Happy Valentine's Day! 
Actually, the Chinese Valentine's Day is July 7th.  Below is a bit of history about that.

Chinese Valentine's Day is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. A love story for this day is about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd. The Emperor separated them. The 7th daughter was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd moved to the star Altair. They are allowed to meet only once a year on the day of 7th day of 7th lunar month.

The story began from the good-looking poor orphaned boy living with his elder brother and sister-in-law. After his parents past away, his brother inherited the house and the land. The boy owned an old ox. He needed to work on the farm's field with the ox everyday. So he was called a cowherd. His daily life was just like in a Cinderella story.

The 7th daughter of Emperor is good at handcrafting, especially weaving clothing. So she was called a Weaving Maid. The Emperor likes her skill to weave clouds and rainbows to beautify the world.

The ox was actually an immortal from the Heaven. He made mistakes in the Heaven and was punished as an ox in the Earth. One day, the ox suddenly said to the cowherd, "You are a nice person. If you want to get married, go to the brook and your wish will be come true." The cowherd went to the brook and saw all 7 pretty daughters of Emperor came down from Heaven and took a bath in there. Fascinated by the youngest and also the most beautiful one, he took away her fairy clothes secretly. The other six fairies went away after bath. The youngest couldn't fly back without her fairy clothes. Then the cowherd appeared and told her that he would not return her clothes unless she promised to be his wife. After a little hesitation and with a mixture of shyness and eagerness, she agreed to the request from this handsome man. So they married and had two children two years later.

One day, the old ox was dying and told the cowherd that he should keep his hide for emergency purpose.

The Emperor found the sky's not that beautiful as before without the 7th daughter weaving clouds and rainbows. He wanted his daughter's grandmother to find the missing daughter and to bring her back. . While the 7th princess was flying to the Heaven with her grandmother, the cowboy wore the ox hide, took his children in two bamboo baskets with his wife's old fairy clothes and chased after his wife in the sky. The grandmother made a milky way in the sky with her hairpin, which kept them separated. The 7th princess was moved to the star Vega (The swooping - Eagle) in the Lyra (Harp) constellation. And the cowherd with his two children stayed in the star Altair (Flying one) in the Aquila (Eagle) constellation. The star of Vega is also known as the Weaving Maid Star and the star of Altair is as the Cowherd Star in China.

Magpies were moved by their true love and many of them gathered and formed a bridge for the couple to meet in the evening of the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, which is the day the Emperor allowed them to meet once a year.

They said that it's hard to find a magpie on Chinese Valentine's Day in China, because all magpies fly to make the bridge for the Weaving Maid and Cowherd. The one thing to prove that is the feathers on the head of the magpies are much lesser after the Chinese Valentine's Day. If the night Chinese Valentine's Day rains, the rain are the tears of the Weaving Maid and Cowherd.

Ten Things I Wish I Hadn't Had to Learn

If you have followed our blog, you know that our adoption of our son, Jaxon, has not turned out to be a wonderful fairytale story. Ours is not the worst story I've heard and read about and for that we are thankful.
So the new year brings this reflection: what have I personally learned from these last 3 1/2 years?
1. That sometimes I am not the nicest person; that when I feel rejected, my own walls are erected.
2  That adopting a traumatized teen can seriously damage the strongest of marriages.
3. That love, in and of itself, cannot heal all wounds.  Some simply run too deep.
4. That it is possible to survive a child never loving you, never seeing you as a decent person, thinking you are the reason for every problem in their lives. It changes you, hurts deeply, but you can survive it.
5.  That you can love a person who will never love you back.  It is HARD, very HARD, but you can do it.
6.  That our boy is a mass of control and trust issues.  He must perceive that HE alone controls his life. Any rules are met with instant suspicion and resistance. He doesn't want to need us, love us, care about us, or even talk to us most days.  Even a simple suggestion can lead to a blowup of the attitude. Yet he is nowhere near capable of handling the heavy day-to-day decisions and details needed to live independently.
7. That our son can love and show affection.....to his pets.  They are safe; they expect nothing back and give only comfort, love, and just want to be petted.  Unfortunately, humans cannot thrive in a one-way relationship and I don't believe that's the way God intended for us to live.
8. That it's not entirely our fault, this lack of connection.  We have tried, Lord knows we've tried, to connect with Jaxon in positive, healthy ways, in ANY way, to no avail.  But of six children we've had in our home (including our exchange student), he is the only one to push us away so diligently and strenuously. To realize that one of your children is SO traumatized by their past, yet that past is SO buried in their own psyche, they cannot or do not want to retrieve it and FEEL it or feel anything for that matter, is heartbreaking when you cannot fix it and make it all better, as Moms desperately want to do.
9. That we have limits.  The skills needed to truly help our son heal and be the amazing person I know he could be escape us. That, in the end, you cannot help a person who thinks they don't need help, that YOU are the one with all the problems.
10. That sometimes, you have to let go.   This has been the hardest lesson for me to learn, to just let go, to understand that perhaps our only purpose in Jaxon's life is to be a way station to whatever path God has in store for him.

It is my most fervent prayer that someday, somewhere, our son will rediscover his ability to love and care for another human being.  Perhaps a very special, patient woman will come along, and he will finally feel safe enough to trust her with his fears, hopes, and dreams and fill up all those holes inside him.
I pray this prayer now for our son, Jaxon:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this treasured child of mine. Although you have entrusted him/her to me, I know he belongs to you. Like Hannah offered Samuel, I dedicate my child to you, Lord. I recognize that he is always in your care.

Help me as a parent, Lord, with my weaknesses and imperfections. Give me strength and godly wisdom to raise this child after your Holy Word. Please supply what I lack.

Keep my child walking on the path that leads to eternal life. Help him to overcome the temptations in this world and the sin that would so easily entangle him.

Dear God, send your Holy Spirit daily to lead and guide him. Ever assist him to grow in wisdom and stature, in grace and knowledge, in kindness, compassion and love. May he serve you faithfully with his whole heart devoted to you. May he discover the joy of your presence through daily relationship with your Son, Jesus.

In Jesus' name I pray.Help me never to hold on too tightly to this child, nor neglect my responsiblities before you as a parent. Lord, let my committment to raise this child for the glory of your name cause his life to forever testify of your faithfulness.

Amen.

Endings and Beginnings

As I write this, James, our only biological son, is 3 days away from graduating from high school.  I think back to almost 18 years ago when we first moved to where we live, and what has transpired in our lives since.  James was not even a year old, just beginning to walk when we moved into our home.  It's the only home he remembers.  That is significant because when I was a child, we moved ALL the time.  Between the ages of 10 and 18, we moved every single year.  For a shy kid like me, that was an excuse to blend into the woodwork and just get through until the next move.  Forget making friends, joining clubs, sports, etc......what was the point, I thought.

So I made the vow when I had children, once they were in school, would never move.  They would have the advantage of growing up with the same kids, having "roots", a place to call home even if they were exploring the world.

To say James is happy is an understatement.  Just last night, he told me this last year was his best, between basketball and going to State, and having his wonderful girlfriend of seven months.  And then in August, my baby boy will go off to the Navy to begin his next great adventure.  I am both thrilled and anxious for him, scared and proud, and extremely happy that he'll be engaged in such a worthy start to his amazing future.  We are proud that he is going to serve his country and follow in the footsteps of his Grandpa.

Now since this blog focuses on adoption and these last three years, on teen adoption specifically, James' graduation, while closing a chapter of his life, marks the beginning of a new and more intense battle for ME.  No, we aren't adopting (have learned our limits the hard way), no exchange student next year, so things should calm down, right?  No.....because the real battle ahead is the one for NingNing's future and part of that battle is with NingNing himself.  He is almost 17 years old and LIGHT years away from being able to live independently in our society.  He is not alone; there are many, many older children like him who have come from China with no thoughts of a future or how to get there.  I've tussled with our school district for three years to get services for Ning that he needs to succeed at even the most basic level.  This last year was probably the best in terms of actual academic progress.  Yet he is still being allowed to "fail" some classes (his online ones), but will still be passed on to 11th grade.  This is most public schools' answer to the difficult-to-teach, non-traditional student.  Give 'em what the law requires without spending too much time or money and get 'em out seems to be the mantra.  What makes this battle even more difficult is that Ning has realized that no matter what he does, as long as he shows a little bit of effort (not a lot, mind you), he will get by, much as he did in China.  He abhors school and education; sees no value in it.  He attends only because he doesn't have the option of staying home.  He even at one point told his ESL teacher he didn't have to take finals because "it's me!".  He believes everything he is being taught or has learned is useless, so useless in fact, he commits nothing to memory.  His mind is like a sieve through which all things flow away.  He claims no memory of his life in China, significant events in his life here, or even his own address and phone number.

The difficulty that lays before me is not in getting him to graduation, our school will see to it that he does, no matter what.  He'll have about a fifth grade reading level (maybe), but that will be of no concern to the school; their "job" will be done.  Then it's up to us to figure out how to launch a functionally illiterate 19-year old as a productive member of society, but who has no desire to become something more, no desire to use the tools now before him to give himself the best chance, who deems even his past tutors' teachings as "not important".  We simply continue to pray that sometime, somehow, something will click, something will take hold, and spur him to the accomplishments we know he is capable of.

My point in this post is not to point out our son's faults or be purposely negative.  It's just the TRUTH, harsh and unglamorous as it may be.  This is our life and our battle.  No sugar-coating, no embellishments, no cutesy blog post on home redecorating, kids' awards, warm fuzzies, etc.  Whether our son gained his traits biologically or environmentally, what happens now is his choice.  We have tried to encourage, cajole, reward, support, and love to no avail.  Love is NOT enough (I naively thought the love of a good family could overcome a lot).  I'm not the only adoptive mom with this battle either.  I'm writing to educate those newly home, those still waiting, and those thinking about it.  If you are lucky enough to adopt a child who loves to learn, likes school, and sees value in education, your particular battle will be that much easier.  Your main battle will be with your school (unless you're homeschooling) and getting your child the education they need and deserve.  But alas, if your child is like ours, and whatever circumstances have led them to see school as mine does, ah, then your battle may become one of epic proportion.  If you are reading this and are getting scared, GOOD for you!  Be scared, BUT be prepared.  Gird your loins, hoist up your suspenders, dig in, and get ready for the ride.

LOTS OF UPDATES

Here I am, back again with another 3 month update.  As usual, our lives run at full tilt with nary a slowdown.  My attempts at keeping things short and sweet have not always been accomplished but I'll try :).
Jessica - Jessica is 20!  Can you believe it?!  She will graduate from her community college in May with an Associates in Applied Science and is coming back home to attend our local college to finish her degree in Biology (her choice so far).  As James will be off the Navy, this will work out well :)  She has a very nice boyfriend of more than a year, and we expect certain "announcements" at some point.  But Jessica, (who apparently does listen to me sometimes), says she will get her degree before settling down, as I did.  He makes her happy, and loves her for who she is, and isn't that the best thing of all?
Jessica and Joy have become close as well, which is great.....Jessica loves having a "sister" close to her own age.  I don't have a lot of pictures of her because she rarely comes home and she spent Christmas with her boyfriend's family this year, her first away from home.  I guess I have to get used to that, as we don't know if James will be with us either next year (sigh).

James - our oldest, a senior this year of course.  In the throes of basketball, aiming for state.  He is, as of tonight, 204 points away from making the goal of 1000 points, which puts him "on the wall" of our school.  But the main thing is going to state if they can and working together towards that goal.  The big news for James is in November, he signed up for the Navy, following in his grandpa's footsteps.  We are so proud he chose to serve his country! He will graduate on May 15 and ship out to boot camp August 11; I know already I will miss the great discussions and debates he and I have.

Warming up before a game

 

From 3 to 17 - my, how they change

Our Navy man

 

Joy - our lovely Chinese exchange student.  She is sweet, intelligent, definitely has her own ideas about the way things shoud be, and is somewhat unorthodox in her approach to learning, and ADORES music and art.  She excels at the piano.  Coming from a traditional "teach to the test" format in China, she is non-typical in that she believes that true learning cannot really take place if children are only taught to regurgitate material in a test format.  Chinese students are steered from an early age towards the gaokao, the all-important college entrance exam.  Stories abound on how students spend their lives preparing, the hours of study, and the ultimate prize of a good score, thus entrance into a good college.  In China also, so Joy tells us, one must choose their field of study upon entering university and cannot change once begun.  Joy decided not to enter college this year as she would have in China, but instead to challenge herself by coming to America and experiencing a complete culture change.  Let's just say the complete culture change is definite!  She loves some aspects of America (she loves Casey's pizza!), us, and the people she's met.  She has also found some disappointments...in that our own public school system is not so very much different...our teachers do not really have time to sit and discourse over art and music and other abstract interests, and our students as well are often "taught to the test", ending in an overall pigeon-holing by state-mandated testing each year. 

She is also learning going from being an only child to living in a large family, respecting others' space, working around others' schedules, sharing parental time with other siblings, have their own challenges.  She hopes to return next fall to attend college in the states and she hopes to come "home" for the holidays :)  She REALLY loved Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Picking apples at Grandpas

Halloween - meet "Cowboy Joe"

Basketball! - never played...ever

Jaxon - though yes, we still mostly use NingNing, though I often think it's time to switch to encourage him in embracing life here.  What do I say about my quiet, timid, introverted, scared-of-life, "I don't care", full-of-general attitude, son?  Learning English continues to be a source of contention for him and one he's not inclined to rush.  This summer he did finally begin speaking in sentences and responding to people in short and simple conversation.  That has been helpful in everyday life, the basics of figuring out his needs and wants.....but figuring out his soul....what makes him tick, what excites him (nothing so far), what and who he really is....he still keeps all that wrapped tightly inside, sharing nothing of his thoughts, questions, concerns, ideas, or his previous life.  In fact, he claims no memory at all of his life in China.  I find this impossible to believe, but perhaps there are memories, both good and bad, that evoke emotions he can't handle.  Perhaps he still misses his carefree life in China with no rules, free to goof-off in school, run around, etc. Or perhaps the memories are not happy ones and he'd rather just forget.  I am coming to expect and sadly accept we may never know.  Ning was doing some Taekwondo, but after some difficulties in late October, we took him out.  He wasn't liking it anyway due to a new teacher who wasn't as easygoing as the first one (he wanted Ning to be respectful in class; can you imagine the gall??!!).  He claims he is going to play baseball which begins in late February, but truthfully, I think it's because he knows if he doesn't do something, we will be insisting on him getting a job.  Time to start saving money for either college or an apartment of his own at some point.  He did get selected for our school's National Honor Society as an "honorary" member, in the hopes it would encourage him to become more involved.

As far as the family goes, he tolerates us, but does not love us; having never experienced our American style family type of love, it is not something that comes naturally to him.  If I were to put our family in order of his preference, I believe it would go like this: Jazmin, James, Dad, Joy (maybe Joy first because she speaks Chinese!), Judi, Jessica, and me at the bottom.  I am the "pusher', the one who asks for something from him, expects some level of participation in the family, makes and enforces most of the rules for the sake of peace, therefore, I am the least favorite.  Yet I am also the only one who can help with school, makes special food, does the doctor/dentist stuff, yada, yada, yada....you get the picture.  If I stop (if I have the audacity to get sick, for example), it ALL stops. 

There is one piece of progress I think is important.  When we go places he doesn't want to go, he will text me now if he wants or needs something.  It's always short conversations and basic English, but he always uses the proper grammar and I like to think it helps his reading, as well as give us ANY type of connection, no matter how tenuous.  He knows if he's home alone, I will be checking in and he BETTER text me back or there will be no more staying home alone!

School is plugging along; it will continue to be an uphill battle until graduation at some point.  He is doing a new program this year that allows him to translate into Chinese, affording him some measure of grade-appropriate learning. However, he is very unmotivated to excel in his academics, so future options are on our radar now that he's over 16.

NHS pinning by big brother

Beautiful crew (except for that weird lady above Jessica photo-bombing the picture, lol)

 

Jazmin and Judi - ah, our precious girls.  They light up our life with their unadulterated joy and happiness about everything!  They constantly tell us how much they love us, generously dole out hugs and cuddles, and are true sisters in every sense of the word.  Both girls are involved in dance and basketball this year again, and Jazmin in softball again soon.  With James AND Joy also in high school basketball, we just need to buy an RV to park wherever the games are!  Jazmin is a very goal-oriented, focused person.  She already has her dream, to be a pediatrician, and maintains straight As along with all her activities.  She started sixth grade this year; she was a little nervous, but quickly settled in as usual...she is very interested in student council and wants to be secretary!  Her absolute favorite shopping destination?  Office Depot, of course!  And this year, on November 15, we celebrated 10 years of joy on her Gotcha Day.

Then there is our firecracker, Judi, almost 10 years old.  We will celebrate her 5-year Gotcha Day on March 1, 2015.  It escapes me where the time went!  Judi is in 4th grade now and excelling as well.  She is a little less enthusiastic about studying than Jazmin, but still does ok :)  She is our "techhie".  Give the girl an electronic; she's got it all figured out in minutes.  But all good things in moderation, which she discovers when the electronics are overdone.  She tends to be blunt, and say exactly what is on her mind, sometimes to the detriment of a relationship.  As in her and Ning.  Sadly to me, she has pretty much accepted that she is not Ning's favorite person, and at first it really bothered her.  But now she is more calm about it, more matter-of-fact, secure in the knowledge that she loves him and to her, that's all that matters.  She has a huge, sensitive heart really and asks questions that wouldn't often occur even to a grownup.  She talks about China often and her memories and both girls love to hear the stories of their adoption days.

 

 

 

Christmas pajamas

Beautiful!

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker - she was a boy!

Halloween
And last, but not least, Mom and Dad.  We work, come home, change clothes, run to ball games, dance, doctors' visits, help with homework, watch movies with the kids, play, laugh, then go to bed, and do it all over again.  My work has become much more stressful, so coming home to cries of "Mommy!" (the girls, NOT the boys, lol) is such a blessing.  Jr attempted a new job during the summer, making a much higher income, but wound up working so many hours we never saw him.  It wasn't worth it, so when his old boss called him asking him to come back, he did.  He didn't want to miss all the things going on just this year alone with basketball, softball, coaching, senior years, graduations, vacations, and just plain spending time together.  We were glad to have him back!  I have made some peace with the state of my relationship with Ning.  I went through some very low times a few months ago,  not being able to understand why he didn't want a relationship with me when I tried so hard and felt I was giving so much, while he gave nothing in return.  Finally, I realized I was trying TOO hard and I just had to let it be.  HE had to want to change, to be loved, to love in return, to want a mama who cared and until that change happened, all I could do was keep on keeping on, one foot in front of the other, doing those things that a mama does because that's just what mamas do.  I did stop making him the center of my attention, thoughts, dreams, and shifted my focus to other areas, like, oh yeah, my four other kids!  He is better with Jr because he is just one goofy guy and messes with Ning in fun.

I think that's it in a nutshell (ok, a big one).  There is so much more I could write, especially about NingNing and me, what I wish for him, what I wish could be....but it would be a book.  Suffice it to say I pray for the health and happiness of all my kids every night, but add in a special aside just for him :).
Stay safe and happy until next time!
Debbie
 

Caring Lost......

Wednesday as I picked Jaxon up from tutoring, I asked, as I usually do, “How was school today?” I always know the answer, but ask anyway so I can always say my son talked to me at least once that day. But yesterday, this is how our conversation went:

Me: So how was school today?

Jax: Why do you always ask me that question?

Me: it’s just a way to have a conversation; to talk to you. I’m interested in what your day is like.

Jax: It sucks. School always sucks.

Me: Oh. Well, if you keep working hard like you are, in two and a half years, you can be done, unless you want to go to college. Or you can just go to work; it will be your choice.

Jax: (after nodding) Working sucks too.

Me: So if school sucks…and work sucks….then what do you want to do?

Jax: I don’t know (with a bewildered laugh)

Me: (pursuing this a little) – if school and work suck, then what makes you happy?

Jax: I don’t know!

Me: Does playing video games make you happy?

Jax: No, not always. I play because I get bored.

Me: Ning, being happy is not about big things. It’s about all the little things that make you feel good. A beautiful day, your favorite food (for me it’s chocolate), relaxing on a Saturday afternoon, a cold drink on a hot day, things like that.

And that was where the conversation ended, he didn’t respond, and the iPod came out. But I’ve been thinking on that conversation ever since. I go back to last Thursday. We went to Taekwondo for class, only to find out they were having pictures taken; Jaxon refused. I told him I would love to have a nice picture of him in his uniform, but it didn’t matter (in this particular case, it didn’t help that Dad didn’t think pictures were a big deal either). But it illustrates the loss of caring my son and other children experience growing up as they did. With no one to teach them to be compassionate and consider others’ feelings, it is a sometimes unteachable concept at a later age. In short, Jaxon did not care about my feelings enough to do the pictures, he is unable to fathom putting someone else’s needs or desires over his own, the essential definition of love. Another example was just yesterday, I was in a small car accident. Fell asleep at the wheel; I was alone thank goodness. When I got home, all the other kids were happy to see me and concerned when I told them what had happened, asking me if I were ok. Ning never even looked up, never acknowledged me or acted like he cared whether I came home...or not. These kids are broken, broken from the very get-go. While some children are loved dearly from birth, showered with love and affection, taught how to care and empathize with people, how to interact with people…..in too many cases, our adopted children are not given this chance. To grow into a complete and whole person, a child needs that essential nurturing and love in their early years. Without it, parts go missing…important parts. I ache for the little boy my son once was, for the chance he had to be a whole, happy person, that got screwed up somewhere in his very early past. Perhaps his life from birth was not happy, maybe he lived in poverty, maybe he was beaten. Then he got sick. And then, somehow, he lost his birth parents. Maybe he just got lost in that bus station, maybe his mother said “now sit right here son and I’ll be right back”, but then never came back. I close my eyes and try to imagine the terror, the fear, the tears when he could not find his mama, why she was not there. What did his little mind think at that moment? Was it then he decided mothers couldn’t be trusted, that their love didn’t last, that it wasn’t “real”? Was it later after the police took him to the orphanage and he knew mama wasn’t coming back? Did he look out the window every day watching, wondering when she would return and why she didn’t, day after day? I wonder at what point he gave up, lost the trust, decided it was safer not to love, not to care, because it just hurt too much. How can he be blamed for wanting to protect his broken heart?

And thus he grew up, ok with his new life, resigned to it, but not “happy”. After all, if you look for reasons not to be happy, you will find them everywhere. It is much easier and safer to find the negative and dwell in it, than to look and dig for happiness. Happiness takes WORK. And so he is unable to be completely happy here as well, despite everything good in his life. He cannot see it, cannot embrace it, because it is not SAFE to be happy or feel love, because then it might disappear….again. Even the tremendous love we have for and show to him is not and has not been enough to heal the brokenness inside.

If a fairy godmother were to appear before me and grant me one wish, I would not wish for success, or money, or good health……………I would wish for my son to be healed in his heart, to be able to feel genuine love for another human being, to feel pure, unadulterated joy in something, to laugh with total abandon, to have the ability to see the future as something exciting, not something to be, at worst, feared, and at best, endured. In short, to put back the parts that went missing so long ago, to fill in all the cracks, so that the love he has now will stay inside and heal him, instead of just passing through.

Softball, Church camp, and fun

July 28 and school needs to start again!  But honestly, the kids have had a pretty good summer, but are getting bored and needing something to do besides tv, video games, chores, and goofing off.  They have had some good times though.  Jazmin and Judi's softball teams both won trophies in their divisions, so the season ended with a bang.

We also went to Florida for vacation....first time Ning has seen the ocean.  He never acts like anything impresses him, but we saw some smiles and he played in the sand and water...it was a really good time.

Right after vacation, Ning had a new experience....church camp!  Now, remember, Ning does not believe in Jesus....he was raised with no religion at all.  He goes to church and a Chinese Christian church, but has so far remained resistant to God's Word.  So it was a surprise when he asked to go "camping" with his best friend, Seth.  Actually, we already knew, but we always wait for Ning to ask if he really wants something or it doesn't happen.  So he asked.  NOT because he really wanted to go to church camp, and in fact, we didn't think he was quite ready for such an intense "God" time, but Seth's parents wanted him to go, and he wanted Ning and Ning being the good friend he is, suffered for his friend, lol.  Here are some pictures from that camp.  Both boys said they did not like it and didn't have a good time, but these pictures prove they just might have had a little bit of fun and maybe, just maybe, a little of God's love for them stole into their hearts.

Another change in the household is that after 8 years, a new job opportunity knocked on the door for Jr.  He decided to go for it, as it is a nice bump in pay, but the downside is he is away from us more and gone overnight 2 nights.  Because of the timing and the way the job came about, we felt it was an answer to some financial prayers and couldn't turn away.   My hours at the hospital have been reduced for several months due to budget concerns, so the new job was truly a blessing.  

Last but not least, our new adventure (we hope).  Jr and I have always wanted to host an exchange student and since it seems our adopting days may be finally done, it seems like a good time.  We were going to wait perhaps until it was just the girls at home, but as we realize Ning will probably be staying put until he feels able to tackle the big bad world, why put those dreams on hold until "just the right time"? There is no such thing!  After some glitches, we are praying for approval for a student from China who sounds like she'd be a wonderful addition to our family for 9 months and an asset to our school.  Please keep us in your prayers for approval!

Until next time.......

 

 

The Art of Communication

I seem to be on a roll of updating about every 3 months.  The days just seem to fly by until I look up and so much time has passed.  But my mind has been on many things these past few months, but one thing in particular.....the art and design of and need for......communication.  As human beings, I believe we crave connection with another person....or I used to believe it until I met our son.  He truly seems to have no desire to communicate his own thoughts, opinions, or feelings.  True...this still is a great deal of China-raising, but after almost two years, it is clear being a loner is also just a facet of his personality.  Communication with him still remains an issue, verbal speech still elusive for unknown reasons.  Recently, we advocated strongly to have him tested at our school to look for underlying issues (not adoption-related) contributing to this and other issues.....we failed in our efforts.  Is it enough to say you tried? When you tried hard enough to make yourself a nuisance that no one wants to see you coming, even if you feel you are trying to move mountains to help your child?  What if the child themselves doesn't want your help either?
Since our piano debacle in January, Ning has decided having a mom who cares enough to make waves and "meddle" in his life isn't what he wants.  He's civil to me (pushes it sometimes), but wants no real connection with me.  That is probably the hardest thing for me to deal with, but as my husband said, we did tell ourselves something of this sort could happen, especially with a boy.  Reality bites.

In retrospect, and this is for those considering adopting an older child, we should not have started him in school so soon after coming home.  We should have kept him home at least a little longer to build some sort of attachment to us.  Instead, he formed his early attachments to people at school instead of us.  Lessons learned too late.  He does well with our younger girls, and he and James are finally beginning to find some common ground with the Xbox, so that's great to see.  In truth, Ning may just see us as "temporary", as all the other grownups in his life have been.  After all, even he's with us the next 10 years, he will eventually move on.  As with all our children, our only hope is that he's able to live a full and happy, independent life with love included.

On the homefront, the last 3 months have been busy as always.  James finished up basketball and the team did great!  James won several awards and can't wait for next season, though that will be bittersweet as it is his senior year.  Jazmin and Judi finished basketball, we had a short break, and then softball began.  Jazmin is playing on a recreational and competitive league (her choice) and is handling that and dance with grace and aplomb as always.  Judi like softball, but loves basketball, so she may stick to that in later years.
James started baseball, then decided his heart just wasn't in it; now he's looking for a job to keep him busy this summer, as is Jessica, who will arrive home May 17th.  With 5 kids in the house again, it will be back to noisy!
NingNing is taking Taekwondo and seems to be enjoying it.  He's moved up a belt already and is working on the next level.  It helps him work off some frustrations, I think, as it's fairly physical and constant movement....he gets bored very quickly.  For summer, he will continue Math and Science tutoring with a Chinese friend, English tutoring through our library, and speech therapy again through our local college.  Sounds like a lot, but it will keep him out of bed and off the iPod.  Along with Taekwondo continuing, we did not want a repeat of last summer, where all the kids got used to being a little too lazy :).  That's it for now; I will post some pics soon.....