Daily Life with Burns | Not Defined

May 31, 2015 body scars, burns, contracture deformity, Family Stories, scoliosis, Skin Conditions 2 Comments

This is our family story or what the daily life of living with burns is like. I want to make sure you all know that each story is unique and the daily life for another child with burns and their family could be much different. There are many things to consider with burns; location on …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 4)

May 28, 2015 Agencies, choosing a China adoption agency, Guest Series, I'm Ready to Adopt 3 Comments

Today we’re back with our I’m Ready To Adopt series with the fourth in a mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can read the first three posts here, here and here.   LID File Agency Questions and Transferring Files Between Agencies   While we will be discussing many different factors to consider when choosing an agency, …Read More

“Now That You’ve Done it, What Do You Think About Adopting Two Kids at Once?”

May 27, 2015 adopting two at once, Developmental System, Down syndrome, Family Stories 4 Comments

Hi! I’m Erin and my husband and I just returned home from China on March 27th with our two newest daughters, Grace and Josie. They are both 5 years old and they both have Down syndrome. We already had four children at home, an 11 year old boy, an 8 year old girl, a 7 …Read More

find my family: Langston

May 26, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Langston is an adorable 11 month old little guy! Langston is a quiet and happy baby who loves brightly-colored rattles and listening to music. He giggles and loves to laugh and dance when tickled or playing with other children! His special need is listed as thick-skulled reflex to light of pupils. He is designated to …Read More

Your Permission Slip

May 25, 2015 Attachment, first year home, Kelly 11 Comments

When I asked you how things were going, you started to cry. Through your tears, you told me how great your new son’s eye contact is, how he likes to be held, how he lets you know what he wants. You told me how everything is really so good, so much better than you were …Read More

God is (Still) Good

May 24, 2015 Rebecca 1 Comments

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.  Psalm 34:8 Sometimes I don’t like what God does.  Sometimes I can’t taste the sweetness, because of the hint of bitterness in the heart lesson. I don’t like when He calls me to something and then makes me wait.  …Read More

find my family: Sunny

May 24, 2015 Family Found 3 Comments

Sunny was born in February 2011. He was found when he was approximately two months old. When he was admitted to the orphanage, they noted that he “had black spots on his skin, and cysts in his neck, arms, and back.” Read more about this special need under Congenital Nevus here. Children with nevus face …Read More

The Hands of a Faithful God

May 22, 2015 disruption, Family Stories, undiagnosed SN 0 Comments

Before this year, I really thought I was the one writing my story.  I knew that God was leading, but I was really the one planning where I wanted to go. In the course of ten years I had graduated college, married, quit my job teaching, and was a busy home-school mom of three little …Read More

The Unexpected Testimony

May 21, 2015 adopting as a single mom, Desiree, Down syndrome, working mom 0 Comments

One of the “perks” (not so much if you are an introvert) of walking the Adoption Road is the availability to share your testimony. I think it might actually be one of the questions on the Home Study Report: Are you ready and willing to share all that the Lord has done (and will continue …Read More

Adopting a Child with Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome

May 20, 2015 birthmark, Family Stories, hemangioma, Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome, May 2015 Feature - Vascular, Vascular System 1 Comments

When I first read Abby’s file and read the diagnosis Hemangioma and Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome (or Phenomenon), I thought to myself, “How bad could it be?” She has a birthmark or as her file called it ‘a large hemangioma’ on her neck and chest, surely once we get her home we can ‘fix’ it! Then I did …Read More

May Fundraising Family: Meet the Berrys

May 20, 2015 2015 Featured Fundraising Families, fundraisers, fundraising for adoption 0 Comments

No Hands But Ours is committed to encouraging, informing and supporting families as they pursue adoption through the special needs program in China. In an effort to be more purposeful in supporting in-process families as they stretch financially to adopt, we are now featuring one fundraising family per month. If you would like your family …Read More

One Wild and Precious Life: Adopting a Child with Albinism

May 19, 2015 albinism, Family Stories, Skin Conditions 7 Comments

Our adoption story began about four years prior to our actual adoption. I was sitting at work one regular day and just had a random thought to research international adoption. This was not something we had previously discussed and wasn’t something at all on our radar screen. We had – at that time – two …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 3)

May 18, 2015 Agencies, choosing a China adoption agency, Guest Series, I'm Ready to Adopt 0 Comments

Today we’re back with our I’m Ready To Adopt series with the third in a mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can read the first two posts here and here.   Understanding LID and Partnership Files In this post, we are going to focus on another file designation used by China, known …Read More

Urgent Medical Need: Regis

May 18, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Regis, born December 2009, is a sweet boy, who was a little overwhelmed by the attention when agency staff saw him on a trip, and seemed relieved when he could go play again. Caregivers say sometimes he is quiet, and sometimes he is more talkative. He is diagnosed with thalassemia, and receives monthly transfusions. They …Read More

Post-Mother’s Day Blessings: Trusting Him in Adoption Details

May 17, 2015 Andrea Y., siblings 0 Comments

Two years ago this week, I was a basket case. We were anxiously awaiting for our travel approval for China — and unfortunately… we would miss it. He would have another birthday in his orphanage — apart from us. That was this week two years ago. I did what any reasonable waiting mom would do …Read More

When An Adoption Fails

May 15, 2015 failed adoption, Jean 0 Comments

God told us to name her Grace… not because her name was Grace… but because we would need His grace to get through this. He was teaching us to handle our disappointment and sorrow through His gift of grace… In May 2014 we received PA (pre approval) for a wonderful little girl that was just …Read More

a dirty secret in adoption

May 14, 2015 April/May 2015 Feature Attachment, Attachment, parent-to-child attachment, Stefanie 36 Comments

My heart is naturally bent toward encouragement. Focusing on the good stuff. And as an adoptive mama, I can’t even begin to put into words all the ways that the Lord has blessed me through my children. The work He has done in them, and in me… good stuff. But I have learned that sometimes the …Read More

what we’re reading: 5.14.15

May 14, 2015 Liberty, What We're Reading 0 Comments

We are going to try to keep the ball rolling on these What We’re Reading posts but we definitely need your help. If you have read or written something you think would be a good addition to a future post, we would appreciate you sharing it with us: To share a blog post or news …Read More

Attaching as a Sister

May 13, 2015 Attachment, Hannah, siblings 0 Comments

Ten days before my 10th birthday, my little sister was born. But I didn’t know her. I didn’t know what she looked like or how long it would be until I would meet her for the first time. For those first, long, ten years of my life, I prayed for a sister. I begged for …Read More

Mothers Day

May 11, 2015 Amy, birth family 2 Comments

I know it’s really spelled “Mother’s Day”. Everyone knows that. The apostrophe means it’s a day for a Mother. It’s her day. It’s the day to reflect on what a Mother means to their child. It’s a day to remember a Mother or a Grandmother who is no longer with us and how her life …Read More

urgent medical need: Miles

May 10, 2015 Family Found 4 Comments

Miles is 12 years old, an is listed with Hawaii International Child! Miles is very small for his age, likely due to the lack of proper treatment for his Thalassemia. He does not appear to receive the needed transfusions as often as his body requires, and he is not receiving chelation meds which are vital for …Read More

Find My Family: Hanson

May 8, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Hi! I’m Hanson! Due to my epidermolysis bullosa I see doctors and nurses a lot so I have a good relationship with them. Even though I get sores on my body, I rarely cry and I try to be very strong! I can be quiet but I love getting to play with the other children. …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 2)

May 7, 2015 Agencies, choosing a China adoption agency, Guest Series, I'm Ready to Adopt 0 Comments

Today we’re back with our I’m Ready To Adopt series with the second in a mini-series of ten posts by Kelly, who blogs at Mine In China, on How To Choose An Agency. If you haven’t already, you can read the first post here. Things to consider when choosing your child first:   If you’ve decided that you really …Read More

5 + 1 = so much more than 6

May 5, 2015 Attachment, first year home, Whitney 0 Comments

Is it okay to confess here that I’m not that great at math? Is this a safe place to let you know that my brain has just never fully comprehended the mysteries of equations and theorems? It’s too true. I have always felt more of an affinity for words because they can be changed and …Read More

Get Involved

May 4, 2015 get involved, Mentoring Moms, Stefanie, volunteer 0 Comments

So excited to announce our new Get Involved page here on No Hands But Ours. As we continue to grow, we are recognizing more ways for additional mama and babas to get involved in what we do here at NHBO. Our Get Involved page is a starting place for just about anything you’d like to …Read More

Secure Attachment: If We Have It, We Can Give It

May 4, 2015 April/May 2015 Feature Attachment, Attachment, parent-to-child attachment, Trust Based Parenting 0 Comments

The most baffling event occurred today. A client who has lived in several foster homes and a group home, was asked by the court to return to counseling. I received a call from her foster parent saying that she needed to start family counseling and resume trauma counseling. I was puzzled. This child and her …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 1)

May 2, 2015 Agencies, choosing a China adoption agency, Guest Series, I'm Ready to Adopt 1 Comments

Today we pick back up with our I’m Ready To Adopt series with a mini-series by Kelly, who blogs at Mine In China, on How To Choose An Agency. Because this very complex subject deserves a mini-series of it’s own. Kelly has published a series of posts on her own blog and has graciously reformatted them into …Read More

what we’re reading: 5.2.15

May 2, 2015 Liberty, What We're Reading 0 Comments

So….is it possible it has been six months since our last “What We’re Reading links” post? Sorry about that. We’ve been hopping in these parts with some amazing series and posts, but regardless we have some articles and traveling families to share with you today. As always, if you’ve read or written something you think …Read More

Corina’s Story: Adopting a Child with Sturge-Weber Syndrome

May 1, 2015 birthmark, Family Stories, Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, May 2015 Feature - Vascular, port wine stain, Sturge Weber Syndrome 2 Comments

“You can’t direct the wind but you can adjust your sails.” – Unknown No truer words have I ever read that bring home the reality of our daughter’s diagnosis. Our adoption journey is a story in itself, and best for another time. We have had several wise friends point out that the complications of even …Read More

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