First Big Payday

Yesterday as we left to go see Hannah we took our usual route to the main street to find a taxi.  It was eerily quiet and we could hardly see any cars.  As we rounded a corner to the main road, we noticed the policemen lined up 2 dozen deep on both sides of the street.  We knew it had something to do with the protests from earlier weeks, but everything seemed calm so we crossed the street to get a taxi.  Usually taxis are lined up, but this time we had to wait a few minutes for one to show up.  He ended up being the craziest driver ever and one who felt free to smoke inside the small car and blow it back into my face right behind him.  Oh, did I ever mention that I get carsick easily sitting in the backseat of a car?  Thankfully, I didn't get sick, but I was close.  Anyway, we tried to turn right onto the main street to go to the orphanage and the police wouldn't let us go that way.  Super.  We had crazy smoker man driver (who later took a call on his cell phone and had people honking at him because he was weaving into whatever lane he wanted) AND we had to take the long way.  The long way took us left on the main road and towards downtown.  As we waited for a red light, throngs of people started walking up the street.  We started feeling a little nervous.  It turns out that a soccer game had just ended and the stadium is very close to where the orphanage is.  Okay, so as we are driving down the main street, we see policeman are lined up down the entire street for about another mile.  From what we hear there were no altercations, but it was still kind of weird to see. 

Eventually we got to the orphanage and when we arrived Hannah was getting dressed.  I went into the room and when she saw me she smiled.  When she sat up and saw John and Alexander she threw herself on the floor and had her tantrum.  We all went into the playroom and John and Alexander played while she sat on the floor and pouted.  She never took her eyes off of them and eventually decided all was okay.  At one point, Alexander and John hugged each other and I asked Hannah if she wanted to give me a hug.  She was still laying on the floor at this time, and she sat up and put her arms around me. She sat on my lap, ate chocolate and played with my hairbrush.  Alexander started playing with some cars and she started pushing cars back and forth with him.  She was okay when John came closer to her and let him drive a little car up and down her leg.

Hannah found a book and picked it up and then took my hand and led me out into the hallway.  She led me everywhere and we played with toys, looked out windows, and sat and read her book.  She found a ball and we started kicking it back and forth.  Then she picked it up and took me down towards the room that John and Alexander were in.  As we were walking toward the room someone in the TV room got in trouble and a caregiver raised her voice.  It scared Hannah and she turned around and went back down her hallway.  I'm pretty sure she was going to go into the room to play ball.  She did take me down to the room again and when I opened the door she looked in, saw John and Alexander and then she was done.  We went back the other way. 

As we were reading her book I would kiss her cheek and say "kiss".  Then I asked her if I could have a kiss.  She looked at me and walked away, then turned around and came back and gave me a kiss.  When it was getting closer to the time for us to leave, we were sitting in chairs by her room reading her book.  I told her it was getting time for me to leave and I would come back tomorrow to see her.  She climbed down from her chair and reached up for me to pick her up.  I picked her up and she put her arms around my neck and squeezed my neck.  She put her head on my shoulder and just hugged me.  Biggest payday yet!

A few times Alexander came around to play and she would let him play with her for just a minute.  They danced together for a little bit.  She allowed him to kiss her on the cheek, and one time I was holding Hannah on my lap tickling her tummy and then I would reach over and tickle Xander's tummy and they both would laugh.

She was still not willing to let John get too close to her again, but she didn't cry or get upset when she saw him.  She would just eye him very carefully, and she did let him kiss her goodbye. 

When I took her to her caregiver she started crying and throwing her tantrum.  She wanted to stay with me.  I kept reassuring her, telling her we would be back, but she was still upset.  After we got our coats we saw her down the hall again and she had calmed down.  She let us hug and kiss her again and we walked away without any trouble.

We were so happy to see progress with her regarding John and Alexander.  I was thrilled with the kiss, the hug, and (selfishly) even the crying when she didn't want to leave me.  We are definitely making progress in the right direction and we know it is because of all the prayers in our behalf.  We acknowledge the power of heaven as we try to increase our family, and know that it is God's will that she be part of our family.  We thank all of you who are praying for us and especially for little Hannah.  Your prayers are being heard - and felt.