Fostering Friday “Mom” Tami’s story of bring (Angel’s Song) Charlene into their family

I remember first talking to my friend Christine about how we wanted to adopt a baby from China.  We had put all of our papers in, had a home study etc, but the country was trying to computerize their system and so we were on hold, waiting until they were up and running again.

Christine  asked me why we wanted to adopt from China when there were so many kids here in the united states that were available for adoption.  I told her that I heard that there weren’t many available and that they were all older kids.  she said that she had some at her house right then that were free to be adopted.  She invited me over to her house, and I went.  When I first saw Charlene she melted my heart.  She was 4 years old but so tiny.  She  had long dark hair, and huge beautiful brown eyes.  She was very shy though and didn’t want to talk much, but I watched her as she played.  She played well by herself and was very quiet. 

I went home and talked to my husband and we agreed that we would bring her to our house for several play dates.  She came over and played well.  Sometimes very tearful about not getting what she wanted, she had these huge crocodile tears that seemed to come out of nowhere.  the older kids were very protective of her, trying to get her to come out of her shell.  I had one that was 2 years old at the time, a little girl that seemed to love have another girl close to her age. 

We eventually had her overnight and then for a weekend here and there.  We saw some things that came up, but in my mind, I believed that love could conquer anything. 

As she became more comfortable in our home, I saw behaviors come out that disturbed me.