Mother's Day 2013

Hi friend! So glad you've stopped by today.

Some thoughts on this Mother's Day 2013 .......

I've had a wonderful day and have been made to feel so special by my hubby, son and daughter-in-law. My mom came over to have dinner with us all. We had such a nice time and I'm blessed that we could all be together. A little later I'll go to visit our other son's memorial bench.

It's been a great Mother's Day!

And yet I can't help but think of the little ones who have no mommy to say "Happy Mother's Day" to.

There are three little ones who live half way around the world, who I have never met, that I am thinking of this year on Mother's Day. At one time or another I have thought that if my circumstances were different maybe I could have adopted one of these sweet ones.

Precious Miss Maribel was the first one. The first one to steal my heart. {can you tell? - this blog was named after her}

Yep! If I was younger and hubby didn't have the health problems he does, I would have seriously considered making her my own.

Thankfully, she was taken back by her biological mom and is no longer an orphan. Yay!


Then there was sweet pea Tobie.

Just this past Christmas we chose him as our angel to advocate for through RR's 2012 Christmas Angel Tree fundraiser.

Sadly, Tobie's birth country is no longer allowing adoptions from the US. It's a bunch of political poop and is only hurting these precious orphans. {Oh buddy! I could write a whole post about my feelings on this subject.}

Because it doesn't appear as if anything will change any time soon with that country's policy, we've re-gifted Tobie's 2012 Christmas Angel Tree grant money to Dane.

I had recently requested to be Dane's prayer warrior, but hadn't heard back. I guess it's because he is now listed on the MFFM {My Family Found Me}page.

He has a family that is in the process of adopting him! Doing a happy dance!!

They are the Breakfield family. I'd love for you to take a minute and hop over to his soon-to-be forever family's blog and follow their adoption journey. Go to: breakfields.blogspot.com

So friend,  I couldn't let this day go by without writing something for Mother's Day 2013. Just a few random thoughts and info. But, also a ton of happiness for the Breakfield family and sweet Dane.

Love ya,

Bittersweet News

So friend, I have some bittersweet news about Miss Maribel.

This morning I was thinking about how I could help continue to spread the word about Maribel's adoption in hopes of having friends join in by praying, sharing with others and even giving to her adoption grant at RR.

I went ahead and messaged Ashely via Facebook to let her know about a post I want to do this year around Mother's Day. Ashley wrote me back to let me know that Maribel will not be coming home to live with them. Her biological family has taken her back home to live with them.

And friend, I don't know what to say. {I'm usually not ever at a loss for words.} This has taken me by surprise.

Honestly, I have so many mixed-up emotions.
I'm sad for Ashley and Seth.  So very sad.
Happy that Maribel gets to live with her biological family and stay in her homeland.  
Hopeful for her future. Sad I won't get to know about it via good old Facebook.

We'll never know why she was placed in the orphanage or why her family has reclaimed her. Or even why now.

Ashley is amazing. Here is part of what she wrote me: "The only comfort I have about this is that God has a plan for her. We are still praying and will continue to pray for her-that this is God's will and that she will have a good life with her biological mother."

Part of my message back was - "I don't understand.... but I have learned that we don't always understand what happens in life. All we can do is stand on our faith that God knows what has happened and He is indeed in control."

So, even though I have more questions than answers and more bitter than sweet I will trust in the One who is watching over sweet Miss Maribel tonight as He has every night.

And yes, Ashley, I do believe that the Lord has a plan for her life.

Miss Maribel's Mommy

Yay! We finally know who sweet Maribel's mommy will be.

Her name is Ashley. She is married to Seth. They have three adorable little girls. Love it that Maribel will have three sisters!!

We also know where she will be moving to - western Pa.

OK... I admit that I'm a bit disappointed, because I was so hoping her family would live in sunny Florida. But hey, they're in the same time zone. And yea, that's being selfish. {don't judge people  - that little sweetie has stolen my heart} Truly, though I'm just so thankful that Maribel will have a wonderful family to love her forever.

Ashley has started a blog titled "The Right Kinda Crazy" to keep us updated about their progress on getting Maribel home.

If you're interested you can follow their adoption journey at: http://therightkindacrazy.blogspot.com/

Please be in prayer for them as they seek God's timing, wade through the stacks of paper work and raise the money needed to bring Maribel home.

I'll keep you updated on any fundraisers they may have. And you can always go to Maribel's page on Reece's Rainbow if you'd like to donate to her adoption grant. 

I'm hoping that Ashely will allow me the privilege of making Maribel a quilt. Oh that would be such a joy!

And We're Waiting.....

And we're still waiting. Bummer!
I really thought by now we'd know.

Nope. Not yet.

Nothing new has been posted about who Miss Maribel's family will be.

I have to admit I check the Reece's Rainbow site a few many times a day.

It's great to see all the new commitments that have been made to so many of these precious ones. I rejoice with each of these families. But, so far, nothing has been posted about who has committed to Maribel. She is still on the My Family Found Me page.

That is good, I guess.

Hopefully, it will not be too much longer.

In the mean time I'm praying for them, for the process they have to go through on their adoption journey and of course for sweet Maribel.

Hope you'll join me in praying for them, too. 

Did you hear the news?! MFFM

MFFM!

Oh happy day!!!

My
Family
Found
Me


Yep! It's true!
I just found out the other night that precious, sweet Miss Maribel's forever family has found her!

I smiled and had tears in my eyes as I read the news.
I wanted to laugh and cry.
Jump and clap.
And even do a little happy dance.

However, I was just so overwhelmed that all I could do was sit there in awe of what this means for Maribel. And whisper a prayer to the One who has answered our prayers and always seems to leave me in awe when He shows Himself faithful.

Than my thoughts started spinning....
Who is this family?
Might they live nearby?
Have they adopted before?

How can I help?
Gotta make a quilt.
Make pillows and wall hangings to sell.
Have a giveaway.
Tell friends & family.
Get that etsy shop going.

I can't wait until Reece's Rainbow has Maribel's family listed on their "New Commitment" page. Hopefully by then the family should have a blog page so we can follow their journey of rescuing sweet Miss Maribel.

Come on friend - do a little happy dance with me. And whisper a prayer of thankfulness to the One who is forever faithful.

Dreaming & Praying & Hoping

Hey friend! Thanks for stopping by!

So,  to be honest, I feel a little nervous about my first post here at "Miss Maribel's Place". Kind of silly since I've been writing my other blog - "Finding Hope & Joy" - for a little over a year now.

This new little place of mine in blog land all started because of a sweet little girl named Maribel. Actually, Maribel may not be her given name, but a "screen" name the adoption agency (Reece's Rainbow) uses. I think Maribel is a pretty name. In fact, it's meaning in French means beautiful.

The main focus here at Miss Maribel's Place is all about - dreaming & praying & hoping.  {at least that's how I'm starting out}

So here we go.... are ya ready?


~ Dreaming.....
.... of the day Maribel will have a forever family. I'm dreaming about this little orphan girl who lives half way around the world. I've never met her and have only seen a picture of her - but she has stolen my heart!

~ Praying.....
.... Maribel will be loved and well taken care of until her forever family rescues her. I pray she will grow up healthy and happy. That she will be all that God created her to be. That she will laugh, sing, run and play. And that she will be told that Jesus loves her. Maybe "Jesus Loves Me" will be the first song she learns to sing!
.... that the day will come when these precious little ones will be adopted by the time they turn four instead of going to an institution to live out the rest of their lives.

~ Hoping.....
.... that just as my heart has been broken over the conditions these little ones endure - your heart will be touched as well.  And that you too will choose to help these precious ones.

A lot of times, during the process of writing and editing, I get a clearer understanding of things. This first post has been no different -  I've started to realize that what I'm really, really wanting is change. Change for Maribel, change in how orphans are treated and cared for, change in the adoption process. Change so big that children will not be given up for adoption because of medical issues or social stigmas.

Big change? Yes! 

Possible? Not sure - I know it will take a lot of time, work and effort by a lot of people. 

But, I'm willing to do what I can do, even if it's only a little. And I'll do it with great love.

So friend what do you say? Will you dream and pray and hope with me?