Imagine....

           

Imagine

Imagine that you travel to and Eastern European Country to adopt a child - one that you believe is a "healthy" child.  You have never traveled to this country before and have never heard a word of the language.  You know NOTHING about adoption but KNOW that you have felt called to adopt a child from this country from the time you were a teenager yourself. 

 

You scoop her up at the orphanage - an orphanage you later learn is for mentally handicapped children.  Imagine that she attaches to you instantly and you later learn that she would scream for anyone that touched her.  She did not scream for you.  The moment you touched her and picked her up she melted into your arms. 

 

You believe that she is just malnourished and underdeveloped for her age.  She is just 17 months old and as tiny as a 5 month old.  You discover that she can not sit, chew or crawl.  You discover that she was born at 28 weeks and that she survived.  You  learn upon arriving home that she is not developing physically as she ought to be. Although she is not developing physically it is as if her BRAIN has awakened and after only 2 weeks of arriving on US soil this tiny little beauty begins to speak in English.  Imagine how your jaw would drop and how amazed you would be.  At that moment you know she did not have a mental disability but most probably was highly gifted intellectually.   

 

You take her to a leading hospital for medical care and she has as more tests and evaluations than you have ever known possible.  Imagine being told by US doctors that she probably will never walk!  Imagine knowing somewhere in your heart of hearts that that LORD has a HUGE plan for this child's life and she will defy all ODDS!  She is a miracle child.

 

Imagine being sung to by a tiny little two year old with the voice of an angel - the main chorus lines from numerous Broadway musicals.  Imagine again knowing that this child will defy all ODDS and is a miracle child. 

 

 Imagine at the age of 4 this child understands the Gospel message and accepts Christ as her Lord and Savior. 

Imagine being told over and over that she has a disability and not to expect too much - to put her in special classes where she will feel like she belongs!  Imagine knowing in your heart of hearts that she will walk and she will defy the ODDS and she is a miracle child.  The LORD has a HUGE plan for her life. 

 

Imagine watching as she overcomes every obstacle and academically moves to the top of her class.  Imagine this one time orphan with a diagnosis that most said she would never overcome and it would debilitate her and she should not attend regular classes - has become a highly gifted scholar. 

 

Imagine as she gives her award winning speech about "THE BOY IN BABYHOUSE 10" at the talent show at Shippensburg University at the HOBY conference - A few short years ago she could not have walked up the stairs unassisted to give that speech.  

 

Imagine watching as she now can not only walk the stairs to the stage unassisted but can now walk 5 flight of stairs to a dorm room at Shippensburg University and only calls home one time during her stay at the University for the conference because she fits and belongs with kids who are OUTSTANDING!

She is a miracle child....

 

ANY one considering adopting a child with special needs NEEDS to see this message

Sasha is a living miracle who has defied the odds and is an outstanding young lady with an amazing future ahead of her!

She is a leader

She wants to give back

She is preparing to head to college in 2 years and is taking as many AP courses as she can

She wants to double major

She wants to get her Masters

She wants to work with special kids

She wants to travel to Eastern European Countries to help the kids in the orphanages

Imagine

what her life might have been like had she not been adopted

LOOK at her NOW

I can only imagine what the future holds for our amazing talented beautiful daughter!

We are so very proud of our Sasha

Natalya Aleksandra you amaze ME!

Check out her rendition of the conference at her blog

http://www.hopeforisolde.blogspot.com/

Let's just say her rendition is much different but every bit as exciting!

 

             2013 Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar
                     Shippensburg University - May 16 - 19  


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Sunday when we picked up Sasha after the awards and closing ceremony

Sasha's individual group of kids at the conference

They called themselves Maddie to the 9th power

I HAVE no clue what that means but they obviously did and do and had a blast doing it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are so proud of our gift from the LORD!

God surely gave us a gift the day HE gave us our

precious daughter.  Little did we know the JOYS in store for us!

We have loved every single year of her life and can not wait

to watch and cheer her own as she enters her junior year of high school!

 

Her dorm -5 flights of stairs and at one time she cried and cried standing on a stool

because she had no idea how to take the one step down off the stool

Her brain injury prevented her brain from processing how to step

She learned and overcame

She walked up to her dorm room - 5 flights - with every other girl from the conference to retrieve her

bags to head home.  She never faltered or missed a step - it was if she never struggled to step or walk!

 

Sasha is at the corner of the building calling me to find out where I was standing.

I was standing right there in front of her...little did I know that as I was photographing the dorm I was also photographing my Sasha!

Good bye Shippensburg

HELLO to many more GRAND ADVENTURES

Like travel to Bulgaria and Ukraine this summer

So much more to come as we follow this young life of SASHA!

BE a VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF LOVE PRAYER HARD WORK

and the GOD WE SERVE!

HE IS A BIG GOD!

WE serve a BIG GOD!