Home for the Holidays

And Oscar is finally HOME!  We returned from China on November 8, and this little guy stole our hearts from Day 1!  He honestly could not be any more affectionate, sweet, and adorable!  He has met lots of family members, friends, and neighbors, and to each and every person, he gladly throws his arms out for you to pick him up and hold him!  He gives the best hugs and has the sweetest smile.  He truly is a little angel.  Oscar is our very special Christmas gift this year.

Our time in China went very smoothly, and Liesl and I enjoyed visiting Beijing and Guangzhou.  Our Gotcha Day was oh so precious.  Oscar immediately took to his big sister and his momma, and we fell in love with him the moment we laid eyes on him.  The families we traveled with were fantastic — the kind of people you feel comfortable with right from the beginning.  They were a tremendous source of support, encouragement, and humor!  And their precious children stole our hearts, as well —  Evan, Ellie, Teddy, Harrison, and Daniel, you have amazing mommas and daddies who love you so much!  We are so happy you are with your forever families, and we can’t wait to watch you blossom and grow in your new homes!

There’s always lots of adjustments to coming home — Oscar getting used to his new surroundings, George and Elsa having to learn to share with their new little brother — but all in all, everyone adores Oscar and he truly fit in right away.  We’re learning his likes and dislikes, helping him adjust to new foods, new people and experiences, soothing him through the scary medical visits and procedures.  But I really am surprised by how chill this little guy is!  He is most certainly a little copy cat and is eager to learn — he likes to follow us around and do what we’re doing; in fact, he’s learned how to turn the vacuum on by himself, so I plan to put that skill to good use!  I can already tell that Oscar, Elsa, and George will be the 3 Little Musketeers –they’ve already developed their own funny games to play together.  We are getting into our “new normal” — and sweet little Oscar is enjoying being the center of attention.  We had a bit of a scare in mid December when Hugh required emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix.  After surgery and treating the mess of an infection in his abdomen with IV antibiotics in the hospital, he’s doing much better and recovering slowly but surely — he should be back to normal in a few weeks.  Kurt is home for the holidays from Seattle, and Greta will be traveling down from Brooklyn in a couple days — it will be good to have everyone together for Christmas.

We are so very happy to finally have Oscar home, but I can’t help thinking of all the children who remain orphans back in China.  Knowing what kind of conditions in which these children live is not easy to put out of your mind.  Soon after returning home, we watched the documentary One Child Nation, which tells the story of how the one-child policy affected families in China.  It was hard to wrap my head around all the pain and suffering that many parents and children endured when the policy was enacted in China in the 70s.  My heart is scarred by the images of babies and children who live their days out in orphanages, and the stories of families who have suffered the loss of a child to abandonment.

“A child is a gift of God. If you do not want him, give him to me. Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.”  –Saint Mother Teresa

At this festive time of year, it might be easy to overlook the pain and sorrow that is still all around.  Many people near us may be hurting behind their smiles and Happy Christmas wishes.  There are parents with children in the hospital, people suffering from the affliction of cancer, those facing the holidays for the first time alone after a loved one has passed, people dealing with mental illness or addiction.  I pray that those hearts that are hurting will be comforted with peace and the kiss of Jesus.

We would not be celebrating this Christmas with Oscar without the help of all of you this past year.  Your support in so many ways allowed us to welcome this little boy into our home and into our hearts.  Our gratitude is deep and sincere.  Thank you for helping us give the gift of Family to Oscar.