First Weeks Home.........(part two)

I've got all four of 'em wrapped around my finger!

 As I sit typing today's post we've been home with Qu Yan/Lucy two and a half weeks! (four weeks from when we first held her in our arms!)  reflecting on the changes in family life and in particular Lucy's adjustment, I'm amazed at all the changes I've seen around here in the one week since my last post!  She seems to love and enjoy being with EVERY SINGLE family member! 

Look what I made Mama!

   Some of the fun things we are doing these days are puzzles, stroller rides, swings, stickers, marbles, stickers, jumping on the trampoline, chores together and "noodle slurping"

My brothers set up the coolest train track in my room!

Taking out the trash with an adorable little buddy

Family walks....

Daddy is so much fun!

Noodle slurping with the bros!

Always drinks the very last drop!

Pop Pop is one of my favorite puzzle buddies!

  Bedtime is not nearly as sad since we brought glow sticks into the Zimmerman home!  One day while at the Dollar store, I came across glow sticks.  For whatever reason I thought maybe glowsticks at bedtime might lessen "the sadness" of the dreaded bedtime.  I picked up a pack.  WOW! #glowsticksareamiracle.  They make my girl so happy.  Each night (and nap) since that first day of introducing them, bedtime has become a whole lot easier.  (*Note:  she is NOT a chew-er, so I HAVE thought about that and I've been watching her)

#glowsticksrock

Communication.  I've been asked "is she speaking and understanding English yet?"  YES - her verbal vocabulary is expanding by the day.  As a very observant nine year old in our house noted, "Mom, ,she says words in syllables!"  She enunciates each syllable with purpose.  It sounds so cute.  Mama is Ma--Ma. She pronounces Emily  -- Emm-a-leee!  Other words she'll say on her own are:  Daddy, "Kuhtis", "John -Muhrle", "Da-den" (for Kaden), Mom-Mom, Pop-Pop, potty, more and NO!

As expected, the words she understands are many more than she verbalizes- here are a number of the words/phrases she comprehends:  HOME, cup, bath, brush teeth, eat, swing, Czar(Kurt's outdoor dog) , puzzles, baby, bye-bye, wash hands, turn water on, turn water off, take "x" to Daddy (or Mommy), kiss, go see Mom-Mom, night-night, shoes on, shoes off, .....  We think that's a pretty impressive list in only a few weeks!
   Lucy Kim has also had some "not so fun" times throughout the week too.  She gets frustrated when she'd like us to know "more" then surface "talk" and she is unable to totally convey ALL of what she'd like us to know.  (At 3.5 years, I'm certain she was very verbal in Chinese)  She is showing her distaste for being strapped in a five point harness car seat too!  And there are the times we simply don't know why she's sad or upset (because while it seems "out of the blue" to us, she's obviously struggling with some tough emotions/feelings). We're also working through different ideas to help her with car sickness.  These times are totally to be expected and part of bonding is working together through them.
  This is a good time to remind ourselves and others, that EVERY ADOPTION story is unique, EVERY CHILD's TRANSITION into a family is different, and EVERY ADOPTED CHILD and FAMILY needs and desires the prayers of the body of Christ!

1 Thessalonians 5:11
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (NLT)
James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working

Next week we begin our journey with the start of some of the necessary medical appointments.  Hoping to post more about that soon....