Thank goodness it's Friday!

Important, breaking news:  we went to the hospital today, and nothing happened!  Nothing - as in NO SHOTS!  Woohoo!  Anna is done with the shots.  Hallelujah.  When she realized that we were telling her "no shots for Anna," her face lit up like a Christmas tree.  She was happier than I have seen her in a long time.  

We did not get a bandage change either, and this time, we were given a weekend pass instead of a night pass.  We must report back to the hospital Monday morning (we aren't really sure for what).

One of the things I love about the China adoption community is what a close circle has been created.  No matter where you go, you are never far from a friendly face.  Over the years, I have met many of those friends in China and across the US.  Tonight, some of those friendly faces arrived in Verona for dinner!  Greg, Lorene, Sarah and Zach, who are a military family stationed in Germany, came to Verona, and we were delighted to share a meal with them.  Although Sarah and Zach are older than Anna, she really enjoyed being in their company.   She also really enjoyed Lorene's iPad.   Lorene and I met via our adoption agency's China parent support group when I started my adoption of Amelia.  Over the years, we have been cyberfriends, and today, we were real life friends!  Tomorrow, Lorene's family and our family will see Venice together - what fun!

 

 

We are getting close to the end, and each day brings a growing sense of excitement as we climb that last hill toward activation.  Your continued prayers are very much appreciated.  And for all of you who are asking -- YES, I will record the activation, and YES, I will share it!

Hugs,
Amy

Thursday in Verona - more of the same!

I am now very adept at predicting what will happen in the Italian medical system.  I told my dad last night, "I bet we go tomorrow, and they give her a shot because nobody has decided to stop the shots, and then they don't change her bandages, and they tell us to come back tomorrow for 'maybe shots' and 'maybe a bandage change.'"  Too bad it wasn't Las Vegas, because I would have come out a winner.  That is exactly what happened today.

Anna is so completely done and over with the shots business.  I understand the necessity, but since we are now at nearly three weeks of antibiotic shots, and her little derriere is black and blue with needle pricks, I, too, am ready for the shots to be finiti.  Every day I ask the nurse, "finiti?  No more shots?"  I say this in my best Italian voice, because, as we all know, if you speak English with an Italian accent, it makes it translate better into Italian.  Every day they look at me sadly and shake their heads.  It's the same in any country I have been in:  No, Nyet, Bu, No.  No, we are not finiti.  Not now.  Maybe not ever.  I'm beginning to think Nurse Rita may get on the plane and come home with us to give Anna a shot every day for the rest of her life.  On the bright side, all the nurses can now sign "sorry," which goes a long way with Anna.  As long as you are sorry about it, she perks up.  After her shots, she walks back to the room and signs to Papa, "I got a shot; I cried. Papa sorry."  To which Papa always tells her he is sorry. 


Today's weather was drizzly off and on and very cold, but the sun did come out this afternoon, just long enough to go walking a bit.

I made Papa stay home because his knee is very sore.  I need him 100% for the trip home.  There are bags to haul, and I can't master the 5 year old plus all the heavy bags.  Always before, Anna could not hear my voice if she wanders ahead or lingers behind, and I call after her.  I wonder if she will be able to hear my voice on the way home?  I know she might not know what it means, but will she be able to hear it?  Will she be able to hear the jet engine, and the airplane food carts, and the overhead announcements?  The doctors say yes.

When I really stop and think about it, it quiets my soul -- in two weeks' time, Anna will hear sounds.  I can't even put into words what I feel about that.  Really, I just want to fall on my face and weep.  I weep for Anna, for what is lost and what is to come.  I weep with the utmost gratitude to the Lord, and to the doctors and medical staff, and to all of you, who have prayed for Anna, written encouraging messages to my family, and given of your time and your finances to make this possible for her.  What words could possibly convey the depth of my indebtedness and povery before our Father and before all of you? 

In the end, we really are nothing...just vapors.  We are here only for this brief moment.  In the end, when we journey onward, we come to Him empty-handed -- not with diplomas and accomplishments and bank accounts and church work and charitable donations.  We can only bring to Him the love that we have lavished on Him and on people.  Yet, even as vapors, He tells us that each of us was appointed to a certain time and epoch, to a particular boundary and habitat, so that we will seek Him.  We each have a special purpose in the time and place to which we have been sent.  Oh, that we can all find our purpose and live out our days loving one another in word and in deed!


Blessings from Italy,
Amy

PS - Photos tomorrow, if I can get an internet connection that will hold.

 

Wednesday - Week 4 in Verona

Tomorrow marks one month since we left home.  Today marks two weeks until we are scheduled to land at home.  I see the see-saw tipping in homeward direction, and it makes my heart glad!

Speaking of glad, there is celebration in the air tonight in Italy!  The church bells are ringing out!  Blessings to my Catholic friends on the selection of a new leader.  As Pope Francis I is a very public representative of all Christians, I pray he is able to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Today, Anna received what I am hoping was her last antiobiotic shot.  I don't know for sure because the doctor said, "maybe I will decide tomorrow."  There is a bit of Scarlett O'Hara in the Italian medical system.  Everything is on the "tomorrow is another day" plan.  Anna may get her bandages off tomorrow, too.  Then again, it might be Friday, because the doctor again said, "I will decide tomorrow."  Fiddle-dee-dee.

Today was drizzly off and on and much cooler, and since the only request of me from the medical staff is, "please, dear mother, watch the weather," I kept Anna inside for most of the day.  We did venture out later in the afternoon for a quick walk.  We stopped inside a very old church that we think was the private chapel of the ruling family of Verona.  Outside the church, there is a magnificent iron fence, and inside the fence, you can see the tombs of some of the members of the family.  They are very ornate and quite spendid.  After seeing this, I would like to see a modern Italian cemetary.  I wonder what that would be like.  Hmm...I have another week.  Maybe I will scope one out and report back!

On a completely unrelated and random topic, Verona must have very effective animal control.  I have not seen a single stray animal - dog, cat, squirrel, snail - since I have been here.  They do have pigeons, but even they are well-controlled in number.  They are almost like the token, photo-worthy pigeons.  Certainly, you don't see the hoardes of them that would be an annoyance.  These pigeons also look rather well-fed, but I guess the stray drops of gelato cones would be enough to keep them in business. 

Once again, our Internet is not working properly at the apartment, so I will have to post this update without photos and hope to be able to add them in tomorrow.  I'm doing my best, folks.

Blessings,
Amy

One more day, much like the last: Tuesday in Verona!

Our days are starting to feel like Groundhog Day!  We get up.  We buy bus tickets at the little L'Arena magazine shop.  We walk to the bus stop.  We wait for Bus 21 or 22 to the Policlinico.  We go to the hospital.  We sit in our hospital room (still assigned to us because we are technically still inpatients).  We wait (and wait and wait) for Anna's shot and steroid pill.  We then load up, head back to the bus stop, wait for the same bus going in the opposite direction, and go back to our apartment.  We usually have soup and sandwiches for lunch in our apartment before we determine our afternoon schedule.  If the weather is yucky, we stay in and try (in vain) to entertain Anna.  (Thank you to Anna's school teacher for sending so many entertaining activities!)  If the weather is nice, we go out and walk the streets of Verona.

On the bus today, a lady came out of her way to greet Anna.  We saw her the other day on the bus, and she was so sweet to Anna.  Today, I didn't see her, but she saw us and lumbered to the front of the bus to say hello.  She then drew a banana out of her bag - clearly something she had brought along for herself - and handed it to Anna.  How kind.  I'm telling you, Anna is the Italian-grandma-whisperer. 

Today, we had great weather.  I didn't even need my coat!  Absolutely beautiful!  When we were done at the hospital, we finally went inside someplace Papa had been itching to go:  the Castlevecchio. We pass it everyday on our route, but today, we finally went inside. 

The Castlevecchio was built in the 1350s and was operated mainly as a defense for the city of Verona, but also was a residence for the ruling family of the day.  Inside, they have set up a museum with sculptures and paintings from 1100s through the early 1900s. 

We saw the dungeon, the armory, and many rooms.  We understand that when Napoleon was conquering Europe, he used the Castlevecchio as a place to house troops.  All this history comes to you courtesy of Papa.  I didn't read the inscriptions.  I just walked.

 

 

Anna did not appreciate the Castlevecchio at all.  She is very over old rocks and old paintings.  She DID recognize that one of the paintings was a nativity scene, and she signed "Away in a Manger."  I liked that she was able to apply information she knew to something she had never seen before.

What Anna loves most about Italy are the creameries.  For those who have never been here, let me fill you in.  About every 5th store is an ice cream (gelato) shop.  They have all manner of flavors.  The taste is creamier than American ice cream, and some of the flavors are the same, while others vary (apple or pear ice cream, anyone?).  Even in cold weather, the Italians enjoy their ice cream.  Deep inside, Anna must be part Italian because she believes in the "an ice cream a day" philosophy.

Today, I wandered in a children's shop to look at the beautiful Easter (Pascua) dresses.  The lady told me the price, and I about fainted.  Then she said "These are beautiful Italian things!  Made in Italy!  NOT from China!  Not cheap!"  Okie dokie.  Perhaps insulting the quality of things made in China to the mom pushing the Chinese bambina was not a great sales tactic.  I would have to agree - the things made in Italy are truly exquisite.  I see the clothing and jewelry and shoes and handbags in the shop windows, and they are classic, tailored, well-made, gorgeous.  They would surely last a lifetime. Then I see that one handbag would cost my whole flight to Italy, or more, and I wonder, "what do these people DO for a living?!"  Truly, I want to know!

Tomorrow, we will go back to the hospital, but we're hoping this will come to end by the weekend.  We would love to have a few hospital-free days.  We hear there are throngs of people in Rome for the papal election.  We would have loved to see Rome, but it's too far from where we are to be done in a day, and with all the people there, I'm not sure it would be a good idea for the recovering Anna.  Instead, I think we may try Venice.  It's only an hour by train, and the train tickets are inexpensive.  People who have been to both places tell me that Venice is worth the trip, so I think we will plan on going.  In fact, I have some adoption friends who are stationed in Germany, and if all works out, I think they are coming to Verona and on to Venice, so that will be a fun diversion.


Please keep praying for Anna, for her emotions and spirit, as she is still not 100% back to her old self.  Please pray for the upcoming activation, and of course, please remember Grandma and the girls at home.

Good night!

Amy

Monday's musings from Verona

Happy Monday!  I think most of you at home are enjoying Spring Break this week.  Amelia AiChun confessed today that she was already missing school and her teacher, and it's only Monday.  I'm so glad Amelia has such a wonderful teacher and school -- it does a mom's heart good!

Here in Verona, tourism seems to have picked up a bit.  I don't know if they have Spring Break like we do, but there seem to be school groups and larger groups of tourists than we have seen over the past few weeks.

Anna had a rough morning.  She had to fast because of the sedation for the CT/bandage change.  In the end, they didn't do a CT.  I'm not sure if they decided it wasn't needed or it was just postponed.  I try to go with the flow and not ask too many questions.  They did end up sedating Anna so they could take off her old bandages, remove her stitches, and put a new bandage on.  I didn't see the wound, but the doctor tells me it looks very good.   Anna will wear the new bandages a few more days, and then I think we're done.  She also has to continue with the antibiotic shots and the steroids for a few more days.  She got another shot today, and no, they didn't do it while she was sedated.  Poor Anna.

Here is how Anna feels when we get to the hospital:

Here is how Anna feels when we leave:

Since the morning was rough, we spent the afternoon out walking.  The weather cooperated again today - THANK YOU to all of you who have prayed for our weather.  It makes such a difference to be able to take Anna outside. 

Today, we wandered on a small Chinese eatery, and we decided to treat Anna to lunch.  Oh, my goodness, the girl acted like she hasn't eaten in a month!  She had soup.  She had steamed vegetable dumplings (her favorite).  She had rice. Sometimes, it seems like Anna has been with us for so long that we forget that she has only been ours for seven months.  Chinese food is still a comfort and familiarity to Anna, and she proved that to us today. 

We managed to do some more walking outside.  Papa visted the arena, which we are told is the largest outside Rome.

As far as I know, tomorrow is more of the same.

Ciao from Verona!
Amy

Splendid Sunday!

We had a splendid Sunday in Verona.  First of all, there was sunshine!  Beautiful, bright, warm, lovely sunshine.  What a joy to see the sun! 

We had hoped to attend a mass (messe in Italian) today, but we had to report to the hospital before 10, and the buses don't have a full schedule on Sundays.  We left our apartment at 8 to catch an 8:30 bus, since the buses only run once per hour.  At the hospital, they did not finish with us until 11:30, so by that time, we had missed the opportunity.  Hopefully, next week!

Even without a formal service to attend, we did find other wonderful, affirming ways to spend our day.  We found a park, and after three long weeks without a place to really play, Anna played!  She ran, she jumped, she climbed, and she even found her favorite thing -- a swing!  It was so therapeutic for Anna to get to really be a kid and just play.  She loved every minute of it.  The old Anna was back in full force!

After playing at the park, which was near the hospital, we headed back to our apartment for lunch.  Our apartment is just off a famous Verona locale - Piazza Erbe.  Today, Piazza Erbe was host to some kind of medieval festival.  People were in costume and were exhibiting things like looms, grinding stones, metal working, wood working, and all other sorts of relics from a time gone by.    It was fun to walk through the crowd (and my, it was crowded!) and see the exhibits.

 

 

Once we had lunch, we headed back out to enjoy the sunshine.  Papa and I got a tourist pass to visit the famous churches.  We had previously talked about doing this, but the rain and snow have kept us indoors.  Today,we were delighted to visit St. Anastasia Basilica and the Duomo Cathedral.  The artwork and sculptures were phenomenal!   I have never been to Western Europe before, so I have never seen anything like this except in the history books.  Awe-inspiring!  I sometimes wonder if, in our efforts to modernize things, we have forgotten to make sure that the grandeur due the Creator and and the Savior are properly on display.  No question here - grandeur is present!  These locations don't allow for photography inside, and in respect for the solemnity of these locations and for their rules, I abided by their requests.  Trust me, though -- magnifico!

We also just walked the streets around the old part of Verona.  So many of the places we see each day are so picturesque - exactly what you would imagine when you think of Italy.  Quaint and charming!

We ended our long day out with a stop in a little cafe just for a moment to rest and sit.  Papa's knee has been bothering him at times, and we may have overdone things a bit today.  I ordered a hot chocolate for Anna.  They brought her this.  It was like cake mix in a cup!  I have never seen anything quite like it.   It really could not be sipped as a drink (although I suspect my sweet tooth child, Lucy, would have managed!).  Anna ended up using it as a dip for a cookie.

Tomorrow, we will be at the hospital most of the day.  Anna will have a repeat CT scan.  This usually takes awhile because they do it under sedation, and everything seems to take a long time in general  -- they share that with American hospitals.  I also understand the doctor has ordered a bandage change.  I originally thought Anna would get them off, but they tell me they will be doing a step-down type bandage.  It will apparently still cover the whole head, but it won't be the compression type bandage she has now.  I am hoping they will make some effort to clean her hair a bit -- she's been in that bandage for two weeks!

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of our two-week countdown to Anna's ABI activation.  It's not to early to start praying!  I can hardly wait.

Amy

Saturday simplicity

We begin each day, even Saturdays, with a bus trip to the hospital for shots.  Anna has now taken to not just covering her behind, but attempting to smack the nurses' hands away.  Even though I understand it, I can't allow it.  Poor Anna!  To her, I am a traitor, because I fully undertand what she is saying to me ("no more shots!"), but I bend her over and expose her hiney anyway.  I hope that someday this will all be a distant memory.  I know the other babies won't remember, but Anna is not a baby.  She will remember.  I hope these memories will be redeemed in time.  I hope Anna will know that I allowed these things in love, not to harm her.

As for the babies, their mothers were joking yesterday that they should surrender their children to China for a year or so -- since Anna can stand and sit and jump and walk and even talk.  I really don't know what Anna could or couldn't do when she was the same age as these little ones.  We do know that since Anna does not have her balance nerves, it's amazing that she walks as well as she does.  We also know, from the photos we were provided, that Anna always had life and light in her face.  That light is what God used to speak to us in the first place.  When we saw Anna's eyes, we knew she could not live out her days in an orphanage.  It's not okay for ANY child, but for a child with the kind of personality Anna appeared to have, it was especially not okay.  And so we said "yes," not really knowing then all that "yes" would entail.

 

 

 

In a way, it's not so very different from what any of you have experienced with your children.  You didn't know, and still don't, when you gave birth to your children or adopted them, what the future would bring.  None of us knows how many days we are given with our children, whether those days are ended by our own departure from this world, or by theirs.  We don't know what our children will or won't do when they grow up.  We don't know whom they will marry, or how they will choose to live their lives.  We can only, by faith, commit their lives to their Heavenly Father, and then, as best we know how, rear them up in the way they should go.  We place our wholehearted trust in the Lord that His promises are true, and that He will keep these that we have committed unto Him against the day of the Lord.  

 

When my faith gets small, I remember a song we often sang at church when I was a small child.  I dearly love all the new praise choruses, but the older hymns have a settled place in my heart.  This one has recently wrapped itself around me, and when I start to let my mind wander too far, it's a gentle reminder of where my heart should rest: 

 

"'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at his Word.

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to know, 'thus saith the Lord,'

 

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him.

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus,

Oh, for grace to trust Him more."

 

Love,

Amy