"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."
-Sir Winston Churchill
As we post our final entry from Hanoi, Vietnam, we can not do so without expressing our sincere thanks to the many, many people who have supported us on this journey… Believe it or not, we started our adoption process close to 17 months ago…So it has been a long time (a very long virtual pregnancy)…Although, it has been relatively short by some standards, it was still a long wait…
We have received a lot of support…We are especially thankful to our family…They have given us so much emotional and other support, it is truly amazing…Also to our friends and colleagues…Your words, prayers, help and continual interest in what we are doing is really appreciated…We would also like to thank everyone in the adoption community who have been through this or are in process, your continued encouragement and advice is also very helpful…and that makes us feel really special and part of a global, international adoption family…
And last but not least, our agency, Holt International…they are truly special people, from the New Jersey staff, to the Vietnam program staff in Eugene, OR, and the Holt personnel here in Vietnam…their work on behalf of children and families globally and in Vietnam is indescribably awesome… There was not one step in the process over the last 16 months that Holt was not upfront and honest with us…and at no point in the process was their practices and approach to adoption in question…they made us feel comfortable and confident at all times…and they live up to their mission, history and commitment to children everyday, around the world…!!
As we are to leave Vietnam in less than 6 hours, it is a very bittersweet ending to amazing journey…we have truly loved our experience here and certainly it has been a “mission accomplished.” We have a son…a son that is truly a dream come true…We are parents! Although our adoption journey is complete…it is only the beginning! The beginning of our new family…with all the challenges and rewards that come with a new child…We feel very lucky, blessed, and truly inspired by our experience (one we hope to repeat in the future!).
Now we will be arriving home Wednesday late afternoon or evening…still working on our last flight from Chicago…We know many of you are excited to meet little Anthony…he is doing very well, but still is having some bonding issues, he is particularly leery of women, particularly mommy…but is improving…We are asking that only immediate family (parents and siblings only) be there when we arrive home. We hope that none of you take offense to this request…but our little guy needs to be graduated into our new home…and he is at a very fragile/transitional phase…he is very happy, playful, and acts 99% of the time like a 16 month old! We will be sure to have everyone over or visit as soon as possible…our intention is to get him moving ASAP…but we just don’t know what to expect changing his time zone by 11 hours and after a 25 hour trip…there have been cases with adopted children have had to “start over”, to some degree after coming home…we will contact all of our close family and friends as soon as possible…Thanks for your understanding…
We will continue to post to the blog after we get home..so everyone knows how he and we are doing…
So it is with great joy that we are finally coming home…we miss our family, friends, dog, cat and our house…we cannot wait for everyone to meet our new son…
Signing off from Hanoi, Vietnam…
Anthony, Rebecca and Anthony…
OH – PS…Some more pictures at the hotel!!!
The road outside our hotel....
The Somerset Westlake...Our Hotel...
Our home for 2 and half weeks....
The Entrance...
The lobby...
The really nice pool...
The hotel playground...
The modest hotel cafe...
One of the really helpfull doormen...
The also really helpfull front desk staff...
OK, Now a qick tour of our very IKEA like apartment...
The entrance to our room...
The bathroom...
YES!!!! HD TV!!!!
-Sir Winston Churchill
As we post our final entry from Hanoi, Vietnam, we can not do so without expressing our sincere thanks to the many, many people who have supported us on this journey… Believe it or not, we started our adoption process close to 17 months ago…So it has been a long time (a very long virtual pregnancy)…Although, it has been relatively short by some standards, it was still a long wait…
We have received a lot of support…We are especially thankful to our family…They have given us so much emotional and other support, it is truly amazing…Also to our friends and colleagues…Your words, prayers, help and continual interest in what we are doing is really appreciated…We would also like to thank everyone in the adoption community who have been through this or are in process, your continued encouragement and advice is also very helpful…and that makes us feel really special and part of a global, international adoption family…
And last but not least, our agency, Holt International…they are truly special people, from the New Jersey staff, to the Vietnam program staff in Eugene, OR, and the Holt personnel here in Vietnam…their work on behalf of children and families globally and in Vietnam is indescribably awesome… There was not one step in the process over the last 16 months that Holt was not upfront and honest with us…and at no point in the process was their practices and approach to adoption in question…they made us feel comfortable and confident at all times…and they live up to their mission, history and commitment to children everyday, around the world…!!
As we are to leave Vietnam in less than 6 hours, it is a very bittersweet ending to amazing journey…we have truly loved our experience here and certainly it has been a “mission accomplished.” We have a son…a son that is truly a dream come true…We are parents! Although our adoption journey is complete…it is only the beginning! The beginning of our new family…with all the challenges and rewards that come with a new child…We feel very lucky, blessed, and truly inspired by our experience (one we hope to repeat in the future!).
Now we will be arriving home Wednesday late afternoon or evening…still working on our last flight from Chicago…We know many of you are excited to meet little Anthony…he is doing very well, but still is having some bonding issues, he is particularly leery of women, particularly mommy…but is improving…We are asking that only immediate family (parents and siblings only) be there when we arrive home. We hope that none of you take offense to this request…but our little guy needs to be graduated into our new home…and he is at a very fragile/transitional phase…he is very happy, playful, and acts 99% of the time like a 16 month old! We will be sure to have everyone over or visit as soon as possible…our intention is to get him moving ASAP…but we just don’t know what to expect changing his time zone by 11 hours and after a 25 hour trip…there have been cases with adopted children have had to “start over”, to some degree after coming home…we will contact all of our close family and friends as soon as possible…Thanks for your understanding…
We will continue to post to the blog after we get home..so everyone knows how he and we are doing…
So it is with great joy that we are finally coming home…we miss our family, friends, dog, cat and our house…we cannot wait for everyone to meet our new son…
Signing off from Hanoi, Vietnam…
Anthony, Rebecca and Anthony…
OH – PS…Some more pictures at the hotel!!!
The road outside our hotel....
The Somerset Westlake...Our Hotel...
Our home for 2 and half weeks....
The Entrance...
The lobby...
The really nice pool...
The hotel playground...
The modest hotel cafe...
One of the really helpfull doormen...
The also really helpfull front desk staff...
OK, Now a qick tour of our very IKEA like apartment...
The entrance to our room...
The bathroom...
YES!!!! HD TV!!!!
The really handy washer / dryer combo...
Someone playing with the washer / dryer...
The kitchen...
The view from our balcony...
The baby crib (hardly used!)...
The living room...
Our desk with a really good internet connection...
The nice king size bed...
"OK...My bags are packed...let's go home!!!"
8 comments:
Thanks for including us in your journey.
Have a safe trip and a peaceful arrival and settling in time.
Love,
Paula and Rob
We hope your trip home is safe, fast and uneventful. We look forward to meeting Anthony Le once you have him settled in.
Sharif and Mimi
Have a safe trip home. We hope Anthony adjusts to the change quickly. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we look forward to hearing more.
Jess & Joe
Have a safe and pleasant trip home! We look forward to reading your blog as little Anthony adjusts to home. Thanks for sharing! Blessings - Thomas & Cathy
Can't wait to meet him (when he is ready)!! Many blessing for a "quiet" plane ride home- lol.
Loved reading your blogs and seeing all the pictures! Have a safe trip home. See ya, Love Aunt Sandy
YAY!!! Just left your house making sure everything was shipshape!! Your Mom and Dad are SOOOOO ready!! I also heard Mrs Deprince is doing much better!! The blessings just keep coming for the Deprince family! I hope you have a safe trip home! Last I heard you were in Korea. WOOO HOOO Almost HOME! Love you all! Talk to you soon! xoxo
Have a safe trip home. We will keep you in our prayers. Thank you for sharing your journey. We can't wait to see you all home!
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