Jacie has been home for 2 1/2 years. She was adopted from the Special Needs Chinese Adoption Program at the age of 8 years old. She is learning and growing in her forever family~



Sunday, December 26, 2010

A Little Green Cot Between Two Dorm Rooms

If you were to go up my stairs, turn left and walk straight toward Loren's room...you would stumble over a little Chinese girl encased in a small green cot.


 

Yeah, you guessed it. The great move to her own warm bed in her own pretty room...didn't work. I was not home when she went to bed, so Bart went through the regular ritual and put her in her bed with a hug and a kiss. When I arrived home, I went up to say goodnight. When I came in the room I said, "Hi Pumpkin, How are you?"


 

In little tiny voice she said, "Not so good." Then she started to cry. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "I no like."


 

I said, "Jacie no like her bed?"


 

She said, "Ima scared. In China I no sleep by myself."


 

I said, "Is your bed warm? Do you like it?"


 

She said, "Yes." Then she added, "In China I sleep with lots of people. I no scared. Here I no see anyone."


 

I said, "In China you slept with how many people?" I wanted to see if it was the same number as she told our guide in China.


 

"Twelve, " she answered. That is the number she told our guide...


 

I wanted to make her laugh so I said, "In China you and twelve people slept in one bed." Then I gave her an exaggerated look and showed how small the bed was.


 

"No," she giggled. She explained that she slept in a small cubby hole with another child. Well, that explains why the large pretty room with the twin size bed seems big and scary.


 

Our talk was going well, so I said, "What about at China Ma and Ba's house? Did you sleep with someone?"


 

In the same small voice as before she said, "In China I have no Mommy and Daddy. They die..." Interesting. I wonder if we will ever know whether she had a foster family or not...?


 

I talked to her about how Bart and I were her parents now and we are not dead. She only understands the word 'die' not dead, so I think that she thought I was saying we won't die. I did not even attempt to clarify that.


 

Suffice it to say, "She slept in the hallway last night and I did not try for the bed tonight."


 

My standing joke has become: that when the boys go to college, they better leave room in their bags for a little green cot and room next to eachother because this sweet little gal will be sleeping between their rooms...


 

I am not sure but I think was her first day to jump in the leaves. I took tons of pictures. She had a good time. She built two forts facing eachother (her brothers were shooting each other with paintball guns out back) so I think that she made the forts for them. She also shot paintball gun and drove the four-wheeler. A very busy day for an already tired young lady...


 

At Grandma and Grandpa's(Great, Bart's grandparents)house tonight she ate an Ethiopian meal. She said hello to Grandpa, recognizing him and shook his hand. Then she later saw Grandma and said, "Hello Grandma." Giving her a thumbs-up sign and saying, "Good job." She was complimenting her on the good food. She has not seen these grandparents a lot but seems to respect and like them.


 

She really is a likeable gal. I think that will serve her well in life.


 

~Angie

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