First post...first step

So, we did it, we mailed off our official contract to EAC for Hannah's sister. We got accepted/approved to adopt through European Adoption Consultants a couple of weeks ago. Nerves got the best of me for about a week and half. This has been almost a year in discussion or actually even longer. We have decided to adopt Hannah a sister from China. I guess this is something we even knew we would do when we went to China for Hannah 4 years ago. A lot of waiting, talking and praying took place in the meantime, and now is just the time that it felt right to start the whole process. We are pursuing the SN (special needs) route and are hoping to bring home a sister around ages 2-3. The process, I am told, will take 12-18 months...it just depends on how fast the paperwork flows and when we chose our child matching the needs we will accept.  Sarah Grace is the name we have decided on for now. We have tossed back and forth Mallorie, Molly and Courtney, but Sarah just seems right.  So this marks the first step in many to Hannah's Mei-Mei (little sister). Hoping and praying the rest of our steps are blessed.

The word "special needs" is very scary when you first hear it, but "special needs" according to China can be something as minor as a birthmark, repaired cleft lip, or a missing finger or just an older child. The demand to adopt an infant non SN girl from China has gotten so high, that is probably more of a dream than a reality now. We were very lucky to adopt and get Hannah home when we did...before the whole China NSN program just fell to pieces. I love this video. It explains more about SN or "waiting child" program from China. We are not planning on pursuing some of the more major medical needs the video shows, but it does show that these "special needs" children, although they do have medical needs when coming home that can be repaired, don't have to wear that label the rest of their lives.