Last day...

I see so many of my adoption mom friends Monday morning posts and it brings an instant smile to my face. While we are sleeping in the US on Sunday nights there are families in China meeting their children for the first time. I love waking up on Monday to those beautiful pictures in my news feed on facebook. This will be me in exactly ONE week. You all will be waking up Monday morning to pictures of me meeting my sweet Tynsleigh for the first time. I can't wait to show all of my friends and supporters on Facebook our first meeting. It is one I am very nervous for. We sent her a photo album with pictures of our family a few months ago so hopefully her orphanage is letting her keep them and look at them and is prepared for me to welcome her into our family. She is older and understands things more than a toddler like Brennan did. She will be scared to leave everything she has known for over 11 years! She will be afraid because I speak a different language and look different. She will be scared because... Well...wouldn't you? I would be if some strange looking, strange speaking person came into my life and took me from everything I have ever known as my life and wisk me away to so many different places and not be able to understand everything that is going on? Of course you would! Please pray for her heart and her little soul!

I leave in just a few days and am still $1100 short! I have a friend who introduced me to the world of adopting from China a few years ago. She adopted 3 very special boys from Ukraine. She has a 16 year old daughter that has done mission trips and also accompanied another adoptive mom to Ukraine to be the second set of hands. I was nervous about taking another person because I didn't want Tynsleigh to get attached to someone else that would not be staying in her life but I  knew with her wheelchair, the fact that China is NOT wheelchair friendly, navigating in the airport, putting her in the cab and then disappearing behind the car to put her wheelchair in the trunk would frighten her and she might think I am leaving her I decided it was best if someone went with me. Besides I am only 5 ft 2 and only weigh 100 lbs so it is best to have the help. So a dear friend offered to pay for my friend's teenage daughter to accompany me. Her plane ticket was $500 MORE than mine to get her on the same flights. It was $700 more for in country flights, to add a bed and breakfast to each room for her both weeks, and $600 to expedite her passport renewal and get her visa.

With my friend helping pay for Genesis to accompany me it left me still raising the remaining funds to pay for the orphanage donation fee which is $5400! I am only $1100 short of that amount but only have until the end of today to get the money! It then needs to be deposited into my account and I have an appointment with the bank on Wednesday to get the entire $10,000 in brand new $100 dollar bills! I still have to finish packing and get the document giving my older children permission to treat my younger children. My second oldest son has his driving test today to get his license. My youngest granddaughter is in All Children's Hospital with testing and it is taking hours longer than it should have.My grandson has to have surgery scheduled to repair his ear and I am hoping it isn't while I am away but his mommy will do what is best for him. My youngest son is so upset that I am leaving him for 2 weeks. The most I have left him was last month when I went to my youngest daughter's Cancer Camp Family Retreat and it was for 2 nights.

With all that is going on I have experienced a lot of anxiety and want to put all of this worry and anxiousness behind me.

Please pray...
...for funds to come in today
...for Tynsleigh's heart
...for my granddaughter
...for my grandson
...for Brennan (my youngest son)
...for all of the other adoptive families going down the same road!

How many days?

We leave in

DAYS!!!!!!!

How can that be? 

I'm nervous....

I'm a nervous flyer so not too excited about getting on a plane again... 

I'm nervous I won't get the rest of the money...

I'm nervous I miscalculated and will be short on money...

I'm nervous about leaving my little ones at home...

I'm nervous about leaving my older kids at home...

I'm nervous about leaving my grandkids...

I'm nervous about Tynsleigh's heart...

I'm nervous Tynsleigh won't like me...

I'm nervous....

I'm nervous ....

I'm nervous...

Please pray for smooth flights, smooth process, and for my little girl's heart!

Brennan, Trevor (aka Iron Man) and Arianna are very excited to meet their big sister 

I can't wait to see this beautiful girl and hold her and never let her go!!!

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The countdown has begun

13......That's the number for today...

The great news is that we met our $5,000 matching grant that was offered to us. After that we were offered a $250 matching grant. That was met too. I am so overwhelmed by the love and support of the adoption community. Our Reece's Rainbow fundraising grant went from $2200 to $7097 in 30 hours. The matching grant was sent to my agency. That is amazing! I only have $1600 left to raise to be fully funded. Please pray the remaining funds come in time!

There is so much in the works this weekend and I am trying to get prepared to leave.

I leave in 13 days!!!!

I leave March 18th!!!

Please pray for the process and the items this weekend that need a little extra prayer!

Tomorrow is my oldest granddaughter's 5th birthday and I can't wait to celebrate it with her!

Updates every day until I leave!!!

Almost there

Update: March 3rd at 2:25pm...THE GRANT HAS BEEN MET!!!!!

God has really proved he is protecting my girl through this entire adoption. Adoption families are amazing! They are top 5 reasons to adopt!!! I am so blessed! Thank you!!!



I've been trying for months to raise the funds to bring my daughter home. As a single mother it has been hard because there isn't another person with income in my house, there are only 3 grants single applicants can qualify for, and there is only one person to do all of the paperwork and fundraising. I had someone offer a $5000 matching grant and I had until yesterday to raise the funds. I didn't make it and now I am that much further away from my fully funded amount and I leave in two weeks. I'm traveling alone (which I am quite nervous about). I was $2867 away from the matching grant this morning. I wasn't even make it halfway. I was so disappointed. Then the donor gave me until tomorrow night and the adoption community has been rallying to help me reach this goal. I feel so blessed. I am only $859 from meeting the grant and $3859 from being fully funded. I feel so blessed right now!!!!

                                 These two are from 5 years ago!             

I leave in two weeks to pick up my 11 year old daughter with Cerebral Palsy from China.
http://reecesrainbow.org/88964/sponsorbarrett-2

I have a fundraising group with a lot of jewelry, tshirts, hand pained canvas prints, and so much more.https://www.facebook.com/groups/790715917640575/

I am also selling a book that written by ME and illustrated by Kaitlyn Reber (www.meilidesigns.com). I am an adoptive mother of one (soon to be 2) children from China. Kaitlyn is an adoptee from China, with siblings also adopted from China.

"All because I fell in love...Adoption"
A book written in English and Chinese that explains the child's adoption story to the child. There is a page for you to place a photo of your family.
We are taking pre-orders and will mail all books out once we meet our first print goal. The book is $18 plus $5.95 shipping.

If you purchase the Tshirt bundle (Navy Unisex) I will also send you a Tshirt (adult or child size) for $18 (add an additional $2 for plus sizes). For each additional Tshirt you will only be charged $15 per Tshirt. All shipping is included with the book shipping.