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... 

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! 

http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorplummer

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!!! 

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!!! 

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