Adoption ARK

We can't wait to watch his life unfold

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Life is full of blessings great and small. Adoption is a great blessing for children and parents.Please read this from Arkmom, Lynda Robey about the adoption of her beautiful son Anton...

It was one of the most difficult rollercoaster rides we have ever been on in our lives. The child waiting for us at the end of the ride was what kept us on this international rollercoaster! The treasure at the end of the journey was more than worth all the ups and downs, struggles and frustrations, and swings of every emotion possible. Two years later it is hard to believe where our little family started. All three of us have grown in ways never imagined. Have the last two years been easy, no, but definitely worth it. For every difficult day there are a multitude of great days. As the saying goes, two steps forward one step back. But we keep moving forward. We can't wait to watch his life unfold and see what great things he accomplishes in his life as he grows from the shy, little boy we first met into the outgoing, young man we know he is going to be.

Lynda Robey(proud mom)

Holiday Grant of $1000 from Adoption ARK

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Early Christmas Present from Adoption ARK!!!

We know only too well how the economy has caused hardships for so many families wanting to adopt.

We want to help.

We are offering all qualified families a grant of $1000 towards the cost of your adoption.

This grant will be in effect until December 31 2011. Please contact your Adoption ARK consultant for more details. If you don't have a consultant yet please email adopt@adoptionark.org.

Bless you all and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Adoption ARK

WE NEED A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE NOW

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:31:00 +0000

This story breaks our hearts and we have made this our pledge for Christmas this year...to find Rebecca her forever family.

This beautiful, stunning girl is in urgent need of a family. Adoption Ark, Inc. is looking for a motivated, loving, energetic family or single mom who can provide love and a permanent home for this child.

ADOPTION ARK IS OFFERING A GRANT OF $3000 TO ASSIST WITH HER ADOPTION.

Rebecca is a sweet and friendly 11 yo girl, who lives with a foster family in a foreign country since 2004. She needs the love and attention of a forever family.

She dreams to be adopted, she talks about her new mom and dad that one day will come and take her home. She is tired of being rejected and taken from home to home, she needs her forever family!

She loves art, she loves to draw and paint, everyone says she is very artistic. She enjoys field trips, loves to dance and to sing. She is a sweet and affectionate child.

She is a healthy child of a normal intelligence, however she performs under her level at school. It was recently found that she has dyslexia and she needs help of a speech therapist.

If you would please consider Rebecca as your daughter, please contact us at adopt@adoptionark.org.

Thank you and God Bless you all!

Adoption ARK

A Dream Come True...from Russia with love

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Our Dream Come True

I write this as my son is sleeping in the next room….something I never thought I’d be doing. I hoped, prayed, dreamt about it, but never knew if my dream of becoming a mother would ever come true. But thanks to Adoption Ark it did. My husband and I thank them daily for our amazing son; who is truly the light and love of our lives, and now without whom we don’t know how we existed.

Like many who may read this my husband and I underwent years of fertility treatments, tried private adoption, surrogacy, and it all failed miserably, leaving us devastated and without hope. But we were not willing to let our dream of having a family go just yet…and that’s when we discovered Adoption Ark. From the very first phone call all the way through the long journey to a few days ago, our coordinator’s phone call to check on how we as a family are doing; the experience with Adoption Ark was incredible. They are truly in the business of creating happy families and making dreams come true. Every single person we dealt with genuinely cared about us and about our prospective adoptive son. From here in the U.S, to the big city of Moscow, to the most remote areas of Siberia, Adoption Ark people helped us, informed us, guided us, understood us and cared about us. Every step of the adoption process we always felt like they were right there beside us “holding our hand”. Their expertise, knowledge, and years of experience created a smooth, quick, seamless journey with the reward of our precious angel at the end of the journey. But we do not feel like it is ever the end. We feel like every person we dealt with at Adoption Ark and in country is part of our family now.

The daunting, unfamiliar process of international adoption can scare many people off, and I was one of those. Did I want to spend the time, the money and travel to another country where I don’t understand anyone and venture into the abyss of the unknown? The second I spoke to an Adoption Ark representative I no longer felt any of that. Throughout the mountains of paperwork, the uncertainty of the impending travel, the waiting, and all the rules & regulations, Adoption Ark was there with us every step of the way telling us what to do, how to do it and what to expect next. And if we ever questioned anything, they were always there for us via phone or e-mail. We were never alone throughout this process. The same in country; the people they work with in Russia are incredibly knowledgeable, caring and experienced. We always felt protected and informed with them; and I can’t say it enough – they genuinely cared about us and helping us become a family. They brought gifts to our son, made arrangements to work around his nap and playtime, and literally held our hands through the foreign processes.

It was truly an adventure; one where you just dive in and take a leap of faith. But Adoption Ark was there for us when we dove in, and brought us to shore with our son. And now we are the happiest family loving life with our Russian blessing, Spencer Dimitri. He is a happy, thriving, learning, adventuring, silly, loving little angel. We stare at him some days asking is he really here, and really ours? Yes, thanks to Adoption Ark!

Susan, Sam and Spencer Wilkins,

Canandaigua, New York

Adoption ARK Celebrates National Adoption Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Please display all images to view this email in its entirety

Adoption ARK Programs

UgandaDominican Republic
Colombia

Please visitwww.adoptionark.org for details about each adoption program.

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a beautiful country that is comprised of many ethnic backgrounds and blended cultures. Columbia is partner to the Hague Convention.

Age Range Available for Adoption: Available children range from toddlers to teenagers. The adoption timeline is shorter for children over 7. Children with special needs & sibling groups are available.

Adoption Travel: One trips of 45-60 days is required to adopt from Colombia.

Basic Requirements for Adopting Parents: Married Couples and singles are invited to apply. Parents should be over 25 yrs of age

The Colombia adoption program is a developing adoption program at Adoption ARK.

Click here for more information about adopting from the Republic of Colombia.

Considering Adoption?

If you are considering international adoption, pleasecontact us.

Click here to view our webinar schedule

Click here to register and receive our informative adoption packet

Click here to get the latest adoption news on Facebook

Celebrate National Adoption Month

Happy Adoption!

That may sound unusual but atAdoption ARK, we are confident that after you see the video,Adoption ARK Miracles, you'll be ready to begin the international adoption journey. This video features photos of children before and after adoption.

When a child is adopted their life completely changes from a life of uncertainty and loneliness to one filled with unlimited possibilities and most importantly, the love and unconditional acceptance of their forever family. Watch the video and you will see that the difference adoption makes in the lives of orphaned children.

We are blessed at Adoption ARK to have experienced this miracle over 900 times and we would honored to be part of your adoption story too. Please call Adoption ARK and let us know the obstacles that keep you from adopting. We are here to help you overcome those obstacles and make your dream of adopting come true. We offer many adoption programs and are confident we can find one that is just right for your family.

Thank You from your Adoption ARK Consultants,

Linda Podas

Marina Snazina

Annette Vedsegaard-Ross
Anna Kozhemyakov

Adoption by Single Moms

Adoption ARK has many programs available to help single moms adopt. We've seen many single moms adopt with wonderful experiences. Please read the article, Adoption by Single Moms, and call us with any questions. You may also enjoy the adoption success story by Lindsay Wilcox on adopting here twins from Russia.

Before and After Adoption

We ask our ARK Parents, "How has adoption changed your family?"
The answer was clear, adoption changes families in wonderful and miraculous ways. Read a few stories from ARK families...
The Thompson Family
The Imrisek Family

The Emma Family

Financing Your Adoption and How Adoption ARK can Help

Every day at Adoption Ark we hear these words: “We wish we could adopt, but it is just way too much money”. Yes, international adoption can be expensive. However, at Adoption ARK we are here to help. Until December 1, 2011, Adoption ARK has grants available for Azerbaijan, Colombia, and Dominican Republic. In addition, check out Adoption ARK's new Adoption Assistance Program.

Click here to lean more

Adopting one child won't change the world;

but for that child, the world will change.

Halloween Around the World

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:30:00 +0000

Bulgaria
In Bulgaria it is a tradition that the kids in Kardjali town gledka go trick-or-treating every year on October 31 at midnight. Their Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

Hungary
Hungarian people do not celebrate Halloween the way American people do. All Soul’s Day and All Saints’ Day are two of the more popular holidays that address the dead in a different way in Hungary. Hungarians go to cemeteries with bright yellow chrysanthemums and light red votive candles to decorate the graves of their beloved departed. Some people even leave food and drinks for their prior loved ones. Special masses are held in many churches all over Hungary to uphold the memory of the Christian martyrs and saints. You can read more here

Dominican Republic
While people of Dominican Republic do not celebrate Halloween, they DO have a celebration like Brazil’s carnival on February 27th every year, representing the day they fought the French and became a republic. It isn’t as big as Brazil’s carnival, but pretty fancy – many costumes and masks. Here is an interesting article about this important celebration - great photos too - The Carnival Masks of the Dominican Republic

Ghana
Halloween is not celebrated in Ghana, although the Christian population celebrates All Saints’ Day. All Saints' Day is a festival on which the church remembers and honors all the Christian faithful, both known and unknown. This festival has its origins in the Roman Catholic church of the Middle Ages. Reflecting on the lives and examples of the saints had been a widespread practice of Christians since the earliest days of the church.

Colombia
In Colombia, Halloween is celebrated in the fashion of American celebration. Children dress up and visit their neighbors chanting "¡Triqui triqui halloween, Quiero dulces para mi, Si no hay dulces para mi, Se le crece la nariz!" which translates: Tricky tricky Halloween, I want candy for me, if there is no candy for me, your nose will grow! There is no cultural precedent for the celebration of Halloween and the current festivities are the result of the influence of Western cultures.

Russia
Halloween is not a traditional Russian holiday, rather an imported one that became quite popular in the country in the recent years. It is celebrated among young people who like to dress up in different costumes and party. Russians believe that blue cats, such as the Russian Blue, Burmese, and British Blue, are said to bring good luck on this day.

Kazakhstan
Halloween is a not a traditional holiday in Kazakhstan either. Just like in many other countries, people know about it and celebrate it in case if someone volunteers to organize such celebration. It is more known among young people who wouldn’t miss an opportunity to dress up in spooky and funny costumes.

Ukraine
In Ukraine, Halloween is no more than a fashionable holiday adopted from the West. However, as Ukraine has no similar festival of its own, it grows in popularity every year, especially among young people, as a great occasion to dress in spooky costumes and go partying all night.

Interesting fact about pumpkins in Ukraine:
Pumpkins, known as harbuz in Ukraine, have an entirely different significance than Western jack-o'lanterns do. Dating from medieval times, if a man's proposal of marriage was turned down, the maiden's family handed him a pumpkin. The practice is almost nonexistent today but the expression "to get a pumpkin" means to get dumped or turned down in business or some other way. You can read more here .

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM ALL OF US AT ADOPTION ARK!

Hearing Bilingual: How Babies Sort Out Language

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:01:00 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/health/views/11klass.html?_r=1&src=tp&smid=fb-share

Hearing Bilingual: How Babies Sort Out Language

By PERRI KLASS, M.D.

Published: October 10, 2011

REPRINTS

Once, experts feared that young children exposed to more than one language would suffer “language confusion,” which might delay their speech development. Today, parents often are urged to capitalize on that early knack for acquiring language. Upscale schools market themselves with promises of deep immersion in Spanish — or Mandarin — for everyone, starting in kindergarten or even before.

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Yet while many parents recognize the utility of a second language, families bringing up children in non-English-speaking households, or trying to juggle two languages at home, are often desperate for information. And while the study of bilingual development has refuted those early fears about confusion and delay, there aren’t many research-based guidelines about the very early years and the best strategies for producing a happily bilingual child.

But there is more and more research to draw on, reaching back to infancy and even to the womb. As the relatively new science of bilingualism pushes back to the origins of speech and language, scientists are teasing out the earliest differences between brains exposed to one language and brains exposed to two.

Researchers have found ways to analyze infant behavior — where babies turn their gazes, how long they pay attention — to help figure out infant perceptions of sounds and words and languages, of what is familiar and what is unfamiliar to them. Now, analyzing the neurologic activity of babies’ brains as they hear language, and then comparing those early responses with the words that those children learn as they get older, is helping explain not just how the early brain listens to language, but how listening shapes the early brain.

Recently, researchers at the University of Washington used measures of electrical brain responses to compare so-called monolingual infants, from homes in which one language was spoken, to bilingual infants exposed to two languages. Of course, since the subjects of the study, adorable in their infant-size EEG caps, ranged from 6 months to 12 months of age, they weren’t producing many words in any language.

Still, the researchers found that at 6 months, the monolingual infants could discriminate between phonetic sounds, whether they were uttered in the language they were used to hearing or in another language not spoken in their homes. By 10 to 12 months, however, monolingual babies were no longer detecting sounds in the second language, only in the language they usually heard.

The researchers suggested that this represents a process of “neural commitment,” in which the infant brain wires itself to understand one language and its sounds.

In contrast, the bilingual infants followed a different developmental trajectory. At 6 to 9 months, they did not detect differences in phonetic sounds in either language, but when they were older — 10 to 12 months — they were able to discriminate sounds in both.

“What the study demonstrates is that the variability in bilingual babies’ experience keeps them open,” said Dr. Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington and one of the authors of the study. “They do not show the perceptual narrowing as soon as monolingual babies do. It’s another piece of evidence that what you experience shapes the brain.”

The learning of language — and the effects on the brain of the language we hear — may begin even earlier than 6 months of age.

Janet Werker, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, studies how babies perceive language and how that shapes their learning. Even in the womb, she said, babies are exposed to the rhythms and sounds of language, and newborns have been shown to prefer languages rhythmically similar to the one they’ve heard during fetal development.

In one recent study, Dr. Werker and her collaborators showed that babies born to bilingual mothers not only prefer both of those languages over others — but are also able to register that the two languages are different.

In addition to this ability to use rhythmic sound to discriminate between languages, Dr. Werker has studied other strategies that infants use as they grow, showing how their brains use different kinds of perception to learn languages, and also to keep them separate.

In a study of older infants shown silent videotapes of adults speaking, 4-month-olds could distinguish different languages visually by watching mouth and facial motions andresponded with interest when the language changed. By 8 months, though, the monolingual infants were no longer responding to the difference in languages in these silent movies, while the bilingual infants continued to be engaged.

“For a baby who’s growing up bilingual, it’s like, ‘Hey, this is important information,’ ” Dr. Werker said.

Over the past decade, Ellen Bialystok, a distinguished research professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, has shown that bilingual children develop crucial skills in addition to their double vocabularies, learning different ways to solve logic problems or to handle multitasking, skills that are often considered part of the brain’s so-called executive function.

These higher-level cognitive abilities are localized to the frontal and prefrontal cortex in the brain. “Overwhelmingly, children who are bilingual from early on have precocious development of executive function,” Dr. Bialystok said.

Dr. Kuhl calls bilingual babies “more cognitively flexible” than monolingual infants. Her research group is examining infant brains with an even newer imaging device, magnetoencephalography, or MEG, which combines an M.R.I. scan with a recording of magnetic field changes as the brain transmits information.

Dr. Kuhl describes the device as looking like a “hair dryer from Mars,” and she hopes that it will help explore the question of why babies learn language from people, but not from screens.

Previous research by her group showed that exposing English-language infants in Seattle to someone speaking to them in Mandarin helped those babies preserve the ability to discriminate Chinese language sounds, but when the same “dose” of Mandarin was delivered by a television program or an audiotape, the babies learned nothing.

“This special mapping that babies seem to do with language happens in a social setting,” Dr. Kuhl said. “They need to be face to face, interacting with other people. The brain is turned on in a unique way.”

A version of this article appeared in print on October 11, 2011, on page D5 of the New York edition with the headline: Hearing Bilingual: How Babies Sort Out Language.

Can adoption really be a miracle? Can lives be changed before our eyes?

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:49:00 +0000

Adoption ARK rejoices with each adoption but with the Harmon family we had double the reason for joy! Several months ago this family was blessed with one precious son and one precious daughter when they completed their adoptions from Russia. They encountered obstacles along the way but their resolve remained firm...to bring their children home. Now Brenda and Brad, are busy, busy parents but loving every minute of it! One day when life slows down a bit, they said they will write about their inspiring story. But for now, we would like all those contemplating adoption to consider their thoughts...

“The children are more amazing and beautiful and brilliant every single day. Life is such a joy with
them. I thought life was a joy before - who knew the immensity of the miracle of life could expand to
such proportions!? :) “

Brenda & Brad Harmon, happy parents of Timothy and Emily

And their proud grandma wanted to add.....

"Russia had no idea they let such diamonds out of their country!"

Grandma, we couldn't agree more!!!:)

Remembering Elena Karadjov

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:05:00 +0000

Our efforts at Adoption ARK to Aid and Rescue Kids are dedicated to Elena Karadjov. Elena, or Lena to her friends, was a founder of Adoption ARK and an inspiration to all that knew her. Her heart was 100% devoted to helping people, particularly orphans. Today, July 21, would have been Lena’s birthday. So, on this day, we fondly remember her and reaffirm our commitment to Aiding and Rescuing Kids around the world.

Elena Karadjov was a wonderful mother, an inspiring leader and a true friend to all who knew her. She was passionate about life and about helping others. Lena championed many projects for children around the world. She was especially passionate in advocating for orphans with special needs. A special fund has been established in her honor that will be used to help offset the cost of adopting a child with special needs. If you would like, you can contribute to the Elena Karadjov Special Needs Adoption Grant by donating here.

Everyone that knew her loved Lena so much! She is truly missed but never forgotten. Her legacy lives on through the many lives she touched and the children she so generously helped.

Adopting a Large Sibling Group

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:34:00 +0000

Being a mom of 4!
Me and my husband adopted a sibling group from Kazakhstan on Winter 2010-2011 with help of Adoption Ark Inc. We have one biological son and brought home three kids:
Valeria 5 yrs
Victoria 3yrs
David 2 yrs
We have decided not to leave them and stayed in Kazakhstan through the entire process, we stayed at the orphanage for 9 weeks and came back to the U.S with the three of them on Feb 08, 2011.
I became a mom of 4 kids.
Let me introduce them to you:
Valeria:
The 1st day we met Valeria , she did not even look at us or smile or even lifted her eyes from the ground, our meeting lasted less the 5 minutes and left us with and empty heart and lots of fear.
The very next day I went to the director of the orphanage and asked her for the time we will meet Valeria again. She told me to go to her classroom and take her out to spend some time with her. I was very scared after our first meeting but I went by myself to get her. The first thing I saw after the door opened was Valeria sited at her small desk, she looked at me and gave me the biggest smile, she ran to me and jumped to my arms. I hold her on my arms for over 3 hrs., and since then she is very close to my heart.
Victoria:
For the first 5 weeks she was with us , she waked up in the middle of the night crying I will move into her bed and sleep with her for the rest of the night.
One night she just did not wake up but I still moved into her bed and want to wake up with her. the next morning she hold my face with her two little hands and she told me she dream of me and her, and she has not cry in the middle of the night since then.
David:
Every morning he wake up and crawl into Victoria bed and sleep for a bit longer with her. One day two weeks ago (after 10 weeks since we arrived from Kazakhstan) he waked up and look at Victoria and looked at me and open his arms to me and said "Yo Mi Mama" in Spanish, what means I want my Mother, since that day he looks for me for love and comfort and became "My baby".
Samuel (our biological 7 yrs. old son):
After waiting for over two years for his sibling (was supposed to be one only child around 4-6 yrs.) his first words after finding out he was getting three siblings from Kazakhstan were: "WE WON THEM, WE GOT THE BIGGEST PRIZE"
We are incredibly happy with our adoption experience and love Adoption Ark.
Happy Mother's day to all, for the ones who are holding their children in their arms and to the ones who are holding their child in their heart.
Paloma Negev and the Negev Family
Northridge, California

Health Care: Adoption Credit

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Welcome Home Tylick Family

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:39:00 +0000

When we visited Oliver at the orphanage he was quiet, very quiet. He sat and played nicely, he was engaged and seemed to enjoy our company, but he never made a sound. Where were those little chatty noises 20 month olds make? Where were the giggly laughs?

After the court date my husband traveled back home and I remained in Russia to complete Oliver’s adoption. February 7th finally came and I was given the privilege to be called his mother and take him from the orphanage. All bundled up we said good bye to the director. I thanked her for all her work and we walked out to the car. Our driver said some sweet things to Oliver as he took him and strapped him into the car seat. Oliver held my finger as we drove off over bumpy snow covered roads. The drive from Prokopyevsk to Kemerovo is about 3 hours and we spent the time playing little finger games, peek-a-boo, and tickling. He started to relax and I got to hear his sweet little giggle.

Two days later we flew to Moscow for a week-long stay to finish those last bits of paper work, begin the road of bonding and attachment, and to see a few sights. That week, the two of us in the little apartment, getting to know each other, spending every moment of everyday together…it’s a time I’ll never forget. It’s like he was waking up from hibernation. He was coming to life. Every new thing he saw he would point at and say “whoa” that joy and excitement in his eyes is indescribable, and oh the belly laughs.

We have been home for about two weeks now. At first Oliver struggled with the introduction of daddy, crying and clinging to me whenever he saw him but is becoming more comfortable each day. Oliver will now stand at the window and greet him as he arrives home from work. He seems to understand basic directions and has found his chatty voice; he is now fluent in babble with a few signs mixed in. Occasionally, in the morning when I go to get him up he will already be sitting and babbling his way through a stack of books. Other joys include; cooking together, exploring outdoors, and discovering that bath time is actually fun.

You can read stories of our adventures in Russia, more adoption details, or our daily musings at www.tylickadventures.blogspot.com

After Two and a Half Years...

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:17:00 +0000

We adopted our daughter Renee 2.5 years ago, and I can honestly say that this would have never happened without Adoption Ark. I had reservations of adopting internationally and researched a handful of agencies before choosing Adoption Ark. I chose them because they had excellent references from other families who had positive experiences, and they appeared to have a great degree of integrity in how they conducted business. There are many times when unpredictable circumstances intervene with an adoption and our adoption was no exception. There were plenty of ups and downs, having to be flexible when you didn't feel you could, etc. Regardless, Adoption Ark was there to support us in the process and assure us with any delay that it was important we be patient so proper protocols are followed. Every parent wants short cuts and exceptions, but with Adoption Ark they insist everything be done properly, all documents that we present be authentic, and complete. Once we arrived in Kazakhstan, we were again in the best of hands. We spent 10 weeks in Kazakhstan and met families who were adopting with other agencies. Most of their experiences were more trying than ours because their agencies did not have the expertise in working with the legal system there whereas our agency coordinator was familiar with how to handle every obstacle we encountered. Overall, I would have to say we had a very, very smooth adoption and that is solely due to Adoption Ark knowing exactly what it takes to have a successful adoption in Kazakhstan. -Respectfully submitted, Michelle and Brett Sandberg

Malhotra Adoption Success Story

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:53:00 +0000

About 3 yrs ago, when we decided to adopt, we had no idea that adoption could be such a hard process. It took us a while to finalize our agency and the adoption country but we feel glad that we chose “Adoption Ark”.
Adoption Ark and our case worker Maeven were very good in providing guidelines for the process as well as any help that we needed during the process. International adoption involves so many institutes and people, it is hard to expect the things to go perfect but I can’t think any things would have gone better for us. Our trip to Kazakhstan went very well with the support of the coordinator and translator over there. The memories of the orphanage where we got to meet our 3 kids Alex, Victor and Angel are just unforgettable for us. Each of the kids that we got to meet in orphanage was beautiful and had a desire to have a family. During the little time we spent over there, we discovered a whole different world far from home – entirely different culture, food, language but it mattered less as our kids still understood the language of love. Far from home, we built strong relations with the other families who were also there for adoption which made things to go easier.
It was very happy day when we brought our kids home. Our Alex is 5 yrs, Victor is 4 yrs and Angel is 2 yrs. We started the adoption process with desire to adopt 1 child and we can’t really explain how and when it changed to 2 and then to have 3 children but we always feel that it was God’s plan for us. First few months, when it had been just challenging to teach kids a new way of life, it feels good to see the results as they are quickly adopting the language, environment, home. There are ups and downs but it is beautiful.
Our heartiest Thanks go to “Adoption Ark” for helping us in our journey to Adoption.

Adoption Tax Credit Form

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:35:00 +0000

The Adoption Tax Credit can be confusing. Please visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQryETwRziA for more information on the
qualifications and filing instructions. You can also view the form at
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8839.pdf

International adoptions down 13 pct in U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Published February 01, 2011 | EFE

The government issued 11,059 visas for foreign children adopted by U.S.
parents in the 2010 fiscal year, a decline of 13.3 percent from the previous
12-month period, the State Department said Tuesday. The department prepares
the Annual Adoption Report for Congress pursuant to the Intercountry
Adoption Act of 2000.

Last year's total of international adoptions is the lowest since 1995 and
represents a decline of more than 51 percent from the peak of 22,900,
reached in 2004.

China remained the leading source of children adopted by U.S. households,
accounting for 3,401 adoptions during the 2010 fiscal year, which ended
Sept. 30. In second place was Ethiopia, with 2,513 children adopted,
followed by Russia, with 1,082. The Russian government put the brakes on
some adoptions after one U.S. family sent an adopted child back to Russia
unaccompanied.
Guatemala, the principal source of children for adoption in 2008, when 4,122
Guatemalan youngsters got new homes in the United States, has sharply
restricted international adoptions after a series of scandals. Only 51
Guatemalan children were adopted by U.S. parents in fiscal 2010.
The figures in the State Department report do not include the nearly 1,100
Haitian children admitted to the United States on an emergency basis
following the January 2010 earthquake in the poor Caribbean country, as
those adoptions were not finalized by Sept. 30.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2011/02/01/international-adoption
s-pct/

International Adoption Seminars in Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:22:00 +0000

St. Petersburg, Florida - Two free seminars on “Adopting Internationally” will be offered beginning in February in the Tampa Bay area. These seminars will discuss options for expanding or starting a family through international adoption, and are open to those interested in adopting children internationally.

When: February 12, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Where: Scout Hall, located at 5315 28th Avenue South in Gulfport, between the Gulfport Historical Museum and the Gulfport Arts Center buildings.

and

When: February 24, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Where: The Warren Webster Building, located at 1500 Pass-A-Grille Way, just south of the Don CeSar Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach.

The seminars are a safe and confidential form in which to discuss the options available through Adoption ARK, and the services they provide. Adoption ARK is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), Hague Accredited, international adoption agency that has facilitated hundreds of successful international adoptions for U.S. families. They have adoption programs in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Hungary and Azerbaijan. Some of the topics that will be covered during the seminar include the process for adopting from these countries, home study requirements, travel, and budgeting for international adoption.

Free parking is available at each.

To register for either of these seminars, or for other inquiries about Adoption ARK, please contact Annette Ross at 727-421-0441.

Adoption Tax Credit: For Families

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Fury) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:17:00 +0000

I absolutely loved working with Adoption Ark

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:27:00 +0000

My husband and I absolutely loved working with Adoption Ark. It was the first agency I found via the internet knowing next to nothing about adoption, never mind international adoption. I have been dealing with quite a number of staff, Elina, Linda Podas, Maeven Grish, and pretty much all of them, I couldn't have wished them any better. We wanted to adopt two at a time and they totally accommodated us with whatever we wanted. Our caseworker was totally understanding of turned down referrals, which was very hard on us (turning down referrals). It would have been devastating if she had been judgmental about it, as this was our first time adopting and our first kids. Having gone through our adoption with Adoption Ark, we feel like pros now. Even a year after the adoption, I still communicate with them, telling them how well we are doing and for adoption advice, and I know they don't have to, they have nothing to gain from it. If I were still living in the US, I would use them again in a heartbeat, in fact I would dearly love to. Their in-country staff was also left nothing to wish for. They treated us royally, and it was so nice to come into the airport in Moscow and in the region and see the familiar faces. They were always the same people to meet us, and they knew us already.
We ended up adopting two wonderful little boys, (22 mon. and 4 yrs.) through this agency, and they are thriving. We feel unbelievably blessed!
Jonte & Jennifer Wipf

Adoption Simplification Act

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:39:00 +0000

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar announced today that her legislation, the International Adoption Simplification Act, has been signed into law by the President. The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Klobuchar and cosponsored by Senators James Inhofe (R-OK) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA), will allow U.S. parents to adopt children who are siblings and help protect children’s health during the adoption process. The bill would restore two exemptions to U.S. immigration law for internationally adopted children that were eliminated when the United States began implementation of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

“Parents from Minnesota and across the nation don’t have to worry anymore about splitting up families when adopting internationally,” Klobuchar said. “They also don’t have to risk exposing their adoptive children to unsafe immunizations in foreign countries. A child’s health and family stability are critical to ensuring successful adoptions, and this new law will allow families to keep their adopted children together, healthy, and safe.”

The Klobuchar bill allows U.S. parents to adopt children who are siblings, even if one of those children is between the ages of 16 and 18. Under current law, children aged 16 and above are ineligible for international adoption, but this bill would allow families like Tim and Renee Merkouris from Cambridge, Minnesota, to proceed with their adoption of a family of nine orphaned children from the Philippines. With the passage of this bill, the Merkouris family can finally complete the adoption process.

The bill also allows U.S. parents adopting foreign-born children to safely immunize their children in the United States within 30 days of their arrivals, rather than have to subject their children to potentially unsafe immunizations in foreign nations. Previously, parents who adopted internationally were frequently required to immunize their children before bringing them to the United States.

Klobuchar has been a leader on international adoption issues in the Senate. She was actively involved in helping Minnesota families with pending adoptions in Haiti following the devastating earthquake that struck the island on January 12, 2010. She has also introduced the Supporting Adoptive Families Act, legislation aimed at strengthening support services for adoptive children and parents.

Minnesota has a strong tradition of welcoming orphans from around the world, and it leads the nation with the highest per-capita rate of international adoptions.

Senate sponsors of the International Adoption Simplification Act included Richard Durbin (D-IL), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Similar legislation was introduced in the House by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).

The Help Haiti Act has Passed

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:36:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer released the following statement today after the House passed the Help HAITI Act: "Today, the House passed the Help HAITI Act, an important piece of humanitarian legislation that continues America's constructive response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti early this year. Following the earthquake, more than 1,000 Haitian orphans were brought to the United States by adoptive American families; the bill we passed today ensures that those children, just like all other children adopted from abroad, will have permanent resident status. For the adoptive parents who generously took Haitian orphans into their homes, the guarantee of permanent resident status means that their children will enjoy a full range of legal protections and will no longer be stuck in legal limbo. "The adoption of more than 1,000 orphans has been in proud keeping with America's tradition as a welcoming refuge. I am happy that this bill, which is now ready for President Obama's signature, gives full legal recognition to these adopted children and paves the way for what I am sure will be their important contributions to our country."

Adoption ARK's Report Card

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Adoption ARK is very excited to share with you our latest survey results. Our “Report Card” reflects our commitment to orphaned children and the clients that we serve. International Adoption is not just a job; it’s a calling. At Adoption ARK, we are honored to assist you in adopting a child and we thank you for choosing us as your international adoption agency. Thank you to all the clients that participated.

View Adoption ARK’s Report Card at http://www.adoptionark.org/upload/adoptionarkreportcard_87895.pdf

Sincerely,
The Team at Adoption ARK
(847) 215-2755

Follow Adoption ARK on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/adoptionark
Visit our YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/user/AdoptionArk

Adopting one child won't change the world; but for that child, the world will change.

A Situation in Nepal

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:51:00 +0000

Adoption ARK would like to make you aware of a very serious situation facing adoptive parents.

On August 6, 2010, The Department of State and The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) branches suspended adoptions of abandoned children in Nepal. At that time, many families were in the final stages of the Nepal Adoption Program, some were even in Nepal.

Prior to August 6th, the issuing of a visa for a Nepali orphan took approximately 1-2 weeks. Now, since August 6th, not a single visa has been issued even though more than 20 families have filed their I-600 form. During this time, some parents have been living in Nepal, waiting for the Visa’s to be issued for their children; Children that have been in their custody all this time and are legally adopted according to the government of Nepal. Other children are still in the care of an orphanage, waiting for their families to be united. Understandably, the delay of these visas has left the parents, as well as their newly adopted children, in emotional distress. The children are unable to leave Nepal without the necessary visas. Parents who are in Nepal are faced with the decision to either stay in Nepal for an indefinite period or leave the children that they have been parenting and bonding with in Nepal; which would be devastating to the emotional well being of the child.

In addition, the USCIS in New Delhi is suggesting that these Nepali adoptions will require the assistance of a US Immigration Lawyer and this additional cost places considerable financial burdens on parents in this process. This burden was not shared by those processed prior to 6th August even though the paperwork associated with the adoptions was essentially the same.

Adoption ARK understands that each adoption case requires an I-604 investigation before the visa can be issued. We support this process, undertaken in a timely manner, to ensure that adoption takes place in the best interest of the child. However, the Department of States decision not to accept visa applications for abandoned children is very concerning and has the potential to affect adoptions in all countries, not just Nepal.

Please take a moment and help these children & parents by signing the petition at http://www.petition2congress.com/2/3608/go/ and asking for the United States Government to take action and bring these families home.

Sincerely,

The Team at Adoption ARK

www.adoptionark.org

Travel to the Russian Federation

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:57:00 +0000

August 10, 2010

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risk of travel to the Russian Federation due to the ongoing wildfires. The Department of State has authorized the departure of dependents and non-critical mission personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The Russian Government has declared a state of emergency in specific regions of the country, including the capital of Russia, Moscow. Air travel to Russia, including international flights, is affected. U.S. citizens are therefore urged to postpone travel to the Russian Federation until the situation has improved.

Ongoing forest fires and extreme high temperatures in the Moscow region and surrounding areas of central Russia have produced hazardous levels of air pollution and caused numerous flight delays and cancellations in Moscow. The hazardous air quality means that persons with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should seek to relocate to unaffected areas of the country and avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

The situation has prompted the Russian government to declare a state of emergency in Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan, Voronezh, Novgorod, the Republic of Mordovia, and the Republic of Marii-El.

Fire related conditions can change quickly, due to changes in wind direction and weather conditions. Persons planning travel from the Moscow area should monitor weather conditions and stay in touch with their airline.

U.S. citizens who have questions, or require assistance, should contact the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the U.S. Embassy Moscow website.

If you require further information or assistance, please visit the U.S. Embassy Moscow website or e-mail us at MoscowWarden@State.gov. The U.S. Embassy Moscow consular section is located at Novinskiy Bulvar 21, Moscow. The nearest metro stations are Barrikadnaya and Krasnapresenskaya. You can reach the embassy's switchboard at (7) (495) 728-5000, and the American Citizen Services Unit at (7) (495) 728-5577. In the event of an after-hours emergency, please contact the main switchboard. You may also contact the American Citizens Services Unit by fax at (7) (495) 728-5084. The U.S. Embassy Moscow website is also available in Russian at www.usembassy.ru.

Family Urgently Needed for Azerbaijan Program

noreply@blogger.com (Adoption Ark) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:33:00 +0000

URGENT: A paper-ready family is needed for Adoption ARK's Azerbaijan Program. Interested families should contact their adoption consultant or, if you are not registered at Adoption ARK, follow the link below to request more information.

http://www.adoptionark.org/public/pag15.aspx