5 Years Without Shoes

I have been thinking about this day for a few weeks. I've seen the ads, the posts, the invites on facebook etc. I have a pair of TOMS, I support them and I in the past would have gone without shoes today if I could. This year though, my thougths on this day are SO different. I will tell you why of course!

My little girl who is now 6.5 years old didn't have a pair of shoes until she came to the orphanage in Addis Ababa. She was 5 years old at the time. Yes, she went 5 years without shoes. Her little feet tell that story. She has scars all over the bottom of them and she has 3 nailbeds that are scarred over. She will never have toenails on those toes. We have talked about this since she came home. She would say things to me such as "no nails" when we were painting our nails...or "I have to be careful". Now she just talks about it in a way that is a matter of fact. Just this last week though, she showed me one specific scar on her foot and asked why it won't go away. We talked about this and about why she has it and what it means. It is a part of her story.

Earlier this year Orange wanted to send all of her old shoes back to Ethiopia. We did this (thanks to a dear friend who was traveling, they made their way to her orphanage). She was so happy about this!

On this day in our house, we celebrate the fact that she has shoes to protect her sweet little feet...and we talk about her family and her friends who still don't have shoes...how we can help them when we go back to visit. I have also promised that we will do our best to always send her old shoes to Ethiopia.

I think today, we may just have to paint our toe nails and go buy some sandals to celebrate her sweet feet.

Please...give back somehow if you can, buy some TOMS, donate to some organization that helps provide shoes to children and adults...do something...for all of those people and for my baby!!