Fun Things...

Eli rocked his All County Orchestra Concert.  He was selected out of all of the orchestra students at his school to be a part of the orchestra.  Congrats, Eli!

Emmy loves parks!  She points every park out as we drive by and wants to stop and play.

And art…Emmy likes to paint and cut and draw and glue and color...

Homework time…even Emmy gets into it.

Grace's cool ski championship hat!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Grace got to spend several days in Vail singing national anthems for the winners of the International Ski Championships with her choir.  What an awesome experience!

Hot chocolate after Emmy's inaugural snow playing time.  She liked being pulled on the sled but did not like trying to trudge through the snow.

Smooch!

Emmy and Abby trying out the hot tub.

And playing the piano.

And having a tea party.

Love!

The first stuffed animal Emmy has liked…Hippy the Hippo!

Emmy singing "Baby Mine" (her own version with additional lyrics!). 

More photos...

First Pediatrician Appointment and Other Adventures...

Today the boys headed to Texas for a gymnastics meet and Emmy and I had the day to ourselves.  This morning she had her first pediatrician appointment at which she impressed the doctor and all of the nurses too with her fun disposition and being so cute and smart! :)  She is pretty developmentally on target and we just have a couple of specialist appointments to make to follow up.

After the appointment, I decided to forego the follow-up blood work and leave it until after nap and we went to meet our friends Linds, Caden, Asher, Sarah and Col at McDonald's for a little lunch and playtime.  What fun!  Emmy figured out how to get around by herself in the play place after her sweet friend Caden helped her a few times and even tried to help little Col get up (but discovered she couldn't quite lift him).  Then it was nap time (Emmy's started to cheer for herself when she wakes up from her nap…"YAY, Emmy Lu Xin!  Night night!") and back to the doctor for the blood work.  I was not looking forward to that.

The phlebotomist (right, isn't that it?) was amazing with Emmy.  She blew bubbles for her while she was preparing the materials and warmed her little arm to prepare but, unfortunately, Emmy's veins do not like to be messed with so the process was a tricky one again.  Emmy was snuggling against me and crying and I asked her, "Do you want to sing?" at which point Emmy stopped crying and sang, "Are you sleeping, Brother John?" and then began crying again.  She followed up "Brother John" with "Baby Mine" and about that time it was finished.  Phew.  She's a very tough and brave little girl.

This evening Emmy went with me to Grace's dance class.  Emmy has now watched the kids do several activities and nothing has drawn her attention like dance class did.  She sat and watched, she tried to dance and then she asked over and over to join the class.  When she couldn't, she decided to read "Goodnight, Gorilla" to Grace through the glass separating the dance studio from the waiting area…loudly and while yelling, "GRACIE!" every couple of words.  It may have been a little distracting for the dancers.

After dance class it was home for some roasted cauliflower (her favorite!) and french dip sandwiches ala Steve.

I'll post a video of "Brother John" tomorrow (not the blood work version).

<3 p="">

Wacky Wednesday!

Today was kind-a…wacky!  After having a bit of a crazy morning at home, Grace, Eli, Emmy and I headed out to drive Grace to school.  It snowed last night and was still snowing this morning and the roads were slick but not horrible.  We were praying as we typically do on our way to school when my car suddenly started fish tailing all over the road.  When this has happened to me in the past I have been quickly able to recover but this time my car just couldn't recover.  On the opposite side of the road coming our way was a semi truck followed by several cars.  On the side of the road was a shallow ditch lined with barbed-wire and a field behind it.  The car was swishing from one side of the road to the other as the semi drew closer and attempted to get as far over to the side of the road as possible.  Right before we neared the semi my car swerved right and went into the ditch and barbed wire fence.  Phew.  Then this really awesome good samaritan named Jeff came up and helped us get out of the ditch and on our way and Grace was almost on time for her first period pre-algebra test.  Emmy was a little afraid during the accident but recovered quickly and the rest of us were just grateful to be in the ditch instead of the alternative.  Grateful!
Then we came home to homeschool and spent the day cleaning up after a sick dog (I'll spare you the details!).
BUT homeschooling is going SOOOOO much better (the 7th-grade-note-passing-in-class "SOOOOO" felt necessary here).  The boys are able to focus with Emmy being Emmy and Emmy's energy has mostly changed from anxious energy to busy, fun energy and she is better able to attend to a task for a little while…particularly if it's a little dangerous.  :)  Emmy and Noah have become best buddies and she thinks he is wonderful.  He even has her doing p-bar routines using my legs as p-bars.  And Noah and Tay-Tay (as Emmy calls him) are great playmates for her during lunch time when they all race the plasma car around the main floor.  She prays for Tay-Tay at night and wonders why he doesn't sleep here at night.  She asks to "call Nai Nai" and "call YeYe" and "call Gigi" every day and loves to talk with them.  She'll say, "Hi.  How are you?  (I'm fine.  How are you?)  How are you?  You coming?  Love you.  Bye-bye."  And continues to have an uncanny ability to know her whereabouts.  On Sunday afternoon we went to visit Grandma June and Grandpa Lou for the first time.  We drove by the back of their building tonight and Emmy said, "Mama, Grandma June and Papa Lou!"  In other fun news, Emmy said her first unprompted English sentence yesterday.  Gigi was showing her a picture that Steve drew of Emmy and asking her about it and Emmy very clearly said, "Baba draw that."  You go, girl!
Thanks for your continued prayers for our family.  Emmy's sleep is much more peaceful and she is much less fearful at bedtime and while sleeping.  Please continue to pray for everyone's adjustment to their new roles.
Hope your Wednesday was Wacky but only in the best ways!
Love,
Mandy

Some photos from home...

 

Yesterday was a day in which I thought I might lose my mind.  Sweet Grace was up all night Monday night with the stomach flu and Emmy had a rough night as well (8 wake-ups but who's counting?).  Tuesday was a tough day for homeschooling as Emmy was crabby and testing and the boys both had difficult work to do.  We managed, though.  Gigi is super sweet to come down and visit and help everyday.  Emmy gets excited when she comes and announces her arrival but she's still not sure she wants to play with Gigi without Mama nearby.  Last night we were going to try to leave her at home with Steve, Grace and Noah while I went to pick up Eli but she was terrified and we decided it was too soon.  She went with me and chatted all the way about "go Mama, Lu Xin, Eli" and smiled and giggled.  I think she felt heard.  

Today was much better!  No more stomach flu for Gracie, Emmy slept mostly through the night and woke up happy and smiling.  It seems to be working to have me sleep in her bed while she sleeps in the pack-and play right next to the bed.  She seems to feel safer.  She wakes up and checks for me and goes back to sleep.  I feel much more human today!  Emmy discovered Eli's plasma car and has been driving her car around the house.  She likes to sit in a laundry basket and read to herself or color and can do that for a couple of minutes…making progress!  She took a good nap today with the boys and I doing homeschool right outside her door where she could see us.  Today she seems more settled and like she feels more at home.  

Thanks again for your prayers, emails and notes and for joining us in our journey!

Love, 

Mandy

Progress...

Emmy update…

• Emmy has now become Ella's biggest fan.  If the dogs aren't in the house, she asks me multiple times an hour to go see Ella.  When we drive in and out of the driveway, she greets them (mostly Ella) and says goodbye to them.  She still a bit startled by them when they look at her but she "pat-pats" them a lot and likes having them around.  Today she drew pictures of Ella and Hero…and Emmy with her signature pigtails.
• Emmy has started to default to some English words.  It's bitter-sweet because I don't want her to lose her language but at the same time she so desperately wants to be able to communicate with all of us.  She refers to herself most of the time as "Lu Xin" but about a third of the time as "Emmy Lu Xin."  Especially when cheering for herself…"Yay!  Emmy Lu Xin!" 
• Emmy has taken to wearing scarfs.  She likes them in combination with a nice pair of my boots, her "glasses," and lots of bead jewelry.  Unfortunately her panda necklace from Grace gave her a rash but she has replaced it with lots of other options.  
• Emmy likes to do things herself…strapping herself in her carseat, going to the bathroom, putting away the dishes…you name it, she can do it!  And what's weird is…she can!  I'm not sure I'd hand most three year olds our breakable dishes but Emmy is very capable.  She sets the table every night for dinner, grabs everyone's hands and prays, "Thank you, Jesus!  A-men!"  
• Emmy gets who her family is.  She gets who belongs here all of the time and who just comes to visit.  She walks the visitors to the door and says, "Bye bye!" and gives them kisses.  Today Gigi came to play and it bothered Emmy that Gigi was leaving out the back door and messing up her usual "bye bye" plan.  
• Emmy will not watch anything on a screen unless it's a video of herself or her siblings.  We knew that from China because when she was sick we tried Chinese cartoons and she had no interest.  Today I put Sesame Street on thinking we could watch it together (and I could sit for a minute, honestly!) and she was having none of it.  The only part she paid any attention to was when one of the characters said, "Abby" for Abby Cadabby and she looked up to see if it was her cousin.  I know, I know...it's a good problem to have.  
• Emmy can now play "hide-and-seek" but she wants you to feel successful so she hides by laying on the tile and then calls out to you so you know where she is.  But she really likes playing it. 
• Night time and nap time seems less frightening and sad to Emmy most of the time, now.  Sometimes, though, she will cry silent tears in her bed.  Those times break my heart. 
• Emmy is brave, kind, beautiful, funny, fun, sweet, silly, busy, energetic, loving and precious.  How I love her!

Mandy

Life as a family of six...

We all continue to transition.  Transitions are easier for some of us than they are for others although I would say that we are all a bit stressed with the transition.  Eli's figuring out how to be a big brother and how not to be the youngest anymore.  Noah's figuring out how to homeschool with a fun, busy little sister around.  Grace is figuring out how to do her normal life when she'd rather hang out with her sister all the time.  I'm remembering how to parent a three year old and what normal three year old behavior is and I'm learning more and more "Emmy Chinese" everyday and how to juggle homeschooling and Emmy without neglecting either.  Tricky!  Steve is bonding with our girl and juggling work and being a daddy to a little one again…he missed a lot of the 3 year old years with the big three because he traveled a lot for work then.  It's nice to have him home! :)
And Miss Emmy?…Emmy is still not in love with the dogs.  But now she will check their whereabouts and sprint to her destination as quickly as her little legs can carry her before they can move.  Her independence is more valuable to her than her (perceived) safety, I guess.  She's funny, funny, funny!  She will say, "Mama, bye-bye." and point at me and head off for the upstairs on her own.  Today she put on chapstick in the car and said, "Mama, Ni ka! (You look! -- like Look at me!)  So pretty!" and made a smoochy face and looked into the mirror.  Every morning I am greeted with a demand for pigtails and each evening before bath she must remove them before she gets in the tub.  She can clearly say "more," "up, please," "bye-bye," "thank you," "Hi, Ella," "I go, please," and probably other things I'm not thinking of.  She frequently does a list of people she knows…Baba, Mama, Jie Jie, Ge Ge, Eli, Nai Nai, Ye Ye, Gigi, Tay-tay, etc.  As I mentioned, homeschooling is tricky!  Emmy has a difficult time attending to any particular task or toy for more than a couple of minutes.  She spends a lot of homeschooling time attempting to figure out (by trial and error) what is hers and what is everyone else's.  Mostly, she would like the computers to be hers…and the pens.  Because washable markers are lame.  But each day is better than the last and, somehow, we are still completing our work.  It is important to Emmy that we're all "together."  She's still a bit fearful of me leaving her.  The car is especially scary and she feels better if I'm in my seat while she gets in hers…then she knows I'm going too.  The big kids are getting very good at strapping her in!  If I go outside, even to let the dogs out, she has to come with me.  But tonight Steve gave her a bath and I wasn't even in the bathroom and she did fine.  And she let him pick her up and gallop around the kitchen with her.  And Gigi came over to play today and, while Emmy tried to boss Gigi around about where to go and when, she eventually adjusted to Gigi being there and playing with her.  Nai Nai and Ye Ye came over tonight and both got to hold her (even though it was in a very fast game of "pass the Emmy" which she created and directed).  So I think things are moving in a good direction and am encouraged…and tired.  Sleep is still somewhat elusive though it is much better.  Only up twice last night!
Thanks for your continued prayers!

Noticings and Home Happenings...

Here are some things I've noticed since we've been home...

• Noah is amazingly persistent and patient.  While Emmy immediately took to Grace, looks for her constantly and allows Grace to carry her all over the place (and even asks her to), Noah and Eli are still working on connecting with Emmy.  Noah had a picture in his mind of what it would look like to have a little sister.  He imagined himself carrying her where she needed to go, playing with her, laughing with her, etc.  And many of those things are happening.  Noah is funny and Emmy often notices it.  Sometimes Emmy will play a bit with Noah.  But when Noah tries to pick her up or hold her hand, she often pushes him away.  He's trying so hard.  We're so proud of him.  He patiently waits for an opportunity to serve her and meet her needs (get her juice, bring her a toy, help with her shoes, etc) and dutifully does so.  It's emotional to watch as a parent of both of them.  I feel defensive for Noah and wish I could tell Emmy how great he is and make her bond with him right now.  And I tell Noah that I know they will be best buddies in time...of course they will!...and that he's doing all of the right things and he'll have to be patient.  And I feel sad for Emmy that she's nervous around boys and men in particular and wish that I could heal her little heart.  But I know that time and God will do that and I, too, must be patient and keep doing the right things.
• Eli also had a picture in his mind of what it might look like to be a big brother.  He can't articulate what that image was but he knows that the reality is different than his dream.  He's also really trying but in his own way.  This changing your family stuff is good stuff but sometimes hard stuff too.  Everyone has to figure out their new role. 
• We've always known that Grace is phenomenal with little kids.  She is truly gifted.  And Emmy is no exception to the rule that little guys are charmed by Grace.  She really loves her new sister and spending time with her.  Grace's challenge (and she's handling it nobly) is helping Emmy also see that her brothers are helpful and fun, too.  She has Emmy hold one of her brother's hands, too, when they walk.  She allows Emmy to sit between the boys at meals even though she really wants to sit there.  They are great kids, the big three.  We're so grateful!
• Sleep is really helpful when parenting a three year old who is grieving and busy.  I would like to have some of that.
• Emmy is super outgoing and also seems to love an audience.  At church today, the kids were practicing to lead in worship next week.  Emmy went right up there with them and was singing and dancing and smiling and charming everyone.  
• Emmy likes high heels.  And making noises.  Preferably together.  (Good thing the Cinderella high heels live at Grammy and Papa Joe's house!)
• Emmy likes helping.  She sets the table and clears it.  She sweeps.  She picks up toys and books.  She's awesome like that. 
• Although she is still very afraid of the dogs, she is significantly less so.  She even tells Ella to sit and lay down, claps for her and gives her a treat.  She has patted both of them as well.  She still does not like it when they do anything unexpected like walk around or look at her but we're making progress.
• I really, really, really like my family.  I love them, too, but I really, really, really like them.  Each one of them.  A lot.

Mandy

Home!

Sorry I didn't post after the marathon flight. I think it actually went as well as it possibly could have. I had this super genius plan to help her avoid getting overly worked up by pushing her in her stroller around the airport until it was time for our flight to leave. She, of course, did not go to sleep in the stroller but walking in circles for two hours made me tired!  Our flight left at 9:45...way past any princess' bedtime...so Emmy was pretty tired when we got on the flight. But I think her nervousness and excitement won out because she didn't fall asleep until after 11:00. She really was a trooper, though. Sure, we had some three year old tantrums over the picture going off the iPad while it was playing. Sure, we went to the bathroom more times than anyone else on the plane. But I think any three year old would have struggled with that long of a flight.
We were thrilled to land in Los Angeles!  When we went through immigrations, Emmy became a U.S. citizen. I cried. It's my job.
When we arrived at the hotel last night it was nap time in China and night time in LA.  Emmy's body decided China won and we spent most of the night doing puzzles, coloring and eating and spitting out food. She finally fell asleep again around 3:30 am and we had to wake her at 5:30 to go back to the airport. We thought for sure she'd fall asleep on the plane to Denver but, nope, wide awake and joking!  Then she used her considerable charms on all of the awesome people who met us at the airport.  Even tired that girl is pretty awesome.  Her siblings adore her and she is particularly a big fan of Grace so I was able to do a few things by myself today!  We went to chickfila for lunch and she played and held hands with her twin cousin, Abby.  So much cuteness I can hardly stand it.
My favorite part of the day (and it was an awesome day!) was when we all had dinner at our own table together as a family. We've prayed and dreamed of this day for a long time. When we were talking about where we saw God at work in the last week, Noah just pointed at Emmy.  That about sums it up.  Emmy, by the way, responded with calling Steve "Yeye" again and getting her big siblings to, too.  Love.
I'll try to get photos from folks of today...too busy living it to take a picture. :)

Update #11

So a little glimpse into the humor of Emmy. Tonight as she was doing her 45 minutes of talking and singing before she goes to sleep, she got a little gleam in her eye and said, "Ni shi Mama.  Wo shi Lu Xin.  Ta shi Yeye." (Meaning "you are mama.  I am Lu Xin.  He is grandpa.")  And then she giggled uncontrollably as Steve told her she was a banana.  

Today we saw a totally new Emmy. She smiled and laughed a lot more.  She did not attempt to give herself to anyone. She was fun and funny and delightful. I think she's finally feeling mostly better, which helps.  We went to the safari park today. While Emmy does not overly like animals, it was such a nice day and it was fun to be outside. For Steve and I, who do like animals, it was a really cool experience. The animals are right there.  We saw a baby orangutan who was within three feet of us. He wasn't caged and was just playing on ropes over our heads and eating bread a trainer threw to him. He was all sorts of cuteness. Emmy wasn't enamored with him but she wasn't afraid either. She was afraid, however, of the giant panda suit man who insisted on touching her even though she was clearly saying, "Bu yao!"   But, Grace, we saw lots of pandas and there were even baby panda triplets there (but we didn't see them).  

We got back from the park in time for a late (and long!) nap for Emmy. Her passport and visa arrived so we are set for tomorrow.  After her nap we walked in the park (lovely, full of people, graffiti free, safe, wonderful!), got Emmy a milk (I understood when she asked for it!) and came back for some curry from room service.

 We're talking about heading to Shamian Island (where the White Swan is) tomorrow morning to play and shop a little.  Then we'll have little miss take a late nap, check out at 5:00 and head to the airport around 5:30 for our 9:45 flight. Woo hoo!  I can't say I'm looking forward to 15 hours in the plane but it's totally worth it to get home!

Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughtful emails. I can't tell you how much it means to us to have your support!

Love,

Mandy and Yeye (hee hee)

Little Miss Hollywood

Not so sure about the safari train

What a difference a day makes!

Update #10

Today was our long-awaited consulate appointment.  Emmy took her last dose of antibiotics and we were off with Grace, the other Hand in Hand guide (who is also awesome).  Emmy's tuberculosis test came back negative so we are good to go on that, too.  Yay!  The consulate appointment went very quickly.  There were only four families there at the time. We all did the oath and then fingerprinting.  Tomorrow we will receive Emmy's passport and visa and we will have everything we need to go home Tuesday. 

After the consulate, we went to the jade market and bought each of the girls a jade pendant. Then we got some lunch and came back with a very tired, very crabby Emmy who was more than ready for a nap. 

This afternoon the sun came out again (!) and we were able to take a walk.  It was nice to be outside.  I love watching all of the kids heading home from school.  The little ones walk with their grandparents eating a snack and talking animatedly.  The middle schoolers walk with their friends, joking around and eating food they bought at the 7-11 or from a street vendor.  We bought hotdogs in rolls from a bakery (a kind lady talked with Emmy which threw her into a bit of a frenzy) and took them back to the hotel. Then we watched some soccer together and ate hot dogs and felt bummed for Noah that Ronaldo beat Messi for the Ballon D'Or.  Emmy seems much more interested in playing with Steve now!  Yay!  She was more teary today but also seemed more connected, too. And now there is one little princess who now answers most of the time to the name "Emmy" and says "please," and "more, please" and "no, no, no" who is sleeping in the pack-and-play next to me.  I think I will sleep too.  Have a great Tuesday, friends.  It was a good one here.

Pictures!!!