Find My Family: Sofia
May 26, 2016
Family Found
Adorable 11-year-old Sofia is listed with Madison Adoption Associates. Sofia is diagnosed with post-op cleft lip and palate. From an update in April: Sofia’s mental development is normal or the same as peers the same age. Her special need no longer affects her life. Sofia is extroverted and active. She is very well behaved and …Read More
A Message to the New Momma by Adoption
May 25, 2016
adopting two at once, Down syndrome, large families, May 2016 Feature - Large Families
Hey fellow adoptive mama! I’m Erin. I’m writing this post today because I was asked to share what it’s like to have a large family by adoption. In the world of adoption, my family is considered fairly mid-sized: six kids and two parents. In March 2015, I jumped from mama of four to six when …Read More
In the Quiet Moment
May 23, 2016
Family Stories, Kristi, port wine stain, Sturge Weber Syndrome, Vascular System
On March 20, 2009 I spent the quiet moments of nap-time looking at waiting child programs with various adoption agencies. Home from China just four months with our second child, we weren’t ready to expand our family just yet, but as a planner I wanted to have ‘all my ducks in a row’ for when …Read More
He Knows
May 21, 2016
adopting a boy, clubfoot, complex heart defects, Family Stories, hypospadias, PDA, waiver request
Who knew this momma – who had once upon a time envisioned life with my husband to include a couple of children, a spacious home, and (of course!) many family vacations to tropical destinations – would instead learn (and daily re-learn) that the path to the purest peace and the greatest joy is to yield …Read More
Large Families: the Good, the Bad, the Blessing (part two)
May 19, 2016
Family Stories, large families, May 2016 Feature - Large Families, toddler adoption
Today we continue with the second post of our two-part series featuring Large Families. This mom of six shares some fun, creative, and pragmatic ideas that will help us all (whatever the size of our family) to keep things running smoothly. You can find part-one here. I’d like to share some of the things we’ve …Read More
Samaritan
May 15, 2016
Advocacy, Katie, Realities
I love Jesus. I love His simplicity. I love how easily He puts things into perspective. I love how when all the religious leaders wanted to prove Him wrong, false, and even sinful that His answers were never hour long oratories. Simple, concise. Believe and follow or don’t. Often I find myself in the midst …Read More
The Blessings of an Unknown Road
May 13, 2016
adopting later in life, Central Nervous System, Family Stories, reluctant husband, spina bifida, toddler adoption
Let me start by saying I am an ordinary middle aged woman living an ordinary life but just happen to have five extraordinary children, three of whom are adopted. My children have forever changed my life. My oldest son is 31 with a beautiful wife and two precious children of his own. My second oldest …Read More
Backwards
May 11, 2016
adopting a boy, Central Nervous System, cerebral palsy, Family Stories, older child adoption
We did everything backwards. After watching our best friends adopt two girls from China, my husband and I were very open to adoption. However, we are both “take it slow” kind of people so it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I felt ready to build our family through adoption. My husband? He …Read More
Find My Family: Trent
May 10, 2016
Children Who Wait, Liberty
Trent is a gorgeous little boy waiting for his forever family to see him! Trent is newly listed with Madison Adoption Associates. He is three years old and is diagnosed with ankle joint contracture of both knees; reduced muscular tension. His file states that after admission, he was given symptomatic and supportive treatment and received …Read More
Two Years of Blessings
May 9, 2016
adopting a boy, cerebral palsy, Family Stories, older child adoption
It has been two years. Two years since China said yes. Two years full of unexpected blessings. Two years of being asleep before your head hits the pillow at night. Two years of going to work with kisses on your cheeks. Two years full of learning new things for both Lock and us. Has life …Read More
On This Mother’s Day
May 8, 2016
adoption realities, Amy A., Attachment
The second Sunday of May carries such incredible significance for women around our country. For many, Mother’s Day is a time of celebration – a time to sleep a few extra hours in morning and a time to receive breakfast in bed, gifts, hugs, kisses and words of appreciation. Church services celebrate mothers and their …Read More
Large Families: the Good, the Bad, the Blessing (part one)
May 7, 2016
large families, May 2016 Feature - Large Families, toddler adoption
This is part one of a two part series. Part-one shows us the everyday nuances of life with a large family. It also shares this family’s story of how God led them to their sixth child who was waiting for them in China. Part-two will share with us an abundance of practical and fun ideas …Read More
One Day
May 5, 2016
adoption realities, Attachment, first weeks home, first year home, Newly Home, Whitney
Dear little boy of mine, We knew before we brought your sister home you might struggle a bit. We prepared you for this transition as best we could, using all of the information we could obtain. We talked using big words you couldn’t yet fully understand, words your heart wanted to understand. We prayed for …Read More
Find My Family: Duo
May 4, 2016
Family Found, Liberty
Duo is 11, and now listed as Cody with Holt! He has a prosthetic leg and scoliosis. Duo came into care when he was a baby; he has scoliosis and his left leg was amputated and he wears a prosthetic leg. He walks freely, although he may have some pain if he walks for a …Read More
A Beginner’s Guide to Special Needs Adoption: Post One
May 3, 2016
A Beginner's Guide to Special Needs Adoption, Faith, I'm Ready to Adopt, pre-adoption, referral, should we adopt?, waiting for referral
Becoming a parent, no matter how it happens, is never easy. But for those just looking into the possibility of adoption it can seem positively overwhelming. It is our hope to change all that. This 8-post series will go step-by-step through the process to adopt through the special needs program for those of you who …Read More
16 Ways to Prepare During the Wait
May 2, 2016
first weeks home, International Adoption Clinic, Jennifer B., Newly Home, referral, waiting for referral, waiting to travel
Those who have adopted, as well as those currently knee deep in the adoption process, know all about a little thing called waiting. Only it really is not a little thing; it is a big, difficult thing. The good news is that although the wait is hard, it gives families the opportunity to prepare for …Read More
8 Questions Frequently Asked About Our Large Family
May 1, 2016
adopting again, large families, May 2016 Feature - Large Families, Sharon
May is here and this month on NHBO we are focusing on Large Families. The China special needs program has changed significantly over the years, and one of the big ways is that family size is no longer an issue for those in process to adopt a child with special needs. Gone are the days …Read More