Malcolm has a family!!!!!!

Reeces Rainbow just posted that my boy, Malcolm has a family!!!!! A family has committed to adopt him - I am over the moon happy:) :) :)

Just had to share with everyone - I feel like shouting it from the rooftops! My boy, he has a family coming to rescue him - Thank you Jesus!

 

When I learn more about his family to be, I'll post more:)

Horsing Around and other Fun

This week has been one of hello's and goodbye's. Ellie, a past volunteer at TLC from Germany, came to visit for three weeks. We had such fun together, she got to see her "Nicky", and my kids loved having someone around to read them stories. . .she left on Thursday, and as we dropped her at the airport, we picked up another past TLC volunteer (this time from the US) who will be staying with us for the next 10 days. She also enjoys reading my three stories - they are SO happy! So many good friends:) God blesses us so abundantly!

Other than these friends popping into our lives, life goes on much the same as usual. Today I though I'd post some pics of my three riding horses. For those of you that don't know, I'm a bit of a horse nut. In Canada my family has many horses, and my Mom and Sister are actually wonderful enough to care for my horses while I'm over here in Africa. (Thanks you two!)

So, I thought that my three should grow up at least comfortable and happy to be around horses. For the past 2 and a half years my girls have been riding, and Musa started when he turned 18 months. (He asked to, honestly. He walked over to the riding hats, put one on, and that was that!)

Musa, waiting for his Pony

Doing his "around the world" exercise

His little Ponies name is "Frankie". Isn't he too cute!

 

His "thank you" hug after the ride:)

Sihle loves animals of any kind. Here she is with one of the farm dogs.

What a big helper Musa!

Sihle practicing her light seat

Pamela on her pony "Snow-white"

Pamela practicing her light seat

 

 A fun afternoon in the sun!  

OK, enough about the horses, on to something else. A few weeks ago I posted about Sihle, her CP, and splints. I said that she was doing so well, that they took her short splints away, and she was down to only using her "toe off" splints. Well, over the past month, her physio and I have noticed that maybe the splint maker was a little too quick to take them away. Sihle has always been stronger on her left side, though it's never been too noticable. Well, over the past month, her right leg has been showing more and more weakness, and her physio decided she still needed a splint to support her foot and lower ankle. So back we went to Gavin, the splint maker. 

I was honestly a little worried that Sihle would be upset, remember how thrilled she was to get rid of her inside splints, of her ear to ear smile, and marching out of the office?! So, I was a little heart sore for her, I had told her she was fine, no more hot, stiff foot splints. But, what could I do, so I explained to her best I could, that her feet were still a little too floppy, and that having these new short splints would actually make her walking easier (once she was used to them). And my darling girl, she never said one word in protest, she just said said, OK Mommy, and that was that!

So here we are getting her new splints - we had been in the week earlier to have a cast made of her foot, so that it would fit correctly - I forgot the camera though :(

These new splints are shorter than her last pair, and only help to keep feet in the right position.

I asked for a nice smile for Gramma, this is what I got - I have pickles for children :)

Musa had to join in with the goofy looking expressions!

So, here is what Sihle's feet look like without the help of splints. Her feet fall in, and it puts her whole body off balance. You can see how she squeezes with her toes to try and keep her balance.

They are SO SO SO much better than they used to be. When she was 21 months she really couldn't stand because her feet flipped so much she was standing almost completely on the inside of her feet.

So, they are getting so much stronger, but will just take a little longer before they can completely keep themselves upright and stable.

With her new splints, you can see how they help keep her feet more upright. They can't fall in on themselves.

Here she is with both her short splints and tall "toe off" splints. Such straight, beautiful legs:)

Her old splints are looking a little worse for wear. . .

Musa decided I had taken enough pictures of Sihle, so here he is, my handsome boy!

In between all our fun craziness, we of course had to visit TLC.

These two darlings have families coming to get them within the next few weeks - they will be so cherished!

This is a recent picture of our current "nest" babies - I love these little ones; nothing better then cuddles with these darlings. (The little guy in the hat is only 6 days old!)

Over the past month, there are quite a number of RR children that have families now working to bring them home! I thought I'd share the ones that I have previously posted pictures of:)

Little 4 year old  Angelica has a family working to bring her home!

Little 2 year old Angelica has a family working to bring her home!

Little 5 year old Bethany, has a family working to bring her home!

 

Raina (14 months with DS), Lorie (nearly 7 with CP) and Grace (6 months with DS) will be joining a family that has already raised 10 children (7 of them adopted). They currently have a 3 year old, at home, and he will be joined by these three darling girls - what a blessing!

Alexis is 12, and has Arthrogryposis. Her family is currently adopting a boy from Eastern Europe, and God willing will  be back for her by the end of summer! She will have 8 siblings in her family (6 of the adopted)!

 

I posted about these two dear boys in my last blog. Samuel and Duncan will soon be 16. This means they will be too old to be adopted, and their only future - a lifetime in a mental institution!
Well, drum rolllllllllll!!!!!!! They have a family!!!!!! A family, that is as we speak working very hard to bring them BOTH home. The family has 4 chilren ages 9 to 20, and they are adding these two delightful boys! Oh, when I found out I don't think I stopped smiling for days - to imagine that their life will take a 180 degree turn. Oh, and they'll get to be brothers!

 

I also posted last time about Bernadette. She too is nearing 16 years of age. She too was destined to spend the rest of her life in a mental institution. Now Bernadette has Down's Syndrome, and no one was sure if there was a family out there who would be willing to adopt her. In fact the director of her orphanage was convinced that no one, no one, would want an older child with DS. Well, God is the worker of miracles! Bernadette has a family working to adopt not only her, but also Mason (right) who is 9 years old and also has DS. Not one, but two older children with DS, who will soon know the very special love of a family! The family working to adopt them only returned from Eastern Europe 4 months ago! They adopted two toddlers with DS, and know are working to get back asap to rescue Bernadette before her time runs out. Bernadette and Mason will join their family of nine children ranging in age from 24-2 years.

Tyler is 12 years old and has spina Bifida. He wants a family SO SO badly. He has begged that his family come find him. . .well, he too has a family working to bring him home! He will be joining a family with 4 children ages 17, 14, 9 and 7. I wish I could be a fly on the wall the day he is told he has a family coming for him, for HIM!!!!

I thought I'd post a link to a fabulous blog. http://butbygraceitcouldbeme.blogspot.com/

This lady just recently adopted her daughter with CP from Eastern Europe, and while there met and fell in love with Alexis, Samuel, Duncan, Bernadette, Mason, and Tyler. She has been advocating for these children and 7 others from the same institution. Her blogs are beautifully written and show so clearly how these children long for families of there very own. I have so enjoyed following along on her journey, and think you may as well. 

So lots of happy news!!! My smile is reaching from ear to ear! It would be even bigger though, if my dear little Malcolm was listed on the "My Family Found Me" page. Where is his Mommy??? You must be out there somewhere?? His time is running out. . . Please pray that his family finds and rescues him!

 

My sweet little boy, praying that you know the love of a family soon. . .

May God bless you this week,

Shoshanna

This and that. . .

I've decided to post some pics from our life over the last week. All three of my kids go to swimming lessons twice a week. And do they love it! Musa is in a Mom and Tot class, so I get to swim as well once a week. Happy Mommy:) Yes, this is his current "cheese" smile, you'll see more of it before this blog is done. . .

This is Sihle being slightly silly while waiting for her teacher :)

And Pamela showing off her Ballet moves - Pammy it's swimming today, not Ballet!

This is them with their swimming instructor Michael. Both girls adore him! Sihle in particular - I'll explain why in a minute. They started out with a different instructor, but I was asked in late January if I would mind if they swapped to Michael. Apparently many families here are still in the pre-apartheid era, and refuse to let him teach their children because he's "black"! Can you believe it. The owner is having trouble filling up his afternoon with students, and wondered if I would mind if he taught my two girls. I of course, said sure; he'd already interacted with them a little, and they seemed to get on with him well. 

So, back to Sihle, she can be a little bit of a monkey, and with her ear to ear smile, and twinkling eyes, can have most people wrapped around her finger almost instantly. Michael is no different, with her old instructor (quite strict) she was jumping off the wall and going underwater, putting her face under the water to pick up rings etc. Now, she just gives Michael a very sad look, and says she doesn't want to go under water, and he says, ok. Ohhh, she loves him! My little pickle - so, I've come up with a new rule, (mean Mom alert!) no sweety after swimming if she hasn't put her face under the water at least once! Worked like a charm last week, she had her face good and wet. . .

Minus getting her face wet, Sihle really does LOVE swimming!

Sihle loves floating on her back, she's actually quite good at it :)

Here she is getting ready for a jump. . .

And in she goes. . .catch me Michael!

"Did you see that Mommy? Did you see how well I jumped!"

When it comes to Pamela, she has no fear - she must be half fish!

Airborn!

SPLASH! Where's Pammy?

Here she is learning how to dive and glide across the pool! She can now make it all the way across the pool on her own with no floaters (most times).

Gramma, your little angels LOVE their slide. They can be found playing on it most afternoons that we get back early enough for them to play outside. . .

Musa, and his "cheese" face yet again!

And away he goes. . .

Yeah!!!

Aren't they too cute! Musa loves his new big "cousin". Mario drags him around, helps to dress and undress him, gets his potty. . .they're too cute together!

Can't you just see him as a teenager? Mr. technology man - he's always touching what he shouldn't be - so curious. Reminds me of Jedaiah when he was small. . .

Music, I love Music!

Hey, you talking about me? Yeah, I know I'm cute!

As you all probably know by now, I'm a bit of a "Reeces Rainbow" fan (nut). I thought I'd update you on a little news that made my week! 

A family recently traveled to Eastern Europe to adopt a 6 year old girl with CP. She was the first child to be adopted out of this institution! The first, and there are another 180 children in the same place. The director of this institution is not like most. She is a wonderful lady who really feels these children have potential. So she gives them schooling, and therapies. Even though she really cares for them, she really did not believe people would want to adopt the children from her institution. Most of these children have quite severe needs. Cerebral Palsey, Spina Bifida, Arthrogryposis. . .

Over the 5 weeks this family was there they were allowed to really got to know the children, and in doing so their hearts where broken. These kids SO badly wanted parents of their own, they daily begged to be taken home as well, or for an american family to be found for them. You can read more on their blog here: http://butbygraceitcouldbeme.blogspot.com/

In following this family's journey and blog, I too fell in love with these dear children who were unfortunate enough to be born in a country where special needs are hidden away from the rest of society. When the family left, they promised to try and find families for these children. . .

Over the past 2 weeks three children now have families who have committed to adopt and bring them home!

This is Alexis. She is 12 years old, and has Arthrogryposis (google this, I also had no clue what this was before RR). She now has a family working to bring her home!!!

 This is Samuel. He will be 16 in May, and to old to any longer be adopted. He was heading for a life-time in a mental institution. Instead there is a family working to bring him home in the next 2 months!!!

What is "wrong" with Samuel you ask? He was born with malformed fingers - yes, you read that right, malformed FINGERS!!! He would have spent a lifetime in a mental institution because of fingers???!!! He is a soccer player, and would love to go to collage. His greatest dream was to go to America where he could live and learn like any other person - and with only 2 months to spare, his life has been given a 2nd chance - a life redeemed!

This is Tyler. He is also 12 years old. He has Spina Bifida. His picture was taken for RR the same day as the 6 year old girl with CP, that the family came to adopt. When they arrived for their daughter, he asked when his family would be arriving. He assumed 2 pictures taken on the same day, both families would be arriving at the same time. How to tell him that no one had come forward yet to adopt him? How could they dash that hope and trust? 

He now also has a family that has committed to bring him home! I wish I could see his joyous face the day his family walks into his building and tells him they will be his forever family!

This is Bernadette, she is from the same institution as Alexis, Samuel and Tyler - She NEEDS a Family NOW! She turns 16 in November, and then her chance at a family is gone forever. She will be shipped of to a mental institution, and that's where she will live out the rest of her days. . .

She has DS, and is small, about the size of an 8 year old. Just look at that smile, I just want to cuddle her up! She has an adoption grant of over $ 10,000 US dollars. This would pay for half of her adoption costs. Where is her forever family!

 This is Duncan, he is also living on borrowed time! He will be 16 in June, and then his hopes of a family run out. . . He says he "fears even to hope for a family, because he doesn’t think anyone would want him because he isn’t handsome”.  

He needs a Mommy to love on him and assure him that he is so very special! He has CP (spastic diplegia like my Sihle), and is able to walk. . .he is also small, more the size of a 13 year old.

This dear boy only has 3 months, then a lifetime to think about not being good enough, while he spends his lifetime in a mental institution! Please, where is this sweet little boy's Mommy?

This is Laurel - look at her gorgeous smile! She also has Arthrogryposis, (look it up!), and turns 16 in August. I can't imagine this cheerful young lady spending the rest of her life locked up - can you? She needs a family to come forward and commit to her NOW. She also has an adoption grant of over $10, 000. You would only need to raise the other half, and her adoption would be sorted. . .

My sweet little Malcolm is still waiting for his family to come swoop him up! He now has an adoption grant of over $6,000 dollars! Could you maybe add a little more to it? Just click on the link below, and it will take you to his RR page. You can donate there. It really is true, often it is the children with larger grants that find families quicker. Please help!

http://reecesrainbow.org/31078/malcolm-15h

Above all, I just ask that you keep all these dear children in your prayers this week. I really do believe that faith and prayers move mountains. And I believe that these children were placed on earth for a special purpose. They weren't created to waste away in some remote mental institution. So please, storm heaven's gates, for forever families for  these dear dear children with so little time. . .