It is Wednesday afternoon. Pete and the girls are out doing some shopping and Anna is napping. We had a great day yesterday. She was such a happy girl all day and even in the evening. It was our first bedtime with no crying and fussing! Pete and the girls went swimming while I was putting away laundry (can’t even escape that in China…) In the quiet of the room, she walked around with her new Barbie that had been left in our room by the hotel. She sat on her bed, played by herself and eventually just laid down and went to sleep! Thank you Lord! She started getting grumpy when she got tired today, but I think she was also hungry. It took me a little while to figure out that was the problem. Our schedules and routines are so confused, it is hard to remember when to feel hungry. After I fed her she settled down and went to sleep in my lap. She protested a little when I laid her down, but after a very brief scream went right back to sleep. She reminds me again of Mark in her ability to protest so passionately only to shut it off in an instant and be fine. I cannot accommodate her desire to be carried constantly, my back just won’t hold out. I don’t think I mentioned in the last post that the medical appointment confirmed what I had estimated after a couple of days of carrying her. She weighs a full 30 pounds. She doesn’t have any rolls, dimples or bulges though – she is just tall, muscular and solid. Someone asked me if it is possible she is older than we think since she is so tall and so verbal for having just turned two. Her birthdate – June 26, 2004, has to be within a couple of days of her actual birthdate. She was found with her umbilical cord still attached and I have pictures of her beginning when she was placed in foster care the day after she was found on July 4, 2004.
It is quite hot and humid here and has a somewhat tropical feel. There are palm trees along the street. It is over 90 degrees here today and accuweather says with the high humidity the real feel is 116. The pool is beautiful. Anna and I haven’t gotten to the pool yet because so far Pete and the girls have been going late at night. We may try to go this afternoon. She was quite excited to take a bath this morning (progress!!) so I’m hopeful she will enjoy the pool.
Tomorrow our Visa paperwork is being submitted. We were hoping maybe we could get a swearing in appointment tomorrow too so that we could try to come home Friday, but that doesn’t seem likely. Our swearing in ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 4:00 p.m.
We would love to get home to our boys sooner, but while we are here continue to enjoy meeting really neat people. Yesterday, we met a couple from Mississippi that are adopting their 8th child. I think two of theirs are biological. Their oldest is adopted from Vietnam and is married and expecting their first grandchild. They are adopting a little boy with cleft palate. We also met a woman who is here adopting their second daughter from China. She and her husband work for Wycliffe – JAARS back in North Carolina. She told us they consider Papua New Guinea their real home because they worked there for over 20 years with Wycliffe. It turns out they know Pete’s mother’s good friend, Marguerite Muzzy, who also worked in Papua New Guinea for many years. She lived in their home for a time! It really is a small world after all! Pete really enjoyed visiting with her. I’m sure he thinks that living so close to a small airport and meeting someone from JAARS means he is destined to become a bush pilot some day! I’m sure if he is ever independently wealthy, he will either find a way to be a missionary medic or a jungle pilot! No need for any of you to worry though, we don’t seem to be in any danger of that kind of wealth and independence in the near future!
I just realized Pete and the girls left me here with a dove bar…so I’m going to send this off and enjoy a sweet and quiet moment! Only a few days until our family of 7 is together! Kristine
Rejoice in the Lord always, I again I say rejoice!
