Getting a Leg (or Two) Above

September 10, 2019 Michelle Cuthrell

When Super-Spouse took him to the ortho specialist in August and he heard that he would be having surgery for the very first time in his life, Superhero 4 looked up at his daddy and asked, "Daddy, what's surgery?"

"Well, the doctor is first going to put you to sleep."

"Sleep?!" he cried. "I LOVE sleep!"

"And then," he proceeded, "the doctor is going to do some things to your legs while you are sleeping that will help you learn to walk."

"Walk?! Superhero 4 LOVE to walk!" he exclaimed.

"Then, when you wake up, the nurses will give you popsicles."

His eyes about bugged out of his head.

"Popsicles?! SUPERHERO 4 LOVE POPSICLES! When I get surgery?!"

Today was the sleep-enjoying, walk-anticipating, popsicle-devouring, not-quite-as-awesome-as-Christmas-morning-although-he-woke-us-up-at-5-with-his-surgery-day-announcement-like-it-was day. 🏥😴🍦

The Introvert Who Wasn't: Celebrating Two Years Home

August 15, 2019 Michelle Cuthrell

I remember being concerned.

We had already received pre-approval to make the 3-year-old boy with the 5 million dollar smile and the monogrammed “C” on his shirt our son, and we had submitted an update request to learn more about this child who would soon share our last name.

At the time, we knew three things:

1. He had cerebral palsy.

2. He supposedly had cognitive delays.

3. He was our son.

So when we received the Bridge of Love update on this little guy a month after receiving our pre-approval, I could hardly click through the email fast enough.

His hobbies and interests and personality and passions were this beautiful and mysterious gift I couldn’t even wait to unwrap, and as I read each sentence over and over again, I felt God just intertwining my heart with his. I felt so hopeful and at peace about the way I imagined this little personality integrating into our home.

Until I saw them — the words that terrified me and made me wonder if we really had heard God correctly in the first place.

“Quiet.”

“Very shy”.

“Extremely timid.”

“Will not initiate contact with other kids.”

And I knew it.

He was going to die.

Orphanage life was not going to kill this beautiful, bashful soul.

Our loud, rambunctious, Nerf-playing, floor-wrestling, family of anything-but-respect-your-own-space-and-quiet brood of boys was.

Be Their Voice, Tell Their Story

April 3, 2019 Michelle Cuthrell

Orphan Warriors, international adoption is in crisis here in this country. (Read all about the crisis HERE.) And that means special needs orphans around the world are in danger of losing their opportunity to grow up not in an institution, but in a HOME.

For many of these superheroes whose special needs are superpowers in disguise, a family literally means the difference between surviving and thriving, between life and death. (Read about why this matters HERE.)

And we in this Orphan Warrior community refuse to sit idly by while an entire nation of people slowly grows deaf and indifferent to their plight.

The International Adoption Crisis: Why It Matters

April 2, 2019 Michelle Cuthrell

International adoption is in crisis here in the United States.

Intercountry adoptions have decreased more than 80 percent since 2004, and many adoption advocates estimate that, at this rate, and without a change in what appears to be the anti-international-adoption bias and policies inside the leadership of the Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues, they may completely end by 2022.

Here on this blog, we stand 200 percent behind the rights of children to grow up not as orphans but in families; not in institutions, but in homes.

Research shows the long-term scars that institutional care and lack of early attachment leave on a child for the rest of his life.

And although we believe that a loving family in a child’s birth country is the most beneficial, so a child can easily maintain his culture and heritage, we know that it is not always POSSIBLE. And when an adoptive family is not viable or available in his or her home country, his human right to grow up in a family where he can enjoy attachment, protection and provision should not be relinquished.

Because in many cases, and for many sick, needy and special needs superheroes, it could literally mean death.

Calling All Orphan Warriors to Battle: International Adoption is in Crisis

April 1, 2019 Michelle Cuthrell

For the last few months, I’ve kind of fallen off the grid.

I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of being more present with the amazing people God has placed in my life — in my home, in my family, in my children’s school, in our little community. But in the name of investing in and pouring into the superheroes under my own roof, advocating for those still waiting for their forever families in China has taken a backseat to loving on the ones God has already placed inside our home.

But Orphan Warriors, advocating for forever homes for superheroes whose special needs are just superpowers in disguise can’t possibly sit on the back burner anymore.

BECAUSE INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION INSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS IN CRISIS.

And if nothing changes, the most generous, well-resourced, well-educated country in the world could grow deaf to the voiceless, the vulnerable, the most medically fragile and the most emotionally needy, all who deserve the privilege of FAMILY.

And the children hurt the most by a nation of people who stop running to them?

The ones languishing in orphanages with special needs — because THOSE are the children Americans more so than people of any other nation are equipped and willing to adopt.

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