Will You Help?

'Tis the Season to be jolly.  Or it will be soon, once Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas season "officially" begins.

The Christmas catalogs are already arriving daily in our mailbox, and Leif is convinced that the first day it snows will mean that it is Christmas.  Right then and there with that first flake.

It is time to start considering how we will spend our money this Christmas Season.  What we will buy for our children, and for our families.

It also means that it is time for charities to raise funds, Salvation kettles will appear at the entrance to every Wal-Mart, huge boxes will appear for toy drives led by the Marines and various police departments.  Churches will have Christmas trees decorated with tags featuring the name and age of a child in need, and gifts for those children will be purchased, wrapped, and left under the tree.

Remembering those who have very little is so important.

Remembering those who have nothing is also imperative.  Quite frankly, it is commanded by God...look up James 1:27.   Deuteronomy 10:18...Job 31:16-18...Isaiah 1:17


This year I have offered to be a Christmas Angel Tree Warrior for Reece's Rainbow .  When I first emailed my interest, I was told all the kids have sponsors.  This morning I received and email that a warrior had to drop out, and would I sponsor Xander?

I was telling Jamie about my decision to raise funds for this precious orphan, and Leif hear me mention "Xander"

He said, "I have a friend named Xander!  He's my brother and  I love him!"

No, we are not even remotely able to consider adopting the Xander I am sponsoring, but I do call my oldest by Xander, short for Alexander.

Leif does have a brother Xander that he loves, and I am asking all of you to help me raise funds for this little boy to have a family, possibly even a brother of his own to say, "He's my brother and I love him!"

Please visit this website to read more about this little boy, and then visit this one, search for his photo and donate towards the cost of his adoption, so a family will be able to afford to choose him as their son.

A donation of $35 or more will get you an ornament that will help you remember to pray for Xander, and for the family that will be able adopt him because of your gift and prayers.

Right now he is in the $0-$99 raised section, but by Christmas I am hoping he will be at the top and the goal of $1000 will be realized.  

Will you help?

World Down Syndrome Day

March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day, because it is 3-21 and so is Down Syndrome! (Third copy of chromosome 21)

In order to honor the five children Jamie and I have adopted, who each have Down Syndrome, I have decided to post 21 random photos of them. 

Enjoy!

Micah getting outfitted for going on a ropes course in Virginia.

Amelia comforting her little brother when he needs her.

Three bakers making a pie.

ShanLin doing her chores.

Having afternoon tea

"Helping" on a friend's farm

This time really helping, feeding the calf

The climbing tree at the apple orchard

ShanLin feeding her baby

Amelia had an opportunity to meet an Olympic gymnast

Kimberly thinking she gets to try some coffee.  (it was empty)

Sorting and folding their own laundry

Doing their part to get the garden growing

Micah showing baby sister his medals

Micah earning his medals

Dante learning to experience new things (calmly)

Amelia walking to the Library by herself for the first time

Kimberly the Horse Whisperer

And Goat Whisperer too!

Micah learning how to use a fire extinguisher

Amelia reading to Kimberly.

And a bonus photo!  Kimberly and Leif want you to know,

God is good, ALL the time!

Ten Years of Blessing

Ten years ago today Jamie, the Original Three, and I arrived home with Amelia. (around 2am)  We had met her the night of October 6th, at the JFK Airport in New York City.

Our fourth child, but first adoption. 

Amelia was the cutest, yet most scared, 2 year old little girl.  She adored Jamie, because she never had a daddy.  She did not like me so much and wanted back the Mommy figure's she'd had in her orphanage.  After about seven months she decided I would do as  Mommy, and I was very thankful she finally made that decision!

I have TONS of photos from the first 8 years of Amelia as a Lindsay, but just not on this computer because I am so incredibly organized that they are all safely stored.  Somewhere else.  And maybe one day I will remember where that place is.

Last May I traveled with Amelia and Micah with their Special Olympics Gymnastics team to Atlanta for a National competition, and as always this trip was peppered with comments about Dad, because even now, ten years later, he is first in her heart.

In lieu of adorable little toddler photos spanning the last 8 years, here are some of my lovely Amelia having fun on her big girl trip-- on the plane, out to dinner with the team, with her ribbons, at the banquet, and at World of Coke:

Amelia is a truly amazing girl and we are blessed to have seen her go from toddler to pre-teen, and we look forward to continuing to watch our special girl grow.

Kimberly's Two Year Anniversary

I cannot believe it has been two years since we met our Kimberly.  I will never forget our few hours in Boston when we met her birthparents, but in a way I hope her birthmom is able to go through today without having those same memories.  We are doing our best to raise the little one she trusted us to love, and we most certainly are loving every minute with our youngest daughter.

Maybe it is because Kimberly is the youngest, or maybe it is just her personality, but our little girl worms her way into everything going on in this house, and is just soaking up knowledge and trying things out.  Now that she can climb onto the table it is her favorite place to be, and she never misses a chance to be with her siblings.

Life in our household is always an adventure, one that Kimberly certainly is enjoying.  We continue to be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with her, and are always excited to see what she will try next.

God is good!

One Year Ago

One year ago (yesterday) Jamie and I drove to Boston so we could experience the saddest day a young couple could experience.  Two young parents handed us their two week old daughter, trusting us to raise her as our own. 

 For the last year we have been doing just that, and we could not be more blessed.

We are thankful for our baby girl.

Two Sisters (and a mischievous brother)

For the next 3 1/2 weeks of Summer, we are minus Zachary and Alexander (Xander for much longer, Zachary will be home August 10th).  We still have so much to do each day, the most unchangeable being Nikita's evening stable chores for her horse in the next town over. 

So tonight Jamie was running up to get Nikita while I cooked dinner, and suddenly Kimberly decided it was bottle time. 

Amelia stepped up to the task of meeting her baby sister's needs.

I was so proud of Amelia and Kimberly looking at her adoringly.  They were not two little adopted girls who have Down Syndrome...they were a just a big girl and her baby sister. 

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And the mischievous brother?  

He does love his sisters, but oh my goodness is he a busy little boy!!