Jim 'N Nick

So when we lived in GA, one of my favorite places to eat was Jim 'N Nick's BBQ!  Just the thought of a "More Cluck for Your Buck" makes my mouth water!  If you have never been there, I am truly sorry.  ;-)

Although there are many things we love about living in the the West, we definitely miss the good ol' Southern cooking...especially the BBQ!  Lots of good meals with lots of cherished friends were had there!  

SO...I had to kind of chuckle and reminisce when I was working on the files of these two sweet little boys, James and Nicholas...who are to me "Jim 'N Nick." :-)

Seven year old James is a sweet little boy who works hard at being independent!  Despite his diagnosis of cerebral palsy, he can walk, use the bathroom without help, as well as dress and feed himself.  On a recent trip, WACAP staffers saw him  putting on socks and shoes without any assistance.  

James is a happy guy, can be a bit shy, and gets along well with others.  He recently started school and is said to have normal cognitive abilities.  He is excited to learn new things; he can count, recognize shapes and colors, and understands cause and effect relationships.  Although his pronunciation is not always clear, he can speak in complete sentences.  Being a curious little one, James likes to ask lots of questions!  His favorite toys are small cars and trains.  There are pictures and video available from WACAP’s recent trip to China that can be shared with interested families.  

James’ file is currently with WACAP.  There is a $2000 Promise Child grant available to assist with the costs of the adoption for families who qualify. 

Another sweet boy who waits is Nicholas.  

Nicholas recently turned 10 and is an outgoing boy who likes to socialize with everyone, whether children or adults. He also likes when volunteers visit the orphanage and is very enthusiastic about performing for them. He has some weakness on his left side, but he can still hold things with his left hand, and work with his other hand to do tasks like stringing beads. He can also use his left foot to kick and can run and jump without issue. He was receiving rehabilitation for his left side until this past September, when he started school. 

Since he didn’t have a good foundation, he has a had some difficulty with school. However, caregivers feel he is very bright! He can do addition and subtraction, is fluent in Mandarin, and knows some simple English words. There is also video of him reading and reciting! He enjoys playing hide and seek as well as playing with toy cars. Caregivers say he is always happy, and they all like him. He also has some nystagmus of his eyes.

Nicholas’ file is currently on the shared list.  That means that any agency with a China program can help a family bring Nicholas home.  

There is quite a bit of information available for families caring for a loved one with cerebral palsy (CP).  Here are a few resources:

4MyChild

United Cerebral Palsy

University of Virginia

Children’s Hospital St. Louis

Forms of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy Source

March of Dimes

Yahoo Adopt Cerebral Palsy Group

You can also read a great blog post about parenting a child with CP HERE as well as HERE.

For more information on either of these handsome boys, please contact me (sidebar) or WACAP.   And if one of them happens to be your son, I look forward to hearing about your incredible journey over the next months and years!  

...And if one of you happens to live close to Jim 'N Nicks, kindly send me some cheese biscuits, and I will be forever grateful. :-)