These Children Need the Ultimate Christmas Present...

 A family of their own.


Shane Sex: M Age: 1 ½ Shane is a smart, determined little boy who knows what he wants. He is shy with strangers, but is affectionate and lovable with his nannies. He has learned how to crawl as fast as lightening, disappearing with toys that he likes faster than his nannies can see! We witnessed his little toy-yanking episodes while we were there and the nannies showed us how smart he is by having him perform. He has also learned how to stand one foot while holding a toy. He learns quickly and his nannies hope for him to be able to find a family that can get him the treatment he needs so he can walk.

Hogan Sex: MAge: 2 YearsHogan is a mischievous and charming little guy. Although he is deaf, you wouldn’t necessarily know it right away. He is quick to learn and likes to feel music through his body, although he cannot hear it. He likes running back and forth in the room, which we saw, and he also tries to escape, all the while looking back to make sure his nannies are looking! He is quick and grabs toys away from other children. He can throw and catch a ball and he also likes to climb the cubbies in the room. Although he doesn’t speak, he has figured out how to communicate his needs with his nannies so they understand. They use a form of made up sign language, showing how clever he is, as he initiated it.

Rachel (Non-Special Focus) Sex: F Age: 2 Years  Rachel is a smart little girl who has gained more confidence since her surgery for her lip. She has since learned to stand and walk and now smiles more often. She loves to be cuddled by the nannies and touches their faces. She was friendly and interested in us while we visited the babies’ room. She has adorable, big eyes that grab your attention right away. When we visited she was in that adorable stage, where everything goes in the mouth. She was a very interactive and curious little girl who delighted in new people and things.

Jaci Sex: F Age: 1 ½ Jaci’s smile with her cute little dimples light up a room. She is a happy girl who seems to be developmentally on target. Her operation didn’t affect her mobility and she is crawling and walking a few steps and rolling over fast. She laughs whenever her caregivers tell her “good girl.” She is extroverted and loves being with her caregivers, cuddling or teasing them. She has a pair of big bright black eyes and a fair complexion and is very lovely. The Social Welfare Institute reports that her special need seems to be mild.

 Dalton (Non-Special Focus) Sex: M Age: 2 ½ Dalton is a special boy who has had both his lip and palate repaired. He is a spitfire, and will sometimes hit other kids if they take a toy from him, but he has learned to calm himself. He likes to climb over the fence in the room and learned to crawl and walk holding onto something quickly after his operation. Now he is the leader in the room and the other kids sometimes run away from him when they see him. He is imitating talking and is an endearing little boy. When we saw Dalton he was recovering in the Half The Sky care home, but he was still very bright-eyed and interactive.
  
Evan Sex: MAge: 9 YearsWe met Evan on his birthday and he was having a party at his friends’ house. He was pretty distracted, as they were watching a movie and eating. Fei didn’t even notice his differences, and it is indeed hard to tell. He functions normally. Evan attends a private school and initially had some difficulty. Now he is in the 2nd grade. He does not speak clearly with some words, but is very adept at doing arts and crafts, which he enjoys doing in his spare time. He is enthusiastic about helping his foster parents with some chores. He is well behaved, and quick to smile at everyone, which we witnessed. He is a very amiable young boy.

Lewis Sex: MAge: 11Lewis is a performer! When we met him, he came into the clinic and told one of us that he was coming home with her! Then he proceeded to perform the many poems that he knows. Later he showed us his gymnastics skills and expressed how much he wants to be adopted. This boy is literally dreaming about being adopted—he is not picky about what his family is like, as long as they are in the U.S! Lewis's pictures don't do him justice. In person, he is very handsome, charismatic and sweet. Could your family be the one to make Lewis’ dream come true?

Jason Sex: M Age: 1 Jason is the boy you may have seen on our blog grabbing Marci’s hair. He is a very sick boy who needs help, but despite that, he is a happy little sprite! His only chance to get help is to be adopted by a family in the U.S. that can get him the best care possible. He cannot get his operation in China. Jason is a fighter! He’s amazing and if anyone could survive he can, but he needs several operations. I chose the name Jason because it means Healer, and I truly believe Jason has a chance if he can find a family before his lungs are effected, which at this point, they haven’t been. We’re going to fight for Jason and we, along with his nannies hope that we can find him a family to help him soon! When we visited with him, his sweet nannies begged us to try to find him a family or get him help. We tried our hardest to get him medical help, but it can't be done unless he is adopted. Can you help Jason reach his full potential? With proper medical care, he will make a family very happy. He is truly and enchanting little imp!
 
Jeb Sex: MAge: 2Jeb is an adorable, cuddly and sweet little boy. He is always helpful to the nannies, picking up bottles that the other kids throw, or putting all the toys away in a container and giving it to the nannies. When the nannies thank him with a gesture, he hugs them and smiles whenever he is praised. He is a very happy boy. He liked to play peek-a-boo when he was younger, and seems to be developing on track, other than language skills. Jeb needs a family who can open his world up with sign language and help him communicate.
Shaylee (Non-Special Focus, only available to dossiered families)Sex: FAge: 1 ½ Shaylee is a smart and lovely little sprite who is talkative and has many stories to tell. She can walk with help, understands language and is already talking in simple one-word phrases. She has a quick smile and likes to be cuddled. She learns fast and is walking with help. She likes to play a clapping game with her nannies and is outgoing and active.

Balin Sex: MAge: 3Balin loves to be cuddled and play outside. He giggles happily when he is teased. He had trouble moving upon admission as an infant, but he has since made tremendous improvements and is walking, clapping, understanding language, but does not talk much, although he can follow instructions. He can feed himself and help get dressed. Could you be the family to help Balin reach his full potential? With the love and attention a family can provide, there's no telling what he could do!

Caroline         Sex: FAge: 5 Caroline is a very sweet and shy little girl. When we were there she began crying when we had her go into the other room to talk to her and evaluate her, but she was very outgoing in the group, coming right up to me, and even hugging us at times. The only way she was able to calm down individually, was when we pulled her friend in there with her, who was very outgoing. She was then able to calm down and try to answer our questions. She speaks unclearly, but she tries hard. She is able to hold a pen correctly. When we spoke to her teachers in the Half the Sky School, they said that once she got comfortable there, she made big improvements. Caroline needs the love and attention a family can provide to reach her full potential.

Simon Sex: MAge: 3 Simon is a helpful little boy who has met his milestones later than the average child. He is a sweet little boy. When he sees nannies changing diapers, he goes to get clean diapers to help them. He can say a few words and likes to play games with other children. He can point to his body parts, draw a line and likes to imitate words. He likes outdoor activities and musical toys the best. While our OT was there, he could walk normally, climb on the exercise ball and try to get away

Sherman Sex: MAge: 4 YearsSherman is a happy little dumpling who is always smiling. Fei took a liking to him and he called her “Ayi.”  He gets rehab at the institute and our OT evaluated him while she was there as well. He can speak simple sentences and follow instructions. He knows how old he is He can crawl and walk while holding onto something. He is potty trained and can feed himself. He can play games with other kids and is never slow to smile. During his visit with our OT, he pretended to take a phone call! He knows his body parts and can scribble.Unfortunately, Sherman gets very little stimulation on a daily basis. With the attention and love that a family could provide, there's no doubt he could accomplish much more.

Yuna Sex: FAge: 5 Yuna is a girl who desperately needs a family to teach her sign language and open up a world of communication for her. She loves going to her Half the Sky Class and is very close to her teachers there. She seems to enjoy the stimulation and activities she gets to do there and doesn't want to leave. She is able to communicate through gestures (not sign) with her teachers and she seems to blossom in that class. When we visited her, she was in a room with very little stimulation and other physically handicapped children. She was craving stimulation and trying to find it any way she could. We requested that she be moved to another room and received reports that she is doing better there. With the gift of family and language her world would open up.

 Seely Sex: MAge: 3 Seely is quite a determined little character. He is in the Little Sisters program and has made a lot of progress since he was initially found. He is walking and can say several simple phrases. His nannies say that he learned whatever they teach him. He gave Fei kisses and was friendly, curious and inquisitive during our visit. He liked to climb into the little cubbies that were supposed to house toys. He told his nannies that he wanted them to turn on the music so he could dance and he did a cute little jig! He is helpful with younger children, but gets jealous if his favorite nanny holds another baby. He played with a younger child; she pretended to feed him and they both giggled.


These kiddos really need families and there is no greater gift for the holidays.
 To inquire about any of these children please contact Marci Siegel-Kittrell, MSW , Director of Social Services  at Associated Services for International Adoption
503-224-1864/ Fax: 503-224-1995
marcisk@asiadopt.org
http://www.asiadopt.org/
http://www.asiahope.blogspot.com/
(Marci's work hours: 7:00am to 11:00 am and 12:00 to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday)

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Butterfly Baby

 (Be sure to read to the end for a bit of good news....)

The girls have  love "bug" nicknames that they fully enjoy. 

Bee's nickname was pretty obvious as Beatrice is her middle name. 

Our next bug came from the Ladybug fascination in Chinese adoption.  I think since I first started our adoption process back in 2006 I began collecting ladybugs for our Chinese daughter to be. As it turns out it fit, she is a poised lady indeed. 

But I'm going to admit the Butterfly nickname was a stretch.  There was no real connection to butterflies other than since we had a third little bug to love we needed a pretty and girly nickname to match her sisters'.  Butterfly seemed to fit plus the whole metamorphosis symbolism seemed somehow appropriate for a child who we felt  had so much potential.

So Baby Butterfly it is (for now-we'll have to see what really sticks)

Anyway I just want to share with you some of the pictures I've received over these many months of waiting...or shall I say cocooning. And I'm not saying anything except it's a sweet little coinky dink...

Peace, love and BUTTERFLIES

Pink metallic BUTTERFLIES

BUTTERFLY charm on a necklace made by visiting missionaries

Love and BUTTERFLY trim



And just yesterday a BUTTERFLY hoodie

OH BY THE WAY WE GOT OUR LOA YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!

It came a few days ahead of the average turn around time which makes it the first step in this adoption to be on time....early even.  Woohoo!

The LOA will arrive by fedex later today.  We need to sign it and then submit our I800 application to US Immigration (USCIS). 

The LOA was the last unpredictable wait in this adoption (know on wood).  Now we are officially on line for our TA (TRAVEL APPROVAL).

Don't forget to vote daily!

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Waiting Mama's 100 Day Fitness Challenge

Using the best information available I'm guessing that we are looking at another 15 weeks (more than 3 months, groan) before we finally meet our new daughter.  It really hit me hard over the Thanksgiving weekend as the reality of celebrating the holidays without the Butterfly started to set in.

This is not going to be easy.

It never is.

Waiting moms cope in many different ways.  We blog and obsess on message boards, we call our agencies and stalk the UPS guy, some of us buy baby clothes and decorate rooms and a whole lot of us EAT.

Our own special version of "eating for two".

For me eating has been my #1 way to self soothe, (chocolate is my drug of choice), and adoption eating during the holidays...NOT a good combination.


Since we're all friends here, I'll share that right now I weigh more than I've ever weighed in my life. While that Met Life BMI calculator thingy still says I'm in a "normal" range I am too far to the other end of the range to feel like myself. Since I ran my half marathon last April, I've fallen off the exercise wagon and hitched myself to the chuck wagon.

I'm out of control.

I need a project, a distraction, a goal, or an intervention.

So today I am starting on a 100 day diet and exercise program with the help of Stewart Forscher an adoptive dad and Team Beachbody coach. Knowing that accountability will translate into success for me,  I'm sharing here.

I'll be starting with Beachbody's 10 Minute Trainer program and I'll probably also add in a little bit of running, (maybe 10-11 miles a week). That will get me to Christmas and then I'll decide what to do next.

My diet will be a 1200 calorie per day plan that includes high quality food, Shakeology and a lot more water. Not sure if I'm going to like that part yet.  The increased water alone will be a challenge as most of my "water" is hot and filled with COFFEE.

To help I've downloaded a new ap on my iphone called My Fitness Pal that keeps track of everything I eat  along with my daily exercise, so far I love it (even if the first day I used it I exceeded my daily calorie count at about 3 in the afternoon).

Seriously. Out. Of. Control.

So here it begins... 100 days of clean eating and exercise.

And at the end hopefully.... a fit mommy holding her beautiful new daughter.

I know there are other waiting moms out there munching on chocolate.  If you are and you're interested in joining me I would be thrilled to have a waiting mama workout buddy if we enough people interested we can start out own online fitness/emotional support group.  Just leave a comment here or shoot me an email to let me know you're interested. 

Voting burns calories...just sayin'

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She's a Hot Mess

This is Julie.

She is the Bee's bestest friend.

We took Julie to brunch at the American Girl Cafe in New York City and I'm just going to say it...if it's not already obvious...

Of the hundreds of dolls at the cafe and store she was

by far

without compare

the most

unkempt,

bedraggled,

out and out rattiest doll in the joint.

Think the picture doesn't look so bad?  Well let me tell you what you cant see is in addition to a funky case of bed head this doll came to brunch without pants!

We tried to convince the Bee that Julie should wear something a little dressier than underwear to the Cafe but she very flatly told us, "Julie told me she doesn't like pants".

Really who does?

A long holiday weekend with family, Broadway Show, Dinner with friends in the city....

and this is what I blog about???

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While we were celebrating Thanksgiving...

or perhaps while we slept off our fabulous turkey dinner that night.

On November 25th Beijing time.

Our Letter of Acceptance was issued.

Making Dong An Xin offically and forever ours.

It turned out we had so much more than we even knew to be thankful for this year.

For anyone keeping track that's exactly 60 days from our Log In Date.

The next step in the process is to get our I800 approval which should only take a couple of weeks (I hope).  Then we are offically in the queue for Travel Approval.

The LOA should be the last of the unpredicatable waits although nothing is certain.  We still have to contend with Chinese New Year and the inevitable delays the holidays cause.

At this point my best guess is we will travel to meet our dear daughter in early March 2012. 

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Adoption Grants

It's fundraising Friday again and I thought today I would offer up some resources on adoption grant and subsidy programs.

I encourage fundraising families to exhaust all grant opportunities and if appropriate consider partnering with a fundraising/grant partner (like Lifesong's Both Hands-there are others).

Many of the grant programs out there are faith based and many of those are Christian, there are a few that have less narrow eligibility requirements.  However all of the programs required families to have an approved home study.

I've listed some of the most well know programs out there but there are others. Many are linked to a particular adoption agency. There are also programs that are state specific and child specific. There are even employer based programs.

Keep in mind the need for adoption financial support far outweighs the available funds and many requests will go unfunded, however for some this is a great option.

Here is a list to get you started...

Affording Adoption Foundation grant program offering financial assistance to families in the process of adopting. Grants vary in amount, depending upon the current number of applicants, as well as the need of those applicants. Deadline for next available grant is March 1, 2012.

 A Child Waits Foundation  grant program designed to help children who are living in international orphanages to become part of a family. They also have a low interest adoption loan program.

Shaohannah's Hope need based based grant program for Christian families.


National Adoption Foundation    broad eligibility requirements make this a very popular program.

Lifesong For Orphans  innovative "Both Hands" program providing matching fundraising grants.  (This is one of my favorites. All fundraising families should check this program out.) They also have an interest free loan program.

Gift of Adoption   Average grant size is $3,500. Grants are available for both International and Domestic adoption.

 Help Us Adopt   provides qualified couples and individuals -regardless of race, ethnicity, marital status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability- with grants of up to $15,000 towards their domestic, international, foster, or special needs adoption expenses.

The Sparrow Fund  provides grants specifically to cover the expense of a medical review of a waiting child's file.


African American Adoptions Online  A program to help qualified families adopt African American newborns, children, and sibling groups.

Anelise Fund   Jewish Child Care Association offers adoption grants to qualified Jewish families, living in New York or New Jersey and adopting from China.  

Cade Foundatiion  provides up to $10,000 to help with costs of domestic adoption and medical fertility treatment.

Katelyn's Fund  need based grant for Christian families.

JSC Foundation income based grants up to $20,000 (more for sn or sibling adoptions). Must be a Christian family. 

God's Grace Adoption Ministry  Christian based program with grants between $1,000 and $4,000.

The LYDIA Fund  recipients must be married Christian couples adopting children from orphanages.

The ABBA Fund    Christian based financial assistance for adoption related expenses.

The MICAH Fund     assistance for Christian families in Minnesota and the surrounding states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin for domestic adoption of a minority child.

Please share information for any other grant program you know of....also please vote:)

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Happy Thanksgiving

For those not in a turkey coma...Share here something that you are truly thankful for....

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Living the Country Squire Life

Today we are loading into the car and heading east to my sister’s house for Thanksgiving. 

Man nothing says suburban family holiday like a Sears car top carrier and fries on the floor from the half dozen pit stops at McDonald's.

Are we there yet?

As painful as these trips can be (and OMG they ARE) they also evoke a certain nostalgia for my own childhood family “vacations”.



pretty sick ride, eh?



…the wood paneled Country Squire station wagon, Casey Kasem’s American Top Forty on the radio, windows ROLLED down and watching the world go by…backwards from the “way back” rear facing folding seat.

Let the good times roll….

Of course when I describe this to my kids they seem confused and slightly horrified.  Completely missing the retro 70’s charm of it all one of them suggests reporting Gram-ma & Gram-pa to Children's Services.

Whaaaaat?  No videos?  No ipod?  No cell phone?  No PS3?

Umm no my darlings.  None.

We had the license plate game.

Try playing the License Plate game from this death trap of a seat...trust me on this, front plates in the late 70's, not so much.

I ask them if they think it would be fun to NOT bring all the electronics....a screen free trip with lots of live and in person games and songs and telling of jokes.

If a four year old could say "what the F?"...right about then is when it would have happened. 

My kids cannot imagine traveling without electronics.  And while I’ll admit my husband and I take along a fair share of our own gadgetry we can at least conceive of another reality. 

My boys would sooner skip packing underwear than not take video games on vacation.

It’s like food and air to them…Compatible with life.

I thought about forcing the issue... going all Brady-Bunch-time-warp on them and making them leave the electronics behind.  I visualized the rousing games of car bingo and singing “Row Your Boat” in a three part round. 

In the end I couldn't do it because the truth is the electronic dome of silence created when they put on those headphones makes travel a whole lot easier on them and me. 

If having my kids "plug in" instead of playing 6 hours of “I Spy” and “The Alphabet Game” means I don’t have to deal with;

Are we there yet? (x10 x# of kids in the car x every 2 miles)

Alternating with “How much longer?” (same multiple)

And “He’s touching me!”

And his cousin….”He’s looking at me!”

Or refereeing a round of Punch Buggy turned Punch your little brother for no  reason Buggy.  

Or saves me from climbing over the seat one less time...

Well then with apologies to Carol Brady (perfect 70's mom of six and likely license plate game champion), I’m willing to accept it…for 6 hours anyway.

Though we could still work in some singing.

Travel safely my friends and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

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Stuffing or Dressing?



Really Grampa Doug

I'm going to my sister's house for Thanksgiving this year.  Fortunately since we grew up in the same house she knows the RIGHT way to may the stuffing.  Which is in my book the thing that makes or breaks the Thanksgiving dinner. 



 It's one of the reasons I don't like to travel for Thanksgiving. 

Eating at someone else's house means there is a very good chance the stuffing will be filled with some foreign substance (my father in law favors oysters!), which can ruin the whole meal...not to mention the next days turkey sandwich (I put stuffing on mine).

I'm not a picky eater.

But for Thanksgiving I am.

How about you, are you cooking this year?

Is it stuffing or dressing?

In the bird or out?

Cornbread, sausage, chestnuts, apples, oysters?

What's your RIGHT way to make the stuffing?

PS according to Wolfgang Puck (who uses oysters in his dressing -gah) there is a difference between stuffing and dressing and the terms are not interchangeable. Stuffing, as the name implies, is actually stuffed into and cooked inside the bird. Dressing, by contrast, cooks separately in a baking dish.

Wow all the cool stuff you pick up here...you should totally vote for me.



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Do You Hear What I Hear?

sssssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup.

Did you hear it?

That big. loud, giant sucking sound.

No worries it's just me.


Holding my breathe.

Starting today (according to my own -usually ignored- adoption calculations) my LOA/LSC could come any day.


Any minute even.


Wait!


Never mind....just checked my inbox....not my agency. (Zulily has some cute dresses though.)


Hmmm how many times will this repeat itself?

....refresh, reboot, repeat.


Wait!


Never mind again just a Groupon.

Today marks SEVEN MONTHS since we received our referral. The LOA watch is officially underway. This SHOULD be the last unpredictable wait in this adoption. (kncoks on wood)
 Lord help me...and everyone around me if something else is delayed.

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Ear Muffins

I know it's moderately obnoxious to visit Santa before we even carve the Thanksgiving turkey but what the heck he was there, the girls were dressed like pink elves, there weren't any lines and no one was crying, snoting or covered in ketchup.  These are things a well tested mom does NOT take for granted.

The girls were thrilled and once on his lap they practically interrogated poor St Nick.


How did you get here? 
Where are your reindeer? 
Do you know my name?  
Do you know my dog's name? 
Do you know my sister was pouting today?  
Does the Elf on the Shelf talk to you? 
Are you married? 
Do you know my grandma moved to Florida?

And what did they ask for?

Ladybug asked a guitar and then demonstrated her mad air guitar skills.  (She's a freakin riot.)

And the Bee, she asked for her sister to come home from China...and a jingle bell.

gulp.

The bugs in pink santa dresses, glitter boots and "ear muffins"

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Empty

This is where my daughter sleeps.

I came across this photo last night. A simple photo of a crib.

And I'm undone by it.

Gripped by the thought of not being there to lay her down, cover her with a blanket and kiss her goodnight.

This waiting mama stuff leaves me hollow.


Sorry, that's it...nothing sweet and positive today.

Today is an empty crib sort of day.

(I know wha wha wha...buck up tomorrow.)

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Affording Adoption

Often when I post a waiting child profile I get comments from people saying in effect, "I would if I could".  There are many reasons offered for not being able to adopt but the one that I hear most often is simply that adoption is too expensive.

And they are right it is too expensive.  It is gross how much money is "required" to complete an adoption.  There are many reasons to be concerned with the cost component of adoption not the least of which is the incentive it provides for unscrupulous practices.  And while I acknowledge that point that is not what I want to write about today.

Instead I want to focus once again on some practical solutions that can help children already waiting for a home.  Adoption cost is one obstacle that can be overcome.

Starting today I will be sharing ways that families can better afford to adopt a waiting child.  I am going to share fundraising strategies, alternate (no/low cost) adoption programs, grant options and other ways to afford adoption I've come across in my years of involvement in the adoption community. My goal is simple...I want kids to get out of orphanages and get into families.

For some this is a hot topic.  The critics ask, "if you can't afford to pay for the adoption then how can you afford to raise the child"?  For me these are two unrelated issues.   There are strict income requirements that all adoptive parents must meet.  All adoptive parents must prove they are able to provide for their children.  However the barrier to entry...the barrier that keeps kids in institutional care (which is what drives me to do this)...is the cost of the adoption itself.

Adopting a child can range from little to no cost (foster care adoption) to 50,000 or more. Again, it shouldn't be like this-commerce needs to be removed from the adoption equation- but for right not it is the sad reality that is keeping kids from the families they need.

So with that said I'm going to start by introducing you to one way you might be able to earn additional income for adoption expenses. I'm starting here because this particular company is one many of my adoptive mom friends are already working with.  It is not for everyone, if its for you great if not check back next week for another idea.


I put this option in the category of taking on a second job.


Ava Anderson Consulting 
by Andrea Caesar, Adoptive Mom and #1 Sales Consultant

Fundraising played a crucial part in the successful completion of my adoption process as a single mother adopting from Kazakhstan in 2008-2009. During that time, I fund raised tirelessly and raised over $30,000 by doing yard sales, wreath fundraisers, spaghetti dinners, selling books on Amazon, you name it! Ava Anderson did not exist at the time. If it had existed, I would have raised the money in half the time it took me.


Ava Anderson offers an opportunity for consultants to work on their own time, as much or as little as they please. We share a crucial health message about the state of personal care products in the U.S. and how toxic ingredients in every day products cause problematic pregnancies, infertility, autism, cancer, ADHD, allergies, hormone disruption, and more. As an Ava consultant, you will also have access to our healthy products at a discounted price. Ava consultants earn 30-50% commission and if you build a team of consultants, you will also earn overwrites off of their sales! While you will want to give your Ava business your all to raise money as quickly as possible for your adoption, there are no penalties for months with no sales (for example when you get 'the call').

Are YOU looking for a way to raise adoption funds by:

• work that makes a DIFFERENCE in the lives you touch?
• personal care products that STAND-OUT from the crowd?
• HEALTHIER choices for you, your family, and the environment?
• earn money for your adoption while having FUN?
• align with LIKE-MINDED people who care about the health and welfare of their communities?
• an OPPORTUNITY to get in on the ground floor and build a business without limits?
• a company that CARES about your SUCCESS and provides resources and support to help you succeed?
• PARTIES with a purpose? Because we believe parties provide the best customer experience and most EFFECTIVE way to earn the most money in the least amount of time.
• Work on Ava Anderson's #1 team in America which already has over 50 adoptive moms!

SPECIAL NOVEMBER SIGN UP OFFER:  Sign up as an Ava consultant in November 2011 and have the opportunity to earn your $99 starter kit fee back for FREE! Just sell $1500 in retail product (not counting tax & shipping) and you will receive $150 in free products AND your $99 start kit refunded.

When you sign up for $99, you will instantly get a website, access to weekly free training, and a starter kit containing over $300 worth of products for your parties. You will be contacted by Andrea Caesar, Ava Anderson's #1 consultant nationally for over a year (and mom to 2 year old Anelya, born in Kazakhstan) and placed on one of the adoptive mom legs of her team from around the entire country. We look forward to you joining our Ava family and can't WAIT to follow your adoption journey. For more information, contact Andrea Caesar at NonToxicNH@gmail.com


(As a quick disclaimer, I do NOT personally benefit from any of the ideas I present in this series.)

I could however really use a vote!

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Down on Duggars

As most people have heard the Duggars are expecting their 20th child. And apparently, a lot of people have an opinion about that...a negative one.

Personally I have never paid much attention to the Duggars.  I know they have a lot of kids but honestly I don't know much more than that.  I've never watched or had a desire to watch their TV show and probably wouldn't even know number 20 was on the way except for the fact that they announced their pregnancy on the Today Show (which I do watch because as you know (now) I have a mad crush on Matt Lauer **sigh**.... I digress.)

Anyway this morning on the Today Show I heard the reaction to the Duggar's announcement almost crashed the Today Show blog when 15,000 comments came pouring in!

Let me say that again fifteen THOUSAND comments...that's like 750 comments per child!

Which is like totally crazy.

And I guess a whole lot of the 15,000 people who were compelled to opine on the Duggar's #20 were none too pleased about the situation.


Even the resident Today Show doctor was openly disapproving when she snarked that Mrs Duggar's uterus, "can't have any more spring left in it". (Ouch... that was uncalled for.)


Maybe I'm getting a bit large family sensitive or 45 year old mom sensitive or judgey-mcjudge-a-lots sensitive but why, why, WHY, are we criticizing this family?

Yeah I get it... 20 kids... it's a lot.

But so what...as long as they are not MY 20 kids!

If she wants 20 children, can care for them, if that makes her and them happy, if they are healthy and loving and thriving, (and my 11 and a half minutes of reseach tells me this is the case) well then, who am I to judge?

This gratuitous photo has nothing to do with the Duggars except that I might consider having 20 kids with my man Matt....Don't judge me.

Cast a vote on TMB and then come back and tell me what you think about this Duggar obsession.  At 750 comments per child I only need 4,500 comments to keep pace with this super sized family.

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LOA Any Day

We are at the point of the adoption process that gets really hard for me.

photo received this morning....

It has been 50 days since our log in date.  In that 50 days I have easily focused on the busy-ness of my life.  Thoughts of my daughter are always there of course but not thoughts of adoption, (if that makes any sense).

But now 50 days into the wait for our Letter of Approval I am finally inside a window of possibility that our approval could come any day.  It could come today! (In theory anyway.)

And that means I am once again riding the adoption crazy train.  

All aboard!!

Those who have been there know the drill....email stalking, calls to your agency, obsessive checking of message boards, maybe a few excel sheets to calculate timelines...

It's like a song stuck in you head. A background thought you can't escape, a TLC series worthy obsession..... ANY. DAY.

ANY. DAY.

ANY. DAY.

Maybe even today.


(But probably not since the average wait time is something like 90 days and climbing....but there are some who have gotten their approvals earlier. Aaaaaaahhhhhh wouldn't it be nice to finally have something in this adoption go faster and easier than expected? 

Because....

I really want to hold my baby girl. )

PS I really need a boost over at TMB please click bar below to vote for my blog.

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All, Some or Just One?

Well we are certainly into the busy part of the year for our family. I don't know about the rest of you but for us this is our crazy season.  Between school activities, teacher meetings, fall sports, starting back to music and dance lessons and a full social calender of kiddie birthday parties the fall always feels hectic to me. And throwing in adoption paper chasing and trips to Kazakhstan (me) and China (hubs) made it feel even busier than usual.  By the time we get to the end of this crazy season at Christmastime we're all going to be ready for a "long winter's nap".


Usually that means we're taking off on a much needed vacation somewhere warm but that's probably not happening this year given that we have an adoption trip around the corner (by around the corner I mean February or March).  I'm really hoping we can make this a family affair.  If we can manage it we would like to bring all five kids plus one (Big Brother has a girlfriend who has become part of the family). That's a total of eight PLUS baby Butterfly!  We would be are own adoption travel group!

But I am not sure how we are going to do this one... we're taking a bit of an all or nothing attitude towards travel: either all of us travel or only one parent will go while the other parent stays home with the kids.

When we adopted the ladybug we left the kids with their grandparents.  For us it made for a wonderfully easy trip.  The people in our travel group still talk about how good we had it.  The combination of the ladybug being the most laid back well adjusted kids you can imagine and the fact that we went from four kids to one made for a holiday feel. But the problem is the Bee really missed us, two weeks without mom and dad was too long (even with the best grandparents, which BTW they are). We simply wont be away from our girls that long again (don't misunderstand, we miss our boys like cray too but they are old enough to understand time and able to handle the separation better than their little sisters).

I'm not sure how many large families make trips like this, I think most don't.  It is expensive and inevitably chaotic. There are definitely pro and cons.


On the Pro Side

• It would be an incredible shared experience for our family.  China is obviously an important place to our family and I think it would be good for all of us to have some first hand experience to help all of us, most especially our Chinese born daughters to feel connected to China.  

On our way to Kazakhstan to bring home the Bee.



The sibs bonding in Kaz.

• More importantly though is the opportunity for us to bond as a family.  We all traveled for the Bee's adoption trip to Kazakhstan and without reservation I would say it was the best decision ever.  That time in Kaz bonded us as a family and put us months ahead in the attachment process.  There was something special about the shared adventure that tied us even tighter together.  The boys gained a first hand appreciation for their sisters birth country and the orphanage she was coming from.  That understanding helped them to understand her once we were home and now her brothers are able to talk to her about Kazakhstan not just as the place she was born but a place they know and love.  By traveling as a family we got to spend some serious quality time together, something that is nearly impossible to do at home.  In Kaz there were no video games, English tv, cell phones, friends.  It was all "us" all the time. (OK there were moments that would put this on the con list but mostly it was a pro) At the end of that trip we really felt like a family of six.

• The addition of Big Brother's girlfriend will add an extra pair of hands for taking care of the littles.  She is great with them and they adore her. She's like the vacation nanny-except she's really part of the family.

• We know what we are in for.  We have traveled with kids to more than a dozen countries on 4 continents. We have spent a combined total of 6 weeks in China in just the past 18 months. This is our third adoption in a little over 3 years.
  

On the Con Side

• It is expensive. Really. Expensive.   I've always flown business class to China (lots of frequent flier miles) but with 8 on the way there and 9 on the way back we would be flying economy (maybe economy plus if we fly United).  

• No matter what Economy or Economy PLUS it wont be comfortable. And I'm just going to put it out there I'm a total wimp on this issue.  As I've said before I likes my lay flat seat! For the kids it wont matter-the boys can sleep anywhere and the seats are luxuriously large for the girl's little tushies.  Basically mom and dad will be miserable.

• Who cares about snakes we will have TWO 5 years old's on a plane...for 22 hours each way.  And of course the way back we'll have two 5 years old's and a non English speaking 3 year old. Which of course means no adult on this trip will ever sleep (a small consolation for not having a lay flat seat to sleep in). I've traveled a lot with kids and I have no illusions about what that means.  Mind you my kids are great travelers, I always get compliments about how well behaved and quiet they are (code for wow I expected your kids to kick my seat and cry from take off to landing) but the reason I get those compliments is because I am working my butt off to make sure the kids are fed, watered, entertained, pottied and not kicking! It is a constant effort and while they will likely sleep the odds that they all sleep at the same time are almost non existent. While Ambien, a glass of wine and a sleep mask might get some through a trans continental flight in steerage it is not a practical plan when traveling with children.
  

• Less time to focus on our new daughter.  I think this is balanced out with the family bonding we would get but I have to accept that I wont have that special one on one time we had with the Ladybug and the Bee.
  

• Finally, if we all travel together that means we will all be jet lagged together once we get home. Exhausted mom, dad, teen, tween, two five year olds and a three year old newly adopted child who doesn't speak English all under one roof. Joy.

So what do you think...all of us, some of us or one of us, what would you do?

PS I really need a boost over at TMB please click bar below to vote for my blog.

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Adoption blogger spotlight

Well how nice is this!

I've been included in the Adoption blogger spotlight.....with some pretty good company too.

Thanks for the nod examiner.com!!!

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Russian Born Child Needs a Second Chance

 GREAT NEWS....Micheal's mom after regaining strength and support has chosen to continue parenting him.  Many prayers for healing and happiness to this family.

I want to introduce a little boy with a million dollar smile.  This is Micheal and he needs a very special family.

Micheal who is 10 years old was born in Russia, brought to an orphanage at age two by his birth mother and adopted at age 3 years 9 months by an American family.

Unfortunately Michael's adoptive father recently and unexpectedly died. 

Michael's adoptive father was his primary caregiver and his adoptive mother feels she is no longer able to parent him: she is seeking a second placement for her son.  This is a heart wrenching decision for a still grieving mother trying to do her best for her child.

Michael is an active and charming boy who likes riding his bike and playing soccer.  He also enjoys music and attending musical theater and the ballet.  Micheal likes to read and is described as bright and having a good heart.  Michael says he would like to have his own big dog!

He is currently living  at the Ranch for Kids in Montana.


Michael suffers from various orphanage related issues including ADHD, ODD, and problems with attachment. He is in need of a family with knowledge and experience parenting a child with emotional/behavior issues who also have both the resources and willingness to meet his needs.  A two parent family with one stay at home parent and older siblings would be ideal.

An "open" adoption based on Michael's best interests and needs is preferred.

I know this is a lot to consider but my heart breaks for this little boy.  He has lost so much in his short life and he needs and deserves a chance to heal.  There is a child here with unlimited potential who needs a patient, loving, resourceful family to help him reach it.

If you think you might be the right family for Michael please contact Cyndi Peck at Second Chance secondchance@wiaa.org or call 1-406-681-3127

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Adoption means...

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Orphan Sunday

Thought I would share this video from our trip to Kazakhstan with Two Hearts for Hope....



special thanks to my hubby for making this video for us.

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The Curse is Broken

In the past 2 years my baby Boy has been in 6 Championship series and finished SECOND in everyone of them....until today!

His football team won the Varsity Division Championship!

They were total underdogs going into the game playing against kids that were huge,  we grow em big her in Ohio football country but even for us they were big. Check out #77 blue going against my kid in the red...and my kid is the biggest on his team! Oh in case you wondered these kids are only 11-12 years old!!!

Baby Boy was in tears through most of the award ceremony and just to show you the sweetness in him, when it was all over he gave me the big ole, "thanks mom" hug and then asked to call his Grampa (who used to coach him) to tell him about the game.

here are some pictures (My kiddo is number 95).

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