Starfish

I unfortunately have never had the opportunity to post about our trip to Starfish. 

We went on 12-21-11. It was truly amazing. 

We loved babies, fed babies, saw the amazing work being done, and met Amanda de Lange. We also got the very rare opportunity to visit an orphanage. My heart broke. I realized how precious each and every life is and I was overwhelmed by need. 

the little girl below is the child i insisted on bringing out of the orphanage. I absolutely refused to leave her. Amanda agreed. {thankfully} her name is now Liliana {I got to choose} and she is being taken care of, loved and is treasured at Starfish. this is just one of the many babies.

Amanda was truly Ainsley's life saver in China. She brought all kinds of amazing things to help us 'fatten and healthy' her up. Creams, foods, everything. Her generosity was overwhelming like the rest of that trip.

I don't know if I will ever be able to properly word and describe that day. 

 at the orphanage picking up babies. so emotional.

 Anna Grace and her new best friend Mila :)

the famous Jack!
Nana, Anna Grace, and Mila

 Charlie

 David

Bryant. He is such a sweet heart and was saved just in time. Please pray for Bryant and the other babies that we brought that day. They were all very weak.

I don't think I will ever be able to THANK Amanda enough. She is truly unbelievable. Starfish is unbelievable and those babies are SO loved and they are taken such good care of. 

Please lift Amanda and her Starfish babies up in prayer daily.
A few days ago, Amanda was diagnosed with cancer. I received an email and my heart just broke. Please lift Amanda and her sweet starfish family up.
She is in URGENT need of medical services in the USA or Europe to save her life. Please lift her up and if you know of any one who can provide this care please let us know.
Thank you for the prayers.

UPDATES!!!!

Oh.My.Goodness. {the best one is at the end of this post...} :)

WE GOT MORE PICTURES AND UPDATES ON AINSLEY!!

Notice the KFC cup?? :) hehe.

SOOOO excited.

Isn't she beautiful?!

Here's the scoop:

She has surgery August 24. She was released on September 1 and will be returning to the orphanage soon.

We are on our knees in gratitude. She is doing so well. The Nannies said she is now talking and progressing much better.

We are so thankful for every update. Each is a priceless gift and we can't help but want to weep over this beautiful {little} princess God has blessed us with!

Our sweet girl's birthday is approaching {She will be TWO on September 20!}

So surreal that she is OURS. I just can't wait to hold this precious girl!

We are still waiting on LOA...PRAY IT COMES SUPER QUICK! {like for her birthday!!!}

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

summer-twenty eleven

Well, our summer is unfortunately coming to a close. What a fabulous summer it has been. From beach trips to California to the Lake to every other little place. Oh, and you know that BIG thing...AINSLEY FAITH!
Summer has been amazing. It has given me some of the best experiences of my life. We are again waiting on another little blessing to add to our family.
I wanted to do one last summer post. School starts on Tuesday, oh so sad. I will be in 10th grade, Adam in 7th, Hayne in 3rd, and Anna Grace and Andrew will be in K-4. So very crazy. This will be AG and Andrew's last "baby year" and they will be in K-5 next year. Oh my!
Here is our summer in pictures.

June 3 we fell in love with Ainsley Ting

Beach with Family and Friends for a week June/July

Anna Grace and I had many FABULOUS photoshoots and she got a FEATHER

Andrew turned FIVE

We celebrated FOUR years with our Princess Anna Grace!

We were DTC for Ainsley on August 8!

We were LID on August 16!

Andrew fell in love with Captain America

Anna Grace got cuter...and more princess-y

I found an awesome smurf shirt....Andrew still LOVES Buzz

This is my friend, Kayla

The Webcam became our new best friend

Summer 2011,
You were fabulous, amazing, lovely, wonderful, and just all around great. BUT all good things must come to an end. I hope you don't take it wrong. We can still be friends. It's not you, it's me.
Until next year,


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Alex.

Five years old. Such a precious, tender, fun, celebrated age. It is a whole hand. It is where the fun of being a Child instead of a Baby begins. A Big Deal.

It is an age close to my heart as I have two little punks that are turning five this year. One has already turned 5 and one will in a few days.

Five is a fabulous age...Unless you live in Eastern Europe as an Orphan. Turning FIVE is a horror. It is the age that you are no longer considered a baby and you are moved from the baby home to a Mental Institute. Those words should never be uttered. They shouldn't be real. I wish they weren't, but they are. It is the terrible, absolute gut-wrenching, sickening truth.

Meet Alex.

Isn't he beautiful?

He has Cerebral Palsy. He is an ORPHAN. He is living in Eastern Europe. and He is turning FIVE.

My sweet friend, Joanna, has fallen in love with this beautiful boy..and ya know what? I have too.

I simply REFUSE to sit and watch as this sweet boy wastes away in an institution in Eastern Europe. I will NOT let it happen. Alex has a family out there. I know he does. We just have to find them. God has the perfect family for Alex. One who will love him, tell him about Jesus, teach him so very much, help him grow and develop and lead a beautiful life. I know it.

In honor of Alex's fifth birthday on September 25.{I am all for September birthdays..ahem..Mine:)} We are going to celebrate. We are going to rejoice that this sweet boy has fought for FIVE hard years to find a forever family and we are going to help him find it! We have set a goal of $2500 on his Reece's Rainbow advocate page to help with his adoption. 

International adoption is very expensive and very worth it. It will mean SO much {speaking from experience} to his future family to see that Alex already has money towards his adoption..AND it will help him get home that much quicker. How great is that? Our goal is to get to $2500. Alex is already at $1965.60. WE CAN DO THIS. Let's try and BEAT it.

Much more will come to explain what we are doing for Alex's birthday in the following weeks. It will include giveaways and much more. Thank you so much for journeying and helping us find Alex's forever family! Who knows what God can do through this one very special little boy!? I know it will be amazing.

{You can join the face*book page for Alex here and If you would like to make a donation to Alex you can go to his Reece's Rainbow website}

God IS a mountain moving God. He is Faithful. He is for the Fatherless. HE made Alex. He made a FOREVER Family for Alex. He makes no mistakes. Trusting His Plan and His timing.

Alex WILL come Home. 

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. -Zephaniah 3:17

Hm.

hm, I really don't think words are needed.

what about ya'll? ;)

NINE DAYS INTO THE WAIT FOR LOA!!

Praising the One!
Oh sweet Ainsley, we are getting closer!

SMILE!

Oh my goodness!
Look at what we got!

How GORGEOUS is our baby girl?!
And that smile!!! ahhh. SO.IN.LOVE.
She will be having surgery to repair her palate this week if there are no complications...please keep her in your prayer...Praising the One who has already gone before us and loves Ainsley beyond our comprehension.

Now, We just need her HOME.

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happy happy happy

Oh my goodness.
Y'all, we GOT IT.
Your prayers, are working!

We got our i800a* approval.

this was the last document  needed to submit our dossier.


God is amazing.

He is moving mountains.

and to HIM BE THE GLORY.

it basically means we are approved to adopt our girl!

We are praying very very hard to have DTC by this week. We would LOVE to have it on Friday for Andrew's birthday.

Keep praying, y'all. please.
Much love,
a happy happy happy sister.