I'm hoarding shoes....

My living room looks like we are getting ready to be featured on Hoarders: Buried Alive lol! Seriously there are piles of bags and boxes everywhere. Some are ours to move to the new house but most are donated clothing and shoes. 

Even though we have a bunch we still need more we are guesstimating that we have around 1500 pairs of shoes and probably 500-700 lbs of clothing between the four families....our goal is 15,000 pairs of shoes AND 20,000 lbs of clothing.....we are a long ways from reaching our goal so I'm begging for help....4 families 6-8 kids being adopted. Please help if you live close to Houston or know people here.

One pile in my living room

Callen and Savannah 

Callen and Savannah

Us on TV....

Fox 26 came and did a short story with us and three of my friends who are also adopting. Monday the Alvin Sun Newspaper is coming out to do a story on us and our shoe drive and the Pearland online paper will have a link up on their site with a blurb about us and the shoe drive! We need lots and lots of help collecting shoes and clothing so please if you live in the Houston area gather up some shoes for us! 

We are going to be on the news!!!

Fox 26 came out to my friend Jen's house yesterday and interviewed us and the other 3 families that we are doing the clothing and shoe fundraiser with! The piece will air Saturday morning (Nov 2) between 5-8am, sorry they have not told us a set time yet. 

It was a little harried yesterday trying to do the interviews after all there were 19 children there and 10 adults. During what's typically nap and lunch time....yeah there were a few tantrums but overall it wasn't too bad. 

They did the story because Sunday is orphan Sunday and to help get the word out about our shoe drive. Jen's church is one donation drop off location Jersey Village Baptist Church (get info here) www.houstonshoesforsouls.blogspot.com

Also you can drop off donations to my friend Stevie's Day spa 

Heights Massage and Day Spa 1145 Lawrence at 12th street Houston TX. While you're there book yourself a massage or facial! 

Several children's resale shops and boutiques have been helping me with donations as well and I'm so thankful for then and their help!!!

Jack and Jill's in Alvin

2625 S loop 35 Alvin tx 

The Little  Bo-tique

913 E NASA Pkwy Houston TX

Small Changes Kids Resale

920 W Main League City

Wendy and her husband Kevin are also adopting and doing the fundraiser with us, his job is going to be a drop off location it's the Mardel Store off 1960

13839 Breck St Houston tx 

You can also drop off donations at my home or if you have a few bags I will come get them! Just email me crissilea@gmail.com

We are in need of pairs of shoes....in useable condition. Men's, women's, children's, dance shoes, boots, etc. 

please if they are tie shoes tie them together by the laces otherwise rubber band them together. Keep shoes in a separate bag from clothing items.

Clothing is lots of things.....

We need as much as we can get remember this is helping 4 families!!!! 

Ok and now cute pics of my kids lol 

Ashlyn as a moody 10 year old! 

Grayson (Pasha) as Superman

Callen as a puppy

Kaeden as Jake the pirate

Savannah as Izzy

Waiting kids.....

Since we committed to Pasha last year when he was listed on Reece's Rainbow I pretty much have avoided looking at all the pictures of kids listed that are waiting for a family. It's so heartbreaking looking at all of them knowing you are only one person. 

It's even harder now since I have been to one of those countries and have seen the kids in an orphanage waiting, waiting to start their lives. I saw their faces everyday for weeks, I was called mama by so many who just wanted some attention from me. I hugged so many, waved to them, tried to say hi and just smile so they knew they were deserving of attention and love. Seeing the older kids at the internat was even harder, so many that have been in orphanages since birth yet they're still waiting for one reason or another. 

Jared and I are done after this trip coming up with adopting. We will be at the limit of what we can handle but there are so many other kids who need families , who deserve a family and love. I can't describe it to someone who hasn't been there and seen it first hand how sad it is seeing literally hundreds of kids that more than likely will grow up institutionalized never living in a family. All those little things we take for granted they won't experience. 

If you can't adopt you can still help. Just google adoption. There's so many organizations both domestically and internationally that help not only families with fundraising but also the kids that are still there waiting for their chance at life. The caregiver to child ratio is overwhelmingly sad especially with the kids that have special needs. There just aren't enough workers to care for them, sometimes they don't know how to care for them. Sometimes they just don't care.  They believe the kids are a "lost cause" they're broken or "not working". Yes I have friends who were told when they went to adopt their children that the kids are not working, they're invalids, they want to know why someone would want those kids. 

My Pasha was one of those. So was Callen...Callen was given a few diagnosis' that aren't even true he was labeled as having medical issues that he doesn't have, he's perfectly healthy. He had native families come see him to see if they wanted to adopt him but they all said no, because of his hydrocephalus and heart condition which he has neither of! No native families even inquired about Pasha, 4.5 years he laid there waiting and was never even asked about. He is adorable, and smart and funny and so very sweet. I can't help but think of what everyone is missing out on not having a child like Pasha! He's so determined and hard headed yet is showing Jared and I everyday what a joy he truly is. And my Callen if he had been adopted earlier I truly believe he'd be a "typical" 3 year old today. His issues are mostly caused from not being nurtured and living in an orphanage. He was covered in bruises when I got him from the orphanage and the one time I saw him being showered there before I was able to take custody he had large bruises on his buttocks that looked suspiciously like injection marks. 

If you can't adopt then do something else. Advocate, pray, donate do something. 

Berkeley's birthday

Today at 4 pm central time it will start Berkeley's 10th birthday. While I'm very sad I'm missing her birthday I am comforted knowing this is her last one without a family.

When we committed to her we had planned on being there with her for this birthday and hopefully back in the US in a week or two but you know how things go when you make plans that intercede with Gods.....several delays have happened all beyond our control we had issues with getting our social worker here. She kept taking weeks to return phone calls and emails and eventually I got tired and just had to hire a new social worker, well since we had to start over we have to re do background checks that we just had done in August and a few other papers. Also since Pasha has been in and out of the hospital I have not been as diligent as I should have been with hounding the original person. 

I know it's all in his timing though, I just keep having to remind myself of that. We had delays last year and after we finally traveled we could see the perfectness of Gods timing in our trip. Had we traveled earlier we would not have met some great people we did while there, we would not have adopted Callen and having that knowledge it comforts me that we will get to Berkeley in his perfect time. 

Everything now will just depend on how fast our paperwork gets approved by her government once they re open after all the winter holidays. Just like last year we will be ready and waiting on travel dates after Christmas. So we could travel anytime from late January to late March.....anyway back to my girl turning 10. We are fully funded for Berkeley's adoption thanks to several things. Her large grant through Reece's Rainbow, my husband taking an extra job, friends lovingly donating, us selling things around the house and an anonymous gift to finish it out! We are so very appreciative, after working so hard last year to save and fundraise we just were exhausted. BUT.....yes there's a but and it's big. 

We are approved for 2 children.....we already know the 2nd child that we will bring home if we are able. It's a long shot, a very long shot not just financially but with a few other things but if this child can come home we will need $15,000 to make it happen. Yes $15,000....,I know I groan just thinking of it. This child is on the other side of the country from Berkeley. Of course we are still saving money and fundraising in case we are able to adopt this child we can. And since it is a long shot any extra money we have that isn't used for adoption fees we will donate to other families in need for their adoptions.

T shirts for Sale!!!

We are selling t shirts to help with the last bit of funds we need to pay for a babysitter while I am gone to adopt Berkeley and to help with airfare so I can bring a friend with me on the trip since Jared cannot go this time. 

They are $18 each plus $2 shipping for sizes S-XL and $20 for XXL or XXXL plus $2 shipping. We are taking orders now through November 4th. The shirts will be shipped about 2 weeks later so they will be perfect Christmas gifts! 

You can pay here www.reecesrainbow.org/61131/sponsorwilliams then email me your sizes and shipping address! 

Kindness of strangers....

Well the past few weeks have been very crazy and just a little ok a lot stressful. Pasha had a feeding tube placed 3 weeks ago them 2 weeks later developed a pretty bad post op infection. This week all 4 of my toddlers have a mild stomach bug which has resulted in lots laundry and extra diapers around here. 

We also put a bid in on a house in a better school district than where we are now and the house is better able to be handicap accessible for Pasha and possibly Berkeley depending on her needs. It's in a very family friendly neighborhood and right around the corner from the neighborhood pools. Now we just need to sell our current home, we have several showings scheduled so hopefully it will be soon. Technically we are downsizing a little and we got the house for an amazing price but the area is very nice, it's older homes with big lots and gorgeous trees! 

Anyway here's the kindness of strangers part....I had someone tell me a couple of months ago through an email that they knew someone who wanted to bless our family's adoption of Berkeley with a substantial gift. I was thinking wow amazing but of course still skeptical because I have heard of other families receiving anonymous large gifts BUT you also hear of families being promised donations and they never come through. So we took a chance and have our address and pretty much put it out of our heads. Well tonight I came home to an envelope with no return address and a money order for $6000....... Yes I said $6000!!!!! I almost cried I was so happy that means for Berkeley's adoption we are FULLY FUNDED!!!! All that's needed financially is plane ticket money for a friend to go with me for a couple of weeks to help!!!!! I always dreamed of that happening but never actually thought it would!!!! I'm amazed and very thankful!  

We are still going to do some fundraising....there is a teeny tiny chance that we might bring another girl home. Very tiny chance but just in case I want to be prepared. Whatever money we don't use we will pay forward to other families adopting!!!!

Pasha in his brothers hat!