I remember getting Ford's e-mail about a year or so ago explaining that he & his lovely wife, Alyson, had come across our blog and how our adoption stories paralelled each other. Ford would be retiring and stay at home with their daughter from China, Alyzabeth An, and Alyson would continue working at her position in Jacksonville. I yelled to my wife Be! There's someone else out there!
And so we followed their story and exchanged e-mails from that time until it was obvious that we were unique travellers on the adoption highway and needed to get together. On St Patrick's Day (71 degrees, light breeze, occasional passing cloud), we met in downtown Sanford (Ford & Aly were doing some volunteer work with the Methodist Children's Home just up the road from Sanford - they live about 30 miles from St Augustine) and we shared a wonderful 3 hours covering plans, anxieties, experiences and good humor with our new friends. We clicked and knew it was a God-thing. Don (still recovering from 2 broken ribs) was propped up in a chair at the outdoor cafe being as immobile as possible and Be dispensed pain killers while keeping the wine bottle out of Don's reach. We discussed the fact that there are no manuals or support groups out there for the "55 Something Future Stay-at-Home-Dad Adopting a Young Child (perhaps it will be our job to write the book). We explored visions of a typical day for our families, Chinese/American influences, the adoption situation in Guatemala (see previous post), comfort zones in a "Stay-at-Home-Mom" culture as well as our common faith.
It is not within the realms of my comfort zone to just take up and go out on a limb to an event like our St Patrick's Day meeting - but it was evident before I even sat down that this was a couple of substance and incredible character. Aly, you're delightful & Ford. ..... I think there's a wildman in there. Let's keep the fire burning, Ford & Aly.
Love & God Bless You,
Don & Be
Check out Ford & Aly's Blog http://alyzabethan.blogspot.com/ or click on "Imagine Alyzabeth An" on our Adoption Blogs list on the right.
And so we followed their story and exchanged e-mails from that time until it was obvious that we were unique travellers on the adoption highway and needed to get together. On St Patrick's Day (71 degrees, light breeze, occasional passing cloud), we met in downtown Sanford (Ford & Aly were doing some volunteer work with the Methodist Children's Home just up the road from Sanford - they live about 30 miles from St Augustine) and we shared a wonderful 3 hours covering plans, anxieties, experiences and good humor with our new friends. We clicked and knew it was a God-thing. Don (still recovering from 2 broken ribs) was propped up in a chair at the outdoor cafe being as immobile as possible and Be dispensed pain killers while keeping the wine bottle out of Don's reach. We discussed the fact that there are no manuals or support groups out there for the "55 Something Future Stay-at-Home-Dad Adopting a Young Child (perhaps it will be our job to write the book). We explored visions of a typical day for our families, Chinese/American influences, the adoption situation in Guatemala (see previous post), comfort zones in a "Stay-at-Home-Mom" culture as well as our common faith.
It is not within the realms of my comfort zone to just take up and go out on a limb to an event like our St Patrick's Day meeting - but it was evident before I even sat down that this was a couple of substance and incredible character. Aly, you're delightful & Ford. ..... I think there's a wildman in there. Let's keep the fire burning, Ford & Aly.
Love & God Bless You,
Don & Be
Check out Ford & Aly's Blog http://alyzabethan.blogspot.com/ or click on "Imagine Alyzabeth An" on our Adoption Blogs list on the right.
3 comments:
Thanks for the kind words. We had a great time and look forward to our next visit.
Alyson
It's so wonderful that the 4 of you were able to connect!! What a blessing it is to find people with so many things in common.
Hee Hee! The "AARP Discount" idea is hilarious! :)
~Dawn
how very wonderful, glad to read this for the sake of BOTH couples!!! Oh and your TAG thingy don't send it to me lOL its way too long and I am way to old to get it finished before I...well you know, and I am of course also a busy grandma. Hugs and prayers
Glo
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