Thirty-One

We have partnered up with Emily and Michael Dunn  to do a joint fundraiser to bring Mahesh and their baby home. You can shop from home and help us.
Here is a link to start shopping with Thirty One Gifts now. 25% of all sales goes to bring these babies home!! (Thank you Shawna Ireson for setting this up for us!)
www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E4524836&from=DIRECTLINK

Small Town Love Then & Now

Ah Babylon.  The small village on the south shore of Long Island.  This is where I (Tobey) lived until I was 21.  No matter where life has taken me, Babylon will always be home.  I loved growing up in a small town.  A town where everyone knows each other.  A town that helps each other in times of need.  A town that felt safe growing up. In the 19 years since I left NY, I have returned several times a year to see my family.  I can walk down Deer Park Ave (the main road that runs down town) and see tons of familiar faces.  It is a great place to grow up and then to stay and raise a family!

A few years ago, when my brother was diagnosed with leukemia, people that I hadn't heard from in years reached out to see how they could help. At that time, we started Chip's Army.  A support group for Chip during his battle with cancer.  One fundraiser in Babylon raised almost $4000 for Chip's medical bills.  During Chip's final days, Babylonians flew to San Diego to see him one last time and to pay respect to the family.  And, in May 2012, there was an amazing memorial service on the beach to celebrate Chip's life.  If you're from Babylon, you get the enormous amount of love & support we felt during this difficult time for our family.

Flash forward 2 years to Mother's Day 2014.  I come home from work and decide to check email before bed.  I received this message, along with a $500 donation to our adoption fund:

"A few fellow BHS Alum hope this helps bring your son home sooner. We'll send an email on your Facebook Page with the messages included with donations. Happy Mother's Day Tobey!!"

I shared with Todd and all we could do was hug and tear up as our family once again feels the love and support of Babylon.

Thank you to the gals that set this up. Thank you to those that gave. Thank you to those that can't give but support us in so many other ways. Thank you to those that pray for us and Mahesh everyday. And thank you Babylon for being Babylon! Your Mother's Day gift put us over the half way mark for our fundraising goal!

We cannot wait for the day we can take Mahesh to visit Babylon and to share all of the encouraging messages we received during our journey to bring him home.

Letter To A Waiting Mama

While stumbling across other adoption blogs tonight I came across a great letter that a woman wrote to all "Waiting Mamas" and I wanted to share it.  I know so many people adopting right now and the waiting is definitely the worst part!  Here is what I read:

To my many friends or readers who are in that purgatory — that hell — of waiting, I’m hoping to give you a little encouragement today. I know what it feels like. I know the constant ache of your heart, the struggle to be fully present for your family and friends when you feel like half your heart and half your brain (or more) is always wrapped up in something else. I remember all too well sneaking out of the bedroom in the middle of the night so I could secretly check my e-mail and see if there was any sort of paperwork update from the Congo, who was eight hours ahead. I remember bursting into tears whenever certain songs would come on the radio  (though I now love the song “Home”, I was convinced God was trying to torture me with its popularity and incessant radio time). I remember wanting to punch the people who said, “God has a plan.” I remember being torn between wanting to talk about my son all the time and dying for someone to ask me about him and wanting to hole up in the house so I could just stop answering the well-meaning “When will he be home?” questions. I remember feeling like I had nothing left to give anyone because I was so emotionally exhausted.Waiting Mama — this, too, shall pass. I know it doesn’t seem like it. It seems like you’ve been in this forever and maybe you have. Maybe you have been fighting for your child for years. Maybe you are on your third or fourth referral because the others have fallen through or because you’ve lost a child. It’s okay to be angry and upset that this takes so long. It shouldn’t have to. Children should be with their mamas and not in an orphanage and it is not part of “God’s plan” that your child is suffering hurt and pain while he waits for you. That’s part of the sinful, broken world we live in. You have a right to be outraged at the system that is keeping you apart. You have a right to your tears, to your void, to your heartache.

Just remember that you are not alone. Even though it may seem like you are out of control and you are the only one advocating for your child, God is fighting for you and for your child, too:

The Lord your God will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14)

I know those words won’t suddenly make your wait joyous. I know they won’t necessarily take away the deep ache you have for your child. But I hope that they make you feel less alone. And I hope knowing that there are other mamas who have shared your same pain and longing and are now on the other side is somehow encouraging to you.

One day your child will be in your arms.
One day you will no longer be waiting.
And I promise you this, waiting mama: that moment is so very worth the wait.

Teaming Up For A HUGE Sale

We are partnering up with another couple going through the adoption process for a HUGE sale to benefit both of our adoptions!   We are asking for your help! Cleaning out the garage? Playroom? Closet? Why not donate the stuff you no longer want to our adoption fundraiser! Sellable items can be dropped off at two locations or we will arrange a pickup. If you have furniture or other large items we will be able to pick those up! We will be accepting donated items until June 15th. And the sale will be June 21st.  Message us to arrange drop off or pick up.  THANKS!!

Give The Gift of Miles

Looking for a unique way to help us bring Mahesh home?  Have tons of frequent flier miles you are never going to use?  You can donate them to us to use towards our tickets!  You can even purchase miles for us!  Click here to get more info.