Monday, June 7, 2010

Matching Mondays




Utah
Jasmine age 12.
This bright young lady enjoys singing, acting, sewing, drawing, reading, and gymnastics. Jasmine likes animals. She relishes in being physically active and busy. Like many other girls her age, Jasmine is interested in cosmetology, especially make-up and hairstyling.

As a fifth grader, Jasmine is above grade level, has higher than average intelligence, and loves to learn! Jasmine is attending counseling, which will need to continue after placement.

Jasmine has had multiple changes in her young life. She is in need of a home that will prove to be a stable and supportive environment and that will allow her to maintain contact with her sister who has been placed separately. She is an active child who would do well with consistency.

If you feel you could provide this loving, secure environment for Jasmine, we urge you to inquire. Financial assistance may be available for therapy, medical care, and adoption-related services. For Utah children, only homestudied families from all states are encouraged to inquire.

Oregon
Olivia age 9.
With her creamy brown skin, chocolate brown eyes, and chicly coiffed hair-do, 9-year-old Olivia is an absolutely darling young lady. She loves to dress stylishly and often looks several years older than she really is. She is gregarious and outgoing and does not hesitate to initiate a conversation or a game with either peers or adults. She has a vivid imagination and a wonderfully contagious sense of humor. She loves to smile and laugh, and she is very active and physical in her play with other children. She is quite charming and can easily endear herself to virtually anyone with whom she comes into contact.

Olivia has younger birth siblings who live in the area. She has historically had only sporadic contact with them, but DHS recently set up monthly visits for the children and hopes that face-to-face contact can continue past the agency’s involvement. Olivia has mourned the loss of her birth parents as she has not seen them in over a year. Her birth mother is requesting mediation with the adoptive family.

At this time, Olivia is ready to be adopted. She is a remarkably resilient, strong child who chooses to find laughter, humor, and adventure in life despite the ever-present fear that haunts her memory. It would be ideal if Olivia's adoptive family resides in the same area as Olivia currently lives; given how much Olivia is thriving in her current school and how much hard-earned trust she has developed with her skills trainer and her therapist. It would be wonderful if these support systems could remain in place through an adoption transition and beyond.

Most importantly, Olivia's adoptive family will need to have a firm understanding of the roots of her behavioral and emotional challenges so they aren't tempted to view them as a negative reflection of themselves or view Olivia as a ''misbehaving'' child. Her family will need to be patient, loving, and physically affectionate but also firm, structured, and consistent. They will need to commit to caring for her and embracing her as a permanent part of their family even through the rough times. Olivia needs a family with the imagination, optimism, and trust to believe that her best characteristics are perhaps yet to emerge -- the discovery of which is sure to be rewarding -- and that in the meantime she is inherently worthy of love and belonging.

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