This is a Test!

I sent my good friend Angie Iden a blog today along with a couple of photos so she can learn to post for me while I'm in China in case I myself cannot access blogger from there.

Here are Cassie's newest photos in case you didn't get a chance to see them the other day. Signing off!

It's All Starting to Come Together

I had the opportunity to book our flights today.  The final cost for air line tickets, including taxes, ended up being $1,100.00 more than my absolutely highest projection.  Sonya's was $800.00 more than anticipated and Cassie's $300.00 more. 

And I will be booking a hotel tomorrow.   Say a prayer for me, will ya?  We would really love to stay on Shamian Island at the new Victory Hotel.  It's supposed to be very nice yet affordable. I am not booking a room on my own but going through a travel agency (the same one we used for our flights) whom Hand in Hand recommends.  It's a little more expensive this way, but if we were to go it alone, we'd also have to make all of our own in-country travel arrangements on our own as well, and having a guide come and pick us up every single day and take us wherever we need to go during our two week stay in China while spending time with our two little girls together and getting to know eachother as a family will be money well spent. 

Two things to keep in mind, we are still selling Sonya's art treasures if you are interested and we now actually have until December 9th to raise the rest of the money for the $5,000.00 matching grant through God's Grace Adoption Ministry!  Details concerning our  matching grant can be found at the top of our side bar underneathe the picture of Cassie Mei holding her panda bear we sent her for her birthday. 

I received an email today from a woman whom I've never met.  She heard about our blog through a friend, has taken an interest in our journey to Mei Mei and is now donating some money for four of Sonya's art prints, and because she lives in town, we can deliver them to her home directly.  Praise the Lord for the angels He sends our way!

So many of you have been a constant source of support throughout this seemingly looong process, and i am grateful to all of you beyond words.  Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.  I thank you!  My family thanks you, and some day Cassie will be given an opportunity to thank many of you in person!

One last thing, the latest figures for Sonya's fundraisers are as follows: $500.00 towards her own airline ticket and $740.00 towards her sisters!  Initially Sonya's airline ticket was supposed to cost only $500.00, but it actually ended up costing $1,300.00.  So the girls' two tickets together ended up at $2,600.00, and Sonya has managed to raise $1,240.00 of it!  "Good job, Sonya!  You rock!"  And of course, we didn't do any of it without Jesus!

CA Set for December 21st!

Which means we will leave on December 9th and make it home just before Christmas!  Praise the Lord!  thank you for all of your prayers, support, concern and love for our family!  Without all of you, this road we've been traveling to get to Mei Mei would have been almost unbearable I think.  I know the Lord wants us to rely on Him and believe in Him and count on Him for everything, but He also is a merciful God and He doesn't expect any of us to walk it alone.  We are the Body, Christ is the Head, Amen!

Updates on Beautiful Feng Mei (aka Cassandra Mei)!

Well, the orphange was kind enough to send updated photos and measurements of Feng Mei.  YAY!  And our TA did arrive at the adoption agency today, so at least we now can request a CA (consulate appointment) and our agency is shooting for Friday, December 9th because the CAs which would cause us to leave on December 2nd are all taken.   I am praying for no later than December 9th because that would probably put us at getting home Christmas Eve, but at least the girls would be home for Christmas to open their gift and stocking.

Yes, you heard me right - one gift each.  Sonya has always received one gift from us at Christmas and a stocking to go with it, and I bet you ten dollars she can tell you exactly what she got every year for the past three at least.  And when she opens her gift, she is always very grateful.   Sonya still rides her red scooter around the house that we gave her last Christmas!

We tell Sonya that the one gift represents the gift freely given by Jesus Christ when He came to earth, born of a virgin, destined to die on the cross at Calvary for our sins, and through His atoning blood alone shed for us alone, we can experience eternal salvation.  Randy and I are now looking forward to sharing this simple yet meaningful tradition with our second child and baby girl.

You see, in my cleaning business, I've seen so many children through the years go from wanting very little in the way of material possessions, rather desiring the simple love and time spent with family, only to grow into constant consumers wanting more and more, seeking new and better ways to have "fun" and fit in, never being satsified with what they've been given.  Time and time again, I've seen these same children grow into teenagers who feel it their rightful place to berate their parents for not measuring up to so and so's parents when it comes to gift-giving at Christmas time or any other time of the year for that matter. 

You know, if you've ever spent any time with me, you'll see I'm not perfect and I have my many flaws.  But hopefully, in this area, Randy and I are doing things right by keeping our children from seeking after the ways of the world when it comes to having everything the world says is important to have in order to be truly happy.     

So with no further delay, here are the three pictures we just received this morning of Cassie!

According to their measurements, Cassie is 44.9 inches tall; Sonya is 46.5 inches tall.  Cassie weighs 44 pounds; Sonya weighs about that much.  And Cassie's feet measure 6.7 inches; Sonya's are 7 inches. That means perhaps Cassie wears a size 10 shoe, while Sonya wears a size 11.  If these measurements are accurate, Cassie is the size we imagined her to be.  Oh, how I cannot wait to wrap my arms around that little girl and find out for myself! 

Oh and how could I forget?  This is what the Z orphanage had to say about our little girl!
 "She is very smart. She talks well. She gets along well with other kids."



Sonya's Fundraiser Update

Just a quick note to let you know Sonya has raised $650.00 toward her $1,000.00 goal to pay her sister's air line ticket home!  I just this morning received another order via email by a family we have never even met!  Friends, this happens quite a bit, and not only do these "strangers" report how much they love Sonya's art work, they share about how much they appreciate her heart as well. 

Once Sonya has reached her goal on her sister's behalf, she has big plans to create other various art forms to continue to raise money to help orphans around the world to make it home to their forever families.  As Sonya's mother, it is obvious to me that Sonya has a heart for orphans as she goes about her Father's business.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Dolls for Sale!

Hi everyone!  I have a friend Judy whose husband and she are adopting two precious little girls from China, both from Cassie's orphanage.  If you or someone you know love dolls, then check out Judy's adoption fundraiser.  These dolls would make great Christmas or birthday gifts!  Aren't they just absolutely A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.!!!

 I will let Judy take it from here! 

Whats up: A BIG fundraiser….well a fundraiser with big hopes.Calico Pie (www.etsy.com/shop/calicopie), a tiny shop on Etsy with a big heart, is donating 50% of it’s sales to help with an adoption journey. Calico Pie makes hand sewn soft cloth dolls that are baby safe and mama friendly (that means 100% washable).

When: On the Monday after Thanksgiving. This is the equivalent of Black Friday to the online businesses.


Who: Troy and Judy Deaton from Kansas are adopting 2 girls from China, 4 yr old Wren Da Yu, who is deaf; and 4 yr old Iley XiaoKui, who has a heart condition & needs surgery.


Why: There are 147 million Orphans in the world that need families. The biggest obstacle between the orphan and their forever family is expense. It costs between $20,000 and $40,000 for each adoption. Please help us raise the ransom for these two little girls to come home.


What you can do: Spread the word to all your friends to help us bring business to Calico Pie.


OR: You can make a tax-deductible donation directly to:
Brethren Charity Fund (BCF)
PO Box 365
Brookville, OH 45309


Please note: ** "Troy & Judy-adoption" on check memo line**


Troy and Judy are using GWCA as their agency. They have a private blog. If you are interested in visiting their blog, email Judy at judy@westwindwood.net and introduce yourself. She will send you an invitation.


If you have any questions you can email Judy at judy@westwindwood.net or Shauna Horneman at calicopie@hotmail.com and they will be happy to answer your questions!

Thank you so much for your care and support of the orphans of the world by shopping with purpose this Christmas season!

Update On Our Family's Fundraising Endeavors

Don't forget to scroll down our side bar until you come to Sonya's art "treasures".  Or you can go to http://yiandmeitogether.blogspot.com/2011/11/as-we-approach-our-final-leg-of-journey.html   Her prints are for sale and are inexpensive at that, and as one art enthusiast put it yesterday while viewing Sonya's art work live, "These are so much more beautiful in person!"

And if you would like a chance to win three of Sonya's art pieces please visit my friend Kelly's blog at http://www.myoverthinking.com/2011/11/purposeful-giveaway-sonya-for-cassie.html.  So go visit Kelly, and she will share with you the details! 

Remember to email me with your order for prints at c.hoium@yahoo.com. They make beautiful birthday and Christmas gifts!!

Also, I just now learned that God's Grace Adoption Ministry will be accepting donations for the matching $5,000.00 grant only until the day we travel, which is Friday, December 2nd, 2011. 

If you are considering making a donation toward our adoption costs through God's Grace Adoption Ministry so that your tax-deductible donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to $2,500.00, please consider doing it now.  If you check out our side bar at the very top, you will see that we are only $1,500.00 short of our goal amount of $2,500.00.  

You will want to make your check out to God's Grace Adoption Ministry and verify in the memo section that your donation is to be put toward the Hoium Adoption. 
Please mail your donation to:
God's Grace Adoption Ministry
P.O. Box 4
Modesto, CA
95353

If you have any questions for GGAM, you can contact them at info@ggam.org or by telephone at (209) 572-4539.