Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees

Meet Katie and Emie.

They are my adorable adopted nieces from the Ukraine.

Their adoption story begins back five years ago when my husband’s brother and his wife gave birth to their fourth child, a little girl who was born with Down’s syndrome.

Annie immediately captured all of our hearts and become a very special part of our family.

As her mom started to connect with other mom’s of Down’s children she discovered Reece’s Rainbow.

Reece’s Rainbow is an International Ministry for Orphans with Down’s Syndrome. In many countries of the world, including the Ukraine, children with Down’s are placed in orphanages until they get older – then they are placed in mental institutions.

Once there they are – they are unable to be adopted and live with adults who are mentally unstable. Their future is heart-wrenching.

Although they are not an adoption agency, Reece Rainbow is an advocate for the children. They work to identify at-risk children, raise funds for adoption, and find forever families for them.

Our little nieces came from an orphanage in the Ukraine and are such a joy! It is so rewarding to see those little girls blossom and grow in the midst of a loving family.

They’ve discovered birthdays and Christmas and ice cream.

They now have Grandpas and Grandmas and aunts and uncles and cousins.

They giggle and give hugs and talk a mile a minute.

Why am I telling you all this now? Because Reece’s Rainbow was featured in a story in last week’s People magazine – giving them some much needed national publicity.

As I read the article, I was reminded once again of those little ones still waiting for their forever families and I had to say something. I had to tell you Katie and Emie’s story – to put a real face on the children and the ministry.

These kids are real. I know. I met two of them.

I’ve held them, hugged them, and tickled them.

We’ve played dress-up and went roller skating and ate popcorn and watched movies.

I’ve fallen head over heels in love with them.

My heart is broken over the ones left behind.

James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

If you would like to read more about Katie and Emie’s adoption journey, check out Hidden Treasures.

This is so embarrassing.

The other night we were sitting as a family watching the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Olympics when I felt my eyes getting heavier and heavier.

The next thing I knew – I woke up dazed.

I had fallen asleep in the chair.

For years as I was growing up,  my siblings and I would laugh at my parents who could both sit in the recliner and drift off to sleep with their mouths open – sometimes snoring.

We kids would often joke about trying to drop things inside their open mouths – but never quite got up the nerve.

Now it was happening to me.

I thought my little “nap” was an isolated incident and chalked it up to a late night after a really busy day.

But then it happened again on Sunday afternoon – and again Tuesday night – and almost on Thursday.

I’m becoming my parents.

I gathered up the courage to ask Dagmar and Angel Girl if I snored. They looked at each sheepishly before Angel Girl said, ” Kinda.”

Dagmar corrected her with, “You didn’t really snore – you just snorted every time your head fell over.”

Snorted?

Ouch.

I was going to ask if I drooled – but decided that maybe I really didn’t want to know.

So what’s next?

Are my kids going to start laughing at me? Will they try dropping things in my open mouth? Or <gasp> will I eventually start snoring as loudly as my parents?

Let me tell you people – growing old is not for the faint of heart.

By the way – kids if you are reading this and are planning to drop things in my mouth – I prefer M & M’s, but chocolate chips  will also do.

I may be getting old – but I’m still a chocoholic!

Having teenage daughters is interesting for many, many reasons.

But especially when it comes to clothes – MY clothes.

Take yesterday for instance.

I finally lost enough weight to fit into a sweet denim skirt that had been hanging on the hanger for sometime.  Both girls loved it and totally approved.

Well, they approved until I tried to pair it with a top.

I pulled my favorite blue cardigan sweater out of the drawer and put it on with the skirt. Dagmar took one look and hedged with “That’s not too bad <ackward pause>  I guess.”

Angel Girl was much more direct. She took one look at me and said, “Mom- that’s an old lady sweater.”

Ouch! So much for feeling young and hip.

I swallowed my pride and dug deeper in the drawer. We finally all decided on a sweater and even paired it with a necklace.

I was feeling my confidence  return.  Silly me. I forgot we still had to choose shoes to complete my look.

I glanced at the choices lined up in front of me and decided to play it safe – I just asked Dagmar point blank which shoes I should wear.

She picked out a pair of flats and I put them on.

There.

Done.

The girls both smiled.

I smiled.

I should have left it alone and been content.

But I did not.

Instead I said, ” You know – maybe I should get a pair of leggings to go with this skirt?”

Dagmar’s eyebrows went up.

“Or maybe not…”

So… I guess I’m too young for my favorite cardigan sweater and too old for leggings.

Maybe it’s a good thing I have 2 girls to dress me.

My kids are learning to drive.

And I thought potty-training was hard! Ha!

Now they are careening down the highway in a moving vehicle with passengers.

The scary thing about teaching someone to drive is that to learn they have to actually <gulp> drive.

They can study the books, watch the videos and ask all they questions they want – but until they actually get behind the wheel and start the vehicle, they will never know how to drive.

A few weeks ago my husband let our oldest drive the entire family to my sisters house – 3 hours away – at night – on New Year’s Eve – in frigidly cold temperatures and snow – on the interstate – and through the city.

I sat in the back seat and prayed.

As I prayed, I heard my husband telling our son what route to take to get there, and I realized that although he had been there thousands of times before – my son had always gone as a passenger.

He had never been in the driver’s seat.

He had never paid attention to the route. He never needed too – Dad was driving.

But now he was behind the wheel. He was the one assessing the road conditions, watching the traffic, following the route and making the decisions.

Just like his life.

From birth, his dad and I have been instructing and training him. But now he’s moving to the driver’s seat.

It won’t be long until he’s out on his own – making his own decisions.

It will be our turn to take the back seat and watch him choose the route he takes.

But believe me – we’ll be praying!

Our December included a funeral this year.

We went to say good-bye to Mary, the special daughter of some old church friends.

Mary had born 58 years ago with Down’s Syndrome. That was back when it was acceptable – even encouraged – to institutionalize your special needs child. But Mary’s parent’s didn’t.

They took her home and loved her.

They made her a part of the family.

When she needed schooling, her mom helped start a special class for her and a few others in the area. They encouraged her and watched her grow to be a very special adult. She had a crazy sense of humor and loved to sing – especially the song Silent Night – no matter what time of year it was!

Mary loved life and lived it to the fullness.

Her siblings grew up and married, giving Mary new playmates – her nieces and nephews. They loved her dearly. There wasn’t a dry eye in the church on that cold Saturday afternoon at her funeral as one of her nieces told funny Mary stories.

Her death left a huge hole in that family.

A few years ago my niece Annie was born with Down’s Syndrome. I caught Mary’s mom after church one Sunday to tell her, knowing she – of all people – knew what our family was feeling.

Mary’s mom just gave me a hug and smiled. “Honey, it ain’t all bad. She’ll be a blessing, just you wait.”

Oh – how very right she was!

Little Annie is a blessing – a joy – a delight!

She makes our life – our family – richer because she is there.

Just like Mary did in her family for the least 58 years.

Good-bye sweet Mary. You have blessed us here for so long. Enjoy your first Christmas in glory singing Silent Night with the angels.

Thank you for showing us all that life is best lived with the joy and wonder of a little child.

You will be missed.