Adoption Day

Samuel is on medication for chest congestion and red dots that cover his body. The medicine looks and smells awful! It obviously taste terrible, too. At first, Samuel will quietly turn his head away, wait about a minute, and then turn back to take the medicine. I quickly wash the medicine down with a snack.

The boy doesn't cry and seems so pleasant. Perhaps his chest is too full of congestion to the point that crying would hurt. I don't know. Either way, he is a silent child who "goes with the flow".

He went to bed easily last night, and he slept through the night. He woke up without crying.

 He clings to Cherish!

 Early morning waiting for everyone else to wake up:

When our 24-hour guardianship time was over, we were asked if we would like to keep Samuel. With raised hands, we said "Yes!" Tears rolled down my cheeks at the thought of having to be asked such a question. Yes! Yes! Yes! A million times: YES!

At the government office waiting for the adoption finalization:

Finalization:

It's done!

His name is officially

Samuel Yao-Chen Bollinger!

SON.

Chosen. Loved. Wanted.

For life!

After all the finalization and the notarization, it was back to the hotel for lunch. These two brothers slept through lunch:

Time to get ready to apply for Samuel's passport. More later....