Beyond Adoption: An Interview with Amy Eldridge
December 31, 2016
Beyond Adoption, child sponsorship, LWB, NGOs, other ways to care for the orphan, Stefanie
We recently had an opportunity to talk with Amy Eldridge, founder and director of Love Without Boundaries. LWB began in 2003, in an effort to help save the life of one tiny boy in China, and now operates ongoing programs – education, foster care, healing homes, medical and unity initiative, and nutrition – to care …Read More
Aging Out Child: Bryce
December 30, 2016
Family Found
Bryce is AGING OUT! Bryce is 13 and has less than a year to find his forever family. His birthday is October 2003. His file was just prepared and his agency is hopeful his family will see him! Bryce is quiet, polite and very focused. During an agency trip he did an art activity with …Read More
Family Makes a Difference
December 29, 2016
adopting a boy, age assignment, bone scan, cl/cp, Craniofacial, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, Family Stories, first year home, International Adoption Clinic, night terrors, Sleep issues, switching agencies
If you have read any adoption account they all contain transformation stories. Most are pretty dramatic. How could it be anything less? Family makes a difference. The love of family brings healing physical, emotional and spiritual. It is no different in our story. My family was in line to be matched with a child in …Read More
Outnumbered and Loving It
December 28, 2016
adopting a boy, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, either gender, Family Stories, referral
Five years ago this month, we got “the call”. To say it was unexpected would be an understatement. Our dossier wasn’t logged in, the check marks on our medical needs list were few, and the shared list had been released earlier in the week. When I checked the caller ID on my cell phone I …Read More
Child Who Waits: Zachary
December 28, 2016
Family Found
This huggable little guy is Zachary! He looks like he’s ready to be scooped up in your arms, full of giggles! Zachary was born in August of 2013. His file was prepared 11/2015 so this information is a year old. He has congenital heart disease, with details in his file. He was admitted to the …Read More
Reluctant No More
December 27, 2016
adopting a boy, adopting again, Andrea O., December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, either gender, medical needs checklist, referral, waiting for referral
Back in early 2005 when we first decided to adopt, we researched the different avenues of adoption and for many reasons we chose China. If I’m completely honest with myself, one of the reasons is that we were practically assured to be matched with the type of child we had already decided that we wanted: a …Read More
Waiting to be Chosen: Faith
December 26, 2016
Children Who Wait
Meet beautiful Faith, new to Lifeline’s Partner list. Faith is 5 years old with a special need of Down syndrome. She is able to play by herself, make gestures to communicate, and hold a spoon to feed herself. Faith is described as very lovely – with white skin, a ruddy face and big eyes. She …Read More
Without the Thought of Her, We Would Never Have Him
December 26, 2016
adopting a boy, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, either gender, pre-adoption, should we adopt?
Twelve years ago I had a dream birthed in my heart of mothering a child from China. In my mind’s eye I saw a sweet little girl, jet black pigtails, and pink bows. I had just spent time in the country, and even at a young age saw the crushing weight of the reality of …Read More
Mothering Zhou: Adopting a Child with Oral Aversion
December 24, 2016
cl/cp, Craniofacial, early intervention, feeding/swallowing therapy, occupational therapy, oral aversion, oral-motor delays, refusing food, Sensory Processing Issues, speech delay, speech therapy
Five and a half years ago, my arms ached to hold my son, a world away in China… When I couldn’t sleep, and I had said everything to God I could think of, I would do three things: 1. visit Google maps to zoom in on a city that is as far away as it …Read More
Blooming in Winter
December 23, 2016
Rebecca
There are the rare and beautiful treasures
That grow when it’s coldest
When nobody’s watching
~ Christy Nockels, Amaryllis God likes to whisper hope to me through song lyrics. He gifts me with hummable love letters. Ones that I can play again and again to help convince myself of truth. In this colder season of …Read More
Year End Giving: Our Favorites
December 22, 2016
Beyond Adoption, Contributor Q and A, Half the Sky, International China Concern, Little Hearts Medical, LWB, Morning Star Foster Home, New Day Foster Home, NGOs, other ways to care for the orphan, Show Hope, Stefanie
We are pretty passionate about orphan care around here. And we love to help others find avenues for their similarly burdened hearts to care for the fatherless as well as encourage family preservation. Recently, our team was discussing our favorite orphan-and-adoption-related charities. And then we thought of you, our readers, and how good it would …Read More
Child Who Waits: Feng
December 22, 2016
Children Who Wait
Feng is an adorable just-turned 8 year old girl with an infectious smile. Feng hopes to some day have the warmth of a family all her own. Feng cannot walk but she can get on and off of her bike and pedal around the orphanage on it. When not on the bike she pulls herself …Read More
The Rewrite in our Adoption Story: Choosing a Son
December 21, 2016
adopting a boy, Blood Conditions, cerebral atrophy, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, Family Stories, ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura)
You make them. I make them. We pray they are the right ones. Choices. As a parent, we analyze and make decisions sometimes seamlessly and other times with great thought. When you are faced with a life-altering choice it weighs heavy on your heart and mind. When I began to weigh what it would mean …Read More
The Miracle of a Familiar Face
December 19, 2016
congenital blindness, December 2016 Feature - Sensory, infertility, micropthalmia, Sensory System
When we began this journey seeking to add another child to our family, I could never have dreamed where God would lead us. I struggled through nine years of heart wrenching infertility wondering why God had not answered my prayers for another child. I simply did not realize that God had a much bigger plan …Read More
No More Fear in Saying Yes
December 17, 2016
2016 Featured Fundraising Families, adopting as first time parents, fundraisers, other ways to care for the orphan, pre-adoption, reluctant husband, should we adopt?
There are some conversations you have, and you know you’ll remember them long after they’re gone. Something about them seems like deja vu or like they’re happening in slow motion, and you can just feel the permanency in that moment. I had one of those conversations with a dear friend last spring, telling her I …Read More
Survivor’s Guilt
December 16, 2016
adoptee perspective, adult adoptee, Perspectives, protecting their story, telling their life story
One question that plagued me into adulthood was this; “Why was I one of the lucky ones?” After visiting China and seeing many children in poverty or abandoned and in orphanages, thinking about the ones who wouldn’t make it because of sickness or because of a broken system that can’t care for it’s own children, …Read More
Just an Inconvenience
December 15, 2016
congenital blindness, December 2016 Feature - Sensory, Family Stories, older child adoption, Sensory System
J: “Mom, we did four mile repeats today! I ran them all about 6:20.” Me: “Well, can I expect to see a 21 minute 5K on your next race?” J: “Mom, we got to rest five minutes between repeats. You know a race isn’t like that. Oh, and my agricultural instructor wants me to talk …Read More
Child Who Waits: Brady
December 14, 2016
Children Who Wait
This handsome young man is Brady! He is listed with CCAI. He is 12 years old and will turn 13 in February of 2017. He is hoping to find his forever family before he ages out of his eligibility for international adoption on his 14th birthday in 2018! His medical needs are listed as Club …Read More
One Day at a Time: Adopting a Child with Posterior Urethral Valves
December 14, 2016
hydronephrosis, incontinence, November 2016 Feature - Urogenital, posterior urethral valves, undescended testicle, Urogenital System
Four years ago, when my husband and I started praying about adoption, there were so many decisions to be made. After some time God made His ways clear. A clear path to China! We started to interview agencies and that is when God revealed our son. We were pretty familiar with the children on the …Read More
Research, Reach Out, Advocate: Adopting a Child with Dual-Sensory Loss
December 13, 2016
December 2016 Feature - Sensory, Family Stories, glaucoma, hearing aids, hearing loss, IEP, public school, Sensory System, vision loss
Princess. Uniquely and wonderfully made. Perfect. One of a kind. (Actually, 1 of 347 in our state and 9,574 in the U.S.*) All words to describe our daughter Lily who joined our family in January of 2013. Her file stated bilateral congenital glaucoma. Fast forward three years… and she is legally blind, wears a sclera …Read More
Weaving
December 13, 2016
Attachment, Courtney, first year home, Newly Home
Adoption is not natural. There is great beauty but there is also incredible pain. It is the joining of two completely separate lives. One broken fearful child with another broken set of humans trying to very clumsily create this word “family.” For us it looked like entering a government building on a stifling hot August …Read More
Blessed by Boys
December 12, 2016
adopting a boy, adopting again, Brandie, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, dossier reuse, Family Stories, referral, should we adopt?, virtual twins, waiting for referral
I completed my first adoption in the fall of 1983. Cradling my new baby, I raised my right hand as I stood in front of my mother pledging, “I promise to love my Cabbage Patch Kid with all my heart. I promise to be a good and kind parent. I will always remember how special …Read More
The Nativity
December 11, 2016
adoption realities, Amy A., birth family, Christmas, telling their life story
Christmas. The word alone evokes so many memories, so many emotions from my childhood. Smells, tastes, laughter, and songs fill my mind, and the little girl inside me can feel the excitement and anticipation of Christmas drawing near. I can close my eyes and remember the sprinkles upon sprinkles being poured over sugar cookies doused …Read More
It’s a boy! And yes, he’s from China.
December 11, 2016
adopting a boy, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, Family Stories
We’ve noticed a common theme has emerged when we share that we adopted our youngest son from China… “Wow! How did you adopt a boy?!!” “I thought you could only adopt girls from China.” “I can’t believe you found a boy in China!” I have to admit, before a friend adopted a handsome Chinese son …Read More
Meet the Contributors: Katie
December 10, 2016
Contributor Q and A, Katie, Meet the Contributors
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
Single, 30 and About to be Mom to a 3 Year Old Boy
December 9, 2016
adopting a boy, adopting as a single mom, adopting as first time parents, Adopting Scenarios, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy
In October 2015, I was beginning to think about pursuing adoption through foster care or international adoption. I was single, and I wasn’t completely sure it was the right time, but I had a full time job, a house, a car, and it seemed like I would be ready “soon”. I started poking around for …Read More
From an Adoptee With Love
December 9, 2016
adoptee perspective, adoptee Q and A, adult adoptee, Perspectives, protecting their story, telling their life story
I just recently entered the world of adoptive family forums and Facebook groups and am amazed at the number and the commitment of adoptive parents who would do anything to protect, and give the best life possible to their children. As an adult adoptee from China, I’ve “met” parents who have shared their stories with …Read More
How Adoption Changed our Christmas Card List
December 8, 2016
adoption community, first year home, Newly Home
Make fun of me all you want, but I addressed the last of my Christmas cards and sent them out the day after Thanksgiving. We missed sending them out last year in the midst of the last minute paper push. We had LID December 1, and were in the midst of sorting through files and …Read More
Child Who Waits: Peter
December 8, 2016
Children Who Wait
Peter was born in July 2009 and due to nerve damage in his ears he is deaf, however, he uses body language and gestures to express his needs. Peter is described as active, friendly and energetic. They say he is very thoughtful and caring and will often help out a blind child by accompanying her …Read More
Embracing the Unknowns
December 7, 2016
ambiguous genitalia, Disorder of Sexual Development, Family Stories, hypospadias, November 2016 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System
Our son is adventurous, affectionate, good-natured, and strong. He loves playing outside, blowing bubbles, reading books, and playing with anything with wheels. He is absolutely amazing and the perfect addition to our family. I want the world to know all of this about him. What I choose to keep private is information about his special …Read More
Love Beyond Sight
December 6, 2016
cataracts, congenital blindness, December 2016 Feature - Sensory, Family Stories, first year home, hypoplasia, medical needs checklist, micropthalmia, Newly Home, prosthetic eye, referral, Sensory System, vision loss
I have always been a planner, always been cautious. I had even been planning this adoption since I was 12! What I hadn’t planned was that China would become a special needs adoption program by the time my husband and I were able to adopt. It was daunting looking over the Medical Checklist. I could …Read More
Child Who Waits: Oliver
December 6, 2016
Children Who Wait
Oliver is an adorable little toddler boy who is waiting for a family to call his own. He was born November of 2013. In his medical file, he is listed as has having post-operative congenital cataract as well as being diagnosed with bilateral hearing loss and chronic otitis media. However, he received surgery for Cochlear …Read More
Then and Now: Selah
December 5, 2016
Family Stories, November 2016 Feature - Then and Now
One year ago we were sitting in a hotel conference room waiting to meet our daughter for the first time. One year ago the minute hands on our watches seem to stand still. One year ago we watched families meet their children for the first time. One year ago our daughter was finally brought into …Read More
Beautiful Unknowns
December 5, 2016
epidermolysis bullosa, Skin Conditions, undiagnosed SN, Whitney
Medical needs adoption is one you have to walk into with your eyes wide open. Though prospective parents may have a medical history presented to them before saying the biggest “yes” of their lives, you have to know this: there are unknowns. There will always be unknowns. We knew about the unknowns before saying our …Read More
Waiting to be Chosen: Jameson
December 4, 2016
Children Who Wait
This is Jameson. His file is designated to AAC through an orphanage partnership. Isn’t he just the most precious little guy ever? Jameson is 22 months old — he was born in January of 2015. He is described as plump, lovely, and very nice. He likes listening to music, and playing with toys — especially …Read More
Then and Now: Deklan
December 3, 2016
adopting a boy, Attachment, attachment activities, attachment challenges, November 2016 Feature - Then and Now, profound deafness, rejects mom
I find myself consistently caught in the deceptive trap of a compare and contrast representation of the last 345 days. Through the lens of retrospection, milestones can be simple to compartmentalize. I quickly disregard the messy tentacles that stretch from each “attained” behavior and stamp it “victorious”. I am learning that adoption carries an oceanic …Read More
We Thought We Wanted a Girl
December 3, 2016
adopting a boy, December 2016 Feature - Adopting a Boy, Faith
When we started our journey to China, we wanted to adopt a little girl. When we filled out our Medical Conditions Checklist, we specified girl only. I had visions of picking out a glorious name for my daughter-to-be, dressing her in the most beautiful clothes, and decorating her room. This baby girl would be my …Read More
Worth It: Adopting a Child with CAH
December 2, 2016
ambiguous genitalia, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Disorder of Sexual Development, November 2016 Feature - Urogenital, Urogenital System
When my husband and I first reviewed our daughter’s file, our first thoughts were of disbelief. Here was a perfect, healthy, beautiful eight-year-old who had been waiting for several years on the Shared List. It seemed unbelievable that no one had snatched her up. After all, the special needs listed in her file didn’t seem …Read More
Reach for the Stars: Adopting a Child with Vision Impairment
December 1, 2016
adopting a boy, December 2016 Feature - Sensory, Family Stories, nystagmus, older child adoption, opaque cornea, public school, Sensory System, TVI, vision issues, vision loss
It was the second time in his life to ride on an airplane. The first time was only ten months ago when he traveled the 16 hour flight from China to America. On that first flight he was a scared, angry little fighter whose only concern was protecting himself. Now he was a happy, calm …Read More