Tangible

In the last few days the realization that Lucy will be home soon has really begun to sink in.

Filling her closet with clothes.  Buying bed and linens.  Purchasing dolls.  Looking for the perfect car seat.  All those things added a tangible element to the adoption process.  I can't even describe what it feels like knowing something I've been thinking about for longer than I've been an adult and praying so fervently for is actually happening!

Makes me think of Proverbs 13:19 

A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul

However, last night, as I was winding down from the weekend, I thought:

I wonder how she'll feel transitioning from an orphan to child number 8 in a family?

I wonder how she'll feel about having two grandmas and a grandpa?  Aunts, uncles?  Nieces and nephews, cousins?

I was so excited and then, suddenly, I thought:

I wonder how she'll feel, saying good bye to her foster parents, foster siblings?  Teachers, friends?  The orphanage and the nannies that have spend time with her?  Her country, language, food?

I won't lie and say that I can begin to wrap my mind around the incredible confusion, fear and hurt she's going to be feeling.  I can only pray that she transitions and bonds to us in a quick and healthy manner to ease her pain.  I pray that what she finds here at home is enough to heal her broken heart.  

We have been going through so many emotions and so many transitions over the last year.  We've weathered many storms, we've survived things meant to tear us apart, and we've learned to walk together in this topsy turvy world.  

We've learned to enjoy and appreciate one another's victories, to celebrate life's little moments, and to praise Him through every circumstance.  

This journey to bring Lucy home has been a long one, longer yet in the making.  Yet every minute has added and built, leading to this amazing crescendo that is even now within our sights!  Together, Manny and I are anxiously anticipating the moment when we can see our girl face to face for the first time.  We've talked and daydreamed about likely scenarios, and some not so likely ones.  We've laughed knowing that the first time she lays eyes on us, Manny will be insecure of how to proceed and I will be a crying mess, and how Lucy will also remember her Baba and Mama as the loudest in the group on Gotcha Day.  

We are so exited for this gorgeous girl to be present in our daily lives in more than just our thoughts.  Sometimes, it's a little overwhelming how that desire can bring us (mostly me) to tears.  How receiving an email with pictures and a video feels like winning the lotto, and can bring you to your knees in a heartbeat.  

Last week was a productive week, we managed to get several steps crossed off our list, we received our Letter of Acceptance and an email with a video and some pictures.  We were also selected to be a 555 Family with Reece's Rainbow, which helps 5 families close to traveling every month raise some money together.  It's an amazing program, one that we have been sponsoring ourselves for months, we are so honored to be selected!  If you are interested in helping through this program, your donation goes towards 5 families!  That's a lot of good for a little donation!  You can learn more about this through this link:  http://reecesrainbow.org/555families   In advance, thank you, on our behave and all the other families for this months and the ones that will benefit in the future! 

Additionally, we picked up our daughter from college for a short visit, and she snapped a picture of the family for the 555 Families page.  Then two quick pictures of Manny and myself, and one of Yudith, Alex and Becky.  These pictures were not planned and we weren't "glamorously" prepared for a photo shoot, but if you know our family personally, you know that we all actually prefer it this way!  I love how they all turned out and my heart is so full!  Yudith did an amazing job of snapping a few pictures to completely capture the emotions we are living with!  Lucy's family waiting, working and anticipating her arrival!  Here are the pictures from that, and those we received of our beautiful girl!  The video is a short one but, oh my gravy it is sooooooo cute!!!!

                                     Sweet Lucy  

Ok, pause here for a moment!!  Tell me you don't want to go back and watch that AGAIN!?  It's ok, go ahead, I'll wait!  

 

Our 555 Family picture!

We are over the moon in love with this Munchkin already!  Don't anyone spill the beans that she can get anything she wants from each of us, we're already wrapped!  

AND NOW!!!  LUCY!!!

As always, thank you all so very much for your prayers and support!  We have always been, are now and will forever be, extremely appreciative!  

We are so close to traveling to bring Miss Lucy home. There have been so many emotions in the last week and I've spent a lot of time drawing closer to God. I'm not going to say I have a ton of answers, or even just a few. But I am feeling much more focused again. We had a person, a friend that has been following our journey closely, ask if I had considered if we heard God's call on our lives correctly, if I had considered maybe we weren't meant to adopt and that's why things were as they were. Well, I'll be honest, I was devastated that this was actually voiced, much less thought of. But I prayed, and cried, and prayed some more. And God directed me over and over and over to so many commands of taking care of orphans, so many examples in my days about adoption, so many people I met affected positively through adoption. And I KNOW that we heard Him loud and clear. I've never doubted that He called us to this path. Not only are we meant to adopt, we are meant to serve as advocates for adoption. One phrase kept coming up through the last week, at the hospital, at the grocery store, on the internet and over the phone I kept hearing it: God's plans for you are not affected or altered by the disbelief of others in your ability to carry them out. And I feel peace about that. If someone doesn't think we're capable of doing what God set us out to do, they aren't really doubting me, they are doubting His abilities to do what He clearly says in the Bible he's going to do. James 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. He sent us out for Lucy and we won't be derailed by doubt or disbelief. We will continue to push forward, to try anything and everything we can to bring her home. 

We still have $14925 left to raise. I KNOW He's going to provide that. I KNOW we will be traveling and bringing home our sweet girl. She will never know fear of loneliness again. She will have her place in her own tribe and she will know that she is ADORED by her Father, and loved by her family. I KNOW that the hearts that she will touch will encourage others to move to adopt. I am not angry or upset at those that doubt. I believe those are the hearts that will be moved. God is working and we will be blown away with the end results. 

I have gotten to the point where, honestly, it's a little embarrassing to keep asking for your support. I know so many people have given from their already stretched resources. So instead of asking you for money, again, I'm going to ask for your help in another way. I know everyone hates fundraising, hates asking for money. However, could I please ask you to partner with us on one huge project? 

If we can get each of the 339 puzzle pieces that are left in our Puzzle Fundraiser "sponsored" we can have a huge portion of our remaining balance taken care of, their name goes on the back of a puzzle piece, and once completed, the puzzle will be mounted in a double sided frame and hung in Lucy's room so she can always see all the people that helped bring her home. Would you guys please personally contact 10 people and ask for a donation of at least $10 to sponsor one puzzle piece. They can do so through our FSP link with Reece's Rainbow so they can print a receipt to add to their tax donations. Or through my paypal account.  

https://www.paypal.me/Fleites

http://reecesrainbow.org/103759/sponsorfleites