A Post by Aunt Sarah

Below is a post written by Aunt Sarah, from Colorado. I asked her if she would write something about our adoption and she graciously accepted. We stayed with Tom and Sarah and their 5 children when we traveled to pick up Ying Rong from the airport for our 2016 Summer Hosting adventure. It was a brief visit, before we had to travel back to Kansas, but almost everyone was able to meet little Ying Rong. 

Sarah's post describes her thoughts and feelings about our adoption, feelings that I think might be fairly common among extended family members of those who are adopting. Fear, worry and doubts - about the changes and challenges that are ahead for their loved ones, and questions about how they will be able to handle it; concern for their biological nieces and nephews who will, without a doubt, be affected by adding a  new little one.

As the parent to be, I have had these same feelings and asked many of the same questions, and still, I don't have all the answers. I do know, though, like Sarah, that once you've met a child like Ying Rong, you can't help but love her, after which, many of the fears abate, as God gives us the courage to do what He has asked us to do.

Ying Rong with her cousins

When my brother and sister in law told me that they were thinking of adopting a little girl from China I felt a lot of different emotions. I was worried that it would be too much to handle with the 3 little kids they already had. I worried it would alienate them from us since we would not be sharing the same experience. I worried over a lot of things, I guess. All those feelings being felt, and processed, didn’t take too long, and we began to share the excitement of this new adventure with Joe and Melissa.

The trip out here to pick up Ying Rong was eagerly anticipated. We were very excited to see Joe’s family and spend some time with them. We were excited to get to meet Ying Rong before she spent the month in Kansas. We were excited. We were nervous.

Ying Rong was picked up from the Denver Airport on a Tuesday evening. Joe and Melissa brought her back to our house where we were waiting impatiently. Melissa was holding her when I opened the door for them. She seemd so small, and scared, and tired. She looked around at all her potential new cousins with a vaguely overwhelmed look. Joey said to Declan and Brendan “Look! We brought a new sister!”

The next morning everyone had to pack up and head back to Kansas. Ying Rong seemed to have slept well, and she looked a lot perkier. We had breakfast and she played with all the other kids like she had always known them. She smiled and laughed, and it didn’t bother anyone that they didn’t know the same language. She definitely wasn’t fond of Bosco or Darcy (dogs), though!

All too soon it was time to say goodbye. Goodbyes are always hard, and it must have been very confusing to Ying Rong. As I hugged all the kids, Ying Rong included, I was struck by the fact that I already loved her. After they left, and I was feeling quite emotional, I called Tom and told him, “I already love her! I can’t wait until they come back next month.”