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Starfish Foster Home

Starfish Foster Home Newsletter The Starfish Cleft House February 2009 There are times when something happens and it pushes you to a place you were not exactly planning to go. I had thought about starting a cleft house a few months ago and I had been writing trying to fund raise. Basically, I was trying to plan something. Often times life has a way of interfering when you are trying to plan and this is exactly what happened here. Last Sunday, I got a call from the director of the orphanage and she asked me if there was anyway that I could take on any more babies. They were being inundated with abandoned babies and had no more place to put them. We were doing really well at the foster home and were pretty comfortable, just cruising along. I thought it was time to expand and so I decided to start a cleft home much sooner than what I had planned. Nine little cleft babies were delivered from the orphanage this morning. They are all so cute. The youngest Tina is 10 days and the oldest Antonia is 11 months old. We are now a franchise, we started a second apartment on the first floor of our building. I am going to need some additional donations to keep these babies and if there is any way that you would like to make a tax free donation I would welcome it, no matter how small. I figured that if we got 80 people to donate US$25 a month each then we can take care of the children that we have. Should we get more commitments I will increase the amount until we have 20 babies. I believe that the combined force of a group of people has an incredible effect for good and in this case I hope that there will be many people who would be moved by the plight of these babies. Maybe by looking at each one of them, it will make the orphans in China more real. As I write this they have eaten themselves until they are full and have fallen asleep. Today was a truly exceptional day for Starfish. I wish you could have shared in this day here with us. The feeling was just tremendous. Starfish Children's Services has 501 (c) 3 status (20-4682916) and you can set up a recurring monthly donation or a one time donation at the following site: www.thestarfishfosterhome.org and look under the YOU CAN HELP tab Please make sure you designate where the money is to go. The "original" Starfish, or the Cleft Home. Thanks so much for your support. I am sure there are many people who would agree that I am certifiably crazy. I would answer that I became crazy when nothing else seemed to work. You cannot accuse me of having a boring life. I am sure one day this is all going to turn into an interesting book. You can say that you lived with me through it. Life, Love and Laughter, Amanda, with 30 little mouths to feed. Starfish Foster Home Xian China At Starfish, we have taken care of 67children to date, arranged almost 50 surgeries and had a whopping 18 international adoptions, so our little alumni live all over the globe: the US (latest adoptions to Kentucky and New Jersey), Netherlands, Norway and Spain. Two children are matched at the moment waiting for their families. We currently have 30 babies under the age of 3 1/2 at the foster home. www.thestarfishfosterhome.org http://chinesestarfish.blogspot.com chinese.starfishthrower@gmail.com Cell: 86.1348.812.4847

New Item for Order.

There is a new dress over at Miao's Cottage that I'm taking orders on if you are interested.

A 2008 HOLIDAY WISH of HOPE, HAPPINESS, and LOVE

Another great fundraiser for Starfish babies! Read the following and click on the bracelet to be taken to the Starfish site that will tell you how to donate. Please don't just gloss over this ... I know that times are tight, but even if you can't give enough for the bracelet what small thing can you give up during the holiday season to make a difference in the life of a child?

"It won't matter what car I drove, What kind of house I lived in, How much was in my bank account, Nor what my clothes looked like, But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child."

A 2008 HOLIDAY WISH of HOPE, HAPPINESS, and LOVE

"With the sale of our STARFISH BABIES’ BRACELETS that were featured during National Adoption month, we got a lot of requests for a less expensive bracelet offering. We turned to our friends at the boutique artisan firm, Ettika, and they came up with a HOPE EXPRESSIONS bracelet as an affordable holiday gift option that you can give to a loved one while supporting our babies.

For a minimum donation of $65 and while our supply lasts (we only have 100), we will immediately send you this beautiful bracelet. The charm is made out of white metal dipped in 18K gold and attached to a red leather band. Again, red signifies the Chinese proverb that says, “An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.” The red band on the bracelet is designed to show support of Starfish as we help those children yet to be united with their forever families."

Even if you can't afford the $65 please consider any amount to help these precious children.
"The operation of Starfish Foster Home depends on people just like you. In fact, about 50% of last year’s operating costs were funded by private donations. This past year, one boy from Tennessee, Alex Boger, for his eighth birthday asked that instead of presents for his party that the money be given to Starfish! We were overwhelmed by his kindness. There is literally no gift too small when it comes to saving lives."

If you would like to help spread the word on this fundraiser feel free to copy this post in fact I beg you to copy this post and spread the word!

Please visit and bid if you can!

Amanda from Starfish Foster Home has sent some special auction items from China that Daleea has put on 'One Child At A Time'. What great gifts for Christmas and what a wonderful way to help a special child in need.

Also, check out these beautiful bracelets.

Click the picture to be taken to the site.

Quote off of Starfish website: "Most of you also know that November is National Adoption month. Over here in the U.S., we have launched a fundraiser with the help of the boutique artisan company, Ettika -- they make super cool jewelry that has been featured in In Style, People, and Star Magazine and they outfit several celebrities. Together we have designed a special STARFISH BABIES' BRACELET to raise funds for the home. EVERY penny except the base cost of goods goes to the babies. The bracelet was featured in StyleBakery.com on October 30th."

Please continue to pray for Amanda and the children at Starfish.

An amazing testimony!

I just ran across these two videos and was very moved by this lady. Both parts are about 15 min. in total, but well worth the 15 minutes. Eliana sat on my lap and watched both of them and was very interested in what Gianna had to say. I am so sad about how many lives that I know of personally that have been murdered all in the name of "a woman's choice". I can only dream about what their little lives would have been like and how happy a couple would have been to adopt those children. Life is so precious and needs to be protected.

I am so grateful to all those birth mothers out there who have chosen life for the precious life they carried and even more grateful to those who have giving the most precious gift of life to someone else. Thank you for choosing LIFE!

On the road to recovery!

After being in and out of the doctor's office since returning home we got into an ENT today. Eliana was doing so much better with her ears last week and then the weekend came and that was a whole different story. Sunday was a lot worse than Saturday. Well, Karen at K1 deserves a huge standing ovation and the Mama Helper award (I made that up)! She spent so much time over the weekend looking for where she saw something about Otitis Media, and then sent me articles about Otitis Media and cleft palates and such. She armed me for Monday morning and we got into the on-call doctor. I won't go into it all, but Mama called Eliana's doctor very mad, telling him that she was very very unhappy and that my daughter doesn't have "swimmer's ear" as the doctor said. Finally, after being on the phone with everyone I could think of trying to help Eliana, I got a call from our doctor who said I was right...this has gone on long enough. He got us into the ENT. Poor baby got her ears suctioned out and he found a perferated eardrum on the left, and fluid behind the right. So now we are on the road to recovery. Praise the Lord that I had the Mama drive to rattle every office I could until we got into someone who could help. The ENT suggested we get tubes in right away so we are trying to get Eliana's appointment with Children's moved up so we can do her palate surgery and tubes at the same time.

She is already acting so much happier and is smiling a whole lot more. She is actually having a grand ol' time with her Daddy instead of falling asleep. He is beside himself as she didn't get a good nap today (due to the appointment) and is now over-tired. We're both just thankful that we were able to get her right ear cleaned out and treated before that eardrum ruptured as well. Once the pain and illness is gone, we should then be able to really get a sense of our daughter's true personalilty and traits.

This picture was taken on Saturday...her 2nd birthday. I just uploaded these pictures and realize she is pulling at her left ear the one with the perforation in it. If I had of only taken her to the ER like I originally thought. Her ear perforated sometime between this photo and Monday. Oh, my poor baby girl.

Click here for more pictures.

I'm making a move.

Good afternoon. I wanted to let you all know that I'm making a move for Eliana's post over to her blog. It is password protected and if you have not gotten an invite feel free to write me and I will send you one. I am working on a new post right now titled "A girl with her puppy, or is it a puppy with her girl?"

If you have been invited already just click the picture to be taken over to "God Has Answered...Our Daughter Eliana."

I will still be using this blog, but I'm not sure yet what it will be used for. I have an idea, but can't share right now. :-)

Update and some pictures.

Hello y'all,
I know you have been wondering what in the world is going on around here. Well, last Friday we took Eliana back to the doctor and we got most of her ear wax out of one ear and a lot out of the other ear. He could only see a tiny amount of her right eardrum, but she has double ear infections. Thankfully by Sunday they were not bothering her. The blood draw and the ear washing were horrible for her. Also, she didn't like the urinalysis collection thing that was taped to her. We have not heard yet about the results from that. I am curious now that eggs have been tainted. That was her main food source in the orphanage besides formula.

Since Friday's appointment we have been dealing with major rages that have lasted for hours at a time. We are exhausted and frustrated for her. Monday was the worst day we have ever had with her and then on Tuesday she did a 360* and was totally fine and only threw a couple of toddler tantrums. Today has been another story though. Yesterday, I had a lady from our church visit and have tea with me (which was wonderful) and then two young ladies had offered to help me clean (which was also wonderful), but I don't know if that was too much for her to handle. She seemed to do great with them being here, but today we have been back to her rages. Oh if we could only know what was going through her little brain and make it better. We are just taking life one minute at a time around here and praying for better days on a regular basis with only toddler issues not this other demon that is plaguing our daughter.

Our church as been so wonderful and supportive of everything that has been going on and has extended our meals out another week and a half. Two ladies picked up Patrick's dress shirts and ironed them and like I said two of the young ladies at church cleaned bathrooms, floors and folded clothes for me. I really don't know what I would do without our church family.

I want to thank you all for your prayers and support through this very tough transition. From what I have heard from others, I think a lot of her transition and behavior has to do with the Beijing CWI. They were very difficult to work with and made our gotcha day very bad and very hard on Eliana and then the paperwork day they were still fighting us and causing even more problems for Eliana. And I wonder why she fights. lol She has learned the behaviour well for those who have raised her. Poor baby girl.

So I will leave you with a few pictures. Oh yeah, thanks for the schedule information. Although she has fought a schedule (imagine that) we are on one for the most part and it helps her and me so much. She wakes between 7:30 and 8 am we come upstairs and have a bottle. I won't let her down until the bottle is gone and we have our reading time. Then it is play time and around 9 am she has breakfast. On to more playtime and working on sign language. Oh yes, she knows lots of signs and I just realized it about a week ago and that has helped learning what she has been signing. We are working on getting more signs so she can communicate with us. Once we get her palate fixed we will be going to speech and that should make her happier to be able to talk. We then have snack and lunch is at 11:45 or Noon and nap by 1 pm and on and on...but you really probably don't care...so on to the pictures.

Tomorrow is Eliana's 2nd birthday and I have no cake or wraping paper and I'm here at home with her not able to leave. She shares her birthday with her Papa James! Sorry Papa, but I had all the best intentions to get you a card in the mail this year. I guess I will have to walk in my Mom's footsteps and make up a different birthday for you. :-) Happy Birthday and we love you!

Nana and Papa James after the double rocker broke.

Our walk in the woods on Saturday.

Last week sometime after Eliana got her first shiner and when she was much happier. I tell you this girl LOVES hats and big bows in her hair. She is so much happier if she has something on her head. :-)

This is a typical look from our girl. Thankfully this look has been replaced by more smiles as the week wore on. Notice ALL the pictures she has had something on her head. This picture shows yet another bruise. She is ruff and tough and the shiner and the cheek bruise is all from playing not from the rages surprisingly.


This is Eliana's favorite book. She does the most endearing thing when we get to the page below. As many of you know I have a great love for Alaska and dream about sea kayaking and living in Alaska.

Now before you say that I told her it was Mama let me say she came up with that on her own. After we have been reading this book everyday for a week she the other day got so excited and started pointing to the girl saying Mama and then pointing to me. She then leaned over and kissed the book and then kissed me and said Mama. Well, needless to say that page is very sticky and messy from all the kisses Mama has gotten in the book. :-) Does my girl know me or what. I also think she was born to live in Alaska. She loves cool to cold weather and LOVES the great outdoors. I do know God has answered and given us the perfect little girl. She need spunk and spirit to live in Alaska so I think she will be ready.
Look at this...I found a picture without something on her head. She loves her baby dolls. Isn't this sweet. She has such a wonderful loving sweet spirit about her if only she would allow herself to trust and not fight. In time I know she will get there. Pray for our little warrior.

Two quick things.

If you love tea please visit Making a House a Home and enter to win some fabulous tea. If you haven't followed Mrs. U's blog you are sure to love it. She is such a wonderful and encouraging sister in Christ. Thanks for all your support. :-)

Also, the young girl in the previous post is Annie and her blog is Hope Now. Please visit her.

That's it for now. We have a doctor appointment in the morning for all those test for Eliana. Hopefully we will get something done for her ears. She is about to pull her right ear off I think in pain.

Calling all mom's of 2 year olds.

I need your help. We are tying to figure out a routine. I'm horrible at routines and always have been. I'm more of a free spirit that does things when I can fit it in or when the thought crosses my mind, but I am very organized in this whole thing to be sure. But this sort of mentality doesn't work with a child so that is where all you experienced moms fit into this. Can you all please leave me a comment, email or call with your typical day? I know that is a lot to ask, but it can be laid out very simply and I don't mind. Also, I'm wondering how much a 2 year old should be sleeping. Infants I know, toddlers I am clueless so any advice would be much appreciated.

Yesterday, we took Eliana to the doctor for the cough that still persists and he wasn't concerned. However she has lots of wax in both ears and from what he can tell from the pressure machine she has fluid in both. We go back on Friday for our appointment to get all her blood work done and we will be talking more about her ears. He has advised us to get a baby sign language book and start working with her so she can communicate with us. She only says Mama and that is for everything and doesn't speak any Chinese. We have noticed her doing some sort of sign language so we think the orphanage has taught her some. As far as her hearing we have had concerns since we got her as to whether or not she can hear very well. We know she can hear, but she doesn't seem to hear anything, but loud talking or noises. Time will tell. I will say we have the best pediatrician ever. Eliana really liked him and had no problems in the office or letting him examine her.

So you all might be wondering how I am posting. Well, Mummy has gotten smart. :-) Eliana is in her high chair right next to me looking at her books and seems content to look at those while I'm typing. YEA!

Let's see, what else. Oh we got our first meal on Monday and I will tell you it was amazing, and so much food. What a blessing to get enough food to keep us well fed since Monday night. Thank you Melanie if you read this blog. I will get your dishes back to you soon. I did take a picture of what she brought and will try to find it to post it.

I also had a comment from a young lady that goes to our church. I decided to check out her blog and she blew me away. You have to go see for yourself. To have a heart for orphans from such a young age.

Okay, Eliana is bored. Love to all.

Our first family outing...the pumpkin patch.

Trying our hand at farming. Mummy and Daddy love it!

Sleeping on her extra special pillow from Robin and Red Thread Stitches.

This was Eliana's first time (with us that is) on a tricycle and she loved it. :-) Daddy had to help because of those cute short legs.

I'm thinking Eliana thinks she is a dog...or does Sierra think she is a little girl. Begging for approved treats for both, boiled chicken. Poor Sierra is going to be going to the vet. I'm not sure what is wrong, but when we walked in the door from China I noticed her rear feet where so blistered, red and swollen. She spends a ton of time crying and licking her feet. Poor baby girl. She is doing really well with Eliana and Eliana with her. :-)

Our girls sleeping like good little princesses.

Okay, I will try to post more pictures and stories soon.

Update about my Dad

I wanted to let you all know about my Dad. Quoted from my Mom, "We got the results from the PET scan, every thing was clear except for the spot on the neck. The cancer is NOT in the lymph nodes, PTL nor is there any Melanoma any where. Squamous cell only."

This is such great news. PTL is right. He will be having surgery on the 13th and hopefully will be able to come for Eliana's 2nd birthday. I really want to plan a party for her, but for the life of me don't know how to pull that off.

Thank you for praying.

Please come with us!

Come with US!

We are ready and the bags are in the car! We are watching the debate, then we will rest a little and at 1:45 am we will be on our way to the shuttle.

After talking with our agency we are opening up our travel blog "Letters from China" so everyone is welcome to follow along. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Please continue to pray for our travel and getting Eliana. Also, please pray about bonding and for health for all of us. Keep Dennis and Sierra in your prayers also.

As far as my Dad, please continue to pray for him and my Mom. He DOES have cancer, but we don't know if it has spread or how bad it is. He has another appointment tomorrow and will be getting a PET scan and hopefully will get a clear picture soon. Lord willing, my Dad will be well soon and we don't have to go through an ugly journey with cancer. Please pray!!

See you soon in Beijing at 'Letters from China'!

The big leap into Gramps arms. She is really getting more comfortable.

This picture does our hearts good. After she jumped into his arms she settled in to cuddle. Sierra has made a huge turn around with Dennis and Lord willing this will be an okay time for Sierra. Dennis seems to have made a good connection with her. Praise God.

Travel Blog

Good Morning everyone. Well, we only have one more sleep until we leave! We are getting really nervous about leaving Sierra, but other than that we are getting really excited.

I have a new travel blog, but due to being cautious I am doing it private for now. If you would like an invite please email me (baymoose @ comcast . net) and I will get you added. It is kind of fuzzy right now as to what I can and can't say openly due to the Hague. I have linked the header above once you have an invite so you can easily get there. I might post over here once in a while while we are gone.

Open to tips and suggestions.

I thought I would put it out there and ask if anyone has any great tips regarding our trip here's your big chance. hehee I know that is pretty broad, but I thought it would be fun. I know we are going with a ton of prayer and with Chinese acrobat flexibility. :-) We will be in Eliana's province for 9 days, then we fly to Guangzhou for 2 days, back to Beijing and then home. So if you have anything we absolutely should do in Beijing or Guangzhou or tips for first time parents of a 23 month old leave a comment.

Our church has been such a blessing to us. Last week we got several calls asking if there was anything they could do and to offer encouragement. We have only asked for prayer. I feel so much comfort that people all over are lifting us up in prayer (they are also praying for you Dad). One of the phone calls I got was to ask me if I would mind if the church included us in the monthly baby shower that is held. Oh what a special treat and kindness! I'm not sure when it will be other than some time near the end of the month after we get home. This morning we sat next to some people we have seen and never met. When I introduced myself she knew instantly who we were and said she was going to get a hold of me because they would like to provide meals when we get home. I am just blown away by the kindness and warmth of this congregation.

We are getting those last minute details finished up and plan on having everything taken care of by Tuesday after when Dennis will be arriving. I will be putting our prayer list on here soon...that is on the to do list. Have a great Sunday afternoon.

Midnight ramblings.

Well, it is 12:51am and it must be getting close because for the life of me I can't sleep. Sorry I have been so quiet once again.

First thing first, Please continue to keep Susannah lifted up in prayer. I just left from reading the most recent post and they have a long road to travel yet. To visit their blog click here.

In just 7 days from now we will be headed to Seattle to catch a plane headed to Eliana!

We still don't know anything about what kind of cancer my dad has.

Sierra is getting a little tired of waiting for Eliana. I know she is going to warm up to Eliana very quickly and be such a great protector of her. Already, she is under her high chair waiting. In the end it is taking far too long for Eliana to come home and Sierra fell asleep waiting. :-)

I will trying to post more soon. I'm starting to get tired. Maybe I will sleep soon.