FAQ and a movie

FAQ

Q.What do you know about Lucy's history?
A. All we know is that she was abandoned at a public park at one month of age. She had her birthdate pinned to her white clothing. She was obviously loved and I feel for her mother who I know didn't want to give her up, but was forced to given the culture of boy preference and the one child policy. Can you imagine what her mother went through? Lucy's birth mother will always have a place of honor in our home.

Q.Why adopt when you already have two kids?
A.When I lived in Thailand, sometimes I would go to a market, buy loads of toys, deliver them to an orphanage (lots of AIDS orphans at the time) and play with the kids for the day. It was just so easy to connect with the kids and it killed me that they didn't have loving families. Then when I met Will and we were dating we talked about how we have both been drawn to international adoption and that ideally we would have two biological kids and one adopted. We've been in the process off and on for 6 years! There are hundreds of thousands of kids who need homes and we are fortunate enough to be able to provide one. It's an adventure, a leap of faith, and sometimes I do get anxious with all the unknowns but I always think of Ghandi's quotation, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." And we love kids, the world is that small and love is that big. Yes, Lucy will have a family and our family will have Lucy, an international connection, and lessons in the power of love and bonding. Invaluable.

Q.Does she know any English?
A.Nada

Q.How long will you be gone?
A.Two weeks - back June 5.

Q. How do the kids feel?
A. Kai (almost 2) knows her name from the photo and repeats "Lu-shee" when we say her name but other than that, he has no clue. Lorna (5.5), on the other hand, is ecstatic and cannot wait to meet her. She is missing her dance recital this weekend, but said that of course it's more important to go to China. Good girl! Lorna's most excited about the impending bunk beds but may have a tough time when Lucy touches her stuff.

Q.How old is she?
A.She will be 3 on July 5. Kai will be 2 on July 4 - which is actually July 5 if we were in China. So we get to have cake two days in a row, but know they really share the birth date. (My sister is July 3, so if we're all together that would be 3 cakes in 3 days! I'd be game for that...)

Q.Where will she sleep?
A.At first she'll sleep in our bed. She deserves to have the baby treatment for as long as she needs it. It would probably be so healthy for her to regress - get wrapped in blankets, fed a bottle, carried in a sling - all those rights of passage that she never had. I feel timid typing this, but yes she also deserves to disrupt my sleep for six months to a year. Then when she's ready, a toddler bed in our room, followed by the bed moved to Lorna's room. When we're all good, she'll get the bottom bunk.

Q.When can we meet her?
A.We are going to try to cocoon ourselves for June. Then depending on how things are going, we'll start taking short outings to the park, pool, play dates, etc. We're not signed up for any programs this summer - trying to slow down, bond, and then when she's ready, open this new world up for her bit by bit.