Nanchang Day 3

Two little notes before I begin... I can see that some people are posting messages to the blog, but I cannot read them. Sorry! I can read emails (very irregularly though) so that's the best way to contact us. Also, if any of you out there are even contemplating this type of adoption, or if you do in the future, HOLT has been AMAZING. I am telling you, not a stone has gone unturned, the people are so knowledgeable and helpful - my expectations have been way surpassed. I am honestly going to miss these ladies, and one sweet man from the UK who lives here. I am so thankful that we used them; it's incredible, and we'd LOVE to share this with any of you friends who might feel the same call.

I thought I'd better send another update before this day begins. I'm sure I have my mom worried as a result of last night's message. Sorry. In all of our orientations, they told us that this was very typical and to be expected. Actually, as awful as it is to go through right now, it's actually very good for Lexie because it proves that she had strong attachments with her other family. She has great eye contact, too, which is a good sign. Many times kids who are unable to attach cannot look at you. She has no problem.

Some of the other little girls are even lifeless during the day. They will break through at some point during the week, we are assured, but for now those moms are struggling. One little girl won't even walk for more than a few steps and then she goes right back to being held. Another screams each time her dad looks her way. The little girl next door was withdrawing very bad, so Lexie and I went and sat on her bed. We play a game where we put a cup on our heads, wait for it to fall off, and then Tori and I make some crazy spazz out sound - and Lexie laughs a deep bellie laugh. That broke a smile with Melissa, so we're going to try more "clowning sessions" to try to help her out a bit. She's a darling little girl, and we love her parents. They live near LA, so we're hoping we can keep in touch with them when we visit CA in the future.

I'll fill you in on some other good things that took place...

Lexie gives moments where she really knows who we are. In a crowd, she looks up and picks Billy out and runs to him. We were sitting in the hall, and I put my arms out wide. She ran full speed right into my arms, and I gave her a giant hug. It was the best feeling in the world. I can't wait for Katie to experience it - she's going to LOVE Katie.

Her foster mother, I'm expecting, is a very strict, loving woman. If Lexie wants to touch something, she'll put her hand towards it and look at me - head down, little eyes peeking up, as to say - can I? If I say no, she waves her hand back and forth, must mean no-no. If she does something wrong (which was once when she hit a little girl who I had been hugging / when the little girl tried to touch her bottle) she keeps eye contact with those little puppy dog eyes looking up, with the saddest little frown you ever saw. Now... this probably won't last all that long - I'm sure she's a little bit nervous with us, so she might not remain quite so obedient. I'm enjoying it for the meantime.

Last night when Billy and I were out in the hall with her, there was another Spanish family out playing ball. (Spanish people are the 2nd largest group of people who adopt from China). The little girl is about 8, and her Chinese sister is about 2. Anyhow, the 8 year old was going crazy, running around, flopping on the floor, etc. - before we knew it, Lexie was down there with them, holding her two hands together, clapping, and flopping over the floor just like them. She was totally immitating the little girl - it was so funny.

She has other moments where I see extreme compassion already in her. The little girl who was withdrawing next door, Melissa, and Lexie and I were sitting on the bed with toys all around. Lexie was taking them, one at a time and placing them by Melissa's face. At one point, she reached over and patted her on the arm. At dinner, Melissa was clinging to her mom, and Lexie walked over and tried to take her hand - like, come with me. Melissa just watched, but one of these days she's going to dive right in.

My arms and abs are SO sore at the moment. This child is a crazy runner - as I said earlier, she wants to go all over the place running, backwards, forwards - you name it. Billy had her during dinner for a bit so I could eat, and he came back huffing and puffing. I said - what did you do??? He said, I was just with her - she's going to keep us young! Or, injured.

The info we got on her records was actually pretty accurate, despite the foster care thing. She has incredible fine motor skills. She actually can draw on the magna doodle, she can stack things, and she even twisted a lid on a water bottle yesterday. She is extremely meticulous - can't stand thing to be out of order. If I take a lid of the water and put it off to the side, she'll take a sip of water, and then reach over to get the lid, put it back on, and then she can move along to the next thing. When she's eating (which is another whole issue) if she doesn't like something (which is most things!) she will hand me the pieces one at a time until her area is clean. Believe it or not - when she was done eating yesterday, I wiped her hands with a napkin, and she took it from me so she could wipe off the high chair. Katie - you've met your match sweetie! Tori even said yesterday, when Lexie was sleeping, that she looked like you. She can entertain like you and Tori used to, that's for sure. Mom and Dad - I'm anticipating many more fireplace shows, if you remember what I'm talking about!

Basically this child eats congee, congee, and more congee. I don't even know how to make it, but it's like watery rice. I think the only way I'm going to get her to eat things is by adding it to congee! They eat it very hot, and very fast. We were feeding her slowly, and she was like - forget this. She took the spoon from Tori, pulled the bowl close to her, and when I say shoveled it in - she shoveled it in. Lisa, Leah, and Sisi are our guides here - they say they like everything hot here. Hot weather, hot food, and hot girls (meaning strong willed!) So the warmer the food, the warmer you're dressed, the better. So - they have to eat fast because they think cold food is not good for you. I watched some men next to me eating yesterday, and it was quite gross. :-) Anyhow, she has eaten lots of oranges, mandarin and tangerines, a steamed egg (very popular here), milk, and some veges and seafood that we disguised in some rice. Chef Lisa and Chef Kendra - I need your expertise with this one!!!

So, basically for the next week and a half - we just wait this week for the passport, and next week for the visa and all the US consulate stuff - and then we're home. Just lots of hanging out and touring and it'll be Thanksgiving before we know it.

Ok, I'm going to get in the shower before this little peanut wakes up. Things are really going very well despite anything associated with sleep. That being said, she does sleep through the night, although restlessly, and she took a couple good naps yesterday. God has truly blessed us with this angel. I had a heart to heart with Him yesterday as she was napping, and I gazing into her face. I thought of all the people connected to her and all the "stuff" we had to go through to get her. I would have done it all over again, and we are so totally and completely in love with her. Oops - I hear her. I love you,
K