Impossible not to love

Today I want to share the profile of a little guy who sounds like a real character.  It seems that Maxim is in a very good children's home in eastern Europe, and is described as a "hooligan" with "a sunny smile."  Also "housewifey."  His description just cracks me up.  Does this kid have personality or what?  Maxim has Down Syndrome.  He is in a good place.  However, no matter how good a children's home is, it is still not a family.  This little guy is doing so well.  Can you imagine how great he would fit into a family?  Perhaps yours?  Surely there must be a family needing a sunny housewifey hooligan around!

Maxim 15H

Boy, Born 2002   Oh, how this little boy melts my heart!  Just look at his  smile!  He is very high functioning, and will do very well  in a loving family environment.  He has been blessed to  grow up in a baby house and privately run home for children with special needs, and he has been LOVED.   He has many advocates and volunteers who love him  dearly, and have asked us to please help him find a  family! It is possible he has Mosaic Down syndrome. We are waiting on his full medical records.  But he is very healthy, active, social . . . just a love!!

From his caregivers and friends:   "Expectant parents need to prepare for Maxim  difficulties and learn to accept it for what it is: hooligan, a little jealous, but very  good-natured and charming.   Maxim respectable hoodlum, may, for example, to  climb into adult shoes (larger size, the merrier) and enthusiastically stomping down  the corridor until you catch up.   Loves to joke.    In its immediacy and sunny smile  forgiven all hooliganism.   Given his state of health, Maxim has good prospects for  further development.   He can not speak, but communicates well with the world through gestures and some of the sounds, knows the names of colors and geometric  shapes, animal names, colors, fruits and vegetables, loves to play around with toys,  loves being read poems and fairy tales.  Maxim is very housewifely, helps with  cleaning.   He needs a home where it will and will love.    And it is impossible not to love.   I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

Region 15 – General Information

• 2 trips
• 1st trip, Both parents for 5-7 days
• Wait 2-3 months for court
• Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days
• The other waits stays approx 3 weeks longer
• 10-day waiting period is NOT waived for special needs
• Up to 8 children in the home if the family income is sizeable
• Both parents must be younger than 60 years
• EASY TRAVEL IN-COUNTRY
• Fee includes orphanage donation
• Married couples and single mothers may apply
• Total program and travel fees under $28K

Wouldn't you love to read this little guy poems and fairy tales?  Wouldn't you love to joke around with him?  Wouldn't you love to hear him laugh and see that lovely smile and watch him grow up knowing the love of a forever family?  He is an "older child."  Passed over again and again.  Because he is "too old."  But Maxim is not too old.  He is a sweet little boy who would blossom with the love of a family.  I am praying that his family will find him soon!

Dmitry

                                                                       This is Dmitry.

Dmitry H. 25C

Brothers and sisters do not
Date of Birth: November 2004
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: blond
Character: quiet, affectionate boy, easily comes into contact with adults and children. Interested in classes, complete instructions after the joint action.  Considered higher functioning and doing well!

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLDER CHILD GRANT

Dmitry is six years old.  He is adorable, isn't he?  Quiet, affectionate, clever, and cute as a button.  He is waiting for his family to find him.  He is listed in the "Down Syndrome Older Boys" section on Reece's Rainbow.  Older?  Only in the adoption world would a tiny little love like this be labeled an older child!  I have been praying for this little boy for quite awhile now.  Anybody who has met my Josiah will know why Dmitry caught my eye.  They could be twins! 

But while my Josiah goes to sleep with tickles from daddy and a bedtime story and snuggles from mommy every night, Dmitry goes to sleep every night in an orphanage on the other side of the world.  No mommy.  No daddy.  No family to cherish him and laugh at his goofy antics.  

Funny thing:  Josiah just walked in, saw Dmitry's picture on the screen and said, "Huh?  Mom, is that me?  That boy looks just like me, except maybe a tiny bit different."  So it's not just me that sees it, right?    

If I could just add Dmitry to our tab, I would in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately, he is in a different country than our Gideon, so that is not possible.  But I know that somewhere out there, he must have a family.  How could this precious boy, who reminds me so much of my son, grow up without ever knowing the love of a family?  

You can find his profile at http://reecesrainbow.org/dmitry-h-bfnv-25c

I am praying for the day that I see Dmitry in his mommy's arms.  As cute as his serious little expression is, I would love so much to see a smile lighting up Dmitry's face!

Wouldn't you?

Win some great prizes

Just a reminder:  

only one week left to enter this amazing giveaway!

Don't miss this opportunity to help bring home Andriy for the 

Burlingham family  . . . and Gideon, as well!

and also maybe win some very awesome prizes!

Use the red Chip-In box to the right to enter, and then let me know 

who you are so your name goes into the drawing!

If you cannot enter and still want to help,

please consider re-posting!

$5= 1 chance
$10= 3 chances 
$25= 10 chances 
$50= 30 chances

AND NOW FOR THE GOODIES!!

NOOK Color by Barnes and Noble

 

Nintendo Black Wii Console w/ Mario Kart

 

Apple iPod touch 8GB With

Ematic 11-in-1 Accessory Kit for iPod Touch (4th Generation):

 

Garmin nuvi 1100LM 3.5" GPS 

w/ Lifetime Map Updates

Bonaia's Shop 

Winner receives one Owl Onesie

This item is made to order, each onesie is hand printed,
you choose size. My very first Esty donation :o)
If only I wore this size.

Jajansi's shop

Winner receives choice of two bibs 

And choice of one Pop Bead Child's Purse 
Those bibs are some of the cutest bibs I have seen in a long time
and I have never seen a child's purse like that before.

CiteFuzz 

Winner receives one Mini Monkey Hat.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick's Twin girls Marion and Tabitha, were spotted in NYC wearing our popular CiteFuzz Cotton Mini Monkey ear flap hats.
You know you want to see your little one in this because you can't go to E. Europe and
not have a hat on your child.

Laksaware's shop

Winner will receive one Dish Towel and One square Sponge
I bought one of her round scrubbies for David last Christmas and it is still going strong.
The kids love to wash dishes with it!! (win random colors)

RedeAndRite's

Winner receives one Wreath Of Pearls Necklace
This necklace reminds me of the pearl necklace my mother and 
father gave me to wear for my wedding. Beautiful.

Bentleysbands

Winner receives a $25 Store Credit
What a sweet heart she is! I asked for one item, she gives me two.
She shares about Andriy all the time on Facebook and we just "met".
 See making friends while helping Andriy.

Bentleysbands

Winner receives a $25 Store Credit
(Yes she donated TWO $25 credits, her husbands idea)

 

Fridascloset1 

Winner receives one Minnie Mouse Pillowcase Dress. 
Available sizes: 3-6m, 9-12m, 18-24m, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 6T

Please allow 7-10 days processing time before shipping.
You know who I picture wearing this dress.....Paisley!

 Owlsay's shop 
Winner receives a $40 Gift Certificate
To be used within 3 months after auction ends.
This sweet lady has never donated to a giveaway but she felt
lead to donate to this one. Please show her she did the right thing.

Littlesnuggliebug's

Winner receives one "Little Round Up" Snugglie 
This is not only a blanket/lovie it is also a pacifier holder. If you know my kids this 
would have been so handy when they were younger. 

 Littlesnuggliebug's

Winner receives a "Brown & Pink" Sugglie
Yep another sweety that donated not one but TWO items! I am so amazed!!

LoveLeeSoaps' shop

Winner receives a $10 store credit
Every time I look into this store I gain a pound. JK 
Just image what they would smell like ;o)

(these look good enough to eat but they are soaps)

Morganprather 
Winner chooses any one piece of jewelry from this store.
Now I have totally fell in love with this store. She has such great 
pieces of unique jewelry at great prices. 

Morganprather 
 Winner chooses any one piece of jewelry from store. 
It is like getting something you love twice, Yes she donated two items :o)

Please check out all the "leaf" necklaces, don't they remind you of my leaf fundraiser?!

GrowingUpVintage's shop

Winner receives a $30 Store Credit.

How great would it be to be able to keep your child's growth chart and

pass it down to their children. These charts are so pretty you will want to do just that.

Little Loulees
Holiday hairbow collection (including birthday cupcake)

How cute will these be in the hair of your princess. One for each month. Non-slip design

Charolette Mae Boutique

The sweet lady who runs Little Loulees also runs Charolette Mae Boutique, she wanted to help and donated this adorable headband.

Imagine this on your sweet bundle. Hand cute & sewn wool felt flower infant headband.

Project 3 Designs

One winner will win both the

Be the change you want to see in the world Vinyl wall art

(Measures 22 X 10)

and the

Faith shines brightest in the dark vinyal wall art.

(Measures 12.5 X 22)

Keziah Designs "Gotcha Day Blessings Book"

A beautifully written 16 page book. Also, includes an area to personalize with child's name and their "Gotcha Day". Also two pages to record special memories and waiting for that special child.

VERA BRADLEY BAG
Your choice of bag. $60 credit towards your choice.

 THE LEAKEY COLLECTION
One necklace chosen by random.

FINALLY!

A step forward!  Our FBI fingerprints came back!  FINALLY!  We passed, in case you were wondering.  ;)  That means our homestudy can finally be written.  Then we can get things really moving!  I am so so happy to finally feel like something is happening!  And in case I didn't mention it . . . FINALLY!  (Yeah, I know, I'm not the most patient person.)

And in other news . . . we will have big news to announce very soon!  Wish I could say more now, but stay tuned.  It is big!

Five Years

Happy Birthday to my precious boy!  

Gideon turned five years old today.  

Five years ago today a beautiful baby boy was born in Eastern Europe.  His parents . . . who were they?  We don't know.  My heart goes out to his birth mother today.  I wonder if she remembers him.  I wonder if she had big dreams for him.  I wonder how it all happened . . . how he ended up being left alone.  In an orphanage.  I wonder so many things.  In a couple of months I will hear the information in Gideon's file, and maybe I will learn the answers.  Or maybe not even then.  That is just how things go when adopting from Gideon's country.  


I wonder what Gideon's day was like today.  I have been praying for him all day, praying that somebody would show him a bit of love and kindness today.  Praying that God would wrap my boy in His loving arms today and sustain him for a while longer.  Praying that God would whisper into Gideon's heart to hang on just a bit longer.  That He would whisper, "Your mommy and daddy are coming, dear one!"  


Gideon is a mystery to me:  a child I have never held, never kissed, never laid eyes on.  I don't know his voice.  I don't know how big he is.  I don't know all that much about him at all.  Yet I love him.  I love this boy so much, and he does not even know we exist.  

But God willing, this will be the 

last birthday that he spends alone.  

Today I spent his birthday driving around town, begging convincing various people to write letters and fill out forms to move our adoption along.  I bought some little toys for him.  I sent out more emails to try to move things along (paperwork things that just are not moving along . . . arrgg!)  I finished up the editing on a little video I've been putting together to show people what our adoption is all about (stay tuned . . . it will be ready to share very soon!)  I sanded the drywall mud down in Gideon's new bedroom.  I prayed for him a lot.  And I found myself in tears off and on throughout the day.  Five birthdays I've missed.  It is enough to break a mommy's heart.  No child should be alone on his birthday.  

And then to end the day, I took my kids to a birthday party.  A little friend of theirs just turned four years old.  Yep, my son's birthday most likely passed unnoticed, and we were at another child's party.  I feel like I betrayed Gideon somehow.  It was a very nice party, by the way, and a good distraction . . . but still. 

And his birthday puzzle?  Lots of pieces left unsponsored.  Thank you, again, to all of you who have sponsored Gideon's adoption!  It is so appreciated!  If anybody else would like to show their love for one small boy in Eastern Europe, please consider sponsoring a puzzle piece.

Twelve Years

Twelve years ago today I married my college sweetheart!  

Celebrating twelve happy years today

with some frisbee golf and ice cream sundaes!

We were hoping for a second honeymoon

in Eastern Europe, but unfortunately

we are still a couple of months away from traveling.

Gideon's birthday is in just two days.

If you haven't yet sponsored a puzzle piece,

would you consider doing so?

Time is running out . . . 

They arrived!

And to think I was worried! 

Our passports arrived in plenty of time!  

Thank you, Lord!

One less thing to fret about.

And as far as Gideon's new room goes,

check out our progress:

I just have to say, this was used as a storage room.  

No, the rest of our house is not total chaos . . . just 

this one room.

This room has been my saving grace for four years.  When I don't know where else to put something, I shove it in this room.  When I don't want the kids to get into something, I stow it in this room.  When I want it out of the way and probably should just get rid of it but haven't decided yet . . . yeah, you guessed it . . . into the room.

So here's the same room 

after a major mucking-out session:  

(And we also finished a new storage closet under the stairs to move a lot of that stuff into, and so far, it looks MUCH TIDIER than the above picture!  So calming to have everything neat and organized, isn't it?)

Anyway, above is Derek, getting ready to install the window for his son's new bedroom.

And now the window is in!  

No broken glass, no broken bones . . . I don't know how 

he does it, but Derek is amazing!  

The picture below was the view outside Gideon's new bedroom this afternoon (that is Derek perched on a rickety old ladder outside a very tall second-story window ((shudder)) and he is now safely down, so I am now breathing normally again)

But normally this will be what Gideon sees when 

he looks outside.   Our berry garden:

And when he looks off to the left, the pasture with the chickens and goats wandering around.  

I sure love our pretty little farm.  

So peaceful and private.  

And I think Gideon is getting the best view in the house!  

I hope he likes it.

Now we will move on to taping and mudding, 

so I can get to the really fun part:  the painting and decorating!