YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD!!!

Here it is, THE PUZZLE FUNDRAISER. Here is how it is going to work, it is going to be like when a city or an organization raises money to build a park or common area. There, you would buy a brick for so much money and then they will engrave your name or business on the brick before it is put down. Here, it will cost you $10 per piece of puzzle and you will need to send us note to our e-mail (brgrfamily@msn.com) to let us know the following information: Your name, how many pieces you paid for and your address (this is optional) and any special request you have for a specific piece(s). After we get home with Brian and a short adjusting period, we are going to sit down with Brian add the names to the back of the pieces and build the puzzle together. He is going to know how many people helped bring him home and where they live. The puzzle is 600 piece puzzle of the world. Only 599 pieces are open for the fundraiser. The first piece (the cornerstone) is reserved for God. For it was by His leading and His power working through His people that brought Brian home to us. Your donations can go into our Chip-In or into the FSP account. We are going to hold this fundraiser open until we run out of pieces or we travel, whichever comes first. We are praying that we run out of pieces much sooner than we travel.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We called USCIS today, and we were approved, our "Golden Ticket" is on its way!! Then we checked our mail...Our "Golden Ticket" is here!! We Praise the LORD alone for this wonderful news!! We still need $9,100.00 more for travel, we praise God for all He has done, we know that God will provide. We will be there soon to get you little Brian!! We also want to give a special thank you to our Church Family...your love, support and prayers have been a blessing. Thank you, we love you all!!
Thank you to everyone who has helped, prayed, gave so far, we thank God for all of the help. iPad2 Giveaway, still four more days to go....at An Extra Leaf!! Please share this giveaway info and leave a comment here. Thank You!!

We are coming soon to get you son!!

He is Still Waiting :-(

Hard to believe that it has been 7 months since we committed to that handsome boy. He has been waiting for so long...we have worked hard to go get him and bring him home. He is the one that is suffering....he is waiting in an orphanage! When I imagine what it must be like for him there, it hurts my heart....I cry!!! We love that little boy so much, we look at this picture everyday and I just cry, he looks so sad, I just want to scoop him up and hold him close, tell him that everything is going to be okay now. $11,000 is what stands in our way.......we need that money to go get him. Yes it seems like so much, but it is nothing compared to him......he is worth it all!! How long will they keep him....it has been 7 months, we are afraid that he will be transferred to an institution, where he may not be adoptable.....look at that sweet face, he deserves a family that will love him and take care of him....please help us get him out of that orphanage and bring him home. Help us to put a smile on his sweet face!!
Go here or here to see how you can help us!!
While you're at it, you might win an iPad2!!

Bill & Sheri

Please, help us to go get BRIAN and bring him home.

Still A Struggle

We have said many times recently that God is in control, we know that, without a shadow of doubt. God knows us very well and knows that I struggle with this....Waiting on His perfect timing!! I would not want it any other way, but it is still very hard. The most amazing little boy is waiting in Eastern Europe for us to come get him. It is very hard to wait...it tugs at my heart continually. I can not wait to go there and get him. We are also still hoping and praying about one other....well :) someone and only God can work everything out for us!! We are still waiting for God to provide the needed funds to complete this journey, we are still waiting on USCIS approval, and I know that God is in complete control. I sometimes feel like, writing that I am discouraged...but I am not sure if that is really what it is, I think that I am just sad that is has taken so long, and we are not close yet. Maybe like an expectant mom that is long overdue!! We still do not know when we will travel.....May....June...July??? God does know, I feel like so many things are on "hold" We had so many things worked out and I hope that it will still be able to all fall into place when we are finally ready to go. I hope it is okay to share my heart, maybe this will help someone else. So for now, we really are waiting... oh yeah and trying to get many items mailed out. FuN fUn FuN!! To God be the glory forever!!

In Christ, Bill & Sheri

We still have a "GIVEAWAY" going......Please help us if you can, we still need almost $12.000 We do have a long way to go, we do pray for God's provision!!

Sweet

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

I had a thought on Sunday to post my favorite hymn...so here is one of my favs, I noticed that a friend had the same idea :) 

We are truly waiting on the Lord, for funding and His timing with USCIS!
So we will praise Him for His goodness and serve Him always, we will wait on Him and His timing...it is perfect!!

In Christ, Bill & Sheri

Please go to An Extra Leaf and check out our Giveaway!! Thank you!!

God Knows

My husband and I have been discouraged for several reasons. We know that God is growing us and in many ways stretching our faith. I have had several friends who have been so encouraging this last few days. I have had several friends give sweet words of encouragement on facebook ( some of them new friends that I am getting to know, and I am thankful for them), phone calls from a couple of dear friends and my pastor's wife posted a loving comment on my blog........I needed the love from those ladies! I am having a hard time waiting and sometimes it seems like it is only a dream. I have been trying so hard to raise funds and go get our little man, we have even begged God to help things happen quickly. This is an emotional journey at times and I am not perfect. So.........My hubby came home today and we discussed the "government shutdown" It seems that God was protecting us.... even though we did not understand. If we were in our little Brian's country right now, and this shutdown were to happen, my husband would be away for five weeks with no pay. Yes, all leave has been cancelled and if you are gone and can not return to work you are placed on leave with NO pay. That would not have been good. As I said earlier, we have begged God, but we also have said...we want God's perfect will for us even when we can't see His plan. We desire to be a couple that places our trust in the Lord.

So now we know that there may be a reason, only God truly knows...I do have a peace about this situation, as I have said I am not perfect. Earlier today I was not allowing that peace, it hurts to think of Brian there...waiting for us. I just want to hold him and let him know everything is going to be okay. My husband and I love that little boy of ours in so many ways.... we just want to bring him home. So for now, we will re-do some of our documents and keep on praying for God's perfect timing. Pray that God keeps Brian at the orphanage until we can get him and bring that amazing little boy home!

We do need to continue to pray for God's timing...if our government shuts down USCIS will close, I hope it won't be for long, please pray that we get there before summer.

Remember our "GIVEAWAY" HERE.

Our Daughter

While we are fundraising for our travel funds and waiting for our USCIS approval, I thought I would post about our family, starting with our daughter Sarah.

Trying to get pictures of all three, in this one she was smiling! 

Daddy's Princess!

Family Camp, there are a few pictures of Sarah at Family Camp

Our church has Family Camp every year in August. This year Sarah can't wait to go to Family Camp with her new little brother Brian, she is so excited!!

One of my favorite pictures, she is looking at the falls!

She loves to ride horses!!

This year Lord willing, Brian will be next to her in a picture at the falls ;)

She is hoping that her little brother will be able to go horse back riding at family camp, she said "he can ride on daddy's horse, with daddy" We will see......

A bunny that she loved at family Camp, she wanted to bring it home.

She is known as a spider monkey....she loves to climb, she is quick and she is good at it!!

On her way up!!

We are still hoping and praying that we get our USCIS approval this week, please pray with us!!

Also, pray we get $500.00 a day on our fundraiser, we have been praying for $100.00. But, we really need to get our travel funds quickly. We have a iPad2 Giveaway on our friends blog here... check it out, and post it on your blog or on facebook, you'll be entered for a chance to win a gift card for just posting about our iPad2 Giveaway!!

Thank you for your prayers and all your help!!

While We Wait

I had a tough day, but it ended well. I am encouraged, I actually have a peace about things, I know God is in control, if you've read my blog before, you have "heard" me say that. This journey is an emotional one...and I have had my share of moments. I was able to talk to some friends tonight. We had a Boy Scout Court of Honor, my son was the MC....he did a great job!! After the Court of Honor Ceremony, we had refreshments and fellowship......God knew I needed the fellowship. Grace P., has been such an encouragement...she can tell when I am down. She has been a good friend, someone I can talk to about this adoption journey....you see she is on a journey also. She sent a couple of e-mails for me today, I am not great with words and I am not always able to say what is in my heart. I wanted people to pray...I wanted people to know where we are at, to know exactly how to pray for us......she was so helpful. I love her and appreciate her more than she knows.  I was able to talk to another friend as well....I told her that I cried my heart out today(Thurs.). Reene', she is on a different journey, they are moving...across the country, for her she also had a rough day...we were an encouragement to each other. I love her and will miss her very much. I appreciate her. I also was able to share things with our Pastor's wife, she is a true friend, I have talked to her several times lately...she has had some words of wisdom for me, she is praying and she is also looking out for me! She has been a dear friend to me, she really understands. I believe we were an encouragement to each other tonight!!  I needed the time with these ladies that I had tonight....I love how God puts the people in place to give me comfort, understanding, love and encouragement!! Someone said today that their USCIS approval was quick and they said "What a mighty God we serve"...very true....I can say "we are still waiting on our approval, what a mighty God we serve" I was reminded by those three special friends that God is in control and He has a reason for allowing us to wait...very true!! One thing I have learned while walking with the Lord is that sometimes I don't like the circumstances that surround me, but I am thankful for my God that does what is best for me...even though it is not always easy. We feel in our hearts, that we will be there soon, we are very thankful that God has put us on this journey. We are thankful for our little man Brian!! I am waiting for the day that I hold that sweet little boy in my arms...what an amazing day that will be......because of the amazing God we serve!! There are many other friends who have e-mailed me today, some of them on facebook. I appreciate all of your comforting words as well and I am truly thankful for each of you!! Our iPad2 giveaway is still going...take a look here.