Saturday, November 30, 2013

Photo Update!

There is so much that I need to catch you all up on, so much so that I could probably write three or four (or five) posts on it. I will try and summarize everything for you guys though :) 
Let's start back in Congo...
My mom and I as we headed to the orphanage. 
 
We got out of the car and were greeted by a familiar gate and dozens of familiar faces, but Sevi wasn't there with them. So we ventured further inside. We were not disappointed...
 
There were no words to describe this moment as mother and daughter reunited. 

Sevi and I are now forever sisters. 

When we got back to the hotel with Sevi we facetimed the family back home. Maida and Sevi were just tickled to see each other :)

We were able to go and visit a few other orphanages while we were there. It is so sobering to see where these children live and what their lives are like. It really makes me stop and give thanks for all I have. 


One of Sevi's friends from the orphanage had to go and have some paperwork done so she stopped by to play for awhile. Sevi showed her how to play Bop-it. 

This trip to Congo was so different from our last time there. My mom and I definitely saw more and learned more about Congo than we ever had before. 
While we were there we met two boys in an orphanage that we severely malnourished. They were both about 12-15 months old but both were the size of a nine month old and only weighed about ten pounds :(

We couldn't leave them so our in country coordinator, my mom, and I took them back to our hotel and kept them for several days, trying to feed them, revive them, and give them lots of love. When we first got them they could barely keep their heads up, they didn't play or smile, they were totally lifeless. By the end of their stay they were sitting by themselves, laughing, playing, and looked so happy! We were so grateful for the opportunity to help these little ones. 
 We have gotten reports on both of them since and have seen their pictures, they are doing so much better (Thank The Lord!)
 
(Little N sleeping) 
I really fell in love with little N in his short stay with us. He had such an additide but he really was a sweetie and boy was he cute!

Finally, after an eventful two weeks, it was time for us to leave and go home. 

We went back to the orphanage for the last time the day before we left. Sevi said goodbye to all of her friends...

...and to all the workers and nannies. Sevi loved them all so much and many of them had tears in their eyes as they said goodbye. It was a very special moment for them all as they sent Sevi off to her new life with her family. 




 
Right before we left the workers all prayed over Sevi

We are so thankful for all of those who took care of Sevi, watched over her, prayed for her, and told her about The Lord while we weren't there. 

Finally it was time to head out! California here we come!

We had to wait several hours at the airport as our flight had been delayed. Another adoptive family we had befriended at our hotel was on the same flight so Sevi spent the time playing at the airport playing with them thankfully giving her something to do cause let me tell you we were all very bored, lol. 

And then we were off! On our way home to reunite with the family and for Sevi to meet her new forever family. 

We are home! (Photo credit goes to my sister in law, sorry if a couple are blurry) 
 
                                                
Sevi meeting her sisters for the first time.
 


 
 
And her brother :)

She and Maida were finally able to reunite. They were both so happy to see each other! Once good friends, now forever sisters. 

Because our plane came in at a reasonable hour this time lots of friends and family came. 
 
 
Among them was our good friend, Magali, who helped us so much in Sevi's adoption and cheered us on :) 
 
And also Sevi's best friend' (W) family who have become very good friends of ours and only live fifteen minutes away!


 
There were several someones who missed their mom/grandma

Bella made a sign of her own for her new big sister :)

These two absolutely love each other, they are best friends. I heard my sister in law say: "Instantly bonded, forever tied together by love".

 
Meeting her sister in law and niece. 

 
Love
 

Sevi Katherine, forever HOME!

Saturday, November 2, 2013

A year ago...

So I know many of you are sitting there saying "Hello, what happened after the last post?!?" I have actually been contemplated wether or not I want to continue this blog for variouse reasons. I have decided that (at least for the moment) I will continue. You will have your updates on Sevi :)

Before that I just want to post about today, since it is a very special day. 


A year ago today my mom and I walked into an orphanage in Kinshasa, met Maida, and became a forever family! She is growing more and more everyday. I can't imagine our family without her exerburent, bubbly, character :) Maida I am so glad the Lord brought us together and I am so blessed in being able to call you my baby sister (who's not so baby anymore!). Love you!
Gabby

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Look who it is!

We went to pick her up from the orphanage just a couple hours ago :) We are all doing well, we are all so excited (including Sevi), and we are all tired ^^ 

I think we are going to go get some food and just hang out at the hotel together for today :) hopefully the wifi will hold up and the connection will stay this strong so I can continue to update you all. 
Gabby

Update: this post was written a couple days ago now but as the Internet has been off and on my posts have not been posting. We are all doing great and Sevi is even more amazing than we remember! Hopefully more updates to come.  

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Leaving!

I can't believe it! Right now I am sitting in an airplane going to Kinshasa! In just a few hours (or a few times some ;) I will be landing in Congo and getting to reunite with our Sevi girl :) 
Please continue to pray for my family,for the kids that are at home missing their mom, dad (and sister) as well as for Sevi as she's about to enter a while new chapter in her life.
 I will try to update when I can. 
Gabby

Thursday, August 22, 2013

A Full House Part Two - Unexpected Blessings

So in my last blog post I told you all that while we are waiting and preparing to travel (because that leaves so much time on our hands, haha) our family has taken on something (or someones) that have become very unexpected blessings.

This is Elise
 
And this is Emma.
 
They are sisters who came to California with a group for a sort of summer camp from Taiwan. They are also orphans...
 
 
While I was on my trip to China and Taiwan several weeks ago (can't believe it's been that long!) the leader of my group told me about a program her organization has done the past four summers where they bring over six orphaned children from Taiwan, all between the ages of six and ten, and have them stay in host families for two weeks to get to experience family life as well as life in America but the biggest reason they come is to meet lots of people, hoping that one family would step forward and say that they would like to take this child/ren. Well when she told me about it of course I was interested but it sounded like everything was all set up, they had all the host families they needed...etc so I didn't think to much about it after that. Well a couple days after I came home I saw on my group leaders Facebook that she needed a host family for two sisters, something happened to where the other host family wasn't able to take them. I'm pretty sure I still wasn't fully awake and aware but as soon as I saw the post I quickly casually walked over to my mom and said "Hey, I know we have a lot going on here but these girls are coming next week and they need a family for two weeks, can we host them?" Of course my mom instantly replied yes! So we got the rest of the family together and everyone was in agreement.We have enough room, we have enough love, they should stay with us.   
 
My mom, Bella, and I went to the airport to pick them up. This was our first glimpse of them coming in with the other children they traveled with.
 
 You could tell by looking into their eyes that they have had to go through hard things, but they both were very brave and came up to meet us (Emma was very shy at first though ^^)
 
And then we were off! These three hit it off very quickly! They loved each other from the minute they laid eyes on one another :)
 
 We went camping last week with our church and were able to have them come along with us! We all had a lot of fun but oh did we get dirty!
 


We also took them swimming the other day at my grandparents house. Oh man did those girls have a blast!
 

 
 
Maida also loves the water :) 
 
 
Snuggling with Kadeeja Jiejie :) Both girls were so tired after all that swimming that they tuckered out pretty quickly after dinner (which they ate a ton of!). 
 
Yesterday they got to experience the beach for the first time. It was such an awesome sight to see, they were so thrilled.

The three musketeers!

 
Tomorrow is their last day with us, Saturday they will return home. We have loved, loved having them here with us and our house will be so quiet without them. We are praying that the Lord would open doors for them and that they would be blessed in their life with a great family and that they will come to know Christ.
 
We fell in love with them the moment we laid eyes on them. They are such sweet girls!
 
We will miss them so much!
 
Gabby