Keep On Keeping On

Well, Reece's Rainbow's Christmas Campaign has come and gone.  I was able to raise almost $1,700 for AJ with the help of some amazing friends and supporters.  I am so excited for this little boy's future.  I am choosing to believe that there is an amazing family out there for him and that he won't grow up in an orphanage.  He'll be home getting therapies and love and nutrition.  I have to believe that to keep on keeping on for these kids and families.

So, my next goal is to get AJ's grant to $2,500.  When he gets there, he will be put on a "sizable grant" list through Reece's Rainbow.  Hopefully that will mean more visibility for him and a family sooner, rather than later.  There is a thermometer on the right of the blog to keep you all updated on the progress to the goal.

To that end, the following fund raisers will be ongoing.

*Scarves and Skirts for Sara.  50% of each purchase from now until January 1st will go to AJ's grant.

*Plexus.  New Commissions earned each month will go to AJ's grant.  Feel free to ask questions!

*Homemade Lip Balm, Sugar Scrub, and Bath Salts.  50% of each purchase goes to AJ's grant.  Custom scents and flavors available.

*C&E Baby Blankets.  $10 of each blanket purchased will go to AJ's grant.  Just mention AJ when you place your order.

*Teacher Tired Shirts and Hoodies. Through February 16th.  

*World Down Syndrome Day Shirts.  Through March 7th.  Long sleeve tees, tshirts, ladies tees, hoodies, and mugs available.


Past Fund Raisers:
*LuLaRoe Pop-Up.  Online.  November 6-10.  Any sales made this week benefit AJ.  And LLR matches the donation of the consultants!  We raised $271!

*Ornament Sale.  Make a donation to AJ's account of $35 or more and get a Christmas ornament with his picture on it.  November 1 - December 31.

*Dress Down Day at Batavia High School - December 8th

If you are vendor of any kind and would like to host a fund raiser for AJ's grant, please let me know!  I'll always take and appreciate help.  

AJ is not even a year old!!  Imagine---he could celebrate his second birthday with is family.  He could have therapies and early intervention years before Sara did.  And LOVE!

Moving On

So, I realize that I have not updated in forever.  Months and months.  Please tell me it hasn't been a year...

I really started to struggle with what to tell and what to protect.  I want to portray adoption honestly but I also need to keep my baby's best interest at the forefront of everything I do.  Especially since I stupidly used my name when I started this blog long before adoption was even on my radar.  I just haven't known what to share.  But, I'm going to try to resurrect the blog with a slightly different angle.  At least for now.

I grew up in a small town.  That's really where I'm most comfortable.  After college, I moved to Chicago and then left that for the suburbs about 9 years ago.  In so many ways, I've grown up here.  I am certainly not the scared 22 year old that moved here from small town NY and a corn field in OH.  But the time has come to move on.

In a few short weeks, little Missy and I will be moving here:

Definitely going to be different than where I've been for the last five years:

And nothing like where the munchkin spent the first 4 1/2 years of her life:

It'll be so hard to say goodbye.  My last day at my job is Tuesday.  My job is exhausting on every level possible but I love my students and my co-workers have been my family here for the last 13 years.  I still can't even process what life after E will look like.  

I worry about Little Missy's adjustment.  She has moved so many times in her young life.  She has bonded so well.  (Sometimes it feels like too well.  She stays with no one but my parents.)  I know that long-term this move will be so good for her but she doesn't really understand what the next few months hold.  She loves school and she is so loved there.  We have our Gigi's friends and a great babysitter.  She adores my friends here and they have all been unbelievably accepting of her.  So much change for a little heart that has already lost so much.  

Even though there are probably a hundred reasons to stay, I know there are a million to go.  Many of them being the tears that my daughter sheds when we pull into our driveway after a visit at my parents' house.  She knows that Nana and Grandpa are far away.  And she's not ok with it.  She loves them and their animals and country life in general.  Our reasons for moving:

The next step on Life's Amazing Journey is taking us to the country and my parents' small farm.  I can't wait to update about life in the country and how this little girl thrives with fresh air, animals and lots of space.  

And, who knows, maybe this move will lead to some other big announcements in the future.  Stay tuned....

2014 - Our Year in Review - Part 1

I know.  I've been very negligent when it comes to updates.  It's certainly not because there aren't things going on.  Maybe it's because there is too much going on.  Here's a summary of our 2014:

January:

We rang in the New Year in Maine with my Dad and my brother.  Our actual New Years Eve was not very exciting.

However, I got to spend New Years Day with my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and many of my cousins.  We picked my Uncle up to take him to see my grandmother.  He himself had been in the hospital since the fall.  It was fun to be with him while he experienced life outside of those four walls for the first time in months.  Sadly, my grandmother passed away two days later.  

On the 14th, we celebrated one year together.  

We went to Disney Princesses on Ice.  It's possible that Tia and Mommy enjoyed it a little more than Sara.  

The rest of the month was cold, snowy, and uneventful.  

February:  

February was more cold and snow.  

March:

In March, we got to meet our friends the Aschoffs in real life.  They also have a daughter from Colombia.  We met up with them at the IDSC's meet up at Great Wolf Lodge.  Sara was in her glory!  

We rocked our socks for World Down Syndrome Day! 

April:

We drove to Cincinnati and  NY for Spring Break.  Sara is a serious road trip warrior.  

We got to hang out with the Allison family in Cincinnati and meet their newest additions.  They adopted their son around the same time that I adopted Sara. 

A few days later, we flew to Maine for my grandmother's memorial service.  

Sara started swimming lessons.  

We had a quiet Easter with just the two of us.  

And then my poor baby got pneumonia.  

Sara took a tumbling class.  

May:

Sara rode a pony at her school's Family Fun Night.  This was something she refused to do in the fall.  

We did a 5k for my work.  She ran some, walked some, and rode some.

She loved the Memorial Day parade.

June:  

She was in her first ever school program!

My baby finished Kindergarten.

We were both in Tia Anna's wedding.  

I officially finished my 14th year of teaching.  

Sara went to summer school in the mornings for a few weeks while I tried to remember what I used to do before she consumed every minute of my life.

We made a quick trip back to New York to see my brother George graduate from high school.

I love her confidence.  

Check back soon for the rest of the year!

Christmas Shopping

I know.  It's September 1st. Seasonal creep and all of that BUT I started Christmas shopping yesterday.  And I know I am not alone.  Maybe it's because I'm a crafter so I have to plan ahead and wish others would too. Maybe it's because I'm so very excited about Christmas with Sara this year. Maybe it's just who I am since I usually had my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving long before Sara was in the picture.

I'd like to give you something to think about as you start your gift and shopping lists:

Who is benefiting from your Christmas shopping?  

This is not something I thought of before two years ago.  I shopped sales and deals at Amazon, the mall, Target. I bought things that were cute and fun and benefited large corporations.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I love Target and my Amazon prime just as much as the next girl.  I'm just challenging you to think about Christmas gifts a little differently.  After all, isn't part of Christmas spreading goodwill and cheer?
For the last several years, my Christmas shopping has almost exclusively benefited adopting families and orphans waiting for families.  That may sound tedious and stressful but I assure you it's not.  Here are some examples:

*You find the perfect item on Pinterest or Etsy.  Send me the link.  I am almost positive someone in my adoption group can make the item at a reasonable price with all proceeds going to an adoption.

*You find something made by a direct order company like Avon, Tupperware, Color Street, Pampered Chef, etc.  I know someone that sells it and will give the proceeds to an adoption or waiting child.  Pretty much every vendor and crafter you can imagine is selling items at this virtual craft fair from October 1-December 31st.  

*You have an idea for a perfect gift but can't find it anywhere.  Let me know.  I can probably put you in touch with someone that can help you and help an adopting family at the same time.

*You need something for that person that has everything.  Why not make a donation to a non-profit in their name?  Lots of non-profits have special programs at Christmas time that give you a token gift for your donation.  (Need a non-profit? How about Reece's Rainbow's angel tree?)

*You want a unique gift that represents your family with pictures or birth stones?  I can hook you up there too with either Origami Owl or handmade gifts.

*You need to get teacher gifts and another candle just won't cut it.  How about personalized Christmas ornaments for a reasonable price?  I know someone that makes those too!

*I know that there are some people out there that these gifts just don't work for.  (My Dad!)  Sometimes you just need to order something from Amazon. Let me know that too and I can get you an Amazon link so that an adopting family will still get a percentage of your sale!

I know that not everyone is as passionate about adoption as I am.  That's ok!  I get that.  But would you rather help a big corporation or a family?  I don't think any of us are super passionate about big corporations.

Oh, and if you are looking for a gift for me, just message one of my adoption friends. They can help you out!

I'm Really Not Wonderful

Today began my 15th year as a special education teacher.  (Seriously, though.  How did that happen?  I cannot possibly be that old.)  Over the years, there have been numerous times when I've been told that I'm wonderful for what I do.  By parents.  By strangers in the grocery store.  By lots of people.  It's always a conversation I've been very uncomfortable.  I mean, what do you say to that?  I do what I do because I love it (most of the time).  I don't do it perfectly.  Some days, I don't even do it well.  But I like it, so I keep doing it.  Give me high schoolers with special needs over typical kids any day.  (I happen to think anyone that chooses to spend any time with junior highers is either a saint or crazy.)  

Now that I adopted (a child with Down syndrome *gasp* as a single mother *faint*) I am apparently on the road to sainthood.

The first day of school is meetings with new parents.  Last year, one walked in and said "I heard you adopted a kid with Down syndrome.  You know they don't get better when they get older."   (Talk about not knowing how to respond!)  This year, I'm a saint.  This mom was amazed that I teach sped all day and then go home to a child with Down syndrome.  (I'm wonderful.)  Then it came out that she's adopted.  (Her tan gave her away.)  (I'm amazing.)  Oh, and I'm a single mom.  (I'm on the road to sainthood.)

But here's the truth:  I'm not any of those things.  Seriously.  I'm a mom.  Who struggles.  Who tries to be consistent.  Who tries to do right by her child.  Who hopes to do better tomorrow.  

I'm not denying that I have had a unique set of life experiences that has prepared me to be Sara's mom.  I definitely have.  But I didn't adopt to make the world a better place.  Or to rescue a child.  I adopted because I wanted to be a mom.  That really is the bottom line.  I know that people adopt for a variety of reasons but that's mine.  I wanted to be a mom.

I have met quite a few adoptive families in the last two years.  Some have tons of prior special needs experience.  Some have none.   Some are doing well.  Some are struggling.  I don't think that everyone is equipped to adopt (especially kids with special needs).  I also don't think that you have to have extensive professional experience with kids with special needs to be a successful adoptive family.  There are a million factors.  I happen to have had some life experiences that have made Sara's transition easier but I also have a kid that has just adjusted really well.  Sometimes I joke that I hit the adoption jackpot.  I'm not wonderful but my kid pretty much is.

I was drafting this in my head while I made dinner.  Then, Sara lost it because I wouldn't let her eat her tortellini in front of the tv.  (We have a "spaghetti sauce only gets eaten at the table rule" which was deemed incredibly unreasonable tonight.)  There were some new, unpleasant behaviors that I haven't seen from her before.  (The first week of school is so tiring and hard.)  As we worked through the very unfair rules and mean mommy issues, I thought:  See!  I'm not wonderful!  I'm just a mom.  

A very blessed mom.  

Easter Happenings

I know that I owe my few loyal readers a real update.  Someday maybe I'll have time to sit down and write one.  I promise that the lack of updates are simply because we are crazy busy.  Sara is doing amazingly well (except for her current cold/ear infection/fever/general miserableness).

Here are some Easter pics to enjoy.  I'll throw some in from last at the end so you can see how much she's grown and changed in a year.

Unfortunately, we spent a good chunk of Saturday at the pediatrician's office.  The official diagnosis is an ear infection but I'm convinced there is more to it.  She's still running a fever and coughing.  Now the poor dear is starting to lose her voice.

She must have dyed eggs at school this year because she was definitely familiar with the process.  You could tell she wanted to enjoy it but just didn't feel well.  

This is what happened when we tried to dye eggs last year.  

She got a great Easter basket from our friend Jenny again this year.  Jenny picked great, thoughtful gifts for Sara that she, of course, loves.  It's so fun to open gifts with her.  She slowly opens each present and gets so excited over every single one.  She seemed confused that I didn't have any gifts so she gave me one of hers for each one she opened for herself.   She is genuinely surprised that all of these things are for her.  Me?  

She loved finding the eggs we dyed.  Her "hunting" skills have improved greatly in the last year.  I guess my hiding skills will have to be better next year.  

Since she isn't contagious anymore, we managed to get ourselves dressed up and headed to church.  (Pretty much all we've done this weekend.)  I can't believe how grown up she is getting.  

Last year's Easter outfit.  

Happy Easter from the Keller Family!  May your truly understand what Easter is all about---God's plan to save, redeem, and adopt us!