U.S. couple adopts Taiwanese as 1st child

L. Garrett Weddle and his wife Margaret, residents of Draper, Va., arrived less than a week ago in Taipei to play with their adopted four-year-old son “Joe” for the first time since they began the adoption process nearly a year ago.

“It has been a difficult wait,” said the new father during a media event yesterday. “It's a lengthy process. There are a lot of things that you have to get through to get to this point, but it has certainly been worth it!”

“We are delighted to be here and delighted with little Joe! He's perfect for us!” said Garrett as he looked with adoring eyes at the smiley little boy playing by his side.

“When we first saw his picture, we knew instantly that he could be our child,” added Margaret. “And you just know. We both felt that and we knew we needed to go forward (with the adoption).”

The Weddles learned about Joe through Chung Yi Social Welfare Foundation, a Taipei-based nonprofit organization that helps children and youth whose birth families are no longer able to care for them.

“We are thrilled to have helped Joe find a new home in the United States,” said Debby Kao, CEO of the foundation. “Joe will definitely have a great life and a new start with parents who love him.”

According to the foundation, Joe was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition in children characterized by impulsiveness and inattention.

Asked by reporters about the child's developmental disorder, the Weddles reveal their parental instincts and do not hesitate to defend him.

“Every child has their own special needs,” said Margaret. “So Joe is no different than any child out there who has special needs and who has special talents. And we just want to develop those special talents that he does have.”

Garrett said the couple decided to adopt a child from Asia following a trip to China that the couple took in 2004. “We love the Asian culture. We love the Asian people, and decided that that's where we wanted our child to be from.”

The new parents said they have already built “a new large home” for Joe, complete with its own bathroom and play area, at their lakeside residence in Virginia. “As soon as we get back, hopefully he'll be swimming in the lake and playing on the boat and fishing. It'll be a wonderful life for him,” reassured Garrett.

“We will take him back to America and hopefully we can continue the Mandarin with him so he can develop that as well as English, but he seems to be very receptive to picking up on the language,” explained Margaret, noting that he has already picked up on a lot of key words like “thank you.”

“Our whole community is so excited about Joe coming to our town because they know he's a special child and they know it'll take a community to raise him,” said Margaret, her son tugging at her arm.

As she thinks of her first Mother's Day with Joe back home, Margaret beams with enthusiasm, and adds that she feels “elated, elated, elated! Just wonderful! As any mother would feel! It's great timing!”

“Every time I interact with Joe he exceeds my expectations. He's an amazing little boy!” she smilingly adds.

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