And Then There Were Three...

Good news. Stephen went home from the hospital yesterday. I haven't written in so long. I was just a bit busy and can I admit a bit overwhelmed at times. I admit to napping each day to have an hour of regaining my resolve to do the dishes or fix the next meal. Now don't think I am complaining. Daniel and Joseph are the best prayers I know. The prayers of children are so sweet and to the point. You just know that God listens closely when they pray. Daniel (3) was getting so homesick. He is a bit of an imp and grins as he is telling you why he didn't do as you asked... oh man! Maggie HATES her medicine but by yesterday she was reminding me it was time for her medicine and has stopped saying in that sweet, sweet voice "but I don't like it". Emilie is the homemaker. She wants to help cook and even peels potatoes. She is very matter-of-fact as she tells what she had heard. She seems older than her 7 years. Hollie (14) is a funny kid. She is shy and reserved. They are each so special and so bonded to each other.

Alison really blossomed with Emilie and Maggie here. They girls raced from room to room and there were giggles galore. They all now share the love of "Highschool Musical". Alison now has a full grasp of Webkinz thanks to the girls. I started to call them cousins but they are nieces.

I took the kids home yesterday. Stephen was so excited to see them. You should have seen his eyes light up as he looked at his siblings. Then when they each hugged him, he just bounced on his mom's lap.

Tammie made Alison a plaque for her room. When Tammie was little, we should kiss daddy goodnight and I would carry her to bed. It started with her, being the oldest. I would pop around the corner and say "goodnight" and then disappear then come back and say "I love you" again go away and come back with "see you tomorrow". That was our bedtime saying every night. With three little girls, we had a chorus every night of "goodnight, I love you, see you tomorrow". She painted that on a plaque. Isn't that sweet????!!

On Saturday, we drove to Illinois to visit Jen. Jen was adopted from the same orphanage just a few weeks before we came to get Alison. We let the girls sit in a booth beside us. We had four grinning parents as these two girls chatted about their new life. Typical kids, there was teasing and some snatching of game pieces from each other. Jen is pretty well adjusted to her parents and seems to be bonding well. Alison was still pretty cool toward us. Alison watched the interaction between Jen and Kristy especially and we have seen a different child ever since that visit. We are going to let Jen and Alison call each other and we still hope to get them together when we can.

Alison is opening up. She was teasing with Dad on Sunday and he even coaxed her onto his shoulders. When it was bedtime, she tried to climb on his back so he did the piggyback ride to bed. I got a hug after school. I was in the kitchen and she came in to see what I was doing and she leaned into me and I gave her a big hug. She is mouthing more words and she is spending a good deal of time on http://www.starfall.com/. This is a wonderful site to learn to read and you can go at your own speed.

We are having a lazy day today. Alison had a fever last night so she is home today. She slept in until about 9:30. I took the kids home and when I came home Lynn had her in his lap all cuddled. OHHHH. Today she got up and laid with me on the couch. Oh and she doesn't flinch when I touch her now. I can stroke her hair or her shoulder without her moving away. I check for a fever and she is fine with the touch.

OHHH we got our hair cut on Monday. I would say "cut hair" and do scissors with my hands and she would say no. I used the translator and said we are going to get you hair cut a LITTLE (fingers just barely apart showing her how much). And she said no. I told her we were going after school to get her hair cut and she said no. I told her to get her coat on we were getting her hair cut and she said no. When it was her turn to get into the chair for her haircut, she said no. I sat back down in the chair and pulled her (gently, no real drag on her part) into my lap and we trimmed her bangs and the rest of her hair. She is fine with her hair cut. She sat on my lap while mine was being cut and styled and she combed her hair. At times like this, she is like a small child. What was a haircut like in the orphanage? I don't think I will get so many "no's" next time. I have not held a child while I was getting my hair done but she just needed to be close to me. She is wanting more time on my lap and that is fine with me.

School is going ok. She doesn't mind going to school. She isn't afraid for me to leave her. She isn't participating a lot but is doing papers of math and writing. She has beautiful handwriting. She isn't talking to anyone at school, even the girl who speaks Mandarin. She is giving smiles now though, even at school. We are doing ok. She helps me decide what is going into her lunch and gets her coat and backpack on her own without asking. She isn't a morning person but she gets dressed without any coaxing. She isn't reluctant about going, so she must be ok with school.

I will post some pictures later. Just wanted to get caught up before I forgot all of the progress. Brenda