Sofia was an orphan with Down syndrome in Eastern Europe and now has a forever family.
Join us on our adoption journey and thank you for helping us bring her home!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Before & After

We are a few weeks shy of having Sofia home with us now for three months and I can't get over how much she has transformed. She is such a happy and healthy little baby. We love her more and more each day and she is becoming more and more our little girl. The boys continue to love on her and play with her (Joaquin sometimes a bit too much...as evidenced by a few love "bites") but all in all she fits in so perfectly with our family. Look how far she's come!

Before...bruised, pale, chapped skin.


After...clear, soft, illuminated skin.


Before...nothing to call her own, dressed in layers of clothing, not able to feel her own body.


After...a closet full of lovely clothes especially given to her or handed down to her, dressed like the princess that she is.


Before...very little tone, poor coloring, overfed and no variety of foods for her body.


After...brighter skin, more alert, better tone, proper body weight.


Before...all alone, no friends, no family.



After...lots of friends and a big family.


Before...sad and sorrowful eyes.


After...eyes full of wonder!


Before...stuck indoors almost all her life.


After...soaking up some California sunshine!


Before...a face without much hope.



After...a face filled with joy!


Before...a hidden beauty with lots of love just waiting for someone to share it with.


After...a glowing, radiant beam of light! Photo taken today at the opthamologist's office.

44 comments:

  1. Oh, I didn't want the pictures to stop
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. She is absolutely breathtaking!

    ReplyDelete
  3. She is so beautiful Jennifer! Such a lucky little girl to have such a wonderful family, and vice versa. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. She is just precious- I could eat her up!

    ReplyDelete
  5. She is gorgeous! So awesome what a little love can do for the soul.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a beautiful butterfly she has become.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my goodness...what a transformation...you are so blessed and Sofia is blessed beyond measure! She is such an amazing little girl! AND SOOOOO beautiful! Love seeing pics of her! Can only hope sometime soon I can meet her!

    ReplyDelete
  8. that is amazing! What a beautiful, sweet girl. Love you guys <3

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jennifer - She is just beautiful! She is a lucky little girl....and you are one lucky mama! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I thought she was gorgeous the first time I saw(a month or so before you got her) I didnt think she could be any more beautiful but love and family can do a lot I guess b/c she is such a doll

    ReplyDelete
  11. She is just a gem and her hair is coming in so beautifully. Thank you for sharing her with us.

    ReplyDelete
  12. She is gorgeous! I'm sure you have recognized that!

    I'm with you Patti, keep the pictures coming! Except it makes me want to go to California and sneak her to Minnesota. (We have warm days and sunshine sometimes too, you know?!)

    Do you think the pain of wanting to rescue all of the other children will ever go away?

    ReplyDelete
  13. AMAZING - Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a wonderful story! Your family and Sofia are very lucky to have one another!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love this post! She really has changed SO much! You both are so blessed to have found each other. She is an amazing little girl.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That was beautiful! It's amazing what LOVE can do!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. The transformation is amazing! Brings tears to my eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  18. She is the luckiest little girl! She is absolutely stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  19. unbelievable "before" and "after"s - brings tears to my eyes :) you guys are awesome for bring such wonder "afters" to her life!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love it! She is just blossoming and I am so thankful that she caught your eye last year. What a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sofia is so beautiful! Good job Mama and Papa!

    ReplyDelete
  22. She is amazing!! You saved her life. I am blessed to have met her. She is a true light. I continue to be so happy for you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Tears of joy! God has blessed Sophia with a precious, loving family!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Soooooooo wonderful, friend. What a beautiful transformation in such a short time. Adoption saves lives!!!!! She is just absolutely precious.

    ReplyDelete
  25. SO beautiful!! I loved this post. What a lucky, beautiful little girl.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You can see the light and love all around her!!! She's so precious!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love these before and after pictures. What a story they tell!

    She is such a sweet and beautiful girl!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Will you send any photos to the orphanage so they too can see the transformation? I wonder what they would think ? She is absolutely beautiful !!!!!!!!!11

    ReplyDelete
  29. just came across your blog and am loving your little Sofia! She is a little beauty! congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  30. She is absolutely precious! The transformation in little Sofia since she's been home with your family is truly amazing.

    Blessings,
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  31. What a beautiful post! And a beautiful girl. I'm so glad Sofia has an amazing family now. And I cry and pray for those that are still waiting.

    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  32. A post like this was so much necessary for me! When I have doubts whether to go that way or not, to adopt or not, or maybe run away as far as I can and do not notice those poor children, these amazing photos just talk to my heart. I also want to create such a happy, beautiful child, to share with what I was given. Thank you! Your posts always calm me down, and give inspiration to do WHAT I WANT TO DO.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh, I LOVE the before and after. It's amazing what love, attention and proper diet and sunshine will do for a child and what happens when you strip a child of those things. I hoper her eye test went well :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Oh what a wonder she and your family's heart is! She is just so gorgeous and flourishing indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi Jennifer, this is Lisa, we first met at the DS conference, and I ran into you at the circus on Sunday and got to meet beautiful Sofia. What a wonderful life you are giving her! I also saw you mention the Institute for Human Potential, how did you come about them? I am always interested in helping our little Avery in any way we can so I'd be interested in hearing about this place. I am going to email them as well since we do go to NY every two months to see my family, perhaps we'd get to take a tour. Thanks again for your amazing blog.. your family is beautiful. Lisa Miller :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. SHe has really blossomed since I met her in TGIF last June!! How wonderful to see the changes in her!!Love your blog!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Tears, tears, tears. She is so beautiful! You are all very blessed to have each other. :) I linked over here from Bethany's blog. Loved reading about your Sofia! Brenda

    ReplyDelete

Your comments mean the WORLD to us! Please feel free to share your thoughts!