Kai is approaching his THIRD birthday! We can hardly believe it and the preparations are already underway. One way we are hoping to make it special for Kai is to maila homemade card into Sprout to (hopefully) be featured during their daily birthday segment. Sprout is a channel, owned by PBS, that runs t.v. programming for preschoolers. This is a picture of the front/inside of Kai's card. I had to whip it up last night because it needs to be there at least two weeks in advance for it to have a chance to air. They read through the cards and sing a special version of "Happy Birthday" to the kids. Kai will be elated if his card is on t.v.
Last year, Kai had his 4th surgery on his birthday (sad, but he needed the procedure to move forward with his speech and that is what was available). We had a little family party for him the week prior, but with the craziness of Christmas and many loooong nights with a kid that still hadn't fully recovered from the surgery in September, it felt rushed. I hadn't the opportunity to really celebrate or reflect upon the significance of that date; it is a day that carries a lot of weight.
Sadly, many children from China do not have true knowledge of their actual birth date. Because there is no legal method of surrendering a child, parents or family members must find alternative means of leaving their child in the custody of the government. They are unable to leave contact information and fear the risks inherent with an unregistered pregnancy/birth. Children often come into the orphanages with no birth history and doctors are compelled to make up a birth date based on physical development.
In Kai's situation, he was found with a playing card tucked into his blankets. On it was written the date of his birth. It may seem trite to most, but given how little of his beginnings Kai will ever know, this piece of his birth story is priceless. We shall never know who wrote it, and it will remain one of the many unanswered questions of his past, but having record of this date will be a treasured gift, always.
I am forever grateful for the little boy we have with us today. Somewhere, in a land that feels at the same time distant and yet wholly familiar, a child was born into this world. Three years ago, on January 14th, the world changed for the better because Kai was a part of it. In science, the Butterfly Effect considers how one small change can alter the course of life for everything else in its path. The birth of a child has that same consequence. Kai has affected people on two continents. Kai is an integral part of the lives of his family and friends. As he ages, Kai will affect a still greater population. With each passing year, more people will be touched by the little boy I humbly and proudly have the privilege to call my SON.
Each evening at bedtime we read a few books before shutting off the light. One of Kai's favorites is titled, "On the Night You Were Born". It begins like this: On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, "Life will never be the same." Because there had never been anyone like you...ever in the world.
Happy Birthday, Kai Kai. It may not be January 14th just yet, but it is never too early to celebrate the night YOU were born.
