Memories of another time.

I have had an interesting experience recently.

I heard of a family going to the same town where my youngest daughter was from. Not to many people go there since it is a pretty small baby house and it is off the beaten path, even for Kazakhstan.

I asked them to take a letter back to the baby house with some pictures. What I did not anticipate is the flood of emotions that would come with putting the package together. Of course looking at the nearly thousand photos we took of the town, baby house, our bonding time was certainly a trip down memory lane. What caught me off guard, was a photo of some older kids that had put on a dance presentation while we were there.

A year and a half ago, we adopted a baby, at the time she was just under a year old. We took time to go in to the baby house early and play with the older kids - 3-5 years old. I remember it being a bittersweet time. I felt good that we were paying attention to the kids, and trying to give them quality time, it was fun. I also felt a deep sadness about what I think their long term life will be like. These were beautiful kids. They had that innocence that young kids have.

When I put together the photos and letter, all that sadness came flooding back. I wonder about the kids that were there that are now probably on to the older child house. I wonder about the little girl who had a hearing problem, I wonder about the little girl who the director was very adamant that she wanted to see her adopted, and not go to the older kid house. I wonder about the little boy who I taught how to fly a paper airplane. I think about these kids.
Like many other families, if we had the forethought, we would have had our paper work open to 2 kids. We easily would have come home with one of those kids.

I am grateful to the family taking the letter to the baby house. I hope it will help promote goodwill with the region and baby house.

I know that there are others who are doing things to help kids in Kazakhstan. Kenny and CCCP, the playground equipment projects and other things. Please keep doing this. For others, please support these efforts. Yes I know this seems to be a blatant call for supporting organizations, but in reality, this is a silent call to help me assuage my guilt at leaving some wonderful kids, my guilt that I can't do more, and my sadness that there are kids who will grow up in institutions.
Oh yes, I have a very wonderful daughter. Now two and a half. Talking up a storm, dancing to music, singing songs, running, jumping, trying hard to copy her older sister in reading, drawing and anything else she can try to do.