The Story!

First I would like to bring everyone up to speed in regards to the changes at our agency. Until recently, CCAI (our agency) would get in a list of kiddos every three to four months and would match them according to our MCC(medical conditions checklist) dates as well as the medical conditions that we as a family research and felt comfortable enough taking. Our MCC date was 04/24/2007 so we have been in the special needs "program" for almost a year. They (the CCAA - Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs - in China) would send these lists out to all of the adoption agencies and normally each agency would get their "batch" around the same time. In the last month or so, the CCAA announced that all of these precious kids would go onto a big huge list called the shared list. Then each agency would have to lock in a specific child and then contact the perspective families. We would then have 48 hours to do as much research as we could, talk to doctors, and get our hands on as much info as we could about the childs speecific needs. We would have to write our LOI (Letter of Intent) to the CCAA that basically says yes, we would love to adopt this child and we have researched their needs and are willing to take on any other needs that were not known at this time. This LOI then had to be sent to our agency, translated and sent to China. In 48 hours. That includes night time too... If this criteria is not met, the file becomes unlocked and this specific child is then placed back onto the shared list where another agency can lock them in. There are more than 30 agencies. Talk about PRESSURE!!!!

Flash back to April 7, 2008 ------

April 7, 2008 was a Monday and I was getting ready for work about 430ish. Elias was outside riding his bike and Shannon was still at work. At this time with the new system everything was sort of up in the air as far as time tables go. No one really knew what was going to happen as far as the new system went, so I had just settled down for a long wait.
I was blowdrying my hair and I thought that I heard my cell phone ring. I turned the dryer off and picked up my phone and saw the 303 area code. I could not believe it!!! It was my agency!!! Pam, who is one of the ladies in the WC (Waiting Child) department said, "You MUST not be at home because we shot you an email about 20 minutes ago and and you haven't replied! You are always on the computer, and today you aren't??" I explained to her that I was getting dressed for work so I was kind of busy and no time to check emails. She asked if we were open to a need that wasn't on our list and one that was on our list. She explained to me that this little girl they locked in for us had a patent foramen ovale and left hip dysplasia. I had them email her info immediately!!!! I opened the file and that's when it happened. I fell in love with the most beautiful little girl in China. Her heart condition will need a check up once we get home and that's about all. I talked to a really nice pediatric cariologist at work that night and he said PFO's need no follow up, they have no symptoms and she won't need any surgery. As far as the hip dysplasia goes, she will probably need to be in a cast for several months and maybe surgery if that doesn't correct the problem.
So we quick get our LOI in that next morning and we are technically are not allowed to say anything on any yahoo groups or blogs until we get PA (Pre-Approval) which could take up to a month. We get our LOI in and we are safe... or so I thought. Pam called me back the next day I think and said their computer systems were acting weird so they were not able to get the LOI in and Norah went back into the system where she was immediately locked in by another agency. Nope, I am NOT kidding. Pam told me not to worry that they would get it all straightened out. I had all the faith in the world in Pam and in CCAI, but my baby was with another agency!! HELLO!!! Pam said the agency would have to hold her for 48 hours, per the CCAA rules, and onces she went back into the shared list they (my agency) would lock her in for us again. Little did I know that Pam had already spoken with CCAA and told them they were having computer problems. And this other agency was nice enough to just hold her and not try to place her with a family. Later that afternoon, Pam called to tell me that the CCAA called this other agency and told them they could not place her and that she already had a family. That made me feel better, but after we went through last November, I just felt like my heart could not handle another disappointment. The very next day, Pam called to tell me the CCAA had unlocked this file for us and placed her with our agency. We were matched with her once again!!! I could finally breathe!
So here we are! I will tell you a little about Norah.

- She is 15 months old, born on January 6, 2007
- She has 4 teeth
- she is quiet
- fond of listening to music!!!!!!!!!!!
- fond of reading picture books (shannon was happy about this!)
- impatient sometimes (hello, she is a girl!)
- favorite activities : hide and seek
- favorite food: fish
- favorite toys: dolls and balls (the best of both worlds!)
- can sit alone for a long time
- picks up tiny objects with index finger and thumb
- likes to sit and play with the toys she likes
- can beat the toys with each other and take toys out of the container
- is interested in pictures with bright colors
- can utter sounds like baba (DADDY!!!) clearly
- responds to the facial expressions of adults
- when teased she will laugh
- show the emotions to be sad, grieved and happy
- When being happy she can laugh aloud
- she can react quickly when her name is called
- likes to play the game of hide and seek with adults
- is a cute and adorable little girl - I promise her file said this!!!!
- Presently has staple food of soft rice and noodle
- likes crackers best.
- She has regular sleep, sleeps on her tummy, deep sleeper
- does not often get sick
- has had cold and cough occasionally which generally was cured once treated


I mean really... does it get any cuter than that???

We are so blessed to be able to bring this little girl into our lives and hearts. It is so amazing to think right now she is an orphan. No momma, daddy, big brother and soon she will have all of this. She will be a niece, a cousin, a grand-daughter, a great grand-daughter. She will have the love of many and for that we so very thankful. Thankful to you for being a part of this journey to family and for showing a little girl you have not met yet more love than she has known in her little fifteen months of life. Thank you.