“I love you up, up to the sky!”

by Amy Gabler

I adopted my son, Tyler FuWei, from La Vida International's Special Waiting Child program. Tyler was diagnosed in China as having VSD, Ventricular Septal Defect. VSD is a hole between the left and right chambers of the heart. I was not looking to adopt, especially a child with a medical need, but I fell in love with this boy when I saw his pictures. I saw a strong soul in the frowning face of the then 3 year old Tyler.

Tyler weighed on my mind and I felt that I should try to adopt him although I would be a single parent. When I finally decided to pursue the adoption, another family had placed an application to adopt Tyler. After many months the family withdrew their application and I was able to submit my information. I was aided in the adoption of Tyler by the grants from La Vida and Brittany's Hope.

The Brittany's Hope Foundation was a Godsend to me. Through the generous donations of businesses and individuals, I was able to afford the costs of adoption. This also assisted me in getting the medical care that Tyler needed.

After receiving approval from China and travel permission, I packed and left for China. I felt the flight to China was surreal. It felt like a vacation trip, and I could not believe that my life was about to change in ways I never could imagine. After a wonderful 2 day trip to Beijing I boarded the plane for LiaoNing province. When I arrived I was told I would meet my son tomorrow morning and to have a nice sleep. Sleep?

I laid out all the clothes, toys and snacks that I carefully purchased for this little boy who I would call Tyler. I rearranged the clothes in case it looked like too much and he would feel scared. I tried to decide if he would want to sleep in my bed in case he was used to sleeping with another child. Should I have brought warmer clothes? Cooler clothes? I was even about to rearrange the hotel room JUST IN CASE!!!

When my guide, Apple, arrived to take me to meet my son I could not believe this was happening. Just a few months ago I was a single woman who could travel or go out at will and now I was across the world about to raise a little boy who knew nothing of America or what a family is. Could I do it? Would he be accepting of me? So many questions and so little time before we met. Would I cry and scare him, would he cry and scare me?

When I walked into the Civil Affairs office, a sheepish little boy wearing toddlers’ black warm-up pants and a blue ABC doggy shirt was sitting on the brown leather couch. He looked scared and excited. I was so nervous myself. I sat on my knees and was amazed at how much he looked like his pictures. Tyler looked me up and down then gave me a small "wrap his scrawny arms around me hug." As he glanced at his caretaker, he must have been thinking, “Do I really have to do this?”

I gave him a blue and green bouncing ball that he was elated to play with. Tyler did not stop smiling as he went into the hallway and showed everyone his toy. Tyler came back to me and took a tiny fish toy out of his mouth and gave it to me as a present. I laughed when I saw that he had taken a fish from one of those fishing games that you use a “fishing” pole to catch a fish. He then opened his pocket on the warm up suit and gave me a Donald Duck figurine.

Tyler and I were inseparable. We went on shopping trips and he was amazed when I would place an item in the cart. He would stand up from the “Car” cart and say, “Oooohhh.” Although I was scared that we would not be able to communicate, we used pointing and shared words by saying the English and the Chinese word to each other. I had the wonderful privilege of going to the orphanage for a lunch. Tyler and I loved the fried dumplings and peanuts they served. Tyler was able to say goodbye to his two best friends and he gave them each a toy that was brought for them.

The trip went by quickly. I was sad and happy to be going home after flying down to Guangzhou to complete the American paperwork. After packing enough in the extra suitcases I purchased for the souvenirs, I was taking my beautiful son home!

Tyler had his surgery about 8 weeks after arriving home. The hole in his heart was moderate and the surgeon was encouraged by Tyler's otherwise good health. He was in and out in 4 days which amazed the doctors. Tyler has been home for over a year and has grasped the English language. He is always eager to learn more and is excited to be in school. I love to watch him when he falls asleep and am amazed at what a blessing I have received.

Tyler often tells me that he loves me “up, up to the sky as high as Jesus and back.” He loves to hear his adoption story. Tyler is an outgoing and funny boy. I try not to laugh when Tyler does something he shouldn’t and says, “in China we could do that.” Adopting Tyler has enriched my life and I wouldn’t think twice about adopting an older special needs child.