Anna Nieffer age 18, is the second oldest child
(by nine
days) in her family and a recent high school graduate. Below she sbares
one of the college application essays she wrote that describes
hour much. she values her family.
It is said that adopted children are not "flesh of
the
flesh, nor bone of the bone," but through the efforts of VIDA (our
adoption agency) and its director, Dr. Blackburn, my life was connected
in a very special way with my parents today. I am "miraculously" a part
of a family and I did grow in the hearts of many special people the day
I was adopted.
In all, my parents adopted seven children from
four
different countries. Each child in our family has a sibling who was
born in the same country, except for Zackary, who was adopted from
Guatemala as a baby, and is now 15 years old.
Nate and I were both born in Peru, but he is
Peruvian
while I am a full-blooded Inca Indian. My parents adopted us at three
weeks old and lived in Lima nearly three months while completing Nate's
and my adoption. Both of my families met in Lima when I was adopted;
even my grandmother was there. Memories recorded during the time of my
adoption are mine now. It was a special day when two families did all
they could to create my life.
My other four siblings have special needs. My
brother
Daniel, 12, is blind, but he is one of the happiest kids I have ever
seen. He attends a school for the blind near Buffalo, New York.
My youngest sister Abby, 11, has
epilepsy due to
surgery to remove a brain tumor. She is a social butterfly. She makes
friends everywhere she goes. And one thing she excels at is reading.
She reads nearly as much as she talks-non-stop!
My brother Gabriel, 15, is autistic and very smart. Gabe does not
communicate well with others. He seldom talks, but he thinks
constantly. He will sit on the couch reading the dictionary for hours.
My sister Emma, 16, has a very serious and rare
condition known as CHARGE Syndrome. Her complicated condition raises
many unusual concerns, and my parents have to work hard to make sure
she is safe and well each day of her life.
Though they cannot experience life like I do, each
of my siblings has taught me a life lesson.
Daniel taught me to enjoy the simple things in
life.
Whenever I am sad, I look at him and realize he is always happy even
though he has more to be sad about than I ever will. He lives so
carefree creating his own special happiness. Daniel is my inspiration
to be thankful for all I have in life and shouldn't take for granted.
Abby does not have a bias against anyone. She will
talk
to an 87-year-old or a five year-old. In her mind, anyone who is
enjoying life and having fun should be her friend. She is herself 100
percent of the time and would not have it any other way.
Everyone else has biases. It can be because of
race or
gender, but it is always something. I try very hard not to judge other
people under any circumstances. So many are quick to judge others and
feel justifiably correct in doing so with no knowledge of what they are
doing. I have more confidence talking to people in public and being
myself. If children are free to be themselves, then I can too. Abby is
my mentor.
Gabe will forever amaze me with his knowledge. If
he
does not understand a word, he asks someone what it means. I know that
does not sound like much, but I always had trouble asking for help.
When he learns a definition, I take that knowledge and his act of
expanding his life skills and ask myself, "Why is it so bad to ask for
help?" One only gains knowledge by asking a question. Gabe is my
teacher.
Emma has shown me how delicate life can be. Each
day she
awakens to a new challenge and the goal is to accomplish it by dusk.
Her life is a continual set of hurdles she must cross to survive. She
is the target of much judgment by others, yet she exists in her own
realm of happiness. She is my hope.
Daniel, Abby, Gabe, and Emma are just four of my
six
siblings. Admittedly, our lives can be really chaotic, but I would not
have it any other way. A family forever is the greatest gift anyone
could ever hope to possess.
