Do you see what I see?

Oh gosh... my heart is heavy today. I have been thinking a lot about my girls... this is nothing new ;). BUT today especially, little Tavi is on my heart.

Now those of you who have had the pleasure of watching her videos know that she is unaware that she has "special needs". :) Yet I know that once out of the orphanage, the world will make sure that she knows it. And I can't help but wonder, how will this affect her?

If her daddy and I have anything to say about it, not to mention her brothers and sisters... it won't affect her negatively at all. Just ask my mom and dad, and they will tell you that one of my least favorite phrases is "You can't do that!"... ha, ha... "JUST WATCH ME!" How I pray that we can pass this "attitude" on to Tavi John!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be placed at birth into a severely sensory deprived environment, only to have it compounded by the fact that you are lacking ONE OF THE MAIN SENSES??? The fact that ANY of these little ones who are blind survive attests to their strength and maybe more so to the compassion and grace of God! How can we let them "fight to survive", only to have them lose in the end?

I was looking through Reeces Rainbow today and there are currently 11 children listed who are blind, and 3 listed with vision impairments. 1 of these little ones listed has Down syndrome, and a couple of others have other special needs as well. But most of them do not have OTHER special needs, just the fact that they are blind seals their fate of living out their life in an institution.

If I remember rightly, in the last 3 years only 1 child with blindess, and one with limited site has been adopted from RR. My Tavi will make number 3. SERIOUSLY??? How can being blind have such a stigma attached to it? I know that many families are looking to be matched with a child with minor or correctable special needs... if not just a completely healthy child.

I will tell you this... Tavi IS completely healthy!!! So she is blind. BIG DEAL. She will be able to have a job, get married, raise children, and live independently as an adult. She will most likely rebel in her teenage years, as most teenagers do. And she will bring an immense amount of JOY to her father and I as we are blessed to be her parents as she grows to adulthood! It is my prayer that she will be a MIGHTY WARRIOR of GOD and a blessing to her husband and children.

You know, neither John nor I have known an individual who was blind. Were we intimidated at first with the idea of adopting a child who was blind? Yes... and then again NO. God called us to be her parents, and that was good enough for us. To be able to be the one to help open up her world... words can not describe how I feel about that. Let me just say my mind won't stop thinking of things I want her to experience... the biggest of which is the unconditional love of a family and what it means to be a Princess of The King!

Today, I see 14 children listed on Reeces Rainbow under the age of 5! Today, I see 14 children who will most likely pass away before ever knowing the unconditional love of a family. Today, I see 14 children born blind, not good enough to be someones son or daughter. And today, I see 14 children, who desperately need someone brave enough to say "YES, SEND ME LORD!" They are children first, they are human beings, they are so darned full of potential!!!





***These children are all in Ukraine, Bulgaria, or Russia! Please contact me if you want more information. kelly9mayden "at" yahoo "dot" com. Or visit the Reeces Rainbow link above. :)

A Room With a Vision....

Knowledge w/o vision is pointless. These pictures are of a room for 2 little girls. I know that, anyone seeing the room can see that.

Now, I also know, because I have faith in a GREAT BIG WARRIOR GOD, that it will soon be filled with 2 specific girls. Yana and Tavi will sleep in this room, and they will be a part of our family forever! GOD IS BRINGING THEM HOME!

Faith is hope in things unseen! I don't see them here yet, but I WILL. I have that vision because I have a God bigger than all the roadblocks, and delays this world can throw at us!

Here is there room, finally done [with the exception of installing the shades... I am so challeneged at home decor! :)]






Yana's crib.... I can't wait till it is filled with my precious sleeping girl!


Tavi's bed, be still my heart... I can just picture her sleeping contentedly!


Look at all the clothes just waiting to be worn... compliments of Aunt Erin, Aunt Julie and "Aunt" Meadow. :) And a few new things mommy just HAD to buy! :)






When I finally figure out how, there will be navy blue roman shades on each window. I have them waiting, just not sure how to install them. :)

BarlowGirl and My Girls! :)

Riley, Cale, and Quincy were blessed to be able to attend a concert for Barlow Girl, Vota, and Stellar Kart... ie "The Love And War Tour".

All 3 had a fantastic time, and Quincy declared "I LOVE CONCERTS! I can't wait to go to another one!"... oh dear! What are we in for? LOL

Here is an adorable pic of Riley and Quincy with BarlowGirl ... Cale refused to be photographed. ;)

One more step completed!!!!!

Praising God!!!!!!! The minister has signed our dossier!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!!!

What does this mean? It means that we are officially awaiting a court date!! We should receive a date within the next 2 weeks.

Specific Prayer Requests [not only for me, but for my friend Renae as well!]:

1. That we receive our court date quickly!
2. That our court date is very soon!
3. That we are assigned an adoption friendly judge, and that all our
paperwork meets with his/her approval!

I have been really struggling with waiting. I just want my girls home. A reality check has happened. I won't be traveling in April. So, being the "optimist" I am, I am praying to be there by Mother's Day which is May 9th!

My worry is that we won't travel until the end of May. The last day of school here is May 21st. I really wanted to be home for a week or two at least before school was out, just to give the girls a little more of a less chaotic settling period.

PLUS it makes Johns job so much easier to have the oldest 6 in school! And the later we get in May and into summer the busier John gets! His days go from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm [or 8:00 pm] to 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.

AND baseball starts up in late May with games starting in June. I have 3 kids playing, and 3 different teams due to age... and with John so busy in the summer the running back and forth falls to me.... so the later in May the harder things get!

I know God is in control, I just don't want to lose my self-control! I really, really want them home soon, and I really, really want them home by early May!

IF God does not step in and move things along under His power, we will not have the girls home with us until late May, or even LATER!

I love the last few days of school, and the day school is out. I fight all year to get to this point! :) I don't want to miss it. It just makes me crazy to think that it will take until the end of May.

Bless Toni [our Bulgarian adoption coordinator], and pray for her. She is so awesome and is doing all she can as fast as she can do it! BUT no one else in the process seems to want to MOVE... just piddle here and there.... AARRGGHH!

I think I like Russia's system of bribery better... I think I could totally sell all I own just to pay someone off to get my girls home yesterday.

Stick with me peoples! Our girls will be home yet! Just a little longer... Just half of forever.... :(

:)

Praising God.... so many coming home!

There are so many children listed on Reeces Rainbow who are coming home or are home in the last few weeks! This is so awesome!!!! I am so happy for them!!!!

But my girls are still a ways from being in my arms.... so tired of waiting God. I need you today.

Did you know...

Did you know that I am still praying we get to travel to bring the girls home in April? Yes it is HIGHLY unlikely, and next to impossible. I figure that is just how God likes it. :)

So, yes, I am still praying for April. I am even refusing to do a couple of things that fall in the end of April because I am choosing to have faith that God will answer my specific prayer.

I have told a few people that it will most likely be the end of May, or later. But since then have rethought things, and continue to pray for April. :) What's a little thing like red tape, and time lines to our Mighty God?

I figure each shot God makes is "nothing but net", He's not shooting in the dark, so HE can and will bring them home! And since Mothers Day is on May 9th, I just have to be home by then!

Counting the days....

Around the orphanages in Ukraine and Bulgaria are colored fences. To adoptive parents, they seem like jail bars. The kids rarely, if ever get to leave the grounds of the baby houses unless it is to go to another orphanage, or the hospital.

I was looking at the blogs of families that have brought or are bringing their little ones home and it is always a HUGE celebration to go out that gate for the LAST TIME!

What will Yana and Tavi think when it is their day to walk through the gate? Will they understand any of what is happening? How tightly will they hold on to the life they had that offered them very, very little? How scared will they be to see all the good things that are coming there way? Will they even really believe it will last?

I want this day for them to be here so badly, I can taste it! Carrying them through that gate, with the angels of God tearfully, joyfully, celebrating, will be one of the greatest days of my life!

I pray that God is preparing their hearts for the changes that are coming their way! Both of these girls have proven to be fighters, and I pray they will be ready to embrace us as their forever family. It may take time, but healing will come to them both! Jesus, and angels, were there when I first met them, unseen but very present. I believe they stayed behind to keep them safe during this LONG wait!

Mommy is coming soon Yana and Tavi. I am doing everything I can, the main thing being to hold tight to Jesus! God is on our side!