Yesterday, gotcha day, Valerie looked so scared. Just staring around. We kept things calm around her and were very gentle. In the late afternoon we were even rewarded with a few smiles. But she did not make a sound. Not one peep. Even when she cried, it was just silent tears. It was eerily quiet. I was beginning to wonder if she could make any noises. But this morning we got some giggles and finally some babbling noises. So sweet to hear.
Yesterday afternoon we focused on paperwork to set up tomorrow's provincial government appointments. So today was a free day for family bonding and local adventures. All the families rode the subway to a large city park. We highly recommend the Zhengzhou subway -- clean, safe and cheap (35 cents for two adults one way)! Although it was quite hot out, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the park including a pond full of lotus flowers. Then we rode the bus back to the hotel and tried a local noodle place for lunch -- delicious!
Valerie was generally happy today and seemed to enjoy being with us. She likes to be silly and play. Her antics remind me of a 14 or 15 month old (she's 25 months). As the day went on she showed more trust in us and her surroundings. We're anticipating more outward signs of grieving and the challenges that come with that, but for now we are thankful for a peaceful start.
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