Last Post from China

We are in Hong Kong for the night and will fly home tomorrow.  The following is a post I wrote a couple of days ago but couldn't post until now.  Gene and I surprised Eden and he took her to Disney in Hong Kong today while mom, Zoey and I waited to receive Zoey's consulate paperwork before taking the train to HK this evening.  We can't wait to be home and will arrive in Atlanta on United Airlines at 7 p.m. from Chicago on the 17th.  Anyone is welcome to greet us at the airport.

Thanks for all your prayers...will post tons of pics and video when we are back home.  Love you all!

The Final Stretch - written Monday

It's Keri posting this time.  We just returned from the US Consulate Appointment and are relaxing in the room for a bit before lunch and then a trip with Eden to the zoo.  I think Zoey and daddy are going to stay back for a nap.  If Eden wasn't so excited about seeing the squirrel and the dalmations at the zoo I think we would all skip the afternoon sweat-fest altogether.  But alas, she has her heart set on it so we will take her.

Zoey  is doing well.  I am still unsure of exactly what to do with her other than "survive" until we get back home.  She is so easy…too easy.  Part of me is like, "Enjoy it" and the other part – the attachment educated part – is like "this is gonna be a LONG road."  She literally never complains, cries, wimpers, etc.  She is laid back and doesn't show much emotion.   I have noticed some progress over the past week, though.  She lights up with the biggest grin now whenever I pick her up.  Another difference I have noticed is that she reaches up for me ALL the time…she only wants to be held.  She will go to anyone…but she reaches for me.  Over the last couple of days I have gotten a semi-hug back from her and a couple of kisses.  

I have also seen her relax some since the orphanage visit.  She is much more silly and verbal…talking to herself in Cantonese.  She is repeating most of "Good Night Moon" back to me each night when we read before bed.  Last night I sat her in my lap facing me and sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and she LOVED it.  I tried to sing it again and she got so excited she started hitting and head-butting.  Perhaps the biggest obstacle to really connecting with her so far is that I think one-on-one attention is so foreign to her that after just a couple of minutes of it, she goes berserk and gets rough and inappropriate with boundaries (hair pulling, head butting, hitting).  She isn't being mean…just very excited.  I am learning I'm gonna have to slowly introduce nurture to her b/c it's too much for her to handle all at once.

I've tried several times to recline her in my arms and rock her and she won't have it.  She fights against it and moves her eyes all around to avoid looking at me.  Once again, she doesn't lash out at me – she just is very uncomfortable.  Last night I tried holding her tighter to see if she would calm down and relax but the opposite happened.  She started to struggle and grunt to get free so I let her up.

She is such a precious little girl.  She is funny and sweet and adorable.  She smiles almost constantly and takes everything in with her giant brown eyes.  She loves to play and I already know she is gonna love playing kitchen and house.  Her younger foster sister was adopted by one of our travel group families and Zoey mothers little Bria (2) and looks out for her.  It is very sweet.  This family lives in Cullman and we look forward to staying in touch so our girls can know each other and have that precious connection to their past.

I will post again once more before we leave.  Can't wait to see everyone.