Lucy Mei's Story
By Kenneth G & Carolyn P
Our Happy Fruit
Just about one year and one month ago, the first phase of our arduous adoption journey ended in an elegantly appointed hotel in the lovely banyan tree-lined streets of Fuzhou in Fujian Province, China. It was there, late on a Sunday night in a city that still dripped from the ravages of a typhoon, that her caretaker handed Zhang Xiao Mei – now Lucy Mei – into my trembling hands, while my husband and seven-year-old son floated at my side. It is difficult for me to recall this moment with much clarity: disoriented by the recent time change, the late hour, the unfamiliar language, I remember most vividly the courageous, teary face of our daughter’s caretaker, the wrenching cries of our nine-month-old, Lucy, whose fear and loss was overwhelming, and the solemn sense of responsibility that emerged with surprising force.
We did not fall in love immediately: Lucy was too angry for that, and I know now that this is not her approach to life. She is more honest and more careful than that, and she possesses a remarkably astute sense of people and her relation to them. That she loved her caretaker was eminently clear, and her caretaker’s love for her continues to prove itself in the heartbreakingly beautiful and sweet letters we receive from her every now and then. In her last letter, her caretaker described Lucy as our "happy fruit," our beloved child who brings great joy, love and fortune to us. I smiled through my tears when I read that, for I could not have articulated our love for Lucy more truthfully or beautifully.
Indeed, Lucy is our "happy fruit." Fierce and feisty, willful and determined, she is astoundingly smart and beautiful and busy. She rearranges our pantry several times a day, feeds the dog much more than he needs, empties the dishwasher and sings at the top of her lungs. She is likely the happiest and smartest child I have ever encountered, and the pace at which she picks things up provides our greatest challenge – though we can try to persuade ourselves that we are ahead of the game, it is clear that Lucy lives to figure everything out, and our greatest challenge is simply keeping up with her! She has been remarkably hale and healthy since she arrived in our arms in China, and her appetite for life seems only to grow. But perhaps most importantly, she is an extremely sweet and happy little soul, who loves to hug and snuggle and tease her brother. Just yesterday I popped my head into the playroom where Lucy and Caleb were playing when I suddenly noticed that the room was silent. There they were, snuggled together on the couch with Caleb smoothing Lucy’s hair and Lucy leaning into him, gazing sweetly into his eyes. It was a moment that a year and a half ago, I wondered if I would ever see, a moment I savored.
It was a long road to find Lucy, but in retrospect it feels short and simple and I would do it again in a heartbeat. We never dreamed we would be so very lucky, and though our friends and acquaintances "in the know" told us the fit would be perfect, we wondered if it really would. We see now that our doubts were for naught: Lucy’s transition has been remarkably easy and direct, and it is difficult to believe that she hasn’t been with us for eternity, but only a short year. We love her just as fiercely, furiously and fully as she loves us, and this next stage of our adoption journey is off to a rich and busy and joyous start with our little happy fruit.