Sealey's Puzzle

Mother's Day.

I could write a lot of sappy sentimental stuff about the day, but I won't.

We all know what Mother's Day is about.

Yesterday, my heart was all over the place.

I have Newt here with me - I have celebrated the day with him since he was born almost 15 years ago.

I have my own mom, who at 80 years old still lives in England - I talk to her every week, and my only hope is that I am still as active as her when I am her age !! 

I have Sealey, always in my heart, forever my son. 

And then I have the boys who will, all being well, be my sons before the end of the year - Vijay and Athens.

It's very weird to celebrate a day when most of the pieces are missing !!!

Last year on this day, we had absolutely no plans to adopt - we were a one child family, enjoying having a teenager around, planning a summer of soccer and vacations.

NEXT year on this day, we will be a family of five !!

We are getting closer every day to bringing them home - our dossier has been submitted to their country's adoption department, and we are now waiting to be invited over to meet them - this will probably happen within the next couple of months !!

According to my estimated calculations, we are only about $3552 away from being fully funded for both adoptions !!  Of course - this is only estimated - we have to take three trips to their country, and until we travel we won't know the exact cost of flights etc. - but having a ballpark figure is extremely helpful !

I will be running an online auction in the next couple of weeks, selling some amazing handmade cards made by my sister-in-law, as well as some cross stitch items I have made - a small selection is pictured below - watch this space !!

In the meantime, we still have our puzzle fundraiser going on !!

Just before Christmas I started a puzzle fundraiser for Sealey - we "sold" 215 pieces, and raised over $2000 for our adoption fund !!

When we found out we had lost Sealey, I put the puzzle aside. However, I am now determined more than ever to get a name on every single piece.

 

It will help bring home both Vijay and Athens, and it will serve as a memorial to Sealey.

The puzzle will hang above their beds, along with Sealey's photo - we will always be reminded of Sealey AND everyone who helped bring the boys home.

I have added the names of everyone who has donated in any way - either to our Paypal or FSP (Reece's Rainbow adoption grant)  - by buying t-shirts or dresses - by sponsoring goals - or by sending a check.

There are still 178 pieces left without names on.

A $10 donation to our FSP or Paypal will get YOUR name (or the name of your choice) on a puzzle piece - be sure to let me know that you donated, and which name you would like on your puzzle piece. If you donate to our Reece's Rainbow grant, please comment below, as I don't get notifications of who has donated to that account immediately.

We are SO close to getting these boys home - they should be with us by the end of the summer - and it would be truly wonderful to know that we are fully funded, and don't have to worry about the adoption finances !

Thank you for reading - thank you for caring - and thank you for your support and help in bring home our boys !!