Last Post from China... "Meeting Evan"

Monday ~ Evan's House

*As we leave early tomorrow morning, I wanted to end our trip to China with this very special post. There was just so much more to write about with our experience here, but little time. :0) This day is one I don't ever want to forget. We are so blessed to have had this opportunity, as it's extremely rare for the adoptive family to meet the foster family, especially in their home. We feel very honored for this to have happened. What a sweet time of transition for Evan as well.*

Today was an amazing day. We woke up again at New Day, had breakfast in the cafeteria, and then met Carrie for a tour of the foster home. I love babies, but I have to say, the toddler room was the best. It is a very, very well organized place. Extremely structured and well run. The children seem to be happy as are the nannies. There is much care that is given to the children. It is also extremely clean.

It was amazing to see the rooms where the children slept. It's still not a home with a mom and a dad, but New Day covers these children in prayer. Many parents provide beautiful clothing, furnishings, and activity, but fail to pray for their children. New Day may not be parents, but these children are bathed in prayer.

After we played with all the rambunctious toddlers..Khloe, Annie, Samuel, and everyone else, we met Grace who would take us to Evan's house. I'll write more about these kids a little later.

It was a long walk to Evan's house. Took us about 20 minutes. Along the way we saw pretty much nothing except others on various modes of transportation, and this little black dog who followed us. It was a very meager road. However, it was significant in that it's the sight that Evan saw everyday on the way to preschool. It seems to me that it would be a very cold, and windy road in the winter. There isn't much in the way of buildings, or landscaping to block wind. We brought our gift to his foster mom and dad today. I made a small picture album of pictures of Evan and his foster family. We also got them a tin of carmel corn from Chicago. Do they have carmel corn in China?!

Grace took us out of New Day, and down the main road. There were bikes, three wheeled trucks, motor-trikes, and even some cars. There was also a little scruffy looking black dog who followed us most of the way. Dogs are small, and loose everywhere around this area...or so it seemed.

It was neat that we were walking the same two roads that Evan took to school and back everyday. The road was narrow and poorly paved. The landscape was flat and mostly still brown with a few spurts of green here and there. We passed some greenhouses as well. Nothing like you and I would consider a greenhouse, but a greenhouse it was. As we turned to go down the road, we came into a neighborhood of sorts. It hardly looked like anything we in America would call a 'neighborhood', but I think it was. There were some people along the way who stared at us. I couldn't help but wonder if they knew who we were and where we were going. We obviously stuck out. We rounded the corner an entered what seemed to be an alley way, but I think it was just the side of the house. I couldn't be for sure. It took us about 20 minutes to get there.

At the front of their home was a hunter green colored gate. It was tall and solid metal. The sides of it was flanked with Chinese New Year decorations, as was the door. I believe they were a blessing on the family of some sort. Homes in China are very different than here in America. There is a central courtyard that that house is build around. It seems the house is in sort of a square shape, with a courtyard in the middle. I kind of like it! It would be a ready-made fenced in backyard! In theirs, they had a small garden. We didn't go outside and really peek around though. This little area of homes we went to looked absolutely poverty stricken compared to what we know here in America. However, Grace said that it was a 'middle class' type family.

They were expecting us!

Evan's foster mom came to the big iron gate doors and opened one up. There was a ferocious sounding dog in a cage barking profusely as we walked by. Yikes! Must be for protection, but in a cage? Evan's foster mom greeted us with a big smile, and talked some to Grace in Chinese. She also put her arm around my shoulder and lead us in. I stepped over the lip of the metal door frame, into the courtyard area first, then Craig. He lagged behind and started to shoot some video of our first meeting Evan.

Evan was ready and waiting for us! He had on a green alligator hat, which we could see bobbing up and down. As his foster mom and Grace led the way, he ran out of the house/kitchen portion with his trademark HUGE smile. I think he knew exactly who we were. He was jumping around and laughing.

As we stepped inside their home, his foster mom was so very gracious. It was easy to see that she had poured a lot of love into this little guy. Handing him over was not going to be easy. She had a very brave face on. Very brave.

I noticed their home was very different from ones we have in America. They are build around a courtyard. The courtyard walls, we mostly windows, which let in a lot of natural light. It was very clean and tidy. You could tell they were not rich, but perhaps neither poor. They were...very happy.

We talked with his foster mom through Grace. She was very talkative, and interacted so very well with Evan, Polly and us. She was eager to show us her home, and said it was OK we took pictures. She was very interested in us, and how many children we had, etc. Basically we interacted with Evan and her. She would tell us about Evan (through Grace) and also ask Evan to show us things. She was helping him get acclimated to us. She encouraged him to show us the bathroom, show us his bedroom, and little desk area. She gave us apples, and told us all about Evan. If I had to describe her, I would say she is kind, and generous. She is also joyful and laid back. She is hardworking, and does not strike me as a complainer. On the laundry line, there were some of Evans' clothes. I thought that she was probably washing them, and his coat up for the big day, the next day. The next day...sure enough, He was wearing those clothes.

I thought it was interesting that after we were there awhile, Evan went to get his fire engine shoes that we had bought and sent him. (At the time he was wearing different shoes) He took off the 'China' shoes, and put on the 'American' shoes. I noticed this right away, and I think Craig and Grace picked up on it too. I don't know about his foster mom, with the language barrier. However, mom's know all. I'm sure she picked up on it as well. To me, that signaled that Evan was ready. She had prepared him well, that's for sure.

We were there for maybe an hour or so when Evan's foster dad came home from work. He too seemed very happy. Craig mentioned that his ears had felt many, many years of sun, as they were a bit well, 'crispy.' (sorry!) Both he and foster mom had obviously worked hard in the sun much of their lives, as the lines and wrinkles on their faces seem to prove it. The foster dad, was very interested in Craig. He asked through Grace, how old he was, and what he did for a living. They wanted to know all about us. It sort of seemed like a informal interview. I think they wanted to know as much as possible about us so that they would know for certain that we are good people for their son. We took a few family pictures of them. I wish we would have jumped in! I really regret that. They also had recently taken Evan for photos. She said they purposely got another set of pictures so that we could have them.

It was apparent in here interaction with Evan, and Polly as well, that he was so well loved and cared for. Imagine how much better our world would be if we had a few more of them in it?!

After our time was through, we headed outside. Evan took Craig's hand, as well as his foster dad's hand and started down the alley/street/driveway. Evan knew exactly what was going on. It was amazing to see this transition from father to father happen right before my eyes. Grace noticed it too, as well as the foster mom. I think it warmed and broke all of our hearts at the same time.

At the end of the drive (we'll call it that) we said good-bye to Evan. His foster dad picked him up. There was an exchange of Chinese conversation. (Foster mom stayed inside with Polly) They were telling him that we would see him after lunch. He was happy with that, and waved bye, until we were out of sight.

The walk back was quiet. None of us really knew what to say. It was absolutely surreal. The joy we feel about gaining a son, the sorrow we feel for his foster family, the only family he's ever know. Their end began when they received him, yet they so willingly and lovingly trained and cared for Evan as though he were their own.


I have a lot more pictures of this day, and will post them when we return home. :0)