Now that we have our travel plans made, Jon and I are spending a lot of time thinking about what our lives will be like when we return from China. We will suddenly be a family, with a daughter about to have her first birthday. We will be exhausted from travel, quite possibly sick with flu or colds.
All of the adoptive parenting literature we have been reading says the same thing. It is extremely important that we have time to bond as a family before introducing other people into Molly's life. She needs time to realize that we are her forever family and that when we go away we come back. Having visitors who stay for several days who want to hold her and take care of her and then leave will only set that process backward, as well intentioned and loving as it may be. We also need to be able to give Molly our reasonably undivided attention and provide a calm, quiet environment for her as she adjusts to living in the U.S. and in our house.
We love that family members and friends want to come and visit right away. We deeply appreciate that many people want to be involved in her life and meet her as soon as possible. We are thrilled that she will be welcomed into such a wonderful family and community of friends. After our second week back, brief visits will be fine. But , because of the special circumstances, I feel that extended visits within the first month of our return are simply too soon.
If practical, please feel free to come and meet us at the airport when we arrive on March 2. Don't feel obligated in any way, but we would love to see you there.
