Back to the Blog!

After a three day break, I am finally back at the blog!  It's been quite a three days, hard in several ways, but each day has gotten a little better than the one before.  To anyone who has done a China adoption trip more than once and willingly braved that 12 hour time change - you have my greatest respect!  I tell you - that 12 hour time change was evil on my body!  It was hard on Jim too, but he seemed to handle it so much better than me.  Just ask my parents who were nice enough to stay an extra two days so that I could rebound a little - I was a wreck the day after we got home!  I've always been the type of person to register anxiety or stress in physical ways, even when I was little.  That proved to be true this time too, and apparently that 12 hour time change is interpreted by my body as a major stress!  But like I said before, each day has gotten a little better than the one before.  I am proud to say that today I finally ate 3 meals - even if they were small - I had all three!

It has been really fun to introduce Lydia to life at home.  She took to the rest of her family pretty much right away at the airport.  She had seen them lots on Skype, so the faces weren't new and the names weren't new, but the fact that they were no longer on a screen - that was new!  She looked bewildered for only maybe 2 seconds, and then she pointed out who they were.  Within a couple of minutes she was laughing with Grace and Mary Emma.




First meeting the faces from skype!



We were SO glad to see our two big girls that waited so long for our return!

The first of many laughs together!

Once at home, she gained a huge second wind, even though the time for us on China time was around midnight!  She worked her way through the house exploring each room and the toys that happened to be in some of them.  Actually, the longer the afternoon went on, and it seemed to go on about forever, the more of an energy high she seemed to be on.  Jim and I both napped for a while while Grace, Mary Emma, Nana and Papa kept Lydia busy - or perhaps I should say SHE kept them busy!  And unfortunately, the more Jim and I rested the more tired we got.  Meantime, Lydia played herself into utter exhaustion so that by the time we wanted to sit down for dinner she had a momentary meltdown and then fell asleep at the kitchen table.  Poor little thing.  She played so hard, it was like she didn't know how long she would get to stay at this place so she better make the most of her time here! 

That was already three days ago!  I do have to say when I look back on that first afternoon, it is NOT a feeling I would want to go back and repeat.  I am so thankful that each day and each night we have some improvement in our level of attempted normal.  I think one of the biggest hurdles has been getting sleep.  One night we simply seemed to be on the wrong time, and despite forcing ourselves to stay awake most of the day, didn't sleep much at all at night.  Last night was the best night of sleep we've had, but Lydia still doesn't like to be in her room alone (understandably) and ended up in our bed for half the night.  We haven't decided yet how to handle that problem if it persists into more of a long term situation.  For now, our goal is to get her acclimated to her own bed, but also balance that with whatever we need to do to get us all some sleep to get over the crazy jet-lag.  I know I've heard a lot of adoptive families end up with either a mattress or a toddler bed in mom and dad's room for a while.  We'll explore that if we still need to I guess after this initial transition. 

By far today was the most "normal" feeling of any of the days, in regards to both schedule and energy level.  We actually got up and made it to church this morning.  Then we went out for lunch - to a local favorite for some good Asian cuisine - just to give Lydia a taste of something familiar.  She pointed to everything pictured on the menu and said her Chinese word for, "That one!"  Apparently it all looked good!  It was such a beautiful day today that we were also able to go outside and play and even take a first bike ride!  I'll try to post some more pictures tomorrow, but I'm getting awfully sleepy right now!

I was reminded of a favorite hymn this morning in church.  Of course it just "happened" to be the first one we sang this morning, and though I know it well and have sung it many times, could not get through even one verse without tears this morning.  It was such a reminder of God's faithfulness in all situations.  He will bring us through it, often times far better than we could ever have expected, and then how many times we are surprised when he does. 

"He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?"  Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm."  Matthew 8:26

I was trying to find a way to post a recording of the hymn, but since I can't find the one I'm looking for on You Tube and I'm again falling asleep at the computer, I'll just have to post the lyrics.

How firm a foundation

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How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who to Jesus for refuge have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

and