A Bit of Nyah's Past Revealed

The other day I received an email from someone who does work in the Jiangxi Province of China and offers books, cd's, and information to adoptive families. He mentioned that he had recently done work in Wanzai, where Nyah is from, and had found many foster mothers' names and addresses. I already knew Nyah's foster mom's name but did not have an address. We have the name and address for Brynn's foster mom and we write several times a year to her and have received letters back that include details about her early life we would never know about otherwise so I was eager to have that for Nyah. I inquired about the price and gave him the foster mom's name I had been given by the orphanage directors when we met Nyah.

He emailed me back and said he had a different name and asked me to send the picture I had shown the directors (from Nyah's 1st birthday in March 2008) to see what he could find out.

It turns out Nyah had two foster families. She lived with one until she was 7 months old. Then, in September 2007, Nyah got sick with a high fever and had to be hospitalized. Since the family had another child at home, they could not care for Nyah at the hospital so a new foster family took over (the one I knew about) and they raised her until we met her in September 2008.

I now have the names and addresses for both families and next week I will be writing and sending pictures to three very special women in China... to Brynn's foster mom about her first day of school and a letter to each of Nyah's thanking them for caring for her and requesting to know a little more about her early months. What a blessing!

11 months in our arms... or wiggling out of them!

Nyah has still kept us busy this month... she is a bundle of energy. Not a lot of changes... just a lot more singing but you still can't understand a word of the songs even though she carries a good tune. Here are a few favorite captures of the month.

Nyah and her goggles. She loves them. The hairstyles when she wears them make me laugh.

Ice is now a new word and a new obsession. She never wants water at the pool, just the ice please. Her mouth is full of it here.

Nyah's first 4th of July as a citizen. She liked the fireworks and tolerated the sparklers.

Nyah at Virginia Beach in her "Dooda" bathing suit.

More goggles. And watermelon ~ she loves it. This was at a 4th of July picnic.

Also at the 4th of July picnic. She is singing songs with an adult neighborhood friend and a few other girls.

Nyah at the beach lovin' the noodles. She LOVES noodles.

Oh, look. Nyah in goggles.

Nyah again at the beach. She would send us to get water for her in her pail. A few times she put her pail on its side facing the ocean knowing the waves would come in and fill it. She didn't count on the wave going back out again and would be furious when her bucket, somehow still in the same spot, was empty.

The Nyah-nator (as Evan still calls her) did not break this shovel. Perhaps the one thing she hasn't broken.

Playing at the park.

After being caught by a wave. She recovered quickly though.

Not the best picture but I love her expression. She loves to do what her big sister is doing. Brynn is slowly learning to appreciate it and in the past week, they have really had a much improved relationship. She did her own hair here.

More goggle hair.

And one final "CHEESE!" to hold you over until next month, the big ONE year anniversary and the final two posts... one on the first and the last on the 12th.