The First Dance

By Adrian N

It was the summer of 2007 when my husband and I just finished our first round of in-vitro fertilization. The doctors told us not to expect much from this first round, another let down in a roller coaster of emotions that accompany infertility. I remember being at a restaurant, eating lunch, still having two weeks to wait to know if our in-vitro was going to be successful when I looked at my husband and said "I want to adopt." In turn, he looked at me and said "How about Russia?"

Our decision was made, in the busy lunchtime crowd of the restaurant, we knew with 100% certainty that we would be parents. Since that time, the roller coaster of emotions that accompanied us the year before turned into thoughts of hope, happiness, and excitement.

We were first drawn to Wide Horizons For Children because of the other community members that recommended us to them. Also, the more than 30 years of experience that this company had comforted us. From the first introduction meeting that we went to in September, we knew that WHFC would help us bring our child home. We quickly worked on assembling the mounds of paperwork that was to be done. With the help of our social worker Maureen, and our program coordinators Kate, we completed our home study and turned in our Russia dossier in 3.5 months! At the end of January, we started to wait for our sibling group referral.

The waiting families group helped Ken and me through the hard, long winter months of waiting. These once a month meetings gave us a chance to see that we were not alone in this wait. Also, we were introduced to friends whom we still hold dear to us today. We expected to wait at least 6 months for a referral for siblings. Then, an unexpected call came. At the end of April, our social worker called and told us of a possible referral. True, it was not a sibling group. However, Ken and I could not let go of the feeling that this call, that this child waiting in Russia, was meant to be ours.

We arrived in Moscow on April 6, 2008. From the moment we stepped through customs, to stepping onto the train to Bryansk, to meeting our child, Ken and I felt so well cared for. We felt secure in this large country, as our representative Olga walked us through every step of the in-country process. Then the day came, while sitting nervously in the recreation room, shaking and sweating, when the orphanage doctor walked in with Angelina in hand. She walked to us, took my hand, and started to dance. This action melted away all of my worries and fears of international adoption. Her first dance step with me made all of the paperwork, waiting time, and hoop jumping seem like a distant memory. Her smile melted away the loss of failed infertility attempts. Being matched with Angelina was certainly no mistake. This union, we feel, was truly meant to be. We were half a world apart but the puzzle pieces fit more perfectly than I could have ever imagined.

My husband and I have nothing but positive and warm feelings toward Wide Horizons, how could we not? This company did more than help us with our paperwork, more than complete a home study, more than meet us at the airport, more than calm our nerves. Wide Horizons For Children gave us friendships for life, gave us an appreciation for a different culture, gave us our wonderful daughter Angelina, gave us hope again.