How it Began

My husband and I have been talking about adopting from China for years and years.  We have tried other options.  We had a birth mom pick us and then abort at 5 months.  That sucked.  We have put in paperwork to adopt through the foster care system but that avenue was not going to work out for our family.  We got paperwork ready for Vietnam, and the program shut down that month!  And we have always come back to China.  It is where my heart has been.  It is where I felt that our daughter would be from.  I wanted to adopt special needs simply because our insurance covers these needs and so many needs are fixable...if you live in the USA.
As we were preparing to start the paperwork phase and I was figuring out which agency to go with and which needs to specify.  I joined the yahoo group for the agency I liked the best.  A mom who had recently returned home with her daughter posted about a 4 year old girl who had been her daughters best friend in the orphanage.  She said this little girl was not shy and REALLY wanted a mommy of her own.  I emailed her, not really thinking that it would be for our family, but I hadn't seen this little girl on the list.  And you have seen the pictures she sent me...the ones of Min in the purple dress.  Look at that smile!  Look at the sparkle in her eyes!  That little face tugged at my heart. I can't wait to hold her in my arms.

Picture Teresa's mom sent me that tugged at my heart

Her friend's name is Teresa.  She has a more severe heart condition than Min.  And there is nothing the doctor's can do.  Her family has exhausted all medical options since she needs a heart lung transplant and due to high mortality rates that is not an option for a child of that age.  This is one of the reasons I want to expedite our adoption and get Min to a cardiologist before the damage extends to her lungs making surgery unavailable to her.  Teresa's mom is the one who led me to Min. She set me up with their cardiologist to review Min's file when no one else would until she was home.  She is the one who saw something special in my daughter and worked to find her a home.  I can honestly say that without her advocating for Min, I probably never would have found her.  And Teresa's mom is asking...no begging...for people to pray for a miracle for Teresa.  It is their only option left.  Please take a minute, or add to your prayer list, to pray for Teresa's heart.  She needs a miracle.

I think I have been pretty upfront that I believe in prayers and miracles.  I have felt the prayers of these who are praying for Min and our family.  We aren't seeing huge things happen right now but there a little things that are paving the way for big steps to go quickly.  For example, we have to have child abuse clearances from every state or country we have lived in since we were 18 years old.  18 YEARS OLD! We were in college back then...and yes, we have to have a clearance from the states where we went to college.  Well, some states are taking up to 2 months and apparently the norm is 3-4 weeks.   I have spoken to people in each state and they are expediting them and turning around the information to our home study agency the DAY they receive the request.  This might seem like a little thing but when it could hold up our adoption for an extra month it is huge that it is all being expedited already!  I am hoping and praying and feeling at peace that Min will be able to get the care she needs when she gets home.  I hope that she has a long, full and healthy life.  And if for some reason that is not the case, then Min will know a family that loves her and cares for her and she will have the memories of being home with us for whatever time she is given on this earth.