When we adopted Erik, we were approved for two kids. We were sort of expecting to adopt a little girl Erik's age, also with Down Syndrome, but it didn't work out. And faithful followers of my blog know that we were offered a little blonde-haired girl of age 4 who was wonderful, but we just didn't feel it for her. Didn't know why, it just didn't seem RIGHT. It was very, very hard on me to return from Ukraine without a daughter, and I've felt a hole in my heart ever since. Yes, Erik is absolutely PRECIOUS and keeps us very busy, but it has always felt like something is missing around here...

So one day I was just simply surfing around, when my heart just about leapt up into my throat. I'd just found my son and daughter!! I inquired about them and learned how they would be PERFECT for us! The girl is 17 and I'll call her O to protect her privacy for now. She is perfect because, besides her outgoing nature, she is past the annoying teenage stage that drives me crazy with girls (but that I enjoy in boys!) and she will simply need someone to help usher her into her adult life in America, which will be so much fun for me! Ah, to have a daughter in the house again!! The boy is 15 and I'll call him V for now. This boy's description is fabulous and he sounds like such a GREAT kid!! He truly sounds like the kind of son anyone would love to have (and Reese says he has a "swell cleft in his chin"). His age is between Nikolai's and Reese's, so they will be like virtual triplets! Those of you who know us know that Reese and Nikolai don't especially get along - they are soooo different - but hopefully V will be able to relate to both of them and allow both boys to enjoy having a brother around! We will keep the 3 boys in a sort of "teen boys pad", unfortunately uprooting Mark from his office, but I think that they will have a great time back there and will have plenty of space to hang out with friends, throw darts, roughhouse, and just be boys. O will take over Reese and Nikolai's present room, and Erik will stay put. So we have it all planned out!

I haven't wanted to make the big announcement because there were several wrinkles in this situation that needed to be ironed out, including a couple of negative comments made to our social worker, basically warning him not to approve us!!! These were NOT people that we asked to send references for us, but were other people that he talked to, I guess. Besides being furious at these people (though I don't know all the details, I know enough to guess), I am terribly hurt that they would try and do this. These people have also adopted and know how important it is to get these kids OUT OF there (see my post below!!)!! So the social worker is hesitant to approve us, though he said he would, thank you sweet Jesus!!! Maybe those of you who know us can leave comments here and after a few days I can show the sw this post and all of your comments and he can be reassured that we are okay to approve!! Sheesh! I can't believe we could ever have come this close to not being approved for a homestudy - it just takes one person to say the wrong thing to the wrong person to cause calamity and devastation. Lord, help me to pray for these people so that they understand better. I don't know what exactly was said, but it was enough to cause a problem that we simply did not need.

But on to happier things! We will not be working with Reece's Rainbow this time, as you've probably gathered. So that means no grant money (and no dossier prep help...!), but amazingly, the Lord has provided for us each step of the way, and we believe has even already provided the funds for us for the "big money" part of the journey! We aren't sure just yet, as we don't know how much it will be (or even how much we need), but we are trusting, trusting, trusting!! No price is too big to place on the head of a child in need. And just because these kids are SO much older than the typical age of an adoptee, it doesn't mean their value is any less. Which leads me to my next point! The kids' ages!! Some of you may know that kids age out of the system at age 16. They are basically turned out on the street, possibly given a little help to get started, but basically, there they are. The end. So how can we adopt O if she is 17?? Because her brother V is only 15, she can "ride on his coattails" until she turns 18, which is actually after he turns 16, which is quite soon, so we need to MOVE on this! Things are moving along steadily, but time is truly of the essence, here! These kids don't have much time. If they aren't adopted soon (as in, a few months), they BOTH will be turned out. I can't bear it. So please, if you will, join me in prayer that God's hand will be in this situation through and through??? We can't do this thing without Him, and we are doing it in obedience to Him, so we are counting on Him to help us but we need prayer to help solicit that help! :o) THANKS!!

For several reasons, I am going to go private on my blog, so if you would like an invite, please let me know! mjtaborn@cfl.rr.com . I really don't feel comfortable speaking too openly here, but I'll leave this post open for a couple of days before I privatize. Be sure and let me know who you are to me if you don't think I'll recognize your name. Thanks!! So sorry for the inconvenience, and I hope you'll understand. After I go private, I'll post pictures and more info.

Thanks for helping us welcome our hopefully-newest-family-members!! And for those who aren't sure, these kids will be #5 and #6, and after that, the DOOR SLAMS SHUT TO MORE ADOPTIONS!!! In 3 years, all the kids but Erik will be 18 and/or graduating from high school, so we will be very sudden empty-nesters!! It'll be feast then famine around here! But that's okay. Our time will have come to enjoy our middle-agedness, and give Erik some one-on-one and just enjoy watching him grow. :o) But that's a little ways off.

Thanks everyone for your prayers and your positive comments!! :o)