“When a child is born, an invisible red thread reaches out from the child’s spirit and connects to all important people who will enter the child’s life. As the child grows, the threads shorten, bringing closer those people who are destined to be together.” ~Chinese Proverb

Our journey started on a snowy March 2006 walk in the woods. By the end of that walk we had laughed, cried and came to the conclusion that we would love to be walking as a family with a child by our side. This was the beginning of our adoption path to Hailee.

After a year’s worth of paperwork, fingerprinting, background checks, medical exams, and a home study our dossier was logged into China March 2007. As time passed we would need to update various adoption requirements. We were fingerprinted for a second time and of course the paperwork continued.

We received our referral match though the Child of Promise on January 23, 2009. It was hard to believe but our time had arrived. Hailee would soon be part of our family and walks in the woods.