Waiting for You: Vance
March 30, 2018
Children Who Wait
Vance is a beautiful boy with a gorgeous smile, born in July of 2016. He was diagnosed as having inversion of both hands, inversion of both feet, congenital subluxation of left hip joint, and growth development delay. Vance can sit and roll over independently. He actually started rolling to get what he wants instead of …Read More
Find My Family: Joaquin
March 29, 2018
Children Who Wait
Joaquin is a cutie pie who was born in August of 2016 with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect, ASD, that appears to have closed on its own. Joaquin is said to always have a smile on his face ad laughs out loud when teased. Joaquin loves when his caregivers lovingly touch him or …Read More
Waiting to be Chosen: Dax
March 26, 2018
Children Who Wait
Dax is a precious little boy, born in August of 2016 and diagnosed with hypospadias and developmental delays. He was sitting independently at 10 months of age, began to stand while holding onto something at 11 months of age and, at one year, was starting to take steps while holding onto rails for support. Dax …Read More
Beauty in the Unknown
March 25, 2018
adopting a boy, alpha thalassemia, Blood Conditions, Family Stories, March 2018 Feature - Blood Conditions, older child adoption, thalassemia
I remember the long days of waiting to be matched with our son. I remember every time the shared list would come out in China, and every time our amazing social worker would tell us we did not have a match yet, and the battle between grief and trust. Trusting that God had this. He …Read More
Gaining Independence: Living with Hemophilia
March 23, 2018
adopting a boy, Blood Conditions, Faith, hemophilia, hemophilia A, March 2018 Feature - Blood Conditions, Medical Momma
It’s hard to believe that our oldest son has been home for almost two and a half years. Before we adopted him, my biggest worry was his medical condition. He has Severe Hemophilia, a genetic bleeding disorder. In a nutshell, this means that his blood is missing one of the proteins that help it to …Read More
Auden: A Living Miracle
March 22, 2018
Children Who Wait, LWB
In September of 2015, while on an advocacy trip to China, I met a tiny baby boy with Down syndrome. I had seen children on tv who looked like this child, but I had really never seen or held a child who was literally on death’s doorstep. His situation was very grave due to a …Read More
An Answered Prayer
March 21, 2018
adopting a boy, beta thalassemia, beta thalassemia major, Blood Conditions, Family Stories, March 2018 Feature - Blood Conditions, pre-adoption, reluctant husband, should we adopt?, thalassemia
Our adoption story began three years ago when God first planted the seed of adoption in my heart. I remember it so clearly, it was during the 2015 IF:Gathering live simulcast. I had watched the entire conference alone in my living room, soaking in all of the content from the amazing speakers. At the very …Read More
Teddy Waits!
March 20, 2018
Children Who Wait
Meet Teddy who is listed with WACAP! Teddy is a more introverted child, but he gets along well with others. He has a best friend and together they build with blocks, paint, and listen to stories. They also race down the little hill on tricycles together, and can do it over and over and still …Read More
Be Strong + Courageous
March 19, 2018
complex heart defect, double outlet right ventricle, heart defect, Heart System, heterotaxy, March 2018 Feature - Sunshine in the Grey, pulmonary stenosis, surgery
Mary Katherine is our walking miracle. She was born with heterotaxy syndrome and a rare, God-designed, complex heart that we like to say is “imperfectly perfect”. Every imperfection (and there are many) was created in such a way that her heart was perfectly balanced. For four years she defied odds and was full of life, …Read More
The Fire in Your Belly
March 17, 2018
China trip, Megan V., other ways to care for the orphan, prepping for China
My sister returned from China with her little guy a month ago and I think I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And a smidgen of envy. Because you will take all the classes your agency recommends; you are a rule follower and you want to be prepared. But you will quickly learn that nothing, no …Read More
HIV: The Undeserved Stigma
March 15, 2018
Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
Adopting a child with HIV was never on our family radar. In fact, it was so far “off” our radar when I first approached the subject with my very open-minded husband the reaction was an immediate absolutely not. Like so many other people that grew up in the 80s and 90s and learned about HIV …Read More
A New Song
March 13, 2018
adopting again, medical needs checklist, parent restrictions, should we adopt?, switching to another country
“Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” – Isaiah 43:19 When Robert and I were on our way home with our son, Howie, we started talking about going back. When we found out Howie’s special need was nonexistent, we knew we would have the energy, room, …Read More
When I Feel Like a Failure at Winning
March 11, 2018
a father's perspective, adoption realities, Dads, Randall
I’m training for a half marathon. Actually, I’m starting today. And what I mean by that is, I downloaded an app today that tells me what I need to do. I look at Pins of runners and what forty-year-old dads can look like if they put in the work. I know how I want to …Read More
Understanding Early Intervention
March 9, 2018
Brandie, developmental delays, early intervention, Education, first weeks home, first year home, Newly Home, physical therapy, public school, speech delay, speech therapy
On a Monday morning twenty months ago, I rushed around to tidy my house before an afternoon appointment with an Early Intervention coordinator. At the time, I had no idea what Early Intervention entailed. I just knew that in the brief month that we had known our youngest son, we identified several areas where he …Read More
Meet Stephanie!
March 8, 2018
Children Who Wait
This sweet girl with the infectious smile is Stephanie! Stephanie was born in February of 2005 and will be aging out in 2019. Her caregivers are very fond of her and describe her as a hardworking child who has a good sense of humor. This is Stephanie’s last year to find a family before she …Read More
Lessons Learned in Adoption
March 7, 2018
adopting again, Attachment, homeschool, large families, Sharon, virtual twinning
“For I know the plans I have for you,”declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 March 2018 marks 13 years of our adoption journey, and our first adopted daughter is about to be a teenager. Where have 13 years …Read More
When the Days are Long… And We Forget What He Has Done
March 6, 2018
Andrea Y., Attachment, attachment challenges, TBRI-based therapy, Trust Based Parenting
There is nothing more exciting than those first years of just about anything. First years dating… first years of marriage… and your first years of parenthood. As I think back to some of the first years of the sweetest times in my life when things were “new” — I get nostalgic and I almost always …Read More
Their Brave and Precious Stories
March 5, 2018
adoption realities, embracing their story, telling their life story
When my biological son was 4, his arm got caught in an elevator door. Adults nearby were able to pry his arm free. No permanent damage was done, but it shook and scared him. Fast forward a few years, the same son and his older brother were in China, on an adoption trip with us. …Read More
Making Friends, Finding Culture
March 4, 2018
Chinese Culture, Chinese Holidays, Chinese New Year, February 2018 Feature - Honoring China in the Everyday, should we adopt?
When I sat down to write about how our family incorporates and celebrates Chinese culture in our American home, I first thought of the decorations we put up during celebrations. However, my mind quickly turned from decorations, events, and holidays, to the people who have enriched our lives by sharing their lives and culture with …Read More
The Journey to Embrace Chinese Culture in Our Home
March 3, 2018
Chinese Culture, Chinese Holidays, February 2018 Feature - Honoring China in the Everyday
During our first home visit for our home study to adopt from China, we confidently showed our social worker around our sparkling clean house and answered all of his questions with ease. This is going great, I thought! What was I so worried about? T hen he asked us why we wanted to adopt from …Read More
The Club I Never Wanted to Join
March 1, 2018
advanced heart failure, complex heart defect, Family Stories, February 2018 Feature - Heart, Heart System, terminal diagnosis
I’d been part of the adoption community for over 10 years and the heart moms always seemed so special to me. They were so brave and so strong, way stronger than I could ever be; moms who were willing to take this giant leap out onto the ledge of life and death for their children. …Read More