VIDEOS FOR HENRY AND SAMUEL!!!!!

INTRODUCING LITTLE VIDEO CLIPS OF SAMUEL AND HENRY. IT WILL WARM YOUR HEART TO WATCH THESE LITTLE BOYS IN ACTION. JOIN US IN HELPING THEM FIND THEIR FAMILIES...

http://www.vimeo.com/10533579 password is Henry2010

http://www.vimeo.com/10561160 password is Samuel 2010

HELP US FIND FOREVER HOMES....

Henry a handsome, athletic little boy, was born June 14, 2008. I have some better pictures of him with a little hair:) He was born with congenital right cleft lip and palate Degree 3. His lip repair was done successfully on Nov. 28th, 2008 and it is likely that his palate has also been repaired. We should have updates and new pictures soon.




Lewis was born on March 7, 2004, with inversion deformity of both lower limbs, left deflection deformity of left palm bone, as described by the Chinese physician.
This boy has touched everyone's heart that has seen him. The following was written by his caregivers...
He has strong character, loves singing, watching cartoon program, and likes to be praised and encouraged. He is kind, can share his food with other children. He wants a family and healthy body. He is afraid of being called the disabled boy. If someone says he has no leg, no mother, he would be angry, and not play with him/her.
Liming is clever and lovely. It is his great luck to be adopted by a loving foreign family and take therapy for his limbs. We hope he could have a happy family, recover soon, get good education, and grow up healthily. That is the hope of all of our staff.



Cute Mark was born on May 15, 07. As you can see, he was born with bilateral cleft lip and palate. I speculate that his at least his lip closure has been done, but updates and new pictures will tell us. I have more pictures available of him and his great hair!



Matt is full of personality. He was born on June 4, 2006 with clubbed feet. Here is what his caregivers said of him when he was 18 months old.

He has equinovarus, but he is strong at gross motor. At the age of 6 months, he had a plaster cast to correct his varus. At the very beginning, he would cry for not adapting, but several days later, he could roll over with the plaster cast. He had the plaster cast for half a year. Now, he is being correct with crutch. He is very strong. Though he feels uncomfortable, he still is cooperative to take treatment. He can stand with the support of a crutch, can crawl about, roll over and play happily by himself.

He is not very articulate, but he is outgoing. Everyday wake up in the morning, he would greet the caretakers, and burble ceaselessly. He can call mother and aunt, and imitate pronouncing. He is good at imitating, and likes to sing a song with the caretakers. He can gurgle happily. When the caretaker calls him name, he would look around, and responds sometime with the sound of “ah”, and would crawl to the caretaker happily.

He likes to play hide-and-seek with the caretakers. He is fond of being held and playing games with him. He can clap his hands at singing and make the sound of “ah, ah”. He likes to clap the caretaker and make some action to pleas her. He can imitate other kids throwing the toy you give him. He is pleased at it.

The adaptability: he can drink milk with a glass, feed himself with cracker, and have a meal with a spoon under the direction. He likes to be praised and is cooperative at putting on clothes. Sometimes he can take off the socks. Cognitive ability: he is clever and can imitate pointing out the facial features following the caretaker. He likes to play hide-and-seek with the caretakers, covering his faces and the uncovered. He can point out the ear and mouth. He can put the toys into the box under the direction of the caretaker. He can ferrule and turn a book page under the direction of the caretaker.
He is cute and handsome. We hope he would receive the warmth of a home.




Clever John was born on Sept 17, 2006. He has been diagnosed with postoperative recessive rachischisis. I am trying to get updates on the severity of his condition , but he looks to be doing great in his pictures. John may also have Hep B, we are going to have further testing done.
Here is one definition I found on...rachischisis - a not uncommon congenital defect in which a vertebra is malformed; unless several vertebrae are affected or there is myelomeningocele there are few symptoms



Charlie was born on August 11, 20006, with lower limb discrepency. We can see the "shoe lift" that has been made for him in some of his pictures. Here is the latest report I have on him from his caregivers. "Wei Congzhong entered the foster family on Apr.3 2007, he has been in it for over a year so far, during which under the careful care and rehabilitative training of foster parents, little Zhongzhong who has unequal length of both legs has become a healthy and energetic little boy who can run and walk."



Samuel is a super handsome little guy. This picture doesn't do him justice. He was born on Feb. 15, 2008 with congenital left cleft lip and palate degree 3. I am awaiting more information on him, but we do have more pictures. As you can see, at least his lip repair has been done, and perhaps his palate by now as well.


Thanks for looking at these beautiful children with us. I would encourage you to click on the love without boundaries link and watch their 10 minute video on adopting a "special needs" child. It is TERRIFIC! PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU OR ANYONE THAT YOU KNOW HAS INTEREST IN ANY OF THESE BOYS.

THE COLOR OF SPRING

It was time to decorate for spring...and I went a little over the top. Marvin said the "peeps" need to go....but not until after a few pictures and some yummy tasting. I even sought out the purple ones, a rarity not found by all!



The chosen desert after yummy mexican food with friends.


and the true signs of spring...remember the porch swing that has been so abandoned?


You gotta love 'em!

CHALLENGES

THESE PICTURES GIVE A GLIMPSE OF THE REASONS WE REJOICE EACH DAY AS QUYNH MAKES PROGRESS TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE!
OUR LITTLE GAL FACES MANY CHALLENGES WITH COURAGE AND DETERMINATION...

AFTER A CAREFUL BATH, SHE BEGINS HER WARDROBE WITH CAREFULLY SIZED PROSTHETIC SLEEVES (WHICH SHE HAS DECIDED IS "HER JOB" TO PUT ON:). THEY ARE MUCH LIKE WEARING A "WET SUIT" ALL DAY. THEY ALSO ACT AS A COMPRESSION GARMENT, AS HER LEGS SWELL FREQUENTLY. AND,... THEY ARE A GOOD PROTECTOR FROM SUCH HAZARDS AS "CARL THE CAT", AND EAGER LOVIN' SIBLINGS!

IT'S SUCH A DAILY MIRACLE TO WATCH HER ADAPT, AND WE WANTED TO SHARE THE CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS THE JOYS, WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HER...

CONGRATULATIONS, TYLER! COMPLETED MASTER'S DEGREE AT UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE...

MORE OF A FUN DAY

THE BIGGER THE COASTER...THE BETTER

AND THE WETTER THE RIDES...

THE MORE FUN JACOB HAS!


QUYNH SUMMED UP THE DAY

AS WE WALKED OUT WITH A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET ESCORTING US.

ENJOYING EACH OTHER AND SPRING BREAK AT "STEAL YOUR DOLLAR CITY"

PATIENTLY (OR NOT) WAITING WHILE DAD GETS THE TICKETS...
I'M READY...THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE
AND FORGET THE STROLLER...I WANNA WALK!
CUM ON EVERBODY...KEEP UP...YES , SHE WAS BOSSY

SOOO..MAYBE RIDING IS NOT SUCH A BAD IDEA...

ALWAYS ON THE GO, BUT CRUISING IN FOR A HUG FROM TIME TO TIME
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TIME TO RIDE THAT TRAIN!!
FEELIN' JUST A LITTLE WARY...

BUT QUICKLY TURNING TO PURE. BELLY LAUGH DELIGHT.

CONTRAST

from carefree beginnings of spring one moment...



to the unexpected...(our SNOW on the first day of spring)

LIfe is full of contrast!



Life's ups and downs...they have flowed freely this week through our family, and in other dearly loved family and friend's lives.
Change,
Unexpected loss,
a little failure and disappointment mixed in the recipe.

Those things blended in with the ordinariness of daily chores, daily disciplines, yep, the things you do just to do them again the next day.

But then...tossed into those "dailies", come the moments that you wish to,( and often do), videotape in your mind forever...

New life, the joy of seeing new adoptions begin and complete,
laughter with our young ones,
hearing from our older kids and lovin' being part of their lives.
Seeing success after hard work.
Watching our "young men sons" eagerly use their Spring Break to serve others.

Glimpsing the fruit of years of prayer.

Wow. Our human struggle...Contrast and conflict on how all of these things can exist together...and result in "Contentment."

How do we make sense of it? I don't know...but I do know that the God we serve loves us...
and those we love-- more that our imaginations can hold,

and Therefore,

We can rest in His plan.

Even we we can't understand it.

Putting the disappointment, the challenges, the unknowns in His Hands "For Keeps"

Don't know why this is on my mind today...but it always helps me to reflect on this FOREVER consistent truth, and perhaps it will strike a chord with someone else today too.

Blessings to each as you trust Him with everything,
Carol

STATE GYMNASTICS MEET...

SOMETMES WE JUST NEED TO TRUST AND TAKE THAT NEXT STEP...

ALONG WITH COMPETITION...

GIRLS HAVE MORE FUN!




SEEING ST LOUIE'

FUN IN THE DRESSIN' ROOM

after a day of football a gymnast would be bruised.
after a day of gymnastics a football player would be dead.

IRREPLACEABLE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP

GOOD LUCK KYLIE!

TRAINING HARD...STATE MEET SATURDAY

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday....

AND THE MUCH ANTICIPATED REWARD....

SCRUMPTIOUS LITTLE HANDS AND FEET...READY TO PERFORM

STRETCHING AND ANTICIPATION

CAUGHT IT...THE FIRST TIME PUTTING ON LIPSTICK BY HERSELF!

AND IT WAS PERFECT...WITH JUST A LITTLE MESSY.