Our journey in faith

A year ago today, we were content with our lives. We were the proud parents of three beautiful girls: Courtney, Shelby and Abby. We were beginning to look towards our future and things to begin settling down. We had no idea what was in store for us. We became aware of Reece’s Rainbow Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry at the December meeting of our DS support group (December 5th). Another mom presented the RR Christmas Angel Tree project and gave an overview of the mission of RR. We had been unaware of the many orphans and specifically, the orphans diagnosed with DS. In hearing the fate of these children, we were moved to action. However, at this point, our action was to select a child from the Christmas Angel Tree to support with a donation to their adoption fund. After spending the better part of the next day pouring over the children’s faces and reading their stories, we had narrowed down our choices to a few select children. The way we searched for our Christmas Angel was finding the ones at highest risk for being transferred to a mental institution who also had the least in their funds. We were hoping to ‘make a difference’ for that one child. After selecting and sponsoring our angel, we continued to be ‘bothered’ by the many faces we had seen. We were bothered that they were abandoned at birth because they were born with DS. We were bothered that they had 4 years at the orphanage before being transferred to a mental institution. We were bothered that many did not survive the first year after being transferred. It really hit home to us because we had been blessed 14 years before with Shelby, who was born with DS. We had experienced the joy of these children. We understood their innocence. We understood that this could have easily been our daughter had she just been born in another country and to different parents.

The two of us had begun to pray for these children. We started to pray about what God was trying to tell us. We came to the realization that regardless of how unlikely it may have seemed or how overwhelming it felt to us, God was asking us to go bring home his children. We felt we were being asked to pursue an international adoption of two children with Down Syndrome. We committed on Sunday, December 28th to adopt the children listed on RR as “Sonya” (5 years old) and “Darcy” (4 years old).

This is how our journey started and what followed was a series of events that continued to amaze us as God showed his faithfulness to us and to these children.
• Tim’s current position had been eliminated and he had been unable to find another position that he could fill at this base. The day after committing to adopt, Tim returned to work to find a job offer in his email.
• A person (who asked to remain anonymous) told us of their intent to contribute $6,000 towards our adoption. To us this was confirmation that God did intend for us to bring home two children. Why? Because the estimated cost of adopting as quoted by RR was $24K for the first child and an additional $6K to bring home two.
• After various delays, our completed home study was finally sent to DHR in May, then on to USCIS (Immigrations) in June. We were concerned that we would not make it to the girls before they were transferred since they were both 5 by now and we had been told they would most likely be transferred in August. The USCIS timeline was at best 90 days. Our file was approved in less than a week!
• Through a chance encounter we heard about Child’s Promise at HBC a few days before the Child’s Promise banquet. By now, we knew better than to believe in coincidences so we attended. We were able to hear more about the ministry and the work that is being done to help orphans. We were blessed with the honor of being a grant recipient.
• We received other monetary gifts given to our adoption through RR, handed to us personally or passed to us through others. All showing us God’s faithfulness as he continued to provide.
• Our pledged donor contribution came through for more than the pledged amount.
• Another donation came through RR from a donor wanting to remain anonymous… this time $5, 000.
• Things progressed rapidly from our USCIS approval in June and we were able to travel to Ukraine on August 1st, meet with the SDA on August 4th and meet our girls on August 5th.
• Through various circumstances our estimated time in country was drastically reduced from the expected 4-7 weeks to an amazing timeline of just 2 weeks. The girls were officially our children on August 11th. We were able to travel home on August 14th with the girls.
• Months after coming home, we received approval for a grant from Show Hope. This grant represented to us God’s fulfillment in providing for our adoption. Between the various gifts, donations, grants, the military adoption reimbursement and the savings we had from reduced time in country our adoption had been funded.

Our journey was not easy. We were tested repeatedly. We had stumbling blocks along the way. We continue to struggle at times as we work through the adjustment process. However, we are able to see how God moved mountains for us and helped us through what seemed unrealistic and overwhelming. Sophia and Anastasia are now part of our family. They continue to receive the medical care needed for the issues that had gone so long unaddressed. They just experienced their first Thanksgiving with family. Soon they will experience their first family Christmas. They do not yet and may never fully understand, but we know that God provided for our family and blessed us in many ways in our journey to bring home two of his children.

Anne Marie turns 4 - November 25, 2009

Since we are 8 hours behind, I am going to post this now as it is officially tomorrow where Anne Marie continues to wait.

Happy Birthday, Anne Marie! I know your life will not be celebrated as you deserve on this special day, but you are being thought of today. Praying that next year you will be celebrating your birthday with your forever family! May you spend next year opening gifts, blowing out candles and receiving many hugs and kisses from your family! God bless you little one and prayers that God keeps you safe until your family takes you home! Until then prayers that today is a good day for you and you can feel the love that is being sent your way!

Just a quick note...

sorry to be so quick tonight, but not a good time to be on the computer. I wanted to update that Anastasia's new prescription (glasses) came in and we took the glasses today to have them put in for her. We are only a few hours into wearing her stronger prescription (w/ bifocals), but we have seen more of her left eye tonight than we have ever before! This is encouraging! We will see how she does over time of course, but we feel that has to be a good sign! In case I haven't already said it enough... Specs4Us has been wonderful. We had the new lenses put into her 'spare' frames. They are so cute. We have loved all of the girls' frames. We are going to wait on ordering more lenses for her other pair until we are sure this prescription is the one they will stick with. It is her 3rd prescription in 3 months! :)

The laptop came back in today from repair. Hopefully for the last time, but I'm somewhat skeptical at this point. Maybe I'll be able to get caught back up on everyone soon!

Please remember Anne Marie

Thanksgiving we will be celebrating our many blessings: family, friends, health, home and life. While we are enjoying this special time of Thanksgiving a little girl on the other side of the world doesn't not have much to be thankful for. Anne Maire turns 4 on November 25th. The day before Thanksgiving Anne Marie should be celebrating her 4th birthday with family, but instead it will most likely be just another day spent in an orphanage. Another day except she will be older and more at risk of being transferred to a mental institution. Her 'baby house' typically houses children until age 4. The children's lives are even "less" after being transferred... less likely to be adopted, less likely to have their basic needs met, less likely to live. Many do not survive the first year. I ask that you remember Anne Marie this week. Celebrate her life, consider giving to her adoption fund and while you are celebrating, pray that next year she will have many reasons to give thanks... a family, friends, health, home and life.

Brag time!

Ok... this will be quick, but I wanted to stop by and let you know what Sophia did last night! She signed a sentence... spontaneously! She gestured that she was having trouble so I asked her "Do you need help?" and signed "Help". She responded by signing "Mom, Please help". She also attempted to 'verbalized' the request, but her words are not 'clear' just yet. I know.. just 3 words, but considering that she has only been HOME for 3 months I think that is just wonderful! :)

Anne Marie update: She has $195 in contributions from the Christmas Angel Tree already! Wonderful! :)

1 step forward, 2 steps back

As we continue to check things off of our 'to do' list, we find that more and more keeps being added. At our Down Syndrome Clinic appt on Thursday the doctor agreed that their tonsils are very large and with all things considered it would not be surprising to find T&A removal in their future. Add to that the fluid behind their ears and we have the additional appt at the ENT. Fast forward to Monday and the drive back to Birmingham to have them seen at UAB for a 'second opinion' on their vision. Sophia will have to have the surgery to correct her Strabismus and Anastasia may as well, but for now we will be trying the 3rd prescription for her since coming home 3 months ago. This prescription is for bi-focals... first time I've heard of a child with them! We go back in 2 months to check progress. If no improvement, surgery for Anastasia too. Follow up for Sophia in April. So again, we check off one, but add two more and 1-2 surgeries. Not sure when the surgery will occur since we have to get with the cardialogist that will perform Sophia's open heart surgery. We anticipate everything having to wait until after the heart surgery. We may have to move it forward some instead of delaying as he suggested initially since we have other health issues that will be delayed as well. Ideally, the anticipated T&A can be combined with the eye surgery at least. Until then we schedule ENT and wait.....

On a side note.... the laptop died AGAIN. URGHHHHHH! Bare with me!

Photos as requested!

Better late than never??? We enjoyed the BuddyWalk this year. It was the 6th annual walk for our support group, but the 1st ever for Sophia and Anastasia. They have never had the experience of having their Down Syndrome celebrated! They were abandoned at birth for the very same diagnosis that was being celebrated on this day!

The whole crew and Grandma Linda too! (and no, I have no idea why I'm holding my head like that!)








Shelby striking a pose (as always)








Sophia's 1st Buddy Ride








Why is my cup empty?








What is going on here anyway?

Still busy, still surviving!

I want to update you on things and in 'honor' of my state of mind this will be chaotic and in random order! :)

We thought we were at the end of our checkups and appointments. We have since found the girls continue to have vision issues that have taken us back for a recheck and now we have scheduled an appointment at Children's for another opinion. We expected a little more progress with the glasses, but Sophia continues to try to look over her glasses and Anastasia is still closing her left eye a good bit. We just want to make sure they have the right prescription and that nothing else is going on that needs to be addressed. Down's Clinic appointment is also this month at Children's. We have also found Anastasia is gaining 2 new bottom teeth... unfortunately her baby teeth are still there too. Went today and they want to wait a bit to allow these to come through a little more. They will then PULL the front 4 bottom teeth to make room. I don't wish dental work on anyone, but why does this have to be the child that is already skittish about having her teeth cleaned? She already hates the dentist office and barely lets me brush her teeth. I was hoping to make progress between the appointments for her fillings and her next cleaning! Therapies are still going well.

The kids all enjoyed Trunk or Treating the other night. We had 3 Disney princesses, a spiderman and a Selena Gomez/Pop Star/Rockin' Shelby. Sophia and Anastasia caught on very quickly to approaching and having candy put in their pumpkins! Their eyes were glowing with the overflowing haul of candy at the end of the night. Things have settled down here a bit. Sophia had a turning point and lost a good bit of the attitude lately. She has visibley relaxed and has not been testing me near as much. We still have our days though.... such as yesterday. Those days feel like we have made no progress at all. Thankfully, today she has not continued to be difficult. Anastasia has learned NO... she can verbalize, sign it and shake her head simultaneously. As proud of her new found communication skills as I am... she tends to like to direct them at me when I'm giving her instructions. :( I'm praying we are not moving from one issue into another. They continue to learn and use sign. Anastasia relies on it more heavily than Sophia. Sophia attempts oral language more. We encourage her to use both since her oral language is not very clear yet.

They have learned so much already it is amazing to see the changes. We have a ways to go still. Sometimes we find ourselves back to square one again with either or both. It is discouraging and reminds us that our journey is ongoing. It has almost been 12 weeks that we have been home with the girls. Sometimes it seems like a long time, but that is such a small drop of time against the 5 years they lost in the orphanage. It is odd thinking back over the last year. A year ago... they did not even exist to our knowledge. We had not been introduced to the Christmas Angel Tree Project yet. We were not familiar with Reece's Rainbow. We were content with our family size and DONE having children! :) How things change! We did not start hearing the call to adopt until December. God speaks loudly and clearly at times! He has moved mountains this last year to bring home our girls. The first two mountains were Mount Tim and Mount Christy! :)