Smiles and Tears

Well, they said it was going to be hard!

And it has been, in spurts. These sweet boys come from trauma and are grieving. They are experiencing a lot of change and stress and their bodies are reacting to that.

Josiah spiked a fever that has lasted almost two days, though it is now coming down, praise God! 

Yesterday I visited the orphanage (post later) and Joe cared for the boys alone for three hours! He did great! Then we went for noodles for lunch and Joe mastered chopsticks!

Last night was pretty hard with lots of screaming and tears from Josiah, and even Judah cried at bedtime, which we haven't seen.

Josiah was fussy and hot at dinner so we came back to the room and both boys enjoyed their baths. Josiah splashed and laughed even with a fever, and I thought maybe he would have on ok night. I rocked him to sleep after his bottle, but it took a while, and then he did not want to go into his crib, so I rocked him some more, and finally he went down in his crib. But then he was up a half hour later and did this over and over, sleeping in our bed and being rocked, and then waking and throwing a fit. He was so very hot and we alternated Tylenol and ibuprofin and for a bit he got cooler. But if I moved at all or tried to lay down with him he screamed terribly, and it was hard to help him. I felt pretty helpless and scared for a bit, and then somehow he fell asleep and I did, too, around 2. And after that 6 hour battle we got 6 hours of sleep. In the morning he was still feverish, but ate well, pooped, drank his bottle and his body started responding to the medicine. Joe switched his antibiotics yesterday and hopefully he is responding.

We wonder if he may have an ear infection, as this is how our kids back home act. He did not want to lay down, but to be held, and I needed to be sitting up, not half way laying down. He has Microtia and Atresia but Joe looked it up and he can have an ear infection. 

Joe went down to the big breakfast with Judah and Judah ate lots of French toast and yogurt.

I took Josiah up to the lounge for the "little" breakfast that is still a schmorgasboard (???). He ate hard boiled eggs and banana and soupy rice (congee) and was very sweet and happy. It is so nice and quiet in the lounge and I never want to leave the hotel, ever : )

Later the boys and I explored the hotel and gave Joe a rest. We love riding in the mirrored elevator and it is just fun to walk around. We found a billiard room and the pool, and we brought our balloon and played a bit with that. And of course, we brought snacks!

Josiah gets comfort from eating, and as this is survival here for a few weeks (months) he gets to eat. Judah just loves food, but doesn't get upset if he isn't holding a cracker like Josiah does.

Then we face times with the kids and with grandparents, ate noodles in the room, packed our bags and cleaned the room a bit, and then it was time for naps! Josiah's temp was down to normal for a bit, and is responding to medicine. I feel so thankful!!!

Judah went almost right to sleep, but Josiah ate his rice crackers and snuggles and looked at pictures with me. He finally fell asleep with his hand in his snack carrier. Then a few minutes later, with eyes closed, he put another cracker near his mouth (didn't make it in) and fell asleep. So cute! But so demanding and needy. As to be expected. 

Tomorrow we will fly to Guangzhou where the US Consulate is. Both boys will have doctors visits and TB tests and then next ...well the 16th we have our Visa interview for the boys to become citizens. After that we wait 2 days for the visas to be ready!

I feel ready to be home now! But we will make it (we don't have a choice) and really and really the boys are doing better than expected.