August 23, 2019
adopting a boy, clubfoot, Education, Family Stories, feeding/swallowing therapy, June 2019 Feature - Orthopedic, Nail Patella Syndrome, Orthopedic, speech therapy
6 Comments
Life is full of things we thought we could never handle… until we have to. As we considered growing our family via adoption, one thing we thought we “couldn’t handle” was a child with limited mobility. We already had three very active children. We love to hike, bike, go to the beach or spend a …Read More
June 24, 2019
adopting a boy, arthrogryposis, clubfoot, Family Stories, June 2019 Feature - Orthopedic, medical needs checklist, Orthopedic
2 Comments
Staring at the long list of special needs, trying to decide which boxes to check we were open to, seemed overwhelming. Researching each medical condition was just as daunting. Did we check the right boxes? How can we “decide” which special need our child will have? Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) first seemed like a big …Read More
December 2, 2018
arthrogryposis, clubfoot, December 2018 Feature - The Gift of Adoption, Family Stories, limb difference, Orthopedic
1 Comments
This morning at 8 AM…. My little girl and I… together rocking in a chair. Her tiny little body cozy against mine, her head confidently against my chest, her breath in the same rhythm as mine, both enjoying this very precious moment. Mother and daughter…. united in a harmony that I couldn’t imagine before. Life …Read More
August 23, 2018
adopting out of birth order, Central Nervous System, clubfoot, Family Stories, mobility issues, older child adoption, Orthopedic, scoliosis, spina bifida, virtual twins, wheelchair user
5 Comments
I’ll never forget the morning I found my daughter Ava and son Daniel huddled around the family computer. The screen was blocked by their two heads… “Whatcha doin’?” I inquired. They both turned around to reveal a waiting child adoption site that they had been scrolling through. “Mom, look at this little girl… isn’t she …Read More
June 9, 2018
adopting as first time parents, clubfoot, Family Stories, June 2018 Feature - Orthopedic, medical needs checklist, Orthopedic, waiting for referral
0 Comments
Preslie’s story began in November of 2013. She was born to parents in China who I’m sure loved her so much but chose to give her up so that so that she could get the medical help that she so desperately needed. My husband and I also started the adoption process in November of 2013. …Read More
June 26, 2017
clubfoot, Family Stories, June 2017 Feature - Orthopedic, Nancy, Orthopedic
0 Comments
Jude is amazing. He’s taken everything in stride, and I think he even has a bit of pride about his scars, that sense of I did this and not only am I okay, but I’m better and I love who I am! And, of course, I can’t disagree with him. He is awesome and a …Read More
June 17, 2017
adopting a boy, clubfoot, Orthopedic, physical therapy, surgery
0 Comments
The first time I saw him, he was ten months old, and we had gone to volunteer in the sweltering month of August. He was wearing not only a million-dollar smile, but double leg casts that stretched from his little hips to his tiny toes from a recent surgery. He was sweet, laid back, adorable. …Read More
June 10, 2017
arthrogryposis, clubfoot, June 2017 Feature - Orthopedic, mobility issues, Orthopedic, undiagnosed SN, walker user
0 Comments
If I ran out of the room right now I wonder if anyone would notice? We were standing in the civil affairs office in Guiyang, Guizhou, China and the reality of what was about to happen came crashing down as she was carried through the doors. We were seeing her in person for the first …Read More
June 1, 2017
amniotic band syndrome, arthrogryposis, clubfoot, Favorite Family Stories, June 2017 Feature - Orthopedic, limb difference, Orthopedic, radial club hand, skeletal dysplasia
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
May 17, 2017
Central Nervous System, Chiari 1 malformation, clubfoot, Family Stories, hydrocephalus, hydronephrosis, neurogenic bowel and bladder, spina bifida
2 Comments
When we started our adoption process we wanted a healthy child. That’s what everyone wants – adopted or biological – right? Our hearts changed when we had the privilege of working with special needs kids, and we saw so much life and strength in them that we changed our adoption papers to special needs. When …Read More
June 30, 2016
adopting a boy, arthrogryposis, clubfoot, Family Stories, June 2016 Feature - Orthopedic, Orthopedic
1 Comments
I knew the second I saw his picture that he was my son. I still remember scrolling through my facebook feed when my heart drew me into the boy on the screen and with only seeing his hands I knew… He was mine. We were not looking to adopt and years before we would have …Read More
May 21, 2016
adopting a boy, clubfoot, complex heart defects, Family Stories, hypospadias, PDA, waiver request
3 Comments
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
January 22, 2014
clubfoot, Family Stories, Orthopedic
0 Comments
It was a day in October of 2012 that I will never forget. We had been in the process to adopt a special needs child from China, and we got the call that changed our lives for the better! We were told about a little boy with club foot. Two things about this call were …Read More
April 9, 2013
clubfoot, developmental delays, Education, IEP, Nancy, public school
1 Comments
Dear IEP team members, As the mama to the little girl that we just spent over an hour talking about, I want to say more than our 60-minute time slot allowed. IEP meetings are hard. {That may be the understatement of the year.} They suck. For a parent, sometimes it feels like IEP meetings are a laundry list of how …Read More
August 25, 2012
clubfoot, developmental delays, Nancy
7 Comments
When I was two years old… …my mom left. When Tess and Jude were 12 months old, they were taken from the only home they knew. When Mimi was 23 months old, she was taken from the only mama she knew. So how do we process not being chosen? I don’t remember any of those …Read More
June 25, 2012
clubfoot, developmental delays, Nancy
2 Comments
It was 9 am, and I was still in my jammies. Everything seemed stable, everyone fed, playing nicely, so I stole a moment to get dressed and splash my face with water… or at least I tried to. Mid-pulling up my pants I heard the shrieking. Tess’s shriek is unmistakable. It’s a guttural wounding, and …Read More
May 25, 2012
clubfoot, developmental delays, early intervention, Education, feeding/swallowing therapy, Nancy, occupational therapy, speech therapy
5 Comments
Our girly qualified for Early Intervention services. Our sweet lovely amazing daughter is delayed. I don’t want it to be that way. But it is. And it’s no surprise either. We went into international adoption with our eyes wide open, preparing for the worst and praying for the best. Her delays were completely expected. There’s …Read More
February 3, 2012
clubfoot, developmental delays, Nancy
0 Comments
I am excited to share that we have another new blogging mama who is joining our team at No Hands But Ours. Nancy blogs at Ordinary Miracles and the Crazy 9… and since she says it so much better than I do, here is bit more about her and her growing family! My name is …Read More
March 25, 2010
clubfoot, Stefanie
4 Comments
Our daughter Vivienne was born with bilateral clubfoot. Her feet were successfully casted, using the Ponseti Method, while she was still in China. But she has a condition that is a relatively common sequela of clubfoot, known as foot drop. She is missing the muscles on the top of her foot that help her to …Read More
March 31, 2009
arthrogryposis, clubfoot, Family Stories, misdiagnosed SN, Orthopedic
0 Comments
by Mandi, mom to Mylee from China with a SN or arthrogryposis, originally diagnosed by China as clubfoot Adoption has always been a dream of mine, specifically China. I don’t have a specific moment or story of when I decided I wanted to adopt, nor did I know how or when I would adopt, I …Read More
February 19, 2009
amniotic band syndrome, clubfoot, Family Stories, Lifeline, limb difference, missing fingers/toes
0 Comments
By Anne, mom to Lizzie from China with clubfoot and a limb difference We had talked about adoption for many years and had actually started the process for a non special needs, infant girl from Korea when we found out we were pregnant with our fourth child (first girl). We were thrilled about our first …Read More
February 1, 2009
clubfoot, Family Stories
1 Comments
By Heather and Ryan, parents to Emma from China with unrepaired club foot Faith, hope, fear, trust, uncertainty, joy, wonder, astonishment, patience, love, laughter…these words describe just some of the emotions we felt throughout our journey to our precious Emma. My husband and I always knew we wanted children. We planned and waited for what …Read More
December 9, 2008
CCAI, clubfoot, Family Stories, undescended testicle
0 Comments
By Anne and Mike, parents of Luke from China with unrepaired clubfoot The Story of Luke Our trip to get Luke was one of the most significant 2 weeks of our lives. It is really true that you never know what you can do unless you are thrown into a situation. We are just your …Read More
