All About Joaquin

Joaquin was born on or near July 1st, 2005, in Jiaocheng City, Shanxi Province, China. He was taken to live in the Jiaocheng Social Welfare Institute on July 7, 2005, after having been found on the street outside an elementary school, at about 10:30 p.m. No information is known about his birth parents. It is not uncommon for birth parents in China to take children to a police station, hospital, park or school where they know a child will soon be found. Jiaocheng is close to the capital city of Taiyun in Shanxi Province, not so very far from where his adoptive mom studied in Dalian, Liaoning Province, 1986-87. His adoptive parent, Karen Gingerich, will be picking him up ASAP, on or near September 8, 2008.

Joaquin was given the name Dang Jian Jun at the Jiaocheng SWI. All of the children there receive the name Dang Jian ___. I transposed some of the letters in his given name to create Joaquin. He will also take the name of my father, Clayton, along with a new Chinese name that we haven't yet selected. We have a short list, and may wait to meet him to get a better idea of which name to choose.

Joaquin is described in his paperwork of December, 2007 as "timid, shy, and sometimes obstinate." It says he is adaptable and close to his caretaker. He eats well, and particularly likes crackers. He has a cleft lip/palate, and received his first surgery to repair his lip November 2006. He'll need 2-3 more surgeries during his childhood for the palate. While there are many, many unknowns about Joaquin, I pray for his health and for his adjustment to his new life, and hope you will too.

About the Adoption Process

Long story short, I started thinking about adoption about 8 years ago, talking out loud about it 4 years ago, and seriously pursuing it 2 years ago. My first meeting with a social worker was August 2006. I began the homestudy process and selected an agency to work with (Children's Hope International) by November 2006. Given my strong ties to living abroad, particularly in Asia and Latin America, I planned to pursue an adoption from China or Guatemala. The world of international adoption began to change significantly right around November 2006. I feel very fortunate to have been one of the last single parents to adopt from China; by the time my dossier and paperwork were officially complete, it was March 2007, not a moment too soon because all adoptions were closed to singles by May 2007.

Right around that time, adoptions began to slow down considerably in China. The jury is still out regarding why. Some say it may be related to the Summer 2008 Olympics. I went through a pretty anxious/sad period winter of 2008 when I was around number 550 on the waiting list and it was moving at a snails pace (3-7 adoptions/month, down from around 35 in previous years). At that time, I began to consider the option to adopt a special needs child, as the wait is shorter and more special needs kids were becoming available. Special needs are defined typically as minor, physical issues, sometimes correctible, ie. cleft lip/palate, dermatological conditions, Hep B carrier, missing or extra toes or fingers. I went to a meeting of parents who had adopted special needs kids and was really encouraged February of 2008.

Here's where the story gets more interesting. Before I went to Mexico to study Spanish and hang out for two weeks (May 17th - 31st, 2008) I received an e-mail from my agency stating they were changing the protocol for special needs adoptions. Bottom line was they needed extensive paperwork on hand for each type of special needs child a parent was open to adopting, so that referrals could happen sooner and more efficiently. I worked like crazy to get all my paperwork in before going to Mexico May 17th, assuring them I would be ever-so-accessible while in Mexico.

I received the referral for and first pictures of Joaquin May 21st in a large student computer lab at 7:30 a.m. at the Universidad Nacionale de Cuernavaca (Mexico). I spent the next 3 hours volleying e-mails back and forth, and talking to my agency in St. Louis, mainly surrounded by Mexican students who were likely wondering, "why are North Americans so emotional?" After waiting 14 months it all came together very suddenly! I draw the analogy of being in your first trimester forever and then jumping straight to delivery.

However, you have to wait in the delivery room for another 2-3 months, staring at a picture of your child. More paperwork, more arrangements with consulates, verifying fingerprints and documents, organizing travel. I can tell you without hesitation I am not a felon and everybody knows it. As of this week, tickets are bought, visas applied for, and the itinerary is set! Can it be that the paper trail is close to complete?

All About the Trip

My dear friend Sarah Hastings is going with me to China! We met in graduate school at KU in 1994, and have been friends ever since. Sarah, her husband Mark, and kids Nick and Emma moved to VA from the KC area two years ago and I miss them so much. So this will be a good reunion for us. Sarah has a wonderful, calming and supportive spirit and I couldn't be happier to share this with her. She is on the faculty at Radford University in VA, and her colleagues are covering her classes for her while we are away. This is one of so many examples of the generosity of strangers...I am often overwhelmed these days with gratefulness to so many people who are helping to make this happen.

Itinerary
September 4, depart Kansas City - Detroit - Tokyo
September 5, arrive Beijing - acclimate to 13 hrs ahead
September 6, meet other adopting families in group, sightsee
September 7, fly to Taiyuan, near Joaquin's orphanage
September 8-12, adoption process
September 13, fly to Guangzhou (for final federal processing)
September 14-15, free days
September 16, medical exam
September 17, consulate appointment, most important appt. of all
September 19, fly home! arriving KC by mid afternoon (gaining a day)

That's it for now, I'm new to blogging but so far so good...will post info during the trip on this site.