Our Journey to Ellie
It’s sometimes funny how life takes twists and turns. Our adoption process began in 2006 with a dossier in China and a different agency. But somehow (although difficult at that time), we were led to a different direction. I phoned Kim at Adoption Ark after reading about special needs children in Kazakhstan. Kim was full of information for me. This would be a big change, but after all we truly wanted a daughter and with my training in speech and language development I knew we could do this. It took less than a year to redo our dossier and have our paperwork sent to Kazakhstan, before we would meet Ellie for the first time. She was an absolutely perfect toddler! Ellie was born with a cleft lip and palate; her lip was already repaired in country and she was just beginning to talk. Maeven and Alla at Adoption Ark were with us every step of the way, to ensure that we could bring Ellie home as soon as possible.
It’s been nearly one year now since I staggered off the plane in Boston after our long trip home. Ellie has had her oral surgery, speaks in sentences and has a smile that lights up the room. She’s incredibly smart and eager to start preschool in the fall. It’s difficult to think that Ellie was considered “difficult to place” because of such a minor, correctable medical need. Even the judge questioned us as to why we would want to adopt her. I can’t imagine our lives without this beautiful, loving little girl. Thanks to Adoption Ark for helping us along the way.
Emma-Hernsdorf family
Connecticut