Looking Back and Something Huge

Do you recognize these faces?






Look familiar?

These are the sweet little faces that we prayed over and stared at and hung onto while we worked and waited during our adoption process last year. So so precious!!

But they almost don't even look like the sweet faces of today!!

Victoria (Magda)

Anna (Arianna)

What an amazing difference!!

Looking back on this day, 2 years ago (March 17, 2009), the day we found out that our first and only little girl after 6 boys would be born with a heart defect, duodenal atresia, and Down syndrome. As you probably can guess (or in some cases, you know), that kind of news is quite a shock. Especially when you are not expecting it! It was a crazy few months of our life.

We did not realize it then, but that little girl would turn out to be one of the biggest blessings of our life! And she would be the inspiration for something else to come, something huge!

I don't need to go into the details of all the feelings that come when you are handed that diagnosis of DS, because I think most people either know from experience or can probably imagine what it feels like. I do think you can never really know how it feels unless you've experienced it, but I also think that is why the abortion rate in this country is so high for babies who are prenatally diagnosed with DS. People are just so afraid of it I guess...

Anyway, what most people don't know about is the love. And the joy. And the most amazing wonderful blessing they would have, if they would just allow it into their lives!! There is something very special and unique and wonderful about a child/person with Down syndrome!!

Fast forward to March 18, 2010 -- a year ago tomorrow. All of our paperwork had been sent in to Reece's Rainbow and it was finally official that we were committing to adopt "Magda" and "Arianna".

One year ago tomorrow!!!

Wow that is just amazing to me! And just 7 short months later almost to the day (it actually seemed very long at the time), we were stepping off an airplane after just having crossed the great Atlantic, with 2 brand new daughters in tow. So cool and so amazing and so huge!! And so very much a God thing!!

We are so very thankful for the blessing of our sweet daughter Madalyn, who opened our eyes to the world of Down syndrome. Thank you Jesus!! Without her, we would not have our little Victoria and Anna!!

Also for the ministry of Reece's Rainbow who showed us where our daughters were. (And who work tirelessly to find homes for so many orphans with special needs). What an wonderful organization which is helping SAVE the LIVES of orphans!!!



My 3 little beauties

Toria and Madalyn getting tired of picture taking

Anna telling a big story. She's always "saying" something! :)

And now here I sit, 5 months later, with my little girls playing on the floor beside me! What an amazing journey this last 2 years has been! I am one busy Mommy right now. 7 kids at home...ages 12,9,7,3,2,2,23 months. (Madalyn will be 2 exactly one month from today). But I could not be happier and I wouldn't trade my life for anything!!

Our family is so blessed!!