Arrival in Zhengzhou - The night before I meet my new son

Arrival in Zhengzhou

The night before I meet my new son

There are few moments in life that become indelible memories locked in your mind’s eye. The first moment I laid eyes on my son Ben is one of those moments. I can think of that day and freeze-frame the exact moment I spotted him running about, playing with the ladies from the orphanage who brought him. I can watch, in slow motion, as the lady took his hand and turned him to notice me, saying, “Your new Mama, your new Mama…” Ben looked up, wide-eyed, and said, “Mama.” It was unequivocally the best moment of my life. Tomorrow, I get to have another amazing, life changing, heart-exploding moment… I will meet Evan.

What goes through your mind on such an evening? It is hard to say – hard to describe. I keep trying to picture his little face, but in person people always look slightly different the first time you meet them. I hope he will not be scared. I hope I will know what to do to make him smile and be happy to come with me. I hope he has seen the photos I sent him so I will not be a complete stranger.

Here is an update on our activities. We are in Zhengzhou. It was a 5 ½ hour train ride to get here. Trains are interesting in that you see things you would never see on a plane. We rode through many miles of expansive farm land and dilapidated structures made of crumbling brick and stone. In the large cities in China, there is much wealth – fantastic architecture, expensive cars, well-dressed people humming busily about. The countryside is starkly different. The train was comfortable and air conditioned. We were a bit dismayed at the difference in ‘personal space’ concepts between the Chinese people and us, Americans. We had to put our large suitcases in an empty space at the front of the car. Other luggage was there, as well as people who decided for some reason to sit on the floor of the train in that area. We were a few rows back, but could still watch as one girl mistook my bag for a footrest, and then a computer desk. Another young man who was chatting with her mindlessly played with the handle on Anita’s rolling duffle bag, pulling it up and down as he talked with his lady friend. If you know Anita, you know how batty it drove her to have someone TOUCH her stuff! Oh, we are out of our element! LOL.

We are staying at the Holiday Inn in Zhengzhou. It is much nicer on the inside than the outside. Anita and I went to a restaurant in the hotel that boasted some Western dishes. We both ordered burgers, ready for a familiar taste. Even beef tastes different here. After eating, it was time to catch up on rest. My sleep hours are all messed up, and I can’t seem to straighten out day and night. I skyped with Ben and my mother a little while ago. They seem to be having fun, but I miss them so much. It is hard to see my little Ben, and not be able to hug him. That is all tonight. The next entry you read will definitely have pictures of my new son!