Celebrating Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year 2003

It is time to prepare for Chinese New Year, to say good bye to the year of the Rabbit and pray for luck in the new Year of the Dragon, 4710 which begins on January 23rd. Also known as Chinese Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, this important holiday is celebrated around the globe starting with Chinese New Year's Eve, a day when Chinese families gather from near and far for their annual reunion dinner.

As I pack up the Christmas decorations, I am already looking forward to decorating for Chinese New Year! Over the last fifteen years, we have collected many beautiful and memorable decorations from numerous trips to New York's Chinatown, souvenirs from our adoption trips and China Heritage Tour and gifts from family and friends. Cleaning the house, buying new clothes, getting haircuts and bringing signs of spring into our home are some of the pre-celebration traditions we share with our daughters to help them embrace this special holiday!

Our plans to celebrate this year already include attending the Gladney Family Association New Year party and a get together hosted by one of our travel group families. I am sure we will also see our local Gladney friends for a luncheon at one of our homes, complete with a red velvet cake, or for one of our adventurous treks into Chinatown for a walking tour, a visit to the flower markets or a program at the Museum of Chinese Americans (MOCA)!

When our daughters were in elementary school, they enjoyed telling their classmates how we celebrated the holiday. At first they were nervous, but as time went on, they became more confident and enthused to tell their stories, teach a craft and share fun holiday facts. Of course their friends looked forward to receiving the red envelopes with chocolate coins or other goodies. Now that they are older, they are eager teach younger children some of what they have learned and share their excitement.

There are always so many festivals and parties hosted by local cultural organizations, adoption agencies, libraries and museums to choose from! Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to participate in one or more and enjoy your own family traditions.

The resources to learn about Chinese New Year are extensive, including books about Chinese holidays and traditions, articles on the internet and programs at libraries and museums. For a list of books you may find helpful, as well as a fun word search and coloring pages click here.

-- By Gladney mom with two daughters from China

Reprinted from January Asia Program Newsletter

Special Waiting Child Webinar

Last night Gladney held a special Waiting Child Webinar that highlighted a recent trip to China and Taiwan by Pat Marcus, a pediatric physical therapist, who volunteers with Superkids charity. She visited with many of the waiting children who are designated to Gladney. During the webinar she spoke about her experience meeting the children and gave specific insight on each child.

You can view the webinar here. For more information about our Asia Waiting Child Program, please be in touch with Judy Hayes at judy.hayes@gladney.org.

Gladney Family Association's New Webite

Launched in December, this new, attractively designed website serves the GFA Community with up to date technology and the opportunity to go paperless where ever possible! Once members create a username and password, they have full access to the site. This includes the ability to browse and register for all the exciting GFA events, access to GFA newsletters and a members' only directory, which is updated daily rather than printed once a year! On-line registration and payment for events, as well as new memberships and renewals is simple, quick and secure.

The web address for this user friendly, standalone site is: www.gladneycommunity.com.
It is also accessible by choosing Family Association on the menu bar on Gladney's main website: www.adoptionsbygladney.com.

NOTE: There is still time to sign up for Gladney's Chinese New Year party in New York on January 22, 2012! To register, you can use the link to the Gladney Family Association's (GFA's) new website above.

Gladney’s New York Chinese New Year Celebration is Jan 22, please RSVP

Planning on attending Gladney’s New York Chinese New Year Celebration but have not yet RSVP’d? Please take a moment to do so now by clicking here. Come enjoy a dragon dance, a calligraphy demonstration, traditional Chinese dance and ballet and more! Final arrangements are being made with Jing Fong Restaurant (in Manhattan's Chinatown) and we want to include YOU!

Special Waiting Child Webinar

Please join us for a special presentation about Gladney's Guang Ming/China Waiting Child program! Special guest Pat Marcus, a pediatric physical therapist who volunteers with Gladney's Superkids charity will talk about her recent trip to Shanghai and the kids that she met during her trip that are available for adoption through Gladney.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 19th

Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

To register for the webinar, please click here. We hope you will be able to join us!

My Reflections

By April Uduhiri, Caseworker, Gladney Asia Program

As I reflect on the past year and ready myself for the hope and prospects of the year to come, I am reminded of how much I am blessed with.  I am lucky to share my life surrounded by special people; my husband, family and friends.   I am also fortunate that my work at Gladney Center is in line with my heartfelt passions.  I am grateful for being able to play a small role in helping to bring families into the lives of orphans who would otherwise face a bleak future.  Orphans with medical needs, especially visible issues, are considered outcasts in their own culture.  When they are adopted into a family, they experience acceptance and belonging that they would not have known otherwise.

My gratefulness extends far – from the officials in China whose motto is everything for children, to my co-workers and supervisors who make working for Gladney such a privilege.  And of course, to the ones doing the hard work, before and especially after the adoption – the adoptive parents!  Over and over again I am amazed at your hope, faith and strength of character as you place your family’s future in the hands of caregivers, social workers, immigration officers and foreign governments!  I am often encouraged through your emails and blog postings, and for this I am truly thankful.

I hope that when you gather with your family and friends over the holidays – either with your adopted little one(s) at your table for the first time, the 10th time, or simply in your hearts this year, that each and every one of you has a happy and blessed holiday season.

A wistful look from Jenna Lenig, as she enjoys her first wedding.

Jenna was adopted in November, 2010, from China.

Holiday Greetings

Home For the Holidays!

The Marran family joyously welcomed home their 2 year-old daughter, Maelin, from Taiwan with the completion of their adoption last week.

"We can show you the way!"

Charlotte Chieh Marran (age 7) and Noah Chen Marran (age 6) guide their sister Maelin Hsuan through Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

Best Wishes from the Gladney Asia Program Staff

for a hopeful, joyous, and peaceful holiday season

with your family.

Gongzhan Wu

Wendy Stanley

April Uduhiri

Lindsay Hatcher

Mary Chapman

Lydia Macci