I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS. I WILL COME TO YOU.

JOHN 14:18





Thursday, September 23, 2010

Official Approval by our Adoption Agency!!!

I feel so excited right now it's hard to type!! I just got off of the phone with our adoption agency and we are approved to move forward in our adoption!! Even though I knew deep down we would be approved it feels so amazing and official now! It feels like I just found out I am pregnant! Of course we have quite a journey ahead of us and we have only just begun but I can be patient with God's help! Our next step is to sign more agreement forms and send in our first program fee of $1500. This is really happeneing and now it is time to begin our fundraising! In the next 4-6 months we will need to raise about $5700 to cover our initial costs before our referral to Ethiopia is sent out. God is so much bigger than money so I know we can make it happen! Our total adoption fees from start to bringing our child home is between $25-35,000. That sure sounds like a lot of money but for some reason it doesn't scare me. I know we will raise it and feel very excited to watch God at work through this process. Jared and I are brainstorming about fundraising ideas and we welcome your ideas too! We need all the help we can get!
We're thinking our first fundraiser is going to be a marathon right here in Sacramento on December 5th. We will keep you updated as we organize this event! We hope you will join us in running, getting people to sponser you or Jared for the run, or just donating to our cause!
We also plan to do a huge rummage sale fundraiser in the early Spring of next year so stay tuned for that!
I have figured out how to add a donation button through Paypal on here so you can donate anytime right through our blog! When you see the email address as Bellabargain5 it is me, it is just my Ebay email that is linked through Paypal but it will go directly into our account which will help us bring our child home!!
I hope you will get involved and get excited! You will have a direct connection with our future child and know that with your help she will be an orphan no more!
Thank you and keep checking back to see new posts! We would love if you would become a follower of our blog and send it out to anyone you might think would want to help!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Why Adopt Internationally?

This is the question I am frequently asked so I thought I might explain.
Since Jared and I have been married we have had many conversations about possibly adopting someday. It has just always been there even when we have gone back and forth with the idea. Presently it feels like the right timing in our life and the right place. Ultimately we believe OUR child is in Ethiopia. Here are many of the reasons why we feel called to adopt from Ethiopia specifically.

There are 4.8 million orphans in Ethiopia
1 in 4 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth
• One in six children die before their fifth birthday
• 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old
• 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition
• The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years
• 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)
• 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone
• Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa
• Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school
• Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000
Average life expectancy is 37 years

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Application has been sent!!

Well after many days of gathering information and a few computer glitches along the way, I was able to send out our application to the adoption agency today!! I feel very excited and can't wait for the next step! I also can't wait to officially announce our "paper pregnancy" news to everyone but am still waiting to share with some family before we do. It's hard to guard my heart but am trying to because you never know what could happen through this process. I really do feel such a peace about our decision and not as nervous as I thought I might be. We will continue to pray and would love if you would join us in prayer as we trust in God to make this dream become a reality!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

This video for me was my "no turning back" moment about adopting...It is amazing!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duyL9UjLrdM

A New Journey Begins!


So this is my very first blog!  I have been meaning to create a blog for some time now but better late than never right? I have no idea what I am doing so bear with me!!
 As of now we are a family of three. Myself, my husband Jared, and my 3 year old son Josiah.  Now that he is 3 we have had many long conversations about when to have our second child. Since the beginning of our marriage we have talked about possibly adopting someday and it has never really left our mind or hearts. About two months ago we decided we were ready for baby #2. Ready as we'll ever be!  I started daydreaming about my second little one and began to get excited. One night two weeks ago I had major insomnia. I could not stop thinking about adoption, which was sparked by a friend who had told me that day about a mother she met who had adopted an orphan from Ethiopia. I ended up on the internet at 3am researching Ethiopia and adoption agencies. All that I learned that night, and all the days since have not left my mind or heart. It has sat like a brick on my very being. It has become so obvious what God is calling me to do. There are 5 million children who are orphans in Ethiopia. My dream is to start by making that number 5 million minus 1. Jared has always been ready to jump in and adopt so he too is on board and very excited.  We understand that this is a long, crazy journey but we feel called and ready! We have decided on a Christian Adoption Agency called America World Adoption. Our first step is to send in our official application to adopt!! We would love it if you would pray for us on this journey!! Let the adventure begin!!