***Our story has changed since this was first written. We sadly now cannot adopt the twins mentioned and pictured below. We are still planning to adopt, but we are now waiting to be matched with another child or children. If you want to know more about what happened, click here.***
So if anyone is going to take some of their valuable time and read another blog, it seems fitting that they should know a bit about the blogger. My name is Ashley; I am a 35 year old wife and mother. I am also a Christian and this view of the world influences and shapes all areas of my life and thinking. I have an MSW from Florida State University; I have lived in Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas and currently reside in Utah. I have worked as an adaptive technology instructor, a summer camp director, a social worker at a group home for children in foster care and a case manager at a family homeless shelter. I have two children and have two more on the way. Oh and I am totally blind; my two children are both blind. One of the two children that will be joining our family soon is blind. My husband, however, is sighted, which puts him in an amusing position at times. We keep him around for driving, color identification and for removal of insect pests from our home. In all seriousness though, I can't imagine life without him. He (Luke) works from our home as a writer and researcher and is a devoted husband and father. He has some amusing stories as to what it is like to be the only sighted member in a household, which I am sure he will share at some point.
So if anyone is going to take some of their valuable time and read another blog, it seems fitting that they should know a bit about the blogger. My name is Ashley; I am a 35 year old wife and mother. I am also a Christian and this view of the world influences and shapes all areas of my life and thinking. I have an MSW from Florida State University; I have lived in Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas and currently reside in Utah. I have worked as an adaptive technology instructor, a summer camp director, a social worker at a group home for children in foster care and a case manager at a family homeless shelter. I have two children and have two more on the way. Oh and I am totally blind; my two children are both blind. One of the two children that will be joining our family soon is blind. My husband, however, is sighted, which puts him in an amusing position at times. We keep him around for driving, color identification and for removal of insect pests from our home. In all seriousness though, I can't imagine life without him. He (Luke) works from our home as a writer and researcher and is a devoted husband and father. He has some amusing stories as to what it is like to be the only sighted member in a household, which I am sure he will share at some point.
So how did my husband find himself in
this unusual position? Well, about two and a half years ago, Luke
and I finally did something that we had long wanted to do. We
started the arduous international adoption process and in December of
2015, we brought our daughter Alexandra (Lexy) home from eastern
Europe. We were specifically considered for her because of my
blindness; it was felt that our family would be in a unique position to
work with and help her. She is now 5 but thinks she's 15 and loves
gymnastics, climbing and jumping.
We had not intended to be a household
of primarily blind members but in 2016, some good friends of ours
sent us a profile of an 8 year old boy from the same country as Lexy.
He was blind and had a mild case of cerebral palsy. While we were
still adjusting to life with Lexy, and she to us, we knew the
adoption process takes a long time, usually a year and a half. We
would have time to work through our adjustment period. So in
September 2017 Jonathan (Jon) came home. He spent the first 8 years
of his life in an orphanage where he was usually left sitting on a
couch with only a TV or radio for hours at a time. He was not walking and could not
even stand up without support. He has made amazing progress since he
has been with us and we are so proud. He is now able to stand up on
his own, walk without support climb stairs, and jump, usually without a fall. When
he does fall, he has learned how to improve his balance and
thankfully it is a controlled fall. He is enjoying piano lessons; we
discovered he has perfect pitch and an ear for harmonies.
Our story is now in its next chapter;
we are in the process of adopting 3 year old twin girls, also from
the same country. Zoe is sighted (I think Luke is happy to not be
the only sighted family member anymore) and Madeline is blind and is sadly still not yet walking or speaking. We do not yet know the reason for this
but it does not matter. We are excited for them to join our family
and as every parent is before new arrivals, utterly terrified. So by
this time next summer, there will be six of us and four will be
blind.
So now to the next question that some
may be asking, why am I writing a blog? There are so many grate
family blogs out there, why add another one to the ever growing mix?
Well the main reason is really the last sentence of the previous
paragraph. Our family situation is unusual and when we tell our story
on Facebook, we receive much positive and interested feedback. It
seems that maybe our story and perspective might be interesting and
perhaps helpful or useful to some. Luke and I are often asked
questions about our family and situation, which is completely
understandable and reasonable. I thought this blog might also be a
good place to try and answer some of them.
And now to the last question that might
be wondered, what will this blog actually be about? Well again one
purpose will be to answer questions that we have often heard or
others that may come up as our unique family continues to grow. I
also hope this blog can be a way for me to share my perspective on
adoption related issues, faith, homeschooling topics and family life
in general, and any other random topics that come to mind. I will be
writing from my perspective as a Christian, and a blind mother
raising blind children and Lord willing soon, a sighted child as
well. My goal is for some posts to be lighthearted musings of life
as a mother and some to be dealing with more, I hope, thought
provoking topics. If you have read up to this point, thank you so
much. I hope you will continue to read on as I will be updating this
weekly. If you have any questions (related to international adoption
or blindness issues) that you would like me to answer here, feel free
to contact me; I look forward to sharing my crazy life with all of
you.
