7 days of Jemma!

Hi everyone!

Wow! It's 8:30am and I'm sitting here in our hotel in Guangzhou watching Jemma sleep. They woke her up at 6:30 every morning at the orphanage so sleeping in is a luxury of which she is taking full advantage!

Last week this time Patrick and I were dashing around our hotel room trying to get everything ready so that we could leave the hotel by 9am and go and meet Jemma for the first time. We both had butterflies in our stomachs and I was mentally going through my list of what-ifs. I was excited but also anxious. I had no idea what to expect. Fast forward to today and I am still marveling how the plan God put into action years ago has unfolded and how He answered EVERY prayer! I am in awe at how perfect our Jemma is for us! Yes, she has and will have her challenges just like any other kid, but she is OURS and their is NO doubt about that!!! 

A few more observations about Jemma..

• Don't bother ordering her food of the menu. She's not going to eat it because she'll rather pick over our food.
• Bubble gum is awesome! She chews her tiny little piece for hours. We have to work on those smacking noises though.
• Elevators are great fun because they have buttons! If she had her way we would visit each of the 15 floors on the way down.
• She must feed all her animals and babies Cheerios everyday. Also she must feed all the ride on toys in the playroom. No one is allowed to ride until they are have finished their meal.
• She copies everything I do. If I push my sleeves up, she does. If I tie my sweater around my waist, she does.
• Every time she passes a statue of a lion, of which there are many, she must stop and roar at it.
• Be sure to bring a barf bag with you in any vehicle. She is not used to being in cars so half way through the trip the gagging and vomiting starts. It's no problem to her though; she just wipes off her mouth and goes on talking in Chinese about the people in the street.
• She's super ticklish and has the best laugh to go with the tickles.
• Hide your cameras, phones and iPods unless you are prepared to surrender them to chubby little clutches.
• She can repeat her name, Jemma, and has already said her first prayer.
• She has a great throwing arm. When we get home, we'll work on transitioning her to a football, instead whatever random toy she doesn't need at the moment.
• She doesn't waste a Cheerio; she'll move furniture to retrieve the lost Cheerio and eat it.
• She knew exactly what to do with a Starbucks cup! Told you she was mine!

Okay, we're off to see what this new day brings! Pictures will be posted in the evening. :)