Another "must have" book for adoptive parents...

I've long been a fan of the author of Kay Bratt.

I was moved by her book Silent Tears and found myself purchasing additional copies to share within my adoptive circle. While we were waiting to travel to China, I purchased a zillion books on adoption.

I poured over them. The former librarian in me, couldn't stop researching and reading. Nearly, four years later, we're starting to get different kinds of questions from Josie and I was pleasantly surprised when Kay Bratt contacted me to see whether I'd be interested in a copy of Mei Li and Wise Laoshi.

This is a wonderful book written to address some very culturally insensitive issues surrounding adoption. Questions like "Is that your real mother? Where are you from?" are discussed in a manner that all children can relate to. Kay is even donating copies to various schools around the country and some outside the USA. If you’d like your school or classroom to be considered, please leave a comment on her blog. I've ordered several copies on Amazon. You can find more information here.

Thanks for all you do to bring awareness, Kay!

XOXO

♥

Prayers for Nana & Meet our new baby!!

Keep the prayers coming for Chris's mom. The catheterization did not indicate any substantial information, but did indicate that one of the four arteries of Carol's previous bypass was showing more blockage than the last catheterization she had. As much as they are concerned about this, they are not sure at this point if the main culprit she is having such severe edema in her legs or shortness of breath. More diagnostics are necessary and they will be doing an ultrasound and an MRI within the next few days. We were all hoping for a magic solution or explanation for her severe health decline during today's procedure...sigh.

In happier news, Lindsey (the little girl we were sponsoring through Pearl River Outreach) has finally been united with her forever family!!


Meet our newest baby. Her name is Lian and she was born September 3, 2009. She has a tumor on her right leg which can hopefully be operated on.


Pearl River outreach is still hoping looking for additional sponsors for other children and you can find more information on their blog at http://pearlriveroutreach.blogspot.com

While I'm on the mission for promoting Chinese-related causes, just a reminder about Operation China Warm-up. See Kay Bratt's blog for more information.

Happy Tuesday. Stay healthy!

Operation China Warm- Up

I want to get the word out on something that Kay Bratt has offered to do. Seeing first hand the importance of helping children stay warm in China, I think this is a great idea.

(Picture of Josie taken sometime in 2007)

Taken directly from Kay's blog...

"Most of us do not have to worry about our children staying warm this winter. However, now that the temps are beginning to drop, my mind is constantly straying back to those many winter days I spent walking through the rows of babies in the orphanage– babies who were dressed in three layers of clothes and then strapped down in their cribs with no ability to move, roll over or work the numb muscles. Sound sad? Yes– it does but it is true. One need I remember having each year was for warm sweaters for the infants, toddlers and other children.

If you would like to pick up a sweater or two (gently used would be fine too) and mail it to Kay, she will be sending off a box of sweaters to two orphanages. She cannot say which, as one was the orphanage she wrote about in Silent Tears; A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage.

Please only send sweaters with buttons or zippers, as these are the most convenient for the orphanage ayis to use. Size 6 month and larger needed. You can email her at kaybratt70@hotmail.com for the address to mail your donation to.

National Adoption Awareness Month Part 2

Our family is sponsoring a little girl in China to remain in the Bamboo Babies Foster Care Program. I would have never known about this program unless Kay Bratt (author of Silent Tears) would have written about it on her blog.

Emma has already decided that we need adopt this little girl (she's a heart baby too). We're not adopting again, but we're happy to provide an orphan with an opportunity to live in a foster setting until she is adopted by a family.

For as little as $35 a month,
you can make a difference in the life of a child--

Pearl River Outreach has three foster care programs in China:
1) Zhanjiang, Guangdong,
2) Changsha, Hunan, and
3) Hengshan, Hunan.
If you choose to sponsor a child, you will receive quarterly updates containing a picture and brief update as to how your child is doing. Pearl River Outreach Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Therefore your donation is tax deductible and 100% of your sponsorship goes directly to the care of the child you are sponsoring.

Your donation provides a child with:
a safe place to live
a loving family environment
nutrition, such as vitamins, formula,
food supplements & clothing

To Learn More:
http://pearlriveroutreach.org/sponsor.php

Next year, we've decided that our Halloween party is going to be a fundraiser for Pearl River Outreach. Party attendees can give as little, or as much as they want. Shanna Brown inspired me with her Haunt with a Heart Halloween party in which they raised funds for Love without Boundaries and we'd like to do the same thing next year for this worthy organization. It's amazing how the experience of going through an adoption can open your heart and your mind.

Silent Tears

I've never written a book review before, but this morning I posted a review on Amazon's website for Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in A Chinese Orphanage. When I came home from work yesterday, the book was with the mail. As soon as I put my daughters to bed, I tore into it. At 1:30am, my husband wondered why our light was still on. I couldn't stop reading. My own silent tears flowed down my cheeks all night long. Kay Bratt is an amazing writer. This is a must read for parents adopting from China. I now have a much better understanding on some of the behavior that Josie displayed when she first came to our family. I'm so proud to be her mother. She is an amazingly resilient child and we are so blessed to have had the opportunity to adopt her.