Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day {Family Story}

My family is so very thankful for the gift of adoption. We have seen such a transformation of this sweet girl who walked in to meet her new family July 30, 2018 for the first time. I don’t think any of us knew what to think and we were ALL scared. 

As of today she gets amazing medical care, therapy, preschool, and a family who loves her. I know many tell us how we have changed her life but I can guarantee you she has made each of us better even in these short 4 months. 

Thank you God for showing us the gift of adoption by sending your son, and thank you Gladney for helping us experience love like none other!  We are thankful!

Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day {Family Story}

This year I have been blessed with the most amazing gift ever, my daughter Mia, who I adopted from China this past September. She has changed my world for the better and has put purpose to my life. 

I’m thankful for the people who have been put in my life to make this adoption happen. I’m thankful to have a supportive family who loves Mia unconditionally! These things aren’t coincidental, it was meant to be, and for that I’m forever grateful. 

With the addition of Mia to our family, Thanksgiving had taken on a new meaning. It’s a time to reflect on how truly blessed we are and a time to give thanks. Our family traditions takes on a new purpose, to show Mia the importance of family and friends and the love that connects us. To take the time to give gratitude to those who are with us and to those who are no longer. It’s a time to give thanks to the creator for all he has given to us. 

Mia has added the key ingredients to show us that it’s a time in our lives to slow down and enjoy the little things. It’s a time to give thanks and to be at peace with what god has given to us. These are the moments I hope to share with my daughter! 

Ask The Experts... Father's Day Edition

What is your favorite thing about your dad?

That he plays "Chopped Kids" with us. (Steve creates cooking competitions for our kiddos) - Yu Yu Willett, age 10.

He plays flips and airplanes with me. - Andie Clements,  age 4

He lets me work with him. - Khloe Kennett- age 6

He takes me to gas stations and lets me get whatever junk food I want. - Charlotte, age 8

That he tells me I am beautiful and kisses me every night. - Eliana age 9

What is something funny your dad always does?

He makes funny faces sometimes, and his snoring is pretty funny. - Khloe Kennett, age 6

He played Christmas music all year long.

We saw our dad throwing away some shoes...that was really funny wasn’t it, Mom? (Sam (5) and Andie (4) Clements after watching their dad make a goodwill donation 

 He says we are going to have stinky sock soup for dinner! Yu Yu, age 10 and Rosielin, age 8

He farts! - 😂Charlotte age 8, from Wuwei, China.

He sings really loud in the shower. - Annika age 11

"It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons." - Von Schiller

Family Friday! {Taiwan Welcome Home Post!}

Welcome Home Jean and Kiki!

We are all so excited and happy for Jean and Kiki, two sisters from Taiwan who are now home and part of a forever family! Mom, Alison, and dad, Jonathan, made it through all of the paperwork and all of the waiting and now finally have their daughter’s home!

Alison and Jonathan learned about Jean and Kiki after our Superkids team met the girls. After seeing some posts we made, they asked to review the girls information – and the rest is history!

Congratulations Jean, Kiki, Alison and Jonathan! We wish your family a lifetime of happiness, laughter, and most importantly love.

How Do You Measure A Year?

A year ago today one of our families met their very special little boy, Dawson, in China. Since then Dawson's parents have been amazing adoption advocates. Thank you Amy and Christopher for your untiring work and support! 

How do you measure a year?

August  29, 2017

365 days of...

Taking life one day at a time...
Taking help from others...
Taking naps...

How do you measure a year?

365 days of...

Giving joy
Giving hope
Giving life

Thankful to family, friends, and God for a year filled with LOVE.

3.21- A Family Story

Magnificent Miles as he was once referenced for sure and certain is magnificent! Who knew such a little one could hold so much of this mamas heart? Home just seven weeks this week and officially a Snyder eight weeks... although it feels as he has always been a part of our family. It's impossible to imagine the days before he was home. As our days are now filled with his contagious giggles, the pitter patter of his little feet along the wooden floors, his arms stretched out as he says "up" ... reading book after book "duck & goose" being some of his favorites... he says "loose" ... oh how proud I am of how much he has shown us in just this short time. 

Our little has been blessed to rock his extra chromosome. Down syndrome is part of magnificent Miles but it does not define him. He is our sunshine. He may not be at the same developmental stage as other two year olds but let me tell you he is just like every other toddler... curious and a sponge for learning. He may not look just like everyone else... his little feet have just a little extra space for sporting flip flops, his short little fingers are just the sweetest and his chocolate brown eyes are ever so slightly further apart. All this makes our magnificent Miles who he is. And we couldn't imagine him any other way. 

Today we celebrate as we raise awareness that Down syndrome isn't something to be afraid of. Knowledge is key. No we don't have all the answers nor do we know what tomorrow holds... but what we do know is we are so glad we made the decision to adopt our magnificent Miles. He has forever changed our world. The adventures have only just begun.

Monday Morning Matches!

We are starting the week off right! We have matches to announce!

Nigel

We can't show you a picture of  Nigel, but we can sure rejoice with his family who already knows how cute he is! 

Cassie

Lindsay

Robert 

Congratulations to all! What a great Chinese New Year gift!

Monday Morning Matches!

Happy news on a Monday morning! We have matches to announce!

Kenzie

Garrett

Suzanna

It brings us such joy to see these children we love being chosen by families! Congratulations to all! All of us are over the moon excited for all of you!

Monday Morning Matches!

Here we are again, Monday morning with a bunch of matches to announce!

Jonathan!

The rest we can't show photos of, but want to announce the great news that...

The Twins! Natalie and Nicole!

Nolia!

Nate!

Nellie!

Also have families! Congratulations to these wonderful children and their new families!

Monday Morning Matches!

What better first post of the new year than to announce some matches!? And the best part? I'm needing to make this into two posts because there are just too many to announce in one post!

Samson

Savannah

Shawn

Jack

Congratulations to these wonderful kids and their new families! May the paperwork fly through the proper channels and may these sweeties be home very soon!

The Superkids of 2015

In 2015 we made two trips to China and one trip to Taiwan. We met met so many wonderful children! Of these children many are now home and many more have families doing the paperwork to bring them home. Their little faces tell the story better than we could in any other way, they are why we do what we do!

Here they are! 

The Matched and Home Superkids of 2015!

In Loving Memory of Xin Long

As many of us are gathered with family and loved ones this Christmas Eve we want to pause for a moment to remember a very special little boy and his very special family.

Let's Start the Week Off Right!

First of all a let's say congratulations to the family of our recently matched little

LAUREN!!

Then let's congratulate the families meeting their little Superkids this week!

And last, but not least, we had a great time meeting new families and sharing about Superkids and Gladney's programs at the APC Conference this weekend.

April and Mary at the display table.

Why In The World? {Taiwan Family Story}

There are many children with Down syndrome or other similar special needs in Taiwan waiting for their forever families. If you are interested in learning more about Taiwan adoption, or the waiting children in Taiwan, please contact Taiwan Program Caseworker Mary Chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org.

Note: The photos in this post are not of Kaden, they are of a little boy in Taiwan whom we met in September. 

One mother’s letter of support to others thinking about adopting a child with Down syndrome.

We have a biological son and our daughter is adopted from South Korea.  We were in the process of prayerfully considering our second adoption, never expecting to have another child of our own.  Little did we know, God had other plans for our family and we found out we were expecting.  After many tests and sonograms, we learned in the Spring of 2010 that our son would be born with Down Syndrome and have 2 different heart conditions. 

We heard many comments from Drs. over the months that were less than supportive -- you name it, we heard it!  While it was not easy, we brushed off each and every comment the OB/GYN Doctors had to say to us, just because our son happened to have an extra chromosome.  Caleb was truly a VERY unexpected gift and we loved him so, including his older brother and sister!  After two open heart surgeries, Caleb climbed into Jesus' lap after being with us for a little over a year.  Caleb had taught us in only 414 days that not only could we care for a child with Down Syndrome, but that they had a lot to teach us as well.  He never spoke a word or even learned to sit up, but he taught us more and showed us what true unconditional love is in a very short amount of time!  After months of grief in our family, we knew full well we were not "done".  As time lifted some of our grief, we began to realize that we were still meant to adopt again, but this time we were to adopt a little one with special needs.  Something we would have never considered for our family before Caleb.

We fell in love with a little guy who was featured on Reese's Rainbow, as well as Rainbow Kids!  We inquired and filled out information about our family and a couple weeks later, we were told that we had been chosen by the birth family to raise Kaden. The process began and we were off to the races!  International adoptions have many twists and turns and many times where we had to hurry up and wait...but on the other end of the paper trail is a beautiful child needing a home.  Kaden had a mom, dad, older brother and sister who could not wait to bring him home.  The process took 14 months, but thankfully the agency in Taiwan was good about sending updates, pictures and videos, almost every month!  We could not wait for those updates each time!!  After 14 months, we finally brought Kaden HOME and a little piece of our broken hearts was filled again.

Sure, it is not easy raising a child with special needs, but what child is easy?!  Our greatest challenges have been with insurance when something like physical therapy is not billed right!  :)  
Kaden brings so much joy to our lives each and every day.  He runs to his daddy when he walks into the door after a long day at work.  He makes us laugh at the dinner table every night.  He amazes us with his strength and determination every day!  What is different about a child with Down Syndrome...absolutely nothing!  He may need a little extra therapy at school or a little extra help with forming his words.  He may need a little extra time potty training or learning how to tie his shoes, but he teaches US more every day then we can even describe.  We have determined after two and half years with K that the extra 21st chromosome is made up of mostly love (the other portion is made up of stubbornness:).

Did we ever think when we got married that we would have a special needs child...no!  But are we thankful that we have been blessed to raise a child with special needs...absolutely!  We are better for it, our other children are better for it.

So, in the end, why in the world would you want to adopt a child with Down Syndrome?  Because you can!

Happy News!

The very best kind!

Matches! Matches! Read all about it!

Who is matched?

I am!

Jared

And me!

Juliette

And me!

Stella

And all of our friends at Superkids are over the moon excited for us!

David and Daniel- Matched!! {Taiwan}

David and Daniel are two very special brothers who have held a place in our hearts for a couple of years now. These sweet brothers were waiting in Taiwan for a forever family, and we’ve been advocating for them over the last year and a half. This past week we have learned that these sweet brothers are waiting no longer – they have a family! We are overcome with joy for them!

When reading the information about these two cuties (and we get a lot of information about the waiting children in Taiwan!), the thing that comes to mind is “Why don’t these amazing, smart, curious, funny, adventurous boys have a family yet?!” Then reality sets in – they are boys, and they are older, and there are two of them. Unfortunately, these are the children it’s hardest to find a family for. But when they do find a family – it’s time to celebrate big! And we are celebrating for them!!

There are a lot of waiting children like David and Daniel in Taiwan – smart, creative, fun, amazing kids who are waiting for forever families. Some are boys, some are school-aged, some are groups of siblings – but they all need families. If you’d like to learn more about waiting children in Taiwan, please contact Taiwan Program Caseworker, Mary Chapman, at mary.chapman@gladney.org.