Preparing for and Enduring Surgeries and Procedures for Medical Needs Children

February 28, 2017 February 2017 Feature - Preparing Your Child for Medical Interventions, hospital stays, Medical Momma, Rebecca 0 Comments

Special needs don’t always equal medical needs. But sometimes they do. Many of our children require therapies, treatments, hospitalizations or surgical procedures. These can be potentially anxiety-producing for any child, but significantly more so for a child with trauma in their past. So, this month we are focusing on Medical Interventions and how you can …Read More

Wisdom for Enduring Extended Hospital Stays

February 27, 2017 advanced heart failure, Andrea O., complex heart defect, February 2017 Feature - Preparing Your Child for Medical Interventions, heart transplant, hospital stays, Little Hearts Medical, Medical Momma, surgery 0 Comments

When we arrived home with our youngest daughter and fourth CHD child, Rini, in August of 2013, my definition of a long hospital stay was three weeks. When my husband dropped us off at the entrance of the children’s hospital’s Emergency Department straight from the airport, little did I know that my definition of an …Read More

Strength for the Journey: Adopting a Child with Complex Heart Defects

February 26, 2017 atrioventricular canal defect, complex heart defect, Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, Heart System, heterotaxy, hospital stays, pulmonary atresia, single ventricle heart disease, VSD 0 Comments

I was just able to sit down with a cup of hot tea on a cold and lazy Saturday afternoon, relishing in the quiet and calm. Also know as, daddy is home so he is dodging toddlers and taking care of farm animals while I hide in his office to write this article. With six …Read More

Medical Crisis: Being Your Child’s Best Advocate

February 25, 2017 cerebral palsy, complex medical, February 2017 Feature - Preparing Your Child for Medical Interventions, hospital stays, seizures, surgery 2 Comments

In the summer of 2016 we adopted our precious Sonnet. Her adoption was medically expedited due to her being profoundly malnourished. She was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy and overall global and cognitive delays. What we didn’t know about was the seizures. She was experiencing them the day we took custody of her, but the …Read More

Waiting Child Highlight: Evan

February 24, 2017 Family Found 1 Comments

This cutie is Evan. Evan was estimated to be 4 years old when he was abandoned. He is now believed to be six, soon to turn seven. His abandonment was likely due to the high cost of blood transfusions, which he needs to treat his medical condition of Thalassemia. We are guessing that his family …Read More

Homeschooling Your Adopted Child: 8 Steps to Get Started

February 22, 2017 Education, homeschool, Jennifer B. 0 Comments

“There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.” ~ Gandhi home·school·ing ˈhōmˌsko͞oling/ (noun): the education of children at home by their parents. The definition of homeschooling is fairly straightforward, but families who choose homeschooling as the best option for their adopted or special needs children can …Read More

Reluctant Spouses: His Perfect Timing

February 21, 2017 adopting later in life, January 2017 Feature - Reluctant Spouses, reluctant husband 2 Comments

I was ready to adopt long before my husband was. More than ten years longer. It all started when I watched a documentary about the orphans and orphanages in China. My heart broke and I immediately felt compelled to adopt a little girl from China. My husband did not feel the same. I honestly could …Read More

Meant for This: Parenting Children with Complex Heart Defects

February 20, 2017 adopting again, adopting as first time parents, ASD, February 2017 Feature - Heart, Heart System, infertility, surgery, TGA, toddler adoption, VSD 0 Comments

I want to start by saying that our miracle children astound me. We love them personally and uniquely. Their birthparents are revered in our home; we thank God they had the courage, strength, and compassion to have them and keep them safe. I married my college sweetheart. Kyle is way more incredible than me; I …Read More

Choosing Happiness Daily: Adopting a Child with an Unfixable Heart

February 19, 2017 adopting a boy, complex heart defect, double inlet left ventricle, Eisenmenger’s Syndrome, Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, heart defect, Heart System, older child adoption, pulmonary hypertension, terminal diagnosis, TGV 4 Comments

One evening less than two months after bringing home our second son from China, I told my husband that I wished we could adopt an older child someday too. In both of our travel groups, there were older children who were adopted. These had made such an impact on my heart! They understood the idea …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Teddy

February 18, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

Teddy is a sweet and playful 4 year-old who is thriving in his foster family! He was abandoned in 2015 at a railroad station, yet was not speaking much at the time. Due to his lack of words, he was diagnosed with Autism upon intake. His agency visited with him this past October, and they …Read More

Yes, I Did. I Asked For This.

February 17, 2017 Developmental System, Down syndrome, Family Stories, large families 17 Comments

Someone finally said out loud what I assumed people might be thinking all along. I was asked, “How are you?” Careful not to ever come across as complaining about this beautiful mess God has called me to, I simply answered, “Good.” I never want to appear to have it all together (which isn’t hard); however, …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Maverick

February 16, 2017 Family Found 1 Comments

Maverick is 2 years old and the only special need listed in his file is that he is HIV+. Maverick is adorable! He is said to be positive, active and has a ready smile! It seems like he is bonded to his caregivers and looks for their approval. He learned to walk at 16 months. …Read More

Red Flags: Not All Agencies Are Created Equal

February 15, 2017 Agencies, Faith, I'm Ready to Adopt, switching agencies 0 Comments

You may have seen that an adoption agency with a program in China was recently “temporarily debarred” by the State Department. Some of the violations by this agency included (I am paraphrasing): Charging families in-country fees that were different than what they had previously quoted. Charging fees that were unreasonably high in consideration of services …Read More

After the Honeymoon: Adopting a Child with Complex CHD

February 14, 2017 adopting a boy, adopting as first time parents, complex heart defect, Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, first year home, Heart System, heterotaxy, medical needs checklist, Morning Star Foster Home, pulmonary atresia, should we adopt?, surgery, waiting for referral 0 Comments

Prologue: In our son’s room, we have a picture that reads: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) We chose this verse for him, but in reality it applies more to us. My husband, Derek, and …Read More

Life with an AFO

February 13, 2017 AFO, Courtney, limb difference, Orthopedic 6 Comments

I will never forget the day we received “the call.” I had just walked my son into preschool and came back to the car to see a missed call from our adoption agency. I quickly dialed my social worker’s number and she said she had the file of a beautiful little girl she wanted to …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Sean

February 12, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

We had the pleasure of hosting Sean this winter, who came from the Jilin province in China. Sean is a very sweet, well-mannered and inquisitive boy. He is very interested in how things operate such as the washer/dryer, mixer, dishwasher, etc. He has a very relaxed personality and rarely seems upset or bored. Whatever you ask …Read More

Joy! Faith! Hope!

February 11, 2017 adopting again, atrioventricular canal defect, complex heart defect, double outlet right ventricle, February 2017 Feature - Heart, heart defect, Heart System, pulmonary atresia, Tetralogy of Fallot 1 Comments

These three little words. God planted a seed of love in our hearts, and this is the fruit that grew through the adoption of three little girls. Our story began in 2011 when our biological children were 14, 12, and 10. Our heavenly Father was teaching my husband, David, and I and our family so …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Frannie

February 10, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

Meet Frannie! Frannie, born July 2015, has immensely adorable chubby cheeks. When WACAP workers visited this cute little girl in April 2016, caregivers said she was an easy baby who didn’t have a temper. At that time, she could lay on her tummy and hold her head up. As of October 2016, she is now …Read More

He Is A Gift

February 9, 2017 adopting a boy, Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, Heart System, HLHS, older child adoption, pulmonary stenosis, single atrium heart disease, single ventricle heart disease, TGA 7 Comments

Our son, Matthew, is eight years old. He came home last year in May 2016. Throughout the adoption process and shortly after arriving home, God reminded us that Matthew is a gift. My husband and I would hear “He is a gift” over and over again. God had to remind us. He had to because …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Tate

February 8, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

LOOK at this little LOVE! Tate is two years old and listed with Small World Adoptions. It sounds like he has captured the hearts of his foster parents as his file says he has a deep bond with them. His present physical state is good, his physical and mental development is all normal. He is …Read More

February Special Needs Focus (and Favorite Family Stories): The Month of Hearts

February 6, 2017 advanced heart failure, ASD, complex heart defect, double outlet right ventricle, Favorite Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, heart defect, Heart System, HLHS, PDA, single atrium heart disease, Tetralogy of Fallot, TGA, TGV, VSD 0 Comments

The term special needs can sound scary. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Our goal at NHBO is to equip and inform parents – replacing fear with knowledge – as they navigate the beginning stages of special needs adoption. And then encourage and support those home with their special needs kiddos. We do …Read More

Fighting for Her Heart

February 5, 2017 Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, heart defect, Heart System, hospital stays, surgery, Tetralogy of Fallot 15 Comments

Just over four years ago, I was waiting in a cold government office in Zhengzhou, China to meet my second daughter. I had hesitantly said yes to adopting a child with a heart condition. In saying yes, I had armed myself with knowledge and facts and learned everything I could about my daughter’s medical diagnosis. …Read More

Preparing Your Child for Medical Interventions: How to Pack for the Hospital

February 4, 2017 February 2017 Feature - Preparing Your Child for Medical Interventions, hospital stays, Medical Momma, Rebecca, surgery 4 Comments

Special needs don’t always equal medical needs. But sometimes they do. Many of our children require therapies, treatments, hospitalizations or surgical procedures. These can be potentially anxiety-producing for any child, but significantly more so for a child with trauma in their past. So, this month we are focusing on Medical Interventions and how you can …Read More

The Anniversary Blues and Saying Yes All Over Again

February 3, 2017 adoption realities, Whitney 1 Comments

For those of us on Facebook, the Facebook Memories pop-up might just be one of the favorite parts of having an account. It’s fun to see what happened on “this day, X number of years ago.” Sometimes the memories make me giggle, like the picture of my third child sitting in the dishwasher. Sometimes that …Read More

Selenez Waits

February 2, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

Meet today’s beautiful waiting child, Selenez! Selenez is a darling girl who is described as a bit shy, sweet natured, kind, caring, quiet and intelligent She is on grade level in her studies. She is simply a beautiful twelve year old girl who is paper ready tp be adopted with a special need of spinal …Read More

Waiting to be Chosen: Addison

February 1, 2017 Children Who Wait 0 Comments

Meet sweet Addison! Addison is an adorable five year old little girl who has waited a long time….. She was only one day old when she was found. After living in the orphanage for one week, Addison was moved into foster care. Her foster mother is a retired doctor who has not only taken very …Read More

Straight into the Fire: Our Road to Rosie

February 1, 2017 complex heart defect, complex medical, Family Stories, February 2017 Feature - Heart, Heart System, medical expedite, Tetralogy of Fallot 3 Comments

February is the month of hearts. And here at NHBO, we are all about hearts this month, too. This February, we will be sharing stories of children with congenital heart defects – from minor to complex – and how their families found them. pursued them, and brought them home. ……… After adopting our first daughter …Read More

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