Adoption is Final

Well, she is ours or we are hers, however that will work out. Today has been a long day but we have made leaps in our bonding. We finally had to wake her this morning at 7:25 AM. She got dressed and we went to the breakfast buffet. She is very decisive about what she wants to eat but isn't saying anything... just shakes her head. When we went to get drinks, she walked back alone across the room to the table. She never leaves my side. She usually always has a hold of one hand and is pressed close to me. She is getting a bit brave here.

We went back to the same place as yesterday and did our oath and finished signing the papers. That took almost an hour. We dressed her in clothes I brought and I took a blanket with us, just in case but she wouldn't use it. Then we went to a Walmart type store (not the real deal) and found a play coat with a hood, the warmest sweatshirt I have ever seen (will take days to dry if it gets wet), two pairs of pants (no more high water stuff that I brought). Since this was a grocery, we looked around a bit. She wanted Orange soda...afterall, if her parents were getting diet coke! She picked up a bottle of green tea, a gold rat filled with candy...(it is the "Year of the Rat"), some boxed candy of sorts and a thing of bubble tape. She asks if she can have it by pointing and I say yes or no...ok, I said yes much more than no. But I did practice the "n" word a few times. She likes to shop! I love that in a girl! Hollie, we will come pick you up and marathon shop!

We went back to our hotel. She is feeling more confident. I had to ask if she needed the bathroom yesterday and today she will go on her own. She unbraided the Barbie dolls hair and rebraided it. She plays alot with everything. We went back to Cow Bridge for lunch. She likes fried rice and fried noodles. Today she chose noodles and we got an order of Sweet & Sour Chicken. She liked the chicken. I just put some on her plate and she wanted more. She is a good eater. Oh, did I say she ate seconds for breakfast. But she doesn't hoard or try to take it with her. We have snacks around the room and she doesn't seem hungry.

After lunch I let her play with her dolls and then introduced her to the Leapster. She only got to play for about 20 minutes until we left for the Police Station to apply for her passport. The first thing she did when she got back in the room is start up the Leapster.

When we said goodbye to David, she also said goodbye. She will walk quickly to the elevator to push the button for the floor. She wouldn't do that even this morning but it now seems to be her job. We are getting there. He asked her if she wanted to go do something fun tomorrow and she shook her head yes. She is very shy and will answer his questions but only barely. Oh earlier today, David called Miss Zhou (the person Alison wanted to call yesterday)and let Alison talk to her. Alison spoke to her (not just nods) and didn't cry or seem upset. Yesterday I am sure she would have told her to come get her.

We have to decide about dinner. The days seem so long and we are all so tired at the end of the day. Even Alison was laying on me in the car and David asked her if she was ok and she shook her head that she was only tired. I have been told she gets carsick. Good thing I have Dramamine. She has not been sick so far and driving on highways where people act like there aren't lines...only suggestions for travel... more like an event leaving the drive-in where anything is fair game...anyway, you get the idea...and she hasn't been even green.

They have a Papa Johns, maybe we will get delivery tonight so we don't have to go out in the cold. Travel has been severely hampered in China. It is like frost in Georgia brings everything to a close, people in this area don't know how to drive on ice. Many people are trying to travel for the New Year next week and their tickets have been cancelled and they cannot get another travel time. Some adoption families are in provinces where travel has stopped and they may have to stay longer due to the New Year. We are thankful to only have cold weather and not freezing.

Thanks for your prayers. We have met many wonderful families this week as they bond with their new son or daughter. Quite an adjustment for the little ones (and the big people) but so touching to see as the bonds start developing. We feel quite humbled to be given such a blessing. Excuse the ramblings and the jumbled topics. I don't think I am over my jet lag and we have had so much happening.

Stay tuned...Brenda