Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Today we got up and headed to T Square and the Forbidden City after a nice big breakfast. The architecture was amazing! Simply beautiful, which is a good thing because the grounds are pretty much completely brick or stone. There is a little grass here and there between bricks but that's it. The reason the Emperor didn't want trees and vegetation was because he didn't want anyone to sneak in and hide behind anything. The Forbidden City was given that name because only higher class citizens who were invited could come inside, it was forbidden to the common man to enter and if he did the cost would be his life. Under the brick or stone there is rock so no one will try to dig a tunnel to enter. We went from one court yard to another to another, etc...it was nice to see the first couple but it just got to be too muck for most of the children after that. I'm glad we did all these things but like I said before it's too much for the children, but on the other hand I'm glad we got to see these things too. After that we came back to the hotel. Jazmyn and Shane had a nap and I went up to Yulin's room to order our DVD's and give them some pics. Around four we went to the market to look around. I picked up a couple of lanterns for our local "Harvest Moon Festival". Shane got a couple of t-shirts and we got Jazmyn a watch cause she was always taking Baba's ;O). She was glued to him once again today, she will come to me for the necessities of life but right now she is really taking to her Baba so I just have to step back and let that happen. I have to say it hurts a tinge....ok I'm lying "IT'S KILLING ME INSIDE!!!" *Sigh*...I know she loves me too.....and she will give me kisses so...I'm just being selfish. I'm a big girl I can handle it ;O). She will grow to love the both of us more and more, probably in different ways so I can be comforted for now that when she needs to squaty pot she comes looking for me :oI. LOL!
I think next we will need prayer for when Baba has to go back to work.....I don't think it's going to be a happy time for her. How did that transition work for any of you who have been there? Are there any tips or tricks? I suggested that he may have to sneak out of the house the first little while but now I'm not so sure that would be a good idea. I don't want her to think people can just walk into and out of her life with no explanation...even if it is only for a week to a child it's so much longer...for a child who doesn't understand your language it's got to be even that much harder, but saying good bye to her sends her into a tantrum.....(understandably so). I don't believe in long drawn out goodbyes either...those are truly excruciatingly painful for children. Sometimes children mistakenly comprehend that your never coming back or your going to be in danger if you leave...it can be a frightening time for a child who is 4 years old. I remember sometimes when I was very very young and my mom had to go somewhere I couldn't sleep until I knew she was home. I would worry about her. If she made her goodbye a long one it would make me worry even more and I was afraid she would never come back for me. I'm thinking Skype might be a good idea when he is gone for the week. That was she still hear him and see him every night before bedtime.
Ok speaking of goodbye's we had our "Good Bye China" party tonight. We had Peking Duck and other dishes then a beautiful cake. Mr. lee dressed up as a clown and did a magic show and then came out later and did a dance in a really cool costume where the mask changed all the time it was really cool. Jazmyn didn't think so though. Mr. Lee came close to her and she got scared and turned around on Baba's knee and muckled onto his neck. She was also getting pretty tired by the time supper was over. Yulin gave each of the children a little toy and a scroll with their Chinese name on it. We also got a jade stamp we had ordered with her name on it in both English and Chinese.
We got back to the hotel and we packed up all our stuff because we fly home tomorrow..*sigh*....it's going to be nice to get back to a "new" kinda normal. Some of the couples leave at 4 and the rest at 6 but the bus is taking everyone tomorrow at 1:00pm so we will be sitting at the airport until 6....that is going to make for a very loooooong day for poor little Jazmyn. Perhaps I'll take Tammy's advice and try to get her a Magna Doodle for the flight and the gate. We arrive in Toronto at 6:45pm.....Lisa B if you want to still meet us our flight is #32.....times are subject to change I guess with all flights so just check our flight number to see if we are on time or not. Looks like we have to collect our luggage too so ....You know the airport better than I do. Hopefully we'll see you! We leave at 9 the next morning to head to Halifax then Charlottetown. We'll be home around 4. Can't wait to see some familiar faces when we arrive at the gate!
This trip has been amazing, it had it's ups and downs, good times and hard times, sad and happy times, stretching and growing times, heart wrenching times and over joyed times. It was bitter sweet and yes if I had the chance to do it again I certainly would...in a heart beat. It's been such a faith building 2 weeks for the both of us. We feel so honoured and blessed to have been given the opportunity ti grow our families this way and I think it was all the masters plan straight from the get go. Everything happens for a reason... His reason, Not luck chance, carma or good fortune, simply because we were faithful to hold on to God's promise that he would give us the desire of our hearts...and if it were something that would glorify His then all the more reason ti felt so write from the beginning. All in his timing...however long that is. Tomorrow will be such a wonderful day. I can't wait until our new little Canadian citizen touches her feet on Canadian soil! As of today she is officially a canuck!



12 comments:

Kim said...

I can't believe you are coming home already.. time has gone by soooo quickly...
LOVE the photos...
Hugs..

Nadine said...

Have a good and safe trip home. She's beautiful. I'm so very happy for you.

Anonymous said...

what a beautiful daughter you have. I enjoyed reading about your trip
hmmm, when Shane returns to work is there any chance that you can meet him for lunch?

Have a safe trip back home!
Kristin Hager

Alyson and Ford said...

Skyping really helped keeping in touch so I would say, yes to try it when Baba is gone.
Have a wonderful & safe trip home! Congrats!

Alyzabeth's Mommy

jacjac said...

YAY ///

yAY!! i cant wait to see you guys!!!!! one more sleep and then its the day!!!! yay yay yay yay yay.. DID I MENTION YAY!!!!

geminirn said...

Love the photos and have a safe journey home....looking forward to you next update!!!

LeeAnne Sullivan said...

Debbie,
Your blog has me in tears almost everytime I read it! I have enjoyed this journey with you. Wishing you safe travels and may God continue to bless you all. Looking forward to more pictures in Jazmyn's new home and of course, meeting her!
LeeAnne ;)

Kristy said...

I will be so glad and thankful when I know you are on Canadian soil. Thank you for sharing every emotion, feeling and thought of this journey. God has blessed you in ways you dont even know, because you are an incredible lady.
Love you all.

Kristy

Iris said...

Can't wait can't wait can't wait.
Huggs
Me

Shionge said...

What an amazing journey Debz so glad that everything is fine and well. I am sure there will be more wonderful journey ahead :D

mommy24treasures said...

oh Many congratulations on your beautiful daughter! I haven't been around in a while and was SO excited to see on Kerri's blog that you have a daughter!
So happy for you all.
Love
Connie

Aimee and Cary said...

So excited for you and your new family. The hardest part for us when we got home was that Daddy went back to work (we got home on a Friday and he went back to work the following Monday). It was hard for him to reconnect with her for two weeks.. she would SCREAM bloody murder when he walked in the door. I will be praying for your trip home.. it's a long journey but you will see amazing progress with Jazmyn over the next several weeks.. it's AWESOME to see! One thing I did to help our daughter was to frequently talk about daddy, show pictures of him, play with his clothes (I think the smell helped her to reconnect with him) and make a BIG deal over his coming home.. talk about it a lot... Daddy will be home in a while.. here comes Daddy.. Daddy's driving in the driveway.. etc.
Blessings!!!
Aimee
Forever Family Day 5.18.09
http://adoptinglittleone.blogspot.com