"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