[Student Reporters] World History Teacher Adopts a Baby from China
Jenny Shim <12th, Cerritos High School>
With between one and three million orphans China is always looking for adoptees for its abandoned babies. For Monty Armstrong an AP world history teacher his three year adoption process embarked when his wife who had always wanted kids asked a simple question "What if?" Then Mr. Armstrong and his wife applied for adoption through Holt International an adoption agency operating in 12 different countries. They were matched to Lin Zhi Yuan in China.
Yuan had been abandoned when he was one month old and then taken to an orphanage where his cleft lip was repaired. He had been in foster care for two years when the adoption was arranged with Mr. Armstrong.
In June of 2008 Mr. Armstrong and his wife flew over to Beijing. They spent several days traveling in Beijing and northwest China for the first time. Finally on July 1 Mr. Armstrong and his wife had their first physical contact with Yuan now named James Albert. "When I first met him two thoughts crossed my mind. My first thought was that he was very cute. And second that he was a lot bigger than we thought he will be" he said.
After returning to Los Angeles in July 2008 James has had a relatively easy and smooth transition. He is learning how to swim and getting bigger every day. Mr. Armstrong describes James as an "absolute speed demon on his tricycle" and a lover of the movie "Cars." More updates about James's transition and Mr. Armstrong's trip to China can be found on the web at www.jamesalbert.blogspot.com.