Noah Bear turns TWO

Two years ago today a little boy was born to a mother in Ukraine. Upon learning that her son had down syndrome the doctors told her she must leave the baby for he was not normal, her husband told her she must choose between this baby, or him and their other son, for they could not take this baby home with them. In an agonizing decision this mother had to leave her baby alone in an orphanage. Not having any idea what would become of her son, she walked away. But her heart never left that little boy, and she prayed and prayed that somehow, someway, her prayers would reach the heavens and find their way to a mother who could love her baby, and rescue him from the life he was destined to there. 

Noah was that sweet, innocent baby, whose entrance into this world has changed countless lives already.

When Noah was born, he was welcomed with tears, fear, heartache and a general consensus that he was worthless of life outside an orphanage.

Except God had a different plan for this boy and within the heartache and sadness of his birth that day, was hidden the beginning of a miracle.

Birthdays are a little different when you become a mother to a child through adoption.

I didn't carry him for 9 months.
 I wasn't there when he took his first breath, I wasn't there to hold him as he entered the world,
I wasn't there to hug and kiss him and marvel at the miracle of life with him.

I only have a grainy picture of his early days

and all I really know about the first of his life was that he was sick, lonely, sad and lost.

As I have thought about Noahs birth, and not having been there for it, I have had so many emotions......
but the greatest is gratitude.

Gratitude that his birth mother chose to give him life, that she chose to carry him and bring him into this world.

Gratitude that I was somehow blessed to be the mother that would find him and give him a family, because every step of this little boys life has changed mine

Gratitude that this little boy held on as he waited for us, that he endured things he shouldn't have, so that he could bless our lives.

Gratitude that we get to be a part of his hidden miracle.

As we thought about how we could celebrate his birthday this year,
as it is also commemorating his first year home,
I just kept coming back to the simple truth that we have witnessed first hand this year,

that love is the greatest gift.

Of course it is fun to spoil him with birthday presents and celebrations that he deserves, and we will do that,

 but the greater gift to honor Noah's life is to continue the miracle of love by helping another child who has the same fate Noah once had,

Lets celebrate Noah by changing another child's story.

Let's help another child just like Noah find their fairytale.

Starting today and running until midnight on June 5, we will be raising money for another child and I can't wait to share the miracle that is already weaving with that story!

Read about Noah Bear's birthday wish below and go to THIS link to donate and share.

If you have been touched by Noah's story, please read below and share. We would love your help to pay the miracle of love forward to another precious child.

NOAH’S BIRTHDAY!

Noah has been home with his forever family for a year
And now we get to celebrate with him as he turns two !

What better way to celebrate this little miracle then to help another waiting child find their happy ending like Noah did.

One of the hardest things we ever had to do was walk out of the orphanage, knowing that there were rooms and rooms filled with babies, and children, waiting to know what love is. Waiting to feel safe and comforted …waiting to feel like they belong.

Taking a child from an orphanage into a family, from lost to loved, is by far the most incredible, life changing, miraculous thing I have ever had the privilege of doing.
But with that life changing experience, also comes the haunting, heartbreaking reality of what we left behind.
When you have looked into the eyes of these lost children,
When you have walked the silent hallways
When you have heard little ones raise their hands and reaching for you say “mama? Papa?” and you cant save them all,
It changes you
It leaves you with a heartache you will never truly get over.

If you have followed Noah’s story this past year you have seen what a miraculous change has come about in him because he found love and a family. So in honor of Noah’s second birthday we want to challenge you to donate $2 –you can donate any amount of course—but if everyone who has been touched by Noah donated just $2 for his second birthday, it would help another child find their fairy tale.

Being in an orphanage changes you,
Your perspective changes when you know first hand that the many waiting children in those orphanage rooms are more then just orphans thrown away, they are actual children, children like Noah, and Mia, each of them with a story, a story waiting to be told.
The only way to try and heal from the piece of my heart that was left within those orphanage walls is to continue to help, even if its in a little way.

As Noah’s birth mother said “I think Noah is an angel sent here to teach people to love,” and we couldn’t agree more as we have been able to love him this last year! He has a spirit about him that touches people, so lets honor Noah Bear on this special day by helping another child who needs to know love.

Mia’s miracle did not end with her, and Noah’s miracle will not end with him as we all continue to share and be a part of what love can do.

We will keep our birthday fundraiser open until midnight on June 5 and then we will share which family and/or child the money raised will go to.

On behalf of Noah and our family, THANK YOU!! for helping us pay the miracle of love forward.