Joy and Grady

I have officially lost track of what day it is and how many days we’ve been here.  Also, since I cannot view the blog I am forgetting what pictures I’ve already posted so forgive me if I am reposting pictures, I am trying to post pictures that go with each blog entry.  Yesterday when we went in to Beijing for shopping we had ice cream for lunch at Cold Stone Creamery.  For dinner we went out for BBQ.  The BBQ place had more dirt on the chairs, walls and floor than I could bear to look at, but the tables were clean.  I have not felt well today, as my stomach is rolling.  Maya is wondering why after eating street food I didn’t get sick but after Cold Stone I don’t feel well - BBQ maybe?

I have found my Joy again.  Joy was my favorite from three years ago, when I saw her on our first day here this time she wanted nothing to do with me.  A bit of shyness has come over her.  But she has warmed up to me now and runs to me when she sees me.  Her diagnosis is hydrocephalus; she is very bright and loving to the others in her house. 

During one of our hugs I noticed her back felt deformed, after a couple attempts I got her shirt up enough to see it.  She has scoliosis, not severe at this time but I worry that someday she will end up like Grady who is totally disabled by his severe scoliosis.  This makes me sad and worried about her future.  To brighten the mood I will tell you that just as she has learned to hug me to show affection she now thinks that lifting my shirt is also a sign of affection.  I have no way to explain to her that I was lifting her shirt due to my concern over her back, so I just keep pulling my shirt back down.

That brings me to Grady, a favorite of everyone that visits Shepherd’s Field.  He comes from Aidan’s orphanage, so in the almost 4 years we have had Aidan someone from our family has seen Grady each year.  He speaks quite a bit of English and is very smart.  He likes to do magic tricks and he has a great sense of humor.  When we first met Grady he was able to walk with a cane (see the picture below from Fuzhou).  He is now in a wheelchair almost all the time.  He has aged out, meaning he is now too old to be adopted.  He will never have parents or a home but Shepherd’s Field has given him a reason to smile.

Here's Joy over the years...

And here's Grady over the last 4 years...

And last but not least our precious Hannah