7 Days Already?

A Short Summary from the Past 7 Days:


I didn't sleep the night before they arrived so I was exhausted for the first 2 days. The Guglielmo family was amazing and picked us up at the airport in San Jose and then drove us to San Francisco AND then back to San Jose when we realized we left our laptop sitting outside the airport. You can't imagine my relief when we got back and security had picked it up!

At the airport I was so impatient.

S came rushing over with a huge smile on his face when they finally brought them through customs. 

2.0 was very comfortable with us immediately and we could see his outgoing personality quickly!

Of course when we got to the hotel that night we HAD to go swimming! :-) 

(Sorry the pics from the pool are on my phone and haven't uploaded yet)

And a quick game of cards....

They were troopers traveling to Texas the next day (We traveled for most of the day-got up at 4 am and arrived in Texas at 3pm) And all that after traveling for 24 hours the day before.

2.0 is FULL of energy and talks so much. He is pretty much the opposite of S. He is a really sweet boy though.  But he just soaks up any love and attention he receives. He lights up when you hug him and hugs you so hard back. He says I am "his mama" and tells me he loves me all the time. He just has a ton of energy and needs positive redirection a lot. Everyone in our families was really taken with 2.0-he's so outgoing and has a very joyful spirit.

My baby is the same as always. No real transition with him-he's back to the way he was when he left. (Other than being extra quiet during all the holiday festivities/hoopla/tons of people. We love him so much and I can't even think about saying goodbye to him again.

The boys had a really good Christmas. (all 4 celebrations with all 4 sets of parents) Plus Christmas cookie traditions and going to Six Flags Holiday in the Park. They handled the upheaval remarkably well. 

The first Christmas celebration they couldn't really fathom it when the gifts kept coming out----but they had the hang of it by the last one!

They are on their way!

My boys are finally on the way! They took these pictures in Kiev at 2:00a.m their time, and their plane left at 5:35 a.m. their time. (It was 7:35 pm here) 

In less than 17 hours we will see them! I'm sure they will be beyond exhausted and nervous. It's going to be a great trip and I can't wait to put big smiles on those tired little faces!

One Little Girl with no Host Family *Edit Grant $500 now*

We have until Tuesday to find this little girl a host family, as her host family has fallen through. The group will be here for a little over three weeks, arriving on December 20th in San Francisco. She is 6 years old and has an 11 year old sister. She has a $400 grant, so only $2100 is required to host. If we don't find a family before Tuesday, they will have to cancel her plane ticket. :-( 

Description of Ira:
This is an active, really easy-going little girl. She is very positive and open to others. Her best features are honesty and generosity. Ira is a hard-working child, ready to help the teachers and her peers, a diligent student, always eager to learn. Ira is a real leader, she likes to be in the center of everybody's attention. Her hobbies are making appliques, painting and drawing. 


Please e-mail me with any questions.

An Easy Way to Give Back this Christmas

One of my favorite bloggers posted a great way to reach out to the street kids of Seattle this Christmas. 


http://www.onethankfulmom.com/the-daily/be-that-mom/

Quoted from her blog:

"Send a Christmas card to a street kid that will be tucked into a backpack of supplies and passed out this month. If you have the time and resources, you can include a McDonalds gift card (even $5.00 will feed a teen)"


"Some Stats:

1. There are an estimated 150 million (unicef number) of children in the world who live and work on the streets….For a description and lots more information you can check out untilthen.org
2. There are over 1300 children (under 21) who live on the streets of Seattle and at least that many in Portland.
3. Domestic street kids are frequently refugees from the foster care system. Many of these kids have been through 10-20 foster care placements before giving up on the system and running away to live alone on the street.  Frequently these are kids who were taken out of their homes because of abuse and/or neglect situations. Some kids go directly from abusive homes to the street, skipping the system entirely.
4. Studies have shown that within 48 hours a kid on the street is approached by a pimp or someone trying to lure them into the commercial sex trade.  Many kids end up trading sex for shelter, food and survival.  Many become addicted to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping with the treacherous life of the streets.
5. Kids band together in groups of like-minded kids, creating their own “family units” that they fiercely defend and protect. This is their only protection against the harsh life and conditions of the street. Kids know they need a family….they just haven’t had the good fortune of being born into a family that wanted them or could care for them.

If you would like to send a card, please mail it to:

Overlake Christian Church
Be That Mom
9900 Willows RD NE
Redmond, WA 98052

   It would be best if you put the card in its envelope and then tuck the whole thing into an additional envelope to mail to Overlake Christian Church. We do not want your return address on the card that is tucked in the backpack. Thank you for considering this simple mom-gesture that might encourage a young person who has no family to send them a Christmas greeting."

Just a Few Pictures

Pictures on the ferry to Bainbridge Island...on our way to our last home study appt. 

Calling ALL West Coast Host Families

These are kids that can still be hosted! There are several more that aren't posted here as well. The deadline is till the end of the month. Just e-mail ginger.guglielmo@gmail.com for more information. 

One Last Day* EDIT* Deadline extended for a few kids!

I hate to beat a dead horse here....but we have one last day to find some really special kids a Christmas family. PLEASE note, the deadline has been extended for a few kids so there is still time if you are interested!

If you would like to host any of these kids, please contact Ginger at ginger.guglielmo@gmail.com. 

Facebook Group

Liza: This little 9 year old girl is precious! 

"This girlie is just amazing . Everybody who gets to know her are charmed with these magnetic brown eyes, this pure laugh, this gorgeous smile, this great activeness. This is a little fidget who is never at one place. L. likes playing outdoor games, likes being in the spotlight, that is why the girl has a lot of friends and love of all the teachers! L. has a fickle temper and her mood can change several times a day, but that doesn’t hinder her to have a lot of friends among her peers and adults. She is an incontestable leader in the class! She has a very artistic personality. She takes an active part in all the holiday activities in the school: she is a member of school theatre, also likes singing and dancing."

Vadym and Valera: Sweet 8 and 9 year old brothers. The same age as Seroja. If you couldn't host both, maybe someone can host at least one? 

"Vadym add Valera:Highly recommended by director. Come from a great orphanage. Both are sweet and smart."

Ruslan-Just turned 6 years old! Last minute add to the listing, as he asked the director if he could be hosted this winter. 

Ruslan just turned six and asked to be added for winter hosting because he sees all his friends going to America for Christmas. This little guy is highly recommended by a great director even though he has only been with her less than one year. He is a good boy and very loving. Available soon. 

Vasya: Another boy (10 years old) from Seroja's orphanage. This boy looks really special.

"If Vasya had parents, if he had family, if there was somebody to care about him, to give him their love and warmth, he would be the happiest person in the world, definitely! But he is not complaining. He is such an old boy for his years, very serious and intelligent. He has a calm quiet temper and is rather steady and disciplined. He has a tense sense of fairness, this is the kid whom you will never see neither fighting nor arguing with somebody. He is also a great defender of all the girls. He is very self-controlled and patient. He likes nature and animals and loves to care for kittens and puppies, feeds them etc.  His hobbies are singing, painting, drawing, he also likes doing sports and reading. His biggest wish, his dream, to become a pilot, the one who is “a living person controlling the sky”

If you would like to host any of these kids, please contact Ginger at ginger.guglielmo@gmail.com. Or go to this FB group: Facebook Group

OR Do you have a heart for teens? 

New Horizons for Children has some great older children still on their listing. 

This special boy has less than 24 hours to be hosted, and he also has a $1350 scholarship! “Last chance” means he soon turns 16 and will be unable to be adopted if he doesn't find a family first. He will also likely age out of the orphanage in the next year as well. 

$1350 Scholarship Vova (15) is one of our LAST CHANCE boys who is very athletic and enjoys all kinds of sports. He is a happy child and gets along with everyone (younger and older kids) and is often caught with a smile, showing his happiness at even life's smallest things. He is kind and considerate of others and helps out whenever and wherever he can without having to be asked. He is just a great boy! He was a joy and blessing to have in our home this past summer.

His previous host family has grandchildren older than he is, and thus are strongly advocating for a family who can involve him in more activities suited to his age.. And maybe meet families in a different life stage too.. He spent over a week with young cousins, and can be trusted to be a good influence on them.

Read more about Vova on This Blog


E-mail Stephanie at snorman@newhorizonsforchildren.org for more info about NHFC and Vova. 

Go to New Horizon's website for more info: http://www.newhorizonsforchildren.org/

Hoping for a Magical Christmas

Most of our friends and family know that we have been trying to find another boy or 2 siblings to host with S this winter. One or ones that would hopefully be "available" at some point. I really wondered over and over if it was going to happen for us this winter. It seemed like every where we turned was a brick wall, and we were seriously praying about whether we should change our path and our plans going forward. (Brick walls being: children through one agency too old or too many siblings, or another not going to west coast, or another not allowing us to host S at same time).


Well, we were strongly considering (and we actually had a "hold" placed) hosting a boy that had one younger brother, but also older sisters as well. This was not a comfortable place for us, as not only was I uncomfortable with the thought of trying to separate him and his brother from the older sisters, it also might not have been possible. 


Well, the day we left South Carolina, I received an e-mail stating that the boy I had repeatedly inquired about on the listing (only seeing his age and name) but had been told was "unavailable," was actually a mistake and he was considered "available." I saw his picture that afternoon and I immediately started feeling that excited/good feeling that I hadn't felt yet. So we prayed and talked about it and decided to go forward with planning to host this boy. 

We don't really know what God has planned for this hosting and this Christmas yet. (And also we aren't sure how long they will be here or when they will arrive yet). And we also will not know for sure his status until we receive official word from his government....but we are praying and preparing ourselves for this Christmas. 


So we are hoping for a little Christmas "magic." Perhaps magic is the wrong word....and yeah it definitely is...because by magic, I mean we are praying that God works mightily in our lives and these boys lives and that we see some big things. That we can show them God's love and continue the seeds we planted with S this summer. And that it is perfectly clear whether or not this boy or another child is meant to be a part of our family. 

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

New Digs

After 8 days on the road, we finally arrived in Washington on October 28th. 

A few pictures from the drive (we were mostly stretched a little too thin to think about taking pictures). These were in Wyoming and Oregon. 

Sadly, the Rangers let us down for the second year in a row as we moved across the country. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering who got the joy of driving the car with the stinky dog and the 2 meowing cats-----well, that would be me. Yay. 

Our goal was to find a place to live the first weekend so that we could get out of the hotel ASAP. We were all going a little stir crazy by that point. After several dead ends, we found a neighborhood we loved, (but the house we were going to look at there....we weren't as crazy about).  The neighborhood was close to post (a ton of other military families) and has 2 playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball, a small soccer field, and a paved trail that leads to the water. Perfect for what we were looking for. 

We drove around a found some other options and found a house that we loved as much as the neighborhood. We moved in that following Tuesday and our furniture arrived on Wednesday. And anyone that knows me won't be surprised that we were completely unpacked and decorated by early Friday. 

Unfortunately the movers that packed us in SC really stunk. A ton of our stuff was broken en-route, but that is a story for another day. 

On My Heart

We are still on our road trip from South Carolina to Washington. What a long couple of days it has been! So far we have traveled through South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and are currently in Utah! Only three more days and three more states to go! I am traveling with the "zoo" (the 2 kitties and our dog Loui) so I am more than ready for the trip to be over, and to get settled in Washington. 


I've had this post on my heart for a few weeks though, and it has nothing to with traveling. There are a few really special boys, still waiting to be chosen for hosting this winter, (with very little time left to be chosen). Of course, there are many other children, several younger, several other great sibling groups, and some very sweet girls, but these boys really struck me for some reason. My friend Ginger met these boys in their orphanage in eastern Europe and has a real heart for them as well. The first are two brothers" V. and S." 

This is what Ginger had to say about these sweet brothers:


FAVORITES! When I heard their story I waited three hours for them to get out of school to meet them. I was not disappointed and won't rest until I find them a host family. Amazing and sweet kids. Please take the time to consider them. They have NEVER known a family but so desperately need a chance, even to just visit America. Non host families please consider a grant to help a host family who wants to take them but can't afford the cost of two. 

"V"

 I stayed to meet "V" because the adoption coordinator told me he stopped him in the hall and wispered "when will a family come for us?" His director describes him as tidy. He is a very sweet boy and wants to do good in everything he does. He was the last to show up to meet me because he told everyone, "I stayed to study to get good marks". He takes circus classes and does gymnastics, unicycle, and stunts on stage. He dreams to come to America and for a family to take him home.

"S"

"S" LAST CHANCE TO HOST! PLEASE CONSIDER THIS BOY.  I could not stop looking at this boy and his deep stare back at me. He is in desperate need of love from a family. Any time I made eye contact he gave me a sweet smile and leaned toward me. He takes lessons to train for the circus, does stunts, unicycle, gymnastics on stage. He loves sports. He wants to play soccer when he grows up. He likes rats and rottweiler dogs. Favorite foods are potatoes and pizza. When asked if he likes small kids he said "I protect them". He wants to go to America "just to see it and dive in the ocean". He is 15 but has a younger spirit to him. He is tall and very beautiful. 


The other boys on my heart this week are brothers "K" and "S". Texas folks, if you know of ANYONE that might be interested in hosting, please pass this on, as I think "S" would really LOVE to come to Texas.


This is what Ginger had to say about these brothers:


These boys are longing for a forever home and family. "K" on the left is very shy, intense, and a deep thinker. He likes hamsters and rats. Loves soccer and valleyball and he likes to draw. He wants to be a fireman and a baker of cakes. He likes sweets, cakes, fish, and soup. Director says he is tidy and likes to keep things organized.

"S"

He likes to draw and wants to be a painter. He sat right next to me to draw me a picture of a boy giving a gift to a girl. He doesn't like meat. He answered "yes" to my questions instead of "da". He likes to play soccer and wants to ride a bike. He wants to go to America to see his best friend Arina in Texas who was adopted in February. She refused to be adopted 2x because she wouldn't leave him then finally did when told they could stay in touch. He still keeps her photo next to his bed. He is very deep and loving. He beams with joy if he can ever Skype with Arina.

So if you are thinking, I can't host these boys for "this reason or that reason".....and you may be right, but if you know of anyone that might be interested, or could possibly donate a grant to go towards their $2500 (per each child) hosting fees, pass it on! That could be the difference for them being chosen or not being chosen. Keep in mind, you do not have be interested in adoption to host!

For more information on these boys, or donating, or about any other children, you can go to This Link for Childrens Cultural Connection or e-mail Ginger.

By the way, if you are curious about what our hosting situation is going to be....stay tuned and hopefully I will have an update in a few days!


"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."

Proverbs 31:8

Walls and Forks

Well once again we have reached a brick wall in the midst of our path. Every time we reach something like this, it makes me step back, think, pray, and question what we are doing. Is this a snare from the evil one or is this a sign from God that we should be taking the fork in the road?                                                                                                  

There was a situation this week. We received news that we would not be allowed to host S and the two brothers at the same time, since they were not from the same orphanage or country. That this was a new policy they were enforcing starting this winter hosting season. (Not the countries policy, just one particular hosting agency's policy) I understood the reasoning behind it, and I even thought I could handle giving up on hosting S (at least this time). Nothing was set in stone that we were going to be allowed to host him from his country anyway, and we were unsure of our finances and how it would all work out. I thought these thoughts with my "brain" but however they did not translate correctly to my "heart." 

We were asked to choose and today, surprise (to us!) we chose S. I was SO SO sad to let go of the other boys. It's amazing you can fall in love with a picture and a short bio! 

We will have to host him through a different agency. It's a risk on so many levels for many different reasons. Now we have to wait and see if any of the other agencies will have kids that are available sometime soon, in the right age range, that we fall in love with, that we can host with him. There is a risk that we could end up only hosting S again (who is not adoptable) but I think it's risk we are willing to take. You find out where your priorities lie when push comes to shove I guess? 

Photograph:thriveable.com
Photograph:https://www.facebook.com/thecoolhunter

Orphanage Donations

We mailed these donations and gifts to S's orphanage today. (I sent one package and my mom sent another). They were mailed to California to my friend Ginger. She leaves for the country in under two weeks to interview for their winter hosting program, and will hopefully get to go in person to his orphanage to give the gifts. 

One of my favorite things we sent S was the recordable Cars book that Matt and I recorded our voices reading. I also picked up some candy after I snapped this picture.

 (I couldn't resist sending him some slatkee.)

The few toys we sent in our box were already S's from this summer.

My mom sent some great stuff and one of her coworkers sent a jacket which was great!

The thrift store was a great resource for me for clothes. 

Shirts and pants for $1 and a brand new girls coat for $5!