Panda Party for the Six-Year-Old!

Ready to eat!

 Love that girl!

Besides the pandas, she requested "Chinese Peanut Noodles" and we had some spring rolls.  She also included a Mexican selection for relatives not so keen on rice and pasta. (:

Gung Hey Fat Choy!

We decided to celebrate Josie's birthday a few weeks early this year for two reasons: 1) she has a follow-up medical appointment out of state the weekend of her birthday and 2) she's five so she gets to invite friends this year. What better day to celebrate than the Chinese New Year! She was super excited and decided to ask her friends to not bring gifts.  Instead, if they wanted to, they could donate to CCAI's Charity Fund. We have $225 ready to send tomorrow! (I think her little friends gave a bit more than they would have spent on a gift!) She has no idea how much money that is, but Chris and I are excited her decision will result in some good half way around the world. We continue to be thankful for the work CCAI does, both in adoptions and in caring for the orphans who remain. We're also pretty proud of our Josie. Not just for this, but for who she is becoming. We're finding she's artistically talented, loves to cuddle, gets frustrated when she cannot communicate what she wants to us, does not want to wait until kindergarten to learn to read and write, and loves to pray. I can't wait to see the young lady she will be at ten and 15 (the other years she gets to invite friends)! Now for the birthday pics:

I gave her several pictures of birthday cake suggestions.  But she looked them all over and started combining them!!!  She came up with red cupcakes with yellow icing Chinese characters (they say "5," "love," "happy birthday," and  "An Hong") on a tiered, ribbon wrapped pedestal.  Phew!  The girl knows what she likes! 

Here she is with a cupcake which says, "love."

Here is Daddy serving the "Chinese red drink" (Cherry 7-UP) to all the little empresses.  Too bad you cannot see the gold stars dangling from the black swirlies dangling from the ceiling.  They were cool!

Some of the fun: Chinese lantern invitations, chop sticks (no, I didn't make English four-year-olds eat their red velvet cupcakes with chopsticks, I thought their parents may like them to wear those clothes again), a panda craft/photo frame (the girls each had their picture taken with Josie), some gold coins with dragons (thank you, Oriental Trading Co.) and the fans, which I hope say something good : )

The hats say "happy birthday" in Mandrin and have "love" stamped around the edges in red.

Happy birthday, Josie An Hong!!!!!! 

PS: Today is also our 3rd anniversary of receiving Josie's referral.  I still remember: "We think we may have a Valentine for you, but we're not sure because she has two arms."  One of the most bizarre and wonderful conversations ever!

Birthday Girl!

big decisions

Josie may have undergone her surgery for no reason. At our last appointment, the surgeon called it a failure. She hasn't gained movement in her shoulder, but he'd warned us she wouldn't gain much. Still, I was glad she'd gained the stability to not have to worry about a posterior shoulder dislocation as she got older. Nope. Apparently he thinks the sutures may have torn (must have happened when she was still under anesthesia...perhaps as they were putting the brace on). Anyway, we'll do e-stim to try to get the movement, but the OT isn't too confident in that approach. Then we'll do a sedated MRI (it takes much more med than it should to get her sedated) and then he'll recommend another surgery...if there's anything left to work with.

But on a happy note, last week Josie was coloring as I was teaching Michael about the moon reflecting the sunshine to us at night. We were discussing how Jesus is the Light of the World like the sun and that makes us like moons. Suddenly Josie piped in with, "Josie Jesus heart." So I said, "Josie, do you want Jesus to be in your heart?" "Yes." "Do you love Jesus?" "Yes." "Do you want to obey Jesus?" "Yes." "Do you need Jesus to save you from your sin?" "Yes." So we prayed. Amazing to me she could comprehend so much after hearing His name for the first time 16 months ago. But at whatever level she could understand, she knew Jesus was a good deal.

Glasses!

Josie isn't falling anymore now that she can see the ground! Here are a couple of pictures of her new glasses. Apparently, astigmatisms are quite common and strong in many Chinese kiddos. Her "gotcha day" fell in such a rushed week, we didn't get to do the usual fancy cake, but she didn't seem to mind. It is so good to see her enjoy getting messy, rather than cry and act scared whenever a crumb dropped. She has become much more physically affectionate with all four of us too, giving out random hugs and kisses and just enjoying resting against us. She is also continuing to use her right arm more and more and is quite proud when she does a new task with it. She can even do some of her exercises on her own now, which is a great help to me in our morning routine!

Adoption Day!

above: Easter Sunday

below: Josie's third birthday

Today is the anniversary of our Josie officially becoming our daughter in Nanjing, PRC!!! It's been a year already! What a year too! Josie has come so far and so have we. She is singing her ABCs (with a few misses, but hey!), she's hugging her brother, chasing her dog, singing when she wakes up in the morning, smiling, trusting us.... She's also gone through Botox injections to her shoulder, an MRI, a tendon transfer, 6 weeks in a nasty brace, and glasses! The glasses was the biggest surprise; it seems she has a pretty nasty astigmatism. But now that she has them and can tell where the floor is, she isn't falling! She's very excited to have them (puts them on first thing in the morning) and is soooo cute in them! (I know, I know...I'll get a picture on as soon as I can.)



We have enjoyed watching her personality bubble up. She is very, very ornery and just grins the biggest grins when she's pulled something on one of us. She loves to giggle, to eat, and to run. She comes up with the family's funniest "walks" which we imitate on our way to bed after praying together at night. She has a "little old lady" walk which she brought with her from China. She showed Grams today but smartly answered it was not Grams. She is loud and bold and opinionated. She tells people she's three whether they ask or not (or if they ask HOW she is doing). She likes to wrestle with Michael and dress dolls with Chloe. Today she built a Lincoln Log house exactly like Michael was building. She imitates him no matter what he is doing. Usually it's good, but there are times.... She is three, you know!



But at the first anniversary mark, we'd all say we are so thankful to have Josie in our lives and cannot imagine life without her. She is a treasure and one we get to enjoy. To think we could have missed it. I'm so sad for all the families who have not risked, who stayed comfortable and spent their money on things they won't remember five years from now. Adoption is so worth it. She is so worth it. We are so happy you are home, Josie; we love you!

music video

The following link will take you to YouTube to watch a video. The video is great. At the end, there's a plug for supporting a non-profit. We aren't really endorsing this particular charity, though they are linked with Hand in Hand, which is now covering the special needs adoptions out of Nanjing Social Welfare Institute (Josie's orphanage). I'm posting the link because I wanted to share the video with you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC2rmCRQRKQ&eurl=http://chadtarajourney.blogspot.com/
Make sure you check out the video links in the upper right corner too!

Merry Christmas!

Ni hao! (That’s Mandarin for "hi".) As per Riddle tradition, as the new member of the family, I am writing the Christmas letter and giving my version of 2007. It’s been a big year for me and it is good to be HOME!

My name is Josie and I’m two and three quarters. I’ve been here seven months and feel like I’m just warming up. I think I’ve got Michael under control now; Chloe was wrapped around my little finger from that first moment. It did take awhile to get used to Daddy and Mommy: their hair color and the way they talk and respond, it was all very strange. But now I feel free!! My heart used to feel so heavy I barely ever smiled. I spent my time positioning myself with the other kids and trying to get the nannies to give me what I wanted. But here I can be myself and I am figuring out who that is. I’ve found I like to grin and sing. I can eat all the food I want. All I have to do is say "hug" or "lap" and I’ve got it. The idea of a daddy and a mommy all for me is pretty awesome. It’s a whole new world in so many ways.

Here are some of our milestones:
February 14th Daddy and Mommy received my referral call and saw my picture for the first time. Happy Valentine’s Day!
March 7th was my birthday but I didn’t know it or know I had a family.
On May 8th I met my daddy and mommy and officially became theirs the next day in my hometown of Nanjing, PRC.

The summer was a blur of adjustment. There were swimming lessons (for the siblings-the tub was plenty scary for me), road trips, and lots of immunizations.
Then in the fall school started and we settled into a new routine. Chloe is a first grader who loves pink, princesses, girlfriends, singing, and her little sister and brother. Michael does some pre-k activities, but mostly plays with me. He loves going, going fast, Lightning McQueen, laughter, and AWANA. He had surgery in February and is feeling (and sleeping) much better.

I’m really liking the Christmas lights and can’t wait to discover what we do at this time of year. Mommy says she can’t wait until I understand why we do what we do at Christmas time. Merry Christmas, everyone!


Love,
Josie An

(Here I am signing "I love you.")

Christmas '07

Click play to see Chris' slide show of before and after pictures

of Josie set to Third Day's Merry Christmas song.

Six Months Since Gotcha Day!

Six months ago today, Chris and I held Josie for the first time. Jillions of hugs and kisses later, we took the kids to lunch at a local Chinese restaurant to celebrate. Josie liked everything (as usual). And since it was American Chinese food, there were only a couple of things Mommy ran into that she didn't like ( : We decided those must be the more authentic selections. Josie didn't know why Mommy didn't care for them.

Now she's taking her nap. She knows the routine. After a diaper change, she'll get to watch a short video with her siblings, usually of children singing songs or of talking vegetables. Then she'll have some play time before Daddy comes home and we have dinner (not that we'll be able to eat much after that lunch!). Next there will probably be some reading and wrestling with Daddy before it is time to stretch her elbow, range her shoulder and strengthen her external rotators. Then there's the usual bedtime rituals of PJs, teeth brushing, and face washing. We'll all pray together on the couch, someone will choose how to go to bed (planes and skipping are favorites), and Daddy and Mommy will do their special pattern of hugs and kisses. "Good night, Josie. We love you like crazy cakes. See you in the morning, Sweet Potato."

Part of the Family

We have acutally had a few people request another update, so here it is. However, this should be seen only as a weening post. ( : I'll try to remember to update here in 6 months and a year.

More and more Josie is fitting in to the family and we are also merging. She is more smiles than screams now. She loves to race her thumb to her mouth at bedtime before Mommy can get her kissed and laughs hysterically when she has her thumb subsequently plucked from her mouth. This is our nightly ritual. But then, so is her throwing her little China girl doll on the floor as soon as I shut the door! She is also realizing Mommy is more stubborn than Josie and is making some better choices because of it. She is enjoying farm animal books and makes the sounds along with us. Michael can "read" these books to her too. She still dislikes her exercises but is improving in her range of motion because of them. We visit a specialist medical team in August and plan to start the re-do of the immunizations as well as the blood work and TB test then. We hope she will be able to visit her Nanjing buddies (Abby and Rylan) in the future. Actually Chris and I want to stay in contact with our traveling partners too and enjoy hearing about how they are doing.

Air Guitar Josie

Oh, the fun we will have!

WOW!

Saturday Chris and I received a response from Shaohannah's Hope (Steven and Mary Beth Chapman's adoption facilitation non-profit). We were shocked and elated to read we are recipients of a grant for the adoption!!! I wanted to just share it here (even though I didn't plan to add to this site) mainly because I want to say, "God was gracious, even though I was pouty." I am so grateful for the help and so...I don't know the word for the emotion! I am glad God saw fit to give it to us even though He didn't have to. It is a reminder that He knows my heart and loves me anyway. He gives like a parent more concerned with the daughter's character and faith that the gift itself. I had been disturbed that trying to be wise financially resulted in less help than if we'd gotten into debt. At the same time, I was grateful for what we had. So those two thoughts battled in my mind. And then He does this.

Two Week Update

She knows she's cute! And she's starting to realize she's loved. We are seeing loads of smiles, getting lots of sweet kisses, and she's beginning to be comfortable being held and cuddled. In fact, she is now willingly making the choice to calm down in our arms (rather than raging against being held against her will) and making long eye contact and smiling after she calms!! This is a huge blessing and something we have been praying for. (Resisting or disliking being held is one of the signs of a lack of attachment and she definately struggled here.) I cannot tell you how thrilled I am! We received an attachment checklist from our agency and I was encouraged to see the progress from our first days home to today. She is quite responsive to us and is becoming more so every day.

She is also giving and receiving love from her big sister and even starting to from her big brother (when he's not taking her toys). We went to lunch today with THREE of her grandmas and her grandpa and she actually said, "done" when I told her she didn't have to keep eating. Wow, saying no to food is a big one! She no longer displays fear of T-Rex and she cries only seconds when put to bed. My feelings of attachment are much stronger now that I am well, and amazingly, those sessions of holding her through her rage and anger and sweat and tears has drawn her much closer to my heart. I found myself uttering promises to her I couldn't have said two weeks ago.

Yesterday a visitor commented her husband decided against trying to adopt out of the foster system. He was concerned (and with good reason) of what a damaged 2 or 3 year old would be like, the chaos it would create in the family, and whether he would be able to love a child like that in comparison to his bio children. I know I cannot speak to loving a bio child. And adjustments of all kinds are difficult. But, oh, how I wish they would do it. Tears well just thinking about it. The risk IS huge. But the thought of the unknown is worse than the reality...especially the reality after adjustment! There is such a need. No child deserves to be brought up without a family. We've often said if everyone who thought about it did it, we wouldn't have an orphan crisis in our world. Josie just gave me a high five for that line! But we've convinced no one. I would so love to know that this blog of our experience helped an orphan to find family or encouraged someone to support a family trying to adopt. 5.5 million in Africa. 3.5 million in Asia. 1.5 million in Eastern Europe. 400,000 in Latin America. 135,000 in the US.

Thank you for walking through this with us. We have needed your support over these last three years. This chapter is closing. But stay tuned, we hope there will be more to come. Michael still wants that little brother. And when asked if they would rather have help paying for college or bring another little one home from an orphanage, our kids show big hearts. (Okay, and a good measure of ignorance!) Laura F., I don't now about the "100 children legend", but if God provides a way....Let's just say the emboidered picture you brought us from China is on our living room wall as a reminder. We are thinking of Ethiopia. But that would be impossible; another international adoption; no way could we do that. Wait, didn't we say that before?

"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;

You consider it to take it in hand.

The victim commits himself to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless."

Psalm 10:14

What a Difference a Family Makes!

J ust two weeks,
O h how far she's come!
S ee her pet the dog?
I magine the difference a family makes.
E ncouraging, isn't it?

(Ready to see it for yourself? Visit familylife.com and click on "hope for orphans" or do an internet search for "waiting children and adoption." Or, if you can't, please find a family who is trying and help them make it a reality!)

Our "blue couch photos"

Yeah!

One Week Update

Yeah!!!
*Our lost luggage was found and delivered via FedEx. Nothing was broken!
*We've had visits from Selena's brother, nephew, sister, mom and aunt, Tammie and Makayla, the Simmons, the Balls, LuzBetty, the Eckels and Samson! Chris' parents will be here next week and both Josie's great-grandmas on that side are also planning a visit thanks to them.
*Selena is feeling MUCH better and no longer associates being sick with Josie. ( :
*Josie no longer screams whenever a sibling touches her or she sees T-Rex. (She even pet the dog and now enjoys chasing him and then barking at him!)
*After Selena had to miss church Sunday to keep her bugs to herself, she is much looking forward to tomorrow (three weeks away is too long). We plan to wear our Chinese outfits.
*Josie cries when put to bed, but stays there and soon falls asleep. She usually sleeps until we wake her.
*Friends from church have provided a couple of meals, with more planned (thank you, thank you!).
*Our photos are being developed.
*Our stomachs have stretched back to their original size so we can eat full meals again and we have recovered from the time change.
*Chloe and Michael continue to love Josie and enjoy telling her that in the midst of her fits: "I love you anyway!"
*Josie's skin is doing so much better. The scars are fading well and she's not scratching nearly as much. She is also not screaming at bath time and is enjoying parts of it.
*We still aren't satisfied with her level of dependence on us as her sole providers/parents, but today when introduced to a friend (a stranger to her) after she initially went freely to him to be held, she pulled back and wanted Mommy. He graciously understood this was a good thing.

Here's a picture from Aunt Janice from the 1:00am first meeting: