Adoption Story with a Twist

Today's story is from a dear friend of mine. She accompanied me on my adoption trip to pick of Fifi. Thank God she did. I was completely inexperienced and had no idea how to take care of an infant! I'll owe her forever. There's no one I'd rather have spent this most precious of times with than my oldest and dearest. Here's her story.


Julie is a friend of mine and has been for 27 years. I think what she is doing with this adoption blog is great and I am very proud of her. I am proud of her for taking her life in her own hands and not waiting for that prince to come to start her own family. When she first told me that she was thinking about adopting, I thought it was great, but then I wondered if she had thought this through. This isn't like going out and buying a new sweater, this is a decision that affects the rest of your life! She was going to be responsible for another human being, she was single and she wanted it! I was there with Julie as she went through the process to get Fifi.

I couldn't believe all the hoops they made Julie go through just to get a kid, when there are thousands of them out there. Julie went through every hoop they threw at her, and it seemed like it took forever! Finally she was on her way to Russia to meet her daughter. I could hardly believe she was going to Russia! It is so far away from where she grew up in NW Indiana. Who from our area went to Russia, let alone to adopt as a single parent. WOW! Julie came back with stories of what she saw, pictures and video of HER daughter.

The hard part, we found out later, was yet to come. THE WAIT! Julie was going nuts waiting to go back to get Fifi. She was visiting me one day when she said that I should go back with her to get Fifi. Yeah right! Me, a SAHM with two little ones of my own, leaving my midwest little town to go to Russia, that would never happen. Well, my husband thought it would be an experience of a lifetime and felt I should go. Next thing you know, I am getting a passport (something I thought I would never have), making arrangements to have my kids taken care of while I was gone, leaving lists for the hubby and packing. This helped give Julie something else to focus on during the wait, getting me ready to go with her. We finally got word, and we were on our way.

Going to Russia was amazing! I could tell stories of the wonderful tour that Julie and I took of Moscow, how I cried when I entered Red Square, of our scary plane ride to the town where we got Fifi, of the orphange, the list goes on an on. But the most amazing thing of all was when Julie and I were waiting in a room and the nurses were asking lots of questions about Julie and me and I showed them pictures of my kids, saying that Fifi would have two new friends waiting at home.

Then in walked a nurse with this little baby girl all bundled up in many layers of clothes and handed her to Julie and I cried. My friend got her baby, her little girl, the one she waited so long for and jumped through so many hoops for. She had her family, there in her arms, and I was there to witness it. It was a truly amazing moment.

Oh, I could go on about our trip and to this day I still do. I think I have a right though, Fifi is my Goddaughter and I love her dearly. Julie and I live about 2 hours away from one another, and we talk, email and visit as much as we can. I am blessed to be a part of Fifi's story and her life. I feel there are reasons they make adoption so hard. It shows how dedicated you are to being a parent. Lots of people can get pregnant and have a baby, but it takes a lot more to be a parent. I feel the adoption process makes you that better parent.

Lots of love to Julie, Fifi and Buddy!