July 23, 2008 - Today was a final down day before our last day (hopefully) in Vietnam. We spent the day relaxing, trying to figure out how to pack everything we accumulated over the last 2 weeks, and did a little last minute shopping...there's always that "oh wait, we forgot to get something for _____." This shopping trip was in addition to last night when took a cab down to a good shopping area and brought home quite the haul. While on that shopping trip, we took the opportunity to eat at KFC...a little slice of home right here in Hanoi. So, if all goes well, this will be our last night in the Hoa Binh Palace Hotel, our home away from home for the last 9 days. Though the time has been great here in Vietnam, we are ready to come home.
Juneau is at that fun age right now where every day she figures out something new that she is capable of doing...a new sound or making a certain face or some new movement. One of those new additions recently was a bad habit you can see below...you can also see who is the culprit responsible for teaching it to her. Yesterday, she figured out she can make the fish face. It's a new adventure everyday.
Juneau loves playing with grandpa.
Juneau's first bad habit...who could have taught her such a thing?
The culprit revealed...
Juneau's first fast food trip - KFC Hanoi
Fishy face!!!
We continue to be amazed at the progress Juneau has made over the past week. Based on stories we have read of nightmare situations for other adoptive parents we feel VERY fortunate at the moment. All along we had been told what a great and easy temperment Juneau had but her adjustment so far has been better than I ever could have hoped. I know there will be trying times in the future for her to continue to adjust to life at home (and especially when Emilie and Nova get home) but we were remarking today that if you just observed her playing and interacting with me and her grandma and grandpa, at this point, you would really have no idea that this child spent the first 10 months of her life in an orphanage. I know this is also a testament to how well cared for she was by her faithful nannies.
Talking on the phone to mommy
My wise father remarked tonight that despite the painful series of events that led to the loss of our first referral, it is unmistakably clear that this little one was meant for us and I couldn't agree more. He also commented that even already you don't look at her and see her as anything different from us...I hadn't thought about it until he made that comment but he is right. I realized that she doesn't even appear to me as looking different than me or being of a different nationality than me...she's just Juneau...she's my little girl...I already know what makes her laugh, I know what makes her cry, I know when she's getting tired, I know when she really just needs for her daddy to hold her...she's just Juneau...the piece that has been missing from our family.
Juneau is at that fun age right now where every day she figures out something new that she is capable of doing...a new sound or making a certain face or some new movement. One of those new additions recently was a bad habit you can see below...you can also see who is the culprit responsible for teaching it to her. Yesterday, she figured out she can make the fish face. It's a new adventure everyday.
Fishy face!!!
8 comments:
I agree--you two definitely got the baby you were meant to have. She's wonderful :)
she is so absolutely perfect.
in every way.
congratulations!
i love that your father was able to go with you.
what a site you two must being walking around VietNam! :O)
Again, congratulations!
Your li'l Juneau is just a neat little thing - I thank you for letting us peak into your private world during this long journey...our hearts ached when you lost your first referral and leaped for joy when your Nova was announced - and now, putting that other piece of the puzzle into the picture is amazingly beautiful! Our daughter (the one adopted from Hoi An) loves to read your blog and see Juneau's pics - she said they remind her of when she was her age,LOL :) We are keeping our fingers crossed that the last step is smooth and you will all be together, as a family of four!
Linda and family, southern Cal.
Oh Juneau is quite the beauty!! And Cris's father is indeed wise (take it from the mommy of a multi-racial family). :-) Both of your daughters were meant to be part of your family...they just took different, equally special paths to come to you. Congrats again!!
-Eryn Cech
CA
Hi
Juneau is certainly blossoming, and happy, ever since she is receiving loves,and be spoiled by her father and grandfather, she is destined to be part of your loving home, have a smooth travel, and a very happy reunion with her mama and little sister.
Congratulations on being with the daughter who was ABSOLUTELY meant to be yours! She is so incredibly precious!!
I absolutely agree. I believe everything happens for a reason, although it's sometimes very difficult to see what that reason is when you are right in the middle of turmoil. We had a miscarriage and then got pregnant with our son two months later. As much as it hurt to lose that child, I know now that we would not have THIS child if things had been different, and I simply cannot imagine that.
And our children are our children, no matter how they joined our family. My husband came across this quote when we were early on in the adoption of our daughter: “There is a beauty particular to adoption – the mystical joining of souls that in retrospect seems foreordained – but the beauty lies in the bewitching normalcy of it all. We feel the same sense of awe and wonder as other new moms and dads; we buy the same toys; and we bore all our friends with the same repertoire of stories.” – William McGurn
She is so adorable! I am so glad that things are going well. I agree that last embassy appointment is a "please pay your visa fee" appointment. I recently commented to a friend that Grace doesn't look Asian at all. She said "oh yes she does." I don't even see it anymore. Safe travels.
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