joyful joyful

I'm working on a new link labeled, “thanks.” The idea is to put together, to the best of my abilities, a comprehensive list with every person who helped YoYo come home. I hope that it serves to begin as a “thank-you” to many gracious souls, but I also imagine that even a brief looksee will prompt a double-take. If only every child knew that much love on entering a family-it takes much more than a village.

On to some sweet friends, the Gour family from Charleston, SC. They were in our travel group to China, and they brought home a beautiful little girl they named Claire. If you check out gourfamilyadoption.blogspot.com, you’re sure to see Claire and YoYo striking a pose at the good old Cracker Barrel in Smyrna, TN, as Claire and the Gours were on their way home from St. Louis. I'm surprised at how many of the “Most Important Moments” of my life have taken place in a Cracker Barrel…

And about that little boy…he is SOOOO HAPPY! He has turned a corner this week in his English skills, and he blows my mind every day. Snippets…

*He banged his knee and asked for a Band-Aid. When I told him I didn’t have one with me (because he wasn't bleeding and I really didn’t want to have to peel it off the couch 5 seconds later when he tired of it), he repeated, “No Band-Aid?" and looked down at the floor, shaking his head and murmuring, “Poor little YoYo.”

*Every time I bring dinner or supper to table, he looks at it and then says, “Thank you Mama so much!” (I kid you not, neither of us has coached this response.)

*As my parents sat with us for dinner the last time they came up, he turned to me mid-meal and with one hand on my cheek, he said, “Mama, sometimes it’s hard.” I have racked my brains to figure out where that came from. We cried laughing.

*In a trying moment, Shane gently reminded YoYo, “Everybody peepees, everybody poopoos.” YoYo appeared in the living room that evening and took Shane’s hand. “Where were you?” asked Shane. “Bathroom with Gou-gou (the dog).” Fearing what he'd find, Shane walked calmly to the bathroom to find every single toy the little guy owns lined up around the toilet. “Everybody peepees, everybody poopoos,” said YoYo solemly. “Close the door.”

Oh, and he sings. A lot. He loves to hum or la-la-la “Ode to Joy.” And he’ll sing the Barney song world without end. How can it be that we could be fit so perfectly with this little one?! I am amazed.