I'M HIJACKING JULIA'S BLOG GIVEAWAY!!

Since my give away was a crapper, I decided to hijack Julia Nalle's blog!!! Please visit her blog at this link (copy and paste it.) http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/2012/12/no-more-worries.html Please visit this link above and follow the instructions (Donate to one of her AT boys-donate to the child on the very bottom of the Angel Tree-leave a comment on her blog in regards to who you donated to and how much-donate to as many children as you wish (REMEMBER DOMINICK 9HA!!)-then earn entries for sharing. The more AT babies you donate to, the greater your chances are of winning a prize (the biggest prize is helping them get to their goal!!) So, why you are there, make my Dominick http://reecesrainbow.org/29500/dominick-9ha one of your donations and increase your chances! There are also other give aways for other families toward the bottom of her post. Donate to them too and leave Julia a comment. So, not only do you get a chance at their prizes, you also get chances at Julia's too. ++++The big bonus is you get that extra warm feeling in your heart for helping the AT babies grants grow!!++++

BELLA AND PHOEBE SAY THANK YOU!!

Something Sweet For Dominick!

HE ONLY HAS ONE YEAR....

HE ONLY HAS ONE YEAR! ONE YEAR UNTIL HE'S TRANSFERRED. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS LITTLE BODY WON'T MAKE IT IF HE'S TAKEN TO A PLACE THAT DOESN'T OFFER THE ATTENTION HE SO BADLY NEEDS. PLEASE DONATE ANY AMOUNT TO HIS FUND ON THE LINK TO THE RIGHT (white box.) WITH A $35 DONATION YOU CAN GET AN ORNAMENT WITH HIS PICTURE ON IT. ALL TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!

I Know It Has Been Awhile...

I know. It has been awhile. I feel bad for those of you that followed, but frankly we've been quite busy. I will let you know how the girls are at the end of this post. The reason why I am starting this all again is for a sweet boy that was in Phoebe's baby house. His name is Dominick. I personally saw him several times when I was there last year. He was so tiny. So, so tiny. I can remember seeing him and looking into those eyes. He may not have seen me, but I saw him. I knew he had Down syndrome from across the room. I inched closer while playing with Pheebs. One day I got the gumption to ask one of the head caregivers if they could give me information on any children with Down syndrome they happened to have there. They gave me information on two. One is already at home with his Mom and Dad (We love you Jonas!)and the other still waits. She gave me updates on his medical and personality. I promised her that I would help to try and find him a family. So this is my effort. I am his Angel Tree Warrior and I am attempting to raise $1,000 in the month of November for his grant fund. No, we are not attempting to adopt him. Our family size is to big for his region now, but I still love that little boy and want to help his future parents (I know you are out there!!!) by helping to raise money for his adoption. So I am starting today by asking for help. No donation is to big or to small. I am trying to brainstorm a give away. If you would like to donate something to a give away, we would be happy to accept. Just keep sharing his need everyone, please! In the next few days I hope to have some type of fundraiser for him other then just begging all of you for help (which I will graciously continue to do!) Now, the girls! Phoebe and Bella are doing great!!! They both go to the same school as their brothers. They go four days a week. Bella is in extra therapy. Phoebe has grown to 37 inches tall and 30 pounds. Bella is the same weight, but three inches shorter. Phoebe loves to swing and play outside. She is quite the Princess and so strong! At night she has to be held to go to sleep. Phoebe loves our new kitten and loves our dog!! Bella loves to slide outside, but I think her favorite thing to do is be held. She loves to eat. This girl will eat fruits,vegetables, etc. Her favorite drink is Kefir. Bella was watching The Voice with me the other day and just singing along. She was dancing and holding her hand as if it were a mic. These girls have come so far. Totally different kids. I am so thankful for their mothers for giving them life!! Here is a picture of the girls for you. Keep praying for Dominick!!

My Heart Is Still There...

Yes, my heart is still there. Just a few short months ago when we brought our angels home...part of my heart stayed.



Why did I leave part of my heart there when I was given such a great gift? Such beautiful girls to call our own? The simple reason is, all of the children left behind. I know we cannot save the world, but I still worry about the world of each and every one of these kids.



I know that there are children all over the world that need families. In this country alone there are thousands in foster care, but somehow I feel like God doesn't care where that child is...just that they need us. I have seen the children in this region and met some of them. It is VERY PERSONAL for me.





The children on this post are getting ready to age out of the system. If not adopted soon, they will be living a life in an institution. Not fair. I am not going to sit here and bash any place for their ways and beliefs, it does no good (although I don't like it.) All I can say is it breaks my heart that any child should live a life in an institution just because of they way they are born. So, instead of sitting here complaining about it, I want to do something about it.




So, please take the time and look at these sweet faces. If you are not in the place to adopt...please pray, share, donate. Do whatever you felt lead to do. Please visit Reece's Rainbow at www.reecesrainbow.org. They are listed under 9HA. They will tell you how to get started. Let me personally tell you the agency in this region is amazing and the facilitators are great!










One of the last converstions I had with the woman in this building went something like this...
Lady "We have many, many children in this region with Down syndrome."

Me "Get them listed and I will try to help them find a family."

This is ME keeping my word.

I love all of my friends and family in this region. Praying for families for as many kids as possible.

Because I Feel Like It....

I've decided to take it upon myself to sit at my computer and stalk adoption websites and blogs. Even if I don't really have personal stake or have knowledge of what these families go through, I am going to make a mockery of their situations. When I have decided who appears to be struggling at fundraising or just having a hard time with maybe waiting or agency issues, those people will be my main target. Then I will stalk those sites or any sites linked with them and stalk them too. I will (or my group) will start leaving hateful comments on these blogs to see if I can break these families spirits (hehehehehehehe!) I might even try to dig up some dirt about these families. If it isn't juicy enough, I will add some lies to the truth and spread it around. Heck, I might even start a website to spread these rumors and lies. One of my favorite things to do is pick certain families who have had problems and use them as leverage in my comments. Disruption is one of my favorites, because anybody that knows anything realizes that you should keep a child no matter what. Even if this child is causing issues, hurting other children and may destroy your marriage...you should still keep them. I don't buy it one bit that the child can tell they don't fit in. You are all full of it. Finding a home that they feel secure in doesn't matter. You are a quitter!! We all know that if you don't have over 30k in your pockets that you can't raise a child. You should be able to crap it out!!! So fundraising is a joke!!! If you go to another country and meet the child, and you don't feel a connection or you find that you can't handle the issues the child has, you should still bring them home anyways. Don't bother finding a child that is best for all parties involved. Their happiness and yours is not an issue. Well, I am off here for a little bit. I have got to see what family is next. More emotions to stomp on and evil to spread....

WHO THE HECK IS SHE?? WHO DIED AND MADE HER GOD??? I know exactly what you are thinking, I don't have any right to say or do these things. My family and many of my friends have been under attack by a group of haters on the net and some close to us. As ludicrous as it sounds, this is what we have faced day after day. I would never do these things, but this is how it is for us. There is evil in this world. The same evil continues with new families committing and the ones that are still in process. Some of us that are home get it too. I want all of my fellow adoptive families to hold your heads up high. Keep on keeping on. No matter what happens, there will always be somebody trying to make you stop your adoption. Don't let that happen to you. Pray. God will steer you in the right direction. Fight on my friends!!!!

What Are We Doing Now?

Our girls have been so busy with appointments. They are probably ready to slow down a little. Phoebe has started school two days a week and is doing well. She has started on her thyroid meds and takes them with no complaints. Every time we put her on the potty she goes!! She had a hearing test today and didn't do so well. She has fluid in both ears which could be the culprit. There is a referral in for the ENT doctor, so it looks like Phoebe may be getting tubes.

Bella has been pretty busy too! She had her hearing test today and did extremely well. She has fluid in one ear and her tonsils are HUGE, so it looks like that ENT referral is the right way to go for her also. Bella started physical therapy last week. Today she got her Sure Steps. They went to the eye doctor this week with their brothers and will go back next Monday. Bella has an appointment next week with occupational therapy for her chewing issues.

The girls are growing like crazy and keeping us pretty busy. Here are some pictures of them so you can see how they are doing.

Lots of Love!!
Lisa

Chasing Our Tails..

Yes, we have been chasing our tails. It has been appointment after appointment. We want our girls to get what they need, so we are doing our best to get them there and get things started.



Phoebe is going to school!! Next Tuesday she will start in transition classes. I'm not sure if I've posted that Phoebe brought home an intestinal bug with her. She has been treated for that. Phoebe has seen the cardiologist, endocrinologist, international clinic, Ds clinic, and therapists. Her heart is clear. Her thyroid not so much. We will start her on thyroid meds today. She has been fitted for "Chipmunks" and will have to wear those shoe inserts. We have appointments for the eye doctor coming up. Phoebe's behaviors are getting better, some days are better then some. She definitely is one tough cookie. Phoebe likes to eat pretty much anything, except for spaghetti. Really? I guess Italian food is out for this one. We cannot get her into the dentist until fall. Her teeth look pretty good though. Phoebe loves attention. Her favorite toys are Elmo and Magna Doodles. She loves Apple Juice and Kefir to drink.









Bella is being evaluated for preschool. She should start soon. Bella also brought home an intestinal bug with a second one to boot. She is currently being treated with three different meds for that. Bella has seen cardiology, international adoption clinic, Ds clinic, therapists, and had a video swallow study done. Her heart and endocrine are clear. She flunked her video. She is aspirating on thin liquids, so everything has to be thickened to nectar. Bella will be fitted for "Sure Steps" and will go to physical therapy in the next couple weeks. She walks on the inside of her feet and her ankles turn in. She has an eye doctor appointment coming up and a visit with OT for feeding issues. She still is not chewing. Bella loves food and will eat anything that we can feed her, but it seems like Mac and Cheese and Kefir are her favorites. We can't get Bella into the dentist until fall either. Her teeth seem to be doing well. Bella seems to love trucks and cars the most. She doesn't play with certain toys. She is much happier being right beside us and/or walking around holding onto her walking toys.




I will do my best to keep everyone in the loop. Many more appointments to come...and for the first time ever...SCHOOL!!!!!

Life Goes On...

I know it has been awhile since we have updated, but we seem to be kind of busy. I feel like I owe people updates on the girls. As you can see here they are getting along better day by day. They often imitate each other. They act like they have been together for a long time. The love each other and they fight with each other. Just like sisters :)





Bella is changing day by day. She is TAKING STEPS!! Only 1-3 steps at a time, but it is a move forward. She is weighing in at 23 pounds and is 33 inches tall. She has this thing where she starts this long lecture if Phoebe throws clothes on the floor. Bella is quite the character.





Phoebe is weighing in at 29 pounds and is 35 inches long. Phoebe eats anything. This girl can hold her own. Phoebe is strong. She has mastered the sippee cup. Phoebe likes to carry a certain toy or paper around with her all day long. We went to the Endocrine clinic and Phoebe's labs came back normal. The girls were cleared by Cardiology and don't have to go back. They went to the International Adoption Clinic and had a bunch of blood work drawn. We also had to gather multiple stool samples to check for any type of abnormality. We should know within the next few days if anything shows up. As soon as we find anything out, we will let all of you know :)

Abandoned

Have you ever drove past a house and thought it was so beautiful? Then for some reason this house becomes abandoned. Who knows why, but nobody ever moves back in. As the years go by, time slips away, and the house falls apart. The windows crack. The paint chips. The bricks crumble. The foundation slips away. Time without love and someone living inside the heart of the home often makes it fall apart. The same thing happens to our kids.




I would like to introduce you to this little girl. Well, she's not little. She is SIXTEEN. Yes, she is sixteen years old. She will be turning seventeen in August. Then her chance for adoption will be over. She will live her life, or what is left of it in an institution. I am not here to judge any culture or any person. I am not pointing fingers. That is not the point. I could scream and yell and tell this person or that person that what they are doing is wrong. Maybe it would change in time, so our kids could have the life they deserve, but our kids don't have time. They need us. Me. You. The next person. There has been a lot of negativity with horrible troll comments dragging families and and their future adopted children through the ground. Fighting among Ds families. People pointing fingers at Reece's Rainbow. Rumors. Lies. Maybe some truth. While all of this is happening, this girl is waiting. She is waiting when she should be home getting ready for her prom. So, if you don't like Reece's Rainbow, for a personal reason or because of what you have been told, then that is your choice. I am a supporter of Reece's Rainbow and I always will be. Instead of fighting about this though with me, or anyone else, move forward. If there is a child you want to adopt and you don't like this organization...please by all means find another one to help you. Find another agency to work with you. It is not about any certain agency or non profit, it is about our children. It is about children here in our country and all over the world. We have got to stop fighting. We have to stop defending ourselves against trolls who thrive on pain they like to inflict, because for every blasted moment we spend on them, we are losing precious time. These children are losing precious time.

If it is about picking others apart. Remember there is still sin, but we still have faith. There is crime, but we still have trust. There is divorce, but there still is marriage. There is death, but we still live. There is darkness, but there still is light. There is grief, but we still have happiness. There is hate, but we still have love. Please remember this little girl in your prayers. Remember every single child in every single country that needs a family. No orphanage, no matter how nice it is, is ever going to take the place of a family that will love them as part of their family. I see the change every day in my girls faces. My heart aches for the ones I left behind. If you are not in the position to adopt, please pray for the children left behind. If you feel inclined to donate, please visit www.reecesrainbow.org and you can pick a child or family in process. If you are in a position to adopt, please feel free to seek Reece's Rainbow's help. If you do not want help from us, then seek an agency that can help you. Please, just remember the bottom line. Our children. Get to them whatever way you can.

Our Road

In 2003 we went to a foster parent conference, and there we met Robin Steele from the DSAGC. Little did we know that on that day, our lives would be changed. Although I already had an Aunt with Down syndrome it had not even crossed my mind about adopting a child with Down syndrome. Not that I wouldn't, but I guess I didn't know that programs existed. We were already home study approved and were thinking about adoption. After we met her and her children...took her class about Down syndrome...I looked at my husband and told him I thought this was something we could do. We filled out the application and then about four months later A came to live with us.

A was in foster care. His birth mother had given birth to him in the hospital and left him there. She was mentally ill and unable to care for him. There were things in our minds that we didn't think we could handle. If they had told us the things little A had endured while she was pregnant, we probably would have said no. They placed A into my arms. My husband and I looked at him and we knew he was ours. Then they told us all the stuff he had been through...no prenatal care...abuse during pregnancy...open heart at three months...coding after birth...sleep apnea...g tube...tube feeding...breathing treatments...severe cardiac defect...it all sounded daunting. Looking into those beautiful blue eyes made those things seem less of a burden and more of a challenge. Something we could learn and overcome with him. Not that it was something we had to overcome, but something we had to fight along side of him with. This boy needed us. He needed parents. We were it.

Now, the last nine years have not been a piece of cake. There have been some rough times. A lot of sleepless nights. A lot of surgeries. A lot of therapies. A lot of chasing after him when he runs from you in a crowded place. A lot of fights with people that have no clue what they are talking about. A lot of ignorance. Did I say A LOT OF IGNORANCE??? A lot of diapers. A lot of meds. A lot of fighting for him. With all that and more, there were also very good times. There are still very good times. You see, when we adopted him we made him a part of our family. For us, there was no giving up. A is my boy. He will always be my baby. If anyone knows me, they know that. He loves his Dad. He loves his sisters and his brothers. He is just as much a part of me as my birth children. We are realistic and know that his behaviors and issues will be a life long process for him. He will never get rid of them, but we will stand beside him every single day and help him fight. We will help him make his life the best it can be. We will help A have a great quality of life. He will get everything he needs. A has many people that love him. He has his family and his school. His teachers at Starlight and his therapists who fight for him and what he needs. We love A. I couldn't imagine my life without him.

In 2005 we were chosen to be parents of E. I had talked to his birth mother several times through email and was to be in Massachusetts for his birth. This was a wonderful experience. She loved him very much. She still does. We keep in touch so she can see him grow. When E was born he had a severe cardiac defect. A few hours after his birth his oxygen sats dropped and he started turning blue. After they stabilized him he was taken to UMASS Memorial where he spent eleven days. We spent the rest of four weeks at a local hotel until ICPC could be done. At six months E had open heart surgery. Poor kiddo hadn't gained any weight for three months because of his heart. Then at almost two years of age E coded on my husbands lap in the ER. He was life flighted to NWCH and spent four weeks there. E had his second open heart surgery where he had a pacemaker and defibrillator placed. E has been through a lot, but even though we worry every single day about his heart...we wouldn't trade any day he is with us. Other then his heart, E has no other serious medical conditions. E runs, jumps and plays like any other child. He is in school and is learning. E can count, says his ABC's, sings like there is no tomorrow and can recite the pledge. We know that as E grows, he has many more surgeries in his future. E carries so much love with him. Anyone that knows him loves him. It's hard not to.

If you have been to our blog before, you have read about our Carmen. I miss that little girl so much. Losing your daughter is hard. She never got to see the sun or the moon. Now, Carmen dances with the angels. No tubes, no scars...a perfect little heart.




Then there are our two little girls. We love them very much. We know our road has just started with them, but we feel the road we have been on has helped prepare us for this. It has brought to us the tools we need to give our girls the life they deserve. Once again, we know this road may have bumps, but we are ready. The appointments and therapies are beginning. Just to let everyone know, Phoebe's labs have came back normal for her thyroid. We are not sure why they were abnormal the first time. She is playing and interacting with her brothers. Miss Phoebe is a very present personality. She lets everyone know she is there :) Bella is growing leaps and bounds. She is a quiet girl, but is learning her voice. Bella is wrapping people around her tiny little finger. Yes, she still has her sassy looks :)





For anyone that wonders, these girls are not going anywhere. There are no plans or even fleeting thoughts that they will go anywhere. They are a part of our family. For good times and bad, they are our daughters. We brought them into our family. They are here forever.

Doctors Visits and Such

The girls have been doing well. I am sorry about not updating much. Facebook is so much easier for me. It's just point and click then post. We have applied for Social Security cards. The girls have seen the pediatrician and had blood work. Phoebe has hypothyroidism and just saw the Endocrinologist today. We will know by the end of the week what dose she should be on. Bella and Phoebe have appointments with the International Adoption Clinic, Down syndrome Clinic, Cardiologist and have been caught up on their shots. I am working on getting the paper work ready to register them for the Russian Consulate.

Phoebe is eating well and it seems like her bowel issue is under control. Her institutional behaviors are getting better as the days go by. Did I mention she gives the best hugs? Bella is eating well, but still cannot chew. We talked to our EI specialist Eileen today about things we could do to help that. Bella has changed a great deal from a little girl who just laid around to a little girl who is finding her voice. She also crawls all over the place.

I hope you enjoy the pics. They are wonderful. There are bumps along the road, but I feel almost guilty about how they just fit. I love all of you and thanks for everything. I will never forget what you have done for us.