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Eleven days ago, 3 couples arrived at the China Marriott Hotel. During this time we have bonded in ways I never would have understood or fathomed.  One couple adopted a 14 month old adorable girl and we and another couple adopted energetic girls who are ages 3 and 4. During this time we have shared breakfast together, sat next to each other on tour bus rides to various places, and met at the pool, asking each other various questions like “Is your child doing this?”, or “Is this normal?”, or “How many tantrums have you worked through today?”  Occasionally, we even shared dinners at a local restaurant.  Today I (Karen) was invited to go with 3 ladies shopping.  I recharge when I hang with girlfriends and believe me I was needing it. Our wonderful husbands stayed “home” with the kidos.  We took the underground metro, that one girlfriend had already figured out the night before where to get off, and we visited a 5 story mall crowded with people, smells and stuff to buy.  It was there we ooohhhed and aaaahhhhhed at pretty clothes, shoes and trinkets. They were the very same trinkets you would find at home but it was the fact we were together without the kidos.  We each needed girl time.  I will miss these new friends I have made.  Just like going away to college when you share the same time for meals, and everyday problems…we have shared the same commoness in this intense ordeal called adoption.  So with that said I am sad about leaving them tomorrow.

Some have asked me how do you know what your daughter is saying? Its all in the squeals!!

We have squeals of laughter, and squeals that remind me of tantrums,

Squeals of anger-always involving brother of course- to sheer elations of joy,

Squeals of panic and meltdown -when Gregg leaves without her- to I want food now!

Its all in the squeals.  “MAMA – Chinese jibber – squeallllll!”  “BABA – chinese jibber – squeallll!”  As crazy as it sounds Gregg and I are getting really good at discerning these squeals.