Ripple Effect

I do not know if I have posted this blog post before or not--  but the one thing I do pray is that people will see our adoption process and NOT at ALL be in awe of US... or what WE are doing it-- because TRUST me-- I have never ever been so humbled in MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!

I have NEVER had to ask for so much help in my whole life--  and that is because this is SURELY NOT US-- this is GOD-- this is GOD orchestrating the WHOLE process.

I have never had to pray so much--- not for our needs only--- but my eyes have been opened to so many needs, so many families, so many children.... it is amazing!!  I truly have had to pray with out ceasing, it is no longer "prayer time"... it is praying all the time as someone or some family comes to mind (very frequently). 

I want people to KNOW and BELIEVE this was NOT Jason & Denise adopting these children-- this was Jason & Denise-- being led by the Lord-- and watching HIM work in ways we REALLY NEVER EVER imagined. 

If we can do this-- by God's leading-- anyone can-- (with God's leading and direction).  I know many are very intimidated by the thought of adopting due to cost mostly... some are concerned about the needs of the child (special needs or not special needs they ALL have NEEDS, just as our biological children have NEEDS.   Do not let the world and its rational deter you from following HIS CALLING.


I am so thankful for some of the people he has brought into our lives through this process.   Some thru our online auction, some were friends we had in high school and have not had much contact with but through this adoption we have reconnected and we are thrilled.

Today at our yard sale I had a poster (I did not get any pictures ... HORRIBLE I KNOW-- but I sold my camera the day before and have not purchased a new one yet....) that showed a Poster with Reece's Rainbow and their ministry and some statistics and also a picture of "Carter"... and some donated some extra money to their yard sale total.   However we had 4 wonderful conversations and that made my day.

1-  One family had extended family members that have adopted children.  2 of them were children with Down Syndrome here in the US and 2 internationally.  That was a neat connection.

2-  One lady saw our poster and told us she was adopted at 8 months old.   She said she couldn't have asked for better adoptive parents.  She did NOT want to talk any more about that, but that was a neat comment... I don't know I've ever talked with someone who was the ADOPTED....  She looked like a very nice woman (not wanting to talk) I pray she is not caring hurt though, as she did not want to talk.  Praying for her.

3-  We had one lady who had 2 children with different special needs share about her children and some of the therapy providers she has used.  She is beginning home schooling and she has found outside therapists that are really good.. So that was a GREAT connection (please PRAY I find the cardboard I wrote it all down on...  *blush*).   She also shared she has ALWAYS wanted to adopt children with special needs...so she took a little card with Reeces' Rainbows information!!  :)

4-  We had a family come by that just moved to our "town" 2 months ago.   They were so neat to talk to.  We talked about home schooling, "farming", and so much more.  The husband asked Jason about adopting, and how in the world we are affording it and that they would LOVE to adopt some day, but how would they afford it.... so we were able to share with them.  We gave them our name , address and phone number as well, so I hope to be in contact with them in the near future as well.  They seemed like a family that we would really enjoy visiting with.  :)



So not only was today a success to help us with OUR adoption of 2 beautiful blessings, I pray there was a ripple effect.  

Thank you and Prayer Warriors Needed

I feel I need to do a major update post.  I just hope I can get it all out here.... so many things to share.

First of all, I just want to say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to so many of you who have jumped in to help us.    Thank you to those who have donated or bidded in our "Homestead auction", Thank you to those who have so generously donated financially to help us bring Carter home, Thank you to those of you have asked eagerly with love in your hearts about Carter and how things were going, that means so much right now.    We have felt the love and caring of so many friends.....

So where we are is, praying, praying, praying.  I have never in my life had such a LONG prayer list as I do right now.   This is spiritual warfare for sure.    I have seen families attacked on all angles and it is humbling to be a part of this process and to lift them up in prayer before God on a consistent basis.

Can I ask, as much as we need and ask for your prayers for you to please pray for a few more families.

One family that recieved their travel dates yesterday, were to be in country in less than 2 weeks found out their child has passed away.  I cannot imagine how heartbroken they are, and the feeling they are going through.  Please pray for this family.

Another family is one of the first familes I actually spoke with on the phone regarding the adoption process in a certain region.  Yvonne was such a kind and helpful woman....she took the time to really talk with me and share the good, and the bad with me.   She had only been home less than a month.   Now their daughter, Selah (who has only been  home to the US just 3 months ago) is in the PICU fighting for her life.  

While on a walk along the Erie canal, while Selah and her brother Sam were riding in a jogging stroller, their father had stopped to check the time on his phone and in that time the double stroller had rolled 14ft, went over an embankment, and fell into the Erie Canal. Their father jumped in after them, followed by a couple med students. Sam was brought to safety fairly quickly and was admitted to the hospital for observation. Selah was under water much longer. It is estimated that she was in the water for 20 minutes. She is a coma and fighting for her life, it is not looking good for this sweet princess. Please pray for her and for a miraculous recovery. You can see Selah updates on their family blog Here.
News source:  http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120815/NEWS01/308150034/emergency-crews-respond-to-Genesee-Valley-Park-for-water-rescue?nclick_check=1


Another family who has traveled to meet and bring home their son, was turned down by the young teen.   It is a very sad situation.  
From the family's blog:  Here

"The older boys in his group constantly tell him that Americans adopt foreign kids in order to kill them and sell their organs. I know from where you sit that sounds like a complete whopper, but to these kids it is reality, they believe that it happens. What is more concerning is that several of the adult caregivers not only propagate these lies but embellish them in an effort to keep the kids for fear of losing their jobs. If all the kids get adopted, what would they do? It is easy to judge them, but to be honest how often do we act in ways that are self serving, without concern for what would truly benefit another person, and often without all the facts. These people have never been to American and their only perspective is from the media when something horrific happens and that helps to shape a distorted image of our society."

The Family is understandably very heartbroken.  Please pray for them.


Countless other families have had road block after road block.  Including financial setbacks (big ticket items breaking), illnesses in their families as they are traveling.


Some of the other areas, if you don't mind I would like to just bring before you and if you feel led to pray for these families, PLEASE do so.  These families are all traveling or are inbetween trips and are in need of your prayers.


My dear MOMYS friend, the Sutton family are inbetween trips.   They are also in the midst of a $1000 matching grant until he end of August.   What a beautiful little boy they will be bringing home very soon.

Another MOMYS friend just returned from meeting their daughter last week.  What a smiling happy little girl they will be adding to their family very soon.  You can read more about their family HERE.

This family is traveling to bring home 3 sweet children very soon.  (after bringing home their daughter earlier THIS year!)   The mother is such an outstanding advocate for children who are waiting for their families.   Please COME, Take this Walk with Her.....



And lastly, this family is traveling, well the mother has made the first trip to meet their 2 new children.   What an amazing family.   They are visiting a very sad place..... a place where children are in DESPERATE need of families and love.... and God is moving mountains for this family.   Please read here, I cannot do justice to the ways this family has been the hands and feet of God here on Earth.

Happy 6th REECE's RAINBOW!!

What a BEAUTIFUL VIDEO!!!

Happy 6th Reece's Rainbow!!!

You have changed SO many lives, mine included!!

Why International? Why Special Needs? Is it true?

I know we get lots of questions about WHY we are adopting a child that has some "special needs"?   Is their life REALLY that bad where they are??   Is any of this true?  Or is it a hoax for the other countries to make $$?

Well-- I can start with the last question first-- IT IS NOT A HOAX.  My dear friend Susanna Musser is NOT just an "online" someone-- I have met her, I have seen her tears, I have seen her DEAR sweet Katie.  I have SEEN the transformation.   I have HEARD what she saw, I was able to see pictures of some things..... these are not just "stories"-- this is TRUTH.   (Granted, Katies orphanage was one of the VERY worst) still-- children in EE (Eastern Europe) with special needs are "really considered the lowest of the low.  They are outcasts in society--and are treated as such.  They have no value.  They are literally locked away and forgotten about. They are often abandoned and left alone in an orphanage with VERY little if any medical care that they NEED to help them survive."  (quote taken from  "out of excuses" post below)

Here is a post where Susanna posts about Katie's orphanage.
Do you think this seems like an impossible task, there is NO HOPE for these children?  REALLY?  Look at these pictures.. (the ones at the end are when she was in EE, at 9 years old... really, 9 years OLD)
There are more-- these children NEED RESCUED!!
One last post, BEAUTIFUL PICTURES!!    I only share Susanna's because I KNOW her-- she is not some one "way out there in cyber land making up these HORRID STORIES)... this is REAL... REALLY REAL!

This is a BBC documentary on Ukraine.... I have seen these children listed on Reeces' Rainbow...this is an entirely different country that where Katie came from--- yet the pictures are JUST as disturbing!!

It's not just one country-- Here is the BBC documentary REVISITED from Bulgaria:
You can YouTube search for the first part "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children Parts 1-5-- I CANNOT watch them ever again, they are VERY disturbing... I prayed and prayed most of the night after watching them-- the evil is PERVERSE!)

This dear mom gets it too-- which is why she is going back to adopt 2 more dear children AS FAST AS SHE POSSIBLY CAN....
Her post--  "Out of Excuses" says it all....

"Why are we called to do things that seem almost ridiculous when our personal circumstances may not be perfect?  Why does God call us to do the impossible when, to us, it seems like we don't have all our ducks in a row? Because God wants to show His GLORY!  And it is when we step out and do the seemingly impossible tasks He gives us that He can show His glory.  The glory belongs to Him, not us.

Here we are almost in 2010.  Oh my, how times are different.  We're a bunch of complainers I tell you.  Whiners to the max.  We go the the Lord with all our petty, lame little excuses about why we should not, could not, would not, do something He has commanded us to do.  We are so afraid to sacrifice--we don't want to be uncomfortable.  "It's just too hard, Lord".  How many times have I said that to the Lord?  Obedience requires sacrifice--just read about it over and over and over in the Bible.

We're just not willing to sacrifice anymore. It's just too darn uncomfortable."

I know some also then say-- You can only save so many children.... what about the rest?   Well I REALLY hate this question by the way... I heard it said a few different ways-- all PERFECT....

"Adopting one child will not change the world; but for that child, the world will change."

The Star Fish Story says it perfectly as well... WHY We are doing this.... It DOES matter....

PLEASE, I ask you-- if you watch NO other videos in this post-- WATCH THIS ONE-- if it does not break your heart-- that well-- WOW!!

WE DO welcome any questions---- this is VERY new to us--- we are learning as we go---

We cannot WAIT to GO-- GET OUR SON!!  And bring him HOME!!  Please continue to pray for that end.......

Reece's Rainbow- IRON MAN

I have never been so touched and inspired by so many people than since I have spent time with the Reeces Rainbow "community" on Facebook and blogs.

These families are amazing...both the ones adopting and the ones who are not able to adopt for a variety of reasons that still spend SOOOO many hours, in time, energy (fundraising for others), praying and tears for these children.....  It is so humbling...  these families truely have the eyes of JESUS.

One of man is trying to spread awareness of these children who are unwanted and unloved due to Downs Syndrome.  He is trainning to be an Iron Man, but first he must win this video "compeition".  

Click HERE to see the video explaining MORE of what he is trying to accomplish-- and all you need to do is WATCH the video and VOTE..thats all.   
Oh and please share so others can VOTE and LEARN more about these children who need to be advocated for and SHOUTED from the ROOF tops for!!