"Peanut Butter" & "Jelly" - Adoption #2
Donation protected
Brian and Erin have been happily married since August of 2008. After a wonderful honeymoon cruise with family friends, they decided that they wanted to start trying for a family. However, God had other plans. After two years of battling infertility and a year of infertility treatments, the Hinzes gave up on having children naturally and began to research adoption.
After weeks of adoption research, Erin came upon the Reece's Rainbow website and immediately became sold on the idea of adopting a child with Down syndrome. However, she kept this a secret for several weeks while she figured out the best way to approach Brian with the idea. Then, one day, she found a picture of a little boy she knew was meant to be hers. She approached Brian and, after months of research and prayer, they committed to adopting Sterling.
Sterling has Down syndrome and was adopted from Eastern Europe in October 2011. At the time, Sterling was 5 years old and weighed in at just 26 pounds while standing only 35" tall. He was severely malnourished and lagging in development from lack of stimulation.
Now 7, Sterling has been home for over two years and is thriving in a loving home. The summer after his adoption, Sterling had a complete AV Canal repair for his congenital heart defect. While in the operating room, the surgeon discovered aneurysmal tissue in his heart and excised it. He had been a ticking time bomb without anyone ever knowing. Because his heart defect was considered non-life threatening, he had not received surgical correction - something done shortly after birth here in the United States.
Sterling currently attends a private school for kids with special needs on scholarship and has shown great improvement in all areas through many therapy resources such as ABA therapy and Special Olympics YAP. He uses ASL to communicate his needs and has adjusted amazingly well. Sterling has been the greatest blessing the Hinzes could ever imagine. He has helped them to become better people and has given them a love that they never knew existed. You can read all about Sterling's adoption here: http://bringingsterlinghome. blogspot.com/2011/05/may-16- 2011.html
Now, the Hinzes are pleased to announce that they are adding another little man to the family! "Jelly" is currently two years old and has Down syndrome and delayed motor development. He is rolling and sitting by himself, but is not pulling up, cruising, or walking yet. His caregivers report him as being calm, smiley, and good natured.
The Hinzes cannot wait to get him home and change his life forever. They hope you will join them on this mission to bring their newest little warrior home to the United States. You can follow their new blog here: http://twolittleketchupcrocodiles. blogspot.com/
**The current picture is of the Hinzes' son, Sterling. Once we have raised $1000, we will change the picture to a picture of his brother-to-be, "Jelly." Once we have raised $2,000 we will share his name with you.
****For those not familiar to our family, we call Sterling, "Peanut Butter," so it seems only fitting that we should refer to our new little man as "Jelly."
After weeks of adoption research, Erin came upon the Reece's Rainbow website and immediately became sold on the idea of adopting a child with Down syndrome. However, she kept this a secret for several weeks while she figured out the best way to approach Brian with the idea. Then, one day, she found a picture of a little boy she knew was meant to be hers. She approached Brian and, after months of research and prayer, they committed to adopting Sterling.
Sterling has Down syndrome and was adopted from Eastern Europe in October 2011. At the time, Sterling was 5 years old and weighed in at just 26 pounds while standing only 35" tall. He was severely malnourished and lagging in development from lack of stimulation.
Now 7, Sterling has been home for over two years and is thriving in a loving home. The summer after his adoption, Sterling had a complete AV Canal repair for his congenital heart defect. While in the operating room, the surgeon discovered aneurysmal tissue in his heart and excised it. He had been a ticking time bomb without anyone ever knowing. Because his heart defect was considered non-life threatening, he had not received surgical correction - something done shortly after birth here in the United States.
Sterling currently attends a private school for kids with special needs on scholarship and has shown great improvement in all areas through many therapy resources such as ABA therapy and Special Olympics YAP. He uses ASL to communicate his needs and has adjusted amazingly well. Sterling has been the greatest blessing the Hinzes could ever imagine. He has helped them to become better people and has given them a love that they never knew existed. You can read all about Sterling's adoption here: http://bringingsterlinghome. blogspot.com/2011/05/may-16- 2011.html
Now, the Hinzes are pleased to announce that they are adding another little man to the family! "Jelly" is currently two years old and has Down syndrome and delayed motor development. He is rolling and sitting by himself, but is not pulling up, cruising, or walking yet. His caregivers report him as being calm, smiley, and good natured.
The Hinzes cannot wait to get him home and change his life forever. They hope you will join them on this mission to bring their newest little warrior home to the United States. You can follow their new blog here: http://twolittleketchupcrocodiles. blogspot.com/
**The current picture is of the Hinzes' son, Sterling. Once we have raised $1000, we will change the picture to a picture of his brother-to-be, "Jelly." Once we have raised $2,000 we will share his name with you.
****For those not familiar to our family, we call Sterling, "Peanut Butter," so it seems only fitting that we should refer to our new little man as "Jelly."
Organizer
Erin Thompson Hinz
Organizer
Ocoee, FL
