Settling In

I have to admit, when I woke up this morning I thought LiYun might have changed her mind about being adopted by us. After some challenges in translations last night and then feeling her toss and turn in bed, I feared she might be doubting her decision. But when we met up with David, she told him she was very happy. (Although she did admit to not sleeping well.) The rest of the day kept getting better with each hour.

While at the office to do the interviews and paperwork to legalize the adoption, Carter and Grace stayed with their Aunt Noelle in another room. When we got back, Carter had out his "briefcase" and said he was doing paperwork so he could become LiYun's new brother. I am always amazed by the concepts that Carter understands at the age of 3.


Tomorrow, we will visit the orphanage where LiYun lived from ages 2-5, prior to foster care. We asked through David if she had any good memories there, and she said "not really." But she is looking forward to seeing a few of her friends still living there. While in foster care, she had to make monthly visits so she befriended the girls during those times. We are bringing candy for them, upon her request. And we are also donating a basic digital camera, as that was an item the orphanage director said they needed. I do like the idea that a new camera will provide nice photos of the children that will be treasured by adoptive parents. We inquired whether we could get any baby pictures of LiYun (from the age 2, when she was brought to the orphanage), and they said they would try to find some. Please pray that they will follow through with this. I would hate for LiYun to not have any physical representation of her life before the age of 5.

Speaking of pictures, she asked us if we received the pictures of her birthday that her foster brother had sent to us via email. We never received them. I know God is over all the details, so I'm not too upset. But it would have been amazing to get those pictures back in November and have an email address to contact her throughout the wait.

We had another great lunch with the help of David and LiYun ordering for us all. Then our guide left us for the rest of the day and we all went back to the hotel to rest. The afternoon seemed like a turning point for LiYun and me. We played UNO with Scott and Noelle. We did crafts with the kids. And she and I had an hour long conversation on google translate. I learned that she enjoys badminton and in-line skating. And she would love to learn taekwando and to play the piano. (Her expression was priceless when I informed her we have a piano at home.) After dinner of Pizza Hut pizza (her request), she and the kids went swimming in the indoor pool. From her expressions, she seems even more joyful than yesterday. I do worry, however, that she may be disappointed when we resort back to the daily grind of life. :)

One of her friends is coming to play with her on Thursday morning, so we look forward to being able to glimpse a part of her life and history here in Nanning.

Just a few sidenotes... when Scott brought back the pizza, we discovered they had included several pairs of plastic gloves! I guess they think such a greasy mess should be handled with care.

And while doing crafts, LiYun used glitter glue to decorate a sign that says "I love you -LiYun" and presented it to me. While I know she doesn't really love me yet, and she may even think it's just what I want to hear, I was touched that she would even feel comfortable expressing a sentiment like that. And when she calls out to us, she says "Mommy" and "Daddy"... I still do a double take hearing that in a voice that isn't coming from a toddler.



To be real, it hasn't been all fun and games. Carter had a MAJOR meltdown earlier because Scott went to get the pizza without him. And I later heard LiYun imitating it to her friend on the phone! :) He and Grace have both pulled away from LiYun at times, and I had to explain to her that they're into being independent...they're not rejecting her. There have been moments when I have had to set expectations or limits and I fear crushing her spirit. And there have even been a few moments when I've missed life with just the four of us. But I think that's because there's not yet the intimacy of knowing LiYun as well as a mother would know her 12-year-old after raising her for her whole life. I know that intimacy and normalcy will come in time. What I can honestly say is that she seems to fit into our family. And I would have never dared ask that she be as brave, patient, mature, understanding, and loving as she has been in the last 30 hours. Wow...has it really only been one day?

Oh, and one more sidenote....I forgot to mention yesterday that Noelle and Stuart missed being together for their one-year wedding anniversary so that she could come with us!! So we are so thankful to them both for allowing her to join us on this journey. She has been helpful in so many ways. I will be so sad when she flies home on Saturday. (And thank goodness LiYun is so hands-on with the kids...I feel more confident about surviving the rest of the trip without Noelle's help!)

Love to you all.