Anya Woods and the Parade of Babies, Infants, and Toddlers

White Plains , NY

Early November 1986

Future Family Adoption Agency

"No. Not this one. She is too squishy." Anya looked up at her adoptive mother with a furrowed brow and her little tongue poking out from between her little white teeth. One finger pointing at the new born in the bassinette.

"Are you sure, Anya?" Indra looked to her husband and he just shook his head and let a soft smile fall on to his lips. This was the second new born they had visited. "Wouldn't you like to spend more time getting to know her?" Little Anya shook her head fervently they knew what were they were signing up for when they adopted Anya. "Maybe she would make a good little sister."

It's not that the Woods were letting their 8 year old adoptive daughter pick out the new addition to their family like some sofa or a puppy or something, but more like giving Anya a little control in the situation.

Lord knows little Anya had needed some control in her life. Her entire existence had been change, change, and more change. Moving from shelter to shelter with her homeless mother from birth to the age of 3. Being plucked from her mother and put into the foster care system. She had been thrust from foster home to foster home. The care givers not having the ability to understand her fiery nature or the patience it took to calm a child with such explosive reactions to small things. They weren't bad people or bad parents. It just takes a very specific person to understand what that much uncertainty does to a child. They just weren't able to give her what she needed. Time to heal. Time to trust.

Indra and Gustus Woods were those people. They were the perfect combination of stern and sweet, Strict and nurturing. They pushed her, but they also understood her. It had been a little over two years since they adopted Anya and in that time her tantrums decreased and her ability to be flexible with novel situations increased. But she still had a long way to go.

So when the Woods decided after much planning that they wanted to adopt a second child, they knew they were going to have to be patient. Very patient. Very VERY patient.

Because while Anya could adjust to small changes in routine, she was still not able to trust in an unknown future. She was not able to believe that when a new situation came up that the situation would have a positive outcome.

So, no, It wasn't so much that Anya was picking her new baby brother or sister, but more that she was accepting that he or she was coming. She was accepting the change. And the Woods' being the amazing parents that they were knew that when Anya had fully processed her fears and come to terms with how different her life would be, then and only then would Anya be able to make a decision.

Allentown , Pennsylvania

Mid December, 1986

Duquesne Adoption Center

The halls were a sea foam green with vanilla accents. It was one of the nicer places they had visited. So when they brought her potential new brother in to meet her, Anya felt a little hopeful.

That didn't last long.

"He smells funny." Anya said as she approached her parents

Indra and Gustus had watched their daughter as she interacted with the toddler. She was still not quite ready yet, but getting there. So as she approached, Gustus knelt to meet her. He opened his mouth to check her certainty in her decision, but before he could, Anya raised a tiny hand. "Yes, Daddy. I am sure." And she turned on her heel, her child-sized Chuck Taylor's squeaking on the linoleum, and walked towards the exit.

Indra walked to the reception desk and said their farewells while Gustus caught up with his feisty daughter. He put a hand on her shoulder. At the touch, she turned to him, her eyes just completing the circuit in her sockets. Her signature eye roll. "Daaaad, I am suuuuure."

He chuckled. She certainly had a lot of personality. And he loved her for it. "That's not it, Anya. I wanted to let you know that it's ok. And to remind you that I love you. I love who you are, little one. It'll be ok. I promise."

She smiled, "Ok, Daddy. I love you too."

West Chester , Pennsylvania

January, 1987

Marion-Detwiler Memorial Orphanage

"Her hair sticks out at funny angles and she pinched me."

Hershey , Pennsylvania

Still January, 1987

Milton Hershey School

"He was ok. But his eyes were, what do you call it, Daddy?"

"Shifty! His eyes were shifty."

Havre De Grace, Maryland

January (surprise, surprise), 1987

A Baby Step Adoption Agency, INC

She lasted nearly half an hour this time due to several games of tic tac toe. She seemed to be enjoying herself before she declared him to be a cheater even though she had won most of the games.

Gustus interlaced his fingers with his wife's as they watched their daughter move to the other side of the playroom and began to stack blocks by herself. He sighed, but Indra just smiled and squeezed his hand. "She's getting there, Gustus. She is making her peace. Won't be long now."

"I know." And he mirrored her smile.