God really doesn't sleep!

God had a busy night last night, battling it out for Samantha! I can't believe how quickly things are coming together. When He has an idea, He follows it through!!

I had a phone call this morning alerting me to an additional $2,500 gift! Thank you (You know who you are)! I am so blessed.

Again, I just have to say THANK YOU.

2,155 Thank You's!

OH MY GOODNESS!

Thank you so much to everyone who has already contributed to help bring Samantha home!

I so wish I knew who you all were so I could thank you personally...but since I don't...this will have to do...

THANK YOU!

I am blown away.

          You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, 

          O God our savior.

          You are the hope of everyone on earth... 

          Psalm 65:5

It's Official!

My paperwork went through yesterday, and I am officially committed to adopting "Kami", as she has been named by Reece's Rainbow.

But when she comes home, to her new life, and her new mom, her name will be,

Samantha Love.

Samantha, for a sweet, 13-year-old friend from California, who died too young, but whose life of faith continues to inspire me.

Love, for Love Maidene, the little girl who started it all.

I've heard from a few adoptive families, valid reasons for keeping or changing a child's name. My thought is that God is making"Kami"new.  I don't know how many times her name has been spoken in the last 6 years, or whether its ever been spoken with love; but I do know that she's been imprisoned in a crib, day and night, with very little human interaction. Her name, in a way, represents that old life.  But her new name, Samantha, which means, "God has heard," will carry her into a new life.

Now that my commitment to Samantha has been made official, I am finally able to start raising funds for her adoption grant. This grant will help to pay for agency fees, travel, and other adoption expenses.  Samantha's adoption ransom is estimated at $20,000. That's a lot for my tiny brain to wrap around, but its nothing to God. I can't wait to see Him come through for her!

If you would like to contribute to Samantha's grant, you can use the handy new button in the side bar.  The grant total, as seen here on my blog, will be updated every hour, so if you don't see your donation show up right away, have no fear! You can also check our total on the Reece's Rainbow's website. My profile is currently on the New Commitments page, titled, "A Girl for the Knuth Family."

Thank you friends and family for your support. Lots of love to you. More updates soon.

I Can't Believe I Forgot to Tell You...

I was just re-reading my journey so-far, remembering how I got here, when I found an old post titled "Please Pray".  I can't believe I forgot to tell you all that my little girl is indeed at the orphanage you were (and hopefully still are!) praying for!

There was a reason God was breaking my heart for that particular place...

God is moving BIG TIME setting children free from this orphanage...

It is my privilege to be used by Him for this purpose.

Soon and Very Soon

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks!

• I received my very first video of Baby Girl. May I just say that I was previously unaware my body was keeping that many tears in storage. Just the sight of her rendered me completely paralyzed. Of course I've seen her picture; I can see it in my sleep. But watching her move and breath, sitting up, pulling to a stand on the side of her crib, and looking intently at the camera...there's nothing else like it. Or there won't be, until the day I get to hold her. Oh, and she really seems to like people! You can hear a couple of women talking in Bulgarian in the background of the video, and it really seems like she is interested in them. I know my little girl has been neglected and sinned against for many years, so this small interaction gives me great hope!

• I've been plugging away, finishing all the details of my home study. After what seems like months of fretting, the long awaited "home inspection" is now complete.  It went great, thanks to many WONDERFUL friends who helped to clean, do yard work, change electrical outlets, organize...the list goes on. I have a few pieces of paperwork left to collect, and several more hours of online class to complete...but the end is in sight! (the end of the home study, that is)

• I've now begun working with Baby Girl's adoption agency. My application was approved on Thursday! So, now I'm hopefully only days away from the long-awaited completion of the commitment process. I'm also ready to begin compiling my dossier. I had my first taste of what this process will be like on Friday when I spent an unholy amount of time pouring over the instructions on an FBI website figuring out how to mail, apostille, etc., etc., my fingerprints. Whoa. Let's hope I get better at this stuff as time goes on!

• I found out that there was has been a mix-up! And I'm told that this is a first for the agency. It so happens that there are two little girls with the same name and date of birth in the same orphanage...one of whom is my little girl. And while Baby Girl is still available for adoption, we now know that she had the wrong file attached to her picture. For this reason, she can not currently be viewed on the Reece's Rainbow site, and I cannot publish her picture. Please pray that her file can be put together quickly! I've chosen to continue moving forward without the file, so we don't lose any valuable time, leaving her to sit in a crib any longer than necessary. But there is information in that file that will be very helpful in preparing a home and proper care for her. And, I so badly want you all to see her sweet face!

Thank you all so much for your help and support. This little girl is already VERY loved. She has no idea, but God is on the move...for her.  Hang on, Baby Girl! I'm coming. Soon!

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

for the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed.

Thank you, Aunt Gail, for pointing me to this perfect Word from God.

Almost Somewhere!

Oh my goodness, friends.  My heart is full. And overwhelmed. And nervous. But again, it is full! All day today I've been running around town; making copies, overnighting documents, emailing, phone calling, filling out forms, asking for huge favors, crying, praying, rejoicing, and crying some more.

Why so much crying, you ask?

Well you see, there's this little girl.  She's 6 years old. She has Down Syndrome. She is perfectly adorable. She has been laying in a crib her entire life. And she very well may be my daughter :)

Name an emotion. I'm probably feeling it right now!

Among many other thoughts going through my head today was this one...After 6 years of merely existing (surviving, really) this little girl is about to start LIVING. I cannot wait to experience the world with her. I can just imagine what she'll think about sunshine, butterflies, ice cream, a pink princess room, a full stomach, hugs and kisses, a warm bath, trips to the zoo...

This innocent, 6-year-old baby has been in a tiny prison, unaware that there is a whole world out there waiting for her. She doesn't know yet what she's missing, but I so long to help her make up for lost time.

I should probably try not to get ahead of myself, as there are still plenty of things that could go wrong. But I just want to hold on to this hope, and the joy that it brings.  And I will try to do just that.  Because my God, who made this sweet baby girl, loves her far more than I do. And even if this whole journey I've begun falls to pieces, He will still be holding her. He is Father to the fatherless, Defender of the weak, Hope to the hopeless. He is good. I'll cling to that.

If you would, please pray that I will be able to make an official commitment to Baby Girl, so she can be removed from the waiting child list, and instead be on a page entitled, "My family found me." When God answers our prayers, I'll be able to show you all a picture of her sweet little face.  I can't wait!

Again, please feel free to comment with any prayer requests you may have. Let's be in prayer for each other!