The Beginning of the Story

In the Spring of 2011 God spoke to our hearts in numerous ways.  He let us know that our family was not complete.  He let our spirits know without a shadow of doubt that we had another daughter in China.  Our road on this adoption journey has been rocky and filled with obstacles. One journey started in May of 2011 and ended in January 2012. Those of you close to me know the details.  We regrouped and moved on as were are not ones to be defeated. In February of 2012 as I viewed a list of waiting children from an agency specific list one of the little one's faces drew me to them.  I asked to see her file.  We had previously filled out a check list of conditions we were willing to accept.  I was emailed back that this particular child had been found to have more developmental delays than previously thought.  It was also believed that she was autistic.  I was told that she did not appear to be the child that we were seeking to add to our family.  I was saddened as I read the news.  In this same email it was written that another child's file had just come across their desk.  The file was attached. Before I even opened the file I knew she was our daughter.  Her birth date was listed and it happened to be the day after mine.  Our other girls' birth dates also correspond to other important events in our lives.  I was shaking as I opened the file. When I saw her my hands flew to my mouth as I gasped in air.  Her little face became seared in my heart.  I knew she was the ONE that GOD had perfectly planned for us. 

Within days we submitted a LOI for those outside the adoption world this is a Letter of Intent to adopt.  In this letter you detail that you are aware of the child's special needs and how you plan to provide medical care for those needs. The agency sends this letter to China to the CCCWA (China Center for Adoption Affairs).  The CCCWA then decides if you can meet the child's needs.  If so then you are sent PA which is pending approval.  We received on PA on 2/15 about a week after our LOI was submitted.  We were ecstatic! Our paperchase was on hot and heavy.  We found an agency in our state to perform a home study. On 2/23 we learned that our placing agency had been suspended by CCCWA.  It was later learned that this was due to an issue with a facilitator.  I immediately contacted them and was told that since we had PA that we would not be affected. I believed them. Yes I believed them.