4 year old Aaron still waits for a family.,  There is $8,500 in grant money available to be put towards his adoption expenses (a $5,000 grant with Love Without Boundaries and up to $3,500 in agency fee reductions with Madison Adoption Associates).,  Additional grants may be available based on income and he has a small account started on Reece’s Rainbow here: http://reecesrainbow.org/86993/aren

So why does Aaron still wait?,  I have two guesses.,  The first might be because his needs sound scary., ,  Medical diagnoses often look scary at first glance or if you just type them into an internet search engine.,  But anyone who has birthed or adopted a child with a special need will tell you that they don’t see the special need.,  They see their child.,  They see a son or a daughter.,  A diagnosis or a label does not define a child.,  But in some cases, these scary sounding diagnoses can make it very hard for a child waiting to be adopted to be seen and,  to be chosen.,  People read the need and they scroll past.

The second reason I believe a child like Aaron waits is because he is a BOY.,  There are approximately 2,121 children waiting on the shared list.,  These are kids whose files are made ready for adoption and who are not listed with an adoption agency.,  1,576 of these 2,121 are BOYS.,  There are countless more waiting for a family on agency lists. Last year, just 2,040 adoptions to the US from China were completed.,  That doesn’t make the odds very good for a boy, let alone for a boy who has scary sounding needs!

Please take some time to see who Aaron really is!,  Aaron has been a part of all five programs with Love Without Boundaries(LWB).,  In 2011, Aaron had surgery to remove a spinal tumor (a meningocele) and he received a shunt for hydrocephalus.,  His special needs have technically been repaired, but there is a chance he may be incontinent.,  That doesn’t mean Aaron can’t achieve social continence though.,  Aaron recovered from his surgery and grew stronger and more confident in one of LWB’s healing homes.,  Aaron has been in LWB foster care for a number of years now and the staff there have watched him grow from a happy baby into a handsome little boy.,  One of his foster families said:,  “He is amazing! We called him Sean and he was very verbal in my home!,  He was speaking some English and was very smart!,  I loved him!”

In fall of 2014, Aaron begin attending a LWB Believe in Me school. Teachers describe him as very determined and independent. He attends school during the day where he is working on using scissors, drawing shapes and copying characters. When he is not in school, Aaron can be found playing outside with the neighborhood children or riding around in his play car.

As you can see, Aaron is handsome, smart, and has received excellent care since he was a baby.,  What Aaron needs most though is for a family to open their heart to adopting a boy and a family willing to see past the scary sounding diagnoses and see him simply as Aaron: a beautiful, smart, and fun-loving little boy. Who will cry for Aaron?,  Who will step up for Aaron?

In just six days, if a family has not moved forward for him, he will be going back to the shared list and could end up lost in the mix with the other 2,120 kids, 1,575 of which are boys. Please join me in this push for Aaron.

Some excellent resources for Aaron’s needs can be found here: http://www.nohandsbutours.com/,,š¦/taking-care-of-personal-bu,,š¦/ http://www.nohandsbutours.com/,,š¦/taking-care-business-part-2/ http://www.nohandsbutours.com/,,š¦/adopting-a-child-with-hydr,,š¦/ http://www.nohandsbutours.com/,,š¦/09/29/hydrocephalus-baby-h,,š¦/ http://www.nohandsbutours.com/,,š¦/special-need-highlight-spi,,š¦/ http://www.nohandsbutours.com/2008/11/24/katelyn/

Aaron’s file may be reviewed here: http://madisonadoption.com/WaitingList.aspx

If you are interested in adopting Aaron, please fill out a free PAP Waiting Child Review form, which can be found here: http://www.miraclesandmudpies.blogspot.com/,,š¦/let-chat-about,,š¦

Madison Adoption Associates's photo.