Serendipity

I've intended to share a cool story for quite some time, but due to the typical interruptions of life with a family, I haven't had the time. However, for reasons you'll understand after you read my story, I can't procrastinate sharing it any longer...

Let me back up...

It was late October when I took Kelly to the pumpkin patch with my friend, Tami and her son, Ford. It was a warm October day, and Tami and I were watching Kelly and Ford play in the corn bins when I was approached by a young, attractive woman with a sweet smile. She introduced herself to me as we watched our little ones play. Her name was Angela, and she pointed out her daughter, Skylar, who was nearly one year old at the time, and her husband, Paul, to me. I had noticed Skylar earlier and thought to myself what a beautiful little girl she was.

Angela asked me if Kelly was adopted. I told her we had adopted Kelly from China back in June. She then shared with me that she, too, was in the process of adopting... a little boy from Vietnam who was 9 months old. They would name him Jordan.

She said that they had received word from their agency back in September that travel approval should be coming any day, and they were anxiously awaiting that call to fly away to Vietnam to bring their baby boy home at a moment's notice.
We talked a bit more, then exchanged email addresses and parted ways. About two weeks later, I found that piece of paper in my diaper bag with her email address on it, and I shot Angela an email in which I gave her my blog address.

About two days later, I got an excited email from Angela asking me what neighborhood I lived in. She said as she was looking at some of the pictures on my blog, she noticed a lamp post in my front yard, and she said that she, too, had a lamp post in her front yard! There are only a few neighborhoods in our town with those signature lamp posts, so she wondered if we were neighbors and just didn't know it! So I told her where we lived, and sure enough, she lives on the street perpendicular to my street- we are neighbors! We live about 10 houses from one another- I drive by her house every day!

As I thought about the serendipity of our meeting at that pumpkin patch on the other side of town, and how blessed I felt to have this sweet little family just down the street, I was taken aback. I mean, not only did they have a daughter almost exactly Kelly's age, but how amazing to have a family so close by to share in the blessings and challenges of this unique privilege of having an interracial family with Asian adopted children! I realized it really was a dream come true. There just aren't many families in our community who have adopted internationally, much less from an Asian country, so I really felt so blessed by this "chance encounter." And then, it hit me! Something in my memory sparked, and I realized- I had seen Angela before!

About three years ago, Angela lost her two adorable poodles, and while my dog, Kaya, and I were out rollerblading, we were able to find them! Being a dog owner and lover myself, I remember how wonderful it felt to help a neighbor I didn't even know to find her beloved puppies. It didn't matter if I knew her or not, I felt an instant bond with her in being a dog lover. But who knew, back then, that we would meet again under such different circumstances? Us, having had adopted Kelly- they, having had their daughter, Skylar, and now, adopting their son, Jordan- it was just too amazing!
It looks like we were destined to meet one way or another, and I'm just so thankful we did, and that we're neighbors!

Angela and her husband, Paul, have been waiting ever-so-patiently these past several months to get their travel dates. As we all seem to learn in this international adoption process, things don't always happen as quickly as you'd like them to- but finally, FINALLY, they are heading off to Vietnam to bring their son home!
They leave on Sunday. You can click on the link below to check out her blog for all the details and to follow along on their journey to bring their son Jordan home.

http://www.journeyforjordan.blogspot.com/

Here is a picture of Kelly at the pumpkin patch with Skylar in the background. I cropped it below so you can see her better.

This little cutie in the white sweater is Sklyar.

Check out Angela's blog and leave her a comment if you'd like! I want her to know what a wonderful Adoption Support Community we have here on the World Wide Web! You guys are the best!