One Year Ago...

We walked out of the hotel a family of 7 and returned a family of 8! Yes I can count...oldest brother was at home.




 

It was the hardest and the easiest way to add a child to the family...no
crying, no screaming (not yet) no diapers.
But half a lifetime missed...
He came with the clothes on his back and a car that he had bought with
his New Year money (quickly because you can't use it in America) even
gave the change to an ayi...no one told him we could convert the RMB
Ten years of awards, report cards and photos missing....(we gave him the backpack) and he immediately gave one of his new motorcycles to his friend...the one we call "picture friend")
Picture Friend is coming home one of these days....to CA  but at least in the same country.
  

            (the photo shop where we took our adoption photo also first time in a shopping environment)

                                                        (eating our McD's icecream)


But now there are lots of photos (mostly with funny faces) too much
clothes and too many toys
AND somedays too many siblings
But mostly I think he likes having the others around...loves school and
has amazing determination
That determination has gotten him through life to this day and has
caused us to butt heads...
Sometime this weekend we will need to celebrate family day...too bad
that adoption day will forever be on our wedding anniversary....sorry
kiddo...you can't join us for that one.

Welcome to the family, son!