It took 3 years (I described this time as being a mother elephant; they too wait 3 years for their baby). We finally travelled to China 2 weeks after 9/11, my 2 oldest being a sophmore in HS and a senior in HS. So many loved ones were concerned about our safety travelling overseas, all I wanted was to be with my youngest daughter. I was overwhelmed at the love I felt for the people of China and was amazed at how difficult it was to leave, knowing that instead of me being part of a minority as I was in China, my daughter was now going to a country where she would be looked on as a minority. I cried from GuangJo to Hong Kong…..
One year to the date of bringing her home, my husband of 21 years left us for another woman. Needless to say, our lifestyle was to change. But I knew for certain that we did not bring Ella home to be in daycare 9-10 hrs a day/5 days a week. Despite MUCH opposition, I continued homeschooling Ella and her older sister. We are so blessed. I continue homeschooling, Ella’s older sister is now a senior, my 2 older children have graduated college, married and I’m even a grandma now! Even though there has been times of no insurance, no child support (he quit his career as an engineer in a nuclear plant so that I wouldn’t ‘receive’ any of ‘his’ money) we have had so much love, support and encouragement, I wouldn’t change a thing EXCEPT: we had always planned to go back to China, work in orphanges, allow Ella time in her birth country and just share all the joys/issues of living in China. I guess that’s a dream that could still be……………!