Shout Out to the Folks in Addis

My wife and I are spending the weekend visiting her sister and our niece.

At the airport, we saw a family with a young boy they had clearly just adopted. They were showering him with adoration, and he was clearly very happy with them.

I asked them about it, and they said they were on their return trip from Ethiopia, where they had adopted him.

I said I hoped the folks in Addis has treated him well. As he changed his son into a Kansas City Jayhawks t-shirt, he said it had been a really long process, but the embassy folks had been great. I told him that many consular officers found adoptions one of the most rewarding things they did, bringing children to families who would love them.

And folks, you did a good job on this one. This family clearly adores this boy (who already knows how to shout KU!). To ease his transition into life as an American, they hired a tutor for the time while they were working their way through the process, to teach him some English. So he isn't as lost here as a child his age with no english at all.

So here's to the folks in Addis. Great job! You have played a part in making one happy, well-loved boy and a happy family.