Introduction to Reece's Rainbow

I was introduced to Reece's Rainbow (RR) by an online friend named Kimberly. She is the mom to a little boy with the same 2 special needs as our Joey has. We met through a support group for Down syndrome a few years back. Although we've never met personally we have spent a "few" hours talking on the phone...just a "few", right Kimberly?? Kimberly sent me the link to the RR Christmas Angel Tree sponsor project in Nov. 2008. Before opening the link I was just expecting to see photos of orphans with Down syndrome and probably pick one out to sponsor. Well, it didn't exactly go that way. Within minutes I knew one of those kids would be ours someday! I...JUST...KNEW...IT! I became so addicted as did Austin and Noah. Months back, while talking about adoption to someone here and there, every now and then someone would ask if we would adopt a child with Down syndrome. I always said no as I felt Joey would need another 'typical' sibling. I had to swallow those words because after spending those first minutes looking at all the orphans on RR I never felt so strongly that the child we would adopt would have to have Ds. When I shared that with Darrell it about scared the ga-geebezers out of him. He didn't agree...Austin and Noah did...Josh and Ryan really had no comment either way.

I kept looking at the youngest boy pictures and then there he was...Isaiah. Isaiah was going to be ours. How could the littlest baby boy's name be Isaiah??? After all, the first half hour of Joey's life back on July 22, 2005 his name was Isaiah...Isaiah Joseph. I had a STRONG feeling that I needed to change his name. I couldn't explain it really but I changed it to Joseph Isaiah. Now I know why...God KNEW He had plans for a different Isaiah to belong in our family someday.

Things didn't go as "I" planned. After a little "influencing" on my part Darrell agreed to go for it but I could tell he wasn't absorbing all I was telling him. I was about to commit to Isaiah when I went over the requirements with Darrell once AGAIN telling him the required travel plans. This time it "clicked"...2 trips...both parents...possibly around springs work. He said there was no way he could be gone that long. That broke my heart. How could I say goodbye to Isaiah? I felt he was mine...I would stare at him and envision him asking me if I was his mama (like in the children's book "Are You My Mother?") I longed to hold him. It was not an easy time.

But there was another little baby boy from a different country named Aaron. The requirements for that country were much easier...both parents...one trip. Darrell said that was doable. We took the first steps for him. The country closed its doors to international adoption but talk was that there would be an answer by the first of the year whether they would open again or not. I hung on to that and prayed...we WILL hear an answer by the first of the year. During mass on New Year's Day during the readings both Austin and I felt God told us we were to adopt Aaron. Austin NEVER follows along in the missalette but that day he did. He was the one who caught it and pointed it out to me. In the first reading was the name "Aaron" and the second reading was the word "adoption". News kept getting worse with the country not opening. Two different women in the adoption business told me to move on. I took offense to that and said I would NOT forget about Aaron and move on until God closes ALL doors.

Through out 2008 I felt doors were closing. I got sick again (worse year ever)...the country wasn't even close to making a decision and then when RR opened up their Christmas Angel Tree project again I immediately went looking for Isaiah...and there he was...a whole year older and looked soooooooo much like Josh & Joey when they was babies. Then I found out that no one has EVER inquired about Isaiah. I knew why...because he was ours. Why would God move anyone to inquire about him when God had other plans for him?? I then found out that Ukraine's requirements had changed...2 trips...both parents only 1 trip...and we could request not to travel during springs work. Everyone was on board...even Darrell, he just needed to talk to God a little more and get one more "wink". (((By the way...in June of 2008 Darrell and Austin went on an orphan mission trip to Guatemala. His eyes and heart were opened in a whole new way towards orphans...especially orphans with Ds. They met a little boy named Austin with Ds. This boy would not go to our Austin...he only wanted Darrell. A life changing moment...God's hand in it all.)))

When Darrell said he needed a little more time I told Austin and Noah to start praying extra hard...for dad to be listening to God and also hearing our prayers for our desire to bring Isaiah home. "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17) I fasted from coffee and prayed harder that week while he took some extra thinking time. On Noah's 8th birthday (8 years to the day my dream started) Noah told dad that we needed to talk. "Caaaaaaan weeeeeee briiiiiing Isaiah hooooooome?" he pleaded. Dad said "yes". "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

As far as Aaron goes...he will always have a place in my heart. I hope and pray he was adopted in-country and is loved and being well taken care of the way he deserves.