Yesterday (Saturday), after saying goodbye to each other one year ago in an orphanage in China - the only home either had known - Kaden and Solomon were reunited in Orange County, California. It was a moving experience for all of us - probably the moms most of all!
At first, the boys didn't quite know what to do - I'm sure it seemed strange and familiar at the same time - especially with "Parent Paparazzi" hovering around them, cameras clicking the whole time. Probably the most unexpected thing for Kaden was the fact that Solomon doesn't speak anything but English these days - he was so young when adopted that he didn't have much of a grasp of the Minnan/Mandarin mix Kaden speaks (we call it Minandarin - H/T to Brendan). When we asked Solomon what Kaden was saying, he'd say "I don't know!".
But, they figured out how to have fun anyway:
If you stop and think about it, how amazing is it that these two boys would end up together again literally halfway around the world? Gee, I wonder if God had anything to do with that?
Also, a health update on the family: we're all well! Camden and Jordan finished their final doses of antibiotics today, and except for an occasional cough and a bit of weakness from sitting or laying around for 3 weeks, they're doing great! Thank you all for your help - both physically (yummy food!) and spiritually (the prayers!).
We spent about 5 hours at the park - playing, resting, eating and starting all over again - until it was getting too dark to continue.
It was a great day, and by the time we were done, I think we all were satisfyingly exhausted.
Later last night, looking over the photos, I saw the one below, and thought of the final Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. So, to slightly paraphrase the great Bill Watterson:
It's a magical world, ol' buddy . . . Let's go exploring!
Posted by Steve, actually.
(With Annette's approval!)
