John and Karen Ashby

Angels in Adoption 2005 - California

Selected by Representative Dennis Cardoza

It is without hesitation that I nominate John and Karen Ashby of Modesto, California, for the 2005 Angels in Adoption (tm) Awared. John and Karen share a lifelong interest in protecting the world's most vulnerable children: orphans and children in foster care. In their early years, while still raising their young biological children, they became cognizant of the countless number of children, who by no fault of their own were not afforded the same benefit their children had - a loving home. They felt compelled to provide the much needed love, stability, and structure for such children. It was then that they decided to adopt their first child. Now more than 20 years later, they have opened their hearts and home to seven wonderful adopted children from countries all over the world, including India, Korea, and Hong Kong. Today, the Ashby family includes 13 children - 7 adopted, 6 biological - and 12 grandchildren.

Most recently, they decided to adopt two very special children: LizziBeth and John Patrick Ashby, both age 6, both of whom have Down syndrome. The Ashbys adopted John Patrick first. However, it was not long before they would also adopt LizziBeth, John Patrick's beloved friend from Hong Kong, whom he sorely missed. As infants, the two forged a bond while they live at the same orphanage in Hong Kong, where they often spent hours together in play and affectionately gave one another nicknames. John Patrick named LizziBeth "Ping-Ping," and LizziBeth named John Patrick "Pat-Pat." The Ashbys have no reunited the two in the United States, helping to ensure that the two will never again be apart. The once close friends now enjoy an even stronger bond as brother and sister.

What impresses me most about John and Karen is their sincere dedication and devotion to adoption advocacy. They often describe their passion for adoption as transformational - permeating nearly every aspect of their lives, including their personal and professional endeavors. Inspired by their adopted children's successes, they began volunteer work focusing on adoption promotion and retention. Continuing their dedication to finding permanent loving families for children, they recently joined the professional staff of Family Connections: John as the Director of the Sacramento branch, and Karen as a Family Processing Coordinator in Modesto.

In their quest to find permanency and love for vulnerable children of the world, John and Karen have played a pivotal role in m aking hundreds of childrens' dreams of a family a reality.