One week ago today, we had the pleasure of taking Elisabeth Claire LouMei into our arms for the first time. Of course we had already fallen in love with her before that day, but since we have gotten to know her. We realised as this day went by, just how amazing she really is. In one week this child has learned to trust, sit in a high chair and stroller, rode in various cars and busses, went to amazing sights and began to experience a culture that has always been just out her orphanage windows. What is most amazing is, she has sat down at a table with her parents and been able to hold their hands while saying a dinner prayer and when we finish she looks at each of us with a huge smile and begins to eat! The Lord has been so good to us. After a day like today, it is hard to believe that she was ever not with us.
This morning we took a taxi to the outdoor jade market, which is right next to a huge shopping district. Shopping here is nothing like shopping in the states. Their malls do not have "doors" on all their shops, they are kind of like kiasks sitting side by side. In the streets, each business has a stereo sitting outside it and at least two employees trying to sell you their latest special. Shirts were 10 yuan (that is just over $1) and they were just laying on piles with people scurrying around them. It is like Black Friday shopping everyday here! When they see that we are Americans, they say "hallo" they are very anxious to try the phrases they have learned in English. Some get as far as "How are you?" It is fun. I just smile and nod. Of course James tried to say "she she" (thank you) but he always says it like "she" instead of "shay", which means, "you are very skinny." The women laugh at him and the men just shake their heads. We ate at McDonalds ... I know that it must seem so boring, James would eat from the markets, it is I who refuses. You know it must be bad when I prefer McDonalds right?
After the jade market we stopped off at teh motel and joined our group to go to the island where the White Swan is again. We had some things made that we needed to pick up. Plus there were other things that we needed. James likes to negotiate. He had a great time. We did miss our group ride back. Claire was BEYOND hungry and we decided just to stop and feed her. She ate THREE bowls of congee and some steamed veggies. I told you she was beyond hungry! I think that I tried to many dresses on her!
After getting back to the room, we gave Claire a sponge bath (she loves real baths but can only have them every other day because of the bag) and she is just a riot! She was playing with her punch ball and cracking us up. She tilts her head back and forth, throws herself on the ball, laughs and then babbles to us in Chinese! I wish we had an interpretor with us all the time. Oh and James decided to teach her, what I believe might be the sign for a deer. (Correct me if I'm wrong Michelle) They put their thumbs by their ears with their fingers up. You all know the routine right ... yes, James stopped shy of teaching her to stick her tounge out at the same time. We knew that she had opened up to the others in our group when she kept standing up in her chair on the bus and doing "the deer sign" to our whole group! Only to follow it up with some more Chinese babbling!
