One Month!

Yesterday marked Kai Wei's first month home. I've been musing over the miracle of adoption. How did this little boy from a world away, who still doesn't speak my language, become so dear to me so quickly? From the moment we accepted our referral, I wouldn't have traded him for anyone in the world. I was surprised by my almost automatic feeling that he was family; by my loyalty and love for him. But I wasn't sure what it would be like when he came home.

When he did finally come home, I was filled with wonder. Wonder that he was actually here. Wonder that he was ours- finally a part of our family forever. Wonder that it was so easy to love him. I wasn't expecting the whole process of becoming a family to be so easy. I didn't expect it to feel natural to say "my brother" when I was talking about Kai Wei. But it did. That sense of family that I was filled with when we received his referral remained, and as we got to know him, and got to see what a treasure he is, my love for him as an individual, not just because he is part of our family, has grown too.

Treasure. I think it's a wonderful word to describe him. In Chinese, the word for baby, bao bao, also means treasure. Kai Wei likes to pat us all on the head, and say "ke ai bao bao" or "gui bao bao" (cute baby, good baby). So of course, we pat him on the head and call him a cute baby in return. And I can't help but think it's true- he is a cute treasure.

There are times though, when I realize how far we still have to go until he is completely part of the family. Because part of being family is having a history together. Knowing each other inside and out. And that is what we're still working on. Sometimes when I see Jonathan and Daniel so casually sitting together, looking at something, leaning over each other, I ache for the time when Kai Wei will be included in that. So far, I think it has been easiset for him to bond with the older children in the family. He's not as sure how to relate to the younger 2 and they aren't as sure how to relate to him. Rebecca and Tim and I are used to little brothers- it has been easy for us to add one more and continue relating to a little brother in ways we have become accustomed to. But for Jonathan and Daniel, this is something completely new, and I think that they still don't quite feel like brothers, even though they know they are. I'm sure that will come in time. I just wish I saw more of it now. I'm sure as they play together and fish together and ride bikes together and tease each other, and whine about cleaning their room together, and yes, even fight together and get into mischief together, they will begin to feel like brothers and act like brothers. Maybe I shouldn't be too anxious for that. An 8 year old, a 10 year old, and a 12 year old boy. We're all in trouble if the 3 of them start planning things together.

Arm wrestling with Mommy


Some photos from the boys game night I took Jonathan and Kai Wei to on Friday

Kai Wei LOVED this game, he kept giggling while he played it. I enjoyed playing him because I finally was evenly matched with an opponent who seemed as uncooridnated as I always feel when I play. :)




Little John and Robin Hood . . . or something like that


I realized I haven't posted any pictures of Tim and Kai Wei together, so here is Tim helping Kai try on his sword. Tim is great with Kai Wei and Kai Wei adores his strong "da ge ge"


Every little boy's dream