How can they say that Mom?

Dear Life,

Have you ever had a conversation with a small child when all of a sudden a very deep topic comes up?

UH OH.

And you say a quick prayer as you delve into that topic with this child....hoping your answers are enough.

Because lets face it people...just because we are parents DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE THE ANSWERS.

I know...I just said that out loud. 
*we don't have to tell the kids that, though!

Today I had a date with this kid before his theater class.

We were talking about Sofi, and why her mommy gave her up for adoption.
I told him that her mommy couldn't take care of her, so she did what she thought was best for the baby.
Then Kawika surprised me.
"Mom, what does it mean to terminate?"

I caught my breath for a moment.

Ok.....here goes.

"Terminating a pregnancy is when a mother decides she doesn't want her baby and the doctors give her medicine and the baby dies."

"Mommy, why do doctors tell mommies that it is ok to do that?"

(My kid was full of really hard questions today)

Well son, women fought really hard to be able to make choices about their bodies, and everyone has the right to end a pregnancy if they want to, even if we don't believe that it is right.

"Mommy, why can't the mommies stay pregnant and then give their babies to another family?"

(Can you believe this...my ten year old is saying these things!)

"Doctors have to tell parents when they see something is wrong with the baby.  Sometimes people think that the baby will not live a good life, that the baby will not be able to do a lot of things.  Sometimes people think that is the only option they have."


And here is where it gets golden people....

"Mommy, a doctor can't tell how the baby's life is going to be.  I mean, look at Kumaka.  He does everything he wants to do.  He's happy.  He does more than I do!  People should know that their babies can do whatever they want to do!"

I kissed his face....and I cried a little...hearing such simple truths...such wise answers....coming from a ten year old boy.
He amazed me today.  And really gave me a lot to think about.

I thought about all of our Spina Bifida friends.  
Each one is unique.
Each one has interests in different things.
And if the given the opportunity, each one will be able to achieve anything.

There's the flipper, the writer, the extreme athlete, the poster boy, the fearless one, the runner, the actress, the associate film producer, and the list goes on.  If you heard these names for other children, you wouldn't think anything of it.  

The parents of these children were told that their children would not be able to be productive....that they would not be able to do things that other children do.
And sometimes that's the case.
More often, they just do things differently.

And sometimes different can be a pretty awesome thing.

Fourteen Days

Dear Life,

What will you be doing in fourteen days?
Watching your son play football?
Watching your daughter dance?
Sending your kids off to Homecoming?

In Fourteen Days I will be boarding a plane with my best friend.
Off to the other side of the world.
To Eastern Europe.
To visit Sofi.

It's finally here.
I can't believe it.
And we have had so many people reach out to support us..to help us get to her.
And for that, we are so grateful.

Do you wonder what will happen while I am there?

I will visit her October 7-11 for a few hours a day.
On Wednesday I will sign...agreeing to finalize our adoption.
I will take her to get a picture taken for her Visa.
Then, on Friday, I will leave her.

The very week I get back, I will need to pay the 4000 euros (our FINAL FEES) which translates to about $5500.

Sofi's country will not finalize any paperwork until those fees are completely paid off.

THIS IS SO IMPERATIVE.
We need to get this paid NOW!!!
I don't want her to have to wait.
As soon as the fees are completed, her file will go to court, and we will become her legal parents. 
This process takes between 3-5 months.
Then we will go get her FOR GOOD.
WE ARE ALMOST THERE.

We can't stop now!!!

SHARE SOFI'S STORY.


She needs to come home to her mommy and daddy.
She is 4 1/2 years old.
She currently weighs 22 pounds and does not have adequate medical care.


Help us.
Please.
Here's how:

Used clothing drive.

We are accepting gently used clothing of ALL sorts:
Men's, Women's, Children's, bedding, hats, belts, purses. Clean out your closets and drop them at my house.  My garage was about 1/2 of the way full and we got a check from Angel Bins for $575.  If I can fill up my garage 4 more times...that will make a difference.  


Threads of Hope bracelets:

In Puerta Galero in the Philippines, the families struggle to eat. Through these bracelets, made by the mothers and children in that village, the children no longer have to turn to prostitution to help feed their families. This fundraiser has two parts.... Helping those families and raising money to bring home an orphan. Our little Sofi. One bracelet is $2 and three is $5. For every bracelet sold, we raise one dollar for Sofi and one dollar to feed a family. Best two dollars you could spend today. So buy one.... For every family member. Share this post. Be the change today!
(Email me with your order and I will send you a paypal invoice. fivejensenboyz@gmail.com)

We would love to have more runners on our team "Steps to Sofi" for the Long Beach Marathon or 5K

You can go HERE to join the team:http://www.crowdrise.com/stepstosofi/fundraiser/tracyjensen (the money here goes to our adoption agency Children's House International to pay the rest of the fees and is tax deductible)

You can also choose a runner and sponsor them there as well. 

You also have to go HERE http://runlongbeach.com/ to sign up for the race.  We are having people do half marathon as well as 5K.  

You don't have to actually run to be on the team!  You can virtually sign up for our team and raise money!

Here is a general fund donation page: This will help pay our travel fees and other general expenses.

 

We are doing a Squares for Sofi Fundraiser.  You donate $5 to participate.  You make a quilt square (hand sewn, fabric markers or puffy paint...or whatever you design) to be put together for a quilt for Sofi.  We would love to have all of our close friends and family be a part of this special love fundraiser. 

Plus Stuart thought of this one...so we have to give him props!

So.....there are so many ways. to help.  Pick one.  Pick them all.  Just please look inside your heart and bring home this girl.  One less orphan....

Lifted

Dear Life,

As I sit here writing this, I am truly humbled.
With tears in my eyes I feel lifted by God's hand.
Over the last week, ever since we received our dates to visit Sofi, I have felt enormous stress and pressure.
Couple that with extreme excitement and uncertainty and you can see why I have ended up sleepless every night.

First and foremost we are so very grateful and happy and excited to FINALLY meet our girl.
We are a little shocked that we are at this point...it almost seemed like it would never happen.
And then the fear set in...what if we don't raise enough money.
What if I get lost!!! (Never been in Europe....I'm a little nervous)
What if Sofi doesn't like me.
What if what if what if.
Uncertainty.
Keeps me up at night.

I prayed extra hard.
In words I pleaded to all of you...to anyone who reads my blog.
I talked to my friends.
I talked with my best friend, my sweetheart.
I got grounded.

And then I got happy mail today.
I got a beautiful hoop from Jaime (Baezamama on IG) that simply says Be Brave in the most beautiful sunshiney yellow tones. (This was from a hoop exchange hosted by Emmy from "It's Just Emmy" as an adoption fundraiser for her upcoming adoption).
Then I got four envelopes....all containing money.

And then I felt lifted.
I knew that even in my hard hours...when I'm crying and pleading....God hears me and knows me.

I'm going to share this picture of my little man Kumaka....

Do you see this boy? He's flying...having the time of his life.
He has these experiences because he has a family that loves him...friends that love him...and people that reach out to teach him.
Sofi does not have that.
She is waiting for us to give her a forever family.
More importantly, we need her.
She's already ingrained in our hearts.
I know she is supposed to come to our family.

Help our girl come home.  We are so very close.  You can read HERE to find out all the ways you can bring our girl home. 

Thank you. 


 

The big date

Dear life,

The date is here FINALLY!  We are going to visit Sofi in October.  We are leaving October 4th, visiting Sofi From Oct 7-11th, then going back to the capital for a day before leaving.  The week before my birthday I am going to have the best present ever....visiting our girl.

There are not enough words really to describe the range of emotions we have.

Excited.
Scared.
Happy.
Nervous.
Overwhelmed.


We have jumped through every paperwork hurdle imaginable. 
We have raised thousands of dollars to date.
We have waited....for what seemed like forever.
We have hurried...just to wait some more.
We have felt excited...we have felt fear.


Now...it's crunch time.
It's real.
It's happening.
In one month.

We have overcome the biggest hurdle to date.
Now we have to keep our eyes on the finish line.
There are only a few obstacles now.
They are pretty much only financial.

We need travel money for two trips and we need to raise the 4000 euros stat.
Once I come back from visiting Sofi, until that 4000 euros is paid in full, our court dates won't happen.

So the pressure is on.

We have so many different ways you can help.
And one reason why you should.

An orphan from birth.
Her mother was young, did not have the resources to care for her, and did the only thing she could do....give her up to the orphanage.
This girl has had no one.
Not one person to hug her, love her, care for her, even really know that she exists.
Until last year.
When we saw her.
And fell in love.

When you look at your kids today, coming home from school, give them a hug.
REALLY look at them.
Realize that they have been shaped by the family they have.
They are so blessed...they have you.
They are growing, thriving, learning, happy.

She is waiting.
For me.

We can't finish this without you.
I am literally begging you.
Please....choose one of our fundraisers...support it however you can.
SHARE SOFI'S STORY.

She needs to come home to her mommy and daddy.
She currently weighs 22 pounds. 
She is 4 1/2 years old.

Help us.
Please.
Here's how:

Threads of Hope bracelets:

In Puerta Galero in the Philippines, the families struggle to eat. Through these bracelets, made by the mothers and children in that village, the children no longer have to turn to prostitution to help feed their families. This fundraiser has two parts.... Helping those families and raising money to bring home an orphan. Our little Sofi. One bracelet is $2 and three is $5. For every bracelet sold, we raise one dollar for Sofi and one dollar to feed a family. Best two dollars you could spend today. So buy one.... For every family member. Share this post. Be the change today!
(Email me with your order and I will send you a paypal invoice. fivejensenboyz@gmail.com)

We would love to have more runners on our team "Steps to Sofi".

You can go HERE to join the team:http://www.crowdrise.com/stepstosofi/fundraiser/tracyjensen (the money here goes to our adoption agency Children's House International to pay the rest of the fees and is tax deductible)

You can also choose a runner and sponsor them there as well. 

You also have to go HERE http://runlongbeach.com/ to sign up for the race.  We are having people do half marathon as well as 5K.  

You don't have to actually run to be on the team!  You can virtually sign up for our team and raise money!

Here is a general fund donation page: This will help pay our travel fees and other general expenses.

  

There is an Adoption Auction on Facebook that you can check out HERE: 

There are three photographers....awesome angel tickets....scrapbooks....scentsy....Little Penelope Lane hair wraps and clips....Nailed It nail decals...and my personal favorite....my indentured family!!!  (My babysitting service...my husbands hard labor....and my two medium kids doing yard work)

We are doing a Squares for Sofi Fundraiser.  You donate $5 to participate.  You make a quilt square (hand sewn, fabric markers or puffy paint...or whatever you design) to be put together for a quilt for Sofi.  We would love to have all of our close friends and family be a part of this special love fundraiser. 

Plus Stuart thought of this one...so we have to give him props!

So.....there are so many ways. to help.  Pick one.  Pick them all.  Just please look inside your heart and bring home this girl.  One less orphan....