Medical Exam Today

Today was a medical exam for Brooke.  Think of your most chaotic experience at an urgent care and you aren't even close.  There are adoptive families everywhere and three stations your child needs to pass through.  One for weight, height and a very basic eye exam; one for ears and throat; and one for a very basic physical.  Because Brooke is over three she also needed a TB test.  She handled that well and did not even cry.  

Two new families joined our group and one of them has a seven year old daughter.  Brooke and Megan hit it off right away.  They were playing video games on the bus and while waiting at the clinic.  

After the hectic morning, we came back to the hotel so Brooke could have some down time and a nap.  This hotel is in a great location and there is so much right around it.  I ran out to get us some lunch.  I found a Chinese food place to get something Brooke would like and got Dennis and me lunch from McDonalds.  While Brooke napped we finished our paperwork for the consulate with our guide.  

After nap time we went and got a few supplies from the store across the street.  We then met up with our friends from home, the Parsons, at Pizza Hut for dinner.  Brad and his new daughter joined us.  

Tomorrow is a day where we have no official duties.  We will be tourist in the morning. I'm not sure where we are going but our guide will take care of all of that for us.  

We are doing well.  Brooke is also doing well.  She hugs us and kisses us often.  We still expect that at some point she will grieve for all the changes in her life.  Please pray for her as she works through all of this.

We have been using Google Translate to talk with Brooke and tell her things.   This has been so helpful.  Today, Dennis got her to talk into it and translate back to us.  She told him she was hungry.  Good thing I was out getting food at the time.  We will try this again tomorrow and trust she will get more and more comfortable using it.  She is learning words very quickly also.  Tonight when she was washing her face before going to bed, I was point to her body parts and naming them and she would repeat them.  Then she started pointing to things in the bathroom and wanting to know their names.  It is amazing how quickly kids this age pick up language.  

We appreciate your prayers, emails and posts.  We look forward to them each morning.