T21 Tuesday!

Thank you, Amanda for your sweet post! This is why I love you...


Hey everyone, I'm Amanda, I'm 15, and this is my T21 story....

It was about a year ago when my parents decided to adopt, my mom looked into it more and more each day, stumbling upon different websites that told of ways to bring a child into your family, domestically and internationally. One day she stumbled upon Reece's Rainbow, an adoption ministry for special needs children, focusing on Down syndrome. I didn't really know what Down syndrome was. But the little boy my mom had fallen in love with had Down syndrome, an open oval window, and a hernia, little Ivan. So my parents talked it over and they decided he was to join our family. Since March 10th, 2010, we have been working so hard to bring him home. I only knew him through pictures and still I only know him through his picture. In April we had the home study, waited a few weeks until we finally got the completed home study back, all summer my mom and dad worked on all the paper work. Then in the fall things started speeding up. I remember what happened as if it were yesterday.

It was late October and I had just gotten home from school. I walked in set my bag down and went to go tell my mom all about my day. When i found her she was on the phone with some one, who i could tell was important. So I let her talk, as she paced back and forth between the kitchen and living room, I followed her. Like a little duckling following its mama. I had a feeling, this strange feeling that i just cant explain, this feeling of excitement and anxiousness, like the feeling i have now.. Anyways, she looked at me after she ended the call, and she didn't say a word; she didn't have to. I stood there looking into her eyes and she looking into mine. We both started crying and hugging each other. Mom had just gotten of the phone with our coordinator. We had gotten the date for my parents to go meet my little brother who we knew as, Josiah. November 15, 2010. After that my parents got everything done that needed to be done, and they were off.

My parents met my little brother on the 15th of November. After their first visit with him they skyped us to tell us all about him. My mom said that all of the things wrong in his insides, like his open oval window, were completely healed. Which had me in tears. God is so good. They said he just lit up the room. He was a smiley little boy. I loved him even more. He had brown eyes, and hair just like my mom's, red.

And now we have just gotten the court date. March 1, 2011. So my parents will be, once again, taking the long trip to Josiah's country to OFFICALLY become his parents, and I; his sister.

You see, this little 3 year old boy, has taught me so much. Like to never give up, always keep trying. He has shown me how to love people for who they are, not what this world labels them as. To cherish every moment. To smile when there's no reason at all. To love and trust God more each and every day. To help others. There's a whole laundry list of things...

I love him more and more every day. And I am absolutely THRILLED to be so close to his 'Gotcha day' :), the day when I FINALLY get to meet my pumpkin boy. To see that smile on his face. To be the one he looks up to. To be HIS big sister, that loves him with all of her heart. To look into those brown, almond shaped eyes, and say "I love you." (Oh goodness i'm about to cry now) Its so close!!! SO CLOSE!!!!

My heart has changed towards people who are 'different' ever since then. My mom told me about the institutions that these precious little blessings get sent to if they don't get adopted before they turn 4 or 5, just because they have special needs such as, Down syndrome. Which made me want to save them, advocate for them, and help them all find forever familys like my little brother has.

I am forever blessed (sorry Tay, didn't mean to take your blog name.) by my baby brother, Josiah. Because we have found him at the end of Reece's Rainbow. :)

I wish everyone knew the blessing of a child with Downs syndrome.