My Family Found Me

We don’t know a lot about sweet Nelly yet, but the agency does have videos of her they can share with inquiring families. Nelly can crawl and can do so well. She loves scooting her way to toys she finds interesting. Nelly can sit up on her own. She enjoys attention and will sometimes interact with other children.

Evan had a shunt placed due to hydrocephalus when he was 17 days old. The shunt was replaced when he was a year old. Despite living in an orphanage his entire life, Evan is making progress with his physical and mental development. When a team member visited his orphanage, the staff introduced them to Evan as the “staff favorite” and asked them to try to find him a family. Evan has a diagnosed vision impairment, but observations from the staff and team member who visited are that Evan DOES have vision. Due to finances and a lack of staff, Evan has not been taken for a comprehensive eye exam (it requires traveling to another city). Videos from November 2022 (and past videos) show that Evan does appear to have some vision, though the exact severity of his vision loss is not known.

Evan speaks clearly and uses multi-word sentences. He knows the names of all the staff members and their work schedules. He communicates freely, carrying on a full conversation, asking and answering questions and expressing his wants/needs. He can name colors, basic shapes, count to 10, recite poems and identify the names of objects in photos. He understands cause and effect. He understands spatial concepts such as up/down, in/out, around/beside. He seeks out interactions with others. He actively participates in educational activities. His motor skills are impacted. He crawls to get from place to place. He can take steps holding the hands of an adult. His left side appears to be weaker than the right. He can feed himself and washes his own hands. He told the team member that visited him that his wish is to have a new carpet in the room where he plays to crawl around on. He was told to wish for it in his letter to Santa and he did.

Pippy is a precious little girl, born 2013. Pippy is a twin and was born very premature and diagnosed as having cerebral palsy- spastic diplegia, umbilical hernia, and strabismus. She now wears glasses to correct the strabismus and has received surgery to correct the hernia. Pippy was later diagnosed as having acute lymphoblast leukemia. She is currently in remission, but continues to take medication to prevent her cancer from coming back. Pippy’s twin brother also has CP and is being cared for by his biological family. Pippy is very delayed in all areas of her development. She can manipulate objects using her left hand. Pippy is not speaking at this time. We hope just the right family sees Pippy and knows that she is their daughter.

UPDATE NOV 2019: Diagnosis: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (actively receiving chemotherapy, which will be needed until 2021). Cerebral palsy – spastic diplegia; Gastroesophageal reflux disease, Convergent concomitant strabismus (wears corrective glasses); Delay in neuro-psychic development

Pippy is receiving chemotherapy for Leukemia. She was diagnosed in March 2017 and immediately began treatment. She lives in an isolation room at the orphanage to reduce her exposure to sickness. She is considered in remission, but is required to continue to take daily medication. She has a port, weekly blood draws (to adjust medications), and monthly appointments with an oncologist. Pippy also has CP that results in increased muscle tone in all 4 limbs, primarily impacting her legs. She can grab and hold a toy with her left hand. She can manipulate toys by picking up, dropping, pulling a string, picking up ring toys. She understands basic cause and effect, such as knowing to pull a string on a toy to activate the toy. She explores toys with interest. She pronounces several words and can follow basic commands. She enjoys the attention of caregivers.

A detailed medical report that outlines her Leukemia treatment, other medical history, and her development are available, along with photos and videos of Pippy. Due to her cancer diagnosis, any interested family would need to provide proof of medical insurance coverage that would adequately cover Pippy’s cancer treatment immediately upon taking custody of her. Her birth country will also require a detailed care plan showing the family has the appropriate resources and support to provide the required medical care for Pippy once home.

Matt, who agency staff met in October of 2022, has a bright smile that is infectious! Matt recognizes animal sounds. He can wash his hands and face by himself. Matt interacts well with his environment, peers, and adults. He adapts well to changes in routines and plays well with his peers. He can play by himself for short time periods. He can focus his attention on different stimuli. Matt has advanced considerably since entering the care of his current care center. He can move his hands spontaneously and hold a pencil correctly. He can move himself with the use of his wheelchair. Matt is right-handed. His speech is well developed, and he can express himself well.

We hope his forever family sees him while he is still so young! Contact the agency to learn more about Matt and his special needs!

VIDEO:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-matt
Password: Adoptmaa

Jesse is definitely a smart boy! He is nonverbal, but already recognizes a lot of letters and their sounds. He communicates by moving his hand closer to the letter or option he is choosing. He is working hard on these skills in preschool, which he currently attends two afternoons each week. He also uses his eyes to communicate. Sometimes I will tell him to look at someone to say please, thank you or sorry and he is always quick to comply, unless he is mad, in which case he will either shut or roll his eyes. If given two choices, I’ll ask him to look at one person for the first choice and another person for the second choice. He is quick to answer, especially if it’s something he really wants. For example, I will say look at Irene if you want your milk or look at Judith if you want more food and he will look at Judith to indicate he wants another bowl of food. Jesse knows the name of all his familiar people and will quickly look at them with a smile if I ask where they are.

Jesse loves to laugh and is quite entertained by the antics of his foster brothers and sister. Every night, I take Jesse into his bedroom to sit by his bed and pray together. Our one year old has a habit of following us in to the bedroom and sitting down beside us until another adult comes to get him. Jesse always anticipates this and as soon as I sit down with him, he watches the door and smiles, until the toddler comes in and Jesse wiggles and dances with joy. Sometimes after Jesse is in bed, his buddy will climb in with him and they both laugh at the craziness of bedtime.

Physically, Jesse can balance in a sitting position for several seconds, with his legs crossed and using his arms for support. He doesn’t do it for long at a time before he tumbles over, but he is always very proud of his accomplishments. He doesn’t roll over, but when he is laying on his tummy (his favorite position!), he can lift his head up and look around. Jesse loves to practice his walking, especially if he can “chase” the other kids around. I support him by holding him under his arms and then he lifts his feet and off we go. Jesse wears AFOs to use his stander every day. He really enjoys this time and rarely fusses while he stands. He has a musical light up toy that he likes to use during this time and he is quick to fuss if one of the other kids tries to take it. He also goes to physical therapy four days a week where he works hard on continuing to develop his skills. Jesse still wears a diaper, but he is working on potty training and sits on his modified potty every evening before bath time. He will usually use it and always smiles proudly when we praise him for this. Jesse eats well, with mostly pureed food, although he also likes to eat things like crackers or cookies. He does not self-feed, but if we give him the spoon to hold, he works hard to bring it to his mouth. Jesse drinks from a sippy cup and a water bottle with a straw – he especially loves milk and juice, but nothing too cold!

Jesse enjoys spending time being pushed in a supportive swing and fusses when it is time to get out. He also likes watching movies and going for walks in our stroller. Jesse enjoys story time and holding his baby doll or stuffed lamb. He is an amazing little guy who will definitely be a huge blessing to his family!

Jade was born in 2012. Jade’s favorite activities include playing dodgeball, cutting out shapes and gluing them to make colorful collages, writing and painting! Her foster mother has accumulated all of her artwork into a book as a keepsake. Jade also enjoys attending church activities, such as Sunday school and summer/winter camps. Those who know Jade describe her as easy going with the ability to easily adapt to new environments. Jade is enrolled in 5th grade, and her teacher stated she is an excellent student. Her favorite subjects being Mandarin and Science.

Jack was born in 2014. Jack lives in a foster family. He enjoys playing video games, jumping rope, playing ‘Go’ board game and singing. Jack is a little timid when meeting someone for the first time. Once he has warmed up to them, he will become lively and engaging. Jack is enrolled in 3rd grade and attends an afterschool program. His teacher described Jack as cheerful and smart. His favorite subject is Life Curriculum.

Jade & Jack have two younger brothers, who are being adopted.

Some of Navi’s favorite activities include building blocks, playing with toy cars and outings to the local park to play on the oversized slide! Those who know Navi describe him as outgoing, lively and optimistic. He is not shy around new people and builds relationships quickly.

Navi resides with his foster mother, her grandfather, a 12 year old foster sister and 5 year old foster brother. He has a good relationship with his foster mother and often wants to cuddle with her. He enjoys talking with his foster brother and playing imaginary play house with his foster sister.

Additional family history and medical information is contained in Navi’s full profile. We will share his file with families who meet program requirements. It is suspected Navi has speech and borderline cognitive delays. He attends weekly occupational therapy and speech therapy sessions. Navi is enrolled in pre-school at a local elementary school and has stated he enjoys attending classes. At recess, he can be found pretending he is a prince overlooking his kingdom with his classmates.

Ella’s medical file lists “suspicion of Down syndrome” due to physical markers. Genetic testing in her country is very expensive and is not routinely done on orphans. Developmentally, she can sit up and will stand when standing next to an object that she can lean on.

The agency can share more information about the country with prospective adoptive parents, and photos.

Jay was born in 2015 and is 7 years old. Playing with a diabolo, jumping rope and reading are some of Jay’s favorite activities. Those who know Jay describe him as cheerful and energetic. Jay resides at a children’s home where he shares a room with 3 other boys. Jay has a diagnosis of ADHD. He is enrolled in 2nd grade and makes good grades at school.

Jared was born in 2016 and is 6 years old. Jared’s favorite activities are acting and pretend play. On this particular day, Jared pretends he is a street vendor serving up foods to his customers! His caregivers state Jared is good at playing various roles at one time, while changing his voice and tone. Jared also enjoys playing with toy cars and making his caregivers laugh. Those who know Jared describe him as active and smart. Jared resides in a children’s home where he lives with 6 children of similar ages. Jared is enrolled in kindergarten.

While the siblings live in separate residences, they have occasional meetings and Skype calls. The siblings need time, love and space to help them re-adjust to living with one another.

Samson currently lives in a group home. He loves being held and cuddled by staff members. He will smile and coo and “blow raspberries” in response to being talked to. He enjoys musical toys.

Jensen LOVES movies! One of his favorite memories was when his foster family took him to see a Spiderman movie last winter. He excitedly talked about the movie and told everyone “I saw Spider man. There were bad guys. Then he defeated the bad guys!” He also enjoys story books, building with blocks and playing ‘Big Eat Small’ board game.

Jensen is not shy around strangers and has a curious nature. He has a good relationship with his foster family and is especially close with his foster father. Jensen will act affectionately towards his foster father and seeks him when he needs comforting.

Jensen has brain injury history. He is enrolled as a kindergartener at elementary school. He is a quick learner and can repeat words after hearing them once. His 9 year old foster brother is working on learning English words, and Jensen has recently learned red, blue and yellow!

 

Finley is a lovely young boy with a bright smile! Finley is waiting for a forever family of his own! Contact the adoption agency to learn more about Finley!

VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-finley

Password: Adoptmaa

Noland loves to sing and dance! He also enjoys playing with toy cars with his foster brother. Those who know Noland describe him as curious. When around new people and introduced to new environments, he likes to observe before joining in to play.

Noland has a good relationship with his foster family and gets along well with his 6 year old foster brother. When he needs comforting, he will actively seek hugs from his foster mother. Noland has one older brother and 2 younger brothers who currently reside in Taiwan.

Noland has overall global delays. He receives OT, PT and speech therapies weekly. Noland has made improvements with his speech and fine motor skills through early interventions.

There is a potential Noland may not able to live independently and will need supportive care throughout his life. He needs a loving, patient, and caring family. Are you a family that can provide Noland with support to develop to his full potential?

He is calm and communicates with other adults and children. He can follow people with his eyes, smiles and likes when someone talks to him. His development is in delay. He has no teeth yet, does not sit independently and has little interest in any activities and toys or social games at this time.

Pictures available from the agency — he is DARLING!!

Atlas has a diagnosis of Down syndrome, is not under medical treatment, has diseases typical of the climate, no history of infectious diseases.

He currently receives early care through physical and language therapy. He responds favorably to stimuli and interaction with its environment, responds with babbling, remains only standing. It is important to continue providing multidisciplinary care by the area of physical, occupational and language therapy for his proper development.

Sariah is an adorable little gal, born in summer of 2019, who is described as affectionate and calm. She has established routines for sleeping. She has right hand dominance and can play independently for 15 minutes. She is not potty trained yet. Sariah can reach for objects in front of her, can turn around, and has good head control. She can move around on a mat without help and follow objects with her eyes. She reaches for objects close to her, can adapt to other spaces, and shakes objects that make noise.

VIDEOS:
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah2
https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-sariah3
Password: Adoptmaa

Aurora is a cheerful child who smiles a lot. She has no problems interacting with kids and adults. She enjoys her individual sessions with her therapists and is typically very involved. She learns how to dress and undress, comb her hair and wash her hands without help. She understands the language but doesn’t speak it yet. She is trying and they are working to motivate her to talk. She recognizes and repeats the sounds of several farm animals and recognizes them in the pictures. She can put together 8–10 pieces of puzzles. She recognizes the basic shapes and primary colors. She is eager to read the books; she flips pages by herself, points to the right pictures and enjoys listening to the short stories.

She seeks attention from her caregivers and can cry or withdraw if they focus on other children. She is physically active but not always participating and needs time to learn new exercises. She can’t jump, and her balance is unsteady. She isn’t afraid of water anymore, can relax and swim with support. She loves to be outside and play on the playground.

Jonah is described as a “clever” child who likes to explore new places!  Jonah enjoys hand crafts, such as origami and building blocks.  Jonah can be shy towards strangers and he takes time to warm up and feel comfortable around new people. Jonah has a close relationship to his foster family, especially his foster mother.  He is able to express thoughts about his day openly with her and express himself.

Jonah has a diagnosis of ADHD and is currently on medication to help with his concentration. Jonah is in 3rd grade and participates in his elementary school’s afterschool program.  He has an excellent academic performance and positive relationships with his peers!

Jonas is fond of music and LOVES to sway to the beat of the music! Jonas enjoys playing on riding toys and playing with toy cars.  He has a good bond with his foster family and acts affectionately towards them.

Jonas is receiving occupational therapy for fine motor delays and speech therapy for his language delays. Speech therapy has assisted him to build onto his vocabulary and he is now able to say two-three word phrases, such as “shui-shui” (water), “mama”, “fan-fan” (rice/food), and “wo-yao-chi” (I want to eat it.)! Jonas attends preschool where he has more learning stimulation and is able to work on his interpersonal interactions.

While Jonah and Jonas do not live in the same foster family, they have been able to connect on multiple occasions and had an overnight sleepover at Jonah’s foster home. Jonah enjoys taking walks with Jonas, and he is excited to help his brother when he can!

Jesper’s favorite activities include kicking around a Jianzi shuttlecock, spinning a Diabolo, and watching his favorite cartoons, Pokemon and Mysterious Joker!  Jesper is a bit shy around strangers and when in new environments. but once he warms up to a person he really enjoys interacting with that individual! Those who know him share that he is a warm hearted child who likes to help others, both at school and at the children’s home.

Jesper lives in a children’s home with 12 boys of similar ages.  Math and Mandarin are his favorite school subjects. Jesper’s teacher says he is bright and cheerful with a strong ability to learn.  Jesper takes initiative and isn’t afraid to ask his teacher or caregiver questions when he doesn’t understand his schoolwork.

Billy is described as having an affectionate bond with his caregivers and those around him. He smiles easily and often when shown affection or cared for, and loves to be held. He babbles and needs help walking. Billy is not yet two and imitates and interacts with others, shows initiative in walking, manages to hold more than one object at a time, grasps small objects and expresses pleasure in contact with different textures, he is learning to put figures in their corresponding place, however, with help they can carry out this activity. On the other hand, he is responsive when asked to hand over a toy, and is cooperative when dressed and fed. He likes to play with other children, interacts with adults, shows a social smile and is interested in having stories read to him.

Billy is alert and recognizes when he is called by name, maintains adequate periods of attention to different types of stimuli, both visual, tactile and auditory, and monitors them, responding assertively to environmental demands.

Although Billy is behind developmentally, he has and is making strides in his overall development. Billy is alert to his environment and recognizes facial features appropriately in terms of modo, and he cries or smiles appropriately. He recognizes things that bring his discomfort such as wet diaper, being hungry or tired, or  an injury, and responds appropriately.

He has diagnosis of Imperforate Anus, neurodevelopmental disorder and intellectual disability as evidenced in his intellectual and developmental delays. He has had previous urinary tract infections caused by E. Coli and Klebsiella Pneumonia, Imperforate Anus, possible Trigonocephaly, trend to microcephaly, may have other associated conditions.

Update 2022: He had surgery to repair his imperfect anus and his colostomy removed. Surgery was successful and he is eating and eliminating well. We also now have a brief video of Billy.

Abby is a beautiful little girl with big brown eyes. Her gross motor skills are good. She is walking with little assistance. Her non-verbal communication is good. She has a ready smile and will respond to stimuli with her eyes. She is speaking words and attempts to communicate. Doctors have recommended occupational, physical, and speech therapies. Doctors have stated, “Concerning her diagnosis one suggestion is that, the child has epileptic encephalopathy (suspect syndrome Dravet).” (This description was from August 2018)

An update on Abby dated May 7, 2021, states her situation has improved drastically. She has progressed in her motor, cognitive growth and social skills. She readily socializes with her peers and caregivers and follows instructions when given. She has developed a rich vocabulary while still having some difficulty pronouncing some of the words correctly. She imitates different behaviors and LOVES to sing her favorite songs. She is attending an individual program suggested by a therapist.

Abby needs an opportunity for family. Can you imagine what she could do with a family who loves her and supports her in all of these activities? Would you welcome this little girl into your home?

Julee likes to live a relaxed and easy lifestyle. She laughs around familiar caregivers and takes initiative to ask for hugs. Her caregivers report that she has a persistent personality and clear preferences. We have videos of Julee playing with toys, feeding herself with a spoon, walking with a baby walker, and more. We can see in the videos that she maintains good eye contact and are told that she is able to walk for 20-30 minutes if pushing a baby walker. She of course will take pauses to rest, but typically doesn’t sit down. Julee likes to watch T.V. and play with toys that make sounds. She has been diagnosed with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus and has delayed speech when compared with children her age. However, she has been receiving early interventions on weekly basis and she practices walking 3 to 4 times daily. Julee has received leg splints to support walking and improve muscle tone, and with great success, she is now able to stand up on her own! Could your family be the one Julee needs to support her as she reaches more developmental milestones?

Update April 2022:  The agency recently learned Addy’s, 3-year-old, brother has been approved for international adoption. He has developmental and speech delays.  Addy and her brother will be placed together.

 

Introducing six-year-old Addy! Addy’s foster family and social workers describe her as a gentle, quiet, and introverted young girl who is kind and affectionate towards familiar people. Addy enjoys working puzzles, making handicrafts such as origami and paper cutting, and skipping rope. We have videos of Addy performing all three tasks above and she really is quite talented! Addy has speech and developmental delays as well as suspected autism, although it is noted in a more recent medical update that she has made noticeable improvements in general knowledge, verbal language comprehension and abstract concepts. She is currently receiving speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy once per week, as well as physical programs to help increase her muscle strength. She can name daily life objects and their uses and respond to questions in complete sentences. Addy has much potential but lacks self-confidence.

Update Sep 2021:

According to her special education counselor, 7-year-old Addy has made remarkable improvements in self-confidence thanks to the support of her teacher and past learning experiences. Most recently, she is learning the concept of money through shopping activities and is training to enhance her muscle coordination and strength through arts and crafts. Addy has an intrinsic motivation to learn and doesn’t let her limitations of near sighted and borderline sensory integration disorder prevent her from trying new things. She is currently enrolled in gymnastics classes and focuses on four major exercises: horizontal bar, trampoline, balance beam, and floor.

Addy has an excellent relationship with her foster mother. She chats with people and laughs at funny things too. She likes to amuse a younger foster child at home and will protect her like a sister as well. Addy has been receiving extra visual training from her teacher at school. Her teacher reports that she is cooperative and will complete tasks that are required of her, even if she doesn’t enjoy them—like writing. She interacts enthusiastically and cheerfully with her classmates and enjoys taking part in activities with adults. When we asked Addy how she would describe herself, she responded beautiful, gentle, and introverted, whereas her classmates would describe her as a kind and generous person, who can be serious in class.

Jett:

Jett’s favorite activities include playing with building blocks, toy cars, and reading picture books with his caregivers!

Jett lives in a children’s home with 8 children of similar ages. He enjoys interacting and laughing with his peers, and he acts affectionately towards his caregivers.

We’re looking for a family for Jett and Addy who will be able to meet their diverse needs.  Jett is a toddler with language and social emotional delays.  While Addy is a grade schooler with developmental delays and possibly on the autism spectrum.

Vann smiles and reacts when caregivers interact with him. He can roll around in his crib and is often placed in a walker. He picks up toys, shakes them and tries to manipulate them.

Update Jan 2022:   He’s now independently sitting, standing up in his crib holding on to the rails and taking steps when holding the hands of an adult. He’s receiving daily physical therapy to get stronger and the therapist believes he will soon learn to walk. He maintains eye contact and enjoys interacting with other adults and children Vann has undergone the second stage of cleft surgeries. He’s now eating soft foods from a spoon.  He’s currently living in a group home with children who are more significantly delayed. His social worker believes this will prevent him from developing appropriate communication and social skills, so she is actively looking for a therapeutic foster family for Vann, so that he can continue to reach developmental milestones.

We are looking for a family for a precious one year old boy that was born with Down syndrome in Eastern Europe.  He is described as active, alert and has mostly positive emotions. He is happy, communicative and loves attention. Jamsey is happy when he is spoken to and cuddled and enjoys playing seek and hide. He can sit himself down, sits without help and smiles when he is spoken to. Jamsey follows someone with his eyes, vocalizes sounds and loves to hear others sing. He falls asleep easily and sleeps eats well.

He is currently in 6^th grade. He is active physically and likes outdoor activities as playing soccer and biking. He is willing to help and enjoy gardening. He also loves puzzles and is very good with putting together hundreds of pieces. He is a polite and open boy. He knows what adoption means and very much wants to be adopted. He is dreaming about a family!!

He doesn’t take any medications.

Brandon  walks, runs and climbs. His right side has some weakness, but he is able to use his right leg and right arm/hand. He does favor his left arm/hand and completes more activities using his left hand. However, he can use his right hand and has recently started completing activities with the right hand as well. Brandon speaks in sentences. He asks questions and cal also answer questions appropriately and follow verbal directions. He knows his colors and body parts. He’s currently working on learning to tell time. He is able to play and draw independently. He enjoys playing with cars/trucks and robots. He enjoys playing on the playground with other children. He can independently climb/play on the play structures. He is receiving academic instruction and therapy to help with deficits. He continues to make progress both physically and developmentally.

Nora lived with her birth family until she was 3 years old. She was removed due to neglect and placed with a foster family. She lived there for 2 years. The foster family did not want to raise a child with disabilities, so Nora was moved into a group home. Nora likes listening to children’s songs and singing, watching TV, cartoons, playing with a ball and with dolls. During the summer, she loves playing on the swing. Nora walks independently while swinging her left leg.

Her fine motor skills are underdeveloped; she has not formed skills for writing. She has a poor grip in the left hand. She recognizes parts of her body – hands, nose, ears. She recognizes her reflection in a mirror. She interacts appropriately with both children and staff in the group home. She enjoys talking and speaks freely in conversation with the other children. She follows directions and can answer questions, though she often just smiles when asked a question (which may be because she doesn’t understand the question or doesn’t know the answer).

Photos and videos from March 2022 are available through the agency.

Meet Norna!  If you have ever considered adopting an older child, we are very excited to tell you more about her! Norna is lively and likes to interact and converse with others. She is also described as agile and clever.  Her favorite foods are meat, she dislikes vegetables, and loves snacking on chocolates and candies. Norna told her social worker that she’s good at soccer. She described that she could juggle a soccer ball with the back of her foot and kick the ball over her head four times without dropping the ball! Norna also said that her favorite subjects in school are P.E. and science. She thinks that planting plants is fun! Norna is also musically talented. She likes to write and perform her own lyrics and melodies to express her feelings. Although Norna was born prematurely, she has good verbal expressions and can express her thoughts and feelings clearly. She also has age-appropriate development. Norna has been living with the same foster family for several years and her foster mother teaches her manners, good hygiene, and the importance of maintaining eye contact when speaking with others. Norna was diagnosed in June of 2019 with ADHD and currently takes medication to stabilize and maintain her concentration. She has since shown improvements.

Update 2022:

We learned some really neat things about Norna – and this was one of my favorites!  “Norna shared that she dressed up as Santa on Christmas to help the school principal pass out candies to students.  At that time, many classmates wanted certain colors of candies, and she was displeased because she thought having candies to eat is a very nice thing in itself already.  She does *not* like them being picky.  Norna also shared that the way she likes to celebrate birthday is to share her cake with everyone.  Anyone can join her celebration.”

Over the past few months Norna has been able to visit a theme park, which she enjoyed!  Norna enjoys PE class, playing on the computer and Calligraphy.  She has natural talent and appreciation for song and poetry!

Meet Jasmine!  Jasmine is an adorable 5 year old born in 2016.  Jasmine has a happy disposition and loves to laugh! She is not shy and likes to interact and play with others. One of Jasmine’s favorite activities is spending time and playing with her favorite cousin, who is the same age as her. Jasmine also has a close bond with her foster parents and has an affectionate relationship with them. Jasmine has a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis with global delays. She attends occupational therapy and hydrotherapy once a week. Over the course of her therapies, she has made improvements with her mobility and can walk by herself. At home, Jasmine’s foster mother has her practice walking up and down stairs and using a kick scooter to continue with her exercises. Jasmine is currently in pre-kindergarten, and one of her major accomplishments was to memorize 1-30, and she can recite these numbers when quizzed! Jasmine’s speech skills have also improved throughout the school year, and she spontaneously requested a “glittery pair of shoes” recently. She has waited long enough. Could she be your child?

Additional photos and videos available from the agency.

$299.70 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Precious Melly keeps waiting for a family of her own. She is cute and sociable girl who likes receiving individual attention and praises. Melly is a petite girl with dark and curly hair.   She likes books and puzzles, and she loves art!  She can eat and drink without help. She sleeps through the night and has 2 hours nap after lunch. She has PT, OT and speech therapy. With the right care and support,  Melly is capable of making beautiful progress in life. She is a treasure to have around and would absolutely love to join a forever family!

One of Judson’s favorite activities is watching cartoons, especially Pokemon and Masha and the Bear!  Judson also enjoy singing along to his favorite nursery rhymes when they are played on tv or sung by his caregivers. Judson LOVES to take a ride on a bus and frequently asks his foster mom to go on rides!

Judson has a close attachment with his foster family, and affectionately refers to his older foster sisters as “aunties”. He’s curious in nature and likes to ask his foster mother questions.

Judson has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, speech and gross motor delays.  He is currently receiving regular therapy services. Judson is making great progress using his walker and holding onto the wall to steady himself as he walks!  His face lights up with joy as he moves around with his walker and explores new areas around him! Judson can count to 10 and he can recognize colors – with pink being his favorite.

Wayne has had surgery to repair the cleft lip and palate. He will be having orthodontic treatment and possible surgery on his nose in the future. His hearing was tested in June 2021 and it was determined that he has mild hearing loss of 10/15 decibels bilaterally.

His physical development is on track for his age. He walks, runs, kicks a ball, climbs, etc. His fine motor skills and speech are delayed. He has delays in his intellectual development and has difficulty with focus and attention. He attempts to communicate using non-verbal gestures and sounds or emotions. He is not aggressive and does not have any behavioral concerns. He was recently moved from a large orphanage into foster care, where he is learning new skills. He is completely toilet trained.

Update September 2022: Wayne continues to make developmental progress.
He follows verbal instructions. His speech is still delayed, but he does well identifying colors, objects and answering simple questions with pointing and gestures. He can make some animal sounds and attempts to mimic other sounds. He appears to understand everything said to him. He does have a documented mild hearing loss and a repaired cleft lip and palate. Wayne feeds himself with a spoon, can dress and undress himself independently and is independent with toileting. He can arrange objects by color, shape and size. His developmental skills continue to improve.

Videos from September 2022 show him identifying objects, answering questions (with pointing and making noises), following simple instructions, playing appropriately on playground equipment and with toys and interacting with the adults on the playground.

Ian walks with support and can take some independent steps. He’s easily comforted with hugs and affection. He loves music and will smile and dance when he hears it. He also loves cars and trains. His expressive and receptive speech are delayed. He is not yet speaking and the difficulty with communication (his foster mother not understanding what he wants) leads to crying and “meltdowns”. He foster mother reports that he likes to do things his way and he has learned that when he’s told “no”, he can have a “meltdown” and get his way. He has recently started speech therapy to assist with his language delays, but is living in a small town that has limited resources to provide the therapies and support he needs.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

$1,000.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Josiah can walk, kick and throw a ball, climb steps without support and drive a toy riding car. His fine motor skills are developing. He can manipulate toys and is beginning to work puzzle and make shapes on paper. He can identify his colors and basic shapes. He initiates contact with other children and plays well in a group. He follows verbal directions and responds to his name. He can speak using simple words and is starting to put words together to make simple sentences. He participates in organized small group activities. He loves to dance and will mimic dance moves/hand motions that go along with specific songs. He feeds himself. He can get undressed by himself, but still needs some assistance with getting dressed. He gets tired quickly, as a result of his heart condition. Josiah had his most recent heart procedure in March 2021. He is on a low fat diet and takes several daily medications for his heart condition.

Update from December 2020

The boy is active in motor development. He crawls for toys, climbs obstacles, stands up on its own and walks by furniture.  He manipulates the toys by tapping one against the other or on the floor, examining them in their hands, shaking them. He moves elements of manipulation boards, notices small details of toys, can press buttons of playing toys. He takes out and puts the blocks in the box. He is interested in the surroundings, explores the available space and actively participates in the proposed games.

Speech development is delayed but progressing. Kalvin reacts to his name, babbles, and responds with vocalizations to the speech addressed to him.

He is an active and social boy. He loves cuddling, tickling and early childhood games. He takes an active part in them, is able to focus on the activity that interests him and shares the field of common attention.  He falls asleep on his own and can sleep well through the night.

Compared to the population of children with Down syndrome, Kalvin functions very well. His development is constantly and dynamically progressing, and his active behavior and interest in the environment allow for a positive prognosis of further development. Placing him with a loving family will help with further dynamic development and satisfy his curiosity about the world around him.

 

Videos show Bonnie smiling at the camera, responding with smiles when spoken to, grasping a toy when it is handed to her and shaking it, lifting her head and working hard to control it and attempting to engaging with the person videoing her by making sounds and eye contact.

Adopted!

Raymond is an adorable little guy with cerebral palsy in desperate need of a family who can provide better for his needs. He has so much potential but none of it is available to him due to his current living situation and lack of appropriate resources. Raymond follows simple commands such as “laugh”, “sing”, or “stick out your tongue”. He can stack three blocks and likes to play with toys where he can put smaller objects into larger ones. He is working with a therapist to learn to use a walker. He reacts with a smile to adults who are well known to him. He can babble and imitate animal sounds. Raymond likes to interact with other children and to play simple games. He chews his food well when he’s spoon fed and he drinks from a special bottle. Raymond has lived with the same foster parents since he was a month old. It is not clear from his documents the extent of his visual loss which may be complete or partial.

 

Jasper is a bright little boy, smiling all the time. He holds toys and tries to play with them. He is currently fed with a NG tube. He does have a sucking reflex, but has difficulty with swallowing.

He can turn without help from his stomach to his back and backwards again. He can hold his head up and control it. He has a weak leg support and cannot stay upright, yet, but can kick with his legs and if put into a walker, can even move to a short distance. He plays with hanging toys when he’s laying on his back. He babbles and makes sounds. He cries at appropriate times, like when he rolls over into the side of the crib and needs help to be moved.

This is the case of a male child born with extremely low weight (grade III immaturity) and heavy early neonatal period (intubation in the first minutes after his birth; seizures). Later he had disorder of the central nervous system, i.e. hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, multicystic encephalopathy, internal and external hydrocephalus. The child is in an impaired general state of health; he takes opisthotonos position; he has spastic quadriparesis and repeated day and night tonic seizures against the background of anticonvulsant therapy; myorelaxant medication is applied. He is not subject to surgical treatment and insertion of a VP shunt.
The child needs special care and supervision by medical specialists.

He depends completely on the staff taking care of him and often has respiratory infections. He takes food from a bottle and hardly takes in the quantity of food determined for him, and throws out from time to time. The boy reacts to speech and when being touched.

Alexei exhibits no interest to contact other children. He easily makes tactile contacts with adults with no resistance, including with strangers.

The child depends on the staff of the institution. Diapers are used; he does not communicate his physiological needs by crying. Sleeping routine: he naps in the day and sleeps at night; he easily falls asleep and easily wakes up. He has a routine in receiving proper food and liquids distributed over time.

Brad walks independently. He plays with toys. He will fill a container with small toys and “pour” or “dump” into another container and continue the game back and forth. He can nest cups by putting them in the correct size order. He goes to other children, smiles to them and takes them by the hands. He smiles and observes with interest the faces of adults when gently talked to or sung to. He understands object permanency. He demonstrates pretend play skills related to kitchen/cooking (putting a spoon in a bowl and stirring, etc) and also bathing a baby. He shows good development in social play skills.

He runs, climbs stairs with help, rides a scooter, plays with cubes and figures which he can nest. Ned recognizes animals and knows their places when arranging a puzzle. He plays with other children, preferring the older ones and copying their actions. He loves music and musical toys, and sometimes dances. He responds to his name, follows directions, is well-intentioned, does not get angry and is not aggressive at all. Ned pronounces various sounds and syllables such as “ma-ma”, “ba-ba”(gandma), “ka-ka”(older sister), “hop”(ups), “meow”(what the cat says), “bau” (what the dog says), “da”(yes), “liu-liu”(swing), “ku -ku”(what the cuckoo says) etc. However, the main communication is related to taking the hand of a familiar adult and bringing her to the object the child wants. He arranges things in his room, chooses his clothes, can put on and take off his shoes, washes his hands by himself, likes to bathe by playing with balls and watering himself with a jug. He’s learning to feed himself independently with a spoon, but still needs pureed foods.

Ned lived in an orphanage for the first 2.5 years of his life. When he entered foster care, he could not sit, stand, make any sounds or have any form of communication. He has made a large amount of progress in just one year, with the help of multiple specialists and his foster family.

$1,081.70 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Bronner has recently started walking. He eats from a spoon. He explores toys, but often throws them. He remembers the activities of his daily routine and follows his daily schedule well. He explores his environment and interacts with other people.

Eastyn had spinal surgery at 20 days old, followed by shunt placement for hydrocephalus. She had a vesicostomy performed at age 2 to prevent kidney infections. She crawls using her hands. She can sit up with support. Her fine motor skills are developing. She stack cubes, puts together simple puzzles, strings objects, and can assemble/disassemble constructed toys/structures. She holds a pencil and can draw lines and curves.She started talking at age 2. She can carry out a conversation, answer questions, etc. She waves and greets people appropriately. She understands cause and effect. She understands and follows directions. She knows her daily routine. She knows the names of everyone around her. She can identify items from photos. She can correctly use familiar objects. She can sort by color, understands direction words such as up/down, has a basic understanding of things like seasons, body parts, food, animals, and other preschool related items. She participates in parallel play. She demonstrates pretend play skills (feeds a doll, gives a doll medicine, talks on a toy phone, etc). She doesn’t like to share toys and will ask for them back. She is not aggressive. She is learning to feed herself, but still requires help from the staff.

Annalise is described as a happy, playful, and quiet girl. She is sociable with peers and adults. She likes to go to the park and play with balls. She also likes to play with the other children and adults. Annalise loves to build towers with blocks, organize hoops, play with bubbles, and dance. We can’t wait to see who Annalise’s family will be!

The adoption agency also has a $1000 grant for Annalise.

Joshua is just a baby in the photos we have, however he’s now 3 years old. His initial report is from February 2017 and says the following: Joshua is an active and pleasant boy. He visually follows bright color. He likes being held by caregiver. He is energetic, has a ready smile and is fond of listening to music and playing with the music rattle hanging on his crib. He can lift his head while lying on abdomen. He can lift his leg and grasp to play, grasp toys or others’ hands with both hands. He is able to say “Aaaaah” and giggles when being teased. When he sees the staff holding a milk bottle or toys, he can visually follow. He can reach out his hands to ask for them and express he is very happy. When there is a sound. he will turn around to have a look. He is attached to the caregiver and stops crying when she holds him.

Violet is a beautiful little girl who loves going to the park. She also loves dancing, music, exploring her environment, and playing with different elements and textures. Video available.

Violet has a $1,000 agency fee reduction for her adoption with a specific adoption agency.

Marcko had a shunt placed shortly after birth due to hydrocephalus. In February 2022, the shunt failed. Marcko experienced several seizures during the shunt failure. A new shunt was installed and he has not had any additional seizures.

Marcko can walk, go up/down steps, kick and throw a ball and stack objects. He will play with toys. He knows a few of his body parts and other very basic skills. He’s learning to feed himself. He can say a few words, but is not yet speaking in sentences.