Officially Ours!!! Hannah Meizhu Ershu Cross!

Last night, everyone got some good sleep.  Hannah Ershu woke up around 4am sneezing and a bloody nose that we helped with.  (could it be the fuzzy black mold in our room?)  Anyway...she settled back to bed and that is when I typed the blog post for yesterday.  She seemed in good spirits when they got up, and she and Mateo played ball for quite some time.  She has quite the arm!  Just not the best aim :)  We went to breakfast and then Emily picked us up and took us to the registrar office and notary office.  We took an oath saying that by adopting Ershu, she would now be like a biological child to us.  And now in the eyes of China "the bond of our family is beyond revokable".  (Josh really liked the way they stated that!)  And below you will see our precious Ershu excitedly signing her name in Chinese characters, stating that she wants to be adopted by us.  :)  Thank you Jesus for this special, sweet daughter!

            Showing our guide Emily her signature.

                    Placing a thumb print over her signature.

                  Our Offical Family Photos

After this we dropped our things off at the hotel and our guide took us to the mall across the street to look for some better shoes for Ershu.  (something easier for her to put on)  It is a big fancy department store full of Chinese and International brand names.  I am way too cheap for this kind of shopping! :) We did get her pink tennis shoes that velcro at the top so it will be easier for her hands to put on and off.  Then we went to lunch underground.  It was better than yesterday's fast food, though it is still considered fast food.  Josh is still in search of the major spicy food that Chengdu is known for. (The spiciest thing he has had so far is the Wasabi at our dinner buffet.)  We think we might have to set out on our own to find some more authentic Chengdu food!

I don't remember if I have said this on the blog yet and I just assume everyone knows, but in case you don't ....Hannah has cerebral palsy.  They tell us that she has made a lot of improvements since being at the orphanage and they had given her therapies for a couple of years when she first got there.   We knew as much as we could before coming but we knew we were just going to have to get her and bring her home and figure it out.  Well, that is something else Josh and I are doing, we are watching her and wondering what we will be able to do to try to help her out when we get home.  She walks and goes up and down stairs, and for the most part our guide understands her when she speaks in Mandarin, though she might have to repeat herself once in a while.  Her hands are both affected...and I think we were thinking it was more one than the other.  We have done some small changes to the bathroom at home to help make things easier to grasp and turn.  (though we still have a new faucet to install that we didn't get to before we left)  We also are thinking about things like glasses and utensils that will make life easier for her!  She feeds herself, and she makes it happen, she is very determined and independent for the most part.  But it looks so challenging for her that we long to help make it simpler for her....just things we are pondering.  :)  Good thing we aren't alone!  :)  She will have good therapists that will help!

Well they are napping now...and I think I should go join them.  Getting up at 4 to spend 3 hours typing, on top of only 4 hours sleep the night before is catching up with me!  I was thinking this morning I am amazed that I was going for so long on so little...and then shortly after I started feeling it :)

We are going to see the Pandas tomorrow ... so very excited!