Life is Good

When you have a bean bag to lay on, an apple to eat, and Dora to watch...YES, life is good!

$13K Rebate for Adopting!

That's right, did you know that you will receive a check from the IRS for $13,170 when you file your taxes for the year that your adoption was finalized! This is just like a $13K grant for you to adopt a child. How cool is that. So NOW what is stopping you?!?

Adoption Tax Credit Extended and Improved
Joint Council is pleased to confirm that the Adoption Tax Credit (ATC), which was scheduled to expire in 2010, was extended for one-year (through December 31, 2011). The highlights of the ATC are;

-The maximum credit was increased from $12,150 to $13,170,
-The ATC was made refundable. If a family has no tax liability, the IRS will refund the amount due.
-The extension of the ATC through 2011, was passed as part of the health care reform bill which was signed into law by President Obama on Monday, March 22, 2010. There was some concern that the ATC would be included in the reconciliation process, however we have confirmed that it is not part of reconciliation which means the ATC is law until December 31, 2011.

Joint Council along with many other advocates and adoptive families have long advocated for making the ATC permanent. We applaud Congress and the Obama administration for the extension and continue to call for a permanent tax credit.

The ATC is a critically important element in finding permanent families for children in the U.S. foster care system and the children of our world, who live without permanent parental care. The ATC makes adoption a viable option for many families who may otherwise be unable to afford to adopt. We again applaud the extension and improvements to the Adoption Tax Credit.

Birthday Fun

We went to see that big mouse this past weekend for LynnMarie's birthday party. Of course my kids love this place, so everyone had a great time. I even had a great time visiting with some of my fellow adoptive parent friends that I haven't seen in a really long time. Fortunately with the help of Bloglines, I still feel "connected" to them by getting to watch their little ones grow via the internet. But nothing beats a good face to face reunion :) So fun was had by all, and little LynnMarie turned the big TWO years old!

One More Coming Home

Happy to say that one more little one will soon be on her way home! I met Kim a long time ago at an adoption function not thinking much about our encounter. You know I was just running off at the mouth about all the beautiful SN kids currently available, and that you know you don't have to wait in that agency's really LONG line if you don't want to...

Well it turns out she took some of my advice that day and well the rest is history. Sure keeps me going watching each and every one of these precious little ones coming home. I may not be able to bring another little home to MY home, but I sure can keep helping others bring one home to THEIR home :) Wow, how did I ever get so lucky!!

BTW: If your agency is telling you that you need to wait longer than 3 months for a special needs match, and you don't want to wait...email me. Right now there are over 1500 kids available on the shared list. Oh and if your agency doesn't match off the shared list, then email me for other options you may have available ;)

Readoption Paperwork Resource

I have had a few people ask me about how to file for their readoption here in Georgia. My friend, Michael Perry, has decided to start offering some help to adoptive families in getting all their paperwork ready to be able to file for readoption themselves. Michael is not an attorney and doesn't even play one on TV; however, he has successfully navigated several families through the readoption process in the past. If you wish to talk to him more about what he can do for you, then please email him at mperry@pdragons.com for more information.

If you are like me, by the time you finally get home with your child, you are sick and TIRED of all the paperwork and would just like to have someone else worry with all that stuff for you. Michael can be that paperwork life-saver you have been looking for!

Flashback Friday

Baby Faith waiting for us in the orphanage. She looked so sad :(

Car Races

We had a great time at our church's pine car derby race the other night. It was the first time the boys have done the race at our new church, so I wasn't sure how it would go. It went great! Both boys walked away with trophies and the girls had fun too. The boys had been working on their cars every Wednesday night at church for a long time, so their hardwork paid off. A BIG thank you to the men who teach their RA class and helped them with their cars. Since CJ is not home during the week to help the boys, this really was a big help for us. The boys weren't rushed in making their cars and they looked forward to going to church each Wednesday night to work on them, win-win!

Perfect Pic

Some pictures just really make you SMILE!

Shelby and her Papa :)

Did You Get the Memo

You should take the time to drop over and read Linny's post for today. WOW! really makes you think...

'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rusts destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' -Matthew 6:19-21

Flashback Friday

Pics courtesy of my friend Shelly :) What about our little ball player...anyone remember this little guy?!

Amazing Today

This pretty much sums up some things I got the pleasure of being a witness to today!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do!!

Tough Stuff

Just read some very "tough" posts on another blog. You can go here to read her third post, but it does have links in there for her first and second post in this particular series. If you are adopting soon, it will be well worth your time to read some of her posts. She is just being VERY honest in her posts. Unfortunately, we never know how our new child will react when we meet them. Unfortunately, until that very moment, we don't know how WE will react in that very moment either.

So even if this is your first, second, or third adoption. Step on over there and read about what might happen in those first few weeks. I too remember my little Shelby doing a whole LOT of this those first few weeks (or was it months)!!

Chinese New Year

I completely forgot to post some pics of our little Chinese New Year celebration we did a few weeks back. We had a simple dinner hanging out with some friends. Thanks to Lucy for organizing everyone together. It was fun :)

The girls and I will be attending the FCCA Spring Celebration this Saturday, so let me know if you are going to be there too!

Changes in Waiting Child Program

I warned everyone here that some big changes were coming for the China Special Needs Program. Looks like the changes have arrived. Basically what this means is that you will need to already have all your paperwork completed and have an LID (logged in date) before you can be matched with a minor special needs child from the shared list. This is a great thing for the children and really it is for the parents too. Everyone won't have to wait as long for their child once matched.

Now here is the tricky part. Since I help a lot of people get out of the ridiculous SLOW waiting child line over at CCAI (granted they are an upstanding, ethical agency, that is why they have a lot of people already in their SN line), I think it will be harder to convince those people to switch agencies and hop over into the super speedy express line at BAAS. You see once you have seen your child's face, I don't have to do anymore "convincing". People see their child and they do whatever in the world they have to in order to get to their child in China. Closed case, they switch.

Now with this new process in place, it is going to make my advocating a little tougher since they won't get to see their child's face until they have committed themselves to a new agency that matches from the shared list. I suppose just another challenge for me right! Oh well, I know it is a good change for the kids and that is what matters the most- the waiting kids :)

Announcement
March 8, 2010
Government departments and adoption agencies in receiving countries,
With the development of China's economy and society, inter-country adoption is faced with new situation. At present, feedback from adoption agencies shows that some adoptive families who have already sent their adoption files to CCAA intend to adopt a special needs child, but these families have to wait for a long time because their agency fails to lock suitable children for them in time, which caused a backlog of adoption files and influenced the placement of adoptable children. It is thus suggested by adoption agencies that CCAA improve relevant measures for special needs program and expedite the process for adoption of special needs children. Considering that a great number of special needs children have had surgeries through the "Tomorrow Plan" and mostly recovered in physical and mental conditions, CCAA decides that for each multiple list (shared list) released on and after this date, adoption agencies shall recommend families whose application files are already logged in with CCAA in order to shorten the waiting time for adoptive families and help special needs children back to families as soon as possible. When locking the file of a special needs child, agencies are required to truthfully fill in the log-in date and serial number of the application file, and agencies which put in false information will be suspended in working with the special needs online system. For special needs children who have been on the list for over one month, CCAA will reset the time limit for families to send application files, so adoption agencies are recommended to pay attention to the time limit of paper preparation for each special needs child. In addition, the time limit for inputting family information after locking is extended from 48 hours to 72 hours.

China Center of Adoption Affairs
CCAA

Another Little Miracle

God is good all the time! All the time, God is good!! One more baby girl coming home to her mommy and daddy. I am SO happy for the Radicchis Team who has just grown by one new member. They have finally found their long awaited Claire waiting for them in China. Hop over to their blog to take a look at this gorgeous baby.

I have been "working" on them for a while torturing them with my endless emails of waiting child lists. I knew they were ready when they picked up the phone and called. I get so giddy every time someone finally gets up the nerve to pick up the phone to talk to me :) I am SO blessed to get to help others get their little ones from China. I truly get to witness God's miracles, one baby at a time!!

Flashback Friday

Anyone remember who this sweet and innocent baby boy is?

Looking for Your Child

Or maybe just an advocate for waiting children like me?? If so, I would highly recommend that you join this new group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AdvocateforWC/ that features children currently on the shared list. Join the group then go to the photos section on the left side to see some gorgeous little ones waiting on their mommy and daddy! Come on, I dare you ;)

Yeah for Daddy

Today is CJ's 29th birthday, again. Shelby insisted that you have to have a "party" when it is your birthday, so yesterday she picked out a cookie cake to help Daddy celebrate! The kids enjoyed singing and of course eating all the frosting and cookie(hey Faith even ate some frosting- no cookie of course, but lots of frosting). We went out for dinner and had a great family birthday "party".

Oh and considering that I am still in the running for wife-of-the-year, I gave CJ the Rookie Rush package to drive a real live Nascar car. Yes, I did give it to him on Valentines Day, but it was such a great present, I am using it for his birthday too :) I am sure he will have a blast, and my dad is even signed up to get to go drive one too. Can't wait to be on the sidelines cheering them on!!

Reba

My favorite man took me to see my favorite gal last night...REBA! He bought us the tickets for my Valentine present. He is SO smart (with some help from my favorite sister)!! We had a great night on the town just the two of us cruising around in the vette watching one of the most amazing women on earth. I just love Reba and have for YEARS. I think she is just great, and yes she does happen to have a child named Shelby too :) Oh and George Strait was there too. Good thing they aren't married or their would be another Shelby Strait-HA!

I don't listen to much country music anymore, but I still love Reba. She did alot of her old stuff which is what I know and love. Turns out country music can be kind of depressing and talks a lot about divorce, sin, and generally pain in life. I guess that explains why I don't listen to it much anymore! My life is much more happier than that :)

Turns out LeeAnn Womack was there too. (Strange name coincidence night for sure... Strait, Shelby, Leeann) Anyhow she did one of her new songs called There Is A God, WOW! Here it is for your listening pleasure. All around great night spent with my hubby!

PS: No children were harmed in the production of this date night. They were in the great care of their Aunt Sheila who survived the whole night without killing one of them. Although I am still not sure if there was any alcohol involved (with her or the children)?!?!

One of "Those" Families

I just stole this post from here today. I really enjoyed reading it since we now seem to be one of "those families" now. I never imagined being one of "those" families, but I am SO glad that we are now! I will admit that it is alot of work, especially when you have a husband that is not home during the week :( However, as you can see below, the rewards are GREAT for everyone in the entire family!!


Why big families are easier:

Patience. I never have to teach patience. My children know that I can’t drop everything for them if I have a baby in my arms.

Work Ethic. My children have learned to work because there are always chores to do in a small house packed with little messy lunatics. And they all learn quickly that sometimes they have to clean up a mess even though they didn’t make it.

Humility. My children have learned it’s not always their turn. They’ve accepted they can’t always get their way because other people have to get their way sometimes. They’ve learned that some children are better at certain things than they are.

Foreign language skills. You can learn a lot of Spanish by watching ten years of Dora the Explorer that you just can’t pick up in two. And now with the Diego spin off I’m practically fluent.

Laughter. The children have learned to laugh at the insane non sequiturs of younger siblings. They’ve learned that laughing just feels better when seven people are doing it along with you.

Competition. Do I really need to go into this? Everything is a competition in big families. The children compete over who reads faster, who drinks their milk faster, who gets to the bathroom first…etc. Everything is a competition and they’re all keeping score.

Balance. The floor of the front room of my home is a minefield of toys and childhood paraphernalia. Just walking through the room requires great skill and balance. I’m absolutely convinced my two year old will be a favorite for Gold on the balance beam in the 2016 Olympics. (She might have to lay off the cookies a little but I’ll deal with that later.)

Life isn’t fair. Sometimes you just give it to the baby because you want a little quiet. Not all the time. But sometimes.

Just say “No.” Being able to say “no” may be the most undervalued skill in this world. The need to be liked is pervasive. The need to be cool even more so. Having brothers and sisters teaches children to say “no” about 143 times a day. It’s a good skill.

Praying. They learn that nothing beats praying together as a family.

Namecalling. You can occasionally call your child by the wrong name and still not be considered a terrible parent. They know who you mean just from your tone. Sometimes if you need something done you can call the wrong name and someone will still show up. That helps.

Spying. My children have learned that they can’t get away with anything. I have spies who look a lot like them who are willing to drop the dime on them for anything. Even at school I’ve got a child in just about every grade. If they do something I’ll hear. That keeps them nervous. And I like keeping my kids a little nervous.

Friendship. The children have many friends. They’ve got girly friends, crying friends, fun loving friends, consoling friends, and crazy friends. And they all have the same last name. And they’ll be there forever for each other. No matter what.

Love. I think my children have learned to love because there are others around them to love and who love them. I honestly can think of no better way to teach children to love than siblings.

Dads For Adoption

Stole this off of Gwen's site. Go grab your hubby and ask him to watch it with you! And then pop over to her other site and buy a T-shirt or two :)

A Perfect Match

I am thrilled to announce that another little one is coming home soon! I just love watching these babies find their mommy and daddy :)

I have to share some of Sharon and Scott's story since they happen to be a little piece of Shelby's Red Thread too. You see S & S (Sharon and Scott) just so happened to be the very FIRST couple we ever met actively adopting from China. We met them at our very first meeting with CCAI way back in January 2007. They were the couple sitting right next to us as we listened to our orientation on "How to adopt from China".

Scott made a HUGE impression on CJ since Scott was an already done that parent. You see S&S had only been home from China for one year when we met. They were actually at the orientation for their second adoption. Scott went on to tell CJ all about it and how wonderful it was and all about the trip to China, etc. etc. Scott made sure that he convinced CJ right then and there that we should definitely take the boys with us to China. I still use Scott's advice to others..."When else in life will you get another chance to spend 2 full weeks with your family? No work, no cell phone, no interruptions, just time with your entire family!" So you see Scott made a big difference in our adoption to Shelby and I don' think he even knew it ;)

So of course I began to follow S&S on their blog and continued to stalk them from afar. Small world is the adoption world, so luckily I was able to see S&S through a mutual friend at parties and such. Little did I know that I would get the phone call from them to help them find a SN waiting child! I always know that if someone is actually willing to pick up the phone and call me, then they are ready to go to China. I got that call from Sharon, and let's just say the rest is history :)

That little Red Thread sure does have an awesome way of weaving itself through the lives of our children from China!!

Making Your Kids Happy?

Just read an awesome post that I stole from a friend. Go ahead and take the 2 minutes to read. It just might change your life and your kid's! Click here to read.

SpongeBob

He is such a great babysitter ;)

Any Ordinary Days Lately

SNOW

We had a wonderful snow storm here in Hotlanta. It is a rare treat for us deep southerners :) The kids had a great time playing in it ALL day. Faith absolutely loved it and couldn't get enough. Every time I made her come inside to warm up and dry off, she cried. CJ let the boys loose on the 4 wheelers too. Travis had a blast doing donuts over and over and over again. Fun day for all!

Message from Shelby

Now if I told you what she says here that would be cheating. I will at least say that I cut her off on the filming, so I will give away that her first statement was "Don't forget....", then hopefully you can understand the rest. Her last surgery is really paying off!

Changes Coming

Just read this post from RQ. Doesn't sound good for the Waiting Child program if you ask me. Hopefully this just means all the kids will now strictly go up on the Shared List, but who knows. I sure hope the viability of the China Adoption Program stays strong! Oh my!!

Due to changes in the CCAA?s Waiting Children Program referral policies, the CCAA has asked all agencies to return any agency specific referrals that have been assigned to the agency for over 3 months as well as any referral files that are not currently under review by a family. Therefore, XXX will be returning these referrals on Friday, February 19th, 2010...all waiting families will also receive details on other recent changes to the CCAA?s referral policies.

If you are currently LID and don't want to start a new dossier and are with an agency that does NOT use the shared list, you better find your child NOW as in this week!! Maybe I can help you :)

Sisters

I was just asked this morning, "So how are your two together? Are the girls good together, do they play together?" So of course my immediate answer was YES!!

I have no idea how to explain it, but from day ONE, Shelby has been wonderful with Faith. Now Shelby was definitely attached to me and spoiled rotten by me by the time we went to China to get Faith. Shelby used to really fight the boys for my attention as well. She never wanted the boys to sit with me or anything. (She obviously had to get over that, but it was a big issue in the beginning.) Shelby was definitely a "Mommy's Girl" before Faith arrived. So of course I expected some true jealousy and turmoil once Faith arrived, but nothing except love has come out of Shelby for "her baby".

Hard to explain for sure. The first big change we noticed was in China when Shelby started letting CJ do more and more things for her instead of me. Now Shelby of course still has a preference for me, but she will let CJ fill in for me anytime. She even chooses to stay with him alot of times now if I am going somewhere quick. Big big change from the beginning.

So how are the girls together? GREAT! They typically will play together, sing together, dance together, etc. etc. Sounds like a fairy tale doesn't it?! Well I don't know any other way to tell it, but it is true. Shelby always says Faith is her baby because she is from China too :) True love is all I can say, given straight from above to my sweet little girls. They are the perfect sisters!!

PS: Now I do realize I may eat my words down the road, but for now I am going with it :)

Check Check and a Final Check

I am SO happy to announce that finally ALL of my adoption paperwork is DONE!! We went to court to finalize Faith's adoption in the state of GA last week. We met with the same crabby judge as we did with Shelby, but at least this time she was a little less crabby. Anyhow she managed to get off of me one of my original sets of white papers that I wasn't too happy about giving up, but in exchange I got her signature. So now we have to sit and wait for her new birth certificate to arrive in the mail. The main thing here is that I am PAPERWORK FREED!!!! (Yeah, I know not really a word;)

Heaven knows I am not a big fan of all the ridiculous amounts of paperwork involved with adoptions. I personally think it is their way of weeding out the idiots and the unorganized adoptive parents. To put up with this much paperwork, you have to really WANT to adopt!

Choosing Your Child

One thing that I don't read alot about on blogs is how you "choose" your child. Most of the time you hear things like "perfect match", "gift from God", "always meant to be in our family", etc. etc. Well all of those things may actually be true for you and your child; however, this isn't always the story behind the scenes. You see when you choose to adopt a waiting child from China, you get to "choose" your child. So what most people don't bother to mention, is the fact that sometimes you have to "un-choose" your child.

I can still remember the first file I ever requested. It was a little 16 month girl with a cleft lip and palate. She was SO cute in her pictures. I poured through her file over and over again trying to take in each and every word. I kept asking myself over and over again too..."Is she mine, is she mine?" Needless to say, I can still also remember me telling the agency, NO.

No, she wasn't mine, no I will not adopt her, no I will not be giving her a much needed mommy and daddy, no I will not give her a home to live in forever. It sounds awful when you write it all down, but all of it is very true. This is the part no one really wants to talk about. The special needs route is not for the faint of heart. It is tough to turn down files, oh I mean children! These "files" equal a child's life. When you hold their file in your hands, you have the chance to change their lives, or to not change their lives. The choice is yours. Unfortunately the choice you have to make is not always an easy one.

It doesn't mean that you are a bad person, that you don't care about the child, that you don't really want to make a difference in their life. It just means that that particular child is NOT yours! That child's file came to you for some reason, only heaven knows why. However, I know that I have figured out the "why" on a few occasions after the file has passed through my hands. It could be just for education, or just as a stall until that child's parents would be ready for the file, or it could be for you to pass along that file to another family that you know would make a perfect fit for the child. I am sure there are several reasons as to why a file may end up in your lap. Prayer is one of the only ways I know of to figure out some of the "whys".

So just to wrap this up, sometimes you have to say NO. It isn't easy or fun. It is sometimes just the right thing to do. Just be aware if you are on this SN adoption roller coaster, you better put your big-girl panties on before you step on the ride.

Latest Addition to the Family

I personally think I should get Wife of the Year for this one! Most men have to wait until they are old and divorced to get to own one of these. Still not sure how he is going to fit all 4 kids in there though ;)

Best Compliment

I received one of the best compliments yesterday from a friend. Her email was talking about her recommending a friend of hers to talk to me about adopting special needs from China. She said...

"don't talk to Donna unless you are ready for some action!!!"

LOVE IT!! That is so right my friends, don't come hehawing around me unless you are ready to find your child :)

Thanks Lucy you made my week!

Smile It's Friday

Perfect Group Sport

Yes, we are back into the perfect group sport activity for ME! Yes, I said me. I only have to dedicate one hour of my life per week and I get all 4 kids "active" in a group activity. YEAH!! As you can see I am not a big fan of take kid #1 to this sport, then kid #2 to that sport on the next day, then kid #3 has to be late because kid #1 has picture day, etc, etc, etc.

Needless to say the boys take the boy gymnastics class, while Shelby (and Faith on the side) attend ballet and gymnastics preschool style. Go kids Go :)

Sorry only can get a few pics of Shelby in class and it is hard to take a pic in the big boy gym. So we are off to our class tonight!

Perfect Pose

Isn't she beautiful?!?!?!

Cleft Issues You Deal With

I had a waiting parent ask me specifically more about adopting a child with a cleft lip and cleft palate. I thought I would share my response to her:


I will be happy to talk to you about CL/CP. It is not an “easy need” in the terms of SN world. Some people are confused when I say that. I am not one to sugar-coat this need. Yes, Shelby is a beautiful little girl, yes she is intellectually perfect, yes her need is “repairable”, yes she does not have a “life threatening” SN. However, there are a lot of things that also go with her SN.

(First off, if you truly FEEL like the Lord is leading you to a little one with CL/CP, I will be the first one to agree with you to adopt this route. I truly felt a HEAVY heart that Shelby had CL/CP before I found her, so I totally understand the calling.)

OK, so now on to the backend of CL/CP that a lot of people don’t realize. Shelby’s SN is an EVERYDAY need! Some SN are not everyday needs, like Faith’s repaired heart condition. I don’t ever think about her SN except when I see her large scar down her chest. Even then it is just a reminder to me of what a miracle it is that she is completely HEALED.

Shelby has speech 4 days a week-every week! I take her to school at 7:15am, then I return to pick her up at 8am, this is at the public Elementary School. Then Shelby has a private teacher that goes to her preschool once a week. I pay $35 per week for the private lesson. Remember this affects the whole family since the others have to get to school early on those days too, which means earlier to bed, earlier getting up, etc.

Shelby has had 2 very painful surgeries since we have been home. She will have at least 2-4 more surgeries in her future. Both surgeries consisted of 2 nights in the hospital and a lot of tears (mine and hers) for at least a week afterward. When you have other children, you have to be aware of the implications the surgeries put on your family logistically. Meaning you are not there to “babysit” your others, take to school, etc. Also we don’t have terrific insurance in terms of deductibles etc. So each of her surgeries cost $2500 EACH out of our pocket. I am not saying she isn’t worth it, I am just stating the facts.

Shelby has an everyday EMOTIONAL need that new parents might not realize. She can’t talk like other kids can her age. She is now 4 years old but still talks like a “baby”. I can understand her 95% of the time, but others cannot. Now that Shelby is older, she is expected to speak clearly, but she doesn’t. This affects her on an emotional level since now she understands that she is “different” than her friends. I can only imagine that this emotional need will only increase as she gets older. Right now it is very controlled considering the fact that she always has adults there to look after her and to make sure that the other kids are not bullying or teasing her. Once she starts branching out into her own peer groups, she will have to learn how to deal with the comments on her own.

All of that said, I don’t want to scare you away from CL/CP children. I just want you to be fully AWARE of what comes with this SN. Shelby is an amazing child and she was always meant to be in my family. I have done tons of research on her SNeeds and will continue to educate myself as she grows. Also I did my homework before I ever saw her face. I was immersed in educating myself on this need since I just knew that was the path God was leading me down. If you have the same calling, then I say go for it once you too have done your homework and you feel comfortable with taking all the good along with the bad :) My Shelby is SO worth it!!

More Waiting Kids

Just found a great blogpost about all the agencies out there that have individual waiting child lists. Click here and she gives some details as to how to access the lists, etc. I know alot of you out there are already logged in with China, are now interested in the Waiting Child program, yet you still wait for a "match" for your child.

If you are tired of waiting on your current agency to get it in gear and find you your child, then here is the deal in a nutshell:

If you find a child you want to bring home on another agency's Individual Waiting Child list (like the ones listed here), then all you have to do is "switch" to the new agency. The CCAA will allow you to do this and stay LID with your original LID. All you do is send in your LOI for said child and then your agency and the new agency should work together to transfer your file over. No big deal.

If you want to be matched with your child via the Shared List, then you will need to talk to an agency like this one that matches from the shared list. You then need to start over from scratch a brand new dossier to have it ready to go when you get your match with your child. You will send in an LOI for the child, then once you receive PA, your new agency will send in your new dossier for this child. Next step... pack your bags for CHINA!

It just really irritates me to watch all of these families that are already logged in sitting and "waiting" for a SN child when there are so MANY available. If you have any questions or want more details please please please just ask. I LOVE helping others bring home their babies :)

"Joshua" Found His Parents

You may remember my desperate post about finding a home for this adorable baby boy that I saw posted available for adoption. Well I am happy to say that I did help find his parents! I met Stephanie and Vuong a long time ago at one of the Chapman's First Friday meetings. I think it was over 2 years ago.

Amazing how God works these things out. Can't wait to follow them along on their journey to bring this adorable little boy home!! This little one sure holds a special place in my heart, praying he gets home soon :)

Bad Hair Day

Still cute as ever though, bib and all :)

Bib Baby

When o when will this child ever stop drooling!?!?!? I thought it was bad with Shelby and she had an excuse of having a cleft palate. I have NO idea why Faith is still drooling all the time? I will be so happy when she doesn't have to sport a bib every single minute of the day. Anyone have any great ideas of how to get her drooling under control??

Feed a Baby TODAY

OK folks, here is your chance to be an immediate help to those babies in Haiti who so desperately need it. A personal friend of mine here in Atlanta has been given the opportunity to send cans of formula straight down to Haiti RIGHT NOW when the need is so great. Most of the time when you give a large portion of that gift unfortunately has to spent on shipping. Well not now, now here is your chance to give directly to the source and not waste any extra on shipping cost.

So click here onto their "normal" website and post your donation. Just think about it, $10 will buy a whole can of formula that will feed a baby for a week in Haiti. Mark HAITI in the comment section on the donation. You can make a difference, one fed baby at a time!

Haiti Kids Waiting

Get your tissues out for this one. I can't possibly imagine how these couples feel right now, so helpless as their children wait for them.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/17639393

Click to Save a Life

All you need to do is click here to vote for my favorite charity Love Without Boundaries in their chance to win One MILLION dollars to help cleft affected babies get their life saving surgeries!!



From LWB: Our "big idea" and dream is to open a Cleft Healing Home in every province in China. These homes save lives! So many orphaned babies with cleft struggle to eat and tragically many pass away. Please visit http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/263934 and learn how you can save lives with just a click of your mouse. This is a wonderful opportunity to give some of the most vulnerable children in the world a second chance. THANK YOU!!!

Remember my Shelby baby before her life changing surgery, go make a difference in the life of a child!

Happy Birthday Travis!

My sweet baby boy turns 7 years old today!!! I can't believe how fast he has grown up. He thinks he is as big as his brother and actually sometimes it is hard to believe that he is a full 3 years younger than Caleb. Travis is well, as I like to say Travis is a mess ;) My mess and I love him dearly. My o my how boring would the Straight family be without Travis in it!

Seems like yesterday that he was laying so peacefully in the palm of my hand. I think this was the last time he was ever still :) Happy Birthday!!

Every Child Deserves A Home

Any chance you have room in your home?

Maybe, Just Maybe

I am praying that I have found "Joshua's" mommy and daddy!!! Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers this week as we discover if they are the right ones. Oh and no it is not me and CJ ;)

Although I have had some STRONG feelings for this little guy, I think it is just his little Red Thread pulling on my heart strings helping me guide him to his real parents. Man that red thread is tough! Keep praying :)

For Sale by Owner

Come on you know you want it! $12,500 and you can ride this Harley home :)
1998 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide for sale. Private Owner located by Lassiter High in Marietta. Must see the custom paint on this bike in person to appreciate the details. Chrome forks, chrome swing arm, braided hoses, Vance & Hines sweeper pipes, Carlini 1" handlebars with hidden wires, Arlen Ness headlight, windshield, and much more. Over $17K in custom work. 46mm Mikuni carb plus Harley Davidson Big Bore Kit was installed only 11K miles ago. Come check it out today! Only asking $12,500 considering it is winter time.

Call me at 404-395-2403 if you are interested.

WWJD, I meant what would you do?

So if you had the means to change someone's life for the better, would you? What if it meant your life had to become a little bit "uncomfortable" and "unpredictable"?!?

Caleb on the Court

Watch out, that lean-mean-basketball-machine is in the house!!

The boys are having a great time playing Upward Basketball this year. Caleb is having a blast and is really good too :)

Check out "Joshua"

Just click here to go take a peek at this absolutely ADORABLE 2 year old little boy!! He is just a couple months younger than Faith. His medical issue has already been corrected, so he has no current medical problems. He is in foster care and would be about 3 years old when you brought him home. He is perfect :) Is he yours??!!?

Oh and just in case you were coming up with all those "reasons" on how you can't afford it, go read this...

Why Blog?

I am currently in a blogging rut. But I received a very timely email this morning from someone that I met over 8 months ago at a "China conference". Here is an excerpt from her email:

Hi Donna,
I hope you remember me. I met you last year at a seminar on China...and we briefly talked about the wait I had with CCAI. I just wanted to let you know that recently we switched from CCAI to Barker as we found or daughter there.
(Just sitting and waiting on us!) ...So anyway, I wanted to say thanks, as I never would have know to try transferring....we had a 12/29/08 LID...so we are excited not to have to wait further

So I have been asked several times, "Why do you blog?". I always answer "To Educate!"....and also to have a personal diary of sorts for my girls and my family. If you haven't noticed, I am a big China Special Needs Adoption Advocate. I truly believe that I have a duty to speak out for those children "who cannot speak for themselves".

So yes, I will continue to blog. I will continue to tell anyone who will listen about the China SN program. I will not give up on advocating for children who still wait for their families to find them. And no, I will not stop sending out "those lists" to others I think might have the slightest bit of interest in adopting. YEAH for another child coming home!!