MARCH 2003 NEWSLETTER 

Caring for and serving families in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama,  Mississippi,

Florida,Texas, and Louisiana 

The Williams Family, Shelbyville, Tennessee

When I was little, my grandfather would sing to me “You Are My Sunshine.” So when we received our referral for a daughter waiting for us in China and learned that part of her name was “Sun,” I felt a special blessing. We received Guo Xiang Yang (“Sun of the Hunan Nation”) one day before her 11-month birthday, and an hour after our introduction she was sitting on our hotel bed waving her fingers at us and singing a little song. When she woke the next morning, she played with her toes and cooed while we stared in wonderment. We knew right away that a sunny personality mirrored her beautiful name. We added Ellen – a special name in my husband’s family which means “bright” – to Xiang Yang.

While we had waited 13 months from DTC to referral, I read every article, website, and book I could find about how to adopt internationally, why so many children in China are in need of families, and ways to enjoy being a multicultural family. I grilled people I met who had recently returned from China – How did your child react when first meeting you? What has her grieving been like? How did you transition her to Western time and diet? Did she present with any health issues or developmental delay? I felt like I was prepared for any situation we encountered...

But on the second day with Ellen Xiang-Yang, something happened that I hadn’t prepared for. She finished a bottle, fluttered her long eyelashes, and planted a milky kiss on my cheek. “Ma ma ma ma ma,” she whispered as she fell asleep in my arms. I melted. Within another couple of days, she had also given herself over to her Daddy. By the time we returned to Tennessee ten days later, we three were fiercely bonded. Ellen has adjusted beautifully. Within a week, she was on Western time, drinking American formula, and sleeping at least nine hours straight at night. Within two weeks, she “caught up” on her motor skills and was crawling everywhere. By her first birthday – which, by the way, was December 25 – she was eating some table food and taking a bottle only at breakfast and supper. At 14 months now, she is walking, “talking,” (some words we even understand!) and feeding herself (although she still abandons the spoon fairly early in the meal). She even eats her vegetables – cabbage is her current favorite, with green beans a close second. Ellen has a great sense of humor and a long attention span, she is sociable but shy with strangers, and she is very affectionate with family and close friends.

I say all of this not to brag (well, maybe a little!) - but to let people know there are smooth transitions as well as rough ones.  Most of my research during our long wait had predispositioned me to expect tears, anxiety, feeding and/or sleeping difficulties, and even anger or rejection. And we may yet go through a grieving period – I understand they are delayed sometimes. But for now, Ellen’s sunny personality is carrying her – and her parents – through an incredible time of adjustment. I know when dark days come, I’ll always be able to reach back to these bright, happy times and draw strength in the knowledge that the sun will come out again.

(Dianna Williams lives with her husband Keith and daughter Ellen Xiang-Yang in Shelbyville, Tenn. Ellen is from Zhuzhou, Hunan Province. The three returned from China on December 5, 2002. Dianna is happy to share more of their story with waiting families – you can email her at williadb@cafes.net)

Operation Hope 2003 will take place in July for three weeks. Orphaned children ages 7 - 11 will arrive to Nashville for a summer vacation with American host families who will be seriously interested in adopting them. After the children leave, the families will complete their paperwork and go to Smolensk Region in Russia to adopt them. 16 older children have already been adopted by families in and around Nashville as a result of Operation Hope 2001 and 2002. For more information, please contact Tanya Yurlova at Tanya@childrenshopeint.org.

On April 18^th please join us for our annual Easter Egg Hunt!  Both families who are waiting and have children are invited…and we should have a great time!  Just bring your basket and join us at 3:00 PM for a great time!  The Cool Springs House, Crockett Park.  (Directions:  I-65 South, Concord Rd Exit, going East.  Pass the YMCA, and turn right onto Wilson Pike.  Go to Crockett Road and turn left.  Pass the school, and turn left at the first light.  You will see the house on the left.)

We have recently closed our Guatemalan program to infants, due to the instability anticipated in the near future since Guatemala has signed the Hague.  We are continuing to work with families who already have submitted applications, and we are happy to accept new families who are interested in older children.  Please feel free to contact CarrieK@childrenshopeint.org if you would like more information! 

We have reorganized our staff in the Southeast office, in order to better serve you!  Each country now has an adoption consultant right here in our office, as well as I am always available to help!  Make sure you contact your adoption consultant and get on our online monthly newsletter pertaining to our waiting families in that specific country!  We hope it will be helpful to you!  Never hesitate to contact either Brenda or your adoption consultant with any questions you may have!

Russia:  Natalia at Natalia@childrenshopeint.org

China:  Susan at SusanR@childrenshopeint.org

Guatemala/Vietnam/India/Colombia:  Carrie at CarrieK@childrenshopeint.org

We Look forward to hearing from you!

On March 1, INS became part of the new Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security. The fee for the I-600A has gone back up to $460 plus $50 per adult in the home for fingerprinting.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! Spring is certainly in the air, and we can hardly wait around here!  It is also a time of new birth and rebirth!  What a wonderful time to start an adoption as well!  If we can ever do anything to help, please do not hesitate to contact me at Brenda@childrenshopeint.org.

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, MS, FL, TX and LA