Last Thursday, we met Tom's first grandchild for the first time!! We waved to him as he and his parents (Tom's son and wife) flew into O'Hare Airport from Beijing, China.
He turned one-year-old a few days before he came to the US. They adopted him through an international adoption agency that arranged everything...down to the smallest detail. Down to even making sure that he was a U.S. citizen before he flew home.
He is soooooo cute!!! He's got a shock of black hair that sticks straight up and a hairline that is reminiscent of Gramps. Ha!
He was found left out in the elements in rural China. Born with a cleft palet, I'm thinking his parents abandoned him so he could have a chance for surgery. That's the good thought I keep thinking, anyway. He's had one surgery, and will have a few more here in the states. Already, one has to look close to know he ever had a problem. The miracle of modern medicine!
We've seen a few pictures of him over the last six months as Tom's son and wife patiently waited for all of the red tape to be sorted through. And. Then. Finally!!! Whoot!!!!
We are so happy for this baby boy...and Tom's son and wife. Their motto of "Three Makes Family" says it all to us.
And, as we hear tales of the little boy's adjustments, well, it's just heart-renching. After they'd picked him up from the orphanage, they had to return to it several days later. When they came in, with baby, of course, the baby was afraid. Afraid, I think, that he was going to get left there by the only two people he could really tell loved him.
He loves being held, because he wasn't. He's a little afraid to leave his socks off, because the orphanage always made sure he had a pair on. He doesn't cry, because (I guess) it never helped at his last home. He is tentative playing with toys, 'cause I don't think he had toys much. He has sooooo MUCH to learn!!!
And I know he'll be a little sponge...surrounded with love. *Sigh*
He turned one-year-old a few days before he came to the US. They adopted him through an international adoption agency that arranged everything...down to the smallest detail. Down to even making sure that he was a U.S. citizen before he flew home.
He is soooooo cute!!! He's got a shock of black hair that sticks straight up and a hairline that is reminiscent of Gramps. Ha!
He was found left out in the elements in rural China. Born with a cleft palet, I'm thinking his parents abandoned him so he could have a chance for surgery. That's the good thought I keep thinking, anyway. He's had one surgery, and will have a few more here in the states. Already, one has to look close to know he ever had a problem. The miracle of modern medicine!
We've seen a few pictures of him over the last six months as Tom's son and wife patiently waited for all of the red tape to be sorted through. And. Then. Finally!!! Whoot!!!!
We are so happy for this baby boy...and Tom's son and wife. Their motto of "Three Makes Family" says it all to us.
And, as we hear tales of the little boy's adjustments, well, it's just heart-renching. After they'd picked him up from the orphanage, they had to return to it several days later. When they came in, with baby, of course, the baby was afraid. Afraid, I think, that he was going to get left there by the only two people he could really tell loved him.
He loves being held, because he wasn't. He's a little afraid to leave his socks off, because the orphanage always made sure he had a pair on. He doesn't cry, because (I guess) it never helped at his last home. He is tentative playing with toys, 'cause I don't think he had toys much. He has sooooo MUCH to learn!!!
And I know he'll be a little sponge...surrounded with love. *Sigh*