Saturday, September 22, 2007

Pasadena Picnic


It poured on the picnic today. Everyone got drenched. Since we have not seen rain here 10 months, the only umbrella we had in the car was the beach umbrella. Everyone laughed, but it was large enough to fit 5 people under. We let Val know that we indeed want to adopt Yu-Lin, and we brought a stack of paperwork that had originally been sent to Bal Jagat. Homestudy, medicals, financials all need to be redone. It seems daunting. On one of the questionnaires they ask “what stresses you out the most about adoption” and I had to say, the paperwork and having to rely on other people to do their part, the social workers, Immigration, everyone…it’s the control freak part of me.


Through the warm rain, little girls who had been adopted, mostly from China were running around the playground. Alex was looking at them with sad faces, and suddenly we thought “uh oh.” I pulled Alex aside to ask if seeing the little girls made him think maybe he didn’t want a sister. He looked at me and said, “no Mommy, seeing the little girls makes me feel like I want my sister to be home now. I’m sad that she is not here.”

Friday, September 21, 2007

Introducing Yu-Lin

Some people find out they are having a child by peeing on a stick. We went to Heartsent Adoptions in Pasadena. At 2:30 PM we met with Val from the main office and Kerry from the local Pasadena office to find out about the little girl from Taiwan. After talking for an hour about our thoughts on family, children and the realities of adopting and older child, Val handed us photos. There looking back was little girl with a mischievous smile eating Pringles potato chips. I started crying. Her name was Yu-Lin and I just wanted to hug her.



Val asks us to sleep on our decision, to make sure we are absolutely certain before moving forward. There is no room for error in Yu-Lin’s life. She is turning 5 in November and has been at St Lucy’s since she was two.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Did she find us?

After a brutal weekend at the VMA's, I'm back to reading ChinaAdoptTalk and I come across a message which goes something like this:

****
Anyone in Calif wishing for/requesting an older child?
My agency is trying to find a family for a healthy (and darling) 4 year old little girl. PM me if you would like more info...Ziggy
****

WHAT!!! So I calmly (okay maybe not so calmly) get the agency info from 'Ziggy' and call Val Free at Heartsent Adoptions up in Northern California. The little girl is in Taiwan. Val and I chat for about about about what our family is looking for...and everything clicks. Val is coming to Pasadena in a week for the annual Heartsent adoption picnic and a meeting is set for the 21st. (reminder to self - breathe)