China Adoption Blog Archives - Page 19 of 40

New Kids on the Block

Hi there! My name is Everett, and I just turned 8. I have some issues with mild incontinence, but that doesn’t keep me down! I am active, talkative, and curious. I love to ask my caretakers questions. I sleep and eat regularly. I love to play with my friends and love to get hugs from my teachers and caretakers! I hope to find a loving forever family soon. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you’d like to find out more information about adopting me!

Hi! My name is Duke, and I am 11 years old. I was born with albinism and my eyes work a little differently than some of my friends, but that doesn’t stop me from being a happy kiddo! My caretakers say that I have good intelligence and language growth. My file is very outdated, so my friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me. Contact Great Wall if you’d like to learn more about reviewing my file!

“We had the privilege of hosting Jack Yang this summer. He was with our family for 5 weeks. In that time we enjoyed getting to know him. He loved every chance he had to play with other children. He always had a good time, even with the language barrier. He got a long very well with children of all ages. He loved traveling and was always excited to see where we were going next. He never experienced any car sickness on our travels. At home, Jack was always helpful when it came to putting things away and organized our kitchen and pantry quite often. J He also helped unload the dishwasher. He loved to eat noodles and would help get dinner together. He took a shower every night and brushed his teeth. He loved doing puzzles and playing cards with different members of the family. He loved swimming with other children. He used floaties but it was pretty clear he wanted to learn how to swim so he could be free of them. We did get 2 cavities filled while he was here. The dentist said they were quite deep, but should be fine now. We also took him to the eye doctor while he was here. His vision was very good with no concerns at all. Jack will love being in a family, but he will benefit the most if one of the parents is a stay at home parent. He needs firm guidance. He can be physical to get attention or to try and get his way. He will need someone who can’t be easily pushed around and is willing to take the time and effort he needs to learn he is the child and it is ok to have parents tell you no. He did ok with our dogs, but there again, he needs to be closely supervised and guided to understand how to play and pet the dogs. He had a tendency to pester them until they barked at him. Our dogs are very docile, but a more aggressive dog might have snapped at him. No pets may be the best, but close supervision would be a must. A family with children close to Jack’s age would be great for him. I think he would benefit so much from seeing the routines of other children in the family. Our boys are older, so it made it more difficult to see the routines of the family as the bed times were much different. We are more than happy to talk to any family that might be interested in adopting Jack”

Hi! My name is Theo, and I am going to be turning 13 in November. I’m a little bit behind my friends developmentally, but that doesn’t stop me from being a caring and helpful kiddo! I love to help my teachers in the classroom and am always helping to care for younger kiddos who may need a little extra assistance. I love to run outside and play soccer, and am described by my caregivers as very active and outgoing. One of my favorite games is a pretend cooking game, where I put on a chef’s hat and “cook” for the other kiddos in my class. I hope to find a loving forever family soon. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you’d like to find out more information about adopting me!

Upcoming Webinars

Are you interested in learning more about our adoption programs? Children of All Nations and Great Wall China Adoption will be holding informative webinars throughout the year to provide potential adoptive families with the opportunity to get an inside look at the different adoption programs that we offer from the comfort of their own home! Currently scheduled upcoming events are listed below, register now to save your spot!

Winter Hosting Webinar – Thursday, September 10th from 12:30-1:30pm CST. Register Now!
China Adoption Information Webinar – Wednesday, October 14th from 6-7pm CST. Register Now!
Philippines Adoption Information Webinar – Thursday October 29th from 12:30-1:30pm CST. Register Now!

Just Matched Monday

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce that a family has begun submitting their paperwork to bring this beautiful young girl home forever! We are so excited for her and her forever family and we can’t wait to see them come home!

To learn how you could be matched with one of our waiting children, visit our photo listing or contact us today!

New Kids on the Block

Hi there! My name is Chelsea and I am 5 years old. My eyes developed differently than some of my friends but I don’t let this keep me down! I love playing with toys that make noise and I am very fond of singing; my caretakers say that compared to the other kiddos, I do a really great job at remembering all of the lyrics! I am described as being introverted but am pretty chatty if I am comfortable with you. I can go up the stairs on my own against the railing but I sometimes need some assistance with direction. My friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me!

Hello! My name is Ruby and I am 3 years old. My doctors tell me I have cerebral palsy but I don’t let this stop me from smiling! I am able to sit for a while with some support and I have a great appetite. I am described as being very extroverted and active. I am always smiling and I love laughing! My file is slightly outdated so my friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me!

Hi there! My name is Gabe and I just turned 8 years old. My doctor’s tell me that I have a congenital heart defect, but I don’t let that get me down! I’ve been in a foster family since I was one year old. My foster family says I have a good appetite and sleeping habits. I love to read, write, and play games with my foster siblings. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Hi there! My name is Luna, and I will be 6 years old this October. My doctor’s say that I am delayed in motor and language development, but I don’t let that keep me down! I love listening to music and playing with my friends! My caregivers tell me I have a good appetite and sleeping habits. I can get a little shy when I meet new people, but once I get to know you I adore you! You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Hello! My name is Sasha and I am 12 years old. I have poor muscular tension in my arms and I am a little developmentally behind my friends but I don’t let these things keep me from smiling! I get along very well with other children and my foster parents say I love to dress up in dresses! I am described as being a girly-girl. I listen very carefully in school and always try my best. I hope my friends at Great Wall can help me find my forever family!

55 Kids Home This Summer!

What a fantastic summer it has been – 55 children from our adoption programs have joined their new forever families!

We are so happy for these amazing kids and their new families, and we would like to say thank you to all of the #OrphanWarriors throughout the adoption community that played a part in bringing these kids home.

Contact us today to learn how you can begin your adoption journey!

A Baker’s Dozen – Adopting Children with Special Needs

When you get a baker’s dozen you get thirteen. You get twelve plus a bonus. A surprise bonus. Most people think of doughnuts and bagels when they think of a baker’s dozen, but our baker’s dozen is children, and our lucky 13 is a little girl in China.

Lillian Pamela Xuan is two years old and living in China. She is paralyzed from the waist down after being born with severe spina bifida and hydrocephalus. We think she is perfect. The rest of the Henderson baker’s dozen consists of our three biological sons, one daughter from Vietnam, one daughter from South Korea, one son from the United States, two daughters from the United States, three sons from Ethiopia and one daughter from Ethiopia. Our kids range in age from 2-20 years, and all of our adoptions, besides our first, were either special needs or older children.

I know that thirteen kids sounds a little crazy, but it is a beautiful, happy, wonderful kind of crazy that works for us, and I would not change a thing. Yes, my hands are full, as are our house, our van, our hearts, and our lives (and as our fridge and check book often are not). Many look at us and see that we have “taken on” a lot, but we see it as we have been blessed with a lot. We are not rich, we do not have outside help, and there is not anything extra special about us. We just love being parents and have big hearts for adoption.

Josh and I never set out to have a large family. In fact from the time we completed our very first adoption we proclaimed emphatically that we were DONE. Now people just laugh when we suggest that we are “really done”. With our first adoption, it was all about what we wanted. We had three kids and could not have any more, and we wanted another child. We had three sons and we wanted a daughter. We wanted a baby.

Then I traveled to Vietnam to pick up our beautiful baby, and things changed for me. I saw in the orphanage just how many kids there were without parents, or families, or hope. I saw babies. I saw toddlers. I saw older kids. I saw kids with obvious disabilities. I knew I was just seeing one orphanage in one city in one country. A piece of my heart broke.

Although we thought our family would be complete once our Maggie was home, I could not shake the thought of all of those children. Along with that, I loved being a mom and I felt it was something I was put on this earth to do. I knew we could parent more children, and we had a deep desire to do so. Vietnam had closed to adoptions so I started researching other options. My search brought the to Rainbowkids, and that is where I found our Amanda Mee Yeon, waiting in South Korea.

Amanda had quite a list of special needs. In fact, she was about to be deemed “unadoptable” because they had not been able to find a family for her. We had no experience at that point with special needs adoption, but we researched and we prayed. It wasn’t that we ignored the list of medical concerns and conditions. We moved forward with our eyes wide open. But we saw the little girl behind all those big words and knew she was so much more than her diagnosis’s. And we knew she needed a family, and we wanted to be it.

Today Amanda is a healthy, thriving 14 year-old who runs cross country and earns straight A’s. She has checkups every few years with cardiology and is small for her age, but her special needs that seemed so intimidating years ago are a non-issue.

A year later a domestic newborn adoption brought us into the world of high special needs and I quickly became an expert on feeding tubes, oxygen, monitors, medications, advocating for my kids with doctors and therapists, etc. Marcus grew into a happy, healthy, typical preschooler and we had been able to balance his care and needs while still raising the rest of our kids. Special needs didn’t seem like a scary thing any more at all.

When the idea of adoption touched our hearts again, we were drawn to Ethiopia, and specifically a 5-year-old little boy who would become our son, Benjamin. During our travel to adopt our son, we chose to deliver donations and medical supplies that had been donated to AHOPE, an orphanage for HIV+ children. It was while I was sitting on the floor of an orphanage in 2006, that a shy little girl came and sat down in my lap. I knew nothing about HIV at that point. I knew nothing about the adoption process for HIV+ children. But I knew she was our daughter. As i educated myself about parenting an HIV+ child and on how to get through the adoption process for an HIV+ child, I began advocating for other HIV+ children. Eventually I was hired by an agency and worked as the coordinator for adoptions for children with HIV and special needs. What was once unheard of now is quite common and hundreds of HIV+ children have been adopted from Ethiopia and other countries. My two HIV+ children are in excellent health and have normal life expectancies. They take medication twice a day and that is the only sign that they are any different than any of the other kids.

Our youngest son came to us at nine months old after his first adoptive family chose to disrupt his adoption due to not being prepared for a child with significant medical needs. Noah’s prognosis was grim, and with epilepsy, brain damage, cerebral palsy, vision impairment and feeding disorder, we were given little hope of him making much developmental progress. We brought Noah into our family with the same love, hope, faith, and joy that we brought our other children home with. We were realistic about his challenges but still hopeful, and we dedicated ourselves to helping him reach whatever his full potential in this life is. All of my earlier experience with feeding tubes, monitors, medications, doctors, therapists, etc. came in very handy!

Noah is now six years old. He walks, he says quite a few words, and he understands almost everything. He goes to school for a few hours each day and has friends of all ages. He makes progress every day at his own pace. He plays and laughs and learns and loves. He can work an IPAD better than many adults. He has an awesome sense of humor. He is still tube fed and still has significant delays, but every day he amazes us and brings us so much joy.

After Noah we really thought our family was complete. Then our two oldest kids moved out. I started eyeing babies and feeling that longing and that empty space in my heart again. I had no idea where we would or could adopt from. I did a little bit of research here and there. Then one day I was on Rainbowkids and I saw our Lillian, and I just knew. Josh looked at her and he knew too.

Yes, we know there will be challenges bringing home a child that is paralyzed and incontinent, and yes, hydrocephalus is a little scary. But we know from experience that these kids are so much more than big medical terms and bleak diagnosis’s. We know the joy, the happiness, the laughter,and the blessings that will come. And we know that the biggest special needs these kids have are the same that we all have – the need for love, the need for family, the need for home, and the need for hope.

Love for Lillian, a special fundraiser to bring home Lillian from China, may be found here.

Resources:

Just Matched Monday

We’re DELIGHTED to announce that a family has begun submitting their paperwork to bring this handsome young man home forever! We are so incredibly excited for him and his forever family, and we can’t wait for them to come home!

If you would like to learn more about our China program or the Waiting Children that our agency is currently advocating for, please visit our photo listing or contact us today!

New Kids on the Block

Hello there! My name is Grant and I am 7 years old. I was born with a cleft lip and palate but some nice doctors repaired this for me and I recovered well! My caretakers say I have great self-care ability and am great at expressing my needs clearly. I am cognitively on target compared to my peers and I have a regular and consistent schedule. I love all types of sports and I especially like to dance with my friends. My caretakers say I accept new concepts very well and that I adapt to new environments easily. I hope my friends at Great Wall can help me find my forever family soon!

Matthew is a bright, outgoing, fun-loving, energetic, eager teenage boy. In the month that he spent with us, he had a lot of “firsts” – first time to ride a bike, first time eating foods from many different regions of the world, first time miniature golfing, first time driving a go-cart, first time picking berries, first time taking care of pets. The list goes on. Matthew was always eager to participate in any activity the family embarked on. Often the activities were simple, such as going for a walk to the park and feeding the ducks, or picking various summer berries either in our backyard or on a trail. Matthew found enjoyment in almost everything. You could tell because he would be smiling. There was rarely a time when our family’s activity didn’t produce a genuine smile. Matthew is an active teenage boy. When there was free time, he wanted to ride his bike, or shoot baskets, play ping-pong, or badminton. He was always eager to try a new activity like throwing a Frisbee or playing catch with a lacrosse stick. He would catch on quite quickly and seemed to be very athletic and coordinated. Matthew was also very eager to learn. When our kids would sit down to complete a math activity to keep their brains engaged over the summer, he was happy to complete whatever I gave him. He easily sped through some elementary math worksheets. He also especially liked learning English. On a number of occasions he would grab his notebook and write the Chinese and English of the words or phrases we had translated using Google translate. Of his own initiative he would sit almost daily and use Duolingo app on the iPad to learn English. He seemed very motivated and was a quick learner. He very much liked routine. One of his favorites was sitting at night with our family to read. He followed along with the reader. When we would take turns reading scripture, he was excited to be able to take his turn and read scripture out loud in Chinese. He also loved to go daily with his host mom to the grocery store helping ensure everything on the list was purchased and getting to sample the various treats at the local market. He always made sure to help push the cart, carry the groceries, and manage the list. He was learning what a mom and dad mean in a boy’s life. He mentioned in a letter that he appreciated his host mom when she cared for his scraped knee when he was learning to ride his bike. He enjoyed sitting with his host dad at night to read. He clearly respected his older host siblings and bonded easily with his host brother near in age. He was never afraid of our three animals: a small dog, cat, and kitten. At first he didn’t know what to do with them so he would just sit beside them and watch. As time went on he developed a real enjoyment of the dog and especially the kitten. He would snuggle, play, and care for them. He was eager to ensure they had food and water daily. Matthew tried and liked so many different foods while he was here. I’m not sure we had the same dinner twice the entire month he spent with us, with the exception of hamburgers (his favorite). He loved almost every kind of vegetable and fruit put in front of him and often ate those first before the main course. He happily ate Mexican, Japanese, Indian, Italian, American, and German food. He had a great appetite as evidenced by the seven pounds he gained while with us. The only three things we couldn’t convince him to eat were avocados, bell peppers, and macaroni and cheese. There was occasion to teach or modify his behavior. He accepted direction and correction easily. He wanted to please so it was relatively easy to show him how to properly do something. Natural consequences seemed to be effective as well. Matthew had a habit of racing down the stairs at home. On a number of occasions he slipped and fell. After several times or that it was easy to tell him to walk because he knew what was likely to happen if he didn’t. Matthew liked solving puzzles. He absolutely loved to have Rubix cube races with his host brother often winning. He was also quite adept at fixing bike problems. If the chain came off, or the gear needed adjusting, or the inner tube needed replacing, he would carefully consider what parts needed adjustment or how to put the pieces needed back together. He took responsibility for doing these things. Matthew would blossom and mature quickly in a family where he has older siblings from which to learn. He would do well in an active family where he can develop his natural athletic abilities either playing a team sport or running cross-country or track. He has some great traits and seems motivated to learn. However, keeping his Chinese language and culture is important to him.

Hi there! My name is Jackson and I am 2 and a half years old. My file doesn’t clearly indicate what my special need is so my friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me. I live in a foster home and receive some rehabilitation services for some muscle tension. I am described as being active, restless and I love to be cuddled and teased. I also love playing with brightly colored toys and toys that have sound. Contact my friends at Great Wall if you are interested in learning more about me!

Hi there! My name is Bella and I am 6 and a half years old. My doctor’s tell me that I’m a little smaller than some of my friends and I may have some developmental delays, but I don’t let that keep me down! I am a happy little girl that is active and adores my caretakers. My file is a little outdated so my friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Jing “Jing” is an extremely active little 8 year old boy. He has made vast improvements in the last 3 and a half weeks. Jing is very loving and fun-natured. He enjoys the smaller dogs and cats, while tolerating the bigger dogs. He is saying a few English words like, “eat, dog, cat, TV, sleep, car, go, pee pee,” and the names of family members. Jing is bright, but he does have some developmental/learning delays. He does not appear to have any signs of cerebral palsy. He has congenital heart disease with Tetralogy of Fallot 2, that was corrected with surgery when he was around one year of age. His oxygen levels are good and his heart sounds strong with no murmurs. His heart rate and blood pressure are good. Jing has mild clubbing in his fingers and toes, but it’s hardly noticeable and doesn’t seem to bother him. Jing is a good eater, dresses himself, runs and plays, and sleeps fairly well, although he does wet the bed on occasion. He enjoys swimming and tossing a ball back and forth. He also likes riding big wheel bikes and is learning how to shoot a basketball. Jing is far-sighted with some astigmatism, which was just diagnosed while he was in the US with his host family. He now wears glasses and is more engaged in following along while the host parent reads books, etc. Jing doesn’t have much interest in sitting and watching TV, although he likes having the TV on. He loves music and has enjoyed “playing” the piano with the host family’s son. Jing is also a helpful little boy, carrying groceries and trying to sweep outside. He also keeps himself clean, washing his face and brushing his teeth morning and night. He has been a blessing and joy!

Violet Hello! My name is Violet and I will be 10 years old this October. My doctors tell me my right leg is a little different than some of my friends and I need assistance from a walker to get around but I don’t let this stop me from being a happy kiddo! My caretakers say that I am very polite and charming. I get along very well with other kiddos and you can often find me singing cheerful songs. My caretakers say I am always laughing all day long! I have great cognitive ability and great self-care ability. I have been receiving rehabilitation training and have been making great improvements. My file is slightly outdated so my friends at Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me! Contact Great Wall if you’d like to review my file!

Travis Hello! My name is Travis and I am 8 years old. I have a repaired cleft lip and palate and I am a little bit behind my friends developmentally but I don’t let this stop me from being a happy kiddo! I have an active personality and I enjoy being a good helper to my caretakers! I love to run and jump with my friends and my favorite game is tag. My file is very outdated so my friends a Great Wall are working hard to learn more about me!

Hi there! My name is Annabelle and I am 1 and a half years old. My doctor’s say that I am blind, but I don’t let that keep me down! My caretakers say that I am clever and cute and that my intelligence and physical development are normal. I like to play with toys and dance when I listen to music. I like to be cuddled by my caretakers and I am a smiley little girl. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Just Matched Monday

Hooray! A family has begun submitting their paperwork to bring this beautiful young lady home forever! We are so incredibly excited for her and her forever family, and we can’t wait to see them come home.

If you are interested in learning how you can be matched with one of our Waiting Children, visit our photo listing, or contact us today!

New Kids on the Block

Hi there! My name is Keeva and I just turned 4 years old. I am currently using leg braces to help me stand and learn to walk, and I am also developmentally delayed compared to some of my friends, but I don’t let that keep me down! I live with a foster family that have nurtured me and encouraged me as I’ve grown. I like playing with puzzles, toy blocks and playing outdoors. I have a good appetite and I am not choosy when it comes to the foods I eat. My foster family describes me as quiet, gentle and happy. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Hi there! My name is Elliott and I am 3 years old. My doctor’s tell me I have something called cerebral palsy, but I don’t let that keep me down! My caretakers describe me as a happy, smiling boy who likes to cuddle. I am a talkative little guy and I always have something to say. I like playing with bouncy balls and listening to music. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Hi there! My name is Rosie and I just turned 4 years old. My doctor’s say I have something called Down’s Syndrome, but I seem to be doing very well! My caretakers say I am a very helpful, adorable and happy little girl. I am a fast learner, smart and active. I love my teachers and I enjoy going to class. I like to play with my friends and play with the ring toss, blocks and balls. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

I am currently being hosted in TEXAS, I will return to China August 22nd. Paul is a handsome 9 year old. He was born with Hydrocephalus. However a shunt was put in at a very early age. He does not appear to be significantly behind. He is a very curious young man and quick to figure out how things work. He is a very fast learner. Though he has not been in school, I expect that he will learn very quickly when given the chance. He has a beautiful smile and an infectious giggle! He loves Mickey Mouse! Paul really wants to please. He loves to help around the house. He likes to help with the cooking. He is always first to wash his dishes. He also likes to help with the laundry. Paul loves to play in the water (he does not know how to swim and is quite cautious). He also loves coloring, using a pencil, working on a puzzle, playing with cars, looking at books, and listening to music. Though he was initially afraid of the pets (dogs and cats), he has acclimated well. He loves to hold the cat. Where once he screamed at the sight of the dog, he now pats him on the head and says, “Hi” or “Ni hao”. Paul is very independent. He can take care of most of his needs by himself. He gets himself dressed, brushes his teeth, takes a bath, gets ready for bed with very little help.

“Wynn” is a confidant, intelligent, outgoing social guy. He is helpful, caring and happy. He particularly loves our dogs and has had no problem integrating into our family. He loves our children who are just a few years older than him and he is a very typical healthy 12 year old child. He enjoys all sports activities, games , and family time. He has an excellent understanding of written mandarin and he has even learned some English in the short time that he has been here. It is his dream to live in the United States and to have a family he can call his own. We are confidant that he will be a wonderful addition to anHi there! My name is Hannah and I am 12 years old. I am a healthy older kiddo that is described as being smart and clever! I love outdoor activities and playing games with my friends. I have great mental development and my caretakers say I have great self-care ability. They also say that I have a clear and rich imagination! I live in a foster home and get along very well with my foster family. I hope I can find my forever family soon! If you are interested in reviewing my file, contact my friends at Great Wall!y family!

Hi there! My name is Hannah and I am 12 years old. I am a healthy older kiddo that is described as being smart and clever! I love outdoor activities and playing games with my friends. I have great mental development and my caretakers say I have great self-care ability. They also say that I have a clear and rich imagination! I live in a foster home and get along very well with my foster family. I hope I can find my forever family soon! If you are interested in reviewing my file, contact my friends at Great Wall!

Hi there! My name is Fitz and I just turned 11 years old. I am a healthy boy and I’ve told my caretakers that I would very much like to be adopted. I do well in school and I have a good work ethic. I am outgoing and I like to help others. I love to play outside, listen to music, dance, draw and play with my friends. My caregivers say I have good self-care abilities and that I am an active, bright and happy boy. You can contact my friends at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting me! I hope my friends at Great Wall find my Forever Family soon!

Categories China Adoption Blog

New Kids on the Block

Upcoming Webinars

Just Matched Monday

New Kids on the Block

55 Kids Home This Summer!

A Baker’s Dozen – Adopting Children with Special Needs

Resources:

Just Matched Monday

New Kids on the Block

Just Matched Monday

New Kids on the Block

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