Tuesday, December 20, 2011

After a Five Year Wait – The Best Christmas Ever



 Laura Richer gasped, as she viewed photos of her new daughter
in the adoption referral handed to her by
Nichole Deal, Children's Hope social worker. 

“She is soooo... cuuuuute…!”

Those were the emotional words flowing from Laura Richer when she first saw the photo of her new daughter.   Laura and her husband Steve, along with three other Children’s Hope couples, today received their referrals; the official documents from China matching the new parents to an orphan who will soon be their child. The Richers have been waiting for this day since August 2006, when their adoption paper work was approved by the Chinese.

Riley is now waiting for the Richers 
“It’s been so long, people have stopped asking about it,” Laura said when reflecting on the long wait to adopt from China.  But today was the start of a joyous ending, as Laura and Steve’s new daughter, 18-month-old “Riley”, from Guangdong province, took up residence in their hearts.

"
Over five years is a long time…but I guess she was meant to be ours,” Steve said.

All four couples will be traveling to China in two to four months to finalize their individual adoptions and then bring their new children home. 




international adoption, UNICEF, China adoption, adopting from China, orphans, orphanage, China special needs adoption

3 comments:

Krsteach said...

Congratulations to the Richers. We share your joy today as we also received the long awaited phone call! Talk about Christmas joy!

Krsteach said...

Congratulations to the Richers. We share your joy today as we also received the long awaited phone call! Talk about Christmas joy!

Chad P. Shepherd said...

Congratulations!!!! I suppose we may be travel buddies soon?! It is worth every document, every delay, and every moment! What a wonderful journey!