Hello from Guangzhou!

I've been so busy I've been unable to update the blog regularly-I guess I've forgotten how TIME consuming a new baby actually is-Today we went to a temple and had the babies blessed. It was moving for me because I really felt that Lily's birth mother was the one that should have been there with her. This little girl is too special to have lived the experience of abandonment. I write more about that when I've had time to process...

Lily is divina! She's very sweet and easy to get along with. Her sleep could be better, but we'll work on that when we get home. Poor baby wakes up from either napping or sleeping a night with fear in her eyes! She hasn't quite gotten used to the fact that we aren't going to leave her behind-but I'm noticing that she's getting more "secure" (if that is the right word) with us. The first couple of days were pretty scary - it seemed that she would cry as if she was terrified whenever we changed her position in any way. I don't think Lily has ever had any positive or "fun" experience with water-she would scream and become so upset when we bathed her-last night I finally let her sit at the edge of the sink and just dip her toes into the water. You should have seen her little body quake with fear! I've never seen such a young baby shake with fear before-little by little I let her touch and pat the water until I was able to get her to sit in the sink with the water to her waist without crying. This is how I'm going to introduce Lily to bathing...after all a Florida girl has got to like water! I've been thinking so much about how her life must have been up to now-I know that she was cared for in the orphanage, but I don't think there was much loving going on...she doesn't;t know how to reach for me or dad, even though she clearly wants to be picked up. How confusing all this must be to her-I can only hope that time, attention, and love will slowly erase any bad memories or feelings this little flower has endured. BTW-she's really responding to dad now-she coos at him and plays with him-he is over the moon in love! But I will say (and my family will understand) he's STILL getting left behind. But that is another entry.

Tomorrow we go to the embassy and swear that we will take care of and educate Lily. I'll try to get pics of that.

The countdown to home has started....H minus 4!