That Page

When I met Axel last spring, he'd already been listed on the Reece's Rainbow site for several months. Almost a year, in fact. I had never seen him. I had never noticed him.

I never noticed because he was on "that page". The one where the older boys with Down syndrome are listed. I never looked at that page because, well first of all, we weren't adopting, remember? Besides, there was no way I wanted to adopt an older child. Those children come with far too many problems. The institutional behaviors are a lot to deal with. Aggression is common. At least that's what I'd heard. And, well they're not cute and cuddly looking like the little ones.

And then I met Axel.

I was stunned, really. There was nothing "wrong" with this boy other than he'd been born in the wrong country. He was funny. He was "cute and cuddly", and he was smart. He wasn't aggressive as far as I could see. He was just a 9 year old boy who didn't know that although he'd spent the past 2 years in the foster home, he was soon to be transferred.

Right after I met Axel, I traveled to Bulgaria with my friend Shelley to finalize the adoption of her son Kullen. Kullen was a lot like Axel, and after being trapped in a hotel room with him for three weeks, I knew that adopting an older child isn't always what people say it is.

I knew that adopting Axel, we were gonna be o.k.

Which brings me here. The day I met Axel for the very first time, there was another boy I met. His name is Marjan (pronounced Marion).

Marjan is 9 and shares a birthday with me. He lives in a foster home in the very city where I am sitting right now! He goes to regular school, walking there by himself each day. Do you know why he's considered "special needs"? Because two years ago he had an infection in his hip and he now has a limp. He also has a *slightly* higher than average energy level (but NOTHING compared to my Angela!) Those things make him imperfect. Marjan is going to be transferred.

Marjan, and all the other boys like him who are listed on the older boys pages need homes. We spend a lot of time advocating for the children who are at risk of being transferred when they turn 5 or 6 years old. But some of these children have already BEEN transferred. Some, like Axel and Marjan, are going to get transferred AGAIN if someone doesn't come get them. I am here, getting Axel. Who will come get Marjan???

If Marjan jumped out at you, as a face who is familiar to you somehow, that may very well be GOD telling you he is YOUR CHILD! Will you come get him? If you want to know more about Marjan, please visit his page on the Reece's Rainbow website. If Marjan doesn't jump out at you, perhaps one of the older boys with DS will, or one of the older "Other Angels". But please go look! Sometimes you don't know you have a child waiting for you until you see their face! You just might find yourself expecting again!