Wouldn't ya know that the day that I post how good it is going, is the day we see tears again and our first temper tantrum...short lived and mild, but non-the-less a temper tantrum. Actually this has all be so mild in comparison to what I told to expect that I was beginning to be concerned that he hadn't had a melt down since the first night that he had sobbed himself to sleep. Once he had it out of his system he was a much happier and obedient child.
He is a terriffic kid! He is usually so happy and such a tease. He is a great reader which has been such a blessing. If I can not communicate with my little Vietnamese and pantomime, I look up a word in the VN-English dictionary, he reads it, and nods in acknowledgement with a gleam in his eye when he gets it. He even reads his own menu and points to what he wants to order. The morning after we arrived in Hanoi, his cough was worse and he was vomitting phlegm. I looked up the word "sick" and he read it and knodded. I looked up the word "doctor", he read it, and knodded. So we went to the doctor and he was diagnosed with bronchitus. Wow...how easy can it get!
Yesterday, we finally got the passport. Today we get have the medical exam. Monday we have our exit interview with the US embassy to get his visa. Tuesday at four o'clock we pick up the visa. AND Tuesday evening, Lord willing, we fly out of Hanoi to Korea at 11:40 pm. Then it is Korea to Chicago...where, because we cross the international date line, we arrive in Chicago on the same day but an hour before we left Korea. Sort freaks the mind out doesn't it! Then Chicago to Des Moines!!!!
I miss my other kids and Dong is anxious to meet them. We are counting down the days here!!!
Blessings to all...Joni
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Finally....
Good morning from Vietnam!!!
We are traveling with another family who also received their son from the Binh Duong orphanage. They let me borrow their computer since the lobby computer only has prompts for this program in Vietnamese...thus my tardiness in updating the blog.
For those who are following this blog and are in process, please understand that I have never heard of anyone experiencing some of the things we have been blessed with. I do not know why we have had the privileges we have had but they are not standard.
When we first arrived at the orphanage Dong greeted us at the door with his sweet smile and a light in his eyes. He was shy but open. I did not want to push his boundaries so I refrained from a bear hug but I did drop to my knees and take his little hand as I introduced myself as "Mom". I also introduced Dad and Nathan.
Usually the parents of older children do not get to meet their child until the Giving and Receiving Ceremony. Usually the foster parents are too concerned about crying and losing face to meet the adoptive parents. We did get to meet Dong on the day before and to tour the orpanage. We also got to meet the foster mother and two sisters and to ask the foster mother questions.
Dong got bored with the tour and the adults talking so he sat down and was messing around with the computer games. He did not understand Spider Solitaire and I didn't have anything that needed my attention so I taught him how to play. I am glad I know how to count to ten in Vietnamese. Who would have ever guessed that my vice of computer games would be my first step in bonding with my new son and our first home school lesson?
The next day we returned to the orphanage to officially receive our son. The complete foster family showed up...mom, dad, the two sister, and his foster brother, Bi. They stayed home from school and work to say good bye! We even got to see their home. I have never heard of anyone receiving this privilege!!
The Giving and Receiving Ceremony was merely signing papers. We returned to the orphanage to make sure all paperwork was in order. Dong was on the computer again with Nathan...he was playing Spider Solitaire and playing it quite well!
Dong struggled with tears at various times that day. Our friend, Miss Thu, and her family were a good distraction for us. We originally met Miss Thu while she was visiting her daughters in Ames. We went to the Bien Theinh market and out to eat pho (traditional beef soup). We returned to the hotel early because we were all tired.
Dong sobbed himself to sleep that night as I held him in my arms in bed. That is the last of the tears that we have had. He has never rejected my affection, but I was also careful not to push the boundaries too quickly. He went from tentative acceptance to warming up and snuggling in...to returning affection. Yesterday he greeted me with a great big bear hug. I also know that he is feeling more comfortable because he is testing the boundaries. He is a normal child after all. He is soooooo good though. We have had no temper tantrums as we were told to expect.
It all seems to be going so smoothly for now. I am guessing that at some point in time we will see more grief and loss as this becomes forever in his mind rather that a pleasant diversion. Right now we are new and he is having fun...more details on that later.
We are waiting for our passport...Thursday. Friday we have the medical exam. Our visa interview was moved up to Monday instead of Tuesday. Please pray that we can get travel arranged so that we could leave an earlier flight out of here. We would love to get him home to his siblings. We are all missing each other and two of our children are under the weather.
Thanks for checking in and not giving up on me. Blessings to all...Joni
We are traveling with another family who also received their son from the Binh Duong orphanage. They let me borrow their computer since the lobby computer only has prompts for this program in Vietnamese...thus my tardiness in updating the blog.
For those who are following this blog and are in process, please understand that I have never heard of anyone experiencing some of the things we have been blessed with. I do not know why we have had the privileges we have had but they are not standard.
When we first arrived at the orphanage Dong greeted us at the door with his sweet smile and a light in his eyes. He was shy but open. I did not want to push his boundaries so I refrained from a bear hug but I did drop to my knees and take his little hand as I introduced myself as "Mom". I also introduced Dad and Nathan.
Usually the parents of older children do not get to meet their child until the Giving and Receiving Ceremony. Usually the foster parents are too concerned about crying and losing face to meet the adoptive parents. We did get to meet Dong on the day before and to tour the orpanage. We also got to meet the foster mother and two sisters and to ask the foster mother questions.
Dong got bored with the tour and the adults talking so he sat down and was messing around with the computer games. He did not understand Spider Solitaire and I didn't have anything that needed my attention so I taught him how to play. I am glad I know how to count to ten in Vietnamese. Who would have ever guessed that my vice of computer games would be my first step in bonding with my new son and our first home school lesson?
The next day we returned to the orphanage to officially receive our son. The complete foster family showed up...mom, dad, the two sister, and his foster brother, Bi. They stayed home from school and work to say good bye! We even got to see their home. I have never heard of anyone receiving this privilege!!
The Giving and Receiving Ceremony was merely signing papers. We returned to the orphanage to make sure all paperwork was in order. Dong was on the computer again with Nathan...he was playing Spider Solitaire and playing it quite well!
Dong struggled with tears at various times that day. Our friend, Miss Thu, and her family were a good distraction for us. We originally met Miss Thu while she was visiting her daughters in Ames. We went to the Bien Theinh market and out to eat pho (traditional beef soup). We returned to the hotel early because we were all tired.
Dong sobbed himself to sleep that night as I held him in my arms in bed. That is the last of the tears that we have had. He has never rejected my affection, but I was also careful not to push the boundaries too quickly. He went from tentative acceptance to warming up and snuggling in...to returning affection. Yesterday he greeted me with a great big bear hug. I also know that he is feeling more comfortable because he is testing the boundaries. He is a normal child after all. He is soooooo good though. We have had no temper tantrums as we were told to expect.
It all seems to be going so smoothly for now. I am guessing that at some point in time we will see more grief and loss as this becomes forever in his mind rather that a pleasant diversion. Right now we are new and he is having fun...more details on that later.
We are waiting for our passport...Thursday. Friday we have the medical exam. Our visa interview was moved up to Monday instead of Tuesday. Please pray that we can get travel arranged so that we could leave an earlier flight out of here. We would love to get him home to his siblings. We are all missing each other and two of our children are under the weather.
Thanks for checking in and not giving up on me. Blessings to all...Joni
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