A Prayer for National Adoption Month
November 30, 2015
National Adoption Month, Orphan Sunday, protecting their story, Rebecca
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts…? – Psalm 13 Adoption awareness and orphan care have become a life’s work for us, a calling bigger than adding children to our family. It’s seeped into our faith, hearts, conversations, serving, friendships, and Instagram feeds. Though our first steps in were tentative, three adoptions later, we …Read More
Hero and Rescuer
November 30, 2015
adoptee perspective, adult adoptee, birth family, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story
“Why don’t you look like me, Daddy?” “When did I come out of your tummy, Mommy?” “Why did my “real” Mom not want me?” “So, you are still my real parents, or are they my parents?” “Will you ever leave me?” If you are an adoptive father or mother, questions like these from your child …Read More
Older Children and Incontinence, a Family Story
November 29, 2015
bowel management, Family Stories, imperforate anus, incontinence, lipomyelomeningocele, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, older child adoption, tethered cord, Urogenital System, VACTERL
Our adoption journey started with two infant adoptions from South Korea, in 2008 and 2010. Our first was a healthy baby boy; our second, a daughter with limb differences. When we considered adding to our family again, we decided to adopt an older child and looked into the China special needs program. We pondered the …Read More
Orphan Sunday: An Answer to Prayer
November 29, 2015
Amy A., orphan ministry, Orphan Sunday, other ways to care for the orphan
Thanksgiving was just a few days ago, and I find myself reflecting on all that I am grateful for this year. I filled my belly with turkey, Mama’s dressing, corn pudding, and pies while sitting around a table with some of the people I love most. I celebrated the presence of my new son and …Read More
Looking Beyond the Label
November 28, 2015
anorectal malformation, bowel management, Family Stories, imperforate anus, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System
Gastrointestinal Issues. These two words changed our world and lives forever on December 2, 2012. My husband and I had poured over the list of special needs provided by the Waiting Child Program at our adoption agency and chosen those we felt we could handle emotionally, physically, and financially. Gastrointestinal issues was a special need …Read More
My Wounding
November 27, 2015
adoption realities, Attachment, Carrie, parent-to-child attachment
“I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are yours. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it means to be human.” – Frederick Buechner Be gentle with me, dear reader. Please …Read More
Telling the Story: Theirs, Mine and His
November 26, 2015
November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
I realize now that when we first brought our children home, I had an undefined, but deeply felt and well-meant desire. However, I have also realized that my desire was not exactly what God had in mind. Let me explain. I wanted our adopted children to be so loved, so secure, so encompassed in the …Read More
Meet the Contributors: Nicole
November 25, 2015
Contributor Q and A, Meet the Contributors, Nicole
Continuing today with our series in which we share a short Q and A with one of our contributors to give y’all, our faithful readers, a little more behind-the-scenes insight into the amazing group of writers assembled here. And it will also give each of our contributors a chance to share their heart in a …Read More
Nothing Else Mattered: FAQs About Anal Atresia
November 24, 2015
anorectal malformation, bowel management, cloaca, imperforate anus, incontinence, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, recto vaginal fistula, Urogenital System, VACTERL
We saw her face. We fell in love. Nothing else mattered. My husband and I simply wanted to be parents and we knew in our hearts that our children were in China; we just had to go get them. Like most parents to be, we hoped and prayed that our children would be healthy. Our …Read More
Embracing Their Story: Going Back
November 23, 2015
adoptee perspective, embracing their story, heritage trip, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, orphanage visit, telling their life story
Their story with us didn’t start at the beginning. I think we jumped in around chapter 3 or 4. Much like opening a book midstream and trying to piece together a plot, our adoptions began with many unanswered questions and many holes that I knew we could never fill. Yet at some point, I knew …Read More
Embracing Her Story: Gracie
November 22, 2015
adoptee perspective, adoptee Q and A, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
We know that God is the only one who can heal hearts and redeem stories. But what of our role as shepherds of their hearts? One powerful, guiding gift we can dig into is the experience of others, young and old, who are willing to share their stories. As part of our Embracing Their Story …Read More
Appointed One
November 22, 2015
Family Found
“I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” Isaiah 45:3 In a crib, in an orphanage, halfway around the world, sits a boy. He’s easy to miss, …Read More
Tears In Your Bottle
November 21, 2015
Desiree, Gotcha Day
I caught myself staring at my little Chinese boy tonight as he fell asleep in my arms. So much has changed in our three plus years together. He is a whopping five years old now, has gained 15 pounds and grown 10 inches among other things. Our life together is so normal now, it’s almost …Read More
Embracing Her Story: Sarah
November 20, 2015
adoptee perspective, adoptee Q and A, birth family, Jean, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, older child adoption, telling their life story
We know that God is the only one who can heal hearts and redeem stories. But what of our role as shepherds of their hearts? One powerful, guiding gift we can dig into is the experience of others, young and old, who are willing to share their stories. As part of our Embracing Their Story …Read More
She is our JOY: Adopting a Child with CAH
November 20, 2015
ambiguous genitalia, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Disorder of Sexual Development, Family Stories, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System
When we began our adoption journey we had no idea where it would eventually lead. We were entirely new to the international adoption process yet seasoned parents of four children. Our placing agency encouraged us to begin our home study and fill out some essential paperwork. One form had us place a checkmark beside the …Read More
When Tragic Pasts Meet Hopeful Futures
November 19, 2015
birth family, Katie, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
Our children have stories that are a paradox of tragedy and beauty, of despair and hope. There is no easy answer to their stories. It’s complicated and so the way we handle it is complicated, and ever evolving. Children are beautiful. They are full of hope and they believe in miracles. They believe in unicorns, …Read More
It Is What It Is, Not What it Should Be
November 18, 2015
disruption, failed adoption, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, older child adoption
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 That’s been my view on most things in life: it is what it is, not what it should be. Our daughter came to us on September 1, 2013, at 8.5 years old. She’d been adopted from China at age 4.5 by another family, …Read More
Just One Thing
November 17, 2015
Andrea Y., Attachment, attachment activities, China trip, first year home, prepping for China
It was a rainy Sunday. A day of rest. I told the children to go grab books and have “reading and rest time” after church. All was quiet — and then our littlest who is now four and a half came quietly in my room. He came home when he was just over 2 years …Read More
Embracing Their Stories
November 15, 2015
Jean, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
Thirteen children and thirteen stories, each different but with a common adoption thread. As we brought our children home there were other things (many things) to focus on. We needed to get to know each other, like each other, and eventually love each other. We needed to learn how to live as a family. On …Read More
Waiting for a Family: Eugene and Lile
November 14, 2015
Advocacy, Family Stories
Andrea Olson is Executive Director of Little Hearts Medical and a five time adoptive mother. She traveled to Beijing recently to assist with Holt International Children’s Services’ Ambassador Program, where she was partnered with two beautiful boys born with complex CHD and in need of adoption. ………………. Hello everyone! I just recently returned from Beijing …Read More
Frequently Asked Questions about Complex/Persistent Cloaca
November 13, 2015
ambiguous genitalia, bowel management, cloaca, Family Stories, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System, VACTERL
Instead of beginning this article with a list of questions and daunting answers, the first thing I want to include is our most frequent ANSWER… These little girls are beyond precious! Our cloaca child is the light of our lives! They need you to come for them and you will reap a million times more …Read More
Five Ways to Send Love This Christmas
November 13, 2015
Christmas, Hannah, LWB, New Day Foster Home, other ways to care for the orphan
One of my most vivid memories from childhood Christmases was the year my parents took us kiddos to the store to buy clothes and toiletries to donate to a local homeless shelter. We shopped as a family, gave as a family, and in the course of a few hours one Saturday afternoon, my brothers and …Read More
Embracing Her Story: Ellie
November 12, 2015
adoptee perspective, adoptee Q and A, birth family, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
We know that God is the only one who can heal hearts and redeem stories. But what of our role as shepherds of their hearts? One powerful, guiding gift we can dig into is the experience of others, young and old, who are willing to share their stories. As part of our Embracing Their Story …Read More
You Came Home on an Airplane
November 11, 2015
Amy, birth family, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
I remember talking with our social worker almost four years ago about things that would come up in conversation with our adopted child someday; more specifically – “what will you tell her about how she came to be yours?” At the time we were 9 months away from receiving her referral, therefore we didn’t know …Read More
Waiting for My Family: Tia
November 10, 2015
Family Found
Little Tia is 4 years old and listed with CCAI. Her special needs are listed as brain damage and low vision/blindness. Tia has lived at Bethel since she was 2 years old (where she is known as Talitha). When she arrived she couldn’t move any of her limbs, lift up her head or sit up. …Read More
Siblings: Haden and Hazel
November 8, 2015
Family Found
“Haden” (12yrs) and “Hazel” (11yrs) are biological siblings who need to find their forever family. Haden enjoys making and designing things, tools and gadgets, and is quick to smile. Here is a picture of Haden writing and drawing – He took a book and added pictures to the story. He also built the toothpick house …Read More
November’s Fundraising Family: The Van Camps
November 7, 2015
2015 Featured Fundraising Families, fundraisers
Hi! We are the Van Camps – Kaylyn, Brent, Avenell, Micah, and Emmeline! We are a family created through belly daughters and adoption. Our handsome son, Micah Friday, came home from Uganda in 2013 through adoption and our hearts will never be the same! We were not the family that had our hearts set on …Read More
Judah’s Perfect Puzzle
November 6, 2015
Family Stories, imperforate anus, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System, VACTERL
The Lord’s idea of adventure and my idea of adventure are radically different. My adventure began with a dream of flying to China, bringing home a child, doting him with love, he’d love me in return and we’d skip down the Great Wall in fairytale fashion into our happy adoptive family life that would fit …Read More
find my family: Harrison
November 6, 2015
Family Found
Harrison is an adorable little boy who was born June of 2014. He was estimated to have been abandoned on the same day of his birth. Upon admission, he was diagnosed with spina bifida, eczema, and weakness in his legs. He received surgery for his spinal meningocele and had a successful recovery. He is developing …Read More
Embracing Their Story: This is My Daughter
November 5, 2015
birth family, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story, telling their life story
“Ma’am! Ma’am! You are forgetting your baby!!!” The Disney store clerk could not have been more panicked in her sincere guttural cry for this family to come back and retrieve their beautiful Asian daughter that they had so clumsily left behind. Just as primal was the sound that came from my throat as I realized …Read More
A Prescription for Holiday Success
November 5, 2015
Attachment, cocooning, first weeks home, first year home, holidays, Whitney
This is our first round of fall/winter holidays with our daughter. If Halloween was any indicator at all, I know that the next two months are going to be filled with wondering… • what should we do? • how should we celebrate? • how do I explain to others why we do or don’t do …Read More
The What, Why and How of International Adoption Clinics
November 4, 2015
China trip, first weeks home, International Adoption Clinic, October 2015 Feature - It Takes a Village, referral
International Adoption Clinics (IACs) were initially founded by a group of adoptive parents who were also physicians. We saw a huge gap in the health care given to our own internationally adopted children. Before IACs opened their doors we were trying to see international adoptees by squeezing them into the 15 minute or less appointment …Read More
Diving Deep
November 3, 2015
birth family, Jennifer, November 2015 Feature - Embracing Their Story
I think you can have all the plans in the world about how you are going to talk to your child about their adoption and the truth is, when they are ready to talk, you have to just go where they go. And fast. I’ve come to think about it like a child who has …Read More
what we’re reading: 11.2.15
November 2, 2015
What We're Reading
Happy Fall everyone! We have some great links and traveling families to share with you, so grab something to fuel your pumpkin addiction, a warm blanket, and get to clicking. And as always, please share any posts or family blogs you think our community would enjoy. To share a blog post or news article go …Read More
And Our Family Tree Grew
November 1, 2015
bowel management, cloaca, Family Stories, imperforate anus, November 2015 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System
Once upon a time God planted a tiny seed in my heart. A seed for adoption. That fact that it grew at all is truly miraculous. You see, my son had just been born and was in the NICU where he was recovering from his first 2 of now 13 surgeries. He has Spina Bifida. …Read More