Home 2 weeks

I'm writing this update with Miss Maryelle sitting on the couch next to Hannah, watching her first Packer game in between bouts of giggling with her sister. In a way it's hard to believe that two weeks have gone by.   On the other hand, it's been a very long two weeks!!  We certainly appreciate all of the giggles in the last few days, but boy was it a rough start to this big family change!
Maryelle's personality is delightful.  She's spunky, funny, full of smiles and loves to laugh.  We see more of this each day as she feels more secure and loved.  In many aspects, M is developmentally functioning around an 18-24 month old.  Here's a little glimpse of where M was when we brought her home:  No language, just Chinese baby babble.   She had never seen or been in grass.  She was petrified of the feel, plus she was physically unstable in it.  She was/is scared of water.  Her 'bath' was in a small plastic baby tub where she essentially received sponge baths her whole life.  She had no books and very few toys at the orphanage.  Boys [such as the size of Ike and Caleb] must have been the bullies of the orphanage, so she didn't want either of her brothers near her.
So what difference does 2 weeks make?  After slowly and persistently exposing her to these things...This morning she saw Isaac out on the trampoline and walked all on her own, through the grass, to get out on the trampoline with him.  (She's even gained enough strength that she can stand on the trampoline now without falling.)  Yesterday, while eating watermelon, she put two pieces on her fork, held them up and loudly announced 'two!' with a smile.  She has started bringing books to us to read to her. And earlier in the week she asked to get in the bathtub midday just to play in the water. Her disdain for Caleb seems to be ebbing and she will run around the house playing pretend Nerf gun fights.  These may be small things, but they're pretty big in the life of our family!
Maryelle had her first doctor's appointment yesterday to assess her Cerebral Palsy and overall health.  More assessments will need to be done to figure out how this special girl is made and is functioning.  Next appointments are with an audiologist (we're suspecting hearing loss), ENT, ophthalmologist, neurologist and likely a geneticist.  In the next few weeks she will begin physical therapy and then other therapy plans will be put into place once the assessments are done. 
Again, we can't express how much your prayers, messages and meals have meant to us.  They've encouraged us during challenging days.  THANK YOU!

HOME!!

29 hours of travel: a flat tire on our transport to Hong Kong, 2 hours sitting on the tarmac in HK, 17 hours in the plane, missed connection to Madison, no available seats, car rental and drive home arriving at 10pm Thursday night.  Finally!!
Maryelle greeted her siblings with big smiles and naturally went into their arms.  What an answer to prayer!  She has been playing with them and especially loves to be tickled.  We're now beginning the adjustment to being a family of 6 and having a 4 year old in the house!  We'll spend these next few weeks cocooning and building an understanding of family for Maryelle.  Language and functioning developmentally as a 2 year old are big hurdles right now.
We can't thank you enough for all of the messages and support you have shown us over these past few weeks!!  We're so grateful for you and look forward to Maryelle having you in her life.