Home For Christmas iPad Giveaway!!

Dearest Friends,

Let me just say...that I thought my hands were shaking when I wrote The Most Important Post I Have Ever Written. But that was nothing compared to this moment when I am pretty much a rubber band about to snap! In a good way :)

If this is the first time you are entering my giveaway- I wrote this in my orginal giveaway...

In Eastern Europe, babies with Down syndrome are deemed unacceptable at birth. They are left in orphanages until the age of five. When they turn 5, they are transferred to a mental institution. Forever.

If you don't like to read those words, if hearing about the plight of these orphans turns your stomach (it does mine), if you just can't bear the thought of what happens to those children...

Then be thankful.

Be thankful you have the option of hitting that tiny x at the top right hand corner of your screen.

Because these children don't have that option.

They can't close their eyes and make their whole bad-dream-of-a-life go away.

They are destined to a life of abandonment and grief and ugliness so horrid most of us can't even stand to watch a five minute video about it. (click here to watch)


Many of you know I implored Lily's readers to pray the other day like they'd never prayed- storm Heaven for Olga. Specifically for a family for Olga to come forward.

I contacted Andrea Roberts, the founder of Reece's Rainbow today to see if she was aware of the $12,594that has been raised so far for Olga during our first giveaway for an iPod...and asked what news she could tell me, if any. She gave me permission to copy her email here...


Patti, that is absolutely incredible! What a blessed little girl Olga is! I so wish there was a way to (advocate for) a 2nd child, what a blessing! We HAVE had several inquiries about Olga, and I guarantee you will be shocked to see how many children find families after the first of the year as a result of these grants. We don't truly need a FULL grant for every child, $10k is a big chunk and certainly enough to encourage a family to choose that child! Think about it....

Soooo...we know of several different little miracles...scratch that....several HUGE miracles...brewing right now.

Several families "waiting in the wings" to adopt a child with special needs.

One of these families- through an amazing series of events ...is seriously inquiring about Olga...waiting on an important detail...and is one of the MANY friends we have (so don't try to guess, teehee;))

I did not know until today that this family had come forward to inquire.

And there is more in the works with another family that I am not at liberty to say right now...but I do believe God is going to blow our minds (to coin my husband's favorite phrase!) the next few weeks.


Olga's account is so large right now, that Andrea Roberts -
who has seen more than 350 children like Olga be adopted through Reece's Rainbow- is confident a family is going to commit to her soon. SO confident that she asked us to advocate for a second child.

And this is where our Christmas Miracle just got a whole lot bigger.

I prayed all day for something very specific.

And that little something specific just came in the mail last night at ten p.m.

Our family was gathered around the computer, watching this beautiful video that LC and Jace's mom, Courtney, put together about Reece's Rainbow. (CLICK HERE TO SEE)

That day, as Courtney and I were exchanging emails, she said something that is still haunting me...

What you're doing is showing Lily and your other children and the other people in your community that LILY is worth this. That LC is worth this. That we would beg, borrow, and obsess ourselves to make sure they knew love and felt valued and wanted. That, if Lily were alone on the other side of the ocean, you would find her and rescue her no matter what the cost or how much dignity needed to be compromised.

I know this analogy will sound VERY sensational to some people....

I've always been incredibly interested in the holocaust and related literature about it. From a very young age. And the thing that always fascinated me, was how these camps could exist...how families could be torn apart...how little children could be massacred...and the townspeople allow it all to happen.

I've read the interviews and first hand accounts of people living in the towns at that time saying they were told it was what was best for society...or the community...and the people were being taken care of. But instinctively, they had to look at those emaciated faces and shaved heads and KNOW BETTER.

And now, in the age we're living in, the internet allows us to exist in a worldwide community. And once again we have children who are emaciated...with shaved heads...and people like Katya are believing what people were willing to believe 70 years ago. But the difference is the population that is being treated this way doesn't have the cognitive ability to speak up for themselves. To reach out for help. And they're not valued enough in society for anyone to equate these conditions as being as horrific as the conditions typical Jews and Poles and Catholics were subjected to 70 years ago.


As we were watching the video, my son Caleb brought me the mail...I absent mindedly opened one of the envelopes...and out fell a little miracle. A check for enough to buy that little something I had been praying for all day...





Yup. We're doing another giveaway. This time it's a brand new iPad.

I'm giving away this brand new iPad (valued at $500) to one lucky commenter. And I am hoping, praying, shamelessly begging you to give til it hurts. And tell every blessed soul you know about this giveaway. As my husband loves to say- tell your in-laws and out-laws too! Blog about it, Facebook about it, tweet it, text it...just get the word out- Lily is giving away an iPad.

And LC and Jace's mama donated a $50 iTunes gift card to cover some new apps to go with the iPad !

(Thank you Courtney...I love you and I owe you for all the advice;))

Also donated (thank you Nicki!):




Acase Pure Genuine Hand Made Leather Case Folio (Award Winner Halo) for Apple Ipad (retail value:$99)

***edited to add: when I wrote this post we actually only had $400 of the $500 needed for the iPad..we were believing God to help us scrounge up $100 over the next few days...6 hours after I posted the giveaway, Kelli, from Living Life With E's, contacted me and offered $100 to help with the giveaway. And she had NO idea we were short $100. Kelli's daughter, Emily, is undergoing treatment for Leukemia right now- and she is still finding ways to bless other children...can everybody run over to her blog and leave a comment telling her she's our hero?!


Also donated (as a separate prize): from Etsy shop Little Rozie



One boutique bow any color choice
One Yellow rose headband: Please specify age and band preference, crochet, or thin soft band
One Genuine Freshwater Pearl infant bracelet: Sterling silver, lead-fee crystals, pearls

THANK YOU SHEVA- you are wonderful, and your Rozie is too!

Soooo...

Same rules as before. Only this time there are TEN chances to win.

***updated to add- Olga's fund has grown so large, that we are sure she is about to find her forever family. Several families have made serious inquires about her- and although nobody has committed to her yet, I feel confident that Olga will be rescued. And I promise to update you as soon as I can:)

In light of this overwhelming success for Olga, we asked Andrea Roberts to allocate all donations coming in after 12/17 to this little sweetie...




Kareen
Born January 15, 2007

This pretty muffin is waiting for her family! She is healthy, with no heart condition noted in her records. She has brown hair and hazel eyes, and is already up and learning to walk! Her records indicate “meiotic nondisjunction”, but this is just a fancy word for what happens to create “Down syndrome” genetically. She is considered higher functioning and is really doing well. She is an orphanage favorite, and the director has asked for a family to save her from the institution.

I asked Andrea to give me the name of a child facing the institution...and she gave me the name of Kareen. My heart just melted when I saw her.

The TEN chances to win are as follows: (and if you already left comments prior to us switching gears- no worries...you're good to go:))

Ten chances to win:(but FIRST you must give to Kareen!)
*leave two comments if you give to Kareen at Reece's Rainbow (click here!)
*leave two more comments if you blog about this giveaway (post your link)
*leave two more comments if you post about this giveaway on FB
*leave two more comments if you tweet this giveaway.
*leave two more if you sign up (at the bottom of this blog) as a follower...and if you are already a follower, you can leave a second comment as well;)

*BONUS CHANCE TO WIN- vote for Lily's blog on Babble Top 50 Blogs.

this might sound self-serving, but follow me here..we have had a LOT of visits from that site, and Lily is only at #25. If she were to move up on the list- I have a hunch we could get a lot more traffic to this giveaway, and/or future giveaways for RR. If you go vote, come back and leave a comment...but ONLY if you first give to Kareen:)

**the links to give are like a shopping cart- click on "add" under Kareen's picture, which will add her to the cart and at that point you can either order an ornament, make an additional donation, or both.
***UPDATE- Kareen now has $2,830in her fund!! ****

So here's what I want you to do for Olga- pray. Things are moving in the right direction- her grant is so large- THANKS TO YOU!- that we need to pray that Olga's family (whoever they are) is able to commit to her soon and that things move quickly for her whole adoption process. Pray for Olga's protection while she waits for her family to adopt her, and pray for her health and safety. Will you do this?



I know you will.

Please spread the word, and please pray for Olga and Kareen.

I can't think of a better Christmas present, then knowing these girls will be rescued.

Random.org will draw a winner from Lily's comment section on Christmas Eve.

THANK YOU AHEAD OF TIME!!!!!

I'm going to bed a happy woman:)
oxPatti

P.S. CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!!!!!

Do you remember Elizabeth?

I blogged about her before the giveaway started...her story broke my heart. I first heard about her being transferred to the Institution from a link on Tara's blog. I decided that day that I was going to DO something to save Olga from Elizabeth's fate.

Guess what? A family has stepped forward to adopt Elizabeth. You read that right- they are going to rescue her from the Institution. Can I tell I sobbed like a baby when I heard that yesterday? MIRACLES HAPPEN.

And as a side note...guess who random.org (not me!) chose to win the iPod.

Tara.

Kinda cool, eh?