The first news we received of our son was an email sent out October 22, 2007, from Nicky at Children's Hope International to all families open to special needs adoptions. The email stated, "We have a waiting child available. Please let me know if you are interested in reviewing the medical information on this child. It is a little boy born on July 27, 2007. He was born prematurely with respiratory distress. His current condition is stated as : Moderate Malnutrition (on September 27, 2007 his weight was 3.15 kg or 6.93 lbs.; gastro esophageal reflux and retinopathy of prematurity (zone 1 and stage 1 on both eyes). We also have pictures and a short video. Please let me know if you are interested."We contacted Nicky right away, received the medicals, video and photos, contacted an attending in Pediatric Opthalmology at Vanderbilt University for medical advise, and on October 23, 2007, we have an official referral! Pretty cool that the date just happens to be our oldest daughter's date of birth! The pictures were taken September 27th.