She waits

Dear Readers,

This beautiful girl is Sadie. She has waited eight years for a family, and just recently watched her best friend go home with her family. Can you imagine that? She longs for a family of her own. Her best friend's family spent a lot of time with her while they visited their daughter, and said the following about sweet Sadie:

"URGENT!! Sadie's file is available and she needs a family to see her and know she is theirs. 

The night before we met our daughter the nannies said the girls laid in their cribs talking. Our daughter asked Sadie, "What if they don't like me?" and Sadie assured her, "Of course they will love you!" And our daughter said, "Then we need cake to celebrate"! 

The night before our last visit the nannies said Sadie  told our daughter she would miss her so much. Our daughter promised Sadie that night that we would find her a family. There they laid in their little cribs and exchanged a promise so profound. I promise not to forget her, a promise to bring her hope and love, a promise that a family will be found and come and call her their daughter! 

They (Sadie and the author's daughter) are the only two verbal children in their room. They have been best friends since they first were able to speak, the nannies told us. I cannot imagine her being left behind. If you could hear her giggle you would agree there is nothing in this world sweeter. 

Our translator said Sadie is incredibly smart! Our translator actually cried the day we left and said she is precious and needs a family to come and asked that we would help to find a family. 

Sadie insists on doing anything she can do for herself... she is very determined. She has the nannies (and she had us) laughing so much. And she has a mighty throw when playing catch with the ball.... she could throw it further than our daughter. 

Sadie had a family that couldn't continue and she already met them and knew what love feels like. Before she didn't know, but now she does and she wants it again so badly!! When we were saying goodbye, our daughter just smiled but Sadie's eyes were wide open and her little chest started to show she was breathing so heavy. She didn't want love to leave again. We spent every moment with her the same as our daughter and would love to answer any questions anyone has. Would you help us keep our daughter's promise, would you help her not be left behind?? If you are not Sadie's family can you please share this post everyday until we find them??!!"


You can tell a lot about someone by the way they handle a difficult situation. Sadie has handled every difficult situation thrown at her with grace and wisdom. She put her own hurt at being left behind and desire for a family behind her in order to encourage and love her dear friend. What a precious spirit this young lady has. 

If you would like more information about this beautiful girl, you can contact Shelley at 
shele337@gmail.com.

Your Blogger,
Claire

"Do you need anything?"

Dear Readers,

Have you ever been asked that question? Have you ever been the asker?
I know I have seen both ends of that question before, mostly during "surgery summers". Both positions are equally awkward.

The one being asked the question often has no clue as to how to answer. Do you say, "No, thanks" even though you're drowning in laundry and desperate for companionship? Do you agree to let them help, proceeding to hand over your to-do list that's a mile long?

The Asker, on the other hand, probably fumbled around and came up with this question in the midst of a "There's nothing I can do to make this better" moment. This question comes from a sincere heart--one that wants to help, but just isn't sure how.

So there you are, two friends trying to discern what the other wants to hear. Two friends and a very loud silence as you try to figure out what comes next.

I would like to pause this little scene and speak to both the asker and the one on the receiving end.

To the Asker, I would say this:
Throw that question away and forget it was ever part of your vocabulary. I'm entirely serious. I understand where you're coming from, I do. After all, you can't know whether your friend really wants you to come over when she doesn't feel well or has a sick child to care for. And if you have never experienced what your friend is going through, you really don't know what they need.

Despite your great intentions, this is not the question to use. If your friend has just had some major life deal,  they are going to need something. Assuming your friend needs something is the first step.

Questions to use instead: "How can I help?"
                                         "What can I do?"
Or, leaving less room for refusal: "I'm free tomorrow. Can I come over and bring lunch? Can I help with laundry? Can I do your dishes?" etc.,etc.,etc.

Isn't it easy to see how these questions are different? "Do you need anything?" is detached, a quick Facebook comment, nothing binding you to do anything--you leave it entirely in your friend's court. The words 'what' and 'how' seem to attach a commitment to the question. I like the last one best, because although surprise visits aren't a good idea in these situations, that has the same feel as a surprise visit--you made the decision to do it all on your own, your friend didn't have to ask you to do anything.

Next I would like to speak to the receiver of the question:
Although I hope your friend has already forgotten that question entirely, this is what I would like to tell you for facing that question again:

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Your friend did just offer their help, and no matter how the question was worded, I believe they are concerned for you. So let them help. Don't feel embarrassed to admit that you really just need a nap and would appreciate their coming over to watch the kids, or to say you would love some companionship but don't feel like talking.

Honestly, Readers, the most important thing I wish to impart to you here is not even about those questions. Really, it's about loving one another with a love that knows no limits. My Mom and I are reading Bob Goff's book Love Does. The book is comprised of story after story of big, wide open love. Love that thinks of the other person first--such as a newlywed leaving his new bride and home to help a lost teenager get back on track. (That has been my favorite story of the book so far :))

That story left me wondering whether I would do the same thing. It's so easy to instead give out the easy kind of love, the love that asks if you need anything instead of just doing. Let's transform our love into a kind of love that does. A kind of love that jumps in and gives everything away in an effort to love a little bit like the way God loves us.

How has someone loved you in a way that helped get you through a difficult time?

Your Blogger,
 Claire

The thoughts in my head

Dearest Readers,

Let me say I am so sorry for my hiatus! I have wanted to blog several times this month, but every time I sat down at the computer my fingers wanted to talk about what's on my mind. And what's on my mind has been quite boring.

Today, however, I bit the bullet and decided to see what words I could come up with and cross my fingers that it satisfies you, patient readers. So here goes.

What's on my mind??

The fact that this is my last year of high school. Although Pre-Calculus and SAT practice have made me long to just be accepted to a college already, the reality is that I am not even close to being ready for this. And, quite frankly, I find it ridiculous that society asks 18 year olds to make such a huge decision. Maybe I need to go into law or something and change it to 21 years old. That seems much better, don't you think?

I know, however, that I will never feel ready for this next step--even if I changed the age of incoming freshmen to 30.

But this is all very boring reading because practically every high school senior has felt the same exact way. So I'll leave that there and move on to one of my favorite subjects.

I hope you're not tired of hearing about Argentina, because I'm pretty sure I will never run out of things to say about it.

It's been a year since I was there. That seems so strange to me. I can still feel the trembling excitement and disbelief I felt as that plane touched down in Buenos Aires. It was so surreal to be back.

The bus outside La Puerta Abierta

I didn't know when I would be back last year, so I took lots of pictures like that one--scenery that I want to remember for always. That knowledge led me to embrace every single moment, unwilling to go to bed until I literally fell into it in exhaustion. This summer, the summer that's missing that view, I'm thankful for all of those minutes I had. 

Another shot of the church--hey, I know those people! :)

I'm so glad I took these pictures. So many sweet memories were made inside those buildings. 

Last Saturday my whole family gathered to watch Argentina play in the World Cup. We easily got swept away in the fervent passion of the game, shouting and cheering and celebrating when Argentina won. We swapped stories of our time there during the commercial breaks. I put on Mason's Messi jersey when it looked like Argentina was going to lose and needed a little more good luck. :) 

The school connected to the church

After the game we got on Facebook to find dozens of posts from Argentines we know and love--literally cheering online. We joined in, and as I sat there, surrounded by my family loving this country from afar, and connected to loved ones over there by social media, I was just amazed. Three years ago we didn't even know anything about Argentina. And yet here we are today, with so many dear ones and wonderful experiences in that country I love so much. 

That gives me hope for this whole college thing. I know that my plans and desires are not the same as God's. I'm stubborn and so I will most likely kick and scream all the way to wherever He wants me to go next year--but I know I have to trust Him. When we went to Argentina the first time I thought I knew what I wanted, too. I wanted to stay in the same exact house as my mom and brothers, and when I found out that wasn't happening I kicked and screamed and was a stubborn mule. 

But then. You all know how much I love the family that hosted me. I love them so much I went back and stayed with them another year. I love them so much I know I will be back again. 

God's plans are good. They're more than that--they're infinitely better than anything we could possibly dream up.

So I look at my pictures from Argentina, and I remind myself that He knows what He's doing. I don't have to be a stubborn mule this time, because I know I will be fine once I get there. I'll just keep reminding myself of that. 

In the meantime, I have a fútbol game to watch. :) Vamos Argentina!!!! 

Hugs to you, dear Readers! Thanks for sticking with me through the end. I hope your summer is going well, and I hope you are cheering for Argentina in the World Cup! ;) I promise not to desert you for so long again. 

Your blogger,

 Claire

On my heart

The world's beauty as seen from backstage

“Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.” 

~Markus Zusak, The Messenger

Dear Readers,

In a world children are left alone in orphanages and countries try to kill one another, it's hard to always believe that quote is true. I actually stumbled across it the other night while searching for a quote from my favorite book, The Book Thief. The quote I was looking for is from Liesel Meminger, a young girl who grows up in Nazi Germany...and hides a Jew. She says (about helping Max); "We were just being people. That's what people do." 

Both quotes are so simple and beautiful to me. Sometimes I get bogged down with the ugliness of the world, and forget how simply beautiful it can all be.

Yes, we are all sinful and selfish and human, but our humanity isn't always all bad. Sometimes it is quite beautiful.


Like when I come into Cate's play after the SAT and all of those kids and their mamas ask how it went.

Like when friends offer kind words of encouragement after a particularly rough tech week. 

Like when everyone poses for this picture
that I wanted for some reason :) 

When students from the play my mom directed (and Benjamin, Mason, and I stage managed) come see our performance and hug us with a word of congratulations. 


When a sweet friend comes over the night before opening night to go through my script line by line until I'm able to play the Jester with confidence. 

I know all of these are relatively simple acts of love. But that's what makes them so precious. They signify people being people; doing what we were created to do. Love and encourage. 

I hope someone shows you some of the world's beauty this week, dear ones. And I hope you are able to, in turn, "do what people do" for someone else. Even the smallest gesture can have so much impact. Today we were walking around a restaurant where we went for Mother's Day, and were looking for a ramp. A man noticed and pointed us in the right direction. My dad and I were honestly surprised that he would, a.) take notice of the ramp in the first place, and b.) see our trouble and help out. He was just doing what people do; and yet it was a meaningful gesture to us. No act of kindness goes unnoticed. (Despite what Elphaba says. :) I told you this was as seen from backstage, didn't I?)

After this week of simply sweet acts of love, my heart feels overwhelmed. I'm so very thankful for these dear ones, and this community I'm blessed to be a part of. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire

Thank you, Therapists.

Dear Readers,

Not only is April the month of our birthday, it is also Occupational Therapy month! Of course I couldn’t let this event go unnoticed.

As the triplet sister to brothers with Cerebral Palsy, therapists have always been a part of my life. I have some amazing memories of therapists who made a big impact on little Claire as I struggled to understand my brothers’ disability and why I did not have it. My mom has amazing memories of occupational therapists showing her that the term Cerebral Palsy does not define her sons, and holding her hand through the months and years following their diagnosis.

Our first experience with therapy--a study on PT and premature infants!

This month gives me an opportunity to thank those women (both Occupational and Physical therapists) who have not just helped my brothers reach milestones, but have helped our family walk this unique journey.

Our first experience with Occupational Therapy was when we were two years old. When my mom talks about that OT, Susan, she says she helped Mom make it through those first couple of years. The below pictures were taken from my Mom’s scrapbook. 

"Mrs.Susan was Mommy's dearest friend in Chicago--even though we only
saw her at Occupational Therapy! She always talked Mommy through every stage
and she helped us make huge progress!" 

A good Occupational Therapist is one who:

       1.)  Encourages the little sibling to participate, as well. (even allows her to steal beads and stow them away in her diaper occasionally…or every week.)

      2.)  Values the Mom’s input and reassures her that she is the one who knows her children the best. For a first-time mom living in a world of specialists, Mom needed that assurance that she was the most important figure in her children’s’ world. And the most informed.

Baby Benjamin working hard in OT

      

      We moved away, leaving Mom’s dear friend and the boys’ therapist behind. Little Claire was not impressed with the new therapists. They didn’t allow me to join in on Benjamin and Mason’s special “play” time. How was I to understand that they were working? I only knew that they got special time with fun, new toys and grown ups, and was heartbroken when I was repeatedly told “no”.

At our "goodbye" party with their first OT. Notice there are THREE
napkins? Little Claire got a cupcake, too :) 

 To any therapists out there: remember you aren’t just working with your patient; you are working within a family unit. As therapists, you have a platform to set the tone for how the sibling views this disability. Will they resent the special treatment their sib gets, or cherish time spent helping their sib achieve goals? That’s something to keep in mind the next time a whiny typical sibling sits in the hallway during your therapy session.

Eventually I grew to understand what Benjamin and Mason were doing in therapy and realized why I couldn’t take part in it. We moved yet again, and this time the move came with a new type of therapy entirely.

Hippotherapy.  I had fallen in love with horses when we did a hippotherapy summer program. The summer program was amazing, and I was a full participant. When Benjamin and Mason began doing hippotherapy every week, my mom arranged for me to ride one of the boys’ horses for a few minutes after their session was over. I was in heaven.

Tears well up as I write, this memory is still so close to my heart. Right around Christmas, the program director told me he had a special surprise for me. He was going to let me ride my very own horse for a whole therapy session.

Wow. Talk about including the sibling. He saw what joy riding the horses gave me, and despite the fact that I didn’t have special needs and wasn’t there for hippotherapy, blessed me with the gift of getting to ride one of his horses. That was a moment I will always remember, and always be thankful for.

    3.) A good therapist sees the potential in everyone, and helps them make their dreams come true.

This story leads me to present day. These years around therapists left a big impact on me. I have seen the life changing work therapists do for their patients and families, and because of that aspire to be an Occupational Therapist myself. I can only pray I will be able to leave a lasting impact on these precious kids and their families like these therapists have made on us.

Probably the most important attribute of a good therapist:

        

      4.) They don’t care that we are sometimes in sweats (and occasionally PJs) when they come to our house. Hehe

Not too long ago, Mason’s physical therapist was at our house. I had been feeling discouraged, and Mason voiced my concerns to his therapist. She looked at me and said,

“Claire, Occupational Therapy changes lives. You are going to change lives.”

Another moment I’ll never forget. Another therapist making a life changing impact on me.

What makes therapists special? The opportunity they have to make a difference every single moment of every single day. It might be a hug to a frightened mother, the offer to the sister to join in, the encouragement that you are able, whatever your abilities.

To all of you therapists out there, thank you. You really are changing the world—one life at a time. 

Birthday Week Featured Child: Mirabel

Dearest Readers,

It is now, officially, our birthday week. Woohoo!

 Our birthday is Friday, I have my theater class's show Saturday, and then it's Easter! I will be blogging about the festivities once they are all said and done. But today it is time for you all to meet....


Mirabel.

Mirabel means "wondrous", or of wondrous beauty. Definitely
an appropriate name for this beautiful girl!

About this time last year I wrote this post about an orphan in Eastern Europe who, like me, was about to turn 16.

I knew I wanted to feature another waiting child this week, but who? An April baby? Another 16 year old? Instead, I picked a four year old born in August.

That smile. So precious!

Mirabel is four years old. In her country, this means she will be transferred to a mental institution soon. Soon she will be taken away from the only home she has ever known. She's only four years old. Most four year olds in America don't cross the street without a parent's hand.

 Adoptive families are called forever families for a reason. Mirabel's whole life has been unstable. Nothing has been constant. When she is home with her family, though, the same person will wake her up every morning. She won't cry alone after surgeries. 

A family that met her last year said the following: 

” We saw Mirabel this morning.  She is in the laying down room.  The nannies were carrying them outside.  She can’t hold her head up, support herself, sit, or stand.   It looks like she has no control over her legs at all…flopped to the side when the nannies carried her. She does, however, have good use of her arms.  She kept reaching up to try to touch me.  I gave her a set of the rings to play with.   She was SO happy to have something to play with. She kept smiling at me. I really think that there is a smart, aware little girl in that broken body.”

Will you please pray for Mirabel this week? Pray that she will get to celebrate her birthday with her family one day. 

If you would like more information on adopting Mirabel, please go to her profile at http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=mirabel. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire

A grace-filled wink

Dear Readers,

I believe airplanes are one of the greatest places for getting to know people. My philosophy is that if you have to sit next to them for hours on end, you might as well love them and show them you care about their lives. (my uncle would say that's called being nosy, but whatever.) Sometimes you can do this without words even passing. I remember one time this happened in particular.

 My family and I sat in our seats, passing books and snacks and getting situated as other passengers with mobility issues boarded. I looked up as one woman walked onto the plane. On her way to her seat she lost her balance and nearly fell. She must have caught the concern in my eyes, for when she steadied herself she looked my way and winked. With a smile she found her seat.

Such a tiny moment. A millisecond, really. But I have remembered her wink for years. She could have taken offense that I was watching her and scowled. She could have ignored me in the face of her own struggle. But instead she took that moment to reassure me that she was okay.

Is that as profound to you as it is to me?

We spent some time with dear friends last week, and one of our discussions has been running through my mind...along with this memory of the dear woman on the airplane.

Our friends were talking about how during surgeries, hospitalizations, or whatever trying event we're going through, we need to remember that just because that is the most important/difficult thing in our lives at that moment doesn't mean it is the most important thing in someone else's life...or that we're the only ones going through a difficult time. You can't say, "Yeah, sorry about that, but my brother/aunt/cousin/friend is in the hospital, so I'm really focused on that right now." You have to continue to invest in other people's lives and realize that they are going through "stuff", too.

To me, that's exactly what that woman on the plane did. She was struggling, and she looked past her own pain to comfort someone else. Every time I remember her I'm amazed. What grace. I hope I can live a life that extends such grace to everyone, and that looks past my own struggle to help someone in theirs.

Your Blogger,
 Claire

I'll just be over here with my coffee mug...

A cappuccino at Havanna in Buenos Aires

Today it hit me. (well, okay, it hit me yesterday. I started this post yesterday.)

 I will not be going back to Argentina this year.

For the first time in two years, I have not spent these past few months feverishly writing thank you notes and skipping joyfully to the mailbox. I have not gone to any mission trip meetings. Today I shoved my paint stained jeans to the back of my closet, because there is no upcoming trip to the Southern Hemisphere.

I have a bag going of gifts to send in a package to Argentina at some point in time. This bag is cathartic for me, because otherwise I just feel so helpless. It is something to go from my hands to the hands of loved ones there. Something that will fly over the ocean and make them feel my love when I myself can't fly over.

But it's not the same.


As if my internal clock knows it's almost time to be back, I have been craving the coffee I had every morning over there. Seriously craving it.

As I have been working on this blog post, my mom and sissy were at the grocery store. When they came back my mom had a surprise for me--instant coffee like what I had in Argentina! When I tried it this morning, the smell and taste was just what I wanted. Sentimentality was in abundance as Mason and I enjoyed our (multiple!) cups of coffee and a slice of toast with dulce de leche on top.

My mom's sweet little gift was an encouragement to my heart.

I don't know when I will be back in Argentina. There are so many things I miss about that place and I know I will go on missing it as long as I'm not there--just like I missed little things about home while I was there. But you can't always hold everything ( and everyone!) you love right next to you. No matter how many times I click my heels together and wish I could.

Last October I really struggled with my deep desire to return to Arg and my feeling of responsibility to my family after Benjamin's surgery. I heard this song one day that said the following: 

"Where You go, I'll go

Where You stay, I'll stay

When You move, I'll move

I will follow"

That verse really impressed upon me the fact that we aren't always supposed to go. Sometimes we are supposed to stay right where we are, and serve where God has planted us. My heart is in international missions, though, so when we sing that song I usually bust out the "Where You go, I'll go"....and then quietly echo the part about staying. Because I am ready to go! Russia! China! Argentina! Anywhere God opens the door and I will be off and have fallen in love with the country before our plane lands (true story). 

But for this summer I'm staying. And I'm really excited about it. My mom and I have a list going of projects to accomplish, including reading through all of the Mitford novels in prep for the newest book. (That's a warning for the inevitable book review, by the way)

I'm hopeful to start orientation to volunteer at PCH. I'm also really looking forward to some good time with family and friends, as I want to cherish our last high school days.

My Mom's gift of coffee was a good reminder to me that each day is to be cherished. Wherever we are. 

And so I will pray for my loved ones over there as I enjoy my Nescafé. And I will thank the Lord for the people who are right here in the United States and these moments I have to love on them and hold them close. These Arizonans might not greet me with a kiss, but I do think they're pretty special. ;) 

Good night, friends. I hope you are able to cherish your week--whatever it brings your way. 

Many Argentine kisses, 

Your Blogger

For this child I have prayed

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him." ~1 Samuel 1:27

Dear Readers,

In December 2011, I saw this picture.

She grabbed my heart. I had just found out about Reece's Rainbow, an adoption ministry that helps orphans with special needs find their families. I had scrolled through several pages of children, my heart breaking at each picture. But for whatever reason, hers was the one I was drawn to. I couldn't stop thinking about her. 

And so I prayed and hoped with all of my heart that she would have a family. 

On the day I found out she was transferred to a mental institution I sobbed. I learned that she was struggling with the change and had lost hope. I pleaded with God to rescue her from that place. 

Over a year after I had first seen her beautiful picture there, she was unlisted from Reece's Rainbow. It seemed that she was not going to be adopted. Friends, a mental institution is a rough place. Especially for a child. It's hard for them to leave their baby house, the only home they have ever known, to go to a place full of crying children and adults. It is hard to sit in a bed all day untouched because there just aren't enough nannies to go around. Many children die in these places. 

I thought that was going to be Marcia's fate. I framed a picture of her and placed it in a prominent spot in my room. I was afraid she was never going to have a family place her picture on their refrigerator, and so I wanted to honor her in that small way. I prayed for her to feel God's peace, hope, and even joy. I checked occasionally to see if she was still listed on another site, knowing that the day she was unlisted from there she would most likely be with Jesus. I flinchingly prayed for His will to be done in that sweet girl's life. 

God knows every day of sweet Marcia's life, and He has perfectly planned each one. 

I found out a few days ago that Marcia walked out of that institution with her mama. As I type, the tears well up again. She is free. She is home. 

God had a plan for her, and His plan was for her to be adopted in her home country. What a beautiful, beautiful plan. 

Will you jump up and down and scream for joy with me, friends?!?!? It deserves a million exclamation points--

MARCIA IS HOME WITH HER FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lord is good. And He is in control--even when it feels like evil is winning out, He is in control. 

Will you continue to pray for Marcia and her family with me? Will you pray that she knows her Father who loves her so greatly? 

And please, in Marcia's honor, do not forget all of the other millions of orphans in the world who are still waiting to come home. 

I never knew how greatly you could love someone you've never met until I loved Marcia. I know that sounds ridiculously cheesy, but it's the truth. That girl has a special place in my heart, and she always will. I love her dearly, and pray for a day in Heaven when we can meet and I can finally hug her close. 

This will be my final post about Marcia. I am honored to have been able to share her story with you all, and to have been a voice for her these past couple of years. 

I wish you so much joy, beautiful girl. Know that you will always have a friend across the globe who is praying for you and loving you from afar.  I love you, Marcia. 

Your Blogger,

 Claire

It is currently today, not tomorrow.

Just in case you were wondering!

Dear Readers,

Yesterday we fished out one of Mom's high school year books. The pages are covered with well wishes and stories from her friends. I have always loved reading through Mom's old yearbooks and scrapbooks, seeing a part of her life growing up in Tupelo, MS. I especially love to open a book of hers to find a note fall out addressed to "Carol Leigh".

Next weekend we are going to visit Azusa Pacific University. I'm pretty excited because I've heard great things about the school and they have some wonderful missions opportunities. We've visited Mississippi State and Grand Canyon University this year, as well. While I love looking at these wonderful schools, the thought of leaving and attending one is a bit...overwhelming.

One of Mom's friends wrote in her yearbook that she knew they would always be close--no matter if they lived in separate states. My Mom has tried many times over the years to reach this friend, but she hasn't been able to. That breaks my heart. 

Dear ones from Seussical last semester!

I don't want to lose touch with any of our dear ones someday. I want to be just as close in ten years as we are now. Why does change have to come along and ruin this good thing we have going here?

Another from Seussical :)

 I know that God has plans (great plans!) for each of us, and I know that will carry some of us away from our little patch of desert. 

And I'm going to have to be okay with that. (because, you know, kidnapping is illegal. :)) 

From Honk! 2012

But today I'm not okay with it, and I don't know that I will be in a year and a half, either. Goodbyes are hard no matter how great that college/job opportunity/whatever is.

They might kill me for this one, but it is too cute to not share!
From Snoopy! 2010

It will be okay, though, because we will all be right where God needs us to be, wherever that is. (and it may even be right here all along!) 

So for today I'm going to hold tomorrow gingerly, and cherish every moment of today. I'm going to let God take care of the future and try to stop worrying about it. And instead of wondering if we will be just as close ten years from now, I'm going to hug my dear ones close today. 

I encourage you to do the same, dear Readers--squeeze every moment out of today and anticipate the plans God has for you without fear. 

Now go hug your dear ones long and close. 

Your blogger,

 Claire

A story for your Monday

Dear Readers,

I'm taking a moment from studying Marine Biology to write. No matter how fascinating it is (and Marine Biology really is my favorite science!), writing is always my preference. Always.

So here's a little story to satisfy my need to write and your desire for a story: (because I'm assuming if you are here you want to read something, right?)

***

The little girl stood still in the middle of the room. All of the other kids in the classroom were dancing around in a wild game of freeze dance, but she just stood watching.

As I looked around the class of little thespians, my heart went out to her. I knelt next to her and asked if she liked to dance. She shook her head no. I whispered to her, "You know what? I don't either."

I was confessing one of my biggest insecurities to a four year old. She just smiled at me.

I know how she felt. I'm most awkward when dance music is playing. What feels to me like really putting myself out there is almost always just me awkwardly tapping my foot and bobbing my head to the music. Haha...yeah. Pretty awkward.

I sucked it up, though, since the purpose of this game is to pull you out of your shell. And I was teaching it, after all. ;)

So I grabbed her hands and we danced. When I twirled her around, she didn't even smile. We stayed in the exact same place for several rounds. We kept it up, though, and with each round both of us were getting more comfortable. By the end of the game, she was asking to be twirled, spinning me around, and completely enjoying herself. I have to say I was, too. :)

Pretty sweet, huh? I love that God used that little one to encourage me to stop being so stinkin' insecure. I love that she overcame her fear and had fun.

Because, really--life is so much easier when you toss all of your insecurities to the wind. And it's a lot more fun if you just go ahead and dance.

I hope you do something that makes you smile this week--even if it requires conquering fear to do it.

Your Blogger,
 Claire

Needed to share...

Dear Readers,

I hope you have had a good week. :)

I have to get up on my soapbox for just a moment tonight, if you don't mind...:) 

I had a hair appointment today. I sat down beneath a dryer next to two girls who were also getting their hair done. As I read my book, I overheard parts of their *very loud* conversation. At one point one of the girls was talking about this guy she thinks is cute. The other girl's response was, "Eww no! He looks like a retard!" 

Needless to say, I was fuming. I continued to sit there, thinking of what to say to convince them that using that word is wrong. They continued to casually toss the word around, however, and so it just got to where I had to get up and walk away, before I yelled that they needed to shut up right that minute. Or something to that extent. 

The raging fire they sparked on has since calmed to a deep, deep sadness. Those girls could have been sitting next to a mother whose child was recently diagnosed with special needs. She would have walked out of that salon wounded, and with a vision of the future for her child that included peers bullying him. 

I know those girls aren't an isolated case--I know teenagers (and adults, too) use that word all.the.time. 

They can't imagine how hard it is for that mama to face an inaccessible world, any way, without their painful jests.

They can't imagine what it is like to be the one being called the "R" word. 

They can't imagine what it is like to have to wake up every morning and fight the world's stigmas and preconceived notions about who you are just because you look a little different.

Because if they knew, they wouldn't say it. 

That word is not okay to use. You may say, "Why should someone take offense? I'm not talking about THEIR kid." 

But when you decide to use a word that has historically been used as a medical term for the disabled as an insult, you are insulting all people with disabilities. Even if you didn't mean it that way, I assure you--that is how it sounds.

Families who have kids with special needs have a lot on their plates. After a day of appointments and surgery scheduling and therapies, they don't need your verbal abuse to add to their load.

I'm not going to ask you to use a different word, because no one deserves to be talked about the way those girls were talking about that boy today. Don't just choose a different word--make the choice to lift others up, instead of tearing them down.

Your Blogger,

 Claire

There was a little girl...

Mason, me, Benjamin

There once was a little girl who only wanted to wear dresses.

Her mom sewed her dresses, year after year, because this is all she would wear.

 With ruby red slippers, of course.

Despite the freezing temperatures of Minnesota's winter, this stubborn child had to wear something that swirled.

Channah on Reece's Rainbow

Eventually this little girl got older and decided she could tolerate jeans every now and then. ;)

One day, though, she saw a little girl's profile on Reece's Rainbow that transported her right back to the past. 

This little girl's profile noted that she loves wearing dresses. That little girl is Channah, and her picture is above. Isn't she simply beautiful in that dainty little dress of hers? 

I smile to think of her, loving dresses just like me. 

Friends, Channah has a family coming to bring her home from that orphanage!

They are going to bring her home to a  life full of love and hope...and the chance to wear dresses every single day if she so chooses. :) 

But they can't do it alone! Her family is planning an auction to fundraise...would you be willing to donate any items to this auction? It could be anything, handmade, store bought, lightly used...

 Leave a comment and I'd love to help you send it to Channah's family. 

Here is a link to her profile on Reece's Rainbow: 

http://reecesrainbow.org/61169/sponsormonier-2

More important than any donation, however, are your prayers. Please pray for this precious girl as she waits...and pray for her family as they work to bring her home.

Thank you, wonderful Readers!! 

Your Blogger,

 Claire