Transformation: Lilly Grace

In 2014 a little girl arrived at New Day and we named her Ava.

Ava was born with Down Syndrome and heart disease and we immediately fell in love with her.

We know now Ava as Lilly Grace and are so excited as she is about to join her forever family.

As Lilly Grace grew up we loved watching her learn, explore, and discover new things.

We celebrated each birthday and holiday with Lilly Grace letting her know how loved and important she was.

We were so excited when Lilly Grace was able to begin preschool knowing that it would continue to open new dooors of opportunity for her.

Lilly Grace was able to join a local foster family and she thrived in the family environment they were able to provide for her.

Lilly Grace always worked so hard in therapy and we were her biggest cheerleaders as she reached each new milestone.

And, as many of you know from the video that quickly spread across Facebook, Lilly Grace loves looking at herself in the mirror and her joy is contagious.

We will all miss this sweet girl but are so excited for her bright, beautiful future!

More Alike Than Different!

Around the world March 21st is a day that is set aside to remind the world how worthy individuals with Down Syndrome are of acceptance, opportunity, and the dignity of responsibility in this world 

Here at New Day Foster Home we are currently blessed with 4 chromosomally enhanced cuties! (Nathan wasn't able to join us for the group picture!)

These sweet kids teach us so much each and every day and they make us better people.

Their presence brings smiles, laughter, and joy.

We learn so much each day from their perseverance (and their stubbornness) as they learn new skills.

We celebrate with them as they reach each new milestone and cheer them on every step of the way.

Each and every day they show us that we are all more alike than different and that our world is a far better place because of them!

Happy Halloween or Happy Birthday?

What is the difference between Halloween and Birthdays? 

To our preschoolers, they are one and the same. To introduce a few American traditions, we spent October 31st hollowing out and carving pumpkins with our morning preschool class. We had some adorable confusion when our teachers placed a candle inside a carved pumpkin. 

Upon seeing the candle, sweet Nathan started signing for cake and got the rest of his classmates to sing "happy birthday" with him. While we are proud of them for drawing a connection between candles and birthday parties, we might have to revisit the lesson on the different holidays. 

Whether they thought it was someone's birthday or not, our morning preschool class had a very fun time getting their hands messy with seeds and goop and seeing a silly face appear on their pumpkins. The only disappointment was not eating cake after they sang. 

Summer in the Backyard

With summer weather arriving, the nannies and children of NDFH Beijing are soaking up the warmth on their skin and the gentle breeze that blows through the backyard.

Austyn loves the swing and is always so excited when someone wants to give him a little extra push.

Another fan of swinging, Nathan looks forward to the extra time outside.

"Beijing Snow" (cotton from the cottonwood trees) covered the trampoline in early June. The kids were so excited to see it cleaned off and ready to welcome them for playtime.

Rabbits are a new addition to the backyard. The rolling cages allow the rabbits more room to roam the yard, much to Owen's delight.

Water and sand are a perfect combination for James to be creative...and a bit messy!

In the cold weather months, lingering the backyard doesn't take place. As the temperature rise, nannies are lingering under the cool of the shade while the kids are soaking up the extra time outside. Scooter, tricycles, and the trampoline are back in action and an sweet peace settles over the yard each day.