Praise God!

What a great morning! So many thing are happening, I'm sure to leave something out!

I'm just getting a small peek at what God is doing through Beth, by watching her posts and the following comments on her Facebook wall. I cannot tell you how much it makes my heart smile seeing that God has laid this burden upon her heart and to see Him work through her. We have no idea how much money the fund raiser will bring in, but we have already been blessed tremendously just seeing this all come together. And let me not fail to mention the NICE donation that Beth received and forwarded to me for "Joy".

Then yesterday I learned that our homestudy update is actually $750 less than I had thought it would be. Long story, but last time it was the price of a brand new homestudy because the original was done by a different agency, then updated several times AND we had just completed another adoption. I just assumed that because we have completed another adoption, it would probably be the same. But no!! To some, that may seem just like a calculation error and good news. To me that is a blessing, a gift from God and equivalent to a $750 donation towards our adoption. Let me not fail to recognize His blessings and give Him praise! He is a wonderful and faithful God!!

And then this morning, I woke to an email with our Reece's Rainbow grab button and link to our sponsorship page. I think it is absolutely beautiful! And look at that precious face! Oh I have fallen in love with this child and am PRAYING, PRAYING, PRAYING we will quickly bring this baby girl home.

Please grab this button and post it on your blog, or wherever you can. We need others to see this immediate need and prayerfully consider joining us in our efforts to bring "Joy" home and give her the family & love she so very much deserves.




Grab This!

Be sure to right click on the box below and then select all.

<center><a href="http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorhills.html"><img width="100%" src="http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv54/jasminecucuta/joy2.png"></a><br /><a href="http://www.findingrdaughter.blogspot.com/">Grab This!</a><br /></center>

HERE SHE IS!

I am so excited that we can finally share with the world who "Joy" is.

We welcome any and all contributions towards her adoption. We are walking in faith and pray we will be able to bring "Joy" home quickly.

(when contributing through RR be sure to note the funds are "for Miriam - Hills family adoption" )

http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorhills.html

Great visit with our social worker today and am just so excited. God is moving and continues to encourage on this journey to bring this precious baby girl home now.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Bringing Home "Joy"

This morning I "shouted for joy and fell face down before the Lord"!
Okay, I didn't shout because Nadia and I are the only ones awake :) but I praised God from where I was at, then went face down to offer up thanks and praise, as the love, joy and gratitude spilled from my heart and tears fell from my eyes.

Yesterday we were able to truly commit to this child (although we already have in heart, mind and spirit) as we have the money to move forward with the homestudy!! Elated! Overjoyed!! Ecstatic!!

As I mentioned in my last post, I have some amazing friends who have a heart to help us raise the funds to bring "Joy" home. Who doesn't need Joy in there home, right? :)

Well, my dear friend Beth posted on Facebook about the yard sale she will be holding and also about the Signature Homestyles sale she is going to donate funds from for "Joy". Here is another oppurtunity for people to get involved, contribute and participate WHEREVER you are at.

*****

(Beth T)
Take a look at my MegaSale items on my website for Signature HomeStyles. Any order placed between now and July 10th will help with the fund raiser as 25% of the total order will go to help bring this little girl home.

http://www.signaturehomestyles.biz/BethT

AND - Anyone who books a party between now and July 10th (our new stuff comes out on July 1st!) will also help with the fund raiser because 10% of your sales will go to help bring her home as well.

- feel free to repost the Signature HomeStyles info on your profile if you'd like. Anyone in the country can participate in the Super MegaSale stuff -- and if someone wants to do a book party (where they show a catalog to friends to get orders), they can participate that was as well.

Blessed to call you FRIENDS!

I am so blessed by the EE adoption community; Even people I have never met face-to-face have encouraged, supported and showered us with love over the YEARS!

Yesterday as our adoption roller coaster began...going up, up, up, followed by that heart in your stomach feeling as you see the swoop down, 2 amazing friends QUICKLY stepped up & offered to hold fundraisers for us! They and many more offered words of encouragement and prayers. My heart is absolutely overjoyed and confident we are walking in His will.

One of these amazing ladies will be holding a yard sale, many states away from here. The other is holding a online jewelry party! Again, I am just blown away by their generous and loving hearts.

Here is what Amy has shared about the jewelry party
http://libenowfamily.blogspot.com/


My dear friend, Michelle, and her husband are making another adoption trip back to [Eastern Eaurope]! I am so happy for them! This will be their FIFTH child brought home, and their second with Special Needs! Adoption ... is not only tough, it is really expensive! So, I offered to help her out a bit by hosting an online fundraiser!

Here is the info!

Help Michelle and Dan Bring Home Their Angel!

I am hosting an online Silpada Designs Jewelry Fundraiser! 30% of the retail price of all jewelry sold will go to the Dan and Michelle Hills Adoption Fund! Helping out is super simple!

#1 - Pass this info along to as many friends as you can!
#2 - Visit the online catalog http://mysilpada.com/amy.libenow
#3 - Pick out some awesome jewelry for yourself or for a gift!
#4 - Contact me (you can either leave a message on my blog, IM me on Facebook, or hit the "Contact Me" button on the web page. Let me know what jewelry you are interested in.

I will be submitting all orders by June 29th... all jewelry should be mailed out to you within a week!

Michelle and her family have given so much of their heart and soul to helping orphans in [Eastern Europe]! Please consider buying a piece of beautiful jewelry to show them your support!

Any and all support is greatly appreciated....prayers needed!

Me & My Babies

My Babies!

Sisters

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Ivan

Anthony

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Olya

Nadia Hope

Yana

A Cry For Help (Prayer Warriors Needed!!)

This mornings celebration quickly turned to my heart falling hard into my stomach.

*POST EDITED*

We have the info we need to pursue the child God has placed on our hearts (she has Down syndrome and a heart condition). The funds we thought we would have to move forward almost immediately are not accessible right now, as it turns out. :( We are continuing to pray for God's provision and quickly as this child needs to come home without any further delay.

Please pray for His provision and guidance.

We said it’s good...but not for us.

In 1998 when we visited a fertility clinic about a vasectomy reversal (9 years after Dan’s initial procedure), the Dr. suggested a sperm donor or ADOPTION...we said it’s good for others but not for us.
In 2004 we heard the call to adopt.


In 2004 when we began the adoption process we wanted a toddler girl. We heard of older child adoptions....we said it’s good for others but not for us. On March 14, 2006 9 yr 11 month old, Yana Michelle, officially became our daughter.


In 2005 when we briefly discussed special needs adoption, Dan felt we would accept a child with special needs but did not feel called to request a child with special needs....we said it’s good for others but not for us. In 2008 we requested to adopt a child with Cerebral Palsy and on September 11, 2008, Nadia Hope became our forever daughter.


Up until the summer of 2009 we were certain we could never be crazy enough to adopt a boy....we said it’s good for others but not for us. On November 3, 2009 14 yr 10 month old, Ivan Nicklas (and his beautiful 12.5 yr old sister, Olya Diane) was celebrated into our family.


There was a time when we said adopting a child of another race was an added obstacle we were not feeling we could handle....we said it’s good for others but not for us. In 2010 I began inquiring about the Haitian orphans needing placement and families in America.


Many times we’ve said we could never be a foster family....we said it’s good for others but not for us. In 2010 we researched the requirements of becoming a foster family here in South Carolina.


In 2008 when we felt called to adopt a child with special needs we said we would not have a problem taking in a child with physical special needs but did not feel called to knowingly pursue a child with moderate cognitive delays &/or issues....we said it’s good for others but not for us. Here we are in 2010, God has impressed upon our hearts to adopt a child with Down syndrome.


Sometimes I have to wonder if God doesn’t just get a silly grin...kind of a half-smile and just chuckle to himself when we say these thing “it’s good for others but not for us.” He knows His plan for us and knows His children He has chosen for us to care for LONG before we were born. Thank you God for the transformation of our hearts and I’m glad we can make you smile, the same way we smile our chosen (by You) children amuse us with their ideas about their future.



With that said, please lift “Joy” in prayer. We have found another child with Down syndrome we have been trying to obtain information for, for about 2 weeks or so now. I am praying tomorrow is the day we will know the rest and will be able to take our next step of faith as we commit to her and pray for God’s guidance and provision.