Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day with their friends and family. While you're opening presents, having dinner, and spending time loving each other, please remember the children of Reece's Rainbow. Not just our Natasha, but ALL of the kids waiting for their families, or waiting to be home with their families. If you are financially able, please make a small donation as a gift to these kids who more than likely received nothing. It was just another day for them. If you don't donate to Natasha's adoption fund, please consider donating to one of the other sweet faces on Reece's Rainbow! There are no gifts too big or small for these kids, every dime gets them one step closer to their families.

I don't like to talk finances on this blog much, and I definitely don't want to ask for donations or harp on that "side" of adoption. There is a chip in box on the blog and a friend is selling bracelets for $5 each and that's all that needs to be said about donating. But, the money aspect is very real, and as a whole, money is a huge deterrant when families finally do consider adoption, so I want to say a few things about the finances.

International adoption is a huge investment. You are committing yourself to spending between $20,000 and $40,000 from start to finish. This includes things like fingerprinting, USCIS fees, agency fees, homestudy fees, travel costs, etc.

This does NOT include the basics of preparing for parenthood:

Prepping a room, buying clothes, toys, insurance, carseat, high chair, etc etc etc...

This does NOT include getting your home "home study ready"....believe me, once you look at your house through "homestudy caseworker" eyes...you see a million things you need to do, and all those little things add up fast!

So, I said all THAT, to say THIS...people who are considering adoption think of all this, and a lot of times, decide not to adopt because of all this. Especially in the case of special needs adoption because there will also be a lot of medical expense involved if your new child has heart issues, physical delays, etc...

It is a huge undertaking, and not many people can afford it, good people who have a heart for special needs kids who can provide GREAT lives for these kids filled with love, happiness, and hope...they just don't have the funds for the adoption process. This is where donations and love offerings become SO crucial, and Reece's Rainbow is amazing. They raise money on behalf of the children, and prominently display the amount of money that child has toward the cost of their adoption. What this does is help the potential parents not to completely freak out at the cost of the adoption!!

If you are financially capable, please consider sending a little love to one of the Reece's Rainbow babies. You don't have to choose Tasha just because you know us (most of you know us personally), we won't be offended if your heart tells you another child needs your support more!

We hope everyone has a blessed holiday, and we cherish each and every one of you! Thank you for your continued love, and support, and especially your prayers!

Much love,
Dave and Cilla

Thank you to everyone who sent Sweet Natasha a gift, she is going to LOVE opening all her pressies when she gets home!!

Here is a link to Natasha's family page: 

http://reecesrainbow.org/29701/sponsormorse

Here is a link to Natasha's facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Us-Rescue-Princess-Natasha/257921854268401