The Syndrome We Never Suspected
September 5, 2018
adopting again, birthmark, developmental delays, Family Stories, linear sebaceous nevus, older child adoption, September 2018 Feature - Skin Conditions, Skin Conditions, speech delay, undiagnosed SN
In 2011, we received the file of a little girl, age 3. Her file read “delayed mental development” and it included a very low DQ score. We were able to ask questions and receive a video of her reading flashcards and reciting the names of the items on the flashcards. “Okay,” we thought. “Yes, she’s …Read More
September Special Needs Focus (and Favorite Family Stories): Skin Conditions
September 1, 2017
albinism, birthmark, burns, Congenital nevus, epidermolysis bullosa, Favorite Family Stories, ichthyiosis, September 2017 Feature - Skin Conditions, Skin Conditions
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
The Lucky Ones: Adopting a Child with a Visible Special Need
November 13, 2016
birthmark, Family Stories, hemangioma, phakomatosis pigmentovascularis, port wine stain, Vascular System
The Lord uses many avenues to speak to the hearts of his people and call them forward to adoption. For some that call comes from the Bible and teachings of the church, for some that call comes through knowing people who have adopted, some people meet the vulnerable in orphanages and fall in love, and …Read More
Beautiful Scars: Adopting a Child with a Congenital Nevus
September 7, 2016
birthmark, Congenital nevus, Family Stories, giant congenital nevus, medical needs checklist, medical waiver, referral, September 2016 Feature - Skin Conditions, Skin Conditions
When my husband and I first started looking into adoption, we were told that because of my epilepsy, we could only apply for a special focus child. In Adoption circles, Special Focus means either that the child has more than one medical condition, or has a more severe medical condition. Sometimes the label is given …Read More
Adopting a Child with Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome
May 20, 2015
birthmark, Family Stories, hemangioma, Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome, May 2015 Feature - Vascular, Vascular System
When I first read Abby’s file and read the diagnosis Hemangioma and Kassanbach Merritt Syndrome (or Phenomenon), I thought to myself, “How bad could it be?” She has a birthmark or as her file called it ‘a large hemangioma’ on her neck and chest, surely once we get her home we can ‘fix’ it! Then I did …Read More
Corina’s Story: Adopting a Child with Sturge-Weber Syndrome
May 1, 2015
birthmark, Family Stories, Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, May 2015 Feature - Vascular, port wine stain, Sturge Weber Syndrome
“You can’t direct the wind but you can adjust your sails.” – Unknown No truer words have I ever read that bring home the reality of our daughter’s diagnosis. Our adoption journey is a story in itself, and best for another time. We have had several wise friends point out that the complications of even …Read More
You’re not in Kansas anymore
May 17, 2014
adopting SN: the process, adoption realities, birthmark, Chinese Culture, hemangioma, Kayla
I’ve told the editors of this blog that I am running out of things to write about regarding the special need that Jubilee (that’s my daughter) has. It simply doesn’t matter to us any more that she has a skin deformity on her torso. It will matter to her one day, no doubt, but we …Read More
You Only Live Once
April 17, 2014
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
Sometimes I think people think too much. My husband and I, on the other hand, tend to err on the side of reckless. But I have to say that in our 12 years, reckless has served us well. Our very nuptials were hasty. We jumped into love like a kid into cold water. We got …Read More
Wonder
March 17, 2014
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
My daughter and I reclined comfortably together at a park yesterday, beside a calm lake in which Chinese men, bent with age, stood stirring the water around their boats with long oars. A thousand Chinese faces passed us by, upturned at the sunny sky and squinting at their beloved kites in the wind. Some of …Read More
Known by name
February 17, 2014
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
We call her Jubi, or Jubi Sue, or sometimes Jubes. But her name is Jubilee, and she loves her name. The other day her daddy wrote “Jubi” on her paper cup and she was not happy. “Where are the rest of the letters, Daddy?” she asked with a frown. “My name has an l and …Read More
Cheering section
January 17, 2014
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
Jubilee didn’t just get a mom and dad when she was adopted. She got three brothers, three grandparents, three uncles, one aunt, and three cousins. But even though adoption brings children into extended families, church bodies, and communities, the most important thing adoption does is place children into immediate families. Not immediately families, mind you, …Read More
There comes a time
December 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 Adoption has seasons of its own. The first season can last for years. It starts as a seed, usually, planted in our hearts, by friends, or media, or God. During this time, we pray for wisdom, seek the counsel …Read More
THREE GENERATIONS
November 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
For the past three weeks, my mom and mother-in-law have been visiting from the States! Jubilee has especially loved it, with two more women in the house to offset the incessant wrestling matches and Lego building. “Let’s read magazines,” she suggests, handing each of us a copy of Good Housekeeping or Rachael Ray. We snuggle …Read More
Love Tank
October 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
All kids have “love tanks” – deep wells within their hearts which hold the fuel they run on: love. What happens when those tanks run low? I’m no expert, but I can tell you what happens when my Jubilee’s tank is low. “Mom, what did you buy at the store? Hi Mom. Mom? Mom, where’d …Read More
Chinese if you please
September 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
Once we’ve had our adopted Chinese children home for a while, they become very American, don’t they? Fluent English speakers, pudgy and healthy, faces aglow. Video games, Kraft mac-n-cheese, Gap Kids clearance clothes, and all the rest. But then there are moments when Jubilee will stop what she is doing and stare off into space, …Read More
Why did we sign up for this?
August 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
I do not run marathons. I do not run at all, in fact, although I used to, once upon a time. To train for soccer, I ran high school cross country; my short, muscular legs weighing me down as I trudged through sand and even snow (I lived in Michigan). While I struggled to keep …Read More
The question we are asking
July 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
Jubilee doesn’t throw fits, hoard her toys, act irrationally, or withdraw emotionally. In fact, on the surface she is a very “normal” child. Except when no one is looking. Then she destroys things. She tears the wheels off matchbox cars, scribbles on her brother’s artwork, takes apart completed Lego sets, sits on things, rips things, …Read More
Leap of Faith
June 17, 2013
birthmark, hemangioma, Kayla
Kayla is a home school mom who loves to read, write, cook, and travel. She lives in East Asia with her husband and four awesome kids – three biological sons and one daughter, Jubilee, who is adopted from China. She blogs at Life is But a Breath. We all face that moment of truth when …Read More
Carli Mei
November 26, 2008
birthmark, Family Stories, hemangioma, port wine stain
By Brandy, mother to Carli Mei from China, with port wine stain birthmark Chosen We’re matched! We’re matched! I just remember that feeling of elation like it was yesterday. After a round of “matching” 3 months earlier and our family not being “chosen”. It was a day I tried to remain guarded…tried. My heart was …Read More
Reese
October 20, 2008
birthmark, Family Stories, GWCA, Skin Conditions, Sturge Weber Syndrome, Vascular System
by Monica, big sister to Reese, from China, who has Sturge-Weber Syndrome We originally were aiming to go to China for a NSN girl, as young as possible. As we were gathering paperwork, some friends called us and said, “you have to look at these kids on your agency’s waiting list”. We did, and found …Read More