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!