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June
1, 2005 |
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Click on pictures to see the full size!
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CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES OF
2005!
They are the first high school graduates of
the Southeast region!!
Congratulations to Lei Lei and Pei Pei
Graeflin, daughters of David and Sharon. Lei Lei and Pei Pei will be
attending college in Chattanooga this Fall.
Congratulations to
Madison Parker, daughter of John and Susan, who has graduated from High
School! She was also voted Cutest Girl in her class by her peers,
and won the award for highest average in Chemistry. Not bad for a child
that had not educational opportunities in China and tested pre-primer when
we brought her home in December, 1999!
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RUSSIAN UPDATE |
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 Children’s
Hope International is proud to announce that we are one of the first
agencies to be re-accredited by the Russian Federation!
CHI
was one of the first agencies accredited in September, 2000 and now we are
proud to announce our re-accreditation took place May 18, 2005!!!!
Children’s Hope International has always worked to provide hope, health, and
homes to Russian children and since we began working in Russia in 1996, over
1000 children have been placed in forever families.
We want
to send our congratulations to all the families who have been waiting so
long and to our Moscow team and Russian Representatives who have worked
diligently to make this happen so quickly!
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CHAPS
We are currently looking
for families who would like to volunteer their time and energy in helping to
recruit and work with families in your area.
If you are interested in this, please contact
Brenda@childrenshopeint.org or
Lisal@childrenshopeint.org for more information.
CHAP
families have a chance to volunteer in one of two ways:
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Host informational meeting about international adoption
in your hometown
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Become a contact person for potential adoptive families of CHI in your
area
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FISCHER FAMILY, TX
(China)
 We
moved to China in 2000 for a life adventure. We have never regretted it one
moment. I am in the 6th year of home schooling our girls. They went to
public school for 3 years.
Their Chinese is great. I will be a life time student of Chinese I am sure.
Xiamen is a wonderful community and we even have an International Christian
Fellowship for Sunday worship.
Morgan, 11, models for a Japanese brand of kids clothing. Anna has not
gotten to model as the competition for her is a million cute Chinese girls.
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THE MCLEOD FAMILY, TN (Russia)
Her is our newest
daughter…she was born August 17, 2004 so she was 9 months old yesterday. She
has blondish hair and big blue eyes and she is a sweetie! She seems to be
in perfect health and has not had much more than a cold since her birth. It
seems that she has been in a great orphanage and she has received good care
since she came there in November, 2004. We are naming her Anna Natalia. We
can not wait to go back and get her in about 6 weeks we hope.
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THE LEE FAMILY, TN (China)
 We're
great and couldn't be happier! Our Gotcha Day is coming up on May 20 (4
years!) and Virginia
turns 5 on July 17.
Virginia recently asked me
why we adopted her, and I told her it was because we were lonely and needed
her. She responded with wisdom beyond her four years:
”But I was lonely, too.”
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THE SITHER FAMILY, KY
(China)
I'm in love with my
daughter Scout Li Ming. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
So much FUN. Am wanting another child if I can talk my husband into it. |
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THE BREUN FAMILY, LA (China)
I just want to let you
know that we are doing great. Natasha made the smoothest adjustment I could
ever have imagined. Naomi is loving being a big sister and I am getting so
much joy from seeing them together. Thank you for all of your help
throughout the adoption process.
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THE KRIGEL FAMILY, TN (Russia)
 The kids are doing
great. Alex is having a great time, and this kid is smart. He has figured
out how the digital camera works and loves to go through the pictures all by
himself without my help. Spencer has really attached to mom, and he
tolerates me holding him. He loves to reach into Belinda's bag and take
everything out. He even puts the crayons back into the box when he is done.
Alex loves to play ball and color. We brought crayons and kids markers and
he draws in the coloring book. Our agency guides Svetlana and Irina are
great. They took us around town and have showed us a bit of the town. We
went to town yesterday and met another couple and walked around the city a
bit. On our fourth night here the Hotel Manager took me to a go cart track.
This was like Malibu Grand Prix without liability worries as these carts
haul. These things were hot! We have also found a few nice restaurants here.
One Russian restaurant called Nostalgia was amazing. Very small but
beautiful inside with old pictures, an old Russian atmosphere and a lady
playing piano. Later in the week we will go to Park Royal which is a Casino
steak house. I have met the manager of the restaurant, a British man named
Robert. We have heard about the steaks so we will try it out later. Well it
is time to go to the baby home to see the kids now. We do not get the kids
till after the 10 day waiting period. Until then we have to visit them. We
are lucky to have such a good agency. It seems that others kind of get
dropped off at the hotel and have to make their own plans to get to the
orphanage. Some folks were not even met at the airport, but our agency has
really come through. They are everywhere to meet us, take us to the
orphanage, show us around town, and almost anything else we need.
I wanted to say thanks
for the class. We are finding ourselves able to read and understand the
traffic signs and some other things. Most of the stuff I can read but I do
not understand it, but some of the things I have been able to get. I was
able to read the info on the screen in the domestic airport like which
flight went to Vlad or St. Petersburg and so on, so it helped and I was even
able to help another couple going to Vladivostok and could not read the
signs so that was nice.
I want to tell you how
glad we are that we used CHI. I see other families that were not picked up
at the airport by their agency. Lana knew who to call and get them
picked up. Others have to find their own way to the orphanage to see their
children. Their agency seemed to drop them off at the hotel and did not see
them again till it was time for court.
For us everything is
just great!!
Thanks again for
everything.
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THE KALLAS FAMILY, TN (Russia)
We
had a wonderful trip, and we are completely in love with our future son!!!
He
was a year old on Tuesday, but there was no changing our mind once we met
him! We will feed him, love him, and help him develop as he should.
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THE
DUKES/REYNOLDS FAMILY,TN (Nepal) |
All went extremely well,
our little girl is fantastic, I love Nepal, and have begun what will likely
be a lasting relationship with
Lila and his family. Thanks for all of your help along the way.
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THE JOLLEY FAMILY, TN (Vietnam)
 It's
so hard to believe that 3 years have gone already. It seems like only
yesterday that we were in Vietnam. We can't imagine our lives without
him ! He is such a joy to us as well as those he is around. This has
been an exciting year for Noah. He potty trained ( believe it or not he
trained in 1 day!!), learned his address,phone number ( including Jim's
cell number ) and registered for nursery school. THANK YOU doesn't seem
to express our grattitude for all you did in bringing our family
together. Brenda, you and Childrens Hope will always hold a very special
place in our hearts.
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THE PO FAMILY, FL (China)
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FAMILY UPDATE
Alosha, Russia, OK
In 2001, CHI brought a
young many from Russia to the US for craniofacial surgery. During that time
an adoptive family was also found for Alosha. Today, is live in Oklahoma
with his loving family….and is quite a handsome young man! |
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CHI REUNION
PICNIC
Mark your calendar for the CHI
Reunion Picnic 2005. July 23rd :10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Again
this year we will gather at Queeny Park in St. Louis for a one day event,
for families to share or relive adoption experiences. Over 1000 people
joined in the fun last year.
- Entertainment: the CHI Children's Choir, A Water Symphony, Parachute
Play, Frilly and Miller Singing Group, The Sand Pit, Swimming Pool, Beach
Balls, Bubbles & BBQ !!! Sounds like a Party ~ Doesn't it?
- Each country will have a gathering place at the picnic. Look for the
appropriate country flag and sign. CHI staff will be on hand by the country
flag to visit with you. We will also have a gathering place for our single
parents. Look for the sign.
Picnic registration forms are coming in. We have CHI families coming from
14 state so far (AR, CA, GA, IA, IL, KS, KY, MO, NY, OH, OK, TN, TX, WI).
The deadline for registration is June 30. If CHI does not receive your
registration form by July 9, please join us, but bring your own lunch. For
all the details and the registration form click on the CHI web site......
http://www.childrenshope.com/ReunionPicnic2005.htm
You will receive an email or telephone confirmation once your registration
form has been processed.
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UPCOMING INFORMATION MEETINGS |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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June 11 |
Operation Hope Orientation #2 |
9:00 to Noon |
Woodmont Hills |
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June 11 |
Pre-Adoption #2 Class |
12:30-6 PM |
Woodmont Hills |
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June 20 |
Home Study Group |
6:30-8:30 PM |
Children’s Hope |
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June 18 |
Dossier Class |
8:30 AM |
Woodmont Hills |
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June 18 |
Travel Class |
10:00 -12:00 Noon |
Woodmont Hills |
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June 28 |
Operation Hope
Giving/Receiving |
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A MESSAGE FROM BRENDA BARKER |
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We are featuring several new families, as well as some of our families we
worked with many years ago! It is such a privilege to be a part of your
lives, and watch as your children and families grow! It is a wonderful
time to start an adoption….especially with our Russian accreditation!
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@ChildrensHope.com
Also serving the following
states: TN, KY, GA, AL, AR, MS, TX and LA |
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