Thursday's Update

Today we were back in Beijing for more sight seeing. We hiked to the top of the Great Wall. We were all exhausted afterwards. I think someone said there were 1,400 steps leading up to the top. On the way down Ai Ai decided to start running to try to catch Grandpa and we were afraid she was going to fall. So, we told Chloe who was near her to stop her and make her wait until we got to her. This did not set well with her at all and she started crying very hard. We believe that this may be one of her first meltdowns. She cried and cried. Nothing had really happened to justify the way she cried but I believe she had not really had a good long cry in a long time so she took this opportunity to let it all out. And she took full advantage of it. I actually had to carry her down the steps for about 15 minutes. She eventually stopped crying and we made it the rest of the way down. We asked the guide to ask her why she was so upset and she said it was because Chloe stopped her from being the first one to the bottom. The rest of the day was fine. We went to the Jade factory to see how they make the Jade jewlery and statues. We ate at a nice restraunt for dinner and we went to an acrobatic show this evening. The day was really nice. Tommorrow we go back to Tianjin to pick up Ai Ai's passport and to fly to Guangzhoe. Ai Ai is bonding nicely with the family. She still prefers to be near the translator when we are all together because she is the only one who can understand her. We did have Suzan (our translator) tell Ai Ai that she needs to mind us and stay right with us when we are out and about. She has been wanting to run off ahead of us and will not stop when we tell her to. She seems like she is a "Livewire" so far, and full of energy. We are curious about how she will act when we are back at home in a normal environment without the translator. She does not try to speak much when Suzan is not around. I guess she knows we are not going to understand her so she does not even try. She is saying around 8 to 10 english words frequently now. She also repeats anything you say to her many many times. If she thinks is sounds funny she will say it too many times trying to get another laugh. She is the sweetest girl and it is so hard to see how anyone could have abandoned her. As she slept in the bus today I just stared at her wondering what she has been through and why she was given up. It is sad to think it happens to any child but to hold one that it has happened to is such a weird and overwhelming feeling. She has gone through things that no one should ever have to endure and she is still happy and joyful. We have forever changed her destiny and she has no idea what a joyful happy life is ahead of her. Right now she is just glad someone wanted her. We love her like our own already and we are looking forward to many years of joyful bliss together with her. - Tony