Pizza Bell

Today Jacie did a little talking about China and her past. As I have said before, it is difficult to hear some of them and I have a hard time sorting through all of the information (and the broken English) to get to the 'root' of the story. Having said all of that, she did tell some interesting tidbits...
First she said, "When I be in China, they no know my name."

I said, "People in China didn't know your name?"

"No. They call me 'baby.'"

"The people in China called you "baby?'"

"Yes. When I get older, they call me other name."

"What was your other name?"

"I no remember..."

She never 'remembers' anything from China or in Chinese. I said, "Your name was Ying-Ying. Would you like me to call you Ying-Ying?"

She looked at me with disbelief and said, "No. My name is Jacie. Everyone know and remember my name is Jacie."

Then she looked out the window thoughtfully. I really thought the conversation was over. She thought for a minute then said, "Ma, you saved my life."

I said, "Saved your life?"

"Yeah," she replied.

The moment was over so I said, "Gimme a kiss..."

She loves to smooch...

What a heart rendering moment. There is so much that I think that she doesn't understand and then out of the blue...whammy.

She' s definitely my girl. We have had the most fun with her. She is also learning that you can have too much stuff and then you have to clean it up. I sent her up to clean her room today. Again, her reactions rivaled those of a child in a sweat shop...

She did complete her mission and came down to stand beside me.

"I need to give stuff to bye-bye."

"I answered, "You have too much stuff?"

"Yes, some go bye-bye."

"Okay, sort what you want and put it in a pile."

"Ma, I know how to clean real good. I just no like to. When you tell me to put my laundry away...I no want to so I throw on floor."

All I could think is, "Your telling me...?"

What she doesn't realize is that I see her EMPTY very UN-tidy room every night when I walk by after putting her to bed [in the hallway on a little green cot.] The sad thing about this is that her room is really nice. I picked the little white bed and all of the decorations. I made her blanket and curtains. Can you feel the bitterness radiating? It really is a shame to think that she might never sleep in it because we are moving sometime this year. So much for giving up my storage room to an Asian princess. I could push it but haven't had the heart since our last try. I have already started laying the groundwork for the new house though.

"When we go to the new house, Jacie will sleep in her bed."

"Really...? Really?" is her standard reply.

A simple one word answer is sufficient..."YES."

She is beginning to understand the concept of birthdays now. Loren will be thirteen next week and I was a little worried that she wouldn't understand [in China, all of the children from the orphanage had cake on one day.]

She was talking to Loren today. He gets to chose the restaurant we go to in honor of his birthday and he said, "I think I want to go to Taco Bell."

To this she replied, "On my birthday...I want to go to Pizza Bell."

Again, not laughing at her...just with her.

What a dolly. She is awful cute. Maybe we will take her to Pizza Bell for her birthday...

if we can find one.

~CP