One Year Ago - GOTCHA DAY!

Today is the first anniversary of Dawson's Gotcha Day!  My, how he's changed!

One end of the civil affairs office.

 

Play area on the other end.

 

Some of the CCAI folks have received their children.

 

 

It's our turn!  There he is!

 

Tony took this as he was being handed to me.

 

 

First family pictures.

 

 

 

 

With one of the orphanage staff.  She looks like she's had a hard day already.  It must be so hard for them who know these kids!

 

 

In the van on the way to the hotel.

 

 

New clothes!

 

 

Joking around with Daddy!

 

Bonding!

 

Layers and layers of clothes....

 

...with this on top!

 

Showing us he likes to put everything in his mouth!

 

I mean EVERYTHING!

 

He hasn't stopped eating!

 

Tony put both our kids to sleep the first night.

 

You can see our Gotcha Day video here.

 

And here he is now!  He's made LOTS of progress!

 

 

Pictures of Shaolin Temple

Shaolin Temple was the other tour we wanted to take before we met Dawson.  I had heard about it when we saw them perform in Omaha a couple years back.  So, we took the 2-hour ride to Dengfeng County where there are many Kung Fu schools.

In the mountains

 

 

Trash receptacle

 

 

 

It was COLD!

 

 

 

Balancing practice

 

More balancing practice, I think.

 

 

 

Every so often there were these "sculptures" that were functional.

 

I would assume they could have a lesson here.

 

A buddha with children playing on him.

 

More incense.

 

They wanted their picture taken with Westerners.

 

The group we ate lunch with.  They had met over the internet and decided to meet here in person.

 

Pagoda Forest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have I mentioned it was COOOOOLD?

 

One of the Kung Fu schools.  Students outside practicing.

 

"Scooter Parking"

 

  

 

 

Bicycles and scooters.