Introducing the families of 39!

Here is Carter's family!
"Jason and Denise have been married for 14 years. They have 6 children ages 1-11. Denise has watched several families even as a young girl adopt children, none of them were children with special needs, though. As a matter of fact, before watching a fellow MOMYS friend adopt a very special little girl from Bulgeria (Blessing of Verity) Jason and Denise never knew such conditions even existed for children that had these needs. After realizing such conditions did indeed exist their hearts were broken, open and softened for children in these situations.
The “call” to adopt did not come for over a year later, when a special young girl was turning 16 and would soon be moved from her “home orphanage” to a place she did NOT deserve to be sent to. HOW COULD THIS BE? they cried out… HOW? The Collins’ 9 year old son was so very moved by this story and began praying that this young lady would find a family VERY VERY SOON. (maybe even be his family). As it turned out another WONDERFUL family was much more prepared to move FAST and bring this girl home to her new family. THAT was the DOOR that swung OPEN THE FLOOD GATES….
A few months later Carter caught Denise’s eye and she shared with Jason and the rest of the family…. yes indeed– this child BELONGED in their family– It was a feeling they had read about– but to experience that “KNOWING FEELING” was so peaceful and exciting!!
The Collins’ are working as hard as they can to proceed through this process as soon as possible to bring CARTER home… but they ask for your support both in prayer for this process and if you are led to help them financially to bring CARTER HOME.

6/6/12—HOMESTUDY in PROGRESS

Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog http://onemorespecialblessing.blogspot.com/

Here is Alexis' Family!
"The Duval family was already in process with Reece’s Rainbow to adopt a 6 year old boy. The subject had come up several times about adopting two children at once but Jim felt that it would be better to get one child home and then think about another child. In the meantime Sherrie had been advocating for Alexis hoping that she would find a family. From a contact that had met Alexis personally Sherrie knew that Alexis was an amazing young girl and a family would be blessed to have her for a daughter. The more Jim heard about Alexis the more he agreed that she would be an amazing daughter for some family. Finally, the Lord showed Jim that they were that family and Alexis was going to be their daughter. So they are in the beginning stages of the process to make a second trip this year, overseas, to bring home Alexis. Although, all the children are excited about having a new sister, Patience, the Duvals 9 year old, can’t wait to have a girl at home with her. So many preparations are being made aka shopping for pink, girly things while awaiting the necessary paperwork to be done.

3/26/12—HOME STUDY UPDATE IN PROGRESS

Follow the Duval family’s adoption journey on their blog at duvalquiver.blogspot.com

Here is Duncan's family!

"Cathy had been cruising RR for almost a year looking at all the sweet babies that needed Mommas.  But Tim seemed complacent at best.  Then Cathy happened to click on the tab for Newly Listed children.  There was Duncan.  Cathy has some experience with Cerebral Palsy through a family member.   So as she read Duncan’s story, she became angrier and angrier that this bright boy could face a mental institution .  She  grabbed Tim and said “Read that!”  To her complete amazement he responded by asking what the  first step was to adoption!
They have three boys at home already and feel that Duncan will fit right in.  They have a very short window to make this adoption happen for Duncan before he “ages out” of the system.
God has already answered many prayers (some that they didn’t even know they had!) surrounding this adoption.  Please pray that Duncan can join the “Daughton Gang” very soon!

5/24/12—DOSSIER COMPLETE; AWAITING USCIS APPROVAL

Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at  http://deliveringduncan.blogspot.com

Here is Samuel's family!

"Shane and Kim Stokes are the parents of 3 children who are 13, 11 and 7. Their youngest son has Down Syndrome. Since his birth, they have become a “resource” for other families in their community who have children with DS. One of the families in their city was given their name as “someone you HAVE to talk to” as they were adopting 2 children with DS in the near future. This contact was their introduction to Reece’s Rainbow. They assisted in bringing these 2 children home and were a part of their homecoming with great joy for them and their new family!

During that time, Kim started “stalking” RR and found child after child for whom she prayed would find their forever families. Each one found their forever home until she came across a child who stole her heart but never found his family and was close to being transferred to an institution. It wasn’t time for the Stokes to adopt this child, but it became their mission to find him a home. He was home a year later with a family in their Sunday School department!!! Now, they are “Uncle Shane” and “Aunt Kim” to that sweet boy and love having him so near!
Shane is an attorney who handles 70+ adoptions each year, and they thought their involvement in adoptions would be through his job and through them assisting families with resources and support in adoptions. But the Lord had other plans for their family. About a month and a half ago, they each (independently of one another) saw a post on FaceBook (from a mutual friend) of a teenage boy (named “Sam” on the website) who was aging out of an orphanage in Eastern Europe and would be put out onto the streets in just a couple of months. His picture and story tugged at their hearts, and thus began their quest to find a home for Sam. They both knew (together with their family) within just a few days of talking and praying that they were to be Sam’s forever home.
They are anxious to get Sam home to join his brother and sisters and to make up for so much lost time!! He is already loved and has a community of family and friends waiting to meet and welcome him home!

5/30/12—APPT RECVD

Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at http://notimpossiblewithgod.blogspot.com/

Here is Bernadette (Jessica) and Mason's family!

"The Rogers family is at it again! After being home only 4 months with their precious Prince Malachi and Princess Clare, they have felt the call to return. Erika is always looking on the Reece’s Rainbow site and praying for the children there. She saw an urgent need for 2 teenage boys that had to be adopted quickly. That got the wheels turning and she talked to Mel about if they thought an older child would fit in their family. They have 9 children ages 24-2, with 7 still at home. They knew what would happen to the older children once they turned 16 and felt that they couldn’t save them all but they could at least save one. When they saw Miss Bernadette’s face, they knew she was their daughter. With this energetic family, one is never enough, so they looked at all the children at Bernadette’s institution. Little “Monkey Man” Mason stood out as a ball of energy that they could see the other boys wrestling and playing with.

Having just completed an adoption, the family would appreciate any financial help and prayers to rescue these two children who are living on borrowed time.

5/31/12—DOSSIER SUBMITTED

Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at http://www.arainbowfamily.blogspot.com

Here is Tyler's family!

"Eddie and Bonnie first met on-line while they were both attending college in different states.  After a semester of friendly chatter they finally met in person and things just “clicked”.  Following a long-distance courtship, they were married in 1992.  The two have been blessed with (3) beautiful girls (17), (14), and (7) and one boy (9).  Another boy will be the perfect addition to this family.
They have had a lot of special needs experience through the years from Bonnie’s previous volunteer work as well as their middle daughter’s challenges following meningitis and a stroke at 1 year old.  They are “old hats” at reading doctor reports, IEP’s, and scheduling appointments.
It is with the greatest of faith that they step out and look forward to adding another son to their family through an online adoption ministry with the hope that it turns out as well as their on-line romance did 20 years ago!

6/6/12—DOSSIER EN ROUTE

 

Pryce has a family, but there isn't a page on RR.

Here is Patti's family!

"Sam and Laura met in college and the rest is history! They have been married 17 years and have five beautiful children. Their oldest was born with a deletion on his third chromosome, resulting in physical and cognitive disabilities. His presence in their lives has shown them the beauty and worth of every human being. Now fourteen years old, the challenges presented by his disabilities have taught Laura and Sam to trust the Lord to provide, and He always has! Their other four children are twelve, eight, five, and three years old. All five of their children are biological, but adoption has always been on Laura’s heart. It wasn’t the direction the Lord led them, however, until recently. Laura came across the Reece’s Rainbow website around Christmas last year, and began following some of the families’ journeys in adoption. While the idea of adopting a child with disabilities was great in theory, it didn’t seem possible for their family. That is, until Laura read about a young girl named Patti! Now the family is taking one baby step of faith at a time, until they can bring their new daughter home to meet her brothers and sisters.

5/22/12—DOSSIER EN ROUTE

Erin's family has not been announced yet!

Now there are four kids left at 39 available for adoption. 

From Renee:

Marcus:  He'll be 10 this December.  He has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair.  I've met him, personally, and talked with him.  He's sweet.  He's reserved.  And he's sad, because he truly believes no one will want a kid who doesn't walk.   He goes to school and is in the typical classes for a kid his age.  He was one of the first kids to get his photo taken by the facilitator- one of the first ones to admit he would like to be adopted last spring.  And now, he's the very last of that group of kids to be waiting.  Everyone else has been chosen- except for him.  So, he's going to see nine other kids be adopted this year (ten if you count our Emma from a couple of months ago) and no one come for him.  

The grief for me here is this:  Spring of 2011, he refused to let the facilitator take pictures of his legs or even see his legs, because he was so ashamed of them and felt like no family would want him because his legs were shriveled and useless.  February of 2012, he watched us there for six weeks, choosing to adopt Emma, whose legs were also useless and malformed, and he would stare at us.  He clearly didn't understand why we would want a kid that couldn't walk.  However- something about us being there and wanting Emma despite her wheelchair-dependent status touched Marcus' heart.  He agreed to be photographed again and this time, he took a big risk- he didn't cover his legs.  

I am literally in tears and nearly sick at my stomach at the thought of him realizing everyone else has a family and he does not- because I KNOW he's going to automatically assume it's because of his legs.  The thought of him feeling that rejected and passed over, I'd rather be punched in the gut than feel the way I do right now thinking about it.  

Mabel:  She turned seven in May.  Just last month, she had a birthday, and considering that she's stuck in a "Down Syndrome groupa" where they think she's incapable of learning, understanding anything or being a part of normal life, I can pretty much guarantee that she didn't even have a small birthday celebration.  I would doubt this sweet girl even knows what a birthday party is.  We don't know a lot about Mabel- we weren't allowed to see her at all.  I know that she's very very small for her age- the facilitator described her as "toddler size" and in fact, thought she was maybe 3 years old.  She was stunned to find out she was six, almost seven.  I know, from looking at her pictures that she likely has dry skin and probably some sensory issues- completely expected considering where she's lived and what she's known.  But there are many kids that have been adopted with sensory issues- Occupational Therapy helps.  Better diet and sleep and opportunities to live normal life help.  Lotion to help that chapped skin will help.  Mabel needs a family- she truly truly truly NEEDS a family- a special one, that can look past her clearly not photoshopped pictures and see the treasure within.  

Clarice:  This kiddo, who looks about 6 at best, is going to turn 13 years old next month.  July in the USA means celebrating our freedom and independence.  Unless a miracle occurs and a family steps forward for Clarice, our Independence Day 2015 will signal her never-ending imprisonment, because she'll be locked away forever.  Thirteen years of not having a family, thirteen years of not having anyone to call her own.  Three years from permanent transfer to a mental institution, all because she has Down Syndrome.  Clarice may also have FAS, it's hard to tell.  But even if she does, I know that God can still provide a wonderful family for her- a family with strong supports, patience and love overflowing.  A family called by God to love the unloved, to cherish the challenges and to step out in faith to make a difference to a special child. 

Greta:   (I love Greta- she looks like my brother, if he were a girl and had Down Syndrome lol)  Sweet Greta is precariously close to lifelong institutionalization.  In November, when we're all celebrating Thanksgiving, she'll be turning 14 years old.  Only two short years from permanent transfer.  Please- someone help me find this sweet "looks like a first grader" teen a family soon- so we don't end up in the same crisis that we did for Bernadette- searching desperately at the last minute for her family.   This little darling has real potential- she just needs someone to teach her how to be a little girl, a daughter, a beloved granddaughter- instead of "just another orphan".