Face to Face with Valya

So excited.  On Friday we were able to Skype face to face with Valya.  She was able to give us a phone number for Roxy so we will be able to call her with an interpreter soon.  It was great to talk to her and see her face again.  One of the teachers at the orphanage can speak English fairly well and was able to help us communicate with her.  She seemed a little shy but what can we expect. 
She said she missed us and that's good enough for us! 
Thank you for your love and prayers!  We are so blessed!

Our fundraising site is up...

Yeah, our fundraising site is up and running....please spread the word with friends, co-workers, neighbors, facebook, twitter, your email friends...

http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/roxy-and-valya-are-coming-home-/116607

We appreciate your support everyday and we're praying for each one of you with thankful hearts!!

Check back soon...

And 2 more... makes 7!!!

With joyful hearts this Christmas Season we are thrilled to announced that we are beginning the process to adopt our two sweet girls from Ukraine!!
12 months ago...almost to the day, an email from a close friend changed our lives forever.  This email asked for a family to commit to hosting two young girls from Ukraine, when the original host family could no longer do it...24 hours later, we were set up to host these girls.  Though we did not know what had just signed up for, we just felt it was the right thing to do.  God provided the opportunity and means to do it!  That was even more prevalent as the support we received was amazing!  We provided a loving home Roxy and Valya for 5 weeks over Christmas.   The day they left to return to Ukraine will forever be burned in my heart.  There were so many tears shed...  We talked about and even considered adopting after that first visit but just felt that the timing wasn't right for our family.  Yet, a few months later, the opportunity to bring them back for the summer was upon us.  It was really a no-brainer...the girls were coming back!!  We could at least provide that for them!
So we hosted again for the 5 weeks in summer and when that ended and we sent them home...we knew that we would not be able to continue hosting them.  At $6000 a visit, there was just no way to continue.  However, we knew in our hearts that would not be the last time we saw them.
The opportunity to adopt all changed when Randy received a promotion that would allow us to move near family.   Though we love it here in Wausau, having family near was exactly what God planned in this whole journey. 
So....After many discussions, lots of tears and plenty of conversations with God....we have decided to pursue our two girls from Ukraine for adoption.    
It's a reassuring blessing to know that God has the plan, even before you know it.  The plan started 5 years ago with the journey to Wausau...an incredibly tough decision that blessed us more than we could have ever dreamed.  He gave us irreplaceable friends that have significantly impacted our lives, our faith and our children.   A school and a neighborhood that we love.  And the right people to plant the seeds in our hearts, to step up and seize the chance to love on someone else's kids just when they needed it!
Wow, God is good!  Follow us on our blog!!!  We will post the updates often.  We know the adoption process is not easy so we ask for many prayers as we complete this journey to bring our girls home!

Look for our fundraising site info soon!  If you usually donate to a charity during the Holidays, please consider donating to bring our girls home!  You will be able to follow us on the blog and you will feel blessed knowing exactly what you contributed to!
Thank you for your all your prayers and kindness and support!
Love, Randy, Deanna and family