Twas the Night of Christmas

Twas the Night of Christmas a girl waited across the ocean

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

Their was no stockings, no presents, no visit from Santa

Just a girl named Sasha waiting in an orphanage

She might have had a bed but dreams of a family danced through her head

Their was no Mama, no Daddy, no sibling to enjoy celebrating Christmas with

Just this girl named Sasha tucked away wishing for a family

She might not know it but yes, someone does care. I sure hope this is her last Christmas without a family. I know you might not have much but even the smallest makes a difference to this one. http://reecesrainbow.org/78127/sasha

The greatest gift was born on this day thousands of years ago, let us always remember that tis the real reason for Christmas. Merry Christmas & to all a good night!
Let's help make this the last year Sasha is without a family! ANGEL TREE ENDS DECEMBER 31ST so be sure to get donations made before then for it to count towards the Angel Tree goal!

Crazy Faith & Answered Prayers!

Well I have failed on the blogging part of mine but here's the update from the 1st Month of Angel Tree. As I shared before it took crazy leap of Faith to signup for 2 kids this year. Towards the beginning of the month I tried not to worry or doubt but sometimes life just throws it at you. Little did I know my prayer would turn out much bigger than I thought.

To start her off her grant I sent most of the funds I had earned from the last consignment sale as I stated in my last post. I also did an online auction for her & Ryan.
HER GRANT IS AT $291.36 TOWARDS HER ANGEL TREE GOAL

Ryan on the other hand, he was the one I was not expecting to sign up for but when they were still looking for warriors & if not for signing up he probably would have not been included on the Angel Tree. So I took that scary leap, I fretted over signing up for 2 but I had faith that somehow God will provide. His grant moved ever slowly, I put some money from selling stuff in his grant & he had donations come in.
His grant stands at $100.80 raised towards his Angel Tree goal.
OH AND DID I MENTION ABOUT A WEEK AGO HE WAS CHOSEN TO BE RODS RACING ORPHAN! To learn more about what they do you can read about it here http://rodsracing.org/our-story/
This has been the ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS. I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT ADVOCATING & FUNDRAISING SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE THEM LOVE & SUPPORT MY ANGEL TREE BOY!
They have fully funded so many orphans I know Ryan will be soon enough! AS OF NOW THEY HAVE RAISED $1,347 FOR RYAN! Please check out their progress here http://rodsracing.org/meet-our-rods-orphan/
So you see I know that God has a plan & I just couldn't see it yet. Praying for that these two will find families & no matter if they reach their Angel Tree Goals or not I will know that I have done my best advocating on their behalf.

This past Monday my sweet friends, my mom & I sat at a table to gift wrap for my Angel Tree kids & raise awareness for Reece's Rainbow. 

Though we didn't wrap but 3 books for 2 people raising only $2.70, I appreciated my friends & mom going out of their way to support me. My Mom & I were able to share with several people who seemed really interested & it's our hope that they will spread the word. 
Sometimes I get discouraged, I admit that any adopting family or advocate does so I know I'm not alone in saying that. But you know what? I know "Gods got this" & ADVOCATING CAN BE JUST AS IMPORTANT. So I keep on, cause when I see orphans die alone simply from neglect it makes me sick & reminds me to keep on advocating. It reminds me what life is like for these kids. Heavenleigh had a family waiting for her. She died alone at AGE 5 WEIGHING 10 POUNDS. You might think it was her special needs but sadly she passed due to neglect.

And when I see before/afters of Children who have been adopted it gives me great hope that it IS WORTH IT.

So IF YOU DOUBT THEIR IS NO WAY YOUR PRAYERS OR ADVOCATING MAKES A DIFFERENCE 

WHEN YOUR LIKE MYSELF DISCOURAGED BY SUPPORT OR WONDERING IF ANYONE CARES

 IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE TRUST ME!

If I hadn't advocated or helped Quinton, who knows where he would be nor would I have gotten to meet him.

So KEEP CALM, PRAY, ADVOCATE, ADOPT! And if you would like to support Sasha or Ryan by donating to their grants you can do so by going here http://reecesrainbow.org/78127/sasha & here http://reecesrainbow.org/93124/ryan

Take a deep breath & here we go off to Angel Tree 2015

Sometimes you just need a day to take a breath & remember to not worry & just pray. Friday I was feeling discouraged & frustrated by various attempts to help my Angel tree kids. All on Halloween I barely spent anytime on Facebook & if I did I was just browsing cause I didn't want to miss the adorable pictures people posted. I didn't post anything about orphans, I didn't stress or worry about selling stuff to raise funds for my Angel Tree kids. 

As I head into another Angel Tree, after a painful October filled with bittersweet memories of happy memories of one of my girls who got to be my Angel Tree child at one point. I reflect on the baby steps it took to get her to where she was before the adoption ban & how many ups & downs their were. Even with it breaking my heart would I do it again? Absolutely! So even though it's crazy & impossible, & even if I'm just advocating & don't raise any funds I still can raise awareness of two orphans in need of families. 

I'm going to try to do an update daily/weekly of their grant progress, fundraisers I'm doing & a reminder to be praying for them both. Since I'm starting this off fresh on a positive note Miss Sasha will be getting a great start to her grant. As most of my friends are aware back in middle of September I took a bunch of stuff to the kids consignment sale.
I kept the total pretty much a secret from everyone but now I'm announcing it, well just the part of it I'm putting towards Sashas Angel Tree goal...
$222.18! The real total shall remain kept between those I have shared it with but do know it's all gone to a worthy cause & that the sale went very well. 

So what about this guy? What am I to do for him? I have $33 from selling stuff thus far plus I'm saving change for them both.

FEEL FREE TO SAVE TOO! EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS! Dear God, please find Ryan & Sasha families. Amen.

Praying this is the last year I'm her warrior so that she finds a family! So here we go off to Angel Tree 2015!

We are also doing a Christmas/Gift Auction on Facebook starting next week so stay tune! If you have anything you can donate please email me at singergirl15@yahoo.com

Trials, Answered prayers, & big leaps

Throughout my life I have had various trials, & back when I had those moments in my life where I struggled I now know they made me even stronger. Back in 2010, I started this blog because I found a new passion & I knew that I couldn't turn away from what I had seen from videos, pictures, & reading blogs. Honestly I was overwhelmed knowing these conditions use to exist in our own country yet still existed in other countries.

I thought, How can I help I'm only 18? I can't adopt but I know I needed to help. Then came the girl with the huge grin & the boy with the dark eyes that melted my heart to pieces. And the rest so I thought was History.

The moment I got an email from that boys new family I was filled with joy.
And one of the Happiest answered prayers was seeing Quinton find his forever family. Not only that but I had been trying so hard to get the chance to meet him & God finally answered my request summer 2014. 

I didn't realize then how much you could love someone you had never met. Time & time again I felt my heart connect to several kiddos but 2 I knew if I was older & circumstances were different they would be my daughters in an instance. 

From the moment I first laid eyes on both I knew I wanted them to find families since I could never be their mom. 

So I fought on their behalf, doing everything I could possibly do so that families could find them. 
October has been a huge month because of all those events mostly happening for the girl with huge grin. It's also her Birthday month.

And then came the Trial that turned a huge world upside down including my own. An adoption Ban for both the girls country came into place. I couldn't make sense of it, why on earth could someone do something like that? I wasn't even adopting them but yet it hurt me. For a short while their was hope of a special needs amendment but day by day that hope was soon dashed. It was a struggle for me, because I felt so much as if these girls were my own. At the time because my world had been so much fighting for them, I felt like I was in a dark place. It's been almost 3 yrs & I'm still saddened that the girl with the huge grin now 10 yrs old growing up without a family & my other sweet girl. Though thankfully she is in a good place still it's tough & the other one I have no clue & that makes my heart ache.

For a time, I didn't want to see anymore faces, didn't want to get attached in fear of my heart getting broken again. But then things changed & I was starting to feel like I needed to come back to what I was passionate about. Every year since after the ban, I have almost changed my mind about Angel Tree. Angel Tree is the campaign every year to advocate & try to raise $1,000 for that child's grant. 2013, I had originally taken on two but thankfully one found a family. Last year I had Sasha http://reecesrainbow.org/78127/sasha, so when I saw she was going to be on the Angel Tree this year once again I knew I needed to be her warrior.

The further it got before signups for Warriors to close I knew I had to take that big leap & signup for another child even if I didn't reach the goal for one or both of them, their was no way I was going to see another child not on Angel Tree so I signed up for Ryan http://reecesrainbow.org/93124/ryan

I know this never promises to be easy, but I'm trusting God will provide for these two precious children. As I just posted on Facebook, after all I'm so glad I took a HUGE CRAZY LEAP OF FAITH 3 yrs ago this month planning for my 21st Birthday http://lifesbeautifulbutterflies.blogspot.com/2013/02/feb-4th-2013-night-i-will-always-cherish.html

I don't know where I would be today without the loving support of friends, family, & strangers. Next to God it's what motivates me even when I'm frustrated or discouraged. So I thank all my friends for all your love & support!

All you need is Love

Over the last few years I have learned more than ever about the word LOVE. I have learned more about how much God loves me for who I am.

Over the years I have gotten to know some awesome kiddos who have never known the love of a family & how much Jesus Loves them unconditionally. 

I have shared their photos here many times before. But it truly takes Prayer & a village of people to help the least of these. LOVE, a strong word that makes people want to take that leap of faith for the least of these. The love Christ has for us & shown me in my life these last few years. I want other orphans to know that same love. Christ died for us because he LOVED US VERY MUCH. He wants everyone to know his love & he wants us to care for the least of these.

Personal friends of ours stepped out to adopt these precious boys. I fell in love with their precious smiles & wanted to do what I could to help. I told her I would take stuff to the consignment sale & any profits I made I would donate to her. I got most of my stuff from her combined with stuff from a few friends & stuff of my own/our family to sell. I posted throughout before, during, & after the sale asking for prayers that I would reach the goals I had set. God smiled & answered several of those prayers I had said within the 2nd day of the sale! It takes so much energy & knowing truly the love I felt from friends saying they were praying for my sales & asking how it was going meant the world to me. 

LOVE, IS ALL YOU NEED

Right now this boy needs to experience that love before its too late for him. Meet Ben http://reecesrainbow.org/90775/ben 

Ben is 5, soon to be 6 this summer & YES HE IS SMALL FOR HIS AGE! 

He only weighs about 15 lbs, & that is too small for a soon to be 6 yr old. 

So who is going to take that leap of faith to LOVE Ben by bringing him into their family? You can donate to his grant at the link above.

It's sometimes hard to trust God in his plans but I believe he has this.

I rarely take off these bracelets cause they are good reminders to trust God in everything & keep continuing to pray for Russias forgotten orphans. LOVE IS A POWERFUL THING

It takes alot for someone to step out on Faith that God has their adoption & will provide for their needs. The Brook family adopting Emma Grace have continued to trust God has this. I hope you will join me in prayer for this precious family. Also if you get the chance they have neat bracelets they are selling to help fund their adoption.

I personally got this one cause I love this verse but they have many others so be sure to check it out! https://theyareprecious.wordpress.com/2015/05/08/mud-bracelets/

I'm especially loving their other fundraiser they are doing. Who here loves essential oils? I sure do! Who wishes they could just leave their oils on them all day? Well, you should check out the Lava Rock Jewelry here http://dbrook2010.wix.com/on-the-rocks#!shop/c20zq

I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE WITHOUT CHRISTS LOVE & THE SUPPORT OF MY FRIENDS & FAMILY! All it takes is love whether by prayer, stepping up to adopt, or by helping in other ways for the least of these. IN WHAT WAY CAN YOU SHOW CHRIST LOVE FOR THE LEAST OF THESE TODAY? If you wish to donate to the Brook family adopting Emma Grace you can do so here http://reecesrainbow.org/84608/sponsorbrook-3

Dear Mom-to-be

Dear Mom-to-be, I know you might be scared. You might worry what others might think. What might this mean for your Child's future?

Honestly I can't say it won't come with it's challenges. But who says life does not come with challenges?

Do we quit just because Life is hard? No, I know I'm no parent but I know that I don't give up so easily even though their are times I feel like giving up.

I want you to know your in my prayers. I have never felt the time more to say this. Down Syndrome is not the end, tis only the Beginning of a beautiful story God is starting to write. 

You might have other children thinking life will be unfair to them by having a sibling with that extra chromosome. I on the other hand beg to differ. 

You might think they can't...

Ride Horses

Be in a Play

Dance in front of everyone

Love going to Disneyland

But I tell you the life that beautiful baby inside of you will bring far outweighs what they may or may not be able to do. So I pray this post might find you before you face that decision & that it will give you hope. 

Because being a sibling to someone with Down syndrome has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.

I hope you choose to travel this challenging yet beautiful road with me because to me Down syndrome is not what makes my sister who she is or even your child who they are, it's what on the inside that counts.

If you wish to chat or have questions about what it means in my life having a sibling who just so happens to have Down syndrome please feel free to leave a comment with your email address for me to contact you. I moderate my comments & will not publish any private information. 

Lastly I leave you with this video taken several years ago of my siblings & I talking about being a sibling to someone who happens to have Down syndrome.

Have hope that your child will do great things!