The two hour plane ride was a little preview of our 13 hour one later this week. I'm thinking it's not going to be too fun. But, at least on the long flight home 1. we will be able to speak English to the flight attendants and perhaps they won't knee our sleeping baby in the head when they walk by 2. they won't speak over the loud speaker every 5 minutes and startle our little girl awake and 3. we won't have a Chinese man sitting in the seat next to us yelling at us in Chinese on how we should be comforting our screaming child.
All in all... it was a great flight. :)
Because I am a weakling... Steve spends a lot of the time carrying Grace in our baby carrier. The stares we get!!! Steve gets the "awe... what a cute baby" stare. I get the "what kind of mother are you" stare.
I'm a little behind in our updates on what we have been doing because S wrote the post yesterday... which melted my heart by the way. Every day, every hour, every minute I am reminded that he IS the best Dad ever. For those of you that don't know... S is a kid magnet. So, it shouldn't surprise me that he is winning over our G's heart minute by minute.
A week ago, or wait that was just two days ago, we traveled to Shaolin Temple. About a two hour bus ride away. Through fields and mountains... seeing our daughter's homeland. The poverty is quite unreal to these American eyes. I vow to never complain about money or lack of things again. If I ever do... to any of you... please just say "remember China".
Shaolin Temple is a beautiful temple built about 1500 years ago! This is also the birthplace of Kung Fu. Surrounding the temple there is the largest Kung Fu in the world. I would describe it as a military academy/boarding school for kids ages 8 or so though high school. 20,000 kids! We saw kids, in their red uniforms, practices all sorts of Kung Fu skills.
(students in groups practicing Kung Fu)
OK enough about our travels... I know you want to know all about Grace.
A few days perspective from the orphanage visit helps me to realize that, however painful it was for us... it was so very important. It gave us greater insight as to what she has come from. While we knew it might take time to develop attachment with her, we now know it might take a LOT of time. Months... years...
(getting her neck tickled always makes her smile)
(scrunchy face smile from being tickled)
(signs of walls coming down.... touching Mommy's face)Every morning when she wakes up. It's like starting all over. She looks at us like "oh you guys again" (and perhaps a little "I was hoping you'd go away"). Usually we manage to warm her heart back up with a little food. And then we start to see some smiles again.
Missing our kids back home terribly. But, we know that they are so happy. Reports are that Grandpa is feeding them ice cream and loads of tootsie rolls. How could they not be happy? Here is a picture of Devin on Skype making faces at G. What a great big brother already!
She is absolutely amazing. In every way. NO ONE will be able to resist her scrunchy face smile. I stand in awe as I watch this miracle unfold... and somehow, someway I am in the middle of it. I'm not sure how it happened. I don't know how we got here. It's crazy surreal.
ben has that same smile-- the eyes disappear-- love it!!!!! and GZ is suwheet after henan!!! go to susan's palce for a traditional tea-- and tell dhong that emily adcox sent you:) the ginseng tea is delicious!!!!!! and definitely go to the store across from Susan's-- a gift from china? i think it is-- handmade gifts (dolls, etc)-- you will LOVE it!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have NO idea how much I wait to read these posts. Missing you like crazy & cannot wait for this bonding experience to happen at home!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I've send it about 100 times but it deserves repeating, she is SO CUTE! My goodness, that smile is just adorable.
Have you tried the sling at all? Any luck with it?
I imagine you might have tried but have you been able to get a group photo now that everyone has the little ones? I'm not 100% sure you are still all together but just wondering.
BTW, the flight sounded like a blast! :-)
Guangzhou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely A Gift from China! my fav, too!
ok, a couple of things pop into my head when I read this....
ReplyDeleteKUNG FU? It's a real thing? I just thought it was a song..... 'and everybody was Kung Fu fighting'... something about 'fast as lightening'
um, all these places you talk about are Greek to me - I mean, Chinese.... please do tell all!
I love her little laughing face!
and yea, all the way on the other side of the world to get your little girl - a bit surreal! (did you try to dig your way to China when you were little? Maybe that was the start of all this.... just kidding)
HUGS to you!