July 27th, 2005
I called today our lazy day because we stayed in the hotel all day to allow Marissa time to get well. It is Dennis’ birthday…HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Daddy, but we need to focus on Marissa healing. She has two more breathing treatments today. One was at 9:00 this morning, one is this afternoon at 3:00. Nothing seems to help her as much as those treatments. I think she might be in a tent at the hospital for a few days if we were at home.
Tomorrow we have to go to get her medical exam for the U.S. Consolate appointment in a few days. I don’t understand how they make babies go when they’re sick. We’ll see what happens. If we can get the “rumbles” in her chest under control and she isn’t running a fever, maybe she’ll pass. By the way, I keep forgetting to mention that we weighed Marissa the day after we got her and she weighed about 14 lbs. The update we received was just not true. Her feet aren’t even as big as they said! She’s wearing the 6-9 month clothes and they are loose on her.
I had to bite my tongue yesterday at the clinic. I really had to rely on God because the Chinese doctors and nurses were telling us Marissa was sick because we were not dressing her well (her arms and legs are exposed in the sundresses), not feeding her enough, are keeping our room too cold (anyone believe that Miss I Need A Sweater would have a cold hotel room?), and they thought our idea to also stand in the bathroom with the shower running so Marissa would get more breathing treatments was absurd. That’s just the beginning of their complaints. All of this after we RECEIVED her sick and every baby from her orphanage has the same illness! I had to tell myself to shut up, let God handle it since He is ultimately in control, and just enjoy my two weeks bonding with OUR baby, then get her home!
I know there’s a cultural and language difference, but when they scolded us, then began speaking to each other in Chinese, with all the rest they were doing, I just felt myself losing it! Mommy didn’t go to the next appointment, Daddy went with Marissa. Mommy was afraid she’d let the doctors have it. By this morning I was able to see them again. It’s amazing how fiercely protective we become! I really don’t want this post to sound negative, though. The situation was probably also magnified since we haven’t slept and our bodies are dealing with the time change. Truly every moment of this is precious to us.
No one will be happy, but with Marissa not feeling well, and the medicines we’ve been mixing and giving, then taking her for treatments, we haven’t taken any pictures today and it is already after noon. We’ll try to get some photos taken this afternoon. She’s lounging in pj’s and blankets today.
Marissa saw birds in one of the lobbies today and loved them! She liked the looks and the sounds. Today she initiated Daddy by throwing up on him. Daddy is totally wrapped around her finger! That fact was already evident, but when Marissa was at the keyboard with me, then Daddy came up to show me something and Marissa reached out and grabbed his thumb, he totally melted.
This morning Marissa went down for a nap because she was up not feeling well most of the night. When I put her in the crib, she started protesting because she hates going in it! She’s used to staying in it all the time and we’re now convinced that the knot on the back of her head is from bumping her head into the side of the crib when she rolls over. It just seems to have a rash or bite on the top of it. Anyway, when she protested the crib, I pulled it over right next to the bed and lay down with my hand in her crib and watched her from between the slats. She eyed me and reached out to sroke my hands, then grasped a finger. She looked my body up, then down and cooed at me before looking again. You could honestly see an expression in her eyes that said she was willing to trust me to stay with her, then she lay down to sleep. I keep watching for her to stir so that I can hurry back to lay down so she’ll see my still there.
We LOVE seeing her personality and trust come out more each day. Instead of awakening with a frightened look that said “the nightmare continues,” she awakens with a look that says “wow…they really are still here!” She’s beginning to look at us with trust and we know that each day will bring so many wonderful blessings. All the Leizhou babies are sick and very developmentally delayed. Time and patience will nourish her. We’re so blessed and joyful to have her and are awestruck that God chose us to help Him grow her into who He created her to be.
All the babies LOVE to be on the go! You can really tell that they are tired of being stuck in cribs or orphanages and they take everything in! It is incredible to see how God matched each child with their new families, too. You can truly see how they resemble each other or have the same habits or behavior characteristics. If ANYONE reading this has ever had the slightest desire to adopt…domestically or internationally, get down on your knees and pray, then listen for guidance. Only God gives us the desire to do this and you will never experience anything like it! The joy and blessings are tremendous…and we’re only beginning the journey!
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