Orphan Sunday - Meet James

My daughter is an orphan no more.  She has a mother and a family.  

She was an orphan, but has now been found.  

She is loved.  She is cared for. She is a daughter.

When I traveled to Colombia to meet and pick up my sweet girl, I was given the amazing opportunity to visit the orphanage where she had spent so many years.  It was such an emotional day.  Those children seemed so happy to see us and to see their friend back for a visit.  Their Friend.  They were all friends, family of sorts.  Most didn't know any different.  They had each other and that made them happy.  Yet, at the same time, they followed us around, clung to us, seeking any tiny amount of attention.  They asked repeatedly about "Majo's Mama".  They wanted to touch and be touched, they were aching for a family of their own.  The emotions so mixed, it was very hard to walk through and picture my girl there.  It was even harder to realize that these kids were her friends, they were who she had spent most of her life with.  They loved her and she loved them....and we left them behind.  We visited, we hugged and touched and smiled and then, we left.  I will NEVER forget the faces of those little ones as we walked through.  The looks in their eyes, happy to see their friend, happy to be getting a few minutes of love and attention and aching for the love of a family at the same time.

There were 150 kids living there.  3 had families coming for them.  That is just one orphanage, in one small town, in one country.  There are orphans in EVERY country of the world. There are most likely orphans in your town, right down the street.  A child who needs a family.  A family who needs support.  An organization that needs volunteers.  There is opportunity to help right around the corner.

 Today is a day set aside for people to acknowledge that there are kids out there without families.  

And to do something about it.

Here is a link to a great blog post of specific things you can do for Orphan Sunday.

Orphan Sunday 2014

On this Orphan Sunday I'd like to introduce you to one special little boy.  This boy is from the same country as Josie.  He has no family and is desperately in need of one.  I first read about him from an organization that helps raise awareness and advocates specifically for orphans from other countries who have Down syndrome.
Reece's Rainbow is the organization where I first saw Lizzy.  After the Russian ban, through another adoptive parent met via Reece's Rainbow social network, I found Josie.  One of the ways that Reece's Rainbow helps families is by fundraising.  Or rather offering a place where families can have funds donated into a grant for the child they are working to adopt.  They also have grants set up for orphans who don't have families committed to them yet. That way, when a family does commit to that specific child, there are a bit of grant funds that the family can use toward adoption expenses.

Every year, near Christmas, Reece's Rainbow hosts their Angel Tree.  Individuals chose a specific child in need of a family and work to raise funds to increase that child's grant.  And also raise awareness for the child they are 'sponsoring' with the greatest hope, that someone will see the child and feel led to bring them home.

This year, I am an Angel Tree Warrior for an adorable little boy called 'James'.
 ('James' is just a nickname to provide some privacy.)
James is three years old.  He has Down syndrome and is healthy. 
He is such a handsome boy, isn't he?

For the next two months, I will be hosting a few different fundraisers, saving change and crafting A LOT to help increase James' grant amount by $1000.
Would you like to help?  You can donate to James' grant by clicking the link in the upper right corner. (or click on his picture above.) You can share this blog in hopes that maybe James' family will see him.  Maybe there is a Mama (or Papa) sitting out there right now, just wondering about adding this darling boy into their family.  If you share him, maybe they will see him.  (Or is that you!?!)  And you can pray for him.  Pray that he stays healthy while he's waiting for his family, pray that his family finds him,
pray that someday he knows he is loved.

Full of Thanks for Firsts

November 1st - The beginning of a month of Thankfulness.  I've attempted to write a blog post of 'thanks' each day for the month of November for the past two years.  This year I'm at it again.  I've been a little behind with the posts since we've been home, but this is my hope to catch up and blog a little more regularly!  I have SO many things to be thankful for this November...(all the time really)!  I'm certain I won't have trouble filling each day...as long as I can find the time to post it!

Today, on the first day of November, I'm thankful for many months of firsts!  We've experienced so many first times, first tastes, first visits, first experiences, first falls, first climbs, firsts of every kind!  I've shared some pictures of firsts, but here are some of my favorites... (warning...this post is LOADED with pictures!!)

First time meeting Grandma & Grandpa. 

Now known as Bamma and Bapa.

 First time sleeping in her own bed....best night ever!

                                                                         First day home.

 First time playing with her own toys,

in her own room.

First time in the pool.
I wonder if she thinks she's part fish.

 First toes in the ocean (which quickly turned into 

first whole body dip in the ocean)

First jog with Mama.

First toy picked out at the toy store, 

purchased and brought home to keep.

First lick of the beater while making cupcakes.

 First time at church, 

meeting new friends.

 First pink toenails

 First visit to the golf course.

 First cupcake baking at home with Mama.

 First day of school.

First ice cream cone, first swing and first trip to the playground...all in the same day!!!

First visit to the dentist...that little mouth looks good!!

  First attempt at piggie tails.

Her hair is growing so long and beautiful.

First tries using her new walker.  She loves the independence it gives her!

First visit to the ENT...gonna get ear tubes!

First trip to the ophthalmologist...and first time trying on glasses.

You can see how well this first went!

First visit to orthopaedics.
Hips and neck got an A+, legs get AFO's.

 First visit to the cardiologist.

Found a second defect we didn't know about,

BUT nothing surgical!!

(This was by far the girl's LEAST favorite Dr. visit!)

First 'real' beach day!
She could spend all day here.

First time standing on her own! 

What a big girl!!

First surgery...

Ear tubes are in and boy what a difference!!

First time seeing a real cow.

Somehow our favorite animal, before ever seeing one?

Her reaction...so scary!!

First visit to Disney World AND first encounter with a princess.  Rapunzel was like a dream come true....all of that HAIR!!!

 First Down syndrome awareness month.

First sick day.

Not a favorite first,

 but there sure were

lots of snuggles.

First movie night (and craft) in PJs!
Charlotte's Web...talking animals, especially cows,
perfect pick for this girl!!

First bounce in a bounce house.

More like, first 'flop' but she still loved it!

First pumpkin picking from the pumpkin patch.                                              Yes, absolutely 'Cutest in the Patch'!

 

First holiday party at school.  She loved dressing up for her Halloween Super Hero and Princess Party!

First team sport AND first trophy!  

Buddy Ball was hard work, but she loved running in the dirt and was pretty pleased with the trophy she received for a great season!

First Halloween and Trick-or-Treat.

She had to be a cow.  It's her favorite.

She asked (signed) 'Candy' 'Please' at every

house and 'Thank-you' after getting over the excitement

of choosing from the bowl full of candy in front of her.

 

First pumpkin carving.  She LOVED watching us scoop out pumpkin guts (but wanted nothing to do with touching them herself). She thought carving out faces was the greatest idea in the world!

I can't begin to explain how grateful I am to be able to experience all of these firsts with this amazing little girl.  Her excitement level is off the charts.  She is the most expressive child and makes each new experience seem like it's the best day of her life.  (or the worst if heart monitors or EKG machines are involved!)

She is growing so much EVERY day.  Moving, climbing, cruising...she's become so active and I love it!  She picks up a new sign almost daily and retains what she's learning after only a few days of practice.  She works so hard to figure things out and is anything but a quitter.  The more she realizes there is for her to explore and learn, the more she seeks to go and do. 

She is so full of life and I am so thankful be able to be a part of that life.  

I love her so much!

Four

Today is a very special day.  It's a day that my heart is celebrating and aching at the same time.  It's a day that a special little girl, on the other side of the world, is meant to be celebrated.  She's meant to be pampered and spoiled and loved and hugged and kissed.  Surprised with balloons and cake and presents.   Today, that special little girl turns four.  Another year older. Another birthday, alone.  I'm sure she's grown taller, I bet she's mastered a few more skills.  I hope and pray that today, someone kisses the top of her head and tells her that she is loved.  Tells her that she is meant to be...

 She will always hold a special place in my heart.  She has touched lives in a way I'm sure she'll never realize and she is the part of a much bigger plan, that I will never quite understand, but God knows.  She was the start of something....incredible.  Incredibly beautiful and incredibly heartbreaking.  She is twisted pretty tightly into the path of Josie's homecoming.  She opened my eyes and my heart.  She was unknowingly placed in a holding pattern, that resulted in another little girl being brought into a family.  Another little girl, who woke up today with a kiss from her Mama, a cupcake for breakfast, a pretty bow in her hair.  Another little girl who will go to school with her friends, spend time with her Grandma and enjoy an afternoon playing with her Mama.  Maybe swinging at the park or walking along the ocean.  Another little girl who will devour a delicious dinner, splash in the bathtub, read books in her Mama's lap and get rocked to sleep with lullabies.  Another little girl who will get one last kiss from her Mama before bed.  Of course, that first little girl, who gets to be celebrated today, has no idea that those people exist.  She has no idea that she is such an important part of their lives. But... I pray everyday that she will someday find out.  Someday.

Today, we had cupcakes for breakfast.  Her 'sister' helped bake them and took some to school to celebrate this special day.  Today, we will swing a little extra and enjoy a little extra time outside.  Today, we will sing and blow out candles.

 

 

                               Today, we will celebrate a little girl who deserves to be celebrated.  

And pray that someday, she will get to be a part of her celebration.  

We will continue to love a special little girl, who deserves to be loved. And pray that someday, she will know how very loved she is.  Pray that someday, she will get to feel the love of her family.  

For today....

 

Happy Birthday, Lizzy Bear! 

   

One Less

One Less

There's a child.

Been abandoned on out on the street,

now she's waiting for someone to be her miracle.

There's a wife.

Somewhere half way around the world,

begging God for a little girl she can call her own.

Well, worlds collide,

and colors fade

and a man and wife

brought their little girl home today!!

And there's one less

ONE LESS

one less broken heart in the world tonight

Yeah there's One Less

one less

One less broken heart in the world tonight!

We are called,

to the widows and the orphans

but it's easy to ignore their silent cries.

Oh, but every single time

somebody reaches into the darkness,

makes a choice to help the helpless

they let mercy save a life.

And there's one less

One Less

one less broken heart in the world tonight

Yeah there's one less

ONE LESS

one less broken heart in the world tonight!

Well the truth is we are all the orphans,

But love has left the ninety-nine

just to find the one....

So let worlds collide,

colors fade.

Let your life,

be the miracle today!

Tonight I know there's one less

One Less

one less broken heart in the world tonight

One less night alone
One less child without a home
One less birthday gone forgotten
One more soul rising from the bottom

One less night alone
One less child without a home
One less birthday gone forgotten
One more soul rising from the bottom
One less
One less
There's one less broken heart in the world tonight!!!