The hard reality of Chinese Adoption

The past few days have been peaceful. Mostly because on Wednesday we had no school, thus I didn't work! While this means I don't get paid, it still comes as a nice bonus, especially in the very middle of the first week back, after Christmas break! Kind of a nice way to ease back into normal life, if you ask me!

Shao came to me on Tuesday night, teary eyed. Seems her geography class was discussing Asia, and they were talking about the one-child policy in China. Hit a little too close to home for my sweetie. Now, don't get crazy here...her teacher approached her in home room and told her what she was planning on covering, and if this would be too sensitive a subject for Shao. Good work, Ms. Robertson! And Shao said it would be fine. But when it came right down to it, it was tough. She told me about it early in the evening, and said it had been hard. Later, at bedtime, she broke down in tears, because she would never be able to know her birthparents. I cried along with her. That is the sad reality of Chinese adoption. The one really BAD feature of it, if you ask me. Other than that, it is a wonderful thing.

I hugged her for a long time, and I told her that I prayed often for her birth parents, particularly her mother, especially near her birthday. I also told her that in a way, I was glad, because if it had not been this way, then I would never have known her, or been given the incredible gift of being her parent. It is a very hard road to walk, this one. I am sure the issue will come up time and again, with different twists as she grows older, and will always be one that haunts her, at least a little bit. Hopefully we can go to China in the next couple of years and she can gain a little more of the puzzle that is her. We will definitely go to the orphanage. Her last question of the evening was about her ayi. We have pictures, but no name. Very hard.

On a brighter note: it is sunny here today! COLD, but sunny. Won't get above freezing, but I will take the sun. Because TOMORROW is another story...somewhat big storm coming in, late Saturday morning. Could be a foot of snow before all is said and done. Oh, joy. May not make it to church on Sunday...which won't be good, since Shao is the lay reader. But not worth risking life and limb over, that's for sure. We shall see.

So. It's Friday. And while I don't wish away my days (I don't have as many left as I used to!), I am happy that tomorrow I have NOTHING planned. Doesn't happen often, let me tell you! More likely, I have things booked back to back. This will be nice. And I suppose, even if I did have things planned, I likely wouldn't do them, with the storm coming in. Hopefully NEXT weekend won't be bad, as it is a three day weekend (Martin Luther King day), and I'd like to get out and about a bit!

Blessings!....Nancy