Last Post from Guangzhou

Hello!! This will probably be our last post from China. We feel so blessed to have Jaci and appreciative that China has allowed us to adopt our little one. It has definately been a trip of a lifetime but I am really ready to come home. I am ready for Jaci to meet all of her family and to start our life together...living out of a hotel room definately gets old fast.





Today, we met our group for the traditionally red couch photos in the White Swan Hotel. I was very surprised that Jaci was the baby that started all of the crying...before this, she had not really cried except when she was sleepy in our room. I think it was because neither Keith nor I was holding her and that scared her a little.





After that, we just relaxed and started our packing. We are so excited to get home!! Of course, we now have a 13 hour flight to LA, a 6 hour layover, and then on to Houston and then FINALLY home...YEA!! Mackenzie turns 13 (a teenager!!) the day we get home and we cannot wait to tell her Happy Birthday!!!





Here are some of the pictures from today...just think...you will get to see little Jaci very soon and I know everyone is going to love her like we do.

Sunday Afternoon

Hello! I am so sorry that I did not post yesterday...we were wore out and I didn't even check my emails...which is unheard of for me! Today, we went to a really neat zoo/safari. It was about an hour from our hotel and they had all kinds of great animals. We saw a giant panda, a red panda, lots of monkeys, elephants and giraffes. Then we loaded into a train and went on a safari where all of the animals are roaming around. It was the best day we have had sight-seeing.





We are enjoying getting out of the hotel every day so that the walls don't start closing in on us. XiXi has said that we are one of the most active groups she has had in awhile because we want to go do something each day. It really has made the days go by more quickly.





Jaci is a sweetie and she has really come out of her shell. She has really good lungs on her and can cry very loudly when she is unhappy. Fortunately, she is a happy & sweet baby 95% of the time.





It seems like we have been here a very long time and we cannot wait to see everyone. We were very sad that we missed Mackenzie's track meet and are very proud of her for making cheerleader. We hope that Logan's leg is getting better so that we can watch him run when we get back (we know you aren't missing having track practice!!!) We will be home soon and Jaci cannot wait to meet her brothers & sister. She is also really ready to be spoiled by Meme and Aunt Brandi. It won't be long!!!!

TGIF

It is our last Friday here and besides being very homesick...it was a great day. We went to a Buddhist temple today that is 700 years old. There were Buddhist monks and we even watched a little of their service. Keith and two of the other fathers walked up to the very top of the tower and took some neat pictures of the city. We then went to McDonald's and it was pretty good. Still did not feel like home...but close enough!





Jaci continues to blossom and bond...she now will only go to sleep if she is laying on me while I pat her. When I try to lay her down, the tears start. I am really enjoying the cuddle time so it isn't bothering me at all.





Tomorrow, we are going to a park and then to a toy store. We are looking forward to it and are counting the days until we get to come home.

Trip to Botanical Gardens

Hello! Today we went to the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens...it was amazing...so green and beautiful. It was very peaceful & serene. We definately did not feel like we were in a huge city of several million people while we were there. It was alot of walking and today was actually pretty hot & humid so we felt like we even got a little exercise.





Keith and I are both struggling with sinus infections and XiXi took me to a pharmacy to get some medicine. We starting taking it today so hopefully it will work pretty quickly. We did not even feel like going on the river cruise this evening. Jaci is feeling better...her nose it still pretty runny but she has stopped coughing. She does have a rash but we think it is a heat rash and I picked up some lotion at the pharmacy for that as well. She did not get her full nap this afternoon either so she was a little cranky this evening but did go to bed very quickly & without crying much at all.





The baby in our group that was sick is doing much better. Her parents first took her to the children's hospital late one night because she was having a hard time breathing. The next day they took her to a western clinic and they said that her condition was pretty serious. They gave the parents a breathing machine so that she would not have to keep coming back to the clinic and she is pretty good. They did not think it was pneumonia but a bronchial infection. We are all very happy that she is better.





Tomorrow we are going to visit a temple and then a electronics mall. Our guide has told us that there are large 'malls' but they all have the same stuff...a jewelry mall or a furniture mall instead how our malls are...it is very different. There is a McDonald's in the electronics mall so we are pretty excited. It is pretty sad when McD's is gourmet food!!!





I think nearly everyone in our group is experiencing major homesickness...we are ready to be back home. I am even ready to cook...and to clean...and do laundry... It isn't too many more days and we will be back with our sweet little one. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Wednesday

Sorry I didn't post yesterday...I cannot get to the blog on this computer but I found a backdoor that I hope works. Today we went to the Guangzhou Zoo and it was very beautiful. Lots of big trees and very green. They did not have a ton of animals but it was nice. Jaci decided that she would nap in her stroller the entire time.





It has been pretty relaxing so far today...we rested for a little bit and then strolled through the shops near the hotel. Jaci did not get her full afternoon nap out so she is cranky. Tomorrow we go to the botanical gardens and then for a dinner cruise on the Pearl River. All of the families in our group are great





We have been here a week now and time really has flown by. We are VERY ready to be home. Jaci is crying so I better go help out!!

It's Official!!

Today, we went back to the Civil Affairs Office and Yang Li Hai officially became our daughter. We were interviewed twice and promised to love her and raise her always. They asked if we promised to never abandon her and to love her as our own. All of the answers were, of course, YES!!

We have discovered that our fiesty, outgoing little girl becomes very shy in front of others. She will babble, dance, and run around the hotel room but when we get in a group she clams up. That is a good sign that she is comfortable with us and is starting to bond nicely.

Keith took several pictures from the bus ride to the Civil Affairs Office. Driving here is very very scary...cars are coming from all directions, people are walking all over the place, and there are bicycles weaving through traffic. I thought I was going to have a heart attack several times!!

We also had to take Jaci for her physical examination...she is healthy & did not cry during her exam. When the doctor used the tongue depressor, she came pretty close. She was a real trooper thru the whole process.

This evening, we are meeting our group for Cantonese food...we are being adventurous!! Hope everyone is having fun...I cannot believe that Spring Break is over!! There is a school right next to our hotel so I am thinking about everyone!!

I have several emails to respond to...I promise I will tonight! I have been so tired that I have been pretty useless after we get Jaci to sleep at night. I am feeling much better today so I will try to get a response out. Thanks for leaving us messages...it makes us feel much closer to home!!

Another Lazy Day

Hello! There was absolutely nothing on our agenda today so we spent the day being pretty lazy. After sleeping in a little (around 7:30ish), we ate breakfast and then ran to a small grocery store near our hotel and bought Jaci a few more toys. She enjoyed the toys and her favorite game is to knock them around the room. We have also discovered that Jaci is very ticklish and has the cutest little laugh. She did have a short cry this afternoon because of the nose sucker...she hates it! Her little cry was very adorable and we hugged & loved on her and all was better in a matter of moments. She will repeat words back and so far she has said both mama and dada which, of course, made our day!! She likes to wave, blow kisses occasionally and will give kisses. We did not take many pictures today but here a some. We miss everyone LOTS and we also miss American food, drinks with ice, and Keith especially misses Dr. Pepper.

Saturday

It has been a pretty lazy Saturday...the weather was cold & rainy so we didn't do too much outside. I wish I had listened to my very wise mother and brought a jacket...you know what they say...Moms are always right!!

Jaci continues to be a sweetie. We keep knocking on wood because she has not cried one time...the only close call was when I was using the sucker to try to clear her nose. She does not like that at all. Her list of things she does like is much longer: she loves baths, imitating her daddy's faces, running around trying to pull things off cabinets (yes...she is very active!), laughing, and her bottle. I think the last is her absolute favorite...she loves to eat but does not really like solid food yet. She will put it in her mouth but will not chew it yet. She has a cough and drainage so we are trying to get that cleared up. Even though she does not feel 100% she is still very cheerful and sweet.

Our only real activity of the day was going to a super center. I did not think this was possible but Guangzhou (population 9 million) DOES NOT have a Wal-Mart so we went to a French store that is basically the same thing. To get an idea of how crazy busy it was, picture Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving and multiply it by about 10. There were people everywhere. We did get alot of stares and many people walked up to our group to ooh and ahh over the girls. All of the babies are super adorable and very sweet.

I do want to prepare everyone...she loves to play and is very, very active. She is definately going to keep us on our toes!!

Gotcha Day!

Today we met our Jaci and she is absolutely precious. We met at the Civil Affairs Office in dowtown Guangzhou which has about 9 million people...the bus ride was very interesting to say the least. When we got into the building, we saw the Leizhou babies first. Jaci is from the Yangjiang SWI (orphanage) and they had not yet arrived. We took pictures for the Leizhou group who received their daughters first. All babies were adorable. Of course, by this time my stomach was in knots and the anticipation was about to do me in. XiXi, our guide, announced that the Yangjiang babies were here and to get ready. Almost immediately, they called Yang Li Hai (our beautiful daughter) and with help she walked to me. She smiled and stared at me with her big brown eyes...it was amazing!

She is definately very animated and social. She laughed and imitated kissing sounds back to me. It was love at first sight!! She ate pears & a bottle with formula and rice and we have already changed a poopy diaper. Right now, she is sitting in her daddy's lap and is waving to me (and yawning...which is way cute!)

What a wonderful day...I cannot wait for everyone to meet Jaci! Loves & Hugs & Kisses...

Thursday Morning

Hello! Yesterday was a happy blur...after we checked into our hotel, we decided to take a short nap and recharge a little. Nine hours later we woke up...guess we were a tad bit tired!! This morning was traumatic for me...my hair straightener died!! Now I will have two weeks of curly hair...I nearly cried. Luckily, it is really humid here so I would have had trouble keeping it from frizzing anyway. You know how I am about my hair...

In about thirty minutes, we meet our group to travel to the Civil Affairs Office and will meet our Jaci. I cannot believe that it is really happening!!!

I figured out how to use our phone card so we should be able to call home soon. The next time I post it will be pictures of Jaci. Here is a picture of our group meeting to make sure everyone has their paperwork. Everyone is very nice and I know we are going to have a good time together. Have I mentioned that we miss everyone...LOTS!!

We Made It!!

We're here! After an excrutiating couple of days in the airport, we are safely in our room at the Victory Hotel. Poor Keith spent his entire birthday stuck waiting in airports and boarding planes but he was a real trooper. Our last flight was definately the hardest...sixteen hours scrunched together with no leg room at all. And that was after waiting in LAX for over six hours!! But all is good now and we are exhausted but happy to be here. Our guide XiXi is very sweet and we meet her and the five other families tomorrow to get ready to meet Jaci at 2:30 at the Civil Affairs Office. Yea!!! We miss everyone oodles & goodles and will post often. Here are some pictures of our room and the view. It really is a nice hotel.

We are waiting in LAX--been up WAY too long!

Last meal in LA--Mexican food that was just so-so

Yes...that is a crib!!!!!! Yea!

It is so green & beautiful...also very hazy.

We Have Travel Dates!!

March 15: Arrival Guangzhou. Guide picks up from Guangzhou Airport and transfers to your hotels.

March 16: Gotcha at 2:30pm.

March 17: Shopping for baby needs.

March 18: Guangzhou Zoo.(Optional)

March 19: Civil Affair Registration. Afternoon medical check.

March 20: Morning meeting room fill up all the forms. Afternoon go to Police Department for applying child's Chinese passport. Adoption Certificate ready.

March 21: Yangjiang families take a 3 hour bus ride to Yangjiang. Check in at Yangjiang Hotel. Afternoon, Yangjiang city tour.

March 22: Visiting orphanages and the orphanage cities.

March 23: Coming back to Guangzhou.

March 24: Botanic Garden.(Optional)

March 25: Guangdong Folk Museum. (Optional)

March 26: Six Babyan Temple.(Optional)

March 27: Consulate Appointment. Night time, Pearl River Cruise.(Optional)

March 28: Around 2:30pm, our bus will pick up everyone to Consulate for Swearing In Ceremony. Your child's American Visa will be ready round 4:30pm.

March 29: All families departure from Guangzhou back to States.