The Children in My Heart

This picture is truly as sweet as it looks. This was actually the third day I've done this trick - which I learned accidentally.

One day when I was at one of the homes, I had kiddie-poohs coming at me from all directions - into both arms, trying to crawl in my lap, so as they came I just started sitting them down my legs.



So, as I line them up on my legs, I bounce them up and down and get them jabbering, which is rare to hear - so this makes speech therapy happy. And then I put my arms out as if to hold them all and start leaning them to the left and right to work on their balance. So, we're being productive, giving attention, and keeping the peace while they all get some loving - and hey, I get some exercise, as well - especially when two of the cutest little chunks are around!

AND....

I'll try to introduce you to a munchkin with each post.

Today a special little angel from House of Blessings:

My Sweet Charlotte - appropriately the one I introduce you to first! She is 14 months old and such a joy with her sweet personality. She has hydrocephalous which essentially means "water on the brain," her cerebrospinal fluid is unable to drain properly.

My very first day here I was taken to her home and as I sat down on the floor she crawled right over to me and into my lap. So she's always stuck out in my mind as the first child I was introduced to and knew her name. I'm also working one-on-one with her 1-2 times a day to move her closer to taking her first steps.

It's been so neat to watch her make progress in the past few weeks in gaining strength in her legs and not crying when I stand her next to the sofa to play with toys on the cushions. She's really building up endurance and I'm so very proud of her. I hope to see her stand independently before I leave here and see her ayis (nannies) take her to the next step of walking after I am gone!

How precious to be a part of her life in helping with these things. However, as I cheer for her when she keeps playing at the sofa, whisper in her ear, "I love you...I'm so proud of you," or clap when she walks, holding my fingers, to her ayi.......or remember anything I do for these little ones in these quiet moments alone, I am reminded that I am just one of many serving them until their mama and baba bring them into their forever home, with their forever family.

Also, from House of Blessings is Julia and Christopher.


What a sweet, sweet baby Julia is! I'm also helping her a bit with walking, but hoping more that teaching Charlotte how to walk will model to the other ayis how to teach the other ones, including Julia, how to walk.

She plays so quietly and contently....she loves attention, but because she's so good she doesn't always get as much as she would like. Sometimes being with so many other kids...the louder you are, the more attention you get...aka being held and picked up. Julia is here due to her heart condition.



And little Christopher! He has these big eyes that he will cut to one side and just look so mischievous and then give you this smile! Here I am holding him during the Fourth of July fireworks we had here. He would just point and smile at them.

I love to hear him laugh and giggle. And to watch him play is just so much fun. He is one of the two that I call my little chunky monkeys!

Christopher had a cleft lip and palate - which in this picture you cannot even tell due to an excellent job with his corrective surgery.

What an honor to love these sweet babies and help them take their first steps, hold their bottle for them so they don't have to feed themselves for once, or even lay them down with a kiss on their forehead and an "I love you" in their ear for their nap.