The email simply said:
Dear Cindy,
The Department has issued a referral for you - a girl, light featured, Valeria, DOB August 26. According to her referral letter, her diagnoses look average. My question is Valeria is half year older than you requested, will you consider her referral and we can work further on getting more info or would you like to turn her down due to age and ask for a younger referral?
Best Regards, Olga
She was older than what we had originally requested but we had been praying that we would get the referral that God meant to be our child so I immediately emailed Olga back and said we definitely will consider her, please get us more information. Two days later we received another email with her medical report and current pictures. Irina, the coordinator in Khabarovsk had gone to the orphanage and taken the pictures that week! When I saw her, I knew that I could never turn her down. She looked beautiful and scared and I wanted to go get her right then. I read over the medical and it scared me to death with all kinds of horrible sounding diagnoses but Olga assured me they were fairly typical of what they see on most medicals from that orphanage and she also put me in touch with Dr. Skurkovich, an international adoption doctor. He said Valerie seemed to be more light, more fragile, and certainly 4 or even 5 months delayed in development compared to the average US child but nothing that wasn't correctable. He gave a low-risk assessment. She had no physical signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Doesn't she have amazing eyes? I blew these precious pictures up to 8 x 10 and printed them off. I stared at them and prayed for her constantly for the next month until we traveled to Khabarovsk to meet her! They say not to fall in love with your referral because you might meet her and decide she's not the one or she might be adopted by a Russian family before you are able to complete the adoption. I heard that advice but didn't heed it. I was definitely already in love!
5 comments:
Yes, her eyes ARE amazing! She is so beautiful and I know you all must be totally in love with her. I also fell head over hills in love with our first referal, but the birth mother came back and my heart was broken. It can and does happen. God knew what he was doing though and His perfect plan led us straight to the sweetheart who was ABSOLUTELY MEANT for our family. I'm glad everything worked out perfectly for you and Valerie!
Oh Cindy, I can see why you were in love at first sight! God had a perfect plan for your family. She is precious!
Cindy,
Precious, I remember looking at those pictures in Sunday school. I kinda teared up reading this, maybe I'm super hormonal and emotional these days, but such a precious little girl. I'm so glad God gave you this little girl! I so wish I could have seen her in person. Maybe soon you will learn to post a video on your blog : )
Kelly
she is a beautiful little girl!! it's been wonderful getting to watch her grow and experience all the new little things being with you guys have brought to her. it has been such a blessing getting to read your blog and watch your blessings.
Congrats! She has such big beautiful blues eyes.
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