Friday, October 5, 2012

Fatherless Friday

I watched them as they walked up and down the aisles in Sam's Club yesterday.

A mother and her child.  

The mother pushing the cart in the store, shopping for needed groceries, but her real focus was on her precious little girl sitting in the shopping cart seat.

A mother and her child.

The cooing, giggling, kissing.  The focus of the mom on her little one.  The  focus of the little one on her mommy.   

I watched them as I shopped.  I listened.  I smiled.   I remembered when my boys were little.  The simple pleasure of loving on your child while pushing a shopping cart.

I watched them and deep down I ached.

I ached for all the lost moments with Aaron.  I ached that I never cooed at him as he happily rode in the grocery cart.  I never had  the opportunity to hear his baby giggle or feel his hands reach up as he rode along.  I ached for Aaron.  For me.  For that loss.

I ached too as I thought of all the babes.  All the precious ones languishing in their cribs.  All the children who  have missed out on the simple pleasure of having a mommy focused completely on them as they happily rode in a shopping cart.  Such a simple pleasure.  Lost.  Lost for so many.

I ached for Rita.

  

A beautiful little girl who could be Aaron's twin.  She has arthrogryposis just like him.  Where is her Mama? She is soon heading for transfer to AN ADULT MENTAL INSTITUTE unless someone goes and gets her. GOD FORBID!

I grieved for Victoria.


The beautiful princess behind the shaved head!

 

How much longer LORD????  She waits.  Day after day.  Week after week.  Month after month.  Year after year.  Victoria.  Who will love you?  Who will cross the ocean for you?  She too has arthrogryposis. Oh if only people could see past that label!!

I mourned for Emmitt.

 

Born in the same year as my Elijah but stuck in a crib.  STUCK IN A CRIB.  Precious Emmitt.  Who will call you son?

And Aubree.


Another BEAUTIFUL girl with arthrogryposis.  Such potential.  Yet confined.  


Who will coo over these babes?  Who will take pleasure in their accomplishments, cheer them on, praise them?  Who?  

I grieve for them.  I grieve at their loss as they continue to wait for someone to FIND them.  

None of them will ever leave institutional life unless they are adopted. That is the sad reality.

I grieve.

I pray.

I hope.

I hope that by advocating, sharing their pictures, being their voice, that someone out there will SEE them.  

Dear Lord.

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Please don't forget to vote today.

There are TEN CHILDREN counting on you to vote.
    



P.S. - There is a bag-a-thon happening for Victoria that is chock full of cool items to bid on... all proceeds will go Victoria's grant account! - CLICK HERE to get to the auction, scroll down and start bidding!!)


4 comments:

  1. Julia - so many times I have had the same thought. I notice it when I see a mom lovingly tucking the blankets around a little one in a car seat, smiling at them, fixing their socks...the little things. The millions of little moments and things that mommies do for their babies and I grieve too - that I couldn't be there to do that for my girls - did someone? Thanks for writing this. It is heartbreaking and gutwrenching. For some of the orphans (like my daughters' from Ethiopia), they did have families - hopefully they had mommies at one time that cared for them in all those little ways. But for those growing up in cribs in orphanages...they may have never had that one person who looks at them with a loving smile and cares to tuck in their blanket, fix their socks, smile at them for no reason. My heart just cries for these children. Please don't stop your shouting. By the way, I am planning to highlight your story and your blog soon on my blog! Love ya!

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  2. Teary-eyed here in Idaho. Oh Jesus, what do you want ME to do?
    Joy McClain

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  3. I know you are going to have a good day today!!!! Can't believe you haven't already posted on who's on the MFFM page!!!

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  4. Oh my goodness! How have I missed Rita all these times of pouring through Reece's Rainbow and praying over all of the kiddos??? One look at her and my heart melted. I just feel that she is meant to be my daughter. Cannot wait to show her picture to my husband. PRAY for him to be open. She is precious beyond words!

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