This is the fourth in a series of columns I am devoting to the adoption journey my wife, Claudette, and I started in 2005. Hank Bond, publisher and editor of the Greenup Beacon, asked that we share our story with you. Maybe you have an interest in adoption or know someone who does. If so, I hope this information is helpful to you.

This week I want to share the beautiful lyrics of a song by Shawna Fox—“You are my child.” It’s from the CD “Fields of the Fatherless.”

This song helped get my wife Claudette and me through what seemed like endless days after our decision to adopt Wu Si Yan (Josie Claire Siyan Hapney) until we first held her in our arms in the lobby of the Civil Affairs office in Nanjing, China, which is the capital of the Jiangsu province.

“You are my child”

Sometimes I sit and wonder how it’s going to be;

When I can call your name and you’ll look up at me.

I don’t try to understand why you’ve been left alone;

But, I pray and count the hours ‘til I come and bring you home.

Chorus

I wasn’t there when you were born;

I didn’t see you start to crawl.

I couldn’t watch your first few steps;

Or pick you up from your first fall.

I may not be the one who saw your first sweet smile;

I wasn’t there in the beginning but from now on you are my child.

Every night I touch your picture before I can go to bed;

So that images of you will be dancing in my head.

And although we’ve never met you and we’ve never held you close;

We’re so blessed to be your parents and we thank God we’re who He chose.

Chorus

I reach for your tiny hands but you’re a million miles away;

And I know I love you more with each slowly passing day.

From the moment you entered our lives you became a vital part;

You may not have my eyes but you will always have my heart.

Chorus

You are my child.

We featured this gorgeous song from this talented singer/songwriter as the background music heard by friends and family members when they visited the main page of our “Journey to Josie” website. The song blessed us immensely.

As I prepare to take you through our entire journey, I’d like to share our travel agenda with you. We received this information from A Helping Hand agency in Lexington. In fact, right before we left for China we participated in a lengthy phone conference call with all other couples who were in our adoption travel group to go over this agenda.

Our Travel Agenda

January 24, 2007

Our trip itinerary:

1/24: Arrived in Columbus
1/25: Depart for China from Columbus
1/26: Arrive in Beijing
1/27 and 1/28: Tour Beijing
1/28: Depart Beijing for Nanjing (in Jiangsu--Josie's province)
1/29: Gotcha Day!
1/30: Civil Affairs meeting to finalize adoption
1/31 - 2/2: Bond with Josie; paperwork and tour Nanjing
2/3: Depart Nanjing for Guangzhou
2/4: Attend a church service; more paperwork; spend time with Josie
2/5: Josie's medical exam; more paperwork; river cruise
2/6: More paperwork; spend time with Josie
2/7: Consulate Appointment
2/8: Depart Guangzhou for Hong Kong; fly back to U.S.; take Josie home to meet her brothers and live with her forever family! 

I will get into the highlights of each day starting next week in “Hapney’s Happenings.”

Terry L. Hapney, Jr., Ph.D., is a professor in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University, and an eastern Greenup County native. He may be reached at hapney@marshall.edu.