We've been trying to get Little V to work on her pronunciation. Watch to see what new sound she's learned. Plus an added bonus that I'm sure mommy and daddy think is much funnier than any of you!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Vera's had a busy week!
Vera has been keeping herself busy this week. Here's what she's been doing...
She loves to color! When she saw me post this picture, she kept saying, "Color, color."
Lily came over to play one afternoon. She is the foster daughter of a foreign couple here. We are excited that she's being adopted (probably going to America in June), but sad that Vera is losing her playmate.
She loves posing for pics!
Another of Vera's favorite activities is building with Legos. She did have a little help with this! Mommy also has fun with Legos!
Remember her pillow I mentioned in a previous post....here she is enjoying a rest one afternoon. Can't rest without the pillow!
We bought her a little potty for her half birthday hoping that she will get used to sitting on it and eventually learn what it's for. The morning after we got it, she climbed onto the couch to sit on it, and pulled up a good book to read. Already enjoying books while sitting on the pot!
She loves to color! When she saw me post this picture, she kept saying, "Color, color."
Lily came over to play one afternoon. She is the foster daughter of a foreign couple here. We are excited that she's being adopted (probably going to America in June), but sad that Vera is losing her playmate.
She loves posing for pics!
Another of Vera's favorite activities is building with Legos. She did have a little help with this! Mommy also has fun with Legos!
Remember her pillow I mentioned in a previous post....here she is enjoying a rest one afternoon. Can't rest without the pillow!
We bought her a little potty for her half birthday hoping that she will get used to sitting on it and eventually learn what it's for. The morning after we got it, she climbed onto the couch to sit on it, and pulled up a good book to read. Already enjoying books while sitting on the pot!
Street Corner Band
A couple of nights ago as we were making dinner we heard singing from the street corner below. We live in the middle of the island, essentially downtown, so it's pretty busy around here most nights. We were surprised by the size of the crowd and by how often we were hearing "xie xie" (thank you) as street corner singers are usually ignored. After dinner Matt went down to see what all of the commotion was. He was very surprised to see that the band was composed of five disabled men. The singer/keyboardist was blind, and the other four men all had disabilities involving their limbs (missing or disabled arms/legs). Usually men like this are seen begging near bus stops, outside of shopping centers, etc. These men have found a better way to make a living.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Small Successes
Living in a foreign country is almost never easy, and definitely something one must feel called to before doing it. The hardest parts are being away from family and always being "the foreigner".
This morning I brought Vera to the Future Hope classroom. She played with the toys, and I watched the kids. Something to remember about the kids... A little more than a year ago some couldn't walk. Some couldn't talk. Some were afraid of strangers. We started with four kids in the Xiamen program. There are now 8 full time and a few part time. We just moved to a much larger classroom and within the next couple of weeks, 7 new kids are coming to the program.
Looking at the lives of these children before the program and looking at them now reminds me why we have chosen to live a life that is not easy. We've chosen a more difficult life, but the rewards are great. Here are some of the successes I've seen recently.
--A 12 year old boy with CP that is just learning to read and write. Today after tracing the number 16 a few times, he proceeded to write it by himself. The loop on the 6 was really difficult. If you could have just seen his smile when he figured out how to make that loop!
--An 8 year old mentally handicapped girl that used to run and yell when a stranger came near. She is receptive to the teachers, okay when new people come in the room, always smiling, and a joy to all of us!
--A 10 year old boy with CP that was "hopeless". He didn't do anything for himself. He is becoming very independent and is learning to read, write, add, subtact. He loves to sing, greet visitors, and has a big, beautiful smile. He's the star of his class!
--A three year old blind boy didn't want anyone near him when he started coming to class. Today two teachers were working with him trying to teach him to walk. It's hard to know what to do when you've never seen someone else do it.
--A 9 year old girl with CP. She has the spastic kind where her muscles are really loose, and she has trouble controlling her movements. She is unable to talk. Despite her disabilities she is VERY smart. A year and a half ago, she couldn't crawl, stand, or walk. Today I saw a short video of her walking about 7 steps from one teacher to another. She looked like a baby taking its first steps. Our special educator could only say, "It's a miracle." Noone would have ever thought we would see her walking!
For those of you who support us and our work here, thank you!
This morning I brought Vera to the Future Hope classroom. She played with the toys, and I watched the kids. Something to remember about the kids... A little more than a year ago some couldn't walk. Some couldn't talk. Some were afraid of strangers. We started with four kids in the Xiamen program. There are now 8 full time and a few part time. We just moved to a much larger classroom and within the next couple of weeks, 7 new kids are coming to the program.
Looking at the lives of these children before the program and looking at them now reminds me why we have chosen to live a life that is not easy. We've chosen a more difficult life, but the rewards are great. Here are some of the successes I've seen recently.
--A 12 year old boy with CP that is just learning to read and write. Today after tracing the number 16 a few times, he proceeded to write it by himself. The loop on the 6 was really difficult. If you could have just seen his smile when he figured out how to make that loop!
--An 8 year old mentally handicapped girl that used to run and yell when a stranger came near. She is receptive to the teachers, okay when new people come in the room, always smiling, and a joy to all of us!
--A 10 year old boy with CP that was "hopeless". He didn't do anything for himself. He is becoming very independent and is learning to read, write, add, subtact. He loves to sing, greet visitors, and has a big, beautiful smile. He's the star of his class!
--A three year old blind boy didn't want anyone near him when he started coming to class. Today two teachers were working with him trying to teach him to walk. It's hard to know what to do when you've never seen someone else do it.
--A 9 year old girl with CP. She has the spastic kind where her muscles are really loose, and she has trouble controlling her movements. She is unable to talk. Despite her disabilities she is VERY smart. A year and a half ago, she couldn't crawl, stand, or walk. Today I saw a short video of her walking about 7 steps from one teacher to another. She looked like a baby taking its first steps. Our special educator could only say, "It's a miracle." Noone would have ever thought we would see her walking!
For those of you who support us and our work here, thank you!
She's growing up!
Vera just celebrated her half birthday yesterday! I can't believe she's already 1 1/2. I feel like every day I look at her I notice her more and more as a little girl instead of a baby. She talks a lot (in English and Chinese), and is becoming so perceptive to what's going on around her. I was talking on the phone a couple of days ago, and said, "Well, I'm going to go now." Vera then said, "Bye, bye." She continues to amaze me with how much she understands. Sometimes someone will say something to her in Chinese, and I think, "She doesn't have a clue what you're saying." Then, she responds appropriately! She answers to, "What is your name?", in English by saying "We-ah" and in Chinese with "Wei Wei". When she sees numbers she says "two" (always two!), and when she climbs stairs she says "yi, er, wu" (one, two, five in Chinese).
Some of her favorites:
Favorite Food--Mac and Cheese
Favorite Toy--play kitchen in her box house (must be in the house to be enjoyable)
Favorite Song--E-I-E-I-O (known to most as Old McDonald)
Favorie Animal--dogs
She still loves her pacifiers (otherwise known as "nuk-nuks"), but has also found a new security object--her little pillow. She brings it out of bed with her each morning and is often seen dragging it around. She loves to brush her teeth. We don't dare brush ours in her presence without giving her a toothbrush. Something we often say as a joke: "I wish it was easier to put Vera to bed." When we say it's time to go night-night she runs to her room, we pick her up, and then she practically jumps into bed.
Something she has recently started doing--As we walk down the street and she sits in her stroller, she is often found waving and saying "hi" or "hello" to those passing by. As if she doesn't get enough attention by having "white" skin and "golden" hair...
This is just a little reflection on our Little V for all of you who don't see her every day and are hoping for a glimpse into her life. She has brought so much joy to our lives, and we are very thankful for the opportunity to be her parents.
Another new favorite thing...walking in mommy's slippers!
Granny Janny and Pa-Pa (she says grandma no problem, but says pa-pa instead of grandpa) sent Vera a CD of pictures of their dogs. She was SOOO excited to watch the pictures and videos on the computer. She said dog every way she knows how: "Puppy! Doggy! Dog! Gou gou! (chinese) Ruff-ruff!" She now sometimes points to the computer "Puppy. Puppy." She loves puppies!
Some of her favorites:
Favorite Food--Mac and Cheese
Favorite Toy--play kitchen in her box house (must be in the house to be enjoyable)
Favorite Song--E-I-E-I-O (known to most as Old McDonald)
Favorie Animal--dogs
She still loves her pacifiers (otherwise known as "nuk-nuks"), but has also found a new security object--her little pillow. She brings it out of bed with her each morning and is often seen dragging it around. She loves to brush her teeth. We don't dare brush ours in her presence without giving her a toothbrush. Something we often say as a joke: "I wish it was easier to put Vera to bed." When we say it's time to go night-night she runs to her room, we pick her up, and then she practically jumps into bed.
Something she has recently started doing--As we walk down the street and she sits in her stroller, she is often found waving and saying "hi" or "hello" to those passing by. As if she doesn't get enough attention by having "white" skin and "golden" hair...
This is just a little reflection on our Little V for all of you who don't see her every day and are hoping for a glimpse into her life. She has brought so much joy to our lives, and we are very thankful for the opportunity to be her parents.
Another new favorite thing...walking in mommy's slippers!
Granny Janny and Pa-Pa (she says grandma no problem, but says pa-pa instead of grandpa) sent Vera a CD of pictures of their dogs. She was SOOO excited to watch the pictures and videos on the computer. She said dog every way she knows how: "Puppy! Doggy! Dog! Gou gou! (chinese) Ruff-ruff!" She now sometimes points to the computer "Puppy. Puppy." She loves puppies!
Playing in the Park
We had a fun time going as a family to the park on Sunday afternoon. Vera always finds plenty of kids to play with!
Tianjin Friends
After we left Beijing, we headed to Tianjin to see some old friends. Matt only stayed a couple of days because he needed to get back to work, but Vera and I stayed a little longer.
I was very excited to see our old ayi. She worked in our home a couple of days a week during the two years we lived in Tianjin. Several of us had taught her how to make western food, so twice a week someone else would cook good food for us! She was also very perceptive about what she could do around the house toe help us. But most of all, I loved that if I left Vera with her, I didn't have to worry. Oh, how I miss Dong Ayi! We've had three different ayis here in Xiamen, and are now ayi-less. Will anyone else ever compare?
The Brandts opened their home to us while we stayed in Tianjin. I was so thankful to have a safe place for Vera to play, as well as other kids to play with.
Hayden, do you want to play with this?
I've been searching for a stroller like this since we've gotten back. Vera loved it! She pushed it around with a doll in it, with toys in it, with nothing in it...
Yummy! Banana bread! Thank you, Aunt Cindy, for letting me eat some!
Hayden, I left some crumbs for you.
I was very excited to see our old ayi. She worked in our home a couple of days a week during the two years we lived in Tianjin. Several of us had taught her how to make western food, so twice a week someone else would cook good food for us! She was also very perceptive about what she could do around the house toe help us. But most of all, I loved that if I left Vera with her, I didn't have to worry. Oh, how I miss Dong Ayi! We've had three different ayis here in Xiamen, and are now ayi-less. Will anyone else ever compare?
The Brandts opened their home to us while we stayed in Tianjin. I was so thankful to have a safe place for Vera to play, as well as other kids to play with.
Hayden, do you want to play with this?
I've been searching for a stroller like this since we've gotten back. Vera loved it! She pushed it around with a doll in it, with toys in it, with nothing in it...
Yummy! Banana bread! Thank you, Aunt Cindy, for letting me eat some!
Hayden, I left some crumbs for you.
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