I have started this post so many times, and then I delete it and start over again. Because no matter what I find to say, it doesn't seem enough.

Let me back up...

I don't know if you are new here or have been around long enough to remember me bragging on The ELISON Project. Take a moment and go peek at THIS post....I will wait.


<<<do be do be do- be do be do be do be- do be do be do. >>> (This is my hold music. Don't laugh. I remember my Neenaw singing like this in her car, and when we would go grocery shopping together. And it always makes me smile. And it is just perfect for situations like this).


So now that you are caught up, let me tell you a little bit more about The ELISON Project.... I am going to pull a few things from their website...

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"The members of the ELISON project are of the opinion that the best place for a child is in a loving home. We believe that EVERY child has the right to be loved and nurtured in a family....Our foundation was created with the hope of encouraging potential parents to consider bringing a child with special needs into their family. The cost of adoption is substantial and often the process can be overwhelming. It is our goal to help ease the financial burden on families and to educate parents about the joys and rewards of parenting a child with special needs.
The vast number of children needing homes makes it a challenge for any child to find his or her family, but once a child is labeled as having a special need it becomes increasingly more difficult for agencies to find families for these precious children. We believe that the label is just that…a label. We believe that each child brings with it special and unique parenting challenges, but we also believe that children with special needs bring unique and special joys. "

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The ELISON Project recently chose to award our family a $1000 grant to be used towards our agency costs. Out of the blue, the organization contacted us and asked if WE WOULD MIND if they gave us the money. All they asked in return is to be able to use our adoption story in the hope that it may encourage others to consider SN adoption or to GIVE BIG so that ELISON can place more grants to help bring these children home.

I know.... AMAZING.

As additional insight into this special group, I just want to give you a little bit of Shelby's (ELISON's Director) e-mail to me when she was asking if we would accept the grant... This is just a taste, but it will give you a little peek into her heart...she has such a heart for these Children.

"I would like to explain a little bit about my dream. My dream is to do something worthwhile with my life and one way to do that is to help bring children home from China. I swear to you I pray everyday all day long for God to allow me the opportunity to do something that matters. ELISON was a step into that direction...".

To us, this grant is not just a check. It is so much more. It is a chance to be a part of something we feel passionately about. Adoption has been a calling of mine since I was a little girl. And now, obviously, the Children from China hold a special place in our hearts, and have become a passion of ours as well. To be able to take part in The ELISON Project is such a HUGE BLESSING to us. It is our desire to be used by God in any and every way He asks to help these children, and all children, find homes. So to have the chance to help out in this little way is a prayer answered.

Our grant is also a TESTIMONY to God's faithfulness. When we felt called to adopt again only a few months after being home with Hannah, we weren't sure where all of the money was going to come from. We were always planning to go back again, I just am not sure we knew we would be blessed so soon. But when we felt the call again, we didn't blink about the cost. There were SO MANY signs telling us this was our son, and once we realized what God was showing us, we took the leap of Faith. We believe that God has shown us OUR SON and that He WILL make the finances all work out. Not a doubt in our minds. The ELISON Project contacted us, because Shelby believed God showed her that our family was supposed to receive that grant. It still gives me goosebumps to think about. Our GOD is so good. Johnathan's story is full of "Godincidences" like these!

So if you are sitting around, wondering how you can make a difference, please consider stopping by The ELISON Project and making a donation to help bring these children home. If you work for a corporation that has a charitable matching fund (most do!), why not steer them in the direction of The Elison Project? The Elison Project is a young organization and could use some publicity and funding to help them grow and expand. And if you work for or with an adoption agency (I know a few of you reading this are...shout-out!), why not consider partnering with The Elision Project to get the word out to families?

I want YOU to be a part of this too. Think about the difference you can make. And then, when The ELISON Project is HUGE..and placing grants by the thousands...you will be able to say, "I knew them when..."

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts, ELISON PROJECT, for blessing us in so many ways. We feel honored to forever be a part of your story and to have you be a part of ours!