Katie

This is usually where I would apologize for not keeping everyone up to date...

Not this time.

I am so grateful to everyone who helped bring Katie and Woody home!

So, so grateful!


 But...


For the past 9 months, my family needed me.

It has been hard.

When two children leave everything they have ever known to join a  family it is traumatic. Even if they came from the depths of Hell on Earth. Even if every day of their previous life was a big mass of trauma.


Bodies were weak.


Hearts were hurt.



But with time...



Bodies have healed.



Hearts are mending.



I won't promise that I'll keep up with updates.



I will if I can.


For now. I truly hope you enjoy seeing how far sweet Katie (Beatrice on Reece's Rainbow adoption Ministry) has come!!  I will be working on a video progress for Woody next!

Love to you all! Enjoy <3

Faith on Fire

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he *must* deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.…

~Matthew 16:24-25~

I added emphasis above even though it really needs none. Do you see where I added it? It's that pesky little word that many do not like  to pay attention to in the Bible. 

Must. 

Ouch, that's a tough one, isn't it? 

Why now? Why when so many have stepped out and helped us? Why when the Lord showed us everlasting goodness through His people that *are* denying themselves for His purpose? 

Because there are more. More precious children who have been made in the image of the Almighty and holding the Breath of life within them, waiting for a family to call their own. More families answering the call of faith to step out on this seemingly impossible journey. 

More.

A friend recently said something that I thought was significant. 

The cost of adoption is not about the family who is adopting. It is entirely for the benefit of the child who will no longer be an orphan. He cannot pay. Cannot even take out a loan. But we can stand at his side, and pay on his behalf. 

Orphans are children who have been done a great harm, even if it was done out of necessity or love. They have been denied the un-earned love of parents that the majority of us have been given as a gift. 

Do you see what I getting at here?  I am not just asking you to support people in their efforts, no more than I was asking you to support my efforts. I asking you to support an ORPHAN. Folks, this *is* a biblical mandate. I'm asking you to care. Asking you to not look the other way this time. Please. If we do not raise their ransom and help break them free NO ONE WILL.

I want to one day stand in front of the Almighty and hear those words that I live my life to hear...

"Well Done Good and Faithful Servant."

What else is there to live for, folks? Really? This life is the first inch on that big ol' line we call eternity. Do you *REALLY* believe it? Be MOVED TO ACTION! Please!

I don't know about you, but me? I do NOT want to stand before the Father some day and say that I turned my back after seeing this....

I have news for you , ladies and gentleman, this isn't some old holocaust picture. This is today's 

holocaust! These are REAL children. This is reality. Reality that many want to deny but reality none the less.

I understand not everyone can adopt, I do. Although, I do believe that there are many that just don't want to adopt the children that actually need to be adopted. They want perfect. They want what my friend says is "a puppy that doesn't poop". Again, news flash here y'all, no kid is perfect and none come with guarantees.  We are all born to serve and bring glory to God. I assure you that He didn't "make a mistake" when He created the children that aren't what society calls "perfect". I don't know much, but that, my friends, I *do* know.

We are funded, all glory to God. If it is His will we will be home with two less very soon. But there are MORE!

I am going to highlight one family today.

Meet the Jenks.

The Jenks said, "Yes, Lord, we will obey. We don't how this will happen, but we know who You are. You are faithful Lord. You are good, Lord. You WILL show us the way, Lord.

Yes.

Who are they? From them...

• • After 11 months of being home from Ukraine and adopting Veronika and Gavyn (listed on RR as Sydney and Lucien) we were lead to a beautiful little 12 year old girl on RR Veronika (her RR name not her real name). We were not expecting to adopt again so soon, and certainly not an older child, but God had other plans. After praying about it we moved forward and started the process. Shortly after committing to her, we noticed several other children from her country were removed from Reece's Rainbow. We ended up finding out that because they had waited so long and no one had ever asked about them, they were considered unadoptable by their country and removed from the listing Our little girl was one of the ones that would have removed had we not committed to her when we did. We had our homestudy and ended up getting approved for two but we thought that maybe this time we would only adopt one. However, we kept being drawn back again and again to one little girl. We asked about her and what we found out was heart breaking. While our one little girl, listed as Veronika, is in a good place, our other little girl Emilija is not. Where she is at does not understand what it means to have Down syndrome. She is in an orphanage that looks down on her, and does not show her love and kindness. Both our girls will turn 13 in April and we are racing against the clock to get there before they turn 13. They have already had so so many firsts. They should not have to turn into a teenager alone. They should have a family to celebrate with. Once our girls are home we will have 8 children. Our oldest two girls are 23, and 22 and no longer live at home. We also have a 17 year old daughter, and a 15 year old son, and then in July 2012 we adopted Veronika and Gavyn who are both now 2 years old, from Ukraine. Veronika and Gavyn have Down syndrome as well. We will be traveling in Feb or March and still need 23K. Our homestudy is complete, we have submitted our 1800A and are waiting on approval, and our dossier is being translated so once we get our approval we will be ready to go and will just need to wait on a travel date. I am a stay at home mom, my husband works in IT, My husband was born and raised in England, I was born and raised in Louisiana. Our 17 year old daughter is in an honors program at her school and is very involved with volunteering. our 15 year old son is homeschooled and is a year ahead in his classes. Gavyn came home a year ago not even being able to lift his head and now he is walking! Veronika came home not even sitting up and now she is climbing and running and getting into everything like a typical two year old. Our teenage daughter is looking forward to having the girls home and going shopping with them, doing their nails and hair. Veronika and Gavyn are looking forward to having more big sisters, and our 15 year old son is looking forward to having sisters to do homeschooling with. It is so hard every day to not have them with us, to know one of our little girls is not getting the care and attention she needs and we just thank God for leading us to them. We will be in country anywhere from 4-10 weeks depending on how far apart the girls are in the country. During that time both parents have to be there. We are a bit of a silly family, you will often hear us joking and laughing and just goofing around.

A FAMILY. A Family that WANTS two that have lived nearly 13 years without someone wanting them.

Folks, I'm not just asking you to sponsor a family that is adopting. I'm asking you to take part in raising a ransom. A ransom for two lives. Two lives that have one last chance for a family.

Who?

Creations of the Almighty.
Two lives that carry the Breath of Life in them.

 Are you ready to be part of the solution?

Go here:

SPONSOR JENKS

Want to buy something to support?

Awesome shirts, lots of styles, that will benefit the Jenks and several other families adopting from now until January 6th, 2014.

BUY HERE!


Many families wait to see how God will pave the way for them.

Faith.

 Faith is a gift from God. If you lack it, pray. Pray and ask the Lord to give you faith on FIRE!
I promise your world will be rocked!

In His Mercy,
Waiting Mama

Almost There My Loves, Almost

Amen? Every. Single. Good. Gift. *Is*. From ABOVE! My friends, can I just take this moment to tell you now that God is good!

He *will* finish the work He starts in you!

He *is* faithful!

He will *not* leave you!

When He calls you to His work He *is* big enough for the impossible!

Why friends, why am I driving this point home now? Because the Lord has a plan for YOU! Taking a step of faith and doing what God has asked you to do can be scary when it looks impossible. It can be hard to really believe what you believe is really real. Do you really believe what you believe? Do you *know* that God can move any mountain that He places in the path He sends you down?

Ponder these things, my friends. He *is* a good God. He *is* a powerful God.  He *can* move the mountains He spoke into existence. Do you really believe what you believe?

I believe. Oh how fear is my enemy. Oh how I fail miserably. Oh how my strength is nothing. Praise God the His power is made perfect in my weakness because weakness is what I have.

God, Who provides all of our needs, has provided, like He told us He would.

We were informed that an anonymous person donated $10'000 to our Family Sponsorship grant! Did you read that?!

Luke delivers freight. He makes a good income but $32'000 is more than we had sitting around.  We had an impossible amount of money to raise to bring these babies home!

Guess what?

God said it was time.
We obeyed.
God PROVIDED! He provided!!!! This is HUGE, ladies and Gentleman!
HUGE!

God moved the heart of someone to do what He called them to!
Do you see? We all have a roll in His plan. Different rolls that all work together for HIS glory!

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Let's emphasize what this verse is really about.  "According to HIS purpose". His plan! His Glory! 

The Lord has recently revealed to me what I have been missing all of my life....

Are you ready to see what has taken me 30 years to realize? 

I was born to learn and act on what REDEMPTION really means.

That is my purpose. I can now see, clear as day, God's plan in every road I've traveled. His plan for me is to understand redemption and act. I was wicked and sinful. God let me walk the road of selfishness and pain. He let me see how unworthy I am of His grace. And what He did next is amazing. 

He called me beloved. 

He called me His own. 

He called me daughter. 

He called me to be in His family. 

REDEMPTION

Oh Precious and Holy One.... What a gift! I am unworthy of this gift. I was wretched. 

Now? 

I am REDEEMED! 

I am DEBT FREE! 

I am CLEANSED OF MY SIN!

I am...

REDEEMED!

So if you want to know why. Why adopt children that have been abused and neglected? Why chance your family suffering? Why burden your finances? 

Because I was born to be redeemed! I was born to show that same redemption to HIS children! 

We are redeeming a generation. 

Let me introduce you to a precious soul waiting to be redeemed...

This is Salome. 

Salome is nearing 16 years old.  Salome spends her days in a crib with a bottle. Salome is a child of the Most High. Salome is waiting for someone to show her redemption! 

Please, someone show her His love! 

Uncomfortable is not a good reason to say no. 

Our Savior, the God of the Universe, stepped down and took on pain suffering and death for YOU! For *your* wretchedness. *Your* Sin. *Your* unworthiness. 

My friends, YOU were born to understand redemption. TO ACT! 

The Lord Almighty is faithful so don't let Satan spread his fear. That is NOT of God! He does NOT give us a spirit of fear! 

Look closely at what God has done to redeem two more...

Estimate to bring home Beatrice and Sawyer-$32,710

Amount in Beatrice's Grant-$7883.47

Amount in Sawyer's Grant-$201.50

Current amount raised in our Family Sponsorship Page (FSP)-$14'194.33 (!!!!)

Amount already paid- $5'045

Amount raised in person-$2800.00

Money forgotten!- $2000!! (PRAISE YOU LORD!) 

Amazon: $352.74

Total~32'477.04
Current Need: $232.96

Do you see how God said, "Yep, I got this."? Do you see!? 

We, with a modest income, went from needing $32,710 to needing $232.96!!! 

God. 

Try.

Try to explain this any other way. 

You can not!

People don't just send in $10,000 randomly. His every plan, His every purpose. It WILL happen. 

And it gets even better. 

Are you ready for this perfect orchestration you're about to see?

We have three puppies left to sell. 

What makes that so awesome? 

That's $450 left that will be applied towards our adoption fund. 

That means that when those puppies sell we are FULLY FUNDED. 

Almost to the exact amount needed. The little bit extra from the puppies will help us buy little things that we need to bring with us to country. 

That, my friends, is the Mighty Hand of God in action. If you attempt to explain that away I pray that you will be haunted with the reality of how not explainable it is. 

Today I pray for every soul that that reads this. 

Those that don't now the redeeming love of a Savior.

Those that are scared to take that leap of faith and commit to a child that is waiting for someone to show them the redemption of a Good and Loving God. 

Those that will turn their back and try to forget about the reality of what  sin has done to this world. 

Today we pray. 

Lord, You are big enough for EVERY. SINGLE. mountain! 

Our Dossier is submitted to the country. The Lord has provided every need. 

We're almost there my loves, just a little bit longer and you will be home. 

Living In His Mercy,

Melissa

Dossier Complete: Waiting on Submission!

  You read it right! We are done and officially waiting for our papers to have the label "Submitted"! We are finally to the wait, wait, wait period. Not my favorite but glad to be done! Thank you Lord!

  We have had some pretty successful fundraisers and some that were a bust. The one that brought in the biggest single sum was our T-Shirt fundraiser! We brought in a whopping $750 from the t-shirts! Praise God! We are all thrilled to be sporting our new look!

  We are expecting to be officially submitted before the country quits accepting Dossiers for the year, which is December 10th. Likely, our travel dates will not be until January though. The waiting game is HARD! But, in all honesty, I am grateful that we won't be away from these littles for Christmas. It is so hard to wait but I know that the Lord has the best timing for all of our children, the ones distant and the ones near.

  So, now that we are done with some fundraisers let's update the list!

Estimate to bring home Beatrice and Sawyer-$32,710

Amount in Beatrice's Grant-$7883.47

Amount in Sawyer's Grant-$201.50

Current amount raised in our Family Sponsorship Page (FSP)-$3665.92 

Amount already paid- $5'045

Amount raised in person-$2220.00

Money forgotten!- $2000!! (PRAISE YOU LORD!) 

Amazon: $248.06

Current Need: $11'466.05

Better than before!!


  With Christmas fast approaching I am been really trying to think of a new fundraiser to try. I haven't been shy about the fact that fundraising is not my cup of tea. Since a few have closed now I have decided to take a break and focus on giving. It has been refreshing and just what I needed to de-stress for a while. I am confident that the Lord will show me when the time comes to try more. If not, He will provide, that I am sure of.

Above all we ask for prayer. Pray for peace. 

Right after starting this adoption process our son started having extremely nasty seizures, a daughter started having more severe separation anxiety and nightmares returned, I have watched as other families with babes like our Gussy have had to say goodbye, and cries for advocacy ignored while another orphan passed on never knowing the love of a family. 

Fear has tried it's best to wrap it's ugly arms around my neck. We are northwest rednecks that really don't go anywhere outside of the inland northwest. The thought of traveling to the other side of the world without my whole family makes me want to throw up.  But, in the last 2 1/2 years the Lord has given me many things that made me want to throw up. Things I knew I would never survive. He has been faithful through all of them and I am confident that He will remain so.

Your prayer is coveted.

We know that the Lord has called us to these children. He knows the plans He has for us. For them. Fear won't win. It can't.

Hold on babies, just a little bit longer and you will be two less.

Tonight I leave you with this story...

Living In His Mercy,

Melissa

Progress, Fundraising, and Surprises

Praise the Lord! Our Home Study is complete!! We are approved and almost ready to go get two children to call them our own! Our Dossier is all but done! Praise! All we need is our USCIS approval! Praise! We should be traveling in December! FEAR! But still Praise! As the time inches closer and closer fear is standing there staring me in the face trying to grip me without mercy, but the Lord is merciful and He is my refuge and strength! He calms me when it looks too scary.

 We have been putting our all into fundraising lately. I won't lie; it isn't my cup of tea. Again,  the Lord is good and His plan is perfect. We aren't as successful as some but little by little our grant has grown. We have been blessed beyond measure by the kindness of people I have never met but now call friend. These servants of the Lord have answered the call to care for orphans and have been blessing our family with their efforts.

You can see some of the wonderful things they are doing here....

Sarah has an amazing fundraiser going on over at her blog that lists all of the other amazing fundraisers! Take a peak...

Just us Holts

We have a Facebook Auction with some amazing items going on until October 30th!

Bringing home the Newest Tannehills Facebook Auction 

We have a really neat t-shirt fundraiser going on too! We have already raised nearly $600 with this one! We have until October 30th! Please consider a t-shirt for Christmas gifts or just to have one!
You can buy one here

  Tannehill Adoption

                                          


A friend from church offered us a spot at the Women's Ministry's Ladies Expo for a fundraising table this Saturday! We have a fun give away started and I will be baking some super yummy treats all week to turn my table into a mini bake sale! Prayer for successful fundraising is so super appreciated! We are called to adopt these children, we know the Lord will provide.  Fear likes to tell me other wise but we know He is faithful and will provide our every need. Just today I had this amazing realization! When we committed to our two children we put a $2000 promise trust down. It was soon forgotten with the mess of paper work that flooded our home right after. We get that back!!! Do you know what that means! That means we are $2000 closer to our goal than before! That is HUGE! HUGE!

PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!!

Thank you Lord for Surprises today!


Please keep praying for us! We are waiting on this one last step! In the mean time we are setting up the kids rooms accordingly! Bunk beds are going in! Gussy moved out of his crib yesterday and moved into his new big boy bed. It was a hard day  for us because Gussy's big boy bed is different then the ones you buy at Walmart or the like. Gussy got a Sleep Safe Bed. It is an amazing bed that has a spot for his IV poll and all the wiring and tubing along with cranks for positioning. We are very grateful to have it. Still, it is always hard in our family when a new piece of equipment comes in. I have so much more to write on this one but I'll do that over in the family blog. So I leave you today thankful for the blessing of the Lord's servants and a BRAND NEW breakdown of our need, still smaller than the last! Praise You Father for You alone are good!

Estimate to bring home Beatrice and Sawyer-$32,710

Amount in Beatrice's Grant-$7883.47

Amount in Sawyer's Grant-$201.50

Current amount raised in our Family Sponsorship Page (FSP)-$2256.70

Amount already paid- $5'045

Amount raised in person-$224 as of September 12th

T-shirt Fundraiser- $600- to date

Yard Sale- $740

Auction and others still in progress-??? 

Money forgotten!- $2000!! (PRAISE YOU LORD!) 

Pampered Chef Party- $55

Current Need: $13'704,33 

This is HUGE!! Last time we still needed $17'629 and before that $23,582!! $13'704 is a lot of money. A LOT! BUT, and this is a big but, It's $10'000 less we needed!! That is a HUGE PRAISE GOD MOMENT!! 

His mercies are endless. 

Living in His Mercy,

Waiting Mama

He Encourages Me When Tasks Look Too Big

And do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.  And he will become a sanctuary

Isaiah 8:12b-14a

For if the Lord be for us who then can be  against us? I try not to fear. I know the Lord has plans for us. I know He has called us to adopt these precious babes. I know He is faithful. What else do I need?  

I have been feeling helpless lately. With little luck fundrasing and such a huge number staring us in the face it's easy to become discouraged. But do you know what? My God is so awesome and faithful! Right when I started talking about maybe looking for a no interest adoption loan he opens the flood gates. I got several messages all at once offering to help! And help they have! 

The first, "Save the Starfish Boutique", sells beautiful jewelry and 100% of the proceeds benefit our adoption!! and when we are done adopting she will pick a new family to support. It is a beautiful ministry and the jewelry is lovely! 

Save the Starfish Boutique

The first day open she brought a large jump to our Family Sponsorship Page! 

 The next,  Ginger on a Mission . She gives 50% of the sale price to adopting families! If you put "Tannehills/http://reecesrainbow.org/60992/sponsortannehill" in the comments section at checkout! She makes lovely sandwich bags, credit card cases, and other hand made items. They are SUPER cute! I personally bought them for my daughters and nieces for Christmas to support another adopting family. 

Ginger on a Mission

Our sweet hearted Niece and Nephew earned $53.93 in one day selling homemade necklaces to bring home their new cousins! My heart hath done melted y'all! Melted! 

 

 

 We were also able to have a Pampered Chef Party that helps so much! A sweet consultant offered her commision for our party. What a blessing!!

I have been crunching numbers to figure out exactly what we need now to get our babes home. I am crossing off everything we have already paid and adding in what has been donated.

Here is my latest assessment of the situation! 


Social Worker Application Fee $250-Paid


Passports $140 each-$280-Paid


Home Study Fee $2000-Paid


Reece's Rainbow Voice of Hope Fund $250-Paid

Reece's Rainbow Application Fee $25-Paid


USCIS Fees $890-Paid

Marriage Certificates $35-Paid

FBI Clearance $80-Paid


Various Postage about $200 already paid-Still needing about $30-$200 ( all depends on if I there is a family that can hand carry documents for us or we have to send them to Eastern Europe.)


Apostille Fees $650-Still need approximately $115

Travel to Europe $7850- NEED!


Adoption Fees $9000-$8500 NEEDED!


Travel in Country $500- NEED!

Child's Medical Appt for Visa $220-NEED!


Child's Visa Application $230-NEED!


Child's Passport and Expedition Fees $500-NEED!

2nd child fees $5,000 (Sawyer!)-NEED!


Living in Europe for 5 weeks $3500- NEED!


Travel Items $250-NEED!


Emergency Fund $1000-NEED!


Estimate to bring home Beatrice and Sawyer-$32,710

Amount in Beatrice's Grant-$7883.47

Amount in Sawyer's Grant-$201.50

Cu1rrent amount raised in our Family Sponsorship Page (FSP)-$1726.49

Amount already paid- $5'045

Amount raised in person-$224

Amount still needed to bring our babies home-$17,629.54

This still looks huge but you know what? It use to read $23,582.28 still needed! He is faithful!!! 
 We have a Yard sale planned this weekend, an online auction starting shortly after, and others who are still helping us fundraise! Please continue to pray for us as we travel this road the Lord has set before us!!

Thank you all! As always, prayer for smooth and quick paperwork is appreciated!

In his Mercy,
Mama Melissa

The Heart of a Child... Baby "Beatrice" Name Reveal!

 

She did it! I am sooooo very proud of my sweet daughter! She made these beautiful tissue paper "Lily Flowers" as gifts for anyone who donated $5 to our Family Sponsorship Page. She made 10, and guess what? All 10 are now gone! Thank you Jesus! That is $50! She is so happy to have helped add $50 to bring home her brother and sister! 

Thank you all who donated for a flower! I was in tears with true joy when the last ones went. Not just because we are $50 closer to bringing them home, no, that's beautiful but not what really makes me joyful.  What makes me truly joyful is that my 10 year old daughter has seen first hand that when God burdens your heart to help, He is faithful. That is hard to write without getting all blubbery again.  Her heart is strongly burdened for the orphans of this world. She was so happy to hear that we were bringing two sweet babies home to be part of our family. At 10 years old she is always wondering what she can do to help. This was what she came up with. This was all her. The design of the tags and all. She did a wonderful job! I am very proud of her. Lily wants nothing more than to be a missionary, like Gladys Aylward, who goes into the world and puts all of her trust in God to rescue and teach the Gospel. This has been her goal for the past 5 years. Nothing that is going away. Yesterday YOU showed her that God is faithful. When He burdens your heart to action He stirs other hearts to action as well. Thank you! This is something she will remember for the rest of her life. Something that will stick with her where ever God leads her in life.

And as promised, who wants to know baby "Beatrice's" Soon to be name? 

You do, right!? 

 

Molly-Anne Jennifer Tannehill

Mama cant wait to get to you baby. I'm trying to move as fast as I can. Oh, how I love these babes.  Thank you to all who have helped us. These babies NEED to be out of there. They NEED to be home. Please, watch for our auctions, think about us when you go to Christmas shop. Share us far and wide.  

They are waiting. We are working. Help us get there! 

Please donate if you can! Your Latte Money today could help rescue two orphans!!  If families see the Body of Christ rallying around families that are adopting, more people will step forward and adopt too! the expense is intimidating. It's scary. But you know what? My God is BIGGER that that number!! 

DONATE HERE IF YOU CAN!