The Night I Met Steven Curtis Chapman.

I'd like to speak a bit about Faith and Fate...I have Faith, first of all, in God, secondly in myself and finally in our family...we were meant to be together. Kurt, Kelsey and I were drawn to each other from across many planes and became a family.

The night I met Steven Curtis Chapman was a magical evening. The date was 9/24/04. I know this date by heart because it was 2 years ago to the day that my Dad passed away. The first anniversary of his death I spent alone peeling wallpaper off my bathroom walls. The 2nd anniversary, my then boss Steve, asked me to attend a meeting in Washington, DC with our Promotional Agency, Strottman. He also said there was an event I was to attend called "Angels in Adoption."

Kathleen Strottman, the DIL of the head of the agency is Chief Aide to Senator Mary Landrieu (LA) who is an amazing woman. They call her "the Adoption Senator" and has sponsored the Angels in Adoption gala for years. This celebration supports everyday people who work effortlessly in adoption arenas across the US. They are nominated by their Senators or Congresspeople, so every state is represented.

We had front row seats to this amazing event. Everyone at our table was connected to Kathleen - but I was the only one in the process of adopting a child. Kathleen and I chatted and she introduced me to the Senator who was a lovely woman. At the time, we were waiting for our approval from the I600. Everyone was warm and encouraging that night. I also got to meet Steven Curtis Chapman, who performed that evening, Jane Seymour and the Watoto Children's Choir...an amazing group of African children whose parents died of AIDS. They all live together in a village and are united by their passion for music and singing.

I was so moved to be there listening to people talk about what adoption meant to them and how it impacted their lives. Steven sung, and I cried. He talked about his foundation (then called Shoshannah's Hope. It was a wonderful, moving event. I know my Dad was happy that I was there celebrating the next step of my life, rather than mourning his passing. That evening, I felt a peace settle into me...I knew we'd be getting our beautiful baby girl...this was fate!

Two of the lovely gifts we received that night was a stuffed white bunny from Shoshannah's Hope and a book called "Shoey and Dot." My Kelsey sleeps almost every night snuggling that special bunny in her arms. I wanted to share the story with her how she came to own that special bunny - but right now she's too young to understand it. So I decided to write this blog entry down so I could share it with her when she's older.

Finally, the following year, our good friend and former Facilitator of CHATS, Alyce Jenkins was honored as an Angel in Adoption. I was so thrilled, because NJ couldn't be represented by a better Angel.

I believe that these people were placed in my life for a reason at that exact moment in time...because THIS face was waiting for us in China.



And that face became THIS face today!



So this was OUR fate....and thank God for that!