Micah Six Eight

Fortunately - Unfortunately

2012-02-11T14:10:00.001-05:00

Last Monday Aaron and I made our weekly trek to Shriners.

Fortunately, we made it up there in record time!!

Unfortunately, I tried the blindfold trick on Aaron to get him to sleep in the van, but he wasn't buying it and spent most of the way up to Philly peeking out of the blindfold, so he could watch the cars and trucks on the highway. Sigh!!

Fortunately, we got to see a couple of sweet girls while we waited our turn.

Unfortunately, I got in trouble when I snapped these pictures. Does anyone else ever get in as much trouble as I do with their camera??? I mean really... It always tends to be ME that gets the wagging finger and the tongue lashing for my favorite hobby!!

Fortunately, both moms just rolled their eyes and laughed while I was being fussed at for snapping pictures of their sweet ones. I am such a renegade!

Unfortunately, the Friday before our appointment Aaron tripped over the threshold in our garage. It was a hard fall.

Double unfortunately, it broke his cast in two.

Triple unfortunately - it meant that EVERYTHING we had been doing so far to get Aaron's hand up to his mouth was lost.

Fortunately......Aaron's joyful spirit was not quenched by the bad news.

Unfortunately, up until this point Dr. Z hadn't been putting an extra layer of fiberglass on Aaron's cast so that it wouldn't be so heavy.

Fortunately, he will be doing that from now on. Hopefully the extra layer will protect the cast against any further breaks.

Fortunately, Aaron got to spend time in one of his favorite part of Shriners!

The train table in the therapy department.

Fortunately we were in and out pretty fast on Monday.

Even so, doesn't this little guy look a bit ragged out?

He was.

Unfortunately, he fell asleep about 30 minutes before the van decided that it needed gas and our drivers decided it was time for lunch.

The little man's nap didn't last very long.

Fortunately, we didn't get caught in any traffic and were home in time for supper!!

Double fortunately - God is Forever Good!!

P.S. We drag back up there on Monday again... the weekly saga continues....

Fatherless Friday

2012-02-10T11:43:00.001-05:00

I'm re-posting my Fatherless Friday kids from last week.

It isn't a cheat.

These kids need to be seen over and over and over again.

They are desperate to be seen.

IGOR

After posting about Igor last week his link went down. Break my heart!! He became a TRUE Lost Boy. He wasn't where he was supposed to be. This morning... He is again found. They know where he is. I weep to type those words. Please pray. Please pray for Igor. Pray. Please donate to his fund. God is moving for Igor. Please Pray!!

LAUREL

Laurel is desperate, people. The months are literally ticking away for her. Please put her picture out there over and over and over again. Help her find a family!! WILL YOU BE HER FAMILY!! Oh she is laying heavy on my heart. Will you please donate to her fund??? If you can't adopt her will you help to pave the path for someone else?? Please let us not make money stand in the way for this child to find a family.

SWEET ALEXIS

Everything I am hearing about Alexis makes me want to go get her myself. (No we do not qualify)!! How in the world can this sweet one still be over there??? She is smart and even-tempered and so desiring of a family.

BEAUTIFUL VICTORIA

I was directed to a post today about sweet Victoria and a LINK with even more pictures of her.

I love her.

How can I not?? She and Igor are in the SAME PLACE. Please.

Where is her Mama?? How much longer must she wait?

Tyler and Emmitt...Two amazing boys who both desperately need a family. Tyler is in the same place as Alexis. If they are in the same place they can be adopted together!!

TYLER

EMMITT

And a few add on babes who break my heart daily!!

BRENT

He is also in the same place as Victoria and Igor. He has been there almost a year now.

HANSON

Hanson is in a laying down room in Aaron's old institute. The picture below was when he was a the baby house.

SPENCER

Oh my sweet Spencer. So many have asked and considered but so far no one has stepped forward. So he sits and waits.

They ALL need families. Won't you pray with me? Will you give? Will you consider adopting one or two of these precious treasures???

Spinning

2012-02-09T09:31:00.000-05:00

I'm spinning.

I have much on my heart.

Too much on my mind.

I don't know which way to go.

I have unwritten blog posts in draft mode and even more in my head.

I am a jumbled mess.

Struggling with what to say and how to say it. The need is so great. In so many areas.

Praying that clarity will come.

Praying for the words to convey.

Praying that God will take my jumbled heart and direct me in His Way and not mine.

Praying.

Until then....

Here are a few people whose blogs are worth checking out....

This is Jane's blog. She is doing what I had the privilege of doing a number of years ago in India. She is crossing the ocean with a friend to help her bring her treasure home. When you aren't adopting and are a fellow traveler.... you are able to go to some places that the families who are adopting just don't have the energy or time to do. When I was in India I was able to take a couple of days while my friend chased papers and go visit our Compassion International son. THAT WAS AMAZING. I was also able to visit a ministry for abused women in India. THAT WAS ALSO AMAZING. God opened my eyes up in India and I have never been the same. Jane is not only going to see the orphanage where her friend's child is located but she is also going to be able to visit another one where a number of the Reece's Rainbow children are living. It is a remote place and the need there is great. Please go check out Jane's blog and consider making a donation so that she can take some much-needed supplies (a week's worth of diapers) and some musical instruments to the children at that orphanage. Please!!

My friend Adeye has filled her blog with links to 99 children who have the most desperate need for families right now. I love Adeye and her heart. Please go over to that blog and re-post it so that the kids on there get as much coverage as they can get. MANY MANY MANY of those kids have been on this blog over the last weeks, months and years. Please get their pictures out!! They are desperate to be seen!!!

Chaos to Order

2012-02-07T07:27:00.000-05:00

We are using Math U See for Aaron's math studies.

He absolutely loves it. It is very hands-on, and it teaches math in a slow but steady way that allows him to grasp his math concepts.

We are using Sing, Spell, Read and Write for Aaron's reading.

Again, he loves it. It, too, is very hands-on. It, too, teaches one thing at a time, constantly building on the concepts that Aaron's already learned.

Both Math and Reading must be taught in order.

You don't ask kindergartners to solve Algebra problems, or expect a child who hardly knows her alphabet to read War and Peace.

You start them at the beginning.

Just about everyone who is reading this post would almost certainly agree with me.

Why, then, do we treat history differently?

Why do schools and homeschooling curriculums jump kids all over the place when they're teaching them history?

Why?

This teaching strategy is CHAOTIC. And quite frankly, kids don't get it.

They may remember certain events from history. They may be able to recall certain dates in order to pass their tests. They may even be straight-A students in their social studies or history classes. But in truth, very few of them actually GET very much of what they're studying.

In the schools where I grew up, our history curriculum was a hodgepodge. One year we studied about U.S. history, and then the next we jumped over to Ancient History. Then back for more U.S. history, and then maybe we jumped over to Asia for a unit or two. I remember a few whatnots from Africa and other exotic cultures, with perhaps a bit of Geography mixed in; but it was all a hodgepodge. The vast majority of the time we studied U.S. History but never in the context of World History. I memorized dates, took tests and never learned to love my history classes. Ever.

Instead, I spent my spare time reading books. Most of my favorites were history-related. I read biographies and autobiographies. I read historical fiction. I read some classics. I read some memoirs. I read dozens of books about World War II and the Holocaust. I read and I read.

When I reached high school, I enrolled in a World History class for the first time.

This class was my first introduction to the idea of studying the events of history in the order in which they happened. It was first time in my life when one of my courses actually followed the Queen of Hearts' droll advice: "Begin at the beginning. Proceed until you come to the end; then Stop."

But it was too late for me. By that time, I hated school. History was a jumbled mess in my mind, and I suffered through the class showing as little interest as possible.

How utterly sad.

I KNOW that I am not the only person who has experienced this. I have spoken to too many people who have shared my experience.

This is why I tend to be very very passionate about teaching kids history in order, just as we teach math and reading in order.

Not just once. This is what is so important: They need to see history unfold OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Once is not enough.

Most children will only begin to see the patterns in history when they hear the stories in order more than once. They need to see kingdoms rise and fall over and over again, and they need to understand WHY it's all happening. They need to see God's story and the stories of His people woven into the pages of their history books. They need to see the seeds of philosophies like communism and fascism planted before they can understand how they grew and bore fruit. They need to understand the value of our United States Constitution over and against those philosophies. They need to watch the world map change and see geography unfolding in the same way that history unfolds.

They need to see all of these things over and over again. They need to see them presented in a way that teaches them to love history, and creates a hunger for more understanding.

BiblioPlan is one way to teach history in order. There are numerous other programs also. If you are not using the classical approach consider it. If you have questions or need some advice on homeschooling - please feel free to FB friend me or e-mail - covenantb@yahoo.com.

I'd love to chat.

Zumorrow

2012-02-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Aaron has his own unique version of "Tomorrow," the song from the hit musical Annie. Aaron's version isn't a song; it's not even a line from a song. It's just a simple statement of Aaron's undying optimism:

"Zumorrow will be better."

Whenever Aaron's disappointed because he's failed at something or something hasn't gone his way, he brings out his special version of "Tomorrow":

"Zumorrow, we'll try again. Zumorrow will be better."

Things will always be better Zumorrow.

How does a child live in hell for an entire year, yet still retain an undying faith that says "Zumorrow" will always be better?

How?

Only by God's Grace.

Aaron's optimism comes from God's unfailing grace and love for one little boy. Somehow, God wrapped a barrier of protection around our son's heart and mind during his time in the Lost Boys' world. Because of God's protection, Aaron never lost his optimistic spirit, his ready smile,or his unwavering faith that "Zumorrow" will always be better.

Oh, the lessons we have learned from our "Zumorrow" son. Aaron has taught us that God can plant Zumorrow optimism in His children's hearts. He has taught us that God can also protect our hearts from attitudes of defeatism, disillusionment and depression.

Every day, we watch our son approach life with a joy and love that seems to burst from deep inside him, no matter what challenges and setbacks he may face. Despite everything. What an unbelievable privilege to experience God's grace every time we see our son look toward zumorrow.

Zumorrow.

It will always be better.

Take it from one little former Lost Boy who knows.

The Doctor is Where???

2012-02-04T11:27:00.000-05:00

Last Monday Aaron and I dragged ourselves out of bed at 2:00 am for our weekly trip to the Shriners Hospital in Philly...

We ate breakfast when we arrived and then headed to the waiting room.

Aaron zombied himself in front of the TV (we don't have cable so Aaron has to get his cartoon fix at the Shriner's hospital).

I enjoyed chatting with several Moms with their sweet babes....

(these pictures were taken a few weeks ago but they are on the same weekly schedule we are so we get to chat every week)

Aren't these the cutest kids in the world???

Ariana

Landri

I love getting to know the other AMC parents and kids!!!

So there I was... waiting for Aaron to be called back to see Dr. Z.

The nurse had already called another little one back who was seeing Dr. Z so I was just waiting for them to call Aaron back. She came out to tell me Aaron was next.

Since Dr. Z wasn't on the floor, she then called him on his cell phone to let him know that his patients were on the floor and waiting for him to arrive.

HE WAS IN BELGIUM

BELGIUM

At a Conference.

He was NOT in the hospital. Not in the country. He was far far far away across the ocean.

We traveled 6 hours to discover that our doctor was in Belgium.

No I did not throw a fit. I actually laughed. It was honestly funny. I mean BELGIUM???

Of course the reality of a wasted trip was NOT lost on me.

12 hours in a Shriners Van is not my definition of fun.

But we have been given SO MUCH from Shriners. They have taken care of Aaron is such an amazing way this past year.... We just can't get too upset over a TINY blooper like not realizing that the doctor is in Belgium!!

Of course we are definitely hoping that it will be a one-time incident... I mean... how many times do you go to Conferences in Belgium???

The intern tried to step into Dr. Z's shoes.

And though he was as nice as could be and did his very best...

Dr. Z IS Dr. Z!!

We missed him.

We go back up on Monday.

Yes...we have double...triple...quadruple checked.

Dr. Z WILL be in the building!!

Good thing... Aaron fell yesterday and busted his cast apart.

Sigh.

Fatherless Friday

2012-02-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

Writing this post today is hard. The kids featured on this page break my heart each time I see them. They are desperately in need of families. All of them have physical handicaps. All of them remind me over and over and over again of Aaron. Kids locked away from society because their bodies are less than 'perfect'.

Many of these precious ones were on Reece's Rainbow two years ago when we first committed to Aaron. To see their faces STILL HERE just makes me sick on my stomach.

How can I begin to convey in this post the desperate need these kids have? They are trapped. They are destined to spend the REST OF THEIR LIVES locked away as if they have committed a crime against society.

Please.

Look at these kids.

IGOR

Igor - sweet precious Igor is only two months younger than Aaron. He has been on Reece's Rainbow for FOREVER! He has arthrogryposis just like Aaron. He makes me weep. All the other Reece's Rainbow babes with arthrogryposis who are the same age as Igor have been adopted. Igor was left behind. Dear Lord. When I go to Shriners and see Madeline and Ben and Sophia and Gerri and Victoria and Evan and all the other adopted treasures and I think about Igor sitting in a mental institute. It is more than I can bear. He is their age. He should be in the waiting room with his Mama. He should be cared for by the doctors there. He has such amazing potential.

Please - someone out there go get him.

LAUREL

Will you PLEASE read Laurel's description???

Laurel has arthrogryposis — and look at that beautiful smile!

She's already 15 years old, and has less than 6 months (from January 2012) to be adopted, or she loses all hope for a future.

Laurel is blessed to be in a very good older child orphanage for those with mostly physical disabilities. Her orphanage has been supported by many humanitarian aid groups, and offers child sponsorship programs and trips for these children. Laurel does face transfer to an adult mental institution SOON, and at 16 she will no longer legally be able to be adopted at all.

An adult mental institute? Loses all hope for a family in just a few short months??? PEOPLE WE NEED TO BE SHOUTING OUT LOUD FOR THIS GIRL!! She desperately needs a family NOW!!

SWEET ALEXIS

A family is over there RIGHT NOW and has been able to see and interact with Alexis. Please click on her link and read what this family has to say about Alexis. She is precious. Sweet. Gentle - spirited. She is smart and engaging. Though she is 10 she is small for her age. Goodness me she is a pretty little girl. She too has arthrogryposis but from everything I have read about her - she does NOT let it stop her. She wants a family. She desperately wants a family.

BEAUTIFUL VICTORIA

About a month ago a dear RR friend sent me these pictures. Rob and I looked at them and just broke down. I have seen Victoria for years but had never really SEEN her until we received the pictures.

Even without hair... She is beautiful...

Look at her eyes... Look at her smile!!

Where is her Mama?? How much longer must she wait?

Victoria has arthrogryposis also. She seems to only be affected in her legs. She is only two years older than Aaron. She was transferred a long long time ago and is again facing a lifetime behind bars. Can you imagine?

TYLER

Tyler is another one who has been seen by a family adopting from his institute. They were blown away by this sweet boy.

This is from his description that they wrote JUST THIS WEEK:

"We have really enjoyed getting to know Tyler. He is such an incredible kid! You just have no idea how impressed we are with him. He is very neat and organized, and takes good care of his things. I thought at first he was quite serious, because when I met him, he was posing for his photograph. Now, we've been able to chat with him using an interpreter. He LOVES to read- carries a book with him and uses the library here a lot. His favorite thing are fiction stories. Here, they have a lot of fairy tales, and he enjoys those, but I can so easily see him flying through any of the popular Christian fiction series for boys. He's very smart, and everyone here really likes him. We've seen him with the younger kids, they all treat him like a big brother and he is so kind and gentle with them. Like the others we've met here, he seems very emotionally healthy- it's just his legs that aren't working, not his heart, mind and soul. He would just thrive in a family! The hardest part about today came at the end. He asked how long it will be before his family comes to get him from America. I don't know what to say- he's been listed for nearly a year, and no one has asked about him. He's so hopeful and trusting that he has a family and he doesn't have much time left. I don't know why he has gotten passed over- he'd be an amazing son!"

EMMITT

Emmitt is the same age as my son Elijah. I just could not imagine Elijah being contained in a bed day after day after day. Please. This boy has been waiting for far too long for a family.

" Emmitt has a severe deformity of his legs. He cannot walk at all. He is very friendly, funny, and talkative. He desperately seeks out attention. He was talking to my husband, and holding Zack's hand, which he then put on top of his head for Zack to rub his hair. He is extremely intelligent, and just precious! I brought him paper and crayons, and he drew me a flower "

The Price of a Child

2012-02-01T20:44:00.000-05:00

When we found out we were going to have our first child - we did not immediately get the calculator out and start adding up numbers.

We did not sit at the table hour after hour counting the cost.

We saw the extra little strip on that pregnancy tester and we started jumping up and down for joy.

We called our families. We cried tears of joy. We floated on clouds for days...

We may have discussed the expense at one time or another as we waited for Ben to arrive but we certainly didn't sit around and sweat tears about how we were going to pay for his arrival.

Not so with Aaron.

We counted the cost from the very first day. We still rejoiced. We still called our families. We still cried tears of joy (okay - maybe more tears of terror than joy). We tried to float on clouds......

It was not the same.

Preparing for Aaron and preparing for Ben were just not the same.

We had insurance for Ben so even though we were not rich, money wasn't a big issue. No one gave us the stunned and shocked looks when we told them he was coming. We didn't feel like fish out of water in the entire pregnancy process. Everyone expected us to have children and so he was part and package of our marriage.

We counted pennies over and over and over again for Aaron. We researched arthrogryposis and had multiple panic attacks about what in the world we were getting ourselves into. We felt alone most of the time in a world where special needs adoption was extremely uncommon. Did I say we counted pennies? Over and over and over again??? We wrestled through the paperwork and wept again and again as we hit barrier after barrier trying to get a proper dossier across the ocean. We screamed in agony when our finished dossier needed to be fixed and we had to paper chase once again. And we counted pennies. Over and over and over again. We lived in terror over what transfer meant and in what condition we would find Aaron.

Having Ben changed our lives. Having Aaron rocked our world.

I wouldn't trade either of them for the world.

In the end - God provided every single penny we needed.

In the end - God orchestrated an adoption process that not only allowed us to bring one very precious son home but allowed for a closed facility to begin to open to the world.

In the end - God carried our quaking and reluctant hearts through hell and back, teaching us about trust and faith and hope.

In the end - we have Aaron.

He was worth every single penny we counted... and then some.

I hear it often said that international adoption is too expensive. People ought to adopt from the United States instead.

Honestly.... let me rock your boat a bit in terms of what it costs for some people to adopt a special needs newborn baby in our world.

Some friends of ours here in this area are in process to adopt a special needs infant. When they received their referral for their little one they were told it would cost $30,000.00. Shock me out of the water!! That was how much Aaron's adoption cost!! But our friend's cost didn't include travel, hotel or food. Aaron's did. BUT.... GET THIS... When the lawyer went through their paperwork and saw that the family made a certain amount of money.... they were then told that the cost would be $40,000.00. FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. The birth mother gets NOTHING. All that money is going to the lawyers and other what nots who are making a mint on special needs adoption here in our country.

A few weeks ago I met a family at Shriners who adopted an absolutely precious little angel from the United States. I nosily asked them how much their adoption cost.... $49,000.00. FORTY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS. Again - this amount did not cover any travel or food expenses. The birth mother gets nothing. The lawyers get unbelievably rich.

Yes, international adoption is expensive. So is domestic adoption unless you adopt through the foster care system and that route is not for the faint-hearted.

Aaron's country normally costs around $24,000.00. Our adoption cost more because it was more complicated and required a longer stay in country.

In the largest EE country the process is more like a special needs domestic adoption - the costs are around $40-50,000.00.

Why am I sharing all of this???

Because one of the RR families has been trying their hearts out to raise the $40,000.00 they need to bring their little one home and they are just struggling to get over the mountain.

I'm asking you to help them.

She is worth every counted penny. They have already met her and are totally and completely in love.

They are leaving in only a few days. They are thousands short. They have raised so much of what they need but they are still short. Please won't you help? Help add a few more pennies onto their pile. Help ease that part of the terror.

Their blog is HERE. You can go over and enjoy seeing all the precious pictures of their precious treasure!! You can also drop some money in their pot. They are doing a pretty cool Giveaway with a boatload of prizes that you may win if you donate. Most importantly - you will get the satisfaction of knowing that you helped bring a treasure home. Where she belongs.

Because it is worth it.

It is so very very worth it.

Every single counted penny!

Kori's Story

2012-01-31T06:51:00.000-05:00

Sometimes adoption breaks a Mama's heart so badly that the words cannot come for a very long time. Sometimes what is seen and experienced is so gut-wrenching that it takes time and distance to begin to heal the pain. Sometimes.

A little over a year ago a Mama and Papa crossed the ocean to get a little Reece's Rainbow angel. They knew she had been transferred. They knew. But knowing and seeing are two very different things. Last year they discovered what transfer meant for their precious treasure. It was unbearably hard. While there their eyes were opened to the plight of special needs children in that place. We followed their journey closely as we had just come home with Aaron and understood on many levels the agony they were experiencing. We prayed for them, encouraged them, did whatever we could from afar to support them. Unlike our experience, they were not in a completely closed facility and were able to walk the halls of the mental institute and touch the other children. They learned their names and fell in love with them bit by bit, day by day. In doing so their hearts were broken over and over and over again.

But when the time is right... then the story needs to be told. And it is time for Kori Maria's story to be told.

I feel privileged indeed that Kori's Mama, Anna, has allowed me to share here on this blog some of the words that took so long to come. I am honored to call her friend. I am grateful for the ties that have knit our hearts together as we grieve for all the hidden children left behind.

This is Kori's story...
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The doors open. We are treated to tea and cookies and treats in the director’s office. Afterwards they walk us to meet the person we had been waiting so long to see. Doors swing open left and right. Joshua, barely able to keep from vomiting. Something about the unusual smells and triggers he is unprepared to face. People of all ages and levels of disability stand. And watch. And one after the other speaks the word: “Amerikanskis”.

The word multiplies and follows us like the roar of a huge wave. No one believes that these Americans have come to their mental institution. Could it be true? Are they coming to adopt a child from HERE??

Plastic slippers. Flickering TV screens. Oriental rugs. Old drafty windows. People with Down Syndrome. Cerebral Palsy. Cleft Palate. Deformities. Mental illness. Hidden from society, where only the perfect are welcome. Discarded. Unwanted. Alone. Day after day here, never leaving this building.

She sits in a ball pit with colorful toys surrounding her. The six month old baby with the sweet little hat that makes her look like a little old lady. Her eyes crossing. Cute. Now where is Masha?

But wait. This is an Eastern European mental institution. They only take ages 4 and up. A second look. There is no freaking way.

There is no way in heaven or hell that this can be…..she is almost eight……

I drop to my knees, grab the tiniest baby hands and stare into the eyes of the eight year old trapped in a body no larger than that of a small six month old infant. What in the name of God….

“Masha. It is Mama. Mama is here”.

I manage to say these words while the room suddenly fills with caregivers. People in white coats. Women weeping. So many crying women. I ask permission to lift her out of the ball pit and she immediately rests her weary head against my shoulder as if to say : "You have finally come. I assume this is what kids like me do with ladies like you.”

I tell her : "Hi beautiful princess” and a caregiver behind me bursts into tears. “Princessa Masha!” she exclaims, now crying so hard that I am worried for her for a moment.

We are asked if we will accept the referral of this child. We accept.

And as we spend a month daily visiting her in the only home that has cared for this beautiful small girl after she aged out of the baby orphanage, we learn about the reality of the imperfect people in this country. Beautiful people. Tucked away as far from society as possible. Out of sight. Out of mind.

We walked among angels. The souls that live out their lives under these conditions have left their indelible mark on mine. Their faces. I see their eyes. I still see their eyes.

I saw the children in their "bedridden" room in their beds alone, begging for some attention and love. The small guy with his hands tied in a cloth. I saw the old building that needs so much work. I saw the older children with CP scooting on all fours down the hall, too old for adoption and no hope of a life outside of that institution.

I sat on those couches with some of the teenage girls who brushed my hair...and held my hands...and got hugs and kisses... I called them Princess V., and Princess I. (and all the other beautiful names of all those sweet kids) I went on this adoption trip with some rings and necklaces, and the girls wore them proudly. They learned some English....but I hope that most of all they learned what love is. My heart broke leaving them.. Every day when I got Kori from her room, I blew kisses at the children there and I said my "pryvet" to each and every one of them there. The smiles were priceless.

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When we got to the institution after court, the director's assistant ( who was in court with us to represent the institution) was very happy and told the director that we had passed court.

We went upstairs and they brought Kori to us. While playing, we noticed that a number of children were being walked down the hall in nice outfits. Maybe it was a holiday?

One by one the children were being photographed. We stood, we watched. We were amazed. Kori's adoption had made them realize that people DO want these kids. Every single one that was legally available. They were being photographed to update their adoption listing. I wish I could have gotten video of this. The excitement. The joy. It was contagious. As the pictures were being snapped, we stood there and clapped and yelled: "Horosho!" (good) along with the caregivers. Random caregivers stopped by and showed us their little ones and asked us to bring them home too. Doors of hope were being opened and the joy on the faces of the caregivers was wonderful beyond words.

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Within 24 hours of Kori leaving the mental institute she had a seizure. It is common for European mental institutes to sedate some of the residents, and although no one could say for sure, it was suspected that Kori's seizure was related to sudden withdrawal of sedative medication. After a day or two without the drugs, while still in country, her tiny nearly eight year old body could not handle the sudden change and she began to seize. An ambulance was called. The EMT's called hospital after hospital, trying to find one that would agree to take Kori and treat her.

They were turned down at four hospitals. She was not wanted. Finally, after negotiations, the last hospital relented and decided to admit Kori.

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Time stood still. Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes seemed like hours. We had adopted her and had only had her in our custody for about 24 hours. Her little body shook violently in my arms. She gasped for air over and over. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Our daughter was having a massive seizure. I feared that this was it. That she was going to die before she would ever meet her brothers. She would quite possibly never experience more than just a 12 hour train ride, cradled in the arms of her daddy.

It would be twenty minutes before the ambulance would get there.When the ambulance finally arrived the seizure was over. Kori was lethargic and weak. The EMT ladies placed her on the bed and undressed her. Apparently her temperature was extremely low. They gave her several injections and then the yelling began. One of the women argued loudly with our facilitator. I could tell it was about Kori’s condition. I am sure this was a shock to them.

A seven year old child with Down Syndrome who weighed 16 pounds and looked exactly like a 7 month old infant. Her eyes infected. Her teeth so rotten that the smell was noticeable even from a distance. Her legs limp and stick like.

I experienced first hand the disgusted look the EMS people gave my little girl. The way they left her barely clothed on the bed. The way they spoke the words: "Down Syndrome'', spitting them out with anger and repeating over and over. We were unfit parents and she should have remained in her institution. Five hospitals refused her medical care. My facilitator held her hand out for 200 hrivna bills more times than I can count at the hospital that finally admitted her. That money was paid to the doctor, to the nurses, as "incentive money". One nurse was especially horrible to Kori and caused her pain on purpose. My facilitator met her in the hallway and handed her a 200 hrivna bill in exchange for humane treatment for my daughter.

---------------------------------------------

I used to say I could never go back. After she had a seizure in the city, and we witnessed first hand exactly how poorly people with Down Syndrome are treated, I thought I could never ever set foot in that country again.

On days like today though, all I want is to go back. To sit on that couch in the hallway. I long to hold the children I came to love while I was there. I want to tell them they matter. Oh, how they matter. I want to simply walk the halls and make eye contact with the forgotten. I see you. And you. And you. And you. Who will see? How can I make people SEE?? See these amazing spirits, these survivors, these quietly fading people?

The baby "princessa" has been home a year.

Yet, my heart is still somewhere in that mental institution. It wanders the halls, looking for a way to reach, to comfort. And that is fine.

Because I don’t seem to really need a heart here. It seems that money and material goods are considered enough around these parts, here in this country we call home. We stuff ourselves and we indulge, while people right under our very noses are in need of our help. Our love. Hope. I want to walk those halls, one more time. If it only shows one person that they matter, that they have infinite value, then it is worth it.

Kori Maria. You are very much worth it.

So very much worth it.

P.S. Please do not remove any of these pictures from this blogpost. You may link and share but do not remove the pictures. Thank you.

In YOU I Trust

2012-01-29T13:49:00.000-05:00

My prayer today... Psalm 25..... It is in God that I trust.... none other can save!

In you, LORD my God,

I put my trust.

I trust in you;

do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in you

will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

who are treacherous without cause.

Show me your ways, LORD,

teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you, LORD, are good.

A Review

2012-01-28T09:08:00.002-05:00

WOO HOO!! BiblioPlan was reviewed in a CATHY DUFFY REVIEW!!

Seeing that review was a very nice way to end a very hard week!!

Fatherless Friday - God is On The Move

2012-01-27T09:36:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I can be a bit of an airhead.... Okay - maybe a lot of the time.

Last week when I posted my Fatherless Friday I was feeling really sick so I claim that as my excuse.

I posted "my kids". The ones who are often on my heart. The ones I have been yelling about lately.

When I wrote the post, the only two children whose grant accounts I looked up were Heath because a fundraiser is going on for him and I wanted to post his numbers and Jack because I love him dearly. I didn't pay any attention to any of the other grant accounts.

Then on Sunday - sick and barely able to lift my head off the pillow except to lose Saturday's lunch - I received an e-mail and a link to THIS PAGE...

When I finally had the energy to open the page and look I was floored. Absolutely floored.

It is a page for ALL the RR babes who have over $2500.00 in their grant accounts.

So what you ask??? So what???

GO LOOK!! A whole host of MY KIDS are on that page!!!!!

A little over 6 weeks ago almost all of them had but a bare pittance in their accounts. You could barely take your family out to dinner on what some of them had. And most of them had been listed on RR for YEARS.

Now a bunch of them have THOUSANDS of dollars. THOUSANDS.

And where did that money come from??? YOU GUYS. So many of you who have faithfully and lovingly and sacrificially given over and over and over again. Gifts of love from here, there and everywhere. Gifts without fanfare. Gifts without fundraisers or Giveaways. Gifts from the heart. Gifts coupled with prayers for families to bravely step out and cross the ocean.

Rejoice with me as I SHOW you the numbers below on not just MY KIDS but OUR KIDS.

Your Kids.

HEATH.
Last week he had $800.00 in his grant account.... THIS WEEK HE HAS $2161.00.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO HEATH THROUGH LEAH HARDWICK'S GIVEAWAY....

BRENT SPENCER

In the middle of December Brent had 0.00 in his account... Now he has $3128.15.

On December 12 Spencer had 600.00 in his account.... Now he has $7543.30

These boys were transferred to the SAME mental institute - they CAN be adopted together.

Jack.

In December he had less than $100.00 in his account... This week he has $2285.10... Does this little boy know how many people around the world are praying and longing for him to have a family???

Paul Nikita

$2,217.50 $4706.00

Look at these numbers!!! These two boys were at the BOTTOM OF THE PILE!!

Paul had $150.00 on December 12 and Nikita had $325.00.

Danila Yegor Arina

$12,856.48 $4045.00 $6680.83

Again - I am in total shock at these numbers!! Click on Danila's link and see the updated picture of her!! She is precious! And Yegor!! Arina!! Are my eyes deceiving me???

Dimtry Mark

$3518.50 $4190.00

We FOUGHT to get Dimtry over the wall and now look at how much has been raised. Mark?? Sweet precious Mark?? My cup overflows.

Robyn Jin Wu Sergei

$4739.61 $3635.45 $8086.00

Precious babes. Love in Action!

Meredith HANSON
$6433.50 $124.00
Meredith had $620.00 in her account on December 12 after being on RR for 3 years. Look at her numbers now!! Go Meredith Go!! Hanson I have just added. He is a TRUE LOST BOY. He resides in a laying down room at Aaron's old institute so he definitely needs a lot of loving!!

TWELVE OF THE SIXTEEN CHILDREN LISTED HERE ARE ON THE NEW RR MOVING MOUNTAINS PAGE. These are the kids with the LARGEST RR grant accounts.

NONE of OUR KIDS even came close to having that much in their accounts a mere 6 weeks ago. I am in complete awe. To see the love you have poured out on the Least of These.... It does a heart good. Thank you.

Keep praying for these babes. They ALL NEED FAMILIES.

We are removing the money barrier bit by bit. So many dads and moms out there are terrified to jump off that cliff because they wonder how they can ever afford to pay for an adoption. You are helping them see that GOD WILL PROVIDE. You are helping pave the way. Keep praying. Keep giving. Keep advocating. I KNOW God is moving in hearts. I know that some of these precious kids have families RIGHT NOW who are on their knees seeking the Lord's desire. He is pounding on hearts. I know this and I rejoice. God is on the move.

The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,

before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness;

every nation sees his glory.

Tornado Aaron

2012-01-26T17:00:00.002-05:00

Proof...

He may be cute with his little winks and deep dimples...

But give this boy five minutes and a distracted and sick Mama and this is what you get...

Disarming smile or not...

He is a disaster waiting to happen!!

Flu Woes

2012-01-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

Forgive my lack of posting... Mama is still sick.

I was supposed to travel to Lancaster, PA for a Christian School Convention tomorrow to share about BiblioPlan. While there, I was also going to see two very special little girls....

Verity and Katie. Sisters. You may not recognize the one in the blue. That's Katie. Remember Katie??

The little one who was rescued out of a laying down room.

Look at her now!!!

God is good!!

And not only was I going to get to see sweet Verity and Katie...

But I was also going to get to see another very special treasure.

My sweet Nithya.

In 2008 I had the privilege of traveling to India to help my friend Karen bring Nithya home and I was going to get to see her!!

I am so bummed.

Being sick stinks!!

It is also very very miserable....

Demolition Aaron...

2012-01-23T14:48:00.000-05:00

Mama's sick.

Mama's sick and Aaron is having a blast. He is taking full advantage of Mama being completely down for the count. The Aaron tornado has hit our house and it is going to take a month to dig us out!!

Sigh!

Schooling Aaron

2012-01-21T16:34:00.000-05:00

He came to us as a blank slate.

When you could get him to talk at the institute, which was rare and guarded, his speaking vocabulary had deteriorated down to simple discussions about machines and airplanes. The two things he could see and hear while sitting in the empty shed day after day.

He knew nothing.

Nothing.

All he had retained from his past life was a gorgeous smile and a God-given ability to find joy in the hardest of circumstances.

But whatever he had learned at the baby house was completely lost. Wiped clean.

For our first six months with Aaron we focused on helping him feel safe and secure. He wasn't ready to learn about colors and numbers and letters. His learning centered around knowing that Mama and Papa were not going to leave him. His focus was on what he was doing each day and where we were going and when we were going to go back home. His mind could not comprehend past the deep need for the security of always knowing where we were and if he would be with us.

Colors. Numbers. Letters. They were of absolutely no concern to our shell-shocked little boy.

Though he was six and was desperately behind, school was not what Aaron needed.

We treated him as we did our boys when they very very young. We read hundreds of books, played games, surrounded him with creative toys, showed him his colors, his numbers and counted things over and over and over again.

Aaron had no trouble playing with toys, his creativity is endless. He has a great attention span and he loves reading books. He was happy.

In the language area he struggled. We saw him learn s.l.o.w.l.y. After several months he retained the color word red. A few months later he started remembering yellow. But it was slow. It was discouraging. We wondered if he would ever learn.

He could build ever challenging puzzles, he tried to meticulously color inside the lines despite his handicaps, he could figure out any mechanical device handed to him, he could navigate all around the computer, he could tell you how to get home from any point on the map but...

It took a year for him to learn to say the numbers to 10. A year. Despite our counting to him every day, a thousand times a day. It took him a year to remember the words for four colors. Four.

He just couldn't remember the words. He couldn't keep them in his head. Anything that didn't involve language was easily grasped and easily understood. But remembering those pesky words.... He was again and again defeated. It was hard to understand why. Our theory centered around the loss of his native language at the institute. A year where he received nothing. The blankness of the walls and rooms. The total lack of anything stimulating. He lost everything he knew. We weren't working with a six year old child who needed to go from his language to a new language. We were working with a six year old child who LOST his language. We were working with a child who was equal to a newborn babe in terms of what he knew.

We had nothing with which to compare. There aren't too many studies of children who were in Aaron's shoes. A cognitively normal child, treated as a severely mentally disabled child from birth and then at age five exiled to a mental institute out in the middle of nowhere. How in the world??

We knew we needed help beyond what we could give him. Speech. Therapy. Adaptive services.

But we wanted him home with us. We wanted to teach him and watch him grow. We felt torn and frustrated.

We decided to get him tested through the school system. The dreaded IEP. We wanted to see what they said about our little guy.

Of course they fell in love with him as soon as he walked into the building. You can't help but love Aaron.

His tests indicated that he or course desperately needed Speech, OT and PT. They also indicated that he was way behind mentally. This didn't surprise us. But they did not want to label him as mentally disabled. Everyone around the table believed after spending time with him that despite his struggle with language, Aaron is a very bright little boy.

We were so relieved. We did not want him labeled either. We know that he is extremely bright. We believe with all of our hearts that if he had been born into our family that he would be at the top of his class, not at the bottom.

After testing and after much discussion, we decided on a rather strange but workable plan.

We are going to continue to home school him. But he will also attend public school part-time. He will receive OT, PT, Speech and will be attending Kindergarten 2 mornings a week during their math and circle time. He will also go out to recess with his class 2 days a week and will do art, music and library.

By doing it this way we get the best of both worlds....

If we had chosen to home school Aaron full-time he would have only received speech from the school.
If we had chosen to put him in school full time he would have been placed in 1st grade and would have been completely lost in the classroom, but he would have received all the services the school had to offer.

By home schooling him part-time, he gets to go to kindergarten instead of 1st grade which is a much better match for him. He also gets ALL the services the school has to offer. He also gets to continue to learn his math and reading from us.

Those who tested Aaron all agreed that this was the best workable plan because he would be getting the one-on-one help he needed from those who love him best, but we would get some help in areas where we felt weak.

This past week was Aaron's first time in the classroom.

He loved it.

The children loved him.

We think for now this is going to work.

Fatherless Friday

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

These are some of "my kids". The ones who break my heart on a daily basis.

Sweet Lost HEATH.

We saw him every day for six weeks. We watched him as he was pushed in his wheelchair to the eating sheds. Tiny little Heath sharing the wheelchair with another boy. We would often see him sitting in the dirt, quietly rocking back and forth and playing with a dirty piece of string... Sweet little Heath. Quiet. Serene. Lost.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO HEATH THROUGH LEAH HARDWICK'S GIVEAWAY.... Heath now has a little over $800.00 in his grant account.

HANSON

He is in the same place as Heath. We never saw him. Why??? Because Hanson is in a laying down room. Hidden. This picture is when he was at the orphanage. This is NOT a recent picture.

Poor little guy only has $124.00 in his grant account. Who will love on Hanson??

BRENT AND SPENCER

Both transferred to the SAME PLACE. Both desperately in need of families.

How Long Oh Lord??

Oh sweet Jack.

He now has $2055.00 in his account. Will someone out there PLEASE be the answer to his prayers???

And the rest of my passed over babes... Oh No... I have not forgotten them...

Paul Nikita

Danila Yegor Arina

Dimtry Mark

Robyn Jin Wu Sergei

Meredith

Some of my babes... Some of the ones who desperately need families....

Please pray for them. Give. Share about them on Facebook and in your Blogs. We can't forget about them... these Fatherless babes...

We just can't forget...

Little Lost Lamb

2012-01-19T09:39:00.000-05:00

"His eyes cross badly, his teeth are rotten, he cannot bear his own weight, he smelled horrible.....BUT he is PERFECT!!!"

A Mama holding her little one for the first time. The smell so horrid that she gags when he is placed in her arms.

Yet to her - he is perfect.

Chosen.

Loved.

Cherished.

Wanted.

Already claimed as her son.

What a beautiful picture of love in action.

Despite the distended belly and the rotten teeth and the overwhelming smell - he is deemed perfect.

Rob and I sat here and choked back tears as we read their blog this morning. We remembered sitting with them last year on the steps in the Capital of that country. Both of our families agreeing we would never ever cross that ocean again. It was too hard and we just wanted to get through the process and go home. But God called them back. He called them back. We marvel at this dear family who made their decision to get this little guy based on who needed rescue the most. Their choice wasn't based on a picture - their love wasn't dependent upon ability. Their choice was based on the desperate need of the little five year old in their arms who faced transfer any day and who would not have survived.

"He will need immediate medical care...like straight from the airport to the hospital."

They crossed the ocean for him. They took out loans and sacrificed earthly pleasure to get him. A little lost foul-smelling neglected boy. Of little value to the rest of the world but considered a priceless treasure to the Carmichaels.

Luke 15: 3-7 Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Little lost lamb... You are a beautiful demonstration of the love God has lavishly bestowed upon each of us.

Dirty, sinful, sick and lost human beings that we are.... He gave His ALL for us.

I John 3: 16: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us."

I John 4: 9-10 "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. "

Wonderful Wednesday

2012-01-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

What a difference a week makes!!

Aaron's first casting was HUGE.

The difference between the first and second casting was enough to shock the doctor into saying we may only have to do this two or three more times!!

WOW!!

Wow!!

We were expecting at least 8 weeks of grueling trips, and now we may only be doing half that number.

Wow!!

Aaron is only looking pleasant in this picture because Dr. Z has not started the hard part. When the real casting starts... Mama is not taking pictures but is instead loving on her screaming babe!!

But Wow!!

We are so relieved! Of course we are not being overly optimistic.... but cautiously happy.... Oh Yes!!

Okay... On this Wonderful Wednesday....

While I rejoice in our casting good news...

I want to share what one 19 year old girl is doing for a couple of needy TRANSFERRED orphans....

She's doing a LOST GET FOUND Giveaway...

and DO YOU RECOGNIZE ONE OF THOSE ORPHANS????

SWEET LITTLE HEATH!!

One of our Lost Boys.

Both these babes have been transferred and both are just desperate for a family.

And a 19 year old girl who has her head on straight is doing everything she can to help them find families!!

She gets a standing ovation in my book.

She is fighting for these two babes and people... we need to support her!!!

She was able to acquire a whole ton of Giveaway items so your chances of winning something is pretty huge!! So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE donate to either Heath or Celine.

PLEASE GO HERE AND SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF A GIRL WHO IS NOT OUT PARTYING BUT WHO IS FIGHTING FOR TWO HELPLESS BABES ACROSS THE OCEAN.

And finally.... whoever sent us the sweet package from Art of Appreciation Gift Baskets... Goodness me what a sweet surprise!! Thank you so much... And the family who sent Aaron a 150 piece large sized puzzle... THANK YOU - he is chomping at the bit to build it! And the other family who sent him a nerf gun he can use with his mouth.... WE ARE JUST OVERCOME!! The kindness of strangers takes my breath away!! These are but a few of the gifts we have received over the last year. I am so lousy at thank you's.... I get stunned by the gifts and just overcome with how to even express our gratitude. Please know that we are so blessed to have so many who love our son and who have lavished him and his family with blessing upon blessing.

History

2012-01-16T11:11:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make.

I love history. I love reading history books. I love writing history curriculum. I love teaching history at a Christian homeschooling co-op. I most especially love studying history with my own kids.

But for the last two years... I have not done history at home with the boys.

I MISS IT.

Last year Ben started taking classes at our local Community College. He took two wonderful semesters of U.S. History. He had outgrown me. Elijah took my class at our Co-op that same year, so we didn't do it at home. This year Elijah is doing history on his own. Next year he probably will be taking classes at the community college. He has outgrown me too.

Aaron is not ready for me to start history yet, although he does play on the floor while I teach my middle school history class.

I MISS DOING HISTORY WITH THE BOYS.

It was the highlight of our early homeschooling years.

We spent time reading history together every single day. We had great discussions. After we read our history together, they read literature books that matched what we were studying. We did it as a family. For two of those years, I had several other children that I was "homeschooling" along with my own, and even though each of them was in a different grade, it didn't matter. We all still did history together.

Studying it in order, from beginning to end.

I didn't start out doing history that way.

When I first started homeschooling, Ben had been attending a Christian school, and I just continued the history curriculum that his school had been following. I hated it. It was primarily U.S. history, and its focuses were memorizing and testing. We went through the motions for the remainder of that year while I scoured the internet for better options.

I found one. Right in my own backyard.

BiblioPlan.

Originally written by some ladies at our Christian homeschooling co-op, BiblioPlan was designed around two ideas: (1) integrating the study of history and literature (studying both at the same time), and (2) studying the events of history chronologically (as much as possible). BiblioPlan students followed a four-year plan: They studied the Ancient era, the Medieval era, the Early Modern era and then the Modern era. When they reached the Early Modern era, they studied U.S. and World history at the same time. When they were finished, they started over with the Ancient era again-- only this time, they read more advanced literature and studied each topic in greater depth. In a perfect system, each student would cycle through the four years of study three times, getting more and more advanced as he or she grew. The repetition would cement their history lessons in their minds forever.

When we first started using it, BiblioPlan was just a reading guide that told you two things: (1) Which history lessons to read each week, and (2) What literature readings matched your history lessons for the week.

There were no maps. No homework assignments. No tests. No books full of timeline figures. No craft ideas.

Just a reading guide.

And we loved it.

My boys came to the table eagerly every single morning for our history readings. Since the Guide didn't have bells and whistles, I scoured the internet to find maps. I had to create my own questions to quiz the boys, and we had to find pictures to fill our timeline books. I even found art projects to accompany what we were doing. I spent hours pulling it all together.... Plus more hours at the library and on Amazon tracking down the good quality books that BiblioPlan suggested.

We were happy.

I miss it.

Rob and I are part-owners in BiblioPlan now. We create all of the bells and whistles so that parents don't have to do all of the extra labor that we had to do when we first used BiblioPlan. We now offer maps, question pages, timeline books, craft ideas and our own history texts that add in the Christian element. All that parents have to do on their own now is find the suggested literature books in their libraries or on e-readers.

It is a good history program.

But I am not doing it with my own boys, and I miss it.

Teaching at the Co-op is not the same as sitting at a table with my own kids and reading stories of the past to them.

It makes me sad.

I'm looking forward to starting Aaron in BiblioPlan next year.

We'll start in Ancients... I definitely think he will like it!!

If you are a homeschooling family... And if you want to bring all of your children to the table together... And if you want to watch history unfold... And if you want to read good quality literature... And if you want to learn Geography as you learn history... and if you want to watch God's story woven into the human story... and if you want your children to LOVE your time together... then you ought to consider using BiblioPlan. I'm not putting my heart and soul into a curriculum that I don't believe in 100%!!

We have Teacher's Guides to sell to Christian and Classical schools too!!

Mama's Art

2012-01-15T09:49:00.000-05:00

What do you get when your cast is boring old white???

You get Mama art!!

It might not win any Art Awards but Aaron likes it!!

I wonder what Mama will come up with next week???

Aaron and I are dragging out of bed again tomorrow morning at 1:30 am for round two at Shriners! We PLAN on getting in and out as fast as we can since we are only seeing ONE doctor (amazing) and just getting the cast removed and replaced. Would love some prayers as we travel to Philly and back. Last week we drove through a good bit of snow which was a surprise.

For a bit of Aaron trivia.... For the first 16 van rides - Aaron refused to sleep. I tried everything from bribes to penalties but nothing worked. He could not stop watching the cars and trucks on the road. We would lay his seat back, get everyone in the van to stop talking, tell him to sleep... etc. etc.

Nothing worked.

He would sleep for five minutes and then be up and watching the happenings outside his window.

When Aaron doesn't sleep - Mama doesn't sleep and it made for 16 very very miserable van rides.

In desperation I went to extreme measures...

A blindfold.

On ride 17 I put a blindfold on him and told him it was time to sleep. I was so worried about traumatizing him though that I only laid it on top of his eyes and then removed it a few minutes later for fear he was laying there freaked out. He was sound asleep. Gone. I didn't believe it. I thought he was pretending so I sat there and waited for him to move. Nothing. He slept until the drivers stopped for a rest break. Two hours of bliss.

Of course I didn't sleep because I was too busy waiting for his little head to pop up.

Last week... We didn't just lay that old blindfold on his head. We tied it on. He promptly went to sleep. It eventually worked its way off but he was sleeping so we left it off. When the drivers stopped and he woke up... we just tied it back on and he fell right back to sleep. He slept the entire way to Philly.

Woo Hoo for Blindfolds!!

Woo Hoo for Sleeping Aarons!!

Woo Hoo....

We will see if it works tomorrow!!

Shocking Update

2012-01-14T09:25:00.001-05:00

It has been a hard week. I have felt worn down, tired and overwhelmed with life. I'm being honest. For a multitude of reasons I have just been running on empty.

Because of how I am feeling and because of the treadmill we will be running in the coming months as we try to write for BiblioPlan.... and as we make the weekly treks to Shriners for Aaron... I have felt like taking a blog break. Letting someone else yell for a bit.

Just stopping.

Yesterday I had little to no energy to write a post even though it was Fatherless Friday. The temptation to just not do one was very very strong.

But I made a promise that I had put off for far too long and so I wrote yesterday's blog.

As I was writing I became a bit overwhelmed when I saw how many of the older children had 0.00 in their accounts. I started putting pictures up and it just seemed like it was every other child.

I made a decision after doing the first page that I would focus only on the boys. I was on overload seeing all their sweet faces.

BY THE TIME I WAS DONE I HAD PUT UP PICTURES OF THIRTY NINE LOST BOYS LANGUISHING IN ORPHANAGES AND INSTITUTES IN EASTERN EUROPE AND ASIA.

THIRTY NINE.

I walked away from the computer. The post had depressed me. I was in and out all day. I checked comments a few times but I never went to the website at all to check to see how the boys were doing. It was just too much.

Until last night when I received an e-mail that only 9 boys out of the THIRTY NINE had 0's by their name.

WHAT??

I immediately opened up the RR website and began scrolling through... Every single boy in the 6-9 category had money in their account. Many of them had more than $5.00. At least one had almost $100.00.

I started crying.

I went from page to page ticking off boy after boy who had received a gift of love from one or more of you.

When I was done... Only 5 boys had 0's by their name.

FIVE.

This morning.

It is down to three.

THREE

Three little boys - All on THIS PAGE.

Daniel Marlowe Dixon

After such a demonstration of love yesterday, I have no doubt that by the end of the day - these little guys are not going to be left behind!

Now some scoffers would click their tongues and say that little difference was made yesterday. Thirty Six boys received a drop of money into their account. So what. Most of them now "only" have $5.00. A pittance compared to what they need.

Yes in today's economy $5.00 is a pittance. It doesn't even fill the bottom of the bucket. Against adoption fees that normally run over $20,000.00 it is a joke.

But I stand against any scoffer who would mock what quietly took place yesterday.

I stand against anyone who would scorn the offerings of love that were shown.

I have seen God take $5.00 given in love - just a pittance by the world's standards - and I have seen a child brought home because of it.

Yesterday 36 boys were given those same gifts of love.

I know that the God I serve can take $5.00 measly dollars and multiply it beyond our wildest dreams. I know He can because I have seen Him do it.

What took place yesterday was precious beyond words.

You let 36 boys know that they have value. They are precious. They are of great worth.

You rallied around the Least of These.

Thank you! Thank you!

If I could give every one of you a hug I would.

If I could even begin to express in words how much it meant to me to scroll through their pictures last night and see all the offerings of love I would quickly write those words down here.

But I am at a total loss as to how to express how I feel at the present.

Just know that I am grateful beyond words to be part of a community of believers who sees a need and puts love in action.

Thank you!!

Fatherless Friday

2012-01-13T10:40:00.001-05:00

This is a LONG OVERDUE Fatherless Friday!!

I promised months ago I would support a fellow blogger in her lonely pursuit to get the zero's erased on all the Reece's Rainbow children who are 6 and up.

She e-mailed me in October and asked for help and I have wanted to do a Fatherless Friday to support her ever since.

To make sure that every child listed on Reece's Rainbow who is six and older has at least $5.00 in their grant account.

It doesn't seem like much.

But when you see a $0.00 under a child's name....

Well....It just kind of makes your heart bleed a bit.

Doesn't anyone care? Is this child worth so little that they don't even merit $5.00??

I feel my friend's pain. The older kids are the ones who are least likely to ever be adopted.

Their ages scare people off. They are no longer cute and cuddly.

Bonding is sometimes harder.

The orphanage behavior is often increased.

And with no grant money.... Well... The cost can seem way out of reach!

And the boys... the hard to place boys... They are the ones least likely to be adopted with no grant money.

Time and again - they are the ones left behind.

So on this Fatherless Friday... Will you help?

Zero the Zero's?

EVERY SINGLE CHILD ON THIS PAGE HAS A $0.00 UNDER HIS NAME. These are ALL the boys on Reece's Rainbow who are 6 and older. They have NO GRANT MONEY. Nothing. Not one nickel that indicates that someone out there cares.

Will you care? Will you pick one or two or a few more and make a donation to their grant account? These are precious treasures. Boys created in the image of God. All of them stuck. Many of them sitting in cribs or in wheelchairs with nothing to do day after day. All of them would benefit from being in a family. Not one should be left behind.

Will you help Zero at least one Zero on this Fatherless Friday??

Please??

REECE'S RAINBOW

For those who do....I thank you in advance....

Puzzle Mania

2012-01-12T13:19:00.000-05:00

AARON LOVES PUZZLES!!

Yesterday when I dug several puzzles out of a grab bag at our Co-op he was overjoyed.

He spent the evening working on one of them.

He's really quite good at building them.

He loves figuring them out!!

He is very capable of doing 100+ puzzles except the pieces are too small and he ends up having us build while he directs the process. That's not much fun. So we are forever trying to find puzzles with pieces that are easy for his hands to work.

Considering that Aaron had never built a puzzle before we met him...

I think he has come a long way....

What do you think???

Shriner's Trip #??

2012-01-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

Monday found us dragging out of bed again at 1:10 am so we could make the long trek up to Shriners in their van....

We had a new driver for our trip...

He likes to drive FAST. Thus, we made record time getting to Philly!

Unfortunately he was also a bit bossy. He kicked his Mama off the bus when she commented on his wild driving! Good thing she didn't have far to walk!

We saw both doctors again. The news from both of them was a bit disheartening to hear and I was glad that Rob was along for the ride.

From his lower extremity doctor (Dr. VanBosse) we learned that Aaron needs surgery on both his knees in order to allow them to fully straighten. Not being able to straighten his knees means he tires very easily when he is standing. This is definitely true!! We talked about other possible surgeries beyond that, but I can't process more than one at a time. On a more positive note, Aaron has now graduated to wearing day braces that fit inside his shoe. They are no longer visible and are EASY to get on which makes him very happy. He will continue to wear his other braces with the straps at night.

From his upper extremity doctor (Dr. Z) we were reminded again just how little function Aaron will most likely ever have in his hands/arms. Starting Monday, Aaron will be going through a series of serial castings on his right arm in order to give him the ability to reach his hand to his mouth. But the casting will not be increasing his range of motion. It is limited. So he will be able to reach his mouth but will no longer be able to lower his arm as he is now able. It makes us both a bit sad to consider....

Aaron definitely doesn't find the casting process pleasant.

We are figuring he will have to suffer through about 8 or so different casts.

He wanted a red cast but Dr. Z went for boring old white in order to keep the cast as light as possible.

Of course the highlight of our trip to Shriners was seeing all the families.

We took over the cafeteria at one point!!

We saw sweet Madeline and her Mom!! Madeline enjoys casting about as much as Aaron does... poor babe!

We also enjoyed seeing Gerri and Victoria and their Mom.

Love love love these girls!!

And little Robyn - Oh My Goodness she is precious!!

Aaron was beyond relieved to have another boy (Fuxia) to hang with because he was a bit overwhelmed with all the girls!!

And... drum roll please...

I have been waiting to meet this babe for a very very long time...

Victoria!

Last May I wrote THIS POST and THIS POST after the Ferrone's met her.... When I go back and read what I wrote and look at her pictures from then I am just in awe.

This baby was in a LAYING DOWN ROOM! She had never been held until the Ferrone's came storming into her life.

She spent her life just laying in a crib. For years.

Now look at her!

She stole my heart completely on Monday. She stole Rob's too. Especially when she started flirting with him at lunch!!

Seeing her cruising around the examining room. Feeding herself.

It was sweet beyond words.

I am so grateful that our trips to Shriner's are not just grueling sessions with doctors. I am grateful to be able to rub shoulders with other Moms and Dads who have children with arthrogryposis. The encouragement we receive from the other families is priceless. I'm also grateful to be able to see all the Reece's Rainbow children whom we prayed home.

Though we traveled in ice and snow on our way home, we can say without pause that God is good.

Christmas With the Lost Boys

2012-01-08T21:24:00.001-05:00

We received an e-mail from across the ocean the last week in December.

The words in the e-mail were sweet indeed.

The pictures were even more precious.

In the last week of December, Alyona and her crew drove up to Aaron's old village and shared the Christmas story with about twenty of the Lost Boys. (Yes, the tiny boy in the caretaker's arms is one of the Lost Boys...Break.My.Heart - We believe he has only just recently been transferred there).

They learned about Jesus and that He Loves Them.

They were given small gifts.

They were allowed out of their empty, lonely rooms for one precious hour.

And of course I cried.

Three times this year Alyona and her team have ministered to the Lost Boys. That equates to THREE HOURS. Three hours that the highest functioning boys have been allowed out of their rooms. Three hours where they were not sitting in a shed. Three hours where they could laugh and sing. Three hours.

Of course it isn't enough. Of course we noticed right away all the 40 walking and wheelchair boys who are missing from the picture.

(Heath)

Of course we realize that there are 40+ more boys laying in misery in their beds in hidden buildings.

(Hanson)

Yes we are counting heads.

Of course.

But it is something. In September 2010, a week before we took Aaron out of the gates forever, we wrote THIS POST about the Lost Boys. How hard it was to leave them behind. The reality of their existence. That we would leave no stone unturned to try to get them help. We prayed that God would send someone to minister to the boys we left behind.

God is slowly but surely answering those prayers.

In this last year, three times these few boys have been allowed to encounter people from the outside.

The significance of that sentence is huge.

The director has been at that institute for TWENTY FIVE years. When we walked through the gates in July 2010, we were the first people to ever break into that world. The first. And it scared her.

She didn't know what to do with us.

She resisted our presence. The last day we were on the grounds she threw a fit I will never forget about our taking Aaron out of the institute.

But in the last week of December 2011, just a few days ago, she sat with the Lost Boys, with her granddaughter by her side...

And when Alyona finished, the director made sure that the boys understood. In Alyona's words:

"After we told the boys about Jesus birth and finished our program, she started asking the boys how much they understood and what they remembered, she wanted to make sure they remembered who Jesus was and why we all celebrate Christmas."

Unbelievable.

But what was even more unbelievable was what happened next...

The director talked to Alyona for a LONG time.

And at the end of the conversation - she welcomed them back. She wants them to come.

She wants help.

The director was very welcome to us. She, that used to be pretty difficult, opened her heart before us and asked that we could come more often and work with the children as much as possible.

Slowly but surely the doors are opening.

God is doing a new thing in that closed mental institute across the ocean.

But understand this...

It can't happen without the church. Alyona and Slavik minister to a whole host of other extremely needy children and adults in their region. They go into orphanages, they work with families who are choosing to keep their special needs children, they minister in a teen prison for boys (most of the boys are orphans), they minister in a special needs institute for girls and they minister to poor children who attend the public schools. The list of things they do is unbelievably exhausting.

Here is their most recent prayer list and need list:

· Pray for our team of volunteers as we all minister to the children;

· We need a minivan so we wouldn’t spend so much on transportation that we hire. We spent about $8000 a year just on that.

· Orphans to get into families;

· New curriculum, wisdom and ideas on how to work with special need children (mentally and physically).

This opportunity requires us to get more and more information how to work with special need children! Please, please, please, those that are involved in such programs, share with us ideas. We would like to learn from you as you have better opportunities and great programs. We need to get a good curriculum for such boys and girls while the directors are open to partnership. It is such a great privilege to enter the sanctuary of those that this world considers as trash. We want to show that they are loved by God and us.

Financial support.

If you can help in any way - If you are experienced or have access to curriculum they can use - Please let me know.

THEY NEED MATERIAL AND THEY NEED FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

Monthly support is essential to keep their ministry going. They are doing what many of us desire to do - THEY ARE MINISTERING TO THE LEAST OF THESE!!

Donations to Alyona and Slavik can be made to Harvest International - their link is on my sidebar.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING. Keep praying. There are 110 Lost Boys in that institute. Only two of them are currently listed for adoption. Heath and Hanson. Please. Prayers matter. We have been storming heaven for those 108 other boys. Praying hard the the director would list more boys. We have been praying for a family for Heath and Hanson for well over a year now. It is hard to keep praying when it just seems like all is lost but Our God Lives and I know He hears. I know He is moving and working in this institute. I know this.

Pray for Our Lost Boys and Pray too for the Lost Girls. The director in the Special Needs Girl's Institute that Alyona and her team visit keeps the girls there locked up tight. NONE of them are allowed to be available for adoption. The door is closed there. The director refuses. Once a girl is transferred in - they are forever Lost. But God can change hearts. We know this. We have proof under our roof. God can change hearts.

Pray church.

Pray.

Give. Support. Come Alongside.

The Lost Boys and the Lost Girls across the ocean desperately need YOU.

P.S. Please do not remove any of the pictures from this blogpost! Thank you!

God and God Alone

2012-01-08T08:04:00.000-05:00

I stole this collage from Sarah White.

Look at these babies.

I scan through these pictures and I am in awe at how many have been on our blog in the last two years. So many whom we have prayed over - cried over. So many whom we thought were lost forever. Little ones barely hanging on - others transferred to far off places.

Look at them.

All of them are home.

Every single one is an answer to prayer.

Every single one.

196 babes.

Jonah, Emory, Gavin, Levi, Jordan, Sam, Vera, Vika, Ian, Kirill, Baby J, Zara, Brady, Daniel, Madeline, Gabe, Yuri, Jonathan, Peter, Clayton, Julia, Eleeza, Katya, Jonah, Grady, Cameron, Eden, Mia, Evan, Anastasia, Victoria....

The list goes on and on and on...

196 less orphans in the world.

All home.

2011

Special Post

2012-01-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

I know...

I'm cheeky...

I have a post to share.

This isn't it.

On Monday we are off to Shriner's for a new round of serial casting for Aaron. We will go up every single Monday for 2-3 months.

Not looking forward to it AT ALL except that we are going to see a whole host of RR and AMC babes on Monday. Just wait till you see THOSE pictures!!

Since I won't be here on Monday and I teach on Tuesday.... I am going to post a special Blog Post.

A Lost Boys Post.

Complete with a few precious pictures of a few of the boys.

Precious pictures.

So come back on Monday and enjoy!

Aaron agrees.... His Mom IS Cheeky!!

Fatherless Friday

2012-01-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

Almost there.

There are a host of families who are so very close to traveling.

They are almost ready to board the plane and meet their little ones.

Some of them are fully funded. Some are not. Some have their bags packed and ready to go. Others are running around frantically trying to get everything done on their check-off list. Some are calm. Others are hysterical. None of them are truly breathing. As I've said before, you stop breathing when you jump off that cliff and don't commence breathing until you step off the plane with your little one/s in your arms.

They are all in need of our prayers, our support, our love.

It is a scary thing to cross that ocean. To walk into a different culture, a different world and try to navigate your way around it. It is humbling to be dependent upon others to navigate you through the adoption process over there.

They need us.

These families and more.

They need us to stand beside them. Pray for them. Encourage them.

Each of them has a different story... Here are but a few...

ROBERT AND JEN - Robert and Jen committed to getting three precious little boys from across the ocean. They got all of their paperwork in and were just waiting for their travel date. Adoption is not for the faint-hearted though and they definitely discovered this when they learned that another family from a different country had stepped in and adopted their three little guys. Their hearts were a bit torn in two to say the least. They are still crossing the ocean though. They KNOW God has called them to adopt. They are packing their bags - stepping out in an even greater leap of faith. Unfortunately - on top of everything else - just this last week - someone broke into their house. To say they are feeling vulnerable and scared and in desperate need of the body of Christ to come alongside them would be putting it mildly. Please pray for this family. Send them a word of encouragement. Let them know that you are going to journey with them as they go!! They need us.

PATRICK - Oh My Sweet Patrick. I don't know how many of you remember a blogpost I did last summer about a little boy who had just plain ripped my heart out! I was ready to cross the ocean on a row boat to get him and Rob was ready to row the boat with him. Thankfully the Lord brought a family quickly to soothe our aching hearts. They are leaving soon. I am asking for you to pray that little Joshua's (Patrick) heart will be prepared for a new Mama and Papa. He lost his own Mama just a short time ago. Please pray that he will be open to these new people in his life. Pray that fears will be calmed and that he will be able to trust again. Pray for Mike and Jennifer as they cross the ocean. Pray that they will be covered with peace and that God will grant them wisdom as they bring this little orphaned boy into their family.

EASTON - And then there's Easton. Last February I was yelling for him after learning that the family who wanted him would not be allowed to adopt him because of the rules in their country. Their hearts were broken and that broke mine. But God brought a family for him and in just a few days HIS FAMILY is crossing the ocean. He has already been transferred which adds layers of stress and sorrow as they encounter what life has been like for their son over the last year.

GRACIE - This sweet little muffin has a Mama and Papa who are within a week of travel but have not raised all that they need. They are down to the wire in regards to finances. A number of people have stepped up to help. A BABY CONTEST is going on to try to raise money for Gracie and 2 other families who are also in need. Would you help this family? Either enter into the Baby Contest or just make a donation. I LOVE to see the little ones taken out. I love that Gracie will not have to spend years and years waiting but instead she has a family who wants her NOW... They want to hold her and love her and put bows in her little hair. That just makes me jump for joy. Please help this family!!

ANDREY - This family is near and dear to our hearts!! When Rob and I were across the ocean they were too - getting two precious treasures. We had the privilege of spending a pleasant evening walking around the capital city and sharing stories. Though we were together but one evening, both our families feel quite knit together. When the Lord made it clear that they needed to rescue another little one, they were not picky. They took the neediest child on the RR list at the time. Andrey. Please pray for them as they cross the ocean. And if you feel led - help them out. They have basically funded their adoption themselves as they are humble people and did not fundraise. I would love to bless them before they go.

SHANE AND OLEG - The Patterson's story is wild to say the least and they definitely could use our prayers over the coming weeks. Last summer they hosted two precious elementary aged boys and absolutely fell in love with them. They had been released for adoption and so the Pattersons decided that they were going to get them. When they arrived in country, they discovered that an aunt had stepped forward and the boys were no longer available. They were deeply grieved but Adoption is on their hearts and they knew that they hadn't traveled across the ocean to leave empty-handed. After much prayer and discussion, they decided to pursue two precious little guys with Down Syndrome. The boys had had a family coming to get them but backed out and so they were left hanging. The Patterson's needed to change their paperwork and needed an new appointment date so they came home. While home, Lorraine's Mom died suddenly. It has been a rough couple of weeks. They are traveling this weekend and could really use prayers as they meet their little guys and work through the process to bring them home. Pray that God would continue to comfort them as they work through the losses they have experience in the last weeks. (Both the boys and Lorraine's Mom)

Please lift up all of these families and the others that I didn't highlight. You can find them HERE.

They need us. Some need our financial support. All of them need our prayers. Make comments on their blogs if you can. Let them know you are supporting them. Cheer them on!!

Adoption is not for the faint-heart.

It should not be done without the Body of Christ walking alongside!

Sometimes It's Hard.

2012-01-05T10:33:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's hard.

It's hard to watch my little guy with his little hands that struggle to work.

Sometimes it's hard.

Christmas Day with the guns was one of those times.

While his brothers and his Papa played freely with the guns at Christmas.

While his cousins after arriving pulled and shot to their heart's delight...

Aaron was left out in the cold.

He couldn't work the gun.

Sometimes it's hard.

I tried to find guns that he could work. I stood in the store for an hour checking out every one. Trying hard to fulfill Aaron's desire for a 'shooter gun'. I thought I had found the perfect gun. The trigger was loose, it was small and looked easy to manage.

But when we took it out of the box and tested it on Christmas Day we knew it was another fail for Aaron. He could cock it using his legs and a string around his neck but once the gun was cocked - the trigger tightened. He could not shoot the gun.

Yes we could shoot it for him while he half-held it. But it wasn't the same.

So in the midst of our Christmas chaos - with his brothers, his Papa, his cousins enjoying the guns and the darts - our little guy was left out again.

It stung.

He showed himself no pity though. Despite the hurt that was nestled deep in his heart - our little guy made the best of a harsh situation. He laughed. He cheered. He collected bullets. He held the bucket. He withstood being shot and he stayed in the midst of the battles that raged.

It humbled me to see my little guy laughing and playing in the midst of the chaos. Finding joy though he was experiencing such loss. I know few in this world who would stay and play in the midst of such disappointment. Most would run off and hide. Rant and rave at what they do not have. Throw fits and shout angry words at all who would hear.

Aaron stayed.

I was proud beyond words of my little guy who has had so many strikes against him. I was proud that he didn't walk away. I was proud of the joy he exuded. I was proud of my son on Christmas Day.

But I also grieved and my Mama's heart was crying out that just once - just once - I would like to see him be able to play as they are playing. To enjoy life as they are enjoying life. To take part as they are taking part. Sometimes I just wish my little boy had hands that worked.

Sometimes it's hard.

Where Little Boys Belong

2012-01-04T09:32:00.000-05:00

When its cold outside....

And your little hands are not well-equipped for regular gloves....

NEVER FEAR...

TOE SOCKS ARE HERE!!!

Sweet Aaron.

Happy to go outside.

Happy to ride his bike.

Happy to run free. Playing. Laughing. Doing what little boys are supposed to be doing.

Going where little boys are supposed to be going...

Outside. Where Little Boys Belong.

BRENT ISN'T.

He's sitting in a room at a mental institute....

Just sitting.

Day after day.

Listening to the moans of the boys around him.

Probably moaning himself. Rocking back and forth. Lost. Forever Lost unless SOMEONE GETS HIM!

In our PASSED OVER BABES Giveaway back in December...

We were giving away a $100 dollar Gift certificate to the Vintage Pearl.

Well the winner of the Vintage Pearl GAVE IT BACK.

They GRACIOUSLY told us to donate the certificate to another babe.

I've been caught up in the Angel Tree Craziness and so we made an executive decision...

We gave the certificate to my dear friend Patti over at A PERFECT LILY.

And she is using it for BRENT.

So he can find a Mama who will bundle him warm and let him go outside and play....

SO HE WON'T HAVE TO SPEND HIS EVERY WAKING MOMENT AS A LOST BOY.

Someone else donated a KINDLE for BRENT...

Goodness gracious the unbelievable kindness of people just blows me away!!!

BUT YOU NEED TO ACT QUICKLY...

THE GIVEAWAY ENDS TOMORROW.

GO HERE to donate to help Brent's grant fund increase..... And maybe you can win one of the cool prizes....

And maybe next year.... Next year we will get to read on someone's blog.. somewhere... that sweet Brent is getting HIS gloves on so he can go outside to play!!

Running free.... Where Little Boys Belong!

Christmas with Aaron - Part Mayhem

2012-01-03T10:47:00.000-05:00

It started out serene.

While Aaron was playing with his new "Granddaddy's" truck, Elijah had distributed the presents so everyone had their own pile.

We don't always do it that way but felt for Aaron's sake that it would be better for him to see his pile since he still was pretty oblivious to the fact that there were presents under the tree for him.

To say he was thrilled at his pile would be putting it mildly.

We took turns, going around the circle, enjoying what each person had received.

There were definitely some laughs shared...

Yes, Elijah gave Ben toilet paper in retaliation for Ben giving him a large, stuffed My Little Pony last year....

Gee thanks Mom!!!

But mostly it was pleasant.

Each of us enjoying what the other had received.

I was taking few pictures and just enjoying the peaceful moments....

Peaceful and quiet with the MESSIAH playing in the background....

Then Rob opened a gift.

It was from "Aaron".

Being the mature man that he is... He set aside his gift and waited for the next person in line to open HER gift....

NOT...

He tore into that box like a kid in a candy store.... laughing all the way!!

Shooting all of us defenseless minions in the room...

But then Ben opened HIS gift from Aaron...

And the war began!!

When Elijah found HIS Aaron gift....

Mayhem erupted....

This only added fuel to the fire!!

Oh Yes.... It was pure Mayhem in our Christmas room....

Except for Aaron....

A midst the bullets sailing around his head..

Despite getting his very own Aaron Gift...

He plugged away quietly and happily, opening every one of his presents..

Happy Happy Boy in the Midst of a Christmas Gone Wild!!

A Christmas I doubt he will ever forget.

Merry Memories little fugitive from across the ocean... Merry Memories to you...

Christmas with Aaron Part Three

2012-01-02T10:56:00.000-05:00

He was content with his stocking full of candy and his family surrounding him.

He was pretty sure Christmas was now over except for a bunch of family coming later to visit.

He was sitting on the floor talking and playing and oblivious.

Then Elijah turned on the train.

Choo Chooing its way around the track under the tree in the other room.

Aaron KNOWS trains.

Trains are pure happiness to Aaron. They represent everything wonderful and magical in this world outside of sheds and orphan buildings.

His keen little ears perked up.... What was that? Granddaddy's train?

Here??

He pulled himself up and walked with wonder into the living room...

Mama come look!

Papa do you see??

Elijah? Ben?

THAT'S SO COOL!!!

Do you see?? Do you see??

AND..... GRANDDADDY'S TRUCK.... DO YOU SEE??

FOR AARON??? Papa!! Mama!! Aaron's truck??

Aaron can help open it.

Totally oblivious to all the presents under the tree ... focused only on the train and the truck!!

Pure joy!!

Utterly content.

His brothers.... not so much....

.....stay tuned for Part Four in which pure mayhem ensues....

Toppling Goliath

2012-01-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

There was despair in the Christmas Warriors chat room yesterday morning.

Thirty-seven children still had not reached their $1,000 Angel Tree goal.

There were no big donors waiting in the wings with big checks to save the day.

We were a bunch of tired, battle-weary and empty-pocketed Warriors whose only job description was that we all cared deeply about a bunch of castaway kids.

We had given it our all for weeks and weeks, but THIRTY-SEVEN children were still on the wrong side of the $1,000 wall.

We still needed to raise thousands of dollars if we were going to get them all over that wall.

How in the world?

We were a group of little Davids, armed with nothing but a few pebbles to cast at a mighty foe.

But God was on our side.

And our purpose was true and right: To stand in the gap for the voiceless ones. To share with the world the fact that these forgotten orphans have value. To defend their right to live, and to have a life that's worth living.

And so we rallied. Although we were tired and discouraged, we got up, dusted ourselves off and went back to work. We determined in our hearts that we were going to show these precious babes to the world one last time before the Angel Tree was over. Whether or not they all made it over the wall, we were at least going to show the world their pictures and tell their sad stories one last time.

So we slammed the internet with their faces. Over and over and over we put their faces out. And with God on OUR side - people began to SEE the children. EVERY SINGLE ONE of them.

And ALL THIRTY-SEVEN began to move towards the wall.

The half hour updates on the Angel Tree website verified the fruit of our labor.

Step by step. Inch by inch.

Every single one of them was moving toward that wall.

So many people were responding that the Reece's Rainbow website went down.

Panic set in as we prayed for it to come back on-line.

Most of the donations were small ones of $5, $10 or $20 each, representing hundreds, thousands of people out there who were seeing the babies and responding in love.

It was beautiful to behold. When the first babe finally jumped the wall after hours of labor, we rejoiced. Then another jumped. And another. By early afternoon five babies had jumped. There were still 32 left, but all of them had moved closer to the wall.

And then a donor stepped forward with a challenge: he or she would pull the BOTTOM FIVE babes over the wall if we could get another TEN babes over the wall first.

We were a mess. Strategy went out the window. We just started hollering and yelling even louder.

If we had been strategy-minded, we would have told people to stop donating to the bottom five, because they were already guaranteed to make it over the wall.

Thankfully, we were a bunch of Hysterical Warriors who cared little about strategy and cared everything about all 32 babes who we refused to leave behind.

So it went on as before, with every single child advancing. The bottom five kept swapping places with the others. It was a cacophony of craziness. A few hours later, the first child jumped. Screaming ensued. A half hour later, another followed. The Warriors chat room was going hysterical.

So many people were jumping on the website to donate that the servers were struggling to keep up.

Then we had only 23 babies left. Only one more to go, and then the bottom five would go too.

That would leave 17 babes.

What happened next was absolutely beyond words.

Around 6:30 p.m., Number 22 jumped the wall.

In the half hour from 6:30 to 7:00, Michelle from RR set to work distributing our big donor's money to pull the bottom five over the wall as promised. But within that same half hour, the donations for all the babes poured in like water over a broken dam. They were jumping the wall so fast that we couldn't keep up with them all. It was wild beyond belief.

At 7:00 pm, when the site refreshed and everyone expected to see 17 babes left on the wrong side of the wall, there were instead only ELEVEN left.

ELEVEN!

I was in complete and utter shock and awe at what God had accomplished through us. Looking at those eleven remaining babies, I knew that we had won. I knew then that we would get them all over that wall.

The mighty Reece's Rainbow Warriors were not going to leave those last Eleven behind.

A bunch of pebbles with a Mighty God makes for victory every single time!!

And, thank the Lord, I was right. Within another hour or so, they all had made it. All Thirty Seven Babies.

Through the Angel Tree, those poor lost babies got their chance to speak to hearts all over the world-- both in the world across the ocean, where people often throw their 'broken' children away, and in our world on this side of the ocean, where we often eliminate them before they can even take their first breath.

The Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of everyone who saw those poor babies' pictures yesterday.

Yesterday the Lord of Hosts made it clear to all that these babes are precious, that they are worthy of His attention, and that they are on HIS heart.

And yesterday, for a few hours, the world listened to the cries of the many children whom it has hidden away and forgotten.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO LISTENED. THANK YOU.

GOD IS ON THE MOVE....

2011-12-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

HE'S MOVING PEOPLE.

God is moving in hearts.

THE BABES ARE MOVING UP!!

Don't miss out.

It is beyond fun to watch the little ones climbing up that wall and slowly dropping over to the other side.

It is even more precious to go on blogs and Facebook and SEE THEIR PICTURES EVERYWHERE!

This morning 37 babes needed to cross and now only 32 babes are left behind!!

BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE MOVED UP!!

And a private donor has given this challenge - if we can drop 10 babes over the wall - TEN... than that donor will drop the FIVE LOWEST!!

THAT EQUALS 15 BABES!!!

Come on - Take part.

Spread their faces across Facebook.

AND PRAY LIKE MAD THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL USE THIS DAY TO MOVE IN HEARTS....

THAT MAMAS AND PAPAS WILL SEE THEIR BABES!!

Take part in helping these kids find families on THIS DAY - THE EVE OF A NEW YEAR!!!

-------------------------------

It is not just about the money.

It is about being seen.

Really seen.

Having people SEE these babes who are laying in cribs across Eastern Europe and Asia.

They are helpless. Defenseless.

They are voiceless.

Unless people SEE them. See their plight. See their need.

Unless they are seen... they will continue to lay there.

Stuck in their cribs.

Helpless and defenseless.

We have to do whatever we can to be their voice. Shout their need from the rooftops.

To call the church into action.

To Pray.

To love.

To Give.

To raise up families.

So the next Aaron installment is going to have to wait.

So that on this last day of 2011 - You get one more chance to SEE the 2011 Angel Tree Babes who have been left behind.

See them.

Yesterday over $4,000.00 was raised for these babes. Twelve of them jumped the wall.

I wish you could have heard the shouts from the Warriors mud room each time another one was pulled over the wall.

It has been a mighty battle.

Today it ends.

We're just a bunch of little David's facing a rather BIG GOLIATH.

We need $11,000.00 + dollars to finish the job.

More than that - We need these 37 babes to be given a voice across the nation.

They need to be seen.

Will you help spread the word?

Will you consider digging deep and donating to one or two or more of these babes?

Help pull some more of them over the wall?

Join with all us little David's???

Please?

THE CHILDREN ON THIS PAGE ARE THE 37 WHO JUST CAN'T BE LEFT BEHIND!!

REECE'S RAINBOW'S ANGEL TREE

To See Them...

2011-12-31T08:42:00.000-05:00

I know many of you want me to give the next installment of Aaron's Christmas.

I've had some e-mails from some disgruntled followers that I am leaving you hanging.

I was even called "cheeky" by one follower who will not be named.

But, there are still 37 Angel Tree Babes who have not reached their goal of getting over the $1,000.00 wall.

Thirty Seven babes who NEED to be seen.

It is not just about the money.

It is about being seen.

Really seen.

Having people SEE these babes who are laying in cribs across Eastern Europe and Asia.

They are helpless. Defenseless.

They are voiceless.

Unless people SEE them. See their plight. See their need.



Unless they are seen... they will continue to lay there.

Stuck in their cribs.

Helpless and defenseless.



We have to do whatever we can to be their voice. Shout their need from the rooftops.



To call the church into action.



To Pray.

To love.



To Give.



To raise up families.



So the next Aaron installment is going to have to wait.



So that on this last day of 2011 - You get one more chance to SEE the 2011 Angel Tree Babes who have been left behind.

See them.

Yesterday over $4,000.00 was raised for these babes. Twelve of them jumped the wall.

I wish you could have heard the shouts from the Warriors mud room each time another one was pulled over the wall.

It has been a mighty battle.

Today it ends.

We're just a bunch of little David's facing a rather BIG GOLIATH.

We need $11,000.00 + dollars to finish the job.

More than that - We need these 37 babes to be given a voice across the nation.

They need to be seen.

Will you help spread the word?

Will you consider digging deep and donating to one or two or more of these babes?

Help pull some more of them over the wall?

Join with all us little David's???

Please?

THE CHILDREN ON THIS PAGE ARE THE 37 WHO JUST CAN'T BE LEFT BEHIND!!

REECE'S RAINBOW'S ANGEL TREE

They Just Can't Be Left Behind!

2011-12-30T08:16:00.003-05:00

How in the world???

There are still 49 Angel Tree Babes who have not reached their goal of getting over the $1,000.00 wall.

My heart's desire is to see every single one of them jump that wall.

But we are talking $15,000.00.

By midnight tomorrow night.

Ugh!

Why does it matter?

Why do I care that all the kids cross?

Because God is on the move.

I jumped!!

In the last week thousands and thousands of e-mails have been sent. From ordinary people across the country who have been INQUIRING ABOUT THE ANGEL TREE BABES.



Thousands of hearts have been touched.



THOUSANDS.



That's God at work.



And it calls me into action.



So here I am on this Fatherless Friday asking for the impossible....



I'm standing with all my fellow Angel Tree Warriors yelling myself hoarse for these last 49 to be pulled over that wall.

I jumped!!

We just can't leave them behind people.

I jumped I jumped

Yes we are asking for the impossible.

The Warriors are completely tapped out....

$15,000.00 is HUGE.

We're just a bunch of little David's facing a rather BIG GOLIATH.

But God is on the move and so we cannot give up.... Every nickel in their grant account matters. Every nickel matters.

Please - will you consider digging deep and donating to one or two or more of these babes?

Help pull some of them over the wall?

Join with all us little David's???

Please?

THE CHILDREN ON THIS PAGE ARE THE 49 WHO JUST CAN'T BE LEFT BEHIND!!

REECE'S RAINBOW'S ANGEL TREE

A Whisper

2011-12-29T08:10:00.000-05:00

Revised from last year .... December 29.... in memory of December 29, 2009....

Just a whisper. A Holy Spirit breathed whisper. A longing. A stirring that began years before but began to grow louder and more insistent as time passed. Adoption. One day we said. One day. Later. Too busy now. Our days too full. Not enough money. Not enough time. Later. Much later. When the boys are gone. When we finish our current projects. When our bank account is above 0. Another day. Not today.

All good arguments but the whisper stayed. The stirrings continued. The voice wasn't silenced. The God-ordained encounters with those who had gone before kept happening. Consider. Just consider. Pray. But... but...no... can't... not.... all the arguments. Mental gymnastics. The money God. Where? It can't work. Our boys. It's crazy. We are broke. Our business is tumbling down. We are consumed with our side projects. Our schedule is insane. Dear Lord - it's just not the right time.

Louder. No longer a stirring but a wave. A push. An emptiness. A realization that we lacked. Something. Someone. Our lives were full of nothing. Crazy chasing after useless dreams. Circling - protecting our boys from what? Our spiritual lives - Church - worship - tithing - going through the motions. For what? Our passion gone. Realization of our empty cup.

Then a picture. A smiling face. A helpless child. The Holy Spirit whisper becomes a scream.

GO GET HIM. HE'S YOURS.

This child. In that country. GO. Now. Say yes. Despite the bank account. Despite the schedule. Despite the arguments. Despite it all. GO.

Two years later. Our 'whisper' celebrating Christmas with us. Our son. Our child. Our little brother. Ours. But more than Ours - God's. His child. His son. His treasure that He called out of darkness. To our family.

Aaron.

December 29, 2009 - two year ago - just a whisper in our hearts. I'm so grateful we listened.

Christmas with Aaron Part Two

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

He thought Christmas was over.

Happy with his stocking in his lap.

Surrounded by candy and some weird pieces of paper he pulled out of his stocking.

But he was happy to oblige when we told him we needed to put Baby Jesus in the manger.

And those papers....

Mama told him that was his Angel Tree money.

Oh What Fun to decide which babes were going to get his money....

He searched long and hard and then settled on four worthy babes...

Randy Carter Tomas

Daniel

Me thinks Aaron wants the boys to be adopted!!

Elijah was next up to choose.....

He was very thoughtful in his selections but worried that his money would make but a drop in the bucket for his picks. It gave us good opportunity to discuss how God is able to multiply our small offerings.

Elijah picked Penny and Orson.

Ben didn't want to choose. He agonized over having to pick a child when the need was so great. His tender heart broke just seeing all the babes. He asked us to make his pick for him and when we refused he picked the little one who had the least amount in her account and gave her all of his money.

Dorothy

Rob.

I knew who he was going to pick. I knew when I was putting the Angel Tree money in his stockings.

I waited to see. He looked through the screen quietly and then said, "Where's my little man, Paul?"

Paul. One of our Passed Over Babes.

I was right. He captured Rob's heart a month ago and still has a firm grip.

Dad had us scroll slowly through the list until his eyes fell upon Alexander.

THAT ONE.

The little guy with the cute little elf ears.

Alexander

He was my pick too but Dad didn't know it because he wasn't in the room when I chose my babes. I thought that was a bit fitting - we both chose the same little one.

My other picks were...

Bennett Abbott Matthias

Yes, I go for the boys too!!

It was precious.

Taking the time to consider the babes. Choosing for the most part the ones who were still struggling to get over the $1,000.00 wall.

If that was all we did for Christmas - it was enough.

But the Living Room was calling.

Trains and presents were waiting.

But Aaron was oblivious....focused on the contents of his stocking.

Happy.

No memories of what we did last year. Just enjoying the moment and thinking that it was enough.

.......to be continued....

Christmas with Aaron Part One

2011-12-27T10:11:00.002-05:00

Oh. My.

Our Christmas started off quite horribly when Aaron came down the steps to discover that...

OUR STOCKINGS HAD BEEN STOLEN.

Yep. That Mean Old Grinch had STRUCK Again.

That nasty old elf really has it in for our family.

Every.Single.Year. he steals our stockings!!

Oh My. Will Christmas have to be cancelled???

The littlest stood with worried face... considered the problem from all angles and made a decision....

HE WOULD FIND THE GRINCH AND FIND OUR STOCKINGS!!

YES HE WOULD.

AARON TO THE RESCUE...

Of course Aaron had NO IDEA that the stolen stockings had anything in them....

He thought he was rescuing a bunch of empty colorful socks.

But after a long quest that involved a lot of noise and a good bit of help from his big brothers....

Aaron was able to claim victory....

Being the sweetheart that he is....

Aaron diligently carried one of the found stockings down to the chimney mantel so we could HANG IT BACK UP!!

Imagine his utter delight when he found out that...

HE COULD KEEP HIS STOCKING AND THERE WAS CANDY INSIDE!!!

Oh What Fun. Oh What Fun!!

And while Papa read the Christmas story from Isaiah 6 and John 1...

The littlest quietly feasted on Hershey Kisses from his stocking....

Pure contentment.

Christmas in his mind was THE BEST.

What honestly could be better.....

IN AARON'S MIND - HE HAD JUST HAD CHRISTMAS!!

.....to be continued.....

He Still Doesn't Know...

2011-12-25T08:29:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE NALLE FAMILY

Nope. As of last night, Aaron hadn't figured out the Christmas thing but he went to bed excited anyway.

He knows Christmas is Jesus' birthday.

He knows that it involves family.

He knows that presents figure into it somehow.

But he has no idea that HE IS GOING TO GET PRESENTS!

Despite not knowing, he put himself to sleep singing his version of Jingle Bells.... (This version entails singing "Jingle Bells" over and over and over again with tuneless joyful abandon)....

He went to bed knowing that something was going to happen zumorro but not sure WHAT that something entails.

After the littlest was safely tucked in bed (but not sleeping), his brothers, his granddad, his Mama and his Papa spent the evening arranging presents around the tree and setting up a train track while listening to him sing in the background.

Chuckling in delight as we considered what zumorro will bring for our funny little boy.

Oh What Fun.

Oh What Fun!!