Lei Xiaoru's Story
By Denise H
The journey to adopt my daughter began when I was 28, when I witnessed the miracle of a friend bringing her daughter home from China, also as a single mother. From that point on, I knew that adoption was the way in which I wanted to start my family. As life would have it, circumstances prevented me from doing so for quite some time, and at age 38 I finally attended my first meeting. The journey begins...
The paperwork was not as tough as some had said, and the home study was a very pleasant and comfortable experience. My social workers, Roy and Maureen, were nothing short of wonderful, as were all of the staff: Sandy at the Bedford office, the entire China team - Linda, Joy and Amanda - and the staff in general. It seemed that they were more family and friends than anything else (and still are), which made the process that much more comfortable and informed. I found the hardest part to be the waiting, as most of us do. I decided very early on that a waiting child would be my first child, as I felt I could handle many of the conditions that the children had. My dossier was complete in January of 2005 and I patiently (well sometimes not so patiently) waited for the information on the next group of children to come in to WHFC. I was checking the website daily, and a group of beautiful children were finally posted in early June. As soon as I saw the photos of the children, my heart and eyes were immediately drawn to the precious little face that would soon become my daughter, Lei Xiaoru. She had a congenital heart condition known as Patent Ductus Arteriousus, and I wasted no time in finding a pediatric cardiologist that very afternoon. Within 48 hours I requested a matching meeting, and within a week I knew that we would soon be a family.
My life has changed in the most wonderful and amazing ways since Ru and I became a family on November 21st, 2005. The moment her care-giver placed her in my arms was the most precious moment of my life. She is truly the love and light of my life. Every night as she falls off to sleep, I can't help but stare at her and ask God how this little miracle came into my life, and how blessed I am that she is my daughter. I have had so many people tell me that I saved her life, but the reality is that she is the one who saved mine. I often find myself tearing up over the fact the she is really home, and for her birth parents who cannot share in the joy and happiness that I feel every day. Watching her grow, what seems to be too quickly, her laugh and her smile, and even the frustrations that come along with being a parent, are all things I cherish every day.
I truly believe that there is a reason for the way in which life works out... The fact that circumstances prevented us from becoming a family until 2005 is because Ru and I were meant to be together. Miracles do happen. Ru and I are currently awaiting the arrival of her little sister, also from China, at the end of 2008 or early 2009. She asks almost every day when we will be able to go up in the airplane to bring her little sister home. The journey begins again...
Thanks to everyone at Wide Horizons for helping us become a family.