GOOD NEWS!!!

When Missy and I returned from Charlotte with Dyllan this weekend, we checked the mail and found something OUTSTANDING.  We received a letter from “Show Hope.”  We had applied for a grant for our adoption months ago and quite honestly had forgotten about the application.  We have talked many times over the past few days about the excitement of bringing Tia home and how we needed to make sure we got funding for the last payment of our adoption.  It is more than a little overwhelming thinking of the money we need not only for the adoption payment left ($5500) and plane tickets and other “incidentals” of traveling and staying in Haiti.  At times it seems like an insurmountable amount.  Then, God reminds us to depend on Him…like HE ALWAYS does.

The process with Tia is continuing to progress.  It’s been exciting, fun, and then some…but one thing it has NEVER been is questioned.  Neither Missy nor I have questioned whether we are supposed to adopt or not.  God showing up like He did with this grant was a laughing moment for us.  We laughed and cried knowing God had set everything up long before we knew.  He was helping before we were asking.

One thing is for sure, we know Tia is going to be in the best environment possible.  When it rains, she will be able to sleep inside in a bed without getting wet.  When the sun is scorching, she is going to be able to come inside and play in her room with the Air Conditioning on.  When it gets cold outside, she will have a warm place to stay.  She is going to be in the perfect place…the place God knew long before she was even born.

So, if you think about it, say a prayer for us as we walk the final steps in this financial journey.  If for no other reason, this portion of the journey has kept us from focusing on the time we spend waiting.  It’s been a time for us to spend praying for her and getting the boys ready for their sister to come HOME!!!

Thanks!…and if you don’t have a Bring TIFI Home t-shirt yet…what are you waiting for?? )

New update on Tia….please pray!

Today, like all other days of my life since meeting Tia,  I have thought a lot about her!  I just knew something about having her on my mind today was different and after receiving an email from Dr. Bernard tonight I knew why!  He emailed me to say that Tia had been sick over the weekend with fever and chills.  Sounds like the flu but he didn’t use those words!  He said several people at the orphanage have been sick this week, including his wife.  I would ask you please pray for all of the people there and especially Tia.  He assured us Tia was in good hands and they are taking good care of her.  He told us not to worry and know everyone there was loving on her.  I am so thankful if  Tia can’t be home here with us that God has her in a place where she is loved and looked after.  God knows Tia’s needs and I know she is in the palm of His hand but I think for the first time tonight I realized just how much I already LOVE her.  To not be able to rock her and tell her everything is going to be okay, to not be able to put a cold rag on her head or wrap her up in a warm blanket, to not be able to have her lay beside me for the night to ensure that she is okay, hit me a lot harder than I imagined!  Then God quietly reminded me that HE is all those things to Tia and when it’s time for her to be in our home He will allow me the privilege to take care of her in those ways.  Just like Jesus said to Jairus, “don’t be afraid, JUST BELIEVE….” (Luke 8:50).  I will go to bed tonight with a heavy heart…..praying for my sweet little girl but the whole time knowing that she is in HIS hands!

Thank you for your continually prayers and support…..WE LOVE YOU ALL!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Our family would like to take this time to THANK each and everyone of you who gave to the cause and are helping us get Tia home!  God has shown Mike and I through family, friends and even people that we don’t even know that He is providing all of our needs to have Santia (Tia) Elizabeth Simon Wilson come home to our family.  We have been overwhelmed by the number of people that were willing to help us raise the funds for our first BIG down payment.  When we knew that we only had 10 days to raise the money we began praying that God would provide.  We have known all along that He is the head in this AMAZING journey He has us on and that He would provide all of our needs, but to see how quickly things have moved along and how PERFECT His timing has been in the whole process has truly been a HUGE BLESSING!  We want each of you to know that you have played a HUGE part in this adoption process and once Tia arrives home a little part of you will ALWAYS be a part of her!

We have been told this week that our paperwork in Haiti in in IBESR, which is the equivalent of  DHS here in the US.  We don’t know how long this step will take but we know that God has handled EVERYTHING up to this point so He will continue to do so.  I will have the opportunity to go and visit Tia the week before Thanksgiving and Mike will be with Tia the week of Thanksgiving.  What a great way to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with our new daughter   We look forward to updating as this journey continues.

Please continue to pray for the following:

• Tia to stay healthy and realize that she will be home very soon

• Mike, myself and the boys to keep pressing on and know that she will be home soon

• Dr. Bernard and the creche where Tia lives

• God’s PERFECT timing

Again THANK YOU all for loving us, praying for us and being willing to support us….YOU ALL ROCK!!!!

The “OFFICIAL” Referral is Here…Santia Simon Wilson…can YOU help?

On Friday, Missy and I received our “OFFICIAL” referral to adopt “Santia Simon.”

That’s right, it’s now official! We are going to be adopting Tia as our very own. Hopefully soon we will be able to post some pictures of this absolutely beautiful little girl. Our official referral let us know Tia’s birth Mom passed away a couple of years ago and her birth Father has signed over his parental rights in order for her to be adopted. As I read the letter, I have to admit, my eyes were filled with tears at the thought of my little girl going through so much in her short LIFE. She has lost her mother, had to move away from her Father–who simply couldn’t afford to help her with LIFE’s basic needs, and her two older sisters. I also have to wonder how her Father came to swallow his pride enough to let her become ours. I ask myself almost hourly, “Would I have been willing to do the same thing? Would I give up my little girl so someone else could love her and raise her as their own?” I don’t have an answer for that. I don’t live in one of the poorest countries in the world and I don’t know what it is like to have no where else to turn for help…

Now that we have our official referral we will be using our blog more and more. We will be passing our thoughts, feelings, fears, and delights on here for you to see and to pray for. We will start today:

Now that we have our official referral, the difficult part of the journey is now financial. We are in a major fundraising effort now. We have two LARGE payments to make. Half of the “Haiti Fee” is due now and half is due when we go pick her up. We have been working hard to raise money through garage sales, selling our old van, and t-shirts. Now we’re adding a couple of fundraising partners to the mix! Ulmer Studios has agreed to help as well as Missy’s friend since childhood, Kelly Mynatt, has agreed to help by hosing Jewelry parties with Cookie Lee Jewelry.

Missy and I have 10 days to either come up with the money or we will need to take out loan…either way, we trust God will provide. We are completely confident God has led us on this journey, so we will continue on at 100 mph!

If God leads you to help us financially, THANK YOU. If he leads you to pray for us in this journey, THANK YOU. If you have some thoughts on how we could raise some extra money…please pass them on…and THANK YOU!

If you are looking for a quick way to donate…just follow the link:

Our Friends at Ulmer Studios

This week we got an exciting word from our friends Josh and Amber Ulmer, who run Ulmer Studios. They have decided to help us raise money to “Bring TIFI Home” by donating a portion of each session booked while we are trying to get Tia here.

Josh and Amber have been friends of our for a few years. We met at church and immediately hit it off (even though we are more seasoned in our own lives). We have come to know Josh and Amber and are blown away by their friendship. They are new parents of a beautiful little girl, Josie and we treasure them as friends.

Josh and Amber take some amazing photos. If you or someone you know is in the market for family pix, , engagement pix, wedding pix, baby pix, children’s portraits, or anything else that needs a top-notch photographer, we hope you’ll check them out. Ulmer Studios is amazing. You can look at their pictures and just imagine you, your friends, and your family in the middle of one of the best portrait sessions you could have ever imagined.

wedding photos

baby baby

Please pass this information and link on to your family and friends. If you’re in the market for some great pictures, we hope you’ll check them out!!

all pix used with permission of ulmer studios.

family

family and baby

smile

Jewlery Fundraiser

I have a great friend in Knoxville who has started working as a consultant for Cookie Lee Jewlery (http://www.cookielee.com)
She has sent me some of their new Fall/Winter Catalogs & has so generously agreed to help us do some fundraising to help bring Tia home! The way it works is to have some people have a Cookie Lee catalog party or take orders from the catalog with from your friends/family/co-workers etc. Once all the orders are in my friend will then give a % of her comission to the “Bring Tia Home” fund! Would you be willing to have a party, take orders from people or just order some jewleryfrom yourself? If you would like to help please send me a message & let me know! We can use all the help you are willing to give & each order will get us that much closer to bringing Tia home!
I will begin booking parties & taking orders Aug. 17th & we will take booking & orders through Sept 17th so PLEASE pry about how you maybe able to help!! Hope to hear from u soon & LET THE PARTIES BEGIN!!!!

The Wilson Roller Coaster

If you’re reading this, first, let me say THANKS!  Words can’t describe the emotions in our family right now.  We have been so blessed to be able to meet Tia, to have 3 amazing boys, Katie–our unofficially official daughter, and then to top it off, Missy and I celebrated 15 years of marriage last night with dinner at the Melting Pot in Nashville.  5 years ago we had huge plans for our 15th anniversary.  That was when we were supposed to go to Hawaii or some other exotic location, but dinner at the Melting Pot was our celebration.  Our love for each other continues to grow, but our listening to God has challenged us to do some crazy things…like give up the money put back for the special 15th anniversary and get our daughter home.  I know first hand literally what a parent means when they say they would give up everything to get their kids home safely…

It’s kind of funny.  If you would have asked me 15 years ago (or 15 months for that matter) if I ever thought we would adopt a child, especially a black child from Haiti, I would have quickly responded with a definitive “NO!!”.  Glad I never spoke up on that one.  I didn’t have to eat THOSE words!  I’ve eaten plenty in my days and I actually celebrate knowing these don’t have to be re-ingested.

We would love to ask you to pray for a new friend of ours.  Dr. Bernhard is the director of the orphanage where Tia is.  He is an amazing man with an amazing story.  He and his wife have adopted 10 children themselves–from Haiti.  He’s not only talking the talk, but he’s walking the walk!  He spent a few years in the USA getting quite a few degrees and has a couple of doctorate degrees to his name!  He’s an incredibly smart man with a passion for his country and his people.  When I asked him if he ever thought about going back to America (he is a naturalized US citizen), he answered,

“No, I’ve had my time.  I want my children to have a chance now.  It’s tough knowing they are going to grow up in Haiti without any opportunities to succeed.”

Mike and Missy with Dr. Bernhard at the Orphanage in Port au Prince

Can you imagine knowing your kids were growing up in a place where they would never have a chance to truly succeed?  In a country where the unemployment rate is over 75% and where those that DO have a job average less than a $1 a day, the opportunity to help that one special little girl, “Tia,” was just too great.  We had to do it.

If you are still interested in helping us out on this journey, please join us in one of these ways:

1. Pray for Tia as often as you think of her…by name!
2. Pray for our family here in the states.  Missy and I, the boys, Katie, and our extended families.  We have seen all kinds of “stuff” happen over the past few months.  Pray we will be faithful and protected.
3. Pray for our household, for Missy and I to be good parents to this little girl and for us to break the language barrier ASAP.
4. Pray for Dr. Bernhard, his family, and the Haitian side of our adoption.  We trust God in this, but sometimes the days are still long and more than a little frightening.
5. Pray for the country of Haiti.  It’s getting close to the “storm” season where hurricanes and tropical storms will come close to the island in the Caribbean.
6. Pray for the orphanage, the safety of the children, the ladies who “mother” the children, and the building.  They are so blessed to have a great building in a poor country.  Also, they have a boy’s house and a girl’s house in Port au Prince which are both in dire need of repair.
7. Make a donation to “Help Bring TIFI Home.”  Every dollar you give helps us get one step closer to getting her home.
8. Buy a T-shirt and proudly wear it.  Get one for your friends, family, and help us spread the word.

Thanks so much!  Blessings…as we continue

we KNOW HER…

Last week was one of the greatest weeks of our lives.  Missy and I got a chance to go to the creche (Creole word which describes an orphanage for babies through age 6) and meet our daughter.

From the moment we got there, we were a little nervous.  Our biggest fear was that when we went to meet with Dr. Bernard (an UNBELIEVABLE man) he would ask us to choose which child God was leading us towards…and guess what.  Our fear was spot on!  That’s exactly what he did.  He told us he had 7 young girls which were available for adoption, and normally they would never allow parents to be a part of this process…but since we were there…

He told us he refused separate siblings (which we whole-heartedly agree with) and then proceeded to bring all of the girls into the room for us to meet.  We thought it would be difficult, but it wasn’t at all.  This one little girl walked in, quiet, shy, and very relaxed, and proceeded to sit on my lap.  She pointed toward the books on the bookshelves and from that moment on, our love of “Tia” was born.

When this little “TIFI” came in the room, we knew immediately that she was created to be a part of our family.  She had the Wilson look.  Her name is “Sansia” or Cynthia in English…but we like Tia.

We were asked not to put any pictures of her on the website or internet and we are gladly obliging in this.  You can see her eyes in the header above, and once you get the chance, you will see more pictures than you could ever imagine…trust me, I’ve taken over 200 already!

Feel free to pray for her by name now, “Tia” and our family would LOVE to have your prayers.  Thanks so much and God Bless!  Now more than ever, we NEED YOU TO BUY A T-SHIRT! Thanks.

heading out

In case you didn’t know, or in case you DID know and had forgotten, we are heading out to Haiti Friday. We will be leading a trip for BGM and are so excited to be heading to our second home!

Missy will be meeting up with part of the group in Miami while Mike is heading to NYC to meet the rest of the team. We are also going to be getting in touch with the orphanage we will be adopting from. We will have the chance to meet with the director and very possibly get to see for the first time, our little girl.

We will NOT be bringing her back at this time, in fact, we might not even know who she is when we leave Haiti. We will however know where she is and see how she lives. All of our paperwork is in Haiti now and completely out of our hands. It’s a time for us to get our lives and hearts ready for TIFI to get here. Thanks so so many of you who have helped us on this journey and who are prayerfully supporting us. Thanks!

Don’t forget you can get your “Bring TIFI Home” shirt by clicking the image on the right. For every shirt you buy or for every dollar you donate, you are helping us get TIFI ONE STEP CLOSER to being HOME!!

Order Your Shirt today…online

We have added a page to the blog!  If you are interested in ordering one of the adoption fundraiser T-shirts, you can now do that online!  We have been so blessed that some of our friends have gone out on their own and ordered some shirts for us to sell.  That means every dollar we raise goes toward the adoption!  What a blessing.

As far as ordering your shirt, it’s a 2 step process.  I know it’s a little lengthy, but it’s the only way we can do it at the moment.  Simply click this link and follow the process.  You will need to fill out the contact form and then donate through the Pay Pal Donate Button on the right side of the site or click here.

Thanks so much to those of you who have already ordered and have expressed an interest in ordering.  You guys are amazing.  Please pass the blog on to those you know and those who would like to keep up with our journey.  I know the past few days have seemed to center around fundraising and getting this shirt done,  but God continues to burden us with TIFI.  We know she’s there and we know our paperwork is at the Haitian Consulate today!  We are inch by inch coming “One Step Closer” to knowing who she is.

Help us Bring TIFI Home!

If you are curious as to how the boy’s “Lemonade Stand” went the other day, you’ll love this! They were able to raise over $100 for the adoption. It was so awesome to watch them and see their excitement…not about the money they raised…but about them playing an active part in getting their sister home! When she gets here they will be able to say they helped! Way to go D-Money and E-Dub!!