Monday, February 14, 2011

Help Sweet Angelina Find Her Family



Angelina was just found and sent to the orphanage recently. She has taught herself to walk and needs a family who can love her and provide her with the medical care she needs. Praying for this little one that she will find her family soon. She is listed on the Children's House individual list. This is what was written about her by the orphanage staff in China.

Angelina cares for the younger children and is able to take care and protect them. Meanwhile, she is a helper to the caregivers, for example, when seeing other children sleeping, she would cover them with a quilt. She helps younger children with whatever they need and is so caring and gentle. She is also able to feed younger children congee or help the caregivers dry and put away clothes.”

Angelina may have legs that are bent and twisting and eyelids that droop, but she has a heart and will of IRON. This child will undoubtedly be a teacher among those she meets. She absolutely needs a family to help transform her body, but it will likely be Angelina that transforms the soul of the family.

Families with access to treatment at Shriner’s Hospitals for Children or children’s hospitals with orthopedic programs can change the whole course of this gentle child’s life. .

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Praying For Anton


Received this message this week and now there is a fund being set up in hope's that Anton will get a family.

This is what a woman who has been advocating for him wrote a few months ago:

"During this week my friend from a non-profit foundation caring for orphans in Russia (www.otkazniki.ru) has told me a story about a baby boy abanded by his surrogate and biological parents in Russia. His name is Anton A. He was born on the 16th of January, 2010 from a surrogate mother hired through an agency by a wealthy couple. Twins were born. Anton’s healthy brother was picked up by a nanny (sent by a private jet), but Anton was not so lucky… He was rejected and left in one of the Moscow hospitals. The personnel of the hospital did not know how to treat him because no one could diagnose his disease. Besides his symptoms he was underweight; he has also suffered multiple pneumonias and was bandaged with general application gauzes. Pain management was minimal. His doctor has admitted later that she does not understand how he survived during first months of his life.
But Anton is a fighter: despite it all he was alive when our curator has found him. He even smiled at every adult who would show him any affection. When we found him, he had never been outside of his room and did not see a single toy. The foundation called a pediatrician, recommended by Debra International, who diagnosed him with EB and we collected some money to hire a nurse (the hospital’s staffing is one nurse per twenty kids).
He cannot, however, stay in hospitals forever. After some time he must go back to the orphanage to which he is assigned. He will not survive the transition because no one could possibly change his bandages and treat his wounds the way it should be treated on the regular basis in any Russian orphanage. The only way for him to live is to find a loving family.
More about him: he is blond with green eyes and has a very calm and cheerful disposition. He was diagnosed with RDEB in Russia. He is a very curious little boy, very alert, but lucking attention… There was an article in the main Russian newspaper about Anton and we are planning a short video clip on the leading television channel in order to collect money for his future family. His web-page is almost complete and donations would be accepted. The financial side of the adoption and even a big portion of monthly medical fees will be covered by the foundation “Gift of Life” and by DEBRA. The adoption agencies representing Anton are doing their work pro-bono."

UPDATE: Anton spent a few months in a very nice hospital where he received care from a personal nanny, had toys for stimulation, and had proper wound care supplies. However, the organization helping him just found out that he will soon be moved back to his orphanage, where he likely will not survive. He has a site called helpanton.org where you can read more about him and donate as well. Anton is such a sweet little boy, who deserves a loving family! There is also a facebook group called "Help Anton" where you can read lots of updates from the past couple months


Anton's best chance at survival is to be adopted .
Anton is currently listed as a waiting child on Reese's Rainbow. This is a wonderful organization that helps spotlight children with special medical needs and sets them up to receive adoption grants. Anton is set up to receive money towards his adoption. This grant will help a family step forward that maybe has the love to give this child but not the money to complete his adoption fees.

So it is simple .

1. Go here http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/other-angel-boys ,scroll down and look for Anton's name.At the bottom of his story is a button for donation's. Click and donated $5.00. (You will receive a receipt for your taxes)

2. Now, forward this email to all in your contact list. Help spread the word about this precious little boy and be a part of something really big today!

Five dollars is not much but I figure if everyone that reads this sends $5.00 and then forwards this on , Anton could have an adoption grant to cover all of his fees in less than a week!

Praying Anton will receive the adoption grants and can finally receive the love and medical care he needs.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Pictures for China.

We had to send a bunch of pictures with our dossier to China, so they can see the front of our house and family life. It was hard trying to get pictures with all of us in them. Here is what we sent. The Fed-Ex truck drove off with it today and all of our dossier /homestudy paperwork should get translated by the end of the week and Lord willing be off to China soon!!


Gracie and Hope with Curran. We were all going out to celebrate Chinese New Year.



Grace and Hope jamming out.


School at our house. Where is Curran ???


We had to have a picture of the front of our house.




All of us at Disney World


Christmas family picture


Fun day at the park, except Grace has a big Dora band-aid on her head and Hadyn has a broken arm. Maybe they won't notice.



Our house never looks this quiet.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

A Great Week

This has been a great week. We received USCIS approval on Monday after waiting 60 days and today our last piece of paperwork was notarized and sent to the courier. It was such a great feeling to finally be handing over all the paperwork we have been trying to get finished over the past 4 months. It will go to the State department then to the Chinese Embassy and then sent to CHI (our agency) in Washington State. Hopefully by next week it will be on it's way to China. Then we wait some more for our letter of acceptance.

I am planning on getting Liam's room ready over the next few months. Grace and Hope's playroom will now be Liam's room. The pink and purple walls will have to be painted and I'm not sure we will keep the pink castle rug. We got some cute little clothes from our friends hanging in his closet now and a couple pairs of cute shoes. I love going in that room now and opening the closet. Grace and Hope keep asking me everyday, "Are we going to China today?" They pray for Liam every night and for all the children in China who need a Daddy and Mommy, it is so wonderful to see their hearts wanting to help others.

The girls are so much fun and they play great together now. I'm wondering how this new dynamic will look with Liam in the mix. I think poor Liam might have to put up with having 3 mothers,but at least he will get lots of love and attention.