Sara is the cutest, sweetest, strongest little six year-old little girl you'll ever meet. She has a smile that brings rainbows (see for yourself) and a heart better than a pot of gold. She lives with her parents, Robert and Ginger, and sister, Kelsey, in Three Rivers, California and started kindergarten last year. She likes to do the same things most kids do, but especially likes drawing and has a wonderful sense of color.

In the early morning hours of August 17, 1998 a newborn baby was left at the base of the main highway and railroad bridge over the Yangtze River in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China. The local police officer dutifully delivered the baby to the Nanjing Children's Social Welfare Institute, an orphanage in Nanjing City. The base of the bridge is a common drop off point for babies because it is very near the police station.

In May of 1999 a group of 5 families traveled from Boise Idaho to Nanjing to receive babies from the orphanage. Ginger, Robert and 5-year-old Kelsey were members of this group. On May 23 Ginger, Robert and Kelsey were united with their new family member Sara Aixin Curtis Ruehling. After processing many forms, visiting many government offices and the US consulate in Guangzhou the family returned to Boise on May 28.

In February 2004, without warning or reason, Sara began having puzzling symptoms which doctors couldn't explain. More about Sara...