Friday, November 30, 2012

The Sleigh

Seth has something exciting he wants to tell you...
 
 
Your packages are arriving! Every day we get a stack of packing slips, telling us to head over to the post office and pick up the boxes that have arrived in the mail. When our drivers have a few spare minutes between hospital runs, one of them will go over to the local post office and pick up the packages.

 
Yesterday we received twenty packages around lunch time, and then right before everybody headed home for the weekend... 30 packing slips arrived! Monday is going to be a busy day.


After we've opened up the packages to take out any extra donations, such as vitamins, we write the child's name on the outside of the box in English and Chinese and take it out back to our storage room to wait until our Christmas party. The storage room is getting crowded right now.

We haven't decorated the foster home yet for Christmas, but it's definitely on the schedule for the next two weeks. Have you decorated yet?

Helping, Folding Hands

We love our volunteers. We love watching them fall in love with the children, and love getting to be apart of their lives for a day, week or even months. The people who come to volunteer here at New Day Foster Home are amazing! Earlier this week, a family arrived, ready to get busy holding some babies, until they came down with a cold. What to do, but give them some office work!  


We just got our new Amazing Stories brochure printed, but none of the brochures had been folded yet. The family got right to work, and in a few hours this is what we found...


Incredible productivity and nearly flawless folding.


Thanks, Arda, Lynn and Ian! We're so thankful for the hours you put into the work here, the sacrifice you made by being selfish with your colds (thanks for not sharing !) and we're so happy that y'all were feeling 100% in time to hold some babies today.

There are many ways to make a difference.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012

NDSouth: Pretty in Pink

In this season of thanksgiving, we continue to count our blessings. One of the ways we like to count is in the smiles of each child in our care. We love the opportunity to watch a child blossom and thrive. To witness a child go from quiet, reserved, and tearful to a child full of joy, giggles, and laughter. We also love watching them improve after a life changing surgery.


Little Leila came to us just a few months ago with a broken heart. She came not only with a physically broken heart but an emotional one as well. When Leila first arrived she was scared, quiet, tearful, and blue due to her heart condition. After being with us just a few days her beautiful smile started to show and we were able to witness first hand a miracle happen. The miracle wasn't in the fact that she was healed but that she began to trust and to love.

As of a few weeks ago, Leila has yet another difference. She is pink! After receiving her much needed heart surgery she came home on Thanksgiving day. Our hope is not only that her physical heart will continue to heal but her emotional heart as well. We cannot wait to watch her continue to blossom in the months to come.

Wordless Wednesday: A Feast

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

In Memory of Alan

Losing a baby is never easy, and when Alan suddenly slipped away we were devastated and stunned. We still are.

Sometimes it's hard to go on, knowing that with each child we bring in we are risking our hearts. But we can't stop. As we remember Alan and the two months that he was with us, we are reminded of just how precious his life was and we rejoice that we got to spend this short time with him. We were given a beautiful gift in Alan.

Alan is in his Father's arms right now, sharing his bright eyes and contagious smile with the angels.

The Forever Home: A Early Christmas Present


Late Friday night we got an early Christmas present!  Another Forever Home girl joined our family, now making us a full house.  She arrived just in time to help decorate the house and tree for Christmas.  What fun we all had and Zoe especially thought it was pretty exciting!  We can't wait to see her blossom!
Monday, November 26, 2012

Thanksgiving at New Day!

We go all out when it comes to holidays. Thanksgiving through Chinese New Year is nothing but feasts and parties here. It can be a little misleading to children who arrive into our care November-February, because come March they're wondering when the next celebration will be.

Check out this quick and fun video capturing some of the highlights from our Thanksgiving feast. Highlights = eating.



We also have an ever-growing photo album on our facebook page of our Thanksgiving day festivities.


...and just today we posted a scrapbook of potato peeling and face painting. Check it out!



Don't forget to use this link for all of your Cyber Monday shopping - 5% of your purchase will go straight to the children at NDFH! It's as easy as clicking the link and then doing your shopping, nothing else is needed! Have fun.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Doing Things Esther's Way

Who is the spunkiest, bravest, and most clever little girl in the downstairs playroom? Esther, of course!


Esther is such a gorgeous, smart child. She has a very "my-way-or-the-highway" personality that is sassy but endearing. She learns quickly, and LOVES class time. Because of her ENT issues, Esther has been learning sign language. She can say "please" and "hold me", and once in a while will sign "no". Esther is also practicing walking, and can take about 6 steps before collapsing in a fit of giggles. The most recent thing Esther has learned is how to give kisses.


Esther is growing up FAST. It seems as if it was only a couple days ago when she was a tiny baby! I can't wait to see how she will blossom!

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This post was written by Page
Friday, November 23, 2012

Thankful

The red paint stripes were smearing on the messy faces of our children as they scraped the last, delicious crumbs from their plates. Some of the little ones had ladybugs painted on their faces, the little girls wore flowers and Holly proudly told everyone to look at her “three flowers!” Henry liked everything he tried and Lydia preferred the stuffing, smacking her lips and babbling as we gently gave her little tastes. The nannies came into the room to sweep the smallest ones off for pre-naptime bottles and medications and the foster mamas began to arrive to pick up their little Indians and pilgrims.


Our feast was over, or so we thought, when the preschool teachers began to clean up and put the paper plates into the trash can. Suddenly we heard a sad cry. “I’m not done yet!” Colton said as his plate was cleared away. We had no way of knowing which plate was Colton’s, so he got a new bowl full of food and sat down at the other table while the table he had been sitting at was cleared. All he wanted was a few more bites of stuffing and he left the feast satisfied.


…and that’s what Thanksgiving is all about. It’s not about food and second helpings and stuffing, but about being thankful for the simple things such as crying and being answered… asking and receiving… and ending every day satisfied and content. Today we’re thankful for all 54 (soon to be 55!) children here at New Day Foster Home in Beijing. We’re thankful for fifty five little hearts that, at the end of the day, will be satisfied.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

NDSouth: Thankfulness

Five more children being given a chance at life, now that is something to be thankful for! In the last year, New Day South has grown from 7 children to 12 children. We feel blessed to play a role in giving these children hope and and a chance. These children bless us each and every day and we know that they will one day bless their own forever families in Thanksgivings to come. We cannot wait for that day!

Since last Thanksgiving, we have welcomed into our New Day South family...

Charlotte
 
Leila
 
Matthew
 
Daphne
 
Sammy
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving from New Day South!

Wordless Wednesday: One Little Indian


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Conquering Chemo

Maya is one of the most incredible little babies you will ever meet. She's been through so much, it's almost hard to comprehend the fight that her body and spirit have been through since she was born.
 
 
Maya still needs chemotherapy treatments, and she is the kind of baby who either comes home and sleeps the afternoon because she's so exhausted, or she giggles and plays and her big brown eyes sing, "I'm not tired, I'm just fine!"
 

 
We love you, Maya, and we're so proud of how strong you are. We can't wait until you are done with chemotherapy and can live a normal life. Until then, we're so happy that you can live such a wonderfully happy life.

Wayne's Amazing Story

Thank you for helping to make Amazing Stories like this possible!
 

 
The hospital in Wayne’s home province that had been treating him for pneumonia and meningitis sent him home to die. They said that his case was hopeless. One of thirty babies assigned to two nannies in a new orphanage, no one had ever been trained to feed Wayne, who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Aspiration must have led to infection and, because of the severity of his case, Wayne’s orphanage knew that he wouldn’t last long. But the orphanage chose not to give up so quickly. They contacted a foreign organization for help on Friday, November 2nd. A few phone calls later and our Formula Project Coordinator and PR staff, Wayne, received a message from his friend who had heard of the dying baby’s plight.

We were at full capacity, but because one of our children was in the hospital, we had an empty bed. Wayne relayed to us the message from his friend, “This little baby has been given up on. His special need is not so serious, but because of his situation and circumstances, he has no hope. He’s going to die unless we help.” Saying a desperate prayer for the little one’s safety, we called the orphanage and said, “If he’ll make it, send him.”

Early Sunday morning, November 4, 2012, baby Wayne was admitted into a hospital in Beijing with one of our nannies. He survived the long trip, but was running a fever. We called the hospital on Monday to ask about his condition, and were told that he was no longer running a fever and that his pneumonia had improved drastically. Although Wayne had previously been diagnosed with meningitis, the doctors here ruled it out, saying that he showed none of the symptoms. On Tuesday Wayne was doing great, and he was released from the hospital on Wednesday, totally healthy.


When we prayed that short, desperate prayer late Friday afternoon, we hoped only for survival. In His abundant grace, God gave us a miracle. He did the impossible. When Wayne in the office saw the smile on baby Wayne’s face after coming home from the hospital, there were tears in his eyes. The child that was given up on had been saved. The baby who was once lost in a sea of faces in an orphanage now has a name and a home and a hope. Wayne’s Chinese name means “victory.” The Father to the fatherless has already won a great and marvelous victory in little Wayne’s life. He has reminded us to believe in miracles.

Monday, November 19, 2012

The Face

We think that Miss Alea is adorable. Not only does she multi-task, but she does it with a engaging curiosity that really draws your heart in.
 
 
Seriously, who wouldn't fall in love with big eyes like that?

 
The other day Alea was working playing busily while half-heartedly sucking on her pre-nap bottle. She's not a huge fan of her bottle anymore and is preferring rice cereal and crackers to milk now - what a big girl!

 
I looked over at Alea as she was playing nicely, and she turned to look at me. On her face was a look that can not be described...

 
Do you have any words?

 
What could she have been thinking?

Saturday, November 17, 2012

How to Wrap a Baby, Featuring Violet

Most of you, being moms already, probably already know how to wrap your babies to keep them warm. But, most of you being moms, you will probably really enjoy watching how Violet's foster mom wraps little Violet up for their cold ride home after Violet's monthly check-up.
 
She starts out by making sure that Violet is wearing the many layers common to most little children in China....
 
 
And then it's time to start wrapping! We have some quilted blankets that the foster mama's like to use with little pockets at one corner for the baby's head. Violet's foster mom slips Violet's head into the little pocket and then wraps the blanket around her.
 
 
Folding the bottom corner of the blanket up towards Violet's chest, she then tucks the final corner inside expertly so that no cold wind will touch her little darling.
 
 
And there you have it! Warm, cozy and super-sweet and cuddly.

 
Thank you, foster mamas, for taking such good care of your little charges.
Friday, November 16, 2012

Group Pictures

We have some really cute children. No kidding. It's hard to get them all together and sitting mostly still... but when we do there's cuteness overload.
 

Yesterday... we got overloaded.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

NDSouth: Many Expressions

Marshall is an expressive little boy and cracks us up daily with his facial expressions. We thought we would share a few of them with you to brighten your day!

This is his "Am I handsome or what?" face.


The "Oh! Am I in trouble?" face.


The "Pick me up please" face.


Then of course the classic, "I'm cute and I know it" face.


Marshall, you always keep us smiling!

Wordless Wednesday: Eliana


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Health Check!

Alright everyone, it's time for a health check!

Our nurses make rounds every day and so the children are very used to having their hearts and lungs listened to. Asher played doctor first, as he listened to Will...


...and then Will helped him listen to his own heart. Or is that his stomach?


Next it was Will's turn to listen to Asher. Asher gave him a hand.


Back and forth they went...




... and the word from the "doctors" is that both friends are doing great!

Actually, we do have a piece of Asher related medical news! Asher had his urology and orthopedic operations on Monday. It took about four hours for both of them and he is doing great. We can't wait until he is released from the hospital!
Sunday, November 11, 2012

I Am Waiting

November is National Adoption Month. New Day Foster Home is so privileged to care for these children while they are waiting.



Want information about adoption? Well, we're not an adoption agency, but we've written up a lot about it on our website!
Saturday, November 10, 2012

Laughter

Friday, November 9, 2012

Gaining Strength

The little girl who almost died many times...

Who really shouldn't be alive right now...

Who had four surgeries, including a major open-heart surgery, in four months...

...she is getting bigger and stronger each day!

The other day Lydia rolled over onto her belly. It was a shocking moment for her and she didn't know how to react. She didn't know how to roll back over and so she was stuck. Since her heart surgery in August, Lydia has just kept getting stronger and stronger, and so when she found herself on her belly, she had enough strength to lift her head up and look around... and ask for some help!


A few months ago Lydia would not have been able to support herself in the bumbo seat. Actually, a few months ago Lydia couldn't even fit in the bumbo seat!


...and it wasn't until after her heart surgery that Lydia decided to smile. Now, we're seeing those smiles and hearing her sweet little voice much more often. It's precious.