I just ordered this bracelet for myself!!! I've been wanting one for a while now, and I was in the mood to do something adoption related for myself today...so there you have it!!
What is extra special about this bracelet, is that all the proceeds for purchasing it go to Harmony Outreach, a non-profit organization in China that helps to save abandoned babies by ensuring they receive the medical treatment, therapy or schooling they need...then, hopefully a family.
They have what they call "Three Steps to Hope":
Step 1: foster care-the child is cared for in a loving home setting at Harmony Family House.
Step 2: surgery-the child's special need or condition is corrected.
Step 3-adoption-the child graduates from the program and is adopted into a loving family.
Over the holiday season, the woman who makes and sells the bracelet raised enough money to sponsor heart surgery for a baby named Baby Hope. Her surgery is now complete. She is currently looking into sponsoring Helen-Wang Xinrui, an orphan at Harmony Outreach. She is described as "having a sweet smile and loves to do performances. She does not like sitting in a chair for long unless she is drawing or reading a cartoon book." Too sweet!!
According to the designer, there is significance to each aspect of the bracelet.
Genuine Garnet Beads- The Chinese believe that an invisible red thread connects a child to loved ones throughout their life. The color red has become a symbol of Chinese adoption and safe travel.
Sterling Silver Chinese Family Symbol Bead- The Chinese symbol for Family is the focal bead.
Sterling Silver Ladybug-The ladybug has become a Chinese symbol for adoption for the past several years.
Sterling Silver Heart Clasp-The heart represents the love you will or currently do share with your special adopted child and your family.
Sterling Silver Hope Charm-This charm symbolizes the hope you have in your heart that you will find your child and your child will find you.
Can you see why I'm so excited about the bracelet?! It's being shipped today!!!!
The kids have been on their two week winter break, so I've been busy...well, distracted is a better word. We took them up to the snow for four days to start break off right. It was such a fun trip. We went with our very good friends, Mike and Lezlie Pachesky and their two children, Mason and Emma. 
I skied for the first time in years. Jacob snowboarded for the first time ever and did amazing. Benjamin snowboarded the first day, sledded the second and skied the third. He did great as well. Doug skied..he's a great skier..always has been. We are really hoping to get the kids on the slopes again before all the snow melts away...since we live in Arizona, that could happen rather quickly. Throughout the whole trip we kept talking about how "next year things will be a lot different". "We will have our little sugar plum and someone is going to have to hang out in the lodge at all times." "We won't all be able to squeeze into one car to go out to eat because the little princess's car seat will be taking up too much room." Stuff like that. It's fun to imagine her with us when we do fun things like this. It's amazing to me how, even our friends, think about her during this wait. She is so loved already!
ey had requested. In fact, one family who is from Arizona, received a referral for a 4 year old little girl. They had requested a child 0-12 months old. It was interesting to see...we will have to WAIT to see if this going to become a new trend. I kind of doubt it, but you never know. We probably won't see another batch of referrals until the first week of February. After that the CCAA will break for the Chinese New Year (Feb 7th).
