Our Day With Dylan (Day 2)

It’s official…our family of three just became four! Our day started at 3:50 a.m. Neither one of us could sleep. Our internal clocks are still a bit confused and we were certainly anxious about the day’s events. We met our coordinators, Ms. Thao and Mr. Pham (a father/daughter team), at 6:00 a.m. in the hotel lobby, squared away a few things, and headed on our way to the orphanage. It was a three-hour drive, and believe it or not, the time went by fast. There was so much to see. People were going to and fro (most by motor scooter), the landscape was captivating (many rivers and canals with big wooden flatboats, lush tropical greens, rice patties, roaming animals, and roadside markets one after another). We were both tired, but didn’t dare shut our eyes and miss something. I think we had our cameras on and ready to shoot a picture nearly the whole trip! If you enjoy people-watching…this is definitely a great place to be.

We arrived at the orphanage around 9:45 a.m. We were greeted by the orphanage director, escorted to his office, and then informed that he had other business he needed to attend to at 10:30. Consequently, things went fast and we were unable to even enter the orphanage. I was disappointed. I asked if we could go in and meet the nannies and take photos and was denied. The director insisted that he needed to be on his way, and there was no time for a visit. A few minutes later, Ms. Thao walked in with Dylan. Oh, what a moment in time. He was alert, inquisitive, and just an itty-bitty thing (probably the size of a two to three-month-old). So precious. When I took him in my arms, he seemed comfortable. He not only made eye contact with us, he fixed his focus. We took a few photos there in the director’s office, and then jumped back in the van and headed immediately over to the governmental affairs office for the Giving & Receiving ceremony. The orphanage director (along with two other gentlemen) gave short statements, asked Paul to say a few words regarding our intentions, we signed a few documents, and we were officially declared the parents of Mai Khang An.

After the Giving & Receiving ceremony, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. The food was fabulous! And before long, we were on our way back to Ho Chi Minh City. Dylan slept most of the way. He snuggled right down, rubbed his little eyes, yawned, and he was out. A few times he stirred, stared at me for a bit, and then drifted back to sleep. We arrived back at the hotel around 3:30, went next door to get a photo taken for Dylan’s passport, and then headed up to our room. Now was the time for serious business. Dylan is infested with scabies and is obviously miserable with itching. His hands and feet are the worst. I gave him an oatmeal bath, which he seemed to enjoy, and then lathered him up with a medicated cream that is supposed to eliminate the scabies with one application. I dressed him in some footed-pajamas and put some socks on his hands so he wouldn’t scratch or get the cream in his mouth. He seemed content. He laid on the bed, played with a few toys, exchanged smiles (and even a little laughter) with us, and soon was off to sleep.

What a blessing from God! Having done this all before, I wondered how it would be the second time around. Like the day we received Ryleigh, it was so much more than our hearts could ever expect. We are in love!...and he seems to be too. He follows us around the room (sometimes bending in unusual positions just to maintain eye contact), he already cries when we leave his sight, and he responds to our touch, our smiles, and to our voices. He even laughs at daddy’s funny faces and noises.

We retired at 6:00 p.m. and have already been up for one feeding and a diaper change. He’s back to sleep now, so I decided to get the photos loaded and get this journal posted. At 8:00 this morning, we are going to apply for his passport and, time permitting, take him for his medical examination. In the afternoon, we will book our tickets to Hanoi (we intend to fly out Saturday morning)…where we will complete more business with the US Embassy and obtain Dylan’s Visa to fly home.

Enjoy the photos…I hope to post more (general scenic shots) later today. I need to get back to bed.