I have lived in Keelung for over twenty years. Before 20, I had not traveled abroad. The _____ places I had visited were scenic spots in my hometown. I was always told to come back home right away after school. My two schools were very _____; it took less than fifteen minutes to arrive at the schools from home.

_____ I was a junior-high-school student, after a final exam, a few classmates _____ me to visit Taipei. Needless to say, I was full of _____ and asked Mother for _____ to join this hike. But to my _____, my mother refused my request because she was worried about my _____. In spite of(尽管) the fact, I tried to ____ her, telling her about our destinations and my classmates’ _____ experiences of visiting Taipei, but she just said, “Unless parents _____ you, you can’t go.” I did my best to _____ her but it was all in vain. I faced a dilemma. On the one hand, I knew that Mother’s firm disagreement was because my brother was injured in an accident when he was traveling. To be a considerate son, should I _____ my desire? On the other hand, I didn’t want to _____ a valuable opportunity to grow up and to be _____. Filled with sadness and anger, I _____ a cold war with Mother. I neither talked with her nor did I go out of my room. Two days later, my mother not only _____ my classmates about the visit but also called their parents to _____ safety problem. Through a number of phone calls, finally she agreed. Before I left, _____, she once again talked about her concern. I listened carefully and patiently and gave her a thankful embrace because I knew that was the way my mother’s _____ went.

I thought I would never have a child－then a miracle happened.

When I was only 29, doctors said I had too many______challenges to have a child. Meanwhile, my best friend Colleen was pregnant and she asked me to buy a changing table with her. Focusing on Colleen’s good fortune helped distract (使分心) me from my______. In the shop, a babysuit with a crab (螃蟹) caught my eyes. The crab ______ childhood memories of my pretending to be Ariel from the Little Mermaid. If things were ______, that crab would have made me laugh. Instead I said,“If I______had a son, I’d want him to have that.” “Sarah, you have to get it,” She said.

I shook my head no. I didn’t want a(n) ______of what I couldn’t have. My husband, John, and I had talked about ______. But I worried we would get______.

The next Sunday, we went to ______ There, I noticed a tiny baby in the arms of a woman. On his backside was the same ______ I had seen. My breath caught.

I______ to John and whispered, “That’s the babysuit I was telling you about.”He cocked his eyebrows. Throughout the service, I was totally ______ by the baby. I ______ to hold him. In the end, the priest     ( 牧 师 ) made an announcement. “The baby needs a ______. If anyone is thinking about adoption, please see us afterwards.”

We ______ our phone numbers.

That evening, the young mother, carrying the baby, came to our home. Before we sat down, I held her baby. He fit ______ in my arms.

Twelve families had volunteered to adopt him. If she picked us, all she asked was that we let her be ______ in his life in some way. We agreed wholeheartedly.

I never mentioned the crab babysuit. I wanted her to make her decision without being influenced by that ______ .

The next morning my phone rang. “We picked you”was all I heard.

Now our six-year-old son continues to be the best ______ thing that will ever happen to me. And that crab babysuit remains ______ folded in one of my dresser drawers, where I plan to hold on to it－forever.