Pinterest Tuesday!

....er....I mean Thursday!

Yeah. It's been one of those kinda weeks....

I just had to share this though. Not only did God call us to adoption, He also has given our son a big squishy heart for orphans.

All on his own. It's just him. I love it.

We were going over what we were going to give/make for teacher gifts. We were also checking out a site you might have heard of called Reece's Rainbow.

Gah. My heart.

There was a boy that we learned about a while back. We knew we were not his family, but we knew we were to pray for this boy and his forever family.

We did and while we were in Russia, Jake and I decided to look up the site and see how this boy was doing. We were crazy happy thrilled when we saw that a family has come forward to adopt him and he was on the "my family found me page!".

So happy. We pray it continues to go well and he gets to be with his family soon.

Meanwhile...we spotted the Angel Tree page and checked it out. Then we saw something about Angel Tree dollars.

Oh yes. My boy was all.over.it.

And just to give a little story here: my son actually cried big, sincere tears over these children. Wept. In the hotel room as we looked at the dozens of pictures of these orphans. He said, "mom! we HAVE to do something!!! Can we just adopt ONE MORE?! Please?! They NEED us!".

Oh how my heart ached. We know we most likely will adopt again, but we need to settle with Sunshine first. In time...His time.

Meanwhile. I told him, "we cannot adopt them all baby. BUT, we can do something. We can pray for them. We can pray for their forever families to step up and take that leap of faith".

We chatted a bit more about how some are called to adopt and some are called to help. We talked about the Angel Tree and what it can do for these kiddos. He asked if that is what he could get for part of his teacher's gifts.

So we did. And made some peppermint bark I pinned of Pinterest.

Source: onceuponaplate1.com via Jaime on Pinterest

Mine aren't nearly as pretty as these lovelies, but I couldn't find that snowflake mold to save my life! So, I did the basic old break-it-apart way. No matter...still tastes yum!

I packaged them up late last night and early this morning and got them ready for him to take to school. Then he thanked me for being such an awesome mom and doing all that.

I thanked him for being willing to do something for others.

Thanksgiving Adoption and Orphan Care Fundraiser

::UPDATE:: I've decided ALL donations are going to Orphans At Play. Seeing the kiddos left behind...it's heartbreaking. The Grandma Mentoring Program is so, so needed::

So, I've mentioned it before...but! It's finally here! A fundraiser for orphan care! And just in time for a little holiday shopping!

I started this to help out with our unexpected third trip with our adoption. You can read more about that HERE.

It was difficult, yet, we've been able to move forward and complete the adoption of a precious child who desperately needed a home. You can meet Sunshine over HERE.

Meanwhile, I began to get a fundraiser together. As I was doing so, something just kept delaying it.

I think I know why.

I want this to be so much more than just about our adoption. And, through this last trip we've taken, I met some fabulous mamas and learned about an organization that helps orphans. It's called Orphans At Play.

Amazing.

They have something called the Grandma Mentoring Program.

Here is a little more about this great organization and the program:

Children thrive with simple contact in promoting emotional growth and physical development by giving a baby home a grandma. The few orphanage employees cannot keep up with the growing number of children in these homes. This is where Orphans at Play have partnered with the vladmission.org in the Primorsky Krai region to provide the Grandma Mentoring Program giving children a chance to “play”.


In early 2011, several adoptive parents came together and shared their experiences of adopting children from the Vladivostok region in Russia. Although their children were born in a variety of cities and lived in many different orphanages, there is one common theme among their conversations: the children had limited stimulation before coming into their families. Many children without early attachment and bonding may experience reactive attachment disorder, sensory integration concerns and hyperactivity just to name a few. Through research Orphans at Play has the opportunity to bring the latest in current development and create solutions to support the children in the baby hospitals, orphanages and those in transition to their new families.


Orphans at Play is celebrating the holiday season by giving the Gift of a Grandma. Please join us in helping fundraise during this special time of the year to help children in need.

Our goal is to raise $5000 dollars this year so we can place four grandmas in 2012. We need your help through donations and holiday shopping in the online store. All proceeds go directly to our grandma mentoring program

Will you please consider helping out with a donation? Will you help spread the word?


Here's the scoop: There are three groups of items to win! They are numbered #1, #2 and #3.

To enter, give a donation of any amount by clicking the "chip in" button located on the side bar (top left). Suggested donation is $5 per entry and for each $5 you will receive one entry into the giveaway. When you use the chip in button, please put which group number you are wanting to put your entry towards (ie please put my donation towards #2). Of course, if you are not able to give at this time, but would still like to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post. :)

For a BONUS entry! Just facebook or tweet about the giveaway, linking back to this post and then just come back here and leave a comment that you did so! You will automatically receive an additional entry!

That's it! Easy peasy!

Giveaway will go for 1 week and winners will be drawn December 2nd ::Update: Extended through December 10!::

So, without further ado....here are the lovely items to be won!

Group #1

3 pretty flower pins, donated by Edan. 

Custom Little Bird Creations Vintage Definition Pendant: You choose the word!

Design Your Own LBC Owl Coffee Cuff! You choose the colors.

 Group #2 

Beautiful "From Russia With Love" necklace donated by the fabulous Tracy at JunkPosse

2 large pretty flower pins donated by Edan. Great with scarfs!

Pretty Bloom statement necklace & 2 pretty bloom pins by Heather

Group #3

Fabulous trio of button earrings donated by Lindsay. You pick!

2 Statement necklaces & 4 Pretty flower headbands donated by Heather


Thank you and many blessings to you and yours this holiday season!

*No donation necessary to participate

To Be Made

Things in the making...

I picked up this fabulous turquoise dupioni silk, black and white damask print and some fun buttons at the fabric store not too long ago.

What will it become? Little gifts for the caregivers in the orphanage our Sunshine is currently in. Just a simple way to say 'thank you' for caring for our daughter until we could get back for her.

I cannot wait to get back to her.