LOBBYING FOR WIC KIDS

In case you're not familiar with the term, WIC refers to Waiting International Children. These are kids who are not in the standard adoption program for a country and are considered "special needs". As the timeframe for adoptions in many foreign countries continue to grow, WIC can be a really wonderful avenue to pursue. And I'm speaking from experience. In China, what may be considered a "special need" can easily be just a matter of a simple procedure here in the States.

Lu and I recently stopped in to Children's Home Society (our adoption agency) for a visit with the great team who helped bring our family together. People who have become friends to us and in many ways, family. They were like proud Aunties playing with Lu, commenting on how he's grown, how well he's talking, adjusting, attaching. It was there that I learned that the wait for an adoption from the China WIC program can be as short as a year. A YEAR! The standard China program is at least 3 years. If you came across this blog because you're considering adoption, I'd highly recommend looking into this program as you explore your options. The little boy who came into our family could not be more perfect in every way.

ROWS OF TOES

THINK TROPICAL

Winter is getting to us. We're quite over the cold. We're quite over sledding and slipping and sliding and layers of clothing. Since March 1st brought a 9 degree day, instead of a warm sunny 40 degree day, we compensated by going the MN Zoo to walk the tropics trail and get a warm climate body and spirit infusion. Flamingos, a hands-on tide pool, a huge coral-reef tropical fish tank, and bea-u-tiful orchids, among other things. And being hardy Minnesotans, we did decide to brave the temps and walk out to see the Grizzly bears, part of a remarkable Russian Coast exhibit complete with a Grizzly self-serve salmon pond. Hopefully the next time we go, we'll be enjoying warmer weather as we visit the baby animals on the Zoo farm. Please hurry Spring, we're getting a bit impatient.