We hope that this adorable little baby boy will soon grow big and strong with his yummy, and nutritious, formula and loving hugs!

Christopher is in need of sponsors to support him at the Henan Healing Home. Sponsorships are typically $50 per month or $25 per month for shared sponsorships. Sponsors will receive monthly updates and photos of this sweet young boy. Good luck, Christopher!

• Sponsor Christopher at Henan Healing Home

In 2008 we adopted a little girl from China and were active at that time on the chat room for our agency. One of the moms on there always posted older kiddos in need of families and one of the children she posted was Aiden. He was 8 years old with achondroplasia dwarfism. I saw his picture and thought he was adorable! Since we weren’t adopting again, I prayed for him and went on with my life.

“Adorable Aiden”

The following spring, “Aiden” came back to my mind and hit me hard! I felt a little panicked about him and the urge to know if he had a family yet. I contacted my friend Karin again to see if she knew if he had a family. She jumped into action, and the emails flew back and forth for several days. I finally got the word…no family had chosen him.   I instantly started crying thinking of this sweet boy with no future and prayed hard.   I knew getting my husband on board for an adoption again was going to be tough. I broached the subject, and we prayed about it for a few days.  Finally, hubby said YES!!  Wooohooo!!  Although our boys were a little reluctant to add another sibling, once they heard about his dwarfism they were on board.   We haven’t looked back since and moved forward to adopt the little boy we would name JD.

We were so eager to get JD home, but reality was scary.  Would he accept us?  Would we accept him?,  Although achondroplasia is the most common type of dwarfism with little health risks, we wondered if we would be able to handle it or afford any problems that might occur.

Gotcha Day

In May 2011, we finally went to China to get JD. I traveled with my mom and my 16 year old son, and we all fell in love with JD the second he walked into the room.  He bonded so quickly with my older son and his grandma; however, he was more reserved with me.  I knew it would come and was right….he’s now a mama’s boy!   We were able to skype home to talk with his dad, other brother and new little sister, and it made our homecoming so much easier as he already “knew” them.   He had a few meltdowns while in China and also once we came home, but he was able to be consoled and kept that smile on his face. I do believe his size allowed the bonding process to happen more quickly as we needed to carry him at times.  At those times he hugged and kissed us freely (and vice versa).

JD’s transition to our family was remarkably smooth and easy.  He has really bonded and attached to us all and has made his spot in the family known. He is always smiling and asking many questions. JD and his younger sister do fight…quite a lot really, but then most siblings do!  He loves to play games, paint and color, play legos, ride his bike, and skateboard.

We have been to many medical specialists, and JD is a healthy, happy nine-year-old boy!  We have been involved with our local LPA (Little People of America) and have made many friends. JD is lucky to know other kids like him (with average parents) and also to have adults that are little people to be great role models for him. He is struggling a bit in school academically, and the school feels he should be farther along than he is.  However, he still goes eagerly each day and can’t wait to see friends and teachers.

For us, dwarfism has been easy! Our experience with an older child was great. We would recommend both and have no regrets. JD is part of our family for life, and we are proud to be his forever mom and forever dad.

~Steve and Liz Freeby

It’s difficult to think of anything cuter than a boy and his dog. Our always-smiling Patrick seems pretty thrilled to be holding a cuddly puppy! We actually think that Patrick is the one who looks cuddly.

Patrick, who turns 11 this year, lives with his adoring foster sister in our Kaifeng foster care program in Henan Province. This caring little boy always has fun with his little sister and everyone around him. He attends school and has a super personality. Patrick has cerebral palsy, which mainly affects his left arm. Everyone says what a good boy he is and comments on how he is always smiling…and from all of the great photos we have of him,they aren’t kidding about that! Imagine how truly happy he would be if he were to find his forever family.

This shot of Patrick seems to say, “What are you waiting for?! I’m trying my hardest to get your attention so you will realize that I will be a great son. If you are looking for a sign, then here it is! I am giving you the ‘I want to go fishing’ sign.”

So many people are pulling for Patrick to finally get his own family that two grants are available for his adoption. LWB is offering a grant for $1,000 towards his adoption expenses, and Grant Me A Chance is offering an additional $1,000 grant.

After all Patrick has been through, he is still smiling, which says a lot about his character and resilience. Take another look. Can you resist? Come on! We think it could be way more than puppy love!

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.

My name is Nicholas, and I am still waiting for my family.   I have just learned that there is an additional $3,000 grant for my adoption expenses, which brings my grant total to $5,000! (Grant Me A Chance is offering $2,000, and LWB is offering the new grant of $3,000.)

Let me tell you a little bit about myself in case you’ve forgotten or we’ve never “met.”  I’m twelve years old and live with a family in LWB’s Kaifeng foster care program in Henan Province. Learning and drawing are some of my favorite things to do.

I love my foster brother and just about everyone else!  When some nice ladies from LWB visited me this past summer, I sang for them and told them how much I would like my own family.  I think they liked my song.  I was happy for my other foster brothers and sisters when they were adopted, but it was also hard as I keep hoping that I’ll receive a family too.  At age twelve, I’m still not too old and really want my very own family!

If you want to know anything more about me, you can read my first blog profile, A Chance for Nicholas, or contact another nice LWB lady at adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com.

I am so excited to share the news of my adoption grant with everyone and hope you will also share it with your friends.

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.

You can imagine how my heart swelled at his sweet face!

I wondered why he had been waiting many months for a family to match with him. It turned out that Andrew was born with a form of spina bifida, which is a life-long condition, making Andrew’s chances of finding a family slimmer than many other children. So, writing a post about Andrew became more challenging than I thought it would be.

Adoption is certainly about the desire to parent, but, when it comes to adopting children with known medical conditions, it is also about access to resources, as well as ability and desire to care for the child’s need. Andrew’s photos depict a happy little boy about to turn four years old. Yet, he requires more than many other children his age. What he needs is a committed family, with the resources, time and energy to care for him. Might someone fall in love with his sweet rosy cheeks and not realize the full extent of his needs? Or is there a family who will read this post and be prepared to parent and care for Andrew?

I read up on Andrew’s condition (meningocele/myelomeningocele), and I will admit it was a bit daunting. I wondered how an orphanage could care for this child the way that he needs to be cared for as he surely needs more one-on-one attention than I imagine they are able to provide. I realize now why his original foster mother decided he should go back to the orphanage; she felt she could not manage his care and wanted someone else to do more for him. It’s very obvious that Andrew’s very best chance at minimizing any deformities/difficulties and maximizing his capabilities in life requires a family.

Physical, occupational and speech therapy are important for children with Andrew’s medical needs. Everything I read about spina bifida says it is likely that the child will need a team of medical experts working with him after they are discharged from the hospital. Apparently, how well a child does depends a lot on the initial condition of their spinal cord and nerves; however, as time goes on, the full extent of a person’s needs will reveal themselves. Children born with myelomeningocele can often have paralysis or weakness of the muscles below the level of their spine where the defect is. As we have learned in Andrew’s case, he does not have function from his waist down. It is likely he will need medical and educational support for many years.

Andrew, just as his western name implies, is a little warrior. What a trooper, to have been through this intense surgical repair for his spina bifida, and yet be able to show us his goofy side.

To have such a light in his eyes!

Some of our volunteers visited Andrew recently and commented on how well he appeared to be doing. Without the ability to function from the waist down, he does not walk. However, like your typical toddler, he loves to play with his friends. He tends to get along well with other children, plays nicely and is not rough. In fact, he is quite well-behaved. The adults who are caring for him appreciate the fact that they rarely need to coax him into anything; he listens well and is and flexible.

Andrew is a bit shy around strangers, but he is polite and very happy to see our regular staff when they are able to visit him.

For Andrew, there are not many long-term opportunities for him, even though his needs are completely physical. I wish I could see what the future holds for this little warrior, but alas I have no crystal ball or real psychic capabilities…so for now, I hope to share the joy of Andrew’s sweet-faced personality and information on his needs with the hope that the rest will fall into place for him.

Meg Montgomery is an Adoption Assistance Advocate for Love Without Boundaries. She is a social worker, living and working in Boston, MA.

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.

Billy (who was featured in last week’s blog, “Billy’s Fight”), is a little boy in desperate need of help. He has only been on this earth for ten short weeks, and he has been through more than most people go through in a long lifetime. Billy was born with a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). ToF has at least four typical defects of the anatomy of the heart and Billy had a pretty serious case. He was sent to LWB’s Heartbridge Pediatric Unit with the hope he could grow a bit more before surgery, but he soon went into cardiac distress and we knew we had to move him for surgery immediately.

Billy was sent to a top-rated pediatric hospital in Shanghai to receive the best surgical care available. Billy made it through his surgery but, once again, went into distress during his recovery. He fought his way back but needed a ventilator to breathe. Last week we were told Billy was going into multiple-organ failure and the doctors were not hopeful. This news hit all of us hard, especially since these were the same doctors that didn’t give up hope with our little Marisol who was on a ventilator for almost two months this summer. If these wonderful doctors felt it was hopeless, we felt nearly sure we were going to lose him.

But, hope is a funny thing. It defies all logic and reason and shines light when it seems there is only darkness. Billy has HOPE! He is fighting for his life and he is WINNING! He opened his eyes and his liver and kidneys started to function again when we thought all was lost. Billy has been abandoned, pulled through cardiac distress TWICE, survived open heart surgery and multiple organ failure—and he is still here!

Billy’s medical bills are quite high and are rising every day that he is in the hospital. We would appreciate any and all help towards this little fighter’s medical expenses. To help Billy, please donate here.

He was visited last week by some of our volunteers.  They remarked on how happy and thrilled he was when they gave him paper and markers to draw.  He enthusiastically began showing them what he could write.  Everyone found him to be sociable and good-natured.  In addition, Patrick seems to have a good sense of people, quickly assessing your level of friendliness and then giving you a sign he is friendly too.

Patrick has cerebral palsy, which mainly affects his left hand.  He uses his right hand very well.  Also he walks and runs comfortably.

In his foster family, Patrick has a younger foster sister with whom he enjoys playing and watching cartoons.  His foster family says Patrick is a good kid and will help around the house doing things, such as cutting vegetables and setting the table.

And if you could not tell from the photos here – Patrick loves to strike a pose!

Meg Montgomery is an Adoption Assistance Advocate for Love Without Boundaries. She is a social worker, living and working in Boston, MA.

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.

Grant Me a Chance, a nonprofit organization, hopes to make a difference. They say, “Together we can GRANT ORPHANED CHILDREN THE CHANCE they deserve… a chance to be healthy, happy, and HOME!” Grant Me a Chance makes a difference by providing adoption assistance grants with the hope of improving the lives of parentless children throughout the world.

Nicholas, a twelve-year-old boy in LWB’s Kaifeng Foster Care Program, will no longer be eligible for adoption soon. Grant Me A Chance has chosen him to offer a $2,000 grant toward his adoption expenses. We can imagine how excited Nicholas would be to receive his own family!

When Amy Eldridge, LWB’s Executive Director, visited with Nicholas this past summer, she remembers how he sang for her and her travel companions. Everyone was in awe of his heartfelt song. Nicholas had a foster sister to whom he was particularly close. When she was recently adopted, he took it really hard and was sad when he had to say goodbye to her. More recently Nicholas has enjoyed the addition of his new foster brother, who will also be adopted soon. Nicholas would love to have his own family and the chance to be a big brother again for another sister or brother. On the same visit, Nicholas told Amy, “I would be so kind to a mama and baba.” What a sweet heart he has!

Nicholas has a diagnosis of mild cerebral palsy. He uses a walker most of the time but can stand on his own and walk without the walker with some support. Due to his cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis, he was not always able to attend school and get his educational needs met. Although his ability to attend school regularly has been affected by his special needs, Nicholas remains an eager student. He is currently studying Chinese characters, Chinese poetry, and math, but his real passion is for drawing. He is quite a budding artist with a rich imagination. His other interests include singing and spending time with his younger foster brother. He is very helpful around the foster home by helping pick the vegetables and set the table. He looks forward to helping others, and he is determined not to let his CP diagnosis hold him back. Nicholas is described by his foster family as very talkative, polite, and loving to tell stories. He is studious, attentive, and well behaved.

We hope this grant helps make a difference in Nicholas’s life. Please take a moment to help make a difference yourself and share Nicholas’s story with others.

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.

Aiden from Kaifeng, Henan Province, just turned eight. While he is a little shy, you wouldn’t guess it from his grin!   He’s currently a student in LWB’s Kaifeng Education program where he receives tutoring. Every day before class, he helps the teacher move the table and carry the chairs.  He also likes to help his fellow students. He helps pick up books off the ground, helps other children move their chairs and loves to help his fellow student, Grace, learn her numbers.

He can recite about five pieces of poetry such as “Early Spring” and “The Goose”.  Aiden’s recent big accomplishment is to start reading the time on the clock.  He likes to draw and can count from 1 to 100, as well as doing single digit addition and subtraction.

Aiden knows the four directions correctly.   He is respectful to his teacher and always eager to learn new things.   We look forward to getting his reports each month since we always get a big, sweet smile in his photos.

Doesn’t he look proud of his accomplishments? All he needs now is a family to share in his pride! Aiden is currently living in our Kaifeng foster care program and is on the shared list in China’s Waiting Child program with a special need of Dwarfism. Please contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com for more information!

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.

As many of you know, travelling in China can be an exhilarating — but exhausting — experience.  Our three intrepid travellers — Paige, Amy and Sheri — have been extremely busy and can’t wait to share their stories with us!  However, they are having some computer and internet problems in China and will therefore post tales of their travels when they return home next week.  In the meantime, here are a few photos from their adventures!

Sheri, Amy and Paige with all the babies of the Henan Cleft Healing Home!

Paige enjoying some snuggle time with Tadgh

Paige, Sheri and Amy in Kaifeng