You're my Baby, you're my Sunshine

We are still here in Ukraine. Our adoption of Kole is almost complete and we are totally IN LOVE. 

Thank you SO MUCH to all of you that helped make this happen!!!! 

Words could never express how grateful I am. 

I've dreamed of this for a year. 

I love that when you give your heart completely to God, He will give you what you desire. 

 

"This Love" by Mandi Mapes

Introducing the latest little "House" member

I've always enjoyed naming my children. I like different kind of names, and one's that have a special meaning

Genesis Lin = "Beginning" She is our first and the Beautiful Beginning to our family. Lin was after me

Jude Steven = "Praise, Thanks". Steven means "Crowned" and is named after my Dad and my older brother

Zane Adrien = "God is Gracious".  Adrien is his Daddy's middle name

Gabe Artem = "God is my Strength" Artem was his given first name

Levi Vitalik = "Joined in Harmony" Vitalik was his given birth name

And our newest little one we have named....



Well first I have to tell you how we came to name him!

All my kids have a story behind their names, so of course I have to share his. 

You know we have been calling him Kole and that is because after hearing the nannies all call him Kolya last year,  which sounds close to Kole, we decided that he recognizes his name and we should keep it close to what he is used to

We will be keeping his given name on his birth certificate which is Mykola, pronounced = mi-cola
But we will call him Kole

And for his middle name we decided to name him after my two younger brothers,
Luke and Adam



My brother Luke

 My sisters, Tanya & Kara, Luke and Me



I'm sure he is sick of hearing me tell this, but when he was a baby he would call me,  Mommy Ninnie. He couldn't pronounce Lindy, thus the Ninnie

I was a second mommy to him. Dressed him, fed him, and changed his diapers

Nice thought huh Luke?

The comedian of the family. From a very young age he had the ability to make anyone laugh. He is the only sibling out of 6 that could get out of a spanking by waving his bottom back and forth and saying, "Hit the moving target"

Witty, hard working, generous, selfless, compassionate, comforter

That's my brother Luke

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for him cause I know with God, Luke is gonna do some amazing things!

Watch out world

There is no stopping the moving target



Then there is the baby of the family, Adam
 
Amber and Adam's Engagement Photo. Their wedding is next month!  


There are 15 years between the two of us

I  practiced my mothering skills on him too when he was little

Dressed him, fed him, and yes, you know the rest

I learned early on that he was a carbon copy of my older brother, which is crazy since he was only 1 year old when my older brother moved away

I also learned quickly that when you are on the road and he asks you how much longer, do not say a couple minutes. Because after 2 minutes he will tell you that it has been exactly 120 seconds and we aren't there yet like I said we would be. Adam at the age of 5 could add and multiply better than any adult in the room

My Jude man is a mini Adam. His humor, gentleness. And my Zane has Adam's obsession with numbers

Adam has a passion for learning but most importantly, a passion for God

Strong, smart, caring, focused, patient, giving

I am supper blessed to have Luke and Adam as my little brothers

I love that I can call them friend

So it is with great pleasure I introduce to you,

Kole Luka House

Kole: Victory of the People
Luke: Light
Adam: Earth 
Oh yes, this boy is gonna rock this world!

 

Leaving the flock for our little lost sheep

You know that parable where the Shepherd leaves his flock to find the one lost sheep.



Growing up I would hear that story and wonder if the Shepherd cared for that lost one more than all his others.

Was it easy for him to up and leave the rest behind.
 
As I sit here hundreds of miles away from my 5 sheep children I wonder about that journey the Shepherd made.


 

This journey to Kole has been a long one.

It's cost so much financially, emotionally, physically.

Leaving my children behind for many weeks was one of the hardest things I had to do.

I love my children. Adore them.

Not a day on this journey goes by that I don't think about my kids.

How much I miss them and would love to be back with them right now.

But Kole needs us.





He needed us to come searching for him and to bring him back, home, where he belongs.

Now I know.

On those days that I feel like my Shepherd isn't near. When it seems that He is spending all His time with someone else that is hurting. Lost.

I know.

He is thinking of me. 

He loves me. Adores me.

Sometimes though there are others that are hurting and need my Shepherd.

The great news is that in the end, we will all be HOME. Where we belong.

Spending Eternity with our Shepherd.

Mommy's Tears

My heart broke this morning.

As I walked into the front office of Kole's orphanage I saw a father sitting on the couch holding a beautiful baby boy. One look at his almond shaped eyes and adorable stubby fingers and I knew right away that the baby had down syndrome.  He looked to be about a couple months old.  He was cooing and looking at his daddy's face smiling while his daddy stroked his arm. The mother was sitting beside them, tears pouring down her face.

My facilitator said it was a sad moment because they were leaving their baby at the orphanage.

Beside the couch were bags full of baby blankets, toys and diapers.

I wonder if there was a day that that young couple was overjoyed to have a son.  I bet they excitedly got a little room all ready for his arrival placing those fuzzy blankets and colorful toys in his crib. 

When did that joy turn to sadness.  Did they know right away that their long awaited son had down syndrome. Did they look at their son and think that maybe it would be ok. Maybe they could parent a child like this.

Just look at him. Look at his sweet face. Listen to his laugh. How can this be a bad thing?

Maybe he has a heart condition they can in no way afford to have fixed. Maybe a family member is telling them that this kind of child is no good. That children with down syndrome are violent and have no chance of having any kind of future here in Ukraine.

Whatever the reason, one thing I know for sure. That mommy and daddy WANTED and LOVED their baby boy. It was ripping the mothers heart out to place her baby in a strangers arms to now care for in this institutional setting.

What can we do to change this mentality? It wasn't long ago that children with down syndrome were institutionalized in America. And even now we put to death 90% of children that are diagnosed with down syndrome while still in the womb.

I wanted so badly to tell this mom that down syndrome is not the end, it can be the beginning! These children are wonderful and beautiful. They can have a great future.

I pray that precious baby boy will know love. I pray that years will not go by living in the orphanage causing him to bang his head just so he can feel. That he will not form the habit of gouging his eyes or rocking strongly back and forth, back and forth. I pray that he will soon have a family that will help him to grow into all that he is meant to be.

I pray for his birth mother and father, that God will heal their broken hearts.