Monday, November 14, 2011

Almost There....

In just a few hours, we'll be boarding a plane.

A plane for home.  Home.

HOME.  Forever, home.

Seven and a half months of paperwork, notarizing, praying, mailing, apostilling, crying....

The first photo we fell in love with...

The Carter Benjamin Benefit....

All that paperwork....
My shower....

Still more paperwork....

The emotional first meeting....
Watching a scared little boy transform into our SON.


...and it's finally here.  Seven and a half months of waiting.  Waiting for this day.  This hour.  This moment...this moment in history, when Carter meets his family and becomes an American citizen.

In less than 24 hours, Carter will be home.  He will be seeing everyone who has helped to bring him home.  He will see tears from people who have cried out to God on his behalf.  He will see people who have been anxiously waiting for his little feet to come walking into their lives.  People who have been almost as excited about Carter coming home as we have!  People who have shared in our joys, in our sorrows...in our journey to Home.

He will see love, in a beautiful form.  Real, true, raw love.  Love from people that have never met him, never seen him, never touched his silky soft skin.  But love, nonetheless.

But as we leave, please - let's not forget.  Let's not forget where Carter came from.  His roots.  His past.  His story.  It's not a fairytale - that's for sure.  And please, please - let's not forget what we leave behind.  The children that we fell in love with at the orphanage...well, they will not be boarding a plane for home.  They will not be snuggled in to bed tonight.  They will not be enjoying their bath time tomorrow.  They won't be meeting all the family and friends that have prayed them home.

Please - friends.  Don't forget about that which we are grieved to leave behind.

They're not just photos on Reece's Rainbow.  They are children.  Children who get changed - children who eat - children who cry - children who laugh...please - remember these children.

Right now - Reece's Rainbow has a really great program going on.  I plan on participating once we get home.  It's called the Angel Tree.  If you donate $35 or more to a child's fund, you will receive a Christmas ornament with that child's photo on it.  Someone dear to our hearts donated to Carter's fund, before we even knew about Reece's Rainbow.  They have not one, but two Christmas ornaments with Carter's photo on it.  (Click the blue writing to read about this really cool story).  This year - they will receive a third...not from Reece's Rainbow, but from Carter himself.

If you have never donated - or never even visited Reece's Rainbow, please - do it now.  I'm talking to YOU!  Yes - you!  WCF Family...I'm talking to you!  Sennholz family...I'm talking to you!  Gibson family...I'm talking to you!  Facebook friends...yes, even you!  People I've never met, and probably never will meet...I'm even talking to you.  Do it for Carter.  Do it for the kids that wait.  $35 dollars makes a huge, huge difference.  And as you hang that ornament on your tree this year, you can pray for that child - pray for a forever family - and maybe one day, you'll be blessed enough to watch that child come home.  Home for good.

Just like Carter.

There are several kids in Carter's orphanage that need homes.  You can donate to their account - just $35 - and receive a Christmas ornament for your tree, with that child's photo on it.

Click the child's name below - and scroll to the bottom where it says $xyz from Angel Tree donations.  Click 'Angel Tree' and find the child's name and photo - click donate.  That's IT!  Easy.

These two girls are beautiful.  We saw Lucy every single day.  She is a happy, smiley girl who just wants a mama.  And Nadine is a little dolly.  I touched her soft hands and cheeks.  We told these girls that a mommy and daddy would be coming for them soon....we hope.

Lucy

Nadine

And these boys from Carter's orphanage need donations, too!

Dennis

Chandler

Robert

Orion

Don't do it later - or avoid it because it seems too hard to do all that clicking.  Do it now.  Please.

So - here we come.  Home for good.  Wisconsin....brace yourself for Carter Benjamin Gibson!  He's coming HOME!

One Thing I Know For Sure:
Paperwork & Travel Expenses = $18,273
Total Days In Ukraine = 34
Airfare = $6,281
Having Carter Home For Good = PRICELESS!

++ NOW - go donate.  And tell me that you did!  I want to know the families that will have these kids' ornaments on their Christmas tree!

10 comments:

  1. I have had Lucy and Nadine on my heart forever- I can't believe you got to see them. Were you able to get any pictures of them? I would love to see them..
    Truth be told, I begged my husband to consider your Carter last year too...I am SO thrilled for you guys- he looks so sweet and happy and perfect in your arms:) Lots of love and prayer your way, and congratulations!

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  2. Ashely, I love your wonderful spirit, your loving heart, your very caring husband, and of course your beautiful ever so cuddly little boy, the one and only Carter! Only wished we lived closer so I could be there for the homecoming!! I WILL be looking for pictures and videos.

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  3. Ashley, I think of those kids left behind every day. And not just the ones listed on RR, but the ones I met that are not listed. The ones who are not available for adoption, for whatever reason. My heart breaks daily for those we left behind. I have 3 ornaments hanging up right now of 3 of the little boys we left behind. I actually got to see 2 of them personally, but not interact. They were in the same groupa as Josiah. Oh what I would give to be able to go back and rescue them too.

    Rachel, momma to two sweet little Ukrainian boys :) Jackson and Josiah

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  4. Ashley,you literally take my breath away with each and every post. I laugh, I cry, I yearn for it to be our turn... You have been such a source of strength and inspiration for me. What was before a very scary, unknown foreign land to me is now a place that I honestly cannot wait to explore. I can't wait to fill your shoes and have it be my turn to be God's voice for the sweet angels that you were forced to leave behind.

    I can't wait to see Carter home with all the people that have waited so long to hold him! Have a safe and uneventful trip home and I'll talk to you in the beautiful US of A !

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  5. i cant wait for "carter at home" pictures, so happy for you all...praying for "my" two sweet orphans to find homes soon too. i have been a prayer warrior for bogdan for almost a year now and Andrea told me today no one has inquired about him....heartbreaking, I wonder daily what he is doing and how he is cared for.
    Safe travels:)

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  6. Such a nice post! I heard from Rachel, you saw Zinnia who is currently unavailable due to her special needs not being on the list. I will pray these kids find their families soon! Can't wait for Carter welcome home pictures/video! I am praying for my angels who need families. Thankfully my 1st christmas tree angel/warrior child is home with his forever family this year! Now hoping the same for Celine & Cora Lynne. Cora Lynne is 5 years old & this is her 2nd year (& last even if she finds a family or not)on the angel tree.

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  7. Ashley,
    Such a wonderful post. I'm sure Carter will love to be showered in new toys this Christmas, but you know what, if he could speak about it, I think he'd rather have people make a donation to help his friends he left behind.
    Sue - WI

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  8. Ashley, wonderful post. Can't wait to see "We are HOME!" post! We'll have Lilly and Alyssa and Yates' pictures/ornaments hanging on our tree this year!
    Happy travels!

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  9. Ok, so I'm way behind on commenting here...but the difference in Carter's eyes above when you first met to what I saw yesterday is AMAZING!!!! God is GOOD!

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  10. Hi there. :) Just wanted you to know that I donated to Chandler's Angel Tree and have a sweet ornament of him on my tree, along with 6 others. I am particularly smitten with Robert and Chandler. Do you happen to have any photos of the children in 5 (Nadine, Orion, Robert, Chandler)? I would love to see more! We cannot adopt right now, as my dh is deployed. He also still needs time to think about it. He isn't opposed to adoption, but isn't super on board yet. Believe me, I am spending many nights on my knees in prayer that God will soften his heart, or stop my desire! I also gave birth to a son with Down syndrome in June. We love him to bits! That has definitely softened my heart to the thought of adopting a child with DS. I am enjoying reading your blog and seeing the joy pouring out of it! Take care and merry Christmas. :)

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