When you are 57 years old, you can't imagine that you will begin a second family and, especially, the adoption of two children with special needs from China. That is exactly where my husband and I discovered our lives taking us in 2007.

On a very cold and sleety January 4th, we found ourselves in Southwest China adopting our daughter, Hope Le Chen, 4 years old. Hope is profoundly deaf and was abandoned by her birth parents at the age of 2 1/2. Hope continued to live another two years in the orphanage in Guizhou until her adoption into our family. Whatever you do, please don't ever feel sorry for this child. She is pure JOY! She laughs constantly, and she brings sunshine with her. Her name actually means "expect joy in the early morning." After arriving back in Florida, we set out to find what we could do for Hope and exactly how much hearing loss she really had. That's when we discovered the support, the love, the friendship and, truthfully, the radiance at the Jacksonville Ronald McDonald House.

My sister, Nancy, traveled with me many times so that I did not have to make the 3 1/2 hour one-way trip alone with Hope. Oh, how Hope looked forward to Dale's singing on the guitar after the evening meal! Even though she couldn't hear him, she loved to watch his face when he would sing and play. She loves BINGO and, again, couldn't hear the numbers being called out. But she could feel and see everyone else's excitement, so she excitedly cries out in her Hopeez (as we call it)! To Hope, telling her we are going to the Ronald McDonald House this week is like telling her we are going to Disney - she couldn't be any happier.

Hope is now hearing. She received her first cochlear implant on her right side on November 13, 2007 and was activated on November 28. To a Mom, to have her child put her hand up to her ear - that ear that has never heard a sound - and give you the ASL sign "LISTEN" as she hears the phone ring, the doorbell, or even the toilet flush is truly a happy moment. Hope is beginning to speak words, and even though they are small, they are giants to this Mom. She is speaking words such as "Mom," "dog," "go," "stop," "sure," and "out." Yes, some are rough sounding, but her courage is beyond me. A child that came so far around the world, that trusted us and that couldn't hear - that she can now hear and speak brings such joy not only to us but to others that meet her. She is truly a blessing and an inspiration.

I need to explain a little about cochlear implant for you to understand about her hearing progression. With the activation of a cochlear implant, it would be equal to the same as a newborn baby's hearing of sound at one month of age. As of this writing, Hope should be hearing in her right ear at about a seven-month-old infant's hearing level. She was recently tested, and she is hearing at a 16-month hearing level. One May 27, 2008, Hope received her second cochlear implant on her left side, and she will be activated on June 17. 

On July 12, 2007, Pat found herself halfway around the world again - this time alone - in Northeast China adopting Joel Fu Yang. John needed to stay home. Since we had just traveled six months earlier, he could not take time off work, and someone needed to stay with Hope. The rush in Joel's adoption was because, according to China, Joel was turning 14 years old and was going to be released from the orphanage, meaning he would be living on the streets. Joel was born with right club foot, congenital hip dislocation and limb differential. Joel was abandoned by his birth parents at an undisclosed age of between three and five years old. He lived in the orphanage until approximately three years ago when he was sent for surgery and then to a rehab home in a large metropolis city in Northern China. Again, after arriving back into Florida, we found ourselves at Nemours Children's Clinic in Jacksonville and needing the comfort and care of Ronald McDonald House not only for Hope, but now for Joel as well.

Joel has received multiple MRIs, x-rays and CT scans and has received surgery to remove hardware from his knee in October 2007. He underwent 12 weeks of intense physical therapy and will undergo more surgeries in the upcoming months. Again, we will turn to the Jacksonville Ronald McDonald House. For my children, it will provide a place to play, friends, snacks, games and Anita. For me, I will rest knowing it will provide a safe place, shelter, food and that I will not have to worry about how was are going to find the extra money in our budget. I will find the staff and volunteers greeting me with kindness and warmth. I will receive encouragement from other parents as we talk about our children, and as I hear their stories and know that my children are going to get better one day. I know that the load I am carrying is lighter, and perhaps I can help carry their load for a little while. Perhaps I am at Ronald McDonald House to encourage another parent.

Joel is an artist, and before we leave home he feels he must draw all the staff and volunteers a picture. This is his gift to them for what he feels they have given to him. Even the volunteer that works in the kitchen during the morning - he feels she has done so much by wiping down the cabinets and she is so willing to get him a glass of milk. One time, she went and found him a little book, and the next time we came he had to bring her a picture he drew. These are the people of Ronald McDonald House - it is not brick, it is PEOPLE.

With the adopting of two children with special needs, my husband and I both agreed I would need to be a stay-at-home Mom and spend my time with their medical needs and home schooling both children. We spend 2 to 3 days a week at doctors, clinics, auditory verbal speech therapy or at physical therapy. We would not financially be able to afford to eat our meals out, stay at a hotel while traveling from our home in Central Florida to Jacksonville...Truly, Ronald McDonald House has helped our family in so many ways and will continue to in the future months and years to come. They are beyond doubt a blessing to us.

John, Pat, Joel & Hope