We cried

Today we went off to the Safari Park. Pretty cool. Or if you are Princess Phoebe "WOW" was the word of the day.

It was a nice overcast -- or was that smog-- but warm day, we actually got the Princess to go out in only 2 pairs of pants again today and a sweater only, with 2 shirts, though.

No winter coat--- WOW. 

Little Miss Princess wanted carried so mama put her in a rented stroller for some of the trip out, she shared with Miss Caitlyn who was adopted last week and is 9.  Both wayyyy too big for the stroller, but it was fun for them to feel special  and escorted around, and I noticed Phoebe used it to know what was in front of her as she pushed it for some of the time around the park. I did carry her some, which makes her soooo happy. She loves her pampering:)

She couldn't figure out that the panda and the bunny characters were not real, she wanted to "play" with them.  She did enjoy feeding the giraffes, the baby one was her favorite.
We came back to the hotel and went out to feed the fish and burn energy (the kids, not mine) before we went to supper. We had trouble finding the restaurant we wanted but we did eventually get there. Of course, 3 of the girls had to use the bathroom and it was out the door, down the block, in another restaurant? 

Anyway, they went. They were gone for quite some time and we were wondering what was taking so long when Susan's daughter came back and said I need to come "Quick."

My stomach dropped. I mean, I couldn't even imagine what the issue was. Here my poor child had latched the door then couldn't see to unlatch it and she panicked.  She was sobbing and screaming by the time I got there and the staff at the restaurant as well as Chloe had tried to instruct her how to open the door.

After they continued this without success and I don't think she was able to hear me over her panicked screams, I started crying and said "Get her out of there NOW."

No language translation needed. They brought in a dude, told her to stand back and he busted the door in. She was backed in a corner and she was beyond upset, so when I grabbed her and hugged her  she was pulling away and it took her a minute to look up and see it was ME. Once she realized it was me she let me comfort her. 

We both calmed down and went back to the restaurant where we ordered and she did go ahead and eat. She was also fine with me, I feared she would blame me, but clearly she did not. Matter of fact it didn't take long for her usual perky self to be back.

Yep, she's a talker. She's perky, bouncy.  She tried out some boundaries today, going too far ahead, running the stroller into people.  And she responded really well when corrected.  She even started repeating "Yes, no, up, down, good girl, step." She's learned "step" because she readily holds my hand as she knows I will forewarn her of steps coming up. She does really well with them but sometimes the depth throws her a little so she doesn't fall if she hangs on to me.

She's had a shower, medicine for her cough that is still lingering, although seems better, and she's tucked in bed now.  Very happy, I carried her around as much as I could which seems to tickle her to no end. 

We played out on the lawn before supper and I had to stop for a moment.

We had Chloe, adopted 4 years ago and so very helpful with her bilingual abilities, we had 3 preteens, a bunch of kiddos 10 and under, some newly adopted, some adopted as babies.  All beautiful, amazing kids in all various stages of adoption/family life. It was so moving to see where the kids will be (Chloe) and how far they have to go (Phoebe) but knowing they WILL get there. 

All the families here, each with a special story, I haven't met one family  that didn't say God showed them their child was meant to be within their family--- it's so neat to have such a fantastic group of people to share this journey with. This is us last night all having supper together:)  Suzanne with Grace and Anthony, Susan with Claire, Camille, and Caitlyn, Jean with Mia, Melissa and Sarah, and me with Phoebe (Chloe was camera girl:)

God has blessed us with so much on this trip, with this child, with the other children and their parents. Thanking HIM for His timing, His Love and His Amazing Grace when allowing us to parent these precious children of His.