Produced By Ellen O'Neill
Kathleen and Richard Croughan began their journey three years ago, soon after their last biological daughter, Emma, was born. They felt their family was incomplete with just their four biological daughters, Julianna, 10, Kaylee, 8, Ava, 7, and Emma, 4. However, after four children they were unable to conceive. With this news they looked into international adoption as their second option. Kathleen and Rich began applying to Korea’s adoption program but were then turned away because of the application’s parental age restrictions - both parents must be 44 years old or younger. After finding this out, they did some research, talked to friends, and found China to be a better fit for them. Through the America World Adoption agency, the Croughans began the seemingly endless process of filling out paperwork. “We gave it a deadline and said "If we're not matched up by this summer, then we're probably going to back out of it" and within a couple of months we were matched up with a little girl,” says Kathleen. Part of the Chinese adoption process is that the family adopting must travel to pick up and legally adopt their child in China. Awaiting the travel date the Croughan’s excitement and anticipation grew as they prepared their other daughters for Maya’s arrival.
In the 1990’s, it would have been very rare for a toddler like Maya to be adopted. The demographic of children being adopted from China was primarily infant girls because of the 1980 “one child policy” implemented in China. This policy stated that families could only have one child in their household, and more than one would result in expensive government fees. Culturally this policy set the pattern of families keeping their sons and giving up their daughters, resulting with more girls in orphanages. Socioeconomic shifts in China have impacted the demographic of adoptees from 98% girls in the mid 1990’s to 49% girls in 2016. Since the “one child policy” was ended in early 2016, data from the Bureau of Consular Affairs shows the change of total adoptees from a peak of 7,903 adoptions from China in 2005 to 2016 where the Chinese adoption rates dropped to 2,231.
Senior Capstone Gallery Exhibition
In March 2018, the Croughan family learned of their travel date and prepared Rich for the journey. With Kathleen working full time as a teacher and all their daughters attending school, they decided it would be easier for Rich to travel since he is a self-employed lawyer. Expectation filled their household as they shopped, decorated, and talked about Maya’s arrival. Presents of toys, clothes, and accessories filled her shared room with Emma, and phone calls from friends and family rang in constantly. Rich says, “I couldn't wait to get home, I went to the airport like 6 hrs early and was willing to sit there and wait to make sure I did not miss that plane ride home. I was really looking forward to it and I was a little scared because of Maya being on the plane for that long - how she would handle that flight back home. So I tried to keep her awake so she wouldn't take her nap.”
Rich and Maya flew home through JFK international airport on April 19th, 2018. Awaiting them were Kathleen, Julianna, Kaylee, Ava, Emma, and Kathleen’s parents, “Poppy” and “Nanny.” After several hours of driving and waiting at the airport, the Croughan’s were elated to finally see Rich and Maya. Kathleen’s excitement was contagious as her daughters ran to greet them. Julianna says, “When I first met her I was really excited and happy to have a new little sister.” Maya looked tired, confused, and scared as her family began fussing over her and wanting to hold her. Her face was full of curiosity and disorientation as she took in her new family and environment. Kathleen was completely enthralled with Maya while Rich reunited with the rest of the family.
Months later, Maya and her family continue to learn, communicate, and live together. Everyone has learned what she wants when she wants it, and Maya has figured out how to express her needs. She no longer is confused on where things go or who people are, and she has taken control of her new life. With so many people in their family, the Croughans have a very busy routine and schedule. “Our routine is crazy because you know they're at school and then we come home from school and it's soccer, it's gymnastics, it's dance, and I think in the beginning she was overwhelmed, but now she gets in the car. When everybody else gets their shoes on she runs to get her shoes on. She wants to go wherever they go.” Says Kathleen. Everything has gone back to normal for the Croughan family, and Maya has found her way of fitting into their lives. She is no longer idolized like she was in the beginning, and is now like so many others, a child in a modern American home filled with love and joy. It was just a matter of everything coming together.
This video follows Maya's and my own adoption story through the memories and media from our parents. I knew I wanted to be a part of this story in some way, because my own adoption is what interested me in the first place. After a lot of work, I end up connecting the Croughan's experiences to my parents' experiences in a unique way: Maya represents my past, and I represent her future. Throughout working on this story I discover more about myself, my family, and the process of adoption. I learn that there may be questions I hesitate to ask about my past, and that some of those questions will not have answers. But I know in the end, that I found where I am supposed to be.
