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» Operation Hope
» CHI-Tennessee Newsletter
We often receive letters from our adoptive parents with their stories of adoption. They like to share their own experience and happiness with us. Here just few of them.
SEND US YOURS! Just send them together with pictures on our contact address at contact@childrenshope.ru
We start with a letter from Sloan Shell, she found her sweet little daughter Madeline in Moscow region. Read her story! Also see her "Words of wisdom" at the very bottom of the page. We think she have some good ideas, which you might find helpful!
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a mom when I “grew up”. Growing up in a conservative family, my vision of the future included meeting Mr. Right, getting married, having children, taking them to tennis lessons, joining the PTA, etc. – you get the picture. But God works in mysterious ways, and sometimes He has different plans. When I was 42, I was part of a corporate downsizing after 14 years with the same company. After leaving, I did not jump back into the job market, but instead decided to take time to reflect and re-evaluate what I wanted to do with the next phase of my life. I traveled, visited friends, painted my house – all the things I hadn’t had the time to do in the past because of career commitments. Throughout this time, thoughts of having a family, “my own family”, kept surfacing. At the same time, doubts also kept creeping in. Could I do this on my own, would it be fair to the child, would I be able to provide them with all that is necessary for a happy life? And so, I prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more – “show me the way, God, show me what is best”.
In September of 2001, 1 week before the horrific events of September 11, my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and I became a Godmother. When I held him for the very 1st time, my heart swelled, tears rolled down my cheeks, and I knew, right then, right there, that YES, this was what I wanted, had always wanted. Sometimes life sneaks up on you, when you don’t expect it – through a side door, or a window, instead of the front. It isn’t always the way you “planned” it, but life rarely is. So, yes, I could do this, on my own, with the support of family and friends. And yes, I could provide a child with a happy life, filled with abundant love. Perhaps she will not have everything, but she will have what’s important: someone who loves her unconditionally, who believes in her, who wants only the best for her and who will treasure each moment with her.
And the rest is history. I met the wonderful people at CHI and immediately knew they were the folks to help me realize this dream. Madeline came home September 26th of 2002. Since then, my life has changed, in so many ways, all for the better. And I am a better person today, because of her. She has touched and opened my heart, and the hearts of my family, spreading smiles and love wherever she goes. The smell of her breath, the touch of her hand, the sweet sounds of her waking up, move me in ways I didn’t know possible. We are truly, a family. And so, “sometimes I Thank God for unanswered prayers” and how they brought me to the place where I am today: a mother, who is incredibly blessed and inspired by her daughter.
Sloan Shell,
Mom to sweet Madeline,
Moscow Region
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Here is a touching Baileigh Roadman's hearing story writen by her mom Mary Roadman
 Rain drops! I told her to listen for the rain. A few minutes later, she smiled, tapped her ears and then pointed outside! Did Baileigh hear the rain for the first time? The rain went away and sunlight came through like a promise! It was a special moment, and Baileigh probably would not have heard it without her new cochlear implant. Our daughter, Baileigh Kate Roadman, was 18 months old when we adopted her in June 2001 from Moscow, Russia, with the help of Children’s Hope International.
Eight months after adopting Baileigh we learned that she was almost deaf. This was devastating news. We were so sad, yet to our daughter, everything in her life as a two year old was the same, and she was so alert and full of love and joy. We were determined to help her as best we could, and prayed deeply to be guided to the right footsteps.
I spent a lot of time over the next 10 months trying to help Baileigh with hearing aids, sign language, Cued Speech and special services twice a week from a teacher of the deaf. She thrived in all areas but language. Her smile was ever present and Baileigh communicated in her own happy language of smiles, fun and hand gestures. But we were concerned that she would not learn to talk, as the hearing aids were not very beneficial, though they were the powerful digital hearing aids. We wanted English to be her primary language. This brought us to consider a cochlear implant.
 No parents would want their child to go through surgery unless absolutely necessary. We researched cochlear implants and talked with professionals at Texas Children’s Hospital, one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the U.S. For the past 12 years most children and adults using cochlear implants to regain hearing have done amazingly well. For some it helps them be more aware of sounds around them, or to read lips better, and for others they develop clear speech and are able to hear the wind and a whisper. The child or adult needs on-going auditory therapy after getting their cochlear implant to develop and improve their listening skills and speech. We talked to many parents whose children had cochlear implants, and one father described it as “ A miracle! It took two years of therapy after the surgery, and then we witnessed a miracle, as our son now has a beautiful, melodic voice.” A cochlear implant has 2 parts, one is surgically implanted in the middle ear. The outer unit is worn on the collar or belt and connects to the internal device by a small magnet receiver held on the scalp. The implant provides good access to speech sounds, but Baileigh still must learn to interpret what she hears. She will also wear a hearing aid on the other ear to help her locate sounds better.
Baileigh spends about 3 hours at school, Monday to Friday, working hard to improve her listening skills and speech at a private oral deaf school called The Center for Hearing and Speech in Houston. She loves her teachers and is benefiting from the concentrated therapy. Assistance like this is financially difficult for us, but we know it is the very best help for her right now.
Baileigh has had her implant activated for only 8 weeks. So it is like she has a listening age of 8 weeks, like an infant, it is all very new. Finally, she has a growing awareness of the sounds in her home and in her world. She will point out an airplane flying low over the park or smile at her Daddy’s silly sounds. She is learning her name, “Mommy” and “Daddy” and the dog’s name! She even learned the word “kiss”! We expect her to progress a lot over the next 3 years and beyond that. We are very dedicated to helping her develop a love of languages and music, and someday she will participate in a mainstream school setting. I learned some Russian before adopting Baileigh, and dreamed of sharing this beautiful language with my daughter. Now she can hear it!!
Our Baileigh is a joy and we feel very blessed to have such a good and happy child. Going to Russia and bring home this angel was an amazing adventure. There are no words in any language to describe our family’s love, joy and gratitude that we are together. Baileigh is like the sunlight that breaks through the storm- so full of promise and love.
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One adoption story about the Larriviere family
 It was a warm and gentle summer day when Rene and Amy Larriviere came to adopt a little girl into the Kemerovo region of Russia. Rene and Amy got permission to see their child at the Department of Education and went to the orphanage. They were very excited – how would their first meeting with the child go?
In the orphanage they met six-month-old Mashenka, listened to her development history and went for a walk. There were a lot of children on the playground. They were swinging, playing different games and building sand castles. Rene and Amy were looking at all these children with a smile and affectionately holding their girl close to their hearts.
Soon a little boy ran up to them. He was smiling and saying something, pointing to the playground. The Larrivieres tried to keep up the interaction. The boy went walking with them and kept talking about the orphanage. Rene and Amy did not understand Russian but they understood the most important thing – the boy was addressing them as his mother and father. The Larrivieres read “HOPE” in his big, black eyes.
The boy’s name was Misha.
He was four years old. He was abandoned in the Maternity Hospital. And since then he had not been placed into the family. The reason for that might have been the fact that he was weak at birth and then he did not talk for a long time. But with the time he got healthier and stronger.
Misha saw how mothers and fathers came to his friends and took them home – forever. No one was coming for him.
As any child in the orphanage, he wanted to be taken home soon. But this “soon” lasted for years… Misha’s small heart suggested that he should look for the parents himself. And the day came with the window of opportunity.
He liked Rene and Amy very much – they were cheerful, kind, and talkative. When the Larriviers were leaving, the caregivers said: “Take Misha! He is very good and sociable. And very helpful, too”. They said it without hoping for much but Rene and Amy answered that they will think about it.
And, indeed, until their next visit to Russia, during which the court hearing for Mashenka takes place, they were thinking about this boy. They were preparing a room for their new baby girl but could not forget Misha’s touching eyes and a silent question “sitting» there: “Will you come back?”
The Larrivieres did not know what to do. Should they adopt this boy as well? Will they be able to handle all this? After all, they have two biological children.
Time flew and the day came when they returned to Russia.
On the way to the orphanage they made a decision – if Misha is the first one they will meet, this is for reason!
Their car was approaching the orphanage, and the first person they saw from afar … was Misha. He was standing, leaning against the wall, and looking in their direction. As if he had been waiting the whole time though nobody told him on which day the parents would come.
When their eyes had met, Misha rushed to the car. Rene and Amy could hardly keep tears away. The boy greeted them, started talking about something, and called them mama and papa.
As marriages happen in the skies, adoptions take place there too – by a wise Prevision of the Creator. Now Misha is five years old. He lives in a small town in the state of Tennessee. Not so long ago a post-placement report from the family came in. On the pictures there were happy faces of the large friendly family. Misha has perfectly fit into it. And thank God!
The boy still calls the orphanage from time to time and speaks with his favorite doctor, Marina Arkadyevna. It was hard for him to part with her. When everybody in the orphanage had already known that Misha would leave for America, the boy told the doctor: “Arkadyevna! Do not be upset! I will take you with me…”
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Words of wisdom from Sloan Shell:
In the meantime, for those of you getting ready to embark upon this incredible journey to bring your child home here are a few of my insights & reflections (in no particular order) from our adoption process:
If I could go back & do it all over again, I WOULD:
Start saving $$$ earlier;
Start organizing Madeline's life book in advance, so I would know what info, things I might want to have/add;
Take even more pictures than the 800+ that I did;
Set up a expense tracking sheet/file prior to starting the process, so it would be easy come tax time;
Better educate my family re: "adoption language" and questions, so they are comfortable with it as I am;
Pack more "layers" of clothing to take for Madeline, take more PJs cause they get dirty so easily
Taken an inflatable bath tub, so bath time would be fun/easy;
Wear more comfortable/functional shoes;
Ask the judge for a picture of myself with her, despite what my agency told me;
Go by the place where she was prior to coming to the hospital, possibly take a picture;
Go to the Bolyshoi (closed my 1st trip!);
Build up the strength in my arms and lower back to prepare for carrying around baby constantly;
Sleep and get more rest before traveling and coming home w/daughter, like my sister told me too
I would NOT:
Worry so much about the naysayers, especially those in my family, as they melted upon meeting my daughter;
Take so many clothes for myself
GLAD I DID:
Used CHILDREN'S HOPE INTERNATIONAL;
Got ALL the immunizations recommended by the CDC;
Contacted close to 10 IA (International Adoption) physicians here in the US prior to traveling, to know what to look for, determine who I wanted to use.
Developed a developmental checklist for myself to use when I met my daughter to try and get a general layman's idea of my daughter's health
Take my best "guy" friend with me (I am single), who is well traveled and not frighten by cultures different from ours: he was a great
sounding board, support system, camera man, and "bag boy". He was amazing.
Found the daycare I wanted to use before my home study was even complete and put my name on the waiting list;
Took millions of pictures, of even corny stuff, like the hotel room, her crib, the door to her room in the hospital;
Video taped the moment we met, her room, the hospital, our 1st feeding together, 1st bath, her caregivers;
Asked for all of her belongings which she had when she came to the hospital, so she may have them one day;
Wrote her a letter after she went to bed on the day the adoption was final, so she would know how excited I was;
Read up on Russian history, learned basic words/phases prior to traveling.
Learned the alphabet while I was there - I could read the signs!
Insisted on going to true Russian restaurants to taste native cuisine;
Took a journal and wrote in it religiously every night;
Saved local newspaper, as well as the NY Times, from her adoption day and day after;
Bought her a gift, from Russia, for each birthday for the next 18 years. Also bought Russian fairy tale book.
Got to know my driver and representative, they are incredible people!
Prayed
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