Photo Source:  Sarah Sloboda

As I drove through the darkness with three other families toward the orphanage in the village of Tuyen Quang in Hanoi, Vietnam, I felt as if I was having an out-of-body experience. After almost 20 years of wanting a child, and two emotionally wracked attempts at adoption with other agencies, I was finally just four hours away from becoming a mother.

Strangely, I did not feel like my heart was going to burst through my chest, and I wondered why. Maybe I was still steeling myself for the proverbial shoe to drop.  International adoption had been an arduous undertaking — further complicated by being a single, older woman.

Or, perhaps I was finally feeling centered and trusting. Destiny had brought me to a place halfway around the world to a little mountain village in North Vietnam to
become the mother of a child left on orphanage steps for some divine reason.

There were no bells, whistles or flashing lights as our little van pulled into the Tuyen Quang orphanage that miraculous morning. Only a nanny holding a baby with her name written on masking tape stuck to her pajamas.  Instantly, I recognized the name: Bao Lam Nguyen. My daughter!

It all happened fast and furious from this point on — there was just so much excitement and joy, and all of the adoptive parents became part of a much bigger family experience than I think any of us ever envisioned. This became the most vivid and lasting impression of my experience.

It underscored the most extraordinary and unexpected aspect of adoption: Other people, perfect strangers, did everything in their power at every stage of the process to make sure my greatest dream in life would come true.

Besides winding up a mother to a little girl who is heavensent and the absolute light of my life, it has restored my faith in the intrinsic goodness of humankind.

Your Story

We want to make it easy for you to also share your stories with us and with other families who are going through this process. If you adopted from one of Gladney's adoption programs and would like to share your photos and stories, here are some story starters:

• The first time I saw you . . .
• Our placement day . . .
• We chose Gladney because . . .
• Our adoption journey . . .
• Our rollercoaster ride . . .
• Not knowing what to expect . . .
• Gladney helped us . . .
• The trip home . . .

Please email those stories and photos to us at adoption@gladney.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

By submitting this material you grant the Gladney Center the right to use, publish and otherwise publicly display this material in the manner the Gladney Center chooses, including use in brochures and on the web.