One Month Ago Today...or is it Tomorrow???

Even though I have all my adoption paperwork now I still don't know when "gotcha (for lack of a better word) day " is. Some of my documents say the Household Registration was filed on the 18th while AIT has it that it was finalized on the 17th. I don't know. Either way - it's been a month since we officially brought Meghan into our lives.


Here she is in "the Playroom" at Chung Yi.


What changes we have seen! I really can't explain it but of course I will try. For instance, last week Meghan hit Christian with a toy. He over reacted, pulling out all the stops, crying holding his hand, or neck or arm or wherever. There was no blood or loss of limb and he was screaming bloody murder so I knew he was fine. But he demanded justice and was going to make sure that Meghan faced the music.


So I went up to her and pulled her away from the computer (because that is what the altercation revolved around) and brought her to what was becoming a very familiar corner in the kitchen. Then I got down on her eye level and said "Be Nice- you can't hurt Christian, No hurt Christian, Be Nice! OK?" She knows "be nice". Then I hit my arm and said "NO!" And I asked her "OK?" I wanted her to repeat "OK"- or "yes". Well this sweet little girl just put her hands over her ears as I was talking to her. So I pulled her hands down. Then she wouldn't look me in the face. I kept saying "say yes, say yes...say yes" She knew I wanted her to repeat yes but instead she was trying to get out of my arms and refusing to look me in the face, let alone say "yes". (Meanwhile in the background Christian is saying "take her back, she's the worst sister I ever had."....another story. ).


So I turned her by the chin to look me in the face. I said "say yes..." She looked me right in the eyes and said "pee pee." Well, I'm glad some English is sticking. Now mind you, she did not need to use the bathroom, she was just thinking of the worst word she knew in English to say to me at that moment. Nice huh? So another 5 - 10 minutes went by of me saying "say yes" and after many tears she said it. I think we both had forgotten what we saying yes about at this point.


Now, let's fast forward to tonight. She again hit Christian. Tears, gnashing of teeth - on his part. I pulled Meghan into her corner and made her stand there as she screamed and cried. About 1 minute later I went up to her and told her to stop crying and tell Christian she was sorry. She did. She stopped crying, ran up to Christian, hugged and kissed him (repeatedly) and told him she was sorry. Christian accepted the apology and did NOT ask that we return her to the orphanage. Success!


When people say that International Adoption of Older Children is a roller coaster they are so right. But I don't think it is a lot of ups and downs. To me it is more like that old Price is Right Game of the Swiss Yodeler going up the mountain. You know what I'm talking about. The little guy gets all the way up and if the contestant didn't guess a price close enough to the actual price that little Swiss Yodeler would fall right over the cliff. I can hear the music right now in my head. Sometimes I feel like we are that little Swiss Yodeler. At the beginning of the adoption journey we are down at the bottom of the mountain and slowly we make our way up. Every pre approval, status update, court date, skype session puts you a little closer to the top. Until finally it's time to travel and there you are, near the peak. When you arrive in Taiwan and pull up to the orphanage you are at the summit. The minute that child is "Yours" you become that poor hapless yodeler that has just plunged over the side. You are back down at the bottom and once again you begin the climb.


Anyone agree?