Monday, July 6th was a monumental day for us all. We were finally going to see and get full custody of our son! We've only been able to see him thru pictures, only to watch him grow from pictures and a few videos we received. After two years of only seeing photos, we were finally going to see him in person!
We were picked up by Sanjeev and off we went to meet our son. Of course, the orphanage was not easily found and our driver had to ask for directions three times, make a U turn, before finally finding the place! I wouldn't even know that it was an orphanage, right on the main street...there were shops on the bottom floor the orphanage was on the second.
Sanjeev led us to the side door and up the stairs....we had no idea what was waiting for us. We came to a gate and inside we knew where we were. It took only a few moments before we heard Adhyay's voice. He came out from the side room all smiles, finally realizing that his parents finally came for him!
At that point we met Nilima, the social worker, and Mr. Selokar, the director. They told us that Adhyay couldn't wait to see us, that he didn't sleep the night before! It was at this time that we learned that they called Adhyay, Addhu. We showed him his backpack that brought just for him that had a new photo album with his family, a stuff teddy bear, a new hat, sunglasses and a change of clothes (if needed). He put on his new hat and ran off to show his friends and the caregivers.
It was a whirlwind of emotions and time flew by. We walked thru the small area that made up main room where all the babies slept; the small kitchenette, the loo, the baby changing area. There was also the "lobby" where we first walked in and two small offices. That was it. That was Addhu's world for the last 5 years with only the last year of him leaving to go to school. I couldn't imagine living like that, let alone growing up in that environment!
When it was time for us to leave together, though, reality sunk in on Addhu. He didn't want to leave. Didn't want to leave the only world he knew, the friends he had, and the people he only knew that were his 'family." The tears started and Nilima had to comfort him, tell him he would be happy and will have lots new friends and family to meet! They gave him some milk to help calm him, but when saw either Paula or I, he would shake his head and start to cry saying he didn't want to go. Poor Addhu!
Nilima had the idea at that point to have us go down to the car and wait and her and Mr. Selokar would bring him down. It worked until he realized that we were in the car. He fought Nilima, fought Sanjeev who took him in the back seat. They all said good by to their Addhu, they all waved and wished him well. Mean while, in the back seat next to Paula, he screamed and cried to return to his "home."
With the driver's help, Sanjeev went out and got Addhu some ice cream in hopes that would settle him down. It did, he stopped crying but he didn't eat his ice cream neither. He found some hard candy from his bag from the orphanage that he went with. Sanjeev then started to talk to Addhu, have him resight the alphabet with a notebook Addhu had from school. Everything seemed fine until Addhu threw up! All over himself and down Sanjeev's legs! Wow....the smell was awful, too! Luckily we had that extra pair of clothes in our bag for him! On the side of the road, we cleaned him up and changed him, got Sanjeev cleaned up the best we could. The driver was only too happy to drop us off at the hotel!!!
Up in our room, Addhu was quiet and subdued, didn't know what to make of the hotel room or the people that were with him. Finally I broke the ice and started to push little toy trucks at him. With reluctance, Addhu pushed them back at me. Then Sanjeev joined in and I think Addhu finally relaxed and started to enjoy himself! He was still quiet and very guarded, but he was also very tired! Sanjeev picked him up and put him in the bed and Addhu was out like a light!
And that, my friends, was our first Gotcha Day with Addhu!
We were picked up by Sanjeev and off we went to meet our son. Of course, the orphanage was not easily found and our driver had to ask for directions three times, make a U turn, before finally finding the place! I wouldn't even know that it was an orphanage, right on the main street...there were shops on the bottom floor the orphanage was on the second.
Sanjeev led us to the side door and up the stairs....we had no idea what was waiting for us. We came to a gate and inside we knew where we were. It took only a few moments before we heard Adhyay's voice. He came out from the side room all smiles, finally realizing that his parents finally came for him!
At that point we met Nilima, the social worker, and Mr. Selokar, the director. They told us that Adhyay couldn't wait to see us, that he didn't sleep the night before! It was at this time that we learned that they called Adhyay, Addhu. We showed him his backpack that brought just for him that had a new photo album with his family, a stuff teddy bear, a new hat, sunglasses and a change of clothes (if needed). He put on his new hat and ran off to show his friends and the caregivers.
It was a whirlwind of emotions and time flew by. We walked thru the small area that made up main room where all the babies slept; the small kitchenette, the loo, the baby changing area. There was also the "lobby" where we first walked in and two small offices. That was it. That was Addhu's world for the last 5 years with only the last year of him leaving to go to school. I couldn't imagine living like that, let alone growing up in that environment!
When it was time for us to leave together, though, reality sunk in on Addhu. He didn't want to leave. Didn't want to leave the only world he knew, the friends he had, and the people he only knew that were his 'family." The tears started and Nilima had to comfort him, tell him he would be happy and will have lots new friends and family to meet! They gave him some milk to help calm him, but when saw either Paula or I, he would shake his head and start to cry saying he didn't want to go. Poor Addhu!
Nilima had the idea at that point to have us go down to the car and wait and her and Mr. Selokar would bring him down. It worked until he realized that we were in the car. He fought Nilima, fought Sanjeev who took him in the back seat. They all said good by to their Addhu, they all waved and wished him well. Mean while, in the back seat next to Paula, he screamed and cried to return to his "home."
With the driver's help, Sanjeev went out and got Addhu some ice cream in hopes that would settle him down. It did, he stopped crying but he didn't eat his ice cream neither. He found some hard candy from his bag from the orphanage that he went with. Sanjeev then started to talk to Addhu, have him resight the alphabet with a notebook Addhu had from school. Everything seemed fine until Addhu threw up! All over himself and down Sanjeev's legs! Wow....the smell was awful, too! Luckily we had that extra pair of clothes in our bag for him! On the side of the road, we cleaned him up and changed him, got Sanjeev cleaned up the best we could. The driver was only too happy to drop us off at the hotel!!!
Up in our room, Addhu was quiet and subdued, didn't know what to make of the hotel room or the people that were with him. Finally I broke the ice and started to push little toy trucks at him. With reluctance, Addhu pushed them back at me. Then Sanjeev joined in and I think Addhu finally relaxed and started to enjoy himself! He was still quiet and very guarded, but he was also very tired! Sanjeev picked him up and put him in the bed and Addhu was out like a light!
And that, my friends, was our first Gotcha Day with Addhu!
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