Masha Update

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders He has done" Psalm 78:4

This verse has come to mind over and over again the last few weeks. I know it may seem a bit strange, but the Lord has really laid it on my heart in recent weeks how important it is to share with our kids all the things He is doing in our lives. I know for me, I try to be open and honest, and share with my friends and family what God is doing in my life, but so often I don't think to share with my kids. The truth is, God has done tremendously huge things in and through my life, and the people I should be sharing these things with most are my kids. I want them to grow up knowing that their parents serve a God who sees them, hears them, and truly does answer prayers. I want to model them for them a faith that is so strong in my Savior, that when I talk to God, He answers! Maybe not in the ways I hope, but always in a way that is better than what I could have imagined. 

1 John 5:14-15 says, " This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him". It is important to note that this verse does not indicate that we have a free for all and can ask God for whatever we want, like to win the lottery, and he will give it to us just because we asked! The key to this verse is the condition of our hearts. If we are in fellowship with Christ, and we are growing in our relationship, then our requests will align with his will for us. If our hearts are in tune to God, then our requests will be heard! 

7 weeks ago today, we announced our plans to bring Masha over on a student visa. We didn't know how it would all come together, and the thought of raising just over $30,000 in a few short months seemed almost too daunting to think about. But, we knew God was leading us to give Masha this incredible opportunity of family and education, and so we stepped out in faith, believing that the Lord would provide every need. 2 weeks ago, in my last post, I mentioned that we needed to raise $24,000+ before she was set to arrive in September. The following day, I received a message by some friends of ours. These friends said that they had been praying about how they could support our efforts to bring Masha here, and that God had impressed upon their hearts to give $15,000!!! I cannot begin to tell you how excited and humbled we were to receive such a generous gift. These friends were delighted to be a part of Masha's story, and told us that this money was God's and they were simply stewards of what He had given them. What an awesome testimony of being obedient to God's will for your life. 

This is just one example of many that Ryan and I have experienced these past few weeks. From donations of $25-$15,000 we are beyond thankful for each and every person that has come alongside us, to provide Masha with a chance at a better future! We know each donation, no matter the amount, came from a place of love, support, encouragement, and prayerful consideration. There is not one donation that trumps another, they all are a part of God's huge story for Masha. Today, we have $6,800 left to raise in order to have Masha's first year in America fully funded. That means, that thanks to many of you, we have raised just over $23,000 in 7 short weeks! All the glory goes to God. I will be the very first to say that this has absolutely nothing to do with me, and every bit to do with God's awesome mercy and love for a sweet 18 year old orphan that He wants to bless with a secure future. Every one of you who have been praying for her, and who have donated, are just as much a part of her story as we are. What an awesome display of God working through His people has this whole process been for Ryan and me. 

2 days after we received the message that our friends wanted to donate $15,000, we got a message from the non profit that is assisting us with the student visa process stating that due to another case being pushed back to December, they had extra time to devote to Masha, and her target arrival could be moved up to July from September!!! We were thrilled! We still owed the non profit $10,000 in fees, and thanks to the donation we received, we were able to say yes! Let's get her here sooner!! So last week, we wrote a check to $10,000 to the non profit ( huge plug for Ukraine Student Hope Project...they do an AMAZING job of helping Ukrainian orphans obtain student visas!). 

The remaining funds needed will go directly to her 1st year of English Language Institute tuition and associated fees...which totals approximately $14,000. Would you prayerfully consider making a donation to help knock out the remaining $6,800 we have left to raise?  No amount is too small!! We pray that God would bless each of you abundantly for your love and support of our sweet Masha!!

To make a tax deductible donation, click here or mail checks to:

1U Project

c/o Wendy Farrell

2625 S Forrest Heights Ave

Springfield, MO 65809

Honest Post about Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a day that elicits many different emotions depending on your life circumstances. I hope that this Mother's Day found most of you happy, at peace, and with feelings of joy as you celebrate the various mother figures in your life. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, this Mother's Day has been rough for me. Being a mom is truly life's greatest joy for me. Becoming a mom is the single most life defining, course changing event that has happened to me, second only to accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I adore being a Mom. My girls, though not perfect because no one on this earth is, are precious treasures. I sit in amazement often at new revelations that they share, accomplishments they achieve, or just how truly stunning they are to look at. I am honored to hold the title of Mommy to these special little ladies that God has entrusted to me. 

When God called us to adopt our 5th daughter 3 years ago, we said yes to God's call without hesitation. I knew that as a Mom to 4 little ones, I had a lot of love to give, and I was excited to share this love with a 16 year old child that desperately needed to know unconditional love. I knew that loving a child that had a broken, hurt-filled, lonely last past would be hard, but I was confident that God would enable and equip me as a mother to love her despite those deep wounds. This is where I have to be completely honest with you....choosing to love unconditionally has been SUPER hard, and at times, I have failed miserably. In fact, 2 1/2 years in to this adoption, I am still failing, and it is still hard to choose love at times. 

Which leads to me to today. While by all appearances our family seems to "have it all together", I feel that I need to share that we indeed, do not. It is hard to be fully open with struggles that we face, and to allow myself to be vulnerable. I learned at an early age to put on a happy face and act as though everything was peachy and grand, when in fact, that was not always true. Growing up a preacher's kid in a prominent church, you could say my siblings and I lived in a fish bowl. Sometimes spoken, but mostly unspoken yet highly perceived, expectations were placed on us on how to act and the perception we needed to put out there. Our family was an example to the masses after all. As I officially enter "middle age" (still a bit in denial about this!!), I am finding that putting that perception out there that everything is great all the time, is not only a huge injustice to myself, but it is also an injustice to all that surround me. There is power and freedom in being raw and real with those that surround you. And allowing yourself to be open, can speak words of hope, comfort, and encouragement to others.

I knew this Mother's Day would be a mixed bag of emotions for me from the get go for many reasons. For one, it is never far from my mind, but especially on this day, that Ryan and I have a baby in heaven that we will never know until we get to Heaven ourselves. Miscarriage is an extremely personal and tragic situation that affects each couple differently. For me, I internalize a lot, and our miscarriage is not something I have discussed often. Yet, it is something that has affected me profoundly, and the emotions of losing a child hit me at random moments as well as special days like today. 

Another issue this day had going for me, was the fact that I have a son, and for all intents and purposes a daughter, that I am separated from. They are waiting in Ukraine for the day that they can come join our family, and it kills me to have them so far away. As a mother, it is not natural to be separated from your kids. The waiting is long, and the longing can be unbearable at times. I received a message this morning that said that our little guy was asking for me this morning, that he missed me and wanted to be with me. I so look forward to the day when our nest is full, with all of our precious children under one roof. 

Yet another reason this day is highly emotional for me, stems from the fact that I am deeply entrenched in ministry to orphans whom I have grown to love dearly. I grieve for these precious ones who for various reasons do not live with their birth mothers. These kids each have names, faces, and stories of their own. They all have hopes, dreams, and the need to be loved. It breaks my heart that they have to live without the full benefits of being loved by their earthly mothers. Each child needs and deserves to be deeply loved. 

But the final reason this day has been rough might surprise some of you. Our oldest daughter, for reasons unknown, has chosen to ignore me on this day. She has not uttered a peep, much less a "Happy Mother's Day!". I hope you can know my heart by sharing this with you, I am not sharing to say what a terrible daughter I have, or to make you think she is a cold hearted, terrible person. That is not the case at all. I share this simply to say that the journey to healing and restoration for an adopted child is an incredibly long, hard one. 2 1/2 years she has been home, and she still has huge walls up. Our relationship has not grown beyond the infant stage of getting to know one another in these past years. For a person like me, who internalizes and shuts down when I feel affronted or rejected by another, this lack of a deepening relationship with my daughter has been extremely trying. On the surface, I realize that things look wonderful. She has adjusted well, she loves her sisters, she is bubbly and outgoing at church, she is WILLING to go to church and enjoys church functions....all these things are triumphs that I don't wish to minimize. Yet, under the surface, there is so much work left to be done it can be overwhelming. As a mom, I worry for her future. I wonder if she will ever be able to have healthy, meaningful relationships with others. I deeply desire that she will fall in love, and marry a wonderful christian man one day, and have children of her own. Yet, none of that can happen if she does not learn to have deep relationships. 

I know that God is the giver of life, that He is in the miracle business, and that He can fully heal our daughter. Psalm 27:13-14 says, "I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" and Psalm 37:5-7 says, "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him". Could you join me in praying that God would continue to heal our daughter's heart, and that she would learn to open up enough to have deep, meaningful relationships? 

I ask that you pray for me also. That I would overflow with unconditional love. That God would shield me from closing up and growing weary of pursuing a deep, loving, meaningful relationship with my oldest daughter. I have to confess,sometimes I truly want to give up, and I have to pray for the desire, willpower, and endurance to keep pursuing a relationship with her. " If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:3-5 In those moments of defeat, I know that I am wrong. While I cannot control my daughter, I can control my own thoughts and actions, and unfortunately, I often choose the wrong thoughts and actions. I am so thankful to serve a loving God, that is willing to forgive me and use me despite my failures. 

My girls and me. They are each priceless gifts from God. I pray that each day I choose LOVE for them, and that I can be the mother each one needs me to be. 

Some of you may be thinking, now that you know things aren't exactly perfect in the Farrell Family, that we are B-A-N-A-N-A-S for planning to bring 2 more children from hard places into our home. I totally get that, and sometimes I think the same thing! But, we press on, not because of our "successful" adoption of our oldest daughter. Rather, we press on inspite of the hard journey it has been, and continues to be. The bottom line is this: we know without a doubt God has called us to welcome our next 2 into our family. Though it is hard, and we have to choose to love unconditionally, we do it because it is what God has called us to do. God loves me, a broken, lowly sinner, and He is able to equip me to love others that need it desperately. We look forward with eager anticipation to the day our newest additions join our family. We also look forward with cautious understanding that it is not going to be a cakewalk. We ask that you surround our family with prayer, that God would sustain us, equip us, and encourage us through any difficulties that we will face as our family expands. We also ask that you prayerfully consider making a financial donation to help us bring Masha here. Time is quickly passing for us to raise the remaining $24,000+ that we need before September. Again, you may be thinking that amount is astronomical to bring an 18 year old over on a student visa that will most definitely come with her own baggage. But, the truth is, we can't put a price tag on family. We can't put a price tag on someone's worth, and it is worth every penny to give a young adult the comfort and love of a family for the very first time. We truly cannot achieve this financial goal without your help. Ryan and I made a promise not to dip into the funds we have managed to set aside for our son's adoption next year to fund the student visa. We also pledged not to dip into our tithes and offering we have committed to our church, as well as to our ministry, 1U Project, that impacts the lives of 32 orphans daily. Please consider how you might be able to impact the life of our sweet Masha, by giving. No amount is too small, and I can assure you, God will bless you for your gift! 

We cut this check last week to send off to the non-profit that is assisting us with Masha's student visa process. In 4 weeks, we will have to send in a $5,000 check followed by another $5,000 check in August. By September, we must also come up with $15,000 in tuition fees for her first year of studies. 

Bringing a child over on a student visa can be more expensive than adoption costs, but our precious Masha is worth every penny. Please consider being a part of the story God is writing for her life! To make an online donation, please click here

You are all so dear to me, and I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be open and honest with you. I hope that you were encouraged in some way today from reading this post. To all the Mama's out there in the trenches each and every day, Happy Mother's Day. You are loved and appreciated, from one Mama to another. 

No Limits

I purchased this t-shirt a few weeks ago from a friend who is adopting a child from Ukraine. When I saw it, I knew I had to have it. I love the image of Ukraine on it, the Ukrainian colors displayed, and the fact that it is helping a beloved daughter join her forever family. But even more than those reasons, I love it because of the message: Love HAS NO LIMITS

As I put this tee on for the first time today, I pondered this phrase, and what it meant to me. It made me think of how dearly I love each of my 5 girls that live under my roof. About all that I would do for them. Like all of you, I'm sure, I would do ANYTHING for my kids. There is not a scratched knee that is not kissed, a head full of wet hair that is not brushed, or a good night hug and kiss that is not given. If they need me, I am there. 

Putting this tee on also made me think of my 2 kids that are still in Ukraine. About my baby boy who has to settle for I love you's given over the internet, and hugs and kisses that come every few months for just 1 week or so when I visit Ukraine. About how we have overcome many obstacles for him to be able to be with our family forever, but that there are many more obstacles in our future to overcome. That we still have more than a year before he can be with us forever. I really can't put into words how hard it is to have a child that is yours in your heart, and that has been for nearly a year, living an ocean away from you. It goes against every fiber of being a mom to miss out on the every day, mundane things that your child experiences and goes through. It KILLS me to not be able to tuck him in each night and give him good night hugs and kisses like I do my girls. 

And then there is our sweet Masha who God brought into our lives rather unexpectedly, just like our other 2 Ukrainian kids. At 18, she is just now getting the chance to have a mother and a father figure who will love her unconditionally. She is so excited to be a part of the ordinary parts of family life, like helping cook meals alongside her Mama and Daddy and looking through old photo books of when her parents got married. 

When we adopted Alona 2 1/2 years ago we had NO IDEA what God had in store for us down the road. We were clueless that God had a whole big future filled with ministry in Ukraine and additional children He would add to our family. Sometimes we question this calling, and want to tell God NO MORE!! We can't handle one more thing, one more child. But then I think of the sweet children that so desperately need to know what Love is. That true LOVE HAS NO LIMITS! That each one of them is worth fighting for, worth the crazy amounts of money it takes to get them here. They are worth every piece of paperwork, endless amounts of stress, heartache, and time. That no matter what lies behind, they have a bright future filled with LOVE! 

When I think about how much our Savior loves us, and how His love for us has no limits....even unto death on a cross, then it makes the sacrifices we have to make and the stress that goes with caring for orphans seem super insignificant. In fact, we count it  a huge blessing to be chosen to love on these kids and to be the reflection of God's love in their lives. 

Thank you to many of you who have reached out with kind, encouraging words about our plans to bring Masha over on a student visa this fall (if you missed out on how this evolved, you can read about it here). We have been so humbled by the pledges of prayer and support that we have received. In just the last week we have received $5,600 in donations to help cover the fees associated with bringing her here. What a blessing it is to see how God is moving in the hearts of many of you to come alongside us and help Masha experience the love of a family!! We currently have $24,400 left to raise in the next few months. Would you please prayerfully consider how God might use you to love and support Masha? Together, we can show her that LOVE HAS NO LIMITS!!

To make a tax deductible donation, click here

or you can mail checks to:

1U Project

c/o Wendy Farrell

2625 S. Forrest Heights Ave

Springfield, MO 65809

Big Dreams

"Though my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will receive me"

Psalm 27:10

Imagine being 18 years old and having to contemplate your future. You have no mother or father to offer guidance and support. You have no financial means to secure a higher education. You live in a town where there are no job opportunities available to you. You are smart, motivated, and driven but have no means in which to pour your hard work into something...anything. Not only this, but you have lived 18 years of your life with no love, encouragement, support, nurturing from parents. By the world's standards you are an adult, you don't need a family. You are old enough to "make it" on your own. But yet inside, you still long for a family. You wonder what it would be like to have a Mom to confide your secrets to, to encourage you, to talk about your dreams and to be told that you can do anything you set your mind to. And a Dad....you wonder what it would feel like to lean your head against your father's shoulder, for him to wrap his arms around you in a protective hug, to tell you are beautiful inside and out...to show you how special you are and how you should be treated. You have dreams and hopes of a good future, one in which you belong to a loving family, but then you remember you are 18. And you realize those dreams will always be just that....dreams.

Now imagine this.....you are an 18 year old orphan with all of those dreams locked deep inside. You have convinced yourself that you are ok on your own. That this world is hard, and that you don't know what you are going to do after you graduate trade school, but that you are tough and will handle whatever comes your way. But then...a missions teams from America comes to visit. They spend a week with you over winter break and you see a glimpse of something in these people. They are loving, kind, and seem to truly care about you and the orphans that live with you. They possess hope, compassion, and joy that comes only from their Savior. They came all this way just to love on you and your housemates in the name of Jesus. The same Jesus that you have been told about by the Christian caregivers that have taken care of you for many, many years. Those dreams you have buried deep inside begin to bubble to the service, and you start to dare to dream...and pray that maybe, just maybe, the God of love and compassion that you know might just have something big planned for your future.

Fast forward 2 months, and another team comes to spend a week with you and the other children at your home. Some members of this team are the same people that came the last time, that helped you dare to dream. During this week with the team, you begin to realize just how much you truly do need a family, that you do desire a good future where you can live up to the full potential that God has planned for you. You know it seems impossible, but you cry to, and confide in, one of those team members. You bravely give a voice to your dreams of wanting to be a part of a family. You share that you want a Daddy's shoulder to lean against, and a Mom to confide in and be nurtured by. This team member cries with you, and says that no matter what lies ahead, God you are SO loved by God and that he has a special plan for you.

Friends, this orphan is a very real person. And that team member that she cried to and confided in is me. When you experience the heartache and tears of a child that has had to face this world largely on her own for 18 years, and you hear her so bravely share her hopes and dreams, it is IMPOSSIBLE to not do something. Ryan and I came home from this past trip, broken for her. We prayed over her, and how God might use us to touch her life and be that family that she so desperately needs and deserves. Since she is 18, adoption is an impossibility.  Knowing that doing nothing is not an option, with the help of friends and advisors, we have decided to pursue a student visa for her. Student visas are not permanent, but it will offer the opportunity for her to spend several years experience the love, security, and nurturing of a family while she pursues higher education. This will give her the chance to vastly improve her future and pursue whatever profession she chooses.

When Ryan and I told her that we wanted her to come to live with us, be a part of our family, and study she told me that she never dreamed that God could possibly love her so much. That because we care for her, she sees how much God cares for her. I can't think of a more precious thing I could have been told. Isn't that what this world is all about as a believer? To share the love of Christ with others? To make sure they know that no matter what they have experienced in this world, that they are LOVED by the One who made the world? She knows that though her parents did not take care of her, that the LORD will receive her and love her.

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families"

Psalm 68:5-6

Dear friends, we need your help. There are many hurdles and hoops to get through to bring an orphan over on a student visa. The success rate of on an orphan obtaining a student visa is slim to none. But yet we know that we serve a God who is ABLE. He is already at work in this situation, and has provided us with amazing resources to help us get her here. There is a charity organization whose sole purpose and mission is to help Ukrainian orphans obtain student visas. They are willing to work with us and take on our sweet girls case. They have a 99% success rate over the past 9 years. Those statistics are AMAZING!!! It cost $15,000 in fees to obtain their services. You are probably thinking that is A LOT of money!!! Let me tell you, it is! But we can't put a price tag on family. No matter the cost, even if it was double or triple, it would be worth it. SHE is worth it!! On top of these fees, her education will cost approximately $15,000 each year. This must be paid totally out of pocket as there are no grants or scholarships available to international students. We need to raise the first $15,000 super fast to retain the services of this wonderful organization. Ryan and I are asking you to please partner with us in prayer and financially. We know that God has called us to be her family, and we are willing to provide for her in every sense. But we also feel like God is asking us to share in the blessing of helping her. We need prayer and financial warriors that will come alongside us and help us show her just how loved and special she is. Psalm 77:13-15 says, " Your ways, God are holy. What god is great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people". Would you pray about being a part of the miracle of providing a  family to an 18 year old child who dared to dream of being in one?  I can promise that you will be blessed abundantly by helping our sweet girl chase her dreams.

You may give a tax deductible donation by clicking here :

https://www.purecharity.com/dream-big-student-visa

or mail a check to:

1U Project

C/O Wendy Farrell

2625 S. Forrest Heights Ave

Springfield, MO 65809

Nourishment Encouragement!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love food. Like, REALLY love food! It is not uncommon for me to be finishing one meal, while contemplating what I am going to eat next. Not much is more satisfying than a big Mexican meal with enchiladas, chips, salsa, guacamole, cheese dip, rice and beans! Oh, and don't forget something super sweet to finish it off with. My ability to consume food is quite amazing to some, I'm not too proud to admit!

So when I woke up the other night at 3 am, thinking about food, it was not a completely unusual occurrence. This particular early morning, however,  I was thinking about another type of food. Food of the Spiritual variety. God has really been working in my heart over the last few months about how vital feasting on His Word on is to my life.

Did you know that the average human can live up to 3 weeks without food? We can live that long by using up energy reserves our bodies have stored up from food intake. I ( and many other Christians, I would wager) live like that. We squeeze some Bible reading into our crazy busy schedules here and there, and then live off of those morsels for weeks at a time.

Liquid intake, when restricted or cut off, leads to a much quicker death. Within a few days of going without liquid, kidney function and other vital bodily functions start to shut down, and a person dies within days. I think the same could be said of our spiritual life as well. If we go through a drought in our walk with God, and refrain from drinking deeply of His life giving water, than we start to see the evidence in our lives quickly. We react to each other in not so kind ways, become prideful, etc. Our communication with our Heavenly Father becomes more of a laundry list of needs and wants, rather than a time to communicate with and praise God.

So why is it that we don't make spending time with God a priority? Why do we go days, weeks, and months without digging into God's word? This is what I have been pondering the last few days. Statistics show that less than 20% of professed Christians spend time reading the Bible on a regular basis. LESS THAN 20%!!! Psalm 81:10 says, " Open wide your mouth and I will fill it". If we will just open our Bible's, and commit to spending some meaningful time with God, He will bless that time and fill us up with His knowledge, comfort, peace, and truth!

Some of you may have tried reading the Bible in the past, and felt like you just didn't get anything out of it. That is was too hard to understand, outdated, or not applicable to your life today. Psalm 145:15 says, " The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time". I believe that God's word will speak to each and every one of us if we come to God with a willing, teachable spirit. If we look to Him, He will teach us and give us wisdom when we are ready and able to receive it.

As Christians, we are appointed by God himself to go out into this world and do His work. We are to be Jesus' hands and feet to a world that desperately needs to know the love of our Savior. How can we possibly do the work we were put on this earth for if we are not spending time with God on a regular basis? Just as we grow weak and can't function without food, we also can't function and do the work of our Father without receiving spiritual nourishment. John 15:5 says, " I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing". Did you catch that? The key to bearing fruit, or fulfilling God's will for our lives is to abide, or remain, in him. Abiding in Christ is reading His word, pondering the truths that He reveals, praying, and fellowshipping with other believers. If we do not do these things, what can we do from our own will and strength? NOTHING!! Abiding in Christ is the internal relationship and workings that produce external testaments, or fruit, to the greatness and glory of God. The fruit that we produce as a result of our close relationship with God is something that will remain long after we are gone. They are eternal deposits that we make into the lives of others, who in turn make deposits into other lives, and on and on.

God is so faithful, loving, and kind to seek a relationship with us each and every day. He certainly does not need a relationship with any of us, and yet He so desires for us to know Him, and know Him well. The God of the universe that spoke everything into being, has given each of us access to His knowledge and Truth. All we have to do is seek Him, spend time with Him, and love Him. Let's cease trying to do things on our own, limping along on energy reserves and morsels of His word, and turn to the One who will fill us up with more food than we could possibly imagine!

Cowboy Cups

Since announcing our plans to adopt once again on the previous post, Ryan and I have been blown away by the outpouring of encouragement, love, support, and prayers. Thank you to each of you who have reached out to us, and for all of you who have committed to praying for our family, and for our little boy.

Today, I want to share a fun fact about our little guy. When he grows up, he wants to be a cowboy:) How fun is that?!? Why, I'm not sure but he is very serious about this desire. I look forward to the day that we can take him to ride horses, visit the Dixie Stampede, and do other fun cowboy things. But for now, we have settled on getting him fixed up with cowboy gear. 

A few weeks ago, we sent him the essentials...cowboy boots, spurs, and a leather belt with a big belt buckle. I had not planned on the spurs, but he specifically requested spurs...I guess all real cowboys have them.  

Boots and spurs for our Cowboy

When he received these items, he was beyond thrilled. I wish I could share the pictures!! He has a birthday coming up, and I asked what he would like for his birthday. What else would he want but "cowboy clothes" and a cowboy hat:) Those items will be making their way to him shortly. I can't wait to see him all decked out in his gear. 

When Ryan and I decided to pursue adoption, we began to think of ways in which we could fundraise. Fundraising is not my cup of tea, but unfortunately, it's necessary. We feel strongly that we should set aside a portion of any and all funds raised to further our ministry efforts in Ukraine. We do not want to neglect our hearts desire to serve Ukrainian orphans and those in need in their communities. It is our hope and desire that throughout this adoption journey, we will not only raise awareness about adoption, but also about the need of orphan ministry partners to serve children who are not available for adoption, and who have needs that must be provided for right where they are.

So, in honor of our Cowboy, our first fundraiser is selling Cowboy Cups! These cups are amazing!! They are made of silicone, and super flexible. If you have little ones that are prone to dropping things, no worries! These won't break! They hold 16 oz of cold beverages, and come with a travel lid and straw. The cups are totally dishwasher safe, and super durable. Our Cowboy Cups feature an awesome boot design, courtesy of my friend Aubri Duran,  in honor of our Cowboy. The boots have Hebrews 10:24 on them, one of my all time favorite verses, " Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds". I can't think of a more fitting verse, can you? By purchasing a cup, you are spurring our family on towards loving a sweet orphan boy and helping us bring him home. It is my hope that each time you drink out of your Cowboy Cup, that you will be reminded to pray for our Cowboy.....even after he is home! 

Cowboy Cups!

To order, you can comment here, send me an email: wendilynn.farrell@gmail.com, or reach out to me on FB. Cups are $20/each. Thank you in advance for purchasing, sharing with your friends, and most importantly, praying!! 

And so We Begin Again....

This may come as a surprise to some of you, and to others not at all. BUT... Ryan, the girls, and I are making plans to expand our family once more!! Our adoption journey this time around is going to be similar in some ways to our adoption of Alona, but in other ways it will be entirely different. So before I fill you in on what lies ahead, let me tell you how we came to the decision to adopt again.

When I traveled to Ukraine this past February, it was my full intent to seek out ministry opportunities in country to help orphans and those in need in their communities. The Lord was faithful, and He orchestrated a last minute chance meeting with the christian orphanage my ministry now helps to support. On my last day in country, my travel partner and I stopped by the orphanage to meet the caregivers, and the little ones who were not in school. It was there that one little boy in particular grabbed my attention. This little guy just happened to be home from school that day because he had been sick. As we we were walking around the facility, he ran and grabbed a Hot Wheels coloring sheet he had colored earlier. He proudly handed it to me, and motioned for me to keep it. It is hard to adequately explain with words, but I felt an instant connection with him. We were at the orphanage for maybe 45 minutes, but in that time, the Lord already planted a seed and a stirring in my heart for this little guy. Ryan and I were absolutely not looking to adopt again, and when I left Ukraine the next day, I did not yet feel that the Lord was calling us to adopt. I just knew that there was something special about this little boy, and that I would see him again one day. 

First boy coloring page to ever hang on our fridge;)

Over the course of the next few months I corresponded with the caregivers of this orphanage, and received updates and pictures of all the kids. I often thought of this little boy, but never inquired about him specifically, because I didn't want to show partiality...especially since adoption was still not our radar. I started planning a return trip to Ukraine with a team of amazing people for June of this year, and as departure time grew closer, I began to get more and more excited about seeing this little guy. I thought it was probably just my imagination that we had a special connection, but was very much looking forward to spending time with him again. 

As our car pulled up to the orphanage that bright June morning, I could hardly contain my excitement as I saw all the children outside waiting for us. As I got out of the car, my special friend ran up to me and gave me a big hug. He started trying to tell me something in Russian, and I gathered that he had something he wanted to give me. He ran inside, and came back out with the most precious drawing. He had drawn a picture of the 2 of us holding hands. Talk about melting your heart!!  From that moment on, I knew we were in trouble;) Again, the focus of the trip was to strengthen relationships with caregivers in Ukraine, and continue to support them in their work. Yet with each passing day, it became increasingly obvious to me that the Lord might be calling our family to travel the road of adoption once more. Our time in Ukraine was so sweet, and so special, and the Lord used that time to deepen the bond I had with this child. 

Picture that my sweet little guy drew for me

Back home, Ryan could totally tell that my heart was forever changed. The dialogue about adoption started immediately, and although Ryan could not fully understand the connection and longing I had for this child, he agreed to pray over the possibility of adopting once more. Over the course of the last couple of months, Ryan has faithfully prayed that the Lord would let His will be known. I tried not to be a pesky wife, and let him come to his own decision not based on guilt on being worn down...although this was hard;) Ryan FINALLY felt that he too believed God was calling us to this child. 

We have debated on when to "go public" with our decision to purse adoption. This adoption is not a "sure thing". Unfortunately, there are quite a few hurdles to overcome. We thought maybe we should wait until we were further into the process to share this news with others. But then we decided that we did not want to let fear of this adoption not working out stop us. We feel that we need to step out in faith believing that God's will WILL be done, and that He will see this adoption through. It's like a pregnancy. Many people wait to tell others that they are pregnant until the 1st trimester is over. They do this because the chance of miscarrying their baby decreases greatly after the 1st trimester, and they want to wait to share their happy news until the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby is more of a sure thing. Ryan and I did this with our 4th pregnancy. We decided to wait to tell the word that we were expecting again until the 1st trimester was over. Unfortunately, I miscarried. It was such a dark, lonely time in our lives. And I found that I WANTED people to know about the baby. That by telling people that I was a mother to a little one in Heaven, it validated this baby's life. I learned that sharing the ups and downs of personal things like pregnancy and miscarriage with others, makes the hurt more bearable. Letting others in and allowing them to cover you in prayer during not just good times, but bad times as well, makes your burdens a little more easy to carry. And it is from the lesson we learned then, that we decided to go ahead and share with you our hopes and desires to adopt our son. 

Couldn't love this little guy more!!

So where are we now? Unfortunately, I can't share all of the details in a public forum. Sorry!! We have to allow due process to take its course, and do not want to hinder the process in anyway. I can tell you that this adoption will not be lightening fast. We are looking at over a year before we will be able to bring him home...at best. This journey will be long. It will be hard. It will be wrought with emotions. And we want to share the good, the bad, and the ugly with you. We covet your prayers, we cherish your support, and we promise to share as much as we can along this journey with you as we possibly can.  

The Lord has been so gracious to speak to me through Scripture throughout this process already, and I want to share with you a passage that I read this week. 

" But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you"

Psalm 33:18-22

Our trust is in the Lord. We believe in faith that the Lord will bring our son home to us one day. We know without a doubt that He put this love in our hearts for this child, and we will not stop fighting for him until he is with his family. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support as we embark on this new adoption journey. 

" If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" 

Matthew 21:22