In the beginning...The Roodhuyzen's

Manny, Stephanie and Sasha

Manny, Paul and Stephanie

     This will be the first of many entries on our journey to bring Sarah Beth(known as Sarah on RR)and Anna Grace(known as Aleigh on RR).  By that time I am hoping to have this 'blog' thing down pat.  Our family is not a stranger to adoption.  God has always made it clear to us that we were to love and care for His children in all the ways we could, so we became foster parents and remained foster parents for 12 years. We had many children come into our homes and hearts and then move on to new homes, old homes or family placements.  Our very first placement came on a Friday afternoon on January 18th 2001.  I got a call from our social worker about twins that they needed to place in a home.  I was told that they were born 'grossly premature' at only 23 weeks and were 'medically fragile' and 'failure to thrive'.  The twins, a boy and a girl were now 5 months old and weighed just 7 lbs.  They warned us that there would be A LOT of doctor appointments and medications, therapists and Apnea Monitors that came with the babies.  I told the social worker that I would need to discuss it with with Paul, my husband first...she chuckled because she knew I had already set my heart on taking the babies, but understood that it was only right that I at least make my husband feel he had a vote in the matter.  After a quick prayer to ask for guidance, I called my husband and he said "if you think we can handle it, call her back and tell her of course we'll take them in." So after about 4 hours of scrambling around, calling to borrow cribs and to WalMart for everything a baby needs times 2, the twins arrived at our door screaming from being exhausted, hungry and just plain done with people. They had spent all day getting poked and prodded by multiple doctors.  The social workers who had spent the day going from doctor to doctor with the babies, quickly placed a bag of medications on the coffee table and said "the instructions are on the medications, they both take the same thing".  They put the babies, still in their car seats, on the floor and said "call the on-call worker if you have any questions", as they were backing out the door. They later said they were afraid we would change our minds if they gave us ANY time to think about it.  As a result of that first placement and countless prayers, we are proud parents of almost 11 year old twins.  It took 5 years after they were placed with us to legally call them our son and daughter.  Now that was one long hard road, but oh so worth it! The Lord had answered our plea's and prayers.  That brought our total number of children 

to 5. 

      Our oldest son John, who has 3 of our very handsome grandsons. Our oldest daughter Judy who has two adorable boys and one very pretty 'princess'.  Our 'middle child' for now, our daughter Erin has our youngest precious granddaughter. The three oldest are our birth children. Manny, who is almost 11 is such a wonderful little boy.  He loves his family fiercely.  He is one point away from being on the Autistic spectrum.  He also has ADHD.  I mention this because you need to know just how hard he tries at school and in life.  He doesn't make friends easily but when he does he is a devoted true friend.  He loves animals and is the defender of anyone smaller then him.  He adores little children and will give them anything he has if it will make them happy.  He is going to be a policeman when he grows up.  He loves to snuggle and have Mom scratch his back.  He is his Mom's boy! The thing I find most amazing about our son is that he just keeps moving forward.  He falls, gets up and brushes himself off and keeps moving forward.  He has come so very far.  Sasha, our almost 11 year old daughter, Manny's twin sister, is sight impaired.  She is so smart, affectionate, so very optimistic and is just sun shine wrapped up in a pretty little girl.  She is a marvel with her Braille Writer and makes up the most amazing stories.  I'll have to put a few on here and you be the judge.  You will be amazed!  She was going to be an author when she grows up, but now since Family Night at school, where she got up and sang 'Shakin' down the sugar' by Laurie Berkner in front of all who were there, she wants to be a singer just like her favorite singer...Laurie Berkner. She caught the stage bug! You can see her on YouTube if you type in Sasha Lynn in the search space and then click search. I have no doubt she will probably be both an author and a singer because that's our girl, she's all that and then so much more!  I would not even want to imagine a single moment without any of our children in our lives.

     So, the reason for this long introduction is for you to understand that there is no reason to fear or underestimate your ability to raise a child with a 'handicap'.  Trust in the Lord, He does move mountains when He needs something done and make whatever you need available.  There is so much joy with every step, every accomplishment, every smile(and there are lots of those) to ever fear any disability.  Our children are who they are...all of them.  They are beautiful, loving, funny, optimistic and teachers for us, every day of our lives.  I want to be just like them!  

     God has blessed us with 5 beautiful, healthy children and 8 wonderful and healthy grandchildren and now He has told us that Sarah Beth and Anna Grace are to be ours too.  Who are we to argue with God...if He chooses to bless us with 2 more pieces of heaven, we will happily accept and do our very best to raise them to know our Lord and just how loving and good He is. Already we love our two new girls and ache for them to be with us safe and full, happy and most of all loved. Thank you for reading this and know that this story will continue...until Sarah Beth and Anna Grace's little feet touch American soil.

Paul and Stephanie Roodhuyzen 

Manny in his Harry Potter/castle room

Sasha in her garden bedroom

I love my sister!