Hannah and I were on one of our periodic walks and Father/Daughter times. It had not been long since I had been diagnosed with Parkinson's. Of course she was wearing her runner prosthetics. We were meandering over the bridge between our house and town. I was holding her hand as always to keep her from falling on the uneven payment. Anymore though, I think she was holding me up as much or more than I was her. For whatever reason we were talking about heaven this particular father-daughter time. I pointed out, "You know, Princess, in heaven we won't be like this. We will both be whole." She questioned me, "What do you mean by whole, Daddy." I choked back the tears and answered, "I won't be so clumsy with Parkinson's anymore and you will have legs." She stopped and pondered a moment, then replied very thoughtfully, "You know, Daddy, I think I am pretty whole just the way I am."
That is the kind of attitude she has had from day one.
We learned of Hannah while I was attending an Adopt US Kids Summit in Washington DC. I was in a crowded hotel lobby with over 1000 attendees scarfing down a standup sack lunch around little round tables. One lady moved over and gave me the one spot apparently available. She was a social worker from a local adoption agency. She shared Hannah's story with me and how desperate they were to find a placement for her. They primarily placed healthy white babies and some healthy minority children, but they had no prospects for a child like Hannah.
Hannah's biological mother was 14 when Hannah was born. She had come to this agency for help pretty much at the last minute. They agreed to find a home for her child, but had second thoughts after she was born. She was born without the Tibia (shin bone) in both legs, six fingers on one hand and no thumb on either, and both elbows fused. She needed to be placed in a home that would have access to the needed medical care and she needed to be placed fast. The home needed to be already pretty much adoption ready.
I began making calls to people who had expressed interest in adoption as I traveled the state. None either met the criteria or had the desire for a child with such issues. I have discovered that most people don't want "damaged goods". They more than not want only the healthiest, happiest, and prettiest babies. In so many ways Hannah met that criteria. Oh well, their loss.
After I returned home from the summit, Kim and I continued praying for and trying to find a home for this precious child. Remember, our family was complete now....so we thought. We had prayed for four children, two boys and two girls, and that's what we had been given.
After several attempts at finding her a home we began to realize it was to no avail. It was after one of these failed attempts that i approached Kim in the kitchen as she was preparing a meal and I asked her, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She responded with tears in her eyes, "I fear so."
We made the call and began the process. Like Lexi, this was an intrastate adoption, but it was also a private adoption, so we had to deal with two states and a private agency. It was twice the paper work as well as the expense. The agency waived its normal fees but we were responsible for paying the foster care expenses as well as the court costs and such. Maryland promised us a $13,000 grant to reimburse our costs. Due to a legislation change though we never received the grant. God provided though....through the graciousness of family and friends.
We went over as a family to see and get to know her at about 6 weeks. It was about 3 months later when Kim flew back by herself, spent a week with her in her foster home and brought her home. In retrospect, this was most definitely the most complicated adoption. Kim may disagree, but I would say it even surpassed the international adoption we went through later.
I was arguing once with the state of Maryland over the promised grant. I was informed that nobody was forcing us to go through with the adoption. To be honest with you, I have spent more than $13,000 on a new car or two. If you have ever met Hannah you will know we got a pretty good deal for the dollar. She is most definitely a winner.
I will elaborate on her surgeries and accomplishments likely in subsequent blogs. Let me brag a little here though. She had her amputation at about nine months, was walking on her nubs by the age of eighteen months. She also had several reconstructive surgeries on her hands. Hannah was running competitively at the Endeavor Games in Edmond, OK by the time she was four years old. The past two years she has qualified for the National Junior Disability Championships and medaled there. At the time of this writing she holds the National Record in the 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints. You know what, come to think about it, she is pretty whole just the way she is...
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