We arrived home a healthy bunch-had overnighted in the Beijing International Airport where we experienced a bustling huge airport sleeping. Literally, there were people sprawled everywhere, already on the benches that Carrie and I had assumed we would take. We circled the luggage carts, got out the blankets we had and bunked the three girls on the floor. Carrie sat a lot of the next hours with her chin propped in her hands, I think I laid down on the floor...already a distant memory. They opened the check in counter at 4 am and we checked in, went thru customs, and found our gate, I thought. Thank God Carrie was still propping her chin in her hands and was awake, checked the tickets to find I had brought us to the wrong gate, she got us all awake and we trekked back about 18 gates to the right one. By this time the girls had been up almost 24 hours with just the little cat naps and they were really dragging to get there. We got on the plane for home and pretty well crashed off and on the next 13 hours. We arrived into Chicago with a nice enough lay over to get through customs and to our gate before boarding the plane to Peoria. All on time!
The whole trip was good. I pretty well can sum it up by saying thank you to God for this child. I feel great sorrow for the approx 90 children left at the orphanage as I feel we have taken the heart from there and that they are still there. This child snuggled in the first night in China looked at me and said good night mama I love you. Sigh.....and it hasn't stopped...When we arrived into Peoria her and I were first through the door and there were all the girls, a proud Baba, a new grandma and grandpa, a uncle Randy, cousin Jodi and friends....at first Vicky and Judy weren't real sure what to do or say, then they hugged and started talking (Vicky really had lost all her Chinese language yet while we were gone it pretty well returned to her and the girls have been talking in Chinese a lot)
Judy starts school tomorrow. We have her placed in 6th grade "sort of" as she will really be with the ELL teacher most of the time, then getting worked into class's as the language comes but I think it will be really fast the way the last week has gone. She has seen the pediatrician, (she is 49 inches tall!) the dentist (the first cleaning ever and she really hung in there thru it all and has no cavaties), and several stores to get clothes and shoes (this time American Express did not call after Claude's shopping spree so either they realize we have 7 girls or are just used to it).
Today we sat as a family and had the girls translate for us to make sure that Judy understood adoption. At first there was some concern as the girls had translated it as Foster Care and she answered yes she understood, that she got to be here for awhile to play and have fun and then would go back to the orphange. I am sure Claude and I had looks on our faces that need to never be recreated! Then they realized what they had said and got it fixed. Yes she understood adoption. We went on to make sure that she has what she needs, explaining if there is other items she needs to tell us....Addie asked what if Judy asked for a cell phone. It seems at this time all is well, that with the last 6 girls we gained enough experiance to pretty well cover the bases except for a night stand and a desk for her. Easily taken care of!
Claude is on family leave for 2-3 weeks to help get her situated and that really helps. Our house is running smooth, we have gotten Gracie moved upstairs so it is just Judy and Vicky in the one bedroom, I just am not sure yet how everything will play out as far as who is best sister to who...the girls are pretty well paired up it seems...so far it seems it is Judy and Addie...not because of any reason other than Addie just idolizes her and Judy is eating it up. She also seems to be one to like to be alone a little bit, play big sister or mom, and Addie is the same so they may be the ones that are best sisters together. All of the girls have agreed that Judy is a perfect sister. Claude and I agree that we have a 7th perfect daughter. Thank you God.
