The newest “colors” of Reece’s Rainbow
“It is so magical to watch this child come alive right before my eyes…my cup runneth over”
VIETNAM
UKRAINE
RUSSIA
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
UKRAINE
We have been home for 2 months now, and Georgiy is adjusting wonderfully. He has learned so much in such a short time! Where has the little boy gone who walked with a stagger and who could not even suck on a bottle? His walking has improved tremendously. He graduated from figuring out how to suck milk out of a bottle to drinking from a sippy with a valve in a matter of weeks. He is crazy about his siblings (that feeling is certainly mutual!) and acts as if he has lived with us his whole life.
Our little Ukrainian miracle is getting ready to celebrate his first Christmas with us. We are all so grateful for him, words really don’t do it justice at all. It was a long road to Georgiy, but he was worth every tear and every moment. We will continue to pray for Andrei though. Andrei is the son we ended up not being able to adopt but he led us to Georgiy.
We are crazy about our little man and forever grateful to God and Reece’s Rainbow for this child!
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at wietskeswishjourneytoaukrainianangel.blogspot.com
UKRAINE
Time sure does fly when you are having fun! It’s hard to believe that Nadia Hope has been home with us for just over a month now, wow!
Nadia has been such a tremendous blessing to our family. Several times a day I can?t help but think “Oh my, I love this little girl so much!” and just praise God for bringing her home to us.
Nadia has come a long way since she has arrived home. She came home very frightened of new people. While she is no longer terrified, she is not quick to go to just anyone. She is loved & spoiled by our 2 other children in our home (Yana-12 & Anthony-13) and will happily go to them. She is a Mama’s girl and will snuggle, kiss and hug Mama as much as her little body will let her but unfortunately, she has been much more hesitant to go to Papa. We are praying that Papa will soon know how it feels to hug and kiss his baby girl but for now, we are thankful that Nadia is no longer afraid of Papa. Nadia will lovingly interact with Papa and they will even take turns feeding one another Cheeze-Its; these are moments we treasure.
Nadia’s CP does not appear to be as severe as we had anticipated. While she is not yet walking, we are confident that once she is working with the physical therapist (beginning in the next week or so) she will have a walker of her own and will quickly be cruising along. We have great expectations for our sweet girl and even believe she will someday walk independently! She is a very smart girl and can already sing her ABCs!! No matter what, we will forever love her and be so grateful that God brought her into our family in His perfect timing!
TAIWAN
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at tillgodbringsthemhome.blogspot.com
2015
UKRAINE
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at findinghiddentreasures.blogspot.com
Amanda (Kristel) 2014
ESTONIA
Amanda has been home 3 months; we can see our tiny little girl changing daily. The most striking and heartwarming change is having Amanda come to us for attention, she scoots to us and stands up next to us, and this is her way of asking to be held. When we pick her up, she gets a huge smile on her face and giggles with happiness as she reaches for a hug.
We had been worried about her aloof manner since we picked her up from her orphanage, and though many of her old behaviors remain, many positive behaviors are emerging and we see the old less and less. We love to hear her laugh, to see her smile, and to hear her saying Mama when her Mommy takes her out of bed in the morning. We have faith the positive changes will continue as the months go by. She is our beautiful flaxen-haired little sweetheart; we sure do love her a lot. We are grateful she is in our lives, we feel so blessed to have another precious daughter.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at ukiestoniamomto8.blogspot.com
UKRAINE
It has been a little over a month since we brought our new son, John Paul, home. He is a miracle in every way to us and we simply cherish him and are so grateful for the opportunity to have him as our son. God even gave us the miracle of adopting him on what would have been our daughter?s third birthday.
It is so amazing to watch him grow and change every day. We hardly recognize him as the same little boy that we went to meet in June. He is just transforming right before our eyes and it is unbelievable how quickly he has adjusted and how well he is doing. Smiles were few and far between when we first brought him home, but now joy just shines in his eyes and in his smile, almost constantly. He had some behaviors that he had learned while in the orphanage that he used to cope with the stress/frustration of being confined, without the nurturing and consistency that a family would have provided him. He would hit himself in the face and grind his teeth constantly. L He has since replaced that behavior with smiles, giggles, and babbling to us. He has emerged from the darkness that he lived in for the first four years of his life and is embracing his new world and learning what it means to be loved by a mommy and daddy that think the world of him. He?s becoming the little boy that God created him to be and we are in awe by how God is healing him from the wounds of his past through love. Love truly does heal all wounds.
He has a way of making you stop and notice all of the beauty that God has placed in this world for us to enjoy. When he first walks outside each day he stops to feel the grass. He waves at trees, flowers, and shrubs while smiling and babbling at them. What a miracle it is to be a part of this special angel’s life and to experience with him the newness of his world.
He has learned to walk independently for the most part and is even learning to go up and down the stairs (on his bottom). J This is amazing since when we first brought him home he would only walk if he could hold our hand. When we first got him he was terrified of baths and cried every time, but now he loves them! Now he cries because he doesn?t want to get out. He originally would only play with infant toys and would push more difficult toys away. He has ventured out in the playroom and has gravitated toward the toddler toys now. It took a few weeks, but he has learned to wreak havoc on the playroom like a four year old should. It?s so wonderful to not only see him make a mess, but for me to have another child here that makes me so proud to have one to clean up! Teaching him to clean up will come later. J It?s so wonderful to have him here!
We are so grateful for the miracle of adoption and for being blessed with our little John Paul!
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at newboldfamilyadoption.blogspot.com
HONG KONG
My family and I cannot believe our handsome little boy Zechariah has been home for almost two months now! It seemed as if it took forever to get Zechariah and now we cannot hardly believe how time is flying by with him. Before, I had always imagined how perfect and wonderful Zechariah was going to be once we got home. Now, after meeting him and finally having him home, his greatness far surpasses everyone’s expectations. He is very active and loves to entertain the entire family. People tell us when meeting Zechariah how lucky he is to be with a family who loves him so much. We truly believe we are the lucky ones. Everyday we get to see this marvelous little boy learn and adapt to new surroundings with a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. It seems as Zechariah has fit into our lives as if he has always been here. We thank God daily for allowing Zechariah to be a part of our hearts. My family and I all agree that we cannot imagine life without Zechariah. Thank you Reece’s Rainbow for helping us find this marvelous blessing.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at dawsonfamilyadoption.blogspot.com
SERBIA
Our sweet David has been home with us for 6 weeks now, and I never want to go back to life before David! Our adoption journey began when we committed to David in December of 2007. We prayed that we would be holding him in our arms by his 2nd birthday, and God answered our prayers! We met David on May 30th, celebrated his 2nd birthday with him in Serbia on June 2nd, and brought him home on June 10th of 2008. We praise God for His faithfulness!
David is such a wonderful addition to our family. He has a sweet personality, and each day he seems to become more comfortable with his surroundings. I can only imagine how it feels to come into a family when you are used to living in an orphanage. He has a giggle that will melt your heart, and reserves his best smiles and giggles for his big brother Matthew! We are so blessed! So often people tell us that he is “lucky” to have been adopted, but we know that we are the ones who are blessed. Our lives will never be the same!
Thank you Reece’s Rainbow~I remember the email that I got from Andrea that said… “I have the perfect little boy for you!” Boy, was she right!
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at love4ourboys.blogspot.com
SERBIA
Six months ago I was totally happy with the size of our family and then I started looking at the Reece’s Rainbow web site. Now our family has grown by one which makes us a family of 5! Alex is a high energy 4 year old boy who likes to explore, laugh, swim, swing, play, snuggle, wrestle, eat, ride in the car, go shopping, go on carnival rides and even likes to help with chores like bringing the dishes over to the sink, sweeping and mopping! I was a little nervous about how our 6 year old son with Down Syndrome, Franklin, would react to Alex since he is so shy, but he loves having Alex around and tries to give him lots of kisses. Some of Alex’s energy is rubbing off on Franklin since we have been home for almost a month now — Franklin has learned to jump and is swinging in a big kid swing and some of that shyness is fading away too.
This 4 month adoption journey has been an adventure of a lifetime and we are all forever changed by this experience. We are one of the few families that brought our kids overseas for the adoption and it actually went very well. What a wonderful feeling it is to be safe at home with our new boy and a great future ahead for all of us. THANK YOU Reece’s Rainbow!
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at hopfenspirger.blogspot.com
SERBIA
When people ask me why we adopted, I tell them “Max was a lightening bolt.” By that I mean, when you ask for a sign of guidance in your life, usually the signs are subtle and quiet. But this decision was one that was undeniably right for us. I found Reece’s Rainbow through a friend who is adopting (The Spencer Family) with no intention of adopting at this time. Well, lightening struck and we fell in love. When we chose Max we just knew he was supposed to be in our family. It felt like we had a child on the other side of the world and we had to get to him and bring him home where he belonged. It took ten months of paperwork and waiting but we brought Max Andre Huff home on May 17, 2008. He is such a ray of sunshine! His smile is so big, his eyes so bright and his spirit is full of life. He has been such a blessing to us. In the few months he has been home, he has gained 6 pounds, learned to pull-up, learned to cruise furniture, wave bye-bye, and clap and say “Yeah!” Thank you to Reece’s Rainbow for introducing us to our son. He is a perfect fit!!!
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at 4wildangels.blogspot.com
REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA
This is has been the experience of a lifetime and our family feels so fortunate that we were blessed with the desire and ability to have brought Luka into our home. He is adjusting quite well and has already brought us a lot of joy. We’ve only been home 2 1/2 weeks and he seems already right at home. He giggles and plays and gives lots of hugs, and best of all…he sleeps great at night. LOL. We all love him so much already and Ethan our 7 y/o with Down syndrome has decided it’s his job to help care for him. Isn’t that sweet!?
Ukraine
It seems to me, nothing short of a miracle, how our adoption of Cody and Logan all came together. They are such a blessing to our family, we love them more than I can put into words. I am so thankful to Andrea, all of the Reece’s Rainbow group, our generous financial supporters, and About a Child Adoption Agency, for helping to make our adoption possible.
The boys are growing and changing so fast. Logan has had successful open heart surgery and is a happy, lovable, little character. Cody is curious, active, and all boy, a regular athlete. They will both be starting pre-school soon. We are so very fortunate to have them as part of our family.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at fesslerboys.blogspot.com
SERBIA
Our second adoption was a quick and easy process. Our timeline was less than 4 months from the date we committed to adopt until we were home from Serbia with our son. Grifyn is an absolute delight! He is charming and very smart. In just a few short weeks home, he is saying words in Elnglish, using sign language and following simple requests with verbal cues. He has bonded beautifully with our family. We are already seeing the advantages of having 2 children with Down Syndrome and we are so very thankful that our boys will grow up together.
Our family will be forever grateful to the ministry of Reece’s Rainbow for helping us to find Grifyn and Xander. We are so very blessed to be their parents and we are looking forward to watching them grow and reach their full potential.
UKRAINE
It’s hard to believe that we went from 2 to 4 just a little while ago as everything has adjusted better and smoother than we could have ever imagined! Emma and Micah are a perfect fit from God for our family and we know the miracles that brought them to us are the first of many to come for our family. Both children are learning to sit, express their wants, and know that their needs willbe fulfilled. Kristopher and Brianna love their new “babies” and have taken to them so well. A little too well sometimes! We are absolutely in love and cannot imagine life without all four of our little blessings. I am in awe of each of their accomplishments and wait expectantly for what God has for our future together.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at cornishadoptionjourney.blogspot.com
UKRAINE
We are finally home. Our plans changed on our journey but our little Lera is so much a part of our family that we cannot imagine what life would have been without her addition. We are happy to report that she adores her brother Michael, is skeptical about the cats, and while she and Caelia have differences of opinion on who gets the pink purse and who wears the big hat, they are quickly becoming inseparable. Caelia is speaking much more clearly now that she has a buddy to talk to and Lera is quickly learning English. As an aside, this morning I heard Lera speaking and then I heard Caelia answer “Da” to some question that Lera posed. Lera repeated “Da” and they went on with their coloring! Adopting this child has been one of the most fulfilling decisions we have ever made as a family.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at thesunflowerchronicles.blogspot.com
UKRAINE
“Dear Ava,
I love you so much and I am glad that you’re not an orphan anymore and that you are my sister and I want you to come to my birthday party and all my friends can come and watch me do ballet.”
What began as an adoption dream and a prayer over a Jamaican anniversary vacation 9 months ago has resulted in a sweet little 4 yr. old girl now sitting on my lap grinning at me as I type up this Homecoming page write-up. How can I even begin to describe the joy that this little girl has brought to our family in these short weeks since returning home with her from Ukraine? She is beautiful, a miracle. She has not only been transferred from one home to another, one country to another country, but from one kingdom to another Kingdom. We have been honored, privileged, thrilled to be the avenue that God has chosen to bring her to safety and redemption. We look forward to watching her develop and blossom into the beautiful woman that God created her to be. We rejoice to have Ava Alina Grace in the Urban family.
Follow the family’s adoption journey on their blog at urbanfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
UKRAINE
We find it hard to believe that Caleb has already been with us here in Idaho for one month. With his sparkly blue eyes, adorable smile and wonderful giggle, we all just love him to pieces. He gets tons of attention from his 4 older brothers and sisters as well as from Mommy and Daddy. Which sibling gets to sit by him, change him and feed him are still matters of discussion. Both the paperwork stage and the 5-wk stay in Ukraine seemed overwhelming and unending at times but now that Caleb is actually here, the struggles fade in significance. I am so grateful to Reece’s Rainbow for bringing him to our attention and to God for allowing my dream of international adoption to become a reality at last.
TAIWAN
We arrived in Taiwan on Saturday January 26th at 8:00 p.m. and the next morning we were off for just a visit with our daughter and we were all comfortable and fell immediately in love so we were able to bring her back to the hotel that afternoon where we played and became more comfortable. She immediately bonded to Daddy, she wouldn’t leave his arms…so precious! He couldn’t leave her sight. We respected that so I would play with her while she was on Daddy’s lap! We had a wonderful trip. The people of Taiwan are very kind and generous. Abigail enjoyed going out to shops and walking around Taipei, greeting visitors who wanted to talk with her.
We left Taiwan Thursday at 2:00 pm (lost a day in between) and arrived back in Rochester, New York Thursday evening Jan 31st at 11:45. There we were greeted by several family members and friends. In the car ride home, Abigail grasped her brother and sister’s fingers and wouldn’t let them go…they wouldn’t let her go either!
She has adjusted very well, she is on a regular eating, sleeping and playing schedule. It is like she has been a part of our family forever! She is talking in English and using sign language already! She will begin receiving early intervention services in March! What a great country we live in. God has truly blessed us beyond every blessing! We are so thankful for safe travel, friends, family and of course to God for all he has provided us.