FameCrawler : orphanage

How We're Dealing With Our Loss: Steven Curtis Chapman

trix — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:04:00 GMT

The Chapman family has, over the last couple of months, been dealing with a tragedy that no parent should ever have to deal with, the death of a child. I have two kids myself, and I can't even think about the possibility of something happening to them. I believe that all parents would agree that they feel the same way.

Steven Curtis Chapman visited "Good Morning America" and shared with us how his family is coping and the challenges they face on a day to day basis.

“My son said the other day, ‘We are a family … of great faith. But we’re a family with a lot of questions.’ But that’s what faith is. It’s living with the questions. It doesn’t mean you have the answers,” the Christian singer said on "Good Morning America."

Steve admitted one of his greatest challenges is mourning the loss of his daughter while consoling his remaining five children.

“While we are grieving … there is a hope that we’re anchored to, in the midst of just what sometimes seems unbearable.”

I can't imagine the pain they are going through and the sadness the are feeling. My heart goes out to the family.

Maria will never be forgotten.

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Video of Maria Sue Chapman Posted By Family

sweatpantsmom — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:40:00 GMT

A video of Christian star Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year old daughter Maria was posted by the family on Thursday. Maria Sue Chapman was killed in a tragic car accident on Wednesday after being accidentally hit by an SUV driven by her brother.

I have to admit I had never heard of Chapman before I read this tragic story yesterday. But I don't think anyone can watch this video of a vibrant Maria Sue and her obviously devoted father and not feel incredibly sad.

A blog for condolences for the Chapman family has been created here.

Source

Daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman Hit, Killed By Car

sweatpantsmom — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:43:00 GMT

The five-year-old daughter of gospel star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a car driven by her brother, MSNBC is reporting.

The girl, Maria, was struck in the driveway of the family's home Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother who apparently didn't see the girl. She later died from her injuries at a local hospital.

Several family members witnessed the accident, which occurred in Williamson County, just south of Nashville.

Grammy Award-winning Chapman and his wife were dedicated to promoting international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria. The couple also have three biological children.

Our thoughts go out to the Chapman family.

See a moving video of Chapman and his daughter Maria here.

Angelina and Brad's Double Date With Clint Eastwood and Wife

Karen — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:03:00 GMT

The power couple went out with Clint Eastwood and his wife Dina the other night, but ended up at the wrong restaurant. When they caught up with The Eastwoods across the street, the foursome were said to be taking over the world or something.

"They were all drinking the wine, but Angelina hardly took a sip. The whole group was extremely animated, clapping their hands and laughing out loud like they were old friends. Brad was overheard talking about throwing rotten eggs as a kid, and Dina was telling Brad and Angie that they should take their kids to the aquarium.

"At one point Angie got up to go to the bathroom, and you could see her pregnant stomach. She wore a loose black dress and had a scarf around her neck, but a bump was visible."

Brad took Angelina's hand to walk her to the door, then kissed her. Awwwww.

Brad and Angelina Save a Young Fan from Being Trampled

Karen — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:03:00 GMT

When Angelina Jolie was honored at the Santa Barbara Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre, she and Brad Pitt weren't expecting to be heroes too. A throng of fans got overzealous and 8 year old Seth Mascareno was squashed against a metal railing.

The boy's mother Adeline explains, "The crush of people was just overwhelming. Angelina and Brad rushed over and she helped pull Seth under the barricade while Brad yelled for the crowd to back up.

"Then Angelina took Seth aside to make sure he was unharmed. When she was sure he was all right, she signed a Tomb Raider photo he was carrying. She stroked Seth's hair and said: 'There, there sweetheart, you're OK now.'"

What a touching moment for the young fan!

Related Posts:

Jolie Shedding Light on Iraq's War Torn People: 58 Percent are CHILDREN

Shiloh Kidnap Scare

Angelina Jolie Has Left Brad Pitt!

Pregnant Angelina's Crazy Cravings

Karen — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:03:00 GMT

According to Stuff.co.nz, Angelina's got some kooky high-calorie cravings that should help her pack on the baby weight!

A source close to Jolie said, “Angelina’s been eating onion rings with mustard and a box of chocolates in the same sitting! She loves these bars that are dark chocolate and cinnamon mixed with Mexican chillies for an added kick.”

“Angelina’s been splurging on cupcakes that Maddox and Zahara have been making. Brad has also been going out of his way to make things easier for Angelina by playing ‘Mr Mum’.

"He’s been cooking, playing with the kids and being a great father.”

Shiloh Kidnap Scare

Jolie Shedding Light on Iraq's War Torn People: 58 Percent are CHILDREN

Brad Pitt: Angry About False Death Threats

Karen — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:02:00 GMT

Life & Style was blasted by Brad Pitt after they published a false story about death threats made against his and Angelina Jolie's biological daughter Shiloh.

"This is absolutely not true and reckless and dangerous to put these ideas out into the world."

I seem to recall Brad Pitt talking about trying to change laws to protect children from the paparazzi. I wonder if he is still going forward with that. I sure hope so.

Related Posts:

Jolie Shedding Light on Iraq's War Torn People: 58 Percent are CHILDREN

Shiloh Kidnap Scare

Angelina Jolie Has Left Brad Pitt!

Jolie Shedding Light on Iraq's War Torn People: 58 Percent are CHILDREN

Karen — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:33:00 GMT

A goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie is in Iraq trying to jumpstart rescue efforts for over 2 million people displaced in the wartorn country of Iraq. It seems there are not any definitive plans in place to assist people in this situaiton. 58 percent of this some 2 million people are UNDER 12 years of age.

"There doesn't seem to be a real coherent plan to help them," said Jolie, speaking in an exclusive interview with CNN's Arwa Damon Thursday.

"There's lots of goodwill. Lots of discussion, but there seems to be a lot of talk at the moment, and a lot of pieces that need to be put together. I'm trying to figure out what they are."

"How Iraq settles in the years to come is going to affect the entire Middle East," said Jolie. "It's in our best interest to address a humanitarian crisis on this scale because displacement can lead to a lot of instability and aggression."

The full transcript of CNN's exclusive interview with Jolie is here (video also).

Related Posts:

Shiloh Kidnap Scare

Angelina Jolie Has Left Brad Pitt!

Angelina Jolie Pregnant With...TRIPLETS?

Angelina Jolie Has Left Brad Pitt!

Sassy Smith — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:02:00 GMT

Angelina Jolie has left Brad Pitt... not for good though. Did I scare you? Aww, I'm naughty aren't I? Jolie has left though - she flew solo to Amman. Ange boarded a British Airways flight to the middle eastern city, however we're not sure why.

She could be headed to Jordan for her United Nations work or maybe it has something to do with her being pregnant with twins or triplets? Although the pregnancy theory really doesn't "fly" does it? It does make one wonder though, considering reports are claiming that Angelina is in a high risk pregnancy and you would think she wouldn't go far, especially leave the country.

I suppose we will find out at some point what the real reason for her long distance flight is. Perhaps she just needed to get away - usually Jolie and Pitt and their big crew of kids are jet setting around and dividing their time between all of their homes in the States, so maybe she was itching to take a flight?

Photo source

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt - SEVEN Kids?

Angelina Jolie's Baby Bump!

Angelina Jolie's Baby Bump!

Sassy Smith — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:01:00 GMT

See that dress? Flowy right? And flowy means - pregnant and hiding a baby bump right? Angelina Jolie was being honored at the Santa Barbara Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre. She received the Outstanding Performance of the Year award for her work in the film A Mighty Heart.

That's awesome for her, but back to that dress - it's black on top (sliming) and patterned on the bottom (to HIDE things you want hidden, as in preggo belly) and the overall appearance, is flowy. My detective work is outstanding. I should get an Outstanding Performance of the Year award for, um, something.

Congrats Angelina Jolie on your ~~pregnancy~~ award!

Photo source

Angelina's Dad On Angelina's Pregnancy: "It's Wonderful News"

HerBadMother — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:02:00 GMT

This is probably going to piss Angie off to no end, but her estranged father, Jon Voight, has been speaking to the press about her again, this time about her rumored pregnancy.

He told the New York Observer that he's excited by the prospects she might be pregnant. Rumors of Angelina's pregnancy - and that it might be twins - were stoked on Sunday when she turned up at the SAG Awards dressed in a very loose and flowy and bump-concealing vintage Hermes gown.

“It’s wonderful news that she’s having another child, if that’s true,” he told the Observer on Monday. Too bad that she won't let him see the grandchildren that she already has. He'll only get to enjoy this next one - if there is a next, or next ones, plural - through the tabloids.

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Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt - SEVEN Kids?

Sassy Smith — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:06:00 GMT

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are going to be parents of SEVEN kids? Well if reports are true about Angelina being pregnant with twins - the couple already have four kids - Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh, and now it's rumored that they are adopting again!

Star magazine is claiming that the power couple have fallen in love with a girl whose parents were killed in the Katrina tragedy and want to adopt her.

An insider said, "Brad met a little girl and fell completely in love. He and Angie had already decide that their next child would be a daughter. They were originally going to adopt a girl from Africa, but now Brad is sure this child is the one."

They're looking to create their very own baseball team! Or basketball team. Or hockey team. I, um, don't know much about sports. Let's put it this way - they'll have some kind of team!

Photo source

Angelina Jolie Pregnant With Twins?

Karen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:04:00 GMT

X17online is reporting (with 100% certainty) that Angelina Jolie is pregnant with twins. If that's true, they'll have 6 kids! Plus whoever ELSE they apparently plan on adopting. All those kids are all so young, too. I'd say "How does she do it?" but you and I both know she has tons of money, and tons of money = nannies and housekeepers.

Still. She makes me tired just thinking about the diapers!

Brad And Angie: MORE KIDS!

HerBadMother — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:23:00 GMT

God, these two just don't stop, do they? It's like they think that they're the only two people on earth who should have babies or something.

According to Angie's brother James - yeah, the one that she frenched at the Oscars way back when she was a bad-ass who cut herself and played at incest - Angie and Brad are preparing to bring more children into their expansive brood. He says that the couple are planning a trip to Africa over Easter to visit orphanages with the hope of finding a new little sister for sons Maddox & Pax and daughters Zahara and Shiloh.

According to James, “they are creating one big family and will keep adopting as long as they are able to.”

“Angie and Brad talk about how much they have been taught by their kids. In many respects, Angie saved Zahara’s life and there are so many more children whose lives she could save and she talks about that constantly.”

Look, I don't want to sound like a picky hater, but there are BILLIONS of children whose lives could use saving. If this is really about saving lives, she and Brad could probably make a bigger dent in those numbers if they gave up a good chunk of their wealth and donated it to orphanges and child-care centres and hospitals and families who need it, rather than just scooping out one kid at a time and enrolling them in private Manhattan French schools.

Just a thought.

Source

Zahara's Birth Mother Raped

HerBadMother — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:32:00 GMT

The good news coming out of the Angelina's-Adoption-Gone-Bad story this week: Zahara's birth mother does not want to remove Zahara from her adoptive family. Also good: Zahara's birth mother does not have AIDS. The not-so-good? Zahara was, apparently, conceived in rape.

Mentwabe Dawit, Zahara's birth mother, told Reuters that she was attacked one evening in 2004 after a day's work at a construction site in the southern Ethiopian town of Awasa.

As she walked home in the darkness, a man approached. "He pulled a dagger, put one hand on my mouth, so that I could not scream. He then raped me and disappeared." The 24-year-old decided to keep the assault a secret. "I feared the consequences of being raped in a community where rape is considered a taboo, even if what happened happened forcibly," she said.

Now, the fact that Zahara was conceived in rape does not in way bear upon her lovability and adorability and the extent to which she will be cherished throughout her life. Not one little bit. It's just a really, really sad detail, is all - one that underscores just how tremendously wonderful it is that such a child was given a chance at a happy life in a happy family, loved by happy parents. (If, that is, we believe that Angie and Brad are happy. Whatever the case, I think that they're both beyond happy to be Zahara's parents, and that's what matters.)

(Could the week in gossip get more depressing? Between rumored deaths and stories about suicide and depression, it's hardly shaping up to be a cheery Thanksgiving. Could someone maybe show their boobs or something? You know, make everyone feel better?)

Source: Perez; The Age

Will Angie And Brad Lose Zahara? Birth Family Wants Her Back

HerBadMother — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:49:00 GMT

Uh-oh. This could be seriously bad news for the Jolie-Pitt family: InTouch Weekly is set to report that Zahara Jolie-Pitt's birth family wants her back.

According to the InTouch story, first reported by Perez Hilton, little Zahara is not the AIDS orphan that she was reported to be. Apparently, her birth mother is alive and well and AIDS-free, and she has an extended family who desperately wants to see her. The family says that they were promised regular visits and contact with Zahara, but that they haven't seen her since her adoption and now want to fight for what's right - a relationship with their little girl.

A source close to Angelina says that she's heard about the family's concerns, but that she 'feels on a deeper level that Zahara is part of her family. “She believes that Zahara is an orphan and the woman who claims to be her mom is mistaken,” says a friend. Government papers said Zahara was an AIDS orphan, says the pal, and “Angie had no reason to believe otherwise. Zahara was days away from death and Angelina saved that child. As far as she is concerned, that bonded her to that little girl forever."'

Experts say that, regarding the issue of the birth family's right to visits with Zahara, 'Angelina has no obligation to keep in touch with Zahara’s blood family. “It’s up to the adoptive parents,” he says. “We cannot force them.”'

But could Zahara's birth mother sue for custody? Theoretically, yes.

According to the InTouch story, Zahara's birth mother 'never signed the papers giving up her daughter, which could give her a case for getting Zahara back — if she had the money to pursue it. “If some family member comes in and leaves the child at an orphanage and signs her over, and then the mother wants her back, you can make the argument that the person didn’t truly understand that their child is gone forever,” says adoption specialist Jerri Jenista.'

Obviously, Zahara's family doesn't have the money to pursue it, but even just speaking out yields some potentially bad press for Angelina and Brad. Not to mention, I imagine, a great deal of fear and anxiety.

Fingers crossed that this gets sorted out. For Zahara's sake.

(Source: PerezHilton, InTouch; Photo: PerezHilton)

Jo Dee Messina Too Busy To Birth, Expects to Have Plenty of Time to Hire Nanny

BadKitty — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:12:00 GMT

Take it for what it's worth, coming from our "So Factual" friends at the National Enquirer, but they're telling us that the freshly engaged Jo Dee Messina (caution, link opens with a big ole song about guys on bikes) is too busy building her career to take time to have a baby...so she's planning to adopt.

Huh. Power to the people who decide that adoption is the right route to parenthood for them - for some it's the only way to make that dream come true, including in my family. Yay adoption. Buuuuuuut...if you're too busy working to have a baby, how on earth are you going to find time to raise the child? Wouldn't it just be better to donate the money to an orphanage in Darfur or Estonia or something?

Although, given that picture, perhaps we should be applauding her (unintentionally) salutary stewardship of the gene-pool.

Photo Credit: Laura Farr/AdMedia

The Adoption Papers: Mariah Carey is Hoping Orphanages Haven't Seen 'Glitter'

sweatpantsmom — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 13:05:00 GMT

Rumors have swirled recently that the high-octave pop tart has been thinking about adopting a baby. Carey recently visited the Frank Gonzalez orphanage in Mexico with her lawyer and sources say that an adoption could soon be in the works. Oh no.

I think part of her baby fever may be because she's feeling a little bummed now that her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola has knocked up Latin hoochie-mama Thalia. Or maybe she's thinking a picture of her on FameCrawler, pushing a little bundle in a Bugaboo might bring her some much-needed publicity. But honestly, if anyone allows this woman to adopt a baby they may as well start handing out newborns at Hooters as a bonus prize with every order of chicken wings.