Why China?

It is now January 2012, just over six years since we began our adoption paperwork. Any day we should be hearing of our travel plans, hopefully for the end of the month. It continues to be a bit of an emotional roller coaster as we hear information, fill out paperwork, then sit and wait until the next wave of information heads our way. We have been attempting to keep our minds off the wait time by preparing a cute little room for our princess. It has been fun, but a bit overwhelming because we haven't had baby stuff in the house for almost seven years. I think we remember how it done to be parents of a baby.

Over the past six years, one of the questions that we have been asked the most is, "Why China?" We are so happy to tell our story and how God has perfectly orchestrated every little part...even the six year wait. So, here is our story...

On our second assignment (Wichita, KS) in the Air Force we lived next to a wonderful couple who adopted from China. Watching their journey was inspiring. We began to truly realize just how many children are living in orphanages. Everyone of those kids needs a home where they can experience the love offered by a family. Two assignments and three little boys (now big boys) later we were stationed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. I joined a MOPS group through our church and met some wonderful women who were also adopting from China. At this point Mark and I seriously started thinking about adopting and decided if God lead us down that path we would gladly accept His calling. The very next assignment (Maxwell AFB, AL) I joined a women's bible study group of about 12 women. One of the women in our group had just returned from China with their baby girl. After watching the journey of adoption through so many others, seeing what love can do for a child, and truly sensing the nudging of God, we were ready to begin our own journey. The paperwork process began January 2006.

We believe God has clearly placed people in our path who have had a heart for Chinese children. It become pretty clear that we would find our daughter in China. Interestingly, as we were preparing for one of our many moves (can't remember which one...they all seem to run together), I had discovered an old college term paper where I did research about the one child policy in China. I smiled and said, "God, thank you, I see clearly your direction." Who would have thought almost twenty years later, I would be a part of my own research.

As this long journey to adopt our daughter is becoming a reality, Mark and I believe we were called to adopt, and that God lead us to China. Kaylee Elizabeth Baroni is the perfect little girl that God is getting ready to place in our lives.

Thanks for reading this somewhat long post and thank you for your emails, phone calls, prayers, and words of encouragement. Hopefully, another post soon with our travel plans.