matching mondays.

As a grateful adoptee and advocate for adoption, I have been inspired by a fellow blogger, mrs. r from the r house to start a new weekly feature on my blog, called Matching Mondays. Matching Mondays is a segment that I will post every Monday, featuring waiting children in the states of Oregon and Washington. This is just one more effort that I can provide in adoption awareness and helping waiting children get more positive exposure to find their match. As an adoptee, I was once a waiting child and was fortunate to have been matched with my adoptive parents, whom I have been blessed with eternally. So many couples and children are out there, looking to complete their families with each other. I hope and pray that my small effort can reach and inspire others in the efforts for adoption.

*****

Oregon
Cierra & Asia ... ages 8 & 4.

Almost eight-years old, Cierra is a very bright, high energy girl with a great sense of humor. She likes being busy and enjoys gardening, art, dancing, going to her Tae Kwan Do class, and taking care of her chickens. In school, Cierra is academically on target.

Asia has energy to burn. She likes to take long bike rides, help with cooking and playing outside. Asia also has lots of fun doing creative art projects such as painting and drawing and building things with her Legos. With a mind of her own, Asia is not afraid to stand up for herself or for her sister. Asia will continue in preschool for the 2009-2010 school year, where she is expected to do well.

Asia and Cierra are two great little girls. Making sure that they have the stability, safety, love, and guidance that help them feel secure will be keys to helping each child realize her full potential.

Washington
Brandon ... almost 2.

While Brandon is able to sit, stand, crawl, walk, play with toys, and feed himself using his hands, he has significant development difficulties, some of which will be life-long.

When Brandon was born 10-weeks prematurely, he was not breathing and had to be resuscitated; at the same time, he suffered a severe brain bleed. All of these circumstances have left him with significant developmental challenges, including vision impairment. His vision impairment has to do with the visual systems of the brain not consistently understanding or interpreting what the eyes see. He is only able to see peripherally from the lower and outer corners of his eyes, which affect his abilities in many areas, e.g., he cannot yet use utensils to feed himself and he has to feel around with his hands to find the toys he wants.

Oregon
Cole & Brendon ... ages 7 & 2

COLE (7/04) and BRENDON (3/07) are carbon copies of each other with their short blond hair, bright blue eyes, and mischievous smiles. They are both active little boys who, seemingly, have limitless curiosity. Cheerful and charming, these boys are quite adept at engaging socially with adults and other children. Cole tends to shine when he is one and one. While he enjoys playing with blocks and trucks, and looking through picture books, he especially loves being outside getting dirty. He is very gentle with the two cats in his foster home and loves animals. Brendon is bold and confident, even at his young age, and has already demonstrated that he has a love for risk and adventure. He’ll test limits and boundaries and has very clear opinions about what he wants. Both boys love attention and flourish with one-on-one activities and quiet cuddling with their caregivers.

*** For more information on these children, click on their names in bold. Feel free to visit and view more waiting children at the Northwest Adoption Exchange.