One Year Ago Today...

Our lives were changed.

Because of one picture.

And one word.

We had been logged-in with a large China-only agency since 4-15-08. On February 22nd of last year, through a string of events, phone calls and emails with just the right people at just the right time, I came in contact with another, smaller agency in California.


I exchanged several emails with the woman in charge of China adoption there, and we talked on the phone once.

On February 25th I emailed to her, "I have a feeling you are going to find our child, soon".

On February 26th, I spent the night in the ER, with pneumonia and pleurisy (just threw that in there for memory's sake, and a little sympathy).

On March 2nd I emailed her again, about some paperwork. At the end of my email I wrote, "I have a feeling you will find the perfect child for us!" (I knew the shared list was due out in about 2 more weeks. I was hoping for a referral then).

On March 3rd, the very next night, I received a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. I screened it, of course, because I was in the middle of watching American Idol with David and my mom (she was visiting to help me out while I recovered from the pneumonia). On my way to bed, I checked my emails one last time...


There were FIVE emails waiting from the agency.

The first one said, "Can you please give me a call when you get this email".

The second one said, "I am sending you a file of a little girl with repaired cleft lip and cleft palate".

And another twist of fate, "I referred this child to another family over a month ago and submitted their pre-adoption application, however, CCAA didn't approve them.... Now this child's file becomes available to another family and I would like to send her file for consideration."


Finally, "Please let me know that you have received this email and file of Wang Hai Qiong and let me know if you are interested in pursuing her adoption."

The Picture





The Word:


"YES!"



We love you, Wang Hai Qiong!