In December we received the unexpected news that Nestogen, our formula of choice, will no longer be available in China. We plan to switch to Lactogen, a formula that is produced by the same company and has a similar formulation. This formula will meet our babies’ needs but comes with a price tag that is almost twice that of Nestogen’s. We now have the difficult task of telling the orphanages that, without additional funds, we must send half the amount of formula. Please help us keep our babies’ bottles full!

You can make a difference in the life of a child through a one-time or monthly donation to our nutrition program. Sponsors will receive regular updates and photos and will know they have provided the gifts of health, contentment, and a full tummy.

We know everyone sends packages with such good and kind intentions, but we felt it was important to point out some of the issues that can arise when a package is mailed to an orphanage in China. One orphanage was once hit with a $125 customs fee for a large box that a parent had sent. Most large packages cost $100 or more to send – and that same amount, for example, could buy 10 new coats for an orphanage instead. So in 2012, we wanted to mention again that any individual or group (i.e., adoption group) who would like to give back to a specific orphanage could go through our orphanage assistance program. For a minimum donation, our China staff will determine the orphanage’s most pressing needs and then use the donated money to shop for and deliver these items…directly to the orphanage, without having to figure in large shipping or customs fees. That way we can all be confident that the funds given by caring and concerned families will directly help the children who need it most!

If you do send a package overseas to an orphanage, please make sure and mark “gift” clearly on the box and customs form. Make sure the customs forms are filled out completely with the exact quantity of each item, material and brand of item, etc. Incomplete forms can cost the orphanage both time and money.

Also it is important to note that used items are not supposed to be shipped to orphanages. This policy was a result of some groups sending soiled and ragged clothing and outdated medicines to China. We once facilitated a large shipment of clothing to China that another group had collected and were later hit with large fines when it was discovered, unbeknownst to us, that the container was packed with used clothes which were hidden by just a few new items on top. Because of that incident, we no longer assist people in shipping items to China and instead purchase all clothing and supplies in country.

Giving back to your child’s orphanage is wonderful, and we love to work with families to provide much-needed items to the children who still wait in China! Please feel free to contact our orphanage assistance team at orphanageassistance@lwbmail.com to learn more about how we can help.

We love this beautiful photo of her peeking out of her crib. Her nanny says she loves to be held most of all… and we think very few people could resist picking up such a beautiful little girl. We hope that a family will choose baby Yi in 2012 so that she can continue receiving the medical care she will need long-term.

When we first saw this photo, we laughed out loud as little Guang looks like he is firmly placing the blame on someone else. As part of our orphanage assistance program, families can send baby formula to their child’s orphanage as a gift, and this photo was taken shortly after a shipment had arrived in Xinyang. We are so happy that Guang was adopted this year, and we have heard the great news that his family is completely in love!

The most wonderful news about this special photo is that two of the babies have already been united with their forever families, and the other two babies have been chosen for adoption as well!

Early last December I read the LWB blog, as I often did while we waited to travel to get our son in China. One day, I was ecstatic to see pictures of our boy there featured in the story, “Artie Faces the Scale.” I excitedly read through the article about our son only to have my heart drop at the end when I read that “Artie” was available for adoption. We had received our referral several weeks before and had pictures of this same little boy. I just knew without a doubt that I was not mistaken after studying every detail of the referral photos for weeks on end. I contacted LWB about the article, and after several rollercoaster days it was discovered that we had been sent the wrong referral photos. All of our paperwork was really for another boy from the same orphanage. However, there was no way I could let go of that sweet child whom I had grown to love through a photo.

Aaron, then known as “Artie”, in the Gaoming SWI

My husband and I received photos of the child we were really adopting (according to all of our paperwork), and once our adoption agency said that it was possible to adopt two unrelated children in this case, we just knew that both of the boys were meant to be ours. We had such peace in our hearts while we waited to hear from China that we were approved to adopt both boys.

We later learned from the nannies that the boys, Aaron (aka “Artie”) and Ryan, shared a special bond, and we were certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that God meant for them to be brothers for life. We met the boys on May 30, 2011. They came to us without a tear but were definitely comforted by being together still.

The past six months have been an amazing time. The boys are pure joy, and we have delighted in watching their excitement over all the new experiences they have had. They are growing in leaps and bounds. Aaron, who was part of the nutrition program in Gaoming along with Ryan, has grown 2 ½ inches and gained more than nine pounds since we met him.

They each had an unrepaired cleft palate when they came to us and have since had palate repair surgeries and are in speech therapy. There can be challenges due to the lack of verbal communication as well as due to some anxiety issues that one of them has faced, but the blessings far outnumber the difficulties. We are so thankful to have the privilege to call both Aaron and Ryan our sons. We will forever be grateful to LWB for helping to sort out the “mistake” with our referral, which we now believe was no mistake at all.

What a difference a year has made for both Aaron and his family! We are thankful to them for sharing their adoption story and wish them all the best.

Winnie is full of good cheer! Always smiling in the photos we see of her, eight-year-old Winnie lives in the Foshan Shunde Orphanage, where LWB has done orphanage assistance projects. We featured her in a blog piece (“Winnie’s New Coat for a New Year”) right before Chinese New Year last year and were hopeful that she would be with a family of her own before the next new year. Although it doesn’t look likely for this year, we are going to take a hint from Winnie and remain happy and optimistic that her family will find her soon!

Winnie attends a special school and loves to teach her friends from the orphanage the songs and dances she learns there.  We hear that school has been wonderful for Winnie and has helped her to become more open, outgoing, and happier than ever before. In her weekends off from school, her nanny says she enjoys assisting her with housework and helping with the babies. She truly loves to be helpful!

Just think of the smiles and love that Winnie could bring to any family. We return Winnie’s wish for peace as she waits for them!

Love Without Boundaries proudly advocates for adoption but is not an adoption agency. We invite you to contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com with questions about a child we have featured and encourage you to contact your local adoption agency for more information about China’s Waiting Child Program.

Your donation in any amount for our diaper drive will help keep these little bottoms covered and will be greatly appreciated!

Do you ever wonder about the children we blog about here?  Have they been matched?  Are they home with their families this holiday season?  How are they doing?  We are very fortunate that some adoptive parents contact us after they return home with their newly adopted child to help us answer these questions.

Some readers might remember shy Kaden from the blog post “Kaden:  No Photos, Please!”

We are thrilled to share that Kaden is now known as Kai and lives in the United States with his new family!  His mother, Denise, updated us to let us know he is doing very well.  From the photos she’s shared with us, it’s pretty obvious that Kai is no longer afraid of the camera!  Kai has a big sister with whom he is busy bonding and has received the medical care needed for his hearing impairment.

Denise writes:
If it wasn’t for LWB, I may not have found my son. While I was looking, a friend pointed me to a blog that advocated for special needs kids. The child she wanted me to consider was listed with a private agency, and I was not eligible. Something told me to keep looking at the rest of the children, and very near the bottom I found my beautiful new son, then known as Kaden. I immediately started inquiring with the blog owner and LWB and was able to find out that he was just placed back on the shared list on 4/20/11. It was the 23rd when I found him, and on the 25th my agency was able to confirm he was still there. After medical review by specialists and pediatricians we were able to lock him in that morning. China confirmed the match in two days. What a blessing!

If I could offer a piece of advice to those considering medical or special needs children it would be to not be afraid just because you aren’t sure what the condition might bring. Do your research so you know if you have a chance of giving that child their forever family. Know the conditions that you are able to consider and have the specialists lined up ahead of time. That is what I did, and I was able to lock Kai in within an hour of receiving his information that wonderful Monday morning! I also did this with my first daughter, who has a heart condition. I had the cardiologist on the phone the same day I found her. Doing all the advanced research, planning and preparation will help you bring your child home.

Kai is a happy, healthy, beautiful boy!  He is learning sign language very quickly and is very, very smart.  While there were some behavioral concerns initially, I’m happy to say many have been alleviated.  He simply needed a loving, stable home and a means to communicate to lessen his frustrations.  As many of us say, I truly believe Kai was meant to be a part of our family.  We love him more than words can express.

~Denise Huot, Kai’s mom

It brings us such great pleasure to be able to share Kai’s story and to hear about the beginning of his new life with his family!

We named our little guy Hyrum. We came across him through an advocacy group that Suzanne Damstedt, one of the LWB directors, participates in. She had alerted the group that a new child was posted on LWBcommunity.org. Out of curiosity, I hopped over to the blog to check him out. As soon as I read the title of the post, “Sweet Prince Brenden,” I was hooked. Suzanne had chosen the name Brenden for him, which as it turns out means “prince.” In our family we talk quite a bit about how the children are all princes and princesses. Between the picture of a sweet little guy with a beautiful smile and his name meaning prince, it didn’t take much for us to know that he was to be ours.

The photo of “Brenden” that stole our hearts!

Seven years ago we decided to adopt two children internationally and began a long, expensive and difficult search for our children. After having dossiers in four countries and not getting our children, which included even being turned down by China, as well as some failed domestic situations, we found out that China had now opened up to large families (we had fourteen children at the time). We didn’t even want to hope that this could be our time. We talked to several agencies that reassured us we could adopt…so we jumped in. Knowing we wanted two children, we decided to go with an agency that would allow dual adoptions just in case we found both of our children. Our desire, however, was to do one at a time. About a week before getting PA (pre-approval) for our daughter, we saw Hyrum. We didn’t even have to talk about it as husband and wife because we knew we wanted him in our family. Since being home every member of the family has said “I’m so glad we adopted him!”

Hyrum has done very well from the beginning. His adjustment has been smooth and easy. Hyrum has fallen head over heels in love with his family! When my husband and I take him out for bonding time without the other children, he never wants to leave. One day we arrived at our destination and tried to get him out of the car seat. He cried and kept trying to put his seatbelt back on. When we got home that night, Hyrum jumped out of the car, took my hand and ran to the door. He led me around to every bed in the house so he could be sure everyone was there.

Hyrum gets so excited about the smallest things. When we first got home, he had no idea how to control his emotions so when he got excited he would pinch or bite. After being home just five weeks, he has replaced the bites with kisses and clapping his hands. He has the biggest smile that starts at his toes and fills his whole body. When others would write about their great adoption experiences, I would tell myself that they just weren’t telling the whole story. Well, of course Hyrum has some things that he needs help to understand, but his adjustment has been nothing but miraculous. He is one of the sweetest little boys I know.

We have had such a wonderful experience with our adoptions that we would be more than happy to talk with anyone who might be interested but is on the fence or has concerns!

~Deanne Walker, Hyrum’s mother

Hyrum sounds like an absolute joy to be around! We are honored to have played a small part in bringing him and his family together forever.