Moving To Tears

I would love to say that there isn't much that moves me to tears and then then tell you how I have been moved but it simply wouldn't be true. I am moved to tears like every other hour. But lately, the last 6 months or so most of my tears are adoption related.
I cry when I look at my Ziggy and Zoie playing or arguing over who's turn it is because I know if they weren't home where they would be. And they are sooo happy at home. I cry when I think of how I had to meet Ziggy and then leave him for 4 months hoping he wouldn't hate me for it and how hard those 4 months were for me. They were so hard.
I cry when I think of how we waited for little bit Zoie for 8 1/2 years and how I really thought sometimes that the day would never come. I cry when I see she is finally home and she couldn't be anyone else's daughter.
I cry when I think of my sweet Daisy and how alone she is and how she has no idea how much her life will change soon. I cry when I think of how excited we all are to hold her and love her and tell her that she matters.
I cry when I fill out applications for grants because I am yet again picked apart spread out on a sheet for everyone to see. Every application is like applying for an adoption all over again. And I cry because it is so hard for me to ask for help. I cry because I'm so grateful for it. I cry because I would rather be the one donating to someone else's adoption. So I do because when you want you give. I cry because I have to do so many things on the computer and I find it all so confusing.
I cry because sometimes I feel defeated and so far away from China and my Heart.
I cry every time I get a donation or someone orders from my fundraisers.
I cry when someone in my adoption group has found their child or is getting ready to travel. I cry because I know how that feels. Tears is the only place to move. It is overwhelming. It is love.
I cry when someone is trying so hard to raise money and it happens right before my eyes. I cry because I feel the depth of that. It's not about the 5 or 10 dollars because we all have 5 or 10 dollars. No. It's about that thing there are no words for. Like a Faith of knowing that we alone can make an impact but we in numbers can make a huge difference. It's that thing of just doing it without the story that you'll be the only one so it won't make any difference. Without thinking.
I cried yesterday. Big surprise there!
I cried because a beautiful girl named LeeAnna that I have met through facebook who studied in Ghana with my daughter Rosie years ago posted our adoption story on her facebook and it was so genuine and so warm the things that she said. I cried again 4 hours later when we saw I had received almost 500 dollars in donations and I cried again this morning when I saw the number was past 1000 dollars! Just because she decided to shout out for us. I am so humbled and so grateful!
It makes me speechless to be on the receiving end of this love. To winess this miracle of a village.
Thank you for posting! Thank you for sharing! Thank you for donating!
It moves me to tears.

Please know how Grateful we are for all the love and support we have received!
This is such an awesome adventure and it is so great to share it with you all!!

UPDATE!!!

I have received my LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation)!!!!
Here I thought I was waiting for my LOA (Letter Of Arrival)!
My third adoption and I know nothing!
This is GREAT news because now I know I can travel in 2-3 months for sure! It came much faster than it has for others lately. Same with my USCIS approval, getting me on the timeline I begged God for so I could bring Daisy home before our Family Reunion! I am Over The Moon!!! Now Please Pray for us to receive the remaining Funds that we need!  We have a ways to go.
We will get there I know it!!! heart emoticon
Thank you to ALL my friends and also all the people I don't know that saw fit to contribute to this beautiful adventure. I honestly cannot do this without my village and I am forever Grateful!!

Usborne Fundraiser!

Let's support the Pelc Family Adoption! 

Join me on Tuesday, April 26, at 8:00 PM (PST) for a fast, fun, and interactive LIVE Usborne Books & More party, on Facebook.

Kami Janes will be your consultant leading the party, sharing Usborne's award-winning books with you, answering your questions, and helping with personalized recommendations for your bookworms, too!

Every guest who joins this party before Sunday morning, April 24, will be entered to win a giveaway prize of reimbursed shipping costs from their book order! Additionally, there will be a free book giveaway at the end of our party, with entries earned by commenting on event posts. By the way, it will be so easy to earn giveaway entries because these books are hard NOT to talk about!

I'm looking forward to "seeing" you at the party where 25% of all party sales will be added to the Pelc Family Sponsorship Page grant. If you'd like to check out the online shop before the event, check it out here:

https://y4776.myubam.com/274471

(If the link doesn't work, please cut and paste it into your URL.)

If books aren't your thing, but supporting adoption is, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Pelc Family Sponsorship Page through Reece's Rainbow: http://reecesrainbow.org/102812/sponsorpelc

The giveaway contests begin today, April 20 and go through party closing on Monday, April 30, at 11:59 PM (MST).

Daisy's 1st Party

Be sure to visit Daisy's 1st Pampered Chef Party!

This is a pampered chef fundraiser for Daisy!

https://pamperedchef.com/go/Daisys1stparty

Facebook Event: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/756300377838969/ 

A Leap Of Faith. Blind Faith.

A Leap Of Faith. Blind Faith.

I've taken some leaps before in my life but there has never been a leap quite like this.
It's the hardest thing for me...not to know how something will happen. And when exactly it will happen. To have very little control. The only thing I CAN control is my Faith and how big that is. Honestly I still go back and forth. I don't go back and forth about the Love for my child. Or the fact that I know she is coming home. I loved Daisy the moment I saw her, a full year before I even knew she was my child and I would bring her home to us.
No...I go back and forth about the money. Will it all find it's way to me? One day I panic. I cry. Like the kind of ugly gutteral ( is that a word?) sobbing. It just happens and once it starts there is just no stopping it. I repeat my argument with God. The same argument I had when he first revealed I would be going back to China. 35,000 dollars. Really? That is a years wage for many.

Then the next day I am full of Faith and Confidence. I had a sobbing day just recently and then last night a beautiful woman threw me a Party to help me Fundraise for Daisy.
Daisy's 1st Party. It is called Pampered Chef and sells all kinds of amazing kitchen gadgets. She just did it for me. I never met her. She is so full of Love. I had never done anything like this Party and I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't do a good job...not that I even really understood what I should do but she made it so easy. I had the time of my life and realized I am a bit competitive when we were playing games on there! Who knew?
Another beautiful woman launched another Fundraiser for me selling Candles and other household items. Yep...never met her either. She just wanted to help me and she is so full of Love. Yet another launched a Tupperware Fundraiser for me. I felt so lifted and so cared for. So cared about. I don't know if any one of these Beauties know just how much it means to me to have their support.
All of a sudden I felt like I could do it. Like I could reach this huge goal. I didn't feel so alone and I knew there were people out there that wanted to see my Daisy come home as much as I did.
I feel the same way every time I get a donation. Sometimes they come from where I least expect them because I know these people don't have very much 'extra' money but here they are, donating what they can. They also believe that every little bit helps because it adds up. Every bit helps as much as the next. It brings me to my knees every time.

All my life I have been so independent. I can do it all and I can do it all by myself. I will come to you if you need anything and I will do whatever I can to help you. I will do it for you, buy it for you and I'll even send you a check. Nothing has ever given me more pleasure, aside from my children, than being able to give. To perform random acts of kindness as many as I can and as often as I can.
I have gotten different reactions from people regarding this part of my personality.
Honestly most people think I have an ulterior motive. But not the one that I have which is completely selfish in that I get the biggest 'high' from doing these things and it seriously makes me SO happy. It's addicting! No...they seem to think I want something. I don't. Well I do. I want that feeling of joy and happiness that I get. But nothing else. It always confuses me why people would think that is so strange. Don't we all keep doing what we are addicted to? That's what addiction is!

Yeah...it is HARD for me to ask for help. UGH
But I have to admit I have also always liked a challenge. And the unknown to an extent.
It is SO exciting to witness how God is slowly but surely making this happen.

Please know how much your Love and Support means to me!! To me AND my kids.
As a single mom it can be a bit challenging sometimes but your Love and Support and especially your Prayers makes ALL the difference in this Amazing Journey to Daisy!!!
Thank you ALL with ALL of my Heart!!!

CandleLite Fundraiser!

*** CandleLite Fundraiser ***

Last day to order is April 24. 

1. Please go to http://www.partylite.biz/sites/kathyrice 
2. In the upper right hand corner it will say 'Find Your Party Host'
3. Click that and enter Starr Pelc so that she gets credit for your order!

Candles make great gifts for Mother's Day!

This month's specials are 

Buy Any Jar Candle, get another of the same type 50% off. 

(Must be same type, but can be different scent).

Also, 

Any Catalog Item is 40% off with every $50 purchase!

(Discounted items not included). 

Items will be sent directly to you. 

UPDATE on Our Journey To Miss Daisy!!

We are awaiting out LOA!!!! Letter Of Arrival.
We should have it this month or next. After that we will officially be in the Planning Travel Stage and will hopefully travel in July or August. I am definitely Praying for July because we have a Family Reunion planned the 2nd week in August!!! I know...it's all my fault. Even after adopting twice already I have not a clue as to how this all works and the timing of it all. I thought we would be traveling this month or next. God knows what he is doing though and I don't know how we would have been able to go this month or next. I am a single mom and have raised nowhere near the money I need. I have no family that is able to help me financially. I started out needing 34,000 dollars for this adoption. I have been able to pay 10,000 dollars of my fees and Daisy comes with a 2,000 grant through RR. As in true adoption form I had 10,000 on a credit card I could have used if I didn't raise all the money but I have just had to use that to get us a new (to us) car. I am grateful though that for a hefty fee the dealership let me put the whole thing on my card. But that leaves no more money available in case I don't raise the rest of the money I need so I HAVE TO raise all the rest.
I still need to raise 22,000 dollars!!!
I am also applying for Grants, selling things I don't need, making small donations to other families that are getting ready to travel, had a Tupperware Fundraiser (kind of a bust) and soon I will be making headbands I hope to sell. It is hard for a Single Mom to raise so much money in such a short time but I know some way somehow I will bring My Daisy Home!!!

Please consider Donating to our FSP. All Donations are tax deductible and ANY amount will help get us to our goal. Maybe you have always wanted to help bring a child home and I am providing you with the Perfect Opportunity!!! This is a wonderful way to see what your Donations can do!!
If you can't Donate Please Pray for Us. Pray for Daisy and SHARE my FSP with your friends. We really need the village on this one!!! We need all the help we can get.

Thank you SO much to everyone who is following our Journey with Prayer and/or Donations!!!
We couldn't do this without you!!! We Truly appreciate you ALL!!!
Much Love and Many Blessings!!

Chocolate Muffin

His name was Yared and he was 6 months old when I first saw his little face.

Yared means "sent from Heaven" but of course it does because I had asked my late husband to send me the cutest baby in all of Ethiopia and I would name the baby after him and would call him Ziggy. My husbands was born Zigfreid in Germany and then adopted and his name changed to Steve. 10 years later on the anniversary of his death, on January 11, 2011, I received a picture of my son and he was the cutest baby in all of Ethiopia!

I got the phone call first and literally fell on the floor sobbing as if I'd just given birth. It felt the same. The release, the exhaustion, the relief, the love. I forgot I was on the phone.

I met him when he was 10 months old. He was sitting on the floor in the toddler room at a Transition Home in Addis Ababa. This is where they bring the children from an orphanage after they are matched with their parents until they can come home. He was sitting there looking solemn and I walked in and sat directly in front of him. I had told myself I had to stay calm so I wouldn't scare the little guy. I did pretty good. We looked at each other and I put my arms out to him. He reached for me and I scooped him up and we hugged. He hugged me so tight. He knew I was his mama. He knew it. I could feel it in that moment and he still has that uncanny sense of 'knowing' now almost 5 years later. I pulled away to get a good look at his beautiful face and he slapped me. Then he started to cry as if to say "what has taken you so long?" It was a life changing moment in my life.
I couldn't wrap my heart around the fact that I had to love him like only a mother could for a full week and then leave him for an unknown number of months before I could finally bring him home. But I wouldn't think about that now. I was so in love.

We spent the whole week playing and getting to know each other but it was honestly like we always had. He was strong and smart and he was starting to walk around the furniture right on track. I gave him his bottles and his little naps and then I would give him back to the nannies at night so his schedule wouldn't get ruined..I knew I had to leave him. How would I possibly do that? How could I? But I had no choice. Would he forgive me? Would he resent me? I couldn't explain it to him. I couldn't make him understand that the reason one trip had recently turned into two was because many a family had gone to pick up their child after the Ethiopian Government basically attended court for them and adopted the child for them so they would only have to travel once for a week to bring them home, had rejected their child once they met them. So the Ethiopian Government decided that parents need to come and attend court themselves...meet the child and adopt them on the first trip, leave them for ? months and then come again to get their VISAS and bring them home. It was heart wrenching.

During the next few months Ethiopian Adoptions slowed from 100 a month to 10 and 1000 children already adopted by their parents and waiting on the second trip would likely stay stuck for years because of the 'slow down'. Until it was determined that children weren't being 'stolen' for adoption. It was the hardest 4 months I ever spent. Luckily the powers that be allowed the 'stuck' children to go home and 4 months later I was back in Ethiopia with my boy in my arms. He remembered me! He didn't resent me! He was so happy to see me! I couldn't believe the trust of this precious child!

He had spent the last 4 months in a stroller with nothing to do. He couldn't walk around furniture anymore. His legs had grown weak. Children that are starting to get mobile are harder to watch and can get into more trouble so they are confined to a stroller for the day and their bed at night. We brought  gates for each of the toddler rooms in hopes that they could be installed and give the children more mobility. I don't know if they got installed.

He never stopped smiling. He knew he was home. He started talking right away. Of course we didn't understand a word for several year but that didn't stop him. It wasn't Amheric or English but more of a language all his own. He just wanted to be heard. He would start talking at 6am and he didn't stop until 6pm when he went to bed. He had so much to say. It's like he was thinking out loud.

He is still that way now, 5 years later except now he is full of 'facts' about animals or machines or pretty much anything. He has the memory of an elephant and at 3 years old could recite an entire book literally word for word, a book we read every night for a month before bed and then didn't read for several weeks. Not a 'baby' book though. A book with each page filled with words from top to bottom. I still can't believe he had done that at 3. I got it on video.

Ziggy Lion is so smart. He loves learning anything and everything. He is starting to read and write all on his own. Because he wants to. He will be 6 this July and wants to go to kindergarden so bad. i have to let him go. He is a social butterfly this one.

When he found out we were finally going to bring his sister home from China he was beside himself. He talked about her day and night and carried her picture around. He loved her. In China she was not a fan of me but she loved Ziggy right away. He is so good with her and she has learned so much from him. They are best friends. He is so good with her and dotes on her constantly. He tells on her and then when she is in 'trouble' for it he tells me how she didn't really mean it.

When I told him we were bringing home another sister he was over the moon excited. This was 5 months ago and not a day goes by that he doesn't talk about her and how we will bring her home. He worries if she has enough to eat. He wants to bring home ALL the girls from China he said!

There has never been a more loving, compassionate and grateful child. At least every hour he wraps his arms around me and tells me he loves me so much. That is at least 12 times a day. He appreciates everything I do and he tells me so. Especially when I prepare food!

God broke the mold with this Treasure. What a wonderful gift of a Big Brother both of my little girls will have.

Remember how I said he 'knew' things? We had just come home from China with Zoie Love last year and I was DONE adopting. I had my two and the process was hard and it was expensive and I had no money. I was very content. He said one day "My grandfather in China told me we are going back to China". Hmmm. It was months before I knew I would adopt again. Like 5 months after he said that!

But Seriously...after this I am DONE. <3