We have
been together for 7 years.
We met at a restaurant
where we both were meeting friends for separate Christmas
parties. Greg proposed on September 8 while at the airport
waiting for Greg to leave on his Navy Reserve training in
Naples, Italy. Three days later, our world changed with 9/11. We
were married a year later at Heinz Chapel in Pittsburgh.
After I graduated from Robert Morris
University in 2004, we started talking about having a family. We
attended an international adoption seminar and we both fell in
love with a little girl from China who was throwing Cheerios on
the floor. That day we decided to pursue an adoption from China.
Over the July 4, 2005 holiday, we completed our application with
Great Wall Adoption Agency (GWCA).
The day we sent our application to GWCA, we purchased a little
pink bear (aka Mr. Bear). Mr Bear has been waiting for almost 3
years for his little playmate to come home to play with him.
The paperwork process took longer then expected and had many ups
and downs during the process. The paperwork process included
physicals, letters from our companies, interviews with our
social worker, FBI fingerprinting, recommendations from friends
and approval of the US Customs and Immigrations Service. On
January 12, 2006, our paperwork was logged in to the China
Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) and our official wait began.
CCAA is the government agency is in charge of adoptions in
China. That night we went for Chinese food and our fortune in
the cookie was, “You will be graced by the presence of a loved
one soon.” Little did we know that it would be almost 3 years
later before she would be home with us.
We are planning on naming our little one, Melynda Jane in honor
of our moms. We wanted a name starting with an M in memory of
Greg’s mom, Mary Nestor and Jane is in honor of my mom, Nancy
Jane Wareham.
We currently live in the home that Greg grew up in. We have
spent the last three years updating the house and preparing the
little one’s room(s).
The nursery has been started and is a combination of new and
well-loved old items. Grandma and Grandpap purchased a beautiful
white crib for her. The cradle for her dollies and stuffies was
made by her great grandpap for her grandma. Melynda will be the
fifth generation of Warehams to be rocked in the rocking chair.
Her cousins (Cassie and Gretta) provided the mirror and picture
holder.
While we wait, we have had great support from our family and
friends without whom we would not have survived the wait.
Grandma has been crocheting away and in addition to the sweaters
and blankets for the little one, she made 30 hats for Melynda’s
orphanage. Family and friends have been donating toys and baby
items. We had to purchase 3 toy boxes for all of the toys that
Matt and Michael (nephews) have donated to her. Her Aunt Robin
and Uncle Jeff filled our basement with baby items and her aunts
(Nancy and Patty) have been collecting items for her.
We missed Chinese New Year (CNY) this year, but we have attended
the last two CNY celebrations with our friends from Three Rivers
Families with Children from China (TRFCC). We have attended many
meetings where we have met great families who are waiting or are
home with their kids. Our social network with our TRFCC families
was invaluable.
|
Look who I captured at Alcatraz
Graduation
Melynda’s Mom and Dad
Relaxing at Cooks Forest, PA
Getting Ready to Bike the Golden Gate Bridge |
