The Giving and Receiving Ceremony
So we were in the orphanage. All three couples lined up just as excited as we could be. Next thing to happen is that I see the orphanage director holding a baby in front of all of us. Now, he doesnt speak English, but I hear him say "Tinh". At first I just wasnt sure if I heard him right, so I didnt do anything. Then he said it again......"Tinh". Now I knew he was looking for the couple who this baby belonged to, and so I raised my hand. He was quickly darting over to me, and so I put my arms out like you would to take a little baby from somebody. Like a cradle with your arms. I had to change that position fast though, because he put Tinh over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes or something. Just like of hung him there. And that was it. We said hello to our baby boy.
All we had was a picture of Bryan to look at for months, and now here we were. This very moment is what its all about.
I should backtrack here for a minute and say that as soon as we set foot through the door of the orphanage, my eyes were scanning the room for Bryan. Im sure all the other parents were doing the same thing. And I did pick him out right away. I recognized my little guy right away even though I knew he would look different from the referral picture we had gotten.
After we spent a little time holding the children, it was getting time to leave for the G&R ceremony. We each had brought an outfit for our baby to wear, and so we got them out and gave them to the nannies who were going to dress them for us. As soon as I handed Bryans over there was talk going on. Turns out that the nannies thought that the clothes were too small. My heart sank a bit because I had tried to find a nice outfit that would make a sweet and memorable adoption picture for us. I didnt have anything else to put him in, so the nannies tried to stuff poor Bryan into his plaid Pooh shirt and brown courdory pants. Once again, I give them credit because when they emerged again, Bryan was in the clothes. We should give Bryan a heap of credit here too for being such a patient boy and good sport about wearing his too tight Pooh outfit.
The last part of his ensemble was the all important hat. The agency made sure to advise us all to bring a hat for the babies to wear anytime they are outdoors. Its a cultural thing. No matter if its 40 degrees or 90, baby MUST wear a hat. Sweat could be dripping down his face, but keep that hat on! If you dare go outside without it, be prepared because you will get reprimanded and then some by everyone you pass on the street. Even his hat was a bit too tight! First off, I had a hard time even finding a hat that I thought would be suitable for the trip. Seeing as it was November here, everything was heavy winter hats. Baseball caps? No luck. Then in Baby Gap, I found a cute denim brimmed hat. It wouldnt have been my first choice, but since it was the only thing I had come across that remotely fit what I was looking for, I grabbed it. I guess I underestimated how big our little man would be, because the hat didnt fit much better than the clothes. I kept saying to George that one day Bryan was going to look at his G&R pictures and make comments about what he was wearing. Sorry babe. Mom tried.
When it was time to go, we all packed into the van with babies in tow, and drove about 20mins to the Department of Justice. Inside was a table shaped like a horseshoe with chairs surrounding it. at the front of the room was a large sign that said Adopted Child Referral and Acceptance Ceremony. We all sat around the table and were given tea to drink while everyone at the front of the room got their paperwork set up. Before we were seated, three of the nannies who had come from the orphanage took the babies and sat with them at the back of the room. One by one, our cases were called. First was Bens turn. We took pictures for them as they moved to the front of the room and officially became a family. Then it was time for Lana and her parents. Lastly, it was time for us. George and I walked to the front of the room as some general information about our case was read aloud. George sat at the table first and signed the paperwork, then I did the same, making Bryan officially our son. After that, the woman handed us our adoption paper and one of the familes took our picture. While we were doing that, the nanny holding Bryan had brought him up to the orphanage director. He then walked over to us, and handed that precious child over to us forever. That was it. It was a done deal, and were were a forver family. Very few things in life could compare with how we felt, the sheer joy, on that day.
The Giving and Receiving Ceremony
Bryan is officially our son!
The man standing on the left is the orphanage director, and the man and woman on the right were our agency facilitators, who helped us navigate the entire process while we were in Vietnam.
From there, we walked across the street to a restaurant, and had a big lunch. There were so many of us. It was us and the other two families, the orphanage director and the three nannies, our two translators, and two guys who were doing the driving. At lunch we were served something that they said is a specialty of Tuyen Quang. It was sticky rice rolled into cylinder shapes and wrapped in what I thought I heard was a bamboo leaf. You take it and dip it in a mixture of sugar and peanuts. It was outrageous. Also during lunch, we all drank to celebrate. None of us were used to drinking hard liquor at noon, but saying no didnt seem like an option. I tried, and still a glass appeared in front of me. We thought it was a little odd that we had just adopted these infants, and here the director was offering us shots, but I guess people in different parts of the world just do and see things differently. After we were nice and full and had sometime just to sit and relax, we headed back to the orphanage again.
We spent a little more time visiting, and then the nannies took the babies one more time. This time they were preparing them for the long ride to Hanoi. They fed and changed them, and gave them a sponge bath. Bryan also got put in a pair of pants that actually fit him too. Im sure the nannies could wait to get a hold of him and get him out of those pants once we returned. Then it was time for goodbye. This was really hard for all of us. Such a bittersweet time for everyone involved. The women cried as they were saying farewell to the children. Although there were many tears, they also smiled. They were happy for the babies. Not one of us got back into that van with a dry eye. That day and the people in that orphanage would be a part of our hearts forever.
All we had was a picture of Bryan to look at for months, and now here we were. This very moment is what its all about.I should backtrack here for a minute and say that as soon as we set foot through the door of the orphanage, my eyes were scanning the room for Bryan. Im sure all the other parents were doing the same thing. And I did pick him out right away. I recognized my little guy right away even though I knew he would look different from the referral picture we had gotten.
After we spent a little time holding the children, it was getting time to leave for the G&R ceremony. We each had brought an outfit for our baby to wear, and so we got them out and gave them to the nannies who were going to dress them for us. As soon as I handed Bryans over there was talk going on. Turns out that the nannies thought that the clothes were too small. My heart sank a bit because I had tried to find a nice outfit that would make a sweet and memorable adoption picture for us. I didnt have anything else to put him in, so the nannies tried to stuff poor Bryan into his plaid Pooh shirt and brown courdory pants. Once again, I give them credit because when they emerged again, Bryan was in the clothes. We should give Bryan a heap of credit here too for being such a patient boy and good sport about wearing his too tight Pooh outfit.
The last part of his ensemble was the all important hat. The agency made sure to advise us all to bring a hat for the babies to wear anytime they are outdoors. Its a cultural thing. No matter if its 40 degrees or 90, baby MUST wear a hat. Sweat could be dripping down his face, but keep that hat on! If you dare go outside without it, be prepared because you will get reprimanded and then some by everyone you pass on the street. Even his hat was a bit too tight! First off, I had a hard time even finding a hat that I thought would be suitable for the trip. Seeing as it was November here, everything was heavy winter hats. Baseball caps? No luck. Then in Baby Gap, I found a cute denim brimmed hat. It wouldnt have been my first choice, but since it was the only thing I had come across that remotely fit what I was looking for, I grabbed it. I guess I underestimated how big our little man would be, because the hat didnt fit much better than the clothes. I kept saying to George that one day Bryan was going to look at his G&R pictures and make comments about what he was wearing. Sorry babe. Mom tried.
When it was time to go, we all packed into the van with babies in tow, and drove about 20mins to the Department of Justice. Inside was a table shaped like a horseshoe with chairs surrounding it. at the front of the room was a large sign that said Adopted Child Referral and Acceptance Ceremony. We all sat around the table and were given tea to drink while everyone at the front of the room got their paperwork set up. Before we were seated, three of the nannies who had come from the orphanage took the babies and sat with them at the back of the room. One by one, our cases were called. First was Bens turn. We took pictures for them as they moved to the front of the room and officially became a family. Then it was time for Lana and her parents. Lastly, it was time for us. George and I walked to the front of the room as some general information about our case was read aloud. George sat at the table first and signed the paperwork, then I did the same, making Bryan officially our son. After that, the woman handed us our adoption paper and one of the familes took our picture. While we were doing that, the nanny holding Bryan had brought him up to the orphanage director. He then walked over to us, and handed that precious child over to us forever. That was it. It was a done deal, and were were a forver family. Very few things in life could compare with how we felt, the sheer joy, on that day.
The Giving and Receiving CeremonyBryan is officially our son!
The man standing on the left is the orphanage director, and the man and woman on the right were our agency facilitators, who helped us navigate the entire process while we were in Vietnam.
From there, we walked across the street to a restaurant, and had a big lunch. There were so many of us. It was us and the other two families, the orphanage director and the three nannies, our two translators, and two guys who were doing the driving. At lunch we were served something that they said is a specialty of Tuyen Quang. It was sticky rice rolled into cylinder shapes and wrapped in what I thought I heard was a bamboo leaf. You take it and dip it in a mixture of sugar and peanuts. It was outrageous. Also during lunch, we all drank to celebrate. None of us were used to drinking hard liquor at noon, but saying no didnt seem like an option. I tried, and still a glass appeared in front of me. We thought it was a little odd that we had just adopted these infants, and here the director was offering us shots, but I guess people in different parts of the world just do and see things differently. After we were nice and full and had sometime just to sit and relax, we headed back to the orphanage again.
We spent a little more time visiting, and then the nannies took the babies one more time. This time they were preparing them for the long ride to Hanoi. They fed and changed them, and gave them a sponge bath. Bryan also got put in a pair of pants that actually fit him too. Im sure the nannies could wait to get a hold of him and get him out of those pants once we returned. Then it was time for goodbye. This was really hard for all of us. Such a bittersweet time for everyone involved. The women cried as they were saying farewell to the children. Although there were many tears, they also smiled. They were happy for the babies. Not one of us got back into that van with a dry eye. That day and the people in that orphanage would be a part of our hearts forever.
posted by George and Chris | 12:26 PM
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