it's different

March 31, 2014 Nicole 3 Comments

One of my friends recently shared on Facebook that she was struggling with being newly home with her second Chinese son.  She received so many encouraging comments, it was beautiful!  But she also received a hurtful comment implying that parenting biological and adopted children is exactly the same, and she should roll with the punches …Read More

special need highlight: children with cancer (or in remission)

March 30, 2014 Blood Conditions, cancer, Family Stories, retinoblastoma 4 Comments

We tend to forget that our daughter had cancer. There are reminders, like the huge scar across her belly, but to us she is just our lively, lovable two-year daughter. We know that cancer is a scary word, and it was a scary time that Maya went through, but she survived it and we would …Read More

little white one

March 29, 2014 Hannah 0 Comments

They call her “little white one” and the name suits. She’s a pretty little thing and can flit about like a little pixie at times, her snowy white head bobbing here and there, her cold wet bottom peeping out of quilted pink split-pants. She’s a little singing fairy at times, but usually… she’s crying. When …Read More

Yes, No, Maybe*

March 25, 2014 adoption realities, Chinese Culture, Kelly 7 Comments

Neatly laid out in Times New Roman in alphabetical order are a list of labels, special needs, what China calls diseases. Albinism…Anal atresia…Cerebral palsy…Cleft lip/cleft palate…Club foot…Congenital heart disease…Delayed development…Down syndrome…Hemofacial macrosomia…Hemangioma…Microtia…Syndactyly… Some of them you’ve heard of. Others you struggle to pronounce, and you wonder if they’re even in English. Little “x”s in columns …Read More

Upheld

March 24, 2014 adoption realities, Rebecca 12 Comments

We are connected, you and I. Our stories different, our kids’ needs unique, but I’m guessing we’re on a similar trek. Is your family being refined and blessed by a medical needs child? Yep, mine too. Are you worn out, and a bit fragile? Uh, huh. Feeling deep gratitude for the care of friends and …Read More

Find my Family: Yulia

March 24, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Update: My family has found me! Yulia is so darling, smart and happy! She was born in September of 2010. She can run, walk and jump down the stairs. She can say words like – mother, father, brother, sister, but her pronunciation is not very clear yet. She can follow simple instructions and if you …Read More

four more ways to raise funds for your adoption

March 22, 2014 affording adoption, Amy A., fundraising for adoption 2 Comments

When I talk to most people, their number one roadblock to adoption is MONEY, and I am so thankful to be invited to share a second blog post about funding your adoption. You can read the first post with fundraiser ideas HERE. After becoming more and more involved in the adoption community, I have seen …Read More

Created Perfectly

March 21, 2014 adopting as a single mom, Desiree, Down syndrome, working mom 3 Comments

Today, 3/21, is World Down Syndrome Day! (Get it? 3-21? Trisomy 21!) A day intentionally set aside to be aware of and to embrace the overwhelming BLESSING that is Down syndrome. Down syndrome is indeed a spectrum of special needs; some children & adults with Down syndrome are much more medically, developmentally & emotionally affected …Read More

what we're reading: 3.20.2014

March 20, 2014 Stefanie, What We're Reading 0 Comments

From the last few weeks, some good stuff we’ve read that relates to adoption and/or parenting a special needs child. As always, if you’ve read or written something you think would be a good addition to a future What We’re Reading post, we’d love to hear about it… To share a blog post or news …Read More

Six Pills a Day: A Cure for My Ignorance Regarding HIV

March 19, 2014 a father's perspective, HIV, Mike 6 Comments

Mike is dad to six. Two of his children, adopted from China, have HIV. Today he shares from-the-heart about their journey. You can read a previous post he shared here. Growing up in the Midwest in the 80s, my picture of HIV was framed by after-school specials, the evening news, and MTV. I had never …Read More

Find My Family: Saige

March 18, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Saige is almost 12 years old and is listed as having Down Syndrome. From her file: At present, she has lived here for 3 years and now she is 9 years old. She studies cognition, language, math, social intercourse, emotion, fine arts, music, arts and crafts and physical education. She has Down syndrome and although …Read More

Wonder

March 17, 2014 birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla 1 Comments

My daughter and I reclined comfortably together at a park yesterday, beside a calm lake in which Chinese men, bent with age, stood stirring the water around their boats with long oars. A thousand Chinese faces passed us by, upturned at the sunny sky and squinting at their beloved kites in the wind. Some of …Read More

special need highlight: adopting a child with brain scan issues

March 16, 2014 brain damage syndrome, Central Nervous System, enlarged ventricle, Family Stories 5 Comments

We adopted our son, Jackzhen, in 2012. We met parents on that journey that were already talking about their next adoption, while still in China. I couldn’t fathom returning so soon. Jackzhen was our 4th child and all the adjustments that we were about to endure was all I could handle at that point, especially …Read More

How To Find Your Child

March 15, 2014 cognitive delay, heart defect, Jean, older child adoption 2 Comments

At least, this is how we found our children! We started with prayer. Prayers for strength, perseverance, guidance, grace and for the child that HE was leading us too. Once we felt God’s presence we proceeded. This is a good place to start! The NHBO site is filled with information on different special needs, parenting …Read More

22 ways to raise funds for your adoption

March 14, 2014 affording adoption, Amy A., fundraisers, fundraising for adoption 10 Comments

Hello! My name is Amy Abell, and I am so excited to have this opportunity to be a guest blogger for No Hands But Ours. I began blogging soon after I became pregnant with my first son, Noah, in 2007 and continued to blog when my second son, Liam, surprised us with a cleft lip …Read More

the need is great

March 12, 2014 heart defect, Kristi, vision issues 2 Comments

This month I meant to share with you about a difficult conversation one of my kids and I have been dancing around for months now. And I will share that conversation at some point. But it won’t be today. Today my heart is broken, my thoughts are disjointed and my emotions are raw. I just …Read More

special need highlight: adopting a child with thalassemia

March 8, 2014 Advocacy, thalassemia 0 Comments

In August 2011, my daughters and I returned to China as part of a mission team working to help orphanages assist their children with special needs. It is no coincidence that my background as a pediatric Occupational Therapist would be needed in the place so close to my heart. I partnered with the incredible organization …Read More

TEF, TOF, and VACTERL, oh my

March 7, 2014 Amy, esophageal stenosis, scoliosis, Tetralogy of Fallot, tracheo-malacia, tracheoesophagel fistula, VACTERL 4 Comments

Don’t you love those acronyms? I have come to really appreciate the time they save, the space they save, and that I can safely dodge oodles of mispronunciation. For example, until 2012 those letter sequences meant nothing to me. If someone would have told me years ago how much I would come to know about …Read More

what we're reading :: we're back

March 6, 2014 Stefanie, What We're Reading 0 Comments

Because you asked so very nicely. Thanks to those of y’all who messaged, commented and emailed, we have officially revived our What We’re Reading feature. If you’re not familiar with What We’re Reading, it began 5 years ago as a once-a-week post by Tonggu Momma to share links that encourage, inspire, enlighten and inform those …Read More

Find My Family: Elijah

March 6, 2014 Family Found 2 Comments

update: my family has found me! Imagine a gorgeous 4-year-old boy who loves to play games with others, likes to play jokes on his caregivers and who has never had an illness other than a cold. Now imagine that same sweet boy doing all of that with no arms! Elijah was abandoned at birth and …Read More

Timing is everything

March 5, 2014 heart defect, older child adoption, Tara 0 Comments

There’s an old saying that “timing is everything.” And it’s true. The moment at which something enters our lives does make a difference in how it is received. For better or for worse. My “baby” just celebrated his fifth birthday, which is his fourth birthday with us. This one was bittersweet to me. After nearly …Read More

waiting child highlight: anal atresia

March 4, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Meet Elijah Update: My family has found me! Elijah’s development seems to be right on target and he has recovered well from his surgery to correct anal atresia! He still needs to wear a diaper, which he changes himself, because he is having leakage issues. He is diagnosed as post-operative anal atresia and has a …Read More

This is Goin’ Out to all the Second Opinions…

March 3, 2014 cl/cp, Jennifer 5 Comments

So there we were driving into a parking garage of a strange new hospital with a strange new hospital smell to ride the elevator up the flights to the long row of specialists and into the fish aquarium waiting room to wait. To wait for the second opinion. The second opinion that became necessary after …Read More

Urology Woes & Successes

March 1, 2014 heart defect, hypospadias, Kam, Urogenital System 1 Comments

So happy March, y’all! Are you as excited about spring coming to your neck of the woods as I am about it coming to mine? Whew. And I only live in the South. Can’t imagine how you folks in other parts of the country are still managing to maintain sanity right about now! But hold …Read More

© 2024 No Hands But Ours

The content found on the No Hands But Ours website is not approved, endorsed, curated or edited by medical professionals. Consult a doctor with expertise in the special needs of interest to you.