I am SO excited to finally get to write this blog post! Here is our sweet son, Eli Kuehn! We can officially share his picture with the world! And, we cannot wait to fly across the world to bring him home! In this next week, he will receive a special care package from us. It includes new shoes for him, 30 pairs of socks for his friends at the orphanage, treats for his nannies and a picture album of his family! I wish I could be there to see his sweet, little face when he first sees our pictures. I wonder what his precious two year old mind will be able to understand about these strangers who already love him and cannot wait to hold him. Can he even imagine the plans his big brother and sister are making for his life here with us? Will he be excited, confused, scared, nervous? I am praying daily for God to prepare Eli's heart to accept our unconditional love for him and to know us as his forever family.
Often our friends and family ask how they can help. And, there are really so many ways. Most importantly, pray with us and for us as we move through this process of adoption and especially once we bring Eli home and begin showing him what it means to be a part of a family and loved unconditionally. And, of course we still have a lot of expenses coming up, for example, agency fees, travel fees, citizenship and immigration fees, foreign country program expenses, etc... So, we can always use your financial help as well. At the top of our blog are a few ways you can give financially. Our newest opportunity is through our Etsy store. TJ has created these adorable family cartoons that depict your family's unique story and design. Check it out! They make great gifts. We have also applied for a matching grant that will take your monetary donations and match them up to $4000. We should know if we get approved for that in the next month or so, so check back to the blog for updates on that.
We are so blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing community of friends and family. Eli is already loved by so many! Each time I look at his adorable face, I am amazed at what a gift he is and how fortunate we are to have been allowed the opportunity to be his family!
"Even before he made the world, God chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ..." Ephesians 1:4-5