In July 2000 we decided to adopt again. We had heard that China was passing a new law that we now qualified for a healthy child. We filed our application and decided to change agencies here in the US. CCAI would not work with us on the law that says we need to earn $10,000 per person living in the household plus the new child. At this time Rebecca, Johnny, James were all living at home and even though Rebecca was living in Arizona at school 10 months out of the year her primary residence was here. So we started looking for other agencies we decided to go with Great Wall Adoption in Houston TX. They were wonderful and worked with us on this issue and interviewed Rebecca and decided that she was independent of us. YEAH!!! We went ahead with the other reems of paperwork and by October 2000 we were DTC. In April of 2002 we received our call. She said she was absolutely beautiful. Her name is Ji CaiQian born on October 18,2000 and living at Huazhou, SWI Huazhou, Guangdong Province. She was16 months old. We had asked for a 3-5 yr old to be closer to Hope's age but was referred a 16 month old. In China they referred us a baby because they flet bad things took so long as an apology to us. I was not prepared for a baby and had nothing no crib,car seat, etc...I had gotten rid of it not knowing we would do this again. In the legnth of 1 week we had enough stuff for an army of baby girls. Thanks to our friends at church. We left for China on May 28th,2002 with our dear friend Joe and Brenda from our church, James, and Hope, John and I. We arrived inBeijing did the tourist stuff for 2 days and were off the Guangzhou, White Swan Hotel where we stayed for 2 weeks. What a beautiful place!!! On June 3rd we loaded the bus with the 11 other families and went to the Guangdong Province Child Welfare office building. It was 103 deg. and 95 percent humidity. Very Hot Hot Hot. We were all crammed into this one room waiting for the director of the orphanage to come. we then started filling out the last paperwork to take the babies to the hotel with us that evening. Pretty soon we heard the babies crying. and in came the antourage of babies.We of course were called in alphabetical order and were the 3rd to last to be called. She was so placid and content with us. She had the most peaceful look on her face. I remember holding her and she was just staring at me intently almost like she wanted to ask me something. Within 1 hour you could just watch her relax and accept me as her new mom. She had made the adjustment by the time we left the building to load the bus. We waited outside with our group of other families and i watched this young girl walk right thru the croud and was looking at all of us moms holding our new babies. She had such a sad look on her face. I so wanted to go up to her and ask her something but I couldn't. I watched her walk around the corner still looking back at us. It was absolutley like watching a movie. Her face is still in my mind, 'Was she looking for the baby she left?', Did she or someone in her family do this?, so many questions come to mind.
We are so blessed to be chosen yet again for the responsibility of raising another ChinaDoll. Each one of these children have a story to tell and some of us may not know what it is competely but some of us are lucky enough to know bits and pieces. AnnaGrayce ended up having a sister who also was adopted. Our DNA tests shows that they are somehow related with 3 out of 10 matching markers most likely twins or 1/2 sisters or cousins. At any rate we are sure blessed to know this and have a bit of info for her. We feel it answers some issues on her behavior the first few onths home. Out of respect for the other family i will mention nothing about them but this is part of AnnaGrayce's story to tell. God Bless you Grayce
She is now 5 and starting Kindergarten on August 30th. She loves school attended Pre-K this past year and wanted to be in school every day. She loves life, people, is very inquisitive, has a bundle of energy and never stops until she drops. We say around here she has 2 speeds full throttle and sleeping. She loves you with gusto, does everything with gusto and is a very smart little girl.
Thank you China for 2 of your girls and the time we have with them. We appreciate them and their country.
No comments:
Post a Comment