First Family Conference

So let me tell you about our sweet son -- he makes his bed, listens to American Christian music as he falls asleep, he holds the door for people, he uses his knife and fork (unlike me), and he is excited about what breakfast with a family looks like. We just can't wait to get him home.

But our Sunday didn't quite turn out as planned.

Even though we said our good-byes to Ms. Galina - the director of the orphanage where Dennis has lived and gone to school - on our last trip, we had a special called meeting there at noon yesterday. We think it was just an attempt for our adoption friends to get free lunch for themselves, their kids, strange passersby - but I won't go into that now... We'll save it until I write my Jerry Maguire report to the agency in America when I get home. :) But we had a lovely talk with Ms. Galina where she told us Dennis is amazing and talented, he is strong like an ox, and he is smart and will fake being sick to skip class so look out. :) All good to know. Then in true Moldovan adoption fashion, we were whisked away to the one of the most expensive restaurants in Moldova where we chewed on tough chicken and ate chicken soup with bones floating in it.

But it was at lunch where things turned south. The phone rings and its dennis's mom. We had planned for her to go to church with us and out do dinner. But although it wasn't yet 5 o'clock anywhere, she was unable to join us. She was rude and mean to Dennis and said hurtful things. He was sad but when we asked if he was okay he just said yes and looked down. We went to church and he just wanted to be alone and then wanted to stay with his friends at church one last time. So emily and I left and went and had pizza with the treadways - whom we now adore. :)

But when we all reconvened at home last night we had our first family conference where we explained that its okay to tell us when you are sad or happy or whatever. He just said he wasn't THAT sad... he was okay. And then he told us what happened on the phone. Emily explained that we are a family and we tell each other when we are sad so we can help each other and be sad with each other and when one of us is happy, we are all happy - we're family. He looked at us sweetly and said - I haven't had a mother since I was 5 and I haven't had a dad since before that. I usually have to get through problems alone. I am still learning what is a family. So we had a sweet moment and said there is much more learning to do - let's get on home to America. I have an amazing wife - who is and is becoming an amazing mom. She leaned over to me after our sweet little talk with our son and said. "I feel like Wanda Beaver." After a few moments of confusion she said - you know, like that show with the perfect family? I finally figured out that was shear exhaustion speak for June Cleaver and we had a big laugh before bed.

Right now, Dennis is off at school saying good-byes and then off to visit his mother. Then he is meeting us at the Embassy and we leave for Romania in the morning. He is having a guys night at church tonight that they are throwing for him. I think it involves "shoot-em-up" video games at an itnernet cafe... Wow. We are parents of a teenage boy. :)

Thanks for your prayers. Today is a big day! We hope to update you again after the embassy visit.

jon

here we go again...

we're finally here! it feels like this trip has been a long time coming, but now that it's here, it doesn't feel real!

we met the treadways, who are adopting a 15-year-old girl named Olga, at the Frankfurt Airport. we're all hanging out here at the team house, getting ready to go to the embassy tomorrow. today, we have church, and dinner with d's mom, and i think lunch with dennis's principal, Mrs. Galena. that was kind of a surprise!

we're trying to get all of dennis's visiting done - with his friends and his mom and his church group. we have that "we're in moldova" feeling - no schedule, but you have to be ready at a moment's notice to go running around. but we only have two nights here, and then it's on to Romania. we're really looking forward to that in a twisted sort of way...apparently, it's more developed than Moldova (there's even a Starbucks!), but we will be moving very quickly through there. The good news is that it involves a 7 hour drive, which equals a nap for me :) Jet lag is a bummer already.

Anyway, we're busy being parents and trying to figure out rules and regulations and how to teach this beautiful child how to be part of an American family. it's a little overwhelming, but i promise we can feel your prayers all the way across the ocean. thanks for remembering us...