The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 271 which was held on January 22, 2014:
1) German dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 3 years and 1 month with features in health status
2) German dossier from May 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years with features in health status
3) US dossier from June 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 5 months
4) Spanish dossier from June 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years and 4 months
5) Dutch dossier from June 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years and 8 months
6) Spanish dossier from October 2010 referred a male child aged 6 years and 7 months
7) French dossier from June 2011 referred a male child aged 1 year and 11 months with a family history
8) Italian dossier from July 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 2 months
9) US dossier from June 2012 referred a male child aged 1 year and 10 months with features in health status and a family history
10) US dossier from June 2013 referred a brother and sister aged 10 years and 5 months & 8 years and 11 months
11) Italian dossier from July 2013 referred a male child aged 9 years and 10 months
________________________________________
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 272 which was held on January 29, 2014:
1) German dossier from May 2010 referred a female child aged 1 year and 11 months
2) German dossier from June 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 5 months
3) United Kingdom dossier from July 2010 referred a male child aged 1 year and 6 months with a family history
4) German dossier from July 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 1 month with a family history
5) French dossier from January 2011 referred a male child aged 3 years and 2 months with features in health status
6) Danish dossier from April 2011 referred a female child aged 1 year and 4 months with features in health status
7) Italian dossier from August 2012 referred a male child aged 8 years and 7 months with a family history
8) Italian dossier from October 2012 referred a female child aged 8 years and 8 months with features in health status
9) US dossier from November 2012 referred a male child aged 2 years and 5 months with a family history
10) US dossier from March 2013 referred a male child aged 1 year and 6 months with a family history
11) Italian dossier from October 2013 referred a male child aged 9 years and 11 months
12) Italian dossier from November 2013 referred twins, male and female, aged 9 years and 3 months
13) US dossier from January 2014 referred a waiting child (#2208) with a profile on the MOJ site
14) US dossier from January 2014 referred a waiting child (#2201) with a profile on the MOJ site
15) US dossier from January 2014 referred a waiting child (#2247) with a profile on the MOJ site
Friday, February 28, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
T-Shirt Fundraiser Success
Our t-shirt fundraiser closed last night, after selling 63 shirts and raising over $1000 toward the cost of our adoption of Big Sister. We want to say thank you to everyone who supported us through this fundraiser and hope that when you wear your shirts, you will think fondly of our children.
Now stay tuned for our adoption auction which will launch next Sunday, March 2. There will be more than two dozen items up for grabs, valued at well over $1000.
Have a happy week!
Now stay tuned for our adoption auction which will launch next Sunday, March 2. There will be more than two dozen items up for grabs, valued at well over $1000.
Have a happy week!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Wedding Bells
Last night our family had the pleasure of celebrating the wedding of our friends' daughter. We had a great time. My kids really enjoy a good party.
 |
| Emilia shaking a leg with our neighbor Joey, adopted from Ukraine |
 |
| Rex cutting a rug with his daddy |
Congratulations to Emily and Frank and best wishes for a happy marriage and wonderful life together.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Our Queen Of Hearts
Today we had a cardiology follow-up for Emilia at our local children's hospital. By all tests and measures, Emilia is doing great. Her EKG is normal, her oxygen saturation is fantastic, and her scar is healing beautifully (more on that in another post). As we knew prior to the surgery, she continues to have a mild heart murmur which is completely safe and normal.
Emilia's surgery is considered a total success. Everything has turned out so well, in fact, that today we were told that Emilia will not need antibiotics for the rest of her life whenever she has a dental or other medical procedure. This is such wonderful news. We will have another follow-up in 3-4 months and if everything comes up clear then, Emilia will only need to see her cardiologist every 1-2 years from there on out.
We love our Queen of Hearts!
Emilia's surgery is considered a total success. Everything has turned out so well, in fact, that today we were told that Emilia will not need antibiotics for the rest of her life whenever she has a dental or other medical procedure. This is such wonderful news. We will have another follow-up in 3-4 months and if everything comes up clear then, Emilia will only need to see her cardiologist every 1-2 years from there on out.
We love our Queen of Hearts!
T-3 ... Shirts That Is
We have 4 days left to sell 3 more shirts. I am going to count it down here on the blog as orders are placed. Spread the word and hurry for your chance to help us bring Big Sister home by purchasing a tee with the Rex and Emilia hand print design.
https://www.bonfirefunds.com/family-forever-help-us-bring-her-home-1
Thanks to everyone who has committed to making a purchase.
https://www.bonfirefunds.com/family-forever-help-us-bring-her-home-1
Thanks to everyone who has committed to making a purchase.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
More News from MOJ In Bulgaria
MOJ has released the final numbers on international adoptions receiving Minister of Justice approval in 2013. In total the MOJ gave consent for 340 adoptions of 407 children. Of these, 107 adoption cases were for 140 identified waiting children whose profiles had been listed on the MOJ website.
Here's the breakdown:
USA: 120 adoptions (81 of waiting children), comprising 35% of all IA from BG in 2013
ITALY: 79 adoptions (14 of waiting children), comprising 23% of all IA from BG in 2013
FRANCE: 46 adoptions (6 of waiting children), comprising 13% of all IA from BG in 2013
SPAIN: 37 adoptions (1 of waiting children), comprising 11% of all IA from BG in 2013
GERMANY: 22 adoptions, comprising 6% of all IA from BG in 2013
NETHERLANDS: 13 adoptions, comprising 4% of all IA from BG in 2013
SWEDEN: 6 adoptions (5 of waiting children), comprising 2% of all IA from BG in 2013
CANADA: 6 adoptions, comprising 2% of all IA from BG in 2013
CYPRUS: 3 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
GREECE: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
IRELAND: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
NORWAY: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
SWITZERLAND: 1 adoption, comprising 0% of all IA from BG in 2013
DENMARK: 1 adoption, comprising 0% of all IA from BG in 2013
Overall, this means that international adoptions from Bulgaria in 2013 were slightly up from 2012 where consent was given for 326 adoptions of 395 children.
Almost one third of all adoptions from Bulgaria in 2013 were of identified waiting children, with the number of those adoptions to the US at around 67% and to Sweden at around 83%.
Here's the breakdown:
USA: 120 adoptions (81 of waiting children), comprising 35% of all IA from BG in 2013
ITALY: 79 adoptions (14 of waiting children), comprising 23% of all IA from BG in 2013
FRANCE: 46 adoptions (6 of waiting children), comprising 13% of all IA from BG in 2013
SPAIN: 37 adoptions (1 of waiting children), comprising 11% of all IA from BG in 2013
GERMANY: 22 adoptions, comprising 6% of all IA from BG in 2013
NETHERLANDS: 13 adoptions, comprising 4% of all IA from BG in 2013
SWEDEN: 6 adoptions (5 of waiting children), comprising 2% of all IA from BG in 2013
CANADA: 6 adoptions, comprising 2% of all IA from BG in 2013
CYPRUS: 3 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
GREECE: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
IRELAND: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
NORWAY: 2 adoptions, comprising 1% of all IA from BG in 2013
SWITZERLAND: 1 adoption, comprising 0% of all IA from BG in 2013
DENMARK: 1 adoption, comprising 0% of all IA from BG in 2013
Overall, this means that international adoptions from Bulgaria in 2013 were slightly up from 2012 where consent was given for 326 adoptions of 395 children.
Almost one third of all adoptions from Bulgaria in 2013 were of identified waiting children, with the number of those adoptions to the US at around 67% and to Sweden at around 83%.
Monday, February 17, 2014
What's New With Rex?
I know it's been too long since I have posted an update about Rex. I cannot believe that he has completed more than another semester of preschool and is doing very well. Unfortunately, at the start of school in August, we discovered that quite a few of his mastered skills had gone dormant or were lost altogether, so Rex spent some time catching himself back up. This is a phenomenon also present in neuro-typical children who usually require some weeks at the beginning of a new school year to bring themselves back up to speed academically.
That said, Rex is now solidly into new skill acquisition. He has mastered taking off his shoes and socks, pedaling and steering a bike (now the two must be combined for full-fledged riding, hopefully by spring), feeding himself different foods from a spoon, identifying a variety of clothing items, taking off and putting on his glasses, and completing inset puzzles.
Behaviorally, Rex has been doing very well. He still needs eyes on most of the time, primarily because he is curious and strong and does not fully comprehend dangers to himself and destructibility of objects. When things break or Rex gets hurt these days, it's not usually a function of anger, but a side product of his explorations. Rex still throws a mighty tantrum when being told no on something he really wants, but these tantrums are largely self-contained now. What I mean by that is that they look like any neuro-typical kid's tantrums with screaming and thrashing on the floor in hopes of eliciting attention. And they end with Rex calming himself down and moving on with life. A recent incident gave me confirmation that Rex, to a great extent, now has control over his behavior. Rex had finished his sandwich, but signed for more. I told him the sandwich was gone, but he could have a banana. This led to a thrash-fest in the kitchen. Normally, I would have ridden this out, but we were in a bit of a hurry, so I said to Rex, "Do you need to go sit on the couch with Mama or can you calm your body down on your own?" Complex sentence, I know, but he understood it because he almost instantly stopped his behavior to avoid having to sit with me. After some praise from me, he ate the banana and we were on our way. Even the janitorial staff at Rex's school has noticed the changes in him with one of them telling Craig recently, "When Rex started here he had no restraint over himself and now he seems so in control of his body and actions."
At school, Rex has mastered complying with instructions, engaging in appropriate physical interactions with peers, sitting in small groups without disruptive behavior for at least 15 minutes, and physically transitioning from one activity to another without assistance at least 50% of the time.
One thing we have found over the last several months is that about 70% of Rex's undesirable behavior is caused by constipation. The more stopped up he gets, the less cooperative, connected, calm, and obedient he is. When he has regular BMs, at least at home, his behavior is wonderful and he is happy, loving, relaxed and listens well. We are still trying to find the magic formula of supplements that will keep him regular without having a negative effect on other areas of his life - yes, unfortunately, different ingredients and substances in nutrition can benefit one area while hurting another.
Rex does and will always have behaviors that society at large considers strange, if not inappropriate. We, however, don't even blink an eye anymore when our son goes to bed with a (clean) frying pan instead of a teddy bear or marches off to school carrying a five pound candle. It's who he is and it actually keeps our life surprising and full of fun.
Rex continues to communicate through sign language and is learning new signs, most recently for frisbee and iPad. Under the right circumstances, he uses a few words, such as bubble, pop, and bye-bye, but he is far from reliable with his spoken language yet. However, he vocalizes spontaneously for at least five minutes every hour which is another skill he has mastered. Rex eats relatively well on his gluten and dairy-free diet, he sleeps through most nights, he loves showers and swinging and the outdoors even on cold, snowy days.
While Rex has been well-attached for a long time, it's no secret that he prefers his daddy over all other people in the world. However, in the last few months, there's been another push between Rex and me for more closeness and affection. Sometimes Rex chooses me over Craig now. When I plant a big kiss on Rex these days, he doesn't just endure it, but we see a tiny, silly smirk on his face that he tries to hide. When Rex comes home, his eyes briefly light up at the sight of me. Rex seeks eye contact with me and initiates physical contact as well, sitting snuggled by my side while watching a video or listening to music. And when Rex needs help to calm or settle, I am the person that can best assist him.
Rex is truly a great boy who works so hard each day to overcome the challenges life presents to him. He is active, adventurous, joyful, loving, and determined. It is unthinkable what would have become of him had he remained an orphan. Instead, we now have the privilege to call him our son and brother and to enjoy the happiness, beauty, and quirks as well as to weather the trials he brings to our life. We are thankful for this gift.
That said, Rex is now solidly into new skill acquisition. He has mastered taking off his shoes and socks, pedaling and steering a bike (now the two must be combined for full-fledged riding, hopefully by spring), feeding himself different foods from a spoon, identifying a variety of clothing items, taking off and putting on his glasses, and completing inset puzzles.
Behaviorally, Rex has been doing very well. He still needs eyes on most of the time, primarily because he is curious and strong and does not fully comprehend dangers to himself and destructibility of objects. When things break or Rex gets hurt these days, it's not usually a function of anger, but a side product of his explorations. Rex still throws a mighty tantrum when being told no on something he really wants, but these tantrums are largely self-contained now. What I mean by that is that they look like any neuro-typical kid's tantrums with screaming and thrashing on the floor in hopes of eliciting attention. And they end with Rex calming himself down and moving on with life. A recent incident gave me confirmation that Rex, to a great extent, now has control over his behavior. Rex had finished his sandwich, but signed for more. I told him the sandwich was gone, but he could have a banana. This led to a thrash-fest in the kitchen. Normally, I would have ridden this out, but we were in a bit of a hurry, so I said to Rex, "Do you need to go sit on the couch with Mama or can you calm your body down on your own?" Complex sentence, I know, but he understood it because he almost instantly stopped his behavior to avoid having to sit with me. After some praise from me, he ate the banana and we were on our way. Even the janitorial staff at Rex's school has noticed the changes in him with one of them telling Craig recently, "When Rex started here he had no restraint over himself and now he seems so in control of his body and actions."
At school, Rex has mastered complying with instructions, engaging in appropriate physical interactions with peers, sitting in small groups without disruptive behavior for at least 15 minutes, and physically transitioning from one activity to another without assistance at least 50% of the time.
One thing we have found over the last several months is that about 70% of Rex's undesirable behavior is caused by constipation. The more stopped up he gets, the less cooperative, connected, calm, and obedient he is. When he has regular BMs, at least at home, his behavior is wonderful and he is happy, loving, relaxed and listens well. We are still trying to find the magic formula of supplements that will keep him regular without having a negative effect on other areas of his life - yes, unfortunately, different ingredients and substances in nutrition can benefit one area while hurting another.
Rex does and will always have behaviors that society at large considers strange, if not inappropriate. We, however, don't even blink an eye anymore when our son goes to bed with a (clean) frying pan instead of a teddy bear or marches off to school carrying a five pound candle. It's who he is and it actually keeps our life surprising and full of fun.
Rex continues to communicate through sign language and is learning new signs, most recently for frisbee and iPad. Under the right circumstances, he uses a few words, such as bubble, pop, and bye-bye, but he is far from reliable with his spoken language yet. However, he vocalizes spontaneously for at least five minutes every hour which is another skill he has mastered. Rex eats relatively well on his gluten and dairy-free diet, he sleeps through most nights, he loves showers and swinging and the outdoors even on cold, snowy days.
While Rex has been well-attached for a long time, it's no secret that he prefers his daddy over all other people in the world. However, in the last few months, there's been another push between Rex and me for more closeness and affection. Sometimes Rex chooses me over Craig now. When I plant a big kiss on Rex these days, he doesn't just endure it, but we see a tiny, silly smirk on his face that he tries to hide. When Rex comes home, his eyes briefly light up at the sight of me. Rex seeks eye contact with me and initiates physical contact as well, sitting snuggled by my side while watching a video or listening to music. And when Rex needs help to calm or settle, I am the person that can best assist him.
 |
| Napping Together |
Rex is truly a great boy who works so hard each day to overcome the challenges life presents to him. He is active, adventurous, joyful, loving, and determined. It is unthinkable what would have become of him had he remained an orphan. Instead, we now have the privilege to call him our son and brother and to enjoy the happiness, beauty, and quirks as well as to weather the trials he brings to our life. We are thankful for this gift.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)