For Gabriel's 5th birthday, we are asking friends and family to give towards Heather's Adoption journey! What better way to celebrate than to help another orphan find a family! Learn about her story below. CLICK HERE TO GIVE!!
WHY ADOPTION?
Since the age of 9, I knew that I wanted to adopt a little girl internationally after watching the documentary “China’s Dying Rooms.” My 9 year old heart broke knowing there were little babies and children like me, living & dying in orphanages without families.
I also always had a connection to people with disabilities & special needs, as my mother is profoundly Deaf and she befriended my elementary school’s special education teacher because she knew ASL. I was fortunate that in my elementary school that special education teacher made sure her students (with severe/profound disabilities) were included in and welcomed into other classrooms and school activities/programs as much as possible, which wasn’t the norm in the early 90’s. These childhood experiences later led me to become a Special Education teacher of students with severe to profound disabilities.
Fast forward to 2021, I reflected on my life, as many of us did after the 2020 Covid Pandemic, and I felt that more than ever it was TIME. I was 34, had my own home with two empty bedrooms and the background experience and knowledge needed to parent a child from trauma. It was time to do what I declared I would do at the young age of 9; adopt a little girl internationally, but at this point in life I knew without a doubt that I was supposed to adopt a little girl with Down Syndrome.
BECOMING A MAMA TO EMMA
This began the whirlwind process of adopting my daughter Emma from Bulgaria. From the beginning there were SO many “red threads” tying Emma and myself together that I couldn’t fully see until our journey began. The day I applied with an agency was April 9, 2021; Emma was born the day prior on April 8th, but of course I didn’t know this at the time. My journey to adopt Emma was a “traditional route” where I provided parameters of a child I felt led to adopt: a little girl ages 0-3, with Down Syndrome and a handful of other health issues or diagnoses I felt confident that I could parent as a single Mother. Then it was a “hurry up and wait” Journey of international adoption. At one point I had such a vivid dream of holding this tiny brunette baby with Down syndrome who has the sweetest little face, beautiful brown almond shaped eyes, who snuggled right into my chest; the day I finally got Emma’s referral photo I sobbed uncontrollably because there in that photo was the SAME sweet little face I dreamt about months prior. She was 16 months old at the time of referral.
She had had a rough start to life: born prematurely with no access to prenatal care, she spent time in the NICU and had open-heart surgery at five months old due to having Tetralogy of Fallot. All I could do was gaze at her photo in amazement at what all she had already endured in only 16 months of life.
January 30th 2023, I walked into the doors of an eerily silent orphanage full of nerves and anxiousness, but as soon as they brought my daughter into that room and handed me this tiny 22 month old who weighed only 15lbs and fit into size 6-9month clothing; I immediately felt immense unconditional love, a motherly “mama bear” protectiveness, and like this was the moment I had been waiting for my entire life; meeting my precious daughter.
Emma was finally my daughter and I was finally her forever Mother; and just as I dreamt, she snuggled straight into my chest, looked up at me with those beautiful brown almond shaped eyes and we shared an instant connection of trust and safety. I walked out of that orphanage with the biggest blessing that life could have bestowed me and that privilege didn’t go unnoticed nor have I forgotten it. I am beyond privileged to parent this incredible little girl who brings me joy every single day and never ceases to amaze me with her determination to push back against the limitations of her disabilities. She truly is a living miracle.
Our family was complete…
Or so I thought. I only ever envisioned adopting one little girl, especially as a single parent;
just the duo of Mom & daughter, but life had another plan for me.
ADDING LADYBUG TO THE FAMILY
This past fall I felt compelled to look through a photo-listing of waiting children in Bulgaria and as soon as I scrolled down the screen, right in the center was the most precious little captivating face staring back at me. Without realizing it, I was quietly sobbing looking at this little girl’s photo. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew in my heart and soul, that I was meant to be her Mama too. I took a few days to research her diagnoses, which broke my heart, as her life expectancy is truly unknown but not a good prognosis. Most children with her main diagnosis don’t survive birth, and then if they do they usually only live for about a year, but there is a small percentage that live into childhood, etc.
For most people this information may cause hesitation, but for me it solidified that I
MUST adopt this little girl and give her the love & care of a family
for however long we would be blessed with her.
The following morning, I reached out to the agency to inquire about her file and move forward with pursuing adoption. Later that same day, the response I received was “Oh goodness! Of all the days to request her file today and today is her birthday!” She turned 2 on the day I officially started the process to adopt her.
Ladybug is what I lovingly refer to her as and I have been working hard to bring her home as quickly as possible as time is of the essence for her. I’m working on the dossier at the moment and for those familiar with international adoption, we all know it can be very costly. Once my dossier is submitted there is a large payment due for that along with a payment to the NGO; these combined are well over $5,000. We’re hoping for the dossier to be completed and submitted by mid-late July.
Ladybug will be 3 in August and it will be the last birthday she spends in
an orphanage without a family.
Emma and I cannot wait to bring “little sister” home to love on her, cherish her, and help her experience life outside those orphanage walls and metal cribs. If anyone feels led to help bring Ladybug home by donating, just know that I will forever be grateful more than words could fully express.
You are helping bring a family together and give a little girl a chance
at truly living and not just existing.
