Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Bringing Princess Bryndan Home

Our Art Auction will beging May 17!! This auction will raise funds for more heart children - 100% of the proceeds will help their hearts. We thought we would share one of our heart success stories. Heart surgeries truly save lives! See our website for details on this year's auction.


On November 9, 2004, I received a group email from Amy Eldridge regarding a 2 year little girl who had successful heart surgery, provided by Love Without Boundaries. Amy’s email said she was available for adoption, and she had posted her picture in the photo album. Adopting again was something I had hoped for, but as a single parent, I wasn’t sure I would be able to bring another child into my family.


After reading Amy’s email, I went to the photo album, and I fell in love. I stared at that little face for quite some time, wondering if it could actually be possible, and knowing it would take a miracle. I contacted the agency, and found out there were 7 families interested in adopting Li Si Qi,. I explained I hadn’t even begun the process, had no paperwork started, let alone completed, and feeling a bit discouraged, let them know that if there were other families interested, I would step aside. The agency asked me to go ahead and send in my homestudy from my son’s adoption in 2001, and although I never thought we had a chance, I sent it to them. I called my daughters, Micah and Daryn, into my office and showed them Li Si Qi’s picture; it was unanimous, we were all in love. I explained to them that I didn’t feel we had a chance, but that I was sending in what paperwork I had, and would complete the agency’s application.

On November 22, I found myself praying about this sweet little girl. By this time, I knew our chances of being chosen were slim, but I prayed that God would choose the right family for her. Within minutes of finishing my prayer, the phone rang, and it was the adoption agency-we had been chosen! Heart racing, hands shaking, and tears streaming down my face, I called in her siblings and told them the news. When my sons, Kevin and Clay, saw her picture for the first time, they both broke into grins. The excitement filled the room, a little sister would finally join our family.

On September 5, 2005, my oldest daughter and I arrived at the Civil Affairs building in Wuhan, Hubei, and met Li Si Qi, for the very first time. This dream we had had for 10 long months was finally a reality. Here she was, rosy cheeked, giving us a shy smile, and, she was ours at last.

It is hard to believe Bryndan Li Taite has been home for 5 months, and the months of waiting are now just a memory. Her pediatric cardiologist said her surgery was well done, and there is a 99.9% chance no further surgery will be required. She is a healthy, happy, and very loving little girl who bosses her brothers around, and who sneaks into her sisters’ bathrooms to help herself to lotions, and perfumes.

There are no words to describe how blessed we are to have this child in our lives. I will forever be grateful to Love Without Boundaries, and to all those who donated so that Bryndan’s little heart could be healed.