How This Came To Be.......

Ever since Grace was born, we toyed with the idea of adopting a child with Down syndrome. Kevin would say that if someone dropped off a baby with DS at our door, he would adopt in a heartbeat.

We continued to think and pray over the years until we felt we just needed to do this. Through a series of events, we ended up on a website called Reece's Rainbow. The ministry's purpose is to promote the international adoption and rescue of children with Down syndrome. Here's the link: www.reecesrainbow.org This organization is run by a gracious woman who totally volunteers her time and talents to bring families and orphans with DS together. ALL money donated goes to the children's adoption--she is a volunteer and takes no salary! Thank you, Andrea!

After pouring over pictures, one little girl stood out among the rest. Here is what her description says:

Girl, Born February 17, 2005
SIGNIFICANT RISK, PLEASE ADOPT ME SOON!!
Brandi is a precious, healthy, high functioning little girl who needs a family ASAP. She has light brown hair and blue eyes. She is very active and mobile and loves to play with dolls. She is also able to "pretend play", which is a wonderful skill and says a lot about her cognitive ability.
From her caregivers: "Brandi is very cheerful, tender, kind and calm. She smiles when communicating with others. Concentrates her attention on books, very interested in pictures/drawings. Interested in musical instruments. Understands when she is addressed by adults, performs tasks on elementary level. She dresses herself and eats herself, independently. Repeats certain words after adults. Likes to play with toys and especially Barbie dolls. A specific example: when she was recently asked: "Brandi, please put the doll to sleep." In response, Brandi took the toy bed, put/set up bedding into the bed, put the doll into the bed, covered her with small blanket, started to sway/rock the cradle softly and sign a lullaby song. "

Please give Brandi the chance to blossom in a loving family, like all of the rest of our children have! She will be transferred soon, please help her!

We committed to Brandi aka Bella on January 7th. And now we are in the Home Study process with Catholic Charities of ND. Our social worker, Lisa, has been great to work with.

It is our hope to be able to travel this summer to bring Bella home. Thanks to everyone who has been so encouraging and supportive to us as we start this journey. We won't be able to do this without all of our family and friends!