Thursday, October 16, 2014

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you. From The King and I.


My daughters are Chinese. But you knew that, didn't you. 

All three were born in China and came to us at different times in their lives. 

Serenity was 11 months old. Belle was 19 month old. They were just babies and as a result are ethnically Chinese but culturally American. 

Betty-June is 7. For 7 years she lived in China. She is both ethnically AND culturally Chinese even though she is an American citizen. 
What does that mean?  It means things are easier for everyone if I keep that in mind and let that be part if OUR lives. It means learning to make congee (http://m.wisegeek.com/what-is-congee.htm) so she can have something familiar for breakfast or lunch. It means finding Pleasant Goat on YouTube for her.  And it means cutting her a lot of slack when she gets out of sorts because everything is so different. 
As time goes on she will become more culturally in line with us and we will become more inline with her. She isn't the only one changing. All the girls are counting in Chinese and English and Chinese words pepper our conversations. Belle likes Chinese dumplings for breakfast and will laugh along to Pleasant Goat.  
All our lives are enriched. It's an exciting time to be on Team Dailey.