Last week was Livvie's 3rd birthday…her first birthday with us and her first birthday outside the orphanage walls. It's only been two months, but sometimes I forget that she spent the first three years of her life in an orphanage. But then something will happen that brings that reality to light. Like when we gave her the first wrapped birthday gift to open, she didn't know how to do it. Reality check: This sweet little girl is 3 years old and has never been given a present to unwrap. Really think about that….she's three and never had anyone give her a gift. She shared clothes, shoes, underwear, food, and toys with hundreds of other children and never had anything to call her own.
That small reality check started my brain down the path to the reality of her first three years. It's something I believe most adoptive parents don't really want to think about too much. We want to close the door on that part of their life and move forward. Mostly because when you really think about it…I mean really think about it, the sadness is overwhelming and crushing. Because when you admit to yourself that this sweet, funny, innocent little girl never got a present, you also have to acknowledge all the other things she never got. She never got tucked in with a hug and a kiss, she never had anyone tell her how beautiful she is, she never had anyone tell her how proud of her they are, she never had anyone to tell her it's okay when she woke up scared in the dark, she never had anyone clap when she took her first steps or say her first words, she never had anyone baby her when she was sick, she never had anyone take her shopping for a new dress or a new pair of shoes, she never got a bubble bath, she never had anyone whose face lit up when she walked in the room, she never had anyone tell her they would love her forever. I think you get the point…
So now that I've probably succeeded in making you cry (or at the very least, depressing the heck out of you), what's my point in this Debbie-Downer blog entry? My point is that the universe gave these kids a really raw deal, and we shouldn't sit on our butts and shrug our shoulders. Do something...anything. Could you open your heart and family and adopt a child? Could you foster a child? No? You can still help by donating to adoption charities like the Dave Thomas Foundation or Half the Sky (http://www.halfthesky.org/). I read this quote on a fellow adoptive Mom's website and it's stuck with me everyday since:
That small reality check started my brain down the path to the reality of her first three years. It's something I believe most adoptive parents don't really want to think about too much. We want to close the door on that part of their life and move forward. Mostly because when you really think about it…I mean really think about it, the sadness is overwhelming and crushing. Because when you admit to yourself that this sweet, funny, innocent little girl never got a present, you also have to acknowledge all the other things she never got. She never got tucked in with a hug and a kiss, she never had anyone tell her how beautiful she is, she never had anyone tell her how proud of her they are, she never had anyone to tell her it's okay when she woke up scared in the dark, she never had anyone clap when she took her first steps or say her first words, she never had anyone baby her when she was sick, she never had anyone take her shopping for a new dress or a new pair of shoes, she never got a bubble bath, she never had anyone whose face lit up when she walked in the room, she never had anyone tell her they would love her forever. I think you get the point…
So now that I've probably succeeded in making you cry (or at the very least, depressing the heck out of you), what's my point in this Debbie-Downer blog entry? My point is that the universe gave these kids a really raw deal, and we shouldn't sit on our butts and shrug our shoulders. Do something...anything. Could you open your heart and family and adopt a child? Could you foster a child? No? You can still help by donating to adoption charities like the Dave Thomas Foundation or Half the Sky (http://www.halfthesky.org/). I read this quote on a fellow adoptive Mom's website and it's stuck with me everyday since:
"Sometimes I want to ask God why he allows poverty, suffering, and injustice in the world when he could do something about it, but I'm afraid he might ask me the same thing."
So anyway, we got off our butts and did something and I think these 2 pictures say it all....
