Settling In

For some reason taking care of 5 children, & doing my own laundry takes up all my free time so I just don't have the time to blog like I did a week ago! But oh it is good to be home. My bed feels so soft, my soda is so cold(you don't drink the ice in China, in case you wonder)I have no worries about using a squatty potty when I leave the house, and ALL my kids are so HAPPY! Yep, Ms Mavery has found her place and she is just to sweet. What happened to that little girl who just 2 weeks ago was SO sad and was hoping I was just a bad dream? Now we have this beautiful little spirt who loves to give hugs & kisses, thinks baba(daddy) is amazing, and if you did not know it, you would think she has lived here all of her life. Besides the chinese talking of course, that kind of gives it away! Just a quick rundown of some of the things I have been asked...


***Language--She is still speaking all in Chinese. But last night I handed her a cup and she said Thank You just as clear as could be! She is saying all of our names along with our dog Hershey even! She says hi, hello, bye bye. She is understanding alot. Potty, bye bye, eat, drink, night night. And she repeats everything we say. I know it won't be long and she will catch on. She is starting to respond a little to Mavery, but we all call her SongSong or JinSong most of the time.

***Sleeping--In China I could never get her to sleep easily. Usually she fell asleep in our bed, after screaming, then we moved her. Since home she did not want anything to do with her crib. BUT she is now falling asleep in her crib(it is in our room) and last night slept in it all night long!

***Jet Lag--We are doing pretty well. MUCH better than last time, I walked around in a fog for 6 weeks! I know it is all the prayers that have been said for us. Not to say we are back to normal. If I sit down, I fall asleep! Blame it on the soft couches here maybe! ;0) I have been shocked at how well Mavery has done with the time change, no problems at all.

***The DOG-- We knew Mavery did not like dogs, and that did not change when we walked in and saw Hershey! She screams and insists on being held if she is in the room. Funny thing is that Hershey is scared to death of Mavery since she goes crazy every time she sees her! I was ready to get rid of the dog it was so frustrating, but today we have made huge progress and so I know it is just baby steps. The poor child had never even seen a dog before so I know it will just take time.

***Eating--She eats anything. I don't think she misses Congee(soupy rice) or any type of rice for that matter! She is so good with a fork for not even 3. She loves meat and eggs. And pancakes, and goldfish. ;-) She will try anything and the only thing she has really turned her nose up at is green veggies. Watching her eat lettuce was the funniest thing ever and she tried to like it but just did not. She loves to drink water, and is figuring out the sippy cup as I am just not going to carry around a bowl wherever we go! hehe!

***Did I mention she is fully potty trained? Love that. And no, Sage does not care and still refuses to be all the way done with that.

***Doctor---We go on Thursday to see her pediatrician and then to the heart doctor the end of November, unless the Ped hears something that makes her think we need to see the heart doctor sooner.

***Kids--- LOVE her! Malaine is probably loving on her the most. Hearing Mavery say their names is just priceless. I knew in China she missed being around kids & once she walked in here with her siblings, she was off running and giggling and just happy. I would not say that she has yet attached herself to anyone of them in particular except maybe...

***SAGE---She follows Sage around for sure and copies EVERYTHING she does. Baths are now fun when you have a chinese sister in with you! Remember how sad she was about bathtime in China? Now she jumps right in, dumps water on her head and just enjoys it. She is not going under the bathwater and swimming as Sage does, but I won't be surprised when she does. She does not climb as Sage does, but is learning. I sat Sage down and explained to her how she has to be a good example to Mavery and to stop climbing so much. She said "ok mom" while she walked across the kitchen table. Sigh... Hearing them chatter together is SOOO cute. I ask Sage what Mavery is saying and she tells us something in english, as if she really understands her. We just laugh and laugh! Of course there have been a few moments, and alot of that is the language barrier between them. Mavery hits when she gets mad, and that just breaks Sage's heart! But if Sage cries Mavery comes over and tries to give her something to make it better. I know these 2 are going to be the best of friends and I just pray that God would continue to knit their hearts together as only He can. All the kids are really doing well overall. Malaine was a little whiny at first, but she has been better and so loving to Mavery, always wanting to hug her and be by her. Sage has been really good, just a few times has she cried. Makenna and Sage are very close and Makenna is making sure that Sage does not feel left out at all.

So, we are doing well. MUCH better than I could have dreamed. I realize right now we are in the "honeymoon phase" and that reality could change next week. But for now I am enjoying life as it is. The stress of "adoption waiting" is over and we are just loving that Mavery is HERE! No longer a dream but now an answered prayer. Someone told me today that she just looks like she is smiling with her whole being and I loved that. I love hearing you say how you can see her change since those first days. We are in awe of her. The fact that she walked in here like she just knew it was home, that this was where she was meant to be all along. And of course we know that is truth, she has been a part of our hearts for so long now.

By the way, I have to add we are getting SPOILED here. I came home to a sparkly clean house. (I was told the floor was even done on hands and knees and I suspected that because I slid across my bathroom when I came home, I LOVE that kind of clean!) and we are being fed meals that we have not cooked. Sawyer had to let people in on Saturday while the entire house was still sleeping to drop off food. Oops! We so appreciate everything that everyone has done for us. My children are totally bored from how spoiled they were for the time we were gone, now life is so "boring"! We feel very blessed and loved for sure.

**Hopefully you can get the slide show to play in the next post, I know some were having issues, but it did work on mine and for others.

**I apologize if you have called or emailed and I have yet to respond. I am working on it, I promise! I DO appreciate the calls and emails and I WANT to chat with you so hopefully soon!