Plans have changed...A LOT. Meet Wei Jian Qun. He's 20 months old and lives in Tianjin City orphanage, just outside of Beijing, China. What's the connection?Well, he's our son. :)
The Story
We decided to end our quest for Madeleine. The wait has increased to possibly 2 years from now (we've been waiting almost 11 months). It seems like a door was slowly shutting on us and that this wasn't the road we were meant to travel. Kevin and I had discussed joining the Waiting Families program--to adopt a special needs child--for about 8 months now. We had to make sure we weren't joining the program simply to shorten the wait.Then, a week ago, dialog reopened and we discovered we were both ready to open our home and hearts to any child--boy or girl, healthy or with medical needs. Maybe it was hearing so many families adopt special needs kids, including two dear friends...or seeing special needs kids growing up healthy and happy in our local Families with Asian Children group.
So, we completed the necessary paperwork and expected to submit it and wait many months more for a referral. Until we checked our agency's website for the children who hadn't found families yet. And there he was...
Little "Qun Qun" (pronounced "Chun Chun"), as he's called in the orphanage, has 3rd degree cleft lip/cleft palate. It's the most severe cleft. His lip was repaired when he was 1 year old, but the palate is split open across the roof of his mouth and will be repaired soon after we bring him home. He'll need ears tubes now, then additional surgery on his lip and nose in a few years. Maybe orthodontic work. Maybe additional things. But we read this description, and fell in love...
This little boy was born November 11, 2005. When he entered the orphanage, he was diagnosed with newborn pneumonia, omphalitis, congenital cleft lip and palate. He is an active and cute child. When it’s time to eat, he pays very close attention to the nannies and his eyes follow their every move. When someone talks to him, he will focus on the speaker and smile happily at her. His physical development is good. He likes toys that make sounds and he will reach out to grab toys on his own initiative. He can steadily hold on to a toy for a long time, and he will shake a toy to hear it make sound. He can sit steadily, keeping his upper body straight. He can also crawl on his own for fun and his legs are strong. When he is held, he can bounce up and down on his little legs. Now he can stand up by himself when holding on to a railing, and he can stand for a long time. He claps his little hands when he is happy, and he cries to express when he is unhappy. His language development is also very good. When he is spoken to, he will make “ah ah” sounds and sometimes “ya ya” sounds. He loves to act like a pampered child and likes the nannies to hold him. When he is held, he always smiles and looks at the nanny, happily waving his hands and feet, and excitedly bouncing in the nanny’s arms. Sometimes he will snuggle his head into the nanny’s shoulder and wrap his arms around her neck.
His new name? David Jian Qun Lewis.
More to come...
Take care,
Caroline
