I remember when I was in Guatemala picking up Madalyn, I saw a single mom picking up her second child from Guatemala. Her first was about 6 years old. I thought, "wow", she did it, and she's doing it again. At that point I wondered if I'd be able to have two kids.
Coming from a family with two kids, and being so close to my sister, I suppose I always knew I wanted two.
I started trying to adopt again about 3 years ago. International adoption had slowed down. Guatemala was closed to everyone. China was closed to singles. India was taking a long time and seemed unpredicatble. However, I chose India and reviewed files of special needs kiddos. I fell in love with a child named Namrada. I had our doctors review her file. They were concerned about her limb differences, that were extensive. Nevertheless, I was going to bring her home. I completed paperwork, wrote a check, and sat in front of the mailbox at various locations, various times. I just could not mail it. I wasn't sure.
So, about a year ago I decided I'd start my home study, even though I did not know where or how I wanted to proceed. I am open to any race, lots of special needs, but I couldn't get comfortable with any program. I wrote a long required letter to Bethany and was accepted into their domestic program. I attended the required meeting, and tried to remain open minded, but it did not feel right. I loved the idea that I would have my child as a newborn, but wasn't sure about some other parts.
Then I considered Russia. But it just didn't feel right, plus was about 3x as expensive as all other options.
As I continued to look through the Rainbow Kids, as I have done every day for 4 years, I was very discouraged. I had decided to move forward with India again, but just wasn't sure.
Then, one night there was an article that said "China is opened to singles for special focus children". It took me a few more months to realize this was the path I'd take.
I signed with Holt, a well known agency and continued working on paperwork. I had decided to send my Dossier to China before matching, so my child would be as young as possible. The special need I was looking for was hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. This is the same need as Madalyn has. I felt strongly this is what I wanted to do.
Then one afternoon as I was laying down with Madalyn for a nap, a Rainbow Kids child popped up in my email (as they did numerous times per day). But this child's assigned name was "Josephine". This was the name I wanted to name my child. My heart started pounding, and I quickly clicked on it, telling myself not to be excited.....it's unlikely she'll be young....or that she will have the need I'm looking for. Or that this one will be the child we've been searching for.
As the web page slowly opened, an adorable 1 year old was staring at me. You can see the picture below. I hesitated before reading her need. Cerebral Atrophy, one hemisphere. This is the same as Madalyn!
I dialed the agency quickly, but only got Voicemail. This is not an agency I was too familiar with, and though I knew I was already singed with Holt, I knew I had to look into this child. I left a Voicemail message saying I was interested in learning more about Josephine. I then visited the agency website and completed the preliminary request for information.
I finally talked to Cori at Great Wall several days later and she said a family that was signed with their agency was reviewing the child's file. She also said she had a lot of families wanting to review her file. I told her I really wanted to review it, and I tried to sound calm and rational. I really wanted to tell her I strongly felt God was leading me to her....but I knew she needed more concrete reasons to consider us for Josephine.
Several weeks went by, and I checked in with Cori once per week. Finally, one night I felt peace. I felt calm and sure she would become available again. The next morning I got the call from Cori, not only did the family decide not to move forward, she was sending ME the information and she would hold her until I decided. So, although I wasn't with her agency, she was willing to send her file to me next!
I printed off her medical document and pictures. I hand delivered it to Dr. Parker, our neurolgoist, and Dr. Denney, our pediatrician. I studied it. It was frightening. When she was first found and brought to the orphanage, she was non-responsive, and appeared to have a neurological condition. She also has a heart defect, by I talked to a friend that is a pediatric cardiologist and felt confident we can handle it, and it may have even resolved itself by now. Her MRI shows damage in one hemisphere, the opposite side as Madalyn.
Dr. Parker, our neurologist, noted her head circumference is slightly smaller than Madalyn's at that age. However, when asked would she consider her any more risk that another child with Hemiplegia, she said "no".
I sent a few more questions to China and waited A MONTH for the answers. They were positive enough for me to feel confident to bring her home. Basically, she can already say 3 words at age 1, and can sit up. Of course, there are many unknowns, but I wholeheartedly said yes.
There was another hurdle. She was due to come off Great Walls Agency List, and go back onto the Shared list. At that point, anyone could lock her file again and slow my process down. I could sign with Great Wall, but I had already signed and paid money to my agency, HOLT. Luckily, Great Wall was willing to 'give" her to HOLT so I could match with her. Holt was able to contact CCCWA and request her file. They got it before it went back to the Shared list. I sent LOI (letter of intent) and was granted Preapproval for her.
There is a lot of criteria to adopt from China, especially as a single. Madalyn was exactly the required 6 years of age. Plus, you have to have experience with the special need of the child you are adopting. For the first time in this long journey to my second child, I felt at peace because the pieces were finally falling into place. Not by force, but as if they are meant to be, naturally, or by a true miracle, and this was the answer to my prayer...for God to show me where to go, and lead me to the child has he chosen for our family. After several years, he answered my prayers. Now I can see his timing was perfect. China had to open back up to singles for me to adopt my second child! My home study had just been completed, Madalyn was just turning the required 6 years of age... his timing was perfect!
So, with that, I finished up my Dossier and began the wait.
And today I logged into my agency website and saw that I am LID!!!! My Dossier has been logged into CCCWA as of 10/19/2011. Now I wait for LOA, I-800, TA, and finally TRAVEL! Hoping for April or before:)
