The Simplicity of Prosthesis

June 30, 2015 amputation, burns, contracture deformity, Family Stories, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, Orthopedic, prosthetics 0 Comments

That would probably not have been our reaction if you would have told us seven years ago that we would have multiple pairs of prosthetic legs in our house. In early 2009, we were researching China’s special needs adoptions after adopting twice through the non-special needs program. Some of the special needs just looked too …Read More

Who Would Want a Dad Like Me?

June 30, 2015 a father's perspective, Dads, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads, Mike 15 Comments

Finishing up our June Feature, Let’s Hear it For Dads, with a post by Mike, a former (and much-missed!) regular contributor. We at NHBO enjoyed this series so much that we are working on bringing in more “dad” voices. Because dads are awesome, too. So grateful that Mike agreed to share this wit and wisdom with …Read More

find my family: Lenny

June 30, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Precious little Lenny is 1 year old and is listed as a special focus file with Small World Adoptions. His special need is postoperative CHD. Lenny is a handsome little boy! When his caregivers speak to him he will smile and laugh! He can hold his own bottle and feed himself a biscuit without help. …Read More

God of My Children

June 27, 2015 hospital stays, Medical Momma, Rebecca, surgery 1 Comments

Ever learn something, quickly forget it, and need to be reminded again? During our daughter’s extensive surgery last November, God tapped into my medical momma’s fearful heart, comforting me with the revelation that I don’t have to be God of my children. It was a breakthrough parenting moment.  Little by little though, I again started mentally and …Read More

God’s Plans are Always Best

June 26, 2015 amniotic band syndrome, Family Stories, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, limb difference, Orthopedic 0 Comments

God’s plans are always best… even when we fight them. After years of dealing with infertility and finally placing our desire for children into the hands of our Father, He revealed that His plan A for us was adoption. When my husband and I first started our adoption process, we told our agency that we …Read More

Night and Day

June 25, 2015 Central Nervous System, cerebral palsy, Family Stories, mobility issues, walker user 0 Comments

In the mid 1980’s our family adopted two biological brothers from the USA’s foster care system. Both were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Fast forward to 2013 when we first adopted from China, cerebral palsy was a special need that was familiar to us and one we were confident in handling. According to CerebralPalsy.org, “Cerebral palsy …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 8)

June 25, 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 eighth in a 10 post mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can find links to the previous posts here.   Financial Considerations   If you have stayed with me through this series it is likely that by now …Read More

Maddox Waits

June 24, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Meet Maddox who waits for a family of his very own. Six year old Maddox. Look how cute and sweet he is. Maddox is newly listed with Madison Adoption Associates. Not only is Maddox super handsome, but his caretakers describe him as smart and lovely. He was abandoned at about 3 years of age and …Read More

Going Backward to Move Forward: A Dad’s Perspective on Attachment Challenges

June 23, 2015 a father's perspective, Attachment, Bryson, Dads, first year home, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads 12 Comments

Of the many conversations we had with our caseworker from the adoption agency, I remember one much more clearly than the others. During this phone call, our caseworker (who, by the way, was amazing) was role playing and asking questions to help us prepare for the day we would meet our daughter, Lydia. One of …Read More

What You Don’t See

June 22, 2015 Central Nervous System, Family Stories, moyamoya 4 Comments

If you met my six-year-old daughter today, you would see right away is that she loves singing, dancing and all things girly. You would also see that she has the world’s best smile because she uses her whole face to show how happy she is. You would definitely see that she is one of the gentlest creatures …Read More

find my family: Cory

June 22, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Cory is a very cute, and very active little boy who is 3 years old! He has been diagnosed with probable muscular dystrophy (MD). Cory is on medication, and to date, has shown no physical signs of MD. However, his lab tests are indicative of MD. Cory has excellent gross and fine motor skills. His …Read More

A Father’s Heart

June 21, 2015 Dads, Desiree 0 Comments

Recently, some adoption friends traveled across the earth to bring home their 5th daughter. For larger family reasons the father in the home stayed behind to man the fort, but through the magic of Facetime he got to be a part of his new daughter’s Gotchya Day, trips to the park and medical appointments in …Read More

Perseverance Personified

June 20, 2015 arthrogryposis, Family Stories, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, Orthopedic 2 Comments

I’ll never forget the first time I saw Olivia. I worked night shift then and would often stare at sweet faces when it was slow. There were so many. I often would get overwhelmed and quickly close the page because I couldn’t look at so many big brown, solemn eyes, without a feeling of loss.  A couple of …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 7)

June 19, 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 seventh in a 10 post mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can find links to the previous posts here.   Travel Questions   If you are reading this series because you want to choose an agency to start …Read More

June Fundraising Family: Meet the Saunders

June 19, 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

Once a Superhero, Always a Superhero

June 18, 2015 a father's perspective, Dads, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads 0 Comments

I am an 80’s kid. I grew up watching He-Man Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, and Transformers. Growing up, the theme was always Good vs. Evil. From the Smurfs fighting Gargamel to the games we played in the backyard battling “the bad guys,” it was always about saving the ones we love. Sometimes we …Read More

find my family: Lia

June 18, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Beautiful, adorable Lia is listed with Lifeline Children’s Services. Adorable Lia is 5 1/2 years old, and is listed as special focus. Her special needs are listed as cleft palate, post-operative cleft lip, post-operative CHD, atrophy of right lower limbs, post center shunt. Lia is an absolutely precious little girl. Her caretakers describe her as …Read More

To the Fathers who Lead Us… {Thank you}

June 17, 2015 Andrea Y., Dads 0 Comments

It’s not easy being a mom. And bringing home little loves through foster care or adoption adds a little twist in our mommying as we walk more tenderly through healing and hopes of attaching… as deep and strong as every mommy hopes to. But this week – I think of you… the fathers that lead …Read More

Bamboo Project 2.0: Summer 2015

June 17, 2015 Desiree, Down syndrome 0 Comments

One question I am asked the most in regards to special needs adoption is “Why Down syndrome?” It seems like a fair question, but I just don’t seem to remember a specific event in my life that echoed “You will parent a child with more chromosomes than you!” Overwhelmingly, when you speak to families who …Read More

find my family: Hadley

June 16, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

“Shy, quiet, with a ready smile and fond of listening to music”. Hadley will turn 8 years old this month. She was abandoned at a train station when she was estimated to be around 4 years old and could walk slowly. Her special needs are mild mitral valve prolapse and mild tricuspid regurgitation. She also …Read More

What’s it Like to Have a Daddy?

June 15, 2015 Jean 0 Comments

Me: Hey kids, since Father’s Day is in June, I want to ask you a couple of questions about what it’s like to have a Daddy! Kids: Okay! (they all gather around) Me: First of all, how do you like having a Daddy? Kids all together: I like it! I like it a lot! Me, …Read More

Life, Reconstructed

June 15, 2015 amniotic band syndrome, Family Stories, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, missing fingers/toes, Orthopedic 3 Comments

My daughter is working on cursive writing. She deftly picks up her pencil with her right hand, and carefully sets it between the fingers on the left. Pressing hard, she makes one swirl after another, using her pencil to sing the song of her love for me. She writes stories, she pens love letters, she …Read More

Hardest. And Best.

June 14, 2015 adoption realities, congenital blindness, disruption, Katie, Sensory System, undiagnosed SN, vision loss 7 Comments

My life was almost returned to normal. I would have slept better, been freer, able to eat better, clean the house, and find my way back to the normal details of everyday life. But I chose to finish the adoption, to make this girl who was so far from the one portrayed to me, my …Read More

A Baby Shower Half-a-World Away

June 13, 2015 Hannah, orphan ministry 1 Comments

Amy Carmichael wrote, “But God is the God of the waves and the billows, and they are still His when they come over us; and again and again we have proved that the overwhelming thing does not overwhelm. Once more by His interposition deliverance came. We were cast down, but not destroyed.” Over the past …Read More

Seven Things I Learned from the Adoption Process

June 12, 2015 a father's perspective, Dads, Down syndrome, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads, Randall 2 Comments

Hey Dads. First of all, I know you’re probably a little scared. It’s okay. You don’t have to admit it, at least not yet. Just know that there’s somebody out there who gets what you’re going through. We’ve all felt it. Trust me, you’ll find a way to lead your family through the process. Take …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 6)

June 11, 2015 Agencies, choosing a China adoption agency, Guest Series, I'm Ready to Adopt 2 Comments

Today we’re back with our I’m Ready To Adopt series with the sixth in a 10 post mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can find links to the previous posts here.   Asking Agencies About Special Situations   If you would like to adopt from China, you need to fit …Read More

Lucky

June 11, 2015 Amy 7 Comments

Things kind and well meaning people say to, about, or in front of our adopted daughter: “What a lucky little girl to be in your family.” “She is very lucky that you adopted her.” “Aren’t you so lucky to live here?” “She is really lucky to have you.” “You are so lucky, Grace. Do you …Read More

Sweet Caroline

June 10, 2015 Family Found 1 Comments

Sweet Caroline is a beautiful, and very sweet girl who is 12 years old. She is newly designated to Hawaii International Child. She came into orphanage care at an older age, estimated to be 4 or 5 years old. At that time she was diagnosed with CP affecting her lower legs and undoubtedly a broken …Read More

Bumps, Bubble Wrap, and Broken Bones.

June 9, 2015 adopting as a single mom, Family Stories, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, Orthopedic, osteogenesis imperfecta, working mom 1 Comments

God has a sense of humor. Have you experienced it? He knows how to push and stretch us. I am learning not to say “never” because that is just about when He says, “Here you go! This is my plan!” I am blessed to be the mom of an amazing little girl from China (you …Read More

Faith in Action: My Journey Through a Second Adoption

June 9, 2015 adopting again, Amy A., first weeks home 0 Comments

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been blogging every day on my personal blog, My Passionate Balance, about our trip to China to adopt our son, Tyson. This was my family’s second adoption from China in addition to our two biological sons. Now, I am the proud momma of four beautiful boys! How …Read More

The Day-to-Day Life of a Child with Tetralogy of Fallot

June 7, 2015 complex heart defect, Family Stories, heart defect, Heart System, Tetralogy of Fallot 4 Comments

When I saw my son’s picture for the very first time, before I knew he was my son, before we had decided to make him ours, the overwhelming emotion I felt was fear. His diagnosis was just. plain. scary. to a regular old mom like me: Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF), cyanotic, not corrected till 16 …Read More

Now We are Six: Jackson and Lulu

June 6, 2015 Family Found 0 Comments

Now We Are Six By A.A. Milne   When I was one I had just begun When I was two I was nearly new   When I was three I was hardly me When I was four I was not much more When I was five I was just alive   But now I am …Read More

In the Trenches

June 5, 2015 first year home, Whitney 2 Comments

How many of us on the finally-at-home side of adoption have thought this thought, uttered this phrase, typed it out on social media, or desperately scribbled it in a journal: “in the trenches today”? I’m guessing more than a few! Before we adopted our daughter, I hadn’t much heard this phrase related to child-rearing, but …Read More

I Think I Know You: A Dad’s Perspective on Adopting a Child with Down Syndrome

June 5, 2015 a father's perspective, Dads, Developmental System, Down syndrome, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads 7 Comments

You don’t know me, but if you’re a dad (or prospective dad) considering adopting a child with Down syndrome from China, I think I know you. I think I was you. I know you worry about caring for a child with developmental disabilities and lifelong needs. I know you worry about health problems that are …Read More

I’m Ready to Adopt: Choosing an Agency (Part 5)

June 4, 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 fifth in a 10 post mini-series by Kelly – who blogs at Mine In China – on How To Choose An Agency. You can find links to the previous four posts here.   Comparing Agencies   Now that we have discussed the different types of files, you probably know …Read More

When Happy Tears and Green Pastures Prevail

June 3, 2015 Jennifer 3 Comments

“Mom… you cry happy tears?” “Yes. They are happy. I’m watching this video of a kid I don’t even know on a reality show and I am so happy he made it (My other children gather because if mom’s crying happy tears it’s gonna be good). He made it despite such odds against him. He …Read More

On Adopting a Child with Dwarfism

June 3, 2015 achondroplasia, dwarfism, June 2015 Feature - Orthopedic, Orthopedic 6 Comments

June is here, along with a new special need spotlight. Last month we featured posts on Vascular System special needs. This month we are focusing on the Orthopedic System.   ……. We often get asked what adopting a child with dwarfism entails. First and foremost – you have to know China did not think children …Read More

what we’re reading: 6.2.15

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

You guys, so many families traveling for their little ones to share with you! Grab a comfy spot in the shade, get yourself a nice cool drink, turn on the sprinklers for the kids, and don’t forget your box of tissues before you start going through this episode of “What We’re Reading.” So much joy …Read More

On Being an Adoptive Dad

June 1, 2015 a father's perspective, Dads, hearing loss, June 2015 Feature - Let's Hear It For Dads, reluctant husband, Sensory System 3 Comments

June is here and as we move into a new month, we also begin a new Feature here on NHBO. In April and May our focus was on attachment. This month, in honor of Father’s Day, our focus will be… you guessed it, Dads. We are looking forward to sharing posts from adoptive dads all …Read More

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