Jess Goes to China

These Made My Day!

Got a sweet email from a staffmember at NDFH today-- I miss you so much, Ganlu! She also sent over 2 new pictures of my boy. Looks like he's walking all on his own now. I'm so proud of you, baby!

How cute is he?

tomorrow

Tomorrow, Shaun leaves to go to his foster family. Please lift me up because I am going to miss this boy so much. I know I'm going to cry, and I'm not a big crier. His foster mom has 2 foster kids now (Cooper is one of them! He's leaving in a couple months to go to his forever family). She is so good with them and I know it will be great for Shaun to have a family environment.

I can tell she loves him so much already. He isn't so sure about her yet, though. He only really wants me to hold him (although he just started getting used to his downstairs nannies and is doing so well with them) so it was hard. His foster mom came for the past 4 days to spend time with him and have him get used to her. He still isn't so sure and whenever he sees me cries for me to take him from her. I've been trying to keep my distance to help him with the transition.

Here's a recent picture of us. I am hiding behind him because I had a huge mosquito bite on my EYE and it looked like i had been punched in the face... and he is upset because his foster mom had just been holding him and he didn't like it one bit. So this is neither of our finest moments but hey, here we are:

Behind us is a half-finished bulletin board i've been working on for the preschool! I finished it today.

Anyway please lift me up and especially lift Shaun up. It will be a tough transition for him but I know he'll eventually be fine and do so well there. He leaves tomorrow afternoon. I am going to ask if I can visit their home next week (maybe the day before I leave China).

just some pictures

Debra left yesterday to meet her adoptive family. It's funny because we didn't even know she was matched until last week! Anyway, please lift her up as she makes this huge (but wonderful) transition! 

This is Jayce. He came to us when he was just a few weeks old. He's now almost 2 months and he's grown so much! Jayce has spina bifida and I just can't wait to see how much progress he'll make in the coming months.

I rode the rickshaw home on Friday night and this is just the view from the back of it.

Last but not least, here's my Shaun on the day before he took his first steps! He's growing up so quickly. I'm going to be a mess when I have to say goodbye to this little boy.

further proof that he's mine

 I walked upstairs to visit the babies the other day, and look what Shaun was wearing.

I did not buy that shirt, and I didn't put it on him... this is clearly a Boston boy at heart.

And a really, really cute one at that.

Video Saturday: shaun scoots!

As promised. How cute is he???

more shaun love

I got to spend the whole afternoon with him today. It was wonderful. When I left, he blew me kisses non-stop until I was out the door. I wish I could just take him home with me. I'd adopt him in a split second.

These pictures aren't from today. Just a random assortment. I need more pictures and video before he goes! Turns out he's not moving downstairs. He's going to a foster family in the village, probably in July. I'm going to cry when he leaves, but it'll be so good for him to be in a family setting. He'll grow so quickly and make so much progress. But I'll still cry when he's gone. 

 

Cute Shaun video to come tomorrow (video Saturday!).

cutting it close

Every month, a group of volunteers from a barber shop come to give all the children haircuts. This is a pretty big sacrifice for them-- they have to do about 50 haircuts for free. on about 50 reluctant children. Half of which are usually sobbing uncontrollably.

I was slightly afraid about Shaun's haircut. His hair was getting too long-- even his usually-natural fauxhawk was starting to be flattened by the weight of his hair. It was time for a trim. I couldn't stand the thought of him losing his cool hairstyle, though. I made sure the foster home manager and the nannies knew that this child could not be without a fauxhawk. I would cry. The nanny made sure the guy doing Shaun's haircut knew exactly what I wanted. Shorter on the sides, and trim the fauxhawk. Do not (under any circumstance) cut the hair on top too short.

Shaun didn't like getting his haircut. I didn't have my camera on me, but trust me-- there was much screaming and crying and twisting and turning involved. Given the circumstances, I think the barber did a great job. What do you think?

Wordless Wednesday: so much attitude

 

Wordless Wednesday: planning their escape

blaaargh

 

This is pretty much how I feel this week. Please lift me up. I want to serve with a good and right attitude.