Save the Date - Gladney's Chinese New Year Parties!

SAVE THE DATE!

Gladney will be hosting 3 Chinese New Year Parties this year!

Fort Worth, TX - Saturday, January 22

Houston, TX - Sunday, January 23

New York, NY - Saturday, January 29

We are excited for these celebrations and thankful for the help of Gladney parents in organizing these parties! Gongzhan Wu, Asia Programs Director, will be attending all three parties and is looking forward to seeing many families! If you have any questions regarding the TX parties, please contact Wendy Lee at wendy.lee@gladney.org. If you have questions or would like to volunteer for the NYC party please contact Amy Lee at mom2kl@gmail.com.

We hope that your family will be able to join us as we jump into the year of the Rabbit!

Candy Cane Girls!

Sarah, Kathryn and Whitney (from left to right in the photos) had a holiday season get-together in Manhattan recently. Whitney and Kathryn have known each other since China, when their parents traveled together to adopt them! This was almost five years ago this coming February! The girls' moms are good friends and it's great that the girls get to see each other. The next meet-up will be in Chinatown for Chinese New Year! Happy Holidays!

China Referral Update

CCAA has processed referrals for families with Log In Dates through 5/29/06. CCAA has reviewed dossiers for families with Log In Dates through 11/30/09.

Gladney received 4 referrals on Friday, which included our families with LIDs of 5/26/06. Congratulations to these families!

The referrals were all little girls from Jiangxi Province ranging in age from 9 months to almost exactly a year old.

We currently have 4 families in China completing their adoptions and will be home later this week, just in time to celebrate Christmas as a family!

Ella and Dean Make Their First Visit to Santa!

Ella's and Dean's mom was so happily surprised that the sister and brother finally agreed to pose with Santa! Previous attempts had not been successful. Ella is 4 and was adopted through Gladney's China program. Dean is 2.5. The family reside in Texas, where Ella is busy with her first school experience, and both she and Dean enjoy gymnastics at The Little Gym, where this photo was taken!

Ruby's First Christmas

Ruby, adopted from China this past spring through Gladney's Asia Waiting Child Program, is about to experience her first Christmas! As you can imagine, this is an exciting time for Ruby as she experiences this new tradition with her family. Her first visit to Santa, her time baking Christmas cookies, her first time singing Christmas carols, her first Christmas morning waking up to see what Santa has left her.

Ruby's dad sent the below message to our Asia Waiting Child Program Staff to share how Ruby has been doing since coming home.

"I just wanted to let you all know that Ruby is experiencing her first Christmas! She places Santa at the top of her "Dear God" blessings at bedtime. Ruby is 6 years old and has been in the US now for 6 months. We have her enrolled in a private school where is excelling. She loves to dress up in pretty clothes; she adores other children; is kind, very considerate and always very cheerful. She is an absolute joy to us and to all our extended family and friends. She would want us to wish you all a very Merry Christmas."

Imagine the joy this family will feel on this very special first Christmas! If you have any "first Christmas" or "first Hanukkah" stories that you would like to share on our blog, please email Mary Chapman at mary.chapman@gladney.org. Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from James, Kathryn, and Sarah!

James,aged 10 and in 5th grade, Kathryn, almost 6 and in kindergarten, and Sarah, aged 5 and also in kindergarten, got to play hooky from school for an afternoon on Dec. 1st to go to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with Mom Stephanie. They loved the show--and also the Rockette bears and wooden soldier hat they acquired! Afterwards we walked over to Rockefeller Center to look at the tree.

Kathryn and Sarah were both adopted from China through Gladney's Waiting Child program. If you would like to learn more about this wonderful option, please contact April Lerch or visit our new Waiting Child website at this link.

We wish everyone a joyous holiday season!

Welcome Home Madeleine!

One of our families from TX just returned home over the weekend from China, where they met their daughter Madeleine. See what the family had to say about meeting their precious daughter. Welcome home Madeleine!


"China has been a unique experience so far, and we're trying to enjoy every minute of it. Today was "Gotcha Day"! A long journey has finally led us to Madeleine. Overwhelmed with joy the first time we saw her this afternoon! She is so sweet and instantly became part of our family. She is happy, active and "talking". "

International & Waiting Child Programs Information Session

Gladney will be hosting an Information Session on our International and Waiting Child Programs this Saturday, Dec. 4th at 10:30am in our NY office located at 363 Seventh Ave., 3rd Floor in Manhattan. This Information Session will be presented by Gladney Staff and is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about our International or Waiting Child Programs.

To register for this Information Session or to see a schedule of upcoming Information Sessions please visit this link. We hope to see you there!