Making New Friends

During our preparation to become adoptive parents, we heard again and again about the importance of helping our child connect with other children from his birth country. I have to admit that, as important as we knew that would be, it also sounded a bit like a chore.

How wrong we were! What a wonderful surprise it has been to discover that John and I are making new friends along with Louis--and thoroughly enjoying it! We probably never would have encountered these terrific people with whom we have so much in common if we hadn't traveled to China seven months ago to bring home our extraordinary son, and yet we feel as if we have known many of them for years.

Take our friends Amy, Jon, and their son, Ewen.

We met online in what could be seen as stalking. They live about two hours away, so this morning we picked a not-quite midpoint with steam engines, food, and Thomas merchandise where our boys could hang out.

Amy and I had met with our sons once before. Our husbands had never met. Nonetheless, we (OK, Amy and I) have already decided that we are traveling together to bring home our second children. We just have to hammer out a few more details, i.e., home studies, finances, dossiers, referrals, oh, and maybe even getting a less-impatient spouse on board.

Today, although we were all remembering some long airline flights, we were all aboard for a train ride. And the boys, who have been talking about today all week, couldn't wait to get there. Louis kept saying "Ewen" and "Ride train." That alone would have spurred us to figure out a way to get there when we had car trouble this morning.

When we finally arrived, the boys were happy to see each other.

Well, they were both too cool to be openly excited. But they were very interested in each other. Louis really likes Ewen, who is almost a year older, likes trains, speaks very well, and has a great sense of humor.

At 2 1/2 what else are you looking for in a friend?

Someone who understands the importance of breaking for lunch, no matter how many trains there are to see?

Someone who is as eager to stop at the fish tank as you are?

Someone whose mom takes awesome photos (like this one, for example)?

Someone who loves Thomas and is willing to share a seat in the 50-cent ride outside the restaurant?

As it turned out, the boys did very well sharing the controls inside the train.

Ewen and Louis had plenty to discuss.


And neither one thought all this photo-taking was necessary.

But they did want a second ride on this 50-cent train. It was only toward the end of their ride that I mentioned to Amy that Louis always wants to go on these rides until we put the money in and then he wants to get off. She said Ewen has always been the same way--until today.

After all, what are friends for?


Whether they're so much fun you leave exhausted...


...or they capture a rare family photo of you...

...or they just know how to make you smile...

they are a special part of life. And how lucky we are to know them!