As I sit here writing, a little hand keeps tapping my leg. She isn’t feeling well today. Some new pain or sickness we don’t fully understand yet. So, she stays close to us, trying to feel better. And we do all we can, even though sometimes we feel helpless. That’s how life has been for over three years now.
When we met Primrose, everything changed. Our peaceful life flipped upside down. We were confused, tired, and scared. We loved her more than words could ever express.
I came across her picture on Facebook back in 2014.Chris and I had always hoped to welcome a child from China into our family.
And when I saw her face, her round cheeks and sweet smile, I felt something deep inside. She was blind, and her eyes were arresting. I sent an email right away asking for more information.
We got her medical file and showed it to doctors. Their words crushed me. They told us it might be too hard. That she may be deaf and blind. That she’d live in silence and darkness. That night was heartbreaking. I cried in Chris’s arms. But he kept saying, “If she’s ours, we’ll find a way.”
A few weeks later, we got new medical info. She could hear, just not perfectly. New doctors told us to go for it. We were thrilled. We began the adoption process right away. The wait was hard. Two Christmases passed without her. We missed her so much.
In January 2016, we finally held her. She had a strong fever and was so weak she couldn’t even hold up her head by herself.
We rushed to find formula and medicine in a city we didn’t know. I’ve never felt so scared. But slowly, she started to smile. She began to trust us, just a tiny.
When we told the local guide we still wanted to adopt her, even though she was sick and fragile, they were surprised. But we knew, she was ours. Nothing would stop us.
After the adoption, we learned how to care for her. We taught her to drink safely, to eat, and to sit with help. We sang to her, told her about her new home, and gave her all our love. As the plane took off to bring her home, I whispered to her, “You’ll never be alone again.”
These three years have been filled with challenges. Many doctor visits, surgeries, hard days, and wakeful nights. But also, so much joy. Her laughter, her smile, her courage, they’ve changed us. She has a rare condition called 6p25, which touches her body and brain. Life has become more challenging, but it’s also filled with deeper meaning.
Many people say to us, “I can’t imagine how you do it.”
But what really matters is what if we never tried?
What if we were too scared to say yes?
Primrose is a dream. She gave us a new purpose. And though the road is hard, we wouldn’t change a thing. She fits with us. Forever.
