Day 1...Archer

Meet Archer!

Archer, born October 2002, is a charismatic boy, who is not shy when WACAP staff saw him on a recent trip. He seemed to enjoy having an audience, and performed some cartwheels and breakdance moves! Caregivers report he loves all sports, but especially basketball. 

Archer is deaf and does not speak. He attends a boarding school for the deaf Monday through Friday and has learned simple sign language. With orphanage caregivers he uses gestures and body language to communicate. They say he cannot read lips, but he was very skilled at sensing what our staff was asking him to do and responding appropriately. 

When not at school, Archer lives in a foster family unit in an apartment at the orphanage. A married couple cares for 5-6 children of various ages. His foster mother reports he is a big help with the other children, and voluntarily helps her with cleaning and chores. He is also a carrier of a blood condition, though it is not active. Archer is a happy boy with a great laugh, who would surely blossom in a family of his own. 

Silly face!!!

Archer's file is currently with WACAP.  They have lots of photos and even video of this handsome guy!  There is a $4000 Promise Child grant available through WACAP for qualified families.  If you feel he may be the missing piece in your family, email me or contact WACAP directly at kids@wacap.org.  

Feel free to share this blog...you never know who may see this!  It may be his mama!  I am praying that Archer's forever family finds him soon.

National Adoption Month

November has been designated as National Adoption Month.  If you know me at all, you know that adoption has a special place in our family and in my heart.  You will also know that I am burdened by the THOUSANDS of children in China waiting to be adopted.  I know that there are orphans in EVERY country, and they are no less important!  But just like missionaries are often drawn to and burdened for a particular people group or country, I find that is often the case for orphan advocates as well.  That being said, China has my heart.  

Choosing only 30 of my sweet kiddos to post this month may be difficult.  So I ask for forgiveness in advance if I sneak in a couple extra posts here and there.  

Most of the children that I advocate for are currently with our adoption agency, WACAP.  Some are now on the "shared list."  In the China program, there are currently 1,924 children waiting on this list.  This means that they have had their paperwork completed to be eligible for adoption and can be chosen by any agency.  Although that is a HUGE number of children, it is merely a small fraction of the orphans in China.  Some have their files waiting with a specific agency.  Some have families working to bring them home.  And yet others still wait to be deemed worthy enough for their orphanage to even prepare their files for adoption.  That is heartbreaking to me as EVERY child, regardless of their special need, deserves the chance to have a family.  

Probably the one thing that surprises people most about our adoption with Mycah was that he was a BOY.  Not only are there boys waiting to be adopted in China, but approximately 75% of the children waiting on the shared list are boys!  This video sums up my feelings about how AWESOME boys are...even the older ones.  

Another thing many people do not know about adoption from China is that children "age out" at 14 years old.  I wrote a post about that a while back.  You can read more about that here.  


So if you only check in on my blog for Mycah updates, you may be a bit disappointed in the posts to follow.  But my hope is that you will see these children as the amazing gifts that God created them to be.  Perhaps you will pray for them.  Perhaps you will donate to support an organization that cares for them.  Or perhaps you will realize that they were the piece in your family that you did not even realize was missing!  

Dear China Mommy...

Even though it has been 6 years, I can imagine that this October day does not pass easily.  My heart is heavy for all that was lost on that day, knowing that it was for our son's own benefit that you chose to do what no mother should ever have to even consider.  It is such a broken world.  It grieves me that you will probably never know where he is or how he is doing.  But if I could tell you, here are some things I would want you to know.  

He is still adorable.  Really...I think the picture says it all.  I can say that because I am not responsible in the least.  :-) He must have some awesome DNA!  

He loves to sing!  Although I am not thinking that he will ever get paid to do so, he definitely makes a joyful noise!  

He is kind!  He is always willing to share what he has, even if it means he is giving up something he likes in order to give it to you.  

He is also stubborn!  Although sometimes a negative trait at this age, I am thinking that may serve him well in the future.  I pray that God will give me wisdom in helping mold him in this area! 

He is well-liked!  EVERY.SINGLE.DAY there are neighborhood boys knocking on our door wanting him to come and play.  He plays well with everyone.  Although he will be quick to let you know that if you are only 2 then he cannot be your friend.  He is 6 after all?

               

He is quite an eater!!  I still haven't found a food he does not eat.  He even eats bread now...which was not a favorite early on.

He is very athletic!  He is one of those kids who is good at it without even trying.  Football is his favorite, followed closely by baseball.  And tennis is also a favorite...which cracks me up since he has never even held a racquet!  

           

He is smart!  Not only is he doing well with his new spoken language, but he is learning to read and write.  He is *almost* caught up with his peers in most areas.  

He is healthy!  His medical needs are being met and he is living life to the fullest thanks to modern medicine.  By God's grace, he will grow properly and be able to function in life when he grows up without living in fear of an adrenal crisis.  

He is loved desperately by me.  Although I did not have the joy of carrying him in my belly as you did, my love for him is fierce and steadfast.  I am humbled that I have somehow been chosen to be his forever mommy.  

And mostly, he is learning about a heavenly Father who loves him more than you or I could ever fathom.  And He loves you, too.  

Even though I am the one who has the privilege of tucking him in at night now, I never forget to tell him that you love him very much.  Because even though there are a thousand unknowns in his little life story, that is one thing I am sure of!  Only a mother's love could walk the road that you chose.  


Thank you, China Mommy...for choosing life.  Twice.  

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. :-) 

A Whole Lotta Catching Up!

As of the 27th, Mycah has been home for exactly 18 months.  EIGHTEEN MONTHS!  How in the world?!  We have enjoyed many special times, trips and tantrums  sweet moments over the last year and a half.  I am just not always that great at blogging about them since these 4 kiddos keep me driving all over God's green earth pretty busy most days.  So my family update in a nutshell...

Zachary just turned 15.  (Which I still find strange since I just turned 25 this year myself?)  He is quite social these days, has his first girlfriend, and is still pulling all A's at school.  

  

Her Favorite Hairdresser!

Alyssa is still training 

a thousand many hours a week for gymnastics.  She had her first meet of the season today and totally ROCKED three out of four events.  Darn vault!  Homeschooling has been great for her this last year.  She even *gasp* reads without being told these days...and not just on Instagram!  Although fashion and design are still much preferred over academics, she does very well with her studies.

What happens when your selfies show up on mom's photo stream!

 

Nathyn is doing well schooling here at home.  He is a whiz at math.  Mostly I think this is because he is ever working on computing the latest stats for his favorite baseball and football players...but, hey...whatever works!  

Meeting Jedd Gyorko (Jedd thought he had the
wrong hat on that day!)

Hoping to get the nod from the Braves

 

SUCCESS!!  Vavaro AND Teheran autographs!

And the neighborhood ROCKSTAR (aka Mycah...who never lacks for friends in this neighborhood!) continues to make us laugh every day.  When he wants to go to a friend's house he will ask, "Can I go ding-dong Wivva (River)?"  And last week, out of the blue, he said, "Ma...when I in China, I no wear underwear!"  Not sure why he wanted to share that?  Perhaps it's because if given the choice, he may do the same here at home?  Modesty is very obviously a learned thing...we are still working on that one.  He is a big 6 year old now!  He has gained 14 lbs and grown 6 inches since he joined our family.  It is amazing what a little extra food and proper medical care can do for a little body!  His speech is coming along.  We are still working on several tricky sounds and blends.  

 Always smiling!

Our time at our current assignment is drawing to a close.  We will graduate in December and we will be moving yet again.  However, Uncle Sam doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind where that will be.  It was supposed to be San Antonio, but those orders have been pulled as of last week.  So now we are back in every military family's favorite part of an impending move...the WAITING-to-find-out-where part! And although I DEFINITELY have a preference as to which assignment I would love to get, I continue to pray that we would end up exactly where God wants us for the next 4 years.  

 

2001...A Really Long Time Ago

**Update - There is a significant private grant available formula's family!  It will be directly payable to the agency they are using to complete her adoption**

Thirteen years is a long time.  Even so, I am sure we all remember where we were 13 years ago this month.

However, even though those events are still vivid in our memory, 2001 is pretty far behind us now.  Since 2001, my 2 year old has become my 15 year old, we have added three more children to our family, and said goodbye to 2 of our grandparents.  I have taught at 3 different schools, and Darrell has been deployed 3 times, earned his master's degree (almost), and worked at too many hospitals to count.  Our family has lived in 4 different states and 6 different houses.  We have owned 7 different vehicles and served at 6 different churches.  

And if you were writing, I am sure YOU have seen a lot of change in 13 years as well!  

But let me tell you one thing that has stayed the same...

Tula is STILL waiting for her family.  

This is somewhat of a mystery to me since in the early 2000's there were TONS of China adoptions being completed by families in the U.S.  To the tune of about 100,000 between 2000-2004.  And at that time they were mostly girls.  

Tula has a repaired cleft lip and palate.  She is healthy.  But for some reason, Tula was never chosen.  

And so she waited.  

And waited.

But do you know what is tragic?  She is almost 14.  If you read my post about Wesley, then you know that China's children are no longer available for adoption the day they turn 14.  So Tula needs a family, and she needs one SOON.  Her birthday is in March.  

How can you help? 

• Pray for Tula's family to come forward quickly.
• Pray for Tula as she waits.
• Share this post...perhaps her family members are friends of yours :-)
• Consider making Tula part of your family.  

Tula is currently on the shared list.  This means that any adoption agency with a China program can assist you with completing this adoption.  If you are not already with an agency, I highly recommend the agency we used to help us bring Mycah home.  

If you have any questions on exactly how to start this journey to Tula, please contact me through the form on the sidebar.  

Tula has exactly 6 months for her family to reach her.  Let's work together to make sure that happens!