I've mentally typed posts in my head for several days but no chance to sit down and write anything!
I've said from the beginning that I would be open about what was going on with everything from problems we've encountered to our family's faith.
Ok, the first part, the guys may want to skip down to the next paragraph! I managed to help an almost teen with her first period with no help from anything but an electronic translator and God's wisdom. I think it was God who did the most. The electronic translator was so confusing that Yi Yi and I both were laughing by the time we were done. "It" didn't get how to handle this conversation at all.
OK, now that the guys are back with us......the rest of the week has been incredibly busy. Brad's car quit but we were able to drive it to the shop, albeit only hitting on 3 cylinders. Still don't know what's up with it. They are looking at it today.
Then our old Golden Retriever, Spencer, had a seizure. We took him to the vet and they checked him out and did a blood screen and all they could find, so far, were elevated liver enzymes. They are doing one more specific blood test today. He is getting very old although he doesn't act like it. I think that Brad, Lane and myself are comfortable with the fact that his days won't be much longer. For YiYi's sake though.....we are really praying that the old boy can be with us awhile longer. She loves him very, very much. We're so early in the attachment game, with YiYi, I think losing him would be very hard for her right now.
It is snowing today. It started last night. Not too much at first but it was coming down pretty good when I drove home from taking Brad to work. His commute is 45 min. and because I had to have a car today I got up at 5;30 am and went with him. Hopefully they'll have his car fixed by the time his day is done and we can pick it up before heading home. Also I really would like the roads to be more clear. I am SO thankful for our "real time" all wheel drive car. The 4 wheel drive part has kicked in a few times today.
Yesterday was YiYi's third Sunday at church. She is having a lot of fun with the music when we practice before church starts. We also practiced last Thursday and she had even more fun then. She was getting bored so Lane gave her the tambourine. That can be a very dangerous instrument in the hands of someone that doesn't have rhythm. She handled it like a pro.
Yesterday I played flute in church and it was the first time she's heard me play. She wants me to teach her more about it. She's also interested in piano and guitar. It ought to be a lot of fun to work with her on all of this. She hears pitches very well and they are very accurate when she sings.
We also did more school work this past week and are picking up a bit more this week. Brad and I have decided that for the rest of this school year to have the main concentration for her to be on learning English. She has really picked up on the phonetics, so far, very quickly. She will also study math as well as music and dance and, in general, spend the rest of the school year bonding with the family, learning more about America and attending various classes at the rec. center and arts center.
We've already visited the library 3 times and I have on order for her several books in Mandarin. They are more age appropriate for her maturity.
We have finally made contact with several who can help us with some interpreting. Our first test will be to the optometrist. We may have also found a piano teacher, who is a student at Southwestern, that speaks Mandarin. That would be really nice as the teacher can help her learn the reading concept of music both in Mandarin and help us transition it into English.
Back to church again....we were concerned that she would be completely overwhelmed by all the people. Although she prefers to stay with one of us, she is still somewhat comfortable greeting other people as well. She also informed me that she doesn't need me to follow her to the bathroom.
OK, well that sums it up. The snow isn't going anywhere for a few days so maybe Brad and Lane will get in some sledding. YiYi says she has been sledding before and she doesn't like it. She did think it would be fun to watch and for her and me to take pictures.
Blessings,
Lisa
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