Journey to Levi - Part 1

Some of you blog readers have already heard the story of how we came to the decision to adopt not just one but two boys from China. I decided it was time to post the story for those who have not heard it yet.

The journey to sending in our Letter of Intent asking for permission to adopt Levi has been long and started this past summer. I read about Levi on Facebook when I was searching for pictures or information about Jacob. He was from the same city as Jacob and was sponsored by Love Without Boundaries just like Jacob and Susu. I included this write up about Levi in my post about Patrick waiting for a family but I will include it again.

I have known many of these kids for the last five years, and it was very sad for me to visit the home of Nicholas (Levi) this time. He is ten years old, and has CP in his legs that makes it difficult for him to walk. He is so smart! He has not been chosen by a family yet, but many of his best friends have. He used to be so outgoing and happy, but I was told that he has become so very sad over no one choosing him to be their son. He said to us, “ I am smart, I can draw and sing, I would be so kind to a mama and baba….why does no one want me?” That just about did me in. He sang for us once again (he has a beautiful voice) but with much more sadness and longing in his eyes. Life is so unfair.

That write up touched my heart so much and I sent it to my Mom to read as well and she asked if we could bring Nicholas home for my parents to adopt. It was July, I think, and I told my Mom that China hardly ever let anyone adopt two children at once. Well my Mom and I decided to pray that Nicholas would find a family. The rules about adopting two children at one time changed in September and then the write up on Nicholas was done on the Love Without Boundaries blog. I just could not get Nicholas out of my head. I asked Aaron if he would ever consider adopting Nicholas too and my dear husband said no just as I expected. It really did seem like a crazy idea considering that we were already adopting one child with special needs and there are so many unknowns when you adopt an older child.


My Mom and Dad traveled to AZ to my brother's wedding right before Christmas this year. My Great Aunt Gennie and my Great Uncle Mike came to the wedding and spent a lot of time with my parents. My Great Aunt Gennie is about the same age as my Mom. She was adopted by my great grandparents (my Mom's grandparents) when she was 18 years old and about to age out of her orphanage in Korea. My great grandparents sent money to this Catholic orphanage and a nun had written them about Gennie because she was such a nice girl but would have no future in Korea because she had difficulty walking since she had suffered from polio as a child. She needed braces and crutches to walk. My great grandparents agreed to adopt her and everyone thought they were crazy to take on such a thing in their 60's. My great grandparents already had 11 children, my great grandfather had been completely blind since he was a child, and they did not have much money. A nun from the orphanage ended up bringing Gennie to my great grandparents in the U.S.

my Great Grandparents and some of their children



some of my Great Grandparent's grandchildren standing in front of the little home
where my Great Grandparents raised their twelve children



some of the great grandchildren

My Great Aunt Gennie was able to get surgery after coming to the U.S. and she only walks with a limp now. She married her husband Mike who has cerebral palsy. At my brother's wedding in December, my parents spent a lot of time with Gennie and Mike and Mike shared with them how he could have lived his whole life being supported by disability payments but that was not what he wanted for his life so he became a downhill ski instructor instead. Talk about a role model for Levi in my family. Gennie and Mike lived in Colorado until they retired to AZ and now they spend time with their two daughters and travel around the country. They have promised to come visit us here in Maine. My great grandparents have been such an inspiration to me and Susu is named after my great grandmother.

my Mom, my Great Aunt Gennie, my Great Uncle Mike, and my Dad

So this visit got my Mom thinking more and she and I talked more about Levi (Nicholas) and I said I would see if there was any way for us to bring him home for my parents. I was thinking we might be able to adopt him and then give my parents legal guardianship. I presented my idea to Meg at our adoption agency and she said that it was a nice idea but illegal. I knew Aaron would probably never agree to adopting Nicholas so I was determined to find a family for him. I sent his profile to quite a few of my friends and I also posted stuff about Nicholas on all the adoption yahoo groups I am part of.

to be continued...