Our Family
We have a very blended family! Up until I was nine years old I was a single child in a fully Caucasian family. Now, things have changed. I have two younger Chinese sisters. Mia (nine), was our first “experiment” with adoption. The whole experience had such a positive impact on our family that of course we had to go back for another visit! This time, again, we returned with a very small two year old souvenir, Emma (six). On “Gotcha! Day” these girls were very soft spoken and timid. They would not eat or grab anything that they weren’t offered, and even then, were reluctant to take it from your hand. They understood no English and very little Chinese. These girls are now speaking flawless English and well... VERY MUCH SO AMERICANS!
Song Ya Hui
When I was nine years old, I was called in for a family discussion. My “perfect” world of being an only child was soon to come to an end. We were adopting a baby girl from China! After many months of waiting, we received a picture of my little sister. Her Chinese name was Song Ya Hui. A few weeks later, my parents and I boarded a plane to China. Twenty-three hours later, we arrived in Beijing where we saw The Forbidden City, rode in a rickshaw and where I climbed The Great Wall of China! Three days later, we arrived in the city of Hefei in Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China. That afternoon, I met my little sister, Mia Song Tulli, for the first time – it was “Gotcha! Day”. The rest of our 16-day trip was spent getting to know each other, visiting different places and experiencing Chinese culture. One of the most memorable days was visiting Bengbu Social Welfare Institute, the orphanage where my little sister spent the first 18 months of her life.
Qian Qiao Qing
When I was thirteen years old, my parents travelled back to China to get my youngest sister, Emma Qiao Tulli. My parents offered for me to make the trip, but when I figured out I couldn’t text my friends from China, I decided to stay home. Emma is from Shenzehn, Guangdong Province, PRC. She spent her first two years at Shenzhen SWI – she had just turned two on her “Gotcha! Day”. I met her for the first time when she arrived home in the U.S.
Americanization
If you sat in a room and listened to four little girls playing, squeals and all, there is absolutely no way you could pick out my adopted sisters from the American-born girls! They now are obsessed with snacking and one-hundred percent open to sharing, when it isn’t their toy, of course. Mia and Emma speak English like it is all they have heard since they were born. Both girls have tried soccer, gymnastics, and dance. They love drawing and coloring, and share hobbies like playing with the dogs, riding their bikes, and annoying their “bestest” big brother, Zachy. Mia loves to read and is now reading at a third grade level. Emma claims her talents are fighting and singing.
Forever Family
While our family may look a little different than most, we are just as much a typical American family as yours!
|
