Hope got the book!

Back in October we sent Hope a tactile book that we made for her. We sent it during the time that Bethel was moving to a new location, so it was eventually returned to us, so we sent it again and they just received it a couple days ago. We’ve been corresponding recently with Sarah at Bethel about Hope and we’ve been waiting to hear if she has had a chance to read the book to her.. Here was Sarah’s reply: 🙂

“I wanted to let you know I have tried twice now to show Li Hao the book.  She won’t even let me show it to her!  I think there are a couple things playing into it.  One is that every morning the nannies sit with the kids and read to them and have the kids touch the books to feel the Braille.  They do it like this rigid routine that must be done and I think the kids are resentful of it a bit.  The stories and poems are also way beyond their level of understanding.  Also, whenever Li Hao is with me she either wants to eat snacks or be tickled or give me kisses.  She doesn’t seem to want to do anything else with me.  I feel so bad, but I am going to keep working on it with her and keep talking to her and saying her brother and sisters names and things so she gets used to it.”

We’ve been corresponding with Sarah about Hope’s background too, since she didn’t know about Hope’s history (the little that we know at least). Here are some more wonderful and encouraging words that Sarah had to say in reply:

“God has totally had his hand on bringing Li Hao into your family.  I love adoption stories so much.  I hear them and totally know that God cares for each little kid who is lonely and abandoned.  I was talking to Tom about Li Hao’s story and we were both heart broken and sad at the thought of her abandoned under a bridge at eight months old.  Then we kind of stopped and thought about the story.  God saw Li Hao under that bridge.  She wasn’t abandoned by Him.  He was already preparing her family-a place where she wold grow up and know Him.  It was so awesome to step back and see God in the story.  Without Him it is tragic.  With Him it becomes a beautiful redemption.  He’s so good at doing that!
 
A few more tidbits for you on her: She loves to stand in the middle of a room and just spin and spin in circles.  It is so cute!  When she hugs and kisses she does it really hard with all this pent up emotion.  I have to keep telling her to “xiao xin” be careful, and am teaching her the world gentle in English and showing her “gentle” hugs and kisses.  I got her to say “da da” once, but so far haven’t gotten her to repeat it.  I know that she is understanding what the ayis are telling her and she obeys when they direct her to do things.  It will be interesting to see how she does in speech after going home with you guys.  You are going to have to send me updates OK?  I was thinking about that and how much I’ll miss knowing how she is doing even though I’ll be SO thrilled and thankful that she is finally with you. 
 
All for now.  Love, Sarah”