Eli Zheng: A Proud Boy

My husband and I adopted our son, Zheng (now Eli Zheng) from the Chongqing Children’s Welfare Institution on May 12, 2005.

He entered the institution at the age of 2-and-a-half weeks and was part of Half the Sky’s Infant Nurture Program.

When we were in China, we received a wonderful set of photos and written observations by his primary nanny. It was such a wonderful gift! Eli cherishes the Half the Sky memory book that the nannies compiled for him, and shares it with his classmates on his birthdays.

We’ve sent updated photos of Eli back to his institution, and last year, we received a postcard back from his nanny, which was a real treat!

Eli is now almost done with second grade. Last fall, he told his class the most important thing about him is that he’s Chinese. He’s very proud of his heritage!

Recently Eli wrote about the mothers in his life (his birthmother, his nanny and me). He wrote:

Nobody has moms like my moms.

Nobody else’s moms have a child like me.

Nobody has moms like my moms. I’m so lucky!

I feel blessed that Half the Sky was in his life!