Find My Family: Mae

November 28, 2014 Family Found 1 Comments

Mae is only 1 and has Down syndrome and CHD. Mae likes the most to play with other children and the time of playing with her little companions would be her happiest moment of her day. She is a clever and docile girl; She will get exited when seeing food in the caretaker’s hands and …Read More

Find My Family: Fei

November 26, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Update: My Family Has Found Me! Met 1 yr old Fei. Fei’s special needs are listed as Hip Dysplasia, Malformed Limb – Lower, Meningocele, but her biggest need is a family! This is what her caregivers say about her: “Fei is growing into a beautiful little girl. She is extremely adorable and clever. Little Fei …Read More

We’re good

November 25, 2014 adoption realities, Kelly 2 Comments

Coats were on and heads were being counted when she shared it with me.   “Mommy, I have to tell you something. A girl in my class said, ‘Is your mom Chinese?’ I said, ‘No.’ Then, she said, ‘Well, you have Chinese eyes so your mom has to be Chinese.’ But, I told her, ‘No, …Read More

Surprise

November 24, 2014 Amy, kyphosis, scoliosis, tethered cord, Tetralogy of Fallot 7 Comments

I knew to be prepared for undiagnosed needs when we set out to adopt. We prepared for the reality that a heart condition would be worse than we originally anticipated it would be. While we went through the list of needs that we would consider or not consider we had to imagine that what we would believe would …Read More

365 Days “Upon the Waters”

November 24, 2014 adoption realities, Rebecca 2 Comments

One year ago, we were somewhere over the ocean between East and West, with our two newly adopted, Mandarin speaking children. We were a muddled mix of joy, weariness, readiness to be home, heaviness from leaving our children’s birth country, and profound gratitude for our intensely beautiful time in China. Feeling the joy of long …Read More

Caring Creatively

November 21, 2014 adoption community, Advocacy, Desiree, orphan ministry, orphan prevention 0 Comments

November is National Adoption Month. Pretty cool, huh? You would think that this is primarily a “Christian holiday” but I’ve been thrilled to see the secular media highlighting adoption & foster care and even adoption ministries throughout the month. (See Huffington Post article HERE.) But adoption is just one, albeit amazing, facet of God’s call to …Read More

It turns out that chicken fried rice does not count as culture

November 19, 2014 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Chinese Culture, large families, Mike, transracial adoption 10 Comments

I am the textbook definition of a white guy. Beyond simply a scarcity of melanin, I have almost every other stereotypical characteristic that one might associate with my race – a general lack of rhythm, limited vertical leap, a “John Cougar Mellencamp” playlist on my iPod, an unhealthy relationship with ketchup, and a generalized ignorance …Read More

Adopting a Child with Albinism

November 19, 2014 albinism, Family Stories, Skin Conditions 1 Comments

Our daughter Phoebe was almost nine years old when we adopted her. She is our sixth adoptive child from China, our fifth adoption of an older child, and our first with albinism and with severe visual impairment. The only previous experience my husband and I had with visual impairments is one of our teenage daughters …Read More

find my family: Emma

November 18, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Update: My Family has Found Me! Emma was born November of 2005 and is listed as having Cerebral Palsy and a history of Hepatitis B. She is turning nine years old this year and continues to wait for a family of her own. She was born November of 2005. Emma’s file is a single page …Read More

Advocacy and Social Media: What’s not to “like”?

November 17, 2014 Advocacy, Sheryl, thalassemia 1 Comments

Ah, social media. Sometimes I don’t know whether to love it or loath it. But it’s here, and most of use it.  Think about it: how many times have you “liked” a post? How many times have you made a comment? Or even “shared” something you saw that struck you as funny, important or thought-provoking? …Read More

find my family: Becca

November 16, 2014 Family Found, girls, shared list 1 Comments

UPDATE: My Family Found Me! Is anyone looking for a precious seven year old girl to join their family? We have a treat for you today. This precious girl is Becca. She was born December of 2007 and abandoned at two years of age. She lives in an orphanage in Southern China and gets along …Read More

find my family: Lai

November 14, 2014 CCAI, Family Found 0 Comments

Update: My family has found me! On February 27, 2009, Lai was found abandoned. He just turned 8 years old with a birthdate of October 2006. He is a shy, delicate and handsome little boy. His demeanor is really peaceful, and when he sees a stranger, he stands very still and does not talk. If …Read More

5 Things Your Kids Will Learn When You Adopt

November 13, 2014 Hannah 0 Comments

Today is my youngest sister’s second “Adoption Day”! Aren’t anniversaries like this the best? Because it’s National Adoption Month right now, Orphan Sunday was two weeks ago and World Adoption Day was last Sunday, it’s been hard to not think about adoption. Similarly, it’s been hard not to think about my sweet sisters. I still …Read More

sleep

November 11, 2014 co-sleeping, cocooning, Kristi 2 Comments

Thump. pitter pat, pitter pat, shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, pitter pat, pitter pat. Glancing at the clock I note it is 3:57 AM, a little later than usual. In automatic response to the oh so familiar sound of little feet jumping to the floor and then making their way across the house to my room, …Read More

Fish Out of Water {adoption mommas – we need each other}

November 10, 2014 adoption community, Andrea Y., guest post 3 Comments

Six years ago this week — my third child was born. We were done — we thought. Outnumbered. Three made sense to us and to the world around us. I would have never guessed in that hospital room that just 4 months later we would be filling out mounds and mounds of paperwork to grow …Read More

find my family: Logan

November 10, 2014 Family Found 1 Comments

Update: My Family Has Found Me! Two year old Logan is listed with Madison Adoption Associates via an orphanage partnership. Logan is diagnosed with alpha thalassemia but his file notes that he receives regular transfusions, which is not typical of kids with alpha thalassemia. Madison asked for clarification from the orphanage because of his file …Read More

day 8: Hope

November 8, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge, Family Found 3 Comments

There are millions of children awaiting a family and as you begin the process or have already been through it and choose to search waiting child lists, you’ll see the sad faces of thousands of children. Each one waiting for the one thing that all of us are able to give to them – a …Read More

Daddy Issues

November 7, 2014 Amy, Attachment 3 Comments

When we first met our little one in Urumqi, a northwestern city in the XinJiang province, she quickly attached to our oldest child, our then 14 year old daughter. Next in line was me, then our then 12 year old son, and coming in dead last was my husband. We fiercely loved this child for …Read More

day 6: hard isn’t easy, it’s beautiful

November 6, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge 0 Comments

From the 30 Day Share Adoption Challenge committee: It’s Day 6 and you’re still sharing about adoption! Congratulations! And guess what? We heard today of three families that have begun speaking with agencies because someone shared about the joys of adoption! Our goal is to share every day in hopes that more families will consider …Read More

a child waits: Bethel’s Lili

November 6, 2014 Family Found 0 Comments

Sweet Lili is a three year old beauty. She currently lives in the Bethel foster home, a fantastic organization in China serving blind and visually impaired children! Lili is blind as a result of having both eyes removed due to retinoblastoma. She has been in remission for 18 months and has been thriving under the …Read More

day 5: dear birthmother

November 5, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge 1 Comments

From Kelli: I’m so excited that so many of you are taking this challenge and sharing adoption with others! Did you know that our social media reach is more than 15,000 in just five days! That is amazing!
 Throughout our 30 days together, we’ll look at so many different facets of adoption. Yesterday Maureen touched …Read More

I Want You Now

November 5, 2014 Tara 1 Comments

A couple weeks ago, we celebrated the two year anniversary of the day our daughter joined our family. As is my tradition, I shared a picture from that day on social media and my baby girl saw it. She was four years old when she was adopted and… thankfully… has some poignant memories of her …Read More

day 4: the past is not in the past

November 4, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge 19 Comments

From Kelli: Adoption is beautiful, redemptive, and yet messy and hard all at once. These children have experienced more loss in their short time here on Earth than any of our brains could comprehend. In all of the smiles and happiness in a child, so much loss remains. It is unrealistic to think otherwise. Families …Read More

What Happens When It Doesn’t Work?

November 4, 2014 Attachment, Jennifer, Trust Based Parenting 5 Comments

So I’m taking a brief break from reviewing the Trust Based Parenting DVD series just because I can’t help myself. I will get back to it but I aspire towards transparency so here we go… ”What happens when it doesn’t work??” I am convinced that there is an adoption cam at my local grocery store. …Read More

find my family: sam

November 4, 2014 Family Found 1 Comments

Little Sam is 3 years old! Sam has a few orthopedic conditions including Osteogenesis Imperfecta, scoliosis, and a difference of his right elbow and ankle joint. He is mobile and his file states he just can’t jump. People believe that he may be a little delayed compared to his peers but it may also be …Read More

day 3: 30 day share adoption challenge

November 3, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge 1 Comments

From Kelli: Jasmine Ellsbury just might be one of the sweetest and most genuine teenagers I know. Her attitude and perspective is amazing and gives me pause on a daily basis. Jasmine was adopted as a teenager by Dan and Lisa Ellsbury, and she currently lives in Iowa with her forever family. Jasmine created her …Read More

day 2: 30 day share adoption challenge

November 2, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge 1 Comments

From Kelli: The 30 Day Share Adoption Challenge has been embraced by hundreds. I’m so excited to see so many take on the challenge of sharing the many facets of adoption. This 30 day project began as a simple conversation about how there are never enough families willing to step forward for the millions of …Read More

the promise

November 2, 2014 Carrie, Orphan Sunday 1 Comments

It’s Orphan Sunday, and the internet is ablaze with happy adoption stories, mind-boggling orphan statistics, and pictures of children eligible for adoption. In many churches around the country today, there were sermons leaning heavily on James 1:27 and special presentations calling congregations to action. I have no doubt that some hearts will be changed and …Read More

November 1: the first day of National Adoption Month

November 1, 2014 30shareadoptionchallenge, Advocacy 4 Comments

November is National Adoption Month. And for the next 30 days, we will be partnering with Kelli Bloomquist – who has shared with us here before – and a host of other adoptive mamas in a 30 Day Share Adoption Challenge. The goal is to help spread the word, as far and as wide as …Read More

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