Eva’s eyes, filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear, met hers. She clutched her teddy bear tighter, not saying a word. Adam joined Natalie, extending a hand to the little girl. Slowly, Eva took his hand, her small fingers trembling. The connection was immediate, and in that moment, Natalie and Adam knew they had made the right decision.
The journey home was filled with moments of wonder and adjustment. Eva’s eyes lit up as she saw the inside of a plane for the first time. That first night, Natalie and Adam took turns sitting with Eva until she fell asleep, her teddy bear still clutched in her arms.
The Smiths were prepared to welcome their new baby girl with laughter and love. However, the reality of this adoption was far away from what they had imagined. In the weeks that followed, it became clear that making Eva comfortable in this new environment was not going to be an easy task.