A Special Story

Dear Victoria,

I have a very special story to share with you. Last week I got a very touching email from a family that has a little girl your age who also has Down syndrome. It came to us at a time that we were beginning to feel discouraged and it was a quick reminder for us to put our faith and trust in God and know that he is over all. Below are excerpts from the email.

"My older daughter Sarah, who turned 8 this month, is in 2nd grade at a Catholic School. Recognizing that they have been blessed with so much, the girls in her class have decided to forgo presents at their birthday parties in lieu of donations to the charity of their choice. For my daughter's birthday party, she chose to sponsor your Victoria through Reece's Rainbow, in honor of her 5-year old sister Hannah, her favorite person in the world who happens to have Down Syndrome.

"We sent out a link to your blog to her friends' families, and we also printed a page and put it on the table at the party for everyone to see adorable Victoria, read your story, and learn more about these precious children who are waiting to find their Forever Families. I am humbled (but definitely not surprised!) to say that the families responded generously. 17 little girls attended the party and I was moved to tears while opening the envelopes. Donations received at the party alone were $200. At least four other families gave online, and we are also sending in a donation in honor of both of our amazing daughers. When the final amounts are added up, I believe we have raised approximately $350 toward Victoria's adoption.

"From my family and from the families of the 2nd grade girls at my daughters school, thank you for giving us the opportunity to "adopt" Victoria and be with you all on your journey to bring her home to her Forever Family. The joy my daughter felt in making Victoria a homemade card (which I will be sending in with the donations:)) and knowing she was making a difference was the best present she could ever have received for her birthday. We wish you all the best with Victoria's adoption and will pray for your family and for all of the orphans trying to make their way to their Forever Families.

With Love,

Beth, Michael, Sarah, and Hannah"

This is Sarah and her cute classmates that donated to your fund.
Sarah is the  one in the pink shirt standing up.

I'm sure you can imagine how touched we were to hear that an eight year old little girl gave up her birthday presents to help bring you home to us.  What amazing little girls, such great examples to us of selfless service and working together to do something amazing!  Thank you Sarah and her friends for doing this for Victoria and our family.  I hope one day we can meet you in person and show Victoria the friends she has on the other side of the world.  

If you look on the side bar of your blog you will see that your fund is close to $5,000!!  Thank you to the many people who have donated to help us bring Victoria home.  Many of our co-workers are donating and then our work is going to match their donations.  We appreciate it more than you will ever know!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you to our friend Kim who did the 31 bag fundraiser and donated ALL of her commission to our fund.  Thank you to all those who purchased products in that fundraiser.  We were able to raise another $325 through that.  Kaelyn was so excited she wanted to help divy out the products to deliver.  She crawled right over a pile of bags to get to me so she could do her part in bringing you home!

So earlier I mentioned that we were feeling a little discouraged last week.  Below is an email I sent out to family and friends, and we would like to make those of you following our journey aware of what is going on and ask for your help this Sunday.

Dear Family & Friends,

As many of you know we are in the process of adopting a little 5 year old girl with Down syndrome from Eastern Europe, Victoria. All of our paperwork is together and ready to be submitted to the government in her country. The region she is in is currently closed and not accepting adoption referrals at this time. There have been rumors that it may open up in the next month, and also rumors that it may not be till September or later. No one really knows when things will get rolling again. Since Victoria is 5 it is very important that she is adopted before she is transferred from the orphanage to a mental institution where conditions are far worse. Until we are given a referral for her, the directors at her orphanage will not know we are coming for her.

We are going to fast this Sunday, May 6th that things in her region and other regions that are currently closed where many families are waiting to get to their children, will open up soon. We would like to invite you to fast and pray with us. We know at this point it is out of our hands and have faith that Heavenly Father can make it possible to bring her home quickly and safely.Thank you for your love and support.

Jeana, Wayne, Kaelyn and Bryn Bonner

There will be hundreds of people fasting and praying for you and the other children and families in the regions that are closed this Sunday.  We know first hand the power of fasting and prayers, without them we wouldn't have your little sister Kaelyn with us today.  We know that Heavenly Father can work miracles and we are praying that things will work out the way He has planned.

Love Mommy

Please Help our Friends

Please help our friend Nash and His Dad win this contest and help bring more awareness about all of Victoria's friends.

Taken from their blog, www.onestepclosertohome.blogspot.com,

"I mentioned in my last post that we had some exciting news to be announced this week. First, a little background.

As you may already know, I am training for Ironman St. George on May 5th (only 16 more days!!!). My purpose in doing so is to raise awareness and funding for orphans with Down syndrome, and in particular Maggie.

About a month ago I received an email from Ironman announcing a competition they put together called Kona Inspired. They have given anyone the opportunity to submit a 90 second video into this competition telling their story of how Ironman has helped them believe that "Anything is Possible". Winners will be given the opportunity to race in the Ironman World Championship in Kona in October and most importantly, they will get to tell their story on NBC's nationally televised broadcast of the Ironman World Championship!

When I first learned about this opportunity I knew that this truly could be an opportunity to tell the world about these children and most importantly, create the awareness that is needed to truly make a difference for them!!

So Nash and I made a video! Before I show it to you, I want to explain how this competition works and HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOO! Between now and May 31st, all videos can be viewed. Based on total VIEWS and total VOTES, 15 will be chosen to compete against each other in the finals in June. The top 2 will go to Kona! So, back to how you can help. Your view and vote can be counted once each day. However, it is perfectly OK to vote more than once a day if you view the video from a different computer, laptop or phone and then vote from that device. To vote, just look in the lower left hand corner of the screen while watching the video. We have plenty of days left between now and May 31st! You're vote is much appreciated, each and every day :) !!"

Here is the link to the video.  Please share with others and vote along with us EVERY DAY!

http://apps.facebook.com/konainspired?x=us_facebookapp_202_4

Dear Victoria,

Don't worry little girl, we haven't forgotten about you, not for one second.  In fact we are thinking and praying about/for you more than ever.  It's hard not being able to just come to you.  Knowing that we have done everything we can up to this point and are just waiting is not easy.  I've been working REALLY hard at being extremely frugal and saving saving saving.  I've been making meal plans every week so that we eat at home and save money.  Whenever I want to buy something that we don't NEED right now, I look at your beautiful picture and am reminded that it can wait.  I was so proud of myself today as I went to Wal-mart to get the weekly groceries and only spent $26.00 and didn't buy anything that wasn't on my list.  I think that is a first!

We pray every day that things will get moving along in your city so that we can make that first trip soon to come and meet you.  There are lots of people out there praying for you.  Your picture sits on top of the fire place and we look at it all the time.  When I'm playing with your sisters I look up and try to imagine what it will be like when you are here playing with us.

People often ask me what happens next, so I'll try to explain it as best as I can.  Once our paperwork is submitted to your country they will give us your referral, then we will get more information about you, like your medical history, whatever information they have about your family history and hopefully more pictures of you.  When we get the referral we will be given our first travel date.  We will have about 2 weeks to book our flights, lodging and get visa's.  Then we will spend about a week in your country meeting with you at your orphanage for a visit each day and also meeting with people in your country.

Then we come home and wait for a court date.  That can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks or so.  We will then fly back to your country for about a week and go before a judge to plead our case to adopt you.  From what I understand special needs adoptions are still fairly new in your country and its hard for them to understand why we would go through so much to adopt a child that isn't "perfect" in their eyes.  I just wish they knew what we know, that you are the definition of perfection.  If the judge rules in our favor, then you will be ours.  We will have to wait 30 days until we can bring you back home with us, so once again we will have to fly back home without you.  After the 30 day waiting period we will be able to come back and get you, bring you home and have you with us forever.

It will be hard to be away from your sisters for those three trips, but we just have to remember that it will be worth it when we have you home with us.  We know Heavenly Father will watch over all of us and help things workout the way they are suppose to.  We are getting close, I can just feel it!

Love Mommy

P.S.  Thank you to everyone that participated in our fundraiser and those of you who have been donating to our account.  Every little bit helps and we are truly humbled by your generosity to help us bring Victoria home.  We also appreciate the prayers that are said on our behalves.  It means so much to us to have your support.

The Waiting Game

Dear Victoria,

Sorry that I haven't written in a while. We have some updates to let you know about. First, all our paperwork (Dossier) is in your country and in the process of being translated and prepared to submit to your country. It will probably be the first of May before we hear anything about it. Today dad and I are going to get fingerprinted, the final step in our USCIS process to be approved to adopt you and bring you home to the United States.

Our 31 bag fundraiser is going pretty good and we are only $120 away from reaching our goal. It closes on Friday, so if anyone still wants to order, they have to do it before then. Go here to order. Also, if you would like to order a purse at half off, but don't want to spend the initial $31, leave me a comment with your contact info and we can set that up for you. We really appreciate everyone who has helped us out with this.

So now what??? We play the waiting game. Everything is out of our hands at this point and we just have to wait to hear from your country as far as when we can travel to make our 1st trip to meet you. This is where we need LOTS and LOTS of prayers that this will happen soon. The sooner we can get to you the better. Hang in there little girl, we are coming :)

Love Mommy

31 Fundraiser

Dear Victoria,

A very kind friend from our neighborhood has offered to do an online fundraiser for you. It is so humbling to have some many people reach out and help to get you home. Below are the details to the fundraiser, she is giving us her WHOLE commission!

RESCUING VICTORIA FUNDRAISER

Let’s kick off Spring with some great new Thirty-One products and help bring sweet little Victoria home to her forever family at the same time!

Dates: April 1st thru April 14th Time:

Anytime Where: Online at www.31bagchick.com

**25% of all sales will be donated to the Bonner family to aid in the costs associated with adopting this precious little girl. Let’s help bring Victoria home soon!

For every $31 you spend your name will be entered into a drawing for a half price item.

To place an order go to www.31bagchick.com, click on My Events and chose the Rescuing Victoria Fundraiser. And don’t worry, you’ll still get tickets into the drawing for online orders as well.

Go ahead and make your wish list now by viewing the online catalog but please refrain from placing any orders until April 1st or they will not count towards the fundraiser.

And don’t forget to take advantage of this month’s customer special! For every $31 you spend you can get any purse ½ price! This includes the ever popular Retro Metro bag, Fifth Avenue Purse and the brand new Casual Cargo Purse plus many others.

You are CHOSEN

Dear Victoria,

Oh my goodness I'm so excited to share this video with you. I just saw in on my friends blog and absolutely LOVED it and knew you would love it too. My favorite part is the song at the end. I just heard this song for the first time on the radio last week and fell madly in love with it. Ask your sisters, we have listened to it at least 15 times in the last 24 hours. It reminds me of you. Someone might think, why? You've only known about Victoria for 2 months, how have you loved her for 1,000 years? Well if you remember from an earlier post I honestly believe that we knew this plan in the pre-existence, before we came to earth. So really, its been a lot longer than 1,000 years, but that works.

In the first verse it says,

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

I have to tell you that for now the bravest part for me is letting myself fall in love with you. There is always that chance that something could happen and we wouldn't be able to bring you home. Nothing is certain in adoptions until after the judge has ruled in our favor, and we can bring you home. Part of me doesn't want to open myself up to the possibility of losing you, but I'm trying my best to be brave. To open my heart completely to you, knowing that its all in God's hands, and whatever the outcome, it is right. I learned this lesson while pregnant with your sister Kaelyn. We never knew if she would even live, and I prayed so hard to be able to accept God's will. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and things worked out perfectly, but it was a long, scary process. So this time around I'm doing the same. Loving you as if you were here with us now, so when you are, it will be as if you've been here all along.

My other favorite part of the video are the lines, "Once your were rejected, now you are CHOSEN" I hope you realize how very special you are and that we are doing everything in our power to bring you home, because we chose you and because God chose us. He loves you dearly and wants you to have the best this life has to offer you.

Love Mommy

FYI Here are all the lyrics

"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

Heart beats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

[Chorus:]

I have died everyday waiting for you

Darling don't be afraid I have loved you

For a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

Time stands still

Beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything take away

What's standing in front of me

Every breath

Every hour has come to this

One step closer

[Chorus:]

And all along I believed I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer

One step closer

[Chorus:]

And all along I believed I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me

I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

A Conversation with God

Dear Victoria,

Happy World Down syndrome Day!!! Yes little girl, we celebrate Down syndrome in this family! (Check out your sisters blog to see what we did) Why?, because we have the inside scoop. We know something that most of this world does not understand. Down syndrome IS something to be celebrated. It has changed our lives for the better and we would never want to go back to before Kaelyn introduced us to this beautiful world.

This morning Kaelyn and Bryn got to spend the morning with Grandma Amy while I ran up to the capitol to get the documents for our dossier apostilled. We should get them back next week and then they will be sent to your country to be translated into your language! YAY, this is a big step. Then they will be turned into your country so we are registered and show that we meet their requirements to adopt you.

So while I was driving this morning I was thinking about what I wanted to tell you and this story came to my mind. In those early days back in December when all these thoughts about adopting a little girl with Down syndrome came into my life I asked a lot of questions. At times it felt like I was having a conversation with Heavenly Father, because each question was quickly answered in my mind. Answers that I know came from Him. One of those questions was "What if its hard having two small children with Down syndrome, not only that but eventually two adult children with Down syndrome?" The answer I got wasn't "It's won't be hard". It wasn't "It will be hard" either. It was simply just, "In the grand scheme of things this earthly life is just a blink of an eye in comparison to eternity. So even if its hard it will be worth it and you can do it." I believe it, it may be hard at times, but I also know that it will be awesome too! Any kind of change takes adjusting to, and we say bring it on. Thats what life is all about, learning and growing. The best part is knowing that we have Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ to help us. With them we can do anything!

In other news, we've got an exciting fundraiser to share soon, so stay tuned.

Love Mommy