Helping Hudson, Part 2

FUNDRAISER UPDATES HERE:

$7,805

-as of Dec, 2022-

Latest Update: As the weeks go by, we are getting closer to narrowing down his potential return date! Possibly April or May. His funds are currently pledged and covered through Feb and part of March, so we’re in good shape! 

 

We were blown away by the generosity of family & friends as we raised support for Hudson's first year at the Ranch.❤️ We were able to cover 11 months of his boarding/tuition/fees (Dec through Oct)! We are beyond thankful for everyone who has come alongside this journey!!  If you haven't been following along, you can read a recap of his time at the ranch so far here, or, if you're brand new to Hudson's journey, you can check out our original post here.

There are 3 ways to give:

1- Send a check to:

Master's Ranch Christian Academy

PO Box 709
Myrtle, MO 65778

Important: Designate the note line for “Hudson Schuler"

(This is tax deductible and does not incur a credit card processing fee!)

2- Click to donate online through Master's Ranch via PayPal
Be sure to tap the line that says “Add special instructions here” and put “Hudson Schuler” in that space. If you are setting up a recurring monthly donation, there's no space for his name; just let me know and we'll email the ranch so you're donations will be linked to his account.
(This is tax deductible, but will incur a 3.5% processing fee if a credit card is used.) 

3- If you’d prefer to send a donation through us personally or by another method please reach out! 

PayPal:  cnschuler@gmail.com

Venmo: @curtis-schuler-4

(This is NOT tax deductible, but does not incur a credit card processing fee.) 

 

We will keep this page updated! Thank you SO MUCH for coming alongside our family during this season!

Update: 10 months in!

A Month-by-Month Recap

Time seems to be flying by, especially during the past several months with our move to KY and start of the homeschooling season. We've posted regularly of Hudson's journey in our private Facebook group, which you can request to join here. For those of you who haven't followed the journey so far, here's a recap. We've also included some info at the end about the next steps and one more fundraising effort.

(If you’d like to start at the beginning of this adventure, here’s our original post with more details about Hudson enrolling in the program at Master’s Ranch.)

 

December:

Hudson was both excited and nervous as we packed his bags and headed to Missouri. He smiled as he met the staff and toured the grounds. He was still smiling when we said our goodbyes. We were SO thankful that he was onboard; it definitely made the transition easier for all of us!

 

Hudson started out in the "Orange" level, which is (relatively) similar to being a new recruit at bootcamp. They have several hours of Physical Training each day, and must be accompanied by their higher-rank "buddy" at all times. Hudson definitely didn't enjoy those weeks, but he persevered and cooperated! 

Christmas was a happy time at the Ranch. We had left a stocking and box of small gifts for Hudson to open. They had a Surf 'n Turf feast outside in the sunny, 70-degree weather!

 

 

 

January:

Hudson was SO excited to rank up to "Yellow" this month! He started settling into the daily routine at the Ranch. His biggest struggle during this time was learning how to get along with 40 other boys, some of whom were not very friendly. He learned he needs to find better ways to control his anger when someone does or says something that he doesn't like. 

February:

This month Hudson ranked up to "Green" and was able to try various jobs on his "work crew" days. He thought he would enjoy working on vehicles, but decided it's not for him. He earned perks like movie nights and dessert, which made his Ranch experience more enjoyable. He also started testing boundaries, and found himself getting into some trouble. He ranked down to "Brown" for a few days and decided it's worse than the original Orange level. 

March:

I had a phone conversation with Hudson's teacher this month and was happy to hear that he was quite dedicated to getting his schoolwork done. They use an accredited program that is online, and he's able to work through the classes at his own pace. While I don't think computer-based learning is the most effective for him, I'm glad he's putting effort into passing each of the classes. 

Hudson also got into some more trouble this month, and began picking up some bad habits from the other boys. We prayed a lot. 

April:

We were able to visit Hudson over Spring Break! We spent a weekend together exploring southern Missouri. We visited a zoo, saw one of the largest natural springs in the U.S., walked around some parks, and took Hudson to buy some new clothes because he had already grown SO much. (A little TOO much! LOL). We had some great conversations and some difficult ones. He is making progress but still has so much to learn. 

 

 

The Ranch also had a "Challenge Week" this spring, where the boys help build obstacle courses and participate in physical activities as well as church meetings. Hudson said it was quite challenging, so I guess it lived up to it's name!

May:

This was a quieter month with fewer reports of trouble, so we were thankful for that. Hudson's weekly phone calls mostly consisted of hearing about his schooling and work crews. He fed cows, watched the guys pour cement, and began helping to turn an old outbuilding into a rec room. The boys enjoyed a Memorial Day feast of crawfish!

 

 

 

June:

We received some phone calls in June that were really painful to hear. Hudson had gotten into some serious trouble, instigated by another kid (who ended up getting sent home). We were very discouraged, and it was a heavy few weeks as we tried to walk through this with Hudson despite the distance. He had clearly hit rock bottom and wanted to give up. He was mad at himself, and tired of the whole program. Fortunately, we understood that this followed the normal timeline for the kids at the Ranch. They tend to put a lot of effort into being really good (or really bad) in the beginning, and then they reach a breaking point. Usually it's after this point that the real growth and change can begin to take place. 

July:

Thank the Lord, Hudson made it through the valley and decided to jump back in and continue to work on reaching the next level at the Ranch! Our phone calls became much more positive, and he was keeping out of trouble. Huge relief!! He has been enjoying some of the summer activities at the Ranch.

August:

Hudson finished his first year of schoolwork this month, and immediately asked to begin the next round of classes. He is determined to graduate "on time" (around age 18) and knows that he has some catching up to do. But we're confident that we can help him accumulate the number of credits he needs by finishing up any remaining classes via homeschool when he gets back. He's trying to narrow that down as much as possible!

Hudson also won a Chess Tournament at the Ranch this month, and was very proud to be undefeated! Way to go!

September:

This month Hudson leveled up to "Acting Burgundy." This is a trial period between Green and Burgundy, and he hopes to soon be an official "Burg." It's a high rank at the Ranch and will bring some new privileges, including Hunter's Safety! He's been waiting for this! 

While he isn't getting into trouble often, he does crave attention and will do whatever it takes to make a group of boys laugh. The staff is trying to teach him some more appropriate social skills. 

 

 

What's next?

Hudson may have the opportunity to come home for a visit during Christmas Break! This would be a good time to talk about his progress and maybe see where he's at. He's eager to see our new place in Kentucky, and to catch up with family. 

Based on our conversations with Hudson and his leader, we do believe it would be best for him to continue the program for a few more months beyond the one-year mark in December. (I’m keeping this section updated as the weeks go by, and it looks like we might be narrowing his end date down to early spring!)

We have been setting aside a monthly amount from our own budget, but with tuition being $3,800/month we know it won't get us very far. It's been a humbling experience to ask for (& accept) help from others, but it's also been an overwhelming blessing to be surrounded by your generosity. You are a part of Hudson's life story now, and God is going to use these chapters to prepare him for the next. 

This will be our final fundraiser, and we will assume that whatever support comes in (or doesn't come in) is part of God's plan for the remainder of Hudson's stay.

 

If you're interested in being a part of Hudson's remaining months at the Ranch, there is the separate blog post with more info here: "Helping Hudson, Part 2". I'll be keeping that post updated with our fundraising total!

 

Meanwhile, please continue to PRAY!

-For Hudson's emotional & spiritual growth

-For wisdom regarding the timing & preparation of his return home

-For complete healing & forgiveness in the hearts of everyone in our home

Thank you to all of our amazing supporters who have prayed, cared, given, and encouraged. We really couldn't do this without you! 

Helping Hudson

FUNDRAISER UPDATES HERE:

$48,296!

-as of Sept 2022-

This covers the equivalent of the 

enrollment fee + 11 months of tuition!

For further updates on fundraising, please click on Part 2 here!

 

    Many of you have been along since Hudson’s adoption journey began, and have followed the highlights and adventures over the past 5+ years since we brought him home. There have been so many wonderful memories along the way!

    If his story is new to you, it began in China when a special boy, born without legs, was left at the gates of the county orphanage at 2 months old. He spent 10 years being cared for by various nannies while waiting his turn for a family. 

 

    God was working in our hearts at the same time, and after adopting our youngest daughter from China in 2014 we thought our family was complete. Then we came across Hudson's file on the waiting list, and after a lot of prayer and 10 months of paperwork, we found ourselves excitedly traveling to bring him home, making us a family of six in 2016!

 

    He was fearless while moving to a new country with a new family! Even today, if someone asks him if he was scared about being adopted and moving to America he says, "Nope, not at all." He's a brave kid who loves change and adventure! Hudson dove head-first into his new life, loving the excitement of all the “new” experiences: birthday parties, holidays, swimming pools, restaurants, road trips, game nights, movies, kittens, kickball, snacks, school, church, family events…. he loved to be involved in it all!

    Many people, even strangers, have told Hudson how inspiring he is as he gets around on his prosthetic legs, or when they see him play and climb all over a playground just fine without them. He doesn’t understand why people are so impressed with something that feels so “normal” to him. We’ve told him it’s because they can’t imagine living their life without legs, or learning to walk on “robot legs”. Not to mention living in an orphanage and then moving to a place with a different language, food, and culture!

    The hardest part of his story is the effects that the early childhood trauma has had on him. Studies have shown that even in infancy, a child’s brain is wired differently after loss, neglect, or trauma. It can affect many parts of their life, especially in both the way they see themselves and in their relationships with others. For Hudson, these struggles have been very difficult to overcome. There have been many, many troublesome days, weeks, and even months. We anticipated this. The Lord has been faithful in helping us to overcome and press on together. But things have gotten to the point where we no longer have the ability to protect and help Hudson when he’s dealing with strong emotions. Similar to most teens, he has a strong will and an even stronger desire to be independent. But unlike a typical teen, he has experienced early childhood trauma that has left him without the foundation or the emotional capabilities to process this, to make good choices, to calm himself, or to allow us to help him through it. His meltdowns have increased in frequency and have gotten to the point where his safety and well-being are a serious concern. We are no longer confident in our ability to protect him from himself. (Cue the “mom guilt” and feeling like a failure. 😔)

    We know this might come as a shock since most of you have only seen the happy, outgoing, funny, inspiring side of Hudson, and he’s still there much of the time! But we are deeply concerned and want to be sure that he has the tools he needs to reach his goals for a bright future.

 

    We are 100% committed to helping our son, and after much prayer and searching have found a residential program that is an amazing fit. This program will allow him the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe and caring environment while also challenging him to take ownership of his behavior. They will focus on all the key areas that Hudson needs direction and support in, including counseling, education, physical fitness, spiritual disciplines, and preparation for work & adult life. They also have many opportunities for fun & recreation! 

    Master’s Ranch Christian Academy (MRCA) is in southern Missouri and has been helping troubled teenage boys for over 20 years. Here, the boys learn to earn privileges and develop a strong work ethic. They participate in an accredited school curriculum year-round (half days in the summer) and also get to enjoy swimming, fishing, and field trips. They develop leadership skills as well as take on household responsibilities and farm chores. The staff is experienced and equipped to work with teens from difficult backgrounds, including adopted kids (approx 80% of their participants are from adoptive families) and they have three licensed counselors working with the kids one-on-one and in group settings. 

    We believe this is the ideal place for him to make some progress! It could truly change the course of his future!

 

    When I inquired about the cost of the program my heart sank. It’s not covered by insurance, and even though their fees are supplemented by local churches and generous donors, it is way beyond what we can afford. Our first reaction was to close the door, carry on as best as we can at home, and hope we all survive. But some friends inspired us to put our pride aside and reach out to all of the people who have been touched by Hudson’s story. If everyone rallied together, it would show Hudson that his people are behind him, and we would be eternally grateful! (I’m literally in tears even now as I think of all the times we’ve been encouraged by everyone’s prayers and kindness over the years. 😭 Thank you, sincerely!)

 

    We expect to drive him to his temporary home-away-from-home on the second weekend of December. This will allow us to celebrate Hudson’s 16th birthday as well as Thanksgiving with the family before he leaves. When we told Hudson about the Ranch, he was surprised (as we expected) but as we told him about the program and showed him photos of boys working on the ranch he got more and more interested and excited. His top priority now is to learn how to weld and to earn the privilege of driving a tractor. 😀 He has asked many questions, and is very optimistic that this program will give him a head start for his future. (He's ALL about graduating and entering the workforce ASAP!) His biggest disappointments are that he won't be able to continue his yard-scooping job next summer, and he's not allowed to bring any electronic devices. Thankfully those stipulations aren't holding him back from being onboard with this decision!

So here are the numbers we’re crunching…

Tuition is $3,800/month and the enrollment fee is $6,650. 

 

There is a 12-month minimum stay, and most students end up staying for 18-24 months. 

 

Overall, we’re looking at a range between $52,000-$98,000, and aiming for the likelihood of at least $75,000+ over the next 18+ months.

 

It’s all quite overwhelming! But we truly believe this is the direction God is leading us, so we’ll move forward in faith, even if we currently could only cover a few months on our own.

Would you be interested & willing to be a part of Hudson’s healing journey? 

 

If 100 people might commit to give $38/month, or if a group of supporters could give a one-time amount (large or small!), he would be well on his way!! The Master’s Academy is a non-profit, so donations made directly to them are tax deductible and would go straight into his enrollment & tuition fund. 

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out! cnschuler@gmail.com

If you’d like to donate towards Hudson's treatment, thank you so very much!! 

 

There are 3 ways to give:

1- Send a check to:

Master's Ranch Christian Academy

PO Box 709
Myrtle, MO 65778

Designate the note line for “Hudson Schuler" 

(This is tax deductible AND does not incur a credit card processing fee.)

2- Click here to go directly to MRCA's PayPal account. Enter an amount, then choose one of the two buttons to either use your PayPal account or pay with a card. 
Be sure to tap the line that says “Add special instructions here” and put “Hudson Schuler” in that space. If you are setting up a recurring monthly donation, there's no space for his name, so the office recommends doing your first month as a one-time gift with his name and then setting up the recurring donation after that so you're donations will be linked to him.
(This is tax deductible, but will incur a 3.5% processing fee if a credit card is used.) 

3- If you’d prefer to send a donation through us personally or by another method (check, cash, personal PayPal, Venmo), please reach out to us by email or see us in person.  cnschuler@gmail.com

(This is NOT tax deductible, but does not incur a credit card processing fee.)

We will keep everyone updated daily on the status of his account! Just come back to this blog post, or keep an eye on our private Facebook group!  (If you aren’t already a member of our private Facebook group, "7,777 Miles to Adoption," please request to join to keep up with Hudson’s updates!)

 

You’re welcome to share his story and invite people to follow along! We KNOW God has big plans for our son and can’t wait to keep sharing testimonies of God’s faithfulness! 

While we are heartbroken to have Hudson going so far away for so many months, we know it’s for the best. We’ve tried so many things already over the years, without progress in key areas affected by trauma. This is NOT us giving up on him; it’s quite the opposite! We must do what is best for him, no matter how difficult it seems or what others might think. We plan to write and call him often and hope to visit in the spring!

Thank you, once again, from the bottom of our hearts! ❤️ We appreciate and cherish your prayers and support! 

Curt & Nikki

(and Hudson!)

 

P.S. If this wasn't too much to read already, I'll be answering Frequently Asked Questions below and add more as they come up! Ask away!

FAQ:

How do your other kids feel about this decision?

Our kids are all processing this in different ways. Corbin (age 10) is a very logical thinker. He was surprised at the announcement but agrees it sounds like a great place so he's content. Evie's first concern (age 13) was, "Are they nice there??" and she's happy after being reassured that yes, they're very nice and will take good care of Hudson! Violet (age 9) has the hardest time with change, in general. She cried a little and said she'll miss him. Then she made him a bookmark for his Bible that says. "Be strong and courageous! We will always be here for you!" and she has faith that God will protect him and bring him home when the time is right. I'm SUPER proud of all four of these kiddos and how bravely they're handling this transition!

What happens if you surpass your fundraising goal, or he only stays for 12 months?

Wow- first of all, that would knock our socks off!! But to answer the question, we should know his homecoming date at least a month before he finishes. We will inform any monthly donors that they can end their donations. If we happen to have a remaining balance in his account when he leaves, we will happily leave it with MRCA to use towards other students in need, or for supplies, maintenance, holiday parties, etc! The Ranch is always in need of funds to help the boys and I would love to be a blessing to them, especially after everything they'll have done for our son!

Can we write letters to Hudson while he's there?

Unfortunately only his parents and grandparents will be allowed communication with him while he's away. We will be writing letters often, and will be able to call him on the phone on weekends after the first month. If you would like us to say hi or have a word of encouragement for him just let me know and we'll pass it along!

We Didn't Disappear; We Moved the Blog to a Facebook Group!

During our second adoption process we tried to maintain this blog while also updating a private FB group. (Feel free to request to join! You can scroll all day and read about our trip to China!) It became much easier to just post in the FB group where we could also interact with people, so I decided to drop the blog. But apparently a few folks have stumbled across this blog over the years and became worried! "What happened?! Did the adoption fall through? Did you make it to China and back?!" I was getting emails from concerned strangers who are now also in the adoption process. In case that happens again, here's a long-overdue update!

YES, we made it to China. YES, our adoption went through. YES, we made it home with Hudson! Here's our first family photo together! 

 

Then & Now

Hudson's first selfie, age 10:

 

 

Hudson's most recent school photo, age 15:

 

    As you can see, this boy has tuned into a young man. I don't even know where to begin with an update! SO MUCH has happened since his adoption!  He attended public school for grades 3rd-6th, and now we're on our second year of home school. (I decided to give home school a try with all four kids due to COVID, and we ended up loving it so we're continuing!) Hudson had a very late start with his education but is doing his best to get caught up. He doesn't "enjoy" school, but he really wants to graduate at age 18 so we're working year-round on that goal! 

    Hudson received a hand cycle through a grant from Athletes Helping Athletes. Riding quickly became one of his favorite things. When he asked to start a summer job, he decided to make his rounds on his bike, knocking on neighbor's doors and asking to scoop their yards. "Handy Hudson's Scooping Service" has been in business for 3 years now, and this year he served nearly 30 clients! He's quite the saver too; he's putting most of the cash in the bank to save for a car and his future.

Curt & I were able to take Hudson to an amazing sports camp for kids with limb differences. NubAbility is held in DuQoin, Illinois every summer. It was such an inspiration for him (and us!) to see the coaches teaching kids with limb differences that they CAN do it, and they #dontneed2!

At this camp, we learned about another non-profit called Amputee Blade Runners. ABR provides running blades for athletes with limb loss. They fitted Hudson for a new pair of walking legs and running blade attachments! What an awesome opportunity! We are SO thankful for these organizations and the support they've provided!

Another exciting moment has been seeing Hudson get involved at our church. He attended the Children's program and VBS, and now is in the Youth Group. He serves on the Tech Team by helping with the cameras during the live streaming of the service. After about a year at home he came to know Jesus and asked to be baptized. Wonderful news!

We love to travel, and Hudson is always up for a new adventure. We've taken the kids to visit family in Arizona, Georgia, and Washington D.C. and have explored cities like Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Branson, and Muncie. (Sometimes we end up in random places when they tag along for Curt's training or my conferences!) We look forward to more memories like these!

There are so many stories and experiences I could share, but I'll end here for now. I do want to mention, especially for those who are in the adoption process, that is has NOT been all "sunshine and rainbows" for us. Our adopted kids have experienced severe loss and trauma in the early stages of their lives, and it does have an effect on them still today. We also have the dynamics of four children (now including two teens) who each have very different personalities and often get along like cats & dogs! Like every family, we have difficult moments on a daily basis. I try to focus on the good and count my blessings! But for the sake of transparency, we have had MANY, MANY extremely painful and difficult moments over the years. Sometimes we seem to take two steps forward and three steps back. But God is faithful and we know that he has a plan and a purpose for our family, and for the future of each of our children. We appreciate the ongoing prayers & support of family and friends. The journey hasn't been easy, but it's worth it!

At Our Wait's End!

Yes, we are nearing the END of our WAIT and soon we will be able to get on a plane, meet our son, finalize his adoption, and bring him home to our family!

The entire process took about 8 months, and compared to our first adoption which was 17 months (including 4 months of waiting to be matched) this one was relatively "fast"; however, not a day went by that it FELT like it was moving quickly.  Looking back, the days were long...sometimes very, very long... but overall the months have flown by and I can't believe it's finally TIME!

This week we received our Travel Approval from China, and the past 48 hours has been a flurry of phone calls and emails in order to make arrangements to be able to travel within a few days!  

Our flights, hotels, train tickets, and appointments are all confirmed now, and our 17-day trip will look something like this:

Wed-Thurs     Fly from Detroit to Hong Kong

Friday     adjust to the time zone...at Hong Kong Disneyland!
               (we had to think of something that would keep us awake all day, right?!)

Saturday  Fly to Nanchang, the capital of Hudson's province

Sunday    Hudson will travel to meet us!  
                        This is our official "Gotcha Day" as they call it in the adoption world. 

Monday    Adoption Day!!  We (& Hudson) will sign to make it official!

Tue-Thu   Paperwork, hang out, bond, explore Nanchang...
                 (wait for his passport to be prepared and returned to us...) 

Friday         Travel to Guangzhou by Bullet Train! (5 hours of views!)

Saturday     Hudson's medical (required for immigration visa)

Sun-Mon     Paperwork, hang out, explore Guangzhou...
                    (wait for his medical results to be prepared...) 

Tuesday      Interview at the U.S. Consulate (required for immigration)

Wed-Thur    Paperwork, hang out, visit the Safari Park zoo!

                    (wait for his immigration visa to be placed in his passport...)

Friday              Fly HOME!!  With our new family of 6, under one roof!  Hooray!! 

Not only am I over-the-top excited to finally meet Hudson, I'm also thrilled about the opportunity to bring Evie along on this amazing adventure.  She is going to LOVE this (I hope!) and it will be an experience she'll learn from, grow from, enjoy greatly, and never forget.

Let me pull her into the office for a quick interview...

Hey Evie, what are we doing next week?
"We're going to China to adopt Hudson!  My brother!!"

What are you most excited about for this trip?
"The airplane, because last time I rode in a plane I was a baby and I don't really remember it.  The hotels, because I think they'll be fancy and I heard the breakfast buffet is huge.  And getting to meet Hudson before everyone else!"

Is there anything you are worried about?
"Trying new food because my parents said I should try at least one new food every day.  And that Hudson might not feel happy because he left the orphanage that he's been at for a long time.  And the toilets outside of the hotels because they are squatty potties!"

What would you like to say to the family & friends who helped support you to go on this adventure? 
"Thank you so much for helping me go to China.  I'm really excited to visit there and meet my new brother and practice my Chinese!  I'm going to take a lot of pictures and write in my journal so I can tell everyone about it when I get home!"

We were so proud of Evie's fundraising efforts, and so grateful for the MANY people who jumped in to support her!!  In the end she raised about $3,000, which has turned out to be the perfect amount to cover all of her flights, train tickets, guide fees, meals, passport & travel visa, etc...  WOW!  Thank you all so much for being a part of this.  I know she'll be eager to share her experiences with you!

I'm off to finish packing, but I'd love to leave you with a few prayer requests!  

• Hudson: for his heart to be prepared for this transition, for him to feel safe & loved, and for much patience when it comes to communication.
• For good bonding time while we're together; that attachments and trust can begin to be built between us.
• Safe travels, and good health for all of us as we encounter new foods and environments.

Thank you all so much for your prayers!  You have been such an encouragement during this process once again!  And it doesn't end here...the trip to China is only the beginning...so please keep the prayers coming!  ;-)