Crazy morning! We managed to pack everything we used for the past three weeks into our four bags. Dave has been trying desperately to manage things at work while trying to confirm our seats on the plane and still be a presence in our family. Delta has been giving us the run-around--they checked Dave and I in but refuse to check in the girls--they are claiming that they are "unaccompanied minors." Talk about being hot under the collar! We *think* that everything is finally worked out, but we won't know until we show up at 6:00 tomorrow morning.
Dave is out now trying to get the girls' visas from the US consulate. If he can get back in time, we can catch a 4:00 bus to Hong Kong. That way we should be at our hotel by 8:30 tonight. If not, we will get in an hour later, but it would be very nice to catch the earlier one and be in bed before 10.
Amanda is getting very comfortable asking for everything she sees and pouting when she doesn't get it. Hope still shuts down if we ask her if she wants anything. The change is not easy for Hope, and her moodiness has returned. I am SOOOOOO looking forward to having this journey to be done. We NEED to be rooted and established, with a set routine and a regular place to call home, surrounded by family. For all the promises of expediting our trip, nothing happened that really mattered, and it has been hard. BUT, it is almost over. I can honestly say that I really don't care about the unending bus and airplane trips in front of us. I just want to get HOME.
Thanks so much to everyone who has encouraged and made suggestions through this journey...and I am not just talking about our time in China. We started it over a year ago when Dave was obedient to the call on his heart, and told me that he thought we should adopt. Our path was not a straight one, but one that wound around and took the "scenic" route. Had we not taken the long way around we would have missed "meeting" so many people and so many blessings. We also would have missed Hope. I thank God that He didn't listen to my whining. I am thankful that His way is perfect. Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or has instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Isaiah 40:13-14
All my best,
Amy
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
What was the Key?
Tuesday was a beautiful day! I know that Dave posted briefly about the swearing in for the girls, but there was so much more of the day.
I started the morning greeting the girls with a "good morning" and a smile. This was the FIRST time Hope answered "good morning" in return! Let me tell you, my heart soared at that moment!
We headed out to the zoo. We ended up going to the safari park first and then had to go back to the zoo, so we ended up riding the metro about 90 minutes more than we needed to. While switching lines, there were a LOT of pushy people, everyone wanting to get in first. There was one man in particular that was trying to run over Hope to make his way in front of us. Thankfully, I saw it coming and anticipated his move only moments before he started pushing, so instead of a soft Hope he made contact with my hard-set shoulder/arm. I then used my body to protect her from anyone else that was going to attempt to push her out of the way. It only took a moment and I didn't even think that she noticed, but when we finally got into the train, HOPE took MY arm!!! That was the first time also--she would allow me to take hers before, but she took mine!
The girls both liked the zoo at first. We met up with Kerri and her family at the zoo--we stayed about 2 hours. By the time we left for the consulate the girls (and Dave!) were whipped. Hope was scowling at this point, and even Amanda wasn't too happy. We didn't stop for lunch, but we bought breakfast at 10:30 and had been munching all morning on it. Hope requested that we buy strawberries outside the zoo, which I then proceeded to carry around, along with her drink, Amanda's drink, my water, and breakfast muffins. Even though I offered the food throughout the day, No one wanted to eat or drink. Before we went into the consulate we stopped in IKEA for a quick ice cream cone and hotdog. Hope wouldn't eat anything and was busy pushing us away again. Amanda liked the ice cream, and then we sat for 1 1/2 hours at the consulate. While there, Hope decided to eat the strawberries, which were rather bumped and bruised at that point, but the girls and I went to the bathroom to take the stems out and wash with my bottled water.
I don't know if Hope just realized that it WAS for real that she was going to become our daughter, or she finally got to rest from walking, or she got some nutrition into her, or SOMETHING, but she started smiling again. By the time we got out of there, went to Lucy's for dinner with Kerri and family, and started home, there was a part of Hope coming out that I had never seen before. Walking to the taxi, SHE grabbed my hand and laced fingers with ME! Something about her hands--she doesn't usually like us to have direct contact with them. But this night she did.
Back at the room Hope had a ball using the digital camera to take photos of her DVDs, the city from our hotel room, the TV shows, all of us, and after I showed her how, she started taking photos of herself--smiling!!! We all were laughing while being silly with each other until we turned off the lights.
I am still confused about what changed...I wish I knew so I could replicate it! I went to sleep a very happy momma.
All my best,
Amy
I started the morning greeting the girls with a "good morning" and a smile. This was the FIRST time Hope answered "good morning" in return! Let me tell you, my heart soared at that moment!
We headed out to the zoo. We ended up going to the safari park first and then had to go back to the zoo, so we ended up riding the metro about 90 minutes more than we needed to. While switching lines, there were a LOT of pushy people, everyone wanting to get in first. There was one man in particular that was trying to run over Hope to make his way in front of us. Thankfully, I saw it coming and anticipated his move only moments before he started pushing, so instead of a soft Hope he made contact with my hard-set shoulder/arm. I then used my body to protect her from anyone else that was going to attempt to push her out of the way. It only took a moment and I didn't even think that she noticed, but when we finally got into the train, HOPE took MY arm!!! That was the first time also--she would allow me to take hers before, but she took mine!
The girls both liked the zoo at first. We met up with Kerri and her family at the zoo--we stayed about 2 hours. By the time we left for the consulate the girls (and Dave!) were whipped. Hope was scowling at this point, and even Amanda wasn't too happy. We didn't stop for lunch, but we bought breakfast at 10:30 and had been munching all morning on it. Hope requested that we buy strawberries outside the zoo, which I then proceeded to carry around, along with her drink, Amanda's drink, my water, and breakfast muffins. Even though I offered the food throughout the day, No one wanted to eat or drink. Before we went into the consulate we stopped in IKEA for a quick ice cream cone and hotdog. Hope wouldn't eat anything and was busy pushing us away again. Amanda liked the ice cream, and then we sat for 1 1/2 hours at the consulate. While there, Hope decided to eat the strawberries, which were rather bumped and bruised at that point, but the girls and I went to the bathroom to take the stems out and wash with my bottled water.
I don't know if Hope just realized that it WAS for real that she was going to become our daughter, or she finally got to rest from walking, or she got some nutrition into her, or SOMETHING, but she started smiling again. By the time we got out of there, went to Lucy's for dinner with Kerri and family, and started home, there was a part of Hope coming out that I had never seen before. Walking to the taxi, SHE grabbed my hand and laced fingers with ME! Something about her hands--she doesn't usually like us to have direct contact with them. But this night she did.
Back at the room Hope had a ball using the digital camera to take photos of her DVDs, the city from our hotel room, the TV shows, all of us, and after I showed her how, she started taking photos of herself--smiling!!! We all were laughing while being silly with each other until we turned off the lights.
I am still confused about what changed...I wish I knew so I could replicate it! I went to sleep a very happy momma.
All my best,
Amy
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