Sometimes I can’t believe it’s been four years, it seems like we’ve been together for eternity. And other days, I wonder how four years passed so quickly. My baby, my Jory is growing up with his endless questions, his growing knowledge of ways to get out of sharing, etc.
“Mommy, are you coming home?” he asked as we spoke on the phone. Oh, how that pierced my heart.
“Mommy’s coming home. Do you want me to bring you something back?” I asked, trying to distract him.
“Mommy, I want a garbage truck.”
“So you’ll share your truck with the baby?” Oma inquired.
“Mommy, buy the baby an orange garbage truck.”
You gotta love four-year-olds who look out for their baby sisters.
I’m madly in love with him and I’m so blessed and honored to call him son. Jory, to quote that famous book with my own addition, “I love you forever. I ‘ll like you for always (though I won’t always like what you do). As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be. I pray you become a man after God’s own heart and your future wife is being loved and well taken care of and she will be a woman after God’s own heart. I love you, baby.
Now on to the trip…. I decided with Layla the phrase “better the devil you know, then the devil you don’t” would change our relationship once she left the orphanage. Off we drove to the orphanage in the rain and when we arrive the nannies were dressing the babies. I saw a little girl stand up and take a few steps. “Layla walks!” I exclaimed.
“Yash, I don’t think that’s Layla,” Nancy, a fellow traveling companion said, “I think she’s the one getting dressed.”
Thanks for crushing the dream of a walking daughter. Nancy was right. Once the kids were dressed the nannies put the kids in our arms. Once again the boys, Ben and James were smiles and giggles. Layla was Layla, but I was prepared. I took out the camera to show her Christmas pictures of Jory and Rowan. I showed her the pictures of the kids in matching Christmas pjs. I told her Oma just started that tradition last year, which was so not an Oma thing to do, it was more of a mommy thing, but life is full of surprises. (Steph, I needed to know where your mom gets all the matching pjs from.) No reaction to the new family Christmas tradition, so I moved on to the picture of her brother and sister sitting in front of their gigantic white bear Uncle Andrew gave them for Christmas. But once again, nada. Gotcha, you’re not feeling it.
Her nanny, her primary caretaker, tried to get her to smile, laugh, but to no avail. I let her nanny hold her again not just for Layla’s sake, but also for this woman who obviously loved Layla. But after a short while, the nanny handed her back to me. Layla so wasn’t feeling that so she went to sleep, a better alternative than to have to deal with this tide smelling, strange talking woman.
As I looked at the six children being left behind, I had to know what their future was. Thank goodness, I was told they were going to be adopted and if I understood correctly by Italian families. The scene with us holding our babies and the ones left behind reminded me of Jory’s now favorite Christmas movie, “The Cabbage Patch Kid Christmas Movie” in which Tina Louise (could there be a more CPK name?) was going off with her new adoptive family and the other kids weren't so she felt bad. The leader of the kids told her, “We’re sad for ourselves, but happy for you.” Then they all joined in for a group hug. These babies didn’t do a group hug or a group goodbye, they sort of kept playing, watching, as we left.
Layla woke up on the way to the Department of Justice, where we were going to finalize the adoption. She was quiet and just looked out the window. We were taken right up to the room which had a large moving board that was on the marriage side and was conveniently flipped over to reveal the adoption side. Our names, dates, children’s names were put on the board and the officials walked in. The ceremony was quick and sort of difficult to understand because the door was open and there was some sort of noise going on in the hallway and music being played. Maybe someone was getting married in one of the other rooms. We did see a couple who were obviously getting married, the bride was in this pretty yellow dress that reminded me of a dress I used as a wedding dress for my Barbies. Hmm, wonder where that dress is?
Paperwork was signed. We were thanked for adopting the babies, loving them, and giving them a good home by the powers that be. Then one at a time, we went to stand in front of the board with the head official with our official adoption decree. We thanked him and he thanked us. And finally, the lone dad in the group stood up and gave a wonderful and touching speech thanking the head of the kids’ orphanage, our amazing adoption worker in Vietnam, and the officials for our wonderful children and promised to make them proud to be Vietnamese and keep them close to their Vietnamese culture. And with that, we were done.
On the way back to the hotel, Layla became vocal for a few seconds. It was the first time I had heard her do anything but cry. Look at that we’re making progress.
Before 11AM, we were back in our hotel rooms where the real fun began. In the beginning, Layla was okay and I put her down for a nap after a bottle. She was fine at first, then the crying or rather grieving woke me up from my sleep. I felt so bad for the poor little girl as she sobbed on and off for a good hour and half. Nothing I did comforted her. Nothing was familiar. Everything she heard, saw, smelled, felt, and tasted was different. Finally she drifted back to sleep. We both fell into a deep sleep and was awakened by Madame Chau saying everyone was waiting downstairs for us so we could leave for the airport. I was pretty proud of myself that I was able to dress and pack us up in 15 minutes. And the most important thing I learned was that Layla could crawl as the maid and I found out as I opened the door for her and turned back just in time to stop the little one from crawling right off the bed. Did I mention she’s a quick crawler?
All the babies were good travelers, they handled the two hour wait in the airport and the hour plane ride like troopers. Though Ben wasn’t too fond of the landing and Layla wasn’t digging the wait for the plane’s door to be opened.
Twelve hours after she became legally mine, Layla smiled when I tickled her. A real smile. We’re making progress.
My first view of Layla's orphanage on the first night we met.
Barbara and James (on the left) and Nancy and the rock star
The orphanage on finalization day.
The baby I mistook for Layla is standing in the foreground. The rock star is on his stomach in the background. Layla is the beauty that's getting dressed for her big court date.
The nannies at the orphanage, the wonderful Madame Chau in the pink blouse, and Layla being held by a nanny.
Look, it's a marriage board....
Presto, it's an adoption board....
Now it's ready for the Giving and Receiving Cermony. My last name was too long so they had to use my first name.
The final paperwork being signed. And yes, that is Layla in the background.
A close up of Miss Layla minutes before she's legally a Herrington.
Madame Chau and the Vietnamese officials, who granted the adoptions.
Layla and a nanny in the orphanage on the first night we met.
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