Distracted by a China Doll

I hadn't planned on not posting for this long, but I got such wonderful news last week, news that completely distracted me from writing on this blog.  We got our travel date for China, which is May 6th!!!  We also learned this week that our daughter, although she has unilateral microtia, she has no problem hearing!!!  I was preparing myself for the worst case scenario, that we would be using sign language for a while, until we could get some kind of treatmen for her so she could hear, and that would have been fine.  Of course, I was ready to deal with whatever auditory issues she had.  She's my daughter, I love her, and would do anything for her.  Then when I got the news, suddenly the burden of all that was lifted!  I was happy to carry that burden, but it was still such a relief to know we wouldn't have that burden after all.  Now, there are still possibilities of minor hearing issues because I don't think her hearing has ever been tested, but it appears that what hearing she does have is sufficient for her to live a perfectly normal life.  What a blessing to find out your child is so healthy!

We'll have Hannah tested a little while after we get back home and find out the extent, if any, hearing issues she has.  But for now, I've put aside worrying about her hearing us as we attempt to speak to her in Mandarin for those first few weeks, and as she picks up a little English.  I'm now able to completely concentrate on preparing for our trip.  My husband and I have never even been out of the country.  The longest flight I've ever taken lasted only about and hour and 20 minutes, and now I'm about to take one that could take up to 24 hours!

Also last week, we got new photos of our daughter celebrating her 4th birthday with her foster parents.  Just like the last time I got photos, I sort of dropped everything else I was doing and could think of nothing but my gorgeous daughter.  The house is now a wreck while I've been posting the photos on various Yahoo Groups, facebook and forums, and posting on my adoption blog, printing out the photos, calling people about our travel date and Hannah's hearing, cramming all the reading about adoption I can before we leave, making lists for packing, etc. etc. etc.

So I probably won't be posting nearly as much for a while.  Being thousands of miles from the most beautiful China doll in the world, who also happens to be your daughter, can do that to you.

For more details on our adoption, visit my adoption blog at http://ourjourneytohannahclaire.blogspot.com/.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, please subscribe to my blog using the SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG section in the upper right-hand corner. Also, add yourself to my list of Followers.

Thank you!