My how time flies. I heard on the radio today that Christmas is 18 days away? Yikes!
Lily is well into her first full week of school and is loving it. She started last Tuesday going to ELL for about 45 minutes in the morning and then started school full-time on Thursday. One day later she was saying bye and leaving me in the dust. It didn't take her long to hearn how to get rid of me. It has been good though that she has settled in so easily. The teachers are very happy with how she is doing.
She had her assessment in Mandarin today. She got several things right so that was good. I was concerned she wouldn't speak to the interpreter but she did a great job. At one point the interpreter looked at us and said this is hard. The only real problem she had was with understanding what an opposite was. I still don't think we were able to get her to understand opposites, so that will be something we will have to work on.
Marissa is doing well. A piece of poetry she wrote for a PTA contest made it to the district level so she was very proud of herself. She is adjusting more and more every day. Mom and Dad are coming for Christmas, so I know she will really enjoy having them here. I'm not sure how Lily will do with them at the house, so I may have to put them up in a hotel if she shuts down. I talked to a counselor from Great Wall today and she said that is normal. It is a lot for Lily to process and she doesn't understand why they are here. She said we invaded her turf so to speak in China and took her away so all she knows is they are here to do the same thing. I'm hoping to start preparing her for their arrival and trying to get someone to explain to her when they are coming and especially when they are leaving so she knows it isn't permanent.
I'm trying to get back into the routine of working. It has been a struggle to regain my concentration with everything that is going on. Hopefully, once Lily gets settled in school, it will be easier to get back into a routine.
Until next time....
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
It's been a week.
We have been home for a week now and things are going well. Xu Hui is doing great. She continues to eat like she is a line backer. She ate two hotdogs for supper plus chips, carrots, and some apple. We found out on Thanksgiving that I have another crab and salmon lover in the house. We have been giving her chances to socialize with some of Scott's Chinese friends and she won't say anything; just smiles. We are going to school on Monday to get her registered. We decided to try the public school system first because they have an ELL program. If it doesn't work out, we are going to look into private school. We are also looking in to a Chinese school for her on Saturdays. I have really struggled with the school issue for her so I'm hoping we are making the right decision.
A friend of mine from the office sent some English Chinese flash cards so I was working with Xu Hui this morning. She was teaching me the English names and I was working with her on the English names. I got several "Good Job Mommy" as well as some sighs. I'm trying.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a great day with just the four of us.
A friend of mine from the office sent some English Chinese flash cards so I was working with Xu Hui this morning. She was teaching me the English names and I was working with her on the English names. I got several "Good Job Mommy" as well as some sighs. I'm trying.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a great day with just the four of us.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Day 2 at home.
Well, we have made it through 2 days at home without much incident. She isn't much into going to bed at night so I'm writing while sitting in bed with her. It is a delicate balance to know how hard to push things. With a baby, I would put her in bed and let her cry but this one is a little different. Hopefully, she will cry herself to sleep soon.
She has been a good sport about trying whatever I cook. Last night I made tacos and they got a definite no. Luckily I bought a couple of cups of noodles at the store and she ate both of them after eating half a taco. For breakfast this morning she downed two hard boiled eggs and I got a thumbs up for the chicken and pasta I fixed for lunch. She doesn't seem to be real picky which is good. She isn't much for dairy products but has been good about drinking at least a little bit of milk with each meal.
We went to church this morning and she went to Kidz Zone with Marissa without any problem. However, the neighbors came tonight and she wouldn't even come out of her room to meet them. It will be interesting to see how things go at school. I'm planning on taking her a few times this week when I go so hopefully she will at least get used to it a little bit. I may be spending some hours at school next week until she feels comfortable. She seems to learn fast so I think she'll really like school.
Miss is all ready to go back to school tomorrow. She will have an easy week since they get out early due to parent teacher conferences and it being a short week due to Thansgiving. Hopefully, she won't have much trouble getting back in to a routine.
I had a chance to read everyone's comments tonight. Thanks so much for following our journey. It has been an exciting one so far. We are looking forward to what is yet to come for Little Lily.
She has been a good sport about trying whatever I cook. Last night I made tacos and they got a definite no. Luckily I bought a couple of cups of noodles at the store and she ate both of them after eating half a taco. For breakfast this morning she downed two hard boiled eggs and I got a thumbs up for the chicken and pasta I fixed for lunch. She doesn't seem to be real picky which is good. She isn't much for dairy products but has been good about drinking at least a little bit of milk with each meal.
We went to church this morning and she went to Kidz Zone with Marissa without any problem. However, the neighbors came tonight and she wouldn't even come out of her room to meet them. It will be interesting to see how things go at school. I'm planning on taking her a few times this week when I go so hopefully she will at least get used to it a little bit. I may be spending some hours at school next week until she feels comfortable. She seems to learn fast so I think she'll really like school.
Miss is all ready to go back to school tomorrow. She will have an easy week since they get out early due to parent teacher conferences and it being a short week due to Thansgiving. Hopefully, she won't have much trouble getting back in to a routine.
I had a chance to read everyone's comments tonight. Thanks so much for following our journey. It has been an exciting one so far. We are looking forward to what is yet to come for Little Lily.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
We are home!
It is so good to be home. There were problems with the plane in Beijing so we missed our connection in San Francisco, but we finally made it home. The trip home was about 29 hours but the girls did great. Miss wasn’t feeling well in San Francisco but after some sleep in the airport she was feeling better. As soon as we walked in the door, the girls started pulling all sorts of things out. Miss was so excited to be home. Xu Hui has taken a liking to all of Marissa’s American Girl dolls. As I’m writing, she is tucking Kit in for a nap.
I need to get the girls ready for the day so we can run errands. I’ll write more later.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Day 13
Well, we are all packed except for the final few things for the last time. I ended up having to go buy another suitcase in order to stay under 44 lbs per suitcase. It will be so nice to not have to live out of a suitcase and pack and repack every few days, to not have to eat at the same couple of restaurants for every meal and to not have to use a bottle of water to brush our teeth. This trip has been a good reminder of how blessed we are to be able to live in America.
Marissa got all of her homework finished today. That has been the last thing she has wanted to do while in China but she finally got it done. While she finished her homework, Xu Hui and I went out shopping for everything we wanted to buy. We had such a good time. She would hold my hand and skip along. It made me feel good because when we are all together, I am the last hand she wants to hold. She actually chose to go with me even when Scott and Marissa would head off to the hotel. She told the clerks at one of the stores that I was nice to her and she loved me. I don't know exactly what they said to her, but it made me happy anyway. She won the hearts of all the store clerks and was always coming out with some sort of treat.
I think she is going to be Mom's girly girl. She really likes pink and likes to have her hair done. I'm going to have to learn to do something besides a pony tail or pig tails. I have warned Scott for a while now that it was going to get expensive taking them both for manicures and pedicures.
Marissa has been doing good with all the changes. There have been some moments and I probably add fuel to the fire most of the time because I expect a lot out of her. I have to remind myself that she is only 8. What am I saying? I am sweet and tender and everybody loves me. :)
I'll talk to everyone when we get back to the states. It will be so nice to be home.
Marissa got all of her homework finished today. That has been the last thing she has wanted to do while in China but she finally got it done. While she finished her homework, Xu Hui and I went out shopping for everything we wanted to buy. We had such a good time. She would hold my hand and skip along. It made me feel good because when we are all together, I am the last hand she wants to hold. She actually chose to go with me even when Scott and Marissa would head off to the hotel. She told the clerks at one of the stores that I was nice to her and she loved me. I don't know exactly what they said to her, but it made me happy anyway. She won the hearts of all the store clerks and was always coming out with some sort of treat.
I think she is going to be Mom's girly girl. She really likes pink and likes to have her hair done. I'm going to have to learn to do something besides a pony tail or pig tails. I have warned Scott for a while now that it was going to get expensive taking them both for manicures and pedicures.
Marissa has been doing good with all the changes. There have been some moments and I probably add fuel to the fire most of the time because I expect a lot out of her. I have to remind myself that she is only 8. What am I saying? I am sweet and tender and everybody loves me. :)
I'll talk to everyone when we get back to the states. It will be so nice to be home.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Day 12 Continued
It wasn't quite as chilly today so we walked across the bridge to an herbal market and saw all sorts of stuff including tubs of live scorpions and turtles. Most of the stuff I had no idea what it was. Some of it didn't smell the best. Then we took a stroll through a large shopping district. There is definitely not a lack of shopping in Guangzhou. We played more cards this afternoon and then went out to eat at a Cantonese restaurant this evening with the families in our group. There are only four families in our group so it is pretty small. One couple has been here since the 29th of October. When they went to pick up the child they came over for, they said it was clear she had more problems than just a heart defect. To make a long story short, they ended up with the cutest little baby that doesn't have anything wrong with her.
There isn't anything on the agenda for tomorrow. We received Xu Hui's VISA today so there isn't anything holding us up from leaving on Friday morning. We are hoping that Beijing doesn't have any snow that will hold us from getting in and out of Beijing. It has been a fun trip but we are definitely ready to go home. Scott and I have been sharing a bed that is a little larger than a twin and is pretty hard, so I am ready to get home to my own bed.
I have attached a couple of pictures of the Buddhist temple and then a few pictures of the girls.
There isn't anything on the agenda for tomorrow. We received Xu Hui's VISA today so there isn't anything holding us up from leaving on Friday morning. We are hoping that Beijing doesn't have any snow that will hold us from getting in and out of Beijing. It has been a fun trip but we are definitely ready to go home. Scott and I have been sharing a bed that is a little larger than a twin and is pretty hard, so I am ready to get home to my own bed.
I have attached a couple of pictures of the Buddhist temple and then a few pictures of the girls.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Day 11 and Day 12
Xu Hui is officially ours. We went to the US Consulate yesterday and took the oath. Now all we are waiting on is her Visa which our guide can pick up on Thursday so we can leave on Friday. Once we enter San Francisco on Friday, Xu Hui will officially be a US citizen. Then we can get her a US passport and start the readoption process.
She has been doing great. She is full of energy and I have finally had to get on her a little bit, but other than that, she has been lots of fun. We have only broken two glasses at the hotel so far. The last day she has started me calling mommy and she says it with such gusto. It is pretty funny.
We are off to do some sightseeing this morning so I'll write more later.
She has been doing great. She is full of energy and I have finally had to get on her a little bit, but other than that, she has been lots of fun. We have only broken two glasses at the hotel so far. The last day she has started me calling mommy and she says it with such gusto. It is pretty funny.
We are off to do some sightseeing this morning so I'll write more later.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Day 9 and 10
Yesterday we went to a Buddhist temple. It was weird being there as a tourist while people were worshiping. It seemed wrong taking pictures. There were tables in front of Buddha with fresh flowers, fresh fruit, and peanuts which each had a special meaning. The worshipers would leave three sticks of incense and bow three times. I missed a lot of the explanation because Marissa was getting mobbed by people wanting pictures with her while the guide was giving the explanation. Marissa was getting irritated with the pictures because this group was obnoxious so I finally had to pull her away. Even while I was trying to get her away they were pulling on her arm. I told her we should have bought her a dark colored wig.
Then we were off to a clan house from the Qing Dynasty. It was pretty cool. They had galleries there with artwork. They had one that was all embroidery. I wish I could have gotten pictures because they were amazing. There was embroidery of landscapes, flowers, fish, and people. You wouldn't know until you got up close that it was embroidery. I have no idea how long it would take to finish one of those pieces because some of them were huge. They also had artists there doing their work. There was one guy doing finger painting that Xu Hui was fascinated with.
Today we went shopping. Nobody else in our group wanted to go so we got a personalized tour. We started out at a place that had jade and porcelain pieces. The guide taught us a bunch about picking out a quality piece of jade. It sure isn't cheap. We saw some awesome porcelain pieces. The clerk said that it took the artist over two months to complete a plate that was probably 12-14 inches in diameter. We then headed to what they call the pearl market. It was full of all sorts of jewelry vendors where the walls were lined with whatever gemstone the store specialized in. We walked into a pearl store where the walls were lined with bags and bags of pearls. We picked out the strand of pearls we wanted and then they knotted them right in front of us. We ended our trip at an embroidery store.
When we got back to the hotel we went out looking for lunch. We stopped at a store on the way to lunch that had artwork. The artist was there who ends up being a teacher at an orphanage school. He teaches the kids art. Many of the pieces in the gallery were works of the kids. You never would have known it. His partner at this school is a guy from Oregon who came to China a few years ago to adopt a child, so this artist is coming to Oregon next year to drum up support for their foundation that supports their school. It has been neat meeting and talking to the people here.
During lunch, Xu Hui was working with me on getting her name pronounced correctly with the correct tone. I got several sighs but towards the end finally got some thumbs up.
Not much on the agenda tomorrow. We may be going to the American Consulate to take the swearing in ceremony in the afternoon. If not, it will be on Wednesday. Once that is done, Xu Hui will be officially ours.
Then we were off to a clan house from the Qing Dynasty. It was pretty cool. They had galleries there with artwork. They had one that was all embroidery. I wish I could have gotten pictures because they were amazing. There was embroidery of landscapes, flowers, fish, and people. You wouldn't know until you got up close that it was embroidery. I have no idea how long it would take to finish one of those pieces because some of them were huge. They also had artists there doing their work. There was one guy doing finger painting that Xu Hui was fascinated with.
Today we went shopping. Nobody else in our group wanted to go so we got a personalized tour. We started out at a place that had jade and porcelain pieces. The guide taught us a bunch about picking out a quality piece of jade. It sure isn't cheap. We saw some awesome porcelain pieces. The clerk said that it took the artist over two months to complete a plate that was probably 12-14 inches in diameter. We then headed to what they call the pearl market. It was full of all sorts of jewelry vendors where the walls were lined with whatever gemstone the store specialized in. We walked into a pearl store where the walls were lined with bags and bags of pearls. We picked out the strand of pearls we wanted and then they knotted them right in front of us. We ended our trip at an embroidery store.
When we got back to the hotel we went out looking for lunch. We stopped at a store on the way to lunch that had artwork. The artist was there who ends up being a teacher at an orphanage school. He teaches the kids art. Many of the pieces in the gallery were works of the kids. You never would have known it. His partner at this school is a guy from Oregon who came to China a few years ago to adopt a child, so this artist is coming to Oregon next year to drum up support for their foundation that supports their school. It has been neat meeting and talking to the people here.
During lunch, Xu Hui was working with me on getting her name pronounced correctly with the correct tone. I got several sighs but towards the end finally got some thumbs up.
Not much on the agenda tomorrow. We may be going to the American Consulate to take the swearing in ceremony in the afternoon. If not, it will be on Wednesday. Once that is done, Xu Hui will be officially ours.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Day 7 and 8
We left Wuhan yesterday and arrived safely in Guangzhou. Xu Hui traveled like she was an experienced traveler. It was nice to leave Wuhan. Our guide there wasn't very helpful so I don't think we really got to experience the area like we could have. She also was always analyzing Xu Hui. Yesterday she kept saying she doesn't seem very happy. I finally told her that she was going through a bunch of changes and had a lot to process. We have found that Xu Hui is very quiet out around people. Even people who are speaking to her in Chinese. However, you get her back to the room with a deck of cards and she turns in to this little Chinese chatterbox. It is hilarious. She is starting to pick up some English. Today while playing cards, she told us good job several times in English and then I responded to her in Chinese and she responded with the English word.
We had Xu Hui's medical appointment this morning and have just been hanging out this afternoon. The hotel we are staying in is surrounded by lots of shops so we have been window shopping. We went to this one little shop and got to talking to the clerk. We wanted to get Chinese playing cards because that has been such an important part of our trip. Forgetting that we were supposed to bargain, I paid $20 for two decks of Chinese cards. Bargaining is just not my style so I felt really stupid when I did the conversion after we left the store. I told Scott we really didn't pay $20 for two decks, she also threw in two pairs of magnets for the girls and a Chinese New Year knot I think it is called. Oh well, hopefully we learned a lesson and made the lady's day. I'm sure she is still laughing at those stupid Americans. Then we went to 7 Eleven and I got a Chinese Mountain Dew.
Xu Hui just asked to play more cards so I have to go. It has been an hour or so since a game so I guess it is time to play.
We had Xu Hui's medical appointment this morning and have just been hanging out this afternoon. The hotel we are staying in is surrounded by lots of shops so we have been window shopping. We went to this one little shop and got to talking to the clerk. We wanted to get Chinese playing cards because that has been such an important part of our trip. Forgetting that we were supposed to bargain, I paid $20 for two decks of Chinese cards. Bargaining is just not my style so I felt really stupid when I did the conversion after we left the store. I told Scott we really didn't pay $20 for two decks, she also threw in two pairs of magnets for the girls and a Chinese New Year knot I think it is called. Oh well, hopefully we learned a lesson and made the lady's day. I'm sure she is still laughing at those stupid Americans. Then we went to 7 Eleven and I got a Chinese Mountain Dew.
Xu Hui just asked to play more cards so I have to go. It has been an hour or so since a game so I guess it is time to play.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Day 6
If we didn't know any better, we would have thought we were in South Dakota today. It was about 35 and the wind was blowing like you wouldn't believe. We went to a scenic area along the East Lake in Wuhan and we lasted for about 15 minutes. It was pretty cold. I have no idea what the actual temperature was with the windchill. Then we went to the Hubei Provincial Museum which was pretty cool. They had a set of bells that they used as a musical instrument that was amazing and the coffins they used to bury their rulers in were something else.
We are off to Guangzhou tomorrow evening. We are definitely ready for a change. This week has been a lot of sitting around in the hotel room. The girls were getting pretty antsy before we went out this afternoon. I'm hoping we will run into other families in Guangzhou to help pass the time. The weather is supposed to be nicer as well which will be better for getting out and doing things.
Xu Hui has been doing great. She definitely has lots of spunk. I think this one is going to be a papa's girl. We went to McDonald's tonight and she wanted a certain sandwich so I got it for her. It had some sort of spicy sauce on it she didn't like. I tried to wipe it off the best I could but it was still too much for her. Miss wanted more nuggets so I got a new sandwich for Xu Hui and when I got back to the table she got so excited. For being so little, I don't know where she is putting all this food she is eating.
Xu Hui and Marissa are getting along really well. She copies most everything Marissa does. If I ask her if she wants to play cards, she'll say no but if Marissa decides to play, she'll decide she wants to play as well. Her and Marissa are almost always hand in hand.
Off to get my little ladies to bed.
We are off to Guangzhou tomorrow evening. We are definitely ready for a change. This week has been a lot of sitting around in the hotel room. The girls were getting pretty antsy before we went out this afternoon. I'm hoping we will run into other families in Guangzhou to help pass the time. The weather is supposed to be nicer as well which will be better for getting out and doing things.
Xu Hui has been doing great. She definitely has lots of spunk. I think this one is going to be a papa's girl. We went to McDonald's tonight and she wanted a certain sandwich so I got it for her. It had some sort of spicy sauce on it she didn't like. I tried to wipe it off the best I could but it was still too much for her. Miss wanted more nuggets so I got a new sandwich for Xu Hui and when I got back to the table she got so excited. For being so little, I don't know where she is putting all this food she is eating.
Xu Hui and Marissa are getting along really well. She copies most everything Marissa does. If I ask her if she wants to play cards, she'll say no but if Marissa decides to play, she'll decide she wants to play as well. Her and Marissa are almost always hand in hand.
Off to get my little ladies to bed.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Day 5
We had a fun day today. The day started off with more cards, then shopping, a little sightseeing, and then more cards. Scott said he has never seen someone get so much enjoyment out of playing the card game War before. We have also been playing Memory with a full deck and that is a challenge. Xu Hui's love of cards will make her a perfect match for both sides of the family.
Our guide left us hanging on helping us shop to get clothes for Xu Hui, so we ventured out on our own today. Between our little guide book and what Chinese Scott knows, we did pretty good. Everyone was really helpful and patient, so that helped as well. We wandered upon this department store that was the biggest department store I had ever been in. Xu Hui seemed to enjoy shopping. The store had so many cute things that I had to concentrate on getting just the essentials for now. Xu Hui and Marissa walked in front of us hand in hand and were creating lots of buzz on the street. People still admired Marissa's hair. One clerk asked if that was her natural color.
We found a Pizza Hut for lunch which was something different than the same hotel food we have been eating for the last few days. However, this Pizza Hut was a bit fancier than the ones we have in the states.
On the way back from lunch we had a guy on the street ask us where we were from. We said America and he responded with Obama. It was pretty funny.
After lunch, we went to the Yellow Crane Pavillion. It is the home to a 164 ft high Qing-style building. It not only contains lots of art work to admire, but it can be climbed for views of the city from every direction. We didn't linger long as it was pretty cold today and the higher we got the colder and stronger the wind became.
Today was a great day. I am looking forward to tomorrow. It sounds like our sightseeing plans may change because of the weather, so it may be another day filled with lots of War, Memory, Garbage, and Frustration.
Our guide left us hanging on helping us shop to get clothes for Xu Hui, so we ventured out on our own today. Between our little guide book and what Chinese Scott knows, we did pretty good. Everyone was really helpful and patient, so that helped as well. We wandered upon this department store that was the biggest department store I had ever been in. Xu Hui seemed to enjoy shopping. The store had so many cute things that I had to concentrate on getting just the essentials for now. Xu Hui and Marissa walked in front of us hand in hand and were creating lots of buzz on the street. People still admired Marissa's hair. One clerk asked if that was her natural color.
We found a Pizza Hut for lunch which was something different than the same hotel food we have been eating for the last few days. However, this Pizza Hut was a bit fancier than the ones we have in the states.
On the way back from lunch we had a guy on the street ask us where we were from. We said America and he responded with Obama. It was pretty funny.
After lunch, we went to the Yellow Crane Pavillion. It is the home to a 164 ft high Qing-style building. It not only contains lots of art work to admire, but it can be climbed for views of the city from every direction. We didn't linger long as it was pretty cold today and the higher we got the colder and stronger the wind became.
Today was a great day. I am looking forward to tomorrow. It sounds like our sightseeing plans may change because of the weather, so it may be another day filled with lots of War, Memory, Garbage, and Frustration.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
End of Day 4
Well, another day it has been. The morning started off great until we went to the Civil Affairs Office to start the adoption registration process and Xu Hui's nannies were there. She was fine until we were asked to step into another room and then she had a meltdown. For what seemed like a hopeless eternity she cried and kept saying she wanted to go back to the orphanage. She had both of her nannies plus the Civil Affairs lady talking to her at once. I finally picked her up and carried her to the elevator where she wiggled free and went back to her nanny. Our guide got her talked in to going to the store to get some new markers and books. We ended up with a bunch of other stuff from the store. One of which was a pencil sharpener but we didn't buy any pencils. However, I have to say it sharpens pencils better than any manual pencil sharpener I have ever had.
Once we were done in the store and back in the van our guide told us that adopting older children is tough because they have so many memories. She proceeded to tell us that we should have adopted one around 3 and said that if any of our friends were thinking about adopting, we should tell them to adopt a child around that age. Needless to say, this didn't help me feel any better about the situation. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was all I could do to keep myself together.
When we got back to the hotel, Xu Hui got out all her new things and seemed very happy. She purchased several containers of gum so she was chewing one piece after another and then was in to all sorts of other snacks. For the moment, I wasn't going to make a big deal about it. After a few hours we went to McDonald's for lunch and then it was back to the hotel. I decided to play some solitaire while she was coloring. Marissa asked if we could play cards, so we sat on one of the beds to play War. We asked Xu Hui if she wanted to play and she crawled right up on the bed and got all excited. Oh my gosh, she loves to play cards. She must have played the game before because she didn't have any trouble with it except for some of the face cards. She got to laughing like you wouldn't believe. Then we taught her how to play Memory. Grandma Ruth, you had better be ready because you are going to have another one to challenge you now. It was so funny because if Xu Hui knew where the match was she would get excited and turn over the match even when it was Marissa's turn and would hand Marissa the cards. I had to watch her too because she would be taking peaks at the cards while it was Marissa's turn. When I would catch her she would just giggle.
So the day ended on a positive note. We got her a bath and she went to supper without her backpack. When we got back to the room she put her PJ's on, brushed her teeth, and crawled in to bed and I think is already out like a light.
Once we were done in the store and back in the van our guide told us that adopting older children is tough because they have so many memories. She proceeded to tell us that we should have adopted one around 3 and said that if any of our friends were thinking about adopting, we should tell them to adopt a child around that age. Needless to say, this didn't help me feel any better about the situation. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was all I could do to keep myself together.
When we got back to the hotel, Xu Hui got out all her new things and seemed very happy. She purchased several containers of gum so she was chewing one piece after another and then was in to all sorts of other snacks. For the moment, I wasn't going to make a big deal about it. After a few hours we went to McDonald's for lunch and then it was back to the hotel. I decided to play some solitaire while she was coloring. Marissa asked if we could play cards, so we sat on one of the beds to play War. We asked Xu Hui if she wanted to play and she crawled right up on the bed and got all excited. Oh my gosh, she loves to play cards. She must have played the game before because she didn't have any trouble with it except for some of the face cards. She got to laughing like you wouldn't believe. Then we taught her how to play Memory. Grandma Ruth, you had better be ready because you are going to have another one to challenge you now. It was so funny because if Xu Hui knew where the match was she would get excited and turn over the match even when it was Marissa's turn and would hand Marissa the cards. I had to watch her too because she would be taking peaks at the cards while it was Marissa's turn. When I would catch her she would just giggle.
So the day ended on a positive note. We got her a bath and she went to supper without her backpack. When we got back to the room she put her PJ's on, brushed her teeth, and crawled in to bed and I think is already out like a light.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Day 4
Everyone slept well last night. Xu Hui seems to be in good spirits this morning. She volunteered to take off her clothes from the orphanage and put on a new outfit I had brought for her. I actually guessed just about right for the size. The pants are a little big around the waist so I have emptied the suitcases looking for a safety pin but have not found one. She won't remove her socks though so she is going to have a dark purple outfit on with pink socks and red shoes, but that is okay. We made progress with just getting the outfit on so that's a start. Her and Miss are playing with a Littlest Pet Shop set we brought that has tons of pieces. She won't play with anything of hers. The things that we gave her yesterday are kept securely in her backpack.
We head back to the Civil Affairs office this morning for more paperwork and to pay all the fees. It will be good to get rid of the adoption money. Then I think it is off sightseeing and hopefully shopping to pick up some more clothes for Xu Hui.
We head back to the Civil Affairs office this morning for more paperwork and to pay all the fees. It will be good to get rid of the adoption money. Then I think it is off sightseeing and hopefully shopping to pick up some more clothes for Xu Hui.
Gotch Day Continued
Well, the long awaited day is over. We were the only ones adopting a child so it wasn't anything like the stories we had heard. When we got to the Civil Affairs office, Xu Hui and her nannies were there waiting for us. Xu Hui had the picture of us we had sent in her hand. She was dressed in several layers just like they said she would be. She called us momma and father and called Miss sister. We weren't there very long. Maybe 15-20 minutes. Once we were done at the Civil Affairs office we headed back to the hotel and the girls played. Xu Hui was full of smiles until about 5:30 when she picked her backpack up and headed for the door. We gathered our things and decided we would go get something to eat. She was really quiet during dinner and we could see her demeanor change a bit. When we left the restaurant, she insisted we go downstairs instead of up. That is when she started to cry. I picked her up and carried her to the room. Luckily, it wasn't a bloody murder cry.
When we got to the room, she sat on my lap sobbing and saying the same thing over and over again. Knowing I had no idea what she was saying, she got out her picture book and pointed to the picture of the orphanage and all her nannies. It was heart wrenching. The whole time she had her backpack on and wouldn't take it off but only to get something out of it. After a little while, she got up and got a snack but still refused to take off her backpack or her shoes. I got her to sit on the bed with me which I guess she decided warranted taking off her shoes but not her backpack. After 5 minutes or so she ended up taking her backpack off and heaving it to the rollaway and asked that I unzip her jumper. She then proceeded to crawl under the covers and was asleep in a matter of minutes.
So all in all, I can't complain about the day. Xu Hui is going to have those days, so we just need to do what we can to help her through this grieving process.
When we got to the room, she sat on my lap sobbing and saying the same thing over and over again. Knowing I had no idea what she was saying, she got out her picture book and pointed to the picture of the orphanage and all her nannies. It was heart wrenching. The whole time she had her backpack on and wouldn't take it off but only to get something out of it. After a little while, she got up and got a snack but still refused to take off her backpack or her shoes. I got her to sit on the bed with me which I guess she decided warranted taking off her shoes but not her backpack. After 5 minutes or so she ended up taking her backpack off and heaving it to the rollaway and asked that I unzip her jumper. She then proceeded to crawl under the covers and was asleep in a matter of minutes.
So all in all, I can't complain about the day. Xu Hui is going to have those days, so we just need to do what we can to help her through this grieving process.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Day 3 - Gotcha Day
The big day is finally here. Xu Hui is coming by train this morning. We get to pick her up at 3:00 this afternoon. We can't wait. I'm sure time this morning will seem it is just standing still.
Can't view comments.
We are able to post to our blog, but we can't view comments unless Scott finds a way around it. He was able to get it so we can at least see our posts but has not been able to work the system to where we can view comments. So if you post something, please do not be offended if I don't respond. I'm not ignoring you, I just can't view the comments.
Day 2
It is Sunday and we have made it to Wuhan. Today was a day of rest once we arrived at the hotel. Little Miss was on her own this afternoon as I slept the afternoon away. I think the lack of sleep before we traveled and then the time change finally caught up with me. The hotel we are in is very nice. It is probably one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. The drive today was interesting. We were on a six lane highway crowded with cars, pedestrians, people on bicycles and scooters. How nobody gets hit is beyond me. There are times I just have to close my eyes.
The drive today also made me appreciate America and what we have. We are so blessed.
It is warm here and very muggy. I'm going to have wished that I brought cooler clothes.
Well, tonight is the last night of just the three of us. Tomorrow is the start of a whole new chapter for us. I hope that Xu Hui is as excited as we are to have her join our family. I hope she likes us.
The drive today also made me appreciate America and what we have. We are so blessed.
It is warm here and very muggy. I'm going to have wished that I brought cooler clothes.
Well, tonight is the last night of just the three of us. Tomorrow is the start of a whole new chapter for us. I hope that Xu Hui is as excited as we are to have her join our family. I hope she likes us.
Day 1 Continued
Wow, what a day we had. We started out at Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. The square was surrounded by huge pillars for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Each pillar represented a different ethnic minority. There are 56 ethnic groups in China of which 55 are minorities.
Street vendors were everywhere. However, they are illegal in China so if the police were coming they would start packing up. They were very pushy and would keep following you. One vendor offered a flag to Miss. She was just about ready to take it before we said no. She got all embarrassed. We had to remind her that nothing was free.
Miss was a celebrity. People would turn and stare at her. Many people pulled her aside to get their picture taken with her. We lost count after the 6th or 7th picture. So if you see a picture of Marissa with some stranger, this is what it is all about. We had to really watch her because some people wouldn't ask and would just pull her away. Most people were good about asking though. She was a very good sport and smiled nicely. It was nice to have the guide along because she would tell us what people were saying about her. Scott knows a little Mandarin so he could pick out a little of it as well. One little boy who must have been maybe 3 said, "She is from a foreign country." Scott taught Marissa how to say no problem in Chinese. So she responded to a group once after a picture and then they thought she could speak Chinese so they started talking to her. Of course, she responded with a blank stare. I told Scott he needed to teach her how to say that is all I know.
The Forbidden City was something else. It just kept going. Can you imagine having 3,000 concubines? That would keep one busy.
After the Forbidden City we went to a silk factory. We tried our hand at making a silk blanket and failed miserably. Then it was off to lunch and The Great Wall.
I had no idea what we were in for when we went to the Great Wall. I should have known when the guide said she would wait for us at the entrance. We walked around the corner and were faced with steps for as far as one could see up the mountain. These weren't just ordinary steps. They varied in height and depth which made the climb even more challenging. When I got to the first tower, I thought I was going to die. However, I had to keep going because Marissa was off to the next tower. She was like an Energizer bunny. People commented on how well she was doing. She finally wore out though a tower or two from what we think was the top, but who knows. Every time we thought we were almost there, the path would turn and there would be another mountain of steps. It is one of those things that you have to experience to really appreciate.
After The Great Wall it was back to the hotel. We were able to experience what traffic was really like in Beijing. The guide said it was typical traffic because on the weekends there aren't restrictions on who could drive and many people headed to the suburbs. We took a detour by the Olympic Stadium but it was dark by that time so we were able to just see the silhouette of the buildings. By the time we got back to the hotel, Miss was sound asleep in the car. I think we finally wore her out.
Street vendors were everywhere. However, they are illegal in China so if the police were coming they would start packing up. They were very pushy and would keep following you. One vendor offered a flag to Miss. She was just about ready to take it before we said no. She got all embarrassed. We had to remind her that nothing was free.
Miss was a celebrity. People would turn and stare at her. Many people pulled her aside to get their picture taken with her. We lost count after the 6th or 7th picture. So if you see a picture of Marissa with some stranger, this is what it is all about. We had to really watch her because some people wouldn't ask and would just pull her away. Most people were good about asking though. She was a very good sport and smiled nicely. It was nice to have the guide along because she would tell us what people were saying about her. Scott knows a little Mandarin so he could pick out a little of it as well. One little boy who must have been maybe 3 said, "She is from a foreign country." Scott taught Marissa how to say no problem in Chinese. So she responded to a group once after a picture and then they thought she could speak Chinese so they started talking to her. Of course, she responded with a blank stare. I told Scott he needed to teach her how to say that is all I know.
The Forbidden City was something else. It just kept going. Can you imagine having 3,000 concubines? That would keep one busy.
After the Forbidden City we went to a silk factory. We tried our hand at making a silk blanket and failed miserably. Then it was off to lunch and The Great Wall.
I had no idea what we were in for when we went to the Great Wall. I should have known when the guide said she would wait for us at the entrance. We walked around the corner and were faced with steps for as far as one could see up the mountain. These weren't just ordinary steps. They varied in height and depth which made the climb even more challenging. When I got to the first tower, I thought I was going to die. However, I had to keep going because Marissa was off to the next tower. She was like an Energizer bunny. People commented on how well she was doing. She finally wore out though a tower or two from what we think was the top, but who knows. Every time we thought we were almost there, the path would turn and there would be another mountain of steps. It is one of those things that you have to experience to really appreciate.
After The Great Wall it was back to the hotel. We were able to experience what traffic was really like in Beijing. The guide said it was typical traffic because on the weekends there aren't restrictions on who could drive and many people headed to the suburbs. We took a detour by the Olympic Stadium but it was dark by that time so we were able to just see the silhouette of the buildings. By the time we got back to the hotel, Miss was sound asleep in the car. I think we finally wore her out.
Day 1
It is Day 1 in China. We arrived without incident which was good. Getting through customs was a breeze. We are preparing to leave shortly to go to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. It is really foggy right now but the sun is supposed to come out. Miss is antsy to get going. She was up at 4 this morning after only 4 hours of sleep and has been going strong ever since.
Friday, November 6, 2009
We have made it to Toyko
The flight to Tokyo wasn't too bad. They at least kept us well fed so Marissa was happy. She felt pretty special because she got special kids' meals. We were supposed to have a Towncar to the airport this morning but they sent a limo so she was excited. We are off to Beijing in about an hour. Hopefully, Miss will sleep at least a little bit on this next flight or she is going to be one tired little girl tomorrow.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Travel day has arrived
Well, our travel day is finally here. I can't believe it. I think I am just about ready. I have two pounds to spare between our suitcases. Packing each suitcase under 44 lbs is a challenge. I packed lots of snacks though so I can always ditch some of that if need be. The last few days have been a little stressful. I owe my family big time because I know I have been a little grouchy. Hopefully once we get gone I can forget about everything that I didn't get done at the office and at home and just enjoy the trip. I just as well right because there won't be anything I can do about it in China. The work will always be there.
The next time we chat, we will probably be in China. Until then, have a wonderful day.
The next time we chat, we will probably be in China. Until then, have a wonderful day.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Room is Ready
The furniture came today so Hui's room is almost ready. I still have to tackle putting this cool clock on the wall that is made all out of stickers. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I bought that. It could be an experience trying to get that up.
Miss said the bed is so small. I told her most kids sleep in a twin sized bed. She said she was lucky to have a full. Her gratefulness lasted for about a minute until I pulled Hui's scooter out of the box and it had a wheely bar. One look at her was all it took though and she was cool.
Must keep going. I am still trying to get my car back in the garage from when Mom and Dad were here and we used it as a place to put stuff that we didn't know what to do with at the moment. I'm thinking about putting a lot of it in a box and shipping it to my father since he was complaining about how much stuff I had when he was here. The last time he complained about my plastic containers, he got 60 for his 60th birthday.
Miss said the bed is so small. I told her most kids sleep in a twin sized bed. She said she was lucky to have a full. Her gratefulness lasted for about a minute until I pulled Hui's scooter out of the box and it had a wheely bar. One look at her was all it took though and she was cool.
Must keep going. I am still trying to get my car back in the garage from when Mom and Dad were here and we used it as a place to put stuff that we didn't know what to do with at the moment. I'm thinking about putting a lot of it in a box and shipping it to my father since he was complaining about how much stuff I had when he was here. The last time he complained about my plastic containers, he got 60 for his 60th birthday.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Getting Closer
Time is ticking. There seems to be so much to do before we leave in less than a week. It will somehow get done. Just a note that we aren't sure that we will be able to access the blog from China. Scott has someone in China trying to test it for us so maybe we will know before we leave whether it will work or not. If not, I will try to access Facebook and if that doesn't work, I'll post all the updates when we get home. After three years, what is a couple more weeks.
We'll, off to get some work done at the office. Have a wonderful weekend!
We'll, off to get some work done at the office. Have a wonderful weekend!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
11 more days
The clock is ticking. Only 11 more days before we leave for China. There seems to be so much to do yet. However, Mom and Dad were a great help when they were here last week. I don't know what I would do without them. Dad didn't even mind spending a day shopping with us. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you.
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