In the Playroom

We spent 2 1/2 hours in the playroom today, and for every minute of that time Phoebe was walking around the room with our fingers in her hands. I learned from her foster care documents that she was a champ in the wheeled walker, and you can tell. She stands with perfect balance, and then thrusts her body forward to walk with complete lack of control and disregard for balance. She also jumps up and down in place, sometimes on her tip-toes, and stomps her feet one at a time in rapid succession. Amazingly, in our time in the playroom she really progressed, right there in front of our eyes. She learned to stand! As long as she is distracted by something engaging, and therefore not wanting to collapse in her mama's arms for a hug, she can stand for a good 15 or 20 seconds. She even took two steps into my arms! Our backs are aching from leaning down with our fingers to walk with her, but it is worth it, so worth it.

Not everyone is having as easy of a time of things. Most people are facing the usual adjustments: a baby who goes only to one parent and screams if the other approaches, hunger strikes, emotional detachment, fevers, ear infections, lower extremity muscle wasting, severe motor delays. For those families, it is so encouraging that there are several families traveling with us whose older children were adopted from China as well. One family has the most charming and bright five year old, who has really captured my heart. Their story of her first two weeks with them in China is one of the most concerning I've heard. It's a nice reminder that happy endings are the most common outcome for these kids who come to their "forever families" with so many strikes against them.

Phoebe still cries "jie-jie" when she gets sleepy or sad-- and woke up shrieking just now, an hour after I put her to bed. Those moments are reminders to us that she had a life before we came into it. In spite of her apparent ease at joining us, she is still undergoing a tremendous transition. She's been through so many transitions: from her birth mother, to the orphanage, to foster care, and now to us. When she wakes of shrieking, I tell her, "Phoebe, we are here. We are with you forever. We will never leave you, Phoebe. You are safe."