Two years ago we were on our way to China to meet Annie Kate. We were so scared. Would she like us, would she be totally terrified, would we be able to comfort her and make her realize we would take care of her and love her forever, would she accept us? This tiny little girl was ripped away from the only life she had ever known. Little did we know at the time...she was ready. Upon leaving the orphanage after having only met us two days earlier, she took my hand, looked over her should once to wave goodbye and lead me out the door never looking back. We were family! I have literally each day thanked God for the gift of being this beautiful child's mother. I don't know what I ever did to deserve the gifts in my life but I have so many.

 At 5 years old Annie Kate is healthy, smart, loving and oh so funny. We are not the best parents because we actually try not to correct her when she pronounces a word incorrectly because it is so cute, funny and as the youngest of six, we know it is short lived. She has picked up the inflection and tone of words she hears us say, like: "sears-is-lee", "oh yah", "yous gots to be kid-in me", "we needs ta goes to Weg-a-minnies". Annie loves to sing, she makes up songs and words. Others she sings well...sort of. From the play Annie: "Yous may wear-d yous best, butts you'd neb-er fullied dressed ...wif out a...BOW!" Annie Kate always wears a bow...the bigger the better!                                                                                        Her version of Grand Old Flag is priceless. " Is a gand olds flag is a high flying flag in peas mayyous never eber waves, your da envelope of da land I lubs, da home of da freeze and da braid. Ebery hart beats true for da red and da whites and da blues wif neber a boat or a drags. If olds con-quaint-ence be fergot, keeps you eye on da gand olds flag!"

 Annie Kate has travel a fair amount which may account for the fact that she does not have a shy bone in her body...nature vs nurture? I don't know but there isn't a shy Myers in the family so who knows. She will talk to anyone and everyone. Often asking: "Do you speak Chinese?" This is regardless of the ethnic appearance of the person, black, white, Asian doesn't matter. When they say no, she announces that she does( not). " I cans speak Chinese and eng-leash a cause I was born-d in China and I gots dopted by my mom, my name is Annie Kate, Annie is mys fist name and Kaf-rin in my middle name and My-ers is my last name, XinTian is my Chinese name, dos yous hab a Chinese name. I dos a cause I camed from China dat is berry far aways."

Before we left for FL for Thanksgiving we had a few days of snow. On the third day the temperature rose to 50. On the way to school Annie observed: "Oh No...da snow is getting all melt-s-ed....dat sure was a berry fast winter."

              Annie Kate started "TK' Transitional Kindergarten. It was a bit of a rough start at first. The rough part was the cafeteria. Sadly I think it reminds her of an institution, the orphanage she came from.  I am so sad that our sweet little girl will likely always have triggers that cause her axiety but the good news is she is able to comprehend quickly that she is safe and cared for.
           In fact now, each day when asked how was school she quickly replies: " grate, I din't e-been cwried at alls."

          I need to try and catch up on the life and times of Annie Kate. I have not posted since May.  i will try to recall the highlights a little at a time.
           Annie Kate has continues to grow, learn and thrive each day. We all had a magical summer filled with fun, sun, swimming and playing.
         Dick's had a child size kayak, it was available in pink! We had to have it! We have clearly forgotten most of the time that AnnieKate is missing a hand... well I guess the truth is she isn't " missing" anything... because there isn't anything that limits her.  We but the kayak in the water, handed her the paddle and off she went.
         Annie Kate picks up any and all phrases she hears. Often she just tries out a new word and misses the meaning. Other times she knows exactly the correct context to use it. One of her favorite sayings when frustrated is: " Sears-is-lee". Usually with hands on hips and eyes rolling.  Annie Kate is not a shopper. Last spring while at the Mall in Fl with Molly and I she had, had it. "Let's goes home peas, i no yikes to be shopping." Ok honey we will go now. At that moment Molly asked to just quickly look at bathing suits. As I turned Annie's  stroller towards the swim suit department and clearly away from the exit, annie threw her arms up in the air and started yelling: "I is free-kin out heres, dis is free-kin mes out!" We left the mall immediately!

                                                           Mother's Day
                 Today is my 31st Mother's Day! Each year I cannot believe how lucky I have been to have such wonderful children.
                Annie Kate was so excited to jump up on the bed and be the first to say: "Hoppy Mudder's Day" She thinks it is a national holiday for only me. It is amazing that she has also, in such a short time, realized what she can do to help Mommy out.
                 Proudly she dragged three outfits from her closet... some actually even matched, to ask me: " Yous can pick what's ever one you wants me to ware dis day." She proudly dressed herself ( well) then bounced off to "prize" me. When she returned she excitedly told me to close my eyes and come to her room. There Annie Kate said: "Lookat dis... I mades my bed all myself." What was amazing was that she made her bed extremely well and even better she was so proud.
           Annie Kate then sweetly says: "Yous is da bestest mommy I ever had in da hole world" What a sweetheart she is!!

This dress is 25 years old. Worn by Annie Kate's sisters, cousins and friend.

Dinos and a new friend!

 Annie Kate and Jinx Jinx checking out the dinosaur displays at the Museum Of Natural History In NYC. On the drive to NY Annie Kate said: I's finks day have lotsa bones dare."
Yes they do I replied.
 "Yas and all da bones to-getter is ...a... is...hum...I's forgets da word."
 Would you like me to tell you the word?
 "No fanks."
An hour later we stopped for a drink and walk around a bit (buy Annie Kate new shoes at the outlets) Back in the car she excitedly announced : " I fought of dat word. Is skell-a-tons!"
Yep that's it... She is so determined!

 At the dinosaurs with Jinx Jinx. " Mommy I cannots beweeve hows huge dem is!"

                                          Can't we just sneak in here to look a little closer?
When we returned home daddy asked where Jinx Jinx was from.
"China, just yikes me."
"Oh does she speak English or Chinese" he asked.
 Annie Kate replied; " I finks I heared hers say Eng-ish but most she is just quiet and do not say nuffing."

"Hey, Mommy wooks, I am berry good at balwincing on dis." ( Until the security guard yelled from across the room for her to get down off of the top of the bench. Hummm... where was her mother anyway?

Not so "special hand!"

                                                       This is one very tough little girl! 

                 For the past several months she has periodically complained out her "special hand" hurting. At times it looked like the little finger buds were cracked where attached to her hand. We put on lotion, neosporin and other remedies. Some worked for a time. While in Fl last month Annie Kate cried out in pain when her hand bumped into something. I looked at it and it appeared to me to be red and swollen.

             Annie Kate heard me tell her daddy we were going to Urgent Care to have a Dr. look at it. She said: "Mommy da dock-ster is at da e-gent cared?" 

"Yes" I said. 

"Oh, I fought day is posed to be at da hops-is-till!"

           They bandaged her hand and for a time it was ok. This weekend she was really complaining about it. Finally, in the middle of the night, she came into our room screaming. She had (in her sleep) apparently tried to push her hair from her face and several of the hairs were wrapped around the sore little finger bud. I had to cut her hair to get it untangled. Poor thing was half asleep, frightened and in pain.

          In the morning I called our Pediatrician of 31 years, Dr. Nirgudkar.  He said to bring her right in but it may need surgical exploration it he cannot find anything around it.

         This sweetie asked 50 questions before he even got started. "Why yous got dat yite" , Whats dat for? Can I trys it. I need to yook inside dat too...."

        As the Dr. had to manipulate her little would be digits, Annie Kate cried out, "dat hurtses me".  She held still, whimpered and craned her head to get a better look at what the Dr. was discovering.       After he had unwrapped "stuff" and placed it on the gauze Miss Annie Kate needed to examine it intently. She had to use all the instruments in the entire office to fully inspect the item that had caused her the discomfort as if to be sure to recognize it should this occur again. I had to hold the microscopic "stuff" as she announced: "Since Mommy's hand is "berry, berry white, is hards to sees it too good so we needs a yite for it to be sees better." Satisfied we were finally able to throw it away.

        As we exited the office a van with a wheel chair lift pulled up. As the ramp dropped and before I could move Annie Kate was at that van door firing questions at the patient and driver alike.: "Whys yous got dat fing on yous car? How do's you gets outta dare. What's dis for?"

       The occupants were very nice. The women explained she had hurt her foot and..."Ohs I hurt my pecial hand too but da dock-ster he fixed it and nows is all better and I's was berry, berry braves. Are yous gonto sees da dock-ster too?" 

"Yes I am"
"Ok Annie Kate say goodbye and have a nice day to the people."I replied.
Darting out of their van Annie Kate yells: "Bye, has a nice day..." spinning around she adds: " tries to be berry braves."

5 years old!

                 Can this really be the face of the scared little girl we first met 16 months ago? Her 5th birthday was a huge success. Although Annie Kate still seemed a bit confused and slightly stressed at all the attention and people, especially all these kids that were touching and playing with her toys.                                                  When it came time for the piñata I handed out little baggies for the kids to gather up their candy. I held onto Annie Kate's baggie until she pulled her pink string for her attempt to  open the piñata.( no violent waiving of wooden sticks and blind folds any more) As another child's turn caused the candy to start flying I heard Daniel calling my name. As the kids all scrambled for the treats I looked at Daniel. He was trying to tell me to give Annie Kate her bag. In a panic, I was thinking how could she scoop up the candy with one hand and no place to put any of the sweets. As my eyes found Annie Kate she had managed to collect and retain as much if not more candy than any of the, many older, kids.
               This child's language can make you cry with her sentimental words and laugh with her correct usage of anything she may have heard even once. Last weekend after repeatedly stating that her "nappy-kin" had fallen on the floor she agitatedly said: " Trust me... my nappy-kin feld on da floor!"
Saturday afternoon after her party had ended, her dear friend and sitter Marissa pulled into the driveway. Running out to greet her Annie Kate informed her sadly, " You missed-ed da party. Is all ober now. I am very truly sorry."
                 Last week's "church school" assignment was for the child to state their prayer for the world as the teacher ( Marissa) wrote it on the paper next to the picture of the world Annie Kate had colored. Annie Kate's prayer for the world: " that everyone has families that love them just like mine does." She then pointed that the blue color was "da o-seen" the brown was China and the green was "her home!" When we came home from church school and talked about her prayer she said: " I finks my fiends in China wans a family dat loves dem too."
               Her attitude shocks us at times. On the way home from Fl a few weeks ago she announced:  "Mommy I finks is good idea I's has a pecial hand."
                "Why?": I replied
                 " A cuz if i'd have two pecial hands den I not be ables to open fings or writes my name, or do's my homeworks. Is good I goes one pecial hand annd one udder hand right?"
               When I heard Molly gasp and say, "Mom, did you hear what she said?" I knew I had heard her correctly. She is amazing!
                 I can melt on the spot when Annie Kate will say: " Mommy, yous is my bestest fiend, we wills be togetter for eber and eber. I wills neber, eber yeave you! You is da bestest Mommy in da wholed wold!"
          For over a year we have continued to ask, what did we do to deserve this gift called Annie Kate!

"My's is doing great!"

We are on a plane heading to fl for the long weekend. As I watch Annie Kate I think of how fast this year has flown by. The changes in this little person came in small incremental steps that have resulted in a totally different child than we saw being lead in to the Hefei Civil Affairs office on the morning of Nov 29.

HER LOVE IS BOUNDLESS for us and the world. That love is mutual. She seems to hold no ill will for her humble beginnings. In fact, she has adjusted very easily to life in the American Myers family. So much so that a few months ago while riding in her car seat she announced: “ Mommy I wants to go to Floorda.” I said I was sorry but we cannot do that today. She quickly said; “Yes just dribe up to da airsport and yets gets on da pain.” I replied that we would be continuing onto Wegman’s  for groceries.

      I secretly am hoping she never or at least not too soon learns to pronounce all her words correctly. I love to hear her tiny little voice put extra “s” on words or leave out other sounds as her vocabulary explodes.

I marvel at how the fact she is missing a hand is literally forgotten by all of us. It is just not an issue.  We are conscious of the fact that Annie does not know any different. She has never had a right hand yet she can do whatever she needs to with one hand. She taught us from the first moment we met her to never assume she “can’t”. But occasionally something will happen to remind us that sometimes in certain situations we may need to think ahead.

      Annie did amazingly well in ski school last month, better than her Dad did as he nervously observed every chance he got ,while trying to stay hidden. During one of Tim’s seemingly clandestine spy missions he noticed Annie only had on one mitten. Seeing that as a reason to approach ( I think he sprinted) he asked the instructor where her other mitten was. Annie quickly told Baba : “dat it falls off alls da times so I do dis ( pulling her “special hand” into the sleeve of her coat) and its is worms.”  I need to sew some Velcro to the cuff of her jacket and mitten so it would stay on. The point being she is so smart she does not see any situation as anything other than a need for a little adaptation. She also knows what she wants. On that day at ski school When her dad wanted to spring her for his own comfort, what she wanted was the hot coco and the end of the lesson. So to that end told her Baba: “Key skool is not ober yet. Yous needs to come back yatter.”

         Dear China: Thank you for allowing us the incredible blessing of being this child’s parents