Rainbow Kids Rocks!

This week in New York we had an opportunity to spend time with Martha Osborne.  Let me tell you she is warm, kind and so there for every child who is waiting for a family.  She also advocates tirelessly to help families to find their child. Martha is an adoptee herself.  She kniows the miracle of adoption first hand as a parent as well.  She has five daughters who she adopted and are now her beautiful family.

In 1996 she started Rainbowkids.com. Since then Rainbow kids has grown to be the greatest force in online advocacy for international adoption.  She continues to advocate for children in many countries and with over 67 agencies.  Rainbowkids offers their services free of Charge so that even more children can benefit from having out reach in advocacy.

In person Martha is amazing.  She is warm, kind and an advocate who thinks with her head as well as her heart.  A true out of the box thinker.  So Cool to actually be with Martha who talks so openly about her own adoptions and her life.  We discussed everything from our favorite food to orphanages in China and changes in international adoption.  Wow!

Martha's daughter Kate also came with her on this trip. I so enjoyed meeting Kate as well as spending time with Martha.  She attended Chinese New Year party on Sunday.  Martha helped develop some ideas for the Superkids this summer. Another wonderful minute, Martha, Erin Martin and Chelsea all in the same room.  We missed Darla but we will catch up with her soon.

I think the most wonderful part of the time with Martha was knowing how many more children we can help.

OK,  Martha rocks, Adoption rocks!!!!

Almost Wordless Wednesday!

These Kiddos have spent a large amount of time occupying my heart lately

For more information please contact patriciamarcuspt@gmail.com

Advocacy Monday- Hua Hua

Today we are Advocating for a little one with a limb difference.  We have just received some updated info on him.  This little man waits and waits.  He has the special need of Limb difference and he has one blue eye. He is a cutie and nothing slows him down.

Hua Hua can do everything everyone else can do but he just does it a little differently.  He is a sweet and serious boy!

Here is what Chelsea wrote advocating for him.

Hua Hua was the last child that came into our assessment room on the first day of our journey. And he changed me. Maybe it was his round cheeks and his one blue eye, or maybe it was how his hands could do all the same tasks though they looked nothing like mine. But really, I think it was a sense that he needed me that created this change in my heart. 

So when Pat asked me to write a post about Hua Hua I jumped at the opportunity. Hua Hua represents so much of what originally drew me to orphan care. There are hundreds of thousands of children—like Hua Hua—abandoned all over the world because of a disability or because of the social and economic burdens of raising a child with special needs. And from now on, whenever I think of these children, I will always see Hua Hua’s sweet face with his contrasting dark brown and ice blue eye.

I sat near Hua Hua that day in the Orphanage and told him how special I thought he was. And as I sat, I listened to our team’s medical volunteers and the orphanage staff discuss whether or not Hua Hua has normal eye-sight (which all signs seem to suggest that he does by the way) and someone mentioned the use of colored contacts to “correct” his mix-matched eye color. This bothered me. I thought to myself—“What a shame.” Why change Hua Hua? He’s exquisitely unique and special and perfect just the way he is.

And that’s the mission of Superkids—to care for children without reservations. Hua Hua doesn’t need to be changed to be loved, but he does need a family. And if you love him, I promise this miraculous little life will change you. I know because he changed me.  

 Well  Hua Hua still waits.  I really don't understand Why.  He is an amazingly perfect sweet and serious boy.  In his update the nannies say they feel he is a bit advanced when compared to his peers.  He has such a sweet serious face.  He needs someone to kiss his tears and hold and cuddle him. He needs a forever family.

For More information about Hua Hua please contact patriciamarcuspt@gmail.com

an Emotional day in Texas

Wendy Stanley and I are in Texas at the main Gladney campus. We are here seeing and supporting a number of China families who are attending Pathways training.  I have gotten to meet so many people that I spoken with on the Phone.  There is one mom who has made me cry like six times.  The sweetest thing is, I have held their children in many cases.  Some of these families are not matched but I am enjoying getting to know them and now can put a face to a name.

Something else special happened yesterday.  Erin Martin was driving through Ft Worth.  She was able to stop and have dinner with us and meet all the families.  This is the first time I have seen Erin Since China.  I was so happy to see her. We do talk on the phone frequently but this was special.

Here are some pictures from Thursday.

     I cant tell you all what it means to all of us, Wendy, Erin and I to be here and to have some time with our great families.   Now on to Pathways day 2.

Pat

Travel Day!!!

Wendy Stanley and I traveled to Texas today.  We are here for a special reason!  We have quite a number of our families attending Pathways training.  We also received new profiles today.  It has been quite a day. We are so excited to visit and spend time with our families.  We have spoken with so many of you over the past several months.  It truly is a day to celebrate.

 More Pictures tomorrow!

We have found our Families!!!!!

These two girls are from the same place so and we put their information up on Rainbow kids at the same time so I thought that we should announce together.

Ding Ding Ding....

We have found our families!!!!!!!!  We are so happy for the families and for the girls.  Yeah!

Girls you are so cool! We cant wait till you are in your Mom and Dads arms!

We are celebrating with YaYa and JieJie!!!!!

Sharing the Amazing News!

We could not resist sharing this news!  This Amazing Wonderful boy will have a family.  Do you all remember we advocated for him here on the Blog?  And every reader helped raise awareness.

 He has watched younger children be adopted for years.  He has seen adoptive families come to his orphanage and greeted them at the gate.  And watched as they left with their children.  Well now he gets his turn.  Yes, Holden will have a family and a name of his parents choosing.  He will be loved and cared for and have a future full of possibilities.

So on his behalf we can celebrate! Ding Ding Ding!!!!!!

I Have Found my Family!