Longer here than there

Annalyn's lived at home now for more time than she spent in the orphanage, and she's suddenly taken an interest in our trip to get her. When we came home , I put together an album with about 150 photos from the trip. I use it when I occasionally speak in public, and I keep it out as a coffee table book for visitors to peruse. It's just tidbits from the trip. Recently, Annalyn has been looking through it by herself and having us 'read' it to her often. The other day, Patrick noticed it was in a lower kitchen cabinet, which she often crawls in to play. It was lying there with a blanket and flashlight. He asked if he should put it away, and although she's rather hard on books and I'd like to protect this one, I think she needs complete access to it. It's as though she's beginning to piece together her story.

The other day, she found the key chain I had carried in China. It had her referral picture on one side and the one of our family leaving to get her on the other. She showed us her picture. She explained, 'That baby cry. That baby want her momma. That baby me.'

Anniversary

Tomorrow will be our Gotcha Anniversary. It seems too monumental of a task to blog all that has transpired in the past year. Annalyn has a family. She's a nice, normal two-year-old. She's not quite to the point of speaking English well, but she communicates fabulously in her own creative way. She tenderly cares for anyone in need of compassion. She enjoys life as a farm girl. She always reminds us to pray before meals. She's happy and healthy and blessed. So are we.

Half a Year

It's been half of a year since she joined our family. Six months since Gotcha! I keep recounting the months and checking the calendar because that just can't be right. Hasn't she always been with us? Didn't we just get back from China? I haven't even unpacked. Really. I haven't. In the past six months, Annalyn has been with her family constantly. She has stayed close to her parents, her bubbas, or her grandparents every moment. Maybe it's time to check out the church nursery. She seems as attached as any homegrown child could be. She fits in perfectly. She's just one of the kids. We'll have another visit from the social worker this week. We're still finishing up paperwork. There's still quite a bit to do, but we're on the home stretch. At least, our baby girl is home.

New Year

We were invited to attend a Chinese New Year celebration at a church in the city. We debated about whether Annalyn would be comfortable being there or not. She avoided Chinese people in China, and she acts tense at Chinese restaurants when waitresses talk to her. So, we didn't know but what CNY might be just too stressful, but we decided to try it anyway. We could always leave if need be. My hubby had to work, so the kids and I ventured out in the snow to see what this CNY was all about. The celebration took place in the church's fellowship hall with a kitchen and a stage. Real Chinese food was served and various acts were performed for over three hours. Hymns were sung, prayers were said, a goofy skit of the parable of the seeds was done in both Mandarin and English, and both modern and traditional dances were interpersed throughout. Annalyn LOVED it. She was thrilled by the thousand year eggs (yuck) and some freaky sesame covered ball that had beans inside. She went around the table eating everyone's. Apparently, these holiday foods had been served at the orphanage. She was so excited by the performances that she tried several times to run up on stage with the dancers. She finally settled for singing at the bottom of the steps. Most importantly, Annalyn seemed to be comfortable being with her family in a Chinese environment. I was so glad to see her enjoy the celebration.

Zhouzhuang (Lost Post from China)

We had a little trouble posting to the blog in China. Some posts went through, some did without the photos, and some didn't show up. This one apparently didn't make it at all. I think it's important for folks heading to Shanghai to know about, so here it is. This was actually the day before we got Annalyn.

Sept. 5, 2011

We saw a dab of ancient China today! I had been a bit disappointed to miss all the old cities, so our guide took us on a trip outside of Shanghai to a nine hundred year old 'watery town', Zhouzhuang. It has become a tourist attraction, but people still live in the back of the shops. It is exactly the way the city is described in the book 'Young Fu of the Upper Yangze.' The rich men's houses have been turned into museums. The narrow streets are lined with a few crafting shops, many restaurants, and countless trinket shops. The families live in the rooms behind the shops. The front of the buildings face stone streets and the back of the buildings face canals. Each one has little steps down to the water where the boats are tied and the laundry is washed. Our sweet guide is a former history teacher who told us everything about everything. It was like touring with Aunt Kathleen. She wouldn't let us make purchases or eat there, though. (Savor said that we would find better deals in GZ. We didn't, and we wish we had bought a few things from the black smith or basket weaver or bone carver.)

When we left, our driver took us to the neatest restaurant just on the outskirts of Shanghai. The restaurant is a series of a dozen or so microscopic, A-frame duplexes along a lake. Each house is a private dining room. There are chickens running loose in the parking lot and hammocks strung between the trees. The four of us shared freshly caught shrimp, a freshly killed chicken, whole lotus seeds, steamed bok choy, sticky fried rice, a pot of green tea, and a bottle of Pepsi. We spent less than at a fast food back home. The semi-outdoor bathroom consisted of a few stalls built over a narrow, sloped, wooden trench without running water. (This turned out to be our favorite restaurant in China.)

First Snowfall

The kids are out playing in the snow. You might call it just a heavy dusting, but it's enough for a tiny snowman. It's Annalyn's first time to see snow. She's bundled up so she can hardly move. She refuses to leave the mittens on. She's just walking around carefully. I think she's wondering what this stuff all over her yard is and why we're making her dress in a pillow with arms.

Christmas Cards

Merry Christmas! There. That may be all you get from me. I love Christmas cards. I usually have sent dozens signed by each person in the family by early December. I've been known to offer a prize to whomever can sign all the cards first, so I have plenty of time to address envelopes and get those blessings in the mail. Not so this year. I do have cards. They are sitting unopened in a box. I'd like to put a family photo in each one. We haven't all smiled at the camera at the same time yet. So, IF I get any cards out, I'm sure they will be late. Merry Christmas anyway.