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Welcome to my family blog. I have been married to Mike for over half of my life. I love my Savior, Jesus. I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to six terrific, interesting children. My 3 oldest were born to me in my younger years, while my 3 youngest were given to me by God in my older years. I am very blessed. ~Cheri

6.12.2010

Four Months Home With Ivy

Four months ago this morning, Ivy and I landed at the local airport, exhausted, excited, and nervous.  So much has happened...so much good stuff.  She's bonded so well to all of us.  She is comfortable with our touch and hugs and kisses.  She gets annoyed with her sisters.  She eats so much food, but hasn't gained any weight.  She's finally making it up the hill on her bicycle.  She's not afraid of the dog.  She's lost 3 teeth (one from the doctor).  I could go on and on, but you get the picture.  


Ivy has been sharing a lot of stories from her other "home".  Some of the stories are silly ones about her friends and people she will never see again.  I know she misses them.  She had cell phone numbers of many of the people and the orphanage.  One day she lost those numbers and was very distraught.  I was able to track down the orphanage phone number, which made her feel much better.  Ivy has also shared some sad stories about her life in China.  I used to feel badly for taking Ivy from all that she loved.  She seemed to be a very happy girl while in China.  After hearing stories from other adoptive families, I thought I'd ask Ivy some questions about some "mean people" at the orphanage.  When I started asking her about the "woman", she knew exactly who I was talking about.  Her eyes started darting back and forth with a very nervous look, and her eyes filled up with tears.  I asked Ivy why the "woman" did this to her and she replied with innocence and fear, "I don't know."  After lots of hugs and reassurance that I'd never do anything to hurt her, she was her happy self.  It makes me wonder what other stories she has hidden behind those big, brown eyes.  Maybe in time she will share, maybe she will forget.

Last week I sent an email to the orphanage with pictures telling them how well Ivy was doing.  I got a response with some wonderful pictures of Ivy when she was very little.


She looks so sad and beautiful.  I looked at these pictures, stared at these pictures of my daughter.  I did not know her.  I missed that part of her life, the beauty of babyhood, the activeness of toddler-hood, never to be found again.  But, I have her now.  There is so much to look forward to.


This is my favorite picture of Ivy.  She still gives me this look almost everyday when she is confused or does not understand what I am saying to her.  I love that brow!

We went to the cleft clinic this past week.  The doctors decided that Ivy needs to have her gum line repaired this fall.  I'm hoping it will happen in November.  One day after cleaning out her cleft area, I told her what the doctors were going to do to her mouth.  I showed her how my teeth went straight across.  She then went on to tell me that the reason for her crooked mouth was because she fell down as a baby.  So, I guess that was the story around the orphanage.  All the children there with clefts (and there were quite a few) had fallen and messed up their mouths, lips, and noses.
I found this photo online that was in the local newspaper.  Ivy looks so small.

I love the sneaky look in the passport photo.
Home 4 months.

8 kind words:

Karrie

Ivy is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful little girls I have ever seen. Strikingly so!!!
She sounds as beautiful on the inside as well. I hate that she had to suffer at some one elses mean hand. She knows the love of her family now. Thank God.

Karrie

Mike and Barb

She is a beautiful girl, no doubt. And I'm happy to hear how well she is doing!
Does she still have an open cleft, then? Wow, I hope her surgery will go well!!
And WOW, is that her chinese writing? I'm super impressed...
Love, Barb

Serving the King

-sob-sniffle-sob-sniffle...reference my last post about crying at everything!! You got me, this was suh-weet! What up with her not getting your care packages? Was she in foster care? I'm going to click on over to her adoption page now, thus I will probably be crying and reading until about midnight. See ya on the flip side!

Wendy in OH

she is absolutely gorgeous. its awesome to hear how well she is adjusting (gives me hope for our future)...I often look at my Abigail and wonder what went on in her life, but she was 26 mos at adoption so likely has no memory to speak of. Now, with ZiJing, I can only pray she is in good hands and has been well cared for, right? anyway, thanks for sharing and now lucky to get some older pics...
Wendy in OH

Bobby and Regina

Is she keeping up with her Chinese language, and writing? That's great! She writes well to be only 7 years old!! Did she tell you what it says? Love, Regina

Cheri

Oh how I love all her pictures! She is so super sweet. She looks like she has a super kind personality. I love that she can still write Chinese.

Gretchen

I am so happy that you have pictures of Ivy when she was younger! That picture of her with the scrunched up eyebrows is too cute!

Judi

How wonderful to get pictures! I wrote the orphanage and HOPED to get some, but haven't so far. Maybe in the future!


I was wondering if you knew when the picture from the newspaper was taken. The one with the nanny handing Ivy something. It looks like McDonalds or something similar. The little girl in red and sandals behind the woman's arm looks like it could be Haleigh. The year the picture was taken would help us know if it could be her. Haleigh will be five in October, so she is a bit younger than Ivy. Thanks!

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