REECE'S RAINBOW ANGEL TREE , GRANDE FINALE! WE NEED YOU!

This is it! Do or die.  There are 168 children who have yet to make their goal of $1000.00 

Unfortunately we're dealing with Cinderella Syndrome and we only have til midnight tonight to work a miracle. 

You want a New Years Resolution, how about loving the orphan. Shout for a child until someone hears you!!

Today is a perfect day to let go of anything that has been holding you back. Come join us at Reece's Rainbow and pick a child to advocate for. 

You want a rush????  There is no better adrenaline rush than hanging out with all us crazy warriors as we get child after child over to $1000!!!  We are insanely welcoming!!! We love you immediately! 

You will laugh , cry , scream, and if you're like me possibly swear a little. But it's all for the good of the kids! ;)

You get to stay in your own environment, even in your pj's if you want. No limit on alcohol, it's a BYOB party SHHH  Don't tell them I said that. I have a feeling I'm the rebel of the bunch.

We need people on Twitter!!! It's very effective. And FB of course! Wherever you can go whatever you can do! Get your family involved! Friends! Anything goes today!!!!!

Here are just a few of 168 that need YOU, TODAY!!!

Please join us!!! We're a great bunch and what a beautiful way to start the New Year.. by bringing HOPE to a child with none and putting that child in the light where they belong for all to see! The ultimate goal for all these children is a home! No one will adopt them if they don't know they exist!! That's our job!

RANIA

HARLEY

CULLEN

HALE

JAKE

LAURA

MARIA

XANDER

Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree . The Final Count Down

 I said I wouldn't get too involved again, after losing my Carina to that stupid ban on adoptions that Putin put into place a year ago.  I swore I could not live through another heartache like that. I threw in the towel as an advocate for orphans... 


So, what the heck am I doing here?  Advocating still? 

Up late at night, shouting, praying, yelling and,spewing a few colorful words (mumbled under my breath) ? 

Yup that sounds like my way of advocating.. 

I'm advocating for Gracelynn. By now I'm sure you've seen her beautiful face, a few times. 

My goal for Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree is $1000.00.

I'm short. And I need your help. 

The uncomfortable part of advocating is actually asking for help.  But I need a little right now. 

Gracelynn is so close to $1000! Please help move her to the final level!  $5 at this point is a huge boost!  You can donate here. But you can also help by sharing on FB and twitter. It sounds too easy to be of any help,  but it really does work. sharing is pertinent to raising the needed funds! 

Gracelynn

I've exhausted all my efforts. The Auctions, the games, the craft fairs, and now I guess, I 'm begging. I want my girl to make it and I want her HOME!!! You see I still carry a lot of guilt around with me about Carina. I feel I failed her. I advocated for her for two years and I couldn't get her out in time. Now she is stuck in Russia.  I can do nothing to help her. I can't let that happen again. Gracelynn is 11 years old. ELEVEN!!! Her time is running out and my time to help her is too.

Please whatever you can do, God will so bless you and I will be beyond grateful. 

Last night I stayed up until 1am with some other amazing Warriors screaming for the final  11 kids who were closest to jumping  to the $500 level. RR was given a challenge to get one half of the kids over to the next level, and a generous donor would take care of the other half. We stayed up til the job was done. We did it! Today my shoulder is aching and my back looks like Quasimodo but my heart is happy! It was a great feeling to fall into bed last night knowing we met our challenge.

It feels good to help. 

Many thanks,
Steph

Feast of The Holy Innocents, Russian Adoption Ban, and Me Unable to be Silent.

One year ago today, on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, I lost a piece of my heart when Putin signed into law the International Adoption Ban, prohibiting Americans from adopting and stopping all adoptions in their tracks. 

As I have said before, I advocated for Carina. We did have hopes of taking her home, if when mountains were moved and ways were made for us. Oddly enough the money was never one of our issues. We knew it would come. It was the onslaught of other things that time would/could eventually take care of for us that held us back. Unfortunately we ran out of time and so did Carina and every other orphan in Russia. 

Today, I have no idea how she is. Where she is. All I know is that children are dying. Orphans are being neglected and beaten and she could be one of them.  Everyday my heart cries for her. That will never go
away. I break down at odd times. In church, in traffic, in the grocery store, right now..

My heart aches for my friends that met their children, held them and told them they would be back soon..

I really did not want to acknowledge this day. 

But if I let it go without a word, what good would I have done for Carina. The child I love so much?

And what about the families, my friends, all missing their children and reliving that horrible moment one year ago today?

Would I be a good friend if I let this day go by and not reminded everyone that so many are still weeping!

I swore that I would not let these children be forgotten. How could I be silent today..

So I speak out for the voiceless and the brokenhearted.  I speak for Carina and Nico, and Natasha, and Olga, Vanessa, Miles, Preston, Dottie, Owen and Darby, Arina, Anastasia, Sophia, Andrew, Kate, Artem, Celine, Cora Lynn, Beau, Anna, Shaun, Asher, Kacey, Adalyn, Angelina, Alexander and Kyle.

Kyle is no longer waiting. He's dead. Yes, this is Kyle in both photo's. Do you see why our hearts cannot just be silent? Because we know what will happen to our children with this ban. One by one they will disappear..
 There are hundreds, thousands, in desperate situations. I named but a few.

These children are all loved and wanted! They had families who love them and were either coming for them or advocating for them. They are real!     THEY. ARE. REAL.

Today pick one , pick them all! And remember them, pray for them and beg God for His mercy , that the ban will be lifted and hope restored to these children kept hidden away!

Meet Jasper, Reece's Rainbow Tree Child... He's looking for his Family

One thing I love about advocating for orphans is camaraderie that you are instantly surrounded by. There are over 200 kids on the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree this year each with a warrior spinning themselves mad trying to raise $1000.00 for their child. You would think it would be everyone for themselves and slightly cut throat, but it is just the opposite. 

We work tirelessly for ourselves then reach out with a helping hand to lift up another warrior. We share each others auctions and giveaways, we donate to each other, and we post about each others child. 

Today, I am helping a fellow warrior out by posting about her child Jasper, and she is posting about my girl Gracelynn.

Meet Jasper!

What a smile!! You can't help but smile back! He is some basic info on Jasper:

Boy, born January 2001
PRC
Down syndrome, undescended testis, Dental concerns
Jasper was abandoned at 8 yrs old. He can walk alone steadily, can speak simple words, not clearly, can understand others, can have a meal alone and can go to toilet alone.
He, is active and extroverted, likes to integrate with other people, and is good at it; he also would act like a spoiled child to his favorite or familiar people, so cute. In life, he can take care of himself, can put on clothes and shoes, can have a meal alone, without any concerns; sometimes he would care adults; when he sees the aunt tried to stand, he would move a chair for her; he is fond of playing with toys, and would speak to himself while playing with toys; after that he can put toys back.
 

 

It's hard to believe on first glance that this little boy will be 13 in January! His time is running out. 

He really needs a family to step forward soon. 

What a beautiful addition and blessing he would be to the right family.

Here is the link to Jasper. His warrior is working on meeting her goal of $1000.00 by12/31 and of course the ultimate goal of a family!!! The money will always come, but the family is the most important!! 

Right now there are also some fund raisers for Jasper that you can enjoy!

Here is a jewelry one!

And

A card and bookmark one!! 

Any donation will be a blessing. And any donation of $35.00 or more will get you an ornament of Jasper, while supplies last from Reece's Rainbow.  Please keep Jasper in your prayers. God can do all, things, and knows all our needs. May He hold and protect Jasper until his family takes him home.

To read more about Jasper and other children on Reece's Rainbow Angel tree this year click here to Sandra's blog! She is Jasper's Warrior! 

Take a Moment from The Hustle and Bustle and Think of Her

Her name is Gracelynn. She is turning 11 this month. She is an orphan. She is alone. 

As you hurry here and there preparing for Christmas, family, friends, gifts , parties, and cookies piled so high they touch the ceiling, stop for a moment and think of her.

When you bow your head to pray on Christmas morning, think of her. 

When you are exhausted from opening presents and laughing and playing with your children , think of her.

Her day will be the same as every other day. No grandma and grandpa heavily laden with presents will be ringing the doorbell. No Auntie will be squeezing her nose and leaving lipstick kisses on her cheeks. No little cousins will be chasing her through the house. She won't hear Santa, or music or church bells. She won't smell turkey and no hot chocolate over flowing with whipped cream will touch her lips. 

BUT

All that can change if Gracelynn were to get a family! All that and more could be hers. Next year at this time she could be home and she could know love.

Do you have room in your heart for Gracelynn? 

Can you help her?

Can you help me help her?

I am raising $1000.00 for her by 12/31 

I'm not going to lie. It's been difficult this year.

Last year at this time I had high hopes for Carina

I was confident that she would get home. Well, she is in Russia and will remain there it seems. With Russia banning adoptions to the States her hope has been shattered, and my heart along with it. I still feel guilty for not getting her out in  time. Maybe one more post would have made a difference. I don't know. All i know is she is stuck there. And it's not a good thing. 

I hesitated to take on advocating for another child . I didn't want to fail again.

But this little one and her mischievous grin pulled me in. 

Please help me.

I need to get her home! 

Yes, I also need to get her another $500.00 but a home is my ultimate goal for Gracelynn.

If you feel lead to donate I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Any amount will be a blessing. 

You can do that here

But please!!! Look at her. Think of her. Realize she is a real little,girl. Yes, she is far away. But there are no boundaries when it comes to a child and love, and doing what needs to be done. It doesn't matter if she is across the street or across the ocean. She is in need.  

Can you share her picture? This post? You can go here and share her to FB and twitter with one click.

Will you pray for her?

Do  you think you are her mother? 

When your laughing and loving and warm and cozy this Christmas. When you are surrounded by family and lights and peace... think of her, and her silence, and please whisper a pray to God for her.

  

Happy Thanksgiving? Ok I'm Running a Little Behind..

Lagging behind as usual this Holiday season. Up until a couple of days ago I had Halloween, Thanksgiving, and  Christmas decorations in my front yard.  I'm proud to announce two of the three holidays have been packed away.
Thanksgiving was fabulous! I'll catch you up with pictures!

Ready to carve!

Some sort of group photo

Emmie chowing down on her potatoes!

Any takers on what part of the turkey this is?? Liv goes for it every year. Clue?  It's not a wing, leg, breast, or any other part that is acceptable to eat! LOL

All the fatties relaxing!

A helper... that was nice!

We also had a couple of birthdays!!

Em getting some Grammy time!

THEN AFTER DINNER:


We desended like locust on our dear friends for dessert!

Being silly!

Lots and lots of kids!

Lots and lots of hugs!

And lots of cuddles!

Someone tucked her in all cozy!

And more cuddles!

And since we didn't get home til 1am( at midnight she was learning how to do the worm), the Princess slept in the next morning!

I'm Glad you're all having so much fun with this...photo update

Denise and Lisa, donated to Gracelynn and  their requests have been granted!

What's going on??

Find out here

And the Game continues with the younger years...

Jenn wanted young Steph.

A$5 donation to Gracelynn gets you in on the fun! You say post it and I will! Any picture of me from any time. Even the awkward years... and there were many!

Easy fun!

Donate
Tell me
Request photo
Wait for it to be posted

Thanks all!!

Another Photo... CRAZY!

Jenny requested to see the Atlantic plunge from last year. She made a donation to Gracelynn so she gets what she wants .

 

Wanna play?? Make a $5 or more donation to Gracelynn and you get to request a picture of me.

The First Photo is Up!

My friend Shannon made a donation to Gracelynn's Angel Tree grant, and she gets to pick the first picture of me!  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can catch up here.She chose the fat and pregnant era! Pregnant with Emilia. So as I am true to my word and promised to post here and on FB... Voila!

My friend Jenn also made a donation and picked a picture from my younger years. Gracelynn's age which is 10. I have to dig for that one but it will be posted ASAP! 


Keep playing , this is fun!! Not the picture part( for me) but seeing Gracelynn's account grow!

If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, could it possibly be worth $5 too?

I feel like I'm the Shadow Blogger and the Phantom FB Friend. I never post pictures of myself. I cannot stand being photographed. I have hated it since I was a little girl. I still cringe when someone other than myself has a camera in their hands. If you point it my way I seriously can feel my heartbeat increase to a  abnormally high  rate. In a nutshell I'm a nutcase!

That being said, and out of the way, I'll move on to my next bright idea.

I'm a  Christmas Warrior for Gracelynn this year. My goal is to raise $1000.00 to add tor her adoption grant and of course find her a family!!!

Warriors have come up with a ton of interesting ways to raise money. Over the years I've seen Auctions and giveaways, challenges of all types. I've seen warriors shave their heads, their eyebrows and other peoples heads! I've seen them take a pie in the face and come out smiling. There have been dinners and bake sales, craft sales and Etsy shops galore. Heck I even jumped into the Atlantic Ocean last December. 

There's not much we won't do to raise the money. We are a determined and slightly crazy bunch of head over heels in love with our orphans woman.

Which leads me to my idea. If a picture is worth a thousand words, could it possibly be worth $5 too??

Would you donate $5 to Gracelynn's Angel Tree fund to see a picture of me? 

BUT WAIT!

Not just a random picture, but one that you get to choose?

A baby picture? Those awkward years? My dazzling 20's, a wedding picture. Early motherhood photo? A really fat pregnant photo?  The what were you  thinking when you cut your hair photo? 

If enough people get in on this "fun" you literally could see me from birth to present!  

And honestly if I'm willing to swallow a piece, a whole humble pie for my Gracelynn and your entertainment, you'd be crazy to pass it up.

And it's a win win situation!! 

You get to see me, and get to know me better, and Gracelynn gets her account growing and hopefully a family for Christmas! She will be 11 years old this December. Eleven years of waiting is way too long, and I'm willing to put myself in this most uncomfortable position to get her goal met and get her home! 

ARE YOU IN????

LET THE GAMES BEGIN??

ANY $5 OR MORE DONATION HERE, AND YOU PICK THE TIME RANGE AND I'LL POST THE PICTURE. HERE AND ON FB SO NO ONE MISSES OUT! 

IF YOU DONATE JUST COMMENT HERE OR PM ME ON FB. REMEMBER TO LET ME KNOW WHAT ERA  YOU WANT TO SEE. 

IF NO ONE RESPONDS I WILL STAY THE PHANTOM FB FRIEND AND SHADOW BLOGGER FOREVER!

BELIEVE ME THIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE!

AND REMEMBER , IT'S ALL FOR HER.

 

A Moment for Mindy

Mindy is just beautiful to look at isn't she? She pulls you in with a soft kindness, and that smile just makes you smile back.



But there is a sadness around this beautiful child. Mindy is an orphan and needs a family to step forward before her birthday , which is in early December. Once she ages out it will be too late for her to be adopted.

Here is her bio from Reece's Rainbow

Girl, born December 1999
PRC
Cerebral Palsy

Mindy needs a family to be in country and adopt her PRIOR to her birthday in DECEMBER 2013!

Mindy is a beautiful 13 year old girl with an incredible spirit! She was abandoned at age 6, but in spite of that, she has an optimistic and thankful heart. She likes to sing and hum throughout her day, she is honest and accepts correction well. She has good judgment, has a great thirst for knowledge, good understanding and excellent study habits. She attends school in the orphanage. She is talkative and friendly, and a good communicator. She has moderate cerebral palsy and requires a wheelchair to get around, but her speech is clear and she is working hard on her English.

Here you can see video of her, where she says, “Hello everyone, my name is Mindy. I hope I will have a family, have daddy, mother, brothers and sisters. I am a girl who has a ready smile.”


Can you imagine being 13 years old and know your time is almost up? Can you imagine the feeling of dread? And the fear of never having a family of your own? Please if you are reading this , take the one second it takes to share this post! Share it on FB or blog or tell someone about Mindy. Stop and say a prayer, but please do something! This child;s life is on the line! A few short weeks, that's all she has for a huge miracle! CAN YOU AND WILL YOU HELP??









Whatever you do , it is more than doing nothing. And she deserves at least our effort to help her. What if you are the one who posts, and because of that her family is found. You never know the way God is going, or who He will use or when or how. Please let us all do our part for Mindy, who wants nothing but the love of a family! 


For more information on Mindy please contact Reece's Rainbow

Once a Warrior Always A Warrior. Advocating For Orphans, Reeces Rainbow Angel Tree, and Why I Can't Give Up!

As I sit here, my stomach is literally in knots and a lump in forming in my throat, tears are distorting the letters as I try to type.  Why? 

Grab a coffee and I'll fill you in.

My heart belongs to the orphan. I advocate for orphans with special needs in Eastern European countries. The most lost little souls on the planet. The ones hidden away in secluded out of the way orphanages and who spend their days in"laying down rooms".   Those are rooms where just as the title suggests, is what happens. The children lay in their cribs. All day, all night..   
Eventually they age out, usually at about four years old and are transferred to adult mental institutions where the atrocities that take place are too much for me to write. For most this is their road to the grave, and a place where hope is dead.

My Carina, who was listed on Reece's Rainbow, and who has a piece of my heart, is most likely in a place like this.  She is five and half years old. She is in Russia and I have no way of helping her anymore. Russia is now closed to international adoption. For the past two years, while I was advocating for her, I promised to find her a home. I swore I would find her forever family. I raised over 6.000 for her adoption grant. I had auctions, and giveaways, I involved our school and they rallied and raised almost 1000.00 in two years for her. I went to craft fairs and did a lot of begging, pleading and praying. But still with all that effort, I failed. I couldn't get her out in time. 

I was so sure that she would go home. I am tortured by the fact that she is stuck in hell. And am torn on how to pray for her. If she is suffering as I have seen some children from her country suffer, and ultimately die, than I pray that God is merciful and carries her to heaven. My heart  has already grieved for her as if she were dead. But worse would be to know that this could be happening to her too.

This is Kyle. He is in heaven now. He was a Russian orphan , just like Carina. I could not live with myself if this happens to her too. 

 Right about now you may be wondering how on earth I can feel this strongly about an orphan a world away. An orphan that I've only seen in a photograph. Well, I don't know either exactly, except that when God lays something or in this case someone on your heart it has that affect. I love her with a mothers heart. And odd as this may sound, I feel a spiritual connection to her. No one wanted her. So without all the paper work and legal fees and dossiers and documents and red tape, I am her mother, by  a spiritual adoption. Whose going to tell me , no??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every year Reece's Rainbow has their biggest and best and most exciting fund raiser! It's called Angel Tree. Each orphan has his or her own Warrior. The goal for the warrior is to raise $1000.00 between November 1st and Dec 31st.  Also to advocate and get that orphan seen as much as possible , because the ultimate goal is a forever family. MANY children are adopted during Angel Tree!!! For the past two years I was Carina's Warrior. Due to the adoption ban there are no orphans from Russia listed anymore. I am without my Carina this year.

Now, I'm getting to the stomach and lump in my throat part. If your still with me, thank you!

I'm afraid to advocate. I'm afraid to fail another child.

I refused for a long time after the ban (last December 26th) to go to Reece's Rainbow and look at the children. I felt like I was abandoning Carina if I thought about advocating for a child from another country. And honestly my heart was just not in it. I was paralyzed by the "what ifs". What if I lost this child like Carina, "What if" I fail again. "What if " I don't raise any money. "What ifs" are evil. They fill you with doubt and fear, they enable you to believe only the worst and lose sight of all the good.

Putting aside all the "what ifs " I have been carrying around has been overwhelmingly difficult.


We are a tight community of warriors and we were all knocked over by the ban. Some, God bless them were able to move on and claim another Sweet child to advocate for, more quickly than others. I wish I was like them. Eventually though, I did go "looking" and my heart was captured by this Pixie.

   This is Gracelynn. And she just makes me smile. 

Girl, born December 2002

Down syndrome

Well, doesn’t this little pixie look like a spit fire?   Those deep brown eyes are gorgeous!
Large families welcome, travel required.  Married couples only.  Gracelynn could be adopted with Rania, Kinley, and/or Emmalyn.


I'm still a little shaky, and scared but I'm holding the "what ifs " at bay. Part of Carina's adoption grant money has been given to Gracelynn, so she already has 5000.00 toward her adoption cost. My goal is to raise another $1000.00 by Dec 31st. And find her a family. NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER!

A family for Christmas would be a miracle for Gracelynn and the best birthday present EVER! She is a December baby!

Donations are now being accepted here. Just scroll down until you see Gracelynn . And with any $35 or more donation Reece's Rainbow will send you an ornament with Gracelynn's beautiful photo on it.

With all my fears and doubts, I still cannot stop advocating. Lord knows I want to. The pain is debilitating at times. But once a Warrior always a Warrior. These children need a voice. Mine was once loud and bold. I yelled for these children who are silent and forgotten. I was knocked down , but not taken out of the game completely. I'm getting up for Gracelynn. She needs me. And Sweet Carina will always have me as her mama so far away but always so in love with her.

Please join me this year. Please support Gracelynn and maybe even some of the other orphans and warriors raising funds and trying to find families. The immense joy of celebrating when a child gets a family mends the pain. This Christmas take a leap of faith. Listen to your heart, God may be whispering to you. To advocate, pray or possibly even to adopt.   

God Bless and please keep me in your prayers, that I make my goal of $1000.00 for Gracelynn.

Boo!!

All the Ghoulies are out begging for candy. Hope they come home with some of my favorites...

The littlest Ghoul is home with me and Daddy. Stealing candy, greeting Trick or Treaters and having a great time 

Here she's a little witch... 

And now a clown.. 

And for school she was a frog!

Hope you're all having fun tonight!  

Stay safe and watch your back, I hear there are Zombies roaming freely tonight

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!