Mustang's fourth Family Day

Can it be four years already? It was a cloudy Monday in Taiyuan, China, when the active and spunky little girl known here as Mustang was brought to a plain bureaucratic room to be introduced to her new Mommy, Laolao and Laoye. She was curious, uncertain, wary – and pleased with the little pink bunny Laolao brought for her. (Her love of stuffies continues to this day!) She cried, twice, but not for long. She would often run and hide, but never where we couldn’t find her – it was a game. She was wearing a bright red, satiny padded jacket and pants (now stored for safekeeping, along with bunny, in a bin in the basement) which we promptly traded for “western” wear when we got back to our hotel. (She didn’t mind the trade.)

Since then:

• She has had palate surgery to close her cleft palate, and in the coming months will begin to be prepared for the next surgery on her jawline, beginning with some dental work and wearing a space to straighten and space out some of the adult teeth.
• She has learned English well – including proper articulation of the consonant sounds – and now boasts a very good vocabulary.
• She has completed almost four years of schooling, learning to read and do basic math.
• She has learned to skate, ski, ride bicycle, swim, roller blade, draw, colour, and more!!
• She has entered my heart and made herself a place there, never to go away.

Happy Family Day, Mustang!