A Childs Journey: China Adoption, By Laura Catoe
A Child’s Journey
She was born in China with a rare eye disease, but she’ll grow up a ‘Bama girl
Charli Grace Strawn
Chad and Jennifer Strawn adopted Charli from China this April, but she’s been living with them on medical visa since July 2008.
A radio broadcast led two elementary school teachers on an adoption journey to China. A rare medical condition brought their daughter abroad ahead of time.
Chad and Jennifer Strawn, Glencoe, were married in 2000. Chad teaches fourth grade at Glencoe Elementary; Jennifer teaches first grade at Hokes Bluff Elementary.
In November 2006, Jennifer was driving Conner, their then-18-month-old son, to day care. She had the radio tuned to “Focus on the Family,” which was doing a series on adoption. It stood out to Jennifer because two of her friends had begun the process of adopting.
After listening to the broadcast, she couldn’t get adoption out of her head. Going to sleep that night, she made the offhand prayer, “God, if you want us to adopt from China, you have to make Chad want it, too.”
The next day, Chad met her at the door when she arrived home. He was anxious to show her a Web site, cryoftheorphan.com, because he’d been listening to the radio and a broadcast about adoption had caught his attention.
“I just knew it was something I needed to bring up to Jen,” Chad said. His wife surprised him by starting to cry.
“I told her, ‘Hey, we don’t have to do it.’” Chad didn’t realize his wife’s tears were caused by surprise and joy.
“I thought it would be in the future,” confessed Jennifer. She had not expected her offhand prayer to be answered the very next day.
Chad and Jennifer were 29 and 28 at the time. The Chinese government won’t allow anyone younger than 30 to adopt internationally. The Strawns spent the next year preparing for adoption by reading, connecting with other adoptive families and knitting.
“How do you keep from going crazy while you are waiting for your adopted daughter?” Jennifer mused on her blog in January 2008. “You knit her stuff. Lots and lots of stuff.”
Chad and Jennifer Strawn, Glencoe, were married in 2000. Chad teaches fourth grade at Glencoe Elementary; Jennifer teaches first grade at Hokes Bluff Elementary.
In November 2006, Jennifer was driving Conner, their then-18-month-old son, to day care. She had the radio tuned to “Focus on the Family,” which was doing a series on adoption. It stood out to Jennifer because two of her friends had begun the process of adopting.
After listening to the broadcast, she couldn’t get adoption out of her head. Going to sleep that night, she made the offhand prayer, “God, if you want us to adopt from China, you have to make Chad want it, too.”
The next day, Chad met her at the door when she arrived home. He was anxious to show her a Web site, cryoftheorphan.com, because he’d been listening to the radio and a broadcast about adoption had caught his attention.
“I just knew it was something I needed to bring up to Jen,” Chad said. His wife surprised him by starting to cry.
“I told her, ‘Hey, we don’t have to do it.’” Chad didn’t realize his wife’s tears were caused by surprise and joy.
“I thought it would be in the future,” confessed Jennifer. She had not expected her offhand prayer to be answered the very next day.
Chad and Jennifer were 29 and 28 at the time. The Chinese government won’t allow anyone younger than 30 to adopt internationally. The Strawns spent the next year preparing for adoption by reading, connecting with other adoptive families and knitting.
“How do you keep from going crazy while you are waiting for your adopted daughter?” Jennifer mused on her blog in January 2008. “You knit her stuff. Lots and lots of stuff.”
