Karen,
Thank you so much for replying to my message.
Natasha is 5 and she knows about 220 signs already.
She loves teaching my husband and I and her little sister Joyce who is 2. They never knew each other until now. I am also
learning sign on my own every chance I get. I find it exciting and
Joyce who is not hearing imparied responds to it very well.
We can adopt in March 2003. The girsl are legaly free
and came to us at different times so we are putting off the
adoption until we can adopt them at the same time.
We have no contact with thier Biological family. Unforunitly,
the Foster Mom has completly walked away as well. She was
not the kind of Foster Mom that provided Natasha with the
things she needed and never bothered to learn sign even though
she knew she was profoundly death at 7 months of age. She has lived with the foster mom and her foster brothers sense 4 months.
Joyce's greiving has gone for know and her Foster mom and dad have become there third set of grandparents.
They are really nice people and were happy to have an ongiong relationship with them.
Natasha is having a hard time for many reasons, One she is still attending school with her foster brother. Two she passes her foster mom's house on the bus twice a day. Three she is older. Four she is hearing imparied and she gets aggrivated sometimes because she does not always know the sign for what she is feeling.
So the things we are doing to help, we have her draw pictures when she is having trouble telling us how she feels. We are learning the signs for feelings first. We give constant reassurance and always tell her that it is o.k. to feel they way she does and that her foster mom loves her a ton. We have been able to open the communication this way.
I hope all goes well for you and your family. My parents live in Ohio and say that many people have told them how hard the system is there. Did you know that you can adopt from anywhere in the United states if you have been through the adoption licensing. You may be able to adopt a child from another state.
In case you were not aware I thought I would let you know.
Thanks again for your reply.
Your welcome to email me at
country-charms@cox.net at any time.