Abandoned

Luke legally became a Linthavong today!!  At the Civil Affairs office in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, we stated our purpose for adopting this sweet boy and swore to "never abandon him".  The word "abandon" stuck with me throughout the day today, and left me thinking a lot about his birth mother.  While I could never imagine abandoning a baby, that is exactly what happened to Luke.

He was abandoned.  But the word abandoned carries such cruel connotation, which I don't necessarily think applies in Luke's case.  Most of the children in China are not abandoned because their parents do not want them, but actually quite the opposite.  Most of the abandoned children in China have some kind of special medical need.  It may be minor or very severe, but in most cases it is believed the family has given up the child because they cannot pay for the medical care that will optimize, and sometimes even save, the child's life.  The government only steps in to assist in the cost of medical care for children who are in orphanages or foster homes.  Even though that care may be limited, it is still more than the parents can often give.  In reality, most of these families love their children very much and are abandoning them so that they can have better medical care.  I can only hope and pray that Luke's biological mother knows in her heart that he is now safe and very much loved in addition to getting any medical care he may need (the irony of having two physicians as adoptive parents is hitting me now).

But WE could not have been more blessed by his mother's decision to give Luke away.  Luke is AWESOME!  For anyone reading this who knows our other son Miller, if it is possible to rival Miller's laid back and easy going attitude, Luke has done it, and maybe even surpassed it.  He is a great eater (also to rival Miller) and a phenomenal sleeper.  The only hick-up we have had so far was trying to get him to drink.  His nanny left us yesterday with some formula and what she said was his bottle.  Well, he would not touch it.  He would not open his mouth for the bottle.  We tried formula and water in another sippy cup that I had brought with the same result.  I don't know what kind of cup he used at the orphanage, but based on how he guzzled down liquid when we offered him a straw at breakfast, I'd guess something with a straw.  😆

After spending the morning at government appointments, we spent the afternoon just getting to know Luke.  His personality is starting to show and we definitely got some BIG smiles today (of course I didn't capture any).   He enjoyed walking around the city in the Ergo and playing in a toy store, but the bath was by far the biggest hit.  The first bath is often hard for kids from an orphanage as they have usually never had a tub bath before, but he jumped right in!

"Once there were two women who never knew each other.

One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.

Two different lives shaped to make yours one.

One became your guiding star; the other became your sun.

The first gave you life; the second taught you how to live it.

The first gave you a need for love; the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality; the other gave you a name.

One gave you the seed of talent; the other gave you an aim.

One gave you up; it was all that she could do.

The other prayed for a child and was led straight to you.

And now you ask me through your tears, 

The age old question through the years,

Heredity or environment, which are you a product of? 

Neither my darling, just two different kids of love."

- A poem left in Luke's adoption folder from the orphanage.