9pm Saturday
Today we had a great time touring around with the 17 other Bethany families who are here to pick up their children. The families will leave Beijing on Monday and will receive their precious ones the same day. Since Kara is only one of two little ones who have been adopted thus far, she has been getting a lot of attention from the “parents in waiting.” (Don’t look now, but soon she’ll be calling her people to tell your people when she’d like to do lunch.) These are just super families and I am so excited for them. We’ll meet up with them again in Guangzhou when we’ll get to meet their children.
We went to the Great Wall today which is a really great wall. Seriously though, it is amazing to see such an ancient site as part of a modern city. To coin a phrase from a well-know scholar, “the juxtaposition between the ancient and modern is intriguing” (thanks Mike). Not so great was the climb. Whoa Nelly, it is a very steep ascent…at least on one side. Like a bunch of sheep we just started climbing up where we saw a bunch of other people hoofing it. As we ascended we looked across the way and noticed that there was a much more gradual climb that had fewer people. Poor James had to carry the cutest bit of dead weight you’ve ever seen up and down. He needed windshield wipers for his eyes as he had sweat pouring down his face. He had a number of strangers taking pictures of him carrying the little sleeping bundle who could care less about this very important piece of history.
Kara did very well on the drive over, but on the drive back she fell asleep but then woke up crying loudly. She fell back to sleep only to repeat the cycle of crying and sleeping several times over. Very distressing when you’re stuck in Beijing traffic (yes on Saturday even) and you don’t know why she’s upset, nor do you know how to help her. On a different note, she still goes to anyone and today she was scooped up by at least three Chinese women who walked around with her speaking Chinese to her. I haven’t yet learned to say “Please do not take away my baby” in Chinese.
The longer we have her, the more evidence of institutionalization we see in her (for instance, when going to sleep she would get up on her hands and knees and rock herself back and forth. We figure that was how she comforted herself). The good news is that we see a little change for the better each day. We had a breakthrough today in which I could tell she was learning to trust us more. She usually gets very upset when she drops something or even if you take off her shoes. Our guess is that she has never owned anything, so she doesn’t think she’s going to get things back. She has this one ball she loves and usually gets upset if she drops it. Today she came over and handed it to me. I was thrilled and rolled it back to her. That became a simple game that I have never enjoyed as much as I did today.
Tomorrow is Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and a rickshaw tour. Take my advice and if you can help it, don’t tour around with a baby, it is very challenging. We are enjoying seeing the sites, but we miss our kids greatly and want to get home so we can give Kara the things she really needs (like the rest of her family, immediate and extended). I also miss fresh leafy greens and homemade chocolate chip cookies. You know, the important stuff.
(And from James again) Yes this is a bit delayed. The logistics of getting this all taken care of isn’t always the easiest. As a result this latest post is already outdated since we’ve already been to the Great Wall & Tiananmen Square & the Purple Forbidden City. However, the writer that makes these things interesting is not feeling that hot & is rather tired, so you’ll just have to learn some patience! In the meantime, we’ll keep trying to catch you on Skype if you have it. Tomorrow morning (for us, your Sunday afternoon) may work for getting some Skyping done since we’re free tomorrow, no amazing historical sites to run off to.
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