An Austin family was apart for almost a month because of the risk of SARS after adopting a child from China.
Paul Wicker went to China in early April to adopt little Anna after a two-year wait. When he and his new daughter arrived back in the United States, they had to be quarantined for 10 days at home to make sure they hadn't contracted SARS.
The mother Debbie Hoch and the couple's other daughter Catherine, 6, moved to a hotel while Paul and Anna sat it out. Catherine was at the greatest risk of exposure since she has colitis, an autoimmune disease.
Debbie and Catherine met Anna for the first time Wednesday.
"Paul had bonded with her and she'd been with Paul for a whole month. I was kind of wondering if she would want me to hold her or Catherine to hold her, but she's done great today," Debbie said.
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SARS and China
A local family is now reunited after a 10-day separation.
 
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To give her daughter an early start, Debbie spent 10 days trying to communicate with Anna.
"We sent some tapes that had our voices on it so Paul could play them for her so she would know who we were, and we sent lots of pictures," she said.
The family hopes every day together will be just as memorable as their first.
"It was like a dream come true to be able to hold her and to see her and to be able to see Paul again for all of us to finally be together," Debbie said.
Five other Central Texas families will visit China next month to adopt little girls. None of them has postponed their trips because of SARS.
