Our trip to Joshua started out a little more relaxed.....because we had done it before. But, as Murphy's Law would have it, things got messed up really fast. Our flight out of Tucson to LA was delayed for almost two hours which meant we missed our international flight to Hong Kong, and then on to China. We were beside ourselves with worry. But God had something bigger in mind for our family. Because of our 24 hour layover in LA before our next flight, we met the most amazing family (the girls knew each other through blogs and the adoption community) that have become family friends for life.
This is a group family picture - minus Cassie - so here she is below!
Anyway, they fed us, made us feel at home, and provided wonderful fellowship until we could get back to the LA airport and onto our adoption journey! Definitely a divine-appointment, orchestrated by God.
Our first glimpse of Joshua on March 1st was as he burst through the doors of the Civil Affairs Office, followed by many orphanage officials. Once he got a glimpse of me............he lost it. He screamed, cried, shook his head back and forth, and refused to have anything to do with me.
This is truly the hardest part of adoption............having so much love already for a child you have never met, and the child being torn away from all that is familiar to him. Having to go with a stranger you have never met, who looks different, talks different, smells different, etc. is absolutely heartbreaking. But these children are resilient and the good times usually come pretty quickly.
Joshua didn't want much to do with me in China, but once we got home he became very attached. Having Isaac there as an instant playmate was truly a blessing and made his adjustment easier.
These two boys complement each other in so many ways. They play well together and enjoy each other's company tremendously. And yes, they do squabble, but it's usually pretty minor.
Joshua is such a happy boy that "usually" goes with the flow. We have always labeled him as a follower since he has copied most everything Isaac has done. But now as he is approaching five years old, his own little personality - likes and dislikes - are coming out. He is meticulous in his coloring and loves to do schoolwork. He can be self-entertained for hours (unlike some other little boy I know :), loves to help around the house, and is a fanatic over Thomas the Train! We are so blessed to have him in our family.
Happy 2nd Year Gotcha Day, Sweet Boy! We love you so much!
Oh my goodness! I miss this little man! He will always have a special place in my heart. As does his family. :) Can't believe it's been two years already! Looks like he is loving his family - you are blessed to have each other! Give him a great big hug for me!
ReplyDeleteAnd....every time I visit our Asian Market I miss China so much, so I get a box of those koala bear cookies to console myself. :)