One Month Down!

Yesterday was my one month of being here! I cannot believe it has been that long already. It feels like time is flying by. I am happy that I still have five more months to go!

So for the past four days the downstairs has been swarming with fruit flies. We thought it might be because of some fruit that was on the counter, so we threw that along with some other questionable items into the fridge. Still, the fruit flies multiplied. Then, we decided to set traps. Elson girls, you will appreciate this! We set three different traps- one with cider vinegar, one with fruit juice, and one with a rotten banana. Within about an hour the traps were already doing their job. Yet, somehow, the fruit flies numbers still seemed to be getting larger by the minute. And then, we found the culprit. Show Hwa was cleaning in the back room and was like, "Girls, I think I found the problem!" A rotten pumpkin! Now that the pumpkin is gone, the numbers have been slowly going down.

Besides the fruit flies, the last few days have been filled with some adventure of their own. On Thursday, I got to help Anna take Kwen and Ava to the doctor's for shots. We had to drive a short drive to town and through the market streets to get to the doctor's office. It made me realize how much I miss the streets of Taiwan- the stands, the scooters, the smell. I can't quite put my finger on what the smell is that I like so much. Maybe it smells like fried things, or just the streets of Taiwan. Anyway, I like it. The doctor's appointment went very smoothly. It is set up quite different than an American doctor's office. The waiting room is the same, but then in the back there was one main room where the doctor's desk and computer was. We just went right in and sat down at a chair next to him and while he was working, he just did a quick check. Then after the height, weight, and head size measurements, they each got one shot in their leg. They both only let out one little cry and that was it. Ava astonished the nurses with being just as long as Kwen is. With Kwen being a little over four months and Ava being a little over two months, they both were 59 cm long! After the doctor's, we went with Anna to drop off and pick up the mail.  We had a little bit of a melt down in the car waiting for her to come back, but then they both fell asleep in my arms on the car ride home.

Yesterday, all of us girls plus Anna took Kwen, Ava, Cade, and Elijah to get their passport pictures taken. It was another fun trip. Each of the babies got to change into one of their own new outfits. Most of the clothes we have are donated clothes that all the babies share, but their parents do send them care packages with stuffed animals, blankets, and their very own clothes, too! Then we were on our way to the photo place. All of them did a great job. It only took less than five minutes for each. Then on the way home we picked up Sz Hua (Sue Wa or Daisy is her English name) and Lu Li (Lilly, Show Hwa's daughter) from school.

Also Kwen had his courtdate this past Wednesday. Basically, the courtdate is when the baby's biological parents go to court and sign the papers saying that they are giving up all of their rights. Then, Ted and Bev encourage them to come back to the orphanage, so that we can get a picture of them with the baby, so that the baby has at least one photo of their birth parents when they are older. Kwen looked exactly like his mom! She was very sweet. She cried almost the whole time she was here. She held him and played with him. His mom is pretty young and her parents came with her to see Kwen. Her dad even kised Kwen, which is very rare. Normally, fathers disown their daughters for getting pregnant and want nothing to do with the baby, but the whole family was very nice and loving towards Kwen. Cade and Elijah both have courtdates this upcoming Wednesday, so it will be interesting to if their birthparents come and how they interact with their baby.

Ava's AIT appointment is set, so her parents are coming on the 25th to pick her up. She is lucky to be going home so soon!!!

Besides baby news, I finished Leviticus and am on to Numbers! Bev said Ted would be willing to sit down and talk to me about any questions/doubts I have while reading. When he gets back I am excited to take him up on that.

Prayer requests:
- fruit flies to all be gone!
-understanding or just to be okay with all of the laws of the Old Testament, God's punishment, and why rules are so important
- for my heart to be grateful to God and not feel entitled to happiness or feel like I deserve easiness
- for help loving when it is not convenient
- eyes to see God as my creator and the creator of all these babies and nature