My Family Found Me

$10.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Update Feb 2021:

Shiloh is a wonderful little girl who is full of joy and loves to make happy noises. When Shiloh arrived at the children’s home, she was around 9 months old and was very underweight and unwell. He spent much of the next year in and out of the hospital and required multiple neurosurgeries to control her hydrocephalus. Despite her difficult start to life Shiloh is a fighter and today she is a very happy 8-year-old who has a beautiful smile and sassy personality. Shiloh’s health has stabilized over the years. She is a healthy weight and is not longer susceptible to infections. Shiloh has a shunt in place to treat her hydrocephalus that is working well. However, this did leave her with some significant disabilities. She has cerebral palsy which affects her right side more severely. She struggles with neck and trunk control, so she is not yet sitting unaided. She also has a significant visual impairment and epilepsy that is not yet fully controlled with medication.

Despite all this, Shiloh enjoys waving her strong side limbs with intention. In school she is learning to communicate using a picture system and communicating with her arm waves. Shiloh has good hearing and loves to listen to music. If given a shaker or bells she will join in the music. She is also able to investigate things that make noise and is working to grasp objects independently. Shiloh also enjoys physical touch and movement, such as being rocked or swinging in a hammock. Shiloh is able to recognize familiar people and has developed clear bonds with several caretakers. In a loving family she would quickly develop an attachment. The constant love and attention from a forever family is just what Shiloh needs to continue learning and growing!

5,654.29 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Johnny is a calm and affectionate boy who is happiest when he gets to play. He likes toys he can drag and building toys especially when they are colorful. He finds it very fun to build little towers and then destroy them. Johnny enjoys spending time with other kids, even though sometimes he might be shy at first. He relates positively to them but prefers it when they take the lead to talk to him. He is very receptive in his relationship both to kids his age and adults.

Johnny has a diagnosis of Down syndrome with developmental delay, a gastrostomy and thyroid profile within the normal upper limit for his age. He is a little late for his age on his speaking and would do best in a family that can help him work on this. His family must be very loving and work consistently on his development.

Video available.

Update from Oct. 2020: Our most recent updates on Magnolia have shown her making significant improvements! Magnolia has the sweetest smile and seems to always be in a happy and content mood. It’s been two years since we last met Magnolia and she is now able to feed herself snacks, put small objects into containers, identify pieces of clothing, match animal sounds to the correct animal, identify familiar adults in photos, and recognize a daily schedule. There is a bright and happy future for little Magnolia. She deserves to spend it with a caring and loving family. Photos and video are available from the agency.

Original post from 2018: Sweet, sweet little Magnolia! Her little smile was worth every bit of effort it took to coax it out of her. She was a little shy at first when the agency’s team met her, but warmed up with a little effort on our part. And her little face lights up when she sees someone she knows. Magnolia has cerebral palsy. She is 3 years old. She turns when her name is called. She cannot yet speak but obviously understands what is said to her. She can sit propped up if placed in a sitting position. She uses a wheelchair to get around. She goes to a special education preschool and loves toys with music. She enjoys playing peek-a-boo and obviously anticipates that you are going to uncover your face.

“Karen” is home!!

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.

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.

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!

Update August 2019: Maddie is such a sweet girl with an easy going personality. She has spastic cerebral palsy and microcephaly. Maddie prefers to keep her head tilted to one side, but has made a lot of progress in her ability to move it to look the other way. She tends to be very stiff but does great at tummy time and will lift her head up to look around. Maddie also loves to be held and can easily be soothed when you pick her up for some cuddles. Maddie does have a lot of muscle spasms, but we do not think this is seizure activity. Maddie takes a muscle relaxer medicine which seems to help her a lot.

Despite her delays, Maddie is very observant of her environment; she can often be seen looking at those around her and she has gotten good at tracking people and objects with her eyes. Maddie cannot yet sit on her own, but can sit supported on a chair or a bench with a little help in the right places. She attends therapy three days a week for stretching, exercises, and stander time. Sometimes she loves it and sometimes she hates it. Maddie is an easy going girl, except sometimes at meal time when she does not want to eat, but she will gobble down anything that has peanut butter in it. She smiles so big when we sing songs and will make herself known if she doesn’t get to see the pictures when we are reading books.

In December 2018 Maddie got a g-tube. She still eats blended food by mouth the same as she used to, but we use her g-tube to ensure she gets enough liquids and consumes all of her medicine. By mouth she has trouble swallowing thin liquids. Maddie is a petite girl, but has had a good growth spurt in the last year. Although Maddie does not talk, she knows how to communicate. She will smile when happy and will cry to alert discomfort or hunger. She has been working hard in school to learn so many things. Maddie can read and spell almost any one syllable word and her name. Every single week last year she came home from school with a 5/5 on her spelling test. She knows opposites, what happened next, and basic addition and subtraction as well. To show off these skills she uses magnetic letters on a magnetic board and will choose the next letter with her hand. Maddie also likes to use her yes/no board for simple questions and being able to be given choices like what movie she wants to watch that day. Maddie is so smart. With access to more communication devices she will tell great stories.

Maddie knows who her people are and prefers them over anyone else. She loves kisses and will instantly return the favor with a big smile. Sometimes when she really gets going she will let out a belly laugh that forces you to laugh as well.

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.

Updated January 2022: Joey shows good attachments with the adults in his life but definitely is at his best when he has a lot of 1:1 time with those adults. When that time is not able to happen, he struggles more with regulation. Joey is a very friendly, active, and kind child who loves to play and be silly! You can most often find him playing made-up games, riding bikes, or running around with the other boys in his home. He has a very big imagination that he uses to draw and build, he loves to do crafts and be creative! His home recently got gymnastics rings and he loves going upside down and trying out new stunts. He got rollerblades for Christmas and practices with them every day, trying new tricks. In class, Joey has been working on multiplication, subtraction, reading books independently, and some basic money skills.

Joey is a sweet friend to the other boys in his home regardless of age or ability, and is especially fond of helping one of the younger boys in his home with cerebral palsy. Joey will help him walk or sit to play games, will help him color, and always wants to bring him along when they go out on walks or trips to the shop. Joey loves to be outside, jump on the trampoline, swim, explore parks, anything that keeps him active! Joey is known as the animal whisperer and he loves all animals. He got a fish for his birthday that he named Ben after Ben 10.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Pearl is extremely small for her age. She only weighs 13lbs at 4 years old. She has been fed via a tube since birth. The staff at the orphanage have not attempted to teach her to eat via a bottle or spoon. She is not currently taking any medications and does not have any ongoing medical treatments.  She is alert, tracks objects, shows interest in what is going on around her and looks toward people and objects.

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.

This active and affectionate little boy came into care at approximately two months old. He is said to have an easy smile and enjoys joking with his caregivers. He especially likes being cuddled, hugged, and being held before bedtime. His caregivers report that he often explores objects placed around him and finds hidden things well. Despite some developmental delays he is progressing; he sits unsupported, crawls, pulls to stand, throws a ball, knows his name, babbles, and keeps good eye contact. This little guy needs a loving family who is knowledge of his special needs who can provide an excellent access to medical care and special education.

Vivian can roll over independently from the back on the stomach and back again, sits unsupported in a high chair and tries to crawl. She can take steps when holding both hands of an adult. She shows interest in her environment. She focuses on toys and plays with them. She can imitate basic tasks with toys when shown by an adult. She reacts with appropriate emotions to her environment and familiar people. She laughs when a staff member plays peek-a-boo with her.

Vivian needs surgery to repair her cleft palate. Doctors will not perform the surgery until she gains weight and can eat with a spoon. She has difficulty with a spoon due to the cleft palate, resulting in her being fed via a NG tube. Doctors assume that Vivian cannot hear due to the absence of ear canals, but her hearing has not been formally tested at this time. She does react to loud noises.

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.

 

Kellan is a seriously adorable little boy, born in June of 2015 and diagnosed with congenital heart disease and down syndrome. He is monitored by a children’s hospital cardiologist and regularly takes his maintenance medications for his heart condition. Kellan loves to cuddle and though he doesn’t mind playing alone, he does have a special friend he likes to play with. He laughs when tickled and when being entertained. Kellan can grab toys, sit, and stand while pushing a walker. He sways his body when he hears music and will turn his head when his name is called. Kellan regularly smiles and loves to wave goodbye and blow kisses. He can babble two syllable words. Though you can’t see his pictures publicly, take our word for it- Kellan is one cute little boy! *

Photos and video are available for seriously interested families. Kellan is from a small Asian country. Per his country’s regulations, pictures and videos can only be shared with seriously interested families directly and are not allowed to be shared publicly. Kellan’s file is listed with multiple agencies with a sending program from this country and approval is dependent on the head of adoption in this particular country. There is a $2,500 agency grant for Kellan’s adoption with his current adoption agency.

$2,640.50 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Anna has cerebral palsy and, as a result, is severely delayed. She and her brother were born very early, each weighing around 2 pounds. Anna is unable to stand. While Anna does vocalize, she is unable to articulate words. She has severe cognitive delays, and it appears unlikely that she will be able to make these up. Anna smiles when she is touched and is willing to play games, but she tires quickly and requires constant stimulation to stay engaged. She is unable to feed herself and is fed through a bottle.

Anna’s twin brother, Alex, has bronchopulmunal dysplasia, cerebral leukomalacia (brain injury from birth), and an intestinal hernia which will likely require surgery. He is described as “lackadaisical” and “good-natured.” Alexander is able to walk 5-6 steps before falling over, and has generally uncoordinated fine motor skills. He does vocalize, but his speech patterns are underdeveloped. The assessment from Bulgaria states that with the appropriate interventions, Alexander could make up for some of his delays, but that his capabilities will always be limited.

UPDATE: 2019 Alex and Anna are twins who are living together in foster care.
Anna has spastic CP that impacts her entire body. When lying on her back, she can raise her right hand to reach for a toy. With some assistance, she can roll onto her stomach and once there, can hold her head up and track objects. She turns her head to sounds. She vocalizes and smiles when she is happy. Sometimes, she reacts to her name by turning her head when her name is called. She will respond to an adult talking to her by making sounds back. She raises her arm when someone waves hello or goodbye to her. She can follow some very simple commands that she repeatedly hears.

Alex also has a diagnosis of CP. Alex is able to walk, though his report indicates that he has a flat food and a possibly shortened thigh length on one leg. He attends an early intervention program, where he is receiving therapy and basic preschool services. He can only say a few words, but is learning to use PECS (picture exchange communication) and is up to PECS level 4, which is the ability to use picture cards to build sentences. He can sort by shape and color, stack blocks, and is learning beginning handwriting skills (tracing, drawing lines, etc). He plays with toys appropriately. He is showing imaginative skills (tucks a baby doll into bed, feeds stuffed animals, etc). He is classified as having a mild intellectual delay based on preschool testing.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

UPDATE 2021:

Annie turns when called by her name. She makes a short-lasting eye contact. She reacts to adults’ speech with cooing and is selective in her interactions with adults. She likes being around other children, observes them and reacts emotionally when they tease her. She vocalizes so as to attract the other children or adults’ attention. She distinguishes the voice and the tone when someone is talking to her, when she is calm or cries. She participates in joint activities in adapted environment with sensory-based activities. She vocalizes and smiles when she likes a certain activity. She likes soft, stuffed animals and silicone sensory objects. During musical and sensory-based activities she reacts with positive emotion and maintains a good eye contact. She turns her head at the direction of the toy, which makes sounds. She follows a moving object from left to right, from above to below, as well as in the space around her. She raises her head and follows a desired moving object. She makes a choice between two objects or toys by reaching or looking intensively at the desired one. She reaches her hand out so as to reach a desirable object or food. She is fully depends on the caretakers for her physical needs. Her postures during the day need to be changed by an adult – she is verticalized and moved in the space. When she is lying, she is able to reach her hands so as to reach an offered toy. She is able to turn from back to belly, albeit with some support. She is able to hold her hands below the chest and uses her elbows for support. She raises her head and follows a moving object from left to right.
Alec walks independently. He is able to squat down and get up, as well stand upright from a sitting position on the floor. His walking has stabilized but he still frequently stumbles and falls. He climbs up and down stairs with support. He is able to throw and roll a ball but has difficulty in catching it. He uses both hands when manipulating objects. His left hand seems to be dominant. He copes with activities that require the use of both hands with each hand performing a different action (buttoning/unbuttoning, inlaying, cutting with scissors, etc.), but still needs some support. His writing skills are in the process of development – he adheres to the border of the paper, he draws horizontal and vertical lines by imitation and a “nest”, outlines a circle in the internal side of a stencil. He draws a sun, balloon, face and follows dotted lines. He understands and follows short, one or two step, instructions, within the context of the situation. He purposefully uses basic gestures, accompanied by words (“End”, “Again”, “Give”). He more often expresses his needs or spontaneously makes comments about things he finds impressive with a word/sentence. He connects two words in a sentence independently, most often memorized phrases. In his therapy he uses an alternative system for communication through pictures (PECS) – IV phase – line sentence and signs of the object are included (color, shape, size). He independently places the words on the line and constructs sentences such as “I want a big train”, “I want a long spiral”, etc. He properly uses “I” and “you” n familiar situations. He plays with toys appropriately. He has acquired basic models for playing but his playing is sometimes stereotypical (he spins the tires of the cars, examines objects with his eyes/mouth). He has good imitation skills and likes playing outside, recreating observed actions. He willingly participates in activities. He watches cartoons and repeats phrases he has heard. He waves his hand to say “Hello” or “Goodbye”. He gives kisses. He looks for other children and plays with them for short periods of time, but communication with them is still difficult. He still has difficulties sharing his toys and needs support in interaction and common games. With the support of an adult he is able to wait for his turn during a joint game with another child. He compares two objects in accordance to external signs (color, shape, size). He is in a process of building concepts about color, shape and size. He knows some quality concepts (big/small, long/short, clean/dirty, etc.). He counts up to 3. He finds it easier to learn when the educational material is incorporated in his everyday activities.

Delyse was raised by her birth parents until she was 20 months old, at which time she was removed with malnutrition. She pulls to a stand, crawls, and can take steps while holding someone’s hand. She is social and interactive with other kids and adults. She plays simple games with caregivers. She mimics motions and actions of other people. She waves hello and good-bye and can say a few simple words. She responds to her name. She plays with toys and can stack blocks.

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.

Clide is developmentally on target for his age. He has age appropriate motor skills. His receptive and expressive language is well developed. There are no concerns with his development.  He interacts appropriately with adults and other children. He plays with toys and has age appropriate interests.

Medically, Clide is monitored by the Cystic Fibrosis clinic every 6 months. The disease is manifested by affecting the respiratory system – frequent infections and bronchiectasis, and the digestive system – indigestion, liver fibrosis, impaired insulin secretion and reduced glucose tolerance. His condition requires adherence to a high calorie diet, daily vitamins, probiotics, and daily meds. 

Vaughn is a beautiful boy who has many interests. He likes to dance, listen to music, and play the maracas and drums. He also likes to look at books. Vaughn relates well with his peers. He recognizes and respects authority figures. Vaughn participates in many activities. During his free time, he likes to play with a ball on the court and run.

VIDEO:  https://vimeo.com/maaspecialkids/maa-vaughn1
Password:  Adoptmaa

There is a $1,500 agency fee reduction for Vaughn’s adoption with a specific agency.

Lisa is a happy and sociable little girl. She enjoys meeting new people and interacts with them appropriately. She responds to her name and verbalizes using sounds and syllables. She follows basic directions. Her motor skills are developing. Videos of Lisa show her playing with a ball and manipulating it appropriately. She currently moves around by crawling. She can take steps when holding 2 hands of an adult and can also move using a walker. She is receiving therapy to help develop her motor skills.

Photos and videos are available through the agency.

Debbie’s gross motor skills are well developed. She can walk, run, go up and down stairs and a slide. Her fine motor skills are also developing. She has an upper tweezer grip and can string large beads on a string. She is engaged and interested in activities. When a familiar adult enters the room, she smiles and gestures to be picked up. She transitions easily between activities. She pronounces syllables and short words. She turns when her name is called and follows simple directions.

Mabon has been adopted domestically.

 

$1,928.80 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

 

 

.3

$1,185.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Keaton has no physical limitations and is incredibly active. Keaton loves to jump on the trampoline, play chase, and ride bikes. He started attending a full-day public school in January 2020 and has quickly and easily made friends with the other children in his class. Keaton is very motivated to learn and tries to soak in as much information about everything around him. He is behind slightly academically due to the previous orphanage he was living in, however he has made incredible strides in his education this past year. Keaton is currently reading at a 1st/2nd grade level, and can complete double digit addition and subtraction questions. His ability to both understand and speak English has also increased exponentially this year. He is able to communicate most everything he wants and needs in English and will use 6-8 word sentences in English regularly. If he doesn’t know the English word for something he will describe it using other words until his point is made. At school, Keaton tells his teacher that his favorite subjects are reading and dance class!

Keaton takes daily medication and uses a catheter throughout the day. Keaton is incredibly independent in his medical care and daily catheterizations requiring only some supervision to make sure his catheter is cleaned properly. More information available about Keaton’s continence care for seriously interested families.

Keaton is a very spirited, sweet, and creative child who has formed healthy attachments with his current caregivers. He is independent in all of his daily living tasks and likes to make a good impression at school by making sure he dresses nicely. He has a great sense of humor and will laugh at his own jokes with the sweetest smile and biggest, belly laugh. Keaton loves building in sand and playing in mud. Keaton honestly just loves all things outdoors in general! Keaton is such a clever child with an incredible future ahead of him, especially in a family to call his own!

$1,120.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Video, photos & update available from summer 2020!

Watson is a precious little boy. He can roll over and sit alone. Watson loves hugging! When he’s upset, Watson will calm down when his caretaker holds and pats his back. Watson’s caretaker often takes him to the garden to enjoy the sunshine and get fresh air. He has a good appetite and doesn’t have issues with swallowing. He is currently in diapers and is noted to be a sound sleeper. Watson lives in an area with about 40 other kids, two and under. We have requested an update and are hoping that Watson’s family sees him while he is still so young! What a precious son he will be!

Update August 2020: Watson can stand up by himself, walk by holding a hand, recognize people, and speak “Mama and Nainai (granny), etc.” Watson has been living in a foster family. He doesn’t go to school yet. Watson doesn’t take any special medication or receive any surgery. He sometimes catches a cold, gets a fever, and receives proper medical treatment.

There is a $1,000 agency fee reduction for Watson’s adoption with his current adoption agency.

$1,300.40 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Marielle is a sweet girl who is rocking an extra chromosome. She plays happily and babbles when playing. She likes to be held and pays close attention to her nannies when they hold her and talk to her.

Marielle’s file shows no heart defect. She would do so well in a family! And look at that hair!

Update Oct 2017: She likes to play in the activity room at the orphanage and especially enjoys toys that make sounds. She loves to be held. She can speak several words like “xie xie” (thank you), “bu ke qi” (you’re welcome) and “chi” (eat). This sweet little girl enjoys music and smiles often.

Update from Feb 2019:
Marielle is generally healthy. She can feed herself & dress herself. She is potty trained, and considered “high functioning”. She can climb, run, jump, go upstairs and downstairs by herself, string beads, button clothes and so on. There is a$1,500 agency grant for Marielle’s adoption with her current adoption agency. They also have MANY additional videos of her!

$207.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Violet is a very petite girl, born in September of 2010, who appears much younger than her age. She is very shy and afraid of strangers, but is extroverted and cheerful around her caretakers. In fact, this cuddly girl loves to be held by her nannies. She gets along with the other children and likes to play games with them. Though she is behind other children her age, Violet continues to make progress in her development. She now speaks in short sentences, such as “I want to eat that” and she can answer yes or no questions. When she became scared of a stranger visiting, she told her nanny “I want to leave.” Despite Violet’s tiny size, she can run very fast and is able to go up and down stairs by holding the railing. Her self-care is good. She feeds and dresses herself and can climb up into a bed that’s taller than she is. She can point to body parts when asked and can do simple counting. She is also able to follow basic directions.

Violet is diagnosed with developmental delays and a congenital heart defect-VSD, that she has received surgery for. Though she was previously on a medication for pulmonary hypertension, she is no longer taking any medication. She was not re-tested for PH. Violet also had a test that showed a ring abnormality of chromosome 15. You can read more about that here.

Agency staff who met Violet said that it appears to be understaffed based on observations and conversations with caregivers, with a higher than typical child to caregiver ratio. As a result, most of the children do not receive any rehabilitative services or therapies. Most of the children do not attend school and do not receive any lessons within the orphanage. Many of the children spend most of their time in their crib. Due to this, these children may have delays more significant than typical institutionalization. This could potentially be part of why Violet has developmental delays. Though she is behind other children her age, Violet continues to make progress in her development. She needs a patient, gentle, and loving family to help her adjust and provide the stimulation and nourishment she needs to learn and grow.

A family that traveled more recently said: “The children in this orphanage are in a group of 13 (ages 6-13) with 3-4 nannies. They were happy and loved, excited to see us and all smiles. My daughter has been home since 1/28/20 and learned English words and how to write her name in country. They watched Paw Patrol and other cartoons and have learned preschool skills from the shows. They do not go to school, but do have craft classes. My daughter can cut with sisters, paint, draw, and color in the lines, so I know someone worked with her. I met Violet and she is very sweet and social.”

There is a $1,500 agency grant for Violet’s adoption with her current adoption agency.

$1,698.50 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Kora can eat solid foods, she can eat all foods suitable for children. But because it is an institutional setting, we give the children little fish to eat. All bones are removed from meat and fish by nannies before serving to the children for safety. We usually give her softer foods. She can grab things to eat herself. She also will break off and share snacks with other children.

*What she means is that they give them soft foods usually mixed with rice to prevent choking, to help the children eat faster, and so they don’t have to distinguish from children with stomach or eating issues. All the children who have come with this diet have had stomach issues because of it and have needed time to adjust to eating harder foods but recovered fine. Each day after eating in the morning and night she will drink a little milk.

Kora can understand almost everything that is said to her. She also can respond using actions, she just cannot communicate with spoken language, she can only speak a little. She did not show any problems with the heart after her heart surgery. Previously her eyes often had tears. In December 2019, an eye examination was performed. She had a Nasolacrimal duct narrowing + nasolacrimal duct intubation. She has recovered well from this.

There is a $1,000 Agency Grant with a specific adoption agency to help a family bring Kora home!

$45.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Are you ready for some cuteness?! Check out Liviah, so fancy in her red dress with her hair in a little ponytail! Bows would be a hit!

Her file describes her as active, cheerful, smart and clever. She is loved by teachers and caretakers. Liviah’s communication and cognitive development has progressed since coming into care at age 1.5 years. She is now ale to ask for help, express her needs, respond to simple questions, and although not potty trained she can express herself when she needs to use the bathroom. She enjoys therapy and learning about facial features, playing a clapping game, and imitating sign language.

Liviah likes to ride on the scooter, go down the slide and explore, taking walks inside and outside! She likes can build a 5-6 block tower with blocks, loves balls, listening to Opera music and match shapes in a puzzle. Her file reports that she has fallen in love with “painting” and “going to the theatre”. She loves dancing and when she sees a cell phone, she gets excited, starts dancing and in her own way, asks for Opera music to be played!

Liviah has many videos available!

$20.00 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

 

Megan is an adorable little girl, born with Down syndrome and CHD- VSD, PDA, PFO, and moderate-severe pulmonary hypertension. She underwent the ligation of the arterial duct and the VSD repair in August of 2017.

Megan is described by her caretakers as active and smiley! She likes playing with toys with sounds and participating in outdoor activities. Megan has a good appetite and she is not a picky eater. She has rehabilitation training with a therapist everyday. Megan turns and smiles when her name is called but, at the time her file was prepared, she was not yet saying words. Megan likes when the caretakers tease and talk with her. As of the fall of 2017, she could crawl, stand up from a sitting position, and walk in her walker. She has good fine motor skills. Megan is very much adored at her orphanage. We are hoping to get an update for her and find her a forever family that will continue to adore and support her as she grows up!

There is a $1000 agency grant with for Megan’s adoption with her current adoption agency.

$211.50 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Kyle is a happy, content, and active little boy. He can scoot around independently and pull himself into a high kneel position which he can then hold. He can stand with support. His language and social interactions are age appropriate.

$1,336.30 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Benson is a beautiful little boy! Benson was said to be a timid little guy who was a little scared of the dark. A nightlight of some sort is helpful for him when it comes to sleeping.

Update June 2019: Benson is a smiley guy; blessed with a happy, enthusiastic nature and responds with effervescence to interactions with adults and children. Benson loves social situations and is enjoying some pre-kindy group playtime, several afternoons a week, which involve free playing, manipulative skills, singing, rhythm and socialization. He is very settled within his family home, and is self-motivated to play, whether with his playmates or alone. Benson perceives happy situations and will often raise his hands in the air and exclaim, “Hooray!” , such as when he attends birthday parties or sees people applauding. He is delightful.

Benson understands his caregivers’ interactions with him, but has a very limited vocabulary. Benson is very tender-hearted. Benson loves to watch and imitate , slowly improving his cognition with sorting , counting and self-care skills. He has developed lots of physical skills in the last year. He can sit independently, pull himself to stand without help, cruises holding on to furniture/ caregivers’ hands, and can take a few steps without holding on! Benson loves balls and enjoys sitting opposite a caregiver doing rolling, throwing and catching across a short distance.

February 2020 update: Eden’s acrobatic skills have only increased over this past year. She has discovered how to climb out of her bed and into the bed of one of the older girls in her home. This cuddle bug loves any chance to seek out physical touch- whether it is sneaking late night cuddles or laying in the swing in her home with one of her friends. The disc swing in her home remains her favorite place, however she has grown fond of a plastic rocking horse as well.

Eden continues to take daily morning walks with her teacher to continue to practice her cane skills. Eden is now able to climb a flight of stairs while holding onto the railing and receiving promptings from her teacher. Recently, Eden has shown an increase in desire to explore her surroundings. Eden’s teacher has been working with her on spatial recognition and her ability to find new landmarks in her home. Eden is currently working on self-feedings skills. At first she was reluctant to hold her spoon during meal times, but now she is able to hold it with assistance for her entire meal. She is doing incredible! We are optimistic that this is a skill she will master this year! Eden continues to wear her processors daily. Recently Eden has begun attending speech therapy three days a week. She has begun babbling more. We hope that with speech therapy she will be able to begin to associate more meaning with the noises that she hears.

Jan 2019 update: Eden has started moving around the home with purpose more independently. She is now able to climb up 3 flights of stairs while holding onto the rail for support. She is also able to come down the stairs, also holding onto the rail for support. Eden has always been quite the acrobat and has now learned to climb on the sofa in the home and will stand while holding onto the back and jump and giggle. She has also learned to find a low hanging disc swing in the home and climb on it. She loves the swing and will vocalize sweet sounds as she enjoys the motion. Eden continues to work with her guide cane and still needs encouraging and prompting to use the guide cane throughout the day. She takes daily walks down the street with her teacher. She mostly enjoys the walks, unless she is tired, then she cries to be picked up and comforted. Eden continues to wear her processors allowing her to hear and she often responds to the sounds of toys falling on the floor, familiar voices, and music. She does require frequent prompting to complete activities in her classes. Eden also continues to demonstrate some aversions to a lot of textures. This is addressed in the home through a lot of opportunity for sensory play. She enjoys having lotion rubbed on her, sensory brush actives and water play.

 

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.

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.

Adeline is a sweet little girl who was very sick when she arrived into the care of her orphanage, but has begun thriving. She babbles, but does not yet speak. Her BERA hearing test in June 2020 showed moderate bilateral hearing loss and follow up recommended in 6 months. She is on Thyronorm medication for hypothyroidism. She has mild valvular pulmonary stenosis. No symptoms at present, so no treatment required, just routine cardio check ups. Adeline is sweet and joyful. She has appropriate attachments with adults she loves and is cautious around strangers. She is developmentally delayed, but making great progress. She has an adorable laugh! Adeline crawls and walks with a push toy or with an adult’s hands. She loves sensory play. A favorite is playing in shaving cream, and when an adult claps to make the shaving cream fly everywhere she bursts out into excited laughter! Adeline is a darling little girl, who quickly captures the hearts of all who enter her home. She would make an amazing addition to any home!

$1,938.10 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

Igor walks independently, though he favors one side of his body. His left arm and leg are weaker than the right side. He plays with toys and is interested in everything going on around him. He recognizes familiar people and seeks to engage with them. He has positive emotional development. He mimics actions and gestures of others. He enjoys musical toys, and listening to children’s music and children’s stories. He pronounces sounds and syllables, but is not yet saying words.

Cutie pie!!!

She stands upright in her crib and “walks” around it, and when she is among the other children, usually the staff put her in a walker. She has good support of her foot, she can be lead by both hands in bigger spaces. Alone takes a toy and manipulates with it. Likes teases and contact. She is fed by the adult, uses dippers. Does not talk syllables. Continues with prescribed daily kinesitheraphy. Suffered acute respiratory viral infection, applied antibiotic therapy, no complications

Update 2020:

Stella has lived in a large orphanage her entire life. She can stand while holding onto a fixed support and walk while holding the hands of an adult. She will hold toys, move them from hand to hand and knock them together. She will pick up toys that are near her in order to manipulate them. She enjoys musical toys. She seeks out other children and enjoys playing near them. She likes being cuddled by adults and laughs out loud when they play with her. She reacts when called by her name. She eats from a spoon and drinks from a cup with help. She’s in the process of being toilet trained.

Videos from February 2021 show Joshua walking, sweeping with a broom, putting butter on a slice of bread with a knife, getting his hair cut, using a needle & thread, using a pencil, watching Blues Clues and responding at appropriate times, feeding himself with a spoon and pouring his own drink into a cup, talking and responding verbally to questions and playing with legos.
Joshua’s medical report indicates that he spent the first 4 years of his life in an orphanage. His right leg is slightly shorter than his left leg. He walks “swinging his right leg out” and his lower limbs are tight. He takes Baclofen to help with this. He’s diagnosed with mental delays, though he’s made significant improvement since being removed from the orphanage and placed in a foster family a year ago. He can ride a scooter, build with legos, and catch small objects. His attention span has greatly improved since leaving the orphanage. He can now attend to tasks for longer periods, including watching an hour-long TV show. He can memorize short poems/verses. He speaks in short sentences and can understand and follow directions. His behavior has improved since leaving the orphanage. He’s attending a day program for kindergarten. He enjoys playing with toy vehicles and can name the parts of a car. He is toilet trained, brushes his teeth and feeds himself.

There is a $5,000 agency grant for Quinnlee’s adoption with her current agency!

Update below from August 2019 & a video from September 2019!

She is behind normal kids, but much better than other kids with Down syndrome. She has a very strong self-esteem. She’s not potty trained yet, but will ask when she needs help. She is active, busy, sometimes shy, and likes playing with kids of the same age. She is well behaved and obedient. She can walk, run, jump, and go upstairs and downstairs. Her fine motor skills are fair. She can draw, write, and pick up tiny objects.

Quinnlee is attached to her caretakers. The person she is closest to is her foster mother and she knows to care about others. She likes interacting with other people. She gets along well with adults and kids. She has been in a foster family since July of 2013. She gets along well with her foster family. She has experienced two foster families, but can get used to it quickly. She can express her needs well. Her language is a little behind kids of her age. Quinnlee likes dolls, and blocks, and bright colors.