For Kyle.

Sweet baby Kyle. Look at those eyes! They seem to pierce your soul, don't they? 

This picture was taken several years ago when Kyle was still living in his baby house.

Since then, he has been transferred to a mental institution. 

Do you recognize this boy? Still the same soulful, beautiful eyes...

Only in this picture his face is marred with gashes. 

These pictures hurt my heart, and I almost didn't share them because it is just too sad. It is all too sad. 

Please pray for Kyle. I urgently ask you to pray for this precious little boy. 

Isaiah 54:10

Nothing I say will ever make this situation better. Kyle's country is closed to Americans, and so my family can't adopt him. Chances are yours probably can't either. (But if you are Canadian then by all means go rescue this boy!) But we can all pray. We can pray for comfort and peace for Kyle...we can pray for his caregivers to be moved to not just meet his most basic needs, but to love him. We can pray for him to palpably feel the Lord's love for him. 

Because that verse is true. Though the mountains shake...though life is ripped apart at the seams...the Lord's love is still with us. Nothing can remove His covenant of peace with us. He is moved to compassion for Kyle, for you. He doesn't sit by passively and watch us suffer--He cries with us when we cry and  counts our tears in His bottle. (Psalm 56:8) 

My dad once told me something that really impacted me. What if we look at life as merely five minutes. Yeah, sometimes those five minutes are excruciatingly painful. But they are only five minutes. We have an eternity of pure joy stretching before us...but first we have to get through these five minutes. 

Please pray for Kyle as he goes through these five minutes. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire

Orphan Care

She laughed as I pulled her hair up into a ponytail for the third time. She wanted it to match her friend's hair, but I just couldn't get it high enough. Or smooth enough. After finally getting it right, she pulled it out. Ha!

We just started walking around the orphanage that is home to so many precious kids. On seeing a ball, I  grabbed it and asked if she wanted to play. Of course she did. :) Soon we had a little group of four children playing, and she was laughing so hard she missed the ball almost every time. 

After a while a couple of girls wandered off, and soon Ana found the swings to be much more interesting than our three-person game of fútbol. I pushed her and her little friend for a while, before they decided to take me on a tour of their home. (Ah, the attention span of little kiddos)...

They pointed everything out to me, including the multiple video cameras stationed, and the gate that they pointedly showed me they were not allowed to go out of.  

Look at those pictures. See the adorable gap in her teeth? She is growing up, reaching milestones, learning new things--all without a family. 

I still can't believe I got to hold her in my arms. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to show those precious ones love...and so thankful for the love that they filled me with. I'll always cherish memories of my time with Ana, and the other sweet kiddos there.

Angelina is another precious little girl growing up without the love of a family. Look at this picture from 2011, and look at the below one from this year...

She is in the same exact bed. She has been living in that bed, waiting for her family, for six years. I have never met Angelina, but judging by her precious smile I would say she has the same spirit as little Ana (their names have been changed for privacy). 

"How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings." ~Psalm 36:7

These pictures raise a lot of questions. Where are their families? Why are they living there? Why on earth haven't these beautiful girls been adopted yet? 

I don't have the answers to those questions, but I find comfort in that verse and the fact that I know God has a beautiful plan for their lives. I know He is holding them in the shadow of His wings. 

You don't have to travel the world over to show these children the love and comfort of the Father. Pray for these dear girls and the thousands of others like them around the world as they live out their days in government institutions. Pray for the families who are working to bring their child(ren) home through adoption. Pray for the ministries and their workers who are being Jesus' hands and feet and meeting these children! 

Thank you for reading. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire

Marcia...

Dear Readers,

  

     So many thoughts are going through my mind right now...

I just read a blog post about the horrible reality of institutions for people with special needs in Eastern Europe. As I think of beautiful Marcia, I shudder to think of the bruises and black eyes she might have, as the author of the post I read's daughter did. What kind of world do we live in that sends five year olds to a life sentence of imprisonment in an institution? Many children die after their first year in the institution. Marcia has been there for about a year, but I have reason to believe that she is still alive. 

This week Mason and I were blessed with the opportunity to volunteer with some of our friends at Vacation Bible School. I had a group of four kids, ages ranging from three to five years old. They were rambunctious and silly, and although I'm exhausted after it's over, I loved getting to shepherd them all week.  I want Marcia to be able to go to VBS, I want her to get to play and laugh. I want her to be in my MiniMoez class, dancing and singing. I want her to be able to go swimming and have her nails painted and wear princess dresses...

I want her to be a little girl, with all the joys my four little kids from VBS get to experience. 

I don't have a way to tie this up in a bow, because her story hasn't been tied up in a bow yet. But I do know that it will be. Someday she will be in Heaven with Jesus, and all of the pain she experienced on this earth will be forgotten. 


Well, I sat down to write a completely different post than I ended up writing. Marcia was just on my heart...and these words came out. So here you have it. 


Please remember to pray for little Marcia, and all the orphans. 

Added after I wrote this post: After writing this, Cate and I walked outside to get the mail. We saw two little baby birds (and by little I mean itsy bitsy) running along the road, frantically chirping. It was easy to see that they were lost from their mother. One little fella took shelter under a car. It broke my heart to see them lost, and I just wished their mother would find them. As I looked at the one under the car, this Bible verse came to mind: 

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:6-7

I was comforted to think that this little bird was not forgotten by God...and as I thought of that verse and how special that bird is to God, I knew Marcia was worth much more than that little creature. God has not forgotten her, either. 
Your blogger,
 Claire

A love that reaches over countries, languages, and years: One day in Argentina and the billions of adjectives that go with it!

Dear Readers,
   I love Fiction.  Historical fiction is my favorite, although I love mysteries, as well. If you've been reading for a while you know I adore the Mitford series. That is Fiction at its best. :)

I've always loved writing fiction, as well. I have pages and pages of "novels" that I wrote on a whim some weekend. School assignments where we're allowed to pick the subject are my favorite.

I feel like I could write a book about my days in Argentina. The country spurs so many descriptive words in my mind that I long to write out each moment detail by detail! So I thought I'd try a different approach this blog post and give you a view of my last day in Argentina, descriptive essay style. :)



......................................


I wake up to the sound of the news in Spanish, a sound that has grown so familiar to me over the past days that I can't help but smile. As I sit up I glance over to see if the sign language interpreter is shown in the right corner of the screen. She is, and I see her hands bend and sway to the flowing motions that make up Argentine Sign Language.

I only watch her for a moment, though, because this is my last morning waking up in this place I love so much, and I'm going to squeeze every moment that I can with my dear host family. I step into the kitchen and hug my host mom and dad just as I've done every morning I've been here. We talk about how we slept and how the day will be cold...without Google Translate. Because God breaks down language barriers, friends.


This morning seems to be no different from any other at first glance.  As I carefully smooth Dulce de Leche on my bread, I see Reynaldo opening the computer. I think of this time last year, when he played "I'm Yours" every morning to wake us up. I think of the days I had listened to that song, remembering and replaying moments of the trip through my mind. I remember the final morning of our trip last year. He played "I'm Yours" one final time as I sat in that same spot, trying to forget the fact that I wouldn't be returning to this kitchen that evening. Transported back to the present, I take a sip of my sweet coffee, savoring the flavor. After all, it is my last morning in Argentina. And lo and behold...

"I'm Yours" comes on. I look up with a huge, ridiculous grin on my face. I practically leap up to the computer, quickly typing how I listened to this song all the time and how much I loved it and how it made me miss Argentina so much. My words didn't even scratch the surface of what I was feeling, though.  I would be back. All those days in the United States I had listened to that song and feared that I would not return to this place. But I did. There I sat, listening to the song once again, only in Argentina. I listened to the song as I ate my toast, thanking the Lord over and over again for His blessings.

I've been awake for less than an hour, and already have four paragraphs of memories. Haha.
Fast forward about thirty minutes...Reynaldo has left to take Nico to school, and Isabella is happily watching cartoons as Renzo sleeps. Viviana readies the house for the day, and I follow her every step.

Hi, my name is Claire, and my love language is quality time. Do you mind if I am your shadow? We talk and laugh and enjoy the morning together. She fixes Isabella's hair so carefully, and when the three of us step out the door that precious little girl looks stunning.

I stop to kiss Renzo in bed, just in case I don't get to see him that evening. That sweet baby boy. I lean over and gently kiss his chubby little cheek, and he looks up at me with those soulful brown eyes. I tell him I love him so much and kiss him again.

Isabella was soooo excited to see her little friend at preschool that day.  As we walked to the bus stop we also talked about her favorite book, a sweet story about "La Vaca Luluz" (a cow named Luluz who is on a quest to find out what noise cows make :)). I could quote the book at this point and so we went along, quoting this cute little book.

Then we boarded the bus. The bus rides are a big part of the Argentina trip for me, as I love the conversations that transpire there. (once again, quality time...)

I guess you may be getting ready for the day to get a move on, though, so I'll breeze by this quickly...

Of course the bus ride is wonderful, Viviana and I talk and I almost get killed by the bus door...haha! It opened rather violently while I was standing in its path...it almost knocked me over...and then I couldn't stop laughing so that was a safety issue for those around me, haha! But I made it to church all in one piece. ;) Although I longed to stay home with my family, I told dear Viviana goodbye and sat to wait for everyone else to get there. I had very low expectations for this day, since it was the last day after all. Actually, though, I was pleasantly surprised by the day.

Our dear friend Pali and her daughters came along with us, and so when we went into La Boca to shop, I went with them and another girl from our team. We spent the afternoon together, searching for the right gifts for our family members and enjoying time together. Such a sweet time.

Fast forward to lunch--I ate a bite of cow intestines because I knew Mason would have eaten them if he was there. Although I didn't throw up or anything, the texture was pretty disconcerting. I was excited to tell him that I had tried it, though, so it was worth it.

Fast forward once again to the church--I knock on the door and who should answer it but a dear friend who I thought I wouldn't be seeing again! I was so excited to see her one last time, and couldn't hug her enough. She was so kind to give me some earrings she had crocheted to take home to my mom and sister. (which they adore!)

Then the goodbyes...we had a blissful hour in which we pretended that they weren't going to happen. We talked about our day, dear Pali took some sweet family pictures of us, and I hugged each member of my family about a dozen times. Renzo gained some adoring fans and we had such a sweet time together.

Then Diego called all the families together for a time of prayer and opportunity to share special moments of the trip. I held Renzo in my lap as he ate crackers, and listened to the families share. I looked down at this happy little boy and was just thankful for the moment.

Then my host dad stood up and asked me to join him. He put his arm around me and began talking, and I just stared at the floor as what he said was translated into English.  After a few sentences I forewent my "I'm going to get through this without crying" mindset and looked up at him, not even needing a translation because the message of what he was saying was clear. I knew I was loved in that moment. I knew I was loved by my own family, who had allowed me to leave them even after Benjamin's surgery for this opportunity which my heart needed. I knew I was loved by God, who placed me in a family that supports who I am, who was so gracious to allow me ten days with a family in Argentina that He knew would have my heart even before I was born. I felt the love of Reynaldo and Viviana as he told me that they loved me and would miss me.

The love of that moment was so overwhelming that I just put my head against his chest and cried. And as I cried, Renzo put his arm around me.

I'll stop the day there. More sweet moments happened, more hugs were shared. We drove away on a bus. A girl  on our team told me how my relationship with my host family encouraged a lot of people. That comment surprised me, and blessed me. I continued to thank God for His mercies in allowing me to have two precious families. We boarded an airplane, I slept fitfully...journaled almost constantly, talked with the Argentine sitting next to me. And then we were in the United States, and then...home. I was reunited with my family.

Just as the first moment stepping off the bus in Argentina was memorable and precious to me, hugging my mom again was so special to me. I talked nonstop for the next several hours, pouring out my soul to my mother, the one who I knew would listen to the most minute of details such as the taste of Dulce de Leche on toast, cry with me, and delight with me over how my dear host siblings have changed and grown. She is a blessing.


I don't know why God would see fit to bless me with ten days in Argentina. Why did He place these two families in my life, ten people who I love so deeply and who love me just as much? How is it that love reaches over countries, languages, and years?

Sometimes I focus on the ugliness of this world. But tonight, thinking back to that day, I see clearly the beauty that God has blessed us with. Beauty that all comes out of one thing: love.


Thanks for letting me share all those adjectives that I had to cut out of my thank you newsletter to keep it down to one page...thank goodness for blogs with no word-limits!

Your Blogger,
 Claire

Yet another taste of Argentina!

Dear Readers,

Here I am again, to tell you a little more about my mission trip...
So much had changed in one year in Argentina!
I had looked forward to so many little things, and they were all more wonderful than I had wished they would be. Coffee and dulce de leche on toast in the morning...late nights chatting with my precious host mom and more coffee...bus rides with my host dad...time just "being" with my dear family...

It all happened and it all was so wonderful. Only there were a few changes: I got to have some bus rides with my host mom and Isabella, too, because she attends the preschool now. And when we arrived in Argentina we got to straight home to our families! The first day was my favorite.  And time just "being" with my family was the sweetest time of the whole trip. I'll highlight those moments in this blog post.


 

This was taken last year: Renzo, Nico, Emily, and I

First of all, those little babies were huge! Renzo and Isabella (my host brother and sister who are twins, now 2 1/2 years old) have grown so much in the past year it blew me away. Nico has grown up so much, too! It was so bittersweet to see how they had changed as I was sad to have missed so much of their lives, but was so thankful that I was back with them again. 

I'll never forget riding home from the church, Isabella was asleep in Viviana's arms and I was just so thrilled to be beside them I could hardly contain myself. We had the sweetest conversation, which was a mix of my newly acquired Spanish and her words in English. Then she handed the phone to me and I was speaking to Reynaldo! It was so sweet to hear all of their voices again. 

Last year some of my favorite moments were just holding these sweet little twins, this year I think my favorite moments with them were when I would read a book to them called "Vaca Luluz". Isabella loved this book, and so despite the fact that I didn't know how to pronounce some of the words, I read that book so many times that by the end of my ten days in Argentina, I could quote it! hehe it really is a cute book and I loved that time with them. 

Nico and I spent a lot of time fixing hair last year, and this year was no different. She loved fixing my hair and putting makeup on me, then having me fix her hair, and setting my camera to take ten pictures of us with our beautiful new do's.  ;) We have some really funny shots! This girl has the most beautiful heart and I can't wait to hug her again! 

We worked on English, too :) 

Another difference in this trip was that Benjamin, Mason, and Mom weren't there. It was so strange to not have them with us! Their host family from last year invited my family and I over for dinner one night, and we had so much fun! They were so kind and welcoming and you could tell how much they loved my Mom and brothers. They were so sweet that they kept thinking I had been in their home before, too, since they said they felt like we were all family. (The first picture in this blog post is from our night there.) I love these people and this loving culture! 

I really wish we in the United States took a lesson from the people in Argentina. 1 Peter 5:14 says: "Greet one another with the kiss of love." 

I really can't describe with words the warmth and love you feel while you are there. It is incredible. It goes beyond the kiss (although that is a big part of the welcoming feeling).The church embraces us with open arms. The fact that so many at this church welcome us, teenagers who don't know their language or their culture, into their homes, their lives, their families is huge.  It's the most beautiful thing, and I'm so thankful to say that I have a family in Argentina. 

There's so much more I will share...

God taught me things and grew me and really blessed my time with these dear people. But here's another little snippet for you! 

Thank you for your prayers that made this trip possible. Your Blogger,

 Claire

  

A taste of Argentina...

 Dear Readers,

    I'm back in the United States and fairly bursting with photos, hugs and kisses for each of my family members, and enough stories to write a book.

Thank you for your prayers for my trip! I appreciated them so much and could feel them as my time in Argentina was clearly blessed. To be back with my host family was amazing. I can't even put into words how amazing that was. I stepped off the bus and we picked up right where we left off. It was as if I had never left, except for a few differences: the kids had grown so much. Renzo, Isabella, and Nico are three of my favorite children on earth. They make my heart smile and teach me things and inspire me. My Spanish had gotten better--woot woot!--and so less of our conversations centered around Google Translate. Oh, goodness, we had so many conversations. That was my favorite part of the entire trip. Whether we were on the bus, walking to the church, or in their warm and inviting kitchen, we were always talking. Quality time and physical touch are my two love languages, and so oh man, am I content in Argentina! Time praying together was also so special and a blessing to my heart.

Precious Renzo!! Hasn't he grown up so much in the past year??

Argentina was full of blessings. And, as you can see, most of the blessings stem from my time with this precious second family of mine.  I have so much to share, and I promise I will write more soon.

But right now I need to continue to process and get my thoughts into order or else words will come spilling out that make no sense. :) Maybe a little more sleep would help, too...

So I leave you with a few of my favorite pictures, and also with a devotion I read by Joni Eareckson Tada today that touched my heart. It instantly made me think of Argentina. Exchanging prayer requests with my dear host family, I realized that we were indeed giving the other person our heart's burdens. And there is something so beautifully God ordained in that act. 

Te amo, readers! Thank you for your precious comments and encouragement!

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Galatians 6:2

I don't often have the chance to physically help other people, but when I do,

I love it. Nowhere do I feel more useful than at the airport.

I have to pack what seems like half a hospital when I go anywhere. Even after my friends and I check in all this stuff at curbside, we still have a pile of carry-on luggage which includes lots of the usual paraphernalia plus a duffel bag with emergency medical equipment. The challenge is to carry everything from curbside to the plane. This is when I get to "carry another's burden." On the foot pedals under my legs goes the duffel bag. The briefcase goes on my lap, purses are slung over the handles of my wheelchair, coats or sweaters land on my lap. Airline tickets are squeezed between my leg and the side of my chair. I look like a bag lady. But I don't mind. It gives me a chance to carry someone else's burden.

That's what Galatians 6:2 tells us to do. It's good advice whether we bear actual physical burdens or emotional and spiritual ones. Galatians 6 says we should do this on a regular basis and not be so puffed up with pride that we fail to offer a helping hand.

And we are to do so to fulfill the law of Christ, which is a law of love. Love obliges us to be compassionate. Maybe under the old covenant God's people made a habit of laying burdens on one another, but under the new covenant, we don't lay them on, we take them off. So why don't you find somebody today who could use a hand. It will give you an opportunity to lighten the load of another and lighten your heart at the same time.

___________________________________

"God did not write solo parts for very many of us. He expects us to be participants in the great symphony of life." Donald Tippett

Tomorrow!!

Colon. We will be going there again!

My dear readers,
   Tomorrow morning I will arrive at the airport at 10:00 (hopefully! :))...and by 7:30 that night will be on a plane bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    Last week I was a ball of anxiety imagining leaving. I still am nervous, but as the date is so near, I feel myself getting more and more excited.

Were you to ask me what I'm most excited about, I think it would be hard to pinpoint just one thing. I'm just thrilled to be back in this country I love so much!  I'm  really really really excited to see all of the precious Argentines again!! I know the moment when I see my host family again will probably be the best of the entire trip. I've missed them so much this past year!! So I am very excited to step off the bus on that first day. :)

But I'm also really excited just for the mornings. Last year every day I woke up it was just with a feeling of wonder that "Wow. I can't believe I'm actually in Argentina!!!" This year I know I'll wake up with a similar feeling of wonder that I'm actually in my host family's home again. And the coffee, and the dulce de leche on toast, and walking to the bus in the chill of the early morning...it's all so wonderful. I can't wait!!

I'm also thrilled to do prison ministry again. I really wasn't prepared for how much I would love it last year, and think that now I'm more comfortable with it hopefully I'll be able to spend time with more women while we are there. 

Were you to ask me what my biggest fear was, it would be going without my family. Each time I imagine this trip it's with Benjamin, Mason, and Mom. I'll miss them so so much. 

And were you to ask my biggest needs for prayer, they would be the following: 

1.) Please pray for me to not be too homesick! 

2.) Please pray that the language difference won't be too much of a barrier. I know a lot more Spanish than I knew last year, but nevertheless my heart wants to be able to get to Argentina and have long conversations with my host family...and I know that I don't know enough for that! So please pray for patience while we try to communicate, and just that God will evaporate that barrier like He did last year. 

3.) Please pray for our team to have safe travels!!

4.) Please pray for the Argentines who are welcoming us into their homes, and for the people we will be serving and interacting with all trip. Pray that we can touch hearts!! 

5.) Please pray that those of us who are going back for a second time will be able to cherish every minute of the trip without comparing it to last  year. 

6.) And please pray for my family while I'm gone, and for Benjamin's recovery to continue to go well.

Thank you so much for praying over these with me!! 

I'm so thankful to the Lord for allowing me this opportunity. And I'm so thankful to all of you for your prayers and support that made it happen!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Next time you hear from me I'll most likely be accidentally mixing Spanish with my English, posting a TON of pictures, and trying my best to fill you in on all  that happened over the next ten days. I look forward to catching you up!! 

Chau, dear ones!! Your blogger,

 Claire

Thankful.

Dear Readers,
 
 Last week was hard. Mom and Benjamin were in the hospital, and being away from them was really difficult. Yesterday Benjamin came home. It honestly is such a relief to be all together again. I'm so so grateful. But this week is still very difficult. Benjamin is in a lot of pain when he sits in his wheelchair, and it is just excruciating to see him in such pain.

Since the surgery I've felt the exact way I've known I would feel since finding out about it. I've felt like a complete idiot for signing up to go to Argentina next Thursday. I really can't even tell you how much I missed my Mom while she was in the hospital with Benjamin. And I got to see her everyday! How on earth am I going to be able to leave the country for ten days without her?? I've been pretty freaked out thinking about it, and have done a really great job ignoring the fact that I'm leaving soon by burying my head in Maeve Binchy's books. But I'm leaving on Thursday whether I believe that fact or keep on pretending I'm not.

I go through moments where I'm really excited to hug everyone and hear Spanish and be back in that country. But when I see Benjamin in pain like this and think about how much I missed Mom in the hospital I really feel pretty stupid and scared.

But today God showed me in a couple of neat ways that He knows how I feel.

One of my Mom's dear friends sent me a package in the mail today. It contained a precious little cross bracelet and a note telling me that this was just a token to help me remember that she and many others will be wrapping me in prayer while in Argentina. How sweet is that? And what a sweet reminder from God that He's in control.

On my way to the mailbox, another of our dear friends was picking Cate up to take her to her swim team practice. She told me that her mom told her once that when we do something that God is telling us to do, but that we don't want to do, that's when He blesses us the most. Wow. I could have cried right then...

And then when I got in from walking to get the mail (when it rains it pours! ;)) I saw I had gotten a message on Facebook from my dear Aunt Nina, who is a missionary in Mexico. It was a precious note of encouragement telling me she was praying for me as the trip nears.


I'm so blessed.  I find it incredible that He cares enough about me to orchestrate all these kind acts of encouragement today. Yeah, I'm still scared and I know I'll probably doubt myself more as next Thursday approaches. But today my heart was really encouraged. And instead of worrying about what I'll do on Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday, etc.,etc., I think I'm going to just rest in the fact that today is okay. And that God is near and will be in control the entire time I'm in Argentina, as well.


Thank you, dear friends, for the support and encouragement you've blessed us with this summer. We cherish your prayers and love. Please don't stop! We have a long way to go and appreciate every prayer.

And I leave you with a quote from Maeve Binchy's Firefly Summer that I loved; "Nothing was what we expected things to be like. But we've survived, and we'll go on surviving."
Your Blogger,
 Claire

My thoughts

My brothers and I have all gotten the chance to speak to some of my uncle's ASU classes about disabilities. I spoke once on being the sibling, and the boys have continued to go back to the classroom even after Uncle Len was graduated. In these classes, the boys talk about their CP and share about their experiences (good and bad) in public school, to hopefully encourage these future educators and give them knowledge for when they have special needs students in the classroom. Oftentimes these students ask personal questions, some goofy, some serious. One that's often asked of them goes along the lines of "If you could get rid of your disability, would you?" 

I really don't like this question. It makes me angry because there is no possibility of ever getting rid of it in this life, and so why dwell on that fact? One of my all time favorite quotes is by Corrie ten Boom and it says "There are no what-ifs in God's Kingdom".  The boys have CP, there's no way to reverse that fact, let's move on and not focus on what could have been. 

Sitting in the back of the classroom, I hear that question and think about what a physical and emotional drain Cerebral Palsy is to my parents. And I think about my brothers' pain after surgeries. And I want to scream at the back of that head who asked the question "Well what do YOU think?!? YEAH we would get rid of it! DUH! Did you not just listen to all of their struggles in public school? USE YOUR BRAIN!" 

But that isn't how my brothers answer the question. They say no, they wouldn't change it, because it's helped shape them into who they are. 

What? That wasn't my answer. That's not what I'm thinking. Don't they see how stupid the question is? Aren't they as angry as I am? No? They aren't? hmm....

Deep down in my heart, I agree with my brothers. Trials make you stronger, and because of CP I think we are closer knit as a family. We know what it's like to go through real stuff, and so we stick together. We would be completely different if CP wasn't a part of our lives. Life would be easier, there would be no surgeries to go through, sure, but we would have missed out on a lot. We would probably have never met many of our dear friends, I probably wouldn't have learned sign language or started volunteering, the boys may have never gotten involved in theater, and we probably would have never been home schooled. I think of this and I, too, begin to feel thankful for it and how it has impacted our lives.

My devotion today spoke to my heart on this issue and is, in fact, why I brought this story up. I'll give you an excerpt of the part that touched my heart: 

"Do not long for the absence of problems in your life. That is an unrealistic goal since in this world you will have trouble...Begin each day anticipating problems, asking Me to equip you for whatever difficulties you will encounter. The best equipping is my living Presence, My hand that never lets go of yours...Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle. Remember that I am on your side, and I have overcome the world." ~From Jesus Calling 

Especially during this season before surgery, the moments where I feel upset and frustrated with the problems in life are more than the moments I'm thankful for them. This devotion encouraged me, though, that even in the middle of the struggle, God is still right there, holding on to our hand. Even when we try to wiggle free of His grasp, complaining about our situation, He holds on and promises that someday things will be okay. What an immense blessing.

Thanks for listening. Your Blogger,

 Claire

Prayer Request

I signed up to receive prayer requests for sweet kiddos waiting for their families in China. I got this email from them a couple of days ago, and this little baby completely stole my heart. Look at that sweet smile! And those beautiful eyes! Here's what the email had to say about little Torie:

"Torie was admitted to our Special Care Center in Zhengzhou last June at four months old. She has been diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect. Torie is a beautiful little girl who is quick to smile and has an adorable single dimple on her right cheek. She is curious about her surroundings and anxious to be up and moving around, but also enjoys cuddling up with her nanny. Torie celebrated her first birthday in February and we hope she will have the opportunity to celebrate many more. Torie was recently scheduled for heart surgery, but her condition was deemed inoperable in China due to its severity. However, Dr. Joyce Hill is hopeful that she may have a chance to receive the life-saving procedure she needs if she is adopted. Please join us in prayer for Torie to this end, and for our medical staff to gain wisdom on how to best proceed while she is under our care."

Will you join me in praying for Torie?

Your Blogger,
 Claire

Interested in adoption? Reece's Rainbow

photo courtesy of Mellissa 

Dear Readers,
    Russia's ban on adoptions broke my heart. It's like I'm being punched in the stomach every time I go to Reece's Rainbow and realize this child or that child no longer has a family coming for them.
When I see anything remotely related to Russia on the news, I stop whatever I'm doing and give it all my attention. But it's never the news I want to hear. People are saying they may never allow us to adopt those kids. My heart breaks for these precious children, and I long to scoop them all up into my arms.

     Now there's nothing for us to do but pray for Russia. So we will pray. And in the meantime, there are many many many other precious babies waiting who are NOT in Russia.

  Latvia is another country that has many orphans waiting for their families. Like Russia, children with special needs are institutionalized. And they deserve families just as much as these Russian children do!
   Dee Etheridge (from http://faithlovehopeandcourage.blogspot.com) answered some of my questions on her experience adopting her daughter from Latvia, and has graciously allowed me to share them here! I hope the answers encourage you. I found them very insightful, and have to say, they gave me the itch to adopt from Latvia! :) Enjoy, dear ones!

Why did you decide to adopt from Latvia? I found my child first and then luckily she was in a country I was able to adopt from


How did you find your children? Were they listed on Reece's Rainbow? I'm a foster parent and while at a meeting someone mentioned the book The Connected Child. When I googled the book, it linked it to Reece's Rainbow. That was sometime around spring of 2011. I was immediately hooked. But I was looking at it as an advocate and providing financial support for families and children. I saw Darya (listed as Brigita on RR) that summer. I had started doing daily prayers for certain children and families and Darya was one I prayed for daily. I fell in love with her beautiful smile! I honestly did not feel Darya's chances of adoption were good given her description and age. It wasn't until Sept. that I felt/heard God tell me that Darya was my daughter. It was an experience I had never had before and cannot even describe fully. It was like I had instantly fallen in love with Darya. It was a tough decision though. I am single and was very scared about adopting a
child with special needs, esp. being so very low functioning. It was extremely emotional. But I knew in my heart that Darya was my daughter and that I couldn't go one without her. 


What were the conditions of the orphanage/institution like? Darya was transferred to her institution in 2009 when she was 4yo. It was very clean, the children were separated into groups and lived in what looked like small apartments, and there was a playground there. When we went on the first trip, it was their summer and so they let the kids go outside twice a day. I'm not sure if they got to go out like that when its cold. The children were clean. The girls had long hair and it was fixed nicely. Darya was very clean. There were about 6-7 kids in each group. They just recently added a school on the campus. Darya had not started yet but was supposed to start that Sept. The caregivers seemed to genuinely care about the kids. However, Darya does have a lot of learned behaviors that are concerning (biting, hitting, pinching) and self-plays being choked, bit, spanked, pinched, pulls her hair, slapping herself in the face, etc. I don't think she was abused
necessarily. I think a lot of this behavior likely came from other kids. While I was there, a much older boy/young man kept pulling her coat to choke her and pulling her hair. 



What would you tell someone considering adopting from Latvia/ considering adopting a child with special needs? In regards to special needs, research everything you can and have as little expectation for your child as possible. Even for their future. A family met Darya in 2010 and shared their experience (and pictures) with me. Based on that, I was expecting a very listless, extremely delayed child with other issues aside from Ds. I was pleasantly surprised to find Darya in much better shape and development. 

In regards to Latvia, be prepared for many trips and long stays. But, this country allows you the opportunity to bring your child home the first trip! Its a fantastic blessing (with added financial problems though). But I'd do it again. Latvia is beautiful and a wonderful place to visit. But it can be expensive. Bring some food yourself. In addition, multiple unrelated children can be adopted together. 


How many trips did you make to Latvia during the adoption process? 3 trips total. The 1st trip is to meet your child. The child(ren) stay with the family in an apartment or home for 10-14 days or so. This is for a bonding period. If you want to adopt multiple children, the children have to spend this bonding time together. Social workers visit you in the home to check on the child and see how bonding is doing. This trip is about 17 days. Both parents travel this trip. 

After you come home, you get the paperwork together and apply for the I800a. The 2nd trip comes after this and the article 5 are received (the embassy does that based on the approved I800a). This is the actual adoption hearing. Latvia has a mandatory 20 day appeal period. Only 1 parent needed. If the child is over 12yo and went home after the 1st trip, the child has to return for this trip. 

The 3rd trip is after the 20 day appeal period. This is to get the new birth certificate, passport, medical, and Visa. This trip is about a week. I believe only 1 parent for this one as well and the child has to travel this trip. 


How are your children doing now that they are home? Darya is doing fantastic! She has transitioned well and is learning so much. She was taught basically nothing and I'm not sure what she understood or didn't understand in her language. But she has caught on to English really well and follows simple commands well. Her self-injurious and self-stemming behaviors are getting better. She hits, bites, and pinches people all the time but its not as fierce and hard as it was in the beginning. She is learning sign language and definitely has potential to learn to speak some. She can quack and makes other noises that mimic syllables/words. She still doesn't really play and the self-play of hurting herself is a bit sad. She is becoming more and more healthy. Her hair and skin glow and her physical abilities are getting better (though she has really good muscle tone anyway). She loves to snuggle, loves to have you sing to her, loves music in general, and loves to
swing! She is so much easier than I was expecting but at the same time is a lot of work. I think she is fantastic (though I may be biased). 



   If you are interested in adopting, visit reecesrainbow.org for more information. And please remember to keep those precious kiddos in Russia in your prayers. Your Blogger,
 Claire

Beautiful news!! Reece's Rainbow waiting child

Do y'all remember Sebastian? I posted about him ten days before my birthday. 

I talked about how his birthday is about a week after mine.

And how if he didn't have a family by then...

he would never have one.

WELL guess what? 

SEBASTIAN HAS A FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"....Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning." ~Psalm 30:5

I'm so thankful morning has come for Sebastian. May the Lord bless and strengthen his family as they work to bring him home, and protect his heart as he waits! I'm so thankful that his 16th birthday will, despite the odds, be filled with joy. Thank you, Jesus. 

http://reecesrainbow.org/57191/sebastian

Just Because...Reece's Rainbow children

Sweet Victoria and all the
other children featured
in this post are listed on
Reecesrainbow.org

Dear Readers,

     I love blogs. I love blogging and reading others' blogs. My favorite posts are the ones filled with pictures and beautiful words and miracle stories. Adoption blogs are some of my favorites. One mom whose blog I read is currently in India bringing home her precious little girl. I cried when I watched the video where she met her little girl for the first time. It was the most beautiful thing.

And as I watched, I was so overcome with a desire to go scoop a precious child out of an orphanage. I was so filled with longing to walk through the doors with my treasure just as she did. That aching desire persists. I so long to hold one of these babies in my arms...I so wish I could kiss those cheeks and make sure they know they are loved and safe forever.

But I can't. The most painful thing about orphan advocacy is that I know that even when I am old enough to adopt, I won't be bringing any of these children whose faces I've fallen in love with home. They will either have been adopted already or put in an institution or will have died alone. These sweet babies have my heart. They are each so precious to me. And yet none of them will ever be mine to hold. That hurts.

Whenever I dream about what I want to do someday, I always think about what profession I could have that would most help special needs children. I'd love to be a sign language interpreter, Deaf educator, physical/occupational therapist, pretty much anything working with people with special needs! But I really want to be a mommy. I really want to go to Russia (please, President Putin, open your country back up to us Americans!!) or Ukraine or China and bring a precious child, my precious child home to be loved forever. Someday.

But right now I'm thankful that I have a chance to be a voice for these children. As much as I long to hold them in my arms, for today I am going to love them from across the ocean. 

These are the ones who touched my heart first, and one day when I bring my own children home, God Willing, I will remember them and the gift that they gave me: an overwhelming love for the fatherless.

You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more. ~Psalm 10:14, 17-18

                                                           In you the orphan finds mercy.

Hosea 14:3 

Thank you, Lord, for loving these precious children even more than I do. I'm so thankful that my Savior will not leave these children alone...He hears their cries and has mercy and compassion upon them. What a blessing of reassurance. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire