Whatever Wednesday

Each Wednesday we post links from the previous week that touch on special needs adoption. Our hope is that these small snapshots provide you with a glimpse of life after adopting through China's waiting child program... both the long-term blessings and the challenges that come with parenting a child with special needs. We also hope to raise awareness about a variety of special needs.

My Silent Boy -- adoptive momma (China) Shanna at Our Big Crazy Family... navigating life with a child who has apraxia

Our Journey to Sienna Grace -- adoptive momma (China) Diana at First a Pearl, Then Two Rubies... a story of how child sponsorship leads to adopting a child with special needs

Snow!! -- adoptive momma (China) Cheri at Infinite Love... snow photos and an update on her Lia, who has cerebral palsy

Doctors Appointments -- adoptive momma (China) Amy at Finally a Family of Five... a doctor's appointment (with a blood draw) takes a mom back in time to the first year of her (bio) son's life, which was fraught with worry as the doctor's tried to identify his special need

Speech Therapy -- adoptive momma (China) Sherry at Our Adoption Journey... describing the first speech therapy session for her daughter, who still has an unrepaired cleft palate

Sensory Processing: Our First Steps and My Learning Curve: Match My Voice -- adoptive momma (Ethiopia) Thankfulmom at A Bushel and a Peck... describing her son's first appointment with an occupational therapist at Seattle Children's Hospital

A Beautiful Smile -- adoptive momma (China) Super Mommy at Me and My Two Chickadees... chronicling week one of her daughter's orthodontia treatment, including a palate expander

The Trooper -- adoptive momma (Ukraine, Russia and Siberia) Christine at Smiles & Trials... a photo story of her son's recent cranial-facial surgery

Photo of the Week: Amazing Changes -- adoptive momma (China), as well as executive director of Love Without Boundaries, Amy at A Life of Giving... before and after photos of two children who recently received cleft surgeries

The Puzzle -- adoptive momma (China) Nicole at The Baker Sweets... her four-year-old son hits an important milestone and completes his first puzzle

Me Museum -- adoptive momma (China) Kim K. at Musing from Kim... creating a poster for school takes one momma down memory lane

Please Don't Pity Him: A Word From A Mom Of A Kid With Special Needs -- momma Ellen at the Storked! blog at Glamour... a plea for others to stop pitying her and her son

Different Kinds of Sensory Issues -- adoptive momma (China) the Rumor Queen at China Adopt Talk... describing the differences between her two daughters, one with sensory-seeking sensory issues and the other with sensory-avoidance tendencies