A blessed day in Guangzhou

Another  great day in Guangzhou.  Today we had a very amazing experience. We were able to meet a few Deaf woman here and a deaf couple here and we basically had a full DEAF DAY!!!! It sure has been a HUGE blessing as they have helped me to really be able to communicate with Elias so much better and understand so much more about him and who he is. We are still only truly just scratching the surface of learning who are children are. It has been a blessing beyond words to learn a bunch of CSL as it is really helping with Elias and he is opening up to me more and I believe finally starting to get that I am not just some strange lady that moves her hands in ways he cannot understand, but I am actually signing a different language. Today we sat down with a book and I showed him the ASL sign and he would happily teach me the CSL sign. I am truly truly enjoying learning CSL. I have always been a big fan of language in general so to be able to learn more of a language that my son knows is a blessing.  

Emma only knows a tiny bit of CSL so she is happily soaking up whatever we use with her.  Emma knows her numbers, letters, gets to concept of adding but does not know how. She knew some basic signs as she was only in school from Sept to Dec.  She has common sense that can border on brilliant hahah. The girl has such awareness and brightness in her eyes. She seems to want to really please mommy and I am no dummy and no that can end at any day. She does seem beyond thrilled to have a family and keeps holding me and kissing me and just loving on me with all she can.  Daddy actually got a good night kiss tonight and she was thrilled to kiss him goodnight.  She is such a love bug, reminds me of my love bug Paige at home.. I now have two snuggle bug girls.. yahooooo!!!!

I have not really mentioned too much that we are here with another family and our rooms are right down the hall. They too are on their second adoption and both of their sons they have adopted are deaf. So we basically have a large Deaf posse here and it is a blessing and a half.  I do not need to interpret and we are just having such a good time being together.  God has truly blessed my socks off by orchestrating  us two families being here together. We have become very close and it is a blessing and half to be able to be here with a friend that I have grown close to over the last few months.  Our families get along beautifully and we have laughed so hard. What a blessing. Thank you Lord. It has been great to have our own support system here and when one is struggling we can pick each other up. Tonight we ordered Chinese food and had a huge deaf gathering in their room. It was a night I wont forget and a time of just getting to chill and get to know each other more. 

Today we had the medical appointment for both children.  It is in a newer building and was more official than the last time we came here. Both kids checked out great. We were not sure about Emmas eye  sight as her paperwork said it was poor, although we have not seen anything that says it is. She passed the eye exam beautifully.  They both had a height  and weight check, eyes and ears,  a look over, and a TB test. We will get the results of the TB test on Monday.  I have a height and weight for both kids but need to convert it a measurement system I am used to first before I figure out their sizes hahah.  I can tell you that they are both TINY.. teeny tiny. Elias is I think in about a size 7, if that. Emma is wearing a size 5. My little pipsqueaks. J

Tonight as I sit here and type this I have two goofballs bouncing around in the bed. Bed time has been a little rough as Elias seems to have a hard time falling asleep and just relaxing enough to go to bed.  I cannot imagine what goes through both of the kids heads. Emma seems thrilled beyond thrilled to just have a family and someone to love on her. She cannot get enough love. Elias seems like he is trying so hard to adjust to what has been thrown at him.  Last night and today we met a Deaf Chinese couple and a few woman from the USA that are deaf and living here in China and they helped to explain to elias a little more about adoption and what is going on. He was under the impression he was going back to school here after break.  What a shock to the system to realize these strangers you have never met now claim to be your parents and live forever away and are taking you there on an airplane. I cannot imagine and it is hard for me to wrap my brain around what my poor children have gone through. The adoption process is not easy on children…… it is a rough thing. Yes I know it is the best for Elias, Emma and Luke to be adopted but wow it is crazy to have to go through it and to go through it as an older child must be beyond traumatic. I cannot imagine the pain, confusion, anger and just pure frustration at having no say in anything that happens to you in your life.  I pray for my childrens hearts and minds daily and pray for them to know God one day and that He and only He can take away the pain and help them to handle this crazy transition in their lives. 

I  am getting ready to go to bed and am struck by how blessed I am. I am a mom with 6 gorgeous children and 6 beautiful blessings from God.  How lucky can one woman get. I have a husband that is beyond amazing. A family that thinks we are nuts ;) but loves us and our beautiful children immensely.  Friends that love and support us. A church family that loves us and supports and prays for us and we are blessed to be where God has placed us.   Thank you Lord for blessing us so much. Thank you Lord for preparing our childrens hearts and minds to receive us here in China.  Please continue to pray for us and our family (here and in China.) We are missing our children at home a lot and it is hard to be so far away from them and I wish they were here to experience this journey together as a family.  Paige is soon to loose her first tooth ever and we are not there L  Tommy had his first school dance ever and we were not there L  Luke had an amazing field trip to the Franklin Institute ( I love hearing his stories after he gets home from a field trip) and we were not there. BUT we have family there that are loving on our children and taking such good care of them and that helps so much.  Good night everyone from the country of China.

      I  have a ton of new pictures I just need to get them off of the camera and into here.