While we were living in Thailand and waiting on all of Joelle's documents to get ready, I knew it was going to be hard moving back to China. During my pregnancy, I had received my fair share of unwanted crazy advice and criticism... I knew coming back with a baby would be even worse! I started memorizing things to say: "Please don't touch the baby" "Please don't take the baby" "No, she doesn't need more clothes, she's warm enough." "That's now how Americans do things."
But it turns out, all I needed to memorize was, "Thank you for your advice." When the wheels of that plane hit the ground, I was so happy to see the familiar sights that my hard heart melted. My eyes teared up in the taxi as we drove past hot pot restaurants and saw the old people in the park doing their exercises. I was so glad to be home.
We've gotten plenty of criticism in our few trips outside the house- mostly that she's not old enough to leave the house yet- but I'm not nearly as exasperated as I thought I'd be! Also, people touching her hasn't bothered me. Yesterday I was riding a train beside a man and his four year old daughter. This little girl peppered Joelle with kisses the whole ride and sang silly Chinese songs, trying to make her smile. Instead of being bothered by all the attention, I actually relished it!
So I'm not sure what caused my heart to change so suddenly... perhaps I was overly homesick and I'm back in a honey moon phase. It is surely an answer to prayer! A huge burden has lifted off of me because now when I go outside I don't hear the advice as if coming from enemies, but from friends and neighbors. I hope this never changes, and Joelle grows up seeing her mother love the nationals, not resenting them!
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