STRESS VENT

Overall, I have been (in my humble opinion) relatively calm throughout this process. Yesterday (and a few other days this week) was an exception. Saturday, Sam and I went to visit Mei-Yun and Tsung-Lin at the orphanage...first off, Sam made a friend at the train station. At least once a week, an older lady goes on and on in Chinese about how beautiful he is. haha...he's flattered.

The visit itself was somewhat emotionally and mentally challenging for me. Maybe it was just that it was the end of a long week of airline phone calls and coordinating communication about some travel issues with a 16 hour time difference. I had expectations based on conversations last week that we would be going to an art museum with just the 2 kids and an agency translator, but it was all different when we got there.

"Here's your room...you can play with them here for the next 4 hours. Be a mom, do what you want." Okay, do what I want in this room, no English, not my house, not even my kids yet. Both agency worker and orphanage worker were new to me...I hadn't met them yet (in 4 different days of visits)and it sometimes feels like I have to prove myself over and over again, just a little like the feeling when the homestudy is being put together. Not really, but that undertone of "how's she gonna do? can she handle it?"

So...to the actual visit. We arrived, had a storytime with a visitor and then went off to our own place, a room at the orphanage. I had brought barrettes and silly putty for them and this time it was the silly putty that was a hit. Mei-Yun did a little tea party with the silly putty, Sam and Tsung-Lin made awesome creations with very large tinker toys. We played, had lunch and then went outside to the orphanage playground.

To cap the day off, the kids from a few "houses" at the orphanage all went to an elementary school playground across the street. Mei-Yun was a little warmer this time. Definitely not all over me like in the beginning, but she wanted me to push her on the swings and some other little concessions.

I'm glad we've had some time....these weeks to familiarize ourselves with each other and not have to be on warp speed get to know you. Tsung-Lin is generally all boy...chase, roar and jump all over. He can be focused and attentive when he does his homework or listens to a program, but just as energetic and crazy when playing with others.