I felt small until I read this...

If blogging makes you feel small
Where have I been? Busy reading other blogs. Therefore, I have not written my own. When I have a free moment, which isn't often, I find myself being inspired by what I read. How to be a better wife, better mom, better friend & better Christian. I'm not sure if better is the "right" word but it means I've been trying harder to do all I can to be MY best. I love reading about the lives of those I know, even those I don't. It's amazing how blessed I feel about reading the lives of others. So much so that I've decided to try this again. No, I'm not the best writer nor the best photographer but I have the heart to tell our story. So please won't you continue to follow along. I promise to be my best. I owe it to my children to document their story. This is a good outlet for me. So here we go again...
Blessings,
Meghan

All HE wanted was our YES!

We have dear friends in Ukraine currently adopting their 10 year old little boy, Erik. They have been corresponding with him for months prior to their arrival. Erik would send letters, pictures he'd drawn & a special request that they would please bring his best friend Sergiy home with them. Michael & Denise did not choose to adopt Sergiy along with Erik. That means Sergiy is still adoptable. After many phone conversations with Denise sharing about Eric & his dear friend Sergiy our hearts were stirred. Denise told us what a sweet but shy boy Sergiy is. It was no coincidence that we were given the opportunity to host him, here in OK for the month of August. We were all excited! Tanner said, "I've always wanted a brother." We explained that he was here for a visit, no promises. All along Wayne & I knew it was possible to adopt Sergiy. Eli Project's website read that he was available for hosting & for adoption. It was always in the back of our mind. We knew that we were doing what God had asked us to do, commit to the hosting opportunity. We proceeded with the process. We knew our family budget was not capable of providing $2,000 in just 3 short weeks. We put a plea out to many of you. Within the first day we received word that our first donation was on it's way. God was at work. It didn't take long before I felt the rug being pulled out from under me. Here we were committed to bringing him here, committed to working hard to collect the necessary funds but most importantly committed to opening our hearts & home to a child in need. We said YES to whatever/whoever God had for our family. It is with a humble heart that I share with you that Sergiy will not be coming to our home in August. He is actually being hosted by a family in Florida & a different family has committed to adopting him. Good News for Sergiy! All we ever wanted was what is best for Sergiy. This is the life of a child.
You ask, what happened? We said YES to what was right in front of us, the opportunity to give Sergiy what they call a holiday, a vacation. With a host program you commit to opening your hearts & your home to a child for a determined amount of time & allow the Lord to work. The rest is up to HIM. We were ready for that. We were not however ready to commit to adopting him today. That's not what God called us to do. Wayne & I decided the hosting program was a great opportunity for Sergiy to meet our family, be loved on & maybe just maybe love us back. We were prepared for whatever God had for each of us. The dynamics of our family is not the same. We have changed in the last year. We now have 2 special needs children who are non-verbal. We have two other children who their lives matter a great deal to us too. We brought Marcus & Macey home as family & we were willing to host Sergiy as a family too. It is in the best interest of our family, as of today, to host a 13 year old boy before choosing to go ahead & adopt him. That in itself is a whole other post. That is why the host program is a wonderful opportunity for our family. It's the best of both world's. Unfortunately for us we are not able to host Sergiy in August. I feel like we are missing out on a wonderful blessing. The opportunity is no longer available for us. Sure we can host Sergiy as of today but we are choosing not to. Why? Because a different family has committed to adopting him. What if we allow Sergiy into our hearts & our home & we fall in love with him? What if he loves us back? What if he wants us to adopt him? It's not a risk we're willing to take. We would have been devastated if someone would have adopted Marcus or Macey after we had already committed to them. Is that possible? Absolutely! It's not over until the judge declares them yours. We watched that very thing happen to some dear friends of ours & it was heart breaking. We can not invite him into our lives knowing a family is ready to welcome him home today. Right is right & God will honor that. This is a time when all feelings have to be put aside & know that God is in control & I am not. I have been told God has something better. God's provision is best. I can not wait to see what God has in store next for the Dickinson family.
Please join me as I pray Sergiy home into his Forever Family!
All HE wanted was our YES!
Blessings!

Heavy hearted for the fatherless...Sergiy!

My heart is heavy today. It is heavy for the fatherless. One young man in particular, Sergiy. Please pray for clarity, wisdom & direction. God is not the author of confusion. We want to be obedient in the what the Lord wants from us. We want what is best for Sergiy. His life depends on it.

We have 3 weeks to raise $2,000!

We have been given a deadline. We have 3 weeks to raise the funds necessary to bring Sergiy to America. We need to raise $2,000 + living expenses in order for Sergiy to visit our home for the month of August. The money pays for his travel, visa & all necessary paperwork for him to be a part of the host program. I can not tell you how excited Erik was that we were working so hard for his best friend to join him here in Moore, OK for a month. This gives Erik another something to look forward to as he makes the transition into his Forever Family. I can just see the boys now as Tanner joins them on the trampoline to play. The freedom, laughter & joy will be a moment I'm looking forward to. YOU can help make this a reality. No donation is too small. It takes everyone reading this doing their part then sharing it with others. Sergiy deserves a Forever Family. What Wayne & I have not offer today is our home, our family, our love & our commitment to work hard to give him a wonderful trip to America in August. Please prayerfully consider your part in helping Sergiy's dream come true. Blessings!

Coming to America?

You have the opportunity to help bring a young boy from Ukraine into our home this summer. His name is Sergiy. He is a young boy living in the same orphanage as Erik, the son Michael & Denise Redman are currently adopting. He is said to be quiet & shy but sweet. I would love to open our hearts and home during the month of August to Sergiy. As many of you know after our own personal adoption of Marcus & Macey we do not have it in our monthly budget to pay the expenses necessary to bring him here. The cost is $2000 + the cost of living for the month he is with us. This is an amazing opportunity for him & for our family. We can not do this on our own. We need your support. If 20 people gave $100 each the initial cost would be covered. If 40 people gave $50 the cost would then be covered, you get my point. If everyone gave something this young boy could have a month of freedom & love. You would be blessed knowing you had a part in the changing of this little ones life. Can you imagine how Erik Redman would feel knowing his best friend would be coming to visit shortly after he made his home in America. What a sweet reunion that would be. Why do we want to do such a thing? Because of Sergiy. Just like with the adoption of Marcus & Macey it was always about them. What was best for them. Will it be easy? Not likely. There will be the language barrier. He will speak very little English, if any. But, we can show him he is wonderfully & beautifully made, valued & adored. This month in our home could change his life. We would love to introduce him to our church family & the love & warmth each of you have to offer. We can share the love of Jesus with him. That to me is the why? How? By each of you reading this giving something. We all have something to give our money to. Know that you will be planting a seed in the life of this child. One that I pray will have eternal rewards. Wayne & I know we can not do this on our own. We need your help. Sergiy needs your help. Please pray & ask God how you can support Sergiy in coming to America. This would be his dream come true. Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions. I do not know a lot of details. What I do know is there is an opportunity & a child in need & we want to be used by God to fill it.
Blessings,
Meghan

1 year ago today we accepted 2 referrals

This is the one and only picture we have of Macey. We saw this picture one year ago today. We saw the picture and chose her before we met her. We knew we were coming for Marcus and had seen his picture before. Today was our SDA appointment. The official day we had been waiting for. It is the job of the facilitator to have their files there for us when we arrived. I was so glad it was the two children we had requested. Nothing is ever done until it's done. All we knew was there was a little girl, 4 years old with Down syndrome available for adoption. We had no medical history or name. We were elated to have a face with the child we had in our mind. The four of us thought she was so beautiful. We couldn't wait to meet them both.
Usually you accept the referral(s) then have to wait a day to have the paperwork processed. I remember after our appointment our facilitator rushing us out the door, into a parked, black Mercedes and off to the notary to have Macey's paperwork completed. The notary was behind a black door with no name or sign advertising this was indeed the notary office. I felt like we were in a scene from a movie. We drove fast through town, waited while they notarized the necessary documents then back to the SDA office. Jamie, our missionary friend took Taylor and Tanner to McDonald's in the center of Kiev for an ice cream cone. They missed all of the excitement. We were so glad to have Jamie with us. She was a huge help when we needed it most. We were asked to come back that evening by 5pm to pick up the completed referrals for both Marcus and Macey. All of this was done on the same day. We were blessed to have it completed. We knew then that the next day we would make the 8 hour drive south to meet Marcus and Macey. As you can tell this was one of the most exciting times of our lives. We were officially on our way to meet the children God called us to and they didn't even know we were coming.

Today is Marcus' 4th birthday!

Today is Marcus' 4th birthday! This is his 1st birthday as a US citizen and as our son. This day has meant so much to me. I have cherished each little detail today as though I could make up for lost time. I wanted him to know how much we love him and how we wanted to celebrate his life. This has been an amazing year for us. This day last year we had arrived in Ukraine and celebrated his birthday with new friends. Today we celebrated as a family of 6. I knew this day was coming I just wasn't prepared for all the emotions. This was the little guy the Lord so adamantly called us to. I'll never forget the day Wayne chose him. He said, he looks like a Dickinson. From that moment on he was. It took us 6 short months to rescue this little guy. We went through a kitchen fire, Wayne's surgery, stacks of paperwork and approvals not to mention traveling around the world to meet him. It all came flooding back to me today. Today he is mine; Home, loved, safe and wanted. I wish I could just bottle him up. He is truly the sweetest, funniest little character I know. He is full of energy and will hardly sit still for a moment. We have rescued him from the bars of a playpen where his name was probably never spoken with endearment to the freedom of a family who cherishes each milestone he has to offer. I tell you he came home and literally hit the ground running. He learned to walk quickly and was given new sight. He hasn't looked back since. He is full-time - All the time. I wouldn't have it any other way. He is loved by his therapists and cherished by his teachers. We have given him an environment that is safe and secure. He is free to explore the world around him. He has the most beautiful big eyes. He looks in amazement everywhere we go. I am enjoying life through his eyes. The things that tickle him or excite him are the small things, the everyday things. He is a joy to watch grow. As I think back to the very first picture we received and think about who I thought he was, I am thrilled that he has exceeded my expectations. Our family is forever changed because of this little guy. When we said yes to the Lord's calling we had no idea the fulfillment we would receive and the blessings Marcus had to offer.
As I reflect on the years missed I am saddened. I wish I could have given birth to him myself. I wonder if his birth mother was excited and held him tight wishing she could care for him herself. I pray for her today and I know she remembers March 1st as though it were yesterday. I pray a special blessing for her and wish I could thank her myself for giving him life. I'll never be able to be a part of the day he was born. But I can from this day forward be the one to celebrate every birthday and always remind him how wonderfully and beautifully made he is.
I love you little Bubba!