Made with Love

A special call out to Ozzy and Austin Skinner who, in between keeping mom on her toes, find time to also help bake cookies to brighten everyone's spirits! This year the boys helped bake holiday cookies for the birthmoms living at Gladney's Fort Worth Campus. They also baked a tasty box for the Asia program staff! The box was a bit delayed, causing us to wonder whether the postal carriers were enjoying our cookies - but they arrived safe and sound in time for the New Year! Jill Skinner writes "What joy both boys have brought to our lives and to know that our birth mothers love them so much to make the decision they did, warms our heart!"  

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Texas

"Chinese New Year is always a fun event to celebrate with the New York tristate area families. This year, I had extra good luck for the Holiday, I was able to travel to Texas with Pat Marcus from Superkids to celebrate with Gladney families in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas! Pat and I gave an update on the Guang Ming program and the great work that Superkids has been up to lately!

April and Pat,out and about in Texas, celebrating the Chinese New Year!

It was amazing to meet many of parents and kids in person that I had previously only seen in pictures. To enjoy time together with them was definitely the highlight of the trip! Opportunities like this remind me how much I love what I do - there's nothing that can compare to finding homes for children that need them and watching families change and grow!"

- April Uduhiri - China Guang Ming Caseworker

Register now for a FREE expert Q&A webinar

Adoption Expert Q&A Webinar: Skin & Hair Care

with board-certified dermatologist Brooke Jackson, M.D.

February 26, 2013 @ 1 pm EST

When you adopt transracially, your child's skin and hair will probably require different care than your own. Join Brooke Jackson, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and author of Child of Mine: Caring for the Skin and Hair of Your Adopted Child, to ask questions about keeping your child's skin and hair healthy. The Adoption Expert Q&A Webinar: Skin and Hair Care will take place on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 from 1pm to 2pm EST (12pm-1pm CST; 11am-12pm MST; 10am-11am PST).

To participate, you'll need to:
1. Register.
2. Check your inbox for the confirmation email with your webinar link.
3. Don't want to forget your question? Submit it in advance here.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Gladney Families gathered together at Jing Fong restaurant in NYC's Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year on Sunday, February 3rd! Nearly 170 guests enjoyed the day over a delicious Chinese banquet. Colorful paper snakes were made by all of the kids. The Chinese Kung-Fu, Wu-Su Association joined for a special demonstration, and showed off their strength and poise by balancing some of the children on each leg!

Display of Raffle Prizes

The day ended with a very exciting raffle that raised over $500 toward the purchase of an industrial dryer for the Yugan SWI in Jiangxi province.

As we usher in the Year of the Snake on February 10th, we wish all of our Gladney Familes -- Xin Nian Kuai Le! and Gong Hey Fat Choy!

GFA Pot Lucks

GFA Potlucks are a great way to meet other Gladney families who live in the same geographic area. The Potluck Host family sets the tone for the occasion - deciding whether to have the event in their home or a nearby venue, whether it should be an adult-only event or a child-friendly gathering. Potlucks are a really great way to meet families that are close by and that have much in common, as well as reacquaint families who may have met at a prior Gladney gathering.

There is an upcoming Potluck Dinner for New York area Gladney families being hosted by Laura and Jim, along with their daughter Grace, at their home on Long Island, NY on Saturday, February 16th from 5 - 8pm. Dad writes, "We welcome you to share your experiences, new and old, with other Gladney families, just like ours!" To RSVP for this potluck or for more information about the NY/NJ/CT metro area GFA, please contact sarah.krikstone@gmail.com.

Grace will be hosting the next GFA potluck in LI, NY with help from Mom and Dad.

If you are interested in hosting a Potluck in your home, please contact your local GFA. Click here to find the GFA in your area or to check the Calendar of Events for upcoming Potlucks. 

China Waiting Child Webinar - Tomorrow!

Each month Gladney hosts an Asia Waiting Child Webinar. Our next webinar is tomorrow, Wed., Feb. 13th at 1pm EST.

This informative webinar will focus on the process of adopting waiting children from China. The webinar will provide an overview of Gladney’s program as well as share photos of available children. You will get a detailed explanation of the Application and paperwork process involved with adopting internationally. Also, each month we will feature different children, with a variety of ages and special needs, who are available for adoption. At the end of each webinar we offer time for attendees to ask questions and will provide contact information for you to follow up with one of Gladney’s Asia Program Staff.

We hope you will be able to join us! Be sure to register! Feel free to pass this invitation along to friends and family members that may also be interested.

1,000th China Program Placement!

Welcome home Ring family and Anna Miao!

The New York staff was thrilled to meet the Ring family at the airport to say Welcome Home!! Dan and Renee Ring's adoption of Anna Miao is a big milestone for Gladney as this was our 1,000th placement in the China program! Managing Director of the Asia Programs, Gongzhan Wu has been with Gladney for ALL of them!

Through the ups and downs of International Adoption, Gladney's China program has evolved and grown with the changes. Reaching 1,000 placements is an important testament to Gladney's long history with China adoptions, as well as our desire to facilitate 1,000 more!

Philippines Program News

Last month we announced Gladney's newest adoption program with the Philippines! We have begun receiving inquiries about this program and are looking forward to working with our first families! Our Philippines program is referred to as The Special Home Finding Program.

Boys and girls in the Special Home Finding Program include:

• Toddlers and school-age children who have moderate medical and/or developmental issues
• Older children between the ages of 6 and 15 (healthy or with medical needs)
• Sibling Groups of three or more children

There are many children in the Philippines with moderate medical conditions who are currently waiting for families. There are also older children who are physically healthy. Your Gladney caseworker will work closely with you to discuss which medical conditions and age range you are open to. If you have any questions please contact Judy.Hayes@gladney.org. At this time we are only able to work with prospective adoptive parents who live in a Gladney licensed state (AR, AZ, FL, LA, NC, NJ, NY, OK, PA, TX).

China Program News

• CCCWA has matched families with LIDs through October 17, 2006.
• CCCWA has reviewed dossiers with LIDs through April 30 2012.
• CCCWA issued 1 Travel Approval for a Gladney family in January!
• 4 Gladney families travelled to China to adopt their children in January!

Congratulations to the Maron, Meledeo, Waldeck and Ring families!!

Jack Maron poses with Mom and Dad in front of Shanghai Children's Home

www.journeytojackbenjamin.blogspot.com

The Meledeo family with new son Anthony and daughter Grace

www.surpassinggreatness.com

MeiLin Waldeck with Mom and Dad

The Ring family with newest daughter/sister Anna Miao!

Chinese New Year Celebration Resources

Chinese New Year begins Sunday, February 10th!

The resources to learn about Chinese New Year are extensive, including books about Chinese holidays and traditions, articles on the internet and programs at libraries and museums.

For a list of books you may find helpful, as well as a fun word search and coloring pages, click here.