So, this may count as cheating on my New Year's goal of one blog post per month. But, this month, I'm letting TJ do the writing. Last week we celebrated what is known in the adoption world as "Gotcha Day" for Eli! It's the day we "Gotcha!" In other words, it celebrates the day Eli became a part of our family forever! We meet Eli February 10, 2014, so he has officially been a Kuehn for 2 years! In honor of this big milestone for our family, TJ wrote a letter and read it to the kids last week. I wanted to share it on the blog because he is an amazing writer and did such a great job remembering what happened 2 years ago. Here you go...
Eli
Long before you got here, we knew you would be in your family.
Believe it or not, your mom and I spent a long time taking classes, filling out
paperwork and interviewing with social workers to get permission to have you as
a son.
Then two years ago mom, Trip, Mady and I got on an airplane
to fly to China and meet you, the sweet little boy who would become our new son
and brother. We flew halfway around the world and arrived dead tired after two
longs flights and over 16 hours in the air. It was pouring rain when we finally
got to our hotel and we fell right to sleep. The next morning, we woke up to
fireworks exploding outside to celebrate the Chinese New year.
I remember the first moment I saw you. They brought you up to our hotel room bundled
in about five layers of clothes and carried a bunch of snack food I am willing
to bet you wouldn’t eat these days. You were adorable; and you loved playing
bubbles with your new brother and sister. I think you spilled three full
bottles on the carpet. You also loved playing with any cell phone you could lay
your hands on, and would rifle through the pictures as long as you could. You
were a funny, smiley little boy who talked in a cute little voice and laughed a
lot.
We shared so many memories on that, our first vacation as a
five-person family. We watched Chinese TV together, went on visits around the
city together, shopped and ate out at restaurants together. I remember going to
the big mall, riding on the bullet train, visiting a Chinese McDonalds and a
Chinese Pizza Hut, going to the embroidery museum, and taking the big boat
through the city. I remember walking to get Trip the apple soda he liked and
all of the folks who were mezmerized by Mady’s blonde hair and blue eyes. I
remember learning what a don bobo was, laughing like crazy while you sloshed
around in the bathtub, and when I had to hold you tight because you were so
upset that you had to turn off the TV on our flight out of Changsha.
So much has changed since then. You have grown to be a big
five-year-old boy who goes to school and plays with friends. Two years ago you spoke
Chinese ; you couldn’t understand anything I said, and I couldn’t understand
anything you said. It’s amazing how fast
you have learned English. You have also learned how to ride a bike, color with
crayons, play the Wii, throw a baseball, play soccer, assemble big puzzles, and
so much more. And just think, two years ago you didn’t know who Batman was.
I am glad we got to build those memories together in China.
That was a special time, and it’s hard to believe that’s what we were doing two
years ago today. I am so thankful we have you Eli. I am also thankful for
mommy, Trip and Mady. This is the greatest family in the world and I love all
of you so much.
Eli, in this family, you are surrounded by people who love
you deeply. We are glad we got to share the last two years with you, but we are
more excited to share the in the rest of your life with you. Happy gotcha day,
buddy.
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| Eli before he became a Kuehn |
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| And...2 years later! |
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