Adoption and Re-Entry

We are beginning to think about re-entry as a family of 8 (9 if you count Yi). Depending on the day I do count her.

This has been a fun trip overall...not exempt from it's share of challenges but definitely great. We continue to get to know Micah and him us. It's part of the adoption dance and the dance is unique I've noticed to each child and specifically each age group of adopted child. Little Micah asks for or cries for his home and his Jie Jie (older sister) at nap or bedtime pretty consistently. I'm guessing he slept with his foster sister. It's sad... the severing of culture, language, home, familiarity. Especially hard on toddlers I personally think based on my experiences anyway.

We love him so fully even though we don't really know him yet as his attachment to us is still up in the air. There is a lot of work yet to do. I confess it makes me nervous. Today he did so much better at the zoo as far as when we had to wait.

We are with a larger group here in Guangzhou from our agency which makes for alot of waiting around when we are together. Hard for a 2 year old who doesn't understand the language you speak to understand. I do think he is going to be fairly laid back since whenever our guide in Kunming explained things to him he would chill out and just wait calmly.

I also noticed today that he is wanting us to hold him a little more and is starting to except comfort and want help from us. It is definitely a good start but we have far to go. He walks with a considerable limp because of his special need and to be honest I've thanked the Lord for it a few times over the past week. He of course thinks its funny to run away. Today I let him go a bit and he'd turn around and see we were chasing after him and he'd come back. We're playing games with him so he can practice coming when he hears come here... we'll get there with each day I know. Hopefully by the time he has surgery to help his leg he won't think it's so funny to run away with us chasing him!

Only 4 more days and we start home!!! Make sure you check out the photos of when you click on Micah's photo to the right. Also, he had his first bath without fussing tonight. It's been dunk and go thus far with only washing his hair when it smells bad because I'm guessing he didn't have many pleasant bath memories. Tonight though he played and played for probably 15 minutes. Yay!!

Today we went to the Safari Park and the boys had a great time. With that large group from our agency Isaac found a few new friends he enjoyed spending time with on the bus and at McDonald's. They played basketball with a boy they met outside McDonald's. It was fun to watch. Thankful for another good day. Tomorrow we have Micah's TB test checked and do some more shopping and eating on the island.

Juley... we are at the Victory and love it! The rest of our group is at The Garden. It has bigger rooms but is more expensive. To be honest I'm glad we are here as the island is much more laid back feeling and our room is still big. I think we may have torn up the place if we'd of stayed any fancier!