Humbled and Grateful

A few months ago, I joined an e-mail group that is for LDS families who have, or are currently in the process of adopting internationally.  I checked it a few times, then forgot about it for a while. One day I was inspired to jump on the site and post a question on it about adopting from the country where Anna is from.  While  I was on the site, I found an entry from a woman named Sharon:

Hello everyone,
Just a quick update on Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance. We have given
5 grants so far. We have just sold 7 puppies and have funds for at
least 2 grants. If you are adopting a child with special needs or
know of a family adopting a child with special needs who need some
financial assistance check out our web site www.goldendawnaa.org
All the best to each of you,
Sharon

I decided I'd give it a try.  I filled out the paperwork, got the letters I needed from our bishop and adoption agency, and sent it in with a prayer. 

I have to tell you the story of Golden Dawn. Sharon's family adopted a little girl named Kari Dawn from Vietnam in 1999.  She was diagnosed with Autism.  At the age of four, little Kari died tragically in an accident.  Sharon said on the e-mail group that  ever since her daughters could talk, they have prayed for all the children in the world who need homes.When Kari died they knew they wanted to do something in her memory.

One night, Sharon was watching a TV show with Golden Retrievers and she had a feeling they should get one. So they did, and soon after, it came to her that they could sell puppies and give the money to families who are adopting children with special needs. That's when Golden Dawn was born, in 2008. She said that they ask God to help them find families who can use help funding their adoptions and that they believe that families have been led to them. She said that their dog, Tilli's last batch of puppies were recently sold at a good price and that she had a feeling that Heavenly Father had a family (or families) for them to help..

She was right.

One of those families was us.  And last night, her board voted, deciding that our family would receive the $2000 grant that we applied for.  As soon as our USCIS approval comes and we get ready to travel, they will pay our agency the money, making our financial obligation to them $2000 less.  What a blessing!

What touches me most is the kindness of this family, who could easily buy some nice living room furniture, go on a fun vacation or build up a college fund with this money.  But they want to make a difference, and this is their way of doing it.  They have approved 5 or 6 grants now, totaling around $10,000.

Thank you, Sharon, Golden Dawn and of course, thank you, Tilli.  I would love it if our next adoption is of one of your gorgeous little puppies, so that we will have a living reminder of what you have given to help us bring Anna home.  (Just gotta talk the husband into it and install an invisible fence in the back yard..  No biggie, right?)  I've inherited my mother's love of dogs.  Now I have one more reason to love them!