Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Lucky Numbers

I've never had a lucky number.
My husband's is #9 - his soccer number since he was 3 years old. Oddly enough it is also my Dad's favorite number - it was his jersey number in football (the american kind). ;)
But I've never had a lucky number.
My sister-in-law loves the number 4 (and the color yellow) and if you know her and don't know this... she will be deeply disappointed in you. ;) My mom loves the number 3 - 3 of anything makes her think of her 3 kids. If you see a card with 3 kittens on it - you can't go wrong - get if for her - she thinks it's us. It could be 3 weasels for all she cares - it represents her 3 little weasel-kids. It's special. It means something.
But I've never had a lucky number.
Lots of people have lucky numbers. Numbers they will bet on, kiss the dice and hope for, take it as a sign if they see them. According to the Bible, 7 is the perfect number (so maybe the Von Trapp family had the right idea...nah...I'm absolutely certain I couldn't handle that.) But people like numbers. They have value - both absolute and sentimental.
Numbers mean something.
Numbers are worth something.

I've never had a lucky number.
But I respect numbers. I pay attention to numbers. I value numbers.
Allow me to share with you some numbers that are very important, very meaningful, and very significant...to me.

100 - the number of days since I first saw his sweet face. I can't believe it's been 100 days.

9 - the reference number for Shea's orphanage in Eastern Europe.

350,000 - the average number of babies born with
Spina Bifida worldwide each year.
Shea is one of them. My Jet is another.

4 - the age of most children (with special needs) in Eastern Europe when they are moved from the orphanage to an institution. That is the age Shea is now.

25,000 - the average cost of an international adoption from EE.

91 - the number of contributors who've donated to Shea's adoption grant through the Chipin on this blog!

76 - the number of days since Shea's forever family announced their plans to adopt him.

7,000 - the last bits of money needed to complete their adoption.

3 - the number of places you can go online to donate
1) Right here through the Chipin on the right side of this blog -->
2) The Chipin on the family blog.
3) Shea's FSP on Reece's Rainbow (an international adoption program for children with special needs)

Invaluable - the difference even $1 can make in the life of this child...and his waiting family.

The numbers are right there in front of you.
You may think "This is only 1 child out of so many who need help."
And that's the point - here is 1 child who you can help now.
You may think "I am only 1 person, how can I possibly make a difference?"
But you can!
Because, my friends, that's the beautiful thing about numbers...when you keep adding them together...there's no limit the value you can attain.
So if you have a minute (and let's be honest - we all have 1 minute.)
And if you have just $1 (honesty time again - if you're on a computer something tells me you have $1)
Then take that minute, and that dollar, and put them together to make a difference.
Donate in the name of a friend or family member.
Give in honor someone who needs a smile - who could help but smile knowing they'd helped this sweet little boy.
Together - we can reach that 100% goal!
And 100% - just might become my new lucky number.

3 comments:

  1. Love this post! Feeling very lucky to be apart of this journey with so many... Not only as a SB mom but as an advocate for Shea.

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  2. wow, auntie joanna is at her miracle working again!! I'm frazled after a weekend of talking to supervisors at UPS who were holding our dossier as a "flagged item in security" just bc it was documents going to you know where...they thought it was shady...no sooner did I get that on its way monday morning - I found out that EE is requiring an additional document from all families...so we were rushing around getting that done today in all of our "spare time" ha ha...very refreshing and encouraging to sit down tonight and find this! Much love, Dan, Liz, Danielle, Simon, Shea and belly baby.... (guess my number is 6, yikes!)

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  3. What a great post!! I love your passion for this special little guy :) We have added him to our prayer wall!

    ReplyDelete

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