Dreaming Of Playgrounds

I love our school and our love the teachers. They have gone above and beyond to help Nina be as independent as possible. But there is one thing I do not like about our school. The playground.

Nina gets out there with her wheelchair, transfers to her walker and she is off...

Off to watch the kids playing. Climbing. Sliding. Running. She is watching. She gets to play with the rocks around the play structures. Dump trucks, shovels. Maybe a kid will play with her. Kids like her, they really look after Nina.

Ellie and Nina have recces together. Today I asked Ellie if Nina has fun. Ellie said Nina has friends that  play with her, but Nina cannot do anything because the play structures are just not...accessible. At all. Little rocks make it hard for a wheelchair or walker to get through, and no ramps make it impossible for Nina to have any independence. Out there, at school, she is completely dependent in other people. Either to stop and play with her, or to pick her up to help her go down a slide.

Twice a day, in the playground, Nina is disabled. It is a constant reminder that she is not like other kids. She watches, on the sidelines, or from the rocky ground.

Something needs to change.

Nina is not the only kid in her school with mobility issues. She is not the only child with special needs.

So I have been dreaming. I have been dreaming of  "Boundless Playgrounds." With ground where a wheelchair or walker can access the structure. Where there are ramps! Where there are railings! Where a kid with Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Autism, and other special needs can feel just like one of the other kids. Where there is no divide between those that have challenges and their peers.

And I am determined.

You see, schoosl don't have a lot of money, so a playground is not at the top of the list. This is one of those situations where the parents need to step up, raise funds, and make things happen.

This is completely new territory for me!

And maybe you can help me sort things through.

Have you done this before? Have you raised money for a play structure in your school? Do you have connections? Do you know of places where you can apply for a grant? Dream with me!

I am really excited about this.

I am dreaming of playgrounds. Of Nina walking up a ramp right along with her friends. Going down slides. Her being independent! Twice a day... a time to look forward to being outside and being a kid! Yeah!

Let the brainstorming begin!

Photo Credit

You Can Help!

See this precious little girl? This is Tasha 31 (Ember) and her forever family is getting ready to go get her and bring her home.

Let me tell you a little bit about her family.

The Senti's were a happy family with 3 boys. Then Lorene got pregnant again, and finally a little girl joined their family.  A little girl with an extra chromosome, a precious baby with Down syndrome. And a baby that changed their lives and hearts forever.

Last year I shared some pictures with you of a Down syndrome get together we had in St. Louis. This is where I met Lorene and her daughter.

Shortly after that, Lorene sent me an e-mail asking about what it was like to adopt a child with mobility issues, because like our family, the Senti's were feeling moved to adopt another child with special needs, and they had fallen in love with Tasha 31 (who they will name Ember). Tasha has arthrogryposis.

This is what is happening, most likely the Senti's will be given a travel date in the next couple of months (or weeks!) and they need our help! In order to raise the funds that they still need for their adoption, they are having an awesome give-away! They are giving an iPad2! For every $25 donation your name will be entered once, give $100 and you will be entered 5 times.

If you can't give $25 right now, give what you can. I remember when we were adopting we would get donations of $1, $2, $5 and I knew that someone out there gave either as much as they could or they thought they could spare a couple of bucks. And that little bit added up made a BIG difference!


CLICK HERE to give and get a chance to win an iPad2.

And prayers for the Senti family are always appreciated too!

Thank You For Giving

I don't know that there will be enough words to say "thank you" to all those who helped us bring Nina home. The longer she is with us the more she feels like she is mine, and I am not babysitting her as much as I used to. This last week I was reminded of the reasons why we adopted her, and of the darkness from where she came.

Three weeks before going to get her we were about $13,000 short. Yet, God provided...through you. What an amazing journey to be a part of, how humbling too. God's hand was upon Nina, He loved her, He created her. And besides the love of a family, what we have to offer is far greater than that, we have Jesus, she will know about a Savior that loves her desperately.

Nina loves to sing. At the orphanage I would sing to her "Oh no, you never let go, " and "Jesus loves me." Still her two favorite songs.

Andy was listening the other day at some music on the radio and the song "Thank you, for giving to the Lord." Was playing.

"I can picture Nina," he said, "Standing before our family and friends, singing, thank you, for giving to the Lord, I am a life, that was changed."

It was a very powerful realization of the difference that those that gave made in her life. Just months away from being sent to an institution and never hearing about Jesus, never knowing the love of a family.

So thank you, thank you so much. Even after 4 months, we can say thank you, and we will forever be grateful. And maybe someday, Nina will stand before all those who love her and sing "Thank you", because your gift saved her life.

iPOD touch fundraiser giveaway

Zhora needs a family! My friend Lisa has been working hard to find a family for this sweet boy and she is determined to raise money so that this will not be an issue for a family considering adoption. Zhora already has $2106 in his grant!

For every $10 donated your name is entered once, and if you give $25, your name will be entered 3 times!

My friend Renee is hosting this give away, so hop on over to her blog by clicking here and help us spread the word! We can all have a small part in finding this sweet boy a family of his own!

A few things about Zhora. He is not bald, they shaved his head! My friend Lisa also has some other pictures of him and I am told there is even a video of him. So if anyone is interested in adopting this little boy, let me know, or visit Reece's Rainbow!

And, it is my birthday today, so what a better way to say happy birthday than to donate $10 and a chance to win an ipod touch!