For the next 13 weeks, I will be posting twice a week, each post highlighting four of the children who were not chosen for Angel Tree. I will go in the order of the voting, starting this week with boys with down syndrome, ages 6-9. There are actually only seven boys left in this category because one has found a family! Whenever this happens, I will advocate for another child that week who is on my heart... and who desperately needs to come home. There are a good number of those children too, so unless you people get to committing to kids, this may run 14 weeks or more in all reality!
A friend who is helping me created this video for the boys in this category as well as the boys with DS over 10 years old. It's a wonderful introduction to these little guys and their friends who will be featured in the coming days, and certainly worth watching - check it out right here!
Credits to Beth for the video!
...To sweeten the deal even further, I'm offering a giveaway. I don't have anything fancy to give away, no iPads or even gift cards, only my humble services. It is my hope that this campaign will drum up a few more followers for this blog - because more followers means more people looking at these kids - which equals a greater pool of potential families. So, every two weeks I will draw names from a pool of people who donated or shared these posts. The winner will get to choose any RR child, and the following week I will do a post all about that specific child. If you have photos or personal stories you want me to include, I'll be happy to do so. Just reply to the post with who you donated to (any of the children featured in that post, or of course my Brett - can't leave him out...) in ANY amount, or where you shared the post (no need to post a link, just facebook/twitter/blog) and you'll be entered into the drawing. If you donate AND share, you can receive two entries. Since any donation amount earns you an entry, the maximum possible number of entries will be 2 per person per post. Since there will be 2 posts per week and 2 weeks per voting period, this means a maximum of 8 entries for any one person in any one drawing. Also apparently an incentive to recall your high school knowledge of exponents... I'll keep everyone apprised of where we are in the voting period with each post. Let's see if we can't start making a difference to these boys who were 'passed over' in the angel tree voting - BEFORE angel tree even begins! Everyone wins here - the kids win when you donate to their grant funds, you win when you get to choose your very own angel to highlight, I win when people read my blog and do what I want so badly for them to do - notice these kids!
Without further adieu...
Boys With Down Syndrome, Ages 6-9
Just look at this sweet boy! This is an older photo, he has an updated one, but it was too darling not to include. Here's what Reece's Rainbow has to say about Alexei:
Boy, Born July 24, 2003Diagnosis: Down syndromeLook at this monkey! You can just tell from the excitement in his eyes that he is eager to learn and get into your kitchen cabinets! Blonde hair with giant brown, expressive eyes. He is so blessed to still be in the baby house with his friends Sasha and Nikolai and baby Nicky Z. At 6 years old, he was just nearing his independence in walking. He eats with help, loves to play with toys and be outside, and is very affectionate and lively! He is mischievous, and ready to steal your heart.Alexei is another one of those kids who is going to make miraculous and rapid progress once home with his family!$50.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!
In case you didn't fall in love the first time, here's another photo of Alexei
The above description of Alexei was written three years ago. He is no longer six years old, and he is likely no longer lucky enough to remain in his baby house. He is just a couple months younger than my A, who turned 9 this year. 9. Such a long time to wait. And now Alexei has most likely faced transfer and is living in a mental institution, a fate no child deserves. Just because he has an extra chromosome. Alexei has been waiting 9 long years... please don't make him wait any longer. Remember, he has DS and has likely never been allowed to develop beyond the baby stage... he is a 9 year old baby... and he needs a Mommy. If this little boy has captured your heart, please don't hesitate to inquire about him. Donations to his grant are also welcome - the higher that number (the one that currently reads $50.00), the more likely it is that a family will see his adoption as something they can achieve and step forward for him. Alexei isn't even over the $100 mark yet. Had he made it onto Angel Tree (he was in fourth place), his grant would've jumped by around $1,000 by the beginning of 2013. The lease we can do is get this little guy to $100... make things just that much easier for the family who steps forward for him. Donate to Alexei HERE.
Here's what Reece's Rainbow has to say about Mark:
Boy, Born August 2006This gentle boy has smooth, baby soft skin. He has dark skin and dark hair, potentially from an African/black parent. He is just darling, with a round chubby face. He was born on 8/2006. He enjoys playing with toys and with other children. His legs are rather weak so he scoots around quickly to reach his destination. He smiles brightly when he is spoken to. He waits for his loving family because he has Down syndrome. His family will be so lucky to be able to help this angel reach his fullest potential!
Oh, how I imagine Mark has grown since this photo was taken! I remember his face from my first days browsing around Reece's Rainbow last winter. Those brown eyes glistening, I remember wondering if he was crying... imagining a tear spilling over onto his baby-soft skin... no Mama there to wipe it away... I read that Mark is one of a small group of RR babes who lives in Latin America. I imagine him from a Spanish-speaking country, possibly because I can't resist the lure of knowing we share a common language, of knowing that there's a good chance his adoptive family will ultimately also share that language. Mark has a good amount in his grant account - but only $810 more and he'll make it onto the $5,000 Moving Mountains page... and even more possible families will see his face... won't you chip in just a bit to see Mark move up? Donate to Mark HERE.$4190.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!
Date of Birth: June 2004
Gender: Male
Eyes: Gray
Hair: light brown
Nature: Quiet …look at those beautiful eyes!Diagnosis: Down syndromeSINGLE MOMS WELCOME!$67.50 is available towards the cost of my adoption!
I'm guessing not much is known about him. A couple of the little ones in his region just got donate buttons in the past couple months - Reece's Rainbow does not collect donations until they have certain information about a child (what this is, I'm not sure) but I know a few kids have recently been given their own listing. Perhaps Maksim is one of them, and that's why his grant is so small despite the captivating little boy in the photo! Look at his shirt - a rainbow! He's a boy after our own hearts! And those blue eyes... they're just irresistable. Can't you see that face looking up at you and saying "Mama"? Can't you see it splitting into the widest of grins? But once again, it all starts with you. Maksim's grant is just a little larger than Alexei's. He is only a year younger - eight. $33 would put him over the $100 mark. Care to be a part of making that happen? Donate to Maksim HERE.
Reece's Rainbow's comments about Sheridan:
Boy, Born June 27, 2005Diagnosis: Down syndrome
Sheridan is a handsome, blonde haired blue eyed little boy. He is HEALTHY, with no heart conditions or other medical complications. He is very active, walking/climbing/running. Sheridan has already been transferred to the older child institution, and he and Grant both need families ASAP! Please do not mind this photo that looks like he is in a wheelchar, he was just sitting in it for the picture. Other photos of him walking available.$439.50 is available towards the cost of my adoption!
LOOK at this sweet boy! Kiddo, I don't blame you, a wheelchair is a comfy place to pop a squat, as long as you don't have to be in one all the time! Look at him, with the little train on his overalls. How precious is that? Heartbreakingly, those clothes were probably only put on him for the photo. He is seven years old - has been transferred to an institution for older children. His clothes are most likely stained and dirty on an average day... probably seldom changed. What he really needs is a Mama to pick out cute outfits for him every day, to love him for the rest of his life. Sheridan has made it over the $100 wall, four times over - but the next obstacle is to get him to a nice, round $500. Humor the obsessive compulsive disorder in me, just a little over $60 to put him there. Not too hard! And this sweet boy will be *so* thankful WHEN he comes home. Donate to Sheridan HERE.
Remember - share this post or donate any amount to one of these four boys or to Brett, comment with where you shared or who you donated to or both, and be entered into a drawing to choose the featured child which will occur every two weeks. Later this week, four more waiting children will be posted, and the same will apply to that post. Remember, EVERYONE WINS! Stay tuned for more precious faces and for more ideas that are still in the works this holiday season!
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