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The photo was taken two days after she was put in our arms. We are getting ready for our first outing outside. She is a beautiful little girl (and I don't think we are biased). |
Catherine Calvin
Colorado Springs, CO
Birth Country: CN
Decade of adoption: 2000 or later
My husband (who has a 23- and a 20-year-old son from a previous marriage) and I decided to adopt a little girl from China after reading about the plight of so many infant girls in China. We knew we had what it would take to "start over" and bring a little girl into our lives. The process took exactly one year. We attended our orientation on Valentine's Day 2004, and boarded our plane to China to pick up our daughter on Valentine's Day 2005 -- how appropriate! We used an agency in Denver, Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI), which is phenomenal. They walked us through the entire process and held our hand through every step in China! I would recommend them to anyone!
Our daughter, Grace, was put into our arms, and there are no words to express the explosion in our hearts. Among babies screaming and in trauma, our little one looked at us with wide eyes, and accepted us within minutes. Within 24 hours, we taught her some sign language to communicate and how to blow kisses. Our connection grew the minute we pressed our lips to her perfect face, and hasn't ended.
Six months later, she is full of laughter, hugs, kisses and wonder. Her big brothers adore her, as does anyone who meets her. We forget she is Chinese and not ours by birth.
For those couples who wonder if they could accept another child that is not theirs biologically, there is not a difference. The minute my husband saw her picture four weeks before we departed to China, he said with tears in his eyes: "This is exactly how I felt when they put my boys in my arms in the hospital -- no difference."
We continue to have tears of joy in our eyes every morning she wakes up and signs "I love you" and smiles! Adoption is a wonderful thing!!!!
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