Friday night, Brock & I helped organize & run what ended up being a successful & wildly fun trivia night for Joe & Lynne, who are adopting Long Xiao Xiong & Huang Guang Hui from Shaling's orphanage. Shaling has told use several times that Xiao Xiong & Guang Hui are her big brothers. We cannot wait for her to be reunited with them. TODAY, Joe & Lynne received their Travel Approval, which means they could be leaving as soon as next week to go get their new sons.
At the trivia, we discovered that Shaling has a "boyfriend". She has been telling us all about one of her classmates, Jose, since mid-January, shortly after she began school. We spoke with Jose's mom Friday night and she tells us that Jose is constantly talking about her. He apparently frequently picks her flowers, but never brings them to school to give to her because he is too shy. I find the whole thing adorably sweet.
Saturday, we went to St. Louis for the Cardinals-Padres game. This was Shaling's first-ever Major League Baseball game. Grandma & Grandpa Coonrod, Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara, Mom & Dad, Preston & Shaling all enjoyed the day. Shaling didn't fully comprehend all that was going on down on the field, but I think she was enjoying it. She was definitely enjoying Grandma, who reciprocally was enjoying spoiling Shaling rotten. Thanks to Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara waiting in line with Preston & Shaling, they got animal balloons made by a clown. We all thank Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara for treating us to the game.
Yesterday, Shaling was baptized into the Lord's family at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester. Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara are her godparents, just like Preston. She didn't fully understand all that was happening here either, but she did great...responding along with us & her godparents. We all went to eat at International Buffet (a Chinese & American food buffet) after the baptism & church. It was lovely.
After lunch, I had Shaling quickly change clothes, as I wanted to take her to the University of Illinois-Springfield for a performance by the Golden Dragon Chinese acrobats. She didn't fully understand where we were going and initially showed disappointment, as I think she really wanted to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather by staying home and playing with her brother. However, once we arrived and the show started, she loved it, saying "oh, so cool!"
She is in for several busy weeks. She still has 4 more weeks of volleyball (5:00 on Mondays AND Thursdays) and starts softball this week (3 practices this week, but we don't know yet what her regular time slot will be). Plus, her brother Preston ahs volleyball at 6:00 on Mondays & Thursdays, Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra from 6:45 to 8:15 on Tuesdays, plus his 5th grade chorus mini-musical this Thursday.
This blog began as a place to share Shaling's journey from rice in China to popcorn in Illinois. However, it has evolved to include all sorts of happenings in the Reynolds family.
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