Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy New Year!

This is the year of the RAT!


Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays.


We started our Chinese New Year with our favorite Chinese take out Thursday night.
After the kids being home for days with blizzards and below zero temps I was ready to go out and celebrate! Unfortuantly Brian, Ethan and Abbie were still hanging onto nasy colds so we stayed in. This weekend we will catch up on our taped Ni Hoa- Kai Lin episodes (Great new Chinese cartoon on Nick jr.) and make our paper lanterns.

Zach loves his Chinese food so maybe we will attempt a night out and try again . He informed me this morning before school that Audrey was MADE IN CHINA too and she will want lots of China food. He must not be getting enough!

No new news form China.......- Still Waiting.......

The Chinese tradition on New Year is to celebrate with family- I wonder If Audrey has ever felt like she has missed out . How she would feel years down the road as an adult without a family to celebrate with??? I feel Blessed that so much will happen for her, for us in the Year of the RAT-
Who would guess I would like rodents so much-

GREAT GIFTS! PICTURES!

One of the families adopting another ZHU HAI PRINCESS took these pictures Friday!!!
Here are the latest and Greatest of our waiting princess!!! WE are so greatfull to Lynn and Brenda for sending these pics all the way form Zhu Hai!!!

Audrey has the locket on that we gave her for Christmas......!

She also should be getting her Happy Chinese New Year Package Brian sent her last week. This time we included a build a bear that says I love you Zhu HAi Ping In English and Mandarin that Brian and I recorded, an outfit, socks, Candy , hair clips, more pens and paper, most important a letter explaining that we knew her friends were all leaving...and we would come AS SOON AS WE CAN!!!!! More on that subject later-

In the olden days there were no cell phones-

Tonight at dinner Nolan said out of the blue to Brain and I "Did you know in the olden days people had no cell phones?"

We laughed so hard!
Then we told him we had no computers in our home, no cell phones , no remote controls, no VCRS and no microwaves or DVD players in cars when we were his age. Even worse we told of the stories our parents had passed on..Something about walking a long way to get to school..Bare foot or something like that..WEll THAT was A LONG TIME AGO!!!!
I think he is still wondering what a VCR is . At five , he only knows we are always telling the kids not to scratch the DVDS...

We then continued on with our Friday night at home ritual of having dinner and a drink. We videoed taped the kids dancing, watched Ethan and his friend Ben practice levitating..PLEASE don't ask.....HE saw a u-tube video of Chris Angle floating and thinks he and Ben can do it! Hey if this keeps them busy and not getting into trouble - I say let them levitate!
Anyway Brain And I decided to check the blogs of our Zhu Hai group friends who are traveling to get their daughters. There was a flurry of posts on the board this was taken from one that hit hard. Keep in mind our kids had a snow day today from our 6 inches of new snow. But we were bundled up when outside and very cozy inside!

We will be in 2 of these provinces. We will do what we can to help
in whatever way we can. Molly's orphanage is one of these. We're a
little panicked at being able to get in and out, but what's to be
will be.
Check out this link of Gunagzhou!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22946800


Please hold these orphanages in your hearts:

Welfare institutions in south and central China are having the hardest
time dealing with the weather disaster. This part of the country is
simply not equipped to deal with extreme cold or heavy snow and ice.
The
most common critical problems are power outages, lack of safe
drinking and
cooking water, lack of fuel, diapers and public transportation. In
many
places where buses have stopped running, our Half the Sky nannies have
been walking hours (in one case, 4 hours) along icy roads to get to
the
children. As conditions worsen, our nannies and teachers are
remaining at
the institutions day and night. They have given up the idea of going
home
to their own families for the holidays. They need quilts. They need
warm
clothing. They need coal, water, disposable diapers and food.

Here are the reports I have thus far, while in-flight. I will send
more
soon. Where you don't see a report, either all is well or I don't yet
have information. I will tell you when we've heard from everyone.
We've
also given all the directors an emergency number to call when/if the
situation changes.

Hunan Province –

Chenzhou has had no electricity or water for six days. They are
relying
on coal for heat and cooking. The supermarkets and banks are closed.
Staff is using personal money for baby food, diapers, coal and water.
Costs are rising due to shortages. They have a natural well which,
thankfully, is not frozen. Even the older children are helping to
fetch
water. They have perhaps six days of food remaining. The local
government is overwhelmed by the disaster and is unable to help much.

Shaoyang has seen heavy snow every day for 20 days. There is
sufficient
water and, for the moment, there is power, so the children are warm.
However, 5 of 6 power poles have been downed by weather. Only one
stands
and the institution fears it will fall as well, leaving them without
electricity. Much of the rest of the city is already dark. Children
and
caregivers continue to work and play together. High school students
are
cramming for exams and trying to ignore the cold. Everyone prays that
the
power pole will continue to stand.

Yueyang also has no electricity. The one functioning power generator
is
being used in the children's dormitory. They are relying on coal heat
but
the price has tripled in recent days. They are running out of food and
have applied to the local Bureau of Civil Affairs for funds to buy
more.
Our HTS nannies have been walking for hours to get to work, often
slipping
on the ice, "even though they try to be cautious."

Xiangtan has had snow for the past 10 days. The main water pipe is
"broken again." There is no water for cooking right now but they do
have
electricity, coal and blankets. They are still able to buy food but
prices have gone way up. Not all of the HTS nannies can get to work
every
day. They are keeping the programs going as well as they can and make
sure that at least five nurturing nannies are there with the babies
every
day, along with the institution's caregivers.

Jiangsu Province –
Changzhou has seen some heavy snows but the director reports that the
children are fine. The director says that he's doing his best to
ensure
that the children do not suffer. Public transportation is crippled by
the
snow and HTS nannies and teachers are waiting for hours to catch a
bus for
home or even walking home in the snowy dark.

Nanjing reports no problems at all despite the heavy snows. I tried to
fly into Nanjing yesterday but it was not possible.

Anhui Province -

Chuzhou has both water and power. Only public transportation has
failed.
HTS nannies and teachers are walking to work. They are leaving home
extra
early to be there for the children.

Guangxi Province –

Guilin has two broken HTS heater/air conditioners in the Infant
Nurture
rooms and they've asked us to replace. The rooms are very, very cold.
They ask for more soft matting for the floors and also snow boots for
our
HTS nannies who've been slipping and falling in the ice and snow as
they
come to work. They are so ill-equipped to handle severe weather.

Jiangxi Province –

Fuzhou lost power for a few days but now it is back to normal. The
snow
stopped a couple of days ago but now is falling again. The directors
and
HTS staff have gathered all the children into one big room to keep
them
warm. They've bought New Years clothes for the children and will have
a
party no matter how bad the weather. This year, however, the foster
parents will stay home to keep the children safe. The institution has
enough food and water. They want us to focus on those in more serious
trouble and ask us please not to worry.

Jiujiang says they've never faced such bitter weather. They
desperately
need disposable diapers. Washable diapers cannot be dried. They need
warm clothes, shoes, gloves hats quilts and warm mats for the floors.
They need medicine for infant coughs and colds.

Hubei Province –

Wuhan suffers heavy snows but they still have power. Heaters are
working
but there is no water for bathing. The local community has offered to
take children in for the Chinese New Year and the institution feels
this
may be the best decision to keep them safe.

Huangshi reports that the freeze is so severe that all heater/air
conditioners have stopped functioning. They need quilts and warm
clothes
for the children. They need disposable diapers. Several HTS nannies
have
fallen on the ice on their way to work and they need medicine to treat
cuts and bruises.

Gathering these reports together makes me think about how careful we
have
always been at Half the Sky to maintain our focus on nurture and
education
programs. Ours is not a medical or relief organization. There are many
wonderful groups who do that work. Probably the primary reason we've
been
able to accomplish so much and reach so many children is because we've
maintained our focus on our core mission -- providing nurturing care
for
children who've lost their families..

But a moment like this really cannot be ignored. The tragedy of
Hurricane
Katrina in the US taught us that no matter how wealthy a country
might be,
its vulnerable citizens (old, poor, ill, and orphaned children) are
the
ones who suffer most when disaster strikes. Even as China seems to be
entering the first world, a disaster like this is quite simply
crippling.
We know that orphaned children will be among those who suffer the
damage
most.

I say this because I think we should break one of Half the Sky's rules
and, if there are sufficient funds raised in the Little Mouse
Emergency
Fund, we should offer relief (water, food, diapers, quilts, clothing)
to
any orphanage where children need help. Let's see how this goes. If
people are as generous as I think they might be, we will work with the
provincial Bureaus of Civil Affairs in every hard-hit community, and
offer
assistance to all welfare institutions where there is need.

Please lend a hand, however you can. You can donate to the Little
Mouse
Emergency Fund by calling us in the US at +1-510-525-3377 or in Asia
at
+852- 2520-5266 or by visiting us at www.halfthesky.org. Once there,
you
can click on "Donate Now"
http://give.halfthesky.org/prostores/servlet/Categories?
category=Direct+Contributions
or go to http://www.halfthesky.org/help/docs/usdonation-orderform.pdf
to
download a form to mail or fax. Donations are tax-deductible in US,
Canada and Hong Kong.

Please forward this message and tell your friends and family.

I will be back with an update very, very soon.

Thank you!

Jenny

Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation
www.halfthesky.org

Half the Sky was created in order to enrich the lives and enhance the
prospects for orphaned children in China. We establish and operate
infant nurture and preschool programs, provide personalized learning
for older children and establish loving permanent family care and
guidance for children with disabilities. It is our goal to ensure
that every orphaned child has a caring adult in her life and a chance
at a bright future.


Want to receive our free Half the Sky newsletter, full of stories and
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HMMMM, Our olden days are their every day right now. Did you read the part about needing boots and diapers??? I am talking basic needs here.... See where your heart takes you. Can you give up MCDONAlDS , cigaretts, a cell phone call - Can you donate a small amount to make a difference?

Some favorites-

Brian mentioned when he read this that this blog may be missing the bio element......in other words - Where are our other kids????
Here are a few pics from Florida. We celebrated Thanksgiving down there with my parents, Brian's parents and his Aunt and Uncle.
We love visiting the villages!!!!
I'm still missing Ethan- I will have to hunt a few down in my other harddrive later.

Baby Cayden

As you must know by now my faith is strong and I do believe in miracles. This little one is not even Asian!!!!! His name is Cayden Robert and he is my newest nephew!
Twenty nine days ago my pregnant sister in law called my brother at work. She was not feeling well and so they went in to the hospital and had a stress test done.........The story gets complicated. Cayden is soon born 7 weeks premature. Several days later things get worse and he is air lifted to Denver Childrens Hospital.Cayden fights for his life and his parents stand by helpless to the battle their tiny premature son goes through.
The miracle is that my oh so tiny nephew is still alive today. He is a fighter- I am so so Proud of his mommy and daddy.

I can not link Cayden's website publicly. My brother is a police officer and I would hate for some rotton bad guy to find his password protected website on my blog- but if you are interested in little Cayden and his story feel free to let me know by e-mail. My brother keeps us updated and has become a writer in his spare time at the hospital. Here is the latest news written yesterday and copied with permission form my brother.

As we have for the last five weeks we keep this little fighter in our prayers. We are hoping now he will soon start to eat more independently so they can all head home. His mama and daddy are living at the Ronald McDonald house until Cayden can leave.

January 17, 2008 9:00pm


Cayden is 28 days old. Tomorrow he will start his 5th week of life. Tonight he also weighed in at 5 pounds 1.3 ounces, his original birth weight. Today he achieved a couple goals. Tomorrow he will also reach his 37th week gestational. That means he would have been inside Keri's tummy for 37 weeks and would have three weeks left. At 37 weeks gestational a baby is considered full term. A baby who is born at 37 weeks is no longer considered to be premature. That combined with his rising weight is good news.

Today Cayden had a busy day. They did an ultrasound to check his kidney. They also did a procedure where they gave Cayden an IV so he would take on more fluids. Then they gave him a catheter so his urine would go into a bag. The fluid they gave him had a special dye in it so that as the fluid moved through his system they could see where it was going. The main goal here was to check to see if the kidney that was affected by the blood clot was working better, not working, or staying the same. We learned that it was not working better and that it was not doing any worse. The other kidney was fully functional. Many people live with only one kidney. This procedure will also be used as a baseline for future tests. We are expecting him to do the same procedure at one year.

Cayden obviously had a little more activity today then most days. Therefore he was a little worn out today. In order to do the procedure they had to give him an IV. After the procedure they opted to not take out the IV line and to keep it in. We were not to fond of this decision. In our parent minds we felt this was a step back. We thought he was done with IV's and needles in the arm. We judge Cayden's improvement based on the removal of wires and tubes from his body. Now today they add one more. In addition to that they bandage it up and put a small piece of foam on his arm to help protect the line. It takes up his whole arm. He looks sicker.

In all reality he is not any sicker. Keri agrees with the nurse that once a good line is in it is general practice to not take it out. Keri's nursing brain, and my common sense brain says that this IV line in his arm doesn't make him sicker. Nurses and Doctors like to keep these in as long as there is no risks of infection involved. Why not, if the need comes they have easy access to inject medicine or fluids. If we really insisted they would take it out. I think Keri's nurse brain and my common sense brain will override the parenting brain and keep it in. At least for a couple days.

One thing you will see in pictures I have added is a thing on his right leg. On his upper thigh they inserted a "port" that is used when he gets his daily lovenox shot. Instead of poking him with the shot every day they can use this port to give him the shot. It works pretty well. It still causes pain but reduces the poke part of the shot.

Still working on the bottle feeding. Cayden is making it very frustrating for us. We know he will pick it up and that we need to be patient. While we are excited for his 28th day birthday it is also a measurement of how long it has been since we have been home. We are anxious to go home and sleep in our bed, eat food at our house, and have Bandit there to greet us. We are hoping Cayden picks up on the bottle feeding sooner than later.

All and all Cayden is doing well. In order to show Caydens progress using pictures as we start to count his age in months I have added the link "Caydens first Months" to the baby albums page. I have added pictures of a bath we gave him last night, of his arm with the IV, and of the "port" they installed for his daily lovenox shot. Hope all is well outside of The Children's Hospital.

Change of heart....

As this adoption consumes our hearts not so long ago another one did.
If you would have asked Brian three years ago if we would have five children, two by adoption he would have laughed uncontrollably.....He never would have spent the money, the time or of had the patience-
And then one day in January of 2005 he saw Zachary Yang Tu.
He soon consumed our hearts as did our three biological children. I can only say that my husband not a person of strong faith at the time was humbled by this small Chinese miracle.

We are not special nor wealthy. Our home is not huge.We already had three healthy beautiful children. Really no reason to adopt.......Except- the hand of God lay on our minds and hearts and we knew without hesitation that we should .

In return, We have been rewarded tenfold by the joy in our child's eye!
Exactly three years have passed since that day that we found Zach.
Our lives, touched so deeply by this strong boy. The process of paperwork, the travel to China without Abbie and Nolan. Finally, holding him in our arms. Coming home on the airplane across an ocean and a life left behind. Watching him grow and learn to love. Walking first with a walker, then crutches and now a leg.
If you asked Brian today.......he would laugh and say we are a bit crazy! Then he would tell you the money was well worth it, the time was found and his patience challenged but stronger and then he may show you a picture of our waiting daughter in China.......

View the link below -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGEPjFfP5TQ&feature=related

Pictures for the Grandparents-

Take note on how the girls touch one another. Fun and loving - Sisters.....

1. Playing around
2. Best friends and Director, we think she may be wearing the heart locket we gave her for Christmas. It looks like a thin chain on her neck???
3.Nanny, diector, Hai Z, Hai P, and another nanny. Bear and paper we sent her in a care package!
Taken between 11/14- 12/17-07