Worth a Thousand Words

A picture is worth a thousand words? We were lucky enough to receive 8 pictures from Jewel's birthday party. I'm grateful but they do bring to mind a thousand questions.

Can she sit up on her own? Doesn't look like she's got the muscle tone to be walking yet.


This week it has been around 94 degrees in her hometown. That might explain the lack of clothes on her. Air conditioners are not common in rural China from what I understand. But why does another child have on long sleeves and bottoms?

Why is the other girl so dressed up?

Is Jewel feeling under the weather? That would explain the clothes and her far away look.

Has she ever had cake before? There isn't alot of interest from her in eating.

They "potty train" early in china. I've previously posted about that. Jewel's outfit is split pants with no diaper. Don't worry, I used blur to edit the photos. She is for sure a girl, BTW. Are they training her already? Most likely yes.

These pictures were obviously taken in the SWI. Angela, who sent the care package, is trying to call and ask if Jewel is in foster care. From the looks of these pics I'm thinking no. One of my fears has been that children are returned to the SWI once they are being adopted. When depends on the SWI. Some are when the families receive LOA, some at TA, some at 2 months before travel, some when the SWI knows a family is coming by sending a care package and some stay with their foster family until the day before "Gotcha Day".