2009 Christmas Angel Tree
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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Arthrogryposis
taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrogryposis
Arthrogryposis, also known as Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, is a rare congenital disorder that is characterized by multiple joint contractures and can include muscle weakness and fibrosis. It is a non-progressive disease.
Frequently, the contractures are accompanied by muscle weakness, which further limits movement. AMC is typically symmetrical and involves all four extremities with some variation seen.
Here is a nice article about a successful adoption of a little one born with this disability:
Our Daughters Arthrogryposis
Our family has come in contact with so many beautiful children and families struggling with Arthrogryposis. They have been such an inspiration and encouragement to our family!Read more...
My husband and I did some ground work prior to accepting the referral of our daughter from the adoption agency. We attended a full-day seminar on Arthrogryposis at our local Children's Hospital headed by Dr. Judith Hall, the leading expert on the subject............
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday Focus on Down Syndrome - Fit for a King!
What a blessing it has been to seek out and share these stories of extraordinary men and women, who also happen to have Down Syndrome, each week. This week's story was originally posted here in the Tampa Bay Online ezine.
Published: October 29, 2009
TAMPA - The cafeteria went dark during Gaither High School's homecoming dance as it came time to crown the king and the queen.Standing center stage was Sam Piazza, a member of the senior homecoming court, wearing a tuxedo and shiny pink tie. At 19, Sam is older than most of his classmates, and he knows he's different in other ways, too.
He was nervous. His escort, 17-year-old Hannah Poole, reminded him to smile. If only he could remember to breathe.
Gaither has become his second home. It's where students hug one another and say, "I love you."
It's where Sam became a best friend, a boyfriend and a leader.
Read more...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
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OTHER ANGEL OF THE WEEK...VICTOR : )
MEET VICTOR
Born Sept. 6th 2005
SIGNIFICANT RISK :( Are You My Family??
Victor is QUITE functional dispite his challenges. VICTOR was born with spina bifida & hydrocephaly. He struggles with his speech as well.
From a family that seen VICTOR in June of 09, said they did not hear Victor speak, but he was walking and laughing with the other kids. They said he looked to be doing very well.
VICTOR will face the INSTITUTION. He is ALREADY 4 years old.
PLEASE CONSIDER RESCUING VICTOR, by contacting ANDREA for more information. bamaroberts@comcast.net
VICTOR has $25.00 in his adoption GRANT FUND. Lets help VICTOR this week by making him SHINE like the BRIGHT STAR he truly is. Lets raise his grant fund to $100.00.
PLEASE go to reecerainbow.org/otherangels/boys/victor
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
New buttons!
The Marchenko's Family, adopted Evie from Ukraine months ago.Polly, their bio daughter with DS was just diagnosed with Moya Moya, please join us to pray for Polly
http://rrbuttons.blogspot.com/2009/10/praying-for-polly.html
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The Riben family are in the process of adopting 3 'babies' from Eastern Europe, join them to their journey by reading their blog, and help them through donations and/or prayers
http://rrbuttons.blogspot.com/2009/10/tara-eastern-europe.html
Read more...
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Angel of the week
Meet Antom
Boy, Born September 5, 2006Look at this little monkey! Dark hair and dark eyes, he is just waiting to be yours! Anton is HEALTHY and doing very well. He is crawling and cruising and very active. He is a favorite in the orphanage.
Anton is still young enough to benefit from early intervention therapy! Please give him a chance!
Contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $1000 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Read more...
Monday, October 26, 2009
As One We Can Families Of The Week: The Bergmann's & The Westbrook Families
I just LOVE seeing families come together! Today's a special day in our home..We've been blessed by our Isaac being home for 3 months today :)
It gives me great joy to be able to be a part of helping all the wonderful families on RR see their families become whole. This weeks families are getting ready to add to their homes too! For alot of us, we've seen little Ruslana find a family, have it not work and then have to sit & wait again. God is so good & has opened the hearts of the Westbrook family to long for her..Yay! :) Now she's getting close to coming home!
And Dylan? Oh my, just look at his smile! Melt my heart for sure!!! lol :D The Bergmann family is bring him home so he can have his family & the care he so needs..I love it!
I'm so proud to be a part of this family of adopting parents :)
***MAY GOD BLESS OUR GIVINGS & STRETCH THEM IN A MIGHTY WAY FOR BOTH FAMILIES!***
Please join my family in praying for these families this week :)
God bless you all!~Alysha~one blessed mama :)
DYLAN for The Bergmann Family--Eldridge, IA
Deb & Dave Bergmann are hoping to adopt our handsome Dylan. He does not have Down syndrome, but has a heart condition which will need attention. He sure does have a fabulous smile!
They already have a current home study, so they are hoping to complete their dossier very quickly. They are praying for support in raising the funds to bring this little guy home.
10/26/09---APPT IS NOVEMBER 9!
Deb & Dave Bergmann are hoping to adopt our handsome Dylan. He does not have Down syndrome, but has a heart condition which will need attention. He sure does have a fabulous smile!
They already have a current home study, so they are hoping to complete their dossier very quickly. They are praying for support in raising the funds to bring this little guy home.
10/26/09---APPT IS NOVEMBER 9!
I have $285 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
RUSLANA for The Westbrook Family--Gainesville, GA
YAY! Our baby Ruslana has a family!
Slade and Elizabeth Westbrook have stepped forward to rescue our beautiful Ruslana in Eastern Europe.
The Westbrooks are already mid home study and are hopeful to have a dossier completed quickly, so they can prevent Ruslana from being sent to the institution. Your gifts would be so appreciated, as there is little time for major fundraising efforts!
10/24/09---DOSSIER EN ROUTE
I have $599.60 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Only 7 more days until the Christmas Angel Tree!
It is very hard to believe that we are already here again...but wow, what a productive "pre-Tree" period we have had this year, with lots of planning and involvement by so many members of our Reece's Rainbow family. A new program is being tried this year for more focused fundraising efforts for our children. It is called "Christmas Warriors", and we are hopeful that this new method will result in even greater and more generous donations this year! You can read more abut that at www.reecesrainbow.org/christmaswarriors.html
This year we have 166 children with Down syndrome on our Angel Tree, and our hope is to raise $1000 or more for each of them.
Be ready, the countdown is here! Please share with others you know!
Andrea
Friday, October 23, 2009
Epilepsy
Last week I found out that my 9 year old bio. daughter has epilepsy. This is not ever anything a parent hopes for. But we were glad that they were able to give us a diagnosis because it was obvious that something wasn't right, and that things were getting worse.
We started noticing "episodes" sometime in May of 2009. She would zone out, space off, or not hear us. At first we weren't sure what was going on. By mid summer we were sure it wasn't a hearing problem, but she definitely would zone out for a very short time, sometimes as little as 5 seconds and sometimes a little longer.
By September the episodes of zoning out were more noticeable, lasting a bit longer and more frequent. I started to think maybe she was having seizures. That seemed so unlikely. Then her teacher witnessed a couple episodes and gave me a call.
So to wind things up, we took her to the Doctor. He ordered an EEG. 2 1/2 weeks later we got the call. The doctor confirmed that she was in fact having multiple seizures and she is now starting medication.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving repeated, spontaneous seizures of any type. Seizures ("fits," convulsions) are episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain. https://www.google.com/health/ref/Epilepsy
My daughter experiences what is known as Absence seizures, or childhood absence epilepsy.
Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), also known as pyknolepsy, is an idiopathic generalized epilepsy which occurs in otherwise normal children. The age of onset is between 4–10 years with peak age between 5–7 years. Children have absence seizures which although brief (~4–20 seconds), they occur frequently, sometimes in the hundreds per day.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_absence_epilepsy
Absence Epilepsy
People with absence epilepsy have repeated absence seizures. Absence epilepsy tends to run in families. The seizures frequently begin in childhood or adolescence. If the seizures begin in childhood, they usually stop at puberty.
Although the seizures don't have a lasting effect on intelligence or other brain functions, children with absence epilepsy frequently have so many seizures that it interferes with school and other normal activities.
Absence seizures.
Absence seizures, also called petit mal (which means "little sickness"), cause a momentary loss of consciousness. These episodes usually last less than 30 seconds and may be so brief that they go unnoticed. People with absence epilepsy can experience as many as 50 to 100 of these seizures a day. They may look as though they are simply staring off into space or they may go rigid or jerk and twitch.
Epilepsy usually is diagnosed after a person has had two or more seizures that are not provoked or caused by a specific medical illness. When epilepsy is present, a person is said to have a tendency to recurring seizures. While seizures can be caused by injury to the brain or family tendencies, the majority of times, there is no known cause of epilepsy. http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/understanding_seizures
The following link is to the video which resembles what my daughter experiences. It helps to see why it took us a while to identify what was going on as a definite medical issue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9V2sNmIoJk
Now that I am aware, the seizures are very obvious to me. They have also increased in time and intensity. She is ready to feel "normal" again, as she usually recognizes when she has had one. She has missed parts of tests, lectures, instructions, when to get off the bus, when we call her, when it is her turn to read aloud, when to come in from recess and more. It is so hard to see her able to take in only part of her day. To see her left with blanks throughout the day that she knows she has missed leaves her feeling sad, scared, alone and dumb.
Epilepsy is a treatable condition, and there are children waiting right now on Reeces Rainbow that are dealing with it without the love and security of a family. Do not let a diagnosis like this keep you from letting your heart fall for them! Read more...
Friday Focus on Down Syndrome ~ Spanish Actor with Down Syndrome Wins Top Film Award
Photo from BBC News
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain — A Spanish actor with Down's syndrome, Pablo Pineda, picked up the best actor prize at the San Sebastian film festival on Saturday for his touching portrayal of a man with the disability.
In the movie "Yo, Tambien" ("Me Too") Pineda plays a 34-year-old man with Down's syndrome who earns a university degree and then falls in love with a colleague at work.
Pineda's character, Daniel Sanz from Seville, is the only person with Down's syndrome to obtain a university diploma in Europe, and the film tells the story of him starting out in his first job in regional social services.
The character's story mirrors the actor's own life. Pineda has a university degree in special education and he gives a convincing and moving portrayal of Sanz as he adapts to the demands of his first job.
To play Sanz with a range of emotions from joy to disappointment and sadness "called for a lot of introspection, I had to relive some very difficult moments," said Pineda after the feature-length film by directors Antonio Naharro and Alvaro Pastor was screened at the festival.
Pineda's co-star Lola Duenas, who plays the work colleague that his character falls in love with, also captured the spotlight at the festival in northern Spain, winning the best actress award.
In 1996, Belgian actor Pascal Duquenne was awarded best actor at the Cannes film festival along with Daniel Auteuil for their roles as a duo in the film "Le huitieme jour" ("The Eighth Day").
Deaf American actress Marlee Matlin meanwhile won an Academy Award in 1986 for her portrayal of a deaf woman in "Children of a Lesser God".
Copyright © 2009 AFP Read more...
Thursday, October 22, 2009
OTHER ANGEL OF THE WEEK....NADYA : )
Born February 26th of 2003
NADYA has been waiting for a VERY VERY long time.
Her caretakers describe her as a really nice girl, with adequate reaction when people are talking to her. Nadya is friendly, speaks, walks independently and potty trained.
Nadya MEDICAL RECORDS indicate mental retardation but there is no specific diagnosis or cause for this cognitive delay.
Nadya does not have any other noted health complications.
Her biological Mother DIED in 2005 and her Father is UNKNOWN.
Legally available for ADOPTION NOW.
Could you be her FOREVER family??
If interested in adopting Nayda, and for more information please contact ANDREA.
If interested in supporting NAYDA's adoption GRANT please go to reecerainbow.org
other angels older children.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Angel of the Week
Meet Sophia
Girl Born February 21, 2008So many beautiful new babies from this orphanage! And so many who can be adopted together, and with ARTYOM! Beautiful Sophia has light brown hair and blue eyes. She has an open oval window, but no other heart disease. She is doing well and is waiting for her family!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
As One We Can Families Of The Week:
My apologies for no families being posted last week, my computer was out of commission, but all is well now :)
This weeks families are The Drummond's & The Sensiba's..Both getting ready to head out soon!
The Word of God says He loves a cheerful giver...Please be prayerful in your giving and for these two families & for their up coming trips to their children.
~~MAY GOD BLESS OUR GIFTS AND STRETCH THEM IN A MIGHTY WAY!!~~
OSKAR for The Drummond Family--Jonesboro, AR
Patrick and Shea Drummond are hoping to adopt our sweet little Oskar from Estonia. Oskar is one of our "Other Angels".
Patrick and Shea Drummond are hoping to adopt our sweet little Oskar from Estonia. Oskar is one of our "Other Angels".
10/8/09---COURT IS NOVEMBER 2!
I have $365 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Follow the Drummond family's adoption journey on their blog at http://www.bringinmysonhome.blogspot.com/
ELISABETA for The Sensiba Family---Germany
David and Amy Sensiba are hoping to adopt our little Elisabeta in Eastern Europe.
David and Amy Sensiba are hoping to adopt our little Elisabeta in Eastern Europe.
10/6/09---APPT IS OCTOBER 26TH!
I have $75 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
May we bless God with our lives this week! Blessings to you all~Alysha, one blessed mama.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
LETTER for FREE Calendar
Just a quick note to let you know that you can download the letter to accompany the FREE Calendar! DOWNLOAD
Read more...
atypical autism [PDD-NOS]
Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is one of the pervasive developmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders.
PDD-NOS is a diagnosis for people who are well-described by the "PDD" label, but cannot be categorized by any other disorder. It is usually milder than autism and has similar symptoms to autism, with some symptoms present, and others absent. This disorder is sometimes called "atypical autism" by autism specialists. The boundaries between PDD-NOS and non-autistic conditions are not fully resolved.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDD-NOS]
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PDD-NOS is often incorrectly referred to as simply “PDD.” The term PDD refers to the class of conditions to which the five disorders belong to. PDD is not itself a diagnosis, while PDD-NOS is a diagnosis. To further complicate the issue, PDD-NOS can also be referred to as “atypical personality development,” “atypical PDD,” or “atypical Autism”.
Because of the "NOS", which means "not otherwise specified", it is hard to describe what PDD-NOS is, other than it being an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some people diagnosed with PDD-NOS are close to having Asperger syndrome, but do not quite fit. Others have near full fledged autism, but without some of its symptoms. The psychology field is considering creating several subclasses within PDD-NOS.
Symptoms of PDD may include communication problems such as:
* Difficulty using and understanding language
* Difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; for example, lack of eye contact or pointing behavior
* Unusual play with toys and other objects
* Difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings
* Repetitive body movements or behavior patterns
Diagnosis is usually done during early childhood. Some clinicians use PDD-NOS as a "temporary" diagnosis for children under the age of 5, when for whatever reason there is a reluctance to diagnose autism. There are several justifications for this: very young children have limited social interaction and communication skills to begin with, therefore it can be tricky to diagnose milder cases of autism in toddlerhood. The unspoken assumption is that by the age of 5, unusual behaviors will either resolve or develop into diagnosable autism. However, some parents view the PDD label as no more than a euphemism for autism spectrum disorders, problematic because this label makes it more difficult to receive aid for Early Childhood Intervention.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervasive_developmental_disorder#Symptoms]
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Want to know more? I found the following article helpful and interesting.
http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/?p=347
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday Focus on Down Syndrome ~ A Wedding!
Thursday, 10/11/07
Couple with Down syndrome prepare to wed
They expect their love to transcend limitations
By CLAUDIA PINTO
Staff Writer
Doctors referred to Gwenn Resha's baby as a "mongoloid idiot" and advised her to put the infant in a nursery and have another one real quick.
"They said nursery, but they were meaning institution," Resha said. "Back then, there was no expectation that people with Down syndrome would do anything but sit and vegetate."
Resha's daughter, Berna dette, has helped to debunk that once-widespread be life. The 28-year-old has graduated from high school, acted as a paid spokeswoman for Easter Seals and Special Olympics, appeared in the movie Gummo and become an accomplished artist whose paintings sell for hundreds of dollars.
On Nov. 11, she will do something else that experts a generation ago would not have thought possible: she is getting married to a man who also has Down syndrome.
Read more...
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Watch, Cry, Share, ACT...
Andrea Roberts will be presenting to the Buddy Cruise travelers about Reece's Rainbow! And she's created this beautiful video to open her presentation. Please watch- and share. And allow it change you...
CHILD OF THE WEEK-Other Angel ARIANNA
SIGNIFICANT RISK-Are You My Family
ARIANNA-Girl-Born May 27th 2004
Diagnosed with CP, EPI Syndrome and Microcephaly
ARIANNA is so BEAUTIFUL...But she still waits for her FOREVER Family.
ARE YOU THE FAMILY to give ARIANNA the life she deserves.
Arianna is not walking yet, but wants to so badly.
PLEASE consider saving her and giving her the chance to maximize her potential in a loving FAMILY.
Arianna is ALREADY 5 years old, and could be TRANSFERRED so VERY VERY soon !
PLEASE contact Victoria directly for more information at vic@aboutachild.org if your interested in adopting ARIANNA. You can also contact Andrea at bamaroberts@comcast.net
ARIANNA has 0 dollars in her adoption ACCOUNT. This is Arianna's week to shine so let's help her reach $100.00. IF you want to help Arianna out, please go to reecerainbow.org/angelgirls.html ((Please note that its for ARIANNA):)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Meet AJ!
A.J.
Boy, Born November 13, 2008
AJ is our very youngest ever to be referred from this country. He is 10 months old now. He does have a very minor heart murmur, but outside of that, he is healthy and doing great. New laws in this country are now in AJ's favor, and he no longer has to wait to be eligible for adoption.
Contact Andrea for more information
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Albinism
[This is a photo from the article. Kenyan and Khari are african-american twins.]
Albinism is a hereditary condition in which the skin, hair and eyes produce little or no melanin, resulting in a lack of pigmentation. "In addition to a distinct color difference, people with albinism also suffer from low vision and nystagmus, a condition marked by involuntary eye movement. Some people with albinism, traditionally referred to as albinos, are even legally blind. ... [It] affects one out of every 20,000 people worldwide and cuts across all ethnicities and even the animal kingdom. [It] is the result of a recessive gene both parents must have."
This article, http://abcnews.go.com/2020/overcoming-social-stigma-albinism/Story?id=8551660&page=1, takes a look at the struggles and triumphs of individuals with Albinism. It is both heartbreaking, and inspiring. As with many disabilities, there are those who refuse to understand and instead tease, hurt, and deflate those they consider too different.
For more information, please visit http://www.albinism.org/
Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday Focus on Down Syndrome
Published: October 5, 2009
Ashton Trescott had a homecoming weekend any high school senior would love. She was nominated to the homecoming court. Then, as all of her classmates and fans at the Hidden Valley football game looked on, she was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Ashton was born with down syndrome, and diagnosed with Autism at an early age. This past summer, doctors also told her she has Alzheimer’s.
Friday night, her mother Leah Baker was overwhelmed. “I’m so happy for her. She was already a princess, and now she is a queen,“ Baker said.
She added, “I’m proud of this community. Proud of the students for embracing her and showing their love and support on our journey. This is home, and it can’t be replaced.“
Ashton and Leah also had a great time at the Hidden Valley Homecoming Dance Saturday night.
Just a few weeks ago, the two took a trip through the Make-A-Wish Foundation to California, where they met some of the actors from the Disney Channel.
Soon, they will be attending a Miley Cyrus sound check in Washington D.C. Cyrus plays Hannah Montana on Ashton’s favorite Disney Channel show.
Special night for Hidden Valley's homecoming queen...
18-year-old Ashton Trescott was born with down syndrome,
diagnosed with Autism at an early age, and just recently
diagnosed with Alzheimer's Read more...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
CHILD OF THE WEEK-Other Angel Dmitriy
DMITRIY
Boy Born Dec. 26th 2005
Significant Risk-ARE YOU MY FAMILY?
This little guy may not be able to see you, but he can hear and FEEL your loving touch. He is 3 years old, soon to be 4, a day after Christmas. Dmitriy was born blind. Missing one eye and blind in the other. This special Angel has very little chance of being adopted because of his blindness.
The photo is from July of 2008.
Dmitriy is doing amazingly well. Just LOOK how Dmitriy is grasping the hands of his caretaker. He needs a FAMILYS love NOW!
If you are interested in adopting Dmitriy, or know of someone hoping to adopt a blind child, please contact Andrea directly for more information. bamaroberts@comcast.net
Dmitriy has $45.00 in Grant Money! This is DMITRIYS WEEK TO SHINE:) Help him reach $100.00 this WEEK by sending donations to his Grant Fund.
www.reecerainbow.org/angelboys.html and note that it's for Dmitiry
Sunday, October 4, 2009
So What's "As One We Can" All About Anyway?
It's about Reece's Rainbow families being in service to each other as we travel down this road to the end of our rainbow...our children. The families that are adopting a child found thru RR share a common thread different then other adopting families. Our call is to bring home our children whom others view as worthless. All the RR families are stepping out in faith to bring home a child or children with special needs. The Reece's Rainbow family is a tight one with many welcoming arms.This 'Joining as one to bring them home' was created to help the families who are close to traveling for their child & are still in financial need to be pin-pointed for the week so that we (other RR adopting families) can join as one & all donate to these particular families. If we each give only $5 or $10 dollars to these families our gifts will add up. This donation amount is just a suggestion. Any amount is welcome & helpful. My prayer is that each family donating will be prayerful in their giving and give as the Lord so leads. So with that being said...
May He stretch our gifts in a mighty way, in only the way He can! :)
AND REMEMBER....~GOD DOESN'T CALL THE EQUIPPED, HE EQUIPS THE CALLED!
~Dancing in His grace, Alysha~one blessed mama
Our As One We Can Families~The Mastroianni's & The Nemes :)
I'm so excited to be a part of this team! I love being able to come together with other families & aid them in bringing their children home from afar~What an amazing blessing it is to help each other!..I know that without your help, our Isaac might not have gotten home, so thank you :)
Okay...this week we have two beauties who'll be coming home soon! Yay!! I'm always left in awe to see a child who I've seen over & over again going unclaimed finally in the home God set apart for them. Not only does He change their lives, He changes ours. All around is blessings when you bring a child home.
This is Morgan. I love her eyes :) This family blesses me! I love to read Michelle's blog and see how God is working in their lives thru this journey. Their dossier has been submitted, so travel is anytime now. They could really use our help now. Remember, any amount in welcome and helpful.
MORGAN for The Mastroianni Family--Raleigh, NC
Dominic and Michele Mastroianni have been called to adopt a special needs child, specifically deaf. They have moved forward to adopt sweet Morgan from Eastern Europe.
After many miscarriages and being told they had less than a 3% chance to successfully conceive a child, the Lord blessed this family with 3 biological children, now ages 6, 5, and 3. One of their children is a special needs child. A year ago Michele miscarried again, this time very seriously in her second trimester. Dominic said he did not want any more children after that. Michele�s heart though had yearned for more, but she never brought it up again after the miscarriage, in obedience to his request. She fully trusted that God had a plan for their family, whether it be 3 children, or more. One year later Dominic came forward and said wouldn't it be nice if there were more children in their family, and that he would consider adoption. Needless to say Michele was surprised! She went to the Lord in prayer and He spoke loud and clear that the answer was yes, and that it would be a child who is deaf. Through a Divine appointment one evening at a home-schooling meeting, Michele found Reece�s Rainbow, and there was Morgan � a 3 year old girl who is deaf, in Eastern Europe � what an awesome God we serve.
Dominic owns his own business as a manufacturer�s representative, and Michele is a full-time home-schooling mom. They live in Raleigh, North Carolina with their 3 wonderful children. The children are so excited about bringing Morgan home to become part of their family. They are praying for her each night, and have counted all their coins they have been saving to help them bring Morgan home! This family has no experience with sign language, but knows that God will give them everything they need to help Morgan blossom like a beautiful flower.
9/28/09---DOSSIER SUBMITTED
Follow the adoption journey of the Mastroianni family on their blog at http://www.walkingbyfaithadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/
I have $0 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
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Oh, little Anastasia. She was one of our angels last year and to see her getting ready to come home is so AWESOME! If you've never stopped by Amberlyn's blog, you'd really must! She's always refreshing and honest with great witt. I can't wait to see little Anastasia home :) She'll fit in wonderfully with her new sisters. The Nemes family have submitted their dossier, so they too will be traveling soon. Let's help them with this journey.
ANASTASIA for The Nemes Family--Spanaway, WA
The Nemes family is excited to grow! Tom and Amberlyn have 3 year old Alexis and 10 month old Benjamin. They felt God�s call to add to their family not that long ago and have been in awe of watching Him work. How generous the Lord is to allow each of us to be part of His work is our own way. What glorious change He brings to our hearts as we obey and trust Him.
Anastasia has already made her way into the hearts of this growing family and those that are part of their lives. She is such a blessing already, and was before they even knew her name or face. Because she is already four, she is facing imminent institutionalization. They pray that they can bring her home quickly so that this can be prevented.
Please consider helping this family by lifting them up in prayer for their journey!
9/30/09---DOSSIER EN ROUTE
I have $25 in my FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
As always, please be prayerful in your givings, and MAY GOD BLESS OUR GIFTS & STRETCH THEM IN A MIGHTY WAY FOR EACH OF THESE FAMILIES!
Blessings to you all, Alysha~one blessed mama.
Ps..both these families can be found here: http://reecesrainbow.com/familysponsorshipalmostthere.htm
Read more...
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Buttons update
This Child of the Month Button
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We have two new buttons , lets help this two wonderful families as they start the journey of adoption
Grab This Button
Grab This Button
Grab This Button
Grab This Button
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Max, Jacob and Laurel are Home with their forever families
Max, Jacob and Laurel are Home with their forever families
¡FELICIDADES!
For more buttons, commited families blogs and sponsor pages visit http://rrbuttons.blogspot.com/
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Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday Focus on Down Syndrome
When Robert Pio Hajjar was born, the doctors told his parents to 'put him away and forget about him'. They painted a pretty grim picture of what his life would be like, filled with disappointment and unfulfilled dreams. His parents disagreed. They said he was a gift from God and took him home.You see, 29 years ago when Robert was born, he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and the doctors thought that meant his life would never amount to anything. But Robert's parents didn't accept that 'life sentence' and neither did Robert.
He has more than proven the doctors wrong. Things that others may have done quicker, he still accomplished. He graduated from High School, he's been a CAS volunteer since 2001; he holds a Special Olympics record in 25 metre freestyle; he plays golf, hockey and baseball and was best man at his uncle's wedding.
In 2006, through a special conversation between Robert and his Aunt, Ideal-Way.ca was born. It began with his life savings of $62.05 and his desire to help others like himself.
“You will never be happier and God will be very happy too" are the words Robert used to convince his Aunt to work with him to help him with his dream to educate others about disabilities, provide financial relief for those disabled individuals who have low incomes and to provide programs for learning for intellectually disabled individuals.
Today Robert is a motivational speaker seeking to educate people on the truths about Down Syndrome and other disabilities.
What IDEAL-WAY do
“You will never be happier and God will be very happy too"......
Community Education
An unique approach to positively
re-educating mainstream society,
by publicly empowering persons
with intellectual disability,
makes Ideal-Way an outstanding
leader for the community of
persons that are intellectually
disabled."
Relief of Poverty
To relieve poverty by providing
basic amenities, including food,
clothing and household goods to
low income individuals with
disabilities, in financial need
or of small/limited means.
Provide programs to persons with intellectual disabilities
Recreational Art &; Literacy programs on a Provincial level. Ontario wide Poetry Contest and Ontario Wide Art Contest exclusively for persons with disabilities. The IDEAL Penpal Program, TIPP, exlusively for persons with intellectual disabilities.
If you would like to learn more about IDEAL-WAY, I would encourage you to visit their web site, IDEAL-WAY.ca to learn how you can get the upcoming Ideal-Way cookbook and so many other opportunities. "Just Show Up" to the IDEAL Blog, as well! You will also want to see this video of Robert giving one of his motivational speeches!
Robert's Aunt, Addie Daabous says beautifully what Ideal-Way strives to accomplish when she says,
"Persons with intellectual disability have a rightful place in our communities and they have the capability to emotionally touch others. If we let them, they can be our teachers and lead us to what matters most. IDEAL-WAY.ca believes persons with intellectual disability should be 'part of the community', and not just 'in the community'." Read more...
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Welcome to October!!
October is Down syndrome awareness month! And... it's the kickoff for the *NEW* Reece's Rainbow blog! Please share around that the RR blog is BACK UP AND RUNNING! We have a wonderful team to keep things flowing all week long :)
Let me give you just a small taste of what's to come...
- Weekly child profiles of children with Ds and 'other angels'
- Weekly articles about Down syndrome in the news
- Weekly highlights on important topics for Ds
- Weekly articles about people with other special needs
- Weekly family spotlights as we join with "As One We Can" to help adoptive families
- Notifications of important news in Reece's Rainbow's largest country programs
- Notifications from the Executive Director, Andrea Roberts, of RR 'news'
- Notifications of updates to the "rrbuttons" blog where you can grab buttons for your OWN blogs to help families
And... that blog makeover? It's coming SOON :) But not yet :) Read more...
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