How it all began

We got a call on Wednesday, June 10th at 1pm in the afternoon from our Social worker Vicki.  It was a surprise to hear from her.  We have exchange emails frequently and are social but it was interesting to hear from her.  She was in a hurry and wanted to ask me a question.  She mentioned a conversation a while back when Lauren was born.  We mentioned to her that we may be interested in opening our search into the Waiting Child Program (children with special needs or older than 2) and to open it to boys or girls maybe even older than the original 9 - 18 months.  She wondered if we would still consider an older child, a boy who is six.  I was shocked and said of course.  She told me that she would have to call us back after her appointment and talk to CCAI (our adoption agency).   When she called back our agency had forwarded this little boy's information and pictures over.  He was so sweet and looked so little.  She had told me that he was up for adoption and the family decided to wait for a girl.  She immediately thought of us and what a good fit he would be with us.  

This little boy was abandoned at 11 months and found in front of the orphanage in the Henan Province.  They estimated his birthday to be May 1, 2003 and named him Dang Hao Long, which in chinese means "nice dragon".  Then he was placed in the orphanage for two and a half years before he was placed in foster care, where he has been for the last two years.  From the looks of his evaluations and from his foster mother's notes he seems to be a sweet, smart child.  He also seems sensitive to the needs of him foster mother and foster family.  Other than his physical size, which is 37 inches tall, he seems typical.  They have give Hao Long the English name of "Gordon".  That was a bit surprising but we would deal with that later - it is a whole other story!  What could we do? 

Well we asked Alex what his thoughts were about having a little brother to share his room and toys with.  Alex was quick to respond with a sure.  "He is not a baby brother but a little brother, right Mom?"  I reminded Alex that this was not a quick sleep over but a forever thing.  He would have his brother forever.  That was perfectly fine for Alex... a brother forever.  And so our crazy, sudden, wonderful, exciting, scary, blessed journey begins......