Baby Long Update

 

 Little Long was adopted in August and his name is now Nathan.  We had the pleasure of meeting his family after the adoption was finalized, just before they headed back to the US with their newest son.  It was a wonderful opportunity for our staff to be able to say goodbye to him one last time.  We were amazed how well he had adjusted to his new family in the short time since his adoption.

  

  

 

 

Nathan's mom sent this update once they had gotten settled back in to their home in the US:

  "Nathan is doing wonderfully. He is sleeping almost 12 hours each night and napping well in the afternoon. He loves trying new foods. We haven't found a food he hasn't liked yet! The first English word he said this week was "diaper". We went to the pool, and he loved splashing and going down the baby slide. We have also been to the zoo, and he clapped throughout the whole dolphin show. He is such a joy to have in our home."

 

  And then a little later we got this update:

"Nathan is adjusting wonderfully. We took him for a physical and blood work, and the doctor told us Nathan was clearly well cared for (which we, of course, already knew!). He doesn't have the common malnutrition markers, low vitamin D and iron that the doctor normally sees in internationally adopted children.

We have a hip brace for Nathan that he is wearing when he sleeps to try to loosen his hip muscles. We are getting him fitted for foot braces on Monday. He already is making great strides with the scissor legs and tip toe standing. His sunny disposition is so wonderful!

 One of the things the international adoption clinic doctor told me is that he typically sees an underlying expression of angst in adopted children's faces for the first month or two they are in their new home. He said there is such an aura of peace about Nathan that he feels joy just walking into the room to see Nathan. I would like to thank whoever taught Nathan how to blow kisses, that is so endearing!"

 

We were privileged to be part of Nathan's life in China and we thank all who support us in our work.  Together we are making a difference for China's orphans.

 

Mid-Autumn Mooncakes

Last week, China celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional holiday that’s marked by family gatherings, big meals, and tasty treats. At our Early Education Center, where we work with young orphans, we celebrated the holiday in true culinary style.

The traditional food you can find lining store shelves all over China this time of year is the mooncake. These little pastries, usually round in shape to represent unity and longevity, are filled with sweet and savory fillings. So what better way to celebrate than to have a cooking class at our school?

Everyone donned their aprons and sat glued to their seats, clinging to the teachers’ words as they were introduced to the mooncake-making process. Teachers pointed out each kitchen tool and its use: the cutting board, rolling pin, and moon cake molds.

They loved rolling out the dough and pressing it into a bunch of different molds. 

When it came time to bake their creations, the kids sang a song in their seats while they waited.

Soon, the mooncakes were done baking. The kids grabbed the warm cakes and wolfed them down, complimenting themselves on a job well done. One child called over his teacher and told her, “Teacher, have a bite! It’s really tasty!”

These hot mooncakes really warmed everyone’s hearts and bellies. It was a wonderful way to celebrate a holiday that’s all about togetherness. 

A Day in the Life of Group Home 2: Part 2, Afternoon.

Here’s part two of our Group Home 2 photo story. See our intro in part one here. These photos were taken the same day, that afternoon while the family prepared lunch and went for an afternoon walk. As we mentioned in the introduction, these photos were taken on Ying's (the little girl in the rainbow dress) last day with the family before her new adoptive parents came to pick her up!

Thanks to Keiko at Not an Illusion Productions for her photographs.

A Day in the Life of Group Home 2: Part 1, Morning.

A few weeks ago, two professional photographers generously offered to donate their time to do a photo shoot at one of our Beijing group homes. Group Home 2 graciously opened their home to the photographers, who were able to capture a simple Friday morning and family meal.  

The couple caring for the kids in Group Home 2 was the very first that Little Flower hired in the Group Educational Foster Homes project. The father of the family had polio and walks with a crutch and a cane. As the only one of our group home parents who knows what it’s like to have a disability, he has a strong sense of understanding of--and connection with--the kids he cares for.

The day captured in these photos also happened to be Ying’s last day. This little girl you see in the rainbow dress would meet her new adoptive parents the very next morning. It was a bittersweet day, and we’re grateful that it could be captured on camera by such deft, discerning eyes. It really brings to life the old adage that a picture can speak a thousand words. Thanks so much to Keiko at Not an Illusion Productions for these particular photos.

Gear up for the 2nd Annual Virtual 5K run for Little Flower!

Last year, mom/running-enthusiast/Little Flower supporter Katie Murphy organized the very first "Virtual 5K" fundraiser to help support Little Flower. We're so excited to see that she's decided to continue the tradition this year!

The best part of it is...you can compete from wherever you are in the world. If you're interested in participating, visit her blog and register. The run is scheduled for one month from now, on October 19th, but you can do your own run on any day that works for you.

Thank you Katie, for organizing this amazing event that brings together so many people from all around the world!

Volunteers Needed!

Calling all aspiring photographers, writers, and social media mavens! Interested in PR or social media? Do you love telling stories? Well Little Flower is looking for volunteers to help us do just that.

We’re looking for a team of Public Relations volunteers to work with us at our Baby Homes and Group Homes in Beijing and Taiyuan. The job description? Hang out with our crew. Watch. Listen. Be inspired. Snap a photo or jot down a funny story. Capture all those special moments that happen every day but are too often missed—whether it’s on camera or on the page. Help all of Chunmiao Little Flower’s supporters get a sneak peek into the world of our staff, volunteers, and of course, all the amazing children in their care. Your work will then be featured in Little Flower’s PR materials, whether it’s our website, blog, newsfeed, or newsletter. If you’re in China and have any time to devote to helping us out—whether it’s one day or seven, become a contributor and help us tell our story.

If you’re not in China and you’re interested in volunteering with our development team remotely from your own laptop, desk, or home office, feel free to apply. We’ll let you know when positions for remote volunteers become available.

Applications are open to both English and Chinese writers/speakers. We’re looking to fill these positions as soon as possible! If interested, please fill out a volunteer application and send it to our Development team at sarah.leung@assuntaventures.com.