Another day!

We had a great day today!  This morning after breakfast we had a gathering in our room, which was very special.  The theme was adoption and family, and was very meaningful!  One of the teachers here explained to Emmett that we were going to have a class, and he needed to sit quietly like his sisters.  Up until now he hasn't sat unless on the airplane, and isn't quiet unless asleep.  However, he nodded and agreed, and played quietly with some new toys while we had our time together.  We were all so impressed!  We wandered out for lunch, but it was beastly hot!  We enjoyed an afternoon at the pool, a quiet supper with all in our room, and went to McDonalds for ice cream before bed.  Emmett doesn't like anything cold, so refuses to try ice cream.  He does love french fries though, so that was his treat! 
We are learning more about his personality every day!  He and Brian, Michelle, and the kids played hide and seek today.  It was cute!  He was really into it, telling Michelle that a "ghost" was hiding, and going to get him.  We got out his adoption book to show Jeanette, and she went though it with him again.  She asked about going to school, and he told her he was scared.  Our friend in Nanjing had talked about it with him, and he told her "school was bad, and I'm not going;" but had refused to say more.  Today he told Michelle that he had been told if he didn't behave at school the police would come and get him, so he was scared of school.  We told him that in our country the police don't do that, and he wanted to know why it was different.  I couldn't tell him why, just that it wasn't the same.  I'm not sure he really believed me!  He continued to say he was scared of school, so I told him (through Michelle) that I would go to school with him for a while until he felt safe.  I already have permission from the school to do this, so that was a safe promise.  We are very grateful to know why he doesn't want to go to school, and to be able to share with him that it is different in our country.  I will share that information with the school as well, and talk to our DARE officer.  We are just scratching the surface learning about him!  This will be so much easier when we speak the same language!  He is picking up English words very quickly!  His favorite currently is "let's go."  He knows that means we are leaving, and loves to go places!  He has learned, "oops, uh-oh, shoes, bye-bye, hello, OK, good morning, mommy, banana (usually means Brianna), gentle" and some others I've forgotten.  We've also learned some mandarin words and phrases.  He loves to swim, so we've learned that one.  He loves airplanes as well, so we all know how to say that!  He lights up when he sees his swim suit!  He also loves to sing.  Michelle, Jeanette, and grandma have been singing some children's songs in Mandarin with him.  He knows quite a few of them!  He was playing pretend this afternoon, and lined his sisters up in front of the dresser in grandma and grandpa's room, and used his small flashlight for a candle.  He sang happy birthday in Mandarin, which we recognized, as it is the same tune, then surprised us all and sang it in English!  He is a very bright little boy!  He still loves his "baba" best (Brian), but doesn't reject any of us.   
Tomorrow we go back to the medical office to get his TB test read, then get to spend a few hours with all of us on Shamian island.  It looks like a fun place to explore!