Reality Sets In

I will not try to send pictures until Guanzhou as the connection speed is really slow.

The first twenty four hours with Madelyn were ideal. She was happy, laughing all of the time and playing with her older sister. We suspect a lot more activity than she was getting in her foster home.

Last night, just about bath time, she was exhausted and realized that we might just be here to stay. People who adopt Chinese children, especially older ones, are prepared for grieving which can be manifested in many different ways. Today Madelyn is tired and angry. Which to us is great. We believe that the more she reacts here the better she will be able to bond later.

The update we received on Madelyn said that her sister in foster care would pull her hair but Madelyn knew how to fight back. So when Alaine was introduced as Lele's older sister, Lele did not seem excited by the prospect of having an older sister in her new home. Nevertheless, Alaine remains the older sister Madelyn really wants. As we played with Madelyn yesterday, running up and down the hallway what seemed hundreds of times, Alaine told me that she wanted to show Madelyn that she was a good older sister and not the kind to pull hair. Man, were we proud of her. I suspect that having her grand parents here helps a lot, as well.

The adoption process involves a lot of waiting. We were formally granted custody yesterday from the Government of China. We are waiting until Friday to receive her Chinese passport which she will use to travel to Guangzhou and then on to the U.S. So we tour Nanning which doesn't have a lot of tourist spots.

In Guangzhou we will receive formal permission to bring Madelyn into the US which will take three days. As we leave Chinese airspace, next Thursday, she will automatically become a US citizen.

This time more than last I have questioned my judgement. Heck the Government has formally "aged us out". But I look in this little girl's eyes and I see a lovely young lady who needs love and a lot of attention. It all becomes worthwhile.