Update #4

This morning began at 5:00 am with an early morning wake-up by a little princess who needed to go potty.  We got to do a long FaceTime call with the three big kids and Grammy and Papa Joe which was super nice.  Emmy loved seeing them and talking to them.  She also liked trying to put chopsticks in their mouths.  We then went up for the breakfast buffet (delicious, by the way!) at which Emmy ate much more than Steve or me.  We think that we've figured out that she likes pretty much anything but a couple of vegetables and pizza.  (She really hates pizza but that didn't happen until lunch.  She also really loves milkshakes but that also didn't happen until lunch!)  

After breakfast, we went back to the government office to complete the paperwork for the adoption.  The other three kiddos were there, too.  The sweet friend who had such a hard time yesterday was much better today and only cried a little bit when the nannies left.  Emmy, of course, had to go potty immediately upon entering the building and walked right past the nanny and orphanage director with me to get there saying, "Hiiiiii!" as she walked by.  She was charming…playful, funny, fun and sweet.  She colored, told the nanny and director funny stories and sang them songs but did not stray from my side.  Steve and our guide, Anna, had to go exchange money for Emmy's orphanage fee so I stayed with Miss E.J. (as Grace is calling her) and the orphanage folks.  They moved to the sides and just watched her, smiling, and then we exchanged emails so I can update them on Emmy.  (We are so impressed with her orphanage.  I don't think I mentioned it yesterday but they gave us a life book for Emmy yesterday.  It has journal entries and photos from around the time she was 6 months old until now.  We are so grateful!  What a treasure to have!)  After we exchanged emails, they decided it was time to go and I told Emmy to say goodbye.  She shouted (in Mandarin), "Goodbye, I'll meet with you tomorrow."  And they left and that was it.  No crying this time.  It was a bit sad that she thinks she will meet with them tomorrow.  But, as Steve said, maybe tomorrow could be 10 years from now and we will come back for a visit.  

On our way back from the office, Emmy decided that she needed to "shao pi-eh" (okay, I know that's not the actual pinyin but that's what it sounds like to my very untrained ear and means go potty) but we were not back yet.  She becomes a bit more frantic.  Then as we're driving in very busy traffic in the middle of the numerous tall buildings in the very huge city, she notices across the 6 lanes of road that we are driving past the hotel…our 3 1/2 year old…who has seen the outside of our hotel building once…and who was carrying on a conversation with Anna at the time…says, "Oh I see home now.  There it is!" and calms down.  Smart kiddo, huh?

After a lunch of pizza and milkshakes (what were we thinking?), we spent the rest of the afternoon attempting to nap (which looked like playing with her doll in her crib and teaching an invisible class all about types of fruit), going on a walk around Confucius Temple area (and getting our photo taken with a group of teenage girls) and then leaving because someone in our group had to "shao pi-eh."  Then Emmy wanted to take a bath and play with beads with Baba.  Right now she is helping me blog and eating some noodles.  Hopefully sleep will come more easily for her tonight.  She has a pretty nasty cold which will be hard to get rid of with so little sleep.

I think this evening we will go back to the old standby for dinner (noodles - yum!) and hope to get her in bed by 7:00.  

Love to all of you and thanks again for your prayers!

Love, 

Mandy, Steve and Emmy