There has been a calling placed on my life...that of a Pastor's wife, mother, child advocate, and speaker.
God has led me to start this blog to help
those who need support and encouragement in their journey of life
I am so blessed by the Lord to
be a mom to ten wonderful kids with special medical issues as well as be called a "cancer survivor". My
life has been filled with trials and victories He has given me to share.
I invite you to come along and be filled by His glory.
A total of 870.00 was collected for our purse and necklace drawing.
Purses totaled 363.00 and I am making the glass tile necklaces.
SO-- without shipping costs---our total is: $507.00 AWESOME
The numbers drawn run across the columns and I assigned the purses and necklaces alternately.
Purse winners--
Sherry Evans - "Lisa B" in bali gold
Ginger Healy - "Lisa B" in bali blue
Nina Spohr - "Bowler" in Loves me
Karen Janes - "Julia" handbag in Imperial Toile
Nina Spohr - "Rosie Posie Hipster" in Call me Coral
Dawn Baron - "hobo" in Viva La Vera
Sondra Stem - Mini Hipster in Sitting in the Tree
Kristin Braxton - "100 handbag" in Buttercup
Lyn Thomas ---"East West" tote in Buttercup
Linda Thomas--"Hipster: in Hello Dahlia
Necklaces--- made from glass tile Sondra Stem
Linda Thomas
Mary Neal
Kristin Braxton
Linda Thomas
Michelle Francis
Nina Spohr
Ginger Healy
Kristin Braxton
Jane Klingenberg
Again, thank you so much---
I will e-mail everyone at the e-mail address used with your paypal ID....
I will need confirmation of your address before I ship the items.
Purses will be delivered to me tomorrow and I will ship by Friday---pending confirmation of your snail mail,l address.....
Please see the post below regarding our Vera Bradley purse fundraiser.....
We are in the last days for our fundraiser and we are just at the point of
breaking even on the cost of the purses! Won't you consider donating TEN
dollars to help bring our sons home?
The drawing is for TEN Vera Bradley ourses and Ten beautiful glass tile necklaces....
Please take a look at the fundraiser post below: (thanks soooo much)
The chip-in button to the right is where you donate :)
Purses and necklaces will be mailed next week----
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
OUR NEXT FUNDRAISER!~~~ PLEASE HELP!
Please see below for our PURSE and NECKLACE fundraiser..... we are currently raising funds for travel and orphanage fees....this will be approx 17,000.00.
Thanks so much!
See below---
These purses and necklaces will
make awesome Christmas gifts!!!
I will be having a drawing for TEN Vera Bradley purses
plus TEN beautiful glass tile pendant necklaces
Purses are valued at $30-85.00
See photos below indicative of the purses to be drawn.
(may not be the actual purses in drawing)
To enter I am asking for a donation of $10.00 for the first entry
and $5.00 for every entry thereafter.
With each entry you will be entered to win 10 purses and 10 glass tile pendant necklaces
(so for your donation you will be entered in every drawing
and have a chance to win multiple purses and necklaces!)
Please use the chip-in to the right to submit your donation.
Chekcks can be mailed to
Kelly Rumbaugh, 15 Smith Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157
The drawing will be held on 12/10/11
this gives you lots of time to tell your friends and
Tomorrow will be a life changing day for baby Joseph in HangZhou.
It will be the day he is given a new lease on life.
Joseph's mother won't be there....she won't know he is about to be healed of his congenital heart disease.
But I know a few things about her--
She is selfless and she loved him very much.
This is why one day last Spring she gathered up a few items and took her son in a taxi. She told the taxi driver where to go. Did he know what was going to happen? We'll never know in those last moments with her baby boy what she was thinking.
But I know this about her...
She was selfless and she loved him very much.
Joseph's mother ran out of the taxi and put her son on the steps of a private foster home in China.
She ran back to the taxi and was gone in an instant. What was she thinking as she saw her son for the last time? What was going through her head and how would she ever be able to live without him.
BECAUSE...she was self less and loved him very much.
Joseph was loved by his mother but she did what she knew was best for him. She gave him life by placing him at this doorstep. She must have known he was sick. She must have known she could not help him. So, she did the only thing she knew would help him----gave him away.
BECAUSE....she loved him very much.
Joseph is an orphan who will have very serious heart surgery tomorrow....please pray for him.
God loves him very much.
This is the answer I typed back when a lady asked---
Hi all,
I have been told by several sw that adopting two or more unrelated children at the same time increases the possibility of disruption. Just wondering if any of you have seen this as a possibility or a fact, because it happened, either by experience or by witnessing it or by stories you have read or seen. Also wondering the opposite, how has it been in families where two or more are adopted and it does not end in disruption. I would love to hear stories. I need some good input for this.
My family has adopted two and is in the process of adopting two.
First off---I do not agree with the SW statement that adopting two unrelated kids ends more often in disruption.... I think that is a VERY general statement.
However--- adopting two brings about a whole bunch of issues.
There are alot of factors--
do you have any other kids already....and their ages?
do either/both of the kids you're adopting have special needs?
the ages of the children you are adopting---similar age or big gap in years?
Have you adopted before?
Have you done your "homework" on adoption and attachment?
etc.........
My cases are different---
Our adoption in March 2010 was for two older girls....one with special needs and the other "aging out and healthy" We found our 11 yr old daughter first - she has arthrogryposis very severe- she will probably never live independently. At that time, CHina was not "open" for two but I had heard of a few cases. We asked our agency (LIFELINE) if there were any other children from her SWI...as we thought there would be a greater chance of CCAA saying yes. They had a 2 yr old with heart disease. I just thought it would be very hard bringing two children home with such a vast age difference---I feared the older one would not get the attention she deserved because the 2 yr old would be "needier" emotionally. (MY opinion--not so for other families)
We told the agency we would just continue for our daughter. The next day, the agency sent us an e-mail of a file---"that had just come across their desk and CCAA asked them to place". They needed to process quickly and needed an experienced family. Would we consider her? We knew in an instant that God had sent this file to us. We proceeded and processed from DTC to gotcha day in less than 2 months.
Both girls are doing great and their transition has be very very good....they were both scared stiff at gotcha day but HAD EACH OTHER. This is where I find that adopting two is helpful....they have each other to chat with--to tell their worries, fears, and joys....it has been great.
Now, we are adopting two younger boys---ages 3 and 5...they both have special needs but we have a large family and we are used to these issues. It is the first time we are adopting a child with a known cognitive issue as our 5 yr old has Down Syndrome. We are reading up and learning lots about DS.
I think the best advice I can give is to become educated about attachment and be ready for some rough waters....even if you "only" adopt one child.
I have heard it explained this way---
When you adopt a child and bring them into your family it ia like a mobile over a baby's crib. When the child comes into your family, its like someone bumped the mobile and it is unsteady and rocking out of balance.....but, with time, the mobile settles and begins revolving smoothly.
I agree with this. Sometimes the balance is off for months and months...sometimes its smooth all the way.
Pray about the decision.....follow your heart and I encourage you to fight for what you believe is right for your family. Sometimes the best things is life are the things you have to fight hardest to get.
I cannot resist posting these few new photos.
There is a young lady visiting starfish for the next month who is feeding all us waiting mommas new photos.....whoop whoop!
ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ME?
MY LITTLE ARTISTE---
UP CLOSE WITH TAYLOR!
THE FAMOUS WHEELCHAIR - MY BOY'S GOT WHEELLLSSSS!
LOOK AT THE STARES HE GETS WHEN HE'S OUT--- YOU NEVER SEE ANYONE IN A WHEELCHAIR IN CHINA EXCEPT THE ELDERLY.
My friend, Grace, adopted a little guy named Tommy from China. He has a heart defect that is very complicated and they are at Boston CHildren's Hospital for surgery. I spoke to Grace at length about the surgery and their stay. She says they are really spending alot on food. (I have also found this when I stay at Hopkins)
SO--I have created a chipin so we can donate to her for food! Please chip-in--even 5.00 will help if many donate!
Most importantly-- PRAY FOR TOMMY--
His surgery is at noon tomorrow and can last 4-6 hours. This is the same surgery my Joey had in Nov 2010. It is very serious and has a fairly long recovery. I expect Grace will be in Boston for several weeks.
A HUGE thanks to all who entered the drawing to help fund our adoption for the boys!!
I numbered all entries and then used a random number generator the following people have won purses!
Sally Kistler (2), Michael DeLuca, Cathy Jerousek, Lori McGinnis (ladybug bracelet), Charlie Domalik, Linda Thomas (2), Judy Ramella (2), Janice Myracle (baby bracelet), and Beth Lux
I will ship these out in the next 24-48 hours. If you used paypal to enter I will use the address given to me there...if it is not correct-- please e-mail me. Those who sent checks--I have kept your addresses on the return label.
Again--- THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
I will give the grand total after I ship everything---
Special thanks to those of you who donated to Jacks adoption blog started by Jet Tarks in Netherlands!!
FOUR days left before the drawing!
Less than 100 entries....GREAT chances to win!
I will be having a drawing for TEN Vera Bradley purses plus two beautiful sterling silver bracelets
Purses are valued at $30-85.00 and the bracelets are valued at $75.00-125.00 retail.
To enter I am asking for a donation of 10.00 for the first entry and 5.00 for every entry thereafter.
With each entry you will be entered to win 10 purses and two silver bracelets.
(so for your donation you will be entered in every drawing
and have a chance to win multiple purses!) Please use the chip-in to the right to submit your donation.
Checks can be mailed to
Kelly Rumbaugh, 15 Smith Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157 The drawing will be held on JULY 4th--
this gives you lots of time to tell your friends! (please!)
Well, God has shown up big time!!
We were called by our agency this week to say that they had
a donation in Jack's honor. The donation was anonymous and in the amount of 5,000.00.
Let me just say--- This was ON TIME.
We were struggling to find the last 1300.00 for the next fee.
The dossier would not be sent if the fee was not paid.
Our dossier arrived to our agency the SAME DAY they called us with the news.
MONEY--- many many people let the money stop them from adopting.
I believe in being cautious and knowing limits with finances BUT
I have to say that we have never let money stop us from adopting and God has shown His face every time by providing.
I know there are other families out there that can testify to this.
God will provide if you answer His call to adopt.
We had sown a seed with another adopting family---donating money that was sacrifical to us.
Then, when we needed to make a payment we didn't have it. I just feel God has honored our giving
with this large donation to Jack's adoption.
I just want God to recieve all praise and glory for His provision!
Also- I want to call your attention to another young man that has captured my heart.
He is listed with WACAP and is 8 yrs old. There is a 14,200.00 grant for his adoption as well as the
possibility of a fee waiver! Go to www.wacap.org and look under waiting children
His ID is ZMY.0203.01
You can search for Asia male 7-8 yrs old.... special need is repaired spina bifida
If we could bring home three--this young man would be coming to our house....
but alas two is the limit....
Blessings to you all--
Kelly
Genesis 26:12
Amplified Bible (AMP)
12Then Isaac sowed seed in that land and received in the
same year a hundred times as much as he had planted,
Hi everyone!
Boy, this fundraiser is going so well! Thanks to all who have donated to our drawing!
I just purchased the Vera Bradley Bags and spent 405.00---so that is deducted from the total--
Here are the particulars so far---
donations:
980.00 (previous total)
191.71 ( another "Jack" donation from Jet)
165.00 (new donation)
350.00 (checks sent by mail)
TOTAL: 1686.71 minus 405.00 grand total so far: $1281.71!! Keep spreading the word about this drawing---- thanks!
On Tuesday morning, I put out our plea to raise $700.00 to have our home study released
to us from our home study agency, The $700.00 is for the post placement reports that are due at the 6 month and 12 month mark after our children come home from China. It is how China makes sure the children are doing OK and what we have done for them so far... The money is due up front so that you are compelled to do the reports since you spent the money. (It works too)
Well, Tuesday, Cassie was home sick so I had to take her to the doctor..... As I was on my way out the door I saw a blue truck pull up in the driveway. I didn't recognize the vehicle but figured it one of the people who graciously bring us 3 dozen fresh brown eggs every week. (Yes, we eat that many)
Lo and behold, it was a member of our church but it was a delivery of money not eggs. This gentleman with such a huge heart said God had laid it on His heart to meet our financial need. He handed me an envelope with the full amount needed in it. (less than three hours after I sent out the auction e-mail)
He began to tell me what a huge heart his wife had when she was alive. How she would have urged him to help us. I know how much he hurts every day for her and this was a way to heal for him. He has a huge heart and never thinks twice about giving us anything.....even his shirt from the Susan G Komen race ---he ran the race and was at church that morning to hand me his shirt!
Needless to say, we praise God for meeting our need through our friend. We praise God that when we shout "Abba Father" He is there to hold us. God is so faithful and showers us with His goodness.
So, the auction is still ON! We are receiving donations through paypal and the mail.
Thank you to all who have given---some in amounts we never dreamed of.....
How blessed we are to benefit from your giving hearts!! (Our boys thank you!)
So--my total on paypal is now up to 980.00 (with the paypal fees already out) I have also been sent 350.00 in the mail! I know the purses and two bracelets will probably cost us about 400-500 dollars so we are already at a profit.
I will post the auction again at regular intervals on facebook. I may also try to have a blog button made. (anyone know how to do that??) The drawing is still scheduled for JULY 4
Thank you all once again for your donations--- the ten dollar ones are adding up fast!!!!
We will have an agency fee due when we send our dossier to China so the funds will be applied there!
ALSO--- Thank to Jettie in Netherlands for sending me the $445.00 in Jack's adoption fund from the blog she set up a while ago.....she saved it for his family and was true to her word to send it!! THANK YOU to who donated to that fund. (This was included in the 980.00 total)
So-- our homestudy is to be mailed to us on Monday--- At that point our agency will send it to USCIS and we will wait for approval from them. We are already assigned an officer so the wait should be short (I am praying it is) We can also start applying for grants from entities who give for adoptions! My prediction is still OCTOBER travel for the boys....
\
God's blessings to you all---- and spread the word about the auction if you would!!
Kelly
Currently our home study is in review with WACAP and we are close to submitting to USCIS for immigration approval. In order for our home study to be released from our agency we need to pay the post-placement fees. This comes to $700.00 and is needed as soon as we can raise it.
We are expecting out tax refund to help pay for these adoptions. Unfortunately, we do not have it yet.
Please take a look at this fundraiser for our boys---
I will be having a drawing for TEN Vera Bradley purses plus two beautiful sterling silver bracelets
Purses are valued at $30-85.00 and the bracelets are valued at $75.00-125.00 retail.
See photos below of the items for the drawing.
To enter I am asking for a donation of 10.00 for the first entry and 5.00 for every entry thereafter.
With each entry you will be entered to win 10 purses and two silver bracelets.
(so for your donation you will be entered in every drawing
and have a chance to win multiple purses!)
Please use the chip-in to the right to submit your donation.
Chekcks can be mailed to
Kelly Rumbaugh, 15 Smith Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157
The drawing will be held on JULY 4th--
this gives you lots of time to tell your friends! (please!)
I have been urged by a very good friend to share Jack's story and I pray you are all blessed by it.
It seems God knew long before me that Jack was going to be my son.
In June 2009, I travelled to Xi'An to adopt my daughter, Brighton Faith. She is from a very rural area in ShaanXi province called Yan'An. I visited there in 2008 when I went to take Brighton a walker to help her learn to ambulate. She had a very severe club foot then as well as spina bifida. Since I had already been to see her SWI, I did not feel it was necessary to travel 4 hours to visit again. So, we found ourselves in Xi'An with time on our hands.
During my waiting weeks for Brighton, I had agreed to deliver some boxes to Starfish Foster Home. I took one with me on the plane and checked it as a bag. Upon arriving, I mailed it to Starfish so I did not have to lug it all over Beijing while I visited with my "Chinese sister" Angela. The box arrived before I did in Xi'An.
I had all the contact numbers for Amanda DeLange, who is the founder of the home and a very active momma to 50 kids she fosters. I called and made arrangements to visit and see what Starfish was all about.
I was excited to go see the kids and look into how I could help Amanda with her needs for the children.
Angela, Brighton, and I went to Starfish by taxi in the morning and arrived at the gated apartment community.
We found the right apartment building and headed up by elevator to the apartment. As the doors opened, I gazed into the hallway and saw two four seater strollers and many other toddler play things. Amanda was at the door seeing out a group of Australian phyisicans. She has world wide connections and this is how she saves so many tiny lives.
After hugs and greetings we were ushered inside to be asked to take off our shoes and have a look around.
It was June and stinkin' hot outside---the apartment did not have AC so the windows were open and the babies and nannies were glowing with perspiration. There were truly babies "wall to wall". Nannies sat with babies in their arms smiling a welcome to me.
I made the rounds to see each child as Brighton wimpered from her stroller. She was having no parts of getting out....the stroller was her ticket out with mommy. This apartment had a wide range of ages represented and I was just amazed at how well the children got along and how organized the home was -- especially with the number of people and children in there day to day.
The children were certainly being cared for in a loving environment which is not the case in most orphanage situations! These little lives were being shaped by their nannies. They were being given security and love and this is what makes for a healthy child...and a healthy bonding/attachment experience when they are adopted.
As we were getting ready to leave the home, I asked Amanda what we could do for her and her babies.
(I was expecting her to ask for material things or fundraising.....) She looked behind me and caught eyes with a handsome little guy. I turned my head to see who she was looking at and found a small boy with a very large head. He was being cradled by his nanny. His gaze caught up in her eyes. Amanda simply stated:
"Help me find Jack a family"
Immediately, I thought to myself that it would be quite a task to see beyond this child's physical apppearance. His head was so heavy that it had to be held up for him to see around. I will never forget the moment she told him to speak... He said "momma" to his nanny. God was showing me how sweet his little voice was and how he really was smart enough to make the connection that his nanny was his momma.
I left that day not thinking I could do much for this little boy. His head was so large and most people would immediately jump to the conclusion he was brain damaged. Not many families are willing to adopt a child with such a physical anomoly. Especially if they looked at him and didn't really SEE him for what he is....
a child
a child with value
a child who is desperate for a family
a child deserving of a family
A little more than a year passed and I found myself home with two more children from China. A "rush" adoption of Samantha who was 5 days shy of aging out of the CHinese adoption system and Piper who was 11 at the time of adoption. It was a simultaneous adoption processed in 4 months...amazing. (and another
blog post for another day) I was scouring the internet--reading my groups e-mails and clicking on blogs. I love to keep up with the Chinese adoption world as they are like my family and have been since 2004.
I decided to go to my friend, Annie Hamlin's, blog to see the beautiful kids needing families that she posts every week. Her blog always has the children that are hard to place or new to the shared list/agency lists.
Usually, they have needs that are severe or maybe rare. Thats when it happened--
I
SAW
JACK
He looked like a normal little kid as he had grown into his head. He was grinning ear to ear--just like the gaze he gave his nanny when he said "momma" that day. I was hooked.....I knew it-- and it hit me like a ton of bricks....it was ME...I was the momma he was looking for.
I knew the chances were next to none that I would ever get a glance from the CCAA. I had been diagnosed with breast cancer just two months earlier and I knew CCAA had not granted any family a PA that had a parent with a history of cancer. It was even hard to get any agency to go to bat for a waiver "that big".
I was still in chemo treatment and had no idea what that would bring.
BUT- I had to try...It was in every fiber of my being that he was mine.
I called the agency that had Jack listed with a grant. I am not one to look money in the eye and turn my back. (Especially since Jack would be the 7th adoption in our family in as many years.) I prayed before I called that this agency would listen to my plea...that I am fine and I could parent Jack. Having a child with the exact diagnosis as Jack would either be in my favor or be held against me. I chatted with the agency rep and she said she would talk with her director....but first she needed to see a letter from my doctor----
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
I know many of you will have opinions that may be of concern-
I have heard it all before.
The bottom line is that we feel called to each of these boys and
we are being obedient to the Lord. We are willing
to step out in faith and we know that God ordained these boys
from the beginning of time.
I understand that some of you may feel you need to share your concern with
Bill or I. PLEASE-- keep your thoughts of negativity to yourself.
We do not need or want to hear them
We live our lives to please Christ.....period.
I ask that if you have concern that you pray for usin a way God leads you.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
I will post more on the way God brought each of these little guys intro our life.
They both have their own story... each one God breathed.
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