One Year Ago

It was a year ago today that we got the phone call to ask if we wanted to view Katelyn's file. Here's the post from our other blog about our referral. The post was actually written after we accepted her referral and sent in our LOI. The blog no long exists, but I saved all the journal entries... and yes, I still remember all the emotions of that day...

We were supposed to go out to dinner with my family Monday night (2/18). That got postponed till Tuesday, so we considered going to our monthly China adoption meeting instead. Well, Scott got tied up with work, and the boys and I were exhausted, so we skipped it this time. Later that night I was checking the CCAI WCP yahoo group and noticed some posts about a new little girl on the CCAI website. Let me back up for just a moment... our agency usually matches the children on their list with the families they have on file. Sometimes, however, they can't do that because the files don't match or because a child may have a more significant need.

Moving on... I decided to go on the website and check her out... I was immediately drawn to this sweet child and sent an email to one of the ladies in the waiting child department requesting to see her file. It was tough going to sleep that night... just wondering... The next morning (Tuesday the 19th) I called the agency as well and left a message (actually 2) requesting to view the file. Then I left for my MOPS steering team meeting. I checked my email while at the meeting to see if I got a response from our agency... Pam replied explaining that the file had not been completely translated, but that she would put us on the list to review the file.

I went home after the meeting and again emailed asking when the file would be translated and how the review process worked... I was told that it would probably take a couple of days before the file was translated and then they would go in order of who requested first. All in all, it would probably be at least a week before we would see the file, if we'd see it (I had no clue where we were on the waiting list). She also suggested we do more research since this was a more complicated special need (and one that we had not checked off on our medical checklist).

So I go pick up Andrew from school and we head over to Disney to see my parents, nephews and grandmother (we were going out to dinner this time). While at the resort I got a phone call. I thought it was Scott asking when we were going to get to the restaurant... it was only after I picked it up that I realized it was a 303 area code!!! That's the area code for our agency!!!!!! I answer the phone and it's Pam... she asks if we still want to review the file... uh, YES!!!!!! She says she'll email us the file and we should take some time to look over everything and then call her in the morning to let her know what we think... I quickly call Scott and ask him to find a place that has internet and download the files! He ends up going to a nearby hotel and paying a fee to use their internet (best couple of bucks ever!). Then we meet up at the restaurant (Olive Garden) and look over the file and all the pictures... WOW!!! We decide that we really want to do more research on her condition and decide to call CCAI the next morning to put her file on hold while we call some specialists.

Wednesday morning (2/20) I call the specialist to leave a voicemail asking her to review the file... it's 7:30am and she answers the phone!!!! So I send her the info and then wait... and wait... and wait... Finally, just as I'm walking out the door to go to church for choir rehearsals I get the call from the doctor. This doctor is usually very critical and negative... but not this time! She was extremely positive and encouraging!!! I leave the house and call Scott on my way to church (by this time I'm already slightly late) to tell him the good news. I arrive at church in tears because I realize that we just found our daughter!!!!!!We officially accepted her referral on Thursday (2/21), and the rest is history.

I enjoy reading those old posts and remembering how exciting (and sometimes frustrating) the whole process was. I actually printed out the info about Katelyn that was on the CCAI website. This little bit of info is what made me believe that this little girl was my daughter. Here's what I saw and what it said (the "tremendous interest" part was added after we placed the file on hold)...