Baba is home...

... and not a moment too soon! Guo has been practically joined at the hip with him ever since this picture was taken. 

Guo has his family back together again.     (Yes!)

"... look outside..."

Fortunately on the level of science Guo is studying we haven't begun to discuss the issues of 'global warming'. I would have had a difficulty being sympathetic this last week anyway. The weather has seemed rather unusually damp and cold for this born and bred Washingtonian. (I've loved the extra snuggles with my boy.)

In any case, here it is officially Spring... dare I repeat it... Spring! The daffodils are blooming... the trees are starting to blossom... the Skagit Co. Tulip Festival starts next week... and I suddenly hear: 

"Mama: look outside. It's Snowing!"

20 minutes later... "look outside... it's still snowing"

90 minutes later... "look... I can't believe it... it's still snowing!!!"

2 hours later... " I told you snow today. Why it didn't stay?"

(maybe because it really is Spring, I hope, I hope... the Mama thinks to herself)

counting the days...

Guo has been doing so well about David being gone, but he is counting the days. Aren't we glad we know when we will be all together again, and aren't playing the CCAA waiting game? That was torture for all three of us.

Counting tomorrow Baba, 2 more days! Wo ai ni. :-)

"Mama: 'Lyle' misses Baba"...

Baba, aka David, left on a red eye flight Monday night for MA to spend 5 days with his parents, in part to celebrate his father's 92nd birthday. This is the first time Guo has been separated from either of us. We prepared him the best we could, however, as you can well imagine the anxiety is still there. Good thing our cell phone has a family plan with unlimited minutes between phones. :-)

Anyway, Guo will verbalize about missing his Baba, but he has a new stuffed lamb named Lyle. You remember Guo's pengyou (friends) do a lot of talking too. Well, Lyle is doing more than his share while settling into the 'family'.

Guo, the boy who wants to understand and be ok with everything, will talk it out: "what is Baba doing now"... "where is he now"... "what time is it"... "where is he sleeping"... "what is he eating"... "only __ days until he comes home"...  "I miss him"..., etc..

Guo, the uncertain child comes out in Lyle. 

I am so thankful he is comfortable telling me: "I dreamed 'bout Baba last night. I run to him, and give him big hug. ... You miss Baba, too?" 

"I clean 'da church"

'Easter Saturday', there's a tradition at our church the youth have a pancake breakfast & car wash to raise funds for summer camps. After breakfast, many families get together to join in Spring cleaning inside & out before the dusk to dawn prayer vigil culminating in the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord.

David had choir practice @ 10:00 so while he and I were enjoying a last minute cup of coffee, Guo said he was off to play. Good idea, except... ten minutes before rehearsal we went to find him as I was going to the store for plants for church. It was necessary to know whether he was coming with me, or staying at church with his Baba. But Guo was nowhere to be found! Everyone "thought he was that way". 'That way' can usually be the opposite way because our complex probably takes up 1/2 a block, and has many wonderful :-) old knooks & crannys (sp.?)

After about 25 minutes, one of the kids Guo had been with came in red-faced and breathless from playing. When asked he said: "I think he's out 'there' ". ("by the car wash??") "well, maybe..."

Upon further investigation, I see the very top of my son's head on the sidewalk, next to the street, on the other side of the hedge... my heart skipping three beats, I rapidly walked out... when he proudly looks up, from the hedge trimmings with a rake in hand, and says:

"I clean 'da church"

And the 85+ year old man doing hedge trimming says: "And he doing a good job, too!"

They both quietly went back to their work... a great example of cross generational teaching... 

A Winning Smile turns a Winning Style!

Friday, March 21st was Guo's first 4H oral presentation/demonstration. He was primed. 

The tri-fold board had his special touches. Even though he can't read yet, we'd spent a enormous amount of time with him saying: "Mama, what do these words say... I want say... next say.... we do this..." etc (you get the idea) and printing it out. They were then cut,  and pasted with his creative use of color and design.

By this age Guo is at the intermediate level of 4H which means his presentation was to last up to 15 minutes. However, I called ahead, as did our trainer and everyone was aware he is still developing his English language skills. He knew he was to do his best English with his 'medium loud' voice and demonstrate for the judge.

We arrived at the site... things were going great... we waited... and waited... pretty soon Guo says: "Mama can you come in with me?" ("I don't think so... parents aren't supposed to... we'll ask")... we waited some more... the organizer comes out & says the judge will come out to introduce herself soon... "Mama, I really want you in there with me" ("I know sweetie, but you know I'll have to just be quiet") "I know, you just sit there. OK?

The judge came up right then, sensing the nerves, began to talk to Guo about his project, his dog, and me. She almost gave the perfect segue for me to ask permission to go in with Guo. She didn't have a problem with it. As a matter of fact, she let me help get him set up before quietly sitting down. (a side note: her son was being judged at the next table over).

Back to Guo's performance... at the last possible second another man comes up and tells the judge he is supposed to be the second judge with her. Every ounce of blood drained from Guo's face. I thought he was going to throw up on the spot.. As it was, the oddest thing happened... he stood up and started reciting the text of his presentation forgetting to demonstrate. He tried to remember word for every last 'perfect' word in order, all the while getting softer and softer.

I couldn't even catch his eye to motion to him pick up his stuff to show them while talking. Finally, with only about 7 words left he scratches his head and said: "I just don't 'member the rest". Poor kid he was trying to do his English so well.

Then the judges both mercifully said: "could you show us how to make them". At which time, Guo animatedly demonstrated and spoke in phrases like he had practiced. 

Some day when he is older, I will be able to explain to him the later was the blue ribbon presentation. By then he will probably understand any way. :-)

Guo first communion

Guo celebrated his first communion last night, Maundy Thursday.  Baba sang with the Chancel Choir and immediately came down and joined us. Guo was very excited as gege Carl was at service just to be there for him. 

Our very dear friends, extended family, Roy and Karen were communion lay assistants. Roy, who is Guo's best buddy in the entire world, was able to serve him his first 'wafer' (the body of Christ). It was so special for both of them.

Pastor Snyder, his teacher and interim pastor, whom he knows, served the 'wine' (the blood of Christ), which made it so comfortable for him.

It was a joy for all of us to see him understand and take one more step in his faith journey. :-) Praises Be To God

the train wreck

Yes folks... today's excitement was a train-semi truck wreck and derailment. Those of you familiar with Guo know his love and fascination with trains, so you can imagine his interest in the news when it was right here in town. He couldn't wait to know absolutely every bit of information I could find for him. Sources said, of course the road was closed off and I wasn't sure how close we could get to safely view, but I did promise after my physical therapy appointment we would try to see for ourselves.

He was so good waiting for me, however, I was informed when I stopped for a Starbucks after PT that I could drink coffee anytime. It WAS time to go look at the train wreck. LOL

We got within about a couple of blocks of the wreck. Guo was able to see a good deal of one side of the damage; lots of the equipment and machinery that was being used. He took some pictures with my camera. 

Normally, for most kids that would have been the end of the adventure. This boy stood out there in the less than desirable weather drawing his own conclusions for the process of moving the 3 engines, repairing the destroyed track and road way, and the equipment needed. How do I know this? Besides the fact he chattered about it all the way home, he also called his Baba to tell him what he had been doing and proceeded to explain to David what the men were going to need to do.

It was fun listening to him talk to his Baba. He was really digging deep in his English vocabulary using adjectives for the first time. He spoke for almost 10 minutes on the phone (a record), at times seemingly straining as if giving a major presentation to a group of hundreds. Occasionally, he would look at me and quietly say: "dui bu dui" ? (right/not right?).        

Dui, Dui Xiao Guo!!

'family' news

Guo would like to announce he is once again an uncle. Baby Henry N. Lyman was born to his brother & sister-in-law: Robert and Christine. Henry arrived on Wednesday, March 12th at 8:12 am, 7lb. 5oz., 20 1/2", joining his brother Richard, 3 years old.

Guo was so excited when we told him the baby had been born. He immediately began counting up family members. 

"Wow, we have big family! ... YES!!"

We are the lucky ones!

It always seems odd to me people need to comment that Guo is: "so lucky to have been adopted by us", when in fact it is just the opposite.
It is interesting to read other adoption travel stories and hear differences in care children are getting even within the same province. Guo has learned that he can trust us even with his inner most secrets, stories, and... . Some days it is a sentence, others it may be a conversation that will last 10-15 minutes, but we are learning about he past. It is different, wide, and varied. 
The words "foster care: and "orphanage" that were used in his original bio. literally do not have the same meaning in his case, sad to say. Yet... Happily, we have been Mama & Baba from minute one. He has showed the deep love and affection for both us in many ways. Guo is kind, gentle, and generous.

And, before this "silly Mother" goes on and on any more WE ARE the luckiest ones to have Guo as one of our gifts from God!

" ... did you hear what I said ... ?"

yes/no... 

do you know what I mean... yes/no... would be more accurate... 

many times as a parent and a teacher I've said: "did you hear what I said"

but it has been Guo who has taught me the answer: "yes/no" ... 

and by the way he answers I then follow up with the question: "do you understand?"... "yes/no"...

with Xiao Guo and me, he had to learn it was also ok not to understand and admit the need for help in learning...

Guo has been making such great strides in his conversational English skills and basic understanding of the language. A little at a time he has begun talking with those he knows and he feels comfortable with. Even his "adult" friends have it figured out: this is not a boy that is going to sit with both feet on the floor, bottom on the chair, back straight, and hands folded on his lap and have a 'conversation' for 20 minutes. YES... LOL ... there are too many  to be counted think that should be the case... even I can't do that... blah!!!

At our church it has now become the tradition the 4th graders take their first communion at the Maundy Thursday services. To prepare for this the children spend a Saturday usually two weeks ahead of time at a day long retreat at Trinity Lutheran College. Obviously, Guo is older; however having not being raised with any knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ we have started from the very beginning. Guo was baptized a year ago Palm Sunday, has been receiving the blessing during The Lord's Supper as all children of the faith. He has been an eager young learner.

Guo's faith journey has been remarkable considering the short amount of time he has been to church. So, David and I decided yesterday he was ready to attend the retreat in preparation for his first communion.

What a day full of opportunities. The kids were blessed to have three great teachers: our interim Pastor Snider, our former Pastor "Jack" (Richards), who brought several students from his new congregation, and "super teacher" member: Mr. Ernie Fosse. Each had unique teaching styles, and had the kids coming up with the most amazing and thought provoking answers. (Parents/drivers/chaperones were used as facilitators to assist in class work when needed for quickly moving from reference to reference in the Bible.)

For Guo personally, it was  a day of great strides. He came out of his shell. He raised his hand and volunteered answers... The best part: twice it was something not only was he the only kid that knew the answers, but they were answers from particular parts of Bible stories. Both times he turned and grinned at a smiling Baba & Mama.

Several times last night Guo said to me: "... did you hear what I said..."

I said: "... Yes! :-)"

My heart was saying: "... I do know what you mean..."

... have I ever told you I love this boy???

Guo loves his stuffed animals. They all have names and individual personalities. Since he didn't have any toys when he was growing up in China, and didn't go through this stage of development he is playing catch up now. It is wonderful. :-)

Often times the "friends" reveal all sorts of information... today was really heart warming. There was a 'party' with all of them in attendance, but I was told they were having a "meeting" first. When I inquire of Guo what the meeting was about, he informed me it was a secret. The "friends" were only going to tell him, but he would let me know what they decided.

A little while later I noticed one animal was singled out away from the others, so I asked why he wasn't at the meeting. Guo quickly said the meeting was over and "Jackson" was getting ready to go to the 'party': "But Jackson just told me the secret from the meeting (grin, grin)... just be minute, I tell you... meeting decided how we be good to Mama!"

ahhh.......

~a fun filled Saturday~

It has been too long with preparing for surgeries, surgeries, and recovering from them since Guo has been swimming. With his cough more or less subsided, Guo was so excited when we agreed it was time to get back at it. He jumped right back in as if he'd never been gone. Guo loves the water and tries to increase his swimming distance along with having a good time playing. I have pictures to prove this time. Yeah Mama.

After about an hour and a half he announced he was ready to go because we had to get ready to go to the hockey game.

It was his first time to a hockey game. Every year the 4H puppy group takes a field trip with the dogs to the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds. Guo was so 'primed'... he almost couldn't contain himself. Baba began by explaining the basics of the game and Guo was really into it. Before I knew it... it was a 'father/son huddle'... and it was more than basic...

Guo napped a little on the way home so consequently, he was still wound tighter than a knot... chattering away at 11 pm... not only did he make it to 8:30 church services this morning, but he was a silly little wiggle worm... He finally slowed down about 5 pm this afternoon. What a Boy!