I Believe in Miracles

It's been 22 months since we met Dasha. It's been nearly 22 months since the Russian adoption ban. It's been about 20 months that I've been questioning the purpose in God sending us to Russia to meet a child, fall completely in love, then have the door shut in our faces to adopt her. WHY!? At times I've felt slightly at peace with there being no answer, but mostly I've questioned why. There MUST be a purpose in my loving her so fiercely. There must be a reason I feel compelled to help her further. There HAS to be a reason I can't just let her go and move on with my life. If you feel I exaggerate her fate in a Russian mental institution, please read this article and this one as well as watch the video. These two articles were published within the last month. They show why I had to do everything in my power to help Dasha find a family. 

I've tried for nearly a year to do everything I could think of to get a Russian family to adopt her. I have been in several different Russian articles, contacted organizations, and plead to individuals to no avail. Suddenly, in the last few weeks, doors have been opened to me that hadn't been before. I was able to reach people and peak an interest in helping this child that hadn't been there on previous attempts. The last blog post I did highlighted a few of the doors that were opened.

In addition, a reputable Russian reporter had contacted me and was eager to write a report about Dasha and her need for a family. In responding to the reporter on Tuesday afternoon, I clicked on the cute video link to share it with her. To my surprise, the link was no longer active. I quickly got on the Russian database, and Dasha was no longer there! I had a surge of adrenaline and honestly panicked. What had happened to her!?!? I emailed a few contacts, absolutely frantic to find out. Had she been adopted!? Had she passed away!? Had her birth parents come to get her!? I had to know, and I had to know NOW!!

The sweet friends I've made through this journey, both American and Russian, were quick to comfort me. I learned within a few hours that Dasha HAD INDEED BEEN ADOPTED BY A RUSSIAN FAMILY!!!!! It's impossible to put into words how this made me feel. Elation? Absolutely. It's the result I'd been praying for for nearly a year. Relief? Of course! This child I love as my own would not have to spend a single day in a mental institution. Not a single day. Thankful? Without a doubt! It is a very rare thing, unfortunately, for Russians to adopt kids with such "severe" disabilities. I am beyond thankful the the child I love so dearly was chosen. Fear? Yes. I don't know the family. I have no idea what their motives are or what kind of people they are. Devastation? That too. There's always a piece of your heart in situations like this that keeps hope alive. Without hope, there is only sorrow and despair. Of course a part of my heart always hoped that somehow, someday Dasha would be allowed to come home to us and legally be part of our family. My mind knew it was highly unlikely, but my heart kept hope alive. That part of my heart now feels a great emptiness and loss.

Though my Russian friends are working to get me more information (they're trying to get my contact info to the family), it's slow going. There has been no real word of who the family is. There is rumor that they read the last article written by Julia and adopted her. This hasn't been confirmed, and they would have had to move really quickly to make that a possibility. They would have had to already be certified (like a current foster family). This isn't out of the realm of possibility, as when the Ministry of Education was contacted a few days prior, they gave the link of the cute video to my friend and never mentioned that anyone was interested in adopting her. 

Though I don't know all the details, I know that I'm happy and at peace. I cried more than a few tears knowing she was lost to me forever. I feel a real and deep sense of loss. More powerful than the loss, though, is my love for her. This is absolutely what's best for her. Waiting on us for a "someday maybe" is not what's best for her. Being in a family, far away from the loneliness of orphan life, is what's best for her. This all went down last week, and I smile every time I think about Dasha being in a family right at this moment. She is no longer an orphan, and I have to say that every single tear shed and heartache felt was worth it 100% if it means that this beautiful, beloved child was saved from a horrible fate. The future is bright, my friends. Very bright indeed. God is not dead; He is still a God of miracles. Every person is important to Him, and He has a plan. Evil cannot conquer. Love will eventually win every time. A family for Dasha Meg has been the ultimate miracle all along, and that miracle has happened. Through the pain and the tears, the heartache, the fear, and the doubt, God was always in charge. A Miracle for Meg, the title of the blog for goodness sake, has happened. A true modern day miracle. Life is complicated and messy, but life is also beautiful and satisfying. Tonight, I rest in the beauty and power of love and miracles.

Operation Find a Family

Operation find Dasha a family is well underway. I have been emailing frequently with the Downside Up (an amazing organization in Russia that provides information and services to families who are lucky enough to have a child with Down syndrome), and they are advocating for Dasha! Julia wrote a beautiful article that was published in Russia. Click here to read it (use Google Chrome to translate it into English). I am so thankful for good people in this world!!

Next, I have a friend who is Russian but lives in the U.S. She adopted a child with special needs from Russia and is heavily involved in advocacy work in Russia. She has offered to help try to find Dasha a home as well, and we should hear from a reporter soon wanting write an article. This same friend sent me a link this morning of an advocacy video of Dasha. Holy smokes, do I love this baby girl. She is perfection. Engaged, charismatic, happy, and sweet as can be. I also continue to be SO thankful to her orphanage staff. They do love her and are taking good care of her! Click here to watch the video. I'm telling you, any family would be lucky to have her as one of their own! I continue to pray that the special Russian family who is willing to take a chance and look beyond a silly extra chromosome will find her quickly!