Living in the Light

A Sliver of Light

2011-08-19T18:30:00.014-04:00

**This story is not for the faint of heart. Please note that some of the names and details have been removed from the original post in order to protect specific individuals as well as current and future adoptions of children with special needs in Eastern Europe.

My eyes sting. It is hard to swallow or catch my breath. And there's a pain in my chest that won't go away.

I am heartsick. Heartbroken. And I don't even know if I can gather my thoughts to write about this in any coherent way. As a parent who adores her children with Down syndrome (and as a person who understands that all people are the same within), I'm torn apart into tiny pieces. But as an advocate, I know I can't shut down or turn away. And I hope you won't either.

The many examples recently of disregard for people with Down syndrome--(read here, and here) are hard to process and bear.

This most recent story, though--of a mother who has just traveled overseas to meet the child she intends to adopt, and found her little girl dying of neglect and starvation--is something I will never forget.

Susanna's story (the story of the children no one wants) must be told and retold if we're ever going to have a chance at changing minds, and showing that all people have worth and deserve to be seen, and heard, and loved.

How can a child that is nine years old weigh only ten pounds--literally skin and bones? I can hardly wrap my mind around it.

There are many other children with special needs in this same building--at least 50, 17 of them with Down syndrome--wasting away, starving, alone and forgotten. They are so damaged from years of neglect, that many of them will not live to come home to a family.

And while this is the worst example of neglect and mistreatment that most of us have heard, there are surely many more that have been hidden from view for far too long.

No outsider has stepped foot inside many of the laying rooms that house children with special needs in the orphanages and mental institutions found all over Eastern Europe. The stories, from the few people who have been allowed access, are horrifying.

I have to believe that the people who are leading the charge to eliminate or hide people with Down syndrome from the world have never loved anyone with the diagnosis.

People with intellectual disabilities are not disposable, or unfit to see the light of day. They have as much right to life, and to be treated with dignity and respect, as the rest of us.

We must speak up. We must act.

And this is where a story of heartache becomes a story of hope. One family's mission to save one little girl has become something much larger. When Susanna and her facilitator made their way through the doors of the orphanage where Susanna's little girl lives, other hearts and doors began to open.

As soon as word got out about the condition of the lost children in this Eastern European orphanage, good things started happening. An eleven-year-old girl with Down syndrome (who also lives in this facility, and also weighs just ten pounds) now has a committed family, and enough money was raised (over $23,000 in 24 hours!) to cover her entire adoption.

And, there are at least four more families who have stepped forward to rescue a child from this orphanage.

There has been such an outpouring of love for these children. What are you going to do?

***

Where there is love, there is light.

And where there is darkness, there is also light.

There need only be a tiny sliver of an opening

for the light to enter and reach all in its path...

***

Please visit Susanna's blog to learn more.

Five

2011-07-23T00:05:00.263-04:00

It's been five years today since this little girl arrived in our lives:

Each year it becomes more clear that Bridget's arrival (more to the point: Bridget's Down syndrome diagnosis) brought fear and anxiety that was unwarranted. Each year, it becomes more and more evident that we wasted time and energy feeling uncertain when we should have been celebrating.

This little girl is so worth celebrating!

Bridget, you are everything I could ever have imagined, and more. From every angle, and every vantage point, you are precious. Your joy is contagious. Your light is undeniable. How lucky we are to love you! Happy Birthday, my beautiful, sweet girl!

Sharing: Keeper of My Heart, A Giveaway

2011-07-11T21:00:00.031-04:00

As I tucked my two littlest girls into bed tonight, I whispered a quiet prayer of gratitude for the two of them, and for the richness they bring to our lives.

I remember well the nights I went to bed thinking of Alina before we traveled. I wondered whether she was safe, warm, and getting enough to eat. I wondered how she was being treated, and whether she was healthy. I wanted to feel the weight and softness of her little body in my arms and to protect her. I wanted her under my roof and in my care. Every moment of every day before we brought her home, these were the thoughts that occupied my mind.

My friend Amy doesn't yet have the luxury of tucking both of her boys into bed at night. One of them is waiting for her to come and rescue him from an orphanage in Eastern Europe.

Remember this sweet little face? This is Davis, Amy's sweet boy overseas. He's already worked his way deep into her heart. And they both need our help.

Amy and her husband John are busy completing the many steps and mountains of paperwork necessary to bring this precious little guy home. They are also going to need over $25,000 to free him.

Please stop by Amy's blog and check out the awesome giveaway they are running to help raise the funds. There are some amazing prizes (including an iPAD2, a $100 Amazon gift card, an autographed Conny Wenk book, and a slew of offerings from some adorable Etsy shops). For every $10 donated, you'll earn 1 entry into the giveaway. For $50, you get 20 entries. So you get the chance to win some incredible prizes while helping a sweet family to get to their sweet boy. It’s a win-win! What are you waiting for? Head on over to Amy's blog for all the details and to learn more about the Jupin family. (Feel free to donate through the Chip In below, just be sure to leave a comment on Amy's blog post to be entered in the giveaway!)

The Keeper of My Heart Giveaway ends July 21st, so there's still plenty of time to donate, blog, share on facebook & Twitter. I heart this family! Please help me spread the word!

Sunshine Girls

2011-06-29T08:15:00.054-04:00

June 29. Sunrise: 6:06a Sunset: 9:06p

The forecast says it is going to be 72 degrees and sunny at 9 pm tonight.

We're at the point in the summer when the days are long and there's more time for leisure. There is finally time each day to stop and take a breath.

It has been over a month since I've posted here, and it isn't because there hasn't been material for the blog.

I've taken a necessary break from technology to transition from the school year to summer break. I needed to go dark--and quiet--to focus on my family and the little moments that make up our life. This may be the first step away from the computer that I haven't telegraphed. It just sort of happened.

I've slowly re-organized our closets and our schedules, and am finally making my way out of the piles of laundry and paperwork.

Last summer was a complete blur. Alina had only been home for a month when school ended, and I was literally running while trying to figure out how to handle six kids going different directions, including one new (and busy) toddler from another country.

This year, we're back in our groove.

The girls have been in a summer preschool program for the past few weeks, and we have a set of sisters providing respite care during the week.

We're no longer stuck inside or spending our days moving from one obligation to the next. We are finally coming out to play :).

As we head into July, we are looking forward to a family vacation and many more days without specific plans.

Though the sun is shining brightly today, our Sunshine Girls keep us covered in light no matter what the weather.

Proof (and scenes from the month of June):

We're taking a break again over the 4th of July, but I hope to return to posting more regularly soon. Happy Summer, everyone!

Is There a Smile

2011-05-23T22:04:00.002-04:00

...hiding in the heart of this sweet child? I'm sure there is! This is Albina. (Isn't she adorable?) Look at her little face. She needs someone to hug her and tell her she's perfect, and beautiful, and wanted....someone to help her find her smile. She needs a family!

Albina is an orphan in Eastern Europe. Simply because she was born with Down syndrome, she is considered a burden to her society, an outcast to be hidden away. But she deserves so much more. She deserves to come zooming down a slide and land in the arms of her very own Mama or Papa, like this little one.

And an anonymous donor has committed to matching dollar for dollar donations for Albina up to $5,000. If you'd like to donate to her grant fund and also be entered in a drawing to win a Canon Rebel SLR Digital Camera, go here. If you could be Albina's forever family, contact Reece's Rainbow.

Let's get Albina home where she belongs :)!

A New Journey Begins

2011-05-03T16:30:00.142-04:00

Spring is a time of renewal, growth and new life—the perfect time to begin anew.

And it just so happens that one of my favorite families is growing--both literally and figuratively--through adoption.

My sweet blogging friend Amy and her husband John are beginning their journey to Davis, a beautiful little boy with Down syndrome in an orphanage in Eastern Europe.

Isn’t he the sweetest thing? He’s gonna steal some hearts with those big brown eyes, I am sure. Davis turns 4 this month (thank goodness, his family found him just in time). He’ll join siblings Josh (9), Anna (7) and Ben (4, Ds).

Please stop by and show this awesome family some love!

A Look Back: One Year Ago, Alina Comes Home

2011-04-23T20:25:00.010-04:00

One year ago today, Chris and I brought Alina HOME.

Here's a look back, from the day we left the town where she was born through the day she came home to her forever family for good:

Leaving Zaporozhye

On the train with Mama's iPod

and the picture book

Self portraits while waiting in the cab in Kiev

for Daddy and Niko to finish grocery shopping

Still waiting in the cab, the first big smiles we got to see

(We'd known Alina 1 week)

Laughing while Mama tosses a hat in the air

Our short time in Kiev on the back end of our trip (with a busy toddler) was a bit different than our longer, and more free flowing stay there in the days surrounding our SDA appointment ;).

In addition to Alina's final required medical appointment and finishing up our Embassy paperwork, we spent our few days there getting to know Alina and trying to keep her occupied in a very small city apartment. We were also trying to figure out how we were going to get home since our flight out was cancelled due to the volcano.

If you are interested in reading a few details of our short time in Kiev before coming home, go here.

After much work, Chris found a way for us to get home by traveling KLM Royal Dutch Airlines through Amsterdam--staying overnight, and then re-boarding for Detroit the next morning. There's a long story about getting a temporary visa for Alina (still a citizen of Ukraine) so we could stay in a hotel just outside the airport doors. We eventually did get an overnight clearance to leave the airport terminal, and had a wonderful night's rest in a lovely and very comfortable room at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel.

Welcome to Holland :)!

In Amsterdam, on the trip home

getting settled for the night

Alina was a total trooper for us on the long trip home. We were all exhausted, but so happy to be coming home to reunite our whole family, finally together under one roof...

WELCOME HOME!!

Meeting Emmy and Sara

Meeting the Siblings

Sweet, little feet

Baby Dolls & Crackers

From the adoption blog:

Alina seemed very happy to meet her siblings. She was full of smiles and was very relaxed, even though she must have been a little overwhelmed--she was surrounded by all the kids on the kitchen floor. Alina figured out that the kids think she is cute and funny--and she was enjoying all the attention. Bridget and Alina seemed to recognize one another. They are adorable together! They're about the same height and weight, although Alina is almost 9 months younger than Bridget. Their hands and feet look almost identical, except Alina's are a bit more chubby :). There was one point last night when I had them both on my lap, which was overwhelming in itself--it is a moment I will never forget. I keep thinking about the two of them together. They are a unit now. My almost-twins, born apart but raised together.

When we were in Ukraine, someone asked us why we think God gave us four healthy children and then Bridget, a child with Down syndrome. Chris and I have a long answer to that question that we may write about here someday. The short answer, though, may be that Bridget arrived in our lives so that we would save Alina.

One year later and the experience still leaves me breathless and searching for words. We were so privileged to be able to make that journey, and to bring our little girl home.

Thank you so much for taking the trip along with us, for loving us and for loving Alina. We are grateful for all of it....

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 6)

2011-04-18T18:56:00.005-04:00

Gotcha Day

On Friday afternoon, while having our hurried, brief and last official visit with the orphanage director, we were told that we could take Alina out of the orphanage any time between then and Sunday since they finally had all of the documents necessary to close Alina's file. The director handed us the small slip of paper shown below. It was up to us to decide the date and time of her "Gotcha Day".

Permission to take Alina forever

We were scheduled to take the Sunday night train out of Zaporozhye back to Kiev, and decided we should do a little bit of last minute sight-seeing (since we had done NONE yet) and shopping on Saturday morning, before we had Alina with us full-time. We agreed we'd go and get her Saturday afternoon and spend that night and most of the next day with her before heading out Sunday evening.

On Khortytsia Island

Our cab driver, Igor (pronounced EE-gur) picked us up at our hotel mid-morning that Saturday and took us on a ride through Zaporozhye along the Dnieper River, and over the bridge to historic Khortytsia Island, a 16th to 18th century fortified military camp and home to the Zaporozhye Cossacks (very interesting for others heading to Zap).

We then asked if he could take us to a market where we could purchase a few celebratory items to leave with the nannies and the groupa when went to get Alina.

We ended up at the largest store you have ever seen under one roof, think WalMart and Sam's Club combined, and then some (and we'd just been remarking how wonderful it was to experience the outdoor markets and small mom-and-pop grocery stores in Ukraine compared to the big mega-stores so common in the States). But this store had everything we needed: chocolates, champagne, balloons and little toys for the orphanage and some diapers, food and snacks for Alina for the next several days.

Getting Alina

My description of Gotcha Day itself will be brief. It took more time to drive to the orphanage than it did to walk in and come out with her.

We had no idea what to expect from Gotcha Day. We'd heard descriptions from other adoptive parents of send-offs which ranged from very small, quiet and almost somber goodbyes to full blown parties including both celebration and ceremony.

Playing it safe, we figured our experience would be somewhere in between. So we brought items to give along with our sincere thanks, and planned to spend as much time as we were allotted to express our gratitude to the caregivers and say goodbye to the other children and the only life Alina had ever known.

We brought a large bag filled with gifts, our camera and a small bag with Alina's outfit, coat and a few toys for the ride back to the hotel.

It was a pretty day, with big blue skies and lots of sunshine. Chris took a couple of short videos with his Blackberry before we entered the room:

The door from the locker room area to the main room was open, and it was unusually quiet in there that afternoon. We didn't recognize the woman who came to the door, but she knew why we were there and motioned for us to wait outside the room.

Just like the moments before we visited Alina for the first time by ourselves, we once again waited in silence, standing just off the short hallway leading to her room. We were both looking around, trying to focus on each little piece of the room where we'd met Alina and spent most of our time with her so far. We looked at her locker, the one with her name taped to the front and a sticker of three small balloons--one blue, one yellow, one red. (Her locker was now empty). We looked at the board with the nursery rhymes used for circle time and the board of pictures of children who had already been adopted from her groupa, at the lace curtains and the tiny blue benches. We wanted to take in everything about that moment. Leaving felt as sacred as meeting face-to-face.

All the other times we visited, Alina came clipping out on her own, but that day one of the nannies we didn't know very well came to the door carrying Alina, who was wearing only a diaper. The woman handed Alina to me, turned and walked back into the room, closing the door behind her.

I took that as a cue to dress her. We took our time, talking quietly to Alina as we put her new clothes on her. She noticed, and I think she understood that the clothes and shoes and coat were hers.

We sat there for a few minutes trying to determine if we should peek our heads in and ask if they would like us to bring Alina back in the room to say goodbye to everyone, or if we could bring in the gifts we had for them. We didn't know if there was a little party planned, or if there would be some other formal time to say our goodbyes.

Just then, two of the women who really seemed to like Alina came out into the locker room area. They each gave her a long hug goodbye. I picked up the bag of gifts and motioned that we would like to give them to the caregivers and the groupa, and one of the ladies motioned to the table, indicating that we should leave the bag there. I hugged each of them before they went back into the groupa's main room.

As Chris put on his coat, one of the other nannies came into the hallway, patted Alina on the head and waved goodbye to her. She turned back around and shut the door.

And that was goodbye.

These are the moments directly following:

Images of the day we took Alina out of the orphanage...forever:

This was the beginning of Alina's new life. From our adoption blog:

It was an exciting and emotional day. And it all hit us at once last night. We have saved a life. This precious little ruby, this innocent child, has been hidden away since birth. What if we had not come for her? Our hearts are so full and grateful for her and for this journey. At the same time they are aching for the life she has missed out on for three long years, and for all of the other little ones we had to leave behind yesterday--especially the ones with no families coming for them.

At this point, it is all too fresh to write about clearly. We are honestly moved beyond words...

In our hotel room that night

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 5)

2011-04-16T21:49:00.492-04:00

Day 5

Since court was scheduled for Friday afternoon, we spent our last day at the orphanage with just one (shortened) morning visit, which included a small amount of play time and snack for Alina, and a trip to the market (with Alina and one of her nannies) to purchase a gift to leave with the groupa.

Morning snack: Warm apple cider,

biscuit cookies (tasted like graham crackers)

and a piece of candy

(An aside...we have no idea why there was a piece of candy on the tray, or if that was common practice. It was a hard and somewhat chewy chocolate, which I immediately took from her plate for fear she would pop it in her mouth and choke. The funny ~~not-so-funny~~ thing, is that the woman who came out when Alina was finishing her crackers decided that Alina had not eaten as quickly or as much as she should have, and proceeded to shove 3 whole crackers in Alina's mouth at once, while scolding Alina and giving her orders to swallow her food. She kept looking at me as if to say, This is what you do when she doesn't finish her food. Chris and I were both in shock. I tried a few times to reach out and help Alina spit out the food she was trying to gag down, only to have my hand swatted away. Alina's eyes were big, and she was really trying to comply. We believe that she followed directions closely while in the orphanage. The whole episode was an eye opening and jaw dropping experience--the only one of its kind the whole time we were there, but it served as a good reminder for us, as we began to transition Alina into family life, that we'd need to step back and consider the environment and expectations of the only life our little girl had ever known.

We believe that she was very well cared-for overall, and that the majority of the workers in Alina's orphanage did the best they could under the circumstances. Many seemed to really care about the children. But the reality of the situation is that money and resources are limited, and the children far outnumber the staff. There is not much leisure. Everything about orphanage life is functional in nature.)

"Yes, I'd like to book a flight out, please."

Rather than bring something with us from the States to leave with Alina's groupa, we decided to wait until we we'd visited the orphanage to select a gift for them. And rather than guess what they might like or need, we decided to ask. A new stroller, table or rug for the room? A nice supply of a particular type of toy or other item?

We had no idea what they might want, so we were very surprised after the caregivers all met to discuss and came to us with this answer: new shoes for the remaining children for the spring and summer--not a luxury item, but a necessity.

It really puts things in perspective, and we were glad to be able to help with such a basic need. Many of the children in Alina's groupa had orthopedic issues and the nannies wanted safe, reasonable quality sandals and close-toed shoes with good support for them. They knew exactly what they wanted and who to send with us to get it ;).

One of Alina's favorite caregivers

who accompanied us on our shopping adventure

Alina's orphan shoes

At the market

Alina's shoes (the pair pictured above) were well worn and actually fell apart as we were walking into a shop that morning. The sole came completely unglued from the upper portion on one of the shoes and fell off, and the other sole was beginning to pull off as well. We were about to toss the shoes when Alina's nanny grabbed them and motioned that they would re-glue and reuse the shoes.

Court

We were scheduled to appear in court at 2 p.m. that afternoon, so we left the orphanage as soon as we returned from the market. We ate a quick lunch and got dressed in our "nice" outfits. Our facilitator, Marina, was waiting for us in the lobby of our hotel by about 1:15. She wanted us to leave well in advance, even though the courthouse was only about ten minutes from the hotel, to make sure we were not late for our hearing.

Happy & Excited

Self portrait in the cab on the way to court

The courtroom,

a video Chris began taking before I realized it.

Please excuse me fixing the front of my dress :)

I never had the chance to write about our experience that day. Looking back, it was as much of a marathon as our first day in Alina's region, though we hadn't really anticipated that.

After our hurried morning orphanage visit and market excursion, and then making a mad dash back to the hotel for lunch and to freshen up, we headed into the courtroom without having the chance to take a moment to gather ourselves and to take a few deep breaths.

Before we knew it, Marina began to give us the "court run-down": Stand unless you are given permission to sit. Don't cross your legs while sitting or put your hands in your pockets at any point (both are considered rude, for men or for women). When a question is asked, look at the judge and respond directly to the judge no matter who asked the question. Speak slowly and clearly. Try not to be too emotional.

Our court date had crept up very quickly on us. We were not concerned about it, but began to remember that we were in a foreign country--where we didn't know the language or the nuances of the culture--where we really didn't know what to expect.

We did know that we had a judge who was sympathetic to Special Needs adoptions. It was basically a foregone conclusion that our adoption would be approved.

We knew that there would be a handful of people at the front of the courtroom along with the judge: two members of the community acting as "witnesses" (who sat on either side of the judge at the head table) and the social worker we'd already met twice, plus a few other officals (who sat at a table perpendicular to the judge's desk). All but the judge were women.

We'd been told that our court experience would be brief, that we'd hear the adoption papers read aloud, and then would be asked about our hobbies and why we wanted to adopt a child with special needs. We'd then be pronounced Alina's parents, would exit stage left and be on our way to finish the paperwork that needed to be wrapped up by the end of the work day in order for us to leave over the weekend.

But the judge had other plans. He came in smiling, and apparently in a mood to talk.

He greeted us warmly, talked a little bit about what the proceeding would entail and then began to read the official adoption documents.

Marina translated while the judge spoke, talking quietly at the same time. She was situated to my right, which made it very difficult for me to follow either of them. (I lost hearing in my right ear with the surgery to remove my brain tumor in 2004. I do fine unless someone is speaking quietly and on my right side, or unless there are multiple sounds competing for my attention from different directions, both of which were occurring in the courtroom that day.) I was picking up bits and pieces, but really straining to do it, which was exhausting and made me feel even more "off balance".

I caught the part which mentioned Alina's parent's names and her given name (spoken in the order of last name, first name, middle name). I wish I could write her full name here--it was gorgeous, and sounded to me like a supermodel or an actress--very Eastern European, ending in -ovna.

The judge then read some detailed information about Alina's parents and how they came to place her for adoption. He showed us the document they signed to release their parental rights that would become part of the official adoption decree.

He explained that no one had visited Alina or inquired about her since she was placed in the orphanage. We thought that might have been the case, but to hear it announced in the austere, quiet and cold courtroom setting that day made it seem so real, so weighty and so incredibly sad.

He then began the second portion of our adoption hearing: questions directed to us.

Chris was first. The judge asked him to state his full name and date of birth, and to explain why he was there that day. He did ask Chris about his hobbies, and about his work. But it became quickly evident that he was interested in knowing much more. He wanted to know where Chris went pheasant hunting, and what month. He asked about our relatives, where they live and what type of relationship we share with them. He asked what Chris thought about Obama's healthcare plan, among many other things that had little to do with our adoption.

I could see Marina becoming concerned that our court hearing was going to last too long for us to get Alina's new birth certificate and passport by the end of the day. I made a mental note to be brief in my responses.

The judge was wrapping up his questions to Chris. He shuffled some papers, paused, and with a serious expression and tone, asked (through our translator): When you first met this child...did you know right away that you wanted her for your own?

Chris paused, and I heard myself inhale, feeling completely caught off guard by both the question and my sudden emotional response. My eyes were stinging from the huge tears which appeared without warning, and which I was trying my best to draw back in.

Chris was facing the judge, and I was sitting behind him, but I knew he was teary-eyed, too. I began to sob. Loudly. I wanted to stop, but couldn't. Chris looked back at me and was wiping tears from his face as his voice cracked, Yes, he said. We knew right away that we wanted to make Alina part of our family. We love her.

I believe that everyone in the courtroom understood that for us, the emotions of that day--of the whole journey, really--all culminated in that exact moment. We wanted this child so very much, wanted to love her and parent her and celebrate her, this little girl no one else wanted. We'd crossed the ocean for her, had left the comfort of a life we know well for a set of circumstances entirely unfamiliar to us. We were standing in a court room in the middle of Ukraine expressing our hope and our faith, and our desire to make this little girl part of our family forever. It was an overwhelming feeling--still is--one which is difficult to put into words.

It was my turn to speak directly after that moment, and I completely froze. I'd stood and wiped away my tears as I faced the judge. He asked if I needed a minute to compose myself. I'd have needed much more than a minute. I brushed away more tears, clasped my hands together and tried my best to listen carefully to his questions without looking away to read Marina's lips.

I tried to remember the order in which the judge posed questions to Chris, assuming his questions for me would be similar. Honestly, I thought my part would be very brief and would focus on how I planned to care for Alina and the rest of the kids.

I was asked to state my name and date of birth. I was asked about my education, employment before having children, and about my interests. I was praying for a quick end to the questions, and was fully prepared to answer anything about raising a child with Down syndrome, or being a stay-at-home mom to a large brood.

It was chilly in the courtroom, but my knees were knocking out of adrenaline, emotion and fear. The judge wanted to know what I did outside of taking care of the children. I said, I'm a writer. He wanted to know, What do you write? (A reasonable question, only I was completely unprepared to talk about me, outside of the adoption.) My answer: Poems.

Poems? That is all I could think of? I wrote a chapter for a book about our experience with Bridget, I write and manage an advocacy blog, etc. There were lots of other, better answers I could have given, and I am not often at a loss for words. But I froze, I'm telling you. I just wanted court to be over.

He wanted to know my favorite poet, favorite story, and all about the town where I was born (I was an infant when I lived there, and we moved before my second birthday).

He wanted to know the meaning and significance of my name (maybe better answered by my parents?). He told an odd little story about Alice in Wonderland that had something to do with a pub and beer drinking...which I couldn't follow or assign a place of importance within the discussion. I am not sure if he thought me being a "writer" meant I wanted to talk literature, or why he threw that in...but it was interesting and a bit confusing.

He then asked a few very serious questions, including one about what would happen in the US legal system to the woman who returned her adopted son to Russia. (This had just happened, and we had seen very little of the news. We didn't even know the whole story.) I had no idea how to answer that. I believe I said that it was "heartbreaking and wrong" but that I wasn't sure what would happen to her. He seemed satisfied to let it go, and turned the questions over to the witnesses and other members of the panel. The social worker took pity on me. She smiled very sweetly and said, I have no questions for Mrs. Peele. God love her.

With that, the judge read the adoption decree and proclaimed Alina ours. With tears, we expressed our gratitude to the judge and the others in the room and told them how excited we were to begin our life with our new daughter, that we would love and cherish her forever and offer her every opportunity to live a long and full life.

The judge smiled and came to shake our hands. He said that he was very happy for us and wished us well.

As soon as he left the room, we took off behind Marina, who was already on her phone sprinting toward the cab in the pouring rain.

For the next two hours, we ran (I was still wearing 5 inch heels from court) in and out of office buildings and government agencies trying to wrap up our paperwork and obtain Alina's new birth certificate (with our names listed as her parents) and her passport.

Marina must have either used all of her charms, called in some favors, or have done a very effective strong-arm job on the gentleman at the passport agency and the woman at the bureau of vital statistics. She asked them to wait for us, well after they should have been gone for the day, to process our paperwork so that we could leave Alina's hometown over the weekend and be back in Kiev for our embassy appointments at the beginning of the week.

Long story short, we made it by the slimmest of margins, and were able to get Marina to the train station as her train was in final boarding mode.

What a day! From our adoption blog on April 16, 2010:

New Life

When we arrived in Zaporozhye this past Monday, it looked like late winter. In less than a week's time, the trees have started sprouting leaves. There are cherry blossom trees all over this town, and they are in full bloom right now. They are gorgeous and have become our symbol of this new life--for Alina and for us.

There is a new blossom on our family tree...

Alina Caroline

Adopted into our Family

April 16, 2010

Zaporozhye, Ukraine

Next up: Images from Zaporozhye and Gotcha Day

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 4)

2011-04-16T17:02:00.012-04:00

Our trip to Ukraine was a whirlwind and you can tell by the limited posts during our time there!

Though we didn't know it when we committed to adopt her, Alina's region is traditionally a very "fast" region. We met her on a Monday and had court that same Friday. We were at the orphanage for such a short time, and with two visits daily plus spotty internet connections, it was hard to post much on our blog.

So here's a re-cap (with additional details, pics and video) of the bulk of our visits with Alina (be forewarned...it is the motherload post on our adoption, with more information, pictures and video than any other post on either of our blogs!):

Day 2

We arrived to find Alina in the same green dress from the day before, but with new tights :).

(As an aside, Alina was always clean when we visited her, but she did wear that dress a majority of the time we were there. It was their "good dress" for the groupa, and the zipper was broken and the inside layer was all torn up. Someone had sewn two new--different--buttons to hold the dress closed at the top in the back. That dress means the world to us. It is covered in memories of meeting our daughter and carries within it the significance of her life before that day. So, we bought two new "dressy" dresses of the same size and asked if we could trade them for the green dress. Her nannies let us take it home with us. It is the only thing we have from her childhood.)

Alina was happy to see us that second day. She was still very reserved--and seemed unsure of what was going on and who we were--but was somewhat interested in us anyway and very interested in what we'd brought along (toys and yogurt).

We were not as ambivalent about her :). She blew us away.

In love, in awe

Alina, hairdresser

(She was very gentle & sweet, though my hair

did not look particularly great when she was done.)

A sweet moment sitting with Alina

while she ate her yogurt...

until she turned and stuck the spoon in my mouth

without warning :). I got over it :)!

Alina with empty yogurt container

Listen to Chris talking about her...

so much love already.

In all the excitement of packing up to go and see Alina after lunch that day, I left the memory card for my camera sitting in our laptop. Chris took pictures and video with his Blackberry that afternoon, and that is what you see below:

The Music Room,
the setting for the video below:

Playing in the Music Room - afternoon of Day 2

(Please excuse me hiking up my jeans...

I haven't figured out how to edit my videos!)

Light fixtures in Music Room

(We thought they were pretty!)

Day 3

Adoption blog posts with additional details: morning visit, afternoon visit

Alina came out wearing...the same green dress :) on day 3. Our morning visit was very relaxed. We played, and then one of the nannies brought Alina's lunch out to the little table in the locker/hallway area. We were thrilled to get to see her eat.

People have asked what she was eating in this series of pictures and video. Though it looks like cherry cobbler, it was actually chicken with apples and shredded, pickled beets. She also had a slice of whole grain bread, chicken broth and warm apple juice. All food was served warm at the orphanage, and the children eat with full-sized utensils. Alina's beverages were in an open metal cup (just a few ounces of liquid that she was expected to drink in a few gulps).

Here is video of one of Alina's nannies helping her to eat. This particular woman really enjoyed Alina and was very talkative with us. She knew just a small amount of English, but she really wanted to communicate with us. She gave us some very important information about Alina: "Alina clever. Alina messy." She couldn't have been more on target.

We laugh now, knowing her. We are sure some of her nannies miss her, but they are probably laughing, too ;).

We went outside during the afternoon visit that day, and had a special treat when some of the other kids from the groupa came into the locker room with us to get ready to go outside. The little girl in the gold coat in the video below is the one I referred to here:

The little girl who has the pair of shoes we brought is the most adorable little creature. I would scoop her up in a minute. She really likes Alina. She pats her cheeks and kisses her forehead as she says, "Lina!!" with a big smile. She looks out for Alina, too. When another child grabbed a book from Alina, she came over, took it and handed it back to Alina. She said, "no, Alina's" to the other child. It was so incredibly sweet. Chris and I were teary watching the interaction.

I have sent her picture to several people and have tried to find out her name, or anything about her...but have had no luck :(. Tell me she is not the cutest.thing.ever. (And don't worry, no children were harmed in the filming of this clip--even though I could not get a very tiny hat over one little girls large hair accessories!)...

Alina's groupa getting ready to go outside.

The little girl in the gold coat is the one

who took care of Alina.

Alina's friend

Day 4

We spent our morning visit outside on the playground. We took Alina into one of the large metal play structures (a truck) and cuddled her in while we talked quietly. She seemed sleepy and particularly content being close to us. She had settled in substantially by this point in our visits...which is perfect, because we found out that afternoon that we'd be in court to make her officially ours the following day.

Our blue-eyed girl...

sleepy after snuggling with Daddy outside.

This picture is for Jodi and Faith ;).

Check out Alina's hat and tights under

the pants. It was about 60 degrees that afternoon!

That afternoon we arrived to discover that we were loading up in a cab and going to get Alina's passport picture taken :). She was quiet and held on to that large Evian bottle the whole time we were out. We are not sure if she had been in a car before. She was comforted by us, and was on her best behavior. I am sure her little mind was racing. She had no idea what to do in front of the camera, and the man taking the picture didn't try at all to get her to smile. Her passport picture is hilarious. It looks like something from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. The little sweater they'd dressed her in that day made her eyes look bluer than blue. She was soft and squishy and sweet-smelling. And look at how cute she was...

Other images from our time at Solnishko:

Next up: COURT

Loving Alina, Forever Ours

2011-04-16T11:33:00.000-04:00

One year ago today, Chris and I stood in a tiny courtroom in Ukraine as we petitioned to adopt a little girl abandoned at birth because she has Down syndrome.

We knew in our hearts she was meant to be ours, and crossed the ocean for her.

Today we celebrate Alina Caroline, our little cherry blossom, who officially joined our family on April 16, 2010.

**I have two more posts planned for today, one with pictures and video from Days 2, 3 and 4 at the orphanage, and another with more details from court and day 5 in region. Check back later for those if you are interested :)...

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 3)

2011-04-14T11:35:00.004-04:00

First Evening Visiting Hours (Getting to Know Alina)

After spending the better part of the day running all over town, we were able to go back to the orphanage and spend a full two hours (4-6 p.m.) getting to know Alina.

We walked in the main doors to her building, through the music room and up the stairs to her groupa's quarters. The building was very quiet, and we didn't see anyone on our way upstairs. Alina's room was next to an office of some sort, which looked like it was rarely used, and there were no other rooms in her wing. (Before we traveled, we imagined we'd see lots of other children at the orphanage. We wondered if we would recognize other kids listed on Reece's Rainbow. As we made our way up to Alina's room that first day, we began to realize that it was highly unlikely we'd just stumble on other children, unless they were outdoors when we were.)

We carefully retraced our steps from our earlier (and very hurried) visit, rang the buzzer for Alina's room and the door quickly opened. We presented a small piece of paper, a handwritten "pass" from the director--our permission to visit Alina's room--to the woman who answered the door. She wasn't standing in front of the door when it opened, but rather beside it on the inside of the room, so it appeared as though the door had opened by itself. She was standing quietly in the front of the hallway between the groupa's lockers and the main room in Alina's living quarters. She took the piece of paper, nodded her head and briskly headed back into the room to get Alina. She shut the door behind her.

Chris and I were left standing alone in the small entry way, wondering what the program would be, and anxiously waiting to see our little girl. I don't know if it was out of reverence or fear ;), but we were silent, expressing our curiosity and excitement through expressions and gestures only.

After a few minutes, the door opened. We could hear a lot of hustle and bustle in the room. Some of the children and nannies were talking and laughing. It also sounded like there was some scolding going on. There was a lot of activity in the room, but when the door was closed, you could not hear most of it. (That might explain why the orphanage always seemed so quiet. You would never guess that a few hundred children are living in the orphanage complex at any one time. All of the groupas are separated from one another, behind closed doors.)

When Alina appeared at the door, she was by herself. One of the nannies was a few feet behind her, telling her to go out and see mama and papa. We don't know if she understood exactly what was going on, but she was definitely following orders. She started out the doorway, then began to turn back. She was whimpering. The nanny pushed her along with a sweeping motion to the backside and some verbal encouragement or further directions (we are not sure which).

Alina gave in to the requests and came out to see us. We were very quiet with her, and let her have her space. She was alternating between smiling and whimpering. She was so sweet. We could tell she was confused. But in typical Alina fashion, she chose to make the best of the situation.

She explored every nook and cranny of the locker room area. We watched and laughed and smiled. Chris patted the little bench next to him (we all sat on toddler-sized chairs and benches--the only furniture that was in the area we used for our visits) and Alina came over and sat down. I pulled out the bag I'd filled with little toys for her, and she was immediately interested.

The first thing we showed her was "her" book--a little photo album with plastic pages, filled with pictures of our family and our house. She LOVED it. She grabbed it and turned the pages. She studied it. She was completely taken with the picture of Bridget. She kept opening to that page and pointing to it. We were in awe, and realized right then that our new little girl was very different from the lost child we had seen in her profile picture.

She did not want to put the photo book down, but wanted to see all of the other toys we brought. So she grabbed whatever she could at once. She knew what to do with the books, the finger puppets, the play dishes, the purse, the bracelet, the ball, the phone. She was very excited, and she kept trying to take the items back to the door to show her groupa. The door to her room was open, so she would stand in the doorway waving the item and trying to get someone to look out. Read more here. Here are a few pictures and some video of Alina in action that first night:

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 2)

2011-04-12T23:10:00.358-04:00

**Okay, so Blogger chose to eat two posts I drafted, but hadn't yet posted about our time in Ukraine and meeting Alina. So sorry for the delay on my "Look Back"! For anyone who is watching closely, I owe you a post on our stay in Kiev before leaving for Alina's region. I'm not sure when I will squeeze that in, but I'll try to do that, as well as to fill in more details of our time at the orphanage. But first, there's an important milestone to discuss ;)...

One year ago today, we met our newest daughter.

We arrived in her hometown just after 6 a.m. on April 12, 2010 after taking the overnight train from Kiev.

We hit the ground running, literally chasing our facilitator, Marina (who was wearing metallic gold tennis shoes--which you can see in the above picture if you look closely--and which should have clued me in to the fact that we'd be moving at a ridiculously fast pace whenever we were with her).

We sped to our hotel, dropped off our bags, slammed down a quick breakfast and had a few minutes to freshen up before leaving again for a marathon day of paper-chasing and signature-gathering, which included trips to and from the orphanage, hotel, and various government buildings.

Our first (brief) stop was at the social worker's office to get permission to visit Alina. I remember Marina asking, Do you think this will be a "yes"? Do you think you will want to adopt this little girl? We both shook our heads (yes) and smiled.

We then went straight to the orphanage, stopped in the front office to let them know we had arrived and for Marina to get the official paperwork necessary for us to visit Alina's room.

Entrance to Alina's Building

Entry Hall/Lockers for Alina's Groupa

I wrote about our meeting (find the rest of the post here):

Before we knew it, we were climbing the staircase to her groupa's room. We {Chris and I} were both a little dazed and confused at that point. We had been planning the meeting for months, and it seems like we have waited so long to finally travel. But as soon as we boarded the plane out of the States, everything began moving in fast forward.

As we rang the bell outside the door to Alina's room, our translator realized which room she was in--she said, "This is very good news. The children in this groupa are all typically developing!" We were surprised by this and elated. It means that someone sees her abilities and her potential. It also means that her delays are not as significant as they could be, given her diagnosis.

We were greeted by an older woman--speaking Russian, of course, so I have no idea what she actually said, but our translator told us we should wait in the small room just inside the door where the children have their little lockers.

I had just looked at Chris and squeezed his hand, "This is it. We are going to meet our little girl" and then we heard her coming--clip, clip, clip. A moment later, we saw our little blondie heading toward us. One of the caregivers was standing in the doorway behind her, encouraging her to move along--she said, "Alina, mama...papa" and sent her on her way. Alina was all dressed up, with a bow in her hair. I put my hand to my mouth. "It's her. Oh my...here she is...Priv-yet, Alina (Hello, Alina)!!"

She came down the small hallway by herself, whimpering a little as she made her way to us. She seemed apprehensive, but she was really, really cute. We looked at each other with tears in our eyes. It was a moment neither of us will ever forget.

We saw some very neat things in Kiev, but the real show was here, in the middle of Ukraine, when a little girl with Down syndrome walked down a dark hallway and right into our life.

You can hear me whispering "Ya t'voya mama"...I am your mama...which Alina ignores while listening instead to Marina's phone ringing ;).

"Rod Stewart Pineapple/Orphanage Haircut",
Big Bow and the Blackberry

After less than fifteen minutes, we were asked whether we would like to accept Alina's referral or not (to which we answered, YES, of course we want her!), and were off once again...this time to file our paperwork to request a court date.

We spent the rest of the day driving around town, gathering more signatures and paperwork, and finished right before evening visiting hours. We were able to spend two hours getting to know Alina that night (which I will write more about in my next post).

We came home, both elated and exhausted--but wanting very much to share our exciting day with family and friends--to find that we had no internet access. Chris was able to get his Blackberry to work, and quickly typed this:

From dad....
Today was simply an amazing gift of a day! I've seen all 5 of my children born and today I just saw my 6th. It may have been a bit different, but it felt the same. This time my little girl came running around the corner and just stole my heart in the same way each of my children did the day they were delivered into this world. I'll leave the exciting details to Lisa, but I have learned many years ago to 100% trust my wife's instincts. With our little Alina, Lisa is still batting 1000! Alina is happy, healthy, loving, funny, playful, and already an important part of the Peele family. Lisa was 100% correct that day she told me "that terrible picture just doesn't show who that little girl is or who she could become".
I was eventually able to post late that night. Below is just a little part.
Click here to read the original post...
Please be patient with us...we are trying to get information and pictures out little by little :).We already have over 100 pictures of Alina! We saw her briefly this morning (green dress) before we completed A LOT of paperwork. We were able to go back and spend two hours with her this evening.
I have details to share tomorrow, but what I can say briefly is that we met a little girl today who melted our hearts. We met a little girl who is full of potential. She is busy, and sharp, and curious and adorable.
This is the first picture of us with her, taken by our facilitator, Marina:

First Meeting

Chris took this picture shortly thereafter:

Alina trying to ~~hide~~ look under the curtain, me trying to interest her in a toy :)

Still trying to talk to Alina. Meanwhile, she's trying to escape with Daddy's Blackberry :)

Daddy trying to get his phone back!

I did get to grab her for a quick hug...and look...she's smiling!

She came out with green ointment on her forehead.

(It is what they use on cuts and scrapes)

Check back for Part II of Meeting Alina...

7 Day Blitz Winners

2011-04-12T08:16:00.004-04:00

552 contributors.

1960 raffle tickets.

$19,809.01 raised.

thank you.

and now.
for our prize winners.

:::

Canon EOS Rebel XS Digital SLR camera

$500 gift certificate to B&H Photo

and

a lifetime membership to ClickinMoms.

Sheri Holthe

:::

Cirque

by Lisa Tarkett Reed

Nancy Stinnett

:::

Custom blog makeover (by Bethany)

Rebekah Pett

:::

UltraHD Flip video camera

Amy Conner

:::

Organic Bloom Frame

by Lindsey Smith Photography

Maria Yakkey

:::

Schmetterlingszauber

autographed by Conny Wenk

Leslie Echols

:::

(3) handmade hats

#1 Carla Skelton

#2 Glenda Howze

#3 Marlene Prange

:::

$50 gift certificate to Uppercase Living

Jason Sheehy

:::

Hand crafted jewelry (various)

Anna Albano

Shylo Ulcak

Robert Micek

Rachel Thornberry

Carla Skelton

Kara Dickman

David Graves

Kimberly Giesting

Allen Parrish

Leah Neff

Shane Culver

Holly Caufield

Stephanie Dalby

Robert McPherson

:::

Signing Time full collection

autographed and donated by Rachel Coleman

Jocelyn Gilbert

:::

winners... congratulations!

and once again.

thank you!

Blitz for Kirill & Archie--Two Days Left

2011-04-10T13:33:00.001-04:00

Because of all of you, the Davis Family ChipIn for Kirill has reached its goal. Tesney Davis has asked us to use the remainder of the fundraiser to spread Kirill’s legacy and help another child with Down syndrome become an orphan no more...specifically, Archie. So we've opened up a ChipIn for Archie and his family. It almost over, and there's still about $5,000 left to raise. If Kirill's story moves you, please give to help Archie come home, and help us spread the love even further.

See the original post on Bethany's blog for details :). Prizes are the same, rules are the same. This is one continuous fundraiser and it ends tomorrow. THANK YOU!!

Serious Love.

2011-04-08T07:32:00.003-04:00

Serious, serious love going on out there for Kirill and family. Over 400 contributors have taken part in the giving--and thousands more have shared Kirill's story. Hearts moved because of one little boy and his faithful, sweet family.

There are still 4 days left in the 7 Day Blitz for Kirill. More amazing prizes have been added to the effort, and word continues to spread like wildfire. Let's keep this thing rolling!

Because of all of you, the ChipIn has reached its goal. Tesney Davis has asked us to help continue Kirill’s legacy and help another child with Down syndrome become an orphan no more.

Wait until you hear the story about the child/family she's asking us to help.

Please head over to Bethany's blog and read this post: Coming Full Circle. {Tissue warning}...Watching this story unfold will take your breath away. What's going on here is inspiring, beautiful, amazing beyond words.

With that said, we are moving into the 4 day blitz for Archie :). Prizes are the same, rules are the same. This is one continuous fundraiser.

A Look Back: One Year Ago (Post 1)

2011-04-06T22:00:00.069-04:00

On this day last year, Chris and I were in transit between the United States and Ukraine, as we set out on our Adventure of a Lifetime.

Chris, the more adventurous one of the two of us, was loving life. I was already exhausted, and after days of intense travel preparations plus an awful flight from Chicago to Munich, spent 4 hours sleeping on an airport bench while clutching my purse.

~~MacGuyver~~ Chris spent our layover in Germany trying to figure out how to get our phones or an internet connection to work so we could let our facilitators know that we missed one of our connecting flights and would be arriving in Kiev later than we'd planned.

Independence Square, Downtown Kiev

We made it into Kiev very late at night on April 7th, 2010 after leaving the States in the afternoon of April 5th.

Nevertheless, we made it, and I plan on sharing some of the details of our time there.

I know that many people enjoy following adoptions, so here are a few families who will be making the same trip we did, and meeting their children soon:

Local friends--The Archers (Shelly was Sara's third grade teacher)--leave this weekend to go get their daughter (Sarah, known on RR as "Jessie"). Please follow their journey here.

Blogging friends--The White s--are returning to Ukraine after adopting three children last year, and have their SDA appointment the same day as the Archers to begin their process of adopting two more little ones (Johanna Cait & Cole, known on RR as "Leesia" and "Nick"). Follow their journey here.

Blogging friends--The Cox family--adopting Kareen--already have one biological daughter with Down syndrome (Bree) and are heading overseas soon for Kareen. They are just waiting for their travel date.

A 7 Day Blitz for Kirill

2011-04-04T06:57:00.020-04:00

The Reece's Rainbow adoption community was shaken to it's core last month when one of our families was denied permission to adopt a little boy they want and love. They've already made two trips overseas. The most recent trip, they'd planned to bring him home for good. But they came home without him. They're appealing the ruling, and they need our help. They've asked for prayers, which they still want and need. They have not asked for money. But they have incurred substantial fees and other financial strains from the appeal and continued fight to get their son. Along with fellow adoptive moms Bethany, Renee, Charissa and McKenna, I am helping to spread the word and raise funds for this special family through a one-time fundraiser: A 7 Day Blitz for Kirill. Thank you so much for reading and helping however you can.

Here's the post from Bethany's blog with all the specifics:

On March 17, 2011, the Davis family sat in a Russian courtroom and listened as the judge rejected their plea to adopt Kirill, an orphan with Down syndrome. {From the Davis family blog}: "The judge said, “Your application to adopt is rejected.” The basis given was that Kirill was “not socially adaptable” due to his “medical condition” and he was better off in an institution than in a home with a family. As the judge read her ruling, she stated several times that we were a good family, that we met all the criteria to adopt a child, but that she would not approve our adoption because Kirill has Down syndrome. She told us that we could adopt another child, because legally our application had no problems according to Russian adoption law. She said she would approve our adoption for a “typical” child, but not this child. Why? The only reason? Because he has Down syndrome."

Being an adoptive mother to a Russian orphan with Down syndrome, I could expand on the million-and-one reasons Tesney and Greg's rejected application to adopt has deeply affected me. But that is not what is important.

What is important is that they are appealing the judge's ruling to the Supreme Court of Moscow and they need our help.

The Davis family has been through so much already... and now they have been slammed with astronomical unforeseen financial hurdles in bringing Kirill home. In order to just begin the process of filing their appeal, they had to pay $2,500. They have been told that they should plan to attend the Supreme Court hearing, which is a trip to Russia they never planned to have to make... add $3,000 - $4,000. If the Supreme Court overturns the ruling, they will have to return home and wait for a date to travel to Kirill's region to reappear before the original judge in their case... add $4,000 - $5,000. Assuming everything goes as planned, they will remain in country for the 10 day waiting period and finalization of their adoption... add $3,000 - $3,500.

So how can you help? A few of us adoptive mommy bloggers have put our heads together to create a 7 day blitz for Kirill.

Our first prize...

Canon EOS Rebel XS Digital SLR camera

donated by Lisa, Charissa, McKenna, Renee and Bethany
or
$500 gift certificate to B&H Photo

Read all about the camera here.

And... a lifetime membership to ClickinMoms. An online haven of all things photography... tips and tutorials on everything from how to use your camera to editing your images to starting a photography business.

:::

Our second prize...

Cirque

by Lisa Tarkett Reed

Approximate Gallery Value $3,400

recently juried into the FMH Crestwood Gallery for the Celebration exhibition
completed in 2010
oil on canvas
measures 3 feet by 4 feet

Oil paintings by regional artist, Lisa Tarkett Reed, celebrate and explore the relationships and patterns in nature. Reed’s paintings are inspired by her growing collection of natural objects. Flowers, crystals, rocks, leaves, shells and bones, collected by Reed over decades, provide points of departure in her work. As Reed layers line, shape and color, she discovers and plays with the geometry, relationships, and patterns inherent in organic forms.

In October 2011, Reed will have a solo exhibition at The Artists’ Gallery in Frederick, MD. Currently, Reed has a solo exhibition at Les Idees Gallery, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Reed has had solo exhibitions at the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Gallery Lascaux, Gallery 937 and View from Zenith Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well as at Shenandoah University, Leesburg, Virginia, Figure Five Gallery, San Francisco, California and the Walker Fine Arts Center Gallery at Patrick Henry Community College, Roanoke, Virginia. Reed has shown her work in group exhibitions at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mary Condon Hodgson Gallery at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland, The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, Frederick, Maryland, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, New York, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Reed has taught drawing and painting for over fifteen years in regional art centers in Maryland, Pittsburgh and Virginia and at private schools in Brooklyn and Virginia.

Reed earned a BFA in painting from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and studied painting in Rome, Italy as part of the Temple University Abroad Program. Reed earned an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, California.

In 2009, Reed founded Sister MamaCita, a Mothers’ Cooperative in the Arts and sister group to the Philadelphia based MamaCita, a Mothers’ Cooperative in the Arts founded by Melissa Tevere in 2005.

Our third prize...

Custom blog makeover (by Bethany).

You will get...

custom header
custom background
custom signature and sidebar headers
installation of pages
installation of facebook/twitter/rss feed widgets
and more!

Our fourth prize...

UltraHD Flip video camera.
donated by Joanne Charland, momma to Vinnie (a T21 friend)

Read all about the video camera here.

Our fifth prize...

Organic Bloom Frame

by Lindsey Smith Photography

measures 16" x 20"
choose from a variety of styles and color combinations

:::
Our sixth prize...

Schmetterlingszauber

(Three Little Butterflies)

hardcover book, signed by Conny Wenk

"Schmetterlingszauber is a book about the wonderful friendship of three beautiful little girls. Although they are colorful and unique like little butterflies, they have many more things in common than they don't.

They love spending lots of time together, whether they hang out at home or on the playground having fun galore. Sometimes they even have picnics on a beautiful meadow. They love dressing up like little princesses, polishing their nails, having little "imitation" tattoos, singing and dancing, telling bedtime stories to each other and of course, jumping on the bed.

They can be really wild ... but to me they are just three little butterflies."

:::

Our seventh prize...

(3) handmade hats.

donated by Heather Randlett, momma to Bridget (a T21 friend)

1. Newborn/Baby Beanie-Style Hat... This crocheted baby beanie is crafted with a soft cotton/bamboo blend yarn, adorned with a shabby chic crocheted flower. Perfect for cute newborn baby pictures.

2. Women's Beanie-Style Hat... This crocheted beanie-style hat is crafted with a super soft alpaca/acrylic blend yarn, with 3 beautiful colors - celery green, mocha, and cream.

3. Women's Ski-Style Hat... This knitted snug-fitting ski-style hat is crafted with a soft acrylic/wool blend yarn in a rich cranberry color.

**All are hand wash only, lay flat to dry.

:::

Rules...

1) Every $10 donation to Kirill will earn you an entry into the drawing for one of the prizes.
2) Prizes cannot be shipped overseas, unless shipping is paid for by prize winner (painting may be excluded).
3) Donations will be accepted through Monday, April 11th.
4) Winners will be announced Tuesday, April 12th.

Please blog it. Please facebook it. Please tweet it. Please share.

We have a lot of love to give and $15,000 is nothing when compared to the army standing behind the Davis family.

*If things do not go as planned for the Davis family, any leftover funds will be properly allocated in support of international adoption of children with Down syndrome.

Meet the Gibson's

2011-04-03T21:09:00.001-04:00

...Antonio's family :)!

They want everyone to know how grateful they are for the people who have kept their little boy close at heart, and that "This journey is just not about us - it's about Christ in us...He is the only way this is possible."

Please visit their blog to learn more about Jake and Ashley and their journey to Antonio (who'll be known as Carter Benjamin), and to shower them with love and good wishes.

Found

2011-03-31T20:13:00.001-04:00

Exciting news...my little Antonio has a family :)!!

Well, he's not really my Antonio, but there's a special place in my heart for this little guy and I am so excited to find out who has come forward for him!

Thank you, so much, to everyone who has been praying for him, has already donated to his fund or helped to spread the word about him.

Check back for details on his family, and to hear more about how you can help them get to him sooner ;).

Sleep tight tonight, little one. You are in the hearts of many and will know the love of a family--your family--soon...

Back from the Beach

2011-03-30T13:29:00.005-04:00

Does anyone notice anything different at the top of this blog? It's a new header picture taken while on vacation last week :).

And there are many more where that came from. Somehow, I ended up with over 600 pictures. Don't worry, I won't post them all here! But how am I going to choose ;)?

Both girls LOVED the beach. We all had a wonderful time, with lots of sun, sand, laughter and all the good things we could cram into a week-and-a-half at the beach.

I have so many things to write about, with so much going on in our Down syndrome and adoption communities.

If I can carve out the time, I plan to write a lot this month, because I'll also be advocating for Antonio, as well as featuring several posts here which will look back at our trip to Ukraine in April of last year to get Alina. (Our trip was such a whirlwind, that I didn't ever get the chance to post many of our pictures, or to share some of the more interesting and colorful details and observations from our journey overseas. Please leave a comment below if there's anything specific you'd like for me to cover.)

March is nearly over. Welcome Spring!

Birthday in Review

2011-03-15T14:00:00.021-04:00

Thank you, so much, to everyone for the sweet birthday wishes for Alina :)!

She was greeted last Thursday morning by her very own Mama & Papa and loving siblings, who were genuinely excited to celebrate her that day. She LOVED her birthday--everything about it--and was beaming from the moment she got up.

I went in to read to the preschool class that morning and to take a small birthday surprise for her classmates. She was excited to see me, and ran right over with a huge smile to give me a hug. She sat down in her spot when I began reading, but ended up standing right beside me as I finished the book.

While the class sang to Alina, she looked around at each and every face in the group. She was elated. She honestly smiled and clapped the whole time. And she got to wear a special "Birthday crown" handmade by her teacher (shown below). It was a wonderful start to the day.

Alina received phone calls, cards and gifts from out-of-town family, and had her "special" birthday pizza dinner and dessert on Thursday. On Friday, our extended family in town came over to celebrate, and she had more birthday fun and treats.

She truly enjoyed every.single.thing about her birthday--cards (she looked closely at each card), balloons, phone calls, gifts (she liked every gift, even the tissue paper in the gifts), singing, cake...all of it. She really seemed to linger on every detail.

It brings tears to my eyes, thinking about this little girl and how much her life has changed.

Celebrating Alina's fourth birthday, and her arrival into our lives, was more fun than any of us could have imagined.

Four

2011-03-10T00:00:00.099-05:00

Four years ago today, a beautiful little girl was born in a quaint and picturesque town along the Dneiper river in southeastern Ukraine.

What should have been a day full of celebration for her parents quickly became a day full of sadness. Tears of happiness became tears of grief.

The little girl they waited for, and hoped for, had arrived. But she was not the little girl they'd anticipated. The child they had envisioned was not the child placed in their arms.

The little girl they greeted that day was not a child they could welcome into their lives. As precious as she was, she could not stay with them. She had Down syndrome. And in Eastern European society, there was no place for her.

There were no supports for parents raising a child with Down syndrome. And the stigma of having a child who is different, who is disabled...well, there just wasn't an option. They had to give her up. They handed their daughter to a social worker, who made arrangements to place the little girl in the local orphanage.

Half a world away, another family also touched by Down syndrome, spent that day just as they would spend any other day. They'd already had their day to be sad about Down syndrome and were fortunate to live in a part of the world where there was more support for children and families living with the diagnosis. They'd already seen that disability is a matter of perspective, and that all people are the same within.

They had no idea that this little girl was born that day, that she was now alone in the world, or that she would one day play a huge role in their lives.

So the little girl waited, for three whole years, for someone to find her and claim her as their own.

For over a thousand days, not one single person inquired about her. But she survived anyway, in the care of her nurses. Not having a family--or anything else--of her own would not dampen her zest for life, or her desire to learn and grow.

She thrived, despite her circumstances. And that family half a world away, who had already made peace with Down syndrome, well, they found her. And they ran to her, and they made her their own...

Today, as Alina turns four, she'll be celebrating her birthday with presents, balloons and Dora decorations. She'll be sharing a birthday treat with her preschool classmates and her mama will come in and read to the class. She'll have a special birthday dinner with some of her favorite foods--pizza, salad and berries, followed by ice cream cones dipped in rainbow sprinkles. She will be surrounded by people who love her.

If she were still in the orphanage, today would have been a very different day for her. The paperwork would have been ready for Alina's transfer from the relative safety and security of her baby home to a remote, regional mental institution. I'm in tears typing that sentence. I can begin to process it, but can't even come close to reconciling that thought in my mind.

This treasure locked away for life, this precious child...what did she ever do to warrant being placed in an asylum? How did we find her, and what did we do to deserve her?

Alina is purposeful and intuitive. There's a fire--and a fighter's spirit--underneath her curious, active and happy-go-lucky exterior. She's sharp, an excellent problem solver with a strong memory, and can entertain herself for hours. She's easily amused, quick to love and has a heart of gold.

She is an absolute gem. What would we do without her?

Oh Lina, Happy Birthday, little love. You are treasured beyond words...

* * *

When we found Alina, there were two other children who caught our eyes. One was Yana, who will soon be going home to her forever family. The other is Antonio, who is still waiting. (We initially donated for four children, but the pictures of the two little boys were actually pictures of the same child at different ages...we must really have loved Antonio!) This precious little guy just melts my heart. All of the children with Down syndrome in his groupa have found families. I can't imagine why he is still waiting for his!

Antonio - baby picture

Antonio - around 1 year old

Antonio - 2 1/2 years old

We would welcome donations to Antonio's grant fund in honor of Alina's birthday. I am going to do whatever I can to find him a home, too. Please, if you are considering Antonio, or if you would like to inquire about him, contact Andrea at Reece's Rainbow today. I know parents who have been to this orphanage and would be willing to share tips and information about it, and would also be willing to share their impressions of Antonio. This little boy will be a wonderful addition to one lucky family :)!

You Are the Flower of the Family

2011-03-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

...and you bloomed :).

Sibling Love--Emmy's Birthday Card for Alina

Alina's fourth birthday is tomorrow. I have new pictures to post, and thoughts to share. Tune in tomorrow for a celebration of ALINA.

Heard Recently Around Our House

2011-03-04T11:00:00.035-05:00

Bridget, when she hears the microwave beep: “Mommy! Poppy ready!” (your coffee is ready!) “Oh, what that ‘mell? 'Mell like poppy. ‘Mell good!” (What’s that smell? It smells like coffee. It smells good!)

Bridget, after seeing butterflies on the potty seat: “Butterflies fly...sky ” (flapping arms, looking upward) “Angels fly!”

Me: “I don’t want to see anyone naked in our family room. And I am especially talking to anyone who is three or four!” (The three and four year olds must not have been listening.)

Bridget (heard often):

“Not cool!”

“No way!”

“Stop it!”

“Oh, you’re right!”

“Oh, that is soooo silly!”

“Oh, ache you!” (Oh, thank you!)

"No Happy"

Me: "Bridget, would you like something to eat?"

Bridget: "Oh! Ache you, mommy! Yes, a piece a cake!!"

Me: "Bridget, what are you doing?" (after I saw that Little Bear had ended and she was still glued to the t.v.).

Bridget: “I watchin’ Pungebobs!" (Spongebob). "I wike it!"

(Bridget and Alina don't watch Spongebob. But obviously, Bridget knows who that is!)

Sisters, Daughters, Granddaughters, Cousins, Nieces, Neighbors, Friends...

2011-03-02T12:00:00.013-05:00

People. Bridget and Alina are people. They are not worth less because they happen to have a diagnosis which includes intellectual disability.

They have worth, and dignity, and deserve as much as anyone else, to be treated with RESPECT.

Let's make RESPECT the new R-word.

Important Reading:

R-Word - Spread the Word

Ellen's post on Love that Max

Thoughts from Larkin's Mom

A Day in the Life - Photo

2011-03-01T09:55:00.000-05:00

Love for Yana & Family...The Winners!

2011-02-28T14:06:00.000-05:00

We have winners (drawn by random.org) and I am excited to announce them!

**Thank you to everyone who donated, blogged or posted about this giveaway on facebook.**

And thank you, so much, to everyone who already follows our blog or is newly following (6 out of the 8 winners donated and left comments about following...which is important because it helps me to advocate more broadly)!

I am happy to announce the following prize winners (please send me an email --lpeele@columbus.rr.com--with your mailing address!)...Congratulations to:

Xbox 360 Kinect: 250 GB Kinect Bundle

Comment #68 Faith said...following your blog

8gb iPod Nano (blue) plus a $25 iTunes gift card

Comment #3 Rhonda said...Donated to a great cause...Hope to see the fund grow!

$25 Starbucks gift card...because everything is better with coffee :)

Comment #36 cathy said...not sure...have been following you, Lisa & just donated again...this time from my mom;) xoxo cathy

One Pair of Skatezz...because it is good to get up and move :)!

Comment #17 Bambi said...Already a long time follower!

Bumble Bags Hannah and Haley Snack Bags in Blue Latte

from The Polkadot Platypus

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURIE!)

Comment #39 Laurie said...Thanks for all that you do, Lisa : ) Donated to sweet Yana and am now following YOU : )!! xoxo

You Are Loved Necklace from Helen Winnemore Craft

Comment #64 c.held.68@gmail.com said...Donated. Once again, I'm reminded of all the good in this world by your actions!

Special Needs Book Bundle, Signed Copies:

Schuyler's Monster and Road Map to Holland

Comment #38 Helene Ready said...Hello just wanted to let you know that I have donated for this beautiful little girl and to please enter me in the draw :) thanks

Stampin' Up! Stamp Set and Set of Homemade Cards

Comment #12 To Love Endlessly said...now I'm following you too. :-)

DownSyndrome Achieves (A New Era in Advocacy, Part II)

2011-02-25T16:00:00.089-05:00

If you love someone with Down syndrome, you owe it to yourself--and to all individuals with Ds--to be educated on the history and current state of Down syndrome advocacy. (Read my previous post here for more information on this.)

For the past four decades, our national advocacy organizations have worked to raise awareness about Down syndrome and improve life for individuals with the diagnosis. And while there have been notable gains in the areas of inclusion in schools, early intervention services, and health screenings for people with Ds--research has not been an equal priority, and scientific understanding of Down syndrome has been significantly lagging.

We certainly know more today than ever about the types of things to which our loved ones with Ds may be susceptible (thyroid disease, AAI, leukemia, among others) and health screenings have continued to improve. But we don't know why these things are part of the unique genetic make-up of a person with Ds.

I am a concerned parent and passionate advocate for my girls with Ds. Yet, I am embarrassed to say that until last year, I had no idea that there was so little understood about Down syndrome from a scientific perspective. I just assumed that "someone" was doing research for our benefit, and that we were "at the table" when federal funding was handed out.

Down syndrome as a research area has been represented in government settings by our national advocacy groups, but what we have been receiving in federal funding is no where near enough to fund the type of basic, cognitive, therapeutic, behavioral research necessary for us to gain a fuller understanding of the condition. (It seems we have been out-resourced or out-gunned.)

And this profound lack of funding has slowed the progress of researchers and institutions with the real ability and talent to make scientific breakthroughs in Down syndrome research.

But there also seems to have been a philosophy of complacency--that what we have is "good enough"--and that understanding more about Ds from a scientific perspective isn't vitally important.

Are you all aware that there is currently no national patient registry or biobank for Down syndrome? How can we expect to have significant scientific discoveries or understanding about Ds when researchers don't have the money or other resources (data points, samples) to do the important work vital to understanding the distinct aspects and challenges of the condition?

Research is important to me, and not because I am interested in finding a "cure" for Down syndrome, or because I hope a medicine will be discovered to improve cognition in people with Ds. I am not interested in either of those things. I do know that parents of children with Down syndrome are all over the board ideologically--and we are failing our kids, partially because of those divides.

We are going to need to combine our talents, energy and money to be able to ensure that our children and loved ones are as "healthy" as possible, and live in a world as welcoming to them as possible.

This is the common thread which binds Ds advocates: our desire to make life better for the people we love with Down syndrome.

I want my girls to be included and valued. I want them to be physically healthy, and to be able to communicate their unique ideas to others. I want them to have meaningful relationships; to be able to participate fully in life within our family and our community; to live long and well.

We need to understand why things like heart defects, thyroid disease, higher rates of leukemia, immune suppression, speech issues, early cognitive decline and Alzheimer's are all conditions to which our loved ones are predisposed. I am hopeful that we can prevent some of these things, or that we can find therapeutic resolutions for them if we have greater knowledge of Ds from a scientific perspective.

We can no longer take for granted that Ds research is being conducted on a grand scale for the benefit of our families, or that our interests are being well-represented in our state legislatures or in Washington. For decades, Down syndrome has failed to keep pace with other research priorities, pushing our hopes for a more meaningful quality (and quantity) of life and health for our loved ones with Ds even farther away.

This is not about any one other special interest group (many people have trouble with the comparison to Cystic Fibrosis, in particular). It is about how many other groups have made significant process, while we are not. There are 170 different research priorities funded ahead of Down syndrome at the National Institutes of Health, even though Ds has a larger impacted population and incidence rate.

The human genome has already been mapped, yet we don't know as much about Down syndrome as we can, or should, know.

As advocates, we certainly have the passion and the desire to change this, but what we don't have is a coordination of our efforts. That is not a reason history will accept for our lack of forward progress. It is not a reason we should accept, either.

We are in the midst of grassroots efforts to fuel a resurgence of the Down syndrome movement. Parents and advocates, we need our voices to be loud and unified. The time is NOW to run with this, to help propel the movement forward with the common purpose of opening up the world for our children and loved ones in all ways. We need to work together in order to see the change we envision and desire.

There is no acceptable reason to sit idle, or to accept the status quo when it comes to Down syndrome research and advocacy. Our children and loved ones are worth more.

And this is why I am trying to get the word out about an organization with a mission and plan I not only agree with, but also trust. DownSyndrome Achieves (DSA) began and grew out of a local advocacy group (The Central Ohio Down Syndrome Society) to become a significant force in the national Ds landscape. DSA is the first organization of its kind in the world, and is taking a proactive and progressive approach toward research, scientific discovery and legislative advocacy for Down syndrome.

I have been a part of this group since its inception and have seen firsthand in Lito Ramirez (founder and CEO of DownSyndrome Achieves) the passion, vision and capability that is being brought to the cause on behalf of us all.

In the 20 months since it was founded, DownSyndrome Achieves has made impressive headway. DSA is credited with forming the nation's first Down syndrome research consortium (The Down Syndrome Research Initiative--DSRI), comprised of nine of the most prestigious hospitals and research institutions in the Midwest region. (DSA does plan to expand the Down Syndrome Research Initiative into a national research consortium, which would share data and samples in a coordinated Ds research effort.)

There are other research-oriented groups which have emerged and are doing solid work (and DSA is working with many of them).

But no other advocacy group has built an internal infrastructure which directly contributes to competent research. With the DSRI, DownSyndrome Achieves is taking a leadership position not only in funding high level research, but also in partnering with world class researchers who will provide tomorrow's scientific discoveries to benefit families like ours.

DownSyndrome Achieves is also unique because Lito and his legislative lobbying team have positioned DSA to be a vital force in both state and federal government, and hold long standing relationships with key members of Congress who will help shape federal funding of Down syndrome research.

We can't sit idle anymore. We can do more for our kids and all people with Down syndrome. They are more than worth it.

I would love to see what DownSyndrome Achieves can do with the input of our best voices and advocates.

This is an exciting time. We are all part of helping to ensure that the world is wide open for our children and loved ones with Down syndrome.

Please help spread the word. Talk to your friends, families and other advocates and share with your local Down syndrome groups. Share this post or one of the other blog posts below (or share a personal message, along with the link to the DSA website) on your blog, on facebook or on Twitter.

Ignite the fire. Join us as we write a new chapter in the history of the Down syndrome movement.

* * *

*Please visit DownSyndrome Achieves to sign up for the mailing list and to learn more.

**If you have questions about DownSyndrome Achieves, leave a comment below and I will try to address questions in a separate post.

What other bloggers are saying:

The Bates Motel

Unringing the Bell

Bill and Ria

For Alina

2011-02-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

I've posted this before, but it has new meaning now...since we have our blonde, blue-eyed girl.

Our Fragile Emissary
by Nancy Tupper Ling

With modern screening and such
they wonder why
you're here, on this earth
in our home
and in our arms,
after all, anyone
with any sense would have resolved
this problem of you
pre-birth, pre pain.

Blonde Beauty,
tiny as you are,
you catch their stares,
strangers' second glances
into tender baby blues.
And your young
sweet ears hear whisperings
("Down's," "defects")
words dropped loosely
at extra-chromosomed girls.

With such stinging receptions
how we long to shelter you,
surround you; keep your
gentle smiles to ourselves.
Instead, we hold you
up, for others to see;
let you, our fragile emissary
speak to an imperfect world.

Love for Yana & Family...A Giveaway!

2011-02-18T00:00:00.252-05:00

**The Giveaway Has Now Ended**

THANK YOU, so much, to everyone who participated!

Winners will be announced shortly :).

Dear Friends,

It's February, the perfect month to spread a little love and kindness. I know a family who could really use a little (or a lot!) of both right now. This family has been working incredibly hard to adopt a little girl with Down syndrome from Eastern Europe, and hopes to travel soon to meet her. But, saving their daughter comes with a high price tag (they'll need $30,000 total)--and despite very deliberate, concerted fundraising efforts, they are still in need of a good chunk of money in order to reach their goal.

I would love to help remove their financial barrier and see them make their way overseas to get that beautiful little girl and take her out of the orphanage forever.

And, due to some good luck and some wonderful friends, I have a handful of amazing items to give away in order to give Yana's fund a boost:).

Please read on to learn how you can win a brand new Xbox 360 250GB Console with Kinect, or a new iPod nano (or one of the other great prizes listed below), AND bless this family with much needed funds for their adoption :)!

How this all came about:

I recently won a giveaway on Patti's blog, which is a funny thing...because Patti and I are both passionate advocates for people with Down syndrome and for orphans, and because I had no intention of keeping the prize I won.

So we put our heads together and have figured out how to turn one item into giveaways for two families. (Thank you so much to all of the kind people who quickly and graciously offered to donate additional items for this giveaway!)

*I should say that we don't need the item I won on Patti's blog. No one should feel badly about keeping giveaway prizes! They are meant as a way to give back to people who are doing good things. So if you win something you would really enjoy or use in a giveaway, keep it!*

The story behind this particular giveaway:

The day we discovered Reece's Rainbow, we decided to pick a few children and donate to their adoption funds. One of those children was our Alina, and another was Yana, an adorable little girl with big, blue eyes. Yana pulled at our heartstrings, but we could only commit to one child, and Alina appeared to be in great need of a family. Just a few months after we committed to adopt Alina, a family also came forward for Yana. I was so happy! And, as it turns out, that family--the Smith family--lives less than an hour away from us :).

Yana is in a region in Eastern Europe that is quite a bit more expensive than Alina's, and the process to get to her has been much longer. The Smith's have worked so hard to get to their little girl. They have held garage sales and a puzzle-piece fundraiser. They've raffled off Pampered Chef items and books, and have even sold t-shirts, coffee, and DutchMill flower bulbs to help raise money for their adoption. They have applied for every grant to help with their adoption costs that they can find. The Smith's will be receiving a $5,000 grant from Gift of Adoption just before they travel. But Yana's adoption will cost around $30,000 total. With just weeks before their first trip (and meeting their new daughter), they are still about $12,000 short.

They hope to have Yana home for good sometime this summer.

The Smith's have five beautiful children (two biological and three adopted), and the two youngest have Ds. They have supported and raised awareness about the fundraisers of other adoptive families, while they continue to work on gathering funds of their own. They have watched countless families successfully raise the money necessary to travel and then also watched as those families brought their children home. The Smith's are always happy for everyone else, but it is their turn. It is Yana's turn. She needs to come home to her family.

So, let's show the Smith family some love! Let's get them even closer to their dream of holding their little girl and taking her out of the orphanage forever.

HOW TO ENTER: Use the button on the top of the right-hand sidebar to donate (whatever amount you can, via PayPal or with your credit card) to the fund for Yana and her family. If you make a donation of any amount, please leave a comment saying that you donated. Your comment is your entry for the drawing.

After donating, you can also leave a comment (1 entry) for each of the following if you:

*blog about this giveaway (include the link to your post in the comment)

*post on facebook about this giveaway

*already follow this blog or become a new follower

So there are four ways to enter, but only if you donate to Yana's adoption fund first :).

And now, for the fun stuff, some things to help you get your groove on...and also to help you get your give on :)...

THE PRIZES:

The BIG ONE...

Xbox 360 Kinect: 250 GB Kinect Bundle

The Special Edition Xbox 360 250GB Console with Kinect. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways-no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect gets everyone off the couch moving, laughing, and cheering. See a ball? Kick it. Control an HD movie with the wave of a hand. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. Wi-Fi is built-in for easier connection to the world of entertainment on Xbox LIVE, where HD movies and TV stream in an instant. Xbox 360 is more games, entertainment, and fun.

Jump, dodge, and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations with Kinect Adventures
Xbox 360 console includes built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to Xbox LIVE, and comes with matching black controller and headset
Get off the couch and into the game by using your body as the controller with Kinect
Control your Xbox 360 with a single gesture or wave of the hand
Connect with friends and family with easy and interactive gameplay, video chat, and more

.
*********************
8gb iPod Nano (blue) plus a $25 iTunes gift card

8 GB capacity for about 2,000 songs
Up to 24 hours of audio playback on a single charge

*********************
$25 Starbucks gift card...because everything is better with coffee :)

*********************
One Pair of Skatezz...because it is good to get up and move :)!
Skatezz is a 2-piece in-line skateboard set that uses a new style of self-propelled fusion riding, combining skateboarding, snowboarding and in-line skating. These are so cool! (Click the link to learn more)

Our son Brian's personal endorsement of Skatezz: "They are AMAZING and fun. Easy to learn to use, and you will never get bored of them."

*********************
Bumble Bags Hannah and Haley Snack Bags in Blue Latte

from The Polkadot Platypus

This is a set of Bumble Bags Hannah and Haley Snack Bags *one of each*. These versatile, completely insulated snack bags are designed to keep items warm or cold, and feature fully removable compartments to hold snacks and containers of different sizes, as well as a top mesh pocket. Includes a velcro adjustable strap allowing attachment to any stroller. Water/stain resistant and dishwasher safe {top rack only}. *These would also make an adorable lunch bag or addition to your beach/pool tote for food, or even make-up :)!

*********************
You Are Loved Necklace
from Helen Winnemore Craft

"What a wonderful gift for anyone you want to tell that you love them in the biggest way. Beyond measure...sounds great to us. Sterling Silver. Handmade with care in California."

Helen Winnemore Craft is my dear friend Sarah's shop in historic German Village (Columbus, Ohio). It is considered the oldest store of its kind in the United States. Since 1938, Helen Winnemore Craft has celebrated usable, wearable, art created by American Artisans. If you're not local, you can also visit Helen Winnemore's on-line :).

*********************

Special Needs Book Bundle, Signed Copies:

Schuyler's Monster and Road Map to Holland

Two must-have books for parents and advocates: Schuyler's Monster, signed by Robert Rummel-Hudson AND Schuyler, & Road Map to Holland, signed by Jennifer Graf Groneberg.

**********************

Stampin' Up! Stamp Set and Set of Homemade Cards

Because I Care clear-mount stamp set

Because I Care Homemade card (Set of 5)

*********************

The Love for Yana & Family Giveaway begins today and ends on Monday, February 28th at noon EST. Winners will be drawn and announced in the evening on the 28th.

Each listing is a separate prize. When you comment and enter, your name may be pulled for any one of the items listed above.

Good luck, and thank you in advance for helping to make dreams come true for Yana and her family!!

Alina, Troublemaker

2011-02-11T17:29:00.001-05:00

This is who/what Alina has doing her dirty work:

His name is Peaco, and he is an Ugly Doll (Brian and Emmy have collections, and they frequently end up scattered throughout the house). Alina loves this one.

I recently asked her to stop touching the baby gate which encloses our family room (she would really like to have full run of the house and loves to let us know by shaking the gate). I had to ask her several times to step away from the baby gate, and to please not touch the gate. She walked away. Great, I thought. She understood me and it worked.

I began to return to the sink to finish up the morning's dishes, when I caught her out of the corner of my eye, holding Peaco and walking back toward the gate.

I asked again, Alina...PLEASE don't touch the gate.

That little stinker, she held out Peaco's hand and had HIM touch the gate, while looking me square in the eyes with a sly grin. How-bout-them-apples, mama? She's such a rascal sometimes. Pretty smart, too ;).

**I can't call her a troublemaker without also saying that she is as sweet as they come. Proof: