Love for Yana & Family...A Giveaway!

**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

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

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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.

 

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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

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:

Don't spend your precious time asking "Why isn't the world a better place?" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is "How can I make it better?" To that there is an answer.

— Leo Buscaglia

Pretty in Pink & Pure Love

Today marks the beginning of a month we traditionally associate with love and the heart. 

It is a time to exchange sweet and meaningful messages, to spread goodness and to give unselfishly.

I'll be sharing in the upcoming weeks about a variety of things I love, things I am both grateful for, and passionate about.

See below for one of the things at the top of my list:  small moments of daily life over here.

Yes, some days are long and tiring.  But everywhere I look, there are reminders of grace.  

I'm so thankful for these little vignettes, expressions and happy sounds that quickly pull me back toward my center, my passion, my life's work:  my family.

A little girl has been playing here, I am sure of it

Peek-a-boo!

Big Sister Bridget is making sure Alina sits still for the picture :)

Love must be as much a light, as it is a flame.  

~Henry David Thoreau

My love for my children--and in particular, for my two little girls with Down syndrome--is the fuel for a light I can share with others.  I'll share my heart and my hopes for them, readily. And, I'll advocate for others with Down syndrome with as much passion and energy, because I know that, unfortunately, it is necessary.  I will hold my light high, and will hold my beautiful daughters up for others to see their worth, and our love.  

It is a pure love. 

"Pure Love motivates us to go beyond sympathy into compassion and then moves us to action"--that's what I read this morning on Patti's blog, A Perfect Lily.  Patti is my blogging friend who also has a beautiful daughter with Ds, Lily :).  

Peter (16)

Patti has been actively advocating for Olga and Kareen (from Reece's Rainbow--Kareen has a committed family now, and there is an announcement expected about a family for Olga as well).  She has been so successful in raising money and awareness for them, that she is now seeking a full grant (she hopes to raise $20,000) and family for Peter. 

Peter is a sweet boy who has been listed on Reece's Rainbow his entire life, and not a soul has inquired about him.  He has most likely been in a crib his whole life as well, and he desperately needs a family willing to give him a chance.  

Please consider opening your heart to Olga and Kareen (and the families who will be working so hard to get to them), and to Peter.  Go to the Pure Love Giveaway to learn how you can help (and be entered to win some amazing prizes, including an iPad and a Nikon D90 Digital Camera with an 18-105 VR Lens!)...


One last plea:  Time is running out (as in, almost out) for sweet, little Masha, who is living in a very poor Eastern European region. Several RR families have been to her orphanage for other children, and everyone who has met this child has fallen in love with her. Unfortunately, they are all already in the midst of their own adoptions.  There is even a family at Masha's orphanage right now (to get their two new daughters), and they were actually playing with Masha when a doctor came in to do her pre-transfer physical...pre-transfer to a mental institution. She will not make it there.  Masha has over $5,000 already in her adoption grant fund.  If you could love Masha, and be her Mama or Papa, please contact Andrea at Reece's Rainbow TODAY.

Nine Months

Alina has been home for nine months, today.

In the span of a typical pregnancy, this little girl has worked her way into our hearts and lives like she has always been here.  

Alina asleep in big brother Kyle's arms

Now that we know Alina, it is extremely hard to think about the years she spent without a family of her own, and even harder to think about her fate had we not come for her.  

Alina will be four in a few months.  Her paperwork would most likely already have been in place for her imminent transfer from the baby home to a remote, regional mental institution, where the care is poor at best.  

I can't put into words how it feels to know that she was so close to having to experience transfer and life in an institution.

She is a child--a beautiful, sweet, funny, curious and sensitive child--who is very aware of the world around her.   

She has so much to offer, and we are so very grateful to have her in our lives.  

Saving Normal

A new, less-invasive and accurate blood test to detect Down syndrome early in a pregnancy will be available to the masses before long.

It is being billed as a test "which has the potential to reduce the number of women referred for invasive testing for Down syndrome by 98 percent". It is a test that will "save women from losing normal children just because of a procedure".

New Down Syndrome Test Could Cut Healthy Baby Deaths:  Non-Invasive Blood Test Could Eliminate Miscarriage Risk of Amniocentesis

This story was run widely in newspapers, on t.v. and on the internet. News anchors reported the story with enthusiasm. "Exciting!" and "Fantastic!" were just a few of the exclamations heard in the clips.

Amidst all of the excitement, there was little discussion in the news reports about the consequences and implications of the test. (The comments sections on-line are a different story--as anyone who has a personal stake in this issue is already aware).

One expectant mother who had the test (and it was negative) was so relieved to know that her baby "would be safe". A punch in the stomach would have felt better than hearing that statement. The message: Down syndrome is to be avoided at all costs. Saving "normal" babies is the goal.

I've been around this debate long enough to know that there will never be a last word.

"Personal choice", "burden", "cost to society", "quality of life"....are all issues which come around and around again. But what we are really debating is the value of human life.

If we value Life as a whole, we don't put qualifiers on it. We don't reason and rationalize lives out of existence.

More than 9 out of 10 expectant parents who learn that their unborn baby has Down syndrome will choose to terminate. This statistic is hard to process. It says plainly: to most people, individuals with Down syndrome are not worthy of life.

Loving two little girls with Down syndrome, its something I can't even begin to process.

Because our experience is not a hypothetical one.

Our daughters with Down syndrome are real. They are vibrant, beautiful people who are as worthy of life as anyone else. They are people. They are my children. They are my cherished daughters.

A New Year

And some new pictures to go with it :).

She's from Ukraine alright :), this girl loves high heels!
And can walk in them!

Alina is obsessed with Alphie the Learning Robot
(she dresses him with any clothing that is laying around and loves
to put stretchy headbands with big bows on him!)

Doctor Alina listening to the robot's chest (in backwards
footy sleeper and hot pink cowboy boots)

Bridget talking to her dollies

Sisters, enjoying popsicles in bright afternoon sunlight

I have no idea what was so interesting out there,
but look at those cute little bodies :)

Two little girls, not feeling well, but laughing anyway :)

Please Say Yes

Olga 

Is there room in your heart or home for one more?  Just look at these little loves.  Both of these beautiful, able little girls are in dire need of homes.

Olga is due for transfer very soon, and she has a HUGE grant...$12,549 already raised for her adoption. Kareen already has $3,276 in her fund.  This grant money will go directly toward the adoption costs for each girl, to be used by the families who commit to bring them home.

Don't wait any longer. Please, if you are considering adoption, choose today to commit. Say yes today.

Contact Andrea at Reece's Rainbow for more information.

Kareen

From Our Home to Yours

~Wishing you Love and Light this holiday season 

and throughout the year~

The Peele Family

Moments Like These

...more than make up for the moments of chaos around here ;).  

Waiting for the bus

New dress-up outfits from Nana

Chef Bridget

Chef Alina

We are busy with holiday preparations and activities, celebrating the season and helping others in need.  We are giving thanks for all of our blessings each and every day.

This is a magical time of the year.  It is also a season of miracles.

Do you remember beautiful Elizabeth? 

 

She is getting a family for Christmas--she is being rescued!!

Amazing things have also been happening over at A Perfect Lily! Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, advocated or prayed for sweet Olga.  Patti has already raised over $12,000 from the iPod giveaway for Olga's adoption fund!  This is a HUGE amount, and should be an enormous incentive for a family to come forward for her.  I know it will happen, I just hope it is soon!

Patti has been so successful in raising money and awareness for Olga, that Andrea at Reece's Rainbow has asked her to advocate for a second child, beautiful little Kareen (who is also nearing imminent transfer to an institution).  You might have guessed what this means...it means that TWO children are going to be saved, and there is a new giveaway to make that happen sooner than later! 

Please go here to learn more about how you can have the chance to win a brand new iPad, AND be part of a Christmas miracle for Olga and Kareen :)!  

There are many, many other children who are in desperate need of families.  If your heart is leading you to it, please visit Reece's Rainbow and do whatever you can to help.

A New Life

Tonight, as we were sitting in our family room watching The Sing Off, Alina was all cuddled up next to me on the couch. She had two baby dolls and Minnie Mouse tucked in under the blanket with us.  I had leaned over to Chris and whispered for him to look at her--at how incredibly cute and content she is just hanging out with the family--when she looked up at me, smiled, and pursed her lips for a kiss.  Melt my heart. 

This past spring, right before we were getting ready to travel and meet Alina, we received an updated picture of her.  I had been so excited to get a new picture, and was really hoping to see her smiling (or with another expression that would give us a hint about her personality), and to see her with hair.  My heart sunk when I opened the attachment and found this:

March 2010

Oh goodness...there was the same blank expression, and she looked so lost and sad. I knew she needed us, and I felt an even stronger pull than ever to get to her, but at the same time I had the first doubts I had felt during the adoption process up until that point. I began to wonder how much work we had ahead of us, and whether Alina was "reachable". 

When we got to the orphanage, we saw Alina being photographed for her final file picture. The photographer came into the hallway to Alina's room just after lunch and before afternoon nap time. She stood Alina in front of the main door and quickly snapped a picture. Alina was stunned and I think a little bit scared. We guessed that she was not photographed very often at the orphanage, and immediately understood why the above picture (and her initial RR profile picture) looked the way they did, when she is so full of life.

Who would have guessed from those pictures that Alina is vibrant? She has expressions and personality to spare. She's our Funny Bunny, our very own Whirling Dervish, our Sweet, Sweet Lina.

August 2010

I've just finished Part II of my interview about our adoption of Alina with Patti on A Perfect Lily.  Check it out if you are interested in an overview of some specific issues potential adoptive parents may want to consider.

The more important reason to head over to Patti's blog is to be a part of a Christmas miracle for Olga, a beautiful child who is in dire need of a family as she is close to transfer.  Patti is holding a drawing for an iPod Touch with the hopes of raising enough money to inspire Olga's forever family to come forward for her ASAP.  Please help give Olga a chance.  Even a small donation will make a difference!  See Patti's blog for details!

Every Day...

I think about the orphans. How couldn't I? I've got one (less) orphan in my home. And I feel like I should do more.

My heart is aching...because I know.  

I know because I have two children now with Down syndrome.  I know because I was there.  And I know because of what others have shared:

- The Sad Reality, about life in an Eastern European mental institution, and The Sad Reality, Part II, the follow-up post.

- And this post about a little girl--a beautiful, creative and intelligent little girl with Down syndrome who has already been transferred to an institution where she will likely die if someone doesn't come forward for her soon.

Before December of last year, I knew that most people in the United States who find out they are carrying a baby with Down syndrome will choose to terminate the pregnancy. I also knew that, here in the States, children born with Down syndrome are often stowaways, their secret undetected until arrival. 

But unsuspecting parents, after going through a period of grieving the diagnosis, most often come to adore their children with Down syndrome and find peace and joy in their life together. (There are a small percentage of parents who are aware of their child's diagnosis before birth, and who knowingly choose to give that child a chance. They, too, most often have incredibly positive feelings about their child).

Parents and family members of people with Down syndrome are their biggest fans and advocates. We tend to wish that everyone knew the joy of knowing and loving a person with Down syndrome, and that others could see life with kind and open eyes.

What I didn't know until last December is that there are children all over Eastern Europe (and in many other parts of the world) who have been abandoned simply because they have Down syndrome or another specific diagnosis.

These children are the survivors, who have been born, despite a general notion that they are worth less. Through no fault of their own, they are often seen as the unwanted. 

A year ago, I clicked a link to the Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree from another Down syndrome blog, and was instantly forever changed. 

I sat silently, with tears streaming down my face. 

All of these children with Down syndrome and other specific needs...they have been devalued, underestimated and left alone. I had no idea. I had no idea that there were so many. All of these children...who is going to go get them? 

We were able to save one child.  Just one.  But she is a treasure.  And one less orphan is still one less orphan.  It is a step in the right direction.  

We are not Saints. We are just a regular family who fell in love with our fifth child (just as we did with the rest of our children), a little girl who happened to have an extra chromosome.  Bridget opened our eyes to the worth and beauty in all people. 

Reece's Rainbow opened our eyes to the many, many children who share Bridget's diagnosis and who have been abandoned because of it. They are fortunate to have a voice through this organization. 

But they need help, and lots of it, to escape from their chains. 

I know it is to hard to think about all of the kids in need, but we can't look away. 

No child should have to live life in an orphanage or a mental institution. No child should be without the love of a family.

Realistically, not everyone will be able to adopt. But I hope more people will begin to think “Why not us?” instead of “Not us”. Or at the very least, “My eyes have been opened. Now what can I do to help"?


**If you are interested in learning more, I was recently interviewed by Patti, at A Perfect Lily, about Reece's Rainbow and Alina's adoption.  Find that here. 

My Little Patient

Bridget was diagnosed with strep for the first time the week after Alina came home.  Since then, she's had it six times, and her tonsils were staying huge. 

Waiting, watching Little Bear

Each time she began to get sick with strep, her tonsils would become even more swollen and she'd have trouble breathing at night because of it :(.  So, we did some research, had a consult with her ENT and made the decision to have them removed.  

Last Tuesday morning, Bridget and I packed our bags and drove to Nationwide Children's Hospital.  We valet parked (thank goodness for that option, since I packed like we were going on the Amazing Race) and went straight to the surgical floor for check- in.  

Pre-op, Ready to Go

Before long, we were called into pre-op, where Bridget was given a quick check-up and where we met with each member of her operating room team.  Well, I met with the doctors and specialists while Bridget watched Little Bear ;).

A nurse brought Bridget two handmade dolls (one for her, and one for Alina) and a play doctor's kit.  Another nurse brought the mask they planned to use to put her to sleep, and it was strawberry scented, which Bridget thought was "Yummy!".  She kept sniffing it and placing it on her doll's nose :). 

She was then given Versed, a medication to make her sleepy and to ease the anxiety of separating from me and being in the operating room with a bunch of strangers.  I wish they had given me some, too.  Watching her being rolled away in a hospital bed was hard for mommy :(.

But the surgery only took about 20 minutes and went very well.  

After Surgery, Little Bear again :)

While Bridget was in the recovery area, I went to get my parent badge and a keycard to access her unit (she stayed overnight in the hospital, as is typically recommended for kids with Down syndrome or other health issues).

I took our bags to her room and ate a quick lunch before they brought her in.  She was awake and alert.  She even eeked out a hoarse, Hi, Mommy :).

Bridget was such a little trooper in the hospital.  She was very polite, saying a sweet little thank you to anyone who brought her a popsicle or ice, and shouting a hearty NO THANK YOU when she didn't want something (like pain medicine by mouth, or having her blood pressure taken).

After surgery, Enjoying a Popsicle

Overall, she seemed to be in very little pain that first day and night (she was stuffy, a little warm and a little restless, though).  

She kept wanting to get up and walk around the floor, and so we did.  Lots and lots of times.  We played in the play room on her floor, checked out the vending machines in the waiting room and visited each of the four nurse's stations (several times each).

She ate a full dinner and drank so much that she peed the bed in which we were both sleeping.  

Bridget caught on to me using the nurse's call button and began leaning over randomly, speaking into it saying, Um, red.  Okay.  Thank you. (I'd like a red popsicle) and, Juice.  Ice.  Thank you.  Okay, bye!

She also was quite fond of having her blankets straightened and having her pillow fluffed :).  She kept climbing out of bed trying to do it herself.

All of this (walking, requesting popsicles, straightening the bed) went on through the night.  The nurses kept telling me that Bridget would be "sleep off" the anesthesia.  But she didn't.  When she finally fell asleep, the shift changed and her new nurse came in to check her vital signs. Then she fell back to sleep and a fire alarm went off (a false alarm, but still...seriously?).  Between all of those things, beeping monitors and sharing a bed, the two of us rolled around, walked around and watched Little Bear through the night.

There's a reason they say that you don't get any sleep in the hospital...because you don't! 

Bridget's doctor showed up at 6:25 a.m. to check on her (I was awake and dressed) and cleared us to leave.  It's a good thing...we were both ready!

From her Preschool Classmates

I have a few other notes, details and tips from Bridget's surgery and recovery experience that I will post here soon.  Check back for those if you are interested.  And if other parents of kids with Ds have questions, please ask! 

Changes

Lost

Found

Something on the Road, Changed My World

Sara Groves ~ I Saw What I Saw

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it

I heard what I heard and I can't go back

I know what I know and I can't deny it

Something on the road, cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me

your dream inspires

your face a memory

your hope a fire

your courage asks me what I'm afraid of

(what I am made of)

and what I know of love

we've done what we've done and we can't erase it

we are what we are and it's more than enough

we have what we have but it's no substitution

Something on the road, touched my very soul

I say what I say with no hesitation

I have what I have and I'm giving it up

I do what I do with deep conviction

Something on the road, changed my world

November is National Adoption Month.  There is great need here in the U.S. and all over the world.  Take some time to learn about the Orphan Crisis--143 million children without homes.  Be changed.  Even if you are not in a position to adopt, everyone can do something.  How will you help?

Living in the Light, Explained

When we merged Bridget's Light and Loving Alina, there was little question whether our new blog title would include the word light.  Our whole story revolves around it.

We couldn't have predicted how Bridget's arrival would change us, would enrich us.  Or how Bridget's light would lead us to Alina--and how Alina herself would further enrich us.  But it did, and they did.  Bridget and Alina have brought a special warmth and clarity to our family that we didn't know we were missing.  

With open eyes and open hearts, we now live a new truth.  We are keenly aware that all people are the same within.  Though none of us is "perfect", we are all perfectly made. 

We all have challenges...and gifts.  And each one of us adds to the whole.  Our youngest girls add in so many ways.  Above all, they've multiplied the goodness in our lives...in spades.

We've gained perspective--we see Life through a new lens.  We waste little time worrying about the superficial, and our home is filled with laughter and warmth.  Our two littlest girls are a huge part of that--they shine.

Things aren't always easy, or sparkly, at our house.  We're not exceptionally virtuous, though we try our best to live right and to be grateful for each day.  We're living an ordinary life, but we're aware, joyful and appreciative.  

We are Living in the Light.

 

These two little girls have blessed us beyond belief.  They're vibrant, beautiful people who are so very loved and enjoyed.

Please join us as our family story continues to unfold.  Day or night, you are welcome to come visit here.  Come laugh with us and learn with us, and be empowered.

There's a whole lot of darkness out there.  Let the light in...

Love, Lisa

*Alina was named by her birth parents...her name means light.