Free Day

We are doing well but it isn't all fun and games. Most of the time these boys are happy and smiley, but as they get to know us more they are showing more of their trauma and grief. Their lives have not been easy, I know. And also we are so different and they don't know us yet! They are learning to like us and trust us as we meet their needs meal after meal and bath after bath. 

Josiah let me give him a bath today. I put on my swim suit and we got in the huge tub and he was happy to splash and play. He played with a bottle and cap for about two hours today!! He loves to be in the hallway in our room (huge room!!) because, joe thinks, it echoes and he can hear well. It also has mirrors and he toddles back and forth and bangs on things and smiles and puts a toy in and out of the stroller. 

He is silly and goofy and terribly sweet but when he is unhappy you know 

it! 

We went to the grocery/Walmart-like store called Carfour today and Josiah finished his snack and started to cry. So I gave him a little Chinese bun and he ate that and then started wailing so wailing. We are the only non-Asian people in the store Carrying two Chinese kids, and Josiah threw his head back and closed his eyes and wailed and arched his back...all while in the Ergo. I tried to comfort him and somehow we managed to buy a cup for Judah at the Tupperware kiosk : ) and then headed to buy Josiah some shoes...all while Josiah was so emotional. He did not want Cheerios or Puffs, he wanted more of that bun!!! So, since China is all about survival and we had to walk ten minutes to get home in the heat and humidity, he got the bun and immediately was smiling again. Poor guy. 

We bought Josiah shoes and I was trying to talk to the sales girl about sizing. She spoke into her phone, trying to use a translation app. The app read "all these shoes come with trumpets." Hmm! I did manage to get him some cute little baby shoes. He is so tiny! 

The whole time Judah was quiet in the stroller, looking around. He shuts down if we leave the hotel room. It is all just so much for them to handle. Josiah eats to manage his stress and Judah looks down and won't engage. It's sad and hard. They probably have never been outside of the orphanage at a grocery store. Sensory overload. So we try to stick to the hotel and room. Happily we go to the hotel Lounge for dinner and breakfast. 

They really are the sweetest boys in the whole world and I can't believe God is so kind to make us their parents!

We navigated a bit of Zhengzhou and went to a mall area. I bough Micah a fancy dress and some q-tips at a pharmacy. The mall was interesting because instead of separate stores it was more like booths or walls of one room...Nike, a kids art store, books store, Leo store, and a ball pit and play area. 

Walking around is pretty funny because you think you will get hit by a scooter at every turn but you never do. It's the loudest place in earth...cicadas, horns, cars, and the noise of people and construction. There are 30 story buildings as far as the eye can see. It is huge. 

We went to Pizza Hut for lunch, which Joe loves but I don't even care for back home. We forgot Josiah's bottle and Judah can barely drink except from a bowl and it all felt very overwhelming. But the pizza was GOOD! and God provided. We got a Hawaiian pizza and fried rice for the boys. And we made a huge mess!!! 

It was a good day, and the boys are opening up more and more!