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7 and 4 years ago today, we got out Babies!


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Ok, it's a different sort of birth-story, but it's ours and we're PROUD of it!

 

On July 4th 1990, we discovered we were pregnant. On August 2, 1990, we miscarried, never to conceive again. Even with medical intervention. And we did 6 mos of artficial insemination with lots of expensive meds (apbout $500/mo). So, we finally said forget it. In 1995 we moved to our current house, and shut the door on our 'past' life, of family thoughts. We were Yuppies, and enjoying it. We traveled ALOT. Bahamas, Yellowstone 2X, Florida, Las Vegas/Salt Lake City, and the wonderful roads in between, Canada, New England. It was fun. ALthough we did wonder why we had a yard that was 3/4 acre. It was a pain to mow.

 

Then one beautiful day in spring of 2001, I was at a spring luncheon with a friend, who introduced me to a lady who had just brought a baby home from Viet Nam. Oh goody, another baby story <insert eye roll and deep sigh> She just babbled on and on about how wonderful VN was, and how cute the baby was, and the people there are so sweet, etc etc. Fake smile, Uh huh, how nice. So tell me about the LAND, The culture (please stop talking about the baby!)

 

Then, I worked childcare during VBS, and I ended up in the nursery. With the baby from Viet Nam. Man, she WAS cute!!! And cuddly. I was telling my husband about the beautiful baby from Vietnam. He (and I) wondered how anyone could go to Viet Nam. (We grew up watching the WAR on TV). Well, we were destined to find out. because shortly afterwards, we were filling out our paperwork. And in the spring of 2002, we were traveling around in VN. Meeting our daughter for the very first time. And she was a delight!

 

The first time I saw her picture, I was sitting at my computer. I called DH and told him to check his email. NOW. He looked and her and said cute, but a bit older than I want. We thought about it for about 3 hours, talking to our facilitator off and on. She said that there was no guarantee of another child coming. So, we said yes. I showed the picture to my friend and she said....TROUBLE. There was a twinkle in the eye and a half grin. And yup. She's trouble.

 

The fascinating part of the whole thing is how God worked it out. We ALMOST got a beautiful, compliant, submissivly natured little girl who has a brown birthmark on her face. Several families had turned her down. We were 2nd in line when our facilitator called us asking us if we would take her. The awesome thing there, is that she came home 'with us'. HEr family traveled over with us, and we got to see little Ivy, and play with her, but we got PIPER. And God's hand was SO into this whole thing. She is SO MUCH LIKE ME. I don't think I could have birthed a baby with more of my personality than Piper. Stubborn, moody and ADD. And gifted. (Although my IQ still puts hers to shame ;) ) But I can sooo understand and relate to her struggles. (One reason why she's homeschooled!)

 

Then, 3 years later, on the exact same day (Talk about coincidences!) We were in China, a COMMUNIST country!!!! to receive our second little bundle of joy. And Zoie was a bundle!!! But she is much more your 'average' child.

 

God has blessed us through this whole thing. We got to celebrate their 1st birthdays with them, Zoie's 2 days after we got her, and Piper's, 4 weeks later. And we got to see their 1st steps. Zoie's, barely! She just needed some one-on-one. She was pulling up on furniture before we left China. Piper's, 6mos later, at 18 mos.

 

And both girls have blessings and baggage, when they grow up. Piper has a picture of her birthparents. But she also has x-rays that show that, by the tender age of 12 mos, she had 6 HEALED broken bones. Zoie, on the other hand, has no record of her parents (but I wouldn't be surprised if, by the time she is an adult there is a DNA databank to reunite the Chinese with their babies) but she was 'found' in front of a government building, which was VERY risky for her birthmom. So, both children were VERY loved.

 

DH and I truly beleive that Piper's parents took her to orphanage BECAUSE she was being abused. We also beleive that those broken bones came from a stubborn child not wanting to be dressed, and an older sibling not wanting to get in trouble for not dressing the baby. Ever have your kid stiffen their arms when you go to dress them? Piper did that EVERY time I dressed her. And it frustrated me, but it also made me sad, because I thought to myself....Yup, there's a broken arm!

 

So, all that to say, 7 years ago today we started on the wildest, craziest and most delightful ride of our lives!!

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Happy Family Day, from one adoptive mom to another!

 

I think if you talk to most adoptive families they will tell you that it was written in the stars that their child was absolutely meant to be theirs. When I am asked why we chose to adopt internationally, I simply state "because my children were there." I can't explain it any other way :).

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Thank you for sharing your beautiful adoption story. We adopted our oldest child from Russia, and I can't imagine our lives without him. There were a lot of strange little coincidences in our adoption that led me to believe that fate had a huge hand in uniting us with our son.

 

Have a beautiful Gotcha Day :001_smile:

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