Christmas Letter

I found this on a blog and just had to share. 

The letter that no orphan wants to receive

Dear little orphan,
I saw your photo today. You are so adorable!

Your eyes are so deep and full of hope.

I love your little smile, I know it must be hard most
days to find the strength to smile.

I have heard how little food you have,

and that sometimes you have to share food with your friends.
What a sweet and giving little person you are!

But I am writing this letter to tell you that I will not be able to help you.

You see my family is happy with the life we are living.

We already have four children and it would just be too much bother to the rest of our family to try and help you. 
I know that we could get bunk beds and you could share
 a room with one of our bio kids but really that is no life for either of you.

We have so much going on around here and life would be
too chaotic to add another child to our family.
We already have two children in dance classes and two
that play sports.  Christmas is coming up soon and our
children already have a Christmas list a mile long of things
they simply must have!  They have to keep up with their friends
when it comes to the latest toys and technology!
I have a ladies night out next week and I have nothing to wear.
I really need to purchase a new outfit.  I guess I could sponsor
you but it will have to wait until next month. I really
need that new outfit and my children are "dying" for some
fast food tonight.  Good luck to you and I hope that you
will find your forever family soon!

Merry Christmas from the Jones family

Please don't be one of the Jones' !!! Even if you can't adopt an orphan yourself, you could

help another family bring one home

All I want for Christmas is a family

If Victoria knows what Christmas is then I am sure what she wants for Christmas is a family. 

I had tears coming down my face two nights ago as I held my 8 month old.  You see she was sick and couldn't quit coughing.  I held her and comforted her until she was able to comfortably fall asleep on me.  We slept in a chair, so that she could be elevated and breath easier.  I wasn't upset by this inconvenience to my sleep, oh no.  I was grateful that I was able to be there for my baby in her time of need.  I was thankful that she could lay her head on my chest and feel secure.  The tears came when I realized that Victoria has never had that experience.  When she is sick no one is there to comfort her.  If she is hurt, she has learned to soothe herself.  Nightly she puts herself to sleep, there is no story time.  There is no good night kiss and tuck ins.  If she wakes up in the middle of the night with a bad dream, she does not have someone to tell her it is ok and make sure she can go back to sleep.  It makes me cry for this little girl who has seen other children being picked.  Other children getting hugs and kisses from their new Mama's and Papa's and wondering when hers are coming.  I look at the link in the post below and see her sweet smile and it amazes me that she can smile like that in world she lives in.  Can you imagine her smile if she had a family?  Are you her family?  Will you be the one to comfort her?  Will you be the one to give her good night kisses and tuck her in?  Will you be her Santa Claus?  Will you give her the best gift of all?  Will you be her family?

I leave you with a link to the song ""All I Want For Christmas Is A Family"
 

Being Transfered

If this picture has caught your attention.  Please read this blog post (click post) from a mother who knows what it means to be transferred.  She has just returned from adopting her son from Victoria's country.  I can't explain it the way she can.  She has seen what it looks like and she know first hand what it means.  Her son has the same condition as Victoria except his arms are more affected.  If you want to know what joy these children can bring, please read more of her journey with her son.  Please don't look at this picture and turn away.  Please open your eyes, hearts and read what it really means to me transferred.  This is Victoria's reality, but worse because she can't walk yet.  In case you need to see that beautiful smile again (click smile)

Victoria's Life

I don't know if I will be truly able to describe to you what a day is like for Victoria, but I am going to try.  Well I guess decribing the day is not hard.  She sits in her bed.   That's it.  She is left in her bed all day.  Some children like Victoria are tied to their bed.  This is because they can get out of it, but can't walk.  She will come in contact with someone when they come to give her food and change her clothes.  She may get feed everyday, but she probably does not get changed that often.  That is the contact that she has with her caregivers.  It is not because her caregivers don't want to do more, but there is probably only 2 caregivers for 30-40 kids.  They are truly busy women.  She craves attention.  She wants someone to love her, but because she cannot walk she is left in her bed.  How do I know she craves attention?  I know because a beautiful organization life2oprhans comes into her institution and plays with the kids.  I sure they don't come everyday, but if you have seen the pictures in the link then you have seen how she lights up when they do.  Please share this blog and Victoria's picture, so her family can find her.  Please help her, so she can learn what life is like outside of her bed.    

Did you pick me?

This is a post I read on another blog (click to see blog). It made me sad. Victoria has seen other children come and go all her life. She is old enough to know that others are getting families and she is not. She has had 7 years of not getting picked. You might think because of where she is she might not see that anymore, but she does. Just recently one of her roommate got picked and Victoria had to know again it wasn't her turn. Please someone fall in love with this little girl like I have and go pick her.

Trying again

I am not sure why the second link is not working. Let me try again, because it is the better of the two pictures.

www.life2orphans.org/photofeed/main.php?g2_itemId=35807

Links to Pictures

Ok I know what you want. You want to see more pictures of this cutie. Well you are in luck today. I have two links that have recent pictures of this princess. More info to come. Right now just go check out the beautiful smile.

www.life2orphans.org/photofeed/main.php?g2_itemId=35886

http://www.life2orphans.org/photofeed/main.php?g2_itemID=35807

How did I find her?

I am sure that is what you are asking yourself. How did I come across this beautiful girl to advocate for? I found this wonderful organization that believes that every child deserves the love of a family even if they have special needs. No, they are not an adoption agency. They are an organization that gives a voice to orphans that have down syndrome and other special needs. This great organizations has partnered with local in county people to find these forgotten children. There hope is that by giving these children a face that there family will find them. They also raise money for children to help their families off set the expenes of adoption. If you would like to visit there website here is the link. http://www.reeecesrainbow.org/ To go directly to the page where Victoria is and to see her description use this link. reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/angels-6. Stay tunned for new pictures, why Victoria, and what you can do to help.

About Victoria

Victoria is a beautiful 7 year old girl. She is waiting in Eastern Europe for a family to come and rescue her. She has been placed in a mental institution, not because she is mentally disabled, but because she has arthrogryposis. This condition has been untreated and at this time she cannot walk. Arthrogryposis is not a progressive disease. It is a disease that affects your tendons. She was born with it and does not get worse with age. Does the fact she cannot walk stop her from smiling even thought she lives in horrible conditions? Nope, so can you imagine what her smile would look like if she found out she has a family. Stay tuned for more pictures, more about her condition, and more about what you can do to help her find her family.