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Rachel with Ann Logan (left) and grandma in the family kitchen in Like anywhere else in the world, British couples who find they are unable to have children look to adoption as a solution. But for the Ann Logan, now 54, said it all started one day in 1996. "I was sitting with my husband in the garden when the idea popped up," she said. At the time, the family had no country-of-origin requirements for their adoptee, but rather, were more concerned about making sure they found one with special needs. At the time, international adoption in The couple's sons, both in their 20s, reacted in the way that would be expected of biological offspring. The youngest, who was the baby in the family, had trouble grappling with the idea there would be another "baby" in his stead. "He spent about an hour on the phone, trying to talk me out of it," recalled Ann. But the couple went forward with the two-and-a-half-year adoption process. It began with the medical report, then proceeded to home visits and assessments from social workers. Then came the matching and finally, the meeting. According to regulations, applicants must update police records and get health checks to file with the Beijing-based "Before he retired, he has always placed the photo of Rachel (the baby whom the couple wanted to adopt) on his desk," the grateful mother said. In 1998, the couple finally received a letter from "When I saw the photo, I couldn't hold back my tears. It was my mom who read out the part in English for me and drove me back," Ann said. But the form that contained the baby's health details was written in Chinese. In her eagerness to know all about it, Ann found a Chinese restaurant, ordered tea and asked the waitress to translate. She was overjoyed to hear the baby was fine. After the travel permit arrived Ann bought first-class tickets for the return trip from "She couldn't sit and her eyes couldn't focus on things," said Ann. "But I know as a Christian she is chosen and the timing is right. I know I can make her better. I can strengthen her in mind and body." It so happened that soon after they brought the baby home, Ann's husband started his mobile phone company in Ann bought posters and pasted them all over her home for Rachel to see. She taught Rachel how to eat and how to tumble and toss. But most of all, Ann wants to give back Rachel her babyhood. "I swaddled her and treated her like a baby. I put her in a pram and let her sleep like a baby under the mango trees to the noise of car horns and other traffic. " Ann firmly believes that love cures 99.9 percent of problems. She taught Rachel to swim and played Chinese music when she slept after lunch. By the time she was 2-and-a-half, Rachel was like "a little flower waiting to blossom", learning math, reading and the violin. She was also baptized as Christian and goes to the church every Sunday. In Ann's view, the earlier children know their own backgrounds, the better. For Rachel, that day came when she was 4, and she asked: "Mummy, I did not come from your tummy, did I?" While Rachel is immersed in ballet, judo and swimming, she also learns Chinese language and culture. Rachel has been attending Chinese lessons every week since 2003 and attends Chinese summer school every year in In 2001, the family revisited In 2002, Ann's family embarked on the Yangtze Cruise to let Rachel see "how wonderful Ann has only praise for Rachael. "She is confident, smart, considerate and good at expression." Ann even thinks Rachel cleverer than her two sons. Rachel enjoys entertaining guests when her mom was cooking by taking out her About future plans, she said seriously through missing incisors: "I like here, because I'm settled down already. I also like As it turned out, while Ann gave her attention to her daughter, her husband of 36 years left her for another woman. What Ann worries most about now is the possible harm done to Rachel, who insists she should "give daddy a chance". Only Ann knows that what's done is done. And Rachel is starting to face this harsh reality. When she practiced her Chinese drills, they are like this: A: How many people are there in your family? B: There are three. My dad, my mom and I. When reading out, Rachel swiftly changed the answer to "There are two. My mom and I." When Rachel was in her third year of primary school, Ann was already planning for her future. She had chosen two private missionary schools for consideration. "Whichever secondary school offers Chinese lessons in four years' time would be our choice," she said firmly. "We'll go back to ( |
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