Merry Christmas to all and to all a Bless Day

As I sit here looking at all the cookies, candy and cakes we made over the last few days in a matter of just one day it will all be eaten.  Hours and hours of planning on what food to prepare and sweet to cook everything is finally ready for our Blessed Day.  Earlier on this Christmas Eve Gary and I received the best gift ever photos of our two precious children Jake & Genie-Beane.  The days are quickly passing us buy and soon we will have them both home. 

On Christmas Day our local TV Station Channel 12 will air an Adoption Story of our children and our family trying to raise the funds to bring them both home. We currently need almost $20,000 to bring them home, most of this is remaining Agency Fee and the other Airline and travel fees.  Our prayers are that our local community will help us bring in the funds so we are able to travel in January or February.. If not we will have to wait and pray some more.

Our Lord has been so good to us through out this journey in our adoption.  But with so many obstacles fighting us along the way we have placed our Faith in knowing these children need us and we need them.
  I just had to post both their photos again because I was so happy to see them both.  I love these children and they are a big part of our family's hearts. We have now waited almost a Year & A Half since we committed to them.  And not one day we did not think of them both.  Many days I would wonder just what they were doing and how they were.  We were told that the caregivers moved their little beds side by side.  They have bonded so closely together I could not imagine them being separated from one another.  It is hard to know that this happens with a lot of brothers and sisters when they turn 4 they are divided and sent in opposite directions.  Hard enough being in an orphanage but being alone.  Brothers and sisters should stay together when all possible.  But in most countries funds and limited resources most of these little children suffer.  Especially the children that are special needs children.  CF is a serious condition and requires a lot attention and medical care.  Both children need constant around the clock medications and therapy.

We were ask during our interview "Why did you decide to adopt international and why these two children?"
Also knowing they had CF and can possibly die.  Why should these children suffer alone or die alone?   Especially when they can be loved and live a life being a child.  These children will now have parents older brothers and sisters they will be cherished and pampered.

In this world there are over 180 MILLION ORPHANS.  And now there are two less from this total.  Not just a number on a piece of paper but a child,  A Child of our Lord.  Believe me we are not rich nor close to being rich.  We set forward into this adoption with just a few dollars and each day paid what we could.  Daily we would pick pennies up to add to their Adoption Fund.  On weekends we started skipping eating out, cutting our own hair, clipping those coupons over and over.  This Christmas much of our presents we made by hand by knitting or sewing.  My hands some night hurt from knitting hats to sell for our hotel stay.  But we will get these funds some way some how.  As our family stands outside stores advocating for the remaining orphans we try to encourage other families into adopting.  I am a very strong supporter of adopting and also adopting families.

As the hours count down it is now Christmas in Bulgaria.  Our children...Let me retype this "OUR CHILDREN" lay asleep another Christmas waiting for their family to come get them.  Another Christmas

"Jake"

behind the walls of an orphanage.

"Genie-beane"

We sent two small monkey's for each of them. It was not much but probably all they received this Christmas.
Next Christmas we will be reading to both of them "The Story of Baby Jesus."  They will know the true meaning of Christmas and how our Lord brought us to them.  I know through Faith we were blessed to found our children.   I know in the days before we pick up these two children I will be so filled with Butterflies as I am today seeing their precious photos.  I only wished I could have been able to tuck them into bed and kiss them goodnight and whisper to each of them Merry Christmas.  There will be next year for kisses, bedtime stories and many nights of holding them tight.  But for now I send my prayers for them and a Merry Christmas.  Love Gennie & Jake's Momma