The Chipin website is currently down. You can make donations to the iPad Mini Adoption Fundraiser at the link below or to us directly and we will add your name to the drawing:

Soon to be a party of 7

We are excited to announce that we have officially started the process of adoption again! We are pursing the adoption of the sweetest little boy that we met this summer on our Ecuador mission trip. Jason and Cameron spent time with him on their trip in December as well and they fell in love. He will be two in March and he is ADORABLE. He has Down Syndrome. God has used two amazing families in our community that have children with downs to really encourage and show us that this very special boy is to be apart of our family. We recently found out that his paper work was ready and he was available for adoption. We have spent weeks praying and asking God to SHOW us if he was our son and God has shown us this clearly.

Over the past few days we have started our home study paperwork and have tried to get a clear picture of adoption costs for Ecuador. It looks like the costs will be somewhere around $30,000. Honestly, we were not at all prepared for this. We will be able to apply for grants once all of our paperwork is submitted but we will have a great amount of expenses to cover prior to this. So we are going to begin fundraising and have been brainstorming many ideas that we will share in the months to come. We decided to start with a bang! We are going to begin with giving away an item that everyone will love…….a new iPad Mini, 16GB, WiFi!! We have created a Chipin account where donations can be made and we will include the link on our blog. For every $20.00 donation made towards our adoption, your name will be entered into the drawing. If you make a $50.00 donation, your name will be entered 4 times! The fundraiser will run from now until January 31, 2013. On February 1, 2013 we will hold a live drawing and announce who gets the iPad Mini. To make a donation, click on the Chipin button below or you can make a direct donation to us.

 Most importantly we ask that as we begin this process that you will keep us all in your prayers. We know that this will be a difficult journey but one that we want to enjoy each step of the way. We need your prayers to sustain us. Also, if you felt led to give in order to help us bring our son home let us know and we will update you with our needs.

With Love,

The Nails Crew

Family Pics

Family Pictures

Ecuador Here We Come!

 It has been a long time since I have blogged but it is that time again. We are packing and preparing to leave for Ecuador tomorrow.  Yes! Only a couple more days and we get to see these precious faces! We are going back this summer with a team of 15 people. Our plan is to go show LOVE to some precious orphans in Ecuador.  We have many activities planned for the kids again this year from jewelry making to fun parachute activities. Thank you for all the donations. The kids and workers will love it all! We are also going to have a huge cookout for the kids at each orphanage, which they loved in December.  This is a great treat especially for the kids at Ganas because they, at times, only receive one meal per day.  Also, our team was just asked to build bunk beds for the children at Ganas that will be moved to the new orphanage. They need enough beds to house approximately 40 kids. So over the past few days the team has been very busy planning and making blueprints for portable bunks that we will construct on our trip. We also are trying to find a way to purchase as many mattresses as we possibly can. Each mattress will cost $130.00 X 40!!  That is a little overwhelming but these kids really need a bed to call their own. Our team will purchase as many as we can.  If you read this and feel led to purchase a mattress, please call or email me and we can make that happen!!

Yesterday, in preparing for this trip I read Romans 12 and then read it to my kids. I pray that each member on our team will be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” I know that last time I was in Ecuador that happened clearly for me. It is easy while you are in a 3^rd world country to realize how you need to let go of the things of this world. You become broken when you see how little others have and how truly spoiled we are. Your heart is broken and open and you love children, people you don’t know. The Lord works through you in crazy, amazing and exciting ways. I know that. The hard part is coming home! I am sad to say that it did not take me long after to coming home to get wrapped back up in my little life and only focus on it and those in it. So I am praying that for me, my family and our team that we will be able to hold these special moments we are about to experience and truly let them change us to be more like Christ and we can live out Romans 12 not only in Ecuador but here at home as well.

The Kiddo's Go Back To School!

Wednesday was the first day back to school for my crew. So far so good! Everyone is excited about school starting and they are happy with their new teachers. We are looking forward to a great year!

Noah is in 1st Grade

Mia is in 2nd Grade

Emmy is in 5th! :(

Cameron is in 7th Grade

My Birthday!

As I celebrate my birthday today, I am totally torn between two realities. While I am enjoying the moments of celebration with my family, my children and my friends a piece of me is wrecked inside. It is like a video of faces is playing in my mind of children in the orphanages we just left. These children don’t have birthday parties, no birthday gifts, no cake, no one to sing Happy Birthday to them. So while I am very thankful for all that I have in my life and I am happy to celebrate the day with those I love the tears fall for those I long to comfort, to play with, to hug and hold, or to sing Happy Birthday too…..