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1. I am really pleased to see that CAS is continueing to support children in need in Vietnam. Our family will be sending you our donation for the Holidays.

2. Marybeth will certainly be an asset to your agency! She was a wonderful support and coordinator during our son’s adoption.

3. We are BEYOND happy to see that CAS is working towards bringing these beautiful Georgian children home to families again. YEAH!!!!

4. Well, it is a rainy morning in North Carolina. I am packed and ready to go. My sister is traveling with me and we have filled our luggage to the limit with donations for the children and gifts for those who will help us along the way! My son jumped on the scale with these big suitcases several times to make sure we are not over weight but taking everything possible.
   I had several people send donations which will help as we visit orphanages. I had families send letters and pictures and I will be busy delivering these messages.
   We arrive late tomorrow and I hope to update you provided I have computer access!
   More to come from Moldova….

5. We arrived safely in Moldova! It was a long trip! Albina and several friends met us at the airport. The weather is nice but a little cool. We are settled in our apartment and ready for tomorrow. The team sponsorship group is meeting at 11:00. I am looking forward to hearing more about how each student is doing. Julie

6. Today was really wonderful with good weather and a terrific meeting with sponsored students. The program coordinator, Angela Arhip and I met with the group and then spoke individually with each student. They are all doing well and managing their classes and their lives with support from one another. One student who has graduated came to the meeting. He told us how this was the “best thing to ever happen in his life”. He thanked us and told us he is now employed and will be making a life for himself. It was so wonderful to hear how the program is such a success.
   Later in the day we went out to the countryside for a meal in a very traditional Moldavian restaurant. We had the meal with two women from the social protection office and had a chance to discuss the current political situation and the work they do. Of course their office is like most child protection offices in that they have many cases and never enough staff or resources.
   Tomorrow will be another busy day with lots of meetings and work to get done.

7. Hi Julie,
   Thanks for the updates on your trip. Say hello to all for us.
   Hope the 2 boxes got to CAS b4 you left.

8. Today was spent with officials discussing the future of adoptions. The goal is to keep moving forward! The political powers are changing in Moldova and new Ministers are to be announced any day. Of course, some officials are worried about their jobs but in general everyone is helpful.
   I visited the Republic orphanage today and saw the renovations we have been helping to complete. The babies now have new cribs and the rooms where they will be moved are clean and renovated. The staff is delighted because today the new flooring was installed. Tomorrow I hope to take some pictures.
   I also wanted to take pictures of the little children but there are now strict regulations against photographing any children.
   I am seeing changes in Moldova in that the city us busy, there are lots of newer homes and cars, the prices are much higher…yet, the wages don’t seem to adjust. I wonder how the average family can survive.
   thank you Bernadette for the packages, they can and I have taken them and tomorrow will deliver the vitamins, medicine, clothing and donation to the orphanage. Thank you so much for helping!
   More tomorrow….

9. Today was another beautiful day with sunshine and clear skies! We drove to the countryside to a boarding school. The school is not longer accepting children. They currently have 350 children and each day they turn away a dozen families. The government does not want any more children placed at the boarding schools but families are desperate for assistance.
   The boarding school is so much better compared to my first visits in 2000. The grounds are clean and the buildings are in fair shape. The director said there is money for food. There is not money for laundry detergent, shoes, clothes or any other supplies but they will survive.
   From the school we went to the Republic orphanage and visited with a little boy soon to go home with his family. We met with the director and she showed us the renovations our Humanitarian money has accomplished. The new rooms for the babies are just about finished. They now would like to renovate a space for the much needed rehabilitation center.
   From this point we visited with the Ministry of Social Protection and I heard about the many programs for children and families in crisis.
   The day ended with a meal with our program manager for the sponsorship program. It was an eventful day! More tomorrow….

10. The weather continues to be beautiful and the days are passing quickly. Today we delivered some donations to the City orphanage. Of great interest were the items for their physical therapy room…yoga balls and little weighted balls. Again, no pictures are allowed but the place is clean and neat. The children seem to all suffer from a chronic cold which they pass from one to another. The doctors have a particular interest in doing what they can for the health of the children. They would really like to have video conferencing of medical issues from experts in the US.
    We visited a day school about 45 minutes from Chisinau which helps children from very poor families. The children come for their only warm meal of the day. They receive help with homework, play, do crafts and then can go home…often to very difficult situations.
    Tomorrow will be another busy day. We will finish our business here, register paperwork, see officials for the last time, and visit the orphanages again. Until tomorrow…

11. Julie, we love reading about the great work you are doing over there in Moldova. Keep it up.

12. I finalized all the work in Moldova. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. We attending an opera event the night before leaving. I will post more pictures when I return as I have great pictures of the markets and the countryside. The new government will begin working on Monday. Officially, some of the new Ministers will be sworn in on Friday. Everyone is optomistic that the new government will bring in positive changes. I left feeling good about the trip and the help and hope we can offer to some of the children.
    Thank you for following along with me. Now I am off to Armenia….

13. I arrived safely in Armenia and was welcomed by our attorney and translator. The weather is calm and warm. It was a long trip and so we settled into the apartment and rested a little before going to dinner. We ate traditional Armenian food at an outside restaurant. They music was playing and people were dancing…it was very festive!
    Today began with a walk to the market. The Armenian people are very artistic and great jewelers. I bought some items for this year’s gala fundraiser. We have meetings this afternoon and I have made more appointments for the week. I will add pictures tomorrow as we begin the journey in Armenia!

14. Julie,
    The world is better place from all the extra effort you and the agency provide in helping the many children in need of a loving home!
    Travel safe and take care.
    Gretchen

15. I am finding it more difficult to get to the internet than when I was in Moldova. I am staying in an apartment in the center of the city but I it does not have internet access. In fact, between 12:00 and 6:00pm there is no water. This is life in the city and there are times when I am tempted to move to the comfort of a hotel!
    I have been working the last two days with our attorney. The political problems of March and the killing of 10 people has caused problems throughout the government system. She is working hard on our family cases and we hope to have more information this week.
    Today, I will visit with US Embassy staff, tomorrow with the head of the central authority and hopefully will be at the orphanage. The system here is complex and we need to work according to the Armenia regulations.
    I visited beautiful Lake Seven and the ancient churches of Armenia! It will be a delight for traveling families to go there when they come for their adoptions.
    I will try and post pictures soon but this internet cafe does not have that possibility. I will write again soon.

16. your updates are awesome as we wait with great hope. Thank You for all you do.
    Blessings,
    Marcos and Jamie

17. Armenia is a surprising country. It is very beautiful with mountains and rocky hills and valleys. Then there are forested regions with beautiful ancient churches. The people are very friendly and open with visitors. I have visited the orphanage where most infants are placed. The director has been here for many years and has seen a lot of changes. She recalled a time with no electricity and no water. It was impossible to take good care of children. Now things are very nice. The children have good food, clean and new clothing, adequate play space and so much more. As in most countries pictures of the orphanages and children are prohibited. The director was very protective of these children so I won’t be able to post orphanage pictures to this site.
    There are a limited number of children available for adoption. There are more older children or children with special needs needing families. The Head of Armenia’s Central Authority for adoption would like to do everything possible to find homes for the children in the 16 orphanages across the country.
    The revised adoption law will be considered by the government in the coming weeks and months. There will be many positive changes such as defined time lines for adoptions and defined roles from those involved.
    Currently, the process in Armenia is deliberately slow. The efforts to keep children in their country and with their biological family has been a primary focus.
    Our attorney and the support staff are excited to be able to help orphaned children and adoptive families find each other. I have confidence that this is an excellent opportunity for adoptive Armenian families!

18. I’m back home and begging to adjust to the new time schedule. I look back on this trip and feel very satisfied that this trip will make a difference for the neediest children. All the meetings with officials and representatives make the process feel overwhelming at times but step by step we will work through the legal issues, the difficult decisions and focus on what is in the best interest of each child.
    Today another little boy leaves Moldova, with new parents. Both his biological parents died in 2008 and now his life will begin again with a new American family who will love and care for him. A new life filled with hope and love for this little boy and others like him make all the effort worthwhile.
    Please contact CAS if you would like more information about our programs. We have lots of opportunities for you to partner with us as we change the world…one child at a time.

19. I loved this story of this family. I too feel that it does not matter if the child is adopted. They become part of your soul. We love our son Isaiah very much. More that life itself. He is truly a blessing.

20. Thank you for sharing your story! My husband and I are just starting the process of adopting from Korea. This will be our first and we are so excited! Your story was very encouraging!

21. Glad to see discussions are still ongoing and not stopped completely. Our prayers go with you and all involved with these adoptions

22. I’m still waiting for my happy ending….it’s been a long 5 years with many discouraging experiences. Thank you for giving me hope, that dreams do come true even if it’s not on my timetable. Congratulations on your beautiful son.

23. Congratulations Julie!!! Wishing you much success in your new and exciting role! Kathryn J.

24. Congratulations Julie – Well deserved!

25. Carolina Adoption Services is in good hands. Congratulations.

26. Carolina Adoption Services received their official NGO status in Colombia. This is a major milestone in the accreditation process. I have had the opportunity to visit our office, meet our great adoption team and see a bit of the countryside. The weather is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming. The country is a major exporter of beautiful flowers!

    Today I have met with adoption officials and saw a little girl just moments before she met her new family! This afternoon we will visit with officials about foster homes and then off this evening to Cali.

27. Yesterday afternoon I visited an organization which manages a large foster care program and day school for children. The program is licenses by the government and they currently have over 900 children in the foster care program. See above image of three girls.

    Today I am in Cali, Colombia. The climate is hot and there is very little breeze. It has been raining so it is also humid. We visited a private orphanage for over 200 children. The children range from infant to 17 years old. It is located about an hour from the city in the countryside. The caretakers are very dedicated and the children receive good nutrition and medical care. The one thing many of them need is a family.

28. Today I am in Bogota and have met with the officials who manage adoptions. The country has a very solid system for adoption and there are many children available. The needs are greatest for famlies wanting to adopt children ages 6 and older or those children with special needs.
    I have had the opportunity to meet adoptive parents from the US, Denmark, Canada, Italy, Germany and France!
    Today we visited 3 homes, each housing about 16 to 25 children. The homes are managed by house parents. Tomorrow we will go to a placement center for young girls about 2 hours from the city.
    Sunday, I am back in North Carolina!

29. Congratulations Julie! CAS is fortunate to have Julie! She was phenomenal throughout our entire process and always willing to help in any way possible! We LOVE Julie and thank her and CAS for uniting us with our beautiful son! 🙂

30. I am so excited to read this. What a beautiful girl. I love that Holly went back and really enjoyed the way she shared her feelings. Both my girls were born in Moldova. I plan to take them back when they are older. I want them to see and be proud of their native country… as Holly is.

    Kelly O.

31. Thank you for the article about Holly. My two adopted girls, now 11 and 16 will be touched and more than ever motivated to do the same work as Holly in a few years. Julie

32. Thanks so much for sharing your story!!

33. Thanks for sharing. Each adoption takes its own individual path. And yet, your thoughts are so familiar to me, we even have a similar bike sitting on the back deck, waiting for a little girl from Africa.

34. What a great article. Thanks for sharing!

35. We are just now beginning the process of adopting from Korea. Hoping to get our paperwork submitted in the next few days. Can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. And can’t wait to meet the little guy that is meant to be a part of our family. Prayers that you will be able to travel soon and bring him home.

36. This brought me to tears instantly. I hope when you finally get your son home you get to share all of those moments you mentioned and continue to make memories from there. God Bless You and your little man.

37. What you have said about loving the adopted child is so true, and trying to remain strong for these children takes EVERYTHING you have! I have found the teenage years is the most difficult for both parents and child alike. The adopted child during these years really tests our abilities to continue nuturing and disciplining these children. I can’t say exactly how this is different (except our reactions to these kids may be different) and how it is so important to understand these children are so different. While it is difficult to parent teens, we must be very much on top of things and educate ourselves while parenting our adopted children. After being married for 34yrs., have raised 2 bio kids, I have found myself doubting my abilities to parent, to not blame my husband for various problems and in general if we made the right decision to adopt. It takes a very strong couple or person to sort through and find answers to how to raise your adopted child. The saying ” It takes a village to raise a child ” is true and to be able to accept the necessary help is important.

38. Congratulations! I had read their blog and I’m really happy to read this and see their picture together. Beautiful family!

39. Brings back a lot of memories. It’s been five and a half years since we brought home our 14 month old daughter. Today she is a happy healthy first grader who has turned our lives in directions we never would have imagined. Thanks to her and to the tireless people at Carolina Adoption.

40. Sounds familiar! We brought home our 18 month old back in October. We are in Kenya now finishing up the adoption, and so much of that rings true to us too. Thanks for sharing!

41. A friend of mine cautioned me years ago that if I didn’t go ahead and have a biological child that I would regret it later. She was so wrong. My daughter (adopted 15 years ago from South Korea) is so much closer to me than any biological parent/child relationship that I’ve ever observed. We read each other’s minds several time a day in ways that hardly anyone would believe. We are connected at a SOUL level that is seldom seen. Now I’m ready to explore another adoption.

42. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

43. This is a wonderful story and serves as inspiration as I have just begun the journey of adoption as a single woman, too! Thank you for sharing!

44. I am a single mom and waiting on the phone
    call to go see my son for the first time. Im glad you shared your story. It encourages me!

45. Thank you for sharing. I am a single mom also and have a beautiful son Jacob from Moldova. It’s been difficult at times, but the love and precious moments that we share make the journey all worth it.

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49. […] Adoptions.  While their primary focus is Ethiopian adoptions, they worked very well with Carolina Adoption Services, our agency in North […]

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54. Come and join us for an amazing experience! Learn about the great works happening with Carolina and ABC Adoption Services and get some great swag to take home with you!

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