a look at all the squares

I have many new squares I need to add to the blog. Will try to get to that in the next day or two. In the mean time, here is a glimpse at the whole thing. I cry everytime I read the cards. Thanks to you all!

Merry Christmas!

I must apologize that have haven't updated here sooner. Abram, our 4 year old, was hospitalized last week for a kidney infection. Praise the Lord, he is doing much better and we were able to come home from the hospital late Christmas Eve night. We had a wonderful Christmas, celebrating our Saviour's birth, spending time playing with our children, and visiting with family. We hope your Christmas was just as special. We have been so blessed by many who have given to put snowflakes on our tree to help bring Vivian home. Many have shared our story with others. We are so thankful for family and friends, and even strangers who are willing to help an orphan find her home. We are so thankful for the love, support and prayers.

Our tree

We have had a number of dear people donate to our adoption fund. Olivia and John-Michael are having the best time making snowflakes. It warms our hearts to see them and think of each person and family coming together to help bring Vivian home! Please keep sharing our site , you may think that twenty dollars doesn't make a difference, but it does. It really does. If you give, and you ask a friend to give and on.... it adds up quick. We thank you from the bottoms of our heart and give God the glory for everything He does.

Snowflakes

12.08.10
Dear Family and Friends,
We wanted to share what’s been going on in our life and as some of you know, and some may not, we are excited to be currently going through the adoption process.
How It All Began…
We are like any other expectant parents. We wonder what our child will be like. We talk with our children about their new little sister to prepare them for a family addition. But unlike other expectant mothers, Joy prays for a child that is already born, living halfway around the world. And unlike other expectant fathers, Michael wonders if his daughter is eating enough and whether or not she is sleeping in a warm bed. Some of you are probably wondering what has prompted us to adopt. About six years ago, Joy stumbled on a blog chronicling a family’s adoption in China and she was fascinated. She began reading all she could, and soon realized that God had placed a very real burden on her heart to adopt. She shared this with Michael, but at the time, he did not feel that was the path God had for our family. Joy prayed about adoption, and what God’s will for our family would be for several years. She prayed that God would change Michael’s heart or change her burden. God answered in a very clear way, and at a time most would consider crazy. Just hours before our youngest son, Gideon, was born, God moved, and broke Michael’s heart for the orphan. We were finally on the same page and didn’t know how we would adopt, or how we would pay for it, but knew that it was God’s will for our lives, and we stepped out in faith. This verse has become very important to us in the past year.
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27
Meet Vivian Pearl YuXiang Ohler

We are adopting a little girl from China. She turned two on October 24th, and has a genetic condition called Beta Thalassemia. This means her body is unable to make normal red blood cells and as result she may need periodic or routine blood transfusions. Without medical care, most orphans in China with Beta Thalassemia die in their early teens. We have decided to name her Vivian Pearl YuXiang Ohler. Vivian means full of life, and we are sure she will be. Pearl is in honor of Joy’s Grandma and Michael’s Great Aunt, and also because Vivian’s hometown in China is famous for pearls. YuXiang is her Chinese name and we want to preserve that for her .

How Can You Be Involved?
Our request is simple and straightforward. We are not all called to adopt, but we can all play a part in this wonderful process. Would you consider taking part in the joy of adoption by joining us in prayer, helping us raise the money to bring Vivian home and contributing to her quilt?
Prayer
Prayer – Please pray for blessings over this adoption: pray for Vivian, that God would prepare her heart to be adopted. For her health, and safety as she waits, and that someone is showing her love; and for wisdom, clarity, and understanding for Michael and Joy as they raise her to know God and his son, Jesus Christ, and for protection as they travel.
Our Snowflake Fundraiser
God has been so good to provide and guide us each step of the way during this process. Now, we are very close to bringing Vivian home! We hope to travel in late January or early February. We have sold coffee, candles,and Joy’s homemade crafts, held a bbq dinner and pulled out all of our savings. As we approach the final stretch, we must pay for our travel fees, and also an additional orphanage donation of about $5,000. That sounds like a lot and it is, but a small amount to help pay back for taking care of Vivian for the first few years of her life and to help provide for those who remain behind. In this wonderful Christmas season, we thought it would be fun to have a snowflake ornament fundraiser. Each snowflake is special and uniquely created, just as all children are as well. For each $20 dollars donated we will hang a snowflake ornament with your name on the back on our tree. We hope you will help us fill up our tree this Christmas, and more importantly, help us bring Vivian home. If you can donate, that’s great and if not, we understand as well. If you feel led, please feel free to share this letter with your friends and family. Every little bit helps, and adds up quickly! We have a fund set up with Lifesong for Orphans which is a ministry dedicated to helping orphans and adopting families. Lifesong makes it possible for your contributions to be tax deductible. More than anything, we would ask for your prayers.
Vivian’s Quilt
It is a tradition in China when a child is born to make a 100 Good Wishes Quilt. Friends and Family contribute a square of fabric to be made into a quilt. They also include a card with a blessing or wish for the child. We have been collecting fabric squares and wishes to make a special keepsake for Vivian. If you haven’t already participated, we would love for you to! We need two eight inch squares of fabric, and a card or note with whatever blessing, or thoughts you want to send. We will keep all the notes with a piece of matching fabric in a scrap book, so that Vivian will be able to match the fabrics in her book to the ones in her quilt. It will be a special way for her to know she is loved and was anxiously anticipated! We are posting pictures on this blog of the fabric squares as they come. We will also post pictures of our tree this year, as it hopefully fills up with snowflakes. Please send us an email if you donate, as Lifesong doesn’t notify us of each donation as it happens, but instead sends us a general statement . They will only provide us donor names as well, not amounts so anything you give is private. Our email Ohler_4@yahoo.com
Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances – it will be an investment with an eternal return!
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
Grace and Peace,

Michael and Joy Ohler
For more information on Lifesong for Orphans please visit http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/index.htm
You can visit http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html and use paypal to send a tax-deductible donation online. Be sure to reference Ohler 1428 in the comments.
You may also make your tax-deductible checks to Lifesong for Orphans. Please reference how the donation is used by writing “Ohler 1428” in the memo section of your check, and mail it to
Lifesong for Orphans , PO Box 40/202 N Ford St., Gridley, IL 61744
*100% of all funds raised will go directly to cover adoption costs—nothing will be taken out for Lifesong for Orphans’ administrative costs. *

From the Norwood family

This beautiful square comes from a precious family at our church. Again, the love and prayers are so special.

From the Oostdyk family

Sweet church friends gave this square. Love the red and the print as well! These precious notes with each square make me cry.

From the Hampson family

This square comes from a dear church family. I've enjoyed being in Bible study with Sara and Michael and I have had the privilege of teaching their sweet girls in Sunday school. I love the polka dots, and softness of this square.

From the Keith family

This is another special family that has recently moved, and also that I miss so much. Thankfully, they aren't so far away, and we do get to visit occasionally. I love this girly fabric they sent. I also love the butterflies that so many have incorporated into the fabrics.

From the Reitsma family

This dear family recently moved way up north, to Michigan. We miss them lots, and I am so glad they sent this beautiful square to be part of Vivian's quilt.

From the McAdams family

Our friends the McAdams shared this square. I love the sweet words found in the fabric!

From cousin Bill and Family

I thought this was so cute, and true too! Love seeing the different ideas people have come up with for squares.

From cousin Maryann and family

Maryann sent this sweet girly square. She has two girls herself :)

From Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Curly

Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Curly sent this adorable square. It has all her Grandchildren on it, holding the welcome signs they made for Vivian! Precious cousins, we can't wait for Vivian to meet.

From Uncle Steve and Jeanne

Uncle Steve and Aunt Jeanne sent this from Kansas. They have a special connection to China as they lived in Hong Kong for a number of years.

From Great Grandma Mary

Michael's sweet Grandma Mary passed away just over a year ago. She would have been so excited about Vivian. Aunt Jeanne found this fabric in Grandma Mary's sewing supplies and sent it so we could have something of hers for the quilt!

From our dear friends the Millimans

Misty and Joel are two of our oldest and dearest friends. Misty told me she chose this because the color reminded her of our high school colors, where we first met.

Flowers and butterflies

Aunt Diana sent this adorable square all the way from Missouri.

Puppies and Kitties

We smiled when we saw this fabric. It definitely reminded us of Aunt Ann and Uncle Karl. Thank you for sending it!

All the way from Kansas

It means so much to us that our families are participating in Vivian's special quilt.
Grandma Stuart sent this one.

Our first quilt square

Our dear next door neighbors and church friends, the Edden family brought our very first quilt square.