Tag: Heather’s Birthday

Have you read my “imagining” for my lovely Heather? In June, i wrote a blog post for the Reece’s Rainbow Prayer Warrior’s blog, please read it before going on in today’s post.

As you can tell from that previous post, i really imagine Heather having a most fantastic time with a sibling; a sibling who will love her, care for her and look out for her best interests. A brother or sister who would encourage her and be her cheerleader.

But what i did not cover in that post is how Heather might impact or change the life of that sibling. In the video below, Ashley, who has a sister with Down Syndrome and whose family will be adopting a special needs child, covers that wonderfully.

Before you watch the video Ashley made, i want you to hold a few phrases in your head while you watch the video. Notice when and about whom these words describe.

• unconditional love
• not a burden
• so much joy
• such a blessing

Got the phrases? OK, now watch the video.

My thoughts on having a sibling with Down syndrome…. – YouTube.

i remember meeting a little girl with Down Syndrome myself, when i was a little girl. She was the niece of my Uncle’s wife. i only met her a couple of times but what i do remember is her smile and her readiness to accept people for who they are, just as they are. i have the picture in my mind of her so gently stroking my face.

What Ashley says of her sister is what my lovely Heather will bring to the family who adopts her. She will show that unconditional love. She will not be a burden but a joy and a blessing.

Maybe as you consider whether or not you could be Heather‘s family, you also worry about the children already in your family.

In the video, at about the 7.5 minute mark, Ashley answers the question whether or not she will find it a burden to take care of her sibling for the rest of her life, should the need arises.

This is what she says: “I would not want her to go to anyone else but me.”

Sure there was fear and uncertainty at the beginning of her relationship with her special needs sibling. Which relationship was not filled with doubts at the very start? But with time, that all went away, and what replaced it was love, true sisterly love.

A love i pray and hope with all my heart that my dear little Heather will get to experience.

My lovely Heather is perfectly healthy except for that extra chromosome which gives her that extra portion of sweetness. She needs a family. She should not be growing up in an institution or orphanage. She should be hugged and held by a loving mother and a caring father. She should be playing with siblings who love her to bits.

Are you her family? If there is a tugging at your heart, please don’t ignore it. Contact Reece’s Rainbow to find out more about Heather and about adopting her.

This month, September, is my lovely Heather‘s birthday month. She is 11. This is my 4th post for her special month. i pray and hope that these posts have made an impact; that you now know my little Heather and care for her.

Do continue to pray for Heather‘s daily needs and most of all, pray for her forever family to find her.

Do also donate to Heather‘s adoption grant. A bigger grant would hopefully get her more notice and bring her closer to finding a family. Click on her name or picture to get to her profile page where there is a Donate button. If you do make a donation, please leave a comment below so i can get in touch and send you a thank-you gift.

i leave you with Ashley’s words about her sister who has Down Syndrome : “She is my sunshine on a cloudy day.”

syc

What are glass children? They are ‘normal’ children with special needs siblings.

i heard this term for the very first time a few months ago when i watched a TedX Video from their event in San Antonio. It was a talk presented by Alicia Arenas. She herself was a glass child.

This is her definition of glass children from her website, Sanera People Development Company:

Glass children are healthy children who have brothers or sisters with special needs. They are typically emotionally neglected, experience severe pressure to be problem-free and perfect, take on parental responsibilities within the family at a young age and have an overwhelming need to make others happy. All this while receiving little nurturing and support in their development years.

i like how she said that glass children are actually very strong because of what they have to go through in their unique family situations. But it was sad to hear how much pain she went through. Her parents, and others around her didn’t know, because she was the “perfect” child, she was a good girl, doing whatever she can to make her parents happy; she knew that she had to stay out of trouble because her parents were overwhelmed needing to care for her 2 special needs brothers. She always said she was fine when in fact she was not. She was dying inside, needing attention, love and care.

At the end of her talk, she talked about 1 mile per hour wind; a wind which is near calm and only slightly bends a little blade of grass, a wind which can change the trajectory of a bullet by 15 inches. She appealed to the people in the audience to be that 1 mile per hour wind and make a difference in the life of a glass child.

While you consider being that 1 mile per hour wind for a glass child, i ask you to also consider being that near calm wind for my lovely Heather.

In a way, Heather is like the glass child among other special needs children. She is perfectly healthy with the exception of that extra chromosome; she has Down Syndrome. But because she only has that one medical condition and very little other information about her on her profile, i think that she may not be receiving as much attention as she should.

This month (September) she turns 11. No one to celebrate for her. No one to bake her a cake, let alone blow out candles with her.

i am celebrating for her by doing a post for her every Monday in September; praying and hoping this will get her the attention she needs; maybe her forever family will finally find her.

Please join me in praying for Heather. Praying for her daily needs and most importantly, praying for a loving family to come and bring her home.

As you look at her picture, think about her situation. Could you be the family who could help her grow up into the wonderful girl i know she is inside? If you think so, then do send an email to Reece’s Rainbow to enquire about her.

Last but not least, she has a very small adoption grant at the moment. You can help it grow by going to her profile page (click on her name or picture) and use the Donate button to contribute towards it. An international adoption can cost anywhere from US$20,000 to US$40,000. A larger adoption grant will help her forever family reach her sooner.

Thank you so much.

syc