Momma I Pod

We finally made friends on Thursday afternoon. After pandas and lunch we just went back to the room and my mission for the next day and half was to break through the barrier that Julia still wanted to keep in place. We made friends. She played peek a boo and then decided that it was hilarious fun to feed me her cherrios. Now, China humid, two year old sticky cherrios have never tasted so wonderful in all my life. She then played with brother's I-Pod and decided to stick the music in mama's ears. When nap time came she layed between James and I. She kept looking at me... the she smiled... wrinkled up her nose and grinned. She started to nod off and she would blink.... open here eyes, smile at me .. and nod off. I think we finally made friends.

In light of the journey that it has been to help her know that Mama and the brothers are good guys, we have decided not to journey the 4 hours each way to her hometown. There is a trip in the future, when her mouth is healed and my friend Kelly and I can journey together in which she and I will go there as well as Joy to Yangjiang. There will be a day in which that Heritage Trip is very important to these girls and right now cheerios, peek a boo and electronics are more interesting to Julia.

She is darling.... her personality is HUGE even if she is not yet. We are smitten.... she is charming. When I named Joy I had no idea that she would EXUDE Joy to all that she met. My hunch is that Julia will provide for those she meets what her middle name characterizes -- HOPE. She is a testimony to the hope that any child can live a richly blessed life and overcome poverty and medical need if those around her are willing to step outside their own world long enough to care. By the time Julia is an adult, she will be the walking, breathing testimony of the Hope that friends gave in providing for her first surgery here in China, my journey to get her, and the amazing faith in humankind that is displayed by the doctors and friends and family who have already pledged to help her live a life full of HOPE.

Thanks for loving her from afar... I can hardly wait for you to meet her!

JAck