Rainy Day Shopping

We have had several days of rain.  What does one do in the summer when you've exhausted all other ideas for play at home?  Well, we had to get out. We got on our raincoats and went shopping. Our shopping trips are mostly about teaching Amy how to stay close and not grab everything.  She is getting better.  We stocked up on some craft supplies and hope to be prepared for some inside fun.
Also got Amy her own leap frog laptop so she is having fun with "her own computer".

Amy has to touch the big red ball! She pushes on it to see if it might roll.

Taking in the Simple Things

When Amy first came home, she was all about turning on and off light switches, flushing toilets, poking computer buttons, dishwasher controls, washing machine and dryer buttons and because my microwave is built in our kitchen island......she was constantly trying to program the microwave!
Now she is learning to leave those things alone and is beginning to really take in the world around her.  She is learning her colors, numbers and the ABC song.  She can spell her name.  Sings so many nursery rhymes.  When we go outside, she is really noticing nature more.  She has been observing my gardenia blooms; we can see them from our breakfast room window. She knows when the blooms are just beginning and those that are in full bloom.  She does a hand motion to tell me the different stages of the flower. When we sit on the screened porch, we take in their fragrance.  She has seen deer in our yard and has learned to whisper quietly and tiptoe so they are not startled.  She has seen a rabbit in our yard, and a turtle making his way to the woods.  She loves to hear the birds singing and has been trying so hard to whistle herself.  She takes notice of the clouds in the sky and if they are gray, she will tell us rain and thunder may be coming.  We have played in the rain and rain puddles. She loves to walk in the rain with her umbrella. We have caught lady bugs and followed after butterflies.  Recently we stayed out until dark to catch the first fireflies of the season.  She was completely amazed at the way they light up.  It is a beautiful thing to see a soul awaken to God's creation.  Taking note of the beauty in all He has made, the love He puts into it......into us.  We are sensing the hope,  and joy that has begun to bubble up in our Amy. She is learning so quickly and eager to take in all her new life has to offer.  Love is growing here.
We are finding out she has a huge laugh.  It is bigger than she is...... when in full effect.  She can literally fall down from laughing so hard.

We are spending our summer days taking in the simple things with a fresh sort of thankfulness.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.  Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.
Psalm 96:12

Dancing to our Learning songs in our schoolroom

Sidewalk chalk drawings in the shade

Amy's amazement at her first firefly 

First fireflies of the season

Father's Day

To all our Fathers.  We love you and appreciate you! Grilled some ribs.  Made us some home made vanilla ice cream to finish a relaxing day.

Had a few sprinkles

Papa kicking back

Papa and girls tasting samples

Worth the effort

Simple Summer Days

Trying to ride trike and play ball at the same time.

Dancing

Dancing like big sister

Finger Painting

Changing Sheets Day......Grab your buddies so they do not get laundered!

Made Butterfly Bracelets then flew them to every flower we could find.

Translators, Dentist and Doctor

A very kind Chinese lady from the Chinese Christian Church in North Atlanta has been working with us but as of now, is unable to find us a translator/tutor for Amy.  As we have talked, we discovered that she too is from Shijuizhuang. She called me one day and said her husband would come to our house to go over some things that were concerning us. I agreed and was planning on paying him for his time.  He came and spent over an hour with us. We had some safety issues and so we went through the house with Amy.  Room by room to cover specifics.  Bathroom: SIT not stand in tub, do not turn on hot water as momma does that now, and flush toilet only once.  Porches: do not climb on railing.  Kitchen: oven and cooktop hot....do not touch.  Computer....do not touch.....one day you will be able!  Do not leave the house alone.  Must have someone with you to go outside.  Do not ever go past Nana and PaPa's house without mom and dad.
Amy liked having him here and talked his ear off.  I had him ask her some things and tell her some things. I had noticed that Amy seemed scared or concerned every time we drove to go somewhere, even after using google translator to tell her where we were going.

He reassured her that this is now her permanent home.  That even if we go somewhere, we will come back. Even if she goes to school, she will come back home.  We are her family.  Amy was very serious for this conversation and nodded her head yes in approval.

She told him, this is a good home.  That she has a good mama and baba.  She told him that mama holds her when she gets a boo boo and that we take care of her. Told him she likes her brothers and sister. Told him we have a cat that says, meow... in the basement. She also asked him to cut her a slice of the pound cake under the glass cake plate. He laughed at her and translated.  I told him to tell her later after dinner.  This girl loves my cream cheese pound cake. Licks the crumbs off the plate. 

Amy kept shushing me as she preferred to do all the talking.  He corrected her and tried to tell her it is not right to shush parents.  Parents do the shushing.  YES!!!!

I got him to ask her if she is afraid of any thing, or has any concerns.  She told him that she is afraid of the dog down the street.  

She also told him she has never been to school.  She wants to be the big sister and not be the little sister. 

In China, eldest sister is of higher ranking order in the family than younger sisters.  This does not sit well with Amy and she would like to trade places with Anna so another post will be following about this particular subject.   

 I tried to insist, but this very kind man refused payment. Said he admired our concern and compassion  for Chinese orphans and that he was very happy to help us. 

 Thank you, Lord, for providing for us.

Amy did very well at the pediatric dentist.  Even had a very loose tooth pulled, she did so well.  Brave girl.  Said "AHHHHH", over and over again as she gets the whole doctor/dentist thing confused.  The good news is that her teeth are in good shape. The dentist was very surprised as he has dealt with adoptees before and there are often problems.   Will go in for xrays and such in a few months when she is better adjusted. Got her teeth cleaned and painted with fluoride so we are set.  

Amy also had a doctor's appointment.  Had to have a major blood draw and four immunizations. Starting over on them all.  So many lab tests the doctor did not think they would get enough blood.  They did though and Amy was very brave.    

Our insurance provided a wonderful Mandarin speaking translator for our visit.  She was fantastic with Amy and Amy worked well with her, in spite of the dialect difference.    We were able to get Amy's vision and hearing tests done which accomplished a lot more than I expected.  Thank you again, Lord for your provision.  

Amy's tests checked out well and the only concern was that she had some low lead exposure.  Praying time now out of the exposure and good nutrition will correct.  Amy made the translator laugh when she told her this, " Don't you like my English? My Mommia speaks English.  I speak very good English to my Mommia!"

I lift up my eyes to the hills----where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1

She's a Shoe Girl

Shoes that Sparkle and dolly like me!

When we first got Amy in China, she came to us wearing shoes that were way too big for her.  Made her walk like a little clown. The shoes I brought for her were way too big also.  As soon as we were able, we had our guide take us to get her some shoes that fit.  It was the morning before we went to the Great Wall.  I insisted she just had to have new shoes before all that stair climbing!
Amy fell for a pair of pink leather ones with rhinestones, ruffles and a small heel.  Not good for walking.
No, she did not want a pair of sensible tennis shoes.  They did not fit, she said.  Only the fancy pink ones fit.  They really didn't but this is what she told us and our guide then he quickly responded with....."Do not believe her. She  just wants the fancy ones!"  She started to fuss about the whole deal and our guide took over, firmly explaining to her we needed climbing shoes.  We then got out of there as fast as possible.  She was octopus hands in the store!
Now that we are home, she has several pairs of shoes.  She loves the girly ones best.  One day I took her upstairs to show her all the bins that have clothes and shoes that Anna has outgrown and plans to pass down to Amy. She loves all the clothes, especially since they were Anna's.  She is crazy about the "shoe bin"!   Since discovering, she has many times come down the stairs with a "new" pair of shoes on her tiny feet.  No matter they are WAY too big for her.  She knows what she likes.  She likes shoes. Happened to have a pair of yellow box sparkly flip flops that match a pair of mine. They are a little big on her but she can manage.  She loves them and likes it when I wear mine to match.  She loves the way they sparkle! "Sparrrrrrkle" is a word we like to say. We use it after we wash our hands and they are clean.  They Sparrrrrrkle.  We also use it after she does a good job brushing her teeth......they sparrrrrkle too!

Shoe Shopping in China

Happy for fur lined boots (in June?) and a new bunch of bananas

Caught getting in the shoe bin again!

Shushing and Sas

This may be funny to you, and one day it will be funny to me.
As Amy speaks fluent Chinese, her way of learning English is to mimic.  That is well and good.
Unless you are the momma and a certain little missy shushes me back when I shush her.  She has also told me to "Be Nice, Be quiet, and Stop"!  Sometimes it is all innocent.  But I have also been a momma long enough to recognize....SAS.....when I hear it.  Even in Chinese.  SAS is a universal language you know. You can tell by the tone and the body language.  So we are plugging along.  It is complicated.  Explaining that I can indeed shush her at appropriate times but that she can NOT SHUSH ME. That just because I am telling her to do something she may not want to do..... it does not have any thing to do with me not being NICE.  And lastly, the more she and I go round and round about who should be quiet......it is actually NOT QUIET AT ALL.
Especially in the places we should be quiet.  Like the library, doctors office and dentist office.
Sweet Anna at times would like to make herself invisible.  She has grown up so much.  Her comment is often...."this is embarrassing."  The sister issues are another post altogether.  I will share about that soon.  Suffice it to say, some days are diamonds and some days are coal.
Amy also mimics my "no, no" finger wag.  And she is quite the pro. Shakes her head no at the same time.  Something tells me that some time ago, in a land far away, an elderly foster grandmother did some no, no finger wagging to this girl of mine.
 We will get there.  Making tremendous progress.
I can't leave out the good things she says back to me.  Like, "Mommia, I so proud of you, Good Job,  I lovva you, and Good Girla"!
 However as I keep it real here,  let me tell you, parenting a child that speaks another language is more than a challenge.  It can be frustrating, exhausting, and leave you feeling as if you made some mistakes along the way. I have made mistakes along the way.
How difficult this has to be for our precious Amy.
This is.......  keeping me before the Lord.  I need Him.  He shows up in just the right way.....at just the right time. He knows me.   He knows her.   I know that He has the best of plans for us. The Bible tells me so...........and that encourages me.
 After adopting Anna there were many tears of emotion as this is no doubt an emotional journey.
For this journey, I have not cried yet. Not even while we were in China.  Oh, I have had my moments of tears welling and lumps in my throat.  Not a real cry though. And I can be a pretty good cryer.
I really had to fight it the night  in China when Scott was so sick that he mentioned possibly going to a hospital. Off and on through the very late night, I lay in bed and I actually kept my arm over my eyes to keep the tears away.   Praying, please heal Scott and help me be strong Lord. This is not a good time!   Understanding that to let the flood gates open would allow the tears of the journey  to flow unchecked.  For all that was, all that is and all that will be in the future.

 The emotions are here.  This is hard to explain but it is a testament to the power and goodness of God.  He has so STILLED my heart.  And that is no small feat for a worrisome heart like mine.  There is a calmness, an evenness if you will,  that He sends when I am on the verge.
The one night I went for a walk, planning a big ugly cry at sundown and loading my pockets with tissues......neighbors stopped me to ask about Amy and Anna. Thinking as not to scare them with a possible bawl out,  I had to suck it up and gave them an update. Afterwards, I decided to enjoy my walk and did not want to spend the energy on crying.....spent it on walking faster.  Walking and talking with Jesus is so healing for me.  I know He would not mind at all if I cried.....it's just that He, for now is taking away the need to cry.  He is filling in the gaps, helping me sleep on those nights that could often leave me fretting, giving me more patience than I had before, enough energy to face the whole long day, and giving us new mercies every morning.
Doing what He does.......making the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.

When I look back at where we have been.  Where She........has been.
I can see God at work.
In Her.
In Me.
In each member of our family.
And even though we may have a ways to go, He is with us.
He is all over us.

"When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice."  John 10:4

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."   Isaiah 41:13

Don't let the princess gown fool you.  This is one of her "I mean business" stances.  That is alright.  I have my own "I mean business" stance.  Thankfully I don't think there is a photo of mine.  It is not nearly as cute as hers!