Month: October 2016

Dear Jayne,

You are on my mind tonight, which isn’t a new thing for me.  I think of you often, and it haunts me that we only have four months to find your family and get you home.  That isn’t much time.  I’m doing all that I know to do, and I worry it isn’t enough.  Why haven’t we found them yet?  Why haven’t they seen your amazing smile and realized you are their daughter?  They have to be out there.  They just have to.

As I think of you, I think of your story, and all that you have endured.  You already were adopted at the age of 3.  You already had the promise of forever.  And then your adoptive mother passed away from cancer, and your dad struggled.  Your forever ended and you were returned to the orphanage when you were 11.  Promises were broken.  Yet, because of your unbreakable spirit, you are not ready to give up.  You still want forever.  And please know that so many of us want you to have it.

Jayne, please know that I do not pity you.  I admire you.  I admire your resolve and your strength.  To have gone through all that you have gone through, and still dream of a family, is remarkable.  You have a loving spirit that you have held onto, regardless of your past.  In some ways, I envy you¦.I wish I had your kind of strength.

I will keep searching for them, Jayne.  I will keep searching for your forever.  And I wish I could promise that I’ll find them.  But you’ve already experienced too many broken promises, so I know better than to say that.  But please know that I am doing all I can, and so many people are thinking of you and sharing your story.  You are a remarkable young lady Jayne, and my
dream is that I will meet you one day, living out your forever.

You friend,

Sarah

Jayne is available for adoption through Madison Adoption Associates.  She will turn 14 on March 8, at which time she will no longer be available for adoption.  There is a $5,000 grant available for Jayne’s forever family.  Email sarah@madisonadoption.org for more information, or visit our website.

I was sitting on my porch, on this chilly fall, October day, waiting for my first grader’s bus to pull up, when I got the email.  œThe family is not pursuing Gianna.  She is no longer on hold.  Sadly, I’ve gotten this email before regarding Gianna.  Many interested families, but no commitment.  As I continued to think of Gianna – of this sweet, happy, extroverted little girl – the bus pulled up and my own barrel of energy and fun sprinted off.  He immediately went for the leaf pile that I had just raked up.  I was overcome with the smile on his face, and the absolute, innocent joy in his laugh as he jumped in the pile, over and over again, throwing leaves into the air.  While I often compare the kids I advocate for with my own children, when it gets too overwhelming, I am usually able to ˜turn it off,’ and live in the moment.  But every now and again, I just can’t.  Today is one of those days.  All I could think of while watching my son experience this quintessential autumn rite of passage, was Gianna.

This gorgeous girl, inside and out, who loves playing outside, loves playing with dolls, loves playing games, who was born with a crooked back¦ I could just see her in that pile of leaves.  I could picture her, with her curved little body, bouncing up and down, with a grin from ear to ear.  I could envision the red, and orange, and yellow¦. falling down around her, as she looks up in wonder.  Why doesn’t she get to have this experience?  Why doesn’t she get to run off the bus, into a pile of leaves, with a Mommy waiting for her?  Could you be her Mommy waiting on the porch?  Could you be the one to say yes to this little girl?  Could you be the one to give her the chance to be a little girl?

Gianna just turned 5 this summer.  She is available for adoption through Madison Adoption Associates.  There is a $2,000 grant available for the family who adopts her.  You can learn more about Gianna on our website, or email Sarah at sarah@madisonadoption.org.

œRudy! Rudy! Rudy!  We named him Rudy after the story of the Notre Dame underdog football player.  You know the one¦un-athletic kid dreams of donning the gold helmet and playing with one of the greatest college football teams in the nation.  No one believed in him.  He was told time and again not to bother, as he would never make it.  He did not give up.  He kept at it.  And, despite the naysayers, he fulfilled his dream and played for the Irish.

Our Rudy is similar.  Rudy is a bit of an underdog, and because of his extensive scars, he has been told he won’t amount to much.  That he’s ˜damaged goods.’  Though, we don’t agree.  When we met Rudy, we saw a kindhearted, sweet boy who is engaging and makes great eye-contact.  We saw an incredibly smart kid who will do great things for our world if only given the chance.  Rudy the football player had a couple people in his corner who always believed in him, and encouraged him to fulfill his dreams.  Our Rudy has us in his corner, but what he really needs to prove the naysayers wrong is a forever family in his corner.  Are you his family?  Will you believe in him, and encourage him to be all that he can be, no matter what the naysayers say?

Rudy is 6-years-old.  He is available for adoption through Madison Adoption Associates.  There is a $2,000 grant available for the family that adopts Rudy.  You can learn more about Rudy on our website at www.madisonadoption.org or email Sarah at sarah@madisonadoption.org.