Let's get real....

Thanks to all the families who joined in our blog hop! It's open for a couple more days, and if you haven't already be sure to check out all the great blogs!

I want to get real with you all for a bit. And bring this all back to why we're adopting these two girls.

Brandon and I have always known we would adopt. We talked about it when we were dating, and it's just made perfect sense to us. We feel we are commanded by God to take care of those who are considered by society to be the least of these, we strive to live our lives following God's Word and commands - and there are so many children in the world (about 147 million to be exact!), who need a loving home and a family. We can do that!

As we started thinking more about adoption, we had no idea where we would adopt from. We discussed foster care adoption, we discussed international adoption, we really felt like it was important to let God show us where the need was and we would follow His lead. When we "stumbled" on Reece's Rainbow last summer, something stirred in both of our hearts. After losing our first pregnancy to a "chromosomal abnormality", seeing all of the children who were orphans simply because of THEIR chromosomal abnormality, really made a big impression on us. As we learned more and more about the climate and the environment these children are "living" in - we felt more and more the stirring in our hearts was swirling around more and more - and God was doing something.

We knew. We couldn't turn our eyes away, or turn our backs. God had made it very clear to us, that THIS was the path we should follow. And so we took those first steps forward....fearfully at times, but trusting that God would lead us and take care of us each step of the way.

We committed to Emilie in early December. Sweet little Emilie, with her rosy cheeks and big blue eyes. Emilie is young, she just turned one in January. We are hoping she will be home with us before her 2nd birthday. It's a gift to us and her to be able to find her as young as she is, hopefully the effects of institutional living won't have effected her as much.

And sweet Abigail. She's been waiting so long, and I know now that the reason she was still waiting is because God knew we were supposed to find her. We committed to Abigail just a couple of weeks after Emilie. The big bow on her head, means her caretakers love her and she's favored - but the reality is she is 5 1/2 years old and has down syndrome. Her future is bleak in her country - but it's bright and full of possibility here. We don't know for sure if Abigail is still in a baby house or if she has been transferred to either an older child orphanage or even an adult mental institution. Because of her age and her special needs, there is a very big possibility she has been transferred. If she's been transferred, her beautiful blonde hair has probably been shaved off, and I don't think she probably has a fancy dress on - as she lays in a crib for all her days.

This isn't a pretty picture - it's not a picture most of us want in our minds to be honest. But it's real. It's happening. And we can do something about it. YOU can do something about it!

It's not an easy journey, and it's not a cheap journey. That's why we need your help. The cost is great, but the results are even greater!! If your child was taken from you and put in an institution where they likely will die - you would move heaven and earth to get them back. You would pay any amount of ransom your child's abductors asked for to bring them home. Well, that's what we're doing. We're ransoming two girls from this reality.

Will you help us?