Saying Yes to Jojo

Big Update!!!

This is Jonathan (Jojo) Zhao Tilton!  We received PA for this sweetheart on Monday and we are racing to get to him before he ages out on January 30th.  In China, if you are an orphan when you turn 14 you are no longer eligible for adoption.  We are over the moon to get to him and to get Ruby!

We are about $8,000 short of being fully funded for both children!  We know that God can make a way where there seems to be no way!  We are believing for favor and expediency with our paperwork and the funds to come in!  

We are waiting on our new updated I800a (immigration approval) and hope to have our dossier to China within 2 weeks.  We will be updating each step of the way.  

Thank you for sharing, praying and donating if you can.  You are all a part of this precious plan for these beautiful children!

Up With Down Syndrome Jamberry Nail Wraps

I am a Jamberry Nails Independent Consultant.  I used the Nail Studio to design four wraps that help promote down syndrome awareness and would be great to wear to DS events, Buddy Walks or Anywhere!

We have four designs to choose from.  Jamberry wraps are easy to apply and manis last up to two weeks and pedis last up to four weeks.  You will receive application instructions with your wraps!

Here are the four designs!

Design 1

Design 2 

Design 3

Design 4

Please place your order in the form below. You may make payment by clicking the PayPal Donate button on the upper right corner of our blog or you can use our Paypal address  melissatilton@yahoo.com.  We will take orders until August 31st or until we reach 25 orders for one design.  That is the maximum we can order.  Orders will be placed with Jamberry on Sept 1st and shipped as soon as they arrive.

The Giving Plate Fundraiser

This giving plate inspires us to be a blessing to others.  The plate is white, 10" x 10", microwave and dishwasher safe.  Each one is uniquely handwritten and heat cured.  This plate makes a wonderful gift for teachers, friends, neighbors and family members.  What a great way to get a jump on Christmas gift shopping.

The Giving Plate

This plate shall have no owner,

for it's journey never ends. 

It travels in a circle of our

FAMILY and Friends

It carries love from home to home

fro everyone to share.

The food that's placed upon it

was made with love and care.

So please enjoy what's on this plate,

then fill it up again.

Pass it on with the LOVE

it holds to your

FAMILY and FRIEND

The more you order the cheaper they are!  Plates are $15 each or 2 for $25. You can also order $10 plates for $100.  Shipping is included.  Payment can be made by clicking on the donate button on the right side of the blog or at PayPal address melissatilton@yahoo.com  Complete the order form below to place your order.  Plates will ship within 7 days.

Thank you for helping us bring our Ruby home

T-Shirt Fundraiser

                 

We are excited to kick off our t-shirt fundraiser to help bring our daughter, Ruby home. We believe each one of us has our own unique beauty and we want to wear it proudly.  Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful is something we want to instill in our kids to help them build confidence and to shine. All proceeds will go toward our adoption fees.

These shirts are from a great company, Fund the Nations.  We are ordering their softer t-shirt which is a higher quality shirt and is a bit more fitted.  The company recommends if you are between sizes, go with the larger size.  

                           Our t-shirts come in two colors/styles.  

 We have a super soft blue t-shirt that comes in a Youth Medium to Adult XXL. 

We have a pink ladies v-neck sizes ladies small to 2XL

We have a pink t-shirt sizes Youth small to Youth XL

All t-shirts are a $20.00 donation (if you are order 2XL-3XL please add $2.00)  Payments can be made to our PayPal by using the donate button in the upper right corner or by using our PayPal address: melissatilton@yahoo.com.  

To order, please complete the form below.  If you have any questions, feel free to email melissatilton@yahoo.com.

                    Orders can be placed until August 25th at midnight

Following the Waymaker

                                  God will make a way, where there seems no way.

So many times I have quoted this phrase to someone who was struggling or needed some encouragement.  When we adopted Gracie and Oliver in 2014 we saw the God complete the impossible.  As soon as we came home we began to dream of going back to China and adopt again.  Never would I have dreamed that in May 2015 I would be sitting next to my husband's bed in ICU.

We were in the process of adopting two children with down syndrome when tragedy struck. I sat in that waiting room watching my world crumble around me as the cardiologist told me. "Your husband is very ill.  His heart rate is 150.  His blood pressure is 180/160.  We have great concerns that he will have a stroke before we can get his blood thinned.  He has two arteries blocked, one 80% and one 60%.  We put a stint in the one that is 80% blocked.  Your husband's heart is in AFib and the medication and procedures we have tried have not put his heart in normal rhythm.  Your husband's heart is only pumping at 33%. His body is filling with fluid because his heart can't pump out it out.  No, he won't be able to continue to work at his current job.  No, you can not adopt any more children.  No, I do not know if the heart can recover."  But the doctor didn't know that we follow the Waymaker.  

That was on Mother's Day.  In two months, Frank has lost 64 pounds of fluid.  His heart is out of AFib and beats at a beautiful 65 beats a minute.  His blood pressure is 120/70.  He is going back to his regular job on a full time basis on July 20th.  When Frank spoke with his cardiologist, he had no explanation for his miraculous recovery.  Yes, he could return to all normal activities.  Yes, he could return to work full time at his regular job.  Yes we could adopt a child.  God will make a way, where there seems to be no way.  

We are running to Ruby, our beautiful four year old girl with Down Syndrome.  Do we know yet how God will make the way?  How he will replace the funds we have used to pay the $7,000 in medical bills?  How we will recover from Frank being off work for nine weeks?  No, we don't have the answers but we follow the Waymaker and by faith we will bring Ruby home.  

Thank you for joining in our journey.  

Dreams Really Do Come True

In less than 48 hours, we will be on our way to our children.  The bags are packed and rooms are ready. It is time.  No more kissing pictures and crying from a mother's lonely heart.  All of the imagining is coming to an end.  Imagining them at the dinner table, imagining rocking them in my chair.  Imagining them running up and down the stairs with squeals and laughter.  No more imagining.  No more wondering.  No more wondering if Gracie is safe, no more wondering if she went to bed hungry, no more wondering if she was hugged and cuddled today. No more wondering if they will grow to love us as much as we already love them.  No more wondering.

From the time I was a little girl I always wanted a big family.  I have a fierce love for my homegrown kids because they are both walking, talking miracles.  Many years of my heart was spent in a dark place of infertility and loss.  We have four babies waiting in heaven whose faces I long to see.  During this dark time, a dear friend prayed for me.  I will never forget her words as she put her hands on each of my cheeks and looked me in the eyes.  She said, "Melissa, the Lord will fill your quiver with arrows and your children will be mighty men and women for God."  This was 15 years ago.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. 5How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them...Psalm 127:4,5

That was my dream, but it seemed God had forgotten my dream and I had given up.  Like Joseph in the prison, it seemed my destiny had been declared.  But God had other plans, He had not forgotten His promise made through my precious friend, He knew the desire of my heart and he is the promise keeper.  A friend was doing and adoption t-shirt fundraiser and her shirt said, "Raising Arrows Psalm 129:5.  The Lord reminded me of His promise that He had made to me so many years past.  Thank you Lord that you never break your promises.

God has provided everything to make my dream come true.  We have paid more money than has ever been in our bank account at one time.  My precious husband hates traveling.  He promised me years ago that he would never fly anywhere in his lifetime.  He hates crowds,  he struggles with change, he likes routine and order.  Yet, when he saw a picture of Gracie, God melted his heart.  He is the one who requested a brother for Gracie.  His suitcase is packed, his job is on hold for three weeks, his saving account is empty and his airplane ticket is purchased.  God can do amazing things with a wiling heart.  My husband is glowing with excitement and anticipation. Our dreams are coming true! 

I promise to update here often and post lots of pictures.  We appreciate your continued prayers for safe travel. Please be in prayer for Ollie's and Gracie's little hearts.  They are leaving the only family they know and we are praying they will have peace and know they are safe.  Please pray for Gracie because we don't know if she has been prepared for this transition.  She has not ever been around Americans or white people in general.  She hasn't heard the language,  been to a restaurant, walked on the streets, she has only seen the play yard of the orphanage.  

Thank you to each and everyone who has stood along side us during this journey.  You have done the Lord's work and He is pleased with you!  May you reap the blessings that you have sewn into our family.  The next post will be from beautiful Beijing!

Forever

Our paperwork is nearly finished and a suitcase sits in the living room. We are counting days and weeks instead of months.  The journey we began by faith is ending on an even bigger dose of faith.

We met Oliver YaQing on July 3rd via Skype.  He is the most precious boy and we are over the moon about him.  It was bittersweet for this mama to see her son, speak with him and not be able to wrap her arms around him.  Soon.  Soon he and Gracie will be ours forever, such an amazing word.  Forever.  Their lives changed.  Forever.  Our lives changed.   Forever.  Others changed because of them.  Forever.

We leave for China in about four weeks.  We are standing on faith because we are needing funds for travel and Gracie's orphanage fee.  Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this faith journey.  You have increased our faith and built us up in a way we could have never imagined.

We have an online sale and auction going on write now on Facebook.  Come and check out the items, some great opportunities for Christmas gifts.  Like our page and see what new items we are adding.


 https://www.facebook.com/bringinghomegracieandoliver?focus_composer=true&ref_type=bookmark


We have 10 days left on our T-shirt fundraiser.  We need 38 more shirts to order.  These would also make great gifts and are affordable enough for the whole family.  We have children's sizes as well as long sleeves and hoodies.

https://www.bonfirefunds.com/bringing-home-oliver-and-gracie-1

Thank you for being a part of our Forever and changing the Forever of two orphans!

Here is the link to our meeting with Oliver.   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204220490172553&l=3429220360745677955