Never A Dull Moment!: Neat Adoption Blog

Never A Dull Moment!: Neat Adoption Blog

This is a great blog! Take a peek! A great trip down memory lane!

How You Can Help

I love ways that I can continue to help the children who are waiting in China, especially those who are from Anna's SWI. Anna spent her first year in the Guigang SWI in Guangxi, and they took excellent care of her. I've always wanted to find a way to thank them, and I think I may have found the answer!

The LOOK Project mission is "to assist in providing older children growing up in Chinese orphanages (SWIs) with the health, skills and knowledge they will need to eventually function as independent, productive, and healthy adults when they leave the SWI. The LOOK Project provides support in three broad areas:

- Medical/Physical Needs

- Educational/Training Needs

- Social/Emotional Needs

Anna's SWI Director sent the LOOK Project a needs list, and I was happy to donate some money. I love knowing that it will go directly to Guigang! There are other SWIs that they are helping as well.

In addition to money, this project (run by CCAI which is well known) needs volunteers for all sorts of things. I'm hoping to get involved in their care package projects.

During the adoption process, the hardest thing for me to do was wait. I wanted to stay busy, and I wanted to stay involved in the lives of Chinese orphans. Maybe you do as well. Take a peek. You could make such an amazing difference!

"It's so cute!"

After awhile, you forget that your family looks different. It takes you a second to remember why people are looking, sometimes staring. Most just smile and walk on. Sometimes we hear little comments as we walk by, and that is fine. My three are young enough that they don't realize people are talking about our family. Actually, they didn't realize this until yesterday.

We went up to the mountains, along with the rest of the East coast, and stopped to walk around an "old time" village.

"Oh my gosh. It's so cute!"

What? What I am missing? What's so cute? Let me get my camera! Oh you are talking about my daughter, not an "it". Sorry.

"Oh wow! One of my co-workers just came back with one too!"

"One" too. You mean their daughter.

The conversation continued, and for awhile, it was as though we were not there. "Oh look at her! You can tell she is attaching! Oh she is so cute. Now I could do it if I knew I could get one that cute!"

I know people mean well. Most are so nice and just curious about the whole process. It is still a mystery to many that you can take a "stranger" and make them a part of your family. Your son or daughter. A brother or sister. I enjoy showing people that "it works".

What is hard is when people ohh and ahh and forget the other children who are standing around you. "She is so cute!" On and on. Meanwhile my middle child is jumping up and down, trying to show the stranger his new trick. "That's neat! Now tell me how did you get started in this . . . " An after thought which I set out to fix as soon as we walk away. I don't ever want one child to feel "less important" than another.

I would encourage you to think about how you are going to react to situations such as these. Strangers mean well, and we enjoy talking to people about our experience. Just be prepared and remember that the "cute thing" may just be your child!

Getting Help

We have finally reached the point where we are saying "I think we have a problem".

Anna's speech is delayed. Really delayed. She is two years old and has three or four words that she can say clearly. There are a few other words that we can understand, but they barely qualify as a word.

Last winter, we called in Early Intervention. It's a free service that comes to your home and assesses your child. Each state is different, but based on certain criteria your child can qualify for all sorts of therapy. We had someone come to the home once a month, and prior to moving, she told us "Good luck! I can tell she is going to start talking anyday!" Well, that was five months ago, and we have made little progress.

So we are starting again in Tennessee, and I'm looking forward to the help. If you come home and find yourself in a similar situation, do not hesitate to get involved with Early Intervention. Your MD may suggest it, and if not, don't be afraid to ask. They have been so easy to work with. One phone call and the ball gets rolling. No complicated referrals, forms, etc.

I also need to share that this is very frustrating for not only Anna, but for me as well. We do the point and scream/whine dance everyday . I find myself wanting to scream "JUST SAY IT! PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF PETE! JUST SAY SOMETHING!" Ahhh . . . It felt better just typing that!

Delays were something I read about prior to our adoption, but I figured reading, talking with her, etc., would be all that we would need. Wrong. I'm not saying this to depress or discourage you, but rather to encourage you to keep an open mind. If you think you could use some assistance, go for it. What can it hurt!?!?