Home 2 Weeks

We've been home from China for 2 weeks now... which is so weird to write - it feels like WanYing has always been here, has always been one of us, yet on the other hand we are keenly aware that we're all still trying to figure each other out.

WanYing feels so much bigger than Sasha did when she got home.   She's only 2 months older than Sash was at homecoming, but she's an astounding 5 inches taller and feels like a toddler, where Sash really felt like a baby (if that makes any sense at all).  She is fairly verbal already and knows key words like our names, "no," and "more food" and she feels much more opinionated than I remember Sasha being.  And she's hugely mobile - running and climbing - where Sash was just starting to toddle when we met.

There's so much to be grateful for, and so much that is going extraordinarily well in our bonding journey:

• WanYing is using Mom and Dad as her home base, especially in new situations or around new people (this is great!)
• Meals are going pretty smoothly and although we haven't settled into a real meal schedule (do toddlers ever settle into a meal schedule?  I think they just grow out of toddlerdom) WanYing is eating well and feeding herself.  She also lets us feed her (also great!)
• WanYing loves to be tickled and hugged and finds her new-found access to her belly fascinating
• The other 3 kids are doing so well, and we are so very proud of their generosity and grace in welcoming their little sister home
• We're having a log of fun together, just enjoying being a family and getting to know each other

We are still struggling with bed and naps and sleeping, which I know is pretty common, but man does it suck.  WanYing is just not happy about going to bed most nights and screams and cries until she finally exhausts herself and only then will she allow us to comfort her.

It's getting better, little by little, and tonight she fell asleep without a peep... but, oh, those tantrums are so miserable for everybody.  It's heartbreaking to know that your little one is hurting and won't let you into the hurt.  It's so hard to know that she doesn't yet trust us like a mom and a dad. 

And we know that this is a natural phase, and we know that it's getting better, and we know that this is an essential part of WanYing's journey; but boy do we look forward to easy bedtimes and uninterrupted sleep again.  And we look forward to WanYing trusting us even in the hard times.  And we are determined to demonstrate to her that we are worthy of that trust.

So, we're doing well.  We definitely appreciate your prayers as we continue to get to know each other and as WanYing continues to let us into her heart.  And we appreciate your prayers for patience and grace, because this is a time where all 6 of us need to extend larger-than-average amounts of grace to the others.  And we appreciate your prayers for rest and breathing room amid the fatigue - this is hard work.  Blessed work, but hard work.

And most of all, please celebrate with us - we have been blessed with an amazing daughter.