Fun in the snow!Monday, February 25, 2008
POST family Visits Disney!
East End Kid: Disney and me
I had so much fun at Disney World, and my favorite park was Animal Kingdom, of course. We did the safari ride to see the animals in their habitats and went to other rides, but the best of the best was going to the Lion King show. I was chosen to be one of the four "stars" of the show and I played a lion - you should hear me ROAR. I got to bow at the end and had lots of applause. COOL!
That night we went to Cirque de Soleil in Downtown Disney and that was also lots of fun. I met a new friend there from North Carolina, Anna Marie.
I had so much fun at Disney World, and my favorite park was Animal Kingdom, of course. We did the safari ride to see the animals in their habitats and went to other rides, but the best of the best was going to the Lion King show. I was chosen to be one of the four "stars" of the show and I played a lion - you should hear me ROAR. I got to bow at the end and had lots of applause. COOL!
That night we went to Cirque de Soleil in Downtown Disney and that was also lots of fun. I met a new friend there from North Carolina, Anna Marie.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
The Weiniger Family Celebrates at the Gladney Chinese New Year party!
Eliza Li and her family celebrate Chinese New Year with many Gladney friends!
Video of Gladney's Chinese New Years Brunch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFSbNWBqvgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFSbNWBqvgQ
Friday, February 08, 2008
Maya's Debut in World Journal
This is Maya's picture in the Chinese New Year edition of "World Journal." Thank you, Carol (mother to Maya)
Thursday, February 07, 2008
The Chan Family Celebrate Chinese New Year!
Peter Chan writes that he and his family came to Gladney's Chinese New Year's Luncheon last week and took some pictures from this event. My daughters' names are Valerie and Victoria Chan. On the third picture, my daughter took a picture together with Katie Reddin. Paul and Monica Reddin and I went to China to adopt our daughters back in June of 2006.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Grace and Whitney
February 19 marks our two year anniversary of meeting our baby girls for the first time in Chongqing. Grace and Whitney shared a crib at the Dianjiang SWI. We are so fortunate to live near each other and have play dates every few months. Soon, we will make our annual trip to Chinatown in NYC to celebrate Grace and Whitney's third birthdays. The girls were born just one day apart!
Monday, February 04, 2008
The Gladney Gang at the Chinese New Year Celebration
Thanks to all families who attended our 5th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration at Jing Fong Restaurant. It was a huge success this year! We look forward to next year!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
MONGOLIAN SPOTS
We have received some inquiries regarding the presence of Mongolian Spots and thought it was important to share the below information with all Gladney Families. Talk to your caseworker if you have further questions!
WHAT ARE THEY?
Mongolian Blue Spots are flat birthmarks with wavy borders and irregular shapes, common among people of Asian, East Indian, African, and Latino heritage. Bluish gray to deep brown to black skin markings, they often appear on the base of the spine, on the buttocks and back and even sometimes on the ankles or wrists. Mongolian spots may cover a large area of the back. The pigmented area has large concentrations of skin cells called melanocytes, with normal skin texture. They commonly appear at birth or shortly after birth and may look like bruises.
Example of Mongolian Spot
Image Credit: Carl Kirton, RN, MA, ACRN, ANP-CS, Division of Nursing, New York University
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM?
Mongolian spots are benign skin markings, and are not associated with any illnesses, complications or risk factors. There is no known prevention and they generally fade in a few years and disappear by puberty. Though occasionally they persist into adulthood, there is no need for treatment.
DOCUMENTATION
Because Mongolian spots can be easily mistaken for bruises, particularly by well-meaning white people who have no experience with them, they have triggered accusations of child abuse against some adoptive parents. For this reason, it is important to be sure that both your child's pediatrician and the caseworker who completes your post-adoption work record information on the presence of Mongolian spots into their records. You can assist in the documentation of this information by taking snapshots of the spots and providing prints to be included in your child's files. Since you cannot take for granted that everyone will know what Mongolian spots are, it is good advice to have their presence recorded from the start.
An Insider's Guide to Transracial Adoption by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall of PACT, An Adoption Alliance, 3450 Sacramento Suite 239, San Francisco, CA 94118; phone (415) 221-6957; website: http://www.pactadopt.org. This article may be reprinted by other groups without permission with the source information reprinted as above.
WHAT ARE THEY?
Mongolian Blue Spots are flat birthmarks with wavy borders and irregular shapes, common among people of Asian, East Indian, African, and Latino heritage. Bluish gray to deep brown to black skin markings, they often appear on the base of the spine, on the buttocks and back and even sometimes on the ankles or wrists. Mongolian spots may cover a large area of the back. The pigmented area has large concentrations of skin cells called melanocytes, with normal skin texture. They commonly appear at birth or shortly after birth and may look like bruises.
Example of Mongolian Spot
Image Credit: Carl Kirton, RN, MA, ACRN, ANP-CS, Division of Nursing, New York University
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM?
Mongolian spots are benign skin markings, and are not associated with any illnesses, complications or risk factors. There is no known prevention and they generally fade in a few years and disappear by puberty. Though occasionally they persist into adulthood, there is no need for treatment.
DOCUMENTATION
Because Mongolian spots can be easily mistaken for bruises, particularly by well-meaning white people who have no experience with them, they have triggered accusations of child abuse against some adoptive parents. For this reason, it is important to be sure that both your child's pediatrician and the caseworker who completes your post-adoption work record information on the presence of Mongolian spots into their records. You can assist in the documentation of this information by taking snapshots of the spots and providing prints to be included in your child's files. Since you cannot take for granted that everyone will know what Mongolian spots are, it is good advice to have their presence recorded from the start.
An Insider's Guide to Transracial Adoption by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall of PACT, An Adoption Alliance, 3450 Sacramento Suite 239, San Francisco, CA 94118; phone (415) 221-6957; website: http://www.pactadopt.org. This article may be reprinted by other groups without permission with the source information reprinted as above.
Friday, January 11, 2008
The Waiting Game.....
What can I do to make the wait easier? I wanted to be connected, in a constructive way, to the agency that I had come to love and trust, as well as with children. As a physician I was interested in understanding more about special needs children and their particular medical problems. I read everything I could to see where they fit in the overall adoption process. I had lots of questions about what defined a “special needs child” and in particular what were their medical needs.
Shanghai Super kids caught my eye late one night when I was browsing the Internet. My husband and I are one of Gladneys waiting families from China. We knew the wait would be long and tedious. Now that it was a reality and with only a few months behind us, I was wondering how to make it more bearable. We had focused intently on all the tasks of assembling the necessary paperwork. There was nothing left to do, with huge sigh of relief all the paper work was off in flourish, and we had reached our intermediate milestone of a “log in” date.
After seeing the Super kids web site; http://www.superkidscharity.org
I contacted Janet fink fink.jant@gmail.com to ask about her budding charity and offered to volunteer. A month later I was on my way to Shanghai. The Fink led team was returning to Shanghai Children’s Home to further their previous efforts to develop awareness of the importance of normal development physical rehabilitation and physical touch. The orphanage is a stunning place with lush beautiful grounds and well cared for buildings. Walking down the long corridor of the orphanage the first day I was wondering what I would encounter within. The first room we entered I was met by the outstretched hand of a little toddler, sporting a huge smile, complete with a scar of a cleft lip repair. Chatting all the while to me, he lead me by the hand into a room with a huge floor mat where the team had already assembled and had begun their instructions with the caregivers.
The Caregivers were loving and attentive. The skilled physical therapists with us were demonstrating to them simple techniques to improve the motor skills and ambulatory function of the children. Throughout the week the therapists provided both the rehabilitation staff and the caregivers hands on instruction in therapeutic activities aimed at decreasing developmental delay. I worked closely with the medical staff, learning about the children’s medical issues in hope of supporting their medical care and improving their prospects for finding a family to call their own.
While we ride the ups and downs of International adoption process, it is refreshing to know that the Gladney agency has not lost sight of the orphaned children’s well being. Consider lending your support and or time to the Super Kids Team and the Gladney Initiative. http://www.superkidscharity.org/ and http://www.gladneyinitiative.org/
If you have a similar case of the waiting game blues, being a part of raising awareness of orphaned children’s needs is deeply satisfying. They need our involvement in their lives even before they come home to us. There are many more children who may never be adopted, whose lives we can help improve.
Volunteering has made a word of difference for me. I can say I will be involved even after it is my turn for Gotcha Day, because the memory of the smiles of those wonderful children will be with me for a long time.
E. McAleer, MD
Shanghai Super kids caught my eye late one night when I was browsing the Internet. My husband and I are one of Gladneys waiting families from China. We knew the wait would be long and tedious. Now that it was a reality and with only a few months behind us, I was wondering how to make it more bearable. We had focused intently on all the tasks of assembling the necessary paperwork. There was nothing left to do, with huge sigh of relief all the paper work was off in flourish, and we had reached our intermediate milestone of a “log in” date.
After seeing the Super kids web site; http://www.superkidscharity.org
I contacted Janet fink fink.jant@gmail.com to ask about her budding charity and offered to volunteer. A month later I was on my way to Shanghai. The Fink led team was returning to Shanghai Children’s Home to further their previous efforts to develop awareness of the importance of normal development physical rehabilitation and physical touch. The orphanage is a stunning place with lush beautiful grounds and well cared for buildings. Walking down the long corridor of the orphanage the first day I was wondering what I would encounter within. The first room we entered I was met by the outstretched hand of a little toddler, sporting a huge smile, complete with a scar of a cleft lip repair. Chatting all the while to me, he lead me by the hand into a room with a huge floor mat where the team had already assembled and had begun their instructions with the caregivers.
The Caregivers were loving and attentive. The skilled physical therapists with us were demonstrating to them simple techniques to improve the motor skills and ambulatory function of the children. Throughout the week the therapists provided both the rehabilitation staff and the caregivers hands on instruction in therapeutic activities aimed at decreasing developmental delay. I worked closely with the medical staff, learning about the children’s medical issues in hope of supporting their medical care and improving their prospects for finding a family to call their own.
While we ride the ups and downs of International adoption process, it is refreshing to know that the Gladney agency has not lost sight of the orphaned children’s well being. Consider lending your support and or time to the Super Kids Team and the Gladney Initiative. http://www.superkidscharity.org/ and http://www.gladneyinitiative.org/
If you have a similar case of the waiting game blues, being a part of raising awareness of orphaned children’s needs is deeply satisfying. They need our involvement in their lives even before they come home to us. There are many more children who may never be adopted, whose lives we can help improve.
Volunteering has made a word of difference for me. I can say I will be involved even after it is my turn for Gotcha Day, because the memory of the smiles of those wonderful children will be with me for a long time.
E. McAleer, MD
Monday, December 17, 2007
Here Is Something You Don't Do Everyday!
Maya Silver is back in China with her sister, Melanie, and her parents, Phil and Lisa.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Goodridges Visit Santa!!
Here is our pictures from our visit to Santa. Our Santa lets you bring your own digital camera and take some pictures. So we have the picture that we bought and the ones I took.
E was not scared, but got very quiet when Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She said a yo-yo. I figured that Z would cry and he did. This picture captures him just as he is realizing that I'm not there with him. I think in the picture that we bought, he is all out crying.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
The Brueckel Children Celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Sarah is the pumpkin, Kathryn is the puppy (by her request!), and James is a Ninja Lord. The adorable turkey was made by big brother James.
Eliza Li Weiniger Wins School Wide Essay Contest!
Eliza Li Weiniger, Age 7, Adopted From Lodi,China
Eliza won a school wide essay contest at Jefferson Elementary School in Westfield NJ. The topic of the essay contest was:
If I could go anywhere on Earth I would go to ________.
There were many entries and one winner per grade. Eliza won the contest for the first graders.
Here is a transcript of the winning essay:
Eliza Li Weiniger
1st Grade-Mrs. Arkin's Class
EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!
ESSAT CONTEST.
If I could go anywhere on Earth, I would go to China because I was born there. I want to see the sites.
I want to see the houses and the buildings. I may see a school there.
The Olympic games are going to be in China next year, 2008.
I want to learn how they speak their language. My mom and dad went to China to adopt me. They thought it was beautiful.
Eliza won a school wide essay contest at Jefferson Elementary School in Westfield NJ. The topic of the essay contest was:
If I could go anywhere on Earth I would go to ________.
There were many entries and one winner per grade. Eliza won the contest for the first graders.
Here is a transcript of the winning essay:
Eliza Li Weiniger
1st Grade-Mrs. Arkin's Class
EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!
ESSAT CONTEST.
If I could go anywhere on Earth, I would go to China because I was born there. I want to see the sites.
I want to see the houses and the buildings. I may see a school there.
The Olympic games are going to be in China next year, 2008.
I want to learn how they speak their language. My mom and dad went to China to adopt me. They thought it was beautiful.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Favorite Fall Photos from the Gallagher Family
Some favorite fall photos from the Gallagher Family (Kevin, Jeannine, Kevin Jr, Sarah, Philip & Mei):
Hello from Nanchang
We arrived in Nanchang on Sunday afternoon and met Kiana (Shao Tong) about an hour after we arrived at the hotel. The first night was rough for this first time mommy. Everytime we picked her up or touched her she would cry..make that SCREAM! She did not want to sleep in the crib and spent the night in the stroller in front of the TV.
Day 2 we finally got a smile :) Now Day 5 is coming to a close...we have come a long way! Kiana now tolerates being held and sleeps well through the night. She loves going out and taking in the sights. We did the tourist thing and went to Tengwang Pavilion, August First Park, and shopping area.
-Amy & Kiana Lee
Whitney Visits Santa!
While picking out our Christmas tree earlier in the week, we had a visit with Santa! What a wonderful surprise to see Santa at the tree farm. Whitney is whispering her wish list: a toy shopping card and an apron! Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas :0).
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Go for Sam - Ted and Mira reporting from China!
It's Tuesday, November 2oth, 2007, Mira and her dad Ted left for China. She is going to write about her trip on her blog. In her first blog post, Mira wrote, "As my dad says, we are "go for Sam." We are on our way to China. I should have blog posts up on Thanksgiving day. Please visit then. I hope you enjoy the holiday. Click here to read their blog post from China.
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