A Family for Ji Te

There were three Chinese orphans recently hosted in Richmond, VA.  Although they flew back to their orphanages yesterday, the advocacy continues.  JiNuo has a family pursuing him for adoption, and I've already posted about Yangcai.  That leaves my little buddy, Ji Te (pronounced jee-tuh)

 

 

From host mom (written while he was here in VA)...

 

Ji Te is an energetic and lively 8 year old.  He loves to ride his bike, blow bubbles, play outside, splash in the YMCA pool, build legos, play simple board games, and play on the computer or IPad.  He keeps up with my kiddos (age 13, 11, 9, and 6)  He loves one-on-one attention, whether its reading a book, or playing a game or just chasing around.  

He has a significant hearing impairment, and received a cochlear implant in 2013.  He is learning some simple English words:  our names, milk, please, go, bike, IPad.  We went to an audiologist, and they said that he hearing with the implant is great! He has had several chances to interact with Chinese friends, and none of them have been able to have a lengthy conversation.  My friend Amy Wu came over today and spent several hours with him.  She said that his Chinese is very simple, consisting of one or two word phrases.  She said she felt like he was more on a 4 year old level in terms of language development.  It is clear that Ji Te will need a lot of speech and language therapy, but with his cochlear in place, he should be able to develop expressive language.  We communicate mainly by signing -- mostly signs that we've made up, and seem to be able to get along okay. 

He has been able to express the full range of emotions; joy, humor, courage, also stubbornness, and sadness.  All of these are very normal emotions for an 8 year old boy- that's a great thing!   

 

 He eats all sorts of Chinese style foods like rice, meat, and noodles.  He loves broccoli.  He also likes American foods like Chick Fila, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, hot dogs, hamburgers and more.  He does not like salad, most desserts, or candy.  He loves to drink orange juice and soda (no ice).

 

He likes to help with household chores like folding laundry, vacuuming, washing dishes and loading the dishwasher.  He is eager to please and likes to have a playmate.  

 

There are some other ways that Ji Te seems more like a preschooler than an 8 year old.  He sometimes resists if you want to take him someplace he doesn't want to go. (especially when it's just the two of us, with the whole fam he seems to go with the flow)  He won't get in the car or won't get out of the car if he is unhappy.   He's had a few temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way, or isn't allowed to do what he wants to do (like when I rolled his bike in when it started raining)  He will scream, hit, kick, throw things.  This is getting better.  As we are getting used to each other and communicating better, it is less frequent. 

 

 

 

Ji Te needs a family that will be patient yet firm.  While he was here, he DID show the ability to attach.  Praise God!  His heart is soft despite what he's been though.  He is a little diamond in the rough, and with a forever family to polish that little diamond up, he will SHINE!  Please share this post- Ji Te, like every other child, has a dream to belong and be loved by a family all his own. 

 

 

Not goodbye, just "See you later."

One month ago, this nut joined our family, and today, we took him to the airport to return to China.  Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?

 

 

Chris and I left RVA with him yesterday around 2:30.  He was all smiles saying goodbye to our three, who stayed at Nana and Papa's house for the night.  (thanks, mom and dad!)

 

We had a delicious dinner near DC with his adoptive family (I wish I could post a pic, but they are keeping things on the down low for now.)

After dinner, 5 of the host families and two chaperones found a large room at the hotel to hang out in.  It was really fun watching the kids gab with each other.  I wonder what they were saying??

 





 

 We went to bed around 10pm, but all three of us had trouble falling asleep.  Too much excitement, I guess?  At 3:45am, it was time to rise and shine (ok, I did not shine, but I did rise!)

 

 

 

 

I've mentioned before that the only emotion we've seen out of him is "happy."  That being said, our airport goodbyes were what we expected.  Total night and day compared to our airport goodbyes with JQ.    JN never stopped smiling, and didn't seem phased one way or the other about leaving.  I know for sure that he loved being in the states and being with our family, as he mentioned it several times over the course of his weeks here.  We made a lot of fun memories with him, and hopefully he will look at his photo album frequently, remembering his time here fondly



 

We are so glad that we hosted JiNuo.  He is a cute, eager to please, adaptable, funny little guy.  It felt very different at the dinner table without him tonight. 

We are so grateful for the way everything played out for him, and we can't wait to see him again when he's back in Virginia, as a SON! 

MUCH THANKS to those of you who supported us financially with the hosting fees, with prayer, with babysitting, with a meal.  It takes a village, and I think we've got one of the best villages around.



 

A Family for Yangcai, Part 2

Just a quick update:

The 12 host children returned to China today.  Out of the 12, SEVEN have families.
Orphan hosting, how I love thee.

Thankfully, our JiNuo is one of the seven, but we are believing that seven isn't the final number.  We met with JN's adoptive family for the 2nd time last night, and we are so thrilled and relieved that they've found him, and will open their hearts and home to him permanently. 

JiTe and Yangcai (the two boys also hosted in Richmond) are still waiting.  I posted about Yangcai a few days ago, and wanted to do a quick follow up with just a few more pictures.

When we hosted JiaQing last year, we had to put him on a plane back to China without a forever family identified for him.  That was hard.  Thankfully, you know the happy ending...we got a call from an AMAZING family in Nebraska in March (2 months after he left us), wanting to hear more about the boy they kept seeing awesome videos of.  Like this one:

 

 

 

JiTe and Yangcai still have fierce advocates here in the states.  Those boys are loved and cherished and need families.  Please keep sharing, as we trust God's timing.

 

At the airport today, we noticed right away that he was the chaperones' number one helper.  He was put in charge of looking after the younger kids, and he accepted his role like a skinny little rock star (host mom's nickname for him is "Flat Stanley".  Hilarious!)

He is oozing personality and he will keep you laughing!  He is brave and precious (and loud), and he is going to age out in less than two years.  He needs a family.  Please share this- someone is out there for him!!

 

Can you even handle this picture??

 

 

 



A Family for Yangcai

While we've been hosting Ji Nuo, our friends EJ and Ali have been hosting Yangcai.  I've enjoyed getting to know him, and watching his host family pour into him.  He is the oldest of the 3 Richmond kids, and he so badly wants a family. 

From host mama Ali:

His visit has been filled with pretty basic activities, but to him, a lot of FIRSTS and very exciting. We have decided one of our purposes in hosting is to give Yangcai opportunities to increase his confidence. There is little we can "give him" to take back with him, but building his confidence might encourage him to dream a little bigger. Their world is very tiny, ironic in a place as large at China. If he is on his own at 15, we want him dreaming big!

 

 

This kid loves to make us laugh even without words. I can't imagine how much of a jokester he'd be if we all spoke the same language. His English is increasing rapidly. He says the following in perfect context; hello, thank you, you're welcome, sorry, water, good-bye, buckle (for car), oh my gosh, uh oh, chicken, all our kids' names and he often mimics what we say as well. I on the other hand have learned 3 Chinese words :(

 

OK, me again!

Yangcai is a gem, and I feel so strongly that his family is out there somewhere, just looking for him.  Please oh please share this post.

Yangcai will be in Richmond, VA until Sunday afternoon. 

 

This and That

Just one week from today, we will be in a hotel near Dulles airport.  I'll be tucking JiNuo in for the last time.  It makes me sad, but we are going to enjoy each moment while he's still with us.  Have I mentioned how much he LOVES tuck-in time?  He shares a room with Cole, and he just lies in his bed BEAMING, waiting for that goodnight hug and smooch. Oh my, that's one of the things I'll miss the most.  Not sure how we lucked out with two really sweet and easy host children in a row, but I'll take it!!

We spent Friday night at Great Wolf Lodge.  He loved it, and surprised us with how much he was willing to try, considering he can't swim.  He went on the double person tube rides and just thought they were the best!  LOTS of stairs for him to climb, and he was certainly slow, but he did it multiple times to take on those waterslides.   What a rock star.  Proud host mama, right here.

 

 

 



 

A few times a week, he sees the other two boys that are also being hosted from China.  Hosting with friends is the bomb, and I would highly recommend it.  ;-)  All three boys have very different personalities, but at a minimum, it's  nice having someone you can actually talk to without the iPhone translating app!
Last week Ali and I took them to Crump Park.  It was a gorgeous day and they loved seeing the animals, using the playground, and feeding the ducks! 

 

 

They also had their first lesson about Easter!  They learned about Jesus, they colored eggs, and did an egg hunt.  So, so sweet.



could he be cuter?!?

 

He keeps us laughing, usually without trying.  I hear the same 3 phrases about 452 times a day:

 

1. "Ayi iPad?"  (Ayi means "auntie", and it's what he calls me)

2. "Ayi  Ultraman?"  (off the charts cheesy Japanese show.  Don't ask me how or why we own a DVD)

3. "Where are we going?"  (that is the only Mandarin phrase I've got down pat)

 

 

He also has the funniest mannerisms and habits.  He's the loudest, open mouthed chewer in the history of mankind (although Ali might disagree with me).  When he has to use the bathroom, he squats down to tell me. 

 He has barged into my room many a time while I'm changing, and once even pulled back the shower curtain just to say "HELLO!"  I've had to start locking my bedroom door, so now he just jiggles the doorknob, knocks, and repeatedly asks, "Ayi??"  Personal space and boundaries?  What are those??

 

He can't manage the 4 stairs up to his bedroom without leaning on the wall for balance (there is no banister.)  When he gets out of the bubble bath (which he LOVES), he just drops his towel and makes his way upstairs.  His butt is approximately 6 inches wide, and his legs are toothpicks.  I crack up watching him every time. 

 

He still resists veggies and fruit, but dutifully eats them when we tell him that he must.  He's very obedient and wants so much to please us.  After he eats, he takes his plate and cup to the sink, and then usually comes back for mine, all on his own accord. 

He and our kiddos act like siblings (wrestling, getting on each others' nerves, etc.)  I think he will do great in a family.  He likes being on the go, and getting in the van to go somewhere.  Anywhere, really. 

 

 

 

Although the fact that he is a happy, HAPPY child has made these few weeks very easy on us,  we do have some slight concern that happy is the only emotion we've seen out of him.  We haven't seen mad, frustrated, afraid, sad, empathetic.  Nothing.  ONLY happy.   Maybe it's his coping mechanism?  Maybe he has those feelings but just doesn't express them?  I don't know.  Chris and I are prepared for him to show little to no emotion when it's time to say goodbye to us.  It's hard to tell if he's bonded with us.  He DOES show us (probably me, especially) a lot of affection, and he loves being with us; no doubt about that.   Friday night we went to IHOP for dinner.  I asked him what his favorite thing about being in America has been (figuring he would mention a fun activity or something), and he said, "For us all to be together."  It was really, really sweet. 

 

eating pizza at Costco, apparently, right next to the cartons of cigarettes.  We really know how to keep things classy!

too cool for school!
 

 

We are still advocating for him, as well as Ji Te and Yangcai.  If you are one of the many who shared the "Ohana" blog post, THANK YOU.  Please continue to share it.  Sending him/them home with a family pursuing them for adoption is our dream.  All three of them need a family to love them forever, and get them the medical care they need to improve their quality of life.  Each family will need patience to spare, and I just know they're out there somewhere.

 

Chris and I are going to continue to fight for Ji Nuo, for sure (remembering that JQ's family didn't come forward until 2 months after he left us).  Will you help us?  He's SO worth it.