The Ohio Regional Office of Children's Hope will be holding our first annual Summer Gathering for our families, whether you are just starting the process or already have your child(ren) home (All Ohio Regional Office families are welcome)!

Our Summer Gathering will be held on
Saturday, June 30, 2007

from Noon until 4:00pm at:

Marmon Valley Farm

7754 State Route 292

Zanesfield, OH 43360 (NW of Columbus)

www.marmonvalley.com

There will be pony rides, a bunny barn/petting "zoo," fishing (bring your fishing poles if you wish to fish), a barn playground and lots of other activities. Lunch will be served at 1:00pm and cold, refreshing drinks will be available throughout the day. Cost: $10 per parent and $7 per children (children 4 and under are free). Please send the payment and registration form to our office no later than Thursday, June 21, 2007. Click here for the registration form for summer gathering.

We look forward to seeing you at the Gathering! If you have any questions, please contact us at 216.524.4673, 877.408.HOPE or Anna.Heinz@ChildrensHope.net.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Sunday, June 17th -- A Day To Celebrate Dad!

In honor of all you dads and soon-to-be dads, we thought you would enjoy the following:

What makes a Dad?

God took the strength of a mountain,

the majesty of a tree,

the warmth of the summer sun,

the calm of a quiet sea,

the generous soul of nature,

the comforting arm of night,

the wisdom of the ages,

the power of the eagle's flight,

the joy of a morning in spring,

the faith of a mustard seed,

the patience of eternity,

the depth of a family need,

then God combined these qualities,

when there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete, and so, He called it...Dad.

-Author Unknown

US CIS ANNOUNCEMENT

I-600A News - This Just In from Citizenship and Immigration Services!

The US CIS announced in a press release a new CIS fee schedule effective 7/30/07. Please note the new fees for the I600A Advanced Processing for Orphan Petition - $750 (filing + biometric) (previously $615) for you + $80 biometric fee for each person 18 or older living with you (i.e. your spouse, adult children living in the home, etc.). The good news: “If you already have an approved I-600A that is about to expire, and have not yet filed your I-600 petition, you can receive one free extension of your I-600A by filing a new I-600A without fee before the first expires.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/FinalUSCISFeeSchedule052907.pdf

How will this affect current families? Every CIS Office operates a little differently, but it appears that it will work like this:

Anyone whose current I-171H approval expires before July 30, 2007 will need to pay the current application fee ($545) to file a new I-600A. If the fingerprints are still valid, there will be no fingerprint fee. A letter should accompany the new I-600A application as well as a copy of the current I-171H. The letter should state that the fingerprints have already been retaken and that is why no fingerprint fee is included with the application.

Anyone whose I-171H approval expires after July 30, 2007 will be allowed to file for a one time extension. To do that the applicant should send a letter requesting the extension. Included with the letter should be a copy of the current I-171H and the new I-600A application. This paperwork must be filed prior to the expiration of the current I-171H.

In either situation the new I-600A application package being submitted with the request should include all the documents required (i.e. birth, marriage, divorce, etc. paperwork) and a copy of the original home study with an updated addendum. If the home study and the addendum are not ready, they can be submitted at a later date.

We will update you as further information is released from different CIS offices.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Heartfelt Discipline

By Clay Clarkson

Here's a book that will challenge you to rethink the big "D" (for Discipline) of Christian parenting. You'll find neither a strict "hands-on" approach, nor a permissive "hands-off" one, but rather a fresh fully-biblical, faith-directed and relational "hands-around" approach. The Bible shows parents how discipline can grow naturally out of a loving parent-child relationship. You'll find challenging insights on the process of childhood discipline by faith-directing, correcting, and protecting your child. Learn how you can embrace a completely new way of thinking through Heartfelt Discipline.

FAQ'S

I'm Nervous About Traveling. How Will I Know What To Bring and What to Expect?

To help you make plans for the trip to adopt your child, Children's Hope has prepared a Travel Guide to the country where you will be traveling to adopt your child. The Travel Guide will inform as to what you can expect and how to prepare for it. Please see the Travel Guide, which is featured on www.ChiFamily.net for information about travel to your specific country and in order to download forms for travel such as the Visa form and much more.

What is Jet Lag and How Can I Prevent It?

An Excerpt from Travel Tips at MSNBC.com

Jet lag is a physical reaction to a rapid change in time zones. It affects most travelers, including seasoned fliers like flight attendants and pilots. Common symptoms include disorientation, irritability, fatigue, swollen limbs and eyes, headaches, cold-like symptoms and irregular bowels. Long-haul flying can be debilitating. Dehydration, unfamiliar foods, cramped spaces, recycled air, lack of sleep, uncomfortable clothes, continual low-level noise, connections that disrupt sleep, and other factors all add to the misery of jet lag, and can even make you feel jet lagged when you're just a little beat. A general rule of thumb to keep in mind before any long trip is the 1:1 ratio: allow yourself one day to recover for every hour time difference you experience.

What Can You Do About It?

Before you travel...Treat your body well before you fly. Exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and stay sober. Once you're at the airport, avoid the escalators and moving sidewalks; instead, walk and take the stairs on the way to your check-in area and gate connections.

During the flight...Perhaps the most effective way to combat jet lag while in flight is to treat your body well. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. Don't be afraid to ask your flight attendant for extra water. Get up out of your seat at regular intervals to walk and stretch. You can also do exercises like toe raises, isometric exercises, stomach crunches and shoulder shrugs right in your seat. This keeps your blood flowing and prevents it from pooling at your extremities, a common phenomenon in pressurized cabins.

Other tips...Get up to wash your face, brush your teeth or just stand up for several minutes. Wear loose-fitting clothing that breathes. Bring a neck pillow, blindfold or ear plugs -- these are invaluable on red-eye flights. Also, avoid any snug footwear; it is quite possible that your feet will swell in transit, making your post-flight trek to baggage claim a nightmare.

While You Are Waiting:

An Excerpt from Adopting a Toddler: What Size Shoe Does She Wear?

By Denise Harris Hoppenhauer

While you are waiting to complete the adoption of your child, there are many things that you can do to occupy your time. Staying active will – at least in theory – help the time pass more quickly. Actually, this is probably an adoption myth. We all know that once we accept a referral, we can’t wait to get our hands on the little fellow, and no amount of busywork can truly take away that longing. While you are waiting, try to meet with other adoptive families. Their experience can be an invaluable asset. Consider taking a parenting class, researching preschool or childcare options and learn at least a few basic phrases in your child’s native language. You should also make the most out of the time you have now; you will not have that luxury when your new addition arrives.

Rest and Relaxation
A stressed-out mommy can make for a stressed-out family. It is important to take care of yourself while you are preparing for your adoption. Infertility and grief alone can cause crisis-level stress. Add waiting, delays or postponements, and some days, you might have to make yourself get out of bed. Sometimes, it’s good to play hooky and stay in bed all day. If you look good, you’ll feel good. Have your nails done. Get a pedicure or a massage. Have a makeover. Try a new haircut, or color your hair. Always wanted to be a blonde? Now’s a great time to go for it! Try wearing bright colors instead of muted or dark shades. Play dress-up; try on clothing in the latest styles or colors – even if you think it’s not for you. You might be surprised. Update your wardrobe, and get rid of all those baggy, pregnant-wannabe clothes. Have “glamour photos” taken, or make your own calendar. Here are some other things that can help:

Cook a favorite time-consuming meal instead of takeout.
Don’t overextend yourself, especially during the holidays.
Go to quiet, dimly lit restaurants instead of loud, crowded bars and restaurants.
Have quiet, intimate evenings with a few friends instead of large parties.
If you host an annual event, see if a friend would be willing to host this year.
Listen to jazz or classical music.
Spend a day at a spa.
Take a relaxing bubble bath.
Take a small vacation.
Unplug the phone. (This is a hard one if you are waiting for “the call.”)
Use candles at dinner.
Visit a favorite childhood spot.
Visit out-of-town friends or family.

Diet and Exercise
Now is probably not the best time to start a diet. Caffeine, chocolate and doughnuts are good antidotes to stress. My medicine of choice is sugar cookies with frosting and birthday cake. If you do not have a daily exercise routine, now is a good time to start. If you travel to adopt your child, you may do a large amount of walking or be on your feet longer than usual. Carrying around or picking up a toddler without having the opportunity to become accustomed to it can result in backache or injury. Walking 20 to 30 minutes a day can help increase your stamina and is good for your back. If you skip the sodas, chocolate or doughnuts, you may even lose a few pounds. This could be an added bonus, especially if you are carrying around 25 or 30 pounds of IVF/fertility-drug-induced “side effects.”

Read
Now is the time to study up. Read parenting, toddler and adoption books. Reading is also a great way to take your mind off your adoption. Read for leisure, study up on a hobby or sport or read the biography of someone you admire. Reread an old favorite, finish the one you already started but haven’t had time to finish or read something you’ve always wanted to read.

Paperwork
You thought you were through with the paperwork. Now is a good time to gather the documents needed for your child’s Social Security card. Find out what is needed to obtain your child’s Passport, the requirements for re-adoption, state subsidies or grants or tax information. Complete any paperwork that you can in advance, including insurance and medical forms.

Keeping Busy
Nothing makes me feel better than shopping. Shop for your new arrival, and make the purchases necessary to begin life as a family. Complete a gift registry, purchase gifts and donations for your trip or do your Christmas shopping early. The following will also help keep you busy. (You didn’t know you had so much work to do, did you?):

Begin a Life Book.
Childproof your house.
Clean the house.
Complete your nursery.
Finish a project.
Get immunizations.
Have the carpets cleaned.
Have the house painted.
Keep a diary.
Learn about children’s toys.
Learn to change a diaper.
Make a list of questions to ask your child’s caregiver.
Pick adoption announcements.
Plan the christening.
Plant flowers, bulbs or gardens.
Renovate/redecorate your bathroom.
Research children’s services.
Select a pediatrician.
Select godparents.
Stock your pantry.
Write your will.

YOUR STORIES

Robert and Tracey Birdseye adopted their son, Sanjar, from Kazakhstan in December 2005. Here is their story:

In December of 2004, we first learned of Sanjar through friends from church who had adopted two babies from Kazakhstan. During their daily visits to their baby girl in the orphanage, they met this boy who desperately wanted a family, but was always bypassed for

younger children and babies. He felt that nobody wanted him despite the assurance that if he was a “good boy” somebody would adopt him. His words haunted us. Later, we heard how he chased the van that was carrying his good friend to her new life in New York, leaving an indelible impression as he called to her – “Tell you[r] mother to take me too, my mother isn’t coming back for me.” True, his mother had relinquished all parental rights at birth.

This couple from church kept an ongoing blog, featuring Sanjar’s story with pictures. His story touched us in a way impossible to understand (let alone explain) and impossible to ignore. We have three biological children: two daughters and a son. Nevertheless, we all wanted to add him to our family.

In November 2005, after weeks and weeks of prayer, discussion, a mound of paperwork, expense, frustration, persistence and relentlessness we could only attribute to God, my husband, son, and I found ourselves on a plane to Kazakhstan to meet and bond with Sanjar. I shall always carry this picture in my mind of this grinning, undersized boy running as fast as his spindly legs could carry him, yelling “Mama, Papa” as he flew into our eager arms.

For several weeks we made the arranged mandated trips to the orphanage, getting better acquainted through gifts of food, toys, games, sign language and hugs. We had to return to the United States and make a second trip in January, at which time the adoption was finalized and we all came home January 15, 2006.

Sanjar is bright, loving, adapts well, is learning English, loves to eat -- especially tomatoes and watermelon -- adding new American foods like French fries, ice cream, and spaghetti. He has gained over ten pounds, has his own bike (a gift from his teacher), plays soccer, and can speak in complete sentences. He is also learning about God and Jesus, and he loves to say grace at meals and prayers at bedtime. He very much appreciates his bed, which is big enough to stretch out in vertically! So much that we take for granted makes him stand wide-eyed, just staring, almost in disbelief.

We are all learning, day by day, and have come to realize how much we take for granted. Sanjar had literally nothing to call his own. Sanjar continues to teach us about life in ways we could have never imagined. Truly in giving, we receive!!!

A MESSAGE FROM KELLIE ZACCARDELLI

Happy June, everyone! It is hard to believe that almost half of 2007 is almost over. I hope that will be a source of hope for you. I know that, for families waiting to be matched with their child or waiting to travel, that wait is so, so hard. But I also know how quickly time passes; like a blink of an eye. Maybe, for you, it seems as though time is dragging as you wait for your son or daughter. I would encourage you to rely on other families (hopefully, you will have an opportunity to meet many of them at our Summer Gathering on June 30^th), call us “just to vent” as some of you have said to me before, and, most importantly, rely on God to grant you the strength you need to endure this time. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). Okay, so it does not feel easy, right? But it is easier if we put our trust in Him and allow Him to carry us during these trying times.

Now, a personal note: I wanted to make you aware that I will be out of the office from July 2^nd through July 13^th for a mission trip of sorts. My husband and I will be traveling to Cambodia and Thailand with a small team from a ministry called Remember Nhu. Many of you may or may not be aware of the terrible problem in both of these countries with child trafficking. Though I can’t understand how something so evil could be happening, it is a reality. Unfortunately, in these countries, there are little or no organized social services to help poor families. A mother of four children may be forced to choose between watching all four of her children starve to death or selling one of her children to a brothel (for the equivalent of one to two years income) in an attempt to save the other three children in the family. Girls as young as four years old are being found in the brothels.

I would truly appreciate your prayers while I am away. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call our office (877.408.4673 or 216.524.4673) and our staff will be able to assist you or connect you with someone who can. I’ll email a reminder to all current families closer to July.

In the meantime, have a wonderful month and I look forward to seeing many of you on June 30^th!

COUNTRY PROGRAM UPDATES

Please note that we are no longer sending country program updates to all families. Families currently in process will be updated more frequently (once a month or more) via email. Former Families: If you would like to be included in these emails, please notify us at ChildrensHopeOhio@yahoo.com. Current Families: If you have not been receiving these periodic updates, please contact us at so we can make sure you are added to our mailing list.

STAY CONNECTED
Stay connected with Children's Hope families at www.CHIfamily.net and by joining a Children's Hope Yahoo Group. If you are interested in joining a Children's Hope Yahoo group, please email Ann.Tollefson@ChildrensHope.net and provide your name, country of adoption and where you are in the process (just applied, working on Dossier, etc.). Ann will then send an invitation to join the Yahoo group(s) that is best for you. Please note that you will need to be registered with Yahoo before accessing the Children’s Hope Yahoo Groups.

SPONSOR AN ORPHAN

In our work with orphans worldwide, we are shocked at how fast their number is growing: since 1991 there are an additional 5 MILLION orphans in the world. Right now, 143 MILLION children are living without adequate parental care. We cannot find adoptive homes for every child, but there is another way to help: sponsor an orphan through Children's Hope International and YOU CAN bring hope and love back into the heart of a child who has lost both. Sponsorship Update: As of April 30th, 315 children have been sponsored through Children's Hope International's Orphan Sponsorship Program. China 122, India 73, Kazakhstan 27, Russia 66 and Vietnam 27. One sponsor is currently sponsoring 12 children!

ADOPTION TRAINING AND RESOURCES

DVD/BOOK TRAINING

As of January 1, 2007, the DVD/Book Training is included as part of the Children's Hope Adoption Packet and will be mailed upon receipt of the Adoption Agreement and applicable fees. This material is sent via Media Mail, which takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks. This training is required by the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000. Each agency must provide adoptive parents with at least ten (10) hours of training to promote a successful intercountry adoption.

Children's Hope requires that this training be completed prior to submission of your Dossier to the country that you are adopting from. Included in the mailing is the "Heart of the Matter Seminars - Because They Waited" DVD set and on line testing instructions (one on line testing sheet for each parent with a unique code), as well as the EMK press book entitled "Adoption Parenting Creating a Toolbox, Building Connections." The first week of the month, following the month in which the online tests are completed, Heart of the Matter will provide Children's Hope your testing results.
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RAINBOW BABIES & CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

A two-day session of education, resources and family support for parents and professionals interested in international adoption is scheduled for Saturday, September 15, 2007 and Sunday, September 16, 2007. The session will begin at 8:45am and will commence at 4:45pm and will be held at University Hospitals of Cleveland. This session is provided as a community service at no cost to families!

Please call our office at 216.524.4673 or toll free 877.408.4673 if you are interested in attending.

SIMILAC AND JOURNEYTOME.COM

We recently received a letter and samples from Similac and JourneyToMe.com and we thought you might be interested in what they are offering. Ross Products and JourneyToMe.com is a non-profit organization whose mission is helping children around the world, providing adoption resources and adoption support. This partnership is offering all families registering with Journey To Me a versatile black diaper bag (which is a really nice bag) and a variety of other benefits such as gift and saving checks towards Similac formulas, timely information and special keepsakes. Registrants will also have access to Ross' Welcome Addition Club where you can receive other premier benefits like e-newsletters, special offers and interactive tools. If you are interested in registering, please see www.JourneyToMe.com.

If you wish to share your thoughts, experiences or stories about your adoption, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future newsletters or should you wish to be removed from our email list, please email us at ChildrensHopeOhio@yahoo.com.