Joy to the World - New Addition

Wow, how can I explain what this moment in time feels like? Just five days ago I was so concerned about our new daughter and if she would accept us as her new family.   Today I am sitting watching her play with Olivia and pick on her new Daddy. It feels as if she has been with us all along. She speaks only four English words yet we understand her. She just has a way of letting us know what she wants to tell us with a great spirit and sense of humor that is so cute.   It was raining here when our plane touched down. I sat and watched the fat drops of rain pound the ground and found myself thinking about the day Rachel Lian was born and placed under a bridge two hours later on a rainy day . Her name YU GUO LIAN, means look what the rain achieved in the city of Lianyungang. I prayed once more for her safety and her heart to accept our love for her.   Day one was sad. Her tiny body trembled with fear as she tried to hold in the tears when we first picked her up. Later that night at the Hotel room she sat very still and cried silently. I put her on the bed with me and we looked at picture books and colored in a Sponge Bob coloring book together. Then it hit me, I got out my Mandarin book and repeated, I love you. She looked up from coloring and smiled sideways shook her head and transformed before our eyes!   Day two was happy. Rachel Lian surprised us at the CA office. She ran in screaming Hey, BA BA, MA MA, JHI JHI LOVE ME! She asked them all to leave, even our guide! This was funny even to the Government officials!   Day three OMG! Now I know why she wanted her old teacher to go home! Let's just say this was her (testing day) She tried everything in the book. At one point Coy looked at me as if to say HELPPP!!!!! OK time to set boundaries....After her first time out and stern look she got it! She has spent her entire life raised in a classroom with wall to wall women she knows (THE LOOK)  Now she gives Olivia the look when she is acting up...All is well and happy again!   Day four can't remember not having her with us. She fits right in. We laugh a lot more since she is the class clown! On our way to the Department store to buy her shoes and clothes she told our guide that we have to buy Olivia something too to be fair. Then the two broke out into a sisterly fight over the DSI!   I almost cried when she refused to take off her new pink tennis shoes in the store she shook and clapped her hands and yelled for the entire store to LOOK AT THEM!  Next, she stripped in the store isle to put her new clothes on while patting her chest and yelling LOOK!!!   Every morning I take great pleasure dressing our two daughters. This is a prayer answered for me. Our Olivia will not grow up alone and we are now complete as a family. I don't know how or why Rachel Lian was born in China, however, I do know that she IS OUR DAUGHTER IN EVERY WAY. Some things can't be explained with words, you have to experience it for yourself to understand. I love her and she loves me. It is that simple.   At breakfast in the Hotel Restaurant this morning I sat and watched her place her napkin in her lap, eat with a spoon, and drink four glasses of milk. sounds simple...not for a child that has never been in a five star resort much less seen so many wonderful steaming dishes and an endless supply of milk! She said Thank You to the wait staff eight times, I counted.   Her Daddy gave her a plastic spoon out of his backpack since our table had forks only. When the waitress came and tried to give Rachel Lian a silver spoon she replied," no thank you, my Ba Ba gave me this spoon....this is MY BA BA!" she gleamed loudly. The waitress stopped for a moment looked into her eyes and smiled saying....I know he is your Ba Ba.  Rachel Lian kicked her feet in happines and had another big gulp of milk.   I am surprised at how Olivia openly shares us with Rachel Lian. If the truth be told I think she is glad some of the attention is off of her....more to get away with!   Coy has reclaimed the laptop and so I have to go for now. Thank you all for you prayers and please continue to pray for a safe trip home.      Joy Graham