Your Dollars

I want to try to explain to all of you how we feel about the dollars that are coming in to help pay our "ransom" for Anya. They are sacred to us in a way. We've never been on the receiving end of something like this and it's been a really interesting experience.

The first thing we feel when a donation comes in is a little guilt because we know it caused that family to have to give something up during tough times. We think of each person or family and know it wasn't easy to give what they did.  So far, 35 families have done this.

Then the Spirit reasurres and reminds us that this is much bigger than dollars and certainly much bigger than us. And the guilt is replaced with gratitude.

Gratitude for abundance. Gratitude for friends, family and even people we have never met, who are loving Anya along with us.

As gratitude finishes settling in, joy comes along for the ride.  We're that much closer! Anya will no longer have to sleep in one of these beds with a number. Her bed will be filled with another child, not because she was sent to an institution, but because she went home. She'll have a mama and daddy to tuck her in at night, kiss her soft cheeks and say bedtime prayers with.   Not only that..but look at what her new siblings will get out of the deal.  A beautiful sister to love. Teach. Share everything with. Protect.  Learn from. 

All thanks and glory goes to a loving Heavenly Father who has moved mountains to bring us to Anya, helped Jeremy's business to support us this far in the process, and touched the hearts of many people to reach out and be a part of the miracle.  We know he loves Anya and we know he is mindful of what it will take to bring her out of the orphan system in her country and into our home.  

We're having a hard time thinking about spending money on things we don't need this Christmas.  Earthly possessions don't mean much when a little life is waiting for a change.
 

And little lips are waiting to give more kisses.  :)

We have raised $1500 so far with the iPad raffle.  Our goal is to bring in $4000 profit from this fund raiser (on top of the cost of the iPad)  So we need to raise $3,000 in the next five days.   We've thought about extending the raffle for a few more weeks, but we want the winner to have it in time for Christmas.  Will you please help us by posting a link to our blog on your Facebook or blog or email, or whatever you can think of?  Feel free to print the flyer and pass it out to your neighbors and friends.  All it will take is lots of people donating a little and we'll be there!!  Please help spread the word. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!