Location

I ordered something yesterday and this morning they sent this tracking email.

Look under Location.

Shenzhen CN

That's China.

Where Isabella is from.

How cool is that?

All shipment travel activity is displayed in local time for the location

Date/Time

Activity

Location

Details

Nov 17, 2010 7:32 AM

Shipment information sent to FedEx

Nov 17, 2010 2:22 PM

Picked up

SHENZHEN CN

Package received after FedEx cutoff

Bonding

As I was looking through our adoption videos

I found this. I don't remember Trent (or Trey)

recording this.

This is Isabella 5 days after we got her.

I think she's liking this mommy thing.

: )

Veteran's Day Parade

What Is It?

Trey: "Dad! I found this outside in the road! What is it?"

Trent: "Ah, yes, they used this in the Civil War."

Trey: "Dad. Really. What is it?"

Trent: "Well, little indian boys used to use these....."

Trey: "Dad! Seriously! What does it do?"

Trent: "Ok, ok. It's a bum plug."

I LOVE THIS GIRL!

...because she is hilariously funny, sweet, loving, bossy, smart, very funny, trusting, faithful, obedient, and just plain fun to be around.

Letters

This girl loves to write.

She has written since the day we got her.

At first it was Chinese.

Now it's names of her family.

She even does cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Miss K got her some letters to work with and she has been having fun spelling everyones name!

Isn't she the smartest and cutest little thing?!

Language Loss

I knew this day would come.

Although, for awhile you think the days of it will never end.

I knew it would be a sad one.

But the feelings you feel when you actually find out that it's gone is different than I thought.

It was a sinking feeling in my gut. Almost like a death.

She's lost a part of who she is and I don't know if she will ever get it back.

Not only has she has lost her people,

her culture,

her food,

her friends,

her Chinese Mama and Baba,

now she is losing her language.

Last night I discovered she can't count to 10 in Chinese anymore. I had to help her!

She used to be able to count higher than 10.

I spoke a few phrases in Chinese and she didn't know what I was saying.

I was a little surprised even though I shouldn't be. I knew this day would come.

Because she has lost these things doesn't mean that it's bad.

She exchanged one life for another to have a forever family, love, safety, education and freedom.

But it came with a price.

Not only has she lost her cultural heritage but she'll always look different than most of those around her and at different times in her life it might be hard to deal with. (It's hard enough being a teenager without throwing in other "stuff". )

But we will work through the "stuff" and always come back to the big picture- she is loved and has a family forever.

I have come to love China. The people are wonderful, smart, hard working, family oriented and they are grateful we adopt their "less than perfect" children.

I was personally thanked by a very sweet Chinese woman for adopting Isabella.

And all I could say was...

"No."

"Thank you."

So, while she forgets her language, I will do my best to teach her all about her cultural heritage and pray that she will always be happy exchanging one life for another.