Day 13: Coming Home

Once upon a time there was a woman and a man who wanted very much to be parents. They had many friends who loved them, but they were still lonely because they had no child to share their life. So after waiting a long time, one day they called an adoption agency and told the person on the phone they wanted to adopt the best baby in the whole world. “We have the best baby in the whole world,” said the person on the phone, “but she’s very far away. She’s in a beautiful place across the ocean, called China, but it takes a long time to get there.”

“It doesn’t matter,” said the woman and the man, who were suddenly very excited and afraid all at the same time. “If that is where the best baby in the world is, then we will go there.”

So the woman and the man who wanted to be a mother and a father got on an airplane, and then on another airplane, and after a very long time traveling, they came at last to the place called China. And there, the very nice people who had been taking care of the best baby in the world gave her to the woman and the man. The nice people asked if the man and the woman would promise to love and care for her, because she is the best baby in the world. The nice people explained that even though she was the best baby in the whole world, her first mommy was not able to take the care of her. And because she loved her baby so much she decided to let other nice people be her mommy and daddy.

The woman and the man promised they would always and forever love and care for the baby. They saw that she was the best baby in the whole world.

All that night, and for many days and nights to follow, the woman and the man who had finally become a mother and a father sat and stared at their beautiful new baby girl. The mother woke up every 15 minutes to make sure the baby was breathing. The father carried her everywhere they went, no matter how heavy she felt and sore his muscles got. They both marveled that she already had four teeth. They named the baby Keira Chengye Lane.

After several days, many papers were signed , and the baby’s adoption was finally official. Then, it was time for the new mother and father and their baby Keira to leave the place called China, and all the nice people that had cared for her, to return to California and begin their life there together.

And so they all began the long journey from China to California, with baby Keira snuggled deep in her new mother’s arms. Although there were many people on the airplanes and in the airports, and much commotion with all the suitcases and official papers, the baby slept peacefully for the whole trip. And then, when they finally arrived in San Jose, California, Keira began to smile and babble and kick her feet. And her mother and father knew that all the years and months of waiting had been worth this one special moment.

And as they came slowly down the ramp from the plane to all their waiting family and friends, the new father kissed Keira gently on the forehead and whispered softly, “Come on, Keira, we’re finally home.”

Adapted from International Adoption, Jean Knoll, Mary-Kate Murphy, 1993