Auction coming up soon!!!

We will be having an online auction just after Christmas (Dec 28-Jan 2nd) so you can spend some of that Christmas cash you might get! 
If you have any items you would like to donate please pm me, thank you.

Keep your eye open for further details!!! Help bring our daughter Tynsleigh home.

Where are we?

I am working hard on getting my final copy of my homestudy. We are only waiting on one more paper and then I will forward it to my Adoption Agency for review. Still hoping we are on track for Jan 2nd mailing to USCIS. 

I am also working toward my dossier. I only have about 5 more items (plus my finalized homestudy and I800a approval) and then it will be complete  If my homestudy gets to USCIS on time I hope to have this by end of Jan and be DTC (Dossier to China) by mid Feb. It usually takes 2 weeks for authentication. 

Where are we with fees? We have paid for Brennan's post placement report, Tynsleigh's homestudy update is paid for, FDLE background screening fee is paid for, and adoption agency application is sent in with the application fee. Next fees to come up with are medical fees ($200) and USCIS fees (still waiting to find out exactly how much it is since my second son will be 18 years old in 3 weeks), and our next Agency fee ($2000)!


We are hoping to travel at the end of summer but I understand it is all in God's timing! 

Please pray we can meet each goal during every step of our process.

Here is our financial support link and a beautiful picture of Tynsleigh (that I can't help but smile at each day)!!!

https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/barrett-family-adoption-/269042

Thanks

I want to take this time to thank everyone again!

I want to thank those that supported me with your love, prayers, and positive words during our adoption of Brennan.

I want to say a special thank you to those that donated financially toward our adoption.

I never did find out who donated the large amount of money at the end of my adoption but God knows who you are and you will be blessed. You are an angel and I really appreciate all you did for us. I would love to know who you are and send you a beautiful Christmas card as a thank you. I could never thank you enough for what you did.

Every person who was there for us in your love, prayers, positive words, hugs and financial help is so very special to me and our words will never be enough to thank you :)

Announcement...

Did I get your interest?

Have you been reading everything I write since last week when I announced that I had an announcement?

Well, here it is...

In July 2013 (a year and a half ago) before I even saw my little boys face and committed to him I saw this little girl. She was 9 years old and bald as can be. They had shaved her head bald! Why? She has waited on the China Shared List for over 5 years and no one had inquired about her. Her eyes and dimples grabbed me. So I asked about her file and her file sounded so familiar. My children have a cousin with Cerebral Palsy and she was listed as having Cerebral Palsy. I got her file emailed to me along with 6 videos of her. She was so quiet, shy, proper, and full of smiles. She was only 7 in the videos but so precious. I am not sure why God had laid her on my heart but I began to advocate for this precious girl...all the while hoping to adopt her. I was approved for two on my homestudy and USCIS had also approved me for two but my agency had just changed their policy to only allow one adoption at a time to married or single couples. I kept advocating for her, I had her listed on Reece's Rainbow so someone would see her, I tried very hard to find her a family. Little did I know God had already found her family. I kept her picture on my phone and computer the whole time during my adoption of Brennan. I prayed for her often.

                                                                                         

I know God has a reason for everything.


My fundraising efforts were sooo very hard for Brennan's adoption but God came through. My flights to China were beyond horrible but we made it with one hour before Gotcha. My flights home were even worse and we had to drive home from Nashville (a 12 hour drive) with a toddler who hated the car seat. So I told myself I would not adopt again. I couldn't. It was too hard. But then I remembered the children that were in those two rooms at Brennan's orphanage with more severe disabilities it broke my heart. I couldn't stop thinking about their future. There are steps everywhere in China, everyone walks, so how would they get around? How would they get to and from work (if they could even work). What is their future? They didn't have one. I felt broken for them. I felt overwhelmed with the brokenness that God had laid on my heart for them. I had to do something...but what? Of course, I continued to advocate for children to find homes like I did before I traveled. It didn't seem like enough though. What was God asking me to do with this overwhelming feeling? It was hard to look at all of these faces and feel helpless.

I know God has a reason for everything.

So, I talked to God. What do you want from me? I can't do the fundraising again...it was too hard. Then I remembered I don't know hard...of course, my life has been rough, I have been through so many trials and tribulations but my life is not hard... those orphans have it hard. They don't have a mother, they don't have a family, they don't hear I love you every day, they don't have anyone to kiss on them, they don't have anyone to tuck them in, or wipe their tears, or hold them when they are sick. They have it hard!

I know God has a reason for everything.

So, what was his plan for me?

Let me introduce you to my daughter...

Tynsleigh Madisyn QingYun Barrett

We got PA for her on November 3, 2014!!

Yes!!! It is the same little girl that I fell in love with over 16 months ago!!!

Yes!!! I am adopting again!!!

Yes!!! I am absolutely in love with her already!!! 

If you want to donate to help us bring Tynsleigh home here is our link:

https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/barrett-family-adoption-/269042

We have our first fundraiser also:

https://www.bonfirefunds.com/bringing-barrett-family-home

30 Day Challenge (Day 1-4)

I am doing a Reece's Rainbow 30 Day Christmas Challenge

We need all the help we can get for these kids...Please donate and share...

Our goal for today is to get each child I feature to have $30 donated to their fsp. Please help me spread the word each day until we reach our goal!!! $30 is all we need. It can take one, two or ten donations to get her to his goal! Please donate and share. Each day for the next 30 days I will share a new child for us to pray for and help their fsp grow by $30!!! $30 for 30 children in 30 days!!!

Day 1(Nov 17) - Kendall 

Beautiful 8 year old girl. Her fsp challenge was met.

http://reecesrainbow.org/59320/kendall

Day 2 (Nov 18) - Emma Grace

Beautiful 7 year old girl. Her fsp is still $10 away.

http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=emma+grace

Day 3 (Nov 19) - Gideon

Handsome 12 year old boy. His fsp needs to read $277.25 and he will then get an additional $100.00

http://reecesrainbow.org/70012/gideon-2

Day 4 (Nov 20) - Abner

Handsome 5 year old boy. His fsp needs to read $100.

http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=abner

My all time favorite

I forgot to add that he says I Love You Mommy all of the time and most of the time he says it first!!! He also asks for kisses too!! I love how lovable, snuggly, and sweet this little boy is...my heart is bursting with love for him.

First Post Placement Visit

We had our first post placement visit this past week. It started off rocky. I thought we set the appointment for 10:30 so I didn't interfere with the little one's lunch or nap but then realized it was set for 11:30. Then I get a call at 11:40 from my social worker saying she thought it was for 12:30. So she got there at 12:30 right after lunch, I was cleaning up and suppose to be putting Brennan down for a nap. But I couldn't because the social worker needed to meet him, see us interact and he doesn't lay down without me snuggling with him. I was worried he would be fussy. I was also worried she wouldn't get to see the amazingly intelligent boy I have because he will not talk in front of anyone that is not family (which I do not mind since he knows who family is and that is HUGE with an adopted orphan). BUT...of course, Brennan was a star. He sang nursery rhymes, talked to Chelsea and me, read us a book with animals and made their sounds, spoke in sentences, was happy, playing and she was in utter amazement at him. I am not exaggerating when I say how intelligent he is. He speaks like he has been here his entire 3 months and he only counted to 10 in English when he became part of our family. He picks up everything and knows what it means. If I take too long he has already learned to say "Come on mommy" thanks to my older children...lol.

He was a self soother from the day we got him. He use to suck his thumb when he was tired..every single time. He now does not suck his thumb any more so his lip and thumb are finally able to heal. He loves to cuddle and be held to fall asleep and I love that.

His favorite food is blueberry yogurt! His favorite toy is his Scout Puppy that sings nursery rhymes that we bought him with his baptism money! His favorite person is mommy (which I love)! His favorite place to go is to watch his brother Andrew play in his soccer games! His favorite movie (only seen it on the plane ride home 4 times) is Frozen! He is not afraid of Santa and even visited him yesterday! We went to the Frozen/Santa exhibit at the mall (only an hour or so drive away...lol) and he loved every minute of it!!!