We are in the process of getting our nursery prepared for Taitlyn. I am VERY excited. I will post before and after pics when we are done. I wanted to post this letter that was written by a family who now has their daughter. This letter was on our agencys website for families like us who are waiting. It made me cry...

Well Worth the WaitBy Randy, Kerri, Max, Mason and Leah Ming Compton

As I write this I am looking into the eyes of a little girl that I happen to think is the most beautiful and exceptional child ever!
In December of 2004 after much prayer and thought our family which consisted of my husband, two sons and myself, decided to pursue the adoption of a baby from The People’s Republic of China. When we made the decision we knew in our heads that it was just the first step in an administrative marathon but we didn’t know that in our hearts we were starting the journey of a lifetime!
With every new paper that was notarized we were one step closer to our dossier being complete. We had the home study. We had physicals. We made trips to the state capital for the signature of our secretary of state. We sent papers to Washington D.C. for the Department of State to approve and then finally to the Chinese Embassy. We were so close and yet so far away. Our dossier went thru the normal steps on CCAI’s side. They translated our information and sent it on its way to the CCAA. Our log in date was set as June 2, 2005! At that time we began telling family and friends that within 6 months we would hear something about our daughter! Little did we know that the wait between log in and referral was beginning to grow longer.
During the wait there were days when I was sure the calendar must be running backwards. I found myself writing in a journal to our baby that we loved with all of our hearts but had never yet laid eyes on. I would tell her that things were moving along and although it was taking longer than we had hoped we would never let a day go by without thinking of her and praying for her. There were days when I was sure that something significant was happening in her life and I thought maybe somehow over the miles and across an ocean I had some kind of connection to my daughter who didn’t know me as her mother. My boys were anxious. Their school year was beginning and they hadn’t yet heard any news of their sister. Each new group of matches came out and they were never sure what to expect from my reaction. I would cry for joy for friends who I’d waited with via the internet and yet my heart would ache that our log in date hadn’t been included in this new group. We tried to fill our time with thoughts of what it would be like when our daughter came home. We always called her by name when we spoke about our plans. Her brothers had named her Leah. We thought it to be the perfect name for our little peanut!
You’ve heard the old phrase “if I had a dime for every time I….” Well I wish I had one for all of the times that I was asked “when are you going to get your baby?” Family and friends all meant well and loved us so much they just wanted to say or do anything to ease the wait and feel a part of what we were experiencing. But the truth is that only someone who is experiencing the same thing can truly understand the emotional roller coaster that you find yourself on during this long wait.
One of the very most important things to us was the support we received from our CCAI reps. We knew that we could call or e-mail anytime and we would get answers to all of our questions and our concerns were always put to rest by someone who was really excited about the placement of our baby.
During the months after our log in I depended so much on a yahoo internet group that was formed for people with log in dates the month before and after ours. I developed friendships that I really cherished. It meant so much to be able to talk with others and make plans. It’s really important that while you’re waiting it isn’t all time spent ticking off the days. It can be so fun planning your trip to China. Talking about what it will be like the first time you look into your daughter’s eyes. Taking polls as to how old you think she will be at referral or sharing pictures of your newly painted room that waits for her at home. There are so many joyful things and plenty of planning to keep you busy!
Once your referral does come time will fly by and once you emerge just a little from the haze of excitement you’ll realize you have so much to do before you travel! It’s a great idea to take advantage of the time before referral with things like list making. I found a use for all kinds of lists. There are some great resources on CCAI’s website. Take advantage of them. You’ll need to ready yourself physically for the trip to bring your little one home. If you go in the summer months you can count on hot, muggy conditions. If you go in the winter you can count on needing to find extra room in your bags for the layers you’ll want to dress in!
It is hard to find the words to describe the moment that we met our daughter for the first time. We had made it thru the wait of a lifetime. On June 5, 2006 almost 18 months after we started our adoption journey, our daughter Leah Ming Compton was placed in our arms. We were elated. Time stood still. For a few short moments a room that was crowded with other parents and crying babies suddenly was quiet for us. Our eyes were fixed on hers. My oldest son who was 13 would be the first to tell you that he would be the last to want to cry in front of others but on this day all of our tears flowed freely. I tried to stay composed for fear that I would scare this precious little child who had just traveled for over 3 hours to get to us. It was incredibly hard. I wanted to jump for joy, shout praises to God and just sit down and cry 18 months worth of tears all at once! Our lives were changed forever by a tiny baby in a yellow sleeper with mosquito bites on her face. She was small, the smallest of our group. She was young, the youngest of our group. She was and is more than any mother could dream of.
The days may seem to drag on and it may even seem like you will never get to the amazing moment when you actually get to hold your child but it will happen! It will be a moment that you will never forget. I can say with an honest heart that I was told many times how “the wait would be worth it” by those who had gone before me. I wasn’t always receptive to that line of thought, after all they were holding their daughters when they told me that and I was still holding a dream in my heart. Let me tell you now with all the gratitude in the world to those people who shared that with me that it IS worth the wait. Hang in there and know that many others have walked the path that you are now on. Many people who are willing to share with you and walk along with you. Don’t forget to check out the CCAI web-site for information on mentor family’s in your area. They are a great resource on those days when you’re feeling a little unsure of what paper goes where or just to listen when you want to ask for the 100 th time “how much longer?”
You will get thru. You will experience the joy of holding your little one in your arms. You will also experience the joy of jet-lag! The good news is that like the wait to bring your baby home it won’t last forever! Best wishes to all of you and your growing families! Wait with the knowledge that you are on an incredible journey that will not end on Gotcha Day, in fact it will be just beginning!
Search Download Contact Us

© Copyright 2005. http://www.chinesechildren.org/. All Rights Reserved.