Pictures of Quinn Along the Way

"She's walking now!"
Our first update on Quinn at 20 months old



Is this your baby?
One of the pictures "grocery store Amy" sent of Quinn at 17 months old



Part Three of Our Story

Time to wrap up the history of how we've gotten to this point, but first must share good news.  Last Thursday we became officially DTC (Dossier to China.)  That means we now wait for China to log in our paperwork and review it.  Once approved, we receive an LOA (Letter of Acceptance) to adopt Quinn.  I would cherish your prayers that China gets us through quickly.  It is gut-wrenching to know there is a little girl halfway around the world waiting and all that's keeping you from getting her is a bunch of red tape!
So I left off with accepting the referral of Liu Er Qin...
On February 23, 2011, I hastily put our homestudy in the mail to the Department of Homeland Security (otherwise referred to as an I-800A.)  We required their approval before we could send our ppwk to China.  As soon as I dropped it off, I felt an amazing mix of emotions...anxiety, excitement, fear.  So, on my way to the grocery store, I prayed for wisdom and guidance and,once again, that if this was in fact the child He had planned for us, that we would see His blessing on the process to bring her home.
As I walked down the cereal aisle of the store, I passed a woman with an adorable adopted child.  I thought about saying something to her, but decided to respect her privacy.  She, in turn, approached me to ask if I'd like a coupon.  We struck up a conversation about adoption from China.  She had adopted three children from China and had an amazing wealth of knowledge about the ins and outs of the process.  I told her about our little girl, where she was from, her special needs and we exchanged email addresses.  I was thinking, 'Wow, what an amazing blessing of guidance.  God is SO good!"  Little did I know how good He really was...
Later that afternoon, I received an email from who I now affectionately refer to as 'grocery store Amy."  I will never forget the subject "Is this your baby?"  Attached were 4 pictures of a toddler named Tina.  I disregarded them at first, but, second guessing myself, compared the pictures I has received to the ones of this little girl.  She obviously had the same brachial plexus injury, but her face looked so different.  I emailed Amy with my referral pictures and got a call from her within minutes.  She knew our little girl!  More than that, she had updated information about our little girl!  Of all the orphans in China and all the adoptive families in the US, her dear friend had reviewed OUR little girl's file just a few months prior.  Then she broke the news..."Do you know about her legs?"  My heart skipped a beat.  Amy was kind enough to share all the information her friend had discovered about Liu Er Qin.  There were fears of cerebral palsy because she was not walking and her legs were quite weak.  Her friend had prayerfully decided this was not the little girl meant for their family, but AMy shared that they had just prayed the night before I met Amy that Liu Er Qin would find a loving family.

Now, Chris and I were wondering if she was the one meant for OUR family!  After all, this wasn't what we signed up for.  We could handle a hand injury, but CP!  That was way more than we could handle and we certainly didn't want to bring home a child with such extensive needs that it would disrupt Colin and Owen's lives.  I had prayed for guidance and God gave it in a way that was nothing less than miraculous.  Now, though, we were left with the question, 'What are you asking us to do with this guidance?!"
Chris and I frantically sought updates about Liu Er Qin's condition.  We discussed, we prayed, we talked to doctors and showed countless specialists the pictures we had received from Amy.  We were pertrified.  We were trying to do everything in our power to make a wise decision for our family, but it was all as clear as mud and we couldn't seem to find anyone who could give us updates on her current condition.
Then, one Sunday at church, a very wise missionary spoke to the congregation about his call to become a missionary as a young father.  Two of his statements left me in tears.  "We knew that the safest place for our family was in the center of God's will."  "God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called."  Light bulb moment!  Chris and I were trying so desperately to be in control of this decision, but the decision had already been made.  We were just too frightened to accept it.  This little girl may in fact have a much more serious condition than we anticipated, but who are we to say God wouldn't want that for our family!  He has carried us every single baby step of the way toward this little girl, even connecting us with people who knew and prayed for her!  As long as we are seeking Him, our family will be just fine.  Though Chris and I still had our fears, we decided to move forward in faith.  God wants the best for us.  It may just be in a very different package than what WE thought was best for us!
Days after we had ascertained that we would move forward no matter what her condition, we received an update..."Liu Er Qin is walking now."  She presented with no signs of CP! 
We are incredibly grateful for having that time of internal struggle because it brought us to a deeper place of attachment to Quinn and a place of unconditional love and acceptance of her.  God knew we needed to get there and He helped us get there through some amazing people!  What chokes me up to this day is the love He has shown for Quinn.  She has had so many wonderful families praying for her and loving her even before we ever saw her face!  What a blessing!

Part Two of Our Story

While it's all still fresh in my head, I thought I'd pick up where I left off with how we've gotten to this point...

Our first look at Liu Er Qin on Feb 1, 2011

We started the adoption process in Nov 2010. On February 1, 2011, as we had just wrapped up our home study, I got a call from our case manager at All God's Children. "I have a referral for you," she said. Before she mentioned anything about the child, she prepared me that families often view many children's files before they accept a referral. I was prepared before she said a word about the child to know that this was not our little girl. She gave initial information about a 19 month female over the phone and asked if I was interested in seeing the file and her picture. Of course! I frantically called Chris, who was in VA for work, so we could review the file online together. Neither of us spoke for several minutes other than to say, "Wow...I can't believe this is happening," as we looked at Liu Er Qin's picture and read countless doctor's reports about her health conditions. While we didn't feel what I had expected, that certainty that God had chosen this little girl to be part of our family, we did feel a sense that the Holy Spirit was guiding us toward an answer. Through prayer, doctor consultations, and numerous discussions with our case manager, we decided to put Liu Er Qin's file on permanent hold. In other words, we were unofficially her adoptive parents. Her file was removed from the database on Friday, February 4, 2011 and we went out to celebrate at a Chinese restaurant on the first day of the Chinese New Year! We knew that some of her medical findings were ambiguous which left us with a bit of apprehension, but the way everything was falling into place seemed like nothing less than God's work! All we could do, we agreed, was take one step at a time in faith. If this child was intended for another family and not ours, we knew that God would close doors and we would be obedient to His will...

And the miracle that happened next will be the source of the final part of this story...to be continued!

Chinese New Year-Feb 4,2011

First post

For starters, I do not like computers or technology in general so the fact that I am starting a blog is a little hilarious! I rarely get on FB. I don't have a smart phone, and I just recently figured out what apps are so this will be a simple site to say the least! I am using this site to share the journey of faith that our family is on with family and friends and anyone else who may be adopting or considering adoption. I'm also writing to share the story of how God has been miraculously working in our lives so others can see His grace and power at work. Finally, I'm writing for our daughter so she will have a record of how God brought our souls together to be a forever family.

This faith journey started many years ago as I've long had the desire to adopt. After years of prayer and discussion with Chris, on Christmas Eve 2009, he shared with me that he also felt the call to adopt. I was elated and nervous...could this really happen! We put the idea on hold as we planned a move to VA. By May 2010, I was beginning to feel unsure of God's plan for us. Our house in Charlotte wasn't selling, Chris was commuting to VA every week, and my private practice was shutting down to prepare to move. We were in a place of uncertainty and anxiety. On Saturday, May 22, 2010, as Chris and the boys were away camping, I decided to take a hike at one of my favorite spots, Crowders Mountain. As I started up the trail, my mind was racing with all of the unknowns in our lives. I started talking to God letting Him know how anxious I was and how I wasn't sure what His will was for us with the move, adoption, jobs. Then I finally shut up and realized all I was doing was talking, not listening. So I asked God to help me quiet my mind and open my eyes, ears, and heart to what He wanted for our family. Toward the top of the mountain, I noticed something shiny out of the corner of my eye. There was never litter on this mountain, so I told myself I'd pick it up on my way back down. I spotted it again as I was heading down the mountain, so I trekked through the spider webs in the woods to get it. I will never forget the feeling of awe as I approached that "litter." It was a mylar balloon that read "It's a Girl!" I immediately felt God's presence and I ran down the mountain with that balloon in my hand, crying, smiling, and praising God for this miraculous sign!

Chris and I agreed to begin the adoption process right away, but we hit snags along the way given our potential move. By October 2010, our house still hadnt sold, Chris was traveling to VA less frequently, and my practice had completely closed so, with prayer and guidance, we decided it was time to put the move on hold and begin the adoption process. We found a fabulous agency, All God's Children, and by Novemeber 2010, our application had been accepted and we were officially on our way to adopting a child.

Whew...that's enough for one post. Story to be continued...