I hope I can do Whitney's story justice! Whitney is unique in the fact that she is an abortion survivor born in Russia.
When they arrived, and met the little girl, Whitney's mom said that she wasn't the baby they were suppose to bring home. I can't imagine the sorrow. They went to Russia to bring home a baby, and it wasn't right. Whitney's dad when home, while his wife stayed in Russia, hoping to find the baby they were suppose to bring home.
While placed in the orphanage, Whitney's hands were tied down to her chest ( making an "x"), and a bottle of diluted formula was propped up in the corner of the crib. As a newborn, Whitney learned how move her head back and forth allowing drops of formula to fall into her mouth. At this point of the story I was an emotional mess! Her father went on telling me about some of the trials his wife faced trying to keep Whitney even alive. Because of the water downed formula she was receiving, her little body was shutting down.This little baby wasn't given a chance. No one to hold her, or feed her. Yet she overcame the odds.
Whitney's story has been shared all over the world! Check out Amy Donaldson, of Deseret News, report!
"Kayla Wayment looked at the tiny, sleeping baby and listened to the pediatrician's question in anger and disbelief.
"Why would you go to Russia and adopt a baby that is so severely mentally retarded she'll never be able to do anything?" Wayment said the doctor asked. "I picked Whitney up in her little baby carrier and walked to the door. And then I turned around and said, 'My baby is just find and she'll prove it to everyone.' ""In fairness, when the Wayments brought Whitney to Utah at 7 months old, she weighed just 7 pounds and suffered from a long list of medical conditions, including malnutrition and a hernia.
But that little girl had done more fighting in seven months than some people do in a lifetime. In fact, just her survival was a miracle.
"She was born in Russia and she was just 1 3/4-pounds when she was born," said Jim Wayment. "Her mom went in for an abortion, and Whitney was born."
No one thought she would live, but she did.
No one thought she would ever walk, but she did.
No one believed she'd be able to talk, but she can.
"There have been so many miracles," said Jim Wayment, wiping away tears.
"With numerous health problems, the only reason the Wayment couple was allowed to adopt her from Russia was because her health was so poor.
In fact, the woman they paid to broker the adoption left Kayla alone in Moscow with no paper work, and she faced the threat of being prosecuted for kidnapping. It took two months and the help of another couple duped by the same woman to work out the adoption and arrange to bring Whitney to the U.S."
In fact, she knew the minute she held Whitney in her arms that the baby girl was meant to be their daughter. She calls it a "mother's instinct" and said she felt just as she did when she gave birth to her other three children.
Jim Wayment said they can't really explain why they know she was always meant to be part of their family.
"I've never second guessed it my whole life," said Jim. "She was supposed to be ours."
Still, he admits through tears that, "she looked rough."
Since then, her life has been blessed but it has not been easy.
When she was about 7 years old, she was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which is a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum, and usually means that a person has normal or high intelligence but poorly developed social abilities. The disease can look like other issues, but the Wayments have chosen to treat it with years of therapy and by involving Whitney in just about any and every activity the little girl could handle.
It paid off.
"I've never second guessed it my whole life," said Jim. "She was supposed to be ours."
Still, he admits through tears that, "she looked rough."
Since then, her life has been blessed but it has not been easy.
It paid off.
Whitney no longer looks any different than any other cowgirl at the rodeo. She followed her siblings into rodeo and 4H because she loves animals so much. She was riding through a neighbor's pasture with her father when she saw Buck and asked her dad if she could buy him.
She used her own money, earned from showing steer, to buy the horse and she's used him in pole bending, as well as in barrel racing, although she didn't do much barrel racing until recently."
I was just told an amazing story about a girl who was told she couldn't do anything, and now she is competing in barrel racing.. amazing!!! She is simply beautiful, just the way she is. A constant reminder that nothing holds us back but ourselves. Thanks Whitney!
