There are times in your life when you feel deep within your heart that something feels right. It is a feeling deep within you that feeds your heart with happiness. It is a feeling that you believe in, no matter how difficult, no matter how demanding something may be, you know that it is right. You know you have to follow your heart.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Giving...

I wonder if anyone can commit to giving $10.00 a week til I get her home? Sometimes I feel like I am asking a lot, but at the same time, I know it isn't anything that I wouldn't do for a friend, even for a stranger. I often find myself opening my heart (and my wallet) to things that really tug at the heart strings to say the least. I have volunteered, and done many fundraisers in my lifetime. I can honestly say in my experience that people that have the least, often give the most. I have often wondered why this is, what drives people to keep giving, even when it could be the very last cent that they have. But I know the answer. I have always known the answer... it is because they know that the $5.00, $10.00 or twenty dollars will mean a whole lot more to the person as the recipient, than it will to you as you while you are drinking a latte, going to a movie or ordering a pizza. These are the same people that will leave the $10.00 bill for a tip, instead of asking for $3.00 back when going out to eat. These are the people who drop their change in the American Cancer Society change when checking out, and when someone asks you if you want to donate $1.00 to support the Make a Wish Foundation.. we say "yes". 


I like to think that my giving nature has come from a a fairly significant amount of struggles in my time here on earth. I truly believe with out the Non-Profit organization of Leukemia Lymphoma Society, I may not be here today. Without the Red Cross gathering volunteers to donated blood, I certainly would not be here today. The Make a Wish Foundation, it does amazing things for sick children, which, yes.. I have experienced that too! The Special Olympics, this is one of the most amazing organizations in the fact that it gives my son, and soon my daughter the experiences, and the feelings of achievements that they would NEVER be able to experience otherwise. All these things... unless you have never experienced them yourself, or been faced with the adversities. You may never think of them. But I am here to let everyone know, that they make a difference. All these  Non-profit organizations, they change lives. I truly believe, they keep us connected to one to one another. 




 Please know that I am  SO VERY appreciative for everything that EVERYONE has done for me in this process. I will never be able to pay anyone back, except with true, and sincere, eternal gratitude for helping give me a child that I have always wanted. As well as a home a young girl has forever needed. Soon she will be home, and you will all be able to see all that you have done. What a home means to Vika. 

Monday, June 6, 2011

Days gone by...

I am in a crunch, limited time and have one foot out the door. But I wanted to write a quick post to tell you all that things are moving along here in my home, the efforts to bring Vika home will have to be kicked up a notch!! I hope to be getting all my paperwork tomorrow. From there I will get it all apostilled.. this means that I will be able to send it all in to the adoption agency to get my official referral to bring Vika home. For anyone that has ever been in this position, it is very exciting times!! We are on our way guys!! I will have to sit down to crunch numbers and see how much money I need to travel for the first time. We are getting there! All of you who are reading this, have been blessings along the way to making it happen.. I love you all!! Thank you so much!! I wouldn't be here today with out you saying I am on my way to bring her home!! 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Lets make a memory...

What is your favorite childhood memory??? 
Maybe it is riding your bike through your neighborhood, Maybe it is playing kickball at the park, playing marco polo in the pool on hot summer days, or maybe it was sledding at the park. 


What ever your memory is.. now think.. who were you with when this was going on? What made that time so special, that you are smiling this moment thinking about it? Was it your sister riding next to you down the street on your bike, your friends all on a team of kickball, your younger brother peeking during a game of marco polo, or your Mom and Dad sledding with you at the park?? Lets face it, these memories, and all these experiences have shaped us, and made us the people that we are today. Good or bad, they have made us the people we are today, and have brought us to the point that we are at right now. 


How much do all those memories mean to you as a person? To me, they are priceless. My sister and I can still talk about playing "teacher" and taking our Cabbage Patch Dolls out on paddle boat rides. How we use to go and pick blueberries in the back yard, or the summer we built our own fort out of scrap wood. I could go on and on, telling you different memories. As parents we want only the best for our kids, and giving them memories to last a life time will help shape them into people their kids will look up to, and to admire. 


I am asking you all, to help me make memories with my daughter!! I can not stand to think of her not having these memories. Never knowing or remembering what it is like to have someone to love her, to celebrate all her achievements. I know that so many of you have already given so much of yourself to help me bring her home, but I can not stop til I have her here, with me, to live our lives together, and to make memories to last a lifetime. 


Thank you so much  to everyone who has thought of me, and prayed for Vika. You will forever live in our hearts, and our memories!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Happy Birthday Vika



HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIKA
I have waited til today to write this, I know your birthday is in May, so by now you are 6... 

Here are my birthday wishes for you...



You are 6 now, that means you have spent 6 birthdays in an orphanage. Six birthdays in a place where the day comes and go like every other. In my heart, and in my mind, I wish that you were woken with birthday kisses, and the room decorated with pink streamers twisting and turning from wall to wall. I wish for Balloons floating and filling the air, adding to the festivities. I wish for Cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles. I wish presents surrounding you, celebrating you, and your place here on earth. Letting you know, reminding you that you are here to share your life with everyone around you. That you DO mean something to the people around you, that you are a very special person, and not another face in the room. I wish that you have your friends around you right now giving you birthday hugs and birthday smiles. I wish that you were here with your family to celebrate your life. You are a very special, courageous little girl. Those are my 6 birthday wishes for you. Next year Vika, we will have pink twisting and twirling streamers, balloons filling the air. Cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles. Presents surrounding you, reminding you that day, and everyday how grateful for you being exactly you! You are a wonderful little person!! We love you... Happy Birthday baby girl... 



If I could make one more wish.. it would be that everyone that is reading this gives her a little present of hope. Pray for her that she will be here. Pray for her that the funds needed to bring her home, will shine the the summer sun. We need it now more than ever... 







Friday, May 27, 2011

A family to be... a MUST READ

I have been very blessed along the way in this journey. I have had the support of old friends and new friends alike. However, with that being said. I have not had the support of anyone like my wonderful friend Ann. We met just 8 months ago when she introduced herself to me. She emailed me, telling me we were both  adopting from the same region. While everyone else in Reece's Rainbow seem to be adopting in the Ukraine, she was THRILLED that we were both adopting in Russia, and even more so out of the same region. Since that day, we have become great friends!! It could only be better if we lived near one another!! Ann has guided me in the sea of paperwork, ideas to raise money, even flew out here last weekend to support me in my fundraiser! She has always advocated for Vika! 
Ann is a woman who I think, by FAR, has one of the most amazing, and loving hearts. It is so open and wide for so many people. It is truly inspiring! She loves and prays for all children, and all the families in pursuit to bring them home to a forever family. She has committed not only to one child .... but two. She is opening her heart, and her family to giving two very special children a home. Please meet .... 
Matthew
Barbara 
I think.. I know.. that these are two of the luckiest children to have a mom like Ann. I just know that she is going to love the heck out of them, and give them the most wonderful home!! 
There are so many families in need right now, so many families getting ready to adopt, and are in still need of a lot of funds. Ann just got word tonight that she can travel, and REALLY needs some additional funds! I want to encourage everyone to PLEASE,PLEASE donate what they can to help her bring these kiddos home, because I know Ann, and I know she would be, will be doing the same thing for all families until we get all these kiddos their forever family. 

I am asking you to give up you latte for a week, your coffee, or donuts. Whatever habit you have... just one week... These kids need it, they need someone to stand up for them, to be their voice, and to give them a home. That is you, it is me.. it is anyone that is reading this. You CAN be a part of something bigger than yourself.  You don't have to adopt to make a difference.. you just need to ACT!!

Follow this link below to bring these two beauties home! 

There will be resistance... Part 2




"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12


It is no secret that great things come to people that wait. It has always been said that thing that are hard to get, are well worth waiting for. Here I am, now 8 months into this journey, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am compiling my dossier (all the paperwork needed to bring Vika home), I am working at saving, and raising money to get her here. It has been no secret that I can not do this alone. I have had some AMAZING support over the last 8 months, and I have really developed some life long friendships. Friendships that I am so very thankful for. Little by little I am getting to the point that I need to be at to give Vika a home. With all the paperwork, and the  money... it is all happening before my eyes.


However, along the way, I have met some resistance. I have met people that do not agree with what I am doing. They think that I should be focusing all my attention all Nicholas, and that I am being selfish for bringing another little girl home that will need the same help that Nicholas needs. That Nicholas may be jealous, and he may not like her... then what??? They tell me that i can not expect my family will be of any help, and it is not  fair that I even expect them to help. These same people, they have not been a part of this journey, they have not once inquired what brought me to this decision, and where my heart is in this journey. 


I expect that they are not reading this, as if they were, they would have never made those comments to begin with.. but if there is any questions as to what I am thinking, and to what I am feeling... here you go...


                                                     
My name is Taryn Seybold. I am 35 years old. I gave birth to my son Nicholas just over 15 years ago. When I was pregnant with Nicholas I did not know that he had Down Syndrome. When I was pregnant, I did not know how much my life was going to change after having a child. When I had Nicholas, I will never forget the room full of blank faces, staring at me, apologetically for having Nicholas. As if he had died the day he was born, as though he had no quality of life, and that he would be a burden to me. But what I can tell you about Nicholas... for ALL of you out there who have ever wondered, and thought that he was or has been a burden to me...For those of you who have wondered if I thought he would/should go to "A home", or be a 'Burden" .. I have NEVER been sorry one day in my life. I have never looked back and wished anything different. I have never wished Nicholas to be anyone but EXACTLY who he is. To me, he is a brave, courageous, beautiful young man. He is a person that who is not afraid to be EXACTLY who HE is,everyday of his life!!  A quality that many of lose at a very early age.. to me a quality that many of us could take a lesson in!  


To answer everyone's questions... YES .. having Vika home will be more work. It will be a lot more time invested in the kids. YES... she will be blessed to have a mother, and a brother... YES.. I will be blessed to have a daughter, and Nicholas a sister... YES... she will spend a life with  family, as opposed to in a lifetime in an orphanage, YES...I know it is a life time commitment.. I have not thought for one minute that this is going to be hairbows and dresses, and dress up fun with a little girl. YES.. I know it is a lot of work, double to what I have done thus far. YES... I am nervous, I am changing everything I have known for the last 15 years too. This change is good.. I wish people could see that the way I do, because when you are questioning me, and asking me to reconsider, and telling me I am being selfish, and inconsiderate, you are taking away from the happiness in this process. So I am kindly asking you to stop... YES.. Stop... I am always open to the support, and the kindness.. But I do not need any more negativity my way. 


To all of you who have supported me thus far... thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am so appreciative of you, and I couldn't be doing this without your support!!! 







Sunday, May 22, 2011

Vika's Hope Benefit!!!

THANK YOU!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!

For all of you coming out last night to help support me in Bringing Vika Home!!
All together we raised 
$3482.00
Can you believe it!! This is AMAZING!! You all opened your hearts (and your wallets) to help me bring Vika home! This is a HUGE difference in getting Vika home and into my arms!!! 
As you can see now, I am 
More than half way funded!!
Can you believe it!! I am in TOTAL SHOCK still!!


Highlights from last night!!!
It was an amazing night, I really could have not thought it could have gone any better!! I had a bunch of friends, old and new, people I didn't know. They all came out last night to support me, all in efforts to help being Vika home!! I can already feel her in my arms!! I am so close, and I know everyday I am getting closer (as you can see!!). 

I had my great friend Sean on the mic last night, always making announcements, and helping move things along!!! We had Kurva Jo.. what a GREAT band!! I hope everyone enjoyed the band!! I know I did!!! For those of you who missed Nicholas dancing... I think his dance classes are really paying off!! He has some pretty sweet moves!! All the girls loved him!! (I will post some pictures later on!!) 

My night started out with an AMZING donation of $1000.00!! It was a very generous donation, and it meant a great deal to me!! With that, I knew the night could ONLY get better!!  Soon after a family that recently had a child with Down Syndrome (Abby), stopped by. They they had heard of my intentions of bringing Vika home through a newspaper article in our local paper, the Concord Monitor. They couldn't stay, but wanted to donate... how thoughtful is that!! It brought tears to my eyes!!  

We had some great prizes as you all know!! We had patriots tickets, red Sox Tickets, a iPad, a quilt.. GREAT PRIZES!!! Here is where it gets AMAZING!! Many of you know I had a raffle back before Christmas for a flat screen TV. My friend Judi won that TV. When I told her she won she graciously told me to keep the money to bring Vika home!! Last night she came there with her side business of putting VERY stylish feathers in people hair, and was doing it for all to raise money!! Judi bought her raffle tickets... and don't know know, she won the Red Sox Tickets, and the iPAD!! If that is not karma working at its finest... I don't know what it!! I was so happy to see her win! She has been such a support through this entire journey!! Now... if you think that isn't something... listen to this.. my friend Sarah. I have not seen her in a few years. She has been following my blog, and donating what she can, and when she can. She came last night, and brought friends and family too (which means means more money for me to bring Vika home). Between her and her sister. They won Patriots tickets, the quilt, table runner and a gift certificate to the Barley House!! How cool is that!! 

All together it was an AMAZING night!! I could have not asked for it to go any better! I am so grateful and so blessed my all the people in my life!! 

A HUGE Thank you to...
The Barley House for having us there!!
To Kurva Jo for the AMAZING music!!
To Sean Kemp for keeping the night going!!
The my family.. I love you all!!!
To Ann and the Sterns... fellow Reeces Rainbow families for coming out to support me!! 
To ALL my friends... old and new!!!

The night was a HUGE success because of YOU ALL!!
Love~ Taryn
I will post pictures later today!!! 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Come One... Come All!!!!



Vika's Hope
Benefit
The Barley House
CONCORD, NH
May 21, 2011
6:00-11:00


Introducing Kurva Jo... Entertaining all night!


FOOD, FUN & DONATION GIVEAWAYS! 
A $20.00 donation at the door gets you food, music, fun with friends and one free entry into any one of the raffles:
2 Patriots Tickets (2 sets)
2 Red Sox Tickets
iPad 64 GB
Handmade Quilt
and more... 


Also...
Additional entry tickets
10/$10.00 or Body Length for $20.00








Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Power Of Voice

To be listened to, to be heard, to be recognized, acknowledged, for people to know that you exist, and that you matter. It is basic human nature to need this. It is what people need to thrive, to feel loved, and to feel well about themselves. 


For you, for me, this does not happen all the time. There are times when you go day in and day out. So busy and caught up in the daily exercises of life, that we as people do not take the time to recognize you for all you do, to look you in the eye and say thank you, or good job. No one to listen when you are feeling sad, or frustrated. But you know that there are people there, that appreciate you, that love you, and want to help you. That you know that if you were to pick up the phone, you would have a mother, father, sister, brother, or best friend to listen to you. 


Now, imagine you are 1 of 50, or even 100 kids in a house. Different nannies taking care of you every day. New ones all the time because the stress of the job is too much. No one that knows your name. You don't know what is expected of you, because the expectations chance with each nanny. Now imagine that they nanny has no idea that you didn't like milk,and they feed it to you anyway, and you cry the whole time, and they are not concerned of the crying because the child next to you is crying in hunger. Imagine if you had an accident in the middle of the night, and you were to lay in your urine, or feces because there was no one there to help you because they are too busy with other kids. Imagine the kid in a crib or bed next to you, biting you in the middle of the night and there is no one there to protect you. Imagine, that you are so happy, and you have no one to tell. Imagine, not having a voice. Not being able to tell someone when you are hungry, cold, tired, sad, happy. Imagine, just for a moment imagine how isolating that must feel. To never share your goals, happiness, you dreams, to never get protection when you are scared.  For so many kids, this, they do not have to imagine. This is how they live, day to day. Night after night, no one to listen, to love  and to care. It is the grim reality for so many kids. It is sad, but so true. 


The good news, it is that there are people out there in this world, that know it does not have to be this way. That want to make a difference, like me, like you. We know that it is no way to live your life, in such isolation to the world. WE together can make a difference. You don't have to adopt to make a difference. But be aware and act. Adopting comes at a high expense, where there are minimal resources to help financially. It is when you count on the people in your life, to come together to make a difference in this world.  You can do it by donating money, spreading the word, spending your time and in prayer. 


I want to thank everyone who has helped me so far in this journey. It has been one like no other. It is one to save a childs life, and give her the home that everyone deserves. Please take the time to think about what role you can play in this, and act. 


Many blessing, and love to everyone... Taryn 



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Apostille Anxiety...

The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, the Apostille convention or the Apostille treaty is an international treaty drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. It specifies the modalities through which a document issued in one of the signatory countries can be certified for legal purposes in all the other signatory states. Such a certification is called an apostille (Frenchcertification). It is an international certification comparable to a notarization in domestic law.


In a nutshell.. I have to get all my paperwork notarized, then apostilled. What is is, i am going to walk downtown, papers in hand. The Secretary of the State will certify (aka apostille) that all the documents are actually notarized by a true notary. I called, and you can just walk in and get it done. No big deal... At $10.00 a pop... Looking at all my documents, the piles of required papers. However that is 42 documents... and that is $420.00!!!! That is a bare minimum of required documents. I know there are more I will be getting done! Ican't be lucky enough to live in Michigan where is it is $1.00 per page.. but not unlucky enough to live in California where it is $20.00 a page. So with that being said... If anyone wants to help make a difference, to help me get all these pages apolstilled... please consider donating $10.00 to my apostilling anxiety fund.. this could be interesting!! 


Thank you all so so much for all your ongoing support!! I am so very thankful!!!

What Happens Now... the Remix....

So as many as you know, this has been a long, lengthy,  journey for me. If you know me, you know it has been one emotional journey as well. I have had my ups and downs. Frustration with time, and money to get things done. One thing that I have learned in life, it is  that time is going to pass no matter what I do, how I choose to spend it. Money, however, this is a different story, and quite frankly... a different blog post. It is something I wish for everyday, the funds to bring her home. But today I want to tell you what is going on with me... and where I am in this journey.

It has been a long winter. I will start with that. I have had these series of classes to take. They have been cancelled, postponed.. and all leading up to my homestudy taking MONTHS to finish... I mean MONTHS!!! With great news... I will be taking my last class this Monday coming up! My homestudy has been submitted to my adoption agency for approval. I am expecting to get a copy for myself anytime as well. Once I take this class the homestudy agency is going to submit it to the USCIS office. From there, they will compare my FBI background, to my homestudy, and see if there are any "issues". I am not expecting any issues at this point. In the mean time I am spending some time getting together some documents for my dossier, and my court papers... 

Now this is where the "remix" comes to play... Just a few weeks ago I got word that the region that Vika is in has changed their processes. It sounds official doesn't it... I am going to try and simply it best I can, there are 23 steps to this... and some may have got lost in translation... LOL... literally... 

  1. I will send Boris (who works with families on the Russian side) copies of the primary documents, all notarized, and apostilled). He looks at the documents and they will be reviewed, and translated. Once those documents get to Russia, the Education Department (ED) has 10 DAYS to examine them, find errors, request more documents. After the updated documents are received, the ED has yet another 10 DAYS to examine them. If they are in order, the family (me) is registered. 
  2. ONLY THEN (according to the law) the ED starts looking for the children corresponding with the requirements of the parents and available for international adoption.
  3. When such children are found, the ED officially passes us the proposal with short official information about the child health, including main diagnosis, and other short information. This information does not include complete name and surname of the child (this is confidential and is issued only when parents are going to meet with the child). In this case it will be Vika. Maybe a couple more children to get some information on them .
  4. The childrens informations will be sent to me.
  5. Once I have the documents completed, I can get a travel date in 2-4 WEEKS.  This is where the "remix" comes in. In the past, we have appointed a POS (Boris), to deliver all of our court papers, and official documents. However, in this particular region. They are now requiring the potential adoptive parents to hand deliver the documents ourselves. With that to consider. As adoptive parents, we need to have ALL of our court papers completed, and sent to the country 7-10 days prior to travel so they can be translated. IF we decide not to do that. That would mean we would have to make an extra trip just to deliver court papers!!  TRIP ONE
  6. During the first visit, I must pass medical exam and receive medical conclusion for the court, receive more detailed medical and other information about the child at the ED. I willhave to submit in writing a personal meeting with Vika. Once I meet her, I write a refusal/agreement of intent to adopt. Once I "Agree" I can submit my court papers, including the 171 form, FBI information and fingerprints, as well as all (40 something other documents) that I will be working on as well. 
  7. The court is considering the submitted documents during 10 DAYS and issues official written conclusion, usually indicating which documents need to be corrected or something should be added. The court can request any additional document from the parents, Department or Agency that are considered necessary to decide about this adoption.
  8. After additional documents are received and the court is satisfied, the date of court is appointed. Usually it's about a month after the documents are approved.
  9. I would then travel back for  court. TRIP TWO
  10. Before the court, it is necessary that I meet with Vika for several days and receive official confirmation of their good relations with the child from the officially empowered person.
  11. Court sitting. For the positive decision on adoption, all documents must be in order. The Dept, the prosecutor and the court must be ensured that this adoption promotes s interests of the child, that parents are serious and reliable people and can provide care for this child, that there is no risk of canceling of adoption or her being passed to another family, etc.
  12. The court decision comes in force after 10 DAYS (I would need to wait 10 days to apply for her passport and Visa). After that, the representative of the Agency organizes receipt of Certificate on adoption and new Certificate of birthThen one of parents (in person) submits application for issue of Russian and foreign passports for the child.
  13. After the application for the passport is done, parents may return to the US.
  14. Official term for the authorities to make the passport is 1 MONTH. TRIP THREE
  15. After the Agency received information that the passport is ready, parents may come to receive the passport, medical examination of the children, visa and consular registration.

Confused yet!!! I have read this a few times over.. and it is making a little more sense each time. But thank goodness I have my friend Ann to help my way through this!!
 But this is where I stand now.. I am in a paperwork madness... I have lots of paperwork to do, so the moment I have the 171 from the immigration office (Aka.. an okay to bring an immigrant to the USA), I can submit everything, an plan to travel... please.. feel free to think, and love and to pray for me that I will make it though this!! This lovely little girl is counting on it (and so am I).


To everyone who has supported me, and has followed this journey. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much it means to me! 

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Do You See What I See?

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12


Do You See What I see?


A beautiful little girl looking back at me? Waiting and wishing for a home. A little girl who has spent all her life, in an orphanage. Never knowing what having a family feels like. No one to tell her that they love her everyday, or to lay her down to sleep. 
















Do You See What I See? 


A little girl who left this earth, without the love of someone, like you, or like me. Never experiencing the love of a home, a sister, a brother, a mother & father. The love and the proper medical attention that she could be playing under the warm sun today. But instead she will be watching us forever from above. 
















Do You See What I See? 
A little girl that needs to jump and run and play. Have fun with friends, and experience all the things that life has to offer. A little girl that is ready to do something new. 
























Do You See What I See?



A little girls eyes filled with hope, and love. She has a family that will soon rescue her from a life time in an mental institute. Who will soon have brothers and sisters, a mother and father. She will experience things in life that her friends in her "baby home" will never even know or dream about. For every one orphan that is rescued, there are over a hundred that are left behind














Do You See What I See?
A little boy.. just reaching out to hug someone, like you or like me! A little boy who mom never really gave him the proper care and attention even before the day he was born. A Little boy that lights up the world around him, despite the fate, and destiny he has been given by no choice of his own. 
Do You Know What I Know!!
That all of these kids. They have lived in an Baby Home (orphanage) since the day that they came into the world. They were placed there for being born the way God made them to be. By no fault of their own, one day they woke up in the arms of nannies, and workers, never seeing their Mommies and Daddies again.  Never being intended to be heard from, or seen again. All because they were born with Down Syndrome. This I take quite personally, having a child with Down Syndrome myself. I know all the love, and the hopes and their dreams that they have inside of them, ready to show to the world. The love they radiate everyday, and want more than anything to be loved and accepted. 
You Know what else I know... 
That there are hundreds and hundreds of children out there in this world waiting to be adopted. Children with or without Down Syndrome. 
Did you know... 
That people in Eastern Europe can't believe that that we would want these kids! They can't understand why we would want to be "burdened" by these kids. 
If anyone ever wants to know... 
I will show you... 



The day the Nicholas was born, I knew that my life was forever changed. I knew that he would need me, and depend on me for the rest of his life. I knew he would need me, and his family for the love, and the guidance to make him the person that he is today. Never did I know that I would end up needing, him just as much as he needed me... 








Nicholas has had the love and attention of a mother... 





Nicholas has been blessed by the love of a Great Grandmother... 














The BEST of Friends... and cousins....









A Grandfather like no other



The Love & Hugs from a Grammy






He has has discovered.... 









 He has learned that if tries hard, he can achieve wonderful things!! 
 He has believed in many things... 



 He has played.... and played... 






He has made believe, and made everyone he meets believe that you can do anything you want to do... 

 He has felt being proud of his achievements... 


Sometimes I wonder if Nicholas was born in another nation. A nation that does not have the same love and acceptance for individuals of people with Down Syndrome. Would anyone take notice? Would anyone take the time to hug him, feed him, love him? If he were left to a life in a baby home, or even worse, a mental institute. Would anyone open their hearts, and their homes to him? Would they take them into their home, and give them all the opportunities in the world that he deserved? I can only pray that someone in this world would take notice and open their home to him. Much like (I am sure) Vika's Mom has done for her...


 I know that for many of these parents, who had to give up their children. They must feel very much the same way. They have to wonder and pray for the well-being of their children. My heart breaks for them. They will never know the love that their sons and daughters had in their hearts, and was ready to shine to the world. Not because they didn't want them. But they felt as though the world didn't want them. 


Do you want to know one last thing... 
There are SO many families out there ready to adopt, and welcome these special children into their homes. But there is one thing that stops that from happening, and it is MONEY!! It makes me frustrated to say it.. but it is true. It is what I pray for, and wish for everyday. While a bigger home, or a nicer car would be nice. My heart automatically would lead me to giving children like Vika a forever family... if only... 

Right now, if you donate money to help bring Vika home (by clicking on the chip-in button to the left). You could be the lucky winner of an iPad 2. I want to say a big THANK YOU!!! 
to everyone that has supported me so far! 
You are a part of something way bigger than yourself!! 
All the love and blessings in the world..
taryn