Forty-Five Weeks Together: Chromosome Buddies

     Somewhere early in our adoption process, my Bethany Christian Services social worker asked if she could connect me with another single mom who adopted her son from Hong Kong also with Down syndrome.  Sure, I said, the more connections the better, but really not thinking much of it past that.

     I believe Greta contacted me first. She lives nearly six hours away in central Oregon, but was quick to send congratulatory emails, respond to email & blog posts, and send much needed encouraging words while we were in the depths of The Wait. Just before we traveled to China, I finally gave her a call. The conversation was a delight. She was lighthearted & witty and as an experienced adoptive mother of two she provided wonderful insight & tips for travel and transitioning home, especially with a two year with designer genes. When I asked for her experience on being a working mom and 'sharing custody' with daycare, she offered this: "God has chosen YOU to be Isaac's mom, no one else. YOU will know what is best for him because the Holy Spirit will tell YOU how to raise him. Everyone else in the picture is there to support YOU raising Isaac." I can't tell you what a comfort that was to my heart! 

     So, fast forward 11 months...it was finally time to get our families together and meet face to face!  Greta & her boys drove North approximately two hours to Portland, and Isaac & I took our first road trip three hours south to meet up at the Oregon Zoo (with 350,000 of our closest Portlandian friends who apparently also had the same idea we did.  Wowzers there was a lot of people there!). 

 

Snoozing right on schedule during our first road trip.
We listened to Psalty songs and despite the strategically placed toys, he opted for grabbing his favorite Tupperware just as we left the house and playing with those.

 

We unknowingly parked in the same lot and were able to meet up right away like old friends, finagling strollers, feed bags and chromosomally enhanced Asian toddlers. Greta's oldest son Mikey was a super helper carrying backpacks and manning the map.

The chromosome buddies getting to know each other.
Gentle touching is a lost art between these two. Jack had just smacked Isaac in the face, for which Isaac bit Jack on the finger...then they stared each other down.

Jack won.  :)
(Mostly because Isaac had Pirates booty in his tray)

For five hours we wondered around the zoo, chasing boys & chatting it up. I can only image what the people around us thought of our conversations!  Think of the verbal concoction that two Christian, single, adoptive mothers of Asian boys with Down syndrome that are both nurses can come up with! Sorry folks if we got a little loud & gross in your space.  :)

 

 

On a quest to find the most perfect piece of bark EVER

He was so excited to get up on the stone hippo!

I was super excited that he now has the core strength to stay up there!

Guess who learned the sign for Giraffe yesterday?

Isaac teaching Jack some new signs.
Jack is not impressed.
Greta is laughing.

Jack is teaching Isaac some new kung fu moves.
Isaac is not impressed.
I'm laughing.

 

Greta and her handsome boys.

My handsome boy

Before we all went home a kind lady attempted to take a photo of our two families together. Let me paint you a verbal picture...cuz there ain't no way this photo is going public:

Mikey is straddling a goat sculpture, looking handsome.

Jack is licking the goat sculpture's behind, not looking at the camera.

Isaac has his fingers up the goat sculpture's nose, not looking at the camera.

A sun flare is right over Greta's left eye making her look like a pirate, but she has a delightful smile.

Somehow my butt looks bigger than the entire goat sculpture and I do not have a delightful smile.

Let your imaginations go to work, folks.

Grabbing some dinner in the middle of our three hour drive home.
It occurred to me that this was the first time he & I had been out to dinner by ourselves. :)

My content little traveler

It was a good day. I'm thankful for my boy, his ease with traveling and our friends who love Jesus, zoos and extra chromosomes like we do. Only the Lord could have put our two families together (through an awesome BCS social worker!) and I'm looking forward to many more Chromosome Buddies Adventures in Portland-trips!