The Journey to Jason: An Adoptive Father's Perspective, Part 6

May 30, 2018 Michelle Cuthrell

Our sweet friends the Whirleys hosted and advocated for Jason, a then-12-year-old orphan from China, in December 2016. In March 2018, this family traveled to China to bring this now 14-year-old boy home forever. We asked Hunter Whirley, an amazing tell-it-like-it-is Army combat veteran, to share with us the journey to Jason from an adoptive father’s perspective. Warning: This is not yo' mama's travel log. This is Hunter's [sometimes spicy, sometimes sassy but always straight-up] story. We're so grateful to him for sharing his unique perspective.

Read Part 1 HERE.

Read Part 2 HERE.

Read Part 3 HERE.

Read Part 4 HERE.

Read Part 5 HERE

The Journey to Jason: An Adoptive Father's Perspective, Part 1

March 28, 2018 Michelle Cuthrell

When Supermom asked me to write for her blog, my first reaction was: “You sure about that?”

So may this be on her head, allowing the sordid storytelling of a redneck Texan, former Army dude who someone allowed to adopt a Chinese teenager. [Editor's note: We'll take it and even barely sanitize it in order to gain your valuable adoptive father's perspective! ;)]

One Week in Wuhan City

August 17, 2017 Michelle Cuthrell

We fell in love twice on this trip.

Once with our new son, who has adjusted so incredibly well that he seems like he’s always been a part of this loud and crazy team.

And again with his birth city.

Wuhan City is officially our entire team’s favorite place in China. We would live here in a second. We honestly love it that much.

A Weekend in Beijing

August 12, 2017 Michelle Cuthrell

When we woke the boys up for our flight at 1:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, we thought we were going to face snarls, tears and a whole lotta grumpiness from the superheroes who dig their sleep as much as they dig their food.

But as Super-Spouse gently nudged them awake one by one while I finished gathering all the last-minute items from around the house at the time our night owl friends were just considering hitting the sack, each boy sprang to his feet with a smile and more pep in his step than we’ve seen on any other morning all school year long.

Superhero 2, who shows his excitement by talking the ears off of any person within a 10-mile radius (I really don’t know where he observed this skill), skipped to the hallway, where he flashed me his biggest 2 a.m. smile with bright but sleepy eyes.

“Mom, I keep telling myself, ‘Self, today you are going to China!’ But myself just can’t believe it!”

And neither could we.

After waiting seven long months to meet the boy whose black-brown eyes filled more than one recent dream, it was almost surreal that we were now heading to the airport to board a plane to fly to the country to meet our SON.

Heading to CHINA!

July 27, 2017 Michelle Cuthrell

We submitted our Letter of Intent to be his parents on January 25.

We received our Letter Seeking Confirmation/Letter of Approval officially approving us to be his parents on June 2.

And on Monday, we received the official Travel Approval from China to go pick up our SON!

We’ll be flying to China on August 10, meeting our boy for an Adoption Day/Family Day on August 14, and then spending two weeks together as a family touring his country and becoming students of this superhero we have been dying to meet for seven entire months! We’ll return on August 25.

Yes, ALL FIVE OF US!

We adopt as a team, we love as a team, we travel as a team. <3

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