Wednesday, March 21, 2012

World Down Syndrome Day

In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, please stop by Patti's blog and help save an orphan born with Down syndrome too.

http://babynumber10.blogspot.com/


love, "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

Thursday, March 15, 2012

5 months today

Five months ago today, we landed on U.S. soil with our son.  Jadon Andrew. No longer the left behind birth-child of Igor and Natalia. No longer the forgotten brother of Olga. He became the WANTED child of Shawn and Christie, beloved brother of Jared, Joseph and Jackson.

This past week,  I have been thinking of his birth-family, A LOT and their loss being our gain. The weather here has been gorgeous. We are out and about a lot. People frequently stop and say "your baby is so cute..." or "awww, look at those glasses" or "how old is your baby". See, no one here has any clue that Jadon is not biologically mine.

Jadon is growing, but he is still very much the size of an infant and not the toddler he is aged. When we met him in Kirovograd, Jadon was barely 28 inches tall, his head circumference was 17 inches, his feet were 4 inches long and he weighed 18 lbs. or so. Clothing sized 9 months were too large on him. His ribs jutted out from his chest, his hipbones stuck out.


In just a mere 5 months, a total of 150 days, Jadon has grown over 3 inches in height, his noggin has gained a full inch in circumference, his wee feet are still tiny but have grown 1/4 of an inch, and he has gained OVER 6 lbs. Today, he wears size 18-24 month sized shirts and 18 month pants his baby sized 2 shoes are now getting small on him.






Jadon is now getting speech therapy, occupational therapy twice a week and physical therapy once a week. He is also in school now. You should have seen the ladies that evaluated him for school...they were smitten to say the least. Jadon also receives therapies at school.

Apparently, the physical therapy is working...bugger can do this now. 
Not too shabby for a boy who would not crawl for two full days when we got him.
and he can get all the way into Jackson's bed on his own if we let him...turkey! LOL 

Yesterday, peanut had a blast at the park in the swing. 






It's the simple things. My family. My boys. My life. 

Today it is 32 degrees in Kirovograd, Ukraine....it's 74 degrees here today. Baby boy is loving being in the sun. It's the simple things, y'all. Truly. To each of you who helped us bring him home, I am forever thankful.

**and to the haters, thanks for stopping by--makes me smile; 
don't you have anything better to do than stalk adopting families or is your life that dull?**





"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

Saturday, March 10, 2012

God don't make no junk, y'all...

Our family went to our local Harvey Hinklemeyer's (restaurant) for dinner Thursday. Naturally, we are "larger" family and get "noticed" more readily than some.

Anyhow, a lady walked up to our table and said, "Your children are so well behaved...and this one here is so handsome (she was speaking of Jadon)." Then she asked if we were in the paper recently, I told her yes, we had been.

She began to tear up, and said, "my great-grandson had just been born around that time to my 18 year old grand-daughter and he has Down too and your story was such an inspiration to me".

I immediately said, "CONGRATULATIONS"!

She nearly began to cry....her voice broke, she lay her hand on her chest and said, emphatically, "THANK YOU." Through tears, she continued, "No one, not one person, has said to me, congratulations. Thank you."

She continued to talk to us for just a bit and then she left... I am so grateful for that moment to share with her.

God don't make no junk, y'all. 
Never has. Never will. 

You don't have to be happy your child has Down syndrome...
be proud they are here and THAT is something to CONGRATULATE.


love,


 "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Reprieve and Reflection

Wow, such a gorgeous day today. It is 64 degrees out right now, the sun is brightly shining. I just finished my final paper for my Business Comm class. Jadon is napping, Jackson has strep, and Joseph is happily watching Olivia!

I have a 6 day lull between now and the start of my Psych class--a reprieve. My jaw is killing me, I finished my antibiotics and my ear is hurting again already. Guess I will be filling that script to start all over again, no? I am going to wait two days though so I will just be finishing the meds when I have my root canal.

I read, well actually, my YouVersion Bible App read to me, the book of Esther today...I actually love the book of Esther. Her love for her people. Her commitment to the Jewish population, her unfailing love for Mordecai, the man whom she called father--the cousin who adopted her. The Festival of Purim is just around the corner for my Jewish friends.

Esther 9:28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

And it is so, each Jewish family I know celebrates these two days...such heritage, such tradition, such reflection.

Stop today and reflect on your heritage, your family, and traditions. What can you add from the bible into your family traditions? I know this is something I am going to do. My traditions growing up with a drug addicted father and a mother I saw only every other weekend were few and far between. I want more for my kids. I want MORE from my Heavenly Father. I want to know Him more, I want to show Him more, I want to LIVE him more. Do you?




love,



"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)