Thursday,
December 24, 2009
WE'RE HOME!
Some of you may be asking why it took me six days to write our
“We’re Home!” entry. Let’s just say that I haven’t quite
mastered this “father of four kids” thing just yet…
Let me provide a brief update on what has happened since the
last report from China.
The 30 hour trip home turned out to take closer to 34 hours and
included an unsuccessful sprint from the international terminal
at O’Hare to Gate C31 in a failed attempt to make our original
connection to Cincinnati. (At some point, I will ask someone in
the TSA why I need to be screened through security three times
in the same airport. Is someone selling explosives in the Duty
Free shop?)
While our time in Chicago lasted longer and was more physically
strenuous than expected, all of the actual flights went very
well. With special thanks to everyone on the prayer team,
neither Will nor I cried at any point. In fact, Will slept
through 10 hours of the flight from Beijing to Chicago. (That is
9.5 hours more than Mia slept on the same flight.) Will even
received a small “that two year old didn’t ruin my flight like I
expected” ovation from the other passengers in rows 39-44 when
we landed.
At ~2:30am on Saturday morning, William Elliot Jutt walked into
his new home and met the rest of his family for the first time.
Those next two hours are one of the true highlight moments of my
life. I do not think I have ever seen or experienced joy like
that before.
Will was unsure for about two minutes. He stayed close to Anne
and held her hand. But once the kids coaxed him upstairs with
their smiling faces, he never looked back. They then began to
run from room to room, stopping only to laugh in each one before
running to the next. I don’t think any of us stopped smiling
that night. I think I may have still been smiling when I woke
up.
I want to take one more opportunity to thank our phenomenal
parents who took such amazing care of our three kids at home for
those two and a half weeks – right up to the last minute where
half of the grandparent team was picking us up from the airport
at 2am while the other half was waking up sleeping siblings at
home when we got close to the house.
The days since that first night have been both exhausting and
wonderful. It has been an interesting combination of jet lag,
laughing, unpacking, napping, tickling, snuggling, singing,
dancing, and Christmas shopping. Every day has had a challenge
or two, but each has also been filled with reminders of how
blessed we are to have this family.
And throughout it all, Will has been amazing. We prayed that
Will would be a good fit for our family, but he has far exceeded
our wildest hopes and expectations. I am not exaggerating when I
say that he is almost always smiling. This is not normal. Every
aspect of Will’s life has been radically changed, and yet he
continues to have a great attitude in spite of it. I don’t know
if you can be inspired by a two year old, but I think I have
been.
Will continues to parrot words and has already started using
some English words and phrases, although a few are a bit
indicting. Here are a few of his most common:
·
“Coka” – This is what Will uses to describe any form of
beverage. The derivation is pretty obvious since Coke was the
only beverage that he saw us drink in China. (Had he met us in
the US, he might think “Diet Mountain Dew” is the word for
drink.)
·
“Bye Bye” – In addition to its obvious meaning, it also means
“flush the toilet” – since that is what we have been saying to
the contents after each usage.
·
“Goo Boy” – This is a poorly annunciated version of “good boy”,
which has come to be a synonym for using the potty – again
because that is what he has heard us say each time that he does.
·
“Eata” – This is one word that is what it sounds like, and Will
uses it often. Some of his biggest smiles show up when he brings
his hand to his lips and says “Eata.” When he does this, he
looks like a short Chinese version of Tony Soprano. Our little
boy certainly likes to eat… Fortunately, he is as happy with a
banana as he is with a cookie. I’m just hoping that’s still true
after the Christmas season. There have been a lot of cookies…
One of our great prayers was that he could hear and had some
sense of language. As strange as it may sound, funny English
phrases for using the potty and flushing the toilet are actually
great blessings and answers to prayer.
One of the great joys of this all is watching Will interact with
Abby, Adam, and Mia. From the moment he sees them in the
morning, he follows his brother and sisters wherever they go. If
they are watching a show, he wants to watch it. If they are
reading a book, he pretends to read one. If they are going to
the potty, he follows to make sure they wash their hands. With
their help, Will has even learned to like the bath. (We, on the
other hand, have learned to dislike our kids’ tiny bathroom
which was clearly not designed to hold six people at one time.)
And the other half of this is how they have responded to him. We
have been amazed at how well Abby, Adam, and Mia have taken to
their new brother. From the very first night, the only fight is
over who gets to play with him. Adam has taught him about
Lightsabers. Abby has taught him about snuggling. And Mia has
enjoyed having a friend with whom to share her love of Chinese
noodles.
In short, we are blessed beyond measure.
As an example, let me paint a picture from last night’s
Christmas Eve service.
At one point towards the end of the celebration, I looked down
and my FOUR children were singing (or at least swaying to…) Joy
to the World.
I could see Abby and Adam reading the words on the screen and
could almost see their minds working through the deeper meaning
behind them.
I could see Mia acting out motions she had learned in school for
the song… pointing up to the “heaven”, pointing down to “nature”
and cupping her hands around her mouth to show both of them
“singing”. |
I don’t know what’s going on… but I think I like it.
Will discovers that his room is small… but awesome!
The first ever picture of all six Jutts.
Home for 18 minutes and already having a lightsaber duel with
Adam. All of my dreams are coming true. (Will…I am your father.)
Same night. New outfits. 4:30am… and you would never guess it.
Well, you might guess it if you look at this picture. (Which of
the two boys in this picture do you think slept on the plane?)
New day. Same smiles.
Brothers gotta hug!
As noted in China, Will likes to hide…
but is not very good at it. |
