Sew?? Blessings and such...

I wanted to share some blessings with yall!  It has been a very neat few days.  I have had some just wonderful support from dear friends by way of phone calls, posts, emails, etc at a time when I really was needing that and for that I am eternally thankful! :)  In addition to that things have been kinda nutty, one thing will go wrong and then a blessing shows up :)  I am so thankful for the blessings in my life :)  One such thing is that I was contacted by a couple of dear sweet ladies who felt called to help with Jeremiah's Adoption but weren't really sure what they could do.  So they prayed and put their heads together and decided that they could use their sewing talent to help Jeremiah.  They designed a digitized embroidery set and are selling it on their website FOR JEREMIAH!  They are giving 100 percent of the sales direct to our Adoption Fund!  Is that not amazing.  If you are anyone you know sews and might can use either this set or anything from their webstie PLEASE check them out and support them.  Go to THE CHARMING STATION to see what they are selling for Jeremiah :)  and from their you can explore their whole site :) 

As if that was not enough, they also sell a thing called "monsters" on their website.  Well for quality control purposes they make one of each pattern they sell, to make sure it works right I guess and to photograph for the website maybe.  Anyway they have a bunch of these Monster Samples and they are mailing them to me to sell for Jeremiah! 

They thought maybe we would have an opportunity for another craft show or something and can sell them there and I said, not sure about another show but go ahead and send them and we will sell them somewhere! :)  So just a short time after I find out they are on the way I find out about a craft show coming up for a local Gym to fundraise.  They are renting booth space to others to raise money for the gym.  Anyway the booth and table rental is VERY reasonable and if we have these monsters, and our sonic cards

left over from last time, the things from the last sale that were not perishable and the Born in My Heart Adoption bracelets

 we had donated we will have plenty to sell with no cost other than the space rental :)  So I am actually excited!!! She said at the very least they were hoping to help us make back what we lost at that craft show that flopped.  I am so incredibly blessed that they would do this for us :)

And in addition to the blessing of these ladies and their generosity, We have been blessed to have several folks donating items for us to hold an online auction on the fundraising blog.  I am hoping to have it up by next week.  I am waiting on some information and hoping to get some more donations before we start it.  Basically folks can bid on what they would pay for it and at the end of the auction the highest bidder will win.  Bidders will need to pay postage on the items.  PRAY for us please to get some more donations and that folks will want to bid on the things we have.  Also we will need help spreading the word and those who do will have entries put in our Spread the Word Giveaway that will be drawn right before we travel to Taiwan to get Jeremiah when that GLORIOUS time comes :) 

We also have had a few more folks sign up to be involved in the benefit for Jeremiah that is this friday night!  It is funny a few back out and a few more sign up.  But I know it is going to be an amazing night of giving Praise the Lord for who HE is, who Jeremiah is, what God has done in Jeremiah's life and what He is going to do in all our lives! :) 

And speaking of blessings!  Here are some pictures of my little Panda Boy Blessing :)  He is such a cutie pie and I am overwhelmed with how much I love this boy and how it feels like he has always been here, but at the same time I so remember the journey to him.  I think back now to how LONG that journey felt at 10 and half months from first day seeing his picture till him in our arms and compare to the Journey to Jeremiah...we are over 9 months into the Journey and still fundraising, and not in court yet!  WOW!  But I have to believe it will happen.  GOD IS ABLE!  Anyway...on to pics :)

Got a great deal on this little elmo couch at 2nd hand store so it was one of Noah's Santa gifts :)  The book was  a gift from friends who came to visit recently :)  He LOVES to read! :)

looked at me when realized I was takin pics! :)

Is this not adorable!  :)  I have a bushel basket with magazines and such in it and a NOAH!  LOL

This was New Year's Eve at my friend Pam's!  Noah fell in love with Pam's Dad.  Noah and pawpaw are the best of buds now! :)  They won 7 out of 10 hands of Mexican train! :)  heehee

playin the organ with my 'weebeth' :)  My friend Pam's baby girl! 

reading with weebeth! :)  He just had the best time with her :)

a box of FROGS!  heehee My dear friend Joy who I met online several years ago and we have met in person once or twice a year since because they are close enough to do that, has been collecting FROG things for us for Jeremiahs room! :)  A whole box of things! :)  It was so fun to go through them all :) 

Noah playin with Joy's son Will and you can see Chyanne's foot! They had the best time :)

Me and Joy :)  We have not seen each other since LAST Christmas.  It was so good to get a hug and see each other again :)

blurry but too cute not to use :)

another blurry cute picture :)

Joy and her hubby Ed

Joy and I havin a bit of silly fun :)

Celeste and Auntie Joy :)

Millie and Joy :)

Millie Celeste and Chyanne get into the silly fun :)

Auntie Joy gets Noah to let her hold him! :)

Please be praying for the benefit Friday Night and for fundraising as a whole.  I am so thankful for those who are trying so hard to help us bring this little guy home and we plan to pay that forward after Jeremiah is home!  We have been so touched by adoption and by the 143 million orphans worldwide.  We will never be the same again.

Jeremiah my sweet frogie boy!  Mama loves you so much sweetie pie.  So many people love you darling and are working so hard to make sure you get to come home and have your very own family :)  And that you can have medical care and therapy and an opportunity to be the best you can be.  We love you little man and no matter what you do or do not do we will love you and support you.  You are already being used by God to touch peoples  lives and that is so amazing.  I am honored that God would bless me with the joy of being your mama!  I cannot wait to have you placed in my arms and be able to give you kisses in person, but until that day sweet angel boy, catch my kisses in the wind!

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!

This post has been edited with a corrected link that makes it easier to shop OUR STORE!!  Make sure when you check out your basket says supports Sisemore Adoption Fundraiser :)  Thanks everyone :)

GUESS WHAT!!!

You won't believe this!  I have found the most wonderful books!! I'm in book heaven!!!  There are adoption books, multicultural books, educational books, books for all ages! Single books, or lots of books.  Take a look!!


If you have or are adopting you HAVE to have this book!

Motherbridge of Love


Cherish the special bond between parent and child with this beautiful, anonymously written poem. Through the exchanges between a little girl and her adoptive parent, this poignant selection celebrates love and family.




Text royalties from this book are donated to Mother Bridge of Love, a charity that reaches out to Chinese children all over the world in order to develop a connection between China and the West, and between adoptive culture and birth culture. Xinran, the acclaimed Chinese author, broadcaster and journalist, is the founder of Mother Bridge of Love.


For all ages


Illustrated By: Josée Masse


Hardcover ($ 16.99)


Do you have a child of Chinese Heritage??

The Great Race

The Story of the Chinese Zodiac






Race with the animals of the Zodiac as they compete to have the years of the Chinese calendar named after them. The excitement-filled story is followed by notes on the Chinese calendar, important Chinese holidays, and a chart outlining the animal signs based on birth years.


Ages 4 to 9 years


Retold By: Dawn Casey
Illustrated By: Anne Wilson
Paperback $7.99
Hardcover $16.99

We're Riding on a Caravan


An Adventure on the Silk Road


Join the caravan for an exciting yearlong trek along China's ancient Silk Road. Following the rhyming, treasure-filled story are informational endnotes about the history of the Silk Road, the story of silk, important cities of China, and a full-spread map.


Ages 4 to 10 years


Written By: Laurie Krebs
Illustrated By: Helen Cann


Paperback on sale for only $5.99

What about Tibetan?

 

Tenzin's Deer
A Tibetan Tale




Meet Tenzin, a kindhearted boy who discovers a wounded musk deer high up in the hills. In this Tibetan tale, Tenzin nurses the deer back to health, and must learn the most important lesson of all: how to love enough to let go.


Ages 5 to 10 years


Written By: Barbara Soros
Illustrated By: Danuta Mayer
Paperback 7.99
Hardcover $16.99

Adopted from India?

Indian Tales


A Barefoot Collection

Venture to a country that is bursting with color, life and contrasts in these lively folk tales. The eight stories in this anthology, each from a different Indian state, feature educational facts and information about the cultures from which they are chosen.

Ages 8 and up
Retold By: Shenaaz Nanji
Illustrated By: Christopher Corr

Hardcover ($ 19.99)






African Heritage??

Hidden Hippo




Journey to the plains and rivers of Africa in search of a hidden hippo. Lots of different African animals are introduced throughout this rhyming, hide-and-seek adventure. Hardcover edition includes endnotes with information about conservation, endangered wildlife and facts about each of the animals featured in the book.


Ages 1 to 4 years
Written By: Joan Gannij
Illustrated By: Clare Beaton
African Tales

A Barefoot Collection
Explore this colorful continent and uncover the rich ways of life of the many peoples who live there. The eight stories in this collection, each from a different African country, feature educational facts and information about the cultures from which they are chosen. The stories are retold by award-winning Xhosa storyteller Gcina Mphlope, from Durban, South Africa. Includes a full-color map.
10% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Books for Africa, an organization that collects, ships and distributes books to children across the African continent.


Hardcover on sale for $14.99


What about Russian??

BabushkaAND THERE ARE TONS MORE!!!



Meet Babushka, a woman who is so busy focusing on the little things, that she hardly notices the miraculous events going on around her. This touching Christmas story shows that the more you give away in love, the more you will receive.


Ages 3 to 7 years


Retold By: Sandra Ann Horn
Illustrated By: Sophie Fatus
Hardcover ($ 16.99)






These books are all from Barefoot Books. AND they have started a fundraiser for Jeremiah for us! :) 

If you LOVE these books too, and just have to get one,two or twenty, please do so through my BAREFOOT BOOKS STORE!!!! A percentage will go to our adoption fund. :) . I would be extremely grateful if you would think about our store the next time you are in the market for children's books. And Chinese New Year is just around the corner. How about some great books featuring Chinese culture wrapped up in some pretty red paper for you little one??? 

What about a book from your child's birth culture to read together through the years as you teach them about their cultural background?

I personally love books and think they are amazing tools to help us learn and spend time with our kids, so I really think this fundraiser should do well!  I can't wait till Jeremiah is home and I can just buy some of these books for my boys! :)  Please be praying for this fundraiser and share with everyone you know that might want to buy some books!  These type of books can't just be found anywhere and I am so thrilled to have found a resource for them :)

PLEASE share this fundraiser with everyone you know!  If you spread the word on your blog or facebook or by email and send me to link to see that you did I will add you a chance at our spread the word giveaway we will draw right before we travel to get Jeremiah!  Again go HERE to see our new Barefoot Books Fundraising Store

Also, fun news today.  My mom's fingerprints somehow are not good now and we have to travel again to have hers redone.  And just GUESS when the fingerprint appointment is???  January 15th!  The day of the Benefit for Jeremiah!  Anything to make the day more fun!  LOL  Mama says she will get a hotel room for us to leave on thursday and so we will spend the night, go early to appointment and pray they take us early and then rush back home!  Fun fun fun!  But hey, anything for Jeremiah! :)

Sweet frogie boy!  Mama loves you so much baby and I can't wait to have you in my arms.  So many folks are praying for you baby boy and we are getting donated some things for an auction, working on a benefit for you and starting a book fundraiser.  It is all for you baby boy!  Just hang on tight and while you do, catch my kisses in the wind to you my sweet angel!

Overwhelmed!

Overwhelmed, just got updated figures from the agency, we still ove $7, 577 PLUS airfare for us and the boys, hotel, in country travel, food in country, and Jeremiah's visa! That is probably more than $5000 on its own. so we need probably at least $13,000 more and QUICK! It seems so far out of reach but I have to believe GOD IS ABLE! Waiting for HIM to show off! I HATE that money is the thing separating Jeremiah from his family, his home, medical care and therapies he so needs. I feel so like I have let him down, I mean it was hard fundraising for Noah but NOTHING compared to this time. So many things seem to just not be working and it really does not matter how hard we work, or anything. It just makes me cry that because the economy is bad, my frogie boy waits longer. When I think that he has already been there FIVE MONTHS longer than Noah was. Noah was 16 and half months when we picked him up, Jeremiah is 21 and half months now. And the wait is not over. I HATE MONEY! I mean look how much it is costing Taiwan to care for Jeremiah, wish there was a way they could let us go ahead and get him and figure out the money later, but I know that can't happen. When I looked at the breakdown today of all the U.S places that have to authenticate this thing and that, and how much they get for it and I know that folks need to get paid, but all I see is my baby boy and how many days of therapy he is missing, how many days of me workin his muscles, how many days of bein worked with by me, his daddy, his Nanny, his big sister, millie and on and on the people waiting to love on and work with that baby. I KNOW the Nannies love him and do the best they can, but I also know how much better it will be for him to have more people who can focus on him and his needs. Yes, I know none of that matters when it comes to fees and all, but it seems like so much of adoption journey is paperwork and fees and raising this and that to pay all these things that sometimes I think Jeremiah gets lost in the shuffle, by others , not by me. And most likely not by you who faitfully follow our journey here and pray and keep me uplifted and love me from afar, but by others. I look at Noah and how much he can do now, what an amazin transformation that has happened for him and I wonder what he was like durin the wait. Waiting is HARD. No matter how you look at it, havin a baby across the ocean is HARD. The fact he has needs so much more so than alot of babies just makes it harder and by that it is makes me feel that much more upset when I make a mistake and a fundraiser flops and we loose over $300 like the last one, or when I try this or that and it does not help. BUT, I know that we will spend our lives fighting for Jeremiah to have what he needs, he can't fight for himself now, he may never be able to fight for himself, but by gosh we will fight and we will remember how we got our practice while he waited a world away. We will fight insurance for the best medicine, therapy, equipment, you name it and we will know, we can get through this. God is preparin us for what is to come. It is so funny because it was suggested a while back that I come on the blog and share that MONEY was the main issue with why Jeremiah was not already home. I thought of it and said to myself I dont really want to share to much about that, I have already been critiqued for fundriaising to begin with, for adoptin a severely disabled child to begin with, I have been told I should not even attempt it unless I had all the money in the bank, and my thought is, I dont have the money, but boy do I have the love and the medical insurance that child needs. So many walked away from Jeremiah's file, he was not wanted, but oh I so want him. So I worried, if I share, what will folks think of me! Well, now there you have it, false pride. WHO CARES what anyone thinks of me! It is NOT about me. It is about my frogie boy, MY SON! HE NEEDS me to do WHATEVER it takes to bring him home. So if that means I share things that are uncomfortable, then I share. If that means I flat out get on my knees and BEG for help, I BEG! I dont have the needed money. But there are folks who have money and can help and God knows who they are and maybe by my sharing, my begging, the right person will hear and God will lay it on that persons heart to give, or to share , or to hold a fundraiser for us, or ask their Church to take a love offering or whatever! GOD IS ABLE! He can use anybody. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME vent and share my heart in this. I PRAY you dont think bad of me, but if you do, that's ok, just please THINK GOOD of Jeremiah, and spread the word and HELP ME BRING MY FROGIE BOY HOME!

More than just New Years Eve in IMPORTANT WAYS PRAY ...

5 years ago today at our Church New Years Eve Party Bobby asked me the most special and important question of my life!  He asked me to Marry him in front of entire Church!  Something I NEVER thought was goin to happen with any man!  God is so amazing!  Just in case you think I am makin it up , here is proof!  heehee

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Also, today is the last day of the year, alot of times folks are looking for tax deduction at the last minute, so PLEASE pray for our Reeses Rainbox Tax Deductible fund for Jeremiah!  All donations today go towards a deduction of your 2009 taxes so if you or anyone you know needs a last minute deduction, go here!
SponsorSisemore on RR
PLEASE pray that alot of folks will feel led to donate to the fund today! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!  I am so excited that 2010 begins at midnight, the year of Jeremiah coming home!  wooohoooo

this is the last picture of Jeremiah I have from 2009.

Jeremiah my sweet frogie boy!  Hold on sweetie, we are coming as soon as we can.  We are working hard and praying our hearts out.  Jesus loves you and He is gonna show off and move mountains and the ocean to bring us together!  I can't wait.  I LOVE YOU!  Catch my kisses in the wind!

The Sisemore Amazing Christmas Video

I am finally done with the montage of our AMAZING CHRISTMAS! It did not look like things would come together at one point but thanks to Nanny, some blessed angels who we have no clue are, resale shops and a few miracles thrown in for good measure we had an amazing Christmas. The montage is LONG! It is like 28 minutes long. That is after I cut it down from an hour! I hope some of you might want to see it :) If so :) here ya go :)  and below the video is the ornament I made for Jeremiah :)  I remember making the one for Noah and crying because Noah was still in Taiwan and not home.  When we began the journey to Jeremiah 8 months ago I just KNEW he would be home and we would not have a Christmas spent with him there and us wanting him home.  I was so wrong :(  Anyway, this is the LAST Christmas he will spend without a family.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Merry Christmas from The Sisemore's!  And a very Happy New Year!  Thanks for the love and care you have shown our family this year!  2010 will be the year Jeremiah comes home to our family!  WOOHOOO!

Jeremiah my sweet boy!  I sooo missed you this week.  As I prepared for your Christmas gifts I so wished you were going to be here for us to give them to you now.  Dont worry frogie boy, they are waiting for you , just like all your gifts since the day we knew you existed and that God was giving you to our family!  Honey I have no clue why this is taking so long, but I do know that God sees what we don't.  HE knows the time, HE KNOWS the way.  He knows who He will speak to in order to help us, maybe we are waiting on that, maybe we are waiting for the perfect time health wise for your to travel, maybe we are waiting for mommy and daddy to learn the lesson God has for us in the journey, maybe a little bit of all, I dont know, but HE DOES!  I just know I love you more and more each passing day.  I dream of the day I have you in my arms, and can work those tight muscles, and help you do things you can't do now.  I watched a video of a friend cheering on her baby girl as she was crawing for the first time in a crawler that had been given to them.  I could just imagine the day we are all downt on the floor with you rootin you on!  Noah will be jumpin up and down for you :)  I can picture it now our whole family goin to Gumbo Games for you to compete in them.  We have been many years with other friends kids, and I can't wait till we are there for Jeremiah!  Baby this time seems so long that we wait, but really in the course of life it is so short, we have sooo much time together to come.  I am crying as I write this, I am trying to convince myself that even though I so ache to have you here, it is ok that it is not time just yet.  But the time is coming baby.  We are working now on a benefit concert to raise funds and give the LORD thanks for what He has done and WILL DO!  It is called "Get Your Praise On" Benefit for Jeremiah!  I am praying we can get it on video.  I always want you to know that GOD brought you home to us.  We love you baby and we are working hard, even when things dont work and blow up in our face, you are so worth it and we will keep trying.  Frogie boy, rest well and catch my kisses in the wind!

Get Ready to laugh! ...Bowling Party for Daddy's Work.

Last Wednesday night Bobby's work had a Christmas Party at the bowling ally!  It was sooo fun and they cpvered all expenses and fed us supper as well :)  Wonderful blessing and a great night of fun!  Celeste's young man Cory joined us.  We all had a blast and can't wait to be able to go bowling again :)  NOAH beyond loved it :)  We are wondering if we need to start saving for a Bowling Party for his birthday!  Anyway...Get ready to laugh at the video part of the montage :) 

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jeremiah sweet man, I just so thought about you the night of the party as I am  tonight.  I wonder  what you would thinkof all the sights and sounds and smells that were there at that party.  I was excited to be able to say that this is  last troop party we will go to without our Jeremiah!  I can't wait to show you off next year!  I am sending you kisses in the wind my frogie boy!

Sonic Cards $5 100 percent goes to Jeremiah!

Sonic donated 300 Value Cards to us to raise money for Jeremiah!  We sold 10 at this weekend's sale and had an online order and a Church order already.  Still have 289 to sell!  If you would like to buy some for Stocking Stuffers or just for yourself PLEASE let me know :)  You can pay using the chip in button and paypal.  Just be sure and add some postage.   Priority Mail flat rate is like $4.95 for the flat rate envelope.  It can probably hold a good many of them :)  Thanks to Shannon for her order of 7 to use as stocking stuffers!  It will go out tomorow morning! :)

Please pray for us and for our fundraising efforts and guidance