We do not receive this until it is time to go get her.

The chip in button goes directly to us to help toward current adoption costs and the costs of the stay in Ukraine to get her. Pay pal will however deduct 2.9% of your donation and .30 cent for their fees.

PLEASE, ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SEE OUR GIRLS REUNITED, HELP US MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

THANK YOU!

~Avon Fundraiser~

Please consider placing an Avon order.

You can shop for items at www.youravon.com/sylviamiddleton
You will need to write down your item numbers, names of items, and price and message me or email me at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com your order. You can have it shipped directly to you but we will get more of a percentage if you place your order to me this way so I can ship it to you and Avon doesn't have to process it.

Also, please consider ordering some of the items from the fundraising flyers! We automatically get 50% from these items to where as other items we get a percentage based upon our total order size in the end.  The flyers are listed below:

http://shop.avon.com/shop/flyersnew/cards/fundraising_bestof_front.html

http://shop.avon.com/shop/flyersnew/cards/sss_bug_guard_front.html

http://shop.avon.com/shop/flyersnew/cards/fundraising_color09_front.html

http://shop.avon.com/shop/flyersnew/cards/fundraising_naturals09_front.html

If you have children, you should really consider their BUG GUARD. It's wonderful! Its good for you too :)

All orders are due in no later than 5-22-12 but the sooner you can get them to me the sooner I can begin organizing the order and preparing your invoice.

For those of you who ordered the last time, your orders are in and I will be shipping your orders to you tomorrow :) Thanks!

Also, father's day is just around the corner ;)

~Happy Mother's Day~

I would like to start off by wishing my mom and all of the other wonderful moms out there a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! May your day be blessed with lots of love, appreciation, hugs, and kisses. Oh yeah, and a lot less dishes and laundry haha!I am so blessed to be spending my second Mother's day with Gabby. She has been the greatest blessing of my life! A lot of people talk about the gift we gave her but really she gave us the best gift we could have ever ask for, being parents! She is such a treasure to be able to parent. Watching her grow and blossom into a beautiful and smart little girl is so rewarding! I thank God each and every day and night for giving making Gabby just for us! That being said, this is such a bitter-sweet day for me and many other mom's in the adoption process! While we are here with our children watching them smile and be loved, receiving special treatment of our own, we have another child across an entire ocean! This child is not receiving an extra attention, they are probably not receiving any attention at all as I type this. This child doesn't know the touch of a mother, they don't even know how hard we are fighting to being them home! It breaks my heart to know that Ava (Yulia) is probably lying in her crib watching minutes turn into hours that turn in to days and years that she still doesn't have a mother or family to hold her and nurture her to become all she can be! It shouldn't be this way and with your help, next Mother's day it won't be this way! With your donations and help in general we can get this child home so she doesn't have to ever wonder again why she doesn't have a mother!Please consider donating today in honor of Mother's day and giving Ava (Yulia) a mother! If you have a mother that you love and appreciate and/or you are a mother that adore your children and understand the importance of having yourself in their lives, please help give this to Ava (Yulia)!You can donate by clicking the donate button above which is tax deductible donations made to our sweet babies grant through Reece's Rainbow. This grant will be distributed to us before we leave to go get Ava (once travel dates have been given).You can also donate to our "chip-in" button above. This is a newer thing a have created that will allow donations to come to us now to help with adoption expenses that are current and in the future to help bring Ava home! If you choose this method, PayPal will deduct 2.9% and .30 cent from your donation for PayPal fees, however, we will receive your donation right then. You can also donate by mailing us a check or money order. Please email me at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com for further information.We appreciate anything you can give or do for us. Please refer to our previous post "How You Can Help" for further ways you can assist us! Thank you all! Now I will leave you with a poem I saw posted on another Mother's status today. Once there were two women, who never knew each otherOne you do not remember, the other you call MotherTwo different lives shaped to make you oneOne became your guiding star, the other became your sunThe first one gave you life, the other taught you to live itThe first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give itOne gave you a nationality, the other gave you a nameOne gave you talent, the other gave you aimOne gave you emotion, the other calmed your fearsOne saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tearsOne sought for you a home, that she could not provideThe other prayed for a child, and her hope was not deniedAnd now you ask me through your tears,The age-old question unanswered through the yearsHeredity or environment, which are you a product of?Neither my darling, neitherJust two different kinds of love.

~How You Can Help~

I just wanted to do a post for all of you wondering what fundraisers we have going on currently or wondering how you can help. Let me first of all start off by saying thank you to all of you that have helped thus far. May God bless each and everyone of you and your families and we pray and hope that you will continue to remember us throughout this adoption and give us your support as we NEED it and Ava desperately needs it!

How can you help?

(1.)  PRAY! Please pray for sweet Ava. Pray that she stays healthy and safe until we can get to her. Pray for the adoption process, that everything goes as smoothly as it can possible go. Pray for funding, that people will see the urgency in bringing Ava home and will generously support us. Pray for us, that we can do everything timely and correctly as well as stay emotionally sane throughout the process.

(2.)  DONATE! Your donations are ESSENTIAL in Ava coming home. Having adopting and spent our life savings and more on Gabby’s adoption less than two years ago makes it hard to save a lot in such short amount of time. This adoption is going to cost between $20-25,000. Of course we have paid the commitment fee, homestudy fees, and some other small fees. We also continue to pay fees. However, the big fee (facilitation fee of $9,000) and the travel expenses (estimated $5-6,000) will not be possible without your help! Remember, you can donate by clicking the “Donate” button on the right side of my blog! These donations are tax deductible through Reece’s Rainbow, so if you need a tax break for having to pay to much back, this is the perfect way to get it.  Be sure after you donate to either contact me and tell me you donated or watch the grant for the increase. If you don’t not see the grant increase and don’t want to tell me you have donated, you can contact Reece’s Rainbow and tell them.  You can also donate by mailing donations. Contact me for further information at jsgamiddleton@gmail.com

(3.)  CHIP-IN! I just recently created the “chip-in” button which is listed under the “donation” button. The “chip-in” button is used for you to donate when you want the money to go directly to us (not through Reece’s Rainbow) for the costs we are having to pay now! These donations are not tax deductible as they are not through Reece’s Rainbow.  However, they are much needed and greatly appreciated.  It is by no means required but we ask that you add 2.9% of the amount you are donating to your donation as well as .30 cent due to pay pal charges. For example ($5 donation would only show up as $4.50 because the 2.9% and .30 cent will be taken by paypal). This is not a significant difference, I only mention it so you are aware when you see it on the chip-in). The chip-in button is also used for people to pay for fundraisers (please contact me for approval of this before doing so regarding fundraisers).

(4.)  PURCHASE FROM A FUNDRAISER! We have a few different fundraisers going on. Some that will have end but revolving dates and some that will just be short fundraisers. Any fundraiser that we are doing will have a link on the right side of my blog to take you to it.  Please read any and all instructions for fundraisers before purchasing.  If you are ever unsure of how to proceed please contact me.

(5.)  HELP US FUNDRAISE! We have a few different people that have come together to help us fundraise. You can help to sell products of fundraisers that we have going either online or with brochures. You can come up with your own fundraiser to help (please seek approval first). You can donate items for auctions, giveaways, etc. You can be crafty in donate some of your crafts for bidding or giveaways. If you have a business or know someone who has a business that could help by donating a product to auction or giveaway or giftcards, that would be helpful. You can have a yard sale for Ava. You can have a bake sale. You can blog, yep that’s right, start your own blog to support our efforts to bring home Ava. You will be surprised at how much this will help and how many people will respond, plus its FUN. You could do this primarily for purposes of advocating for Ava or have your own family blog and post some about Ava on it, or place her button on your blog.

(6.)  SPREAD THE WORD! Yes friends, spreading the word does wonders!!! Tell your family, friends, church members, pastors, co-workers, employers, etc about this. Spread the word on facebook and twitter. Spread the word on your blog or create a blog. You never know who might be reading what you are writing and be inspired to help.

As you can see there are many many ways to help. There is something for everybody to do so please don’t move on past this post with emailing, commenting, or messaging me asking how you can help! Remember, my email is jsgamiddleton@gmail.com Thank you all!

~Sylvia~

~Avon Fundraiser~

If there is anyone wanting to order from AVON for our fundraiser, I have to have all orders by 05-07-12 (Monday night). Please check this out! It's all stuff that you can actually use and probably buy anyways from Walmart or a similar department store. This way you are buying it and 50% goes to our adoption because I am the representative doing the fundraiser! Also please view my website but do not submit your orders online!!! Message me on here, my personal fb, or email me at newhopeinterventions@yahoo.com . If I process the orders myself as oppose to Avon, I get a better percentage. You will need to add just $3 to your order for shipping, no matter the size of your order. I am going to set up a chip in button before or on Monday for payment or you can pay via money order by mail. In your order, please include the item number, name of product, quantity, and price. Thanks! http://www.youravon.com/sylviamiddleton Also, we have been trying our very best to get to $3,000 the past few days on our grant. We are only $118 away...can you help? Please :)you can donate above :) I will be out all day today fundraising, so I will answer any questions tonight when I get in. Thanks!

~The Mustard Seed~

Can you see that tiny spot in the palm of the hand above? The very small little thing is the mustard seed.  Incredibly small right? As a matter of fact, it would be easy to over look. While it is so easy to miss, you can also say it is very difficult to find! It seems strange that something could be so easy and difficult at the same time! Let me tell you it can be! I say this literally and spiritually! You see the Bible teachs us that all we need is faith the size of the mustard seed! That is it! However, sometimes that can be easier said than done.

The adoption process is a very emotionally draining process and therefore can even become physically draining!  Having to worry about the paper chasing, are you filling out the paperwork correctly, are you doing it fast enough, are you going to be fully funded, etc. This list could seriously go on and on. On top of all of the previously mentioned things, you have to continue to keep up with daily life! Its hard! This makes it hard sometimes to find your faith. Its there, you have it, but its just so diminished from worrying so much that its hard to find. 

A couple of nights ago I was organizing our fundraisers on the blog and as I was scrolling down the blog I seen something new. A new number that is! $2,882!!!! Someone or a few people had suddenly donated $505 to Ava (Yulia's) grant! As if this wasn't enough of a shocker, what had happened just before made it that much sweeter.

I had been reading the blogs of other adoptive families and I felt to help a few of them.  I kept telling myself that I couldn't do anything because I was trying to fund my own adoption.  However, after realizing the we could start donating our 10% (tithe) to some of the other families, I decided to help. Jason and I have always preferred to tithe to charities and things they we feel led to tithe to rather than give our money to something because of a requirement or expectation. My suggestion is always follow your heart and give when you feel to give to whatever or whoever you feel to give to.  That being said, we distributed our 10% amongst three different families with fundraising and donations.  No more than 10 minutes later we recieved the $505 donation listed above!!!!! I was speechless! That donation was just enough to give us the extra boost of encouragement we needed. Much more than the size of a mustard seed :) 

PLEASE understand that if you want to recieve, you must GIVE! It doesn't have to be to us, it doesn't have to be to your church, it just needs to be to a person or cause you you feel in your heart to give to!

And always remember, you only need faith the size of a mustard seed to see you through :)

I have full faith the we will get to the next step very soon and see $3,000 :)

~Sylvia~