Spina Bifida Awareness Day 20 - Yordanka's Story....no longer lost

Dear Life,

The next story is very close to my heart.  It's the story of a mama and her sweet girl....Shannon is a new friend to me. She has recently adopted her little girl. Yordanka is new to our country...and to Shannon.  Shannon is new to being a mommy, and new to being a mommy of a little with extras.  This sweet angel girl will melt your heart...and this story will make you cry.  Keep your tissues handy...

this story is not just another Spina Bifida Awareness story...

Fairy Tales do come true…..

Our Spina Bifida story is not the typical story.

I  am the adoptive Mama of a 4 year old, dazzling  little 

brown eyed sprite, that captures the heart of everyone she 

meets.

I made the decision to adopt 8 years ago. I carefully 

planned, saved and prepared. In that time, I worked with 

handicapped children, knew the child I would someday

adopt would have a “special need” ( I deplore that term),

 and I had a list of what I was willing to take on.

Spina Bifida was Not on that list.

When the time came, and I started poring over files of 

children, every time I received a new one, I felt the same 

feelings of excitement, apprehension, fear and enthusiasm

 to be a Mama…..

On a warm sunny afternoon I received a call from my case

worker. She told me she had a file of a little girl with Spina

 Bifida that she thought I would want to look at. At that

 moment in time, even though SB was not on my “list”, 

something told me I needed to see this child.

Nothing anybody said could of prepared me for what I felt,

 when I opened her file and saw her…..

My heart stopped, I had this breathless feeling, , as I took 

in every little detail of her face, hair, eyes, little nose and I

 reached out to touch the screen-I realized I was sobbing.

 (Oh even now, that memory invoke a whirlwind of tears 

all over again)

I knew without a doubt, she was my daughter. I did not

  choose Spina Bifida, an intelligent, playful, creative, 

beautiful, loving little girl chose me to be her Mama.

On September 14, 2012, I met Yordanka for the first time. 

She was even more vivacious in person!

When I look at 

Yordanka, I do not

 see a child that has

 Spina Bifida. There

 is no mourning the 

loss of what she 

might have been! She

 already is! To me she

 does not have a 

handicap, she was given a gift that will enable her to

 achieve and appreciate life & goals few people 

understand. I can say that, because I myself am also 

handicapped. 

 I see a child that has the

 potential even at 4, to do what ever

 she sets her mind too.

I love watching her, as she 

concentrates, she sticks out her

 little tongue.

That’s when Mama knows shes 

really set her mind to it!

As she sits next to me at the 

table coloring with colored 

pencils, she accidentally colors outside the lines. She picks 

up the eraser and ereases the color. I chuckle to myself, her

 OCD is a little unnerving to Mama. I have a sign that 

hangs on the front door that reads “color outside the

 lines”…LOL!  As she looks over at me, she says Mama,

 points to one of the flowers and says “ one”…time to 

practice counting…

She absolutely loves music and 

art, loves to dress all Girly-

Girl, hates her hands being 

dirty, but will crawl thru a 

mud puddle, and splash 

around in it!

 I LOVE THAT ABOUT

 HER!

Yordanka is well aware of the fact that her legs do not 

work like everyone around her. 

The first time I put her on her trike, and stretched her legs 

out to see if her feet would touch the pedals, she shook her

 finger at me and said “Ne Mama”.

When there is  something she wants and it is not within

 grabbing reach, she will pull herself up to reach for it. 

I encourage her to TRY first in everything she does. Yes it 

would be easy to pick her up and carry her everywhere, but 

what will she learn from that?

Putting her in a wheelchair, is something this Mama 

struggles with. She hates to be confined. When we go

 outside, no matter if its sunny or raining, she wants to be

 down and moving.

Our first appointment with the Children's Hospital for 

assessments is in 2 weeks. Whatever I can do, to encourage 

and help her to be mobile without a wheelchair, I will do. I am not naive at all to the fact, that she may opt for one, due to the ease of the mobility. I as  the Mama, have the gift  of encouragement to share with her!  I,  who watches and encourages this little Bug, to TRY first.

Yordanka

-wakes up every morning happy &

 mischievous

-wakes Mama by squeezing her nose, and 

kissing her cheek while giggling

-throws herself on top of me, and squeezes

 her arms around me

-yells “I wuv u Mama”

-is outrageously funny

-cracks herself up, as much as her Mama

-her favorite color is blue

-hates coloring outside the lines

-LOVES bananas

-loves to go everywhere “ready Mama”…

-loves to dance with Mama

-sings at breakfast

-loves to feed her pygmy goat

-not so pumped about the dogs “kissing” her

-loves the cats purring on her lap

-isn't “dressed”  until she has her shoes on & something in her hair-

-loves to swing

-isn't real pumped about her doll cart being used for PT

-giggles until she hiccups when Mama

blows raspberries on her belly

-loves PT when it’s a game, and doesn't know its PT

-smiles and melts hearts

-shy and social all at the same time…

As for being this child's Mama…I AM BLESSED!

If I had to sum up in one word who Yordanka is, it’s 

STRENGTH!

The depth of her personality  and  willingness to push 

herself, and keep trying is overwhelming.

It’s my duty to be true to her,  to encourage, nurture and

enrich her environment and life to help her fulfill her 

dreams and goals.