January 13, 2008 8:18 AM
Sweet Baby James - Happily Ever After
Last November, a reader alerted me to the wonderful news that James - christened by readers here as Sweet Baby James after I posted Urgent adoption need - Chinese baby with Down syndrome on June 24, 2006 - had been adopted.
When I posted Sweet Baby James finds a home - lo and behold, one of the comments was from the mom who adopted James, who is now named Simon. I asked her to share the story - and here it is.
Won't you join with me in congratulating Elizabeth and Danile and thanking God that Sweet Simon has found his way home?
The Story of James/Simon...(also called Howie in the New Hope Foster Home)
In 2002 God led me (Elizabeth) to China for 3 months as a short term medical missionary. I am a Physical Therapist. I lived in Xi'an and worked with the special needs orphans in that area. I then returned to the US physically, but my heart and soul stayed with the orphaned children.
In 2003 I became engaged to Daniel...a man who happened to have a biological brother with Down Syndrome. His parents had also adopted 3 other children with Down Syndrome. I said yes to his proposal with one condition...."We will adopt from China right??" -he said of course! We casually joked that maybe we could somehow adopt a child with Down Syndrome....
After we were married for 6 months I returned to China for another 3 months in 2004....I knew adoption would happen....but I would not turn 30 yrs old ( a main China regulation) until March of 07 and that was a long way off! In our first years of marriage we had discussed trying to have a biological child first....but my heart was given to adoption....so we waited, and waited and waited.
Overtime we became involved in international adoption advocacy. In the late Spring of 2006 I was at the hospital working and Dan called me....he never interrupts me at work, so I knew something must be going on. He said he couldn't wait until I got home. He had seen a boy called James in a Shaohannah's Hope Newsletter, and this little boy had Downs. I laughed....but said "why don't you call so we will know how to pray for him" Dan called, and we were relieved when A Helping Hand adoption agency told us they had had 100's of hits and much interest and they were sure he would be placed. So....we continued to count the days until we could start our own adoption process, and every now and then we thought about "James" and were happy to think he would surely have a family....
Exactly 6 months before my 30th birthday...to the day we were allowed to start our paper chase with AWAA adoption agency. We started our application process and we pursued the special needs program, but we were thinking along the lines of a cleft lip, or an orthopedic deformity....something "simple". We were after all new at this parenting stuff!
Then in October AHH called us...they said they still had no family found for James. People who were interested did not meet the qualifications, and people who qualified had backed out when faced with his additional medical conditions of club foot, imperforate anus, etc etc. We were stunned. AHH asked us if we would still consider him!? Our heads were spinning....it took us a week to decide. We sadly left AWAA and the process we had started with them,and began our wonderful adventure in pursuing James.
In November we found out that AHH had matched us with James and the paper chase continued....By January my paper chase was completed...BUT I was still not yet 30 yrs old....so we waited 2 more months until we could send our dossier to China.
The rest of the process took longer than we had been told by China and our agency....for a whole year I held onto pictures of my little boy, but was not allowed to go and get him...it was one of the hardest times of my life. In May we were beside ourselves when we were told that our son had been ordered out of the wonderful foster home he was in, and sent back to the Chinese run orphanage. We also sweat bullets through all the changes in China's regulations...if we had been 4 wks later in applying we would have not been allowed to adopt, and could have lost James....but our log in date happened in time.
Wonderful people like the Steven C Chapman family sent us occasional photos and updates when they were on mission trips. We applied for grants and received substantial support which helped us through this costly process. God always provided.
Finally!!! On November 17th we met our son!!! He is now named Simon. (after a little boy who I had worked with and loved in Xian....he is now in heaven.)
This boy...our son....our "firstborn" is the love of my life....I can't imagine life without him. He is a miracle. I know God hand picked this child for us.... I waited 5 years to be eligible for China adoption, then one month after God allowed us to be logged in China changed many regulations - 3 of which now make us ineligible to adopt from China again. God opened us up during this specific time to be matched with our Simon, then closed the doors to China on us....
He is home with us...he is wonderful...we are blessed by him beyond comprehension....and Now the real adventure begins!
-The Kulps
First time mom Elizabeth also sent pictures to share with you:
Elizabeth doesn't have a blog - I have a feeling she's going to be pretty busy for a while! - so please leave your prayers and thoughts for the Kulp family here so she can see how much they mean to us.
And just as the original announcement went far and wide over the blogosphere - let's pass on this Happily Ever After -
Posted in Adoption | Permalink
Comments
I'm so happy to see this! God bless them in their journey!!
Posted by: ~Kayla~ | January 13, 2008 9:50 AM
What a wonderful story. This Christmas, as a gift from my folks, I asked for contribution to Reese's Rainbow in my name. They also facilitate foreign adoption of children with Down syndrome. They have 70 parents paper-ready to adopt another little angel like Sweet Baby James.
Posted by: Leticia Velasquez | January 13, 2008 11:07 AM
I had tears in my eyes after reading this story! May God bless your new family!
Posted by: Felecia | January 13, 2008 12:11 PM
What an amazing story of faith, hope, and love. Congratulations to the Kulps and their precious little boy. May God continue to bless your family abundantly!
Posted by: Jana (sidetrack'd) | January 13, 2008 2:09 PM
Dear Kulp Family,
The pictures are truly beautiful to behold! Praise the Lord for you! Praise the Lord for Sweet Baby Simon! "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." (Ps 30:11-12) I am giving thanks with you today. Thank you so much for sharing your story. May your family always be blessed.
Posted by: Greta | January 13, 2008 8:01 PM
Jesus through you! Obviously a supernatural love and unbelievable tender heart! Bless you!
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon Hockenbury | January 13, 2008 8:04 PM
That is awesome and a great story!! Congrats to that family :)!
Posted by: Qadishyah | January 13, 2008 8:05 PM
He is so beautiful! What a sweet, sweet story!
Posted by: Shannon Miller | January 13, 2008 8:52 PM
Blessings to the Kulp family! :) And Congratulations! He looks so peaceful and happy!!!!!!!! :)
Posted by: Angela | January 13, 2008 11:22 PM
Dear Kulp Family,
I am shedding tears of joy for each of you. You have a beautiful family. We have an awesome God! Thank you for sharing your story.
Posted by: Nicki | January 13, 2008 11:40 PM
Dear Elizabeth,
I wish you, Dan and Simon all the luck in the world. I am mum to Amanda, 3, who has DS and we live in Brazil. I have read Baby James story and we are always hoping for the best. And I am sure the best happened to Simon. He is very fortunate to have found you and I am sure you are finding out the same about him. I hope you all live a life full of joy.
Posted by: Patricia | January 14, 2008 9:19 AM
I am THRILLED to read this!!! It seems like sooo long ago that I was alerted that Simon (James) was up for adoption and that no one had expressed interest. I put posts up on all major DS boards and listservs hoping to find James a family, as I'd been told by many friends who are involved with China and adoptions that his was sort of a "test" case, as China doesn't place as much value on children w/ds and usually does not put them up for adoption. For months families emailed me and I put them in touch with Grace, at A Helping Hand Adoption Agency - but most of them, like Elizabeth said, didn't qualify. I tried to keep tabs on James through Reece's Rainbow, and when it looked like he had a match, I was sooo happy.
I am sooo sooo SOOO happy that James is at home now with his forever family! My heart is full for this family and this little boy.
Congratulations Elizabeth, Daniel and Simon :)
Posted by: Mum2brady | January 14, 2008 9:23 AM
I am so happy to see this! Congratulation to Elizabeth, Daniel and Simon! I am crying in joy as I write this. This little boy captured my heart when I first saw his picture. So many prayers went up on his behalf, and God moved for him. Thank you, Heavenly father, for hearing the prayers of your people for this little boy, and bringing him home to this family. Our prayers remain with you, and thank you so much for listening to the Lord, and for moving at the right time. God saved him as he saved Moses...and he has a plan for this little boy.
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon | January 14, 2008 10:48 AM
As the adoptive parent of two children both with Ds and both Chinese I especially love seeing a story like this. Simon is ADORABLE!!! Congratulations!!
Jill
Posted by: Jill | January 14, 2008 5:53 PM
What a beautiful couple and now they have such a gorgeous little boy. I have a DS grandson who fills me with delight each day of my life..praise God..in whom all blessings flow. Thanks for sharing this blessed family with us all.. we'll keep them, always, in our prayers.
Posted by: Margaret | January 14, 2008 9:32 PM
Congratulations on your darling baby boy. God bless you and Simon. I have a daughter adopted from China as well. I couldn't imagine life without her!!!
Posted by: Shelly Pinter | January 16, 2008 10:53 AM
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Posted by: jody | January 16, 2008 2:40 PM
Such a beautiful story and child (he could not be any cuter!!), I am crying.
Posted by: Alison | January 16, 2008 11:46 PM
I am so pleased to read this story. I had seen James' picture and read his story on downsyn.com a few months ago. His picture stole my heart and I often wondered if he found a home.....and then I read Elizabeths story! How magical!
I too have a boy with DS.....almost four! And I also have a niece adopted from nothern China...almost four years ago now. And I am waiting for another niece to arrive this year from China.
Thanks for posting this story.....brought a big smile to my face today!
Posted by: LinMac | January 17, 2008 4:08 AM
YAY!!! Praise GOD from whom all blessings flow!!! This is so awesome... no, HE is so awesome! I am so glad you guys decided to adopt Simon, regardless of the things that would have caused others to overlook him... What a wonderful thing adoption is... what a wonderful model of the Lord adopting us!
Posted by: Jenn | January 17, 2008 1:29 PM
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story!! Simon is absolutely adorable!!
Posted by: Chandra | January 17, 2008 2:55 PM
