Yes! The vpn is working!!!
K, see here in Chiner sites like blogspot and facebook are blocked, so we use this little thing called a vpn to get around it...but for the past several days it's not been working. I had this post basically ready to go, just waiting for access....
Anyway, here's the tale of how Jonny boy became a part of our family. There's a little background-n-extra info, presented in timeline format for all you linear thinkers. Somehow it took me a long time to put all these pictures+text together, so I'm really hoping you dig it.
K, see here in Chiner sites like blogspot and facebook are blocked, so we use this little thing called a vpn to get around it...but for the past several days it's not been working. I had this post basically ready to go, just waiting for access....
Anyway, here's the tale of how Jonny boy became a part of our family. There's a little background-n-extra info, presented in timeline format for all you linear thinkers. Somehow it took me a long time to put all these pictures+text together, so I'm really hoping you dig it.
November 2001
Rachel Smith falls for Drew Addington.
September 29, 2007
Drew Addington marries Rachel Smith!
September 14, 2008
Titus is born.
February 2009
Drew, Titus and I move from Minnesota to Changsha.
Jonathon's mother is six months pregnant with him.
May 6, 2009
Jonathon is born in Changsha.
(So Titus & Jon are 8 months apart.)
September 2009
We relocate to East Changsha, one mile from the state welfare center.
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| Two of five buildings in the complex; one is 20 stories high |
December 2009
Titus and I begin helping with abandoned disabled kids at the welfare center.
April 30th, 2010
Jonathon is abandoned and admitted to the welfare center orphanage.
One week later...
May 6th, 2010
Jonathon turns one year old.
July 18, 2010
Michael is born.
September 2010
We make more friends and connections within restricted parts of the welfare center, and see hundreds of orphans; we're compelled consider adoption and turn our attention towards the most disadvantaged people in this community.
January 17th, 2011
Jonathon is transfered to the Butterfly Home for hospice care. The welfare center says he has an untreatable brain tumor and will die soon.
He is one and a half years-old and weighs 17 lbs. He has an enlarged head, frail body, loss of appetite, and is increasingly miserable. He often vomits, has a fever and requires a feeding tube.
January & February 2011
Further tests determine that Jon doesn't have a brain tumor. He has an infection in the tissues of his skull and a cyst consuming the left side of his cranium.
Jonathon claps, occasionally smiles at his nannies, cuddles, and sleeps well, but he has trouble with diarrhea and uncoordinated eyes.
March 16th, 2011
Jonathon is accompanied by a Butterfly Home nanny to Suzhou, China for surgery to drain the pus and open his skull to scrape out infected tissue. The surgery is performed by a Western physician who travels to do procedures for kids like Jon.
April 2011
Jonathon can roll over and hold his head up. He smiles at his nannies.
May 6, 2011
Jonathon turns 2 years-old. He weighs 19 lbs. He can sit up and is developing and healing very fast.
May 2011
I visit The Butterfly Home. The image of a little boy, with an enormous head and tiny body, lying listless on his back, sticks in my heart. (It was Jon; I didn't know his name yet.)Foster care became a consideration for the first time. But with no place to live or definite plans past July, we have to see if we're in position to do so.
My parents (Mike & Jen) visit us for five weeks; they help at the Butterfly Home twice per week and meet all the babies, including Jonathon.
We find an apartment and move to West Changsha, a 40 minute trip from the Butterfly Home.
August 2011
Drew's parents, Jon & Louise, and sister Jen visit us for two weeks, and see the Butterfly Home and Jonathon.Drew is awarded a full tuition-free scholarship with a small stipend, which means we have a certain future plan -- we can consider fostering. |
We have dinner with the Butterfly House folks -- Alan & Lyn -- to discuss fostering. Jonathon is suggested as a good candidate, out of the current 13 Butterfly House children.
We decide yes, we want to do it. And we agree, Jonathon feels like the one.
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| Jon & Louise snapped this picture. September 2011 |
Jonathon is 2 years and 4 months old. He weighs 22 lbs, and eats Pediasure formula through a bottle. His body proportions are improving and he's gaining strength. He's very active, can pull himself up and even walk if holding someone's hand. He's jovial and social but a little timid. He babbles, says a few words, and waves 'bye-bye'.
We complete paperwork and a home study visit. Jon visits our house.
September 29, 2011
It's our 4th wedding anniversary. Titus just turned 3; Michael is 14 months.
Jonathon is 2 years and 5 months; he becomes a part of our family!
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| getting ready to go |
I realize this blog has been a little concentrated on the Jon-related content recently, and I promise to write about other things...haha, it's just that, he's a big deal! He's completely impacted our lives, and this blog is just about...our lives, our little story.
I gotta run, but here's a Chinese word---
brain:
脑子
nǎozi
By the way, the word computer is literally 'electric brain', cool huh?
电脑
diànnǎo
I want to hug Jonathan!!!! Please give him a hug for me!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the updates/pictures!!! Hugs to all five from Alabama!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I like how you showed your lives in relation to each other. Also, in regards to 脑, the teacher where I work often tells the second graders to "动脑筋＂which means to "think actively."
ReplyDeleteSo fun to see the time line, I guess i am a linear thinker, to see how close in age he is to Titus and how adding Jon to your family coincides with your anniversary! It is fun to watch how this little boy is ordained to be in your family at this time and to fall in love with him over the computer!!!
ReplyDeleteSo how do your other two like having Jon around? I'm somewhat familiar with sibling rivalries in children, is that the case? So great to read about what you and Drew are doing. Godspeed to you all.
ReplyDeleteso far they're genuinely happy to have him around. the little one, Mike, likes to pester the others. of course they steal toys, etc. all the normal stuff.
ReplyDelete