An Update on Kameron From China

We received updated pictures and answers to the questions we sent to Kameron's orphange, this week. The excitement we ALL feel when we receive answers to our questions is difficult to adequately describe. We only get to send a request once every three months. When the email comes through notifying us of the update and photo's received, THAT is a feeling that is so hard to beat!

We received updated measurements. It made us giggle that when we converted them to our standard measurements, Kameron and Jesse Jay (our very tall/large kindergartener) are near the same size in shirts and pants. Kameron has much larger feet though!

We also received notification of receipt for our I-800A from the United States Central Intelligence Office. We have appointments to meet with them for additional in person information and processing on Friday.

We are nearly finished with all that is needed for our Dossier to send to China. We are just awaiting approval of our I-800A, printing some family photos, and awaiting official copies of requested documents. We are working on applying for a few grants and praying that we might be accepted for one or two.

We find ourselves staying close to home these days. We are playing in the yard, prepping our garden for the year, keeping up on laundry, cooking meals, reading books-- just absorbing every spare moment we can of family time, together.


Our fundraisers are moving along nicely. Below are some details:

1. The Thirty-One Fundraiser was very successful! Thank you to those who have participated and especially to Crystle Bittle for offering to do this for us. If you are still interested in getting something from Thirty-One and wanted it donated to our adoption fund-- Crystle has graciously agreed to still take those orders. All you have to do is contact her or myself and order online here.

2. If you wish to donate directly to our adoption, and are seeking a tax deductible option: we having signed up with an online donation site dedicated specifically for adoption. We are a little over 10% at our fundraising goal! We are hoping to raise 15,000 dollars before we leave for China, to help us bring Kameron home. We still need help raising the remainder. Click here for this website.


       We are all getting so excited! We cannot wait to get to fly to China to bring Kameron home! We are absorbing all the information about China we can. It's likely that we have read every book and watched every DVD on China that our Public Library offers. The kids LOVE trying to eat with chopsticks. And they cannot wait to have a big brother who will teach them so much more about his culture.

(I just had to share one more of this guy!)

Sending an Update Request to China

Today, is an exciting day for us. We got to send off a request to the orphanage for updated photo's and asked 10 questions of Kameron and his caregivers. We should receive a response within a couple weeks. As we wait on pins and needles, awaiting to learn even more about our new son, we find ourselves trying to immerse ourselves in distractions.

Luckily, we are celebrating Toby's 5th birthday tomorrow. Currently I am baking a large Funfetti gluten-free Ninja-Turtle Themed birthday cake for his preschool. Then the party on Saturday. Since we returned from my sisters wedding at the end of March, we have just been go-go-go!

The cold I have mixed with allergies. The ear infection the baby has, has really been slowing us down. This morning, despite feeling absolutely miserable, I was able to peel myself out of bed to run errands with the boys. There is simply too much to be done to rest.

We got to talk with our social worker with Lifeline (we ADORE them) about older child adoptions last week. She advised us that this waiting period we are in, really is SUCH a good thing. Like preparing for having a biological baby, that time is spent preparing for the new child's arrival. We are hugging on each other more and focusing every spare moment for extra snuggles.

Prayers for speedy recovery from the yuck, for time to invest in our boys and each other, for this adoption process to continue to move along as it has-- are so greatly coveted.

Our fundraisers are doing well. Here is an update on what is going on and what you can do to help:

1. Our Thirty-one Fundraiser ends TONIGHT April 16th, 2015. 25% of the proceeds go directly towards bringing Kameron home. Click here if you want to order online. Remember, you can STILL participate even if you do not live in Idaho!

2. Our direct funding page, basically a Go Fund Me that is adoption specific and tax deductible to you, can be accessed by clicking here. We have hit over $1,000 to date! How exciting! To those who have donated, truly-- it means so very much to have your support!

3. The Jamberry Nail Online Fundraiser raised 60 dollars towards bringing Kameron home! The party is now closed. Thank you so much to Allison Shamblin and Ginger Baerg for throwing us this party/fundraiser. You gals are phenomenal! Thank you to all who ordered!

4. We are blessed by a wonderful quilter (who also just happens to be my cousin-in-law) who has offered to make us a quilt that we will raffle off in May!! Stay tuned for details on this.

5. We are still planning to do a large adoption yard sale fundraiser on June 12th, 2015. If you have any items you'd like to donate to this either hold on to them for the event or let us know!

--The Maddux Family

Waiting with a side of..... More Waiting

We get asked often by those who are interested and supportive of our journey, regarding where we are in the adoption process.

We have entered into a phase of waiting. With more waiting. And a lot of unknown's in terms of timing. When are we leaving to get Kameron? We cannot say for sure. Our hopes range from end of Summer to Fall- Winter. Talk about a range for when you plan to take home your new son!

What we DO know, is that we MUST have him home by the end of December. Why? Because in China, once he is 14 years old he ages out from being able to be adopted. Effectively terminating any chance he has for a family.

I (Sarah) am not a patient person by nature. But in this process I have experienced a level of patience within myself I am admittedly unaccustomed to. I am constantly praising God for this, as it must be his doing. There has been such a peace about this process, that no matter what, things will work out. No matter how I think it might look in the end, Kameron WILL come home.

We were notified by our agency this week that our I800-A was sent to the Department of Homeland Security (this is basically our petition to the US government to proceed with an international adoption) and are thrilled to have only 4 "To Do's" left to send our Dossier to China!

Our fundraiser's have been very helpful. Every little (and large) bit has helped and has been so appreciated. Friends and family have helped financially and in other ways as well (offering their skills for fundraising, helping with our children, prayers, etc). It has warmed our hearts and humbled us so much. Thank you, just doesn't seem like enough.

When we took on this calling, I admit I felt overwhelmed. Adoption costs 3x the amount I thought it would. But God has promised to walk us through this journey and he continues to be faithful to our family in this calling. Every day, someone has touched us with their support for this adoption. And it has meant more to us than words can say.

Thank you to you all. For your support and encouraging words. For your prayers. Your part in this has not gone unnoticed. What a privilege to watch your community wrap you and your family in such love!

What We Are Up To

So what are we up to these days with the adoption? I get asked this often. At this time we are mostly doing a lot of busy work.

I mailed off our I800A today to our agency.

We are working on more education hours for our adoption. We have just a few left, but all are time consuming. And if there is ANYTHING we run deficient on, it's time. So we are trying to squeeze in these things when possible.

Today, we have a Thirty-One Fundraiser at our house. We will be talking about the new line of Jewelry Thirty-One is selling, but if you have your eye on some cute bags-- those count too. If you live in the area and want to come-- you are invited! Just call, email or Facebook me if you need the address. We will be having Crystle Bittle present to us and enjoy some light refreshments and beverages.

If you are not in town, or cannot make it tonight, but wish to order: click here for the link. 25% of all purchases go directly towards bringing Kameron home. This is a unique way to raise funds as it costs NOTHING extra to you, if you decided to order. You have until April 16th to place your order.

Next week we will start a Jamberry Nail Fundraiser. 30% of those funds will go directly towards Kameron's adoption. A big THANK YOU to Allison Shamblin and Ginger out southeast who graciously offered to throw this party for us.

We are patiently waiting. Waiting to bring Kameron home. Waiting for the US government and China to approve the tons of paperwork we have and will have completed. Waiting for our next update and photo's of Kameron (we get to send a request in 2 weeks). Waiting, is hard.

Your prayers and good wishes are so appreciated!

Care Package

      Last week, we received word that a care package we had sent to Kameron had arrived at his orphanage.

     What an exciting thought! Just as we know his face, he now knows ours! We sent him a 14 picture photo album. Our agency has an agreement with a lady in China who put this together for us. We sent the photos and she translates them for him. We also sent a thumb drive so pictures taken in his foster home and orphanage can be uploaded to the thumb drive and we can make him a memory book when he gets home.

     We have completed our home study and are awaiting minor detail/changes so it can be finalized. The next step is petitioning the United States Government for their approval of our international adoption.

     While we have been visiting family in Washington state, we have got to experience all kinds of Asian foods and cultures: Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, etc. The boys are flabbergasted there are so many countries near China. They love learning all they can about their new brother, his culture and his homeland. It's so awesome to see their enthusiasm for Kameron! Jesse Jay cannot wait for Kameron to teach him to use chop sticks.

In terms of fundraising:

1. Our direct adoption page at Adopt Together has hit a bit of a plateau. If you are interested in donating directly towards bringing Kameron home, this would be there place to do so here. It is a tax deductible option for those wishing to aid us financially.

2. A dear friend of mine is doing a Thirty-One party fundraiser for us. This will be an online and in town party at our house April 2nd. How does it work? If you like the adorable new jewelry, etc that thirty-one offers and are interested in making a purchase, you can do so online. 25% of the proceeds go directly to Kameron's adoption fund. It doesn't cost you any extra to get whatever Thirty-one product you were interested in. You can access information on this fundraiser here.

3. Another friend of mine has offered to throw us a Jamberry Nail Party (online) April 7-21st. Stay tuned for information on that. 30% of those proceeds will go towards Kameron's adoption fund. So if you are looking to get some cute nails-- stay tuned for links and information on this.

4. Saltzer Medical Groups Cookie Donation Drive raised $224.76 towards bringing Kameron home. Thank you everyone who participated in that. And a HUGE thank you to Kathy for being willing to bake those cookies and bring them to us so we might disperse them.

5. Our Adoption Yard Sale is tentatively planned for the beginning of June. If you are doing any Spring Cleaning soon and are interested in donating your items to this cause (small or large-- anything helps) please let me know. We are also looking for tables, people willing to help run/organize it with us.

     -- So far, between our Adopt Together Webpage and the Saltzer Medical Group cookie drive we have the EXACT amount needed for the next step in our process. I do not find this random-- as it was a very odd (not rounded) amount!

..... God is good and faithful! All of the time.

Upcoming Fundraisers

We are pleased to announce a couple fundraisers to you all!

The first fundraiser is currently underway at Sarah's work at Saltzer Medical Group in Nampa. A very kind person has offered to bake cookies in exchange for donations for bringing Kameron home. Thus far, it has raised $96.72! We so appreciate those who have given and supported us there. Thank you!! If you work at Saltzer (or want to message Sarah to save you a dozen), a second batch of cookies will be available Tuesday, March 17th. Let me know if you are interested in this so I can set aside a batch for you. There are Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip available. I still have one batch of chocolate chip available that I can bring any time. How it works is-- you tell us you want a batch of cookies and you pay whatever you feel led to pay.

The SECOND fundraiser is coming up. Our dear friend, Crystle Bittle has offered to throw us a Thirty-one Jewelry Fundraiser Party where 25% of proceeds will go towards Kameron's adoption fund. It will open up online March 20th. For local Idaho people, there will also be a party at our place just prior to the event closing. Stay tuned for invites/updates on the date for this. Long story short, Thirty-one is doing personalized jewelry now. If you are interested in getting some cute bling and want to help Kameron while you do it, this is a neat opportunity to do just that.

Questions I get are: So will I then be paying extra for my purchase? No! You pay the same prices you'd pay at any Thirty-one party to get this cute jewelry. And, when can we take a peak at what's available? The online store will open March 20th. I will be posting a link to the fundraiser once it goes live.  I am planning an in-person party at my house at the beginning of April. I have booklets with me that I can show you, if you are interested and want to take a look. There are so many cute things! Im not much of a jewelry person, but even I like what they have!

We are in the planning stages of a large adoption fundraiser yard sale. Tentatively this will be in the beginning of June. What we are needing are a few things: 1) Your unwanted items. It's getting to be Spring cleaning time. If you have stuff you no longer want/need and are willing for us to sell them to help bring Kameron home, we would appreciate it. Just let us know! 2) Help. I am not the best organizer in the world. People who are willing to help us during the garage sale to organize, sell, and keep us company are needed and would be greatly appreciated!

Lastly, if you are wanting to do a fundraiser or have some skill (sewing, free babysitting we can raffle off, etc) that could help us do additional fundraisers in the future-- please let me know. We are interested in exploring other creative ways to do fundraising.

All support is helpful. Prayers, kind words. We have heard so many stories of others journeys. It has meant more to us than words can express. Ya'll are awesome!

Emotions

We have felt incredibly blessed by those who have supported us in our adoption, thus far. We truly cannot thank you enough. This experience has stretched us so much. It has also brought a lot of joy. We are humbled by your generosity.

A friend of mine told me that it was “totally normal” to feel very emotional. Paper pregnancy seems to carry its own set of wild emotions (albeit no odd cravings, exhaustion and weight gain). I have been so touched. Moved by people’s generosity, support and prayers for our family as we take on this calling.

Many ask us how we came to this decision. Our story starts on Thanksgiving Day while visiting my parents in Washington. Jesse and I were relaxing after Thanksgiving as the grandparents were playing with the grandkids. We were surfing the internet when we came across a dear friend advocating for Kameron.

Normally, we feel moved, but not called to do more than to pray for the children we see. This time, we both stopped. Jesse and I looked at each other and said “we need to do something.” Kameron’s profile matched our family dynamics perfectly. The more we learn about him, the more we know we are the right fit for him. We felt an immediate, inexplicable, instant connection to THIS child. We hadn’t really even been considering adoption.

Our older boys have been a source of affirmation to this calling. We worried how our oldest would feel being displaced as the oldest child in the family. That Thanksgiving Day, as we were pondering all of this, he walks up to us (knowing nothing of our considering adopting) and announces, “Mom. Dad. I’m tired of being the oldest. I want an older brother!” We knew then not to concern ourselves with this any longer.

The older 2 boys both were looking at Waiting Children profiles with me a few days later. Both, without knowing who Kameron was or details—picked out Kameron’s picture and said, “We like him. HE can be our brother.”

We have had some mild speed bumps along the way. We have learned so much about the process of adoption. Friends and even total strangers have opened up to us and shared their own adoption experiences and journey’s.

We overwhelmingly have felt blessed by this. Our community, friends and families have poured love on us. We know lots of people are praying for us all over the country. Lots are sending kind words and encouragement. We have had some even walk alongside us during this journey and have guided us through the complex process.

   

This has truly opened our eyes to how loved we are. And how loved Kameron already is.

Please feel free to forward/post our Adopt Together Page if you feel called to do so. Anything helps. And we hope to bring awareness to this issue we have become passionate about.

“I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.” John 14:18 (NIV)