orphanage visit {a sobering thing}

It's official.
Isaiah Jack Dong Ji
and
Elijah Andrew Hao Hao
are our sons.

We now have six (gulp) kiddos.
Let the crazy begin.

Just after all the papers were signed for Hao Hao,
they headed to the orphanage
for the sad good-bye.

We had a care package put together for Xiao Dong (HH's brother)
but HH wanted to add a few things.
So they
went to Wal Mart and Hao Hao picked out some
snacks...and shampoo & body wash.

I need to say that this sibling relationship did NOT catch
us off guard.
We have known about it from the very start.
As you may recall, I posted about it a while back.
We did all we could to try to adopt him also.
It went nowhere.
And we were totally at peace that we were at the end of
making it happen.
Though this saddens us deeply, it is just the way it is.
We live in a fallen, broken world and things simply are not always fair.
It's not fair that these boys were left as orphans in the first place.
It's not fair that they have to be separated.
It's just not fair.

They will remain in constant contact via the internet.
Thankfully.

Meet Xiao Dong.

Hao Hao and Xiao Dong...brothers forever, even if they
are an ocean apart.

Hao Hao has no doubt looked forward to being on this is side
of the gift-giving for a very long time.
In fact,
Much to Kelly's surprise,
he had taken most of the gifts we had given him on Gotcha Day,
and passed them to his friends at the orphanage.
My heart.
He's a sweet, sweet boy.

There are so many beautiful faces there.

Kelly said there is no way I could have handled the emotions of the day.
It was too sad to see these tearful brothers part ways.
He said he felt like the bad guy.
Darned if you do, darned if you don't.
It was hard.

But Kel assured Xiao Dong that we will take good care
of his brother...that he can call or skype anytime.
We have given him the phone number of some dear friends in
Beijing who will help him if needed.

It's a sobering thing.
But I am thankful that Hao Hao's future is bright.
And I totally trust God's sovereignty.
He has a plan for Xiao Dong.
And though we all think America is the answer for these kids,
sometimes...it's not.

God is alive and on the move in China and I know that
there is great hope that Xiao Dong will come
to know Him as Savior.

Great hope.