Hi, my name is Lynda Leonard and I adopted a little girl when she was eight. Never in my life did I realise how much we would go through in the next few years.

Sam came to us after severe neglect in her home, multiple placements in foster care and one pre-adopt that didn't work out.

She had reactive attachment disorder, shaken baby syndrome with frontal lobe problems, she cannot communicate what she feels inside and we are using movement therapy to help her with that.

We have been told by a pastor, friends, family and many others to just get rid of her. They seem to think that because a child has problems you should just toss them away like garbage.

Well, let me tell you, we have not given up; we have fought tooth and nail to get this child the services she needs.

Today Sam is a bright, loving, big-hearted young lady that still has difficulty, but one thing is for sure, she knows that when we said adoption is forever we meant it and that means a lot to her.

We would like another child younger than five to adopt, even one with Down's would be nice; because what you give to a child they give back to you two-fold.

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