why China?

First most common question - why adopt?
Now onto the second most common question we're getting in this journey... why China?

There are so many reasons, but here are a few:

• there is a huge need: There are estimated to be just over a million orphans in China. (With Asia as a whole accounting for the largest number of orphans at approximately 60 million) 
• We love China. Adam spent a summer in college in China, specifically in Chengdu in the Sichuan Province and really fell in love with the people and the culture there. Possibly because I fell in love with Adam that year just before he left for China, or possibly just because God gave me an interest - I've always been fascinated by the Chinese culture as well.

• We've both always had a vision for a girl from China in our family. In March 2015 we attended an Adoption 101 class with Adoption Support Alliance, a local nonprofit, and learned a lot about adoption there. While there we talked to some other couples who stated that they had always thought about international adoption but they could never decide on a country. Adam and I both looked at each other and thought, "hmmm, maybe it does mean something that we've both always pictured a little Chinese girl in our family" - maybe this unified vision is actually more than just a vision, but a calling from the Lord. That was another seed in the journey. 
• While orphanages in China used to be filled with mostly healthy girls due to the One Child Policy, now as that is relaxing, orphanages now are filled with both genders - boys and girls - but the vast majority of the babies there have medical needs. We felt like the fact that we have health insurance and also that I have a medical background that we were equipped to deal with varying medical needs.
• China adoptions are pretty straight-forward. They've been happening for years and years, and the process is very streamlined. We'll be in country for only two weeks, compared to some African nations that necessitate travel more than once or residence in the nation for up to three months (which isn't feasible for us with our jobs and our other kids). 

So there it is - your answer to frequently asked question number 2.

Can't wait to add a dark haired beauty to this crazy light-haired crew...

Next post... what have we done so far to get to this point...