the blog chain

A couple of months ago I discovered some amazing new blogs...adoption blogs. And not just any kind of adoption but adoption of children in eastern Europe who have Down Syndrome. The stories on these blogs are truly inspirational and I feel I have become a changed person because of them.

Today, I was thrilled to read that one of the little girls from a blog I follow is officially with her "forever family". Her amazing new parents were able to finally take her out of the orphanage forever. She will be going to meet her new brothers and family in California in the very near future. This little girl, Sofia, is from Ukraine. Most couples who have a child with DS in Ukraine sign over their rights and have their child placed in an orphanage. Ukrainian society views DS a lot differently than American society.

If these children are not adopted by the their fourth birthday they will be moved to a mental institution where many of them will die from such poor conditions. Thanks to a website called Reece's Rainbow, many American families have come to learn of these children and have adopted them. It's not an easy procedure. It takes a lot of time and money, but through their dedication and strong will they are able to adopt these precious little ones.

So how did an American girl living in Saudi Arabia find a blog about a little Ukrainian girl with DS who will be moving to the US? :) It's really quite simple...


About a year and half ago my younger cousin started a blog.


As I'm reading her blog (almost daily...lol), I find out that her older sister, my "sister" cousin (we're only 3 weeks apart and have been best friends all through life, so she's like a sister to me) also has a blog. Of course, I started to follow her blog too.


Then, on her blog list, I see one that catches my eye. It's called Bryn Alexandra Interiors (that's an updated name, I think). Anyway, it's by a very talented gal named Bryn who shares lots of interior design ideas as well as bits from her personal life. So I started to follow her blog.

Then Bryn wins this cool dress from another blog called Simply Seleta. This blog is by a fabulous interior designer who shares amazing ideas and is also Mom to four. I just had to follow her blog. Her ideas are endless and amazing. She also does cool giveaways (like the dress Bryn had won).


So in another giveaway, a girl named Amy wins. Amy has a blog of her own called one day at a time. Now, Amy is a super cool Mom with three kiddos of her own. She's full of ideas too, especially cool Mommy ideas. I just love blogs that I can take inspiration from. Amy also has an adorable little boy with DS, and so DS is very near and dear to her heart.


And through her blog I found my first "adoption" blog. It's called Loving Alina. This blog is by Lisa. Lisa is an amazing Mommy of six! Two of her daughters have DS, and one of them, Alina, has been recently adopted by Lisa and husband. I followed their journey in Ukraine and all I can say is WOW! I learned so much and have been so inspired.

And finally through Lisa's blog I found Saving Sofia. This blog is by Jennifer and Hector, a couple from CA who also made the incredible decision to adopt. They have three boys, one with DS. When they went online to donate to Reece's Rainbow, they fell in love with one little girl name Sofia. And Sofia is now officially their daughter and no longer in an orphanage!


It's amazing how one thing can connect to another and that to another, and so on. It's like a chain. You never know where you will find inspiration, what stories you will learn about, what amazing people you will meet (even in a blog world kind of way). I have been inspired and forever changed, in such good ways. I am so happy for these little ones that finally have homes to call their own.

If you get the chance to check out their blogs, I hope you too become inspired and look at life a bit differently, for the better. :)

images via Yahoo image search