Our Give1Save1 video

In case you didn't get a chance to see it the first time around, or if you're like Kelly and just like to watch it over and over and over and over again :), here is our video from the amazing week at Give1Save1. Our friends, family and even amazing people we don't know gave us our biggest fundraising week ever!

 We hope you enjoy the video and thank you for taking time to listen to our story.

 

An Ode to my Father

Today is my dad's birthday! 

Happy birthday to you,

happy birthday to you,

happy birthday dear dad,

happy birthday to you!

My father has taught me so much. He is such a loyal man, offers great advice, understands the emotional aspect of decision making (this is a big one for me, ha), is a wonderful family leader and has such a servant's heart. He has showed me what it means to serve others and has made me truly believe "this, too, shall pass."

Love you dad. Hope you have a wonderful birthday and we wish we could be with you to celebrate!

Christmas Spirit

Nick and I have the whole get the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving tradition. Well, we stuck with that this year. We even brought the few plastic totes of decorations and ornaments we have up from the basement and got the lights on the tree. And now? Two weeks later? That's all that is still there. And those plastic totes? Stacked on top of each other in our bedroom (only because my 94 year old grandpa flew into Colorado to visit this past weekend and I didn't want them sitting in the living room. Otherwise, they'd still be there). I'm not sure what it is that has made me less jump head first into decorating for Christmas than normal. I've also been really wanting an Advent calendar for many years. My mom bought us one last year, which is sitting on buffet table in the dining room, but here's my other confession...I've only done two days of Advent. I'm sure not all bah humbugy and I'm enjoying the excitement of celebrating Jesus' birthday, Christmas music and apple cider, but I just have a little less energy this year.

I also did something else out of character for me. I bought our daughter a present. It has been easier for me to try and distance myself from tangible things that make my heart ache more than it already does, so our little one does not have a bedroom that has been planned yet, or toys ready to be played with, or stuffed animals gathering dust. Want to see what we bought? 

 
Amazon is having a great sale on selected Melissa and Doug toys for $10 for today only. Another doll I have my eye on is this gem: 

Her name is Rahel and she's Ethiopian! Unfortunately, this one won't be making it into our house (at least until we bring our daughter home!).

Tomorrow, Nick and I will be starting the day early running around to take care of some adoption-related paperwork. How many times do you think two people could ever be fingerprinted? I should open my own storefront. The good news...our medical documents expire in the not too distant future (at least in international adoption terms) and our agency didn't recommend that we needed to get them redone immediately. Maybe we'll be bringing her home sooner than we think?! Here's hoping...

Give1Save1 Final Total

Can you guys believe this past week?! The Mortellite household certainly cannot. We will post a proper thank you, hopefully attempting to convey at least a sliver of the gratitude we feel to those who supported and lifted us up this week. Until then...inquiring minds may want to know our final total.....drumroll...

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$4590!!!!! 

That number is astounding. I must mention that we have adoption payments due this week totaling...$4590. So as our Give1 week came to an end, we were just a few hundred dollars shy of fully funding those payments. A very generous person knew of the payments coming up and made up the last bit through their donation. I'm still processing this week, and if you ask me about it in person, I make no promise that I won't get a bit teary. You guys are the best.

Simple Language for Adoptive Families giveaway!

Hey all! Today is the LAST day for the awesome Give1Save1 Amharic Simple Language for Adoptive Families giveaway. Go check it out and enter for your chance to WIN!

I like him!

Shhh....don't tell Nick...

What's new?

Hey guys! What's going on? Nothing too much around here...pretty quiet week for us.

WHAT?! No way! We've got crazy things happening this week over here. Well, actually not so much here. More here. Go check it out and spread the word! While you're at it, you can read a few other ways to help if you missed it from earlier this week.