If you read this post, you've had a chance to meet some of the precious boys waiting in Li'l Bean's orphanage. (If you haven't read it yet, please do. You will die over the massive dose of cuteness. Seriously.) In it, I mentioned that our agency currently has sixteen boys and one girl from Bean's city on their waiting list. I also talked a little bit about the fact that boys now far outnumber girls on Ch*na's waiting child list.
I hope no one read that post as minimizing the need for adoptive families for girls. Clearly, as a mama to one and soon-to-be two adopted girls, I am not in any way against adopting girls. And, although I would challenge families adopting from Ch*na to seriously consider saying they are open to either gender, the one sweet girl from Bean's orphanage needs a mommy and a daddy every bit as much as those sixteen adorable little men.
And, just FYI, she's her own big helping of adorable. Wanna meet her?
And, just FYI, she's her own big helping of adorable. Wanna meet her?
This is Anastaxia. Is she pure cuteness, or what? Miss Anastaxia was born in September 2013. She was found in the Safe Haven Hatch at the gate of her orphanage when she was six months old.
(For those of you who might not know, a Safe Haven Hatch is a place where parents can abandon their children with the knowledge that they will be found. While I can't even begin to wrap my mind and heart around the idea of walking away from my six-month-old baby, there are so many complicated, disheartening, unjust, and purely evil reasons that might cause a parent to feel compelled to make that choice: societal pressure, poverty, fear about a medical condition, lack of resources, family influence, pride. I choose to let my heart break for these families instead of judging them, because I cannot even imagine the path some of them have walked.)
Whatever the circumstances, precious six-month-old Anastaxia was found outside her orphanage, undernourished and with untreated hydrocephalus. People with hydrocephalus have a build-up of extra fluid on their brain. In September of 2014, Anastaxia had surgery to insert a V/P shunt to drain the excess fluid.
Anastaxia's reports say that she can kick her feet, play with both her hands, and track a moving rattle. She can also sit for a short time while leaning against an object. She makes sounds when she is spoken to, and is able to indicate when she wants a hug from her caregiver. Her file also says she has "smart eyes" and can smile when being teased. While Anastaxia has weak muscle tension, she is starting to become more active and adventurous. She desperately needs a family that will challenge her to move and grow.
Think about what it would mean to this sweet girl to have a mama who holds her hand as she learns to walk. A daddy who wrestles with her. A brother who chases her around the living room. A sister who teaches her how to dig in the sand at the beach. A teasing, chasing, cuddling, laughing family could be the absolute best therapy for Miss Anastaxia.
Want to see Anastaxia in action? Check out this video. Be warned, her huge eyes and tiny bottom teeth are seriously heart-melting.
Anastaxia needs a family to address her medical needs as soon as possible. This blog post graphically illustrates how important it is for kiddos with hydrocephalus to receive early intervention and topnotch medical care. Although Anastaxia has been shunted, she is still in need of follow-up care, therapy, and careful monitoring. (As a side note, the mama who wrote it is one of my super cool cyberworld adoption buddies. I'm sure she would be more than happy to talk to a family considering Anastaxia.)
As of yesterday, there are no families considering Anastaxia. If you are interested in more information about her, please comment on this post. I'd be happy to get you in touch with my agency. (As always, I will not publish any comments with personal contact information.) Feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested in pursuing the adoption of this precious girl.
Thank you for being a voice for a little girl who hasn't found hers yet.
(For those of you who might not know, a Safe Haven Hatch is a place where parents can abandon their children with the knowledge that they will be found. While I can't even begin to wrap my mind and heart around the idea of walking away from my six-month-old baby, there are so many complicated, disheartening, unjust, and purely evil reasons that might cause a parent to feel compelled to make that choice: societal pressure, poverty, fear about a medical condition, lack of resources, family influence, pride. I choose to let my heart break for these families instead of judging them, because I cannot even imagine the path some of them have walked.)
Whatever the circumstances, precious six-month-old Anastaxia was found outside her orphanage, undernourished and with untreated hydrocephalus. People with hydrocephalus have a build-up of extra fluid on their brain. In September of 2014, Anastaxia had surgery to insert a V/P shunt to drain the excess fluid.
Anastaxia's reports say that she can kick her feet, play with both her hands, and track a moving rattle. She can also sit for a short time while leaning against an object. She makes sounds when she is spoken to, and is able to indicate when she wants a hug from her caregiver. Her file also says she has "smart eyes" and can smile when being teased. While Anastaxia has weak muscle tension, she is starting to become more active and adventurous. She desperately needs a family that will challenge her to move and grow.
Think about what it would mean to this sweet girl to have a mama who holds her hand as she learns to walk. A daddy who wrestles with her. A brother who chases her around the living room. A sister who teaches her how to dig in the sand at the beach. A teasing, chasing, cuddling, laughing family could be the absolute best therapy for Miss Anastaxia.
Want to see Anastaxia in action? Check out this video. Be warned, her huge eyes and tiny bottom teeth are seriously heart-melting.
Anastaxia needs a family to address her medical needs as soon as possible. This blog post graphically illustrates how important it is for kiddos with hydrocephalus to receive early intervention and topnotch medical care. Although Anastaxia has been shunted, she is still in need of follow-up care, therapy, and careful monitoring. (As a side note, the mama who wrote it is one of my super cool cyberworld adoption buddies. I'm sure she would be more than happy to talk to a family considering Anastaxia.)
As of yesterday, there are no families considering Anastaxia. If you are interested in more information about her, please comment on this post. I'd be happy to get you in touch with my agency. (As always, I will not publish any comments with personal contact information.) Feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested in pursuing the adoption of this precious girl.
Thank you for being a voice for a little girl who hasn't found hers yet.
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