As it happens with any parent, little Kati had grown up to be a young woman in no time at all, it seemed. When Kati turned 18, they knew that her life was going to change forever. They had decided to wait to show her the note that she was found with as a baby until she was an adult – and that day had arrived.
Of course, she knew for her whole life that she was adopted, so it isn’t like they were going to shock her with that. The information that was contained within that note would absolutely shock her, though. Was she ready for this?
American Girl
Since Kati was so young when she arrived in the United States, she didn’t have much to compare her experience to. After all, she was just a baby when she left China, so she couldn’t remember anything about her experiences there. What she did know was her new home in the U.S, and she seemed to absolutely love it.
The Pohler’s couldn’t have been happier with their decision to adopt Kati. She was such a sweet and fun-loving little girl and they loved every moment they spent with her.
Growing Up
Kati recalls having a “good” childhood. One that was spent doing things like playing sports and instruments, etc. She says, “everyone knows I was adopted,” so no one asked her about it. Of course, she was also much younger than her two brothers – and the only girl, which can feel different on its own.
But according to Kati, she fit right in with her siblings, who made her feel at home right from the beginning. The boys loved to play with their sister, and she loved to keep them on their toes.
Hidden Meaning
The Pohler’s had originally decided to adopt their daughter from China for a few reasons. They had a few family members who’d adopted a child from there already, so with all of their connections, they felt confident about the process. They also had a friend back in China – one who they entrusted with the note with.
To whoever read the note, it was clear that Kati was loved from all four corners of the world. And once she was ready, she’d discover it.
Questions
As Kati became a young woman and moved away from the nest, she started having to deal with things she hadn’t been exposed to in her youth. No one in her hometown ever asked her about her adoptive parents or the adoption in general. Everyone knew she was adopted, but no one felt the need to question the family about anything.
However, when Kati spent a semester abroad during college, people started to ask questions that she wasn’t ready to answer. Why wasn’t she ready to answer them? Because at that point, she didn’t even have them.