Desensitized? -- URGENT NEED!

Have you become desensitized? Have you seen too many pictures of underweight children who are severely malnourished that it doesn't phase you anymore?

Zoey.

She is almost 6 years old, and weighs less than 10 pounds.

I didn't realized I had become desensitized until I was telling someone about Princess Carrington, and they were shocked and said that she weighed less than a Thanksgiving turkey!

Not the best comparison, but it's so true! Carrington did weigh less, and Zoey does now.

Your. Thanksgiving. Turkey. Weighed. More. Than. This. Six. Year. Old.

Even if you've seen a situation like her before, really think about her and her situation. She has only weighs 2-4 pounds more than her birth weight. My recently-turned-6-yo sister weighs 5 times as much as her. My 2 yo brother weighs almost 3 times as much as her.

Please don't be desensitized!

PLEASE realize the URGENCY of finding her a family!!!

PLEASE do something to HELP! 

Whether that be adopting, or sharing her everywhere you can!

(You can use the share buttons under this post, or go to her RR profile and use the share buttons there.)

My Big Thanksgiving and Black Friday Post

Thanksgiving Eve I was home with the little ones while everyone was at the Thanksgiving Eve service, so we made Thanksgiving treats! All was going well. Rachel was having fun, Elijah was getting lots of good OT, Jonathan was being cranky. Until they finished peeling the Reese's Peanut Butter cups, and I let them each have one. Then Elijah decided he did not like his, and gagged on it, and I was reminded again I don't do puke. ;P

Here are some pictures from before our little episode:

My adorable helpers!

Mr. Cranky and me

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My day Thanksgiving day started at 5:30, when my dad, my 8yo brother Isaac, and I got dressed in orange. But unlike usual when we dress in orange that early, we were'nt going out in the woods. We were also getting dressed to go running, and to go and take a picture with a giant turkey.

Our first Turkey Trot! A 2mi run/walk. I'm not athletic and I'm not a runner, but I started running about a month ago, and am happy to say I finished my first "race"! I'm homeschooled and have to get my 2 PhyEd credits in somehow, right? ;)
Here's my vlog (video blog) of the race. But if you don't want to watch it, here are a few pics.

Getting ready to start! 

That's a lot of peoples!

Isaac crossing the finish line!

Me crossing the finish line!

2 mi in 26 min! My first run was 1/2 mi in 30 min, so not bad to improve my pace that much!

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I posted this on our Handiwork for Lilly and Owen Facebook page Thanksgiving night -
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Today we are thankful for YOU! Thank you for helping us help Elijah (now Sarah's brother), Anastasia (now Carrington Burman), Sergey, Eddie (now Gideon Evensen), Noah (now Noah Silva), Jonathan (now Sarah's brother), and now Lilly and Owen home!!! Plus Carter Gibson, Caleb Prevost, Naika T, and Jimmy Ott home through benefits and craft sales! You guys are amazing, and we could not be doing this without you!

In addition to that, today I am thankful for all the usually things - family, friends, a roof over my head, always enough to eat, etc.... but I'm also thankful that God has broke my heart for what breaks His, and that I am able to advocate on this blog for the least of these. All the hours I've spent blogging, all the tears I've shed over children, it's all worth it, if it helps bring one child home.

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Ok, Black Friday. First of all, I love this picture, and I totally agree with it's message. Such a wonderful reminder.

At the same time, I am not against getting good deals on things that people would have bought anyways even if it wasn't on sale. But you do have to draw a line somewhere, and some people can get a little crazy and obsessive on the day after they say they are thankful for everything they have. Ironic, isn't it, that those two days, Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right next to each other. :P

We did do some Black Friday shopping at Kohl's (it opened at midnight... we can do midnight, but not 6am!), but it was mostly things like church clothes we would have bought anyway. I went mostly for the fun of it, and did another vlog, about it and the... people there when the store opened. I would call them crazy and stupid, but that's not very nice.


We weren't one of those in and out people.. we were actually looking around and shopping. And picking up knocked over cloths. And trying not to get run over. This one lady barged her way through where I was standing, and literally knocked me over. She didn't stop to help me up, say sorry or even acknowledge what she just did. And another lady got mad at me because I was in her way when I was trying to get up. People weren't even treating each other like human beings!

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Happy Thanksgiving Weekend Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful day with your family, and that you didn't forget about those who have next to nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Who, What, Where, How, Why & WW: Simon

I was scrolling down through the page of Newly Listed children on Reece's Rainbow.

I was asking why? Why God must they lie in cribs to die, confined to mental institutions for the rest of their lives, without families, only because they look and act a bit different from everybody else.

Then my heart stopped, and broke, when I saw this face and these words.

"Simon needs a family IMMEDIATELY — he has until October 2013 to be adopted, otherwise he will lose his chance for a family."

WHO IS HE? - His name is "Simon", and he is 15 years old (born Oct '97). His medical diagnosis include spinal muscular atrophy, and mixed specific developmental disorders (mental delays and very poor speech).

My bloggy friend Jane met his when she was in his country earlier this year. Here's what she had to say about him - Simon was so bright, he is amazing! he has great potential and has expressed his desire for a family.  He loves gadgets and computers is a typical boy like that!   He managed to get into my camera bag (even though it was high on a cupboard) and took my mobile phone apart!  He was truly mortified when he couldn’t get it back together and was so sorry…he came straight to me very shamefaced and repentant.
He cannot walk at all; he does not feel his legs and they are very wasted, but he gets around brilliantly in his wheel chair.  He talks and is picking up English and draws and writes.  He is in the first happy home there with 8 others and so is getting amazing care for his situation.

WHAT DOES HE NEED? - He needs a family that will give him the love he has never had, the hope for a future that he has never known, and knowledge that he is valuable  important, special, and worthy of a family and of love.

WHERE ARE THEY and WHERE IS HE? - We don't know who and where they are yet. We just  have to keep advocating, and keep yelling for him, and trust God that He will move their hearts when they see his picture. Where is he? He is an an adult mental institution much like, the one I was at.

HOW DO WE FIND THEM? - By sharing his picture, and spreading the word about him, and his need.

And WHY AM I YELLING FOR A FAMILY FOR HIM? - I am so often drawn to the older kids, esp those close to aging out. Maybe it's because I know they won't find families as easily as the cute babies. Maybe it's because they are very close to my age, or older than me. Or maybe it's because I've seen where they will spend the rest.of.their.life if they are not adopted. Whatever it is, my heart hurts today for Simon.

Will you help me find him a family???

Considering Adoption?

Are you considering adoption, but don't think you are strong enough to handle all the struggle that goes with it, during the paperwork process, and once the child is home?

Well, I have news for you. You are right.

You aren't strong enough.

But someone else is.

Thank you so much Kristi for making this video and letting me share it!!

the Question.

The question is not whether we can afford to invest in every child; it is whether we can afford not to. (Marian Wright Edelman - Activist for Children's Rights)

Can Owen afford to be passed over one more time?

Dear Lyla, it's your birthday!

Dear Lyla,
Today is your birthday! You are 3 years old!! And today is a very special birthday, and very different from last year!! Why? Because this is your first birthday WITH a family, and last year you were still in an orphanage.

I posted this post last year about your birthday... When I posted that, I prayed it would be your last birthday in an orphanage, and my prayers were answered. You are now HOME, and LOVED, and CHERISHED, and SPOILED like a princess should be! :)

It brought me to tears reading that post and thinking about the wonderful family you are now home with. You are SOOO blessed baby girl!!

When I wrote that post, I also never dreamed how blessed I would be! I was hoping your family wasn't going to live TOO far away, so I could maybe come visit you someday. Instead, not only do I get to meet you, I get to help take care of your brothers and sisters when Mama came to get you, and be at the airport when you came home, AND spend several amazing days with you and your family!!!

I'm so lucky to love you Lyla! Happy birthday sweet girl!!
Love,
Sarah

Mama's Little Cowboys

With red hair, freckles & a peanut butter face,
He looks at his mama with wonder & wait.

Those brown eyes a shining & looking so bright.
Just waiting for her to say ok go outside.

With a kiss on the cheek & a hug that’s so tight.
He heads for the door with six guns at side.

There are outlaws to catch, wild ponies to rides, 
Gotta get them doggies before it gets night.

There are outlaws to catch, wild ponies to rides, 
Gotta get them doggies before it gets night.

With rope in his hand & hat pulled down tight, he saddles his pony & gets ready to ride.
I’m the toughest of cowboys! He shouts to his steed.
Ain’t sacred of no outlaw, Indian, or thief!

But even the toughest of cowboys get dumped.
And he came thru the front door with tears & a lump.

His mama was there to ease his pain.

With a kiss and hug it all went away.

With red hair & freckles & a bump on his chin, he was off riding the trails once again.

She knows that someday the time will come, she’ll have to cut the fences & just let him run.

But with red hair & freckles & those shiny brown eyes.
He’s mama’s little cowboy, her joy & pride.

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/red-hair-and-freckles#ixzz1zJKKYTpz 

These sweet boys have missed that part of growing up, and missed having a mama to be there for them. They are now over ten years old, and have never had the luxury of pretending to be a cowboy and shoot all the bad guys. While they are all over ten, I'm sure they still would love to be mama's little cowboy, because they are still boys. They haven't had the chance to grow up like they should.

But, hope is not lost for them. They still can have that chance. Please give them that chance and save them from being unadoptable, which they all will be soon if mama doesn't go save her little cowboy.

They deserve the chance to be a little boy. Please don't let that chance be taken away from them forever. Click on any of their pictures to find out more about them!

Tabitha - Another picture removed!

I just removed another picture from my sidebar, from the pictures of waiting children. 

Why? Because that child HAS A FAMILY that loves her very much and will soon be working hard to bring her HOME!

Who is that child?

TABITHA!!!

Yes, my sweet sister of my heart has a family!!!

I am soo happy she'll be going home and will learn what it means to be LOVED!

 She has been waiting 2 1/2 long years.

 I know of at least 4 families that have wanted to adopt her but couldn't.

And now Miss Beautiful will not have to wait much longer before she can get out of that orphanage forever!! 

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68:5-6a

I love him.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my little brother??

Well I do! Even though he usually laughs and swats at me when I ask for a kiss.

PIE!!

This is Lilly. She is an orphan waiting for a family.

This is Owen. He is an orphan waiting for a family.

This is Rachel (with "little" Rachel). She is Lilly's Angel Tree Warrior.

This is me (with Jonathan). I am Owen's Angel Tree Warrior.

This is Michelle (with King Dax). She is the Reece's Rainbow donations coordinator, mother of 5 (including 2 girls with Ds, one adopted from Ukraine), and a friend in real life of Sarah and Rachel's.

And soon there will be one more thing that connects us.

PIE!!!!!!!!!!!

Once Lilly and Owen each hit the $500 mark (1/2 way!!) of their Angel Tree goal, Rachel and Sarah will be pied.

And once they both reach their Angel Tree goal of $1000, Michelle has agreed to be pied!!!

We will be pied by some special little Ukrainians (and one American!), and it will be video taped!

So do you want to see any of us get pied?? Then get Lilly and Owen to their goals! :)

Best part is Owen and Lilly will be another step closer to home! And that's our main goal.


(This chip-in goes straight to RR, IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE  and all donations will be split 50/50 between Lilly and Owen!)

A reminder during election time!

I absolutely love this video. Love it. (Actually I LOVE all the Messy Monday videos, but that's besides the point.)

Just wanted to share it with you before we get all wrapped up in the results tomorrow night. You really should watch it. It's a great reminder. :)

At the same time, please don't forget to exercise your right to vote tomorrow. Men and women DIED so you could go to the polls tomorrow.

A whole lot Sunnier!

Sweet Sunny's life is about to get a whole lot "sunnier", happier, and joyful!

Because she has a FAMILY!!

Thank you Jesus!

Orphan Sunday

There are soo many good posts I've read today about Orphan Sunday.

(Today is Orphan Sunday by the way.)

Unfortunately, if I try to write one, it won't even come close to measuring up.

So I would like you to go visit two blogs, and then watch two videos.

Actually, no I wouldn't like you too, I DARE YOU TO.

These posts need reading. And these videos need watching.

I DARE YOU to be bold enough to read them and watch them.

Because they are hard to read and watch.

But ohh so worth it.

Because you will have new passion and fervor for doing something to help with the orphan crisis.

And EVERYONE needs to do something, because what's happening really is a CRISIS.


1. The Eighth Largest Country

2. If not us, then who?

3.


4.


Don't forget about those without a voice. Do something for them. Be their voice.

a NEW PICTURE of Mark!

Remember him??

It's Mark. And there hasn't been a new picture of him for years. He had the above picture when I first started looking at Reece's Rainbow. He's 6, and he's been waiting for a family for years.

That's why I was absolutely thrilled today when my sweet friend email me and asked if I'd seen the new picture of him.

Look how much he's grown up!!

Sweet boy, I pray you find a family soon!!!