How It All Began

On April 11, 2007 I met Amanda Phillips when I picked up Jayden from his AWANA class. She was holding her adorable daughter, Ananya, and I immediately peppered Amanda with questions. Where was this tiny beauty from? What adoption agency did they use? When did they get her? How long did it take? -- the usual questions for us adoptive moms.

I got Amanda's email address that night after talking just a few minutes and then I raced home to get Jayden settled for bed so I could check out the website of Dillon International. Dillon had been on my "short list" of agencies I was interested in working with should we ever get to adopt again, but it had been awhile since I had looked at their site and I was definitely looking with more interest on this particular night. After checking out the basics of Dillon's various country programs, I really scrutinized their India program and decided to look at their list of "waiting children." But alas, I needed to fill out their screening form and wait for an approval and password in order to view the list. Great -- my favorite thing to do...wait. (somewhere my husband is laughing and rolling his eyes at that thought)

So... after forcing myself to go to bed, I checked my email the next morning and got what I was looking for at 12:19 p.m. (in case you really like details) By 12:51 p.m. I had requested AND received further info on a 10-month-old boy. (That Tami-girl at Dillon is ON THE BALL!)

Then after requesting further info on a second child from the list, this time a 13 month-old boy, I laid eyes on HIM. That was 1:21 p.m. on April 12, 2007 ( I TOLD you Tami was on the ball!) The eyes looking back at me from this first precious picture were captivating, joyful, beautiful, and playful -- certainly not what I expected to see from a child who only knew an orphanage as home. Well, I was captivated. My life changed in that moment. That constant little ache like something was missing suddenly became more urgent, and I knew that it wasn't some THING that was missing. It was HIM. He needed a family, and this family needed him.