Adoption Travelouge, Part III

We were instructed to meet our Thai social workers in the lobby of our hotel at 10 am for an orientation. There are two other families from the States and from our same agency here to pick up their children as well. One family met and gathered their son earlier in the week, as his foster family lives in the South of Thailand. We were told that the other two other children would arrive here at the hotel at 10:30 am. They were late. After a two and a half year wait, an additional fifteen minutes inches by in eternity's time.

And then he was here. We were waiting in the other family's room and all of a sudden, at long and forever last, two social workers walked in with the children. In that moment it felt like they were walking in carrying our whole world. Such precious cargo. We could hear Oaks' quiet crying before we could see him. Once we laid eyes on his beautiful face, the pitch increased.

I had stared at the 10 or so photographs of him that we had received hungrily over those past months, I had memorized his face. I had thrilled at his sweet features. But now, seeing him in flesh and blood, I was convinced that this child was spawn from some sort of nectar of the gods. That he was, in fact, the most beautiful child that had ever, or will ever, draw breath. To be fair, I have had similar sentiments twice before, but that does not shake the core reality of this truth deep in my heart.

We let him have his space. He squirmed and whimpered in the social worker's arms and did all he could to avoid acknowledging our presence. We let him. The woman holding him tried to engage him in a bit of play and after a half hour or so, since he was so sad anyways - you know? - I decided to attempt holding my son. He acquiesced and settled in my arms with an unamused pout.

We tried to take some photos and video to record this momentous occasion. Oaks glared at us with such disdain that you would think we were trying to poison him. The only thing that garnered more contempt was should we try to smile towards his general vicinity. He just wouldn't have it.

The other child, a darling three year old little girl, had come in smiling to greet her new family. She giggled and smiled and played the entire time. She seemed instantly smitten with her new lot in life.

At last we headed downstairs to have lunch all together. Oaks' misery subsided as soon as we set foot outdoors. There is a koi pond in the garden area where we were having lunch. He must have stared at those koi for a good thirty minutes. He either adores fish or was considering jumping to avoid another moment of our smiles.

Oaks obligingly ate a few bites of noodle soup and some rice while he sat on Sean's lap. The social worker gathered him a few minutes in to get a good meal in his belly. After lunch we brought him back upstairs to show him our hotel room and it was that obvious he was not impressed with our digs and he was happy to let us know it. We would soon see what a far cry our temporary residence was from the place that he has always known as home. It was time to visit Oak's house and with that the only family that he has ever known.

Up next, Oaks' house

{all photos taken with various film/lenses on Hipstamatic app on my iphone}