Eight years ago Shad's story

Shad on the day he came to the orphanage

 

this is the first picture we saw of Shad.  this is taken in his room, I got to see the room.

 

 

Eight years ago I was in China adopting Shad!

Last Thursday the 9th is the day we officially met.  I remember driving up in the van with another family.  The orphanage has a brick fence around it and a guard.  I was so nervous.  Then we walked in to the new building.  It was pretty but it was very cold inside, I could see my breath. 

 

Pretty building, but no heat.

 

We walked in a conference room and in just a couple of minutes, two nannies walked in with Shad and the other little boy who was being adopted.  Shad was unfazed but the other boy screamed a lot.

 

Here's a picture of me just seconds after I was handed Shad who looks a bit bewildered:)

 

 

 

 

we got back to the hotel and I took him out of about 8 layers of clothes, gave him a bath and a bottle filled with pediltye   He was so tiny and thin, rashes and bug bites all over him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the next day was officially adoption day.  We signed the papers in a smoke filled office  with the taxi driver getting very involved in the signing.  I think he was a witness or either we got married LOL!

 

 

 

then as we had time to kill waiting for all the official Chinese paperwork to be done, we went to the Chengdu panda reserve

 

 

After that trip we went by the hospital where the other child adopted with Shad was found.  that was emotional.  But then we stopped on the street where Shad was found, I totally lost it as I imagined how it was.....I took lots of pictures of the area, I don't know if his family was from that section or not.

 

Then in a day or so we had all the Chinese paperwork and passport in hand and we flew to Guangzho China where all adoptive families go to do their American embassy paperwork.  we stayed in a gorgeous 5 star hotel outside the city. 

 

Here is Shad with all the other babies from our group.  He is the 4th from the left.

 

Here we are eating at the famous Lucy's

 

on our balcony

 

 

then after going through the medical check, and getting the visa ....it was time to fly home to our family.

 

Here is Shad meeting Jon for the first time at Tampa Airport

he was so happy

 

 

 

 Our family and friends who were there to greet us

(yes I look terrible, I'd been traveling for 48hours with delays and issues)

Steve is in the green and blue shirt and Sam is sucking down a bottle in the stroller.  He was not quite 2 years old. 

 

 

this next picture is CLASSIC, look at Shad's expression.  He is NOT happy to see me with other children LOL!!!!  

 

Look at Sam's curly hair!!!!

 

 

First Sunday at church, Shad is wearing his Chinese outfit and ate so much he fell asleep at the table. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a few weeks later we took him down to Miami to see if we could have surgery on his bad eye.  It was not fixable.  This is Shad at the marina

 

 

 

So it's only been 8 years, seems like Shad has been with us all his life.  Wasn't he an adorable baby??  Makes me want to go adopt again looking at these pictures.

Adoption is a blessing for the child, it takes them out of a bad place and gives them a family BUT Adoption is a wonderful blessing for the FAMILY!  People tell us all the time that the kids are so lucky...blah blah blah......but it was US who were lucky to have the opportunity to add to our family by means of adoption.    It's hard to explain, you know you didn't "birth " the child but they are so your child, it doesn't matter!   

How I look at it is that they were destined for our family and we were destined for them.  It just took a little longer to get them. 

God has blessed us with all our children, adopted or biological and each have such a special & unique story.   They all are the biggest blessing in my life.  I'm so thankful to have these kids to be their mom and to take care of them.  I love see their achievements, I love the whole experience!

When I was young, I had no idea that I'd have children from China and Ukraine...I could have never imagined what God had in store for me!  How blessed I've been!!!!!!