BRYCE for the Longenecker family — MO
Some might refer to The Longeneckers as the real life family that the movie “Cheaper by the Dozen” was based on! YES! Even the frog on the dinner table. The Longeneckers are abundantly blessed with 9 children (working towards that dozen!), ranging from 3 in college all the way down to one in Preschool.
It was love at first sight for Mark and Jan who have been happily married for over 20 years. They had always talked about adding to their family through adoption and finally had the opportunity in 2008. God made it abundantly clear to them that Special Needs is the way He wanted them to go. They began the process of pursuing a child with Down Syndrome Internationally, but God had another plan. They received a call about a little boy in the US and after submitting their info to the birth mother they were selected to parent this precious little boy.
Chase was not what they expected. They were very familiar with Down syndrome, as a matter of fact; Jan has never known life without it. Her only brother Jason has Down syndrome. Down Syndrome however, was the least of Chases problems. He was born cocaine/ heroin positive. His heart defect was more complex than anticipated. He spent 310 days in the NICU. Two open-heart surgeries later and the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease as well as failure to thrive resulting in a g-tube and he is stable and beginning to thrive. He was not what they expected… He was so much more! They were forever changed! Not just Mark and Jan each of the children. Just like the verse in Proverbs 24 says…. “Once our eyes have been opened we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows we know and holds us responsible to act”!
The most utilized machines in their home…. you guessed it, the dishwasher and the washing machine, doing 30 loads a week! Although the grocery carts and laundry baskets are overflowing, so is the love and laughter in the Longenecker home. Mark and Jan receive the greatest joy out of hearing the banter and play that occurs daily among their children. They would be thrilled to add another voice to this fun-loving atmosphere. What keeps a family like this running?? Glad you asked! The most important element of the Longenecker family is their faith in God. They understand that God has given them a great responsibility to care for and raise children who will continue sharing God’s love with the world. They rely on God to give them wisdom and patience, love and compassion for each child they are privileged to parent. With God, all things are possible. They would count it an honor to be able to parent another child with Down syndrome.
9/26/12—HOMESTUDY in PROGRESS
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at http://www.chancedavid.blogspot.com/
