Slippers for Cinderella

(Fund raising Opportunity #1)

When I was a little girl – I was positively obsessed with the Disney movie “Cinderella”. I don’t remember ever going to the theater to see it, and I am not sure how it came to be my obsession – but it was. I was Cinderella for Halloween, my mother took me to the fabric store, and we picked out the pattern, and the fabric, and when we came home, I could barely stand it waiting for my mother to make that gown. I just had to get into that dress. The only stipulation was I have to wait until Halloween before I could wear it. And wear it I did! In fact I had white gloves and a tiara from one of my mother’s pageant wins – I was convinced I was Cinderella, so convinced that I wore that dress every single day, for almost 2 years. My mother would put the sound track on the family stereo –and I would dance and dance and sing around the living room for hours. The sound track we had was one of the open book types, and I would listen to the songs, and look at the corresponding pictures in the album cover.  

There are lots of themes in the movie Cinderella. But the one theme that rings true for many is – With the right pair of shoes, your life can be absolutely transformed. Well – I believe that to be true. The right pair of shoes can make you taller, more confident, leggier, and more appealing. They tell people who you are; they tell people who you aren’t.  They finish an outfit perfectly or they are the detail that just didn’t work. Shoes have the power to transform an evening....... Or a Life!

We have all, at one point or another purchased a pair of shoes – that simply did not fit. Whether we are pulling an "ugly step sister" moment (Trying the make the shoe fit because we want what it promises) or we simply thought “Oh they will be perfect, once I stretch them out”, or” lose weight” – or “once my feet are not so swollen” - We tell ourselves stories that one day – that shoe will fit, and the promise of the shoe will be fulfilled. Well today is that day my Fairy God Mother Team

From Now until January 1, 2013 – I, along with other Fairy God Mothers will be collecting new shoes, or slightly used shoes (If they are designer – think Gucci, Jimmy Choo – etc.) in order to raise money for our two current orphans causes.

All the shoes will be auctioned on eBay – in order to ensure the largest possible audience for purchase. All proceeds will go to 1 or 2 current orphan adoption causes that we are raising money for:

1-      The Truax Adoption: See Link for information

http://truaxadoptionadventure.blogspot.com

2-      The Maurin Adoption: See link for information

http://themaurinfamily.blogspot.com

If the shoes are donated through either of these adoptions efforts, all the proceeds from those shoes will go to that specific adoptive family. Any shoes donated outside of that scope, the proceeds will be split down the middle and distributed to each of these adoptions.

If you have shoes you would like to donate: Please send me a note directly – and I will send you an email with my address, and we can figure out how you are going to get me your shoes. The eBay auction will take place the first 2 weeks of January.

Also as part of the Ukrainian adoption process – Adoptive parents need to travel to Ukraine to have court dates, and mandatory waiting periods, etc. The expense of a last minute plane ticket is amazing – So if you would like to donate airline buddie passes, or would like to use some of your extra sky miles to book a ticket last minute for one of our parents. We would welcome donations of this nature as well.

Last but not least I have created a new blog page:

http://fairygodmothersinstitute.blogspot.com/

This blog will allow you to see how this whole thing got started. Just who we are raising money for, and how you can help!!

So my Fairy God Mother’s clean out your shoe closest (we all have a shoe closet right ;) ) and find the slippers that will bring our Cinderella’s home.

As Always, and Forever – Much Love Jenn

jpowersjohnson@gmail.com

A Love Letter for Zhenya....

I have everything!! What can I do? What can you do?

My heart has been quite literally bursting since yesterday. Yesterday I agreed to be a host family for 2 of 15 Ukrainian orphans, who are coming to Utah from July 20^th– August 12^th to find a family to adopt them. These children are ages 6 to 15. If they stay in the Ukraine – they will not find a family. Instead the following is much more likely:

- At the age of 16 - all of them will be put out of the orphanage –“graduated” from the program. They will nothave an education, they will notfind a job, they will not be set-up in a place to live, or be given food to eat. They will go from having a bleak existence, to a battle for their very survival.

- 10% of these kids will commit suicide by their 18^th birthday.

- 60% of the girls will end up in prostitution to survive.

- 70% of the boys will enter a life of crime.

- Only 20% will find work.

- These are the kids that human traffickers target and exploit.

I agreed to host in a moment of “ pleasing”- I do that - agree to help someone out- there is a tone in their voice that sounds a certain way, I am a sucker for it. I agree to things without thinking about the cost. But there is always a cost – sometimes financially – but generally there is an emotional cost.

It was like that yesterday – the tone, the agreeing without thinking – I didn’t even run it past James. Funny how - The right thing to do, just is - The right thing to do.

After I agreed to host – I had a moment to let it settle in. Wait!! – Who was I hosting? Did they speak English, how does this all work? I turned to the only resource for this information I could think of Zhenya (prounouced Jen-Ya) She had been one of these orphans, and a little over 3 years ago was adopted by my aunt and uncle. I immediately contacted her and this was her story:

She had been living in the orphanage for 2 years, after several years in foster type care. Both her mother and father were dead. It’s not important how they died, let’s just say it wasn’t in a manner that makes you sympathetic to their cause. She has an older sister who is living on her own, a grandmother, a grandfather, an aunt – none of them stepped up to take this girl. She was, at the ripe old age of 8, on her own.

One day, when Zhenya was 12, she was called into the office at the orphanage and told that she and a group of orphans had earned a fieldtrip to Keiv!! My goodness that was exciting. She had never been to Keiv before. They were told they would leave the next day, and to pack a few things. When I say a few things – what I mean is - this is a girl who had never had a new pair of shoes, did not have a closet full of clothes –She had what had been donated. What the orphanage gave her. I look in my own closet and see a 100 pair of shoes on display, like in a store – Most of which I never wear, or have never worn. I think to myself – I have everything!

The next day they took the train to Kiev – “oh, how cool is this” – she thinks to herself. The orphans walk the streets of Kiev looking at the tourist sights, and thinking – "this might be as good as life gets." But wait, there is more –That night the director gathers them around and tells them something very unexpected. They are boarding a plane tomorrow bound for America!! The director goes on to say – "If any of you don’t want to go, you will not be in trouble – you can get back on the train and go back to the orphanage." At this point in the story – I interrupt and ask –Why would they not want to go to America?

Apparently when Zhenya was a little girl, her grandmother had told her that when people go to American – they are essentially kidnapped and sold for body parts, ie: liver, kidney – and to make sure she never went. She very much had that in the back of her mind– but the siren song of being one of the “coolest kids” at school was too much to turn down. She had visions of walking the halls being “the girl that went to the states” – So she did not get back on the train – and instead embarked on an adventure.

She was the oldest of this group of orphans. They ranged in age from 6-10. With Zhenya coming in at a whopping 12 years old.She had a suspicion this might be an adoption trip – she had seen children go on them before – but Americans like younger children – kids that still have a shot at being fixed – not her, she was too old, too broken. So she thought the joke was on the director – She was going to have a grand trip out of this – and then have that memory when she came back forever.

They landed in San Francisco – late at night, not speaking English, where most of the children found their way into the homes of potentially adoptive parents, for 3 weeks of “getting to know you” time. This gives the parents a chance to essentially test drive the kid – Make sure they are a good fit, before making a commitment. I look at my children – who are, by all accounts amazing – none of them were given a test drive prior to being part of our family – and I think - I have everything!!

Zhenya, however is not quite as well planned for as the rest of the orphans – the person who had set up this trip needed to scramble at the last moment, to get someone to take her overnight. She leaves the airport with a stranger – promises from the director that she will not forget her. 48 hours prior she had been in the orphanage in the Ukraine. She is on high alert and scared to death.

The next day a nice woman who has hosted orphans before comes and gets her, and takes her home. The house has labels on the drawers in her native language to tell her what is inside them. She feels more at ease, she doesn’t dare open the drawers. She doesn’t go open the refrigerator – She eats when the woman eats. Later that evening the woman pulls up her laptop and shows her pictures of Debbie and Rob Jolley and their children (this is my aunt and uncle) She cries as she reads her an email in English, and shows her the pictures. Zhenya, who does not understand English - has never seen tears of joy before – she surmizes the people in the picture must be the family of the woman, and perhaps they were killed in a car accident. This orphan who is too old, and too broken – tries to console the nice woman about her dead family.

Two days later she arrives at Camp – Camp is all the planned activities that the American families have to interact with the orphans in what could be deemed a “natural”environment. It is a chance to get to know them without a bunch of pressure and expectation. Things like amusement parks, and water slides – the younger orphans are completely sucked in. The older ones, know exactly what is going on –but who are they to break this magic spell – so they go along. The director constantly telling them – they are not wanted, they are too old, too broken.

Like I stated before – Zhenya arrives that day at camp to find Debbie, Rob and their oldest daughter Crista, sitting in a room waiting for her. She immediately thinks two things; 1- They look incredibly dressed up and formal. I had to probe this for a moment and asked what they were wearing – She answered -nothing special, it was an attitude, a posture, she had never really seen before, - “very English” and 2- What did they want with her? Quite simply – she could not get her head around why these people – who just a few hours back were the dead family of the woman she was staying with - would fly out to California just to see her?

All the other orphans had things to do, and places to go with their potentially adoptive families – So the director suggests that Zhenya, the director, a translator, Debbie, Rob and Crista spend the day together. With the safety of people she knew in attendance Zhenya readily agrees – and has one of the best days of her life. They go on a boat ride to Alactraz, and under the Golden gate bridge, they do fun things that tourists do when in San Francisco. It is a practically perfect day.

The following day she arrives at camp – and they tell her she is going to spend that day with the new and strange people alone. No director, no translator. This time she is angry – What are these people trying to pull here? Do they think she is stupid? She is threatened and cajoled by the director who essentially makes her go with them, making sure she tells her repeatedly, they don’t want you, you are too old, too broken” She is on guard, while trying to act cool and detached. She enjoys Debbie, can see that Debbie is a nice lady. They shop -buy trinkets and souvenirs.

At the end of that day they all sit down at a table and discuss how the day went with the translator and director – “Did you have fun?” they ask, Zhenya’s anger comes quickly back. Why are they putting her through this? Why all the questions? Don’t they know she is too old, too broken? This seems mean now – why do they want her to fly with them back to Utah for a week – What is the motive here – perhaps she is starting to believe her grandmother, and worries about her organs. In the end my aunt and uncle prevail – and they fly back to Utah to meet the rest of the children in the family.

The next week is spent in what Zhenya would describe as overwhelming attention and activity. Here was a family of strangers who did not speak her language acting like they wanted her desperately to feel welcome and loved. And for her part Zhenya will admit she was positively detached, and suspicious. She was frightened of Rob, whose name she didn’t know, embarrassed by all the attention, and simply could not remember ever being shown love – So she waited for the other shoe to drop, while doing the absolute bare minimum of interaction to get by until she could get back to the orphanage. The orphanage might have been a horrible place where there was no love for her, but at least she knew how to navigate it – This family, this hope, was too much for the orphan who was too old, too broken.

After the week, she and Rob got on a plane and headed back to San Francisco for the rendezvous. Once again she found herself sitting at a table being asked questions. When the time came for Rob to ask the ultimate question – “Did she want to become part of the family?” the director walked around the table – grabbed Zhenya by the arm and took her out of the meeting before she could respond. Once she had her in another room, she scolded her - for the director knew that Zhenya was about to sabotage her chance for a future in an effort to protect her fragile heart. The question went unanswered – The orphans all got back on a plane, and went back to the orphanage. Because just finding a family that wants you isn’t enough, now the real work begins…..(paperwork, money, etc)

I must say, I have a great deal of respect and love for my Aunt Debbie and my Uncle Rob – they combined, probably have one of the largest capacities for love on the planet. For Zhenya is their 6^th adoption. It is easier, I think to get a child from birth – you can mold them, make them your own. The older ones require love that is willing to be rejected, and keep on loving. They have undertaken 3 adoptions of children from that region of the world – 3 children who are saved now – who aren’t going to become statistics. Who have a chance, a family, and love. My aunt and uncle are not wealthy people – but instead have shared what they do have with children who have nothing and no one. I think to myself – I have everything!!

7 months later Zhenya is called back to the office at the orphanage for a Dr.’s appointment. Zhenya honestly never thought she would see the Jolley family again. When the director came to the office to get her, she tells Zhenya – When you see the people you are going to see, you better act happy, you better smile, and make them believe that you are thrilled to see them. Zhenya is still unclear who she is seeing – and when she walks in the door that has Debbie and Rob sitting, waiting – she is beyond shocked!! She actually is happy to see them – they kept their promise, they came for her. She was not too old, she was not too broken. They saw past her detachment, and the walls surrounding her fragile heart. They came back!!!

Now the orphans are here again - new ones, that might find families. They are here until August 12th. This group is older than most. With most of the children coming between 12-15 years old, They know what it is like to be without love, to go to bed hungry, to worry about a future that has no hope. These are the children that are too old, and too broken – and they need you, because You Have Everything!!

There is an emotional cost for reading this blog. The cost is now, you know – and you can do something. Maybe for you, doing something is; donating money to help adoptive parents with the cost, maybe it is volunteering to host, maybe it is passing this link to someone with desire to add another member to their family – you may be the link in a chain to a home. But you have everything – So Do Something.

Email of orphan trip coordinator: Debbie and Rob Jolley: jolleymom8@gmail.com, 801.259.7034 or 801.259.5747

Or send me a note at jpowersjohnson@gmail.com

Much Love!! Jenn

PS - 08/23/2012 - Here is the link to a family needs to raise money now!!! Please head over to that link and and donate - even just 10.00 today!!
http://truaxadoptionadventure.blogspot.com/2012/08/if-you-blog-it-they-will-come.html

Orphans First Couple of Days – Full of Firsts

The first time you ride a bike, generally takes place when you are 5 or 6 years old. You remember, you got that new and shiny bike for Christmas or your birthday. It probably had training wheels on it, or maybe you were a slightly braver soul and it didn’t. Your mother or probably your father gave you some instruction and then ran up and down the street and finally let go – as before you knew it, you were pedaling without help – they had tricked you into riding a bike.

My orphans come from an orphanage that does not even have a community bike available to the children. So when they got to my home the first morning – the first thing they did was see that Jackson has a bike (an old one – with a suspect tire –which Jackson is too big for) and through a quick pantomime conversation asked if they may ride it. “Yes, Yes I answered of course you can.” For the next several hours these two orphans, took turns trying to teach themselves how to ride a bike. Happy Toli (that is what we call him because he is just so completely open and ready to try anything) having a harder time of it, and Tolik giving bits of encouragement and coaching until after a couple of hours they were both riding up and down the street with gigantic smiles on their faces, and triumph in their bodies - - despite the repeated falls, scraps, and cuts – every time they fell down they jumped right back up again and gave it another go. This broken bike was to precious a resource to let sit in the garage.

The next day I drove over to Debbie and Robs to borrow some additional bikes. These are not children who like to stay inside despite the heat, they are warriors for action – and there is daylight – so we ride, and ride, and ride. The new bigger, more age appropriate bikes arrived to their absolute delight. They are overwhelmed that they get to use these luxury machines – and so every few rides past our house, they offer the bike, to James, Jackson, Kennedy or I – would we like to ride as well? This tickles us, and we decline.

The bike riding was just one of the firsts for these children. They had never ridden in a car before – as you can imagine just getting the window down with a push of the button was amazement. With Tolik now preferring to stick his head out the window like a dog wherever we drive – He loves the feeling of freedom that comes with the wind blowing through his hair. The first trip to a grocery store was crazy for them. They simply had never seen anything like it before – All this food in one place!!!! The beauty of it, with me explaining through pantomime and my Google translate –that they could have anything they wanted. We walked isle by isle with their mouths open in awe. We happened to go on a Saturday and so there was free sample of meats, cheeses and breads – It took a huge amount of encouragement from Kennedy to get them to understand they could just take it and taste it. By the end of the grocery store visit – they had chosen very little; just a few bunches of radishes, green onions, beef bologna, and Munster cheese. That was it! They were giggling when they left the store – like people who have just gone through a mind blowing experience and are still struggling to understand it.

My orphans, who will probably not get adopted, because they are too old, and like I have said before - American’s like little kids – get up every morning and make their beds, and clean not only the room and bathroom that they are staying in –but they seem to be following around Jackson and cleaning up after him as well. Yesterday – Happy Toli came upstairs with a quarter and a dime and handed them to James. He had found them in the couch when putting the cushions back on them the right way. It took James a moment to figure out what was happening – and so he pulled out some quarters and ½ dollars and made a pile for Happy Toli and Tolik. Instead of rushing away to share the treasure, Happy Toli proceeds to show off his English lesson from the morning – and counted to 11 for us.

The same English lesson that had taught him some other phrases as well, for yesterday when I picked him up at camp he greeted me with a huge smile, and said “It’s raining cats and dogs” – with a look of, did I get it right? I started to laugh, and almost cry as well. Yes, Good!! Good!! That is perfect!!! On the way home he continued to consult his note book and practice his phrases with an additional “Good Morning to You” –Happy Toli is trying as hard as he can. Zhenya tells me he sits in the front row of English class and actively participates. He is doing his best to learn from this situation. Too be young enough and smart enough, good enough to have someone take a shot on him.

I can also report – that James is going to need rehab on his arm. For Jackson taught the boys to play baseball catch. And now the moment James walks in the door – Happy Toli is bringing over the mitt and ball and repeating baseball? Baseball?

So that my dear friends is the update – out of the 15 orphans who arrived 4 days ago, 13 are teenagers – and 5 we are fairly certain have a home – so only 10 more to go– and they will be here in the states until August 11^th. So please search you hearts, and your neighbor’s hearts have the conversation – and see if maybe you know the family that these boys were destine to belong too. Be part of the Magic.

Much Love - Jenn

jpowersjohnson@gmail.com

When you wish upon a Star - Olena's story

When you wish upon a Star.....

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler. In the book Claudia, a particularly precocious child, takes her brother and runs away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City. Claudia chooses this location because, not only will she get away from her parents, but it will afford her the opportunity to learn, and see art from around the world. At one point in the book – The kids are running low on cash, and also in desperate need of a bath –So when the museum is closed, and the coast is clear – they take a bath in the museum fountain. Upon entering the fountain – their toes uncover to their delight pennies, nickels, dimes, etc. The wishes of people who had thrown their change in the fountain. They will eat well that day.

I had the opportunity to spend several hours with 2 other orphans. These two are both 13 year old girls. One – the blond pictured above – We will call her Sweetie, and the other we will call Lanie. These two girls have spent the first week in the US with a host family – that was comprised of a single mom, who could not spend a lot of time with them, because she was working to support her family. Saturday – they were moved to a new host family. But for a few hours yesterday– they were all mine.

I am going to take a moment and tell you why I think America – at least the one I experience, is the best country in the whole world. We are bombarded by messages, all day, every day – that tell us we can achieve anything we set our minds to. Our teachers tell us this in school, our parents echo it in our ears while we grow up, Nike tells us – Nothing is impossible, and Just do it – We are programed every day to believe that our lives are in our control. We just need will and determination coupled with focus and hard work. We American’s do our part, and believe it! We believe it so much, that we manifest it in our lives. We become great things, we have a standard of living, and we simply don’t accept that anything less is going to happen.

I have found that this is not the same for my orphans. The two girls I spent Saturday with, came to me, in a timid state. Still very apprehensive about their time here, not feeling comfortable yet. They were still scared to death. It broke my heart to see them this way, especially since my two Toli’s have spent the last week blooming!!! So without too much talk we headed to the mall.

We went to Southtowne – On one end of that mall there is a large fountain. The fountain is just like any other fountain in America – full of shiny coins. Lanie looked at the fountain and in Russian said to Sweetie something to the effect of “Look at all that money” Sweetie’s eyes widen and she gaped at the money as well. For we have so much in America –that we think nothing of throwing perfectly good money in a fountain. I caught this interchange – and Kennedy and I grabbed a few quarters and with Zhenya translating explained the money was actually wishes, wishes that when you threw money in the fountain might come true.” Here” – we said “Close your eyes and wish for something you really want. When you have the wish clear in your mind, throw the coin in the fountain” Each girl took this task seriously. Taking the coin, closing their eyes, concentrating like crazy – and then tossing the coin into the fountain.

Now – It was my turn to try and make their dreams come true, at least a little. They had never been to a hair salon before. They had never felt the pleasure of having your hair washed. Never had a professional haircut. They were completely fearful, and guarded. With Zhenya paving the way with words of encouragement –the girls looked through books and each picked a picture of how they would like to have their haircut, taking the leap of faith, and putting themselves in the vulnerable position of getting their first haircut.

Sweetie went first, absolutely leaning in, enjoying every moment of getting her hair washed. It was perhaps the most luxurious feeling ever. Sweetie has very thick hair, and after what seemed like forever cutting, she was ready to be blown dry, fluffed, and sprayed. She turned around to see her reflection in a mirror with complete delight. She looked transformed, cute really, and sassy just like you imagine a little blond girl should look.

Lanie went next – she was still unsure, and I think a little more guarded about the experience. Lanie looks to have had a harder life. She is one of many children in her family. She has a sister that is 15 that is living in a completely separate orphanage. She has many older brothers and sisters, and a mother that is still living. None of them have come for her. They are all slaves to drugs and alcohol. Their rights to their daughter and sister terminated long ago. She is losing her hope. I was on a mission yesterday to try and give some of it back to her. As she came back from the shampoo bowl, she still had a concerned look on her face. I am sure both the girls think I am crazy, because every time they look at me, I am smiling and encouraging with nods, and happy eyes.

The gentleman cutting her hair goes to work, with her back to the mirror. Cutting off years of dead ends, cutting away some of the lost hope, disappointment, and heart break – until after the last spray, tweak, and comb – he turns Lanie around to reveal her, to herself. Lanie can barely believe what is looking back at her through the mirror. Is this really her? Her hands fly up to her face – in shock and elation – her eyes welling up in tears. And in broken English exclaims –Thank You, Thank you!!! I use my Google translate and tell her something I think only now, must be an American attitude– With a new haircut, anything is possible!!

We spend the rest of our time together shopping at Forever 21, which was met with the same gapping expression and smiles the size of the Grand Canyon – With each girl feeling like Cinderella at the ball. I left them in the very capable hands of my aunt Debbie – who was going to fulfill Sweeties biggest desire, which was to eat in a restaurant. They still have 2 weeks left in the states – 2 weeks of hoping their wish to find a family comes true. Please if you know anyone who is interested in adopting these children have them contact me:
jpowersjohnson@gmail.com
Much Love -Jenn

PS: 11/27/2012 Olena (Lanie real name) Has found a home!!! Please go here to find out how to donate!!

http://themaurinfamily.blogspot.com/?merchant_return_link=Return+to+donations+coordinator&auth=A24.Yd72Sv7JgVYiRU8OOzpi9lCs3TTBJAISRGmTE8ib.0OpAzahz7xnWGGLj17KbNAdGYGcntpO3wBA7.I.XcQ

10 Reasons I Hate Orphans

This is one of the original posts about Orphans - I will be posting them all prior to launching a new blog about the upcoming fundraising event.

10 Reasons I Hate Orphans –

1-     They are incredibly difficult to sell. I mean it – Really hard!! People love babies – they will buy babies until the cows come home, - but Orphans, they want to test drive them, and kick the tires, they want discounts, and warranties. It is really hard to move an Orphan – and when I look at the stock of orphans, there are always more waiting to be sold. You never feel like you are on top of it with Orphans.

2-     They make your real children look bad. That’s right! You thought you were perfectly happy with your own kids – You know, the ones with all the advantages, and privileges – the ones you made from scratch – but then the orphans show up, and they act like everything you do is so wonderful,  and they are grateful for every little thing – and they clean up after themselves and want to just spend time with you – and suddenly your children look quite dreadful – with their complaining and whining – and not appreciating all you do for them.

3-     Orphans make it really hard to believe that your problems are real problems – It’s terrible – you have a bad day because you got stuck in traffic or someone cut you off at the grocery store line, or maybe you can’t go out to dinner because money is tight – And then the Orphans show up, and they have never been to a grocery store – and their idea of gourmet food is having a hamburger – and they eat ½ of their food – and save the rest for later, or their friend who may not have any food. It’s dreadful – it puts your whole life into perspective – and make you look petty and small.

4-     Orphans make you question your spending priorities – no really they do – That morning cup of gourmet coffee, or the new pair of cute shoes you just had to have, just seem silly compared to saving a life – It is horrible – You come home to your closet full of clothes and you look at the 10 black shirts you have – and you start to think – “oh no, I may have wasted a ton of money – that could have gone to save a life” This is one of the worst ones – because it makes you worry that you may not be a good person.

5-     Orphans make you question your friendships – It’s crazy – You thought you had a ton of friends that would always be there for you through thick and thin – and if you were to go through a divorce, or get in a car accident – they probably would be – but just start talking about orphans – and good gravy you find out what the hearts of the people around you are made of – and in some cases – you may find out your friends are not worth having.

6-     Orphans are exhausting - Orphans make you talk to all sorts of people that you have never met before – and what is worse – you find yourselve having really intimate and authentic conversations with these new people – It is absolutely exhausting  being so vulerable and real all the time – and then those people say things to you like “Oh, Jennifer – you are doing so much” – This makes you feel even more tired because you know about  the 10 black shirts and the expensive haircuts.

7-     Orphans are expensive – I mean really expensive. You would think that they would be free or cost less than regular children – but no, orphans have processes, and paperwork, red tape up one side and down the other – To get the orphans you have to travel to countries that aren’t known for their sunny beaches, or site seeing desitinations, that require you to stay in those countries for who knows how long – and that can cost a fortune – and even worse be fraught with the unknown.

8-     Orphans have terrible teeth – It’s true, they are just terrible, full of cavities, and crooked – sometimes they are stained brown by cigarette smoke (because cigarettes make you feel less hungry) or black tea (the caffine tricks your body as well) Apparently orphans don’t get regular dental care- so if you have genes that are less than stellar in this department – Well too bad for you.

9-     Orphans are addictive – They might be up there with herion. Really they should come with a warning from the surgeon general. Something like “Warning, Orphans are dangerous to your heart, and can cause obessive thoughts of placement, and fund raising – and should be avoided at all costs”  I was blissfully unaware prior to hosting my orphans – I feel like my orphans may have just been a gate way drug.

10-  And this is the most important one – Orphans break your heart!! They do!! They get right in there and break it right open. Your heart physically aches, and no matter what you do, it will ache forever, because like I said in #1 – There are always more orphans. So you are left with a broken heart, that you go around trying to mend by doing everything you can think of to save just 1 life. And you hope, that although your efforts will never be enough, that they will make a difference.

I know that I am starting to come off as a multi-level marketeer. You know who they are in your life – because you used to be friends with them, and then they bought in to some MLM scheme that is going to save your life with vitamins or tonics – and you just need to recruit 3 of your best friends to share this opportunity with. I know, I know – I dropped my friends who do that too – because suddenly you have to explain why you don’t want to get rich quick.

But here is the deal on this one. I am not trying to get you to sign up for anything. You don’t need to tell your friends, or go to meetings. In fact most of the time – you can ignore me, or ignore my posts, and when I start blogging about something new – I promsie to let you know – but today, in this moment. I am helping people I have never met, raise money for children I don’t know – because it is the right thing to do, because my heart has been changed, because I promised, and because if I can make a difference – I have too!!

 Please donate to:

http://truaxadoptionadventure.blogspot.com

 

http://themaurinfamily.blogspot.com/p/our-story.html

 

Much Love – Until next time - Jenn