Introducing... our son Reuben

Everyone, this is our littlest son. He's coming.

Reuben Thunder Addington

I feel this calls for a celebratory soundtrack, don't you think so?

Reuben is two years old right now, living with a foster family in northern China.

He is healthy and playful.

We are so curious to know him!

Does he like hugs? What does his voice sound like?

What makes him laugh? Is he reserved or more robust? What does he like to eat?

What does he look like when he's sleeping? 

Does he like music, playing cars, building, running wild, reading books, painting? 

Who will he become as he grows?

Growing our family through adoption has been our intent since before we were married.

A home full of kids -- how many? yet to be determined -- has been our hope.

Reuben's name is quite the construction.

See if you can hang with me here!

Reu + ben

Reu sounds like a phonetic combination of R + ew, Rachel & Drew

ben, in Hebrew, means "son"

Reu = Rachel & Drew

ben = son

all together now!

Reuben = Rachel & Drew's son

Every time we say his name we restate, "You are our son."

(As I said, quite the construction...)

Of course, he presently has a Chinese name which I cannot share yet.

We will change his Chinese surname to ours, 艾 Ai, and keep his Chinese given name...

which, by the way, literally means, "Continuous Thunder"

That's why we, with Ethan's vote, chose to give him the middle name Thunder.

When is Reuben coming home?

Expected date ~ June or July 2016.

And yes, in August we are planning to move to a village on the other side of our province.

Two weeks ago we completed our two-day home study interview with a visiting social worker.

Already completed a mass of paperwork.

Five parties have contributed references.

Did twelve hours of online adoption coursework, with exams!

Now we've got about a million more legal documents and certificates to pull together.

Fees will total about $20,000 - $30,000.

We are financing these with our savings and adoption grants (hopefully many!).

Yes! So, I need to get going on grant-writing as well.

We know a few additional details about Reuben's story, but I'm not sure I want to share those.
It's his story, and as his parents we are the keepers of his story for a time.




There is no simple way to sum up how we feel about adopting Reuben.
It means a family was broken.
It means a child was separated from the ones who gave him life.
Particularly in our context, it likely means a couple was truly out of options --
but we can never know for certain, and that unknowing is also sorrowful.
It is unbearably grievous to consider the losses.

Yet, Reuben becoming our son is redemptive.
It is right.
It is good.
Reuben will be honored, loved, cherished, nurtured and empowered.
His Chinese heritage will be esteemed and preserved.
We are committed to Reuben for life and will his flourishing.
We do not think of ourselves as his rescuers.
God is our rescuer;
we alongside Reuben are God's rescued and adopted ones, true children of God.
May God be magnified.


You did change the world 
in a single day
And You bound up my heart 
forevermore I'm Yours

Light shines brightest after the dark
Now I see a different way
I am born anew
Your light brings life
Your life is mine

If you have any questions please do contact us via email or in the comments section!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

soft candlelight

homespun music and best friends laughing uncontrollably

Qingzi's good work tutoring Titus

Mike's affection and particularly his fondness for kissing

child-initiated questions and discussion about sexuality

one brick and a time, dismantling that impossible tower, using those bricks to pave a new way

I can change; you can change me

Wang Ayi's back

watching Titus run down the hill to his school with all the other children; cherishing this time, I'll miss him as he grows more independent

sun came out today

new photos of my parents

three handsome, freshly-bathed guys reading a storybook in bed