Matching Mondays: Washington Edition

Daniel
13 years
(Click on his picture to see his entire profile, including a video of Daneil.)

Legally free, DANIEL (2/96) holds a special place in the hearts of the social workers who have known him during his many years in foster care. He is described as endearing and rewarding, yet needing protection. Among Daniel’s endearing traits are his boyish sense of humor, his gentleness with young children, his inquisitiveness and his easy sociability. He is highly motivated to please others and earn rewards. He has many interests, including fishing, drawing, outdoor play and conversation.

Daniel is very eager to find his permanent family. With his out-going personality he has the capability to do well in many different family situations, although a very large family may not be able to meet his needs for attention. Having a dad or a dad figure in his adoptive family who is actively involved in nurturing and parenting would be wonderful for Daniel.

Jason
10 years
(click on his photo to see his entire profile including a video of this adorable boy!)

JASON (3/99) loves to play outdoors, riding his bike, shooting hoops, and playing with others. He also enjoys watching cartoons on TV and coloring. Jason, who needs help in structuring his time, absolutely loves to have adults interact with him – he is very responsive to hugs and affection and to parental encouragement and praise. Jason typically follows parental requests and house rules without any problems. Most of the time, he is happy kid. He enjoys going to school and learning new things. He also has a real interest in being part of whatever is going on in the family – he especially likes to help out around the house and to participate in various projects. A handsome boy with a slim build, large, dark eyes and curly hair, Jason has been described by recent foster parents as loving and wanting to behave.

Brandon
1 Year (almost 2)
(click on this little angle's photo to see his entire profile.)

Legally free, BRANDON (11/07) is a darling baby boy who continues to live in the same excellent, loving, and highly skilled foster home where he was placed following his premature and complicated birth.

While Brandon is able to sit, stand, crawl, walk, play with toys, and feed himself using his hands, he has significant development difficulties, some of which will be life-long.

Triumphant Adoption Warriors

My most elated congratulations to the The R Family, who heard today that (baring an appeal) their contested adoption has been decided in their favor. They love their boys so much, and Baby G. is so lucky to have such wonderful parents who were willing to give all they had to make sure he stayed in their family, right where he belongs.

Be an Adoption Ambassador

I am a little behind on my Adoptive Families reading. I usually read at the gym and my two year old has decided that he is no longer going to the kid's club there. . . sigh. And so my August edition of Adoptive Families is more ragged and beaten than any other edition, as it has been dragged around, here, there and everywhere so I can grab a bit of it now and then.

I'm not finished with it quite yet, but there is such a great article in there entitled "Be an Adoption Ambassador" that I knew I wanted to share. In it, AF puts forth questions that you are likely to encounter from friends and families along the way, then provides you with the "crib sheet" for those occasions.

Each question has a short answer followed by an in depth explanation, so be sure to check out the entire article.

1. "Was the adoption terribly expensive? How did you afford it?"
"The average cost of an adoption last year was $27,000. Grants and reimbursements can reduce the expense."

2. "How long does it take? Did you wait forever?"
"The average wait to adopt is about two years."

3. "Is it really possible to adopt an American child? Even a newborn?"
"The vast majority of adoptees are U.S.-born. Internation adoptees just tend to be more visible."

4. "Doesn't open adoption confuse your child?"
"Research on kids in open adoption shows that there's no such effect."

5. "Aren't most adoptees troubled?"
"A research study that's been going on for a decade shows that adopted children do just as well as kids raised in their biological families."

6. "How do you know that your adoption was legal? Weren't you afraid of being scammed?"
"The best way to avoid problems is to work with a large, nonprofit agency or with an attorney who specializes in adoption, and to do plenty of reserach before you sign up."

7. "I'd love to adopt -- how do you get started?"
"What kind of child do you thin will best fit your family?"

Matching Monday's: Washington Edition

Probably many of you read and love Mrs. R. at The R House. She does this great thing every Monday where she features children who are waiting to be adopted out of the foster care system on her blog. Recently, she asked for bloggers who would do the same, focusing on their own states. I am delighted to join the Matching Monday team and bring you for the first time ever:

Matching Monday: Washington Edition
To learn more about any of these children, click on their photo.

Anthony
age 15

You all know I have a special place in my heart for carrot tops don't you?

Bright, attractive, and engaging, ANTHONY (5/94) is an endearing teenager who can be tons of fun. He has a good sense of humor and relates well to adults and to peers. The ease with which he displays good manners in public is nice asset. One of his favorite activities is going out to theaters to see movies. Other pastimes are riding his bike, playing video games and basketball, and spending time with kids in the neighborhood. An avid Mariners fan, he loves baseball. Last year he had the opportunity to go to a Mariners game with seats by home plate. He met the Moose (the team mascot), and received a team jersey. He loved it!

His social worker is most interested in talking with prospective adoptive folks who are adept at using redirection and non-authoritarian ways of parenting to achieve positive results. Anthony really needs to be the youngest or only child in his adoptive family.

James
age 8

JAMES (11/00) is charming, engaging, and social, and he has some other nice strengths, too. He has a good sense of curiosity about the world around him. He takes pride in his appearance and belongings. He enjoys school and is very friendly, often saying hello to everyone who walks by. At his group home, he has done well as one of the younger kids in his cottage and is well liked by staff. He does well with adults in general, especially those who model healthy behavior and boundaries, and interact with him with patience and encouragement. This is a boy who loves to have even a small step forward praised and acknowledged. A big fan of super heroes, James especially loves Batman and Spiderman. He also enjoys collecting Hotwheels. With his love of the water, he enjoys fishing and is currently having fun learning to swim. Among his favorite activities are riding his bike, playing soccer, tossing a Frisbee, and playing video games. He also loves to listen to music.

Because James is so drawn to men, his worker is particularly interesting in hearing from couples where there is a strong, positive dad figure. James would do best as the only child or as the younger of two siblings.

Kenneth
age 5

Kenny has been making wonderful strides over the last months. He is now talking in complete sentences and can make his wishes known (he will tell you if he is tired of doing something). He loves music, playing outside – and he has mastered his two wheeler bike – without the training wheels!

Kenny went to summer school in preparation for starting Kindergarten this fall and it is reported that he knows his colors, shapes, letters and can count to 20. He copies his name and has good gross motor skills, and is well coordinated.

Kenny, who is eligible for DD services, has symptoms characteristic of children who have autism.

Kenny has been with his current foster parents, with his sister, since March 2006. Because the foster parents are in their 60s, they feel they cannot be a permanent resource for Kenny.

Kenny’s social worker is particularly interested in hearing from prospective adoptive parents who have the energy, desire, and commitment to learn to care for and raise a child who offers the challenges and pluses that Kenny brings with him. If there is a family out there who is informed about autism, maybe experienced in raising a child with this condition, and is interested in hearing more about Kenny, we urge you to get in touch with us.

Adoption PostSecret Post Card

Do any of you read PostSecret?

This sweet adoption post card was on there last Sunday. :)