Little "A" and her Mom's plea

Sorry for the silence.  I have been in Boston the last 3 days for a pediatrics conference but head home tomorrow morning.   Tonight I am enjoying some quiet time by myself which is such a treat.  Now there is nothing that I love more that being home with my family but a little "me" time is a blessing.  It has been a week since I shared a post which is probably not wise when you consider that my main goal is to keep the fund's momentum going.  It is funny but I was just telling one of my dear friends that I feel like I am managing a precious little snow ball.  One that I hope over time, and with each story and request for prayers and donations that it will roll a little further and become a little larger.  Of course, I also have to make sure that it doesn't melt.    So to get the ball rolling again, I want you to meet "A" and her waiting family, the Smiths.   Isn't she absolutely precious!

I remember everything about the day we got the call about our "A". After applying with our adoption agency on my birthday in September 2007, one year later almost to the day our prayers were answered! I was sitting at my desk across the hall from my husband’s office at our family business. My cell phone rang, I saw it was my adoption agency and my heart skipped a beat as I answered. We knew we were #2 or #3 on the referral waiting list so we were expecting a call any time. To hear, “congratulations, you have a baby girl”, were the sweetest words I’ve ever heard. So long I had waited to be a mommy. After failed fertility treatments and years of praying, I was wondering if that day would ever come. When our phone call ended I quickly logged on to my email account to read, print and sign the release form that was going to allow us to receive photos of our beautiful 3 month-old baby girl. My husband sat in my chair holding me on his lap as the photos downloaded one by one. WOW! She was the most beautiful thing my eyes had ever beheld. It truly was love at first sight and I immediately felt a bond…this was my daughter, "A" Claire.

We started preparing the room, buying clothes, my friends had baby showers for me. We thought we would probably be traveling in the next three months or so. Then we were told it would be much later due to delays with families receiving court dates. Then, the unthinkable happened…the country of Kyrgyzstan placed a moratorium on all international adoptions. We were devastated.

I have spent many a sleepless night wondering what "A" was doing. How was her health? Who was tucking her in at night? Who would love on her and tell her how special she is through the wait? Was she even still living in the orphanage? I prayed and pleaded that God would keep her safe. That He would somehow let her know that she had a mommy and daddy that wanted her home with them more than anything in the world. God is the only thing that has kept me grounded through this horrible wait. Fortunately, thanks to some amazing people that care so much for the Kyrgyz orphans, I was able to send "A" photos of us on her third birthday this past summer. After being told the photos were of her mommy, daddy and little sister, I was told she said, “mama”. Yes! My prayers were answered. She knows she has a family that loves her! Oh how I can’t wait to hear her sweet little voice say “mama”.  And I do believe it will happen. I will not give up on the hope that God has given me that she will be my daughter.

Though the wait has been extremely difficult, we did receive an amazing blessing one year after accepting the referral of "A". In September 2009, we adopted another beautiful daughter, Jillian, born 15 minutes away from where we live. She is now two years old and knows who "A" is. We show her pictures and tell her that is her big sister.  This past summer we brought her along for an advocacy trip with other Kyrgyz 65 waiting families in DC.  I pray along with Jillian for her big sister, “Neenahna” (as she loving calls her), to come home soon.

So now we just need to get her to that family. Us, the Smith family of course! We need to reunite all of the Kyrgyz 65 orphans to their families. After 3 looooooong years of waiting for "A" (well, 4 including the year before we were matched to her) we are closer than ever. But, without the help and generosity of readers like you, some of the waiting families will be forced to abandon this fight because of finances.  Can you imagine?  A little boy or girl is so close to having a loving family, but mommy and daddy have no resources left to finish their adoption. 

We know these families want more than anything to bring these children home. They can give these precious children the love and care that they deserve. Provide the medical care, education and homes that they will never get in an orphanage. These children deserve better! What an amazing gift you could give to these families and waiting children – the gift of a family.   You have a chance to change a life…forever.


The Smith family