fuzhou: day 3

Today was a good day.

A very good day.  My spirits are up.  I've been up and down the last day or two.  I think the enormity of our adopting James set in pretty fast.  Mostly in regard to all the medical intervention he's going to need in addition to the very important and highly prioritized needs of my other four children.  I've also started missing Avery, Jackson and Brooks something terrible.  Being so far away from them is crushing especially in light of the fact that I've felt somewhat bluesy at times about the shift in dynamic of our family.  Just grieving what was as we embark into what is.  I have experienced this before when Avery was born and then somewhat when the boys were born.  I know this is rather normal, but it's still hard nonetheless.

I spent some time this morning reading my Bible and a great devotional that I've come to love!  Oh, how a little time with the Lord renews my soul.  It's amazing to me how prayer eases every burden.  Thankfully, we have an army praying for us at home too.  It means the world to me.

So, today was a better day.  :)

James has been just blossoming.  He's starting to talk out in public more.  We can get a smile out of him pretty easily.  Payton still has the magic touch, though.  They have such a sweet little bond.

Funny story...

We got James on Sunday evening.  We knew from his orphanage report that he's a pretty regular guy.  Come Tuesday afternoon, nothing.  We started worrying that perhaps his new diet (of pretty much no restrictions, unlike orphanage fare) might be backing him up.  He'd had a little congee each day, but also all kinds of fruit, beans, Cheerios, bites of pizza, fettucini alfredo, Cup of Noodles, animal crackers, and so on.

Bedtime came last night.

Nothing.

We're reaching about three days without a bowel movement, folks.  Poor guy.

About an hour after putting him to bed, we were in Karen and Payton's adjoining room hanging out and we heard James just babbling away (we thought he was asleep!).  It was such a happy sound!  He was just talking away to himself in Chinese.  You know that sweet, happy talk that babies do when they wake up and they hang out in their cribs jabbering away?  It was that music-to-your-ears monologue.  And it was especially sweet to us because he actually woke up happy and wasn't scared of his surroundings.

And.then.we.knew.why.

There was an aroma.

One we haven't 'enjoyed' in two years.

You know the one.

It came waifing into our adjoining room.

We went in and our suspicion was confirmed.  And we...had a nasty re-entry into the wonderful world of diaper changing.  Be near to be me, Jesus.  :)

Now to some photos.

This was James' bath last night.  Notice the teeny spoon sticking out of his mouth.  They came with our hot tea on the airplane.  We thought they were so cute, so we brought several for Avery, Jackson and Brooks.  But we gave one to James last night to hold in his little hand, between his two little fingers.  But very quickly he put it in his mouth and sat there with it sticking out like a cigarette.  He was cracking us up!  He didn't even take it out of his mouth during his bath!  

This was dinner (room service) last night.  What I want you to notice is that we're feeding him fried rice yet he's holding his french fries in his toes still!  He had been feeding himself the fries, but we didn't realize he hadn't finished and he just sat there eating fried rice for ten minutes with french fries in his toes!  I mean, really?  Each day is full of new discoveries with him! 

On to Panda World.  Let's just say it wasn't what we expected.  It was unlike zoo-like attractions in America.  These poor beauties just paced around in their very muddy enclosures.  We actually entered into the 'museum' portion of the tourist attraction and it was so, um, oddly unkept that we were asking each other if it was even open for business.  We only took a few photos because it was so odd.  They had panda parts in glass cases (I am not kidding).  Organs, fallopian tubes, ovaries, a brain, and, I kid you not, the tail section of a female panda, if you know what I mean.  Our guide was flushed with embarrassment when we came upon that sight and asked her if it was what we thought it was.  Probably more than you expected in an adoption blog post, but this is China!  It's very different here.

 

I never knew pandas lift their legs like dogs when they pee!? 

(There seems to be a theme developing with this post...)

Sitting and waiting for the start of the red panda show.  It was sad.  These poor animals did not seem altogether well cared for or terribly excited at their having to perform.  At least that's what we, the animal behavior experts, believe!  :)

Entrance of Panda World.  We're all done and ready to go!  

Karen and Payton having a little laugh.

My demanding some love from Payton.  Gotta love the age of ten when almost all affection is one way (me forcing it on her!).  I know she loves it even if she doesn't act like it!  I pretty much dragged her over to me.  :)