kids fast asleep?
check
cup o’ joe within arm’s reach?
check
Let’s see how far we can get on this before my eyes spontaneously close and I start to drool on myself….
Back to the story… I had asked Chris if he wanted me to contact WACAP about this little cutie patootie, and he said yes.
So, needless to say, I called WACAP as fast as my quaking fingers could dial. Amazingly, they put me through to the very nice lady I had spoken with only a week or so before. I tried to sound composed, but I think it was pretty obvious how excited I was to hear this little girl’s file had not been locked in yet. I just had to get in a pre-application and a $50 deposit to see her file. Did I mention it was now almost 5:00? On a Friday?? I knew God was going to have to do something big for us to avoid a painfully long weekend spent waiting and wondering about this child. As I was downloading and printing out the application, I asked her about the $50 and how to submit our pre-app. No problem, she said, scan and email it along with our CC info and we’d be good to go. Only hitch might be getting the folks in the China program to get her file off the C@AA website before they headed home for the weekend. Quite a hitch that’d be. Yeah.
An hour later my husband walked in the front door in a great mood. He’s always in a great mood on Friday evenings, but on this night I was especially pleased to see his jovial demeanor. I told him that the file had arrived… it was sitting in my inbox. I had, astonishingly, resisted opening it, knowing somehow that we should open it together. I casually asked him if he wanted to sit down and have a look at it or did he want to eat dinner first? If you know my husband, you know what his reply was: dinner. Thankfully it was pizza and the kids were content to bolt down a bite, alternating with a swig of soda (only on Friday nights), and no one noticed how anxious I was or how quickly I cleaned up afterward. I made sure all the kids were occupied, How about mommy puts on Madagascar 2?? Won’t that be fuuunn, guys??? as I was pretty sure kids screaming and whining in the background might detract from the upcoming moment- o’- truth. Just a bit.
The kids were happily immersed in some boob tube and I pulled up a chair next to Chris’ at the computer. We opened her medicals first. Immediately I noticed where she was from: Gui!in. Our Sophie’s home. I tried to focus on the words after that, but all I could think about was how well adjusted Sophie was, how healthy and developmentally on target at adoption. How loved she had been. Knowing that this little girl and Sophie would have that commonality felt like a red thread to me. Onto her special need: limb deformity of all four limbs. Bilateral talipes equinovarus (aka bilateral clubfoot). Bilateral congenital arm deformity. Then her description: “When hearing caretakers call her name, she would laugh. She always sings like “yi, yi, yah, yah” and would dance for joy.” Yep. We were goners. At last, after reading and re-reading all her info, and after we’d scrolled through and devoured all six of her referral pictures, we sat there, dazed. I asked Chris what he thought. He said, “I don’t know. What are we going to do?” I said, “First, we need to determine if this is our daughter. Then God will show us what to do next.” I asked him if he thought this was her. Our daughter. He said yes.
It was a long weekend knowing this little girl who had captured our hearts with her “yi, yi, yah, yah” was on the shared listing. Was another family writing up their LOI for her, just like we were? Were they daydreaming about what name would be perfect for her? Or what her little voice might sound like? There was a ton of paperwork to sift through so, thank goodness, I managed to stay busy. Sunday was the Super Bowl, which gave me an opportunity to indulge in some hard-core computer time… I researched her special need and contacted our boys’ doctor to get his take on her condition. By Monday morning, I was raring to get WACAP on the phone to tell them our wonderful news. In a twist that only God could orchestrate, Chris had requested to have that Monday off work, knowing that his Sunday would include nary a moment wasted on anything that didn’t include the word “football”. He’d said he wanted to have a day off so he could spend it with me. See why I love this man?? He couldn’t have chosen a better day to have off. As it turned out, we had lots of work to do.
WACAP is on the very very very far west coast. Two hours behind us, to be exact. And two hours translates into a ridiculous amount of hand wringing, knowing that agencies all over the US could be locking in her file at any minute. Finally I was able to get a live person on the phone and was elated to hear her file had not been locked. Yet. But I had missed a teeny tiny bit of paperwork, in my haste. A bit, as in a complete application, a recent family picture and two sets of passport pictures. Upon this ugly realization, I took the fastest shower of my life. I’m not proud, nor especially vain, but no one in China wants to see me lookin’ like that. We were dressed and ready to go in less than an hour, application complete, scanned and emailed off to WACAP. We grabbed the boys out of school and busted it to Colleen’s house for a nice, relaxed happy-family picture and then screeched in to W@lgreens for some passport pics. At last, at last, we had were able to cross the last thing off our list. All we had to do now was wait to hear if WACAP had been able to lock in her file for us.
After a few hours, which felt like a billlllion, bytheway, we got the call. We were locked. Or she was locked. Whatever. But it was good news. Magnificent news. Chris and I were elated. We jumped up and down, embraced and then ran, hand in hand, through a field of daisies. Not really, but it sure felt that way. Our bliss lasted a few more days: at night, as we drifted off to sleep, we had huge grins on our faces… in the morning we had to pinch ourselves to make sure we weren’t still dreaming. It was good. We were grateful. I was even more grateful for those blissful days when our little world was unexpectedly turned upside down.
Patricia/NYC says
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
Great story!!!
I am soooooo EXCITED for you guys!!
And I owe you an email…it’s coming! ๐
Tish says
gooooood stuff…keep it coming. you are like my spanish novella…except you speak southern, not spanish. field of daisies??…that would be quite a sight!!!!
Wendy says
Okay…this was good…really good, great even…but you left us hanging again. The bliss lasted only a couple of days…huh? Then things turned unexpectedly upside down….what? C’mon..you gottaa fill that coffee cup back up, stop drooling all over yourself and tell us the rest of the story before we all go insane…pretty please???
Lindsey's mom says
Great! It is to funny what you said about WACAP being on teh west coast. I am stressing over the shared list because of hte time differences TO FUNNY! We have our PA packet to do and will hopefully be checking out the lists..I have some photos..but cant do much till hubby gets home! Ok…I am secretly praying we can travel with you. Dont worry I am pretty normal! LOL!! Oh and we are bringing our son AND Lindsey
Caroline says
Amazing…thanks for sharing.
Caroline
Michele says
What an awesome, awesome story! Praise Jesus! I would do anything to have that story myself, but that seems like a dream that will never happen. I can live vicariously through you, huh?
Congrats! I can’t wait to hear the rest!
The Harlow's says
What a cliff hanger….. I want to know more!!! Uggh, guess I will just have to wait until the next episode. lol
I am so happy for you all. And by the way, I remember seeing this little one on WACAPs site. She is adorable! You gotta love those Guangxi girls. Sounds like another trip to Nanning is in your near future.
Best of luck!!!
Diane
living4him5 says
Precious! That’s all I can say. Can’t wait to see her!! (guess I had more to say…LOL)
Big hugs!
Amy
Flamingo Mama says
i just love this story! i can’t wait to read the next installment!
Sister Kim says
Thanks for sharing. I am so excited for you… And for the precious little girl who will soon know unconditional love from a family that has it in abundance! I am so grateful to God for your generosity in caring for SN children. My prayers as always will remain with you all…S. Kim
Chelley says
Ok now I am kinda gal that LOVE to sit down and READ AND READ AND READ LOL and yes you left me HANGING…..
AAAAAAAAAAAAAGHGGHHHHHHHHH
i can’t wait to read the next installment!
Umm yeah I have waited eoungh LOL time to update me!!!! LOL LOL
I know you want to slap me now
OH baby!
kirsty from the netherlands says
What a wonderful story! And how much love there is in your wonderful family!!!
Hopefully everything will follow according to plan, and we’ll be thinking about you and your loved ones.
Kirsty
Courtney Kay says
so great!
The Gang's Momma says
In my weakened condition (I have strep, poor soul) I am certain that I am reading this wrong. You didn’t just leave us hanging AGAIN, did you?!
No, I’m sure not. It’s just my horse pill antibiotic and my pain meds talking. I’ll go back and read it again.
Wait. Nope. YOU DID. YOU LEFT US HANGING AGAIN! Girl, you certainly have the flair for the dramatic, don’t you.
and for the cruel. oh so cruel.
Sue Mom of Two says
I am now positive that you should take up novel writing in your “spare” time. You definitely have the flair for the cliff hanger.
GREAT news, wonderful story, we just need to hear “the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey would say.
Julia says
Another cliffhanger — AAACK!!
I can’t wait to read the rest. So exciting!!
Julia
bbmomof2boys says
Wonderful…awesome…terrific..but there you go again…leaving us with our mouths wide open drooling for more!
Now, we want more details chick!!
Hugs,
Carla
Mom to five says
Great story so far, can’t wait to hear the rest. It must have a happy ending so far. you have PA right….
Julia says
I’m sitting here with my eyes all misted up. I can’t wait to see your new daughter too, so I hope that LOA comes soon!!
By the way, I had to laugh when you said “boob tube”, my dad called the tv that the whole time we were growing up and I’d never heard anyone else refer to it that will till now. ๐
sara says
I love the field of daisies part ๐
adoptionroad says
Oh I remember the excitement of beating the clock and simultaneously making one of the biggest decision of our lives. Thanks for sharing the whole story!
Mommy says
Waiting patiently for the next post in “her” series. Congrats!
Rachel says
I don’t post on your blog often, but I read every update – I am so excited for you, your family and for this precious little girl! I love to see how you’re following God’s leading – it is inspiring. Can’t wait to hear more of the story!
Jonni says
What a wonderful story Stefanie and how great that she is from the same province as Sophie. She is meant to be your daughter.
Hugs,
Jonni