92 Valentines

Fighting for the lives in Pleven Orphanage, in Pleven, Blugaria is where my passion lies.  For the past year I've wanted nothing more than to change the current state of Pleven...but I am just one and I can't do much.  Last night after reading some terrible news about a former Pleven child (who is now loved more than anyone could ever, ever, imagine by an incredible family.) the passion and drive in my heart were forefront and not going anywhere anytime soon.  I sat at my desk and cried, I asked God what I was supposed to do about the situation in Pleven, and how in the world I was supposed to do anything at all.  I was out of ideas, heartbroken, in tears, feeling hopeless...but I didn't give up.

Valentines Day is coming up, some are planning special dates for their wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend, others may be eating heart shaped candies, and spending the night with Netflix (which is totally fine, cause that's what I'll be doing!).  But what if you could do something more for the holiday that revolves around love, hearts, and all that gushy stuff.  What if (now bare with me, this seemed like a great idea in my head lets just hope it's as successful as I'm praying it is!) you could donate a dollar amount in honor of a child still waiting in Pleven? There are 92 children in Pleven (the last I checked that is.), and there are 92 numbers on the chart below.  If this is intriguing you, and you want to know more....well keep reading.


Pick a number, and which ever number you choose is the dollar amount you'll donate towards Pleven in honor of a sweet child still waiting (Comment after you donate so I know the number has been claimed).  Example: Jane Doe picks the number 21, so she will donate $21 to the donation button labeled Pledges For Pleven on the right-hand side of the blog.  Make sense?  It's literally that easy, no joke!  I've seen people do this fund-raiser before, it's always been successful, and I'm hoping this fund-raiser is just as blessed as others.   Though, I do want to ask you to pray for the children in Pleven when you donate.  I don't have names of all 92 children in Pleven, though I know a few faces, and I would love to see Pleven, and the children in Pleven be lifted up in prayer as a result of this fund-raiser and God's beautiful hand in it all.   I'm sorry that I don't have a spectacular prize for you to win, but I really hope that you'll consider donating out of the generosity of your heart, in honor of a child who is still in Pleven.

Once all of the numbers have been donated, and this fund-raiser ends ALL FUNDS will be donated to The Pleven Project.  These funds will help fund psychologist to evaluate the kids, as well as build the Medical fund.


When someone claims a number, and donates I will cover that number with a heart so we can see which have been claimed.  I will do my best to update the chart as frequently as possible. :)

Thank you, in advanced for every single one of you who opens their hearts, and contributes to the change in Pleven, and for Pleven.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

He'll Wiggle His Way Into Your Heart

So, with it being the beginning of the year and giving my blog a "face-lift" I felt like we needed a new 'addition'.  I wasn't sure whether to pick a family, or another child but after some praying I chose another sweet boy to add to I Am His' focus. You'd think that with all the brothers I have that I would be partial to girls, but that is so not the case! Two darlings, two sweet boys, to lovely smiles that will one day have families of their own! :) 

So who is this second little one? Well, I would love for you all to meet Cameron!  I must warn you that his smile is very contagious, and that is not to be taken lightly.  Prepare to swoon, and keep swooning over this gorgeous soon-to-be 3 year old curly boy (you'll understand the curly part when you see his picture).

Cameron's Reece's Rainbow Profile: http://reecesrainbow.org/57168/cameron

If you're not swooning over this absolutely gorgeous little boy, well I feel bad for you.  His darling curls, piercing blue eyes, and that smile! Oh my, I do not understand why or how he is still waiting.  But I hope and pray that he will not wait much longer.  His profile says that he is in need of urgent medical care, which worries my heart.  Cameron, has congenital hydrocephalus, paraplegia and tetraplegia (spastic tetraparesis), partial atrophy of optic discs of both eyes, additional chord of the left heart ventricle, and a hernia.  He will be 3 darling years old next month, and I would love for this to be his last birthday in an orphanage, next year I pray he'll be in a family who adores him to the max!

Do you understand my love for him now?  Or maybe why I've been continually swooning over him on my Facebook, and Instgram?  HE IS DARLING.  If you are interested in Sweet Curls, have any questions, or just want to swoon over him with me, please don't hesitate to email me: AlyssaGoodhue@Hotmail.com I love, love, love, hearing from you guys and I love this boy! :)

Someone see Cameron!  Choose him, be his mama!!  I cannot wait to see what the year holds for Curly Boy (hopefully a forever family!) and the same goes for Charlie Roo.  Let's make 2015 a great year for these boys!! :)

Do You Remember?

Do you remember Abner? I blogged about him here, when I found out that he was soon to be transferred.  No, I don't come baring the news that he has a family, though I wish I could write that post.  I do however come with a new picture of Abner, that I promise will melt your heart.

Abner's profile: http://reecesrainbow.org/36175/abner

That face, his smile, do you have room in your heart for this little love?  Maybe, you're not his mama, but one of your friends is? I don't hold that kind of knowledge. But I do know that Abner matters and Abner is worth it.  Do you have it in you to love Abner?

"Abner is a happy little boy who does not speak but whose facial expressions are east to read.  Those expressions are generally of joy, especially when he is given love and attention. Occasionally I would see a different expression, one that would break my heart.  At 5 years old Abner is spending a lot of time in a wheelchair, unable to participate in playing with the kids around him, and the look of "I want to play too!" on his face broke my heart. When he had the opportunity to participate in playtime he always looked very happy and proud of himself.  This sweet little boy needs a family who will be able to help him reach his full potential!" - Update December 2014

Transferred: Abner

I could start this post off with a touching picture of what it would look like to have Abner in your family, or what his life would have looked like if he were born into a family in the U.S. but though I may have time for that...Abner doesn't.  Abner is 5, and today we were told that he has been transferred to a mental institution.  

This means that Abner is running out of time.  Every day that passes is another day where he will become more malnourished, and his needs will not be met.  Abner, needs out, and he needs out now.  He has no more time, he has run out, and a mental institution is not where a baby belongs.  

You may not be in the position to adopt Abner, you may not be able to financially give, but sharing Abner, sharing his need, his picture, cost nothing.  Abner's life is priceless, and he deserves much more than he has been given. 

http://reecesrainbow.org/36175/abner

The Pleven Project

So, I've given myself the task of raising as much money as I can for The Pleven Project. For those of you that don't know Pleven is an orphanage in Bulgaria that houses 92 children. The living conditions are outrageous, and many of the children are extremely malnourished. Keith U. came out of Pleven at 5 years old weighing 10 pounds. He spent most of his time in an isolation room for no valid reason, he was also tied to his crib which left marks on his wrists. Keith is just one of the many children that have been forever damaged by that wretched place.

Recently a group of wonderful ladies devised a plan and jumped into action to better the lives in the Pleven Orphanage. They have provided funds to hire Leyla's (Grandmothers, or Nanies) that are each assigned a child, and get to spend one-on-one time with the kids. Which is absolutely wonderful, and they have already seen and heard that the kids have benefited from this tremendously! The next project that the Pleven Project team is wanting to fund is a Day Home this will benefit Pleven Orphanage, and Pleven's Community. This day home will serve as a Day Care for families who would like to continue to care for, and parent their children with special needs, and it will serve as a benefit to Pleven allowing the kids to have access to more Therapies such as Music, Art, Physical, ect.

The Pleven Project team really wants to empower families, and equip them to care for their children with special needs in their own homes, so that they don't have to give their children up. This will be so beneficial in many ways, to multiple families, and children. There's a little bump in building this Day Home, and that is that it is going to cost $100,000 to buy the materials, and build it. As I said above, this Day Home will be extremely beneficial, and is really needed at Pleven. 

Alone, we can't raise that $100,000 and that is just a fact, but with the help of generous hearts we can raise that $100,000. This money could be raised in a week if Pleven's need went viral, and hearts were moved, or it could take months or even a year, but that all depends on whether you are willing to share the need, and possibly donate too. So, if you are even just willing to share the need, and pray God's blessing over it, that would be amazing in it's self. But if you can donate $5, $10, $30, to this project, and help better the lives of families in Pleven, Bulgaria that would be a blessing too. 

Like I said, this all depends on generous hearts, who are willing to help in any way. If you decide to donate, in the notes section please specify that you would like your donation to go to the Day Home so that the team knows to set it aside. I'm extremely grateful for every single person who will pray over this project, and the children in Pleven, for those who will share in hopes to gain more awareness, and those who choose to donate and make this possible.  I will have a Youcaring set up soon so that we can track our progress, and others can donate if they feel inclined (Thank you Shelley!!), and right now I have set up a T-shirt fundraiser that will benefit The Pleven Project.  For $21 you can purchase a t-shirt that states "I will not let their story end like this." with an outline of Bulgaria in the background: http://teespring.com/Pleven

This is a small way that you can help change the fate of these children, and it will help reduce the amount needed to build that day home.  This is intimidating I'm not gonna lie, especially with it being Angel Tree season and needing $1000 for Charlie, I'm taking on a lot. This money could be raised in a week or a month, or it could take 6 months or a year, it all depends on the number of hearts that are moved into action,  but God sees the desires of my heart, and I know He will provide the $100,000 in one way or another...God's got my back, and my faith is in Him.


Will you consider buying a shirt in honor of the 92 orphans in Pleven?

Dear Sunshine Girl

Hey there Sunshine Girl,

  I can't get you off my mind, and you surely have made an imprint on my heart.  You're situation is so urgent, and all I can wonder is what you condition is like today, this very moment.  The photos I have of you are from 2012, two and a half years ago.  I'm sure so much has changed, and you're health could have changed drastically, what if your Hydrocephalus isn't being treated?  What if you were given a shunt, and it failed? Or got infected?  What if you're sick, and in the hospital again?  Alone, without a mama to cuddle you, and be there when you're scared.  Oh sunshine girl, my mama heart breaks for you, over, and over again.

I promise Sunshine, I promise I'm doing all I can to find your mama and papa, I promise you'll go home soon.  Tomorrow I'm printing your pictures, and they will hang above my desk right next to Charlie's picture.  You two have my heart, every last piece of it and I wont stop fighting until both of you are HOME, with a mama, and a papa, and a bed to call your very own.  Please, Sunshine Girl, don't stop fighting, hold on a little longer just for me so I can find your mama and tell her to come get you!  You can do it, I know you can!


Oh Sunshine Girl,
  how I love you so...

Aria's Angels

I may or may not be insane, but I can't not advocate for this little girl.   From the moment she was listed (literally the moment) till the late night when I found her in a database, I've been smitten.  Meet Aria, my sweet girl!  Miss Aria is 6 years old, and was born with Spina bifida, Hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, deep mental delay, congenital deformity of the hip, congenital ptosis, optic nerve atrophy, iron and protein deficiency. Her Reece's Rainbow profile also states that she has spent a lot of time in the hospital, which just broke my heart into millions of tiny pieces.  Yes, that is quite the list but I promise you her sweet face (that I cried over for a good 30 minutes) will steal your heart away.

When I found her database photos from early 2012 my heart sank to my stomach, *how* could this be sweet Aria?  How could this gorgeous girl be living like this?  I just couldn't quite wrap my mind around it.  I messaged my best friend Kaitlyn with Aria's pictures, and just told Kaitlyn, over, and over, and over, "She needs to be seen, she needs out!  Oh Kaitlyn, I need help, we need to find her family!"  So, I began brainstorming trying to figure out what I could do to potentially find her family, and help raise her grant fund.  After many failed ideas I came up with Aria's Angels.  Aria's Angels is a project I've created to raise awareness for Aria, and raise her grant fund.  The first 5 people to donate $10 to Aria's grant (Found here: http://reecesrainbow.org/82060/aria), and forward/email their receipt to me (AlyssaGoodhue@hotmail.com)  will become a part of Aria's Angels, and I will mail you a necklace like the one below, for you to wear in honor of Aria.  Once a month you will have a chance to join Aria's Angels, and help find her family! (I chose once a month because necklace making supplies are pricey, and I'm also focusing on my Angel Tree boy Charlie.)

I need all the warriors I can get, because by myself I wont be able to save Aria, it takes a village. So, who wants to be the first to play a part in Aria's Angels? :)

Charlie Roo's

Okay, so I am finally gearing up for Angel Tree.  Since I've signed up to be Charlie's warrior I have, opened a little shop called Charlie Roo's, created multiple necklaces, been to Hobby Lobby an unhealthy amount of times, burnt myself countless times with a hot glue gun, become obsessed with making hair bows, and spent too much time on Pinterest...which by the way Pinterest's App wasn't working this morning and I had a mini heart-attack.  After everything I've done this past week I think I am finally ready for Angel Tree to start!

I'm still so in love with little Roo, and am excited to share his face everywhere in hopes of finding his mama, and papa that he so deserves!  If you're reading this and are just as in love with Charlie as I am, and are wanting to know more about the adoption process please, oh please, email me! AlyssaGoodhue@hotmail.com I would be more than happy to answer any questions, and point you in the right direction. :)  

If you want you can also click through the link below and "Like" Charlie Roo's on Facebook!  It would mean so, so, much. Let's get this baby boy HOME. 

Charlie Roo's Facebook Page

Angel Tree, Angel Tree, ANGEL TREE!!!

Yes, it is that time again...Angel Tree time!!  I love, love, love this time of the year and was a little worried that I wouldn't know which child to choose.   In my confusion of not knowing which child was "my" child, I sat for a little bit and prayed, I told God to bless me with the little one that needed me most, and He did just that.  I was so eager to sign up, and be this little one's warrior that this morning, when I woke up and saw that the sign ups were open early, I nearly fell off my bed trying to grab my laptop... Yes, I am that excited, and READY for Angel Tree!  I've waited all day, eagerly checking my email to see if I was indeed this little ones warrior, the anticipation  was really making me go nuts, so you can only imagine the joy that filled my heart when I saw that I was officially Charlie's Angel Tree Warrior!!  I would love for you to meet "my" cutie:

Charlie's Reece's Rainbow Profile: http://reecesrainbow.org/81243/charlie-2

I am head over-heels, so in love, constantly swooning, over this baby boy, and am SO ecstatic to be his warrior this Christmas season!  Sweet Charlie will be 2 years old in December, he was born with Down syndrome, and is clearly adorable!  I am working on some fundraisers to kick off the Angel Tree project, there will be more blog posts about those fundraisers as they finish and become ready for the public eye. :) 

I really, really, hope that you will consider following my blog to be updated on fundraisers, Charlie's cuteness, and out progress during Angel Tree!  I love my followers, and I love it when I can make an impact in other lives, so please consider joining us this holiday season as Myself, and little Charlie raise $1000 towards the cost of his adoption (Because without Charlie's adorable face, I wouldn't raise any money.). 

Really Picture It

Last November while I was with the Unroe family on their "Gotcha-Trip", Mrs.Unroe had shown me a little boy on Reece's Rainbow who was waiting for a family, his name was "Robert".  An 11 year old boy, who was born with Down syndrome, and he happened to be located in a country that is really close to my heart. Well today, close to a year later his little face popped in my head, and I wondered if he was still waiting for his family to find him, and much to my surprise he still is.  When I found him still listed on Reece's Rainbow, my heart broke a little and I longed to reach through the screen and hold him.   He'll be 12 this year, yes 12 years old though he is about the size of a 4 year old, in December he will have been waiting twelve years to feel anything other than rejection, being unwanted, unloved, always lost in the shuffle, he waits for a hope to come along.

I want to be Robert's hope, I feel like the worst advocate for waiting almost a year to realize that no one is shouting for him, he has no one.  But I, I am someone and I have the power to find his family.  I always manage to fall in love with little boys, and they are typically "older", but I feel like those kids are the most over looked.  Most families want a cute baby, or maybe a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, not everyone, but most families.  But this darling, Robert? Is a sweet brown eyed, boy who has all the potential in the world, imagine what his smile is like, I bet he lights up a room, and I'm sure he has the most irresistible giggle.  I remember when we picked up the three newest Unroe's from their orphanage, I remember Jonathan's reaction to seeing birds, and being able to walk around his country that he'd lived in for years but was never able to experience.   I remember Jonathan singing, and singing, and singing, oh and he loved to whistle too, and when I think of Robert I picture that he'll be just as excited to finally have a chance, outside of an orphanage, and inside of a family.

Can you picture Robert as your son?  I mean really picture it, first trip of visits, getting to know him, nurturing his broken heart, and rebuilding him into the person God created him to be, longing to hold him while you wait for court dates, and final trips, travelling for Gotcha-Day, and finally walking away from his orphanage with him in your arms forever, can you see it?

Robert needs you, he needs me.  He has little hope, and I would really hate to see him wait much longer, I will be your biggest fan, advocate, fundraiser, I'd even travel on gotcha trip if you needed me, I would climb mountains for this child, I really would.  Please, don't let fear stop you, because I can assure you that Robert is worth more than everything that comes with an international adoption, I promise you he is.

Robert's Profile: http://reecesrainbow.org/50708/robert