A school of Herrings....: Now in Guanghou.......

So our flight was easy- Annie did great until we had to wake her to get off the plane, where I was the crazy white lady who appeared to have kidnapped this sweet little girl who was kicking, screaming, arching her back trying to get out of my arms while Everette wrestled the luggage. She calmed down after we got in the car to go to the hotel and went back to sleep.

Not too much to report except that we are getting to know so much about our new friend each day. While we were waiting for our flight Sarah, our guide, started translating the book that the orphanage gave us- all about Choo Choo. It is so sweet and mainly made me laugh as I was writing. So here's what we learned:

1. words to describe her: calm, lovely, sociable

2. red is her favorite color

3. favorite activities: dressing up like Snow White (they showed me a picture of this where she was wearing a Disney princess shirt w/ Cinderella, Ariel, and Belle- Snow White was on vacation)- but while she is snow white her little friends are the 7 dwarves

favorite activity #2- playing pull the radish; she likes to be the radish (I can't wait for Halloween- how can I resist a radish?!) Sarah told me 3 times how they play and I still don't understand so I won't even try to explain! still in stitches over that one

4. they call her the princess b/c she was in a room FULL of boys; ie...I think she got to call the shots, AND she know how to play rough

5. she loves music and trying to sing songs; the xylophone is her favorite instrument (there is a photo of her playing the little plastic toy)

6. she doesn't like rain because it means she can't play outside

7. she likes listening to the nannies tell stories

8. she likes barbie dolls and putting their clothes on and off (didn't see these in her room at the orphanage but Sarah says they are very cheap and common now for orphanages)

9. She can make a noodle out of wet mud (their version of play dough)

10. she is good with her hands to fold things, and tear paper (we can attest to this!)

That's all we got translated so far- we feel so lucky to have this book to share with her one day and to

know some of her likes and dislikes.

We went to the doctor today for her "check up"- uneventful EXCEPT when they gave her the TB test - a needle injected into her arm- they did one shot and then picked up another - and we were like WAIT you just did one why are you doing a 2nd- and she said well that one was empty- (meanwhile she had already stuck in the 2nd one while little annie was crying)...what? Sarah went back afterwards and was assured by the doctors 100% that it was a clean needle and it was just a mistake that it was empty. I can't even go there....what else can we do but say, ok? ok.

Our hotel is FULL of adopting families from the states- I counted 10 families just at breakfast. It's really nice to hear English again and share stories with these strangers who now share a very important time and place with us. I admire so many of these families as many of them have adopted children with significant needs, and/or multiple children at the same time...just a reminder of what wonderful and strong people exist in this world. We met our friends from Birmingham for dinner and ate Mexican at Tequila- it was great! Better than several local restaurants in the ham. More than comforting to see a familiar face and look at each other and say- now I get it. Adoption is complicated. It's hard to explain unless you've done it...no book could have prepared me for all the feelings, stress and anxiety that accompany it.

We are all growing stronger together everyday, but we also start over several times a day- mainly when waking up from sleep. We have to rebuild the bridge of trust and comfort. Each day is brighter. Each day we see a new little smirk, hear a new phrase, see a swing in her arms as she explores headphones, zippers, flowers.

A few pics and I'm off to bed....Ev and Annie are sound asleep.

Much love to our family and friends...

Julie, Ev, and Choo Choo