June 25, 2015 Central Nervous System, cerebral palsy, Family Stories, mobility issues, walker user 0 Comments

In the mid 1980’s our family adopted two biological brothers from the USA’s foster care system. Both were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Fast forward to 2013 when we first adopted from China, cerebral palsy was a special need that was familiar to us and one we were confident in handling. According to CerebralPalsy.org, “Cerebral palsy …Read More

June 22, 2015 Central Nervous System, Family Stories, moyamoya 4 Comments

If you met my six-year-old daughter today, you would see right away is that she loves singing, dancing and all things girly. You would also see that she has the world’s best smile because she uses her whole face to show how happy she is. You would definitely see that she is one of the gentlest creatures …Read More

April 20, 2015 April 2015 Feature CNS, Family Stories, lipomyelomeningocele 1 Comments

We knew we felt called to adopt, and called to China, but when we found out we’d need to go through the special focus route, we were afraid… Special needs? Those words encompass a lot. Locally we had a friend who had a precious daughter from China with spina bifida. This friend had spent a …Read More

April 14, 2015 April 2015 Feature CNS, Central Nervous System, epilepsy, Family Stories, seizures, tuberous sclerosis 1 Comments

If you have ever adopted from China before, you remember sitting at the table staring at that dreaded form asking you what special needs you thought you and your family could handle. Filling it out seemed cruel. On the one hand most of them scared me to death and at the same time it filled …Read More

April 8, 2015 April 2015 Feature CNS, Central Nervous System, Family Stories, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, strabismus 2 Comments

There are the ‘facts,’ and then there’s the reality. The file says HIE, Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, but what does it really mean? Brain damage that occurs when an infant’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood, either immediately before, during or after birth, is commonly called HIE. But our Creator fashioned our brain in such …Read More

April 1, 2015 April 2015 Feature CNS, Central Nervous System, Family Stories, hydrocephalus, myelomeningocele, spina bifida 1 Comments

I’ve had this conversation with prospective adoptive parents at least six times in six months, after they hear that my sweet two-year-old girl has Spina Bifida (but before they realize she has hydrocephalus). Me: Oh, so, you have Spina Bifida on your medical checklist? Them: Yep! Me:  Do you have hydrocephalus too? Them:  No…it’s scary. …Read More

November 24, 2014 Amy, kyphosis, scoliosis, tethered cord, Tetralogy of Fallot 7 Comments

I knew to be prepared for undiagnosed needs when we set out to adopt. We prepared for the reality that a heart condition would be worse than we originally anticipated it would be. While we went through the list of needs that we would consider or not consider we had to imagine that what we would believe would …Read More

October 17, 2014 incontinence, Jean, spina bifida 3 Comments

In my previous poop and potty post I shared with you about our son who was born with spina bifida and as a result he is incontinent. After watching him sit on the waiting child list the Lord made it clear that he was our son and that we could do this special need. And …Read More

October 4, 2014 Central Nervous System, Family Stories, spina bifida, tethered cord 2 Comments

It was December 2010, exactly one year since we had brought home our first child from China. I happened to be on New Day Foster Home’s site, and this face popped up on the screen. His eyes captured my heart. Immediately, all of our children and I began praying for this little guy, wondering if …Read More

September 29, 2014 Advocacy, hydrocephalus 4 Comments

In the world of adoption advocacy, I’ve kind of become the mom that everyone asks about hydrocephalus. When a parent is reviewing a file of a hydro baby and has questions or is looking for a medical team to take a look, I always seem to get tagged in their advocacy post. “Kelli has a …Read More

June 15, 2014 incontinence, Jean, spina bifida 6 Comments

In other words this is a poop and potty post! Many of the children that sit and sit and sit on the waiting child list are there because they are incontinent. Which means they cannot control their bowels and bladder. We have brought 2 children home that were in “that situation.” One was diagnosed with …Read More

April 26, 2014 Central Nervous System, Family Stories, incontinence, mobility issues, spina bifida, wheelchair user 5 Comments

April 22, 2014 Central Nervous System, Family Stories, spina bifida 0 Comments

In 2012 we started our adoption journey. We have four biological children and wanted to add a special needs baby to the mix! It was very difficult for us to go through the medical list of possible special needs, but we left it in God’s hands. When we received our daughter’s file from our agency …Read More

April 20, 2014 Central Nervous System, epilepsy, Family Stories 0 Comments

April 14, 2014 Advocacy, Family Found, girls, spina bifida 0 Comments

JOYFUL UPDATE: My Family has found me!! Chelsea is a strong and open girl who was found at a station gate in November 2009. She was born February of 2009. Upon admission into the care center, Chelsea was noted to be weak and thin with rapid breath and a feeble cry and to have a …Read More

March 16, 2014 brain damage syndrome, Central Nervous System, enlarged ventricle, Family Stories 5 Comments

We adopted our son, Jackzhen, in 2012. We met parents on that journey that were already talking about their next adoption, while still in China. I couldn’t fathom returning so soon. Jackzhen was our 4th child and all the adjustments that we were about to endure was all I could handle at that point, especially …Read More

February 18, 2014 Central Nervous System, cerebral palsy, Family Stories 4 Comments

At the end of a long road of infertility, miscarriage, miracle daughters, and a Korean-born son, we found ourselves at the end of an adoption attempt, that after 4 years, had resulted in a son forever in his birth country due to political reasons. We were devastated. That long process that ended in heartbreak was …Read More

December 21, 2012 a father's perspective, Adrian, spina bifida 2 Comments

October 14, 2012 cerebral palsy, Family Stories, hearing loss, limb difference, moyamoya, neurofibromatosis, Sensory System 4 Comments

Our story starts in 2004, when I had a complicated pregnancy with my first child, Gianna, and was advised not to ever get pregnant again. This was actually fine with me because I’d always been drawn toward adoption. We adopted our second child in 2007, another daughter we named Camille, from Kazakhstan. After strong suspicions …Read More

September 15, 2012 Diana, tethered cord, thalassemia 3 Comments

Over the last seven years I have been in some stage of the adoption process. Dossier paperwork, waiting for approvals, stalking RQ, following blogs, doing home study visits, etc. You get the picture. Bringing my girls home became a full time job (obsession) for me! Some of us may call it the nesting period while you wait. Regardless of …Read More

August 21, 2012 a father's perspective, Adrian, spina bifida 4 Comments

If you happen to want to adopt internationally, and you live in Ontario Canada, there is a certain course you have to take. It’s called the PRIDE course. And it covers many wonderful topics. The PRIDE curriculum provides information to help prepare all adoptive parents for the responsibilities involved in raising their children and incorporates …Read More

July 21, 2012 a father's perspective, Adrian, spina bifida 2 Comments

… I’m sorry. It’s a good thing I’m cute! I’m sorry I judged you too quickly. I’m sorry that at the sight of your disheveled hair, clad in your 1972 floral print muumuu, with mismatched socks, I judged you. I’m sorry that while your child lay on the ground, feet flying up in the air, …Read More

July 15, 2012 Diana, tethered cord, thalassemia 8 Comments

I laughed out loud recently when one of my favorite people on the planet commented that someone she met who had been to my blog thought my life looked perfect!!! Trust me when I say this did not offend me. I was too busy wondering if my girlfriend got hurt when she fell off her …Read More

May 21, 2012 a father's perspective, Adrian, spina bifida 2 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day! Um, okay, maybe that’s a little late, but this is really the first time I’ve had to post since Mother’s Day. ComicCon 2012 – what better way to say “Thanks Mom!” I hope Mother’s Day was great for everyone… lots of flowers, and chocolate, and other such things. Our Mother’s Day, well, …Read More

April 21, 2012 a father's perspective, Adrian, spina bifida 6 Comments

So this post is a little unexpected. I’ve got a post about Miss G’s B-Day, and that hopefully will be funny. I’ve got a post about some other stuff, again, hopefully funny. They always look cute when dressed up as a duck But driving home today, Ping had said something that I think I need …Read More

April 15, 2012 Diana, heart defect, tethered cord 3 Comments

When we reviewed the file of Emme Jade we knew she had a minor heart defect. She had already had a repair in Shanghai at 10 months old, and our cardiologist was confident her heart looked great! Fast forward to August, 8th, 2011 when we met Emme in Nanjing. There is only one word for …Read More

November 21, 2011 a father's perspective, Adrian, older child adoption, spina bifida 0 Comments

September 21, 2011 a father's perspective, Adrian, foster care, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

August 21, 2011 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Adrian, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

June 21, 2011 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Adrian, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

March 21, 2011 a father's perspective, Adrian, incontinence, spina bifida 0 Comments

February 21, 2011 a father's perspective, Adrian, older child adoption, spina bifida 0 Comments

June 5, 2009 arachnoid brain cyst, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, Family Stories, seizures 1 Comments

March 21, 2009 Central Nervous System, cerebral atrophy, Family Stories, kyphosis, Orthopedic, scoliosis 0 Comments

January 26, 2009 Family Stories, spina bifida 0 Comments

January 23, 2009 cerebral palsy, Family Stories 2 Comments

December 18, 2008 Family Stories, spina bifida 0 Comments

November 24, 2008 Family Stories, myelomeningocele, spina bifida 0 Comments