{China #7} Instant in Prayer

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Cols 4:2  

I feel like this summarizes our trip so far.  When our first flight was canceled (from Peoria to O’Hare) and the roads were horrible to Chicago that we missed our flight to Beijing.  That whole day, we prayed, knowing that the results might not be what we wanted and they weren’t.  I prayed that we would be flexible and prayed for every small detail…something my mom does, probably because her mom, my grandma, does too.

Early this morning, Emerson would cry out in her sleep, off and on.  At one point she cried for 20-25 minutes straight, so I go up and sat beside her, stroked her head and prayed over her.  “Lord, please comfort her in ways that I cannot reach her.”  I trust that He is answering that prayer, even if it’s not as quick as I’d like.

A few hours later we went down for breakfast and Emerson started whimpering.  Jeff started to suggest that we rethink how we do breakfast because she cries every time we go to the breakfast buffet.  Again, I find myself praying for God’s creativity.  What would work best?  We went down and headed to the food right away and handed a piece of bread to our tearful little girl.  It helped, to have something in her hand, but she still wandered around for a bit, crying.  Once we sat down, we had her sit on Chase’s lap and she “dried up” right away.  We had a pleasant breakfast, for once.

When we came back to our room, Emerson did well entertaining herself with stickers and paper.  This has been such a blessing that she can play well by herself!

{Playing with stickers}

Thanks for your prayers for our day…we decided to take a taxi and head down to the pedestrian street (an outdoor mall with a road between the shops on either side that is blocked, so that NO vehicles can drive on it).  While we were there, I was on a mission to find some silk pajamas, so that I could use the silk fabric to make a security blanket out of it for Emerson (or I’ll have a friend make it).  Once I found what I wanted, I tried to pay for it, but there was some confusion and I couldn’t figure out what the sales lady was trying to tell me…FINALLY I figured out that it was buy one, get one free.  So I ended up with 2 pairs of silk pajamas.  That sales lady could have really taken advantage of me, bless her.

{Pedestrian Street}

{Silk pajamas bought at Pedestrian Street}

We were able to “kill” some time, walking around and then took a taxi back to the hotel.  Thankfully the rest of the afternoon went well and Emerson seemed content with us.  Slowly she seems to warm up to me (at times)…but we are still a long ways off.  Chase is getting a taste of motherhood. ☺  If he goes to the bathroom, Emerson stands outside the door and cries.  She has to sit on his lap at meal times and when she doesn’t, she cries.  We are SO thankful to have Chase with us, but Jeff and I can’t wait for her to warm up to us.  It also concerns us that she will become too attached to Chase and not want anyone else.  

{Emerson crying outside our bathroom door}

Tonight, our tour guide took us out for dinner.  She ordered our food and then disappeared.  The food came, we waited a few minutes, expecting our tour guide to show up.  Finally Jeff got up and looked for her and couldn’t find her.  We were SO confused.  We went ahead and started supper without her.  It was so weird to have had our tour guide order our food, disappear and then not be there to tell us WHAT we were eating.  We figured out the chicken right away, guessed on the egg plant (we were right) and eventually figured out the green bean dish (it was cut differently, so we didn’t recognize it).  Emerson HAD to sit on Chase’s lap, but finally we had her sit in a chair scooted up to Chase (she still didn’t like it).  It was TOO hard for Chase to eat with chop sticks with a 2 year old on his lap! The whole meal we looked at each other, shaking our heads…wasn’t our tour guide going to eat with us?  Where did she go?  Emerson is crying.  Everyone is looking at us. Chalk this one up as AWKWARD!

Just was we were getting up and putting our coats on, our tour guide showed up and stated she got “tied up” at the store next door.  Hmmm… ok. 

{Our dinner}

Just a side note…At meal times, Emerson is USUALLY willing to try most foods.  She tried everything tonight. ☺  This has been very nice and makes it easier when we go out to eat or order in food.

{She already loves french fries!}

Jeff went with our tour guide and picked up the pictures from the camera that we had sent the orphanage a couple months ago.  As we looked through them after Emerson went to bed, it made us understand the grieving she is experiencing that much better.  Seeing her wearing the same coat, with the same haircut and same big brown eyes (possibly just a week or so ago), but holding a different hand and being carried by a different set of arms.  

I was just glad to head back to the hotel.  We ended the evening, breaking out the Hello Panda snacks and Oreo cookies that we bought yesterday (they taste pretty good in China!) and watching an episode of the Cosby Show.  Emerson likes the opening song on it and will sometimes dance (just for a SHORT moment).

As tomorrow comes, we have another OPEN day and then we travel tomorrow evening to Guangzhou.  It’s going to be a long day and probably a scary one for Emerson (going through the airport, traveling).  Please pray for her - That God will comfort her and that He will give us strength as we fly later in the evening.  Also, please pray that she will be able to trust Jeff and I….especially by the time we fly home in a week.

-Jeff, Chelby, Chase & Emerson