Brighter Futures

You Could Be One of These Happy Families:

2012-01-31T15:23:00.000-08:00

Check out these happy families and gorgeous kids! These kids were all waiting for a family at sometime and now they have become part of their own very happy family! Their referral pictures may not have given any hint of the beautiful child they have become, but here they are in all of their glory!

Notice the adorable boys????

We've got plenty of kiddos still waiting for their families to come forward! Do you feel drawn towards any of the waiting children? Sometimes the process is daunting or makes it feel impossible. But these kids are all a testament to how successful adoption can be. Here they are celebrating Chinese New Year with friends and family!

Happy Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

The Dragon is a revered symbol in Chinese astrology because it is the only animal on the zodiac that isn't real. It is a symbol of power, superiority and rule, as well as wisdome. Dragons take action and get things done, but could also have a sharp tongue. It is said that they have a soft underbelly, though, and can be helpful to those in need. So what does the year of the dragon hold? I'm hopeful that it holds families full of happiness, people helping those in need and a more peaceful world. Happy Year of the Dragon!

Jolly Jeb

2012-01-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

Jeb is a jolly little 2 1/2 year old who loves to play peek-a-boo and other games with his nannies and peers. He is sweet and helpful to his nannies, returning his milk bottle to them when he is finished and picking up others' trash. He smiles proudly whenever he is praised. He likes to fill up containers with toys and give them to the nannies. He's very kind-hearted and helpful and loves to cuddle with his nannies. He is blessed to be part of the Half The Sky toddlers room at the orphanage, so he gets quite a lot of attention.

Can you really resist this face?

Re-Mentioning Evan

2012-01-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

I want to talk about Evan again because he still hasn't had any interest and I just can't believe it! We received the gift of 250 pictures of Evan, all the way from when he was little until now. They are adorable! I will give you a teensy tiny taste of them:

Isn't he scrumptious???? So, seriously...why has this adorable little boy not found a family yet? Is he really cursed to be a boy? Help me out and share this blog with everyone you know so they can see how cute this little boy is! We need to find his family! I just can't believe he has been with so many different agencies and still, his family has not been found! Let's rally the troops in honor of Chinese New Year and get this boy to his family!

Happy Chinese New Year! Xin Nian Kuaile!

Lost Lovable Lewis

2012-01-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

I want to take a minute to talk about Lewis. Unfortunately, the pictures we have of Lewis didn't turn out to be so good. They don't represent the sweet, charming, talented boy that he is and all the potential that he has if he could get the love and attention that he so needs. Lewis is smart--he jumped right into reciting poems and songs that he knows when he met us. He told us about his desire to be adopted and he alluded to his unhappiness at being in the orphanage. Clearly, Lewis is thought highly of, as he was chosen to perform in the holiday performance that the orphanage put together. Very few children were included, as you can see. Lewis is special and he has the potential to shine. But Lewis knows that he will be stigmatized in China and he won't have the opportunities he needs to succeed in life. He won't have a family to love him unconditionally and be there for him when he graduates from high school, college, gets married and has children. Where will he spend the holidays? Family is so important in China, I just can't imagine living life without family. Lewis is not immediately aging out--he doesn't turn 13 until this spring. But he desperately wants a family more than anything. He wants to go to school and learn. You can't REALLY see Lewis from the pictures we took, but I'll post one anyway. He's the tallest orphan holding the hands of the younger ones in the front row. Isn't that sweet?

We don't want to push older child adoption on everyone, as it is not appropriate for every family. Ultimately what we want are happy families and successful adoptions. But we do believe that every child has a family out there somewhere, it's just a matter of finding them in time. We have to connect that red thread! Will you help us spread the word about Lewis? Share this blog with your friends, family, anyone you know who might be a good family for Lewis, who could love a boy like Lewis. Will you help: Click the cool box below if you will help spread the word!

Below is an article written by Love Without Boundaries about why older child adoption from China is so important. If you have doubts about it, read the article:

LWB Older Child Adoption

Wise Wyatt

2012-01-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

Wyatt is an outgoing young man who is active, smart and handsome. Who wouldn't want a son like that? Unfortunately, Wyatt has been waiting for his family for much too long. He ages out in August! I'm putting a plea out there to help Wyatt find his family! There is a $5000 grant available to help with his adoption through ASIA if someone steps up soon! We would also be happy to transfer his file to another agency to get him his family.

Wyatt has lived with a foster family for quite some time and he is often praised by them, as well as by his teachers at school. He gets good marks in school and helps other students. In his spare time he likes sports, such as running, jumping, playing ball with others and playing football. He is good at football, sparing no effort, so the other kids like to play football with him. He has a good imagination and gets along well with others. He is tolerant and helpful. Please spread the word about Wyatt and help him find his family before it's too late!

Silly Sherman

2012-01-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

Sherman is an adorable 4 year old little boy with a significant special need who will capture your heart. Sherman smiles all of the time and his smile brightens up the room. He will fool you into thinking that he may not be cognitively aware because of his giggles, but he's actually quite resposive and cute! He pretended to be on a phone call while our OT was there:-) He gets some OT to address his special need and he says that he likes it. He is able to walk with a walker or with assistance and crawl on his own. He can put on and take of his socks and shoes. He speaks in 1 word sentences, but answers questions quite competently. He can point to his body parts, answer how old he is and follow two-step commands. Sherman craves attention, which is not surprising considering that he doesn't get much social interaction. It is impressive that he is so responsive! There is no doubt that with the attention and love that a family provides, he would go much farther! Can you resist this adorable face?

Genuine Jonah, Ages Out in the Fall

2012-01-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

Jonah is a healthy, active and outgoing 13 year old boy who is very tidy with his things. He likes sports like racing, basketball and football. He respects his teachers and looks after his younger foster brothers who all like him as an older brother. Jonah is a clever boy and at 10 years old he was in the second grade. He is now in grade 3 and doing better than average and no longer has trouble. He got the award of “Most Progress in 2010” in his welfare institute! Could sweet Jonah be a fit for your family? If you think you could even consider him, please contact me right away! There is a $5000 Grant available to help with the adoption costs for Jonah! He ages out in the Fall! Jonah does not have time to waste! If you know anyone who could consider a sweet older boy like Jonah, please contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Rambunctious Rachel

2012-01-12T13:57:00.000-08:00

Rachel is a happy, outgoing, curious little monkey. She is two years old and loves to climb and pull herself up. She is interested by new people and when we were there, she was not shy. She happily took the toy we offered her and explored it by sticking it in her mouth. She has a "mama" that she is very close to--she will touch her face lovingly and smile. She searches for her mama when she is not there. She is a bit of a tease and likes to play games with people. Rachel needs a family who can get her the medical help she will need to reach her full potential. Could you be the family for sweet Rachel? We can't post pictures of sweet Rachel quite yet, but please see our password protected website for pictures of her.

We also have 3 kids who are in danger of aging out in the next year that I hope to post about soon. Stay tuned...

We're Still Waiting...

2012-01-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

Sweet Skippy is showing you his excellent drawing skills in his Half The Sky classroom. What a sweet smile! Skippy is a happy boy who has an infectious smile that he shares with everyone! Surely he would be a perfect fit for a family out there?

Zeke is showing you his engineering skills. He is a very outgoing boy as you can see--not camera shy at all:-) Zeke really wants to be adopted. He followed us all around practicing his English and making sure we took plenty of pictures of him. Clearly he has a lot of potential. Are you the family that could help him shine?

Jake is also not camera shy--what a pair Jake and Zeke make! In fact, this picture below illustrates Jake's personality pretty well. He's a goofy kid! Do you need a little more silliness around your household? Jake could be the perfect fit!

Zeke, Skippy and Jake are still waiting. Their files have been on the shared waiting child list since 2009. Their files have now gone back to the shared list, but we will not give up! These are darling boys who need families to help them blossom. These kiddos spread joy with their infectious smiles and laughs. Who wouldn't want that? Please help spread the word about these kids. They deserve a family and want one so badly!

Eventually Evan, Eventually...

2012-01-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Evan is a little boy whose file has bounced from agency to agency without finding his family. Why? Look at this smile? Those dimples! Ah--melting! Why has this boy not been adopted yet??? Has he been forgotten?

Evan lives with a foster family and he will turn 12 this spring. He is in the second grade and is a very curious little boy who loves to learn. He loves to do puzzles and it sounds like that is a frequent activity for him. He does a good job in school and with his writing. He loves to play with other children and as long as there are other children around, he is a happy boy! He is sweet, patient, gentle and tender. Let's find Evan's family so he doesn't have to wait any longer!

Sweet Seely

2011-12-29T09:25:00.000-08:00

You may have seen sweet Seely in pictures I posted shortly after our trip to meet these kids. Doesn't his sweet smile just melt your heart?

Seely is a very sweet boy who is helpful and playful with younger children. As you can see in the picture, he showed us this side of him as he played with another child pretending to eat her treat and then giving it back several times. What a cutie! Seely was nearly 2 1/2 years old while we were there and he was already making two word phrases and was very verbal. His nannies said that he learns quickly and would learn whatever they were able to teach him. He is a curious, inquisitive and friendly little boy. He gave Fei a kiss on the cheek when she asked:-) I think he was showing off a bit, as he showed us how he could climb into the cubbies and back out. His special need doesn't limit him very much. He asked hat the nannies put on some music so he could dance and he did a little jig! It was so cute! Seely would make a great addition to any family. He would be a warm, cuddly and affectionate little boy who is also smart and great with younger children. Although he does have a streak of jealousy when he sees his favorite nanny holiding someone else (a good sign for attachment at this point!). Seely's file is currently available. Contact me if you would like to consider him: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Magic of the Holidays

2011-12-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

All around the world people celebrate different things this time of year, but no matter what you celebrate, we wish you peace, health and happiness!

This time of year people seem to think of others more than any other time of year. Passions lie in different areas, but here at ASIA, we have a passion for finding children families. Sometimes a child just touches your heart, and that has happened to all of us at ASIA, at one or many times. We would like to help all of the children of the world, but we're taking it one child at a time. If you would like to join our mission and help one child at a time to find the unconditional love of family, please consider sending your year end contribution to ASIA's Gift of Family Fund. It helps to make adoptions possible for children and families that otherwise might not be able to be united. It has already changed several lives and we hope to be able to continue its magic in the coming year. If a monetary gift is not possible, we welcome volunteers to help us spread the word about waiting children to help unite them with their forever families. Give the Gift of Family this year. There is nothing more important. Enjoy your family this holiday season! Happy Holidays!

A Dream for Yuna

2011-12-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

When I first met Yuna, I wasn't sure we could find a family for her. She was in a room with children who were physically handicapped and there were no toys or any form of stimulation in there. She was playing with a tupperware container--licking it, hanging upside down, climbing on the railing, anything to provide herself with the stimulation she wasn't getting from her environment. My heart went out to her, but I thought to myself, I just don't know if we can find a family for a child who looks like she could be autistic....

Then I saw Yuna in her Half The Sky classroom--WOW!!! What a difference! She made eye contact with her teacher, she participated in activities, and she attemped to communicate her wants and needs. She even sat in her teacher's lap without any fuss. This gave me hope for Yuna and I thought perhaps we can find her a family after all. I think this child has potential. If given the stimulation she doesn't get in her room at the orphanage, and a loving family to work with her, I think she would make incredible progress! Can't you see the happy child inside this girl who is just itching to get out? She needs someone to open up her world with language and help her experience all of the firsts that she hasn't had the opportunity to experience yet. Wouldn't it be amazing to watch her face light up at seeing Christmas lights for the first time? Or taking her swimming? Or any of the other activities you would introduce a baby or toddler to for the first time? I gave her a set of markers and some paper that I had and it was like seeing a starving child eat. She was so interested in figuring out how those markers work!

I think that the right family could help Yuna blossom. Could you be that family? Do you know anyone who could? Please pass on Yuna's information to anyone you can think of. I know it won't be easy to find her a family, but I believe Yuna has potential and her family must be out there! Please contact me for more information about Yuna--her file is available: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Hope for the Holidays

2011-12-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hooray for Jason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The happiest news for the holidays is that Jason will have a family! It warms my heart to know that he will have the love of a wonderful family. They are very experienced and I have full confidence that they understand the severity of his condition. They are prepared to love him through whatever care he may need and I have full confidence that they can and will do so. Congratulations to Jason and his family! Joy beat me to the announcement because I have been so busy trying to help the family get him home as quickly as possible. Back to work...Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!

Joyous Jaci

2011-12-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

Jaci is a bright-eyed, happy, dimpled 1 1/2 year old girl. We didn't meet Jaci, as she was recovering from her surgery at the time we were there. Jaci is somewhat of a tease and loves to be with her nannies. She has a quick smile, and whenever her nannies say "Good girl, [Jaci], she laughs showing her 4 little white teeth and her cute dimples. As of June, she could crawl and roll over fast. What a sweet little one! Who wouldn't delight in her antics? If you would be interested in considering cute little Jaci, contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Updates on our Adorable Kiddos!

2011-12-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

As always, there is a good news with the not so good news. I'm thrilled to be able to announce that Tacy, Josh and Jasmyn have families pursuing them! Congratulations to their new families!

The not so good news is that many of the rest of the kids don't have a lot of interest. Files are currently available for: Dalton and Rachel (if you have a dossier completed), Shane, Evan, Hogan, Sherman, Simon, Caroline, Balin, Jeb, Lewis and Yuna. Of course, Jason's file is available to anyone who wants to seriously consider him as well. We do have interest in Jason, which is extremely encouraging!

Dalton and Rachel are both Non-Special Focus kiddos until mid-January(ish), which means they are only available to families with completed dossiers before then. If you would like to get on the list to view their file, but you don't have a completed dossier, you may do so, but you won't get the file until early January.

Please contact me if you have any interest in any of these kiddos! They're all precious and in need of families!

Cute and Pudgy Simon

2011-12-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Simon is a happy, silly, roly poly little guy. He's so cute and pudgy, his little cheeks just draw you in, don't they? Simon is a smiley and cuddly 3 year old boy. He just aged out of the Half The Sky room at the orphanage. He is not possessive, follows instructions well and shares well with other children (great brother, here!). While they were playing, our OT and Simon bonked heads. Simon cried and went to his nanny for comfort and then went back to the OT, crying loudly, as if to say: "I'm mad at you, that was mean!" So cute! Way to stick up for yourself, little guy!

We all know that boys are very hard to place, so if you know anyone who would consider him, please send them the blog link or have them contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org
Let's find Simon's family!

Jason

2011-12-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

Jason is the boy who made our hearts melt the moment we met him. He is a sweet boy who is in desperate need of a family who can get him the surgery he needs, which no one will do in China. His adoption must be expedited and his only hope is if we find him a family. But Jason is more than just a special need:

Look at this playful little tike:-) Even though he has very low energy, he is still a tease in his own right! Jason has been moved from the orphanage to foster care because they think that he is unadoptable, but I know different! I've witnessed families doing amazing things for these kids before and I just know there is a family that would love to have Jason as a part of it!

Don't his eyes captivate you? He is a beautiful baby! He is only 1 year old and now is the time to get him the surgery he needs. He is a happy boy, despite his condition and there is no doubt that he would bring his happy smile, cuddles and love to the right family. Jason loves to be cuddled by his nannies and entertains both himself and his nannies with his attempts at blowing raspberries. Could you be the family that is the recipient of his good humor and sweet cuddles? Please contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Cute Caroline

2011-12-01T16:23:00.000-08:00

Cute Caroline is a shy little girl when she first meets new people. She warms up in a group setting and when she is happy she is friendly and outgoing. She hugged us and sat in Dr. Hayes' lap voluntarily. She, like all of the other kids in the room, were very interested in us and the treats we brought along. She also played readily with the Lego-type toys, putting the pieces together. Her teachers at the Half the Sky school mentioned that she was extremely shy when she first came to the school, and didn't talk much. Since she has gotten more comfortable in the school setting and with her teachers, she has become more responsive and interactive. Caroline's heart needs some healing and she needs to develop the love and trust that only a family can provide. To learn more about Caroline, please see our waiting child list or contact Marci: marcisk@asiadopt.org

It was hard not to scoop them all up and take them home!

Hilarious Hogan

2011-11-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

Who, me?

Hogan is almost 2 years old and boy, has he learned how to be a tease! He is a bit mischevious in a good humored way. Hogan is a clever little imp! He doesn't have verbal language, but he figures things out quick! He can communicate quite well through sign and gestures and interacts with people quite competently. He understands his nannies and likes to cuddle with his favorite nanny. He and Shane make quite the little team in the play room. Shane snatches the toys away from other kids and Hogan figures out how to escape from the room! He is very interactive, curious, good natured and a happy little boy. If you meet him, you will see his gorgeous, irresistible smile quickly! It will melt your heart! Hogan's file is available for review. Please contact me if you're interested: marcisk@asiadopt.org If he's not the right fit for your family, please spread the word about Hogan. He's an adorable boy who would make the right family very happy!

Please Meet Lewis

2011-11-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

Please meet Lewis. He is a spunky, determined little fellow who desperately wants to be adopted more than anything else. He is anxious to leave the orphanage and have a better life. He wants to learn English and volunteered his ABC's as well as saying "Good morning, thank you, bye-bye." He really wants to go to school and learn, but he is not allowed to go to school at the institute because of his ADHD behaviors. I asked him about what kind of family he would want and he was not picky, but said that he would like to have siblings and he likes dogs. He told the doctor that was with us that "I want to go to States." He sang a song, recited a poem and generally tried to impress us and it worked! Lewis likes gymnastics and tried to show some of his moves. Lewis is a very sweet boy. We told him we would try our hardest to find him a family. We know his family must be out there! Lewis understands adoption and desperately wants to be adopted and come to the U.S. Could you be his family or do you know the perfect family for him? Please spread the word to help Lewis find his family!!! Let's make a dream come true this holiday season!

ThanksGiving

2011-11-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is upon us, and we at ASIA have a lot to be grateful for this year. We are thankful that the Baotou files have arrived so the kids can be placed and we have two being pursued already! Tacy and Josh are both being pursued! Congratulations to those families! I'm thankful that we seem to have a lot of interest in the kids and I'm hopeful that the families and children that are meant to be united will find each other.

I'm so thankful that so many families have been matched with their children this year! Congratulations to all of those families! I'm also incredibly thankful for all of my amazing volunteers who have moved mountains for children and gotten out there and spread the word far and wide about children needing families! I'm thankful that I have a wonderful family, including all those in the ASIA family, which keeps growing! I'm thankful for each of my coworkers who work so hard to help children and families unite and they are all incredible people! I'm also thankful that it's National Adoption Month and ASIA is giving a $500 discount to every family that is accepted into our program during November and December!

I'm thankful for all of you reading these blog posts and taking an interest in the children for whom we advocate. Each time you share with a friend or family member, you help to spread the word about these amazing kids who each deserve a family of their own. Each time you send the link to someone else, you make that red thread shorter and give each child a greater chance at having a family. Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving from ASIA!

Shane--Fast as Lightening!

2011-11-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

Please meet Shane. You may have seen him in some photos of the babies snatching some toys--this little character is quick:-) He is curious and inquisitive and interested in new people. When we were there visiting, he came over and gave me a toy and smiled:-) What a sweetie! He won my heart! The pictures didn't capture his sweet smile, but it will melt your heart! This little boy gets around like there's not stopping him! The nannies love him and he definitely has a favorite. Other than snatching toys away, he interacts appropriately with the other kids in his room. He's a sweet little guy who just needs a family to adopt him and get him the medical attention he needs that he can't get in China. Our OT saw him and evaluated him. If you would like more information, please contact me--his file is current available! marcisk@asiadopt.org

The Baotou Kids Are Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-17T07:56:00.000-08:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! The Baotou kids have arrived--at least a bunch of them have! They are beautiful, mostly young, and many have minor special needs! What's more, we have met most of them! Yes, they stole our hearts back in April! We do have some older kids, up to the age of 11 and our youngest child is 1 year old! They are now up on our password protected website and I will begin featuring children who do not get much interest here, daily, on this blog. If you would like to take a look at our password-protected website and you do not have our current password, please fill out the form below, or email me at marcisk@asiadopt.org
You never know who you might find!

Name:

Mailing Address:

City/State/Zip:

Phone Number:

E-Mail Address:

Your ages:

Are you married? If so, what was the date of your marriage?

Have you or your spouse been divorced? If so, how many times?

Annual Income:

Do your net assets reach $80,000 or more?

If you are single, do your net assets reach $100,000 or more?

What are you and your spouse’s highest levels of education?

Do you or your spouse have a criminal record?

What are you and your spouse’s BMI: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm

Do you or your spouse have any health conditions?

Do you have a history of any health conditions? Do you take any medication? Please explain:

Number of children in your home:

How long have you had them?

If you are single, is your youngest child at least 6 years old?

Do you have a home study completed or in process?

Is your dossier in another country?

If your dossier is in China, with what agency?

Does your agency have access to the shared list?

If so, why do you want to view ASIA’s waiting children?

How did you hear about ASIA?

State that you “agree” or “disagree” to the following statement:

“I recognize that ASIA regards the information about children in its Waiting Child program to be private and confidential. If I am granted access to this information, I agree that I will only use this information personally in my own quest to adopt a child with special needs. I will not give the password and access information to anyone. I will not share or disseminate (including cut and paste) any of the information contained on the site.”

Please copy and past the form into an email and send it to: marcisk@asiadopt.org
I look forward to hearing from many of you!

Ani

2011-11-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

Some faces haunt me and Ani has one of those faces.

She looks so sad in this picture. When I see kids like her on the shared list, I'm afraid that people see their special need instead of the child. Sometimes it's hard to see the child through all of the medical jargon in a file and so little about the actual child. But Ani, I see through her eyes. I see that she needs a family. I know that there are things in files that haunt families, and there is something in Ani's file that haunts me. It says she can't draw well, but takes it seriously and she can draw her dream and hope.....

Ani lives in a foster family, doesn't go to school, but learns quickly. Can we help make her dream and hope come true? Could you be the family that can see the child beyond the special need?

The Twins

2011-11-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to announce that the twins have found a family! Congratulations to that family! When their files went back to the shared list, I was afraid they wouldn't find a family. Thanks to the wonderful advocates out there who never gave up, they will have one! I'm thrilled for them and for their family!

I have to recognize our wonderful advocates who go out there and spread the word about adoption and about our specific children waiting for families! They have helped so many children find families! A special thank you goes out to those volunteers putting those words into action for National Adoption Month and taking those advocacy efforts to their church or community. They are presenting our waiting children in clever ways and I have no doubts that their efforts will help more children and families to be united. They deserve so much more than a thank you! So to all of you who go out there with adoption in your hearts and help spread the word--thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

HAPPY NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH!!!!!

2011-11-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

Happy National Adoption month!!!! In honor of National Adoption month, ASIA is offering a $500 discount in adoption fees to families who apply and are approved in the months of November and December! Have you been putting off getting started on an adoption? Don't put it off any longer--take that leap of faith and send in your application to ASIA! Whether you're religious or not, adoption is a leap of faith. There are just no guarantees in birth or adoption. But if your dream is to be a parent and you're open to a child with special needs or an older child, than there is likely a child dreaming of a family just waiting for you. Once you find that child, you will wish you hadn't waited to get started. Waiting is the hardest part of the adoption process.

So let's take a look at what we're offering here....if you apply for Heath with those heartbroken eyes, you would get a discount of $5,500 off your adoption fees! Heath only has until January to be adopted! Don't drag your feet! Don't let money stop you--contact us today. These children can't afford to wait--their time is running out in just a month or two for our older boys. I stress on the boys because they are the ones aging out and when I take a look at the shared list, my heart breaks that there are twice as many boys as there are girls. I'll say one more thing about boys...as we help families through the adjustment process with older child adoptions, the girls are always harder than the boys during the adjustment. The boys seem to do very well! So far, the boys are becoming polite, well mannered and loving young men. Girls are wonderful, too, but there are plenty of families for the girls, so my heart truly goes out to the boys.

So in honor of National Adoption Month, help spread the word about what adoption as a wonderful way to create a family. Perhaps you can be the link to help another child find a family?

Meet Danielle

2011-11-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Please meet Danielle:

Isn't she adorable? Danielle only has a very minor special need. She is 7 years old and is an active girl with a ready smile. She likes to play games, listen to music and watch TV. For more information about Danielle, please contact me. Her file is currently available for review: marcisk@asiadopt.org
Could she be your daughter?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

Scary stories, folks in costume, spooky sounds and trick or treating! I love taking my child to the pumpking patch and seeing her reactions to all of the fun Halloween activities and letting her pick out the perfect pumpkin. The air is just starting to turn crisp in this neck of the woods and the leaves are just starting to fall. It's getting darker earlier and the gloom of winter is upon us, yet we have holidays to celebrate!

My favorite holiday of all time--moowahhahahaha!!! Although my heart is sad because I've just heard that Halloween has been cancelled in some parts of the country due to the storms and power outages! Poor kiddos! Maybe they can make the best of it and tell scary stories and have candy or s'mores.

Halloween is a great time for kids and for families! There is nothing better than seeing your child dress up and be absolutely whoever or whatever they want to be for a night! Let their imaginations go crazy and then they get to enjoy themselves as whatever creature they have decided to be. It's a great time to have BOYS, as they're not scared of the spookiness of Halloween--the spiders, the ghosts, the ghoulish faces walking around the streets, saying "Trick or Treat!" How I wish we could grant each of our waiting children the greatest gift, and give them forever families to share their life experiences with, and to have that unconditional love that allows children to venture forth on nights like Halloween, knowing they have a safe home and family to return to at the end.

Files Went Back

2011-10-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that families were able to apply for Marianne, Lina, Janelle and Scott before their files went back. However, the rest of that group's files did go back: Heath, Foster, Darien, Leroy, Corey, Greta and the twins' files all went back to the shared list. We can still access them, but they have now gone back to listing on the shared list. We have been feverishly working with our families today on urgent issues, so I will have more time for a post next week. But I wanted to say:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Let's Not Forget Our Boys and Girl from Baotou

2011-10-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Life in Baotou:

Lillian likes music and playing with toys. She is rather shy with new people, but very close to her caretaker. She is an energetic girl who loves pretty dresses and having visitors come and is very well behaved with visitors. She is very happy when she gets to wear new clothes or pretty dresses or receives gifts. One of her happiest moments recently was having a small birthday party with cake. She loves to play on the trampoline and recently learned to do a somersault with the help of her foster mother. In March she moved into a new house with other girls and gets along with them.

Jake just had another birthday without a family. He is an 8 year old boy with a lot of boy energy. He is enthusiastic, but can also focus when asked to do so. He is very interested in superheros, as you can see from his picture of his superhero pose:-) Jake would do great in a family with some other boys, whether they are brothers, a dad who likes to wrestle or some uncles or cousins close by. His special need doesn't seem to affect him a whole lot in his daily life.

Skippy is an adorable 8 year old boy. He's sweet, happy go lucky and outgoing. He needs a patient family who will help him focus and work through his challenges. Skippy is physically very able, but needs some help in school and a Mom and Dad who will help and give him the attention he needs instead of giving up. Skippy also loves superheros and is buddies with Zeke and Jake.

Zeke is a 9 year old boy who seems very mature for his age. His special need scares a lot of people away, but if you didn't know what it was, I bet you could never guess! He's very capable, outgoing and really wants a family. He needs a family who can focus on him for a while and make up for the lack of a family for 9 years of his life. Zeke is a very polite and obedient young boy, but also very goofy when given the chance and seems to be a leader among his peers.

A Visit to an Orphanage

2011-10-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

ASIA's China Director visited an orphanage recentely and took some of these cute pictures. Some of these kids are on the Special Focus list already and some don't have files yet. There were LOTS of boys!

Jeffrey:

Meet Jeffrey. This is what Susan had to say about Jeffrey: . He can answer the questions, can say three word sentances. His language is OK. He smiles a lot. He knows his body parts. He can’t run yet. He has very good eye contact. When I asked him to hold my hand, he doesn’t hold my hand but John’s instead. He likes John. He said to John: "Ni Hao!" when he saw John at first glance.

Stay tuned for more children featured from our waiting child list....

Desperately Seeking Scott

2011-10-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

We are desperately working our hearts out to get another one of the older children about to age out home to his family. Scott now has a family pursuing him! You may remember him from the updated pictures of him where he is driving a car and playing basketball. He ages out in early January, so the whole staff is working hard to make this happen! Keep Scott in mind these next couple of months!

Our last record breaking adoption of a child about to age out has safely made it home and is adjusting to her new life. Her family is truly inspiring. They make the world shine a little brighter.

Meet Carly

2011-10-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

Please meet Carly. Her nannies initially thought she might be showing some autistic behaviors. Then they moved her to a different room, where she seemed to improve. Our China Director recently visited her orphanage and took this video of Carly. Early on it seems that she is pretty intent on playing by herself. Then her nanny picks her up and she is very engaged.Take a look for yourselves! Then let me know if you would like to consider her or any of our other adorable waiting children: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Isn't She Gorgeous?

2011-10-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

Please meet Abby....isn't she gorgeous? That smile just warms my heart as she smiles right down to her core. These pictures are from a visit our China Director made to her orphanage. Our China Director brought some goodies, and as you can see, Abby took delight in exploring those things. She was active, despite her special need--she walks with a bit of a limp. She is also very outgoing and didn't hesitate in front of the cameras. What a treasure! Her file is available for review. Please don't be scared away by her special needs. Abby needs a family of her own! Could you be that family?

A Miracle Happens!

2011-09-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that the girl that I posted about who was needing a family before October, Amber, is going to have one at the end of the month! Some miracle workers put their heads together and got the family's paperwork through so that they can travel in time to adopt her before she turns 14! Thank you to those members of the U.S. and Chinese governments who were willing to work a little harder to change a girl's life! Miracles do happen:-)

Waiting Children News!

2011-09-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

ASIA's China Director is planning to visit an orphanage in Beijing this week, where 8 of our current waiting children reside. We hope to receive more pictures and updated information regarding those children next week! The children included in that visit are: Carly, Mia, Ethan, Eli, Aubrey, Abby, Jeffrey and Ani. There may be additional children as well.

If you are interested in any of those children, please feel free to contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Special Needs Story

2011-09-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was judging a sports competition in Canada. A little girl with down syndrome came out and impressed me with her skills. She really was good! I never know how the kids place until the end of the competition, I just judge what I see and give scores based on the moves. The totals are done later. I gave my scores and later, after I had seen her compete, I saw her walking around with a white cane and then noticed her hearing aids as well. Wow! That was impressive! She had vaulted on a live moving horse, doing skilled gymnastics and dance routines on top of the horse and she was hearing and sight impaired, which I couldn't tell from the judge's stand! In Canada, in this sport that I judge, they don't have separate classes or levels for kids with special needs, so they compete against everyone else. I was thrilled to find out, during the awards ceremony, that this sweet girl with significant special needs got 3rd place overall!!!! That is a testament to what special needs means. It doesn't mean that a child is doomed to a certain life forever. These kids can accomplish what they set their mind to do--it may take them longer, or they may have certain strengths in one area, but they can also do things just like everyone else. It sure was thrilling to see this little girl with multiple special needs receive 3rd place in a class with non special needs kids! I wish there was a video to share so you could see it, too.

Urgent--for child aging out!

2011-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

We are desperately trying to get the girl home who turns 14 in a couple of weeks (featured a couple of posts ago). We are in urgent need of a contact high up at the Department of State who can make things happen (this is a very unusual case). We are using all of our contacts to try to make things happen, but we can't stop and wait, as this child doesn't have time for us to wait. If you can help, please email me: staff@asiadopt.org

Thank you!

Marci

Waiting Children Going Back!!!!

2011-09-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

A group of our waiting children's files will be going back next week if they don't find families! Please help us get the word out about these kids! A bunch of these kids are older kids with grants, which are only obtainable through ASIA. These kids are Foster, Heath, Darien, Leroy, Corey and Scott! These boys are all aging out soon and we're they're last chance--please help them!

Janelle is another of those kids whose file may go back! She is a wonderful 12 year old girl who I thought would be placed right away! I guess we have not yet found her family, which is hard to believe. The twins will be going back as well as Greta. It seems hard to believe that none of these children have families yet. We have a week left to try--please help me get the word out about these great kids! And if you know of someone I can post that I haven't, please let me know!

New Waiting Children!!!!!

2011-09-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

ASIA has new waiting children! They are not from Baotou, but nevertheless, they are adorable! Please see our password-protected waiting child list to meet the new children ranging in age from 2 years old to 12 years old, with a goood mix of girls and boys.

Good News!

2011-09-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

Girl turning 14 has a family pursuing her! We are trying to make it happen before she turns 14--cross your fingers, pray or do whatever it is that you can do to help us get her family to her in time!

In other news, ASIA has new waiting children on our private waiting child list. Please also note the children aging out who have $5000 grants to help with their adoptions! We still have several waiting for their dream to come true. Please help us spread the word about all of the children in need of families.

Girl Turning 14 in October Needs a Family Quick!

2011-08-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

This girl is turning 14 in October and really needs a family that is already DTC and could travel soon! She is described by someone who knows her well as sweet, gentle with younger children, always willing to help and never a discipline problem. She is very responsible and it is easy to make her laugh. The person who knows her said: "Of all of the older children we work with, she is the most responsible and trustworthy. This little girl comes to our house to play all the time. She is best friends with my little girl. She is wonderful. She limps because of her arthritis. She's very short, has a chubby face, and freckled. Her smile lights up the whole room. She is quiet and responsible. She helps out in with the babies and younger children." She has adults to whom she is close. She would be a blessing to a family ready to travel before October. This is urgent! Can you help find her family?

In Limbo

2011-08-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

Will I have a family of my own?
No files yet, but stay tuned! They could be here any day now and we could be advocating for children like the adorable girl pictured above....

2011-08-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

For all of the unnamed children who wait:

We Need You!

2011-08-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Heath

Everyone is excited for the files to come from Baotou, including the ASIA staff! While we're waiting, I do have to mention the other kids who endlessly wait for their forever families. Heath and Foster are 2 boys aging out before the end of the year and they both basically have $10,000 grants for their adoptions! With the tax credit, that adoption wouldn't cost much at all (not that cost should be a deciding factor, but it helps)! We need families for them that either have dossiers submitted already or are willing to work at warp speed and advocate to move government officials a long. These guys deserve someone like that! Just look at them!

Foster

Skippy

Skippy is another boy with a grant. This grant comes from ASIA's Gift of Family Fund that some of you have contributed to....we're still trying to grow the fund, but in the meantime we are offering a small grant of $1500 to try to help Skippy get adopted. The picture you see above was the first moment we walked into the orphanage. He was the first child we saw and he was all smiles. The second I saw him, I thought "Skippy." He's so sweet and gentle, kind and tolerant of the other kids. Of course, he is a boy and he does like his super heroes! Wouldn't it be fun to teach him to swim for the first time? Or to fish, or ride a bike or even to say "I love you?"

We're expecting the younger children's files to come first, but these older guys need families, too! Could you be the family for one of them? Do you know someone who could? Contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Baotou Babes

2011-08-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Folks are starting to get excited about seeing some more files from Baotou and so are we! We can't wait to share more about all these precious kiddos!

Isn 't that sweet?

This little guy is all smiles! Fei just loved him!

Chatter and Media

2011-08-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of chatter lately about the recent article in the New York Times regarding child trafficking in China. We felt that it was important to address it. ASIA has posted our response on our website: http://www.asiadopt.org/asia-events/recent-news/612-asias-response-to-the-ny-times-article

Unicef is NOT All it's cracked up to be!

2011-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/red-thread-adoptive-family-forum/2011/aug/3/united-states-unicef-war-international-adoptions/

Please take a look at this article if you haven't seen it already. It explains why Unicef is not all that it claims to be. Unicef is a major lobby against international adoption. They put culture ahead of emotional, mental and physical health of children. If you're following ASIA's blog, you know that orphans are much better off in families and that if left in their own countries, would not get the healthcare and love that they so need.

Foster and Heath Could Be Yours, too!

2011-08-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

Foster is performing for you:-)

Don't Heath's eyes just pull you in?

Look what a studious boy he is! Isn't there anyone out there who wants a boy? Teenage boys are much easier than girls....:-) Come on, folks--help me find families for these boys! They deserve them just as much as those girls do! THE ORPHANAGE IS WILLING TO WAIVE THE ORPHANAGE DONATION FOR THESE BOYS! PLUS THEY EACH HAVE $5000 GRANTS IN ADDITION! That would make their adoptions much less expensive. These boys are worth it! These poor guys are watching everyone else get adopted as their 14th birthdays quickly approach! Please contact me if you could consider them: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Look at these handsome boys!

2011-08-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Aren't they handsome? Could they be a good fit for your family? See our password protected waiting child list for more information about them shortly!

Trail Mix

2011-08-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

In the midst of getting ready for Baotou excitement, I do want to mention some other things, so I'm mixing this post all together (thus the title). We do have several children on our current waiting child list that will age out towards the end of this year and the beginning of next year. Most of our girls have found families, but we need some folks interested in boys! Boys are great, too, and I don't know how many times I've heard that they're so much easier than girls in the teenage years:-) We have some great boys and we just got updates on them, so please help spread the word about them before it's too late! Send people to our password protected website to take a look! They're very handsome:-) Updates will be going up soon! All of the boys that are aging out have $5000 grants to help with their adoptions! Spread the word, pay it forward, do your magic and help these kids! Thank you!

Check Out Our Baotou Kids!

2011-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

More pictures from Baotou...check out that tummy time!

The Baotou Teacher College's library did a book donating event with Baotou orphanage-- they donated over 4000 books! Check out pics of our baotou kids: http://www.bttc.cn/bttc/shownews.asp?id=1565

Previews

2011-07-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here's some previews of some of the kids we met while in Baotou:

Aren't they cute? Stay tuned in August to find out more!

Baotou excitement

2011-07-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

We are hoping to receive files of a bunch of children from Baotou in late August. We're all very excited! It seems as if we will have several adorable young ones and I'm excited for you to get to know them as we did. We can't post specifics until we have the files, but let me just say that I think your hearts will melt as ours did. So I leave you with the suspense.....

Happy News!

2011-07-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

We have happy news while we await files from Baotou! Lina and Marianne both have families pursuing them! Congratulations to those families!

I see that many of you have things to share about Inner Mongolia! If you do, please feel free to email me: marcisk@asiadopt.org We would love to have more information to help our families that are soon to go there to be united with their children:-) We spent a week in Baotou, but did not go to the capital where adoptions will take place. Please feel free to share! Happy Tuesday!

Around Baotou

2011-07-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

Since it's almost August and we're hoping to receive more files from the kids we met in Baotou in August, I'm hoping to get everyone excited about that again. Here are some pictures from around Baotou (mostly our walk between the orphanage and Hotel)

A fruit stand

Fei, Donna and Dr. Hayes borrowed a rickshaw for this one!

Fei and Susan, ASIA staff

Getting Through the Tough Spots

2011-07-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

I recently heard from an adoptive family who had some useful and concrete tips for families adopting older children. There is not a lot of information available about adopting teenagers, and since we're trying to promote that, I wanted to provide some education as well. Sometimes the adoption of teenagers is swell and smooth, and other times it takes some real dedication to get over the bumps in the road. If you're thinking about taking that journey, please read the wise words of an adoptive parent who adopted her daughter at the age of 14:

From a family who adopted a 14 year old from China:
Tips for preparing the children already in the family:
1. Siblings need to be prepared for what is coming. They may expect that the new family member is going to act just like any other child of that particular age, just with foreign mannerisms and a foreign language. Julia, though, had a very, very hard life, as you know, so her behavior was not at all, in any way, like a fourteen year old child who has had an easy life. Our adoption classes prepared us for a very scared, timid child who would have to be coaxed to join us, coaxed to eat and generally carefully protected. That image did not prepare Joe and me or our children for Julia. Julia (and two of her peers from Conghua) was very controlling. She had been in charge of herself for a long, long time, so she wanted to control our whole family. She walked in and took over! She laughed at us, mocked us, told us our looks made her want to vomit, told us she hated the U.S. and tried to get control of every situation. She was loud, bossy, demanding, and generally very rude. She also had huge emotional swings. She could go from laughing hysterically to sobbing inconsolably in a short period of time, so we were all off balance all of the time. I had tried to keep Julia's private history totally private, as was advised in our adoption classes, but now I think it is best to be honest with the children already in the family and give them at least a little relevant information about the situation their new sibling comes from. I would explain to them that the new child may have many wounds that need to be healed, that she may have never been taught how to behave kindly or politely, that she may have been treated very badly and may try to reenact that behavior on her siblings. Children should be told that if the adopted child tries to hurt them, with actions or words, it is good and right to let mom and dad know about it RIGHT AWAY. The family's children should also know that even though the adopted child's age may be 12 or 13 or 14, the child may sometimes act that age and sometimes act very, very young, as unthinking or needy as a two year old toddler. They should understand that this is not unusual in kids who have been deprived and that is not a sign that the child is a bad person in any way.
2. Siblings need to understand that the adopted child will be like a newborn baby in the amount of attention and time that she needs. Newborns take up huge amounts of time and attention, and as they grow and develop, they need less and less intensive attention. Siblings should know that for as long as nine months or so, the adopted child will genuinely NEED attention. Their need for attention is a NEED, not a desire or a whim. It's a need just like our need for water and food. I think that if kids know that in advance, they can be very understanding. If I had it to do over again, I would explain to my children that Julia would be like someone who had just survived a long, drawn-out war. She would need lots of time to talk about that war, lots of time with mom and dad in order to feel safe, lots of food to get over her fear that the food will run out and she'll starve again, and more help with her homework as she may have had a very sketchy or vague education. I would stress to the children that the time of intense attention, just as in the case of newborn babies, will come to an end, that IT WON'T ALWAYS BE THAT WAY, that life will get back to normal and that by allowing the adopted child that attention that she needs, they are doing a good deed, a mitzvah, giving a gift that will make the world better.
3. A time should be reserved each week (I started doing this, and it worked wonders) where one parent takes the adopted child out (in Julia's case it was Friday nights -- she plays badminton at her church on Fridays, and the biological kids are home with me while Joe attends badminton with Julia) and the other stays home. The parent gathers the children together and initiates a discussion about "how things are going with the new sister/brother." Not much initiation is needed for a catharsis to begin. Wow. I was the parent to take on this role because Joe was raised in a very Christian family where it was considered un-Christian to complain. In my family it was okay to complain. So, I could listen to all of the complaining without it bothering me too much. The children NEEDED to get off their chests how angry they were at the adopted child. "She broke my NintendoDS! She pulled the cat's tail! She misses the bus every day and the bus driver yells at ME! She doesn't brush her teeth! She says my curly hair is ugly! She said she wants me to die!" Oy! There were long, long lists at first, but those discussions were also a chance to generate empathy because AFTER I had carefully and actively listened to and responded to each complaint, the children could calm down. They had re-established a peaceful feeling in their hearts. Then I could ask them questions that guided them to thinking for THEMSELVES what might be causing Julia to be so unkind and how we could, all together, as a family, encourage her, in a positive way, to be kinder. It also was a chance for some healing for the original children. Many times, siblings had to tell little kindergarten Dorothy, "You are NOT ugly. Your curly hair is beautiful! Your light colored eyes are gorgeous! We think you are beautiful, inside and out." Dorothy really, really needed that with Julia telling her the exact opposite whenever I was out of earshot.

For the adopted child:
1. Limits need to be set right away, even with a language barrier. Pantomime, Google Translate, picture books, anything that works needs to be used. No hitting. No hair pulling. No saying mean words. That has to be established right away. When I met Julia's friends at her orphanage, one thing I noticed was that they hit and shoved each other constantly. They seemed to relate to each other through rough physical contact, almost like teenage guys on the rugby field. It was frightening. Sure enough, when Julia came home, she greatly admired her older sister Caroline, so what did she do? She pulled her hair and hit her! That had to stop immediately, and unfortunately, Joe and I were so overwhelmed by Julia's bulldozer personality that we did not respond fast enough. People got hurt.
2. Don't give too many goodies out, just for free, all at once. It's too overwhelming to go from owning nothing at all to having a computer, an i-pod, a TV, lots of clothes, etc... Even a year later, Julia has to have her clothes be all the same, like a uniform. She has four pairs of shorts, all the same and five T-shirts, the same but all different colors, and that is all she can handle. When I add other clothes to her closet, even though she admires the clothes, it overwhelms her and causes her to throw everything on the floor and cry. The "goodies" like the computer, can be a powerful motivator to a child who needs to learn the rules of family life ... and FAST. We made very positive charts for Julia with things on them like "brush your teeth, comb your hair, say something nice to Dorothy, pet the cat gently, say, 'Hi Mom!' and say 'Hi Dad!'" She had to get a certain number of boxes checked off in order to use the computer for fun. She learned so fast! Such nice looking hair and nice clean teeth! She was a fast, fast learner, and we praised her lavishly. The hardest thing for Julia was learning to call me and Joe Mom and Dad. She used to hit me across the back of my head (hard, and yes, it did hurt a lot) and say, "Hey!" to get my attention. Eventually we got whittled down to one chart that was solely focused on saying Mom and Dad, and Presto! I was no longer slap/Hey! but Mom, and Julia was greatly relieved. After the third time she called me Mom, she came to me and spontaneously put her arms around me and said, "I so happy you my mom now." We've been Mom and Dad every day since, and it's good for all of us.

For the parents:
1. It's easy to feel SO bad for what your child has lived through that you just don't want to make her feel bad by disciplining her. Joe had that problem. He gave in to tantrums, and then after a few months, it got awful, and he had to somehow undo it. Oh, very ugly. Wow. For example, in our family, kids who are big enough to do so take turns riding in the front seat of the car. Julia felt that she should sit in the front seat all the time because she likes to be in control. When Joe would say that it was Mary's turn or Jake's turn, Julia would get in the back and kick and scream, hit people, pull her own hair out, generally go wild with grief and rage, so Joe would give in and tell her she could sit in front and tell Jack or Maya to move to the back. Scenes like this caused big, big trouble. The masses got uneasy and started rising up with the cry of "UNFAIR!". One of our biological children began to think that her dad no longer cared about her, stopped eating and began to waste away before our eyes. The more Joe bent the family rules (with his soft-heart and his regret for Julia's awful childhood -- he really meant well), the more the children felt they should take justice into their own hands. You can't have peace without justice. We had to do a big about-face and separate Julia from those tantrums. Joe had to leave her home and I had to tell her, "You can't go with Dad because you will not sit in the back of the car. You have to stay with me so you will not yell, kick and hit." Julia is very smart. After just one time being left out, she learned and said, "I can come. I will sit in back. I sit in front go there. Maya sit in front come back." Problem solved. She was learning to take turns, and she was learning that even if she sat in the back, she would be okay, and Dad would still love her. The adopted child cannot have and rule everything. It will not help her siblings love her and will not help her respect other people.

2. Make time to do things with the "original" children. The adopted child is so needful (rightfully so too) that it is easy to fall into the trap of doing EVERYTHING with the adopted child at your side. That is terribly hard on the original children in the family. They too have needs. They need to be able to speak rapid-fire English and describe things to a parent without having to slow down and explain words to the new sibling. They need time to talk about personal things ("There's a girl I like at school. I think I'm getting too tall. Why am I shorter than everyone else? If my tooth falls out will a new one really, truly grow back in?" They NEED to have time to be alone with Mom or Dad to talk, laugh, voice concerns, even complain. Some things are private, and the children who have had an easy life and haven't had to survive trauma still need time with their parents. They should not have to give their parents up totally to a new sibling. They cannot love a brother or sister who has robbed them of their mom or dad.

For the whole family:

It takes a long time to really know someone, and the adopted teenager changes almost every month. I can't believe that my kind-hearted, caring Julia used to try to hit me! But she did! She even tried to bite me once! She is not like that anymore. She has changed. Still, I do not know everything about Julia. Sometimes she acts twelve. Sometimes she acts three. Sometimes she acts eight. She is still unpredictable. While she is unpredictable, it is best to be protective and plan for the worst. I cannot allow Julia to have the freedoms that my other 14 year child has. It would be too dangerous. Julia does not think out into the future. She is impulsive. Until she can act a particular age and act that age consistently, I have to protect her from harm. She needs more supervision and direction than the average American 14 year old. She is immature from years and years of neglect and abuse. She is in a foreign country where she does not know all of the rules. It is in her best interests for us to be conservative and protect her until we are SURE she is ready for age-appropriate freedoms. It may be a long time. Interestingly enough, Julia does not want those freedoms that Jake and Mary have. She prefers to stay by my side or Joe's side, which is also an indication that she is not ready for too much freedom. She seems to want to be that little girl, protected and treasured, that she never got to be, and she stays close. That's good. We want Julia to survive her first 2 years in American in good shape!

2. Celebrate the victories. Laugh as much as possible. Get silly. Do anything necessary to "connect" the children with their new sibling. One major bonding point with all of the children and Julia came unexpectedly when we had our annual St. PatJoe's Day all-family marshmallow fight. Julia had said that no way was she going to let people throw ANYTHING at her, but once she saw what fun we were having, she grabbed her bag (I had bought her a bag of marshmallows anyway, just in case) and joined in. She threw marshmallows and took the hits with the best of us, and boy, that kid has a strong arm! The kids loved it! After the fight, they all gave Julia high-fives and hugs and said, "You were great You throw like a Billings!" Who would have expected that the big marshmallow fight would help so much? But it did because it was just dumb, silly fun -- no rules, no proper behavior, just a crazy, silly time. Families should point out the new sibling's good points. Compliment her strengths. Compliment the original children for their flexibility, their willingness to share. Let them know that the world will be better because they tried hard to make a positive difference.

Incredible News from Half The Sky!

2011-07-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have received the incredible news from Half The Sky. They are starting a new program called the Rainbow Program, where they will be training every nanny in China to provide better care to orphans! I have seen the difference in orphanages and schools sponsoried by Half The Sky and those that aren't. There is a BIG difference! This is thrilling news to hear that they will be reaching each and every caregiver! What a difference that will make in the lives of the children in orphanages all over China! I'm sure it will take time, as everything does, but I'm very encouraged by this news. As you may know, Half the Sky has a school at our partner orphanage, Baotou! It makes such a difference in the lives of those children! One girl, never wants to leave school when it's time to go, she loves it so much! Her teachers make that much of a difference in their lives! Way to go, Half The Sky!

http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=halfthesky

Perspective

2011-07-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we just need to put our lives in perspective and this week is calling for that:

"Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid." ~Albert Einstein

"We judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions." ~Ian Percy

"The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress." ~Joseph Joubert, Pensées, 1842

"It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall." ~Mexican Proverb

"With most men, unbelief in one thing springs from blind belief in another." ~Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, "Notebook L," Aphorisms

A Heart Full of Sadness

2011-07-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

We received some sad news, which makes me want to remind everyone to give your kids or loved one an extra hug or kiss each and every day. Don't wait on your dreams--Carpe Diem!

Yopp!

2011-07-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a very surprising thing happened to me at the grocery store. The woman in line in front of me decided she would buy my groceries for me (I bet that's not what you expected to hear!). It wasn't a lot of groceries, but it was the act of kindness that meant so much and made my day. It reminded me of what a difference a person can make in someone else's life, just through a small act. How many times has a smile, a kind word, a hug or a laugh changed your entire outlook? She told me that a while back someone had bought her gas for her. So every once in a while she just does something like that to make a positive difference in someone's life since there are so many negatives in this world. What an incredible philosophy--she's paying it forward! If you have ever seen the movie Pay It Forward, then you understand what a difference one small person can make in the world. Dr. Seuss had the same philosophy, as described in Horton Hears a Who when the smallest of all puts them over the top with one word...Yopp! (Yes, I'm fully emersed in the world of Seuss).

I've seen miraculous changes, where those of you reading this and my wonderful volunteers and all those on advocacy groups work together to help a child find a home just in the nick of time. The word gets passed along until it happens to come across the ears of the family who is meant to parent that child. I've heard that this is what happened for Jessica! I've also seen it happen when we raise money to help with a child's adoption. We often get lots of small donations, which total up to make a difference, enabling the child to have a family! I think it's important to be reminded every so often that even small acts of kindness truly do make the world a better place. We all need to do our part to make this world a positive place to live. I'm still thinking about what would be the most effective way for me to pay it forward. But in the meantime, I ask that everyone reading this pass this blog along to a few people you know who just might consider adoption. If 100 of you actually pass it along, we can quadruple our readership, and perhaps find another child a home! If anyone ever helped change your life or brighten your spirit, than you know how important it is to pay it forward. Pay it forward for all of the older boys who wait, desperately wanting a family. Get the word out there--Yopp! http://www.asiahope.blogspot.com/

A Baotou Adoption Story

2011-07-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

As the time neared for Beth and John to meet their new son, Max, in Hohhot (near Baotou), China, they wondered how they would be received. Their six-year-old, daughter Juliette, also adopted from China, was ready for a sibling. After two years of waiting, they found Max, a 21-month-old minor special needs orphan with a repaired cleft lip and unrepaired cleft palate in Baotou.

Now there he stood, meeting them for the first time, wearing three-layers of clothing, looking up at them with his big brown eyes. “He looked like a little Buddha -- a Buddha eating a lollipop” Beth says on her blog. “We introduced ourselves as ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’, handed him a tootsie roll lollipop and he was in heaven!” Then they were off -- taking him to his new home in Salem, Oregon, to meet the rest of his family, including his sister.

Soon after arrival in the U.S., Max’s cleft palate was repaired (his cleft lip had already been fixed in China). Tubes were also inserted in his ears to help his hearing which had been affected by the cleft palate. Speech therapy is also helping him recover from the residual effects of the cleft palate. He is talking a lot, saying his first words in English.

Today, Max is thriving chatterbox and is inseparable from his sister, Juliette, who, Beth says, “is handling her new status as ‘big sister’ nicely. We love our little Max. I hope anyone who wants to learn more about our experience will call me. We are happy to share our experience if it means getting more children adopted.”

Thank you to Beth and John for sharing their family's story! If anyone else has an adoption story to share, please contact us!

Please Meet Darien

2011-07-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

Look at that focus! That sweet smile! Darien is a smart and talented young boy who excels in sports and is loved by all who meet him. His teachers praise him and he is well liked by his peers. He would make a great sibling! Darien is a happy boy who desperately wants a family. He sees his peers get adopted and wants a mother and father to love him as well. He is an active boy with a positive outlook who would make a wonderful addition to a loving family. Darien hopes for a family who is close to dossier ready as he ages out in January. There is a $5000 grant available to help with the adoption costs for Darien. If you or someone you know could be interested in considering Darien, please contact me right away--his file is available! No one has asked about him yet! Even if you don't quite meet the requirements, please contact me anyway: marcisk@asiadopt.org Let's not keep Darien waiting and wondering!

Baotou

2011-07-01T09:34:00.001-07:00

Baotou Social Welfare Institute did a special performance recently and everyone got dressed up. It looks like they chose some special children for the performance. The oldest boy in the picture wanted to come home with the Doctor that traveled with us when we were there. He wanted a family so badly--he sang for us, did dances, gymnastics and everthing he could to prove that he was lovable. We've asked for his file. Hopefully we will get it later this summer. Some of the other kids pictured are those that we already have families for:

New Girls to Introduce - Part 4

2011-06-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Our final introduction is for sweet little Greta!

Greta is clever and cute and likes to listen to music. She is a bit shy, but has rich facial expressions and is interested in toys around her. She likes to be cuddled and can go out to play. She plays with toys with other children and laughs, but is shy in new environments. She has not had an operation for her feet yet, but is able to crawl and stand with help. She hadn’t started speaking yet as of October 2010, but is communicating with her caregiver.

If you think you have a place in your heart for Greta, please contact Marci at marcisk@asiadopt.org or Vicki at vickib@asiadopt.org today!

New Girls to Introduce - Part 3

2011-06-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

Today we are pleased to introduce everyone to the lovely Marianne!

Marianne was found at four years old and has lived with a foster family for several years. She has lots of energy and needs a bit of supervision to do her school work. She was in grade 3 in 2009 and could do addition and subtraction and finish reciting tasks. She has neat handwriting and cares about the others around her. She helps other children with special needs to put on their coats and shoes and she helps to do chores. She is active and outgoing and likes to play house. She can take care of her own basic needs.

Marianne could be the perfect addition to your family! If you would like to learn more, please contact Marci at marcisk@asiadopt.org or Vicki at vickib@asiadopt.org.

New Girls to Introduce - Part 2

2011-06-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

Next we would like you to meet...Janelle!

Janelle is an active, smart and outgoing young lady. She initially entered an orphanage at 5 years old. It took her a few days to adjust but became a happy little bird, laughing all of the time and asking other children to play with her. She started school and was very motivated. She learned children’s songs, counting, singing and dancing very quickly. She loves to play outside and is a bit of a chatterbox, speaking or singing constantly. She went to a foster family several years ago and now attends school. She is smart and her handicrafts are the best in the class. She is very enthusiastic about school and tells her foster family what she has learned each day. She is always chosen for the Children’s Day performances. She gets to school early to help her teachers with chores and helps the younger children. She is now in 4th grade and has received the honor of being a “Pioneer.” She receives praises from her teacher. She knows that she is not with a forever family and wants a family to call her own.

If you think Janelle might be the perfect daughter for you, contact Marci at marcisk@asiadopt or Vicki at vickib@asiadopt.org to learn more.

New Girls to Introduce - Part 1

2011-06-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

This week we have a few new girls to introduce. Today we would like you to meet the twins...Leah and Lianna! (Leah is in the red stroller, Lianna is holding the panda)

Leah likes to listen to children’s songs, watch cartoons, and play on the swing, seesaw and slide with other children. When she sees people she knows she gets excited and calls “yi-yi!” She is active and lovely and loved by everyone.

Lianna is developmentally delayed and has low muscle tone, but has made steady progress. She is now able to call out to her nanny and older sister and understands simple directions provided by her nanny. She is able to stand when held by her nanny and grab her nanny’s shoulders to prevent herself from falling. She is able to feed herself now. Please note that the twins must be adopted together.

If you are interested in learning more about these charming sisters, please contact Marci at marcisk@asiadopt.org or Vicki at vickib@asiadopt.org.

New Grant Available for Skippy

2011-06-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that a $1,500 grant is available from ASIA's Gift of Family Fund to help with the adoption of Skippy. If you haven't met Skippy yet, below are my impressions of him from my visit in April:

This is a typical picture of Skippy, as he is a happy-go-lucky boy who laughs a lot! In this picture, he was looking at picture of himself on the digital camera and thought that was really funny:-) He is such a sweet boy who sincerely enjoys life to its fullest. He wants a family of his own and would make a very sweet, loving son and bring a lot of fun and laughter into a family. Skippy stole all of our hearts and every time we saw him he would give us a big smile and wave hi! In fact, he was one of the very first children who came out to see us when we arrived. His special need is pretty mild and Skippy is fully functional in his daily life. I have no doubts that he would thrive in a family.

Could you be the family for Skippy? Please contact me if you would like to consider him: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Watch This:

2011-06-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

http://youtu.be/5ijggNs2Ask

Waivers, Just Starting, Etc...

2011-06-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

If one of these kids touches your heart, but you don't think you qualify, please contact me anyway. Waivers may be available for these children aging out! Also, if you're just starting the process, but you're willing to work at lightening speed and push members of the government here in the U.S. contact me right now if you want to consider one of these children. If you start now, you just may be able to adopt them before they turn 14! If you wait much longer, then these kids will need dossiered families instead. These kids all have very sweet stories, please read them!

On a positive note, Jeremy, Wally and Jonathan have families pursuing them! Congratulations to those families! Charlie, Zeke, Jake, Skippy and Lillian still need their families to find them. Take a look at their files and see if they might be yours!

New Kids Aging Out With Grants

2011-06-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

It is with a heavy heart that I have to say it is likely too late for the kids aging out in July to find their families. Therefore, we are hoping that the following kids, who don't age out until next year will find families before it's too late. These are great kids and they each have a $5000 grant to help with their adoptions! Please meet:

Corey ages out in February: Corey lived with a foster family from the day he was found until 2009 when they were not able to care for him any longer. Corey is in the 6th grade and likes Math and English classes. He likes to play badminton and ping pong for fun. Corey is popular among his classmates and is always willing to help others. He is also popular amongst the younger children at the orphanage, and often leads them in playing games. They call him older brother and like him a lot. He is praised by his teachers as a good and sensible child. He is an intelligent child and is well loved at the orphanage and they hope he can have a happy home. There is a $5000 grant available for Corey through ASIA.

Lina ages out in March: Lina has a family pursuing her!

Scott ages out in January: Scott is an incredibly determined and brave child. Through his rehabilitation training, he never gave up, even when he was covered in sweat. He takes the role of monitor at school and helps the other children. At the orphanage he also helps the other children with basic daily living tasks, like washing their faces. He is extremely generous and shares his delicious food and favorite toys with others. He is part of the Half the Sky program and cherishes his opportunity, so he studies hard. He has an excellent memory and can remember what he is taught. In his free time, he likes to read poems and sing. He is excellent at math. He didn’t think he could draw very well, but saw a beautiful picture and the teacher encouraged him to try to draw it. He tried after some convincing and drew a beautiful picture. He sees his brothers and sisters get adopted into families and very much wants a family of his own. There is a $5000 grant available through ASIA for him.

Darien ages out in January: Darien is beloved by his teachers and always willing to help. He is well liked by his classmates, too. He is active and happy and loves sports. He participates in sports meets and won the championship, earning a cute nickname. He considers the institute his family currently, but sees other children get adopted and fostered and says that he wants a mother and father of his own. When asked if he wants to be adopted, he happily agrees. Darien needs a family that is close to dossier ready who would like to pursue him. He is on the shared list, but there is a $5000 grant available through ASIA for him.

If you would like to consider any of these children, please contact Marci: marcisk@asiadopt.org

URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-06-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

URGENT NEED!!! WE JUST FOUND OUT JESSICA DOES INDEED WANT A FAMILY VERY BADLY! SHE ONLY HAS UNTIL NEAR THE END OF JULY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SHE NEEDS A DOSSIERED FAMILY IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE HER DREAM COME TRUE? DO YOU HAVE A DOSSIER IN CHINA ALREADY? COULD YOU BE HER FAMILY? CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY: MARCISK@ASIADOPT.ORG

THERE IS A $5000 GRANT AVAILABLE FOR JESSICA!

Jessica is active and extroverted. She has formed close bonds with her caretakers and is a happy girl. She is a smart girl and communicates well with others. She helps the caretakers do housework actively. She has normal physical and mental development.

Update: Jessica goes to boarding school during the week and comes back to the orphanage on weekends. She does her own laundry and helps take care of the younger children. She helps out the caregivers and wishes she can have her own family one day. Do you live near mountains? Maybe Jessica would fit in perfectly with your kids?

Pondering Boys....

2011-06-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

We all know that boys are harder to place. If you're an orphan in China and a boy, that's a special need in itself, it seems. It used to be the other way around, but that has changed. Almost everyone currently waiting with ASIA wants a girl; even those who are open to boys prefer girls. Yet if you look at the proportion of boys available for adoption to girls, it is hugely disproportionate--there are vastly more boys available than girls! There are adorable young boys on the shared waiting child list right now! They have special needs that those adopting girls would be happy to accept, but there's one problem--they're boys! Now if you were getting a referral the old fashioned way, you would just get assigned a child. When one gives birth to a child biologically, the selection of boy vs. girl is made for them, but they are generally delighted with the choice! So how is it that so many parents in the adoption process are not open to considering boys? Perhaps your child is waiting for you, but you just don't know it because you haven't opened up to the possibility that your child could be a boy?

My daughter at age 2 is currently going through a phase where she only wants to play with boys! She would love to have a gege! Ok, it could be a massive Oedipal complex going on, but she truly sees the fun and value in boys. She's a girlie girl, but she loves to be active and play superhero games, play with cars, and all of the silly games young boys like to play. It might surprise you! I just spoke with a family yesterday who brought a boy home and an older one at that. They had all girls and he fits right in perfectly! He's happy, bright, cuddly and has many little mannerisms that their family members have. He even likes to play dress up with them! He also likes sports, which makes Dad happy...there's something for everyone! Boys are available....please consider them! This is my plea--just open yourselves to the possibility! It can't hurt...you'll have to wait a while for those girls anyway:-)

Another Request

2011-06-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

We've been asked by CCAA to advocate for another child. Please meet Cole:

Cole is turning 11 years old this month. A member of CCAA spent time with him and said he was such a warm and polite young boy. His orphanage reports the same thing. He is always offering to do chores to help adults and always welcomes people and greets them. He is able to take care of his own daily living tasks. He is a sweet child, always ready and willing to help others. He is especially good with younger children. He is generous and understanding. I'm hoping we can find a family for his birthday! Could he be a good fit for your family? contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Are You My Mother?

2011-06-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Am I cute or what? My name is Zeke. Can't you imagine me sitting at a park with you and making one of my beautiful drawings? Or perhaps I could be a performer of some sort? I really want a Mommy and Daddy most of all! Siblings are good, too:-) I''m quite a ham--I'll recite a poem for you...or would you prefer a song? Please sit down...

Girls always oogle at me and say I'm soo cute! I like to learn and play sports with other kids. I can draw and sing pretty well, too. If I had a Mommy and Daddy, I could do anything! Could I fit into your family picture? Cheeeeeese!

I'm Jake; I'm all boy! I like to be rambunctious and active and silly! I'll demonstrate my super hero poses for you if you like? Do you like to wrestle, because I would love to have a daddy to wrestle with and a Mommy to cuddle with and read to me. Do you have some brothers for me? I really want a family!

I'm Lillian; I love playing outdoors in the light and music. I like doing things by myself, but get a little nervous, too. I need a Mommy and Daddy to help guide me and teach me to be self-sufficient.

Please spread the word about these children! Contact me if you're interested in considering any of them: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Their files are currently available.

Do You Have A Heart for These Children?

2011-06-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

Do you want to make a difference in the life of a child? Share this blog with everyone you know and help these kids find their families! You never know where that red thread might lead!

Being Wacky

2011-06-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Jake here has some natural wackiness:

Zeke and Skippy are a bit goofy, too...although they try to contain it, sometimes it just bursts forth:-)

Charlie is the cutest sweetest, kindest and most determined little boy. Want a cuddly boy? This is your boy! Fei and Donna got him to be a little wacky:

Kids need to be kids, play and have the chance to be goofy, wacky and just have fun! See, Fei has no problem after years of practice:

As an adult, what better excuse to be wacky, than a child? The kids featured on our blog have not had much of a chance to be wacky. These kids need families to endulge in their wacky sides! If you're interested in any of these adorable boys, contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Struggling

2011-05-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling about what to say here on the blog...it has been a sad day here at the office. It is looking like our little heart baby may not have much hope. Along those lines, I look at the shared list and it's full of boys. It is 74% boys, yet everyone wants girls. NONE of the boys about to age out with grants have found families! How can that be? Will it truly be their fate to live without a family? Take one last look and see if any of these boys could be yours.

Our current list of kiddos from Baotou is all boys. On that note, I have two bits of Good News to share:
Wally found his family--hooray! It sounds like Jeremy has a family, too! It's likely that Jonathan will have a family, so those are victories to celebrate! Yet Skippy, Zeke and Charlie have no one looking at their files. Lee, Foster, Heath, Leroy, Perry and Hansen who will age out in a matter of months don't have anyone considering them as far as I know. They are on the shared list, so perhaps they do. Yes, they are older boys, but they are still young and sweet at heart! These boys should have families! If you could be one of their families, please contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org We're running out of time for the 13 year olds!

A Little Adoption Inspiration

2011-05-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today my heart was so happy as I talked to one of our moms who got home yesterday with her new son. He was part of our Hope's Journey 2 program last year and even with the jet lag, I could hear the utter happiness and wonder of actually having him home and playing in their backyard!

It is always the children and the families like this that inspire us every day.

If you are looking for some inspiration on why you should consider adoption, below are some thoughts from other ASIA families:

...."Where do I start? I find joy everyday because of my sweet daughter. If anyone is worried about loving an adopted child, don't! I have 4 biological children and the love isn't any different. I pray that we can add another little one to our family some day."

...."Adoption comes from the heart. When we decided to adopt it felt so right...like we were meant to go on this journey all our lives. Our daughter completes us."

...."My sons were born in my heart long before they ever came home. The One who formed the universe hand picked me to be their mom. Our lives have been changed in ways that we never could have imagined when we first decided to adopt."

Why Older Child Adoption?

2011-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

One of our wonderful families has given us permission to share her gorgeous and eloquent blog post about their journey to adopt an older child and who she has blossomed into...it is quite beautiful and I would encourage all to read it:

http://www.michellerphotoblog.com/2011/04/inspiration-52-week-14.html

Perhaps this will inspire others to take the leap of faith and adopt an older child as well? There are so many out there who need Mom's and Dad's to love them! I've posted about several of those kiddos, yet still no one has asked to consider the files of Skippy, Zeke or Charlie....they're waiting for you!

Meet Zeke

2011-05-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Zeke is a charming, polite and bright young man who invited us into his room and pulled out chairs for each of us, asking us to "please sit down." He is a wonderful host, a happy boy and desperately wants to be adopted. There is an adorable picture of Zeke and Skippy together that I wish I could post on here, but it's a close up! They're like two peas in a pod, or perhaps more like Larry and Mo:-)

Zeke's group went outside to play one day and I peeked out the window to take some pictures without being seen. That didn't last long--they spotted me and soon were doing superhero poses to get my attention. Zeke is a bit of a ham--always the first to pose in front of a camera, or recite a poem or sing a song to show off. He's smart! This is a boy with a lot of potential in life! Surely there is a family that would be thrilled to find Zeke!

Zeke is not only an older boy, which is essentially a special need in itself, but he does have a minor special need. This type of child is the hardest to place. Can you help Zeke's dream to come true?

Caught in the Act

2011-05-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

Jake is all boy! He is active, funny, determined, focused and goofy all rolled up into one. He is outgoing and once he saw us walking down the hallway, proceeded to welcome us with some superhero moves. He is very active and social and follows instructions well. He is able to multitask and I think this boy might be destined to be a lawyer! He is a determined negotiator and doesn't give up easily:-) He doesn't have much opportunity to follow his dreams where he is now, but with a family, there is no doubt he can go far! To consider Jake, contact me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Susan and I snuck up on Jake, Donna and Fei during their evaluation and I caught Fei demonstrating the wheelbarrow with Donna:-)

Hello, I'm Charlie

2011-05-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Charlie was another boy who any of us would have been happy to take home. He's a happy little guy who has the most determination of any of the kids we met. What a sweetheart! If you could see the close up pictures I took of him, you would fall head over heals in love with him, too! He is truly a gentle boy with a very loving personality. He's not outgoing, but friendly nonetheless and always smiling. He wants to please, so he always tries his hardest. Doesn't that sound like a perfect son and addition to your family? Charlie does have some challenges, but with some treatment, this boy could thrive. He is fully functional in his daily living tasks and very willing to learn. See our password protected website for close ups of his sweet face. If you would like to take a look at his file, email me: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Meet Jeremy

2011-05-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Jeremy is another boy that stole all of our hearts! He was so sweet and caring with the other children in his room. You could tell he was a teacher's helper kind of boy. He would patiently show his friends how to do something they were having difficulty with, or he would open their snacks for them if they couldn't. He was outgoing and responsive and he really doesn't have much of a special need. This boy is such a sweetheart! If you're a mama wanting a girl because they're cute and cuddly, this is a boy who is cuddly! He'll shower you with kisses and hugs once he gets comfortable with you. I have no doubt this boy would thrive in a family with younger or older siblings. He's so gentle and kind and thoughtful. If you have any interest in Jeremy, please contact me--his file is currently available as I write this: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Meet Skippy

2011-05-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Please meet Skippy:

This is a typical picture of Skippy, as he is a happy-go-lucky boy who laughs a lot! In this picture, he was looking at picture of himself on the digital camera and thought that was really funny:-) He is such a sweet boy who sincerely enjoys life to its fullest. He wants a family of his own and would make a very sweet, loving son and bring a lot of fun and laughter into a family. Skippy stole all of our hearts and every time we saw him he would give us a big smile and wave hi! In fact, he was one of the very first children who came out to see us when we arrived. His special need is pretty mild and Skippy is fully functional in his daily life. I have no doubts that he would thrive in a family. Could you be the family for Skippy? Please contact me if you would like to consider him: marcisk@asiadopt.org

Plugs for the Older Kids

2011-05-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

I want to put in a plug for the older kids. We are advocating for 7 kids about to age out of eligibility for adoption and they all have grants attached to them. If you're interested, please contact me right away--they don't have any time to waste!

Here's a few pictures from Fei's visit to the CCAA (now CCCWA).

We also have some kids from Baotou. The password has changed on our waiting child list, so if you would like the new one, please email me the form again with your information filled in marcisk@asiadopt.org :

Name:

Mailing Address:

City/State/Zip:

Phone Number:

E-Mail Address:

Your ages:

Are you married? If so, what was the date of your marriage?

Have you or your spouse been divorced? If so, how many times?

Annual Income:

Do your net assets reach $80,000 or more?
If you are single, do your net assets reach $100,000?

What are you and your spouse’s highest levels of education?

Do you or your spouse have a criminal record?

What are you and your spouse’s Body Mass Index: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm

Do you or your spouse have any health conditions, or a history of any health conditions? Do either of you take medication for anything? Please explain:

Number of children in your home:
How long have you had them?

Do you have a home study completed or in process?

Is your dossier in another country?
If it’s in China, with what agency?
Do they have access to the shared list?

Why do you want to view ASIA’s waiting children?

How did you hear about ASIA?

State that you “agree” or “disagree” to the following statement:

“I recognize that ASIA regards the information about children in its Waiting Child program to be private and confidential. If I am granted access to this information, I agree that I will only use this information personally in my own quest to adopt a child with special needs. I will not give the password and access information to anyone. I will not share or disseminate (including cut and paste) any of the information contained on the site.”

We have 8 files from Baotou!

2011-05-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here's the little guy with the heart condition pulling my hair:-)

Here's the babies' room where they get lots of attention:

We expected not to get files for at least a few months for the kids from Baotou, but there were a few kids who already have files done, so we now have them on our private list. After our families in process take a look at them, I will be introducing them to you:-) Meanwhile, here's a few more pictures from the trip to keep your attention.

Beijing Foster Homes

2011-05-02T10:28:00.001-07:00

Our last day in China we spent in Beijing visiting foster homes run by Chinacare that had children from Baotou in them. We visited the Chinacare facility as well, which had several premies from Baotou and a few toddlers from Boutou. They were very protective of the children and we're not allowed to post their pictures, so you'll have to wait on those. But here are a few pics from our time there. We could have spent all day with those sweet little babies! Baotou sends their children that are medically fragile or need surgeries to Beijing to be cared for until they're ready to return to the orphanage. All of the babies from Baotou receive excellent care! It was very heartwarming.

Last Day at Baotou Pictures

2011-04-29T09:26:00.001-07:00

Donna prepares to spot a boy to test his strength

Yay! What a strong boy!!

Donna makes a new friend

Dr. Meg plays a Dora matching card game with the kids

Lunch time in the baby room

Resting/playing after lunch

Classwork in the Half the Sky school

Last Day in Baotou

2011-04-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Today was our last VERY long day in Baotou. We managed to see all of the children and do some training with the nannies. Donna visited the rehab facility at the orphanage and showed the nannies how to use some of the equipment. I was able to give the nannies some tips for baby care as well and they were all very eager and interested in learning.

I was able to witness another transformation today that amazed me. There is a young deaf girl who is placed in a room with some children who are nonverbal. She has some very challenging behaviors there. But today I saw her in school and she was a completely different child! She was able to concentrate for a half hour on an activity with the rest of the kids and communicate her needs through gestures. She was even very bonded to her Teacher there. It was like night and day! That Half the Sky school makes such a difference for those kids! What a wonderful program!

Joy will post more pictures for me later--some of Donna doing her OT magic, some of the babies having lunch and one of the Half The Sky school in action.

More Pictures from Baotou

2011-04-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Fei checks out the Half the Sky-sponsored classroom

A close-up view of the classroom

A ball pit near the classroom

Fei shows what a big kid she really is

Dr. Meg loving on the kids

Oh boy! Legos!!

Time to show off our creations :)

Comparing notes on the kids at the end of the day

Transformations

2011-04-28T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to get to know a child in such a short amount of time, much less 100's of children! Today we got to hear about transformations, and we saw some in person, which was pretty incredible. There's a little girl who was so incredibly nervous that she was shaking and wouldn't answer our questions, even after some distractions and games. Today we visited the Half The Sky sponsored school at the orphanage and learned that although she is incredibly shy, she is doing quite well. It was such a relief to find out how much progress she has made. When we went into her room after the school tour, she came out of her shell again, giggling and sharing Legos with us. I was very pleased to see what a great school they have there at the orphanage, and it's clear they're really making a difference in the children's lives who participate. The teachers were so caring and willing to share about each child when we asked. They keep a binder on each child with information and pictures from each week that they are there participating to tell how they are progressing. Pretty amazing!

We also met another older boy today who really wants to be adopted. I'm not sure he totally understands adoption, but he definitely wants out of there and wants to go to the States. He is interested in learning English and wants a Mama and a Baba. He's a very sweet boy who seems pretty intelligent. Unfortunately they have him labeled incorrectly and he's not getting the attention he so deserves. He kept asking if he would get to leave with us and when he could go to the states. Sigh...if only it were that easy!

Later the Oregon staff will post some great pictures of the kids playing with Legos, another of Dr. Hayes with a few of the kids and some of the Half They Sky school. Stay tuned for our last day in Baotou tomorrow! Then we're on to visit some of the kids who are in Beijing for medical care.....

New Pictures from Baotou

2011-04-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

A peek into the infant/toddler playroom at Baotou

(that's Fei in the checked shirt holding one of the

resident cuties)

Little ones showing off their crayon skills

Donna (the therapist) playing/evaluating one of the kids

Time to play outside on the patio

Watch us! We want to show you our latest game!!

Fei, Donna and Dr. Meg take in the local sights

Updates from Baotou

2011-04-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

This has been such a busy trip, I've hardly had time to write! We leave around 7:30am and get home around 8:30pm and then deal with urgent issues before moving onto trying to provides some pictures and updates. But I'm sure you don't want to hear about that!

Today Fei and I got to spend time oogling with the babies under a year--I had forgotten how tiny they are at that age! What fun! This orphanage does seem to have a lot of young children! The nannies and the orphanage staff and Directors all seem very interested in learning from our team, which is great! They are so caring and loving towards the children. One baby boy stole our hearts in there. he has a very serious heart condition and is blue most of the time. We need to see if we can find any doctors who would agree to do surgery on him. This boy has fight in him! Even thought I'm sure he doesn't feel well most of the time, and clearly has no energy, he still found the spunk to grab my hair and pull hard:-) He has bright eyes and you can just tell he is meant for great things if he can just get some help.

We also had the experience of meeting 4 newborns today! The little sweeties didn't even open their eyes, they were just so new to the world!

There are a couple of older boys that have stolen all of our hearts! They want to be adopted and the orphanage wants us to help them find families, which I think we are all motivated to do. I have never met such happy go lucky, polite and goofy little guys:-) They bring a smile to our faces each time we see them. The kids have all gotten used to us walking through the orphanage, asking questions, taking pictures and notes.

I have technical difficulty posting pictures from here, so I'm shrinking and sending them to the Oregon staff to help do that. I've taken a LOT of pictures, which I'll post more of when I get back, but for now you'll have to be satisfied with what I can send through email:-) Many of the pictures will have to go on our password protected website as well. Stay tuned!

Baotou Beauties

2011-04-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day meeting kids so I'm going to make this post short (besides...the attached pictures really speak for themselves!) I'll try to write more soon.

Warm Welcomes

2011-04-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Baotou yesterday unfortunately without Donna, our Occupational Therapist. She has been a trooper, though! The tornadoes causes quite the adventure for her in her travels! She just arrived here in Baotou late last night and I'm sure she's exhausted! Her luggage has yet to be found... The rest of us arrived without a hitch and received a very warm welcome from the provincial and orphanage officials with a lunch banquet in a traditional mongolian yurt. It was beautiful, with Traditional Mongolian singers serenading us towards the end of lunch. I wish I could describe the scenery here--it was quite striking with yurts surrounding a pond, sheep wondering the property, frolicking (and then ending up lunch) and a sand storm blowing in through all of the trees surrounding the yurts.

I'm sure you would rather here about the orphange....no? We didn't arrive at the orphanage until late in the afternoon. Dr. Hayes had a chance to evaluate a group of infants/toddlers in the baby room. I started with some of the older children and worked my way around to the babies. Most of the kids are quite interested in Westerners, but a little shy at first. I don't think they have had much exposure to Westerners. The orphanage staff seems quite helpful and kind hearted. I was pleased to see that the nannies were loving with the babies, giving them hugs, encouraging them to walk or crawl or creep, and celebrating their achievements with them. They are quite good with the older children as well. I asked who their favorite nannies were, and they each seemed to have one that they're very close with. The children I talked with all made very good eye contact and responded appropriately. I didn't see any signs of attachment issues in the children I saw yesterday. Hopefully today we will get more time there. More updates later...stay tuned.

Busy Bees

2011-04-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

The office is abuzz with the preparations for our trip to Baotou coming up. Fei is leaving tomorrow! She is first going to Beijing to meet with some officials at the CCCWA and then the rest of our team will meet in Beijing on Sunday night and fly to Baotou early Monday morning to get started with the children. We're looking forward to meeting those little faces we've seen by video and look forward to sharing pictures with you as we're over there!