Six months and lifetimes

Today it is officially six months since we became Henry's parents.  In China we were clueless, unprepared, and scared just like any parents of a new child.  In six months we have learned so much about ourselves and about each other.  Henry has nearly mastered the English language, he loves school and for every day he lived away from his family he squeezes a couple of extra days into his present.  He is a pistol for sure, challenging every idea, every rule, every thing but is sweet and wonderful too.  He truly cares for the people around him and even though he hasn't quite come to grips with the fact that we are in love with him, he gives his love freely.

Today I asked him what he wanted to do with the afternoon.  It was our first day of our three week Easter vacation and his reply was, "Let's just sit and hug."  And that is truly what he meant...we sat and chatted and hugged for the longest time...he with his endless stream of questions...me with my very thoughtful, uncomplicated answers.

Have we felt the pang of change? Yes. Remembered the days of having "free time"?  Sure. But how can that compete with an afternoon of hugging?

It has only been six months but I can not explain how much this boy feels like he was born to be part of our family...God has only begun to make up for what was lost...and I'm so looking forward to every moment of this new lifetime.

Zài jiàn China

Its our last day in China and we are so ready to come home.  The Lord has truly been good to us, we have lived in close quarters for three weeks and all gotten along so well.  Vivienne has been the greatest help ever and such a sweetheart as always, I can't imagine this trip without her....BUT, we miss home.  We miss our beds, we miss our Ben and the rest of our family, we miss church and dear o dear, we miss BIG GIANT SALADS.

Henry is doing really great.  We went to Shamain Island today and he was SO good.  I was so prepared for him to burn out after a couple of hours but he is such a trooper.  He and I are bonding more and more every day, he craves affection and I am loving it.  He still prefers Charles but secretly, I am thrilled for them to be so close, it's really very cute:)

So as we spend our last day in China, our last day of this crazy exhausting trip, I praise our Lord for His provision, for His covering and for His lessons.  On to phase two...settling in.  We are hoping to see you all soon and introduce Henry.  Zài jiàn China!!

Guangzhou

Henry with his friends Elizabeth and Joseph at dinner on our last night

Waiting for our luggage - this ones for you dad

On Sunday we said goodbye to our friends at Shepherd's Field and we are finally on our last leg of our trip...Guangzhou.  Everything here is really nice.  The city, our hotel and our guide are all really wonderful and we are feeling spoiled.  Vivienne caught my cold but is doing fine otherwise.

We got here on Sunday night and yesterday we went to get Henry's physical.  He was a champ as they attempted an eye exam and gave him a tb test.  Didn't cry a bit.  After a rest he and Charles went to the pool where he started to learn to swim.  He amazes us with his courage and resilience.  He is such a trooper and when our guide is with us he is full of questions.  He is picking up new English words every day but is very proud that daddy can speak Chinese;) too so he goes back and fourth, truly bilingual, truly amazing.

Today we went on a city tour of a Temple, the Chen House and an arts and crafts market.  Oh if I had money I would have had to buy another suitcase!  So much history, creativity and talent here!
We are all ready to come home though, every night Henry gets on my computer and looks at photos of family and friends and his bedroom.  He is really excited to meet everyone and to kiss his dogs.
Tomorrow we go back to the clinic to have his tb test read, Thursday is our consulate appt and then Friday we will hang out at the local park and pick up any last minute things we need to bring home and  pack.  We have to be at the airport at 6:30 am on Saturday because someone, I don't know who?, booked our flight home way too early.  But we get into Los Angeles at 11:30 am too so it will give us a full day of discovering before going to bed early.

 It has been a long three weeks.  Adoption trips are not for the faint at heart but I hope I remember every moment of it.