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June
1, 2006 |
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Click on pictures to see the full size!
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WE HAVE MOVED !!!
Our new address is:
229 Ward Circle, Suite
C-22, Brentwood, TN 37027
(Phone Numbers remain
the same)
[Click on the
picture to the left to view our new offices]
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CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES ! |
 
Graduates of Ravenwood
High School and
daughters of Ken & Brenda
Barker.
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As one
of the world's leading advocates for quality services for children and
families, the Council on Accreditation reaffirmed Children's Hope's
standard of excellence by once again honoring CHI with COA Accreditation
through 2010. The detailed re-accreditation process investigates ethical
practices, finances and service to families along with every aspect of
organizational integrity. "Children's Hope wants to assure our families
that we follow 'the best practice standards' and this independent
investigation validates that," said Dianna Briner, CHI's Finance and
Compliance Director.
COA is
currently in negotiations with the US State Dept. to become the only
official accrediting agency for all international adoption agencies
under the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoptions.
In the
final report, COA noted that Children's Hope's best trait is our
PASSION. Our staff knows why we are here and display a passion to
carry out that mission!
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The Thomason Family, TX (Russia)
We
are so glad to be back in Texas! 7-year-old Zack is enjoying
country life in the USA. Along with his new 9-year-old brother,
he rides his bike, plays basketball and soccer, and chases the
dogs around laughing and having a good time. All went smoothly
in Novosibirsk, but we have learned to appreciate what we have
at home; namely, two happy boys who can't stop smiling!
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The Hethcox Family, TX (Russia)
Lauren is growing by leaps and bounds. She is making new sounds
and trying to say new words almost everyday. She had her first
haircut recently. She is trying to run and has discovered the
stairs! Nathan will start kindergarten in the fall. It's hard
to believe that it was four years ago that we were preparing to
go meet him! It seems as though he has been home forever! We
can never say thanks enough! We continue to pray for ways to
share the gift of adoption with others and send people CHI's
way!
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The
Lambert Family, TN (Russia)
The boys get along great
and are really cute as you can see |
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The
Brock Family, TN (China)
Happy
2nd Birthday
Sarah
Morgan Fei Brock! |
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The Morrin Family, TX (China)
 
Sydney
Ann ... Too Cute for Words! |
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The Harris Family, GA (Russia) 
Isn't
Alden adorable ? |
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The Noland-Dominy Family, TN (Colombia)
 Welcome
Home from Colombia
Cindi
Lorena and Kimberly Yohana ! |
The Schmidt Family, TN (China)
Rose is just
beautiful, she loves to play with her brothers and definitely is
going through the terrible two stage. She weighs 26 pounds, she
is a great eater!
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The Wood Family, AL
(India)
Do
you remember where you were and what you were doing 1 year ago today????
Most of the time I can't remember what I did yesterday, but because it
involved being half way around the world getting to finally get my
daughter, I do remember the day very vividly.
Today we're celebrating her "Got'cha Day". She
has grown 4/5 inches at least this past year. She is talking our ears
off. Talk, talk, talk. She is
such a blessing to our family.
There was never a time of adjustment that was difficult.
No dealing with grief, temper tantrums, separation anxiety, etc. She has
just hit the ground running, fitting right in with our family.
Christa
recently said to us, "I cried when I did not have a family, but now I have a family. I
LOVE MY FAMILY!"
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The Davidson Family, TX (China)
Madeleine is looking
pretty as a picture !
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 The
Longcrier Family, TX (China)
Oh What a Blessing our daughter, Koi Li Page is !!!
We adopted her from Wuhan China.
We began our adoption journey almost 2 years before Koi
came into our family. We had known we were to adopt but didn't know
when, where and how. The Lord gave us a verse Isaiah 54:2 in the summer
of 2003. We began talking with our children. (we have 4 biological
children) We really felt God wanted us to pursue adoption at this point
in our lives. So we did. China would be the land from which we
would adopt. Many people were surprised that we would want to pursue
adoption with the cost and the fact that we already had 4 children. But
if God had placed it on our hearts, we could not stop. We are so
grateful to God for what he has done. God provided the resources, the
acceptance, and the GRACE. Thank you so much to Children's Hope and
their vision, care, and love for orphans.
We have been home from China about 7 months. It has been
an awesome journey. Koi is doing well and the blend of 5 is
incredible. We feel that we are the most blessed family. Koi is
running, talking, and eating everything. It is so fun to watch her
grow.
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The
Fontenot Family, LA (Kazakhstan)
After what seemed to be
the most agonizing wait of my life, my mom and I left for Kazakhstan
last July. We came back to Louisiana a little less than a week after
Hurricane Katrina. When so many people's lives were being torn apart,
mine was really just beginning. Since we've been home, Celeste has grown
and adjusted so wonderfully! She is now 17 months and she's walking,
climbing, talking, giggling, dancing, singing, and all the other cute
stuff that 17 month olds do! Every morning, when I creep into her
bedroom, before I wake her up, I think to myself, "I am the luckiest
person in the whole world to have the privilege of knowing and loving
this little person." Every day feels like Christmas morning to me. My
life is complete! Thanks CHI. |
Such Good Friends ...
A Russian reunion:
Miriam
Fletcher, Kelly Henderson, Joseph Earls,
Kyle Henderson, Alina
Moore, and Max Patton.
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The Oglesby Family, TN (Russia)
 We
had a wonderful celebration on May 6 at the Nashville airport. Scott and
Valarie Oglesby arrived from Smolensk with their two new sons, Oleg and
Alyosha, who were very happy to be here. They were welcomed by their
three new brothers, Quinn, Matthew and Andrew, as well as
many of relatives and friends, including other children from their
boarding school in Smolensk Region who had arrived in Nashville earlier.
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Some
of our Operation Hope 2004 and 2005 families decided to meet at
the Zoo for a reunion and picnic.
The Krempasky-Kuna, Terrells, and Oglesbies were there from the
2004 group, and the Woodbridges and Middletons from the 2005.
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The Krigel Family, TN (Russia)
 May was a wonderful month
around the Krigel household. Our two boys celebrated their birthdays.
Spencer turned three on May 11, and Alex turned four on May 14. With
their birthdays being so close together it is only fitting that we went
to court and became a family on May 13, 2005.
It has been a wonderful
first year with the boys. Looking back at the entire process it reads
like a fairy tale. Everything from such a quick referral, to getting two
boys under three like we prayed for, and them already having the same
names that we wanted to give them . We are so thankful for the blessings
we have been given. Every night before the boys go to bed we "talk to
Jesus" with them. It is so cute. We feel that the boys have brought far
more into our family than we could ever give them.
Alex “Losha” and Spencer
“Tolik” are doing so well in their new home. They have both attended a
Mother’s Day Out program. They both do so well playing with the other
children and by being in that atmosphere they have picked up the English
language like they have spoken it all their lives.
All of the fears we had
about bonding, language, medical issues, developmental delays, and other
potential issues have faded away leaving two very healthy and happy
little boys, and we are a family that has been blessed beyond our
expectations.
It is such a wonderful
feeling now to see them riding their bikes, playing with the dog,
playing on their swings and slide with each other with seemingly no
cares in the world. A year ago at the orphanage they really did not know
each other as they were in separate groups, but today they are not just
brothers, but best friends. Since returning home, we have learned of
another sibling that they now have. While we could not adopt the third
brother we are so very fortunate that another couple has adopted him and
they want their son to know his brothers, as do we. We can’t wait for
them to meet and just be friends till they are old enough to understand.
We are so thankful for CHI
and all you did for us through the process. While it was a long and
somewhat uncertain period we can look back on it thinking that all of
the paperwork, and the waiting was nothing but a slight bump in the road
and now seems like we really did so little for so much. I think one
thing that stands out is that CHI was always there for us happy to help
in any way they could. We will always be grateful knowing that there is
one agency doing God’s work for God’s Children...
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CHI FOUNDATION
&
HUMANITARIAN
AID
Happy Father's
Day !
As many
of you may know, my father passed away in October. He was a
farmer/rancher in the Texas panhandle. In honoring him, my sisters and
I asked that donations be given to CHI to build a well in India. I am
so pleased that we can honor our father in this way. Many of you may
want to honor your living parents or in memory
of your loved ones. The CHI Foundation provides a wonderful way for you
to not only do that, but also to reach and touch lives!
Email
rachel.messer@childrenshope.net to request more information on any
of our humanitarian projects.
If you
haven't received your Seeds of Hope Catalog, you can click on the
picture to check out the items online. Read it once and read it again.
Have your credit card handy to order up a garden of hope for children
around the world.
 
Help make wishes come true by
donating now! |
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We're Growing and
Growing ... New CHI Staff in Virginia
 Tammie
Perkins, CHI Outreach Coordinator for Virginia. She and her husband Greg
have 5 children. Their daughter, Reagan, joined their family in January
2004 from Hubei Province, China. Through Reagan's adoption, Tammie
discovered her own passion for helping others adopt and has been a CHAPS
Volunteer and active in helping to start an adoption ministry through
her church.
If you
live in Virginia and are thinking of building your family through
international adoption, Tammie would be happy to talk to you,
540-664-1727 or
Tammie.Perkins@ChildrensHope.net
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UPCOMING INFORMATION MEETINGS |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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June 17 |
Dossier Class |
8:30 AM |
Children's
Hope |
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June 17 |
Travel Class |
10:00 AM |
Children's
Hope |
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June 17 |
Pre Adopt II Class |
12:30-6:00 PM |
Children's
Hope |
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June 19 |
Home Study Group |
6:30 - 8:30 PM |
Children's Hope |
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 REUNION
2006
Mark your calendars
for our Children's Hope Reunion 2006
July 15th, 2006 *
St. Louis, MO
Click
on the Picnic Basket to be directed to more information on Reunion 2006 |
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A MESSAGE FROM BRENDA BARKER
Happy
Father's Day to all of our dads, and our dads-in-waiting! We hope you
have a wonderful day with your children. Congratulations to all of our
graduates as well.... Adoption has brought so many wonderful joys and
celebrations to our families.
We don't want to burden
you with a lot of information, but we do want to help you if you are
looking for a way to adopt. If not, please let us know and we will
regretfully remove your name from our newsletter. E-mail me at my
address below with any question you have.
I would love
to hear from you.
Brenda
Southeastern U.S.
Brenda Barker,
Director
7003 Chadwick Dr. Suite 350
Brentwood, TN 37027
615-309-8109 Fax: 615-309-8483
brenda.barker@childrenshope.net
Also serving the following
states:
TN, KY, GA, AL, AR, MS, VA,
LA & SC
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Click here to request an
information packet regarding
international adoption with
Children's Hope
International:
send info, please. . . |
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