Celebrate Adoption Giveaway

SO. Here it is. The giveaway that I've been saying I would do....and three weeks later am finally getting around to.

The children are napping.

I just ate a 3 Musketeers that I found in the cupboard when I was cleaning them. It was good.

Spent the morning unpacking suitcases and re-arranging clothes so JN has a spot for the few clothes that he has to wear. Will's hand-me-downs will work it appears...I just need to find the time to go through them.

Time is a precious commodity right now.

I have been/am so thankful for the friends/family who are bringing us food. Seriously. I am one who likes to do it all on my own. Had they asked me if they could bring food for the past couple weeks, I likely would have said 'No, thank you. I can cook.' However, they thankfully didn't ask me. They just stocked our freezer and we've been eating on it for two weeks now. What a blessing! While living at Susan's it was lovely to not have to drag all the stuff from home just so I could cook. Now that we're home, it's been lovely to go to the freezer to pull something out rather than having to slave away in the kitchen. I don't mind cooking...but the mess of a house is kind of overwhelming. It's nice to not have to unpack boxes and cook both!!! Yes. I've been spoiled.

Reality will hit hard, I fear.

Anyway.

The giveaway that I said was coming? Here it is. I told you all that it was a product from a website that supports adoption 100%.....

I was going to be really clever and give you the link to view the exact bag on their site....but it appears that they are no longer selling this exact bag. Oops.

Instead, you'll have to take my word for it. It's a large bag. I could easily fit my laptop into it. Or I could use it to pack full of diapers, wipes, baby food, and bottles. But I'm trying to not need those diapers anymore, so it'd be silly to keep it for myself.

Not only that. I'd love to give it to someone else.

And everytime you use it you will be alerting others to the fact that there are millions of orphans in this ole world. Millions.

Following are some statistics that I copied and pasted off the
website. It's sad. It's really sad. We have only brought three of the millions into our home...and just as quickly as they became our children, there were other orphans there to take their place. If I could, I'd bring home a dozen. I don't think that'll probably ever happen, unless God speaks really loudly. And clearly. And He tells Jason the same thing. One thing about adoption is that husband and wife must be in complete agreement before ever beginning the process. I don't think it would work too well if one or the other was dragging their feet.

Anyway. That was a rabbit trail if I ever saw one. Here's what I was talking about.

STATISTICS … DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE NUMBER, BUT IN THE CHILDREN !!!!
Did you know there are hundreds of millions of children worldwide who have lost one or both parents.
Every 14 seconds an AIDS death leaves another child orphaned.
Approximately 88 million orphans live in Asia.
Approximately 45 million orphans live in Africa.
Approximately 14 million orphans live in Latin America & the Caribbean.
Approximately 1 million children live in public care in Central and Eastern Europe
More than 800,000 children pass through America’s foster care system each year.
These statistics do not even include the UNKNOWN children living orphaned both here and abroad that go uncounted, unnoticed and unloved.

James 1:27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for the orphans and widows in their troubles and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”


Isn't it sad?

What makes it really sad to me is that so many of these 'orphans' really aren't orphans at all. Many (at least in Russia) have one or both parents alive and well. The parents just can't care for their children. Or in the really sad cases, the parents just don't want their own children. Sometimes, if the parent won't sign off rights for their child, that child is stuck. No visitors. No hugs. No kisses. No concept of family at all. When the child turns 16 (or in some cases 18) he/she will be kicked out of the orphanage and left to fend for him/herself. I can't even think of the end result without tears.

So. We're having a giveaway. Maybe it's something that you would never be interested in. That's okay. At least I got you to read some statistics!! If you aren't interested, but you know someone who may be...send them over. Get the word out, because in doing that, you will be informing others of the sad reality of orphans.

The giveaway will stay open until Wednesday, March 2, 2011. One entry per person. Any old comment or e-mail (for those who don't want to comment or don't know how...jjgarber03@yahoo.com) will do. I'll draw a name next Thursday...if there is anyone who wants it, anyway!!

Blessings to you all~