A Message From Owen's Nannies

On June 1st, 2009, we met our son Owen Li Trubey in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, China at the Adoption Center. Before we left, Jeff asked his sweet nannies who had made the trip from the orphanage in Chenzhou to say a little something to him on the video tape. Owen's Chinese name is Chen Li Wen; his nickname was in the customary way--"Wen-Wen". This is what they said:

First Nanny: "Wen-Wen, I hope you will be happy every day." She said something else in a local dialect...my friend who translated wasn't able to make it out. There are many, many dialects of the Chinese language.

Second Nanny: "Wen-Wen, I hope you will be happy in the States. Bye."

I feel such gratitude to these ladies who made the trip with our boy to the city of Changsha. To know this sweet baby is to love him. How their hearts must have been pulling away, having to get ready to hand him over to us, hoping we'd be a good family...more than likely they knew Owen since he had arrived at the orphanage, a jaundiced newborn baby, with a cleft lip and palate, unable to take a bottle unless they cuddled him just so to allow gravity to get the liquid down...I can barely stand to think about it. And they described him in his referral as an "obedient and dear baby". I remember thinking as I read that, "How could they know?" But they were right. What perfect words to describe this little boy I've come to love so fiercely.

Ladies, he IS happy every day. This is his nature. He is surrounded by people who recognize what a special little boy he is. Thank you for giving him such a wonderful start.

Stealth-Car Boy Strikes Again...

Owen has this charming habit of surprising me by leaving his calling card behind...a little car tucked in a drawer, etc. I find them in my coat pockets, my purse--everywhere. I sighed just a few minutes ago as I opened the dishwasher to put in another dirty fork for what seemed like the millionth time this weekend, and there it was...his little red car in the silverware basket. He had been "helping" me earlier. Sweet baby boy. How happy he makes me, even when I'm bone-tired.