All I Want For Christmas... {Russell}

All I want for Christmas...

Is YOU!

Russell isn't asking for much. He is just asking for a family to see him and fall in love. He could be home by next Christmas. Can you imagine the excitement and joy for this adorable little guy? The lights, the fun-to-play-with wrapping paper. The time spent with his very own family...

Russell is 21 months old and his favorite thing to do is rock on the rocking horse. He has amblyopia (lazy eye) in one eye and his file indicates that his eyesight is poor in that eye. His file indicates that he is behind his peers in some areas but also states that his sight may be the reason for that. He also has some eczema patches on his little head. 

He crawls and is learning to walk. He says a few words and even puts a few words together into phrases. He likes to listen to music and bounce with the beat. 

Little Russell needs a family! His needs sound very manageable and he would bring so much joy to any family! Could he be your son? Please reach out to us at superkids@gladney.org for more information! 

All I Want For Christmas... {Mark - Taiwan}

All I want for Christmas...

Is YOU!

An update on a special young man who is waiting for a forever family. The Superkids team first met Mark in May 2016, and so much change and development has happened since then! Nonetheless, he still remains his giggly, glasses sliding down his nose, fun-loving ten-year-old self.

Mark  holds a dear part of my heart as he was the first child we saw on my first Superkids trip! And wow, seeing him on this past trip left me speechless!  How grown up he looks from when we saw him last fall! From that little guy that was playing hide and seek and pretending to drive me around on a "bus" to a now strapping 10 year old boy, almost as tall as me!  His love for the bus and subway system is advancing. In place of pretending to be a driver he is now enjoying memorizing the routes. He is always up for an adventure.  It’s no surprise that PE is his favorite school subject. Have you ever tried to do sit-ups while laughing?  Well, Mark managed to do 20. Mark enjoys helping with the orphanage garden, playing ball and he is always up for a good game of Chinese chess.

Mark has had hand surgery in the past to remove an extra digit and has residual limitations. He  also has some global delays and will benefit from an academic program with socioemotional supports.

Mark is one amazing young man that is sure to bring smiles everywhere he goes.  Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could tell  Mark on our next SK trip that we have a family for him?!  Contact Taiwan Program Caseworker Mary Chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org for more information on Mark and adopting from Taiwan.

All I Want For Christmas {Lester}

All I want for Christmas...

Is YOU!

Lester!

We're starting the week off with a video! Just look at this sweet little guy! 

He is almost 2 and has hydrocephalus. He has a shunt and is developing very well! In his file it states that he laughs easily and loves to be lively. He has learned to sit independently and crawls very fast. He is beginning to use some simple words and understands what is said to him.

He is curious about new things and will play with a new toy for a long time. He feeds himself small snacks and he likes to have his caregiver's attention. He has learned how to get their attention if they are busy for awhile. He crawls to them and calls them until they pick him up and hug him.

Lester needs all the hugs and cuddles that he would get in a family! Could he be your son? Please contact us at superkids@gladney.org for more information.

All I Want For Christmas {Holly}

All I want for Christmas...

Is YOU!

There are so many children waiting for homes! If someone steps forward today sweet Holly could be home by next Christmas. One of the things people worry about with adopting older children is all of the first things they miss out on as parents. But, no matter the age of the child, there are also so many first things adoptive parents get to experience! Imagine experiencing the magic of Christmas for the first time with Holly next year!

One of Holly's pictures.

Holly is an almost 10 year old girl with an unusual story. She was in a vehicle accident several years ago that resulted in paralysis in her legs. She is a sweet child who does well at school. She has been spoken to about international adoption and has expressed a desire to be adopted.

She likes to write and draw. She enjoys listening to music. She is a chatty little girl who enjoys visiting with her friends about her day. She uses a wheelchair to get around. Our team met her last October and were very impressed with her and touched by her story.

We are very dedicated to finding a family for Holly. We are providing a special $5,000 grant for Holly through Gladney. Please contact us at superkids@gladney.org for more information.

Aiden

Watch out preschool teachers, here I come!

What a fun 3 year old he is – Aiden’s whole face lights up when he smiles and he has one of those great belly laughs! Superkids took several additional photos for his file that capture this amazing boy’s joy.

Aiden was a willing participant in all the gross motor skill screening activities -- running, jumping, and kicking and bouncing a ball, he can do it all!  He was also proud to show off how that he can count to 20 in Mandarin and 10 in English. He also knows most of the alphabet. We all smiled when he was playing with a toy animal and exclaimed “lion!” in English rather than the Chinese word “shi zi”.  When Aiden saw another child playing with some blocks, he went right over to play with him,  He was great at both sharing and building tall towers. Aiden’s social worker told us he also enjoys playing pretend games and playing with toy cars.  After playing, he was content to sit calmly in his social worker’s lap and rest with his head on her shoulder.

Some of the fun extras we learned about Aiden – his favorite color is red; he prefers noodles to rice; and he sometimes try to sneak the food he doesn’t want to eat into his friend’s bowl.

Aiden is curious, playful, and affectionate with his caregivers. Could he be your son? Please contact Mary chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org for more information.

Asher & Amber {Siblings from Taiwan}

This darling little sibling group came bouncing into the room together when we met them last month. They were obviously great friends and I was surprised to learn that they are not actually in the same foster home. They do have regular play dates and seem to get along very well.

Amber is 4 and enjoys listen to and singing along with the choir at church. She is in preschool and loves telling her foster mom all about her day each afternoon. She enjoys playing with dolls, pretending to cook, and taking cell phone pictures. She loves to pose for pictures and is awfully cute when she does it!

Asher is 2. He likes to play with little cars and throw balls. He likes to cuddle and still enjoys being rocked to sleep with his pacifier. He is described as lively and clever by his foster mom. He is learning to speak and communicates quite well. He follows simple instructions and is starting to recognize colors.

Amber has a few developmental delays. She has possible mild cerebral palsy and wears braces on her feet. She easily walks without the braces as well as with them. Asher does not have any known medical needs.

To learn more about this precious little sibling group please contact mary.chapman@gladney.org. We have photos and videos that cannot be shared publicly, so be sure to join our private Facebook page to see those!

Kristoff

Today we introduce to you for the very first time... 7 year old, Kristoff!  He is one of the brilliant boys we met this month while on the Superkids trip in Taiwan. 

As he first came in he remained shy, but soon warmed up. Kristoff was eager to answer in English when he was able and grinned at the surprise on our faces when we heard it.  Soon he was showing us his artistic talents - drawing an adorable elephant with wavy ears just like the one on the mat where he sat. 

The activities in the room often drew Kristoff's attention, however he completed all the tasks we asked him to do with ease!  He definitely showed his ability to multitask, completing a puzzle for us, while at the same time watching his peers in the room and the cartoon playing in the background.

Kristoff likes school and is making high marks in both Math & Mandarin. Of course his favorite subject is Mandarin. He enjoys fried chicken, cheese, and apples. When asked to describe himself he said he is, “very happy, noisy, talkative.” We didn’t get to see that side of him during our limited visit, but we are certain if we had longer to play we would have seen more of his joyful spirit. He is described by his social worker to be persistent and holds himself to high expectations. His excitement in his accomplishments was shown through his smile.

Kristof has mild Tourette syndrome. His file also indicates that he receives treatment for ADHD.

We are looking for Kristof's family - one with whom he can share his joys of learning, eating good food, playing dodge ball and creating origami. Could that family be yours?  Kristoff's full profile, which includes photos and videos, can be shared with interested families - feel free to reach out to mary.chapman@gladney.org today! And don't forget to share widely about this amazing boy!