Every so often, I play the "What If...?" game. I think, in part, it's because I grew up reading comics - or, well, more like listening to friends tell me about the comics they were reading, because buying comics wasn't really on my parents' list of things to do. Forbidden fruit. Or, as "What If..." comics would have it: "The road not taken!" This series, in particular, took familiar characters like Spider-Man and placed them in subtly different worlds, all seen only by Uatu the Watcher, an incredibly advanced alien who sits on the Moon and watches all possible realities unfolding, restrained by a vow to never, ever interfere in human events. What if Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive pig? Uatu knows.

So, what if I hadn't come into Daughter's and son (son!)'s life? What if they stayed in China?

This is kind of central question - there's always that tacit assumption (for me, at least) that international adoption is the best possible outcome in this case. You might notice, if you've read the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, that staying in the home country is generally seen as the desirable outcome. It's kind of obvious when you think about it.

But I wonder what it would be like. I mean, in all likelihood, the kids would wind up getting good educations but not great ones, and possibly wind up working in a factory like the people who are making the toys in China. (That's a rather compelling photo-essay. And just so you know, Mattel has admitted the recalls were their own [expletive deleted] fault; the Chinese manufacturers were just following improper specs handed down from Barbie's Malibu CEO Playoffice.)

And (for more imagination-inspiring photos) they might have had a tough time getting back and forth from school. Might have learned more about overcoming obstacles that way, but I don't know.

On the other hand, now they're living in a place where race still seems to matter an awful lot (hello, Jena 6!), which is no doubt going to affect them in ways big and small every day they have to deal with... well, with anybody. At all. And then there's the whole heredity thing - probable medical history? Environmental factors during the first year of life? I have not a clue. I'd have to ask Uatu - and he's not telling.





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