My Fantastic Falcon

Isaac got an award at school today for being "a hard worker and helping others"! The last three months have made me wonder if full inclusion into general education is worth it. If maybe I'm pushing him too hard; if placing him in a self contained special education classroom would be easier on us both. But today he stood with his typical peers and was recognized for a very real part of his character...and that made me proud 💗

We celebrated my little Fantastic Falcon with gelato---his favorite. In fact he ate THE ENTIRE BOWL! Then he proceeded to nod his head enthusiastically when I told him he does a good job, he makes me proud, I'm glad I'm his momma.  Apparently, this is not new news to him. That makes me proud too. 

GIVE3x21: A Voice From Ava's House

Ava's House at Grace Village is the recipient of Village21's GIVE3x21 campaign. Their passion and love for children like sweet Elsa is literally saving lives. Children deemed unwanted, broken and of no value are given LOVE, HOPE, and a FUTURE through the hands of those at Ava's House. This is such a unique and much needed ministry. I'm so happy to be apart of ensuring their ministry continues. <3  You too can be apart as well when you #give3x21 


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She Was Given Value at Ava's House

Hugh & Janet welcomed their daughter and her tiny extra chromosome home from China July 2016. These are their words as to why Ava's House is so important to their family. 

Ava’s House is a home and a haven for the often-overlooked and forgotten orphans in Zhanjiang, China. Vickie and Jim Bennett are the angels who have been called to give those babies and children with Down syndrome a family in a loving and nurturing environment - until their forever families are found.

Our daughter spent the first two years of her life in a Chinese orphanage. Unfortunately, in China and elsewhere there is a stigma associated with birth defects including Down syndrome. While her basic needs were met, the children with Down syndrome are often denied care they deserve. These children are left alone in their cribs day after day, with little to no stimulation, affection, or proper care. We can only imagine what life was like for our Elsa those first two years and the impact it had on her ability to interact with and respond to people and her environment. Ava’s House was opened in Zhanjiang on July 4, 2016, and Elsa was taken in by the Bennett family and their staff. Our understanding was that Elsa had never even been outside the walls of her orphanage. Imagine, a two year old child never having been outdoors in her life! 

The Bennetts and the caregivers at Ava’s House began the difficult and challenging job of helping these babies and giving them the love, care, and affection which they desperately need to thrive. We learned from the Bennetts how anxious and fearful Elsa was in this new place—she simply had never known anything other than her small world at the orphanage. She was with people who wanted to help her and love her, but it was a big adjustment for her. We are so grateful she had that opportunity to begin her healing with the caring and devoted workers at her new foster home. We received photos and updates of Elsa while she was at Ava’s House, and it was such a tremendous blessing to us, her new parents, to better prepare for meeting her and helping her make the transition to her new family. They were able to tell us about what scared Elsa, that her favorite toy was a baby mirror, how she could be soothed when she was upset, that she always slept with her tiny blue blanket from the orphanage.

We can’t begin to express our gratitude and appreciation for the work that is done each day at Ava’s House. The Bennetts are called by our heavenly Father to serve the littlest, the neediest, and the forgotten. To them, these special needs children are a joy and a blessing, each one perfectly and wonderfully made. We are in awe of the sacrifice they make daily to do God’s work—however, I know Vickie and Jim would say it is their honor and privilege to be woven into the stories of these children’s lives. We can never repay what the Bennetts have done for our little girl—by loving her and giving her a home—but we can spread and share the message of their selfless work at Ava’s House.

Ava's House transformed a trembling, failing little girl into a child ready to be loved and valued. THIS is the heart of our Father in action. We can't wait to see the transformations of other children as Ava's House is able to welcome more of 'the least of these' into their fold.  

Make sure to #give3x21 to continue their ministry!

My Little Chef

I'm a firm believer in parenting from the kitchen. A good portion of life happens in that square footage and inviting kids into that sacred space is essential. I, for one, cannot separate the smell of onions sauteing, the sound of Dan Rather's voice, and my mother drilling me on my spelling words as she made dinner...with the onions that my brothers would refuse to eat. (That's another story)

Isaac loves to "help" but making kitchen life more "Issac-friendly" has been on my to do list for a while.  Thus the start of our visual recipe book: Isaac Can Make Cookies.  He figured it right out! And it was perfect for sequencing, motor skills, reading, and speech therapy. A HUGE win.  I'm super motivated to add more recipes to our book. 

Village 21: Give3x21

Isaac and I are so very excited to be able to help spearhead Village21's #give3x21 campaign in the month of March.  Core to Village21's mission is to Support ministries in China who are caring for children with Down syndrome. As you can imagine the list is small...but oh so very important! 

The ministry of Ava's House at Grace Village in Southeastern China is one such powerful and life changing ministry. Ava's House is a specialty foster home solely for orphans with Down syndrome...the least of these in a land that struggles to find value in brokenness.  As Isaac was fostered (not at Ava's House) for 15 months by a lovely Chinese Christian woman who spoke life, health and love over my child--I truly believe his emotional and physical health are a direct result of her loving care of Isaac. So I am passionate about making sure that as many other children as possible sporting an extra chromosome receive that same life changing nurturing. 

There are currently six newborns with Down syndrome at the local orphanage. And Ava's House currently has room to host six more children with Down syndrome...but they need the funding. 

I want to help get them the funds they need so six more children will get the care they need while waiting for their forever families instead of wasting away in an orphanage. Six lives saved.

Village21's post is below. I encourage you to read and consider giving towards this great cause. I am certainly proud to be apart of it <3  #give3x21 

3 & 21. These are important numbers in the world of Down syndrome. Three copies of the twenty-first chromosome. A little bit of extra that makes a child experience the world through the filter of Down syndrome. It is a life full of joy, yes, but it can be difficult. In the United States we have awesome resources for birth families and even adoptive families who are helping their child rock their designer genes. It wasn’t always so…but we’ve come a long way.

In countries like China, children born with that little bit of extra are not welcomed with resources, with hope, with a future…often not even with love. There are no welcome baskets full of information to new parents of a beautiful child with Down syndrome. There are no Birth to Three in home therapies. There are no special education classes or jobs programs.  There are however, sides of the road, back alleys and rivers. The lucky ones are found, and until recently were doomed to a life of institutionalization…if they even lived through the lack of medical care.  It is a sad and brutal reality for those with Down syndrome in many countries.  

The Christian foster care ministry Grace Village's Ava's House, in Zhanjiang, China is acutely aware of these realities and has felt the passionate call to specifically care for orphaned children with Down syndrome.  By removing those from the orphanage and gracefully welcoming them into a loving, nurturing foster home children once doomed to essential death are now thriving! They are receiving medical care, developmental therapies, adequate nutrition and most importantly Christ’s love.  They are being given LIFE.

In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day—3/21--Village21 is proud to partner with Grace Village in a fundraising campaign that will help them care for even MORE children with Down syndrome.

The math is simple: give 3x21 ($63) and the world for a child with Down syndrome in China can be changed. In fact, if we can find 321 people to give 3x21 ($63)  the six children with Down syndrome currently at the local orphanage can be welcomed into Grace Village and be loved & provided for for the next year. 3x21 ($63). It’s that easy.

Village21 will be taking the next 21 days leading up to World Down Syndrome Day to highlight the beautiful work of Grace Village, the children there awaiting adoption and talking to families who have welcomed their children HOME from Grace Village.  It’s powerful. And life changing. And YOU can be apart of it.

Click HERE to #give3x21.

Jesus Loves Guitar Solos

I dare you to name three tiny Asians that can rock an Elmo guitar solo during a hymnal melody on the way to school in the morning. Any three will do.

Ok...name just one:

 (forgive the shakiness...it's getting more & more difficult to drive and be entertained by this child!)

A Mile In The Woods

It's been a particularly wet winter, even by Seattle standards. I think I read somewhere that we have had twice as much snow as some parts of upstate New York, and we are expecting another 3 inches tonight. (Sorry to steal your thunder upstate NY). 

But today was dry. And sunny. And if your hands were in your pockets just right, warm. So we escaped to the woods and mucked around for a while. I was so impressed...Isaac trekked the entire mile around the lake without whining or being carried once! I NEED someone to understand the victory in that statement. He walked 5,280 feet BY. HIM.SELF. That's huge. For all the reasons that include my back, right hip & shoulders, but also that his physical stamina is increasing. Activity intolerance is a real issue with Down syndrome. When your muscles don't have all the functioning & twitching fibers that the rest of us do, even playing in the backyard like a typical kid can wear you out fast. But not today...

Spring is trying REALLY hard to come!

Boys with sticks in the woods makes me happy :)

It occurred to me as I watched him explore the woods, that exactly 4 & 1/2 years ago today was the first time he touched grass...to which he immediately crawled up me like I had placed his feet in a tub of spiders.  He has come a long way. 

We walked hand in hand the last quarter mile of the hike and I would squeeze his hand three times...I. Love. You.  He would squeeze back three times and use his bestest & loudest monster voice to say the same. And because I am a boymom, I loved it <3 

Come To Me

Getting to share a little bit over at Village21:

We all knew Down syndrome adoption was going to be hard. It's a hard we choose. The hard is worth it because our child is worth it. I would shout it truthfully from the mountaintops!

But sometimes...the hard days become hard weeks...

And hard weeks become hard months. And you are so emotionally exhausted your body physically hurts.

The voices of medical appointments, and unexpected diagnoses, and IEPs and school reports, and family stress, and financial strain and poor personal care can be SO. UTTERLY.  DISORIENTING you no longer know where you came from much less where you are going.

You don't complain because this is what you signed up for.  But there are those moments as you are crying into your pillow at night, that you fear that dark place of "this isn't what I signed up" will seep out. 

Then the quiet voice whispers... "Come to ME" 

Come...take two seconds. Turn your eyes, your heart, your mind towards the One who created you. The Father who called you to this journey. The God who promised to sustain you; who measures every beat of your heart and treasures every tear that falls from your weary eyes as a sacrifice to Him. Come.

To...set aside the burdens of today for just a moment. You won't be judged for laying down your armor. Even the strongest of soldiers need respite; a drink of cool water; a breath of fresh air. Let Him minister to you as you daily minister to your child.

Me...remember WHO He is and who YOU are in Him. He is loving, kind, compassionate, slow to anger and full of justice. You are righteous, redeemed, whole, promised and His most precious. He who has called you to this ministry WILL provide the strength, grace and passion to continue--because it is His love for you that can fuel your heart.  

"Come To Me"

-Bethel Music
 

I am the Lord your God, I go before you now
I stand beside you, I'm all around you
Though you feel I'm far away,
I'm closer than your breath
I am with you, more than you know

I am the Lord your peace, no evil will conquer you
Steady now your heart and mind, come into My rest
Oh, let your faith arise, lift up your weary head
I am with you wherever you go

Come to Me, I'm all you need
Come to Me, I'm everything
Come to Me, I'm all you need
Come to Me, I'm your everything

I am your anchor, in the wind and the waves
I am your steadfast, so don't be afraid
Though your heart and flesh may fail you
I'm your faithful strength
I am with you wherever you go