There was a time when Jamie and Henry were our sons in every sense, except officially and I have two favorite ornaments on our tree that are a reminder of those not quite complete Christmases.
When we were first matched with Jamie in 2002, we were told by our agency that while it was likely that this little guy would become our son, there are always unknowns in the process and there was a chance that he might not. However, with each successful step of the process completed, we grew more confident that he would soon be ours. When December arrived we were far along enough in the process to believe that his homecoming was only a matter of time, and besides he had become such a part of us that it seemed strange NOT to include him in our Christmas card...so this is the announcement we included with our card.
When we were first matched with Jamie in 2002, we were told by our agency that while it was likely that this little guy would become our son, there are always unknowns in the process and there was a chance that he might not. However, with each successful step of the process completed, we grew more confident that he would soon be ours. When December arrived we were far along enough in the process to believe that his homecoming was only a matter of time, and besides he had become such a part of us that it seemed strange NOT to include him in our Christmas card...so this is the announcement we included with our card.
And here is that same adorable little fellow today, Christmas ten years later.
Two years later, as we were waiting for Henry's adoption to be finalized, we included a photo that was taken and sent to us of our new little son in foster care along with our Christmas card.
He was even dressed for the occasion in a Christmas motif...just as though we arranged for him to wear a cute picture day outfit.
Only he was not officially ours...yet.
And here is dear Henry today, Christmas 8 years later.
We can't imagine our family without him.
Three weeks ago, a Cincinnati couple visited a 4 year old little boy in an orphanage in St. Petersburg Russia. The child's name is Constantin and Mike Sweeney and his wife Natalia Zimina are in the process of adopting him and adding him to their family.
On Friday afternoon, a bill was signed by Russian President Putin banning Americans from adopting children in Russian orphanages. This means that Constantin, who was so close to being a part of a family, will instead grow up in an orphanage.
I can only imagine the heartache of those families...both the parents who won't be able to bring home the children who they have already begun to bond with and the children who will languish in an orphanage instead of learning to love and trust a family of their own.
Please sign this petition begun by Alexander D'Jamoos asking President Putin to allow the 46 children who are already matched and in the process of being adopted, to join their future families.
Alexander is a 21 year old college student at the University of Texas at Austin who was adopted six years ago from an orphanage in Russia. Like little Constantin, he was living in an orphanage for children with disabilities in St. Petersburg, perhaps the very same place where little Constantin now waits, and hopes for his adoption to be finalized so that he can have a family of his own.
Read his letter, grab a hanky, and be inspired.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/voice-of-the-child.html?utm_source=Waiting+Children+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8a9e00927d-EMAIL_UPDATE&utm_medium=email
We can't imagine our family without him.
Three weeks ago, a Cincinnati couple visited a 4 year old little boy in an orphanage in St. Petersburg Russia. The child's name is Constantin and Mike Sweeney and his wife Natalia Zimina are in the process of adopting him and adding him to their family.
On Friday afternoon, a bill was signed by Russian President Putin banning Americans from adopting children in Russian orphanages. This means that Constantin, who was so close to being a part of a family, will instead grow up in an orphanage.
I can only imagine the heartache of those families...both the parents who won't be able to bring home the children who they have already begun to bond with and the children who will languish in an orphanage instead of learning to love and trust a family of their own.
Please sign this petition begun by Alexander D'Jamoos asking President Putin to allow the 46 children who are already matched and in the process of being adopted, to join their future families.
Alexander is a 21 year old college student at the University of Texas at Austin who was adopted six years ago from an orphanage in Russia. Like little Constantin, he was living in an orphanage for children with disabilities in St. Petersburg, perhaps the very same place where little Constantin now waits, and hopes for his adoption to be finalized so that he can have a family of his own.
Read his letter, grab a hanky, and be inspired.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/voice-of-the-child.html?utm_source=Waiting+Children+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8a9e00927d-EMAIL_UPDATE&utm_medium=email
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