Another bracelet and a necklace

Here is another bracelet.   $5 plus shipping. 

And I just created this today.  $10 plus shipping.

Remember a percentage of the sale goes to the Burlingham family to help bring Andriy home.  :)

Project Homeward Bound Jewelry

I have been brain storming lately - and yes it's painful.  lol.  How can I make a little money for my family AND help support families bringing their children home?  I tried making baby items, but the sewing machine and I don't get along very well.  I can't crotchet.  I can knit but it's taking me forever to finish my dad's afghan, that I started TWO years ago.  BUT, I remember how much fun it was making the "Olivia" necklace last year as one of our fundraisers.  So I bought a few things at the craft store (and had a few charms at home) and put my brain to work this afternoon.  My idea is to donate a percentage of each item to a family currently raising money for their adoptions.  :)   Sounds like a plan.  Let me know what you think!

Here is my first ever piece - and please remember I am a newbie - but a newbie with LOTS of neat designs in her head.

$5.00 plus shipping and handling    **SOLD**   (will make more and list them so stay tuned)

How quickly things can deteriorate after transfer.....

Isn't she a doll?!  I can just picture her playing dress up with older sisters or being pushed on swings by a big brother.  She would thrive in a family like Olivia has.  So adorable.  Look at the next picture down.  She has been transferred....and this picture was taken THREE weeks after.  Just THREE weeks.  Her inquisitive little face has all but disappeared.  What I see now is a scared and unsure little girl.  No more pig tails and cutesy dresses my friends, she is far away from the baby house where she at least got some kind of attention.  I don't know what mental asylum she was sent off too.....but look at her face folks....can you picture her there any longer?  This my friends is why so many of us adopt these sweet little ones.  Please consider little Teri Lynn or any of the other sweet little ones on Reece's Rainbow.  Yes not everyone has $17-35k in their bank accounts, we sure didn't.  It takes hard work, a lot of it - and prayers.  IT CAN BE DONE.  We did it. 

Lets find these two kiddos a loving family!

If it wasn't for a few things here on the home front, I'd be scooping up some of these sweet looking babies.  Kenny is one of them.  How joyful he is?  He's what I'd call "squishable" - you just want to hug and squeeze him all day.  IF you have any questions about these kids please let me know and I can forward your message onto the appropriate person to speak with.  Kenny's country sounds SUPER easy and I'd adopt him if I could.  :) And Marat, the other child I posted info about.  He sounds like a smart and sweet young man.  I am so concerned for him - since he's an older child.  His future if he is NOT adopted is bleak and very difficult.  Please someone consider him?  I will be posting information about children that age out...and where they go...their future and what happens to most of them on the next post. 

Kenny

Boy, born October 2009
Kenny is HIV+
From someone who works with him:
Kenny is an amazing little boy who steals many people’s hearts. He is always smiling and in a great mood.  Kenny is all “boy” and always up for an adventure. He loves to play on the play ground and go down the slide; on his belly and backwards of course!  Kenny enjoys being held and cuddled with, but he would prefer to play. He doesn't really seem to have any real fears, not even the dogs, which many of the kids are. Kenny does occasionally throw fits, but not as bad as he used to. These fits usually occur if he wants to be held and is put down, or if he see some of his friends leaving for a special activity and he isn't included. Kenny loves prayer and singing time and dances and claps his hands to the music. He loves to play with toys and puts everything in his mouth. Kenny thoroughly enjoys pool day and has a giant smile on his face the entire time. He likes to dump water from one toy to the other. He splashes and runs from one pool to the other. Kenny plays well with the other children and seems to have a lot of friends. I see Kenny as a leader in the baby house. He loves to explore and is often wandering away from the rest of the group to come hang out with the volunteers. Kenny is a good eater and is getting so big. Developmentally he is doing really well and right where he should be.

• Multiple unrelated children can be adopted together
• One parent must be at least 35 years old
• Parents must be married at least 10 years (or if close, prove they have known each other 10 years)
• The number of children can depend on other factors (marriage and parent age)
• Singles may currently adopt
• Past depression is OK, but must explain the circumstances and past and/or current treatment.
• If a criminal history/background, must be explained in detail. 
• Travel is not required; however, it is strongly encouraged 
• Travel for pick-up is also not required, but strongly encouraged. Escorts can be provided, for an extra cost.  The trip for pick-up is usually about a week long, so you and the child could get to know each other well in their environment. 
• ESTIMATED TOTAL (in-country expenses): $13,070 – $13,320 roughly  (this is Kris making a note here.  Look at the costs associated with his country.  I know it's still a lot of money, but really, it's do-able!)

WHY OH WHY IS THIS YOUNG MAN STILL WITHOUT A FAMILY?  Breaks my heart..

Boy, Born June 1998
From our facilitator who visited with him:   He is diagnosed with HIV.  But a strange thing by the fact he is very healthy, practically never ill.  Has very high IQ. One missionary gifted him a notebook (computer), he doesn't leave the gift anywhere. He is a very talented  student of the 4 level.
Marat is very special. He is a very talented boy not just skilled, I really mean talented! He is creative and talented in drawing. He has mastered a lot of computer programs by himself. His favorite subject at school is Math and he is very fond of foreign languages. He reads a lot. He is a person of his own mind. He is not a simple child, but at the same time he is very communicative with adults. He is very advanced and he will be easy going with those whom he respects. It is very interesting to discuss any subject with him; he has his own point of view and a very wide view.
Marat has a very sad and painful life story, one that can be shared with prospective families privately.  He really wants and needs a loving family, and will do SO WELL in that environment!   ***Marat is also an OLDER CHILD, and will be on the streets with nothing if he is not adopted.  He will never be able to get a job because no one will hire him.  His "orphan and HIV status" will follow him the rest of her life.  Please give Marat a chance to grow up in the Land of Opportunity and inclusion. ***  
 For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/ 
I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT


All this information can be viewed on Reece's Rainbow

Wow - I'm a bad blogger on this website!

We just moved to NC and still trying to settle in.  Once we settle in I plan on really revamping this website and showcasing a particular child every week that needs a family.  See you soon!

Where did I go?

Sorry for the lack of blog posts here.  I wanted this to be a super awesome blog for families looking for their kiddos and educating folks about HIV, adoption, etc.  So hopefully by this weekend - my blog will look fab and actually have info on it.  lol.  I am behind in a few things here.  I make blankets for Project Linus (blankets for seriously ill children in hospitals or kiddos in shelters that need a "warm hug") - promoted to 2nd Lt. in Civil Air Patrol, looking for a new job in a state we might move to, and of course Miss Olivia sure keeps us busy.

So look for a new bloggy look with actual info on it by this weekend!

I do want to say that little Polina has a mama and papa coming for her.  She is being adopted with another little cutie.  Oh how my heart is so happy for her!  She seems like a fun little energizer bunny.  There is a little boy in Olivia's groupa that my heart cries for.  Please pray his grandmother will release him for adoption - and that a family comes forward for him quickly.  He will transfer VERY soon to a boarding school.  He is a tiny little thing like Olivia and I just can't stand the thought of him "getting lost" in the system over there.  Pray Kristopher finds a mama...and soon!

Pauline has a family!

I was soooo happy to hear from Pauline's new mama that they were coming for her AND Charlotte!  They are going to keep their new family busy - lol - who needs caffeine?  I'm so happy right now.  I wish I could tell Olivia that her friend has a family - but she would probably think she is coming to live here.  Maybe when she understands English a little better.

Now we have to find a family for James and Carolyn.  I say they should go as brother and sister.  Just look at them - mischievious little munchkins just waiting for a family to spring them loose.  Carolyn weighs heavily on my heart as she was one of the little girls we were considering.  James spent about 45 minutes or so in the same room as us during visit one day to Olivia's baby house.  He is ALL boy and soooo adorable.  There are 3 in Olivia's baby house that I would of taken home with Olivia - um, if we had a bigger house, more money, and oh yeah - the hubby would have to agree lol.  He said two kids is enough.  Darn.  :)

I only have about a dozen followers here, so feel free to cross post, write your own blog about these two, etc.  They are transferring soon and with kids going to different places - who knows where they will end up!

Orphan girl....

Sorry for lack of blog posts!

I have big plans for this website, I just need a little time to get it started.  Not only do I want to advocate for the littles in Eastern Europe, but kiddos world wide.  I met a WONDERFUL pastor from Port Au Prince, Haiti this past Friday at work.  He was stopping by the New England states to thank the people that helped with donations to his orphanage last year.  Let me tell you, this man is a gift to the people he helps.  His wife took in a few kiddos off the street a few years ago, and now they have well over 80 beautiful children under their care.  He also started a school for the local children, a medical clinic, church, etc.    I am going to ask permission to post about his orphanage and mission here so I can help advocate for his children.  He loves all the children very much, and loves his country. 

Please also leave comments on what you'd like to see here as well.  I also want to post info on children and causes that YOU are advocating for - so please leave messages!   :)

Olivia's Friend needs a family!

I thought I'd show Olivia a couple pictures of the kiddos from her groupa.  I showed her the Parker's handsome boy.  Showed her Kristopher's pic.  She was a little interested, but not excited.  Then I scrolled down to Pauline.  "Mama!  Poleeeeeena!  Mama!  Mine!" -  she smacked me in the chest (hard by the way), pointed to Polina's picture and said "nim!" - which is her word for mine.  I asked her if that was her friend and she said a resounding YES!  She then said, "polina DOM!  mama DOM!" - Through gestures and some of her Olivia-isms I managed to decipher that she wants Polina to have a home and a mama.  And a cat.  lol.  As soon as she said cat, she took off to find hers, then moved on to destroying the playroom in typical Olivia fashion.  Have I ever mentioned this girl has no attention span?  The ONLY thing she sits still long enough for is food and watching her Wiggles DVD (well, and even then she is moving).  Polina will be transferring in the near future to a "boarding school" - granted it's a place that will clothe her, feed her, give her some kind of an education and shelter her - but  it's no way a substitute for a family folks.  This little beauty needs a mama and papa soon.  If you have any questions about Polina or any of the other kids at the same baby house (33 on Reeces Rainbow) - post your message in the comments section or you can email me. 

Please, someone save Olivia's little friend.  Polina needs a castle to call her own.

 

Look at this sweet baby!

This little cutie is in the baby house Olivia lived in.  She has Down Syndrome and possible HIV.  She is so precious and deserves a family ASAP.  Please consider this little princess.

These children are at risk of transfer

Beautiful little Carolyn is in an Eastern Europe orphanage and is facing transfer to a "boarding school" soon.  She will be "lost" in the system and age out at 16 years old.  Most children end up on the streets and cannot afford the medication they need to survive.  Please consider one of the children listed below, Carolyn and James would make a great sibling set!

You can find out more about James and Carolyn by going here:  http://reecesrainbow.org/james-33 and here http://reecesrainbow.org/carolyn-33

The picture below was taken on Olivia's Gotcha Day.   Olivia is our new daughter.  Bitter sweet moment.  Super excited that our daughter left the orphanage, but saddened to see all the ones left behind.  Carolyn and James would make any family whole - please consider them...don't let them get "lost" and never know the love of a family.