We began our day by eating breakfast in the Crown Plaza Hotel that we are staying in. Now these folks know how to do a buffet. There was about 25 different kinds of breads and pastries, omelets, fruit, cereals, fried potatoes, soups, salads, anything you could ever imagine and it was delicious. We then headed to the Civil Affairs Office again to officially adopt Dang Xiaoduo - Madelyn Xiao Wright and receive our adoption certificate. It did not take long and we were on our way back to the hotel. We met up with the Jacobs family again and ventured out to the local mall. Eric Jacobs is a world traveler and the 4 of us gals just follow him around. God certainly knew which two families to put together this week, haha! The mall was very much like the US malls only it was about 6 stories tall. We bought Madelyn a stroller and she immediately took to riding in it. I was so thankful because I was afraid she would not like being “confined” but throughout the day we have found she loves it and will grab my hand and lead me to it when she wants to go for a ride. After the mall we came back to the hotel for a nap while the Jacobs went to meet their daughter. I laid Maddie down at 2:00 and at 5:00 pm we all three awoke to the telephone! WOW a THREE hour nap, we were all so wore out and needed that rest!
Praises today for the Jacobs Family received their daughter who will turn 14 next week. Her name is Lillian. This family amazes me at how they let God lead them from adopting a little one to a 14 year old in just a few short weeks. To see Lillian with them is truly an inspiration. She holds Sally’s hand at all times and smiles from ear to ear. She is beautiful and is so proud of her new parents. Please continue to pray for this family as Lillian does NOT know English so the barrier is so much more profound than with Maddie. We know that over the next 10 days our two families will continue to grow close and we are thankful that God chose for us all to be together through this experience.
Now Miss Madelyn is fitting in better than I could have ever imagined. Yes, there certainly is the language barrier but she knows we don’t understand and does her best to “show” us through hand/body motions. She is potty trained 100% (thank you Dear Lord) and eats like a little pig. Tonight we ate at one of the hotel restaurants (there are 4 including the coffee and chocolate bar) and she ate most of my french fries, she’s an eater and not picky at all so far! We called Daddy and Joshua tonight and she jabbered away on the phone saying” daddy I love you and gugu (brother) I love you. She will repeat any English we say so I am trying to help her understand by motions or pictures what she means but what she repeats is so clear, I can’t believe how quickly she is catching on. She LOVES her coloring book and crayons, her baby doll and her Magna-doodle ( thanks Kathryn). We have been blessed so much and I can honestly tell you that only God could allow us to travel to the other side of the world take this child from the only thing she knows and let her attach to me so quickly!
The weather has been hot and humid but not unbearable! The street sidewalks are paved with marble stepping stones, the same stones we pay a fortune for to have in our homes in the US. All the trees and shrubs are trimmed just perfect and I read a post not to long ago that said something like the man who invented the video game Frogger must have been from China......I totally agree I have never seen anything like it, cars, bikes or scooters do NOT stop for pedestrians and you just close your eyes and cross the road, they honk and yell but they finally stop!!
I have a new respect for those who have to leave their families for long periods of time, especially those in the military. It helps talking to Matt and Joshua each day but I am very homesick and miss them very, very much!
Tomorrow we have our Notary Public meeting then the rest of the week is touring until we fly to Guangzhou on Saturday for the final portion of our trip. Tonight as I look at Maddie sleeping soundly in her crib clutching both her baby dolls I thank God for this amazing experience and still cannot believe she is ours to keep Forever.....
Until tomorrow,
Jennifer, Madelyn & Nana Paula
PS - I have been getting all your e-mails and I wish I had time to answer them but know how much I appreciate the word of love, encouragement and prayers. |
