After months of paperwork and planning it finally all came together. In April of 2005 my wife and I traveled to China for a two week trip to adopt our fourth son. His name is Tye Andrew Cockrum. We took our oldest son Chase (8 at the time) with us for the two week trip. Two of our other sons stayed behind in Indiana with our parents. Once in China we had a few days to explore a little before we got to meet Tye. Here's a picture of Chase and me near Tiananmen Square in Beijing:

Much to our surprise Chase was quite the celebrity in China. Many people had never seen a little boy with blond hair! The entire trip he was being asked to pose for pictures - usually with other children. This crowd gathered around us at one point as parents anxiously snapped photos and took video of their own children with Chase (center).

Others just wanted to shake hands with him...

Finally after nearly a week in China we got to meet our new son! Here's one of the first photo's of Tye with my wife Andrea:

Her expression says it all! It was also great that Tye's caretakers made sure Tye brought with him two of the toys that we had sent to him several weeks earlier. They are still two of his favorites a month later. You might notice he has a cleft lip (and palate). We are getting him the best of care now that he's home.

Here's another great picture of Tye with Mommy. (Chase took this shot!)

Since we had two sons at home (5 year old Trey and 2 year old Zane) we decided that it would be best if I left China a week early to go home to our sons. Andrea and Chase finished the final week of the trip on their own and I went home after having spent only one day with my new son Tye.

A week later I got to hold him again though...

Here's a photo of my whole crew at the airport at the end of the 20 hours of travel that Andrea, Chase and Tye just went through:

Back home again in Indiana... 

Beautiful smile after Tye's second corrective surgery. Doctors say he'll keep looking better all the time until we will hardly be able to tell he's had surgery at all!

Having fun!