Three months ago.........

August 15....we were camping at Juanita Lake, in California. Paul checked phone messages late Friday...there was an urgent request to call our adoption agency ASAP. They did not say why, but we had the feeling that it might be a referral call, where they have a child that matches your paperwork, for you to consider. Well, we were too late in the day, and too far from home to do anything about it, and we just went “oh well, this wasn’t meant to be”.

Sunday: back in Klamath Falls....Paul got a call on his cell phone at church, immediately at noon. Our agency wanted to know how soon we could get to our computer for us to review a 1 year old girl, with repaired cleft lip and palate. So, we scooped up Sophie and beat feet to the car. It was a quick…chattery ride home…and Paul didn’t even speed! That I know of…;) We marveled at the fact, that our agency coordinator was working on Sunday....which is highly unusual...and that in just a few minutes, we might be looking at our daughter for the first time. Seated soon at the computer, we agreed that we would read her file first, before opening any pictures of her, though that is the first thing you really want to do!

Now…I want to interject a little history before I go on...
When you fill out an application for a special needs child, there is a huge list of disabilities to consider. And you check Yes, if it’s a condition you would take, and Maybe, if it’s one you’d be willing to consider. You also pick an age range.
Over the previous 3-4 months, we had received emails from our agency of special needs children who have been hard to place…most have difficult physical conditions and sometimes it is simply because of their age, and more boys than girls. I would look through their pictures, sadly, each child so in need of a home and a family. Then feeling guilty because they were not conditions Paul and I were considering…wondering if we should consider a boy or an older child… Were we too limiting in our selection, doing what we wanted and what we thought we could handle? I know that all things are possible, with God’s help. I wrestled with the process of “selection”, even hating it! It seems way too optional…choosing! Was I basing decisions on looks when I went through the pages? That notion scared me…I didn’t feel like I was, but what if it was underlying…I could hardly stand it! But I didn’t know how to change the process…so I did much praying for God to somehow just choose and make it clear, and open my heart to what HE wanted for us…even if it was harder. This song seemed appropriate!

Change my heart, oh God…Make it ever new
Change my heart, oh God…May I be like you.

Well now…back to the computer, we wanted to make a decision on her information provided, so we chose not to look at her first...by the end of the reading, we were in love with a little one we hadn’t even seen yet, and determined that she was the one! How God creates that love for one unseen is hard to put into words, although if you are an expecting parent, you know!
JOY INDESCRIBABLE!

Below is a tidbit of the information we received on her, along with pictures. Some of you have already seen her pictures, but we have not been able to put the information and pictures on the blog until our RA (Referral Approval) came back from China!

Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
Chinese name: Zhu JiuJia
"On admission, JiaJia had fair skin, a pair of black and bright eyes looked around all the time as if she could not wait to know everything. The institute arranged Jiajia to be enrolled into the Infant and Toddler Nurture program. Since then she had her own mum. When mum saw Jiajia for the first time she was sleeping soundly, her fair complexion was beautiful and lovely. Seeing Jiajia's petite body, a kind of tender affection came from the bottom of the heart of mum who hoped her to thrive and have smile like brilliant sunshine every day. At that time, Jiajia spent most of the time in the day to sleep like other babies, would express her hunger with crying. When being full she would open her bright eyes. When she was completely awake she liked to lift her hands to jolt them to and fro as well as up and down which looked lovely. Mum often held her into her arms and called her name for the hope of Jiajia to get familiarized to everything here."

Those lips just look kissable! (Before her surgery in March)
After her surgery.
We are anxious to see those "bright eyes that look around all the time as if she cannot wait to know everything". And look forward to the day, when she lifts those little hands up to us!