Help this family raise $ and awareness for their 2nd adoption!

I have been following this family's blog since their first adoption of a beautiful princess named Milana. They have just recently decided to go back to get a 2nd baby. But, they need help. Click HEREto be directed to their blog. By spreading the word, or donating as little as $10, you can be entered into their drawing for an iPad2 plus wifi! Go to their blog to read all the details. I know, I know. You think that nobody ever "wins" things like that. Well, remember my post here for Lydiah's new family? Just by making that blog post, I was entered into their drawing for a few prizes, one of them being a $100 Visa Gift Card, which I WON. So, if you can't donate, by reposting this on FB, Twitter, your own blog, etc., not only are you helping to spread the word about this family's fundraiser AND international/special needs adoption in general, you also have the chance at a great "prize". :)

The Starfish Story

Once upon a time, there was a wise old man,
who went to the sea to contemplate.

One day, while walking along the shore,
the wise old man looked down the beach,
and saw a gracefully dancing human figure.
The wise old man wondered out loud,

"Who would be dancing all alone on the beach?”

He began to walk faster to catch up.
Getting closer, the wise man saw that the dancer
was a child, who was not dancing at all.
The child was reaching down to the sand to pick up
something, and was very gently throwing it into the sea.
The man called out to the child,

“Good Morning! What are you doing?”

The child paused, looked up and replied,

“Throwing Starfish into the sea.”

Surprised, the man said,

“Yes, I see that, but WHY are you throwing Starfish into the sea?”

The child smiled brightly, pointed upward and
with perfect simplicity replied,

“The sun is up, and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them in, they will die.”

“But, don’t you realize, “asked the man,
“that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it?
You can’t possibly make a difference!”

The child listened politely.
Then bent down, picked up another Starfish,
threw it gently into the sea, just beyond the breaking waves,
and joyfully declared,

“It made a difference for that one.”

Even the Biebs has a passion for helping babies in EE. :-D

Justin Bieber has declared that he hopes to able to help provide comfort for Romanian orphans.

In an interview with CNN, the 'Baby' singer explained that he recently became aware of the growing number of abandoned children in the Eastern European nation.

"In Romania there are a lot of orphans... that are never touched or loved," he said. "That's really sad for me."

The star added: "I want to go over there and just hold them."

Bieber also noted that the late Michael Jackson's philanthropy has inspired his own desire to become an advocate for displaced children around the globe.


<3 him!

Waiting Wednesday

As you know, I usually struggle each Wednesday to pick a child to focus on for WW. Not this week. This week's decision was easy.

This is Hanson.

Here is what Hanson's RR profile says. You can view it yourself by click on his name above.
Boy, Born September 2005

HELP! I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRANSFERRED!

Don't mind the pink shirt, this is a boy!

From his medical records: Congenital defect of the central nervous system, rachischisis of transverse part of spine, internal hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneostomia, flail legs (low extremities paraparesis).

Hanson has been transferred to the mental institution already. He is living in a very rural place, and is a "lost boy" now. Hope someone will advocate for him!

I have mentioned before that children with mental and/or physical dissabilites (even mild ones- ones that would be easily fixed in the U.S.)in this particular country are typically transferred from "baby houses" to adult mental insitutions around the age of 4. Sometimes, if they're "lucky" (like you can call it that), the baby houses will keep them for a little while longer. Hanson was born in September of 2005 and was *just* transferred to one of these instituions, like within the last month.
The Nalle Family know all too well what this institution is like. They resued their son, Aaron, from this same place last year. Here are Julia Nalle's words about sweet Hanson. Click on their name to view the Nalle's blog and see what a beautiful transformation their "Lost Boy" has made in the last year.
Hanson


A Lost Boy


At Aaron's old institute


TRANSFERRED


BREAK.MY.HEART


I can tell you what he does every day.


NOTHING.


The boys who lay in the cribs NEVER EVER EVER go out.


They lay there day after day.


No one EVER picks them up.


There are too many with too little caretakers to watch over them.


They become stiff in their beds.


Hanson is there.


He is a Lost Boy.


Transferred.


He will die there.


Along with the other 40 boys who are laying in their cribs.


Hour after hour.


Day after lonely day.


HANSON


Lost.


There is hope for him if someone would be willing to cross the ocean and get him.


He has not been there long.


There is hope.


I've heard that some people don't like to call adoption rescue.


I don't know what else to call it.


For Hanson - It is rescue. Pure and simple.




“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.’

Guess who has a family?!

Remember this post? On a 'Waiting Wednesday' I posted about two little girls named Shawna and Lindsay who are in the same facility in EE. I posted about them together, saying they'd be great sisters. Well, guess what?! The Eubanks family must have thought the same thing and have recently committed to bringing both of them home! Check out their blog here and follow their journey to bring their new daughters home!!

Reminders - Eating Disorder Recovery

It's been one of those days, and it's not even noon yet.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

When you love your body, you are most able to share its pleasures with those who light your heart.
Huitaco

All of you surely know that you are God's temple and that his Spirit lives in you.
-1 Corinthians 3:16

I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am.
Sylvia Plath

The words "I am" are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you're claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you.
A.L. Kitselman

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
-1 Samuel 16:7

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
— Dr. Seuss

At this very moment, you may be saying to yourself that you have any number of admirable qualities. You are a loyal friend, a caring person, someone who is smart, dependable, fun to be around. That's wonderful, and I'm happy for you, but let me ask you this: are you being any of those things to yourself?
Phillip C. McGraw

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
-Matthew 6:25

Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.
Les Brown

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
-Vincent Van Gogh

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church
-Ephesians 5:29

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there.
Cecil Selig

I feel my body, my mind, weighted down - all is heavy - but my blood, my inner fire, my passion, the little unburdened kid in me, patiently wait to burst free. Some of us die never having burst.
Drew Sirtors

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.
— Dr. Seuss

Watch

Waiting Wednesday

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:8-9
And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
Matthew 18:5
I have posted about this little one on facebook before. Her name is Xenia and she is in the same orphanage as Bogdan. I decided to post about her because there was a new blurb put in her RR profile recently. They now have reason to believe that Xenia may have Retinoblastoma.

Xenia M.
Date of Birth: March 2009
Gender: Female
Eyes: Gray
Hair: blond


Xenia has low tone and she really needs a loving family who can get her up out of this crib and moving like she is supposed to be!

We are uncertain whether she has a vision problem or if the camera just caught her eye at the wrong angle. There are concerns that she may have a retinoblastoma, which is an eye cancer that needs medical treatment! We need a family for Xenia quickly!

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has a lot of experience in treating retinoblastoma. According to the hospital, if treated, there is 95% chance that the child can be cured of the condition. Please see the website for more details . The common onset is 18 months old.

Click on her name to be taken to her sponsership page on Reece's Rainbow. She has $2088.64 in her grant fund.

The Waiting Child Waits

This might be hard to read and look at but, it is the reality.

While we were eating…

… they were hungry
While we were playing…
… they were restrained

While we were tucking our kids into bed…
… they were alone
While we turned up the heat…
… they laid in the icy cold

While we wrapped our children in blanket sleepers…
… they laid in their own excrement
While we sang songs and listened to music…
… they listened to the screams and cries of those around them

While we rocked our babies…
… they silently rocked themselves

While we hugged our kids…
… they scratched at their own faces and pulled their own hair for stimulation

While we cried over scraped knees…
… they moaned in their loneliness
While we brushed our daughters’ beautiful hair…
… they had their heads shaven to stave off the lice

While we fought off the flu with love and nourishment…
… they got the flu and went Home.
No longer suffering… but so many more still are.
In memory of those that have never felt the love of a family, but have passed away alone.

Poem By: Meredith Cornish who has adopted 5 of these waiting angels.
Click HERE to see Reece's Rainbow's tribute page to all the little ones who died waiting for their mama to find them.
The first photo is of DUSTY who just got home, after being admitted to the hospital for malnourishment. The rest of the photos were taken from various news articles

Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"
Pirate's sail and lost boys fly
Fish bite moonbeams every night
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out
Superman's in pajamas on the couch
Goodnight moon, will find the mouse
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars
God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God hears "Amen," wherever we are
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

-Dixie Chicks

Ability

This is Lucy.

Tracy is fundraising to bring Lucy (Lucia Grace will be her new name) home.

She had these awesome shirts made that celebrate the ABILITIES of any child who would normaly be seen only for what they cannot do. They are so cute! Please consider purchasing one. You'll have a hand in helping to bring home sweet Lucia Grace.

Click here to follow Tracy's journey to Lucia.

Misc/Waiting Wednesday!

My daughters are back to normal and finally back to school/regular routine today. Their recovery was really much better than I thought it would be. Still, I couldn't help but think of all the little ones who experience illness, procedures, teething, etc., etc., without anyone to comfort them.

It's Waiting Wednesday again and I thought I'd post about two little boys since I posted about two little girls last week. Meet Darryl and Ralph! Not much info about either of them yet but, aren't they adorable? Look at their smiles. They appear to be in the same Baby House or, at the least, in the same region so they should be able to be adopted together. They're also very close in age. It'd be like having twins! Unfortunately, they're approaching the dreaded age where they will be transferred to institutions.

Are you Darryl or (AND??!!) Ralph's mama or papa?


DARRYL

Date of Birth: June 2007
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: brown



RALPH

Date of Birth: January 2007

Gender: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: light brown
Character: sociable


Click on their names to be directed to their pages on Reeces Rainbow.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Oh, I am so excited! Remember Bogdan/Joshua that I blogged aboutHERE? I check his profile frequently and I just looked at it......... it now has almost $700.00 in it!! I am so excited! That makes me think that maybe, somewhere, he has a family out there. Maybe they are working to bring him home but, have not officially committed to him yet. I hope, I hope, I hope!!!

Waiting Wednesday (a day early!)

My daughters are having surgery tomorrow (Lily is having an adenoidectomy, Maddie is having the same plus a tonsilectomy). Needless to say, I don't think I'll be able to post for a while! I didn't want to miss Waiting Wednesday so, I thought I'd post a little early.
Once again, I had a hard time picking who to post about. So, I picked two little girls.
Hey, it's my blog, I can do what I want. :P
I picked these two cuties because they are in the same orphanage and can be adopted together! I bet they would make terrific sisters!
This is Shawna.

This is what her profile on Reeces Rainbow says:

URGENT NEED – FACING IMMINENT TRANSFER!


Girl, Born March 2, 2004
Shawna has grown so much since her last photo! She is walking now, very social and affectionate. She has already turned 6 and is facing imminent institutionalization. She is healthy, but is considered severely delayed. PLEASE give Shawna a chance to be everything she can be, in a loving family who supports her and encourages her to grow and learn.

Shawna and Lindsay could be adopted together.


From one of our adoptive families who visited with her in December 2010: She was absolutely cute and got up to pose for the camera, she would make faces, smile and then laugh after the flash went off. She was very adorable but like many of the others was wearing a sheet as a diaper. She will be a blessing to any family. She was full of life, laughter and happiness not to mention beautiful!!

MORE PHOTOS AVAILABLE
I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And this is Lindsay.

Here is what her profile says:
URGENT NEED – FACING IMMINENT TRANSFER!

Girl, Born May 30, 2004

I can not even express to you how blessed this child is to still be her baby house. She needs to be adopted IMMEDIATELY. She can be adopted with Sophia and/or Shawna, who all desperately need families.

Lindsay is a beautiful girl who has endured much in her ilfe in this orphanage. She was born with a secondary heart condition, although it may have rectified itself. She is considered severely delayed, and is working on her walking, even though sbhe is already 6 years old. This orphanage has a history of medicating the children, so she has spent much of her life in a crib, repressed….

Lindsay desperately needs a family who has experience adopting older children with special needs, and who has the time to give her to help her recover from this neglect and blossom into the child she is meant to be.

More photos available. She is facing the institution very soon, and is blessed to still be at the baby house. Someone please save her.

From an adoptive family who visited with her in January 2011: " She was sitting at a little table with Sophia. I think they were having their snack. She had this rattle which makes the most amazingly loud sound, I know because my boys got to play with one just like it. She didn't make noise with it but instead was checking it out so carefully. She would put the end of the handle in between her teeth and watch the little bells roll back and forth. She is such a beauty! I didn't recognize her at first because the other picture looks nothing like her. She has beautiful blonde wavy hair and blue eyes. Her and Sophia were buds and I think would make great sisters! Surely her Momma and Daddy are out there. "

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheet as a diaper? Confined to a crib? Six years old and just learning to walk? Unfortunately, Shawna and Lindsay are not an exception to the "norm". This is pretty typical for the living conditions in these baby houses. I have even heard of them reusing disposible diapers. They rinse them out and hang them on a line outside to dry. But, at least they have diapers. And diapers is really only the very tippy top of the iceburg. It is SO important to find these babies families! Especially the older ones. Children are typically transferred to adult mental institutions at the age of 4 where conditions are, if you can believe it, even worse.
You can view Shawna and Lindsay's profiles, and hundreds more, on
Reece's Rainbow
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a real blessing.
The sons a man has when he is young
are like arrows in a soldier's hand.
Happy is the man who has many such arrows.
He will never be defeated
when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment.
~Psalm 127 3-5

GOSH!!

So, my (almost) 3 year old is at that age where she says the FUNNIEST things. Lately, when she gets upset with me, she says "GOSH, Mama!" If you've seen the movie Napoleon Dynamite, you can guess who I think of when she says that. I usually have to muffle my giggles.

Want to win a Kindle? A pearl ring? What about a $100 Visa gift card?

I have been following this family for awhile. They have already brought home a little boy from EE, John David ("Liam" on Reece's Rainbow). They are nearing the end of their journey to bring home "Lydiah" (love it!!) They are doing one final fundraiser to try to gather the remaining funds needed to rescue Lydiah from her orphanage. A $5 donation or a link to their blog from your FB account or blog will get you entered to win one of 3 great prizes. More importantly, though, it'll help raise funds and awareness.Click here to go to their blog.

Isn't she adorable?!



Grab This!

Thankful Thursday

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Waiting Wednesday

I am going to start posting about a different "waiting" child from Reeces Rainbow every Wednesday. I spent a long time going through the waiting children trying to decide who to post about. There are just so many. It's so easy to be overwelmed and think that 'little old you' can't make a difference but, I always think of this quote.

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

-Hellen Keller

After much debate, I decided to go with Anthony. Anthony is one of the little ones I have been thinking about for a long time.. one of my "favorites", if you will. He was born in 2005 so he is just a little bit younger than my oldest daughter. Anthony has Cerebral Palsy and also tested positive for TB. Here is what his profile on RR says.

Anthony (25)
BOY, born August 16, 2005

Anthony has blonde hair and brown eyes. He struggles with the effects of CP, and has also tested positive for TB.

From his medical records: Spastic tetraparesis, motor disorders, convergent squint, hip dysplasia, anemia

His muscles are very tight, and he will need significant amounts of therapy. He is not able to sit by himself, and is dependent on his care givers for just about everything. He has a secondary myocardiopathy as well. Quite a laundry list for such a darling boy ;(( Anthony will be sent to a mental institution, and will remain bedridden the rest of his short life. He is blessed to still be living at the baby house, but he will be transferred in the Spring. Please give Anthony a chance to know a loving, supportive family! Don’t let him end up another statistic

SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!

Anthony has a HUGE amount of money in his adoption fund. $20,012.19. That is almost fully funded!
Are you Anthony's Mommy or Daddy?

Just pics

My girls at the Capitol. Maddie is 7 and Lily is 2.

Enjoying an ice cream cone, Summer 2010

Maddie and my wonderful hubby, Matt, at a Madison Mallards baseball game.

My silly hubby, in heaven, with a huge ice cream cone. :D The boy loves his ice cream.

My girlies, at the capitol again. Probably enjoying the Farmer's Market on a Saturday Morning.

Lily holding a duckling at the Dane County Fair.

My first fishy of the season, 2010

Me and my love.

Me and my first baby!

Mother of the year!

Yes. That's my new title.


I had to take Lily into the pediatrician yesterday. She has recurrent ear infections (she's due to have her ear tubes replaced and adenoids removed in a couple of weeks). Anyway, after our wonderful ped did her exam and was about to leave the room, she asked Lily:


"Is there anything else I can do for you today, Ms. Lillian?"


To which, Lily replied:


"Ummmm, cheetos?"

Sad.

Last week, I contacted Reece's Rainbow's new family liaison person to see if they had new/additional info or photos/video of Bogdan. I heard back from her today. She said they didn't have any other information about him. More importantly, though, she said I was the first person to ever inquire about sweet Bogdan. That broke my heart. I literally sat, comfy on my living room couch in the middle of suburbia, wearing nice clothing, a fridge full of food at my fingertips, surrounded by more material "things" than we know what to do with, and cried.

Bogdan/Joshua

I am a warrior for Bogdan on Reece's Rainbow! The Easter season is over but, I am still advocating for him. Click the icon to go to his profile on RR. I am trying to increase his adoption grant fund. He has a little over a hundred dollars in his account right now.


He is such a cutie. I cannot wait for him to find a family. Though, I have to admit, it will be bittersweet. Honestly, when I look at him, I see my daughters. It is hard to explain. I just feel like he's supposed to be mine. My sister and I have nicknamed him "Joshua". He just looks like a Joshua!

I'm a Warrior for Reece's Rainbow!

HI!

What to say!!? I have had a blog multiple times in my life but have never kept up with them before. I am vowing to keep up with this one!


I know, everyone says that. I mean it though!


For those of you who don't know me personally, I am 28 years old and Married to Matt, who is 30. Together, we have two beautiful little girls. Maddie was born in 2004 and Lily in 2008.


I work full time doing office/administrative stuff.


Super exciting, right?!


I will be posting day to day life stuff.. Being a full time working (outside of the home) young mom to a 1st grader and a preschooler is very crazy. And my girls are at ages where they say the FUNNIET things. Rest assured, I will be posting all of that!

I will also be advocating for children with special needs from all over the world that are living in orphanages. This is something I am passionate about and often feel like I don't really have a place to voice my opinions.