Sweet Caroline- Help Bring her HOME

To be honest, this is so, so humbling to ask for help. To preface, we tend to be proud people, who strive for financial and physical independence, so it's strange to find ourselves in the position where we have to surrender that pride, and sincerely ask that if you have a heart to help us, or a heart for adoption, to please, please consider helping us bring the most precious girl we've ever seen home forever. Lord-willing, we will be traveling in MAY or JUNE 2017 to China to pick her up and bring her back home!


Kris and I have been married for seven years. We have three sons: Keegan (5), Bennett (3) and Smith (1). We plan to adopt our daughter, Caroline (almost 2) from China. I (Mandy) was called to adopt from China when I was nine years old in Miss Bosch’s third grade classroom. I attended a Christian school, where she read us the story of Gladys Aylward, the Christian missionary who saved hundreds of Chinese orphans during World War II. I began writing stories about the little girl I would someday adopt from China, and still have my Asian American Girl Bitty Baby doll as a testament to that calling as a little girl.

Due to anxiety, I had assumed I was unable to adopt from China, and committee to figure out how we could adopt into our family. We started the process to adopt from the foster care system back in Michigan. Two days before our home study was completed, we learned that we were unexpectedly pregnant with our third son. We were thrilled, yet found ourselves mourning the halting of the adoption process. Soon after our youngest son, Smith, was born we received a job transfer out to Denver, Colorado. After relocating in March of 2016, we quickly realized that although we were called to adopt, we were no longer equipped to adopt via foster care since we had left our entire support system behind in Michigan.

I called an agency for some preliminary information so we could begin to plan for an international adoption down the road. Imagine my surprise when I found out that China had lifted the restriction on those of us who struggle with controlled anxiety from adopting! We still planned on waiting, but were overwhelmed and overjoyed when we found our sweet daughter so quickly. Her face was familiar, like we’d known her forever. Her medical file didn’t scare us, and we just knew that this was the child we’d been praying years for.

We are so confident, as we’ve seen this process move much more quickly than we anticipated. We are so ready to bring Caroline home. Currently, our only hindrance to this adoption are our finances. After moving across the country, doubling our mortgage to do so, and also increasing our cost of living dramatically, we have found ourselves in the position where we have to humble ourselves to the point of asking for help.

We cannot do this alone. We are so committed to this adoption- we are currently applying to FIFTEEN grant foundations at the same time. We have sold everything we can possibly sell (garage sale, eBay, jewelry, engagement ring, etc), and have been able to pay a total of $7500 out of pocket thus far,  and will also be pursuing a few more fundraising opportunities before we travel. We have personally budgeted so much, and are cutting as many costs as possible- but its’ still not enough. We need YOU. We vow to be incredible stewards of the finances we are blessed with for this adoption. We plan to raise our daughter well, cling to Jesus and to love her as our own. We pray that she grows to know how LOVED and totally VALUABLE she is.

Truthfully, we don't feel comfortable simply asking for money without providing something in return, so if you feel inclined, we are requesting a minimum $25 donation per t-shirt that so perfectly depicts our Sweet Caroline:


AM I RIGHT?! Perfect for anything- from church to the bar! :)

All funds raised will be used for the Agency Fees, Overseas Fees, and Orphanage Fees.

Please make sure to message me your shipping address, along with the size(s) you are requesting. Shirts range from adult size Small-XL. Locals: I would prefer to hand deliver your shirts so we can save on shipping costs :) NO SHIRTS WILL BE SHIPPED UNTIL WE END THE CAMPAIGN, as they will all be ordered at the same time to reduce the cost of shirts.

Thank you so much for even reading this far, choosing to help us through prayer, emotional support, or financial support. We are amazed by the love we've recieved thus far, and are honored to be able to rely on YOU to help us bring our girl home!

Love you guys,

The Karolkiewiczes