We made it home. It was a long trip but both girls did amazing. They slept a lot which really helped. Galen and I didn't really sleep because we each had a girl sleeping on our lap so we couldn't really move much. We had to wait in line for an hour in Minneapolis to get through immigration. The good thing was that the immigration and customs were combined so after we got through that line, we were done.
We got back to Denver about 2 hours late. We checked into our hotel and went to bed at 10:30. Both girls were wide awake 3 hours later at 1:30 AM. We eventually got up and got ready and left the hotel at 4:00 AM.
It was so good to get home to our boys. We are hoping Jeremy is able to come home very soon. It is incredible how quickly Pei Fang took to the boys. She will go anywhere with either one of them. Yesterday we went to the bank so she could see where Dad was. She didn't talk much but she smiled a lot.
Vacation Bible School started at our church on Tuesday. Believe it or not we have gone the last 2 nights. Makenna has gone to her class. Kyle, Logan and Yuyu are helping with recreation so Pei Fang has hung out with them the whole time. She really seems to enjoy watching all the kids.
The only real issue we have had is with her clothing. She absolutely does not want to wear any of the clothes we have for her. Her foster mother bought her several new clothes before she left. I kind of wish she hadn't done that and maybe it wouldn't be such an issue. But again, maybe Pei Fang feels like that is one of the very few things she has left from "home".
Yuyu asked her last night if she liked it here and she said, "yes".
Overall, we feel like she is adjusting very well. She has had very few times where she acts like she is sad. Part of that is probably because the boys are doing a good job of keeping her busy and entertained.
We still continue to need lots of prayer. I will post some pictures from home as soon as we get the battery charged up on our camera.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Our Last Day in Taiwan
This will be a short post. This morning was spent packing. It actually came together quicker than I thought it would. We have a lot of stuff but I think we got it all in somewhere in one of our 6 suitcases!
This afternoon we went to Danshui which used to be a fishing village on the East China Sea. It is now pretty much a tourist attraction. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we really enjoyed it.
We really have loved Taiwan despite dealing with our emotions. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. They are all so warm and friendly. But as much as we have loved it here, we are so ready to come home! Our flight leaves at 9:30 in the morning. We have to leave the hotel at 6:30 so we will be getting up early.
Looking forward to seeing my boys! Well, at least 2 of them very soon.
I will plan to post again when we got home
Goodnight from Taiwan.
This afternoon we went to Danshui which used to be a fishing village on the East China Sea. It is now pretty much a tourist attraction. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we really enjoyed it.
We really have loved Taiwan despite dealing with our emotions. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. They are all so warm and friendly. But as much as we have loved it here, we are so ready to come home! Our flight leaves at 9:30 in the morning. We have to leave the hotel at 6:30 so we will be getting up early.
Looking forward to seeing my boys! Well, at least 2 of them very soon.
I will plan to post again when we got home
Goodnight from Taiwan.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday in Taiwan
Each day continues to be a roller coaster of emotions. Today I think there were more ups than downs. This morning we took the MRT (Mass Rail Transit) to church all by ourselves.
We went to Grace Baptist Church. It was an English service and we knew all the songs! It was really wonderful. For me, it was a gentle reminder that this whole process is not about me. I knew this was going to be extremely difficult before we got here. But I also knew that we were being obedient to what the Lord was telling us to do. It was just so good to be worshipping with other believers and experiencing God's presence.
Pei Fang was really quite good in church. I don't think she is used to having to sit still and be quiet for that long.
After church we came back to the hotel and had a skype call with Jeremy. It was the first time he had gotten to see Pei Fang on the computer. He was doing all kinds of silly things and Pei Fang loved it. He had her laughing most of the time. It was good to see her being so responsive to him. After talking to Jeremy, we had a second skype call with Logan. It is so good to be able to see their faces and talk to them half way around the world!
This afternoon we went to Ulay (oo-lie). It is up in the mountains and it is famous for natural hot springs. We rented one of the indoor tubs for an hour. We didn't go to the outdoor tubs because it was raining. It was really quite enjoyable and I think both girls had fun. We then walked around for awhile looking in stores. I think we both agree that we have never seen so much food for sale anywhere. Everywhere you go there are restaurants and food carts. Even with the massive amount of people here, we can't believe they can eat that much food!
Pei Fang seems to have a stubborn side. There are certain things she wants to be in charge of. Most of the time she doesn't want anyone else touching her things. Perhaps she feels those are the only things in her life she can control right now.
She is consistently calling us BaBa and MaMa now. She also likes to help us with things that she can see are routine such as opening the hotel room door and helping us get the stoller up and down stairs. She is also making an effort at more English words every day. Much of the time she is happy and smiling. All of these things are outweighing the difficult moments. It is just that those difficult moments are so emotionally draining. She is continually testing the boundaries to see where they are. We feel it is very important to be consistant so she will know what to expect. But we also know she is in a grieving process and we need to be gentle and patient. It is a very tough balancing act for which we often feel ill-equipped.
Tomorrow we get to pack and get ready to go home. We really covet your continuing prayers, especially for our trip home. Thank you all again for your love and support. We will continue to need it for many months after we get home.
We went to Grace Baptist Church. It was an English service and we knew all the songs! It was really wonderful. For me, it was a gentle reminder that this whole process is not about me. I knew this was going to be extremely difficult before we got here. But I also knew that we were being obedient to what the Lord was telling us to do. It was just so good to be worshipping with other believers and experiencing God's presence.
Pei Fang was really quite good in church. I don't think she is used to having to sit still and be quiet for that long.
After church we came back to the hotel and had a skype call with Jeremy. It was the first time he had gotten to see Pei Fang on the computer. He was doing all kinds of silly things and Pei Fang loved it. He had her laughing most of the time. It was good to see her being so responsive to him. After talking to Jeremy, we had a second skype call with Logan. It is so good to be able to see their faces and talk to them half way around the world!
This afternoon we went to Ulay (oo-lie). It is up in the mountains and it is famous for natural hot springs. We rented one of the indoor tubs for an hour. We didn't go to the outdoor tubs because it was raining. It was really quite enjoyable and I think both girls had fun. We then walked around for awhile looking in stores. I think we both agree that we have never seen so much food for sale anywhere. Everywhere you go there are restaurants and food carts. Even with the massive amount of people here, we can't believe they can eat that much food!
Pei Fang seems to have a stubborn side. There are certain things she wants to be in charge of. Most of the time she doesn't want anyone else touching her things. Perhaps she feels those are the only things in her life she can control right now.
She is consistently calling us BaBa and MaMa now. She also likes to help us with things that she can see are routine such as opening the hotel room door and helping us get the stoller up and down stairs. She is also making an effort at more English words every day. Much of the time she is happy and smiling. All of these things are outweighing the difficult moments. It is just that those difficult moments are so emotionally draining. She is continually testing the boundaries to see where they are. We feel it is very important to be consistant so she will know what to expect. But we also know she is in a grieving process and we need to be gentle and patient. It is a very tough balancing act for which we often feel ill-equipped.
Tomorrow we get to pack and get ready to go home. We really covet your continuing prayers, especially for our trip home. Thank you all again for your love and support. We will continue to need it for many months after we get home.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Saturday in Taiwan
I woke up feeling really good this morning because I slept for more than 8 hours. That was the first time I had slept more than 4 hours at a stretch since we have been here.
It rained most of the day so that changed our original plans. This morning we went to see Shrek 4 in 3D. It was great. Makenna slept through most of it and Pei Fang slept through the last half. But Galen and I enjoyed it a lot. After the movie we went to eat lunch at TGI Friday's. It tasted just like home.
We finished lunch about 2:00 and then went to a weekend Jade Market. It was fun walking through and looking at all the things for sale. We found some great souvenirs.
After that we went back to the hotel for a couple of hours. Then we went and got ice cream at Cold Stone and walked around a little bit at the underground mall again. We went ahead and bought a new suitcase for all the gifts we have been given and a few of Pei Fang's clothes that are currently in her backpack.
Tomorrow we are going to church! We found a church that we can get to easily on the train. It is an English speaking Baptist church. Just as today was a little taste of home with the movie and the restaurant, we anticipate a refreshing time worshipping with fellow believers tomorrow!
Things went fairly well with Pei Fang today. When Jill was with us, she gravitated to her. However, she did not completely ignore us. Most of the time she seemed happy. When we got back to the hotel she started asking if she could call somebody. We assume she wanted to talk to her foster family. That seems to be her grieving time.
Please continue to pray for her and us. All of us need prayer for bonding and that the Lord would increase our love for each other each day. We need wisdom each day in how to handle the lack of being able to communicate, her grieving process, and her busyness. It is very hard for her to sit still for long.
Makenna has been a trooper through everything. I'm not sure it has made as much of a difference to Pei Fang that she is here, but it makes all the difference in the world for us!
Only two more full days before we can come home!
It rained most of the day so that changed our original plans. This morning we went to see Shrek 4 in 3D. It was great. Makenna slept through most of it and Pei Fang slept through the last half. But Galen and I enjoyed it a lot. After the movie we went to eat lunch at TGI Friday's. It tasted just like home.
We finished lunch about 2:00 and then went to a weekend Jade Market. It was fun walking through and looking at all the things for sale. We found some great souvenirs.
After that we went back to the hotel for a couple of hours. Then we went and got ice cream at Cold Stone and walked around a little bit at the underground mall again. We went ahead and bought a new suitcase for all the gifts we have been given and a few of Pei Fang's clothes that are currently in her backpack.
Tomorrow we are going to church! We found a church that we can get to easily on the train. It is an English speaking Baptist church. Just as today was a little taste of home with the movie and the restaurant, we anticipate a refreshing time worshipping with fellow believers tomorrow!
Things went fairly well with Pei Fang today. When Jill was with us, she gravitated to her. However, she did not completely ignore us. Most of the time she seemed happy. When we got back to the hotel she started asking if she could call somebody. We assume she wanted to talk to her foster family. That seems to be her grieving time.
Please continue to pray for her and us. All of us need prayer for bonding and that the Lord would increase our love for each other each day. We need wisdom each day in how to handle the lack of being able to communicate, her grieving process, and her busyness. It is very hard for her to sit still for long.
Makenna has been a trooper through everything. I'm not sure it has made as much of a difference to Pei Fang that she is here, but it makes all the difference in the world for us!
Only two more full days before we can come home!
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