National Adoption Month

National Adoption Month
We committed to Micah (on the right) November 5th. Jackson's forever family found him soon after. We had no idea it was National Adoption Month! We are so excited to be on this journey and are really grateful for the amount of love and support we've received already.

A few points I'd like to make in love though: Micah has Down Syndrome. We do not know how severe it is, nor do we care. We also do not know if he has any other health issues other than a heart condition he had surgery for last year. What we DO know is that God led us to him and we want to bring him home. We do not know how the funds will come, but we know God will provide a way. We are doing many different kinds of fundraisers in the hopes that something will appeal to someone along the way. Our intention is not to bug anyone and we do not expect everyone to help at every fundraiser. We do understand this is the holiday season and the economy is bad. However, we still hope that we will have morale support and that if our friends and family feel led to help financially that they do so in the way they feel the most comfortable. We've had friends donate $20 and strangers donate $10. We've had other friends donate items for our yard sale coming up this weekend. We've had friends interested in the family photos for $20. We've had other friends and family just HELP SPREAD THE WORD, in the hopes that someone else may be able to help in some way. There will be a pizza fundraiser night coming up on December 6th at Pizza Factory in Phelan. We also hope to do a pancake breakfast or spaghetti dinner with a silent auction.

What we'd like you all to know is that every little bit helps us get closer to our goal and we appreciate your help in ANY way you give it. Please don't take our requests as badgering. We are simply trying to save an innocent boy's life from permanent institutionalization. Yes, there are children who need homes in our own country. However there are many parents on waiting lists for these children. Most adoption processes involve the birth mother choosing the family they want for their child. Other kids are stuck in foster care. We do not wish to do foster care in the hopes of adopting a child. For us, international adoption of a down syndrome baby was our door. It's not for everyone, but it is for us.

We are grateful to my friend, Marianne, who introduced us to Reece's Rainbow. We are grateful for all that Reece's Rainbow does to help find families for these adorable and very needy children. Unfortunately, adoption is not cheap. Domestic adoptions can cost $20,000-30,000 just the same as international adoption. It is unbelievable what is involved. It is much cheaper to conceive a baby, and we are some of the lucky ones who have that ability. We do not take it for granted, but we just KNOW that we have to do this. We are in love Micah already and are emotionally and mentally prepared for what bringing home a special needs child may involve.

Lastly, we know Micah will have a loving and caring family with us and that we can offer him a forever family that will always be here for him (yes, even if he lives with us his entire adult life). We are committed to anything we need to do to save him. If we were adopting just for our personal desire we would not ask for financial help, but we are adopting him to save his life. We don't have a lot of time to get the money together to save him. He currently does not get the care God intended for him to have in his life (basic things like cuddling, playing, hugging & kissing, holding, loving, constant attention, nurturing, a mother and a father, and life outside an orphanage). We feel the need to do this as quickly as possible. This is not something we saved up for or planned for. It just sort of fell in our laps. But we know there's Someone greater than us who has had this in His plan for quite some time. Everything we've done in our lives has led us to this point. And we are ETERNALLY grateful for a loving Father in heaven who provides the way for all of us, especially Micah.

Thank you all for love, support, prayers, friendship, and donations (in any way they come).

With love,
Shelly