Custody Day

This morning we met Tuk in the lobby for her to drive us to the boys' home to meet with the Director and take custody of Abe. We took a baseball, a basketball, two footballs, a parachute, and some sidewalk chalk with us to leave with the boys. They loved playing with the parachute! Matt played with them, and we put the baseball on top and the boys figured out how to move the parachute to make the ball go up in the air. They were having so much fun! Matt taught the boys how to throw a football, and some others started playing basketball. They were all so excited to have some new things to play with. We met another caregiver of Abe - she was the main one I think. She talked to Abe a while, telling him goodbye, and she asked that the boys keep the parachute but for us to take the other toys with us to the Director and he would decide where the items go. I know that may be the custom, but that stinks! The boys were having such fun playing, and then she made us take them from them. If I had known that would happen, I'm not sure we would've shown the boys first. As we were heading for the Director's office, Tuk told the boys to say goodbye... it was sad for them all - my heart was pulling at me for the ones being left behind and for Abe leaving his friends.

We went to the Director's office, and there Tuk had told me I could ask for more pictures of Abe that were maybe taken during his childhood... NONE. They had 1 baby picture, but that was it! This boy has been there 8 years, and the only pictures they had were his one and only baby picture! I was pretty upset about that. I wanted pictures for him to have as he gets older. Thankfully Holt has taken several over the last 2 years for the adoption, but I was definitely expecting more.

We went upstairs to meet with the Director, and he seems to be a very nice and caring man. He and Tuk talked a lot, and then she would translate what was being said. One thing she said he asked her was about how he may not fit in due to the color of his skin... we told her to tell him not to worry about that and he smiled. We had to sign custody papers with the Director, and they even had Abe sign his name as well. I had hoped to get a copy of the paper, but Tuk said that wasn't normal - so no paper. We took some pictures with the Director, and then he hugged Abe bye and we were on our way.

More about Monday in a bit...