Who we are......
8 years ago this month we [ Trevor and Amanda ] stepped out into the wild on an adventure that would change our lives forever. We had just gotten married and were on our honeymoon when we met a pair of hikers that needed a ride to the Appalachian trail. Those guys inspired us and we returned home and changed our future plans, quit our job and challenged our bodies and minds and attempted a 2,185 mile hike from GA to ME. We had never hiked before, but we loved to go camping and be outside. For the first time ever we hiked many mountain ranges, slept in the very deep forests with bears and coyotes, saw the biggest rattle snake we have ever seen in our lives, got eaten alive by bugs, slept with huge wolf spiders, saw some of the most beautiful scenery that could literally bring tears to your eyes. We pushed our bodies and souls. We left mass society behind and never looked back.
After about 500 miles I started to be sick, the rice and dry pack foods were just never enough. I woke up dizzy and sadly we had to end our adventure after 60 amazing days/nights in the woods. Luckily for us we left one adventure to find ourselves on another. The feeling that I was feeling was the existence of a wonderful baby boy. He would soon be named Katahdin after the mountain at the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail. He was born in the spring and we instantly felt a love we never knew. That love made us stronger. He was so perfect we found ourselves pregnant again just 5 months after his birth. We spent many days of the pregnancy looking for waterfalls and finding new trails in our free time. I was the pregnant mom with a baby in her hiking pack and I loved it. We soon moved to the border of the national forest that we love so much. My dad grew up in the area and many generations before him, I feel very grounded here. Not long after the move we welcomed our 2nd child into our magical world, He fit perfectly in our life and comfortably in the kid back that was once his older brothers front row seat to the world.
When Kingston River was only 6 months old we noticed he wasn't developing as his older brother did. At a year old he wasn't standing or walking, and at almost 2 he was having difficulty sitting up for long periods of time without falling over. The doctors didn't know what was wrong and all they could tell us was that our child was getting weaker, and we should celebrate every day. We decided to take the kids on a tour of 10 national parks to celebrate River's 2nd birthday. They were at home in the forests.
Once we got back home and back into reality we found out that we were expecting another child. This time it would be a wonderful baby girl. Over the next 9 months we fought hard to find a diagnosis for River but while doing so we enjoyed life to its fullest, not taking our time for granted. Katahdin was big enough to walk with us on the trails and his brother moved into his all terrain stroller, so even though he couldn't walk on his own we never stopped doing what we loved. In the spring of 2013 we welcomed our beautiful Cambria Snow into the world [we call her Bear] and we introduced her very fast to our world and she too loved it seeing her first waterfall at only 1 month old and sleeping in the woods under the stars by 12 weeks, She liked the river, the bugs, the mountain air, and the freedom the this world gave.
At this point the boys are 3 and 4 and they feel head over heals for their new baby sister. Not long after her birth the doctors discovered what was wrong with our son. He has a terminal disease called spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] We couldn't believe it and in an instant we almost let our world turn upside down, our sweet boy would never walk, he would never stand, and even worse he would only get weaker, the disease affects his breathing, his eating, and his everyday function. After much research we discovered it was genetic. We almost decided to have our daughter tested but we decided we would just embrace life instead.
The next year and a half was tough, our son started seeing specialists and doctors he should have been seeing for years. He had a sleep study and we discovered he should be sleeping with a non invasive ventilator to help him breath. He started more involved physical therapy, and we began to learn more about the disease. He broke his femur not long after he got his first set of leg braces and when River was 4 we had to have a g-tube placed to help with feeding.
At a year old Bear still wasn't walking and we began to worry about her. At 15 months she started to take steps but never really took off. So we had her tested as well. Sadly on her second Birthday Spring of 2015 we got the call...... She to has SMA. Her diagnosis deeply impacted us but we continued with life as we know it. Our mornings are hectic, we do school and therapy. We explore outside, and do more therapy. If we want to keep our kids slightly functional we have to fill their lives with therapeutic play. We have to do most things for River from clothing, toileting, to just helping him through out the day. 3 days a week we travel to specialists and physical therapy appointments. Because we are rural it is a long day those three days traveling two hours each way. The kids participate in karate at Shriners hospital for children every Friday, and we spend time with the home school community each week, we have some amazing families in our area. Our lives are full and the kids are happy and amazing.
Katahdin has been the most supportive loving big brother through it all. He is so helpful. Because of the disease and our grand love for the outdoors I started Homeschooling Katahdin when he turned 5, and then Kingston River once he turned 5. Our life became complicated but it didn't let us loose site of our dreams and we never stopped doing what we love.
The kids are 7,3, and 5 now, and we have reached the wonderful life of our 30's. Our family just got back from a trip to England UK to get River a special wheelchair which was a gift from the Make-A-Wish foundation after he wished for a special snapdragon chair. It is a pretty amazing chair and we had a great time over there.
Not long before we left for our trip.......I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep so I opened my computer to find a link to a page called Reeces Rainbow, I clicked it and at that moment our lives were changed forever. We discovered a situation that would soon deeply impact our lives and change our family as we know it. For years now we have been fighting a battle with a deadly disease, we have a life that revolves around love, our children, and the fight against disability. Having disabled children has changed the course of our life.....the link was to a site called Reeces Rainbow, grant organization that listed orphans from all around the world with special needs living in unkind situations. There was a boy that really touched my heart so I showed my husband and he said ''how can we not try'' so we inquired and once the doors were open they couldn't be shut. We knew he was to be our son. We had no idea where he was, how much it would cost, or how we make it happen. What we did know was that he was alone, had been alone for years and he is about to age out of the possibility of ever finding a family and he has special needs that are not being cared for properly. We have only months to make this a reality.
We found out that the average international adoption is insanely expensive 35,000- 37,000, and the country that he is in requires both of us to travel and stay up to 45 days. We don't have that kind of money but this child had imprinted on our hearts and we were not going to go down without a fight. This is a life we are talking about. Not long after opening the doors of the reality of what was happening to the children over there we found another child. This time a little girl born the same year as Kingston River. She has also been diagnosed with SMA but a more severe diagnosis. We know enough about SMA to know that without aggressive care she will surely die, and the orphanage was already pleaing for her life and a family. We can't leave her behind so we added her to our adoption.
We are a family of 5 about to be a family of 7. We have finished the home study, and have almost completed our dossier, we are waiting on our uscis approval and finger print appointment and then we will be able to submit for travel dates. We plan to show them our world and give them a life of adventure and love. We can't wait to show them the waterfalls, trails and mountains we call home. This is something they could never get being stuck in an institution until they die. We are currently fundraising and are almost half funded. Our busy life is about to get busier. Love makes us stronger. If you would like to help us get these kids home visit our funding page We will come for you We also have a Family sponsorship grant through Reeces rainbow, it is a way to give a tax deductible donation towards our adoption
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