A life of hope and promise

Vacation

2011-06-15T12:14:00.001-07:00

We are in beautiful Sanibel Island. This is the life. The kids have shelled, swam, gone shopping, as well as various other snazzy stuff. Fun in the sun. And it is HOT.

We are having a nice family vacation.

Life is good.

Nathan's Baptism

2010-11-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

One week ago, Nathan was baptized. We had a celebration at our house afterwards, with catered Chinese food in Nathan's honor. It was a very good day.

Slowly, things are becoming a little easier as we all continue to mesh as a family of four. It has been challenging, because in a lot of ways Nathan is just as needy as a toddler. He gets very jealous when I spend time with Avery. I need to stop and think that he has been through so much in these six months, and that it will take more time and energy and effort to guide him. And, God willing, I've got the time.

I keep having flash forwards in time, when my kids are older, and then I find I will take moments to stop doing the dishes (and countless endless other tasks) and sit with them. Living in the moment. I will never get this time back when they are small. And although there are bumps in the road, our lives aren't meant to be perfect. And as much as I want things to be well with us, I've found that the hardest times in my life have given me determination and wisdom. So, as Thanksgiving approaches, I am very thankful for my family. And God's beautiful plan. Bumps and all.

Wish lists already...

2010-10-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are all still alive. Every moment of every day is busy. I didn't know that life could be this busy. And I only have two kids...

Nathan started out school with excitement and optimism. Just a few weeks into it, he became so frustrated that he internalized a lot of anger. He is a perfectionist, and that coupled with the fact that he is trying to adapt to a brand new culture and language would put any young child into a challenging state of affairs, to say the least. He has periodically grieved his losses, and recently he has really been really turning the corner in a positive direction. His demeanor has changed for the better, and he generally seems to be, day by day, becoming more comfortable with his family and his new country.

He got to go fishing with his Papa recently, and he caught 2 blue gills. Although he likes to catch the fish, he expects them to bite right away. We had a good time.

And Avery just loves her cat Abby. I think that Abby follows her around in the mornings especially since she knows Avery will patiently scratch her cheeks until the cat has had enough of the scratching and leaves. Avery just adores Abby. It is really nice to see her love her kitty so much.

So here is a picture of the kids looking at the Toys 'R Us catalog, you know, the Christmas edition. And seemingly Nathan knows just what to do and how this whole Christmas thing works. Seems to me he already loves that jolly 'ole fat man. He was bothered at the thought that St. Nick would be getting his carpet wet with snow. So I told him not to worry, he'll wipe his feet off before he delivers the presents under the tree. He is so concerned about a mess. He is his father's son.

Soccer begins....

2010-08-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

We took a chance and signed both of the kids up for soccer right after we arrived home in May, not knowing what our lives had in store for the future. Thankfully, Nathan is pretty easygoing, and likes to try new things. And so far, so good.

We have practices every Monday and Wednesday, and the first game was this past Saturday. Avery was daydreaming a lot of the time, and also being a stinker too to her momma, which got her a talking to after the game. I'll plead the fifth on the specifics.

Nathan, who had been a little unsure of what to do all through the practices, completely brought his "A" game, and scored a goal and an assist! It was amazing to see the confidence in him, and to experience him growing in so many ways day by day.

Tomorrow, the kids go back to school. I just can't believe it. Nathan is starting first grade, and I know he'll do fine. I pray that his teacher will be understanding of this brave child who has been through so many changes in these past three months. He has come so far with learning our family unit, our language, and what is expected of him. He still holds back most of the time with his affection, but he seems happy and content, and we do get an "I love you" at night from him (after we tell him of course, but we'll take it any way we can get it).

I can only imagine what the future holds for him, and how he will be in another three months. We decided we will send him to Chinese school, which starts at the end of the month.

And our Avery, she continues to amaze me every day with her vocabulary, reasoning, and negotiating skills. She is a funny, funny girl, and sometimes, she'll say something, and we are cracking up until she makes a sort of snorting sound, and then, well, we laugh even harder. We've discovered it's fun to have "girl parties" and paint our nails and do the things that girls like to do. And she insists on locking her bedroom door during these parties to make sure that no boys get in...

Long weekend vacation

2010-07-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin recently for a last minute getaway before I went back to work. The first night, we stayed at an indoor water park, which had a "countryside view" of horses. It was so calming watching the horses graze in the distance. Avery absolutely loved watching them. She was squealing with excitement when she first saw them - adorable. After we checked out of the hotel, we went to a petting zoo and also let Avery ride a pony. She was a little scared, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Nathan is talking more each day. I feel like every day he says something new. Here are some of the latest things: "Can you find a fish?" and "What are you talking about?" and "I have something for you." And last night he told Avery, "Get outta my room!" Yes, he was mad. Avery knows how to press every one of Nathan's buttons and she had harassed him, and he had had enough. Gotta love the sibling fights. It happens to all of us who have siblings. They both really need to start school, so that they can focus on something other than tattling on each other. Sigh. And life goes on....

Beach and boat ride

2010-07-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

We are fortunate enough to have some good friends that have a boat. We spent the morning at the beach, and in the afternoon, we took a boat ride. Both of the kids got to drive the boat (with our friend Jeff behind them) and they were very excited.

Avery is our thrill seeker, and clearly you can see she is loving life. Nathan was probably concentrating on not trying to hit anyone. It was a great day.

Tomorrow, I go back to work. I am thankful for my time off with the kids. There were some amazing days, and some very tough days. And I would not change a thing.

I feel that Nathan has grown so much since we met him 2.5 months ago. His English continues to amaze me, and he is keeping up his Chinese with our sister-in-law. Avery has struggled at times not being the only one anymore, but slowly she is understanding what having a brother is all about. Next month, Nathan will start first grade and Avery will go back to preschool. They are both ready, and I think that the structure will be good for them both.

So the coffee pot is set to brew at 6am. Yes, caffeine is my friend.

America the Beautiful

2010-07-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. We took the kids to the fireworks, and they had a great time. They were running around before the fireworks, chasing daddy and the other friends that we were with.

We also went to the 4th of July parade that we attend every year at Eric's uncle's house. It was amazing to watch Nathan, and to be present with this boy who is now an American citizen. I was feeling a sense of pride for him, an opportunity that he will get to be whatever he wants to be, and I was humbled by him having freedom. Sweet freedom.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-07T09:55:00.001-07:00

English explosion

2010-06-30T13:15:00.001-07:00

Well this boy of ours is talking up a storm. He is comprehending at an unbelievable rate as well. Here are some of the things he is saying:

"This is for you."

"Watch this."

"I want to do."

"What are you doing?"

"Mother, I can't do this. This is too hard."

"I want to take a picture."

And his new favorite word...."AWESOME!"

It is amazing to think how far he has come. And I am the one who has been able to spend each day with him, to watch him grow. There have been some tough times, but I am very thankful that the things that we needed to address are very minor. And I cannot wait to have some expanded conversations with him. I have a feeling that time will be just a few months away...

Oh, and have I ever mentioned what a detail-oriented kid I got? He is very skilled at building things. I see a Purdue Engineer in my future....

Look Ma...I lost my tooth!

2010-06-24T10:47:00.001-07:00

Nathan lost his tooth - the top one that was loose since China - on June 18th. He was very excited and couldn't wait to tell us. And he was even more excited to get money. He was actually at Grandma's house when he lost it, so he wanted to call his momma right away. Sweet boy. And after a pretty rough week, it was such a nice moment between us on the phone. I felt even more of a closeness to him.

Since last Friday, he has been so much better. I am so very thankful. He is now starting his whining thing a little bit in the past day or two, but it is more tolerable.

We had a visit to my work today, and Nathan and Avery drew pictures for everyone. Nathan even gave the doctor a (fake) shot! Too funny....

And oh! The other day Nathan told me, "Mother, can you open this?" Holy Moley - can you believe all of those words he put together at once? So proud of him...

Tough times

2010-06-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a trying time for myself and Nathan. In addition to a lot of whining, he has finally let out his tears, which I believe he was holding in since we got him. I am talking some serious crying here. I think he had to finally start to grieve, and let out some of his emotions that he has been keeping inside - a very normal part of his being adopted into a new family, language and culture... dealing with his losses. He has been testing my every last ounce of patience, and trying to be in complete control. Of course, he needs to understand that Eric and I are the ones in control, and I believe that from the last few days and the progress I think we have made, that he is beginning to understand that. I must keep reminding myself how scary it must be to be in his size 12 shoes. And he has proven that he is a boy of courage.

No one said that this would be easy. I am so thankful that I am off of work right now, so that I can deal with every situation as it comes. The time is going by so fast.

I made Nathan a chart, where he can earn stickers for good deeds being done. Five stickers earn him a fun size Kit Kat bar, which to him is a big motivator - and being a chocolate lover, I don't blame him, really. So I am focusing more on positive things, and it seems to be helping.

So I hope that these past few days we have made some progress. Time will tell.

Oh, one awesome thing is that Nathan lost one of his top front teeth! He was so excited, particularly to get money under his pillow. Next time I will post pictures of his new smile.

In the meantime, here are some more pictures of the kids. They went to a "bounce house" and loved every second of it.

Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there!

My little girl is turning 4!!!

2010-06-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Miss Avery turns four years old tomorrow! We had a party with some family members, and she had a good time. I cannot believe that she is such a big girl now. She is a good girl, and I feel that she is making some headway in her behavior, albeit slowly. I have said this repeatedly already, but she has such a strong personality, (my alpha child) that it is difficult at times in the discipline department. It helps so much that she is more cognitively developed, so her comprehension of important concepts help her make the right choices. This parenting gig is the hardest job in the world. We all know that. But man, do I love that little girl! Happy Birthday to my sweet Avery!

Nathan this past week has been trying to figure out his place in the family, and has been testing his mother most days. I know that he will figure things out, and I cannot imagine his previous experiences, and the change that he has gone through. If this is the worst of it, then we've got it good. I know that he is making progress. And he is starting to hug us more, which is what we have been patiently waiting for. This is so early on - we are on the right road, even though things can be overwhelming at times. It is all normal stuff.

Our boy is saying sentences now fairly regularly. The latest: "Mother, can you open?" "Father, it doesn't work." "Father, watch TV?" "Wait a sec" and the most popular, think of it said in a whiny tone, "I'm cold!" I feel like he understands 80-90% of what I tell him. I try to keep the words pretty simple when I explain things, and I think that helps.

Oh, and by the way, Nathan's front tooth is loose, so he is excited to get a visit from the tooth fairy, and make some money. Eating is a challenge, with both the tooth issue, and adjusting to the American food, but we are finding our way.

Here are some pics for your enjoyment, including Nathan playing the Kai Lan computer game that he loves, and Nathan showing Avery how to use chopsticks - he is actually feeding her!

Time keeps on ticking

2010-06-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

The days are flying by. This Friday, we will have had Nathan for a month now.

Nathan's vocabulary and understanding of the English language are increasing every day. He is a smart boy and is eager to learn. A very good friend of ours is a teacher with English as a second language (ESL) experience, and will start tutoring Nathan in the next week or so. We are so excited for him to learn even more than he is learning now.

Nathan was trying to understand the relationship of our two kitties. Our smaller cat, Abby, is younger, but a spitfire. Our (much) bigger cat, Sara, is older (turns 14 this month) and is, for lack of a better term, Garfield. Nathan asked me, "Mother, Father?" I said, "No." Then he said, "Abby Mei Mei?" Yes! Abby is the younger sister! So then he started calling Abby "Avery" and Sara "Nathan". So yesterday, he said to me, "Mother, Nathan Kitty no come up!" I have been letting Sara come on the main level for a few hours each day, and I had opened the basement door, and he wanted her to come up right away! He is very concerned about things happening in the house, and is often explaining to me what Avery is doing. Avery takes this as Nathan tattling on her, and she gets upset more often than not. I explain to her that he is concerned and is trying to use his English. She isn't buying it. Imagine that.

He is also saying, "I'm ready!" It is just adorable.

The first picture is Nathan eating a smore with chopsticks - this was his request. There is also a picture of the kids pouncing on their daddy, which happens often until daddy gets a kick in the ribs and is injured for a few days. Then there is Nathan's first time in our pool.

Today, Avery and Nathan wrote their names on the chalkboard. Nathan, my Type A child, wrote his name perfectly. Bless his heart.

I am also so proud of my girl, who just yesterday really started trying to write all of the letters in her name. They are very random on the picture, some unrecognizable, but it warmed her momma's heart for taking a lot of time to write each letter. I hugged her so tight after she presented it to us. Yes, her work was concealed until the big revealing. Precious girl. Can you see how proud she is in the picture?

Playground fun in Chicago

2010-05-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we went with my brother and sister-in-law to Chicago. We ate lunch in Chinatown, and did a little shopping there. We bought Nathan some chopsticks, and Avery a starter set of chopsticks. Nathan saw a candy store, and immediately walked in. The kids got some yummy treats - Thanks again Aunt Elaine!

We then headed to Millennium Park and walked around. We enjoyed some ice cream as well. We were on our way to the lakefront, when we spotted a park. The kiddos had a great time. Our two kids were tackling their dad (as usual), when another little Chinese boy spotted them attacking Eric. So this little boy joined in the fun...cracked us up!

We made it to the lakefront, and Nathan was amazed at the size of some of the boats. I said to Avery, "Look at the size of that boat!" The girl wasn't impressed. Guess that's one of the many differences between boys and girls. So thanks to Joe and Elaine for a wonderful day, and the beautiful pictures. They are priceless.

So, we are getting more and more settled day by day. Can I tell you that these days just fly by? I am thoroughly enjoying my time off with the kids. I will never get these moments back, and I do cherish them.

Nathan is understanding more and more English each day. He is picking up some more words (socks, shoes, drink, hungry, upstairs, downstairs) and he is even saying small sentences and is able to get his point across. He just told me, "Meow is sleeping." Meow is what he calls our cat Abby. The other night, Eric was upstairs with the kids - they were all watching SpongeBob, and Nathan came downstairs to me and said, "Mother! More SpongeBob! Mei Mei bed! Father bed!" Eric and Avery had drifted off to sleep and he wanted more SpongeBob! It is amazing to continually witness his growth with our culture and language. And I can tell that he is comprehending more by what I tell him and ask of him. This is amazing stuff....

Next time I will post some pictures of the kids in our pool, (and Nathan's first time in our pool) along with a very interesting picture of Nathan, involving the way he ate a smore.

The weather here in the Midwest has been beautiful. I have two great kids, a wonderful husband, and great family and friends. Life is good.

A day in the life

2010-05-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

The kids are doing just fine. They amuse each other, which is good for their mama. They like to watch TV together, chase each other, and ride bikes in the house together. So, in a way, it's a little easier on me.

On the other hand, I have one person calling me mommy and the other calling me mother quite a bit. I have told Avery she is going to need to be less dependent on me, since she is getting older and cannot get my undivided attention anymore. It is hard for her, but she'll conform. She has often been challenging me (not in a good way) and has spent some time in her bedroom for bad behavior. I wonder what her brother is thinking when she is throwing a 3 year old tantrum - screaming at the top of her lungs and flailing. She pushes the limits and he is rule follower. I am a rule follower as well, which is a trait that I love in him. But, I am fond of Avery's leadership qualities, and the fact that the girl knows what she wants. It is very challenging at times to discipline her given her specific personality. God broke the mold when He made her. Seriously. Love that girl to pieces though.

Now let's talk about that boy that I love.

I took him to his new school yesterday that he will attend in the fall to fill out paperwork. Then, I happened to meet the ESL (English as a second language) teacher, and she seems very dedicated and really nice. I was completely impressed. Nathan will be in first grade in the fall. He will be in the regular classroom most of the day, and he will get one hour of one on one time with the ESL teacher. We ended up going on a tour, and he got to see the library, art room, computer room, and the gym. Also, Eric's aunt works at the school, so we saw her and her classroom. Her students had been following our journey while we were in China, so they were excited to see Nathan (and Avery!) in person. I think he liked the visit.

He is saying in everyday conversation: hot, cold, drink, water, milk, open, chocolate, yes, no, Avery, Nathan, mother, father, thank you, you're welcome, hello, bye bye, please, TV, noodle, fries, pizza, take a shower, brush the teeth. He knows up, down, hold hands, wash the hands, stop, lay down, and come here - and more I'm sure that I am probably forgetting.

We are calling him Nathan now and he is responding, although sometimes we forget and call him Guohao.

So I must say that life is not as overwhelming as I thought it would be at this point. I am a very lucky mommy.

One more thing - Avery just asked him for an M&M, and he said, "Hold on!" I love it!!!

Sweet siblings

2010-05-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Nathan Guohao is doing well. He is getting along fine with his sister, and has just begun to harass her a little today, with a little mimicking as they were shooting some baskets in our indoor basketball court. You know - that good old fashioned boy fun. And by indoor basketball court, I am talking over the door Nerf basketball in the foyer. I know that he is becoming more comfortable with her. He does have a joking personality, which is subtle in his own way, but adorable too in my eyes.

Please note in the first picture Avery is not too thrilled. This was the first night home, and she was trying to figure out what she had gotten herself into by volunteering to be a little sister. But when Nathan Guohao starting blowing bubbles for her, she was completely convinced that she just might keep him around for a few days.

He is saying regularly "take a shower", "brush the teeth", and this morning he told me, "Mother, eat noodle!" He learned the word noodle yesterday - it is his tie to his homeland and his familiar food that he needs right now. He is eating Chinese noodles by the truckload, and that is okay with me.

Eric was in the basement tonight with the kids, and they were giggling together - that kind of pure fun that a child has, that seems to diminish as we reach our adult years.

A brother was exactly what Avery needed. Although she is realizing that the world does not revolve around her anymore (the nerve of us), she does know that she cares deeply for her brother. She told me today, "Mommy, I love Guohao." It was honest and sincere. And that makes me so happy.

We are home!

2010-05-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to do a quick post to let everyone know we are home. I am having some major jet lag and hope to become more human in the next day or two.

I have to say that the kids are doing extremely well together. It was adorable to see their first hug, and hugging my sweet Avery was indescribable.

We took the kids to the park today, and they were chasing their daddy around and then jumping on him, squealing with laughter. Avery is loving her big brother, and I still can't believe I have two kids! They also ride little tricycles around the house together and play nicely together. Hmmm.... I hope that will last.

Our sister-in-law has been such a help speaking Mandarin to Guohao. She told Guohao today that he has an American name (just like her) and we want to start calling him Nathan, and he told her, "No thanks." So she told us what he had said, and we started chuckling. I started a song with the kids in the car today: "Avery, Mei Mei, Nathan, Guohao" over and over. So we are starting to call him Nathan Guohao for now and eventually we will drop the Guohao (although it is part of his middle name). I'll keep you posted on that.

So Nathan Guohao is adjusting well to life here at the house. He is very excited about everything here, and went to bed last night with no problems. Now if I can just get one very stubborn little girl to follow suit, I will be in business.

I will post pictures with the kids together next time.

Last post from China!

2010-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. After having some technical difficulties with attaching pictures yesterday, we (insert computer savvy husband) have solved that problem.

Here are some random shots from the past few days. The boys are like peas and carrots. They actually have many similarities. They both enjoy eating fish, racing each other down the hallway to the hotel room, playing video games together, and just being boys. They are also both very meticulous (yikes) and it appears that we have another history buff in the family. Guohao is glued to watching war movies on TV.

Yesterday, we took our oath at the American Consulate. It went smoothly, but not so much on the way there. Our van broke down. In the fast lane of the expressway on an overpass. Something about the fuel gauge. So the driver was rocking the van side to side every five minutes, to Guohao's delight, and was continually unsuccessful in getting the van to start. The video game Frogger kept coming to my mind, as cars were flying by us, with an occasional honk. Like we planned on sitting in the left hand lane of a busy expressway while approaching rush hour. They immediately called for another van to pick us up. Now mind you, this is the one appointment that you cannot miss/be late for. The travel home could be potentially postponed. So, needless to say, I was praying (hard) for two things. One - please don't let us get smashed on the highway on the other side of the earth, and two - if we survive, please Lord get us to the Consulate on time. My prayers were answered!

Take note of the picture with the bugs. Those are water beetles. And yes, you can hand pick which ones you would like cooked and served to you. They want it to be fresh you know. Eric got scallops - Bill surprised him, but we found out later that they were fresh from the tank. Eric absolutely loved them, and I think he loved them even more when he found out they had been live creatures about 15 minutes prior to being in his belly. We really enjoyed that restaurant. There were fish in tanks that were just huge, and a live lobster that looked like it was on steroids.

This boy of ours makes messes. Here is a picture of the table after breakfast this morning.

Here are the pictures of our cute (in our biased opinions) kids on the red couch - a tradition amongst the majority of American adoptive parents.

We leave for home tomorrow. We are so excited. We are actually 96% packed already. We have had a wonderful trip here, with the other family, and with Bill. But the best thing of all is that we have a son.

Boy, will I miss Bill. And he is best buddies with Guohao. I asked Bill last night if any adoptive kid has ever talked to him so much, and he said no. (Guohao is the oldest child, and the first older boy that his been adopted through our agency.) He said that he is really enjoying Guohao. We can tell by the way that they interact, and the way Guohao will grab for Bill's hand sometimes when heading out the door. I am getting sad for them to leave each other as I type this. I told Bill I will email him pictures of Guohao growing up. I may just stuff Bill in our suitcase and take him home with us. If only it were that simple.

So, thanks to everyone for following our journey. We love you all, and you have been nothing but supportive of us. Adopting an older child is always filled with a fair amount of uncertainty, and God has given us a beautiful child. Again. I am forever grateful.

Sheri

"Mother, eat!" "Father, eat!"

2010-05-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

Food is on this boy's mind 24/7.

I think it is a combination of the lack of food that he got, and the new taste of things and unlimited amounts.

Almost every hour or two, Guohao is saying, "Mother, eat!" or "Father, eat!"

It didn't take him long to learn that word.

He loves to drink milk. We have cut him off of sugar - he goes into hyperspace with it. Absolutely nutty, jumping around with endless energy and uncontrollable giggling. He is high enough on life as it is.

Today, Bill went to the American Consulate to process Guohao's visa, so that he can travel home to America.

Tomorrow, we go to the American Consulate to take an oath, a swearing in of sorts.

Friday, we pick up the visas, and Saturday we head home.

We are ready to come home. It seems as if we are almost living a different life here.

We were forced to move rooms two days ago - there is major construction going on on the island (they are preparing for the Asian games this fall), and they had to change the window in our old room. Our old beds were really comforable. The new king size bed is the equivalent of laying on a 2X4. I never thought it was possible for a company to manufacture a bed that hard. Only three more sleeps, and then we start the journey home!

Orphanage visit

2010-05-11T01:51:00.000-07:00

Today was a special day - one that I will always remember.

We had the opportunity to visit Guohao's Social Welfare Institute. He was there the first four years of his life, as well as the month prior to his Gotcha Day. When we were walking up to the grounds, there were already kids yelling his name from a window up above that recognized him.

When we arrived to where the children were, Guohao was able to pass out some cookies that we had brought in with us to his little friends. The children were excited to see him, and to also get a treat. The children are preparing for an International Children's Day, so we got to see them perform a short skit using sunflower props as a cheerful song played in the background. It was precious.

We found out that there is a girl a little younger than Guohao, who he was good friends with while he was there. We were able to get some pictures of the two of them, and we did find out that she was being adopted as well to a family in the U.S. She was just as cute as a button.

He was happy to see everyone again, and seemed proud to show the children his new mama and baba. It was a nice visit.

I will be forever grateful to God, as well as the foster care director and Guohao's foster family for loving our son so much. It has made his transition to us practically seamless.

Celebrity Sighting

2010-05-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

As planned, we were able to meet up with Vickie, Ron, her husband, and the Min siblings, Chloe, Chase and Chance. We had a nice dinner, and it was great getting to know Vickie in person. We both belong to a Yahoo group for people who have adopted older kids.

It was amazing to see the siblings together and meet everyone. Chloe is just like I imagined her to be - a lot like our Avery. The Min sibs were stealing food from each other, so we knew for sure they were siblings.

Chance ordered pigeon. That's right, pigeon. And we are not is Kansas anymore, folks. The whole bird came out on a plate, eyes and all. I will refrain from explaining what was done to that poor pigeon's head. Maybe Vickie will mention it in her blog.

Today, we ate at a Chinese restaurant, and Bill and Eric ordered shrimp. They came out to us as if someone had just pulled them out of the water, boiled them, and put them on a plate. Eric said that they were awesome.

It's interesting seeing the presentation of food here. I love to see people eating in this culture. And Eric is my adventurous eater (me, not so much), as well as Guohao, as this is all he has ever known.

One more thing happened at lunch today. Here in China, when an entree is complete, it is brought out the minute it's done. Unfortunately, Guohao's fried noodles were the last to come out, and apparently, he was quite hungry. He stopped the waiter, and asked in a relatively loud voice in Chinese, "What's the matter?? Slow service!!" The waiter said, "Sorry!" Bill started cracking up, then he told us what Guohao had said. The fried noodles came out a minute later. Okay, this boy is definitely coming out of his shell now.

Travel group

2010-05-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

We have been having such a good time with our new friends, David and Julie, who are here in China with us adopting a 13 month old girl, Megan. We just met them a week ago, and we have shared such great moments together. We have cried together and cracked up together. We received our children within a few moments of each other, and we will always have that special bond. They have two biological boys, and the older boy is 15 days older than Guohao. We have had the experience of adopting an infant girl from China, and they have the experience of a seven year old boy, so we are relying on each other for support and encouragement. God has perfectly planned them coming into our lives. We are so thankful.

So, in the first picture is our travel group including Bill, who works for our agency. If I said that Bill is great a million times, it wouldn't be enough. He has such a way with the children, and he processes the paperwork with ease (so it seems) and perfection. All we have to do is be parents to our kids.

We posted a picture of Guohao's addiction, the DS. You may know it as the "Dit Dit Dit". Does anyone know how to make a six hour battery for a hand held game last for a fourteen hour plane ride?

Yesterday was Guohao's first time in the pool. Of course, he was clinging on to Eric. He had water wings on, but didn't know why in the world he was wearing them. Eventually, I think we conveyed to him that Eric would not let him go, that he would be safe. Despite him being a little scared, he did enjoy himself.

Today is a free day, so we are just hanging out in the hotel. I spoke with Vickie earlier - she is here adopting Chloe's brothers (the Min sibs) and we plan on having dinner tonight with them. I have been following her blog for the past year, and she truly has an amazing story. There is a link to her blog on the right of my blog under the "my blog list" section - her blog is "Just a MINute Mom". Just a brief scenario of her story: They adopted Chloe last year, and when Vickie was in China then, she found out that Chloe had two biological brothers, and it took a year, miracles, and mountains moved, but they are here now picking up the brothers.

I am really excited to meet the clan. Seriously - this is big time. Vickie seems like a riot, and I told her that I consider her a "celebrity". Look out Vickie and the Min sibs, the paparazzi is coming! Stay tuned tomorrow for pictures.

Guangzhou Safari

2010-05-09T00:13:00.000-07:00

Okay - so we have never heard Guohao talk as much as he did today. Bill asked him this morning at breakfast if he had ever been to a zoo, and he said no. He had just seen pictures in books. We took him to the Safari in Guangzhou, and even to us adults, it was unbelievable. Imagine his excitement seeing live animals for the first time in his life. Wow. The first part of the excursion was a "safari on wheels", which consisted of driving in your own vehicle completely open to the animals around you. Picture something like Jurassic Park sans dinosaurs. The animals were actually walking in front of cars, and going up to and in some cars (people feeding them - probably illegal). We have it all on video tape of Guohao talking, almost screaming the words with excitement. This is unbelievable footage of him in his homeland, and in his glory.

We saw the pandas that had been relocated from Chengdu after the earthquake in 2008. They are beautiful animals, and were feasting on bamboo. We were literally about fifteen feet away from the pandas. The also saw wild zebras on their hind legs playing/fighting. Just an amazing day.

By the way, the last picture is of Guohao and Bill, our facilitator here in China. Bill is a wonderful man, who is so good with the kids. And bless Bill's heart, he told us on our way to the car that he had answered about 300 questions that Guohao had asked during the course of the day at the safari.

We're off to the pool finally - haven't made it there yet until now.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Guohao is sick of hamburgers.

We wanted to with all of the mothers out there a very Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Gotcha Day Avery!!!

2010-05-08T01:28:00.000-07:00

Three years ago today, our lives changed forever. Our baby girl was placed into my arms, an answer to many prayers. Little did we know that one little girl would impact so many lives.

You are a confident, assertive, and beautiful girl. We know that you will go far in life with your take charge attitude. And we know that you will be wearing the pants in your family. Our guess is that maybe you'll be be a supervisor of some sort, or the next Judge Judy.

Avery, we love you so very much. We miss you terribly. And we can't wait to give you hugs and kisses.

Yuntai Garden

2010-05-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Yuntai Garden. We had requested to go there, since we loved it the first time we were in China. It is so picturesque. Eric always teases me that I cannot even keep three house plants alive - I can't imagine tending to this garden.

Guohao is completely addicted to the Nintendo DS that we brought, specifically the Super Mario Brothers game. So when Eric saw some of the characters from Super Mario Brothers at the Yuntai Garden, he took Guohao right up to it. He wanted his picture taken with every single character. We'll spare you all of the pictures.

He has developed this means of communication, which to us is just awesome. There are the hand signals for the bathroom - we won't go there. Then there is the charade for the Nintendo DS - it is moving his fingers acting like he is playing the game and saying "Dit Dit Dit", like beeps. He calls us "mother" and "father". So he'll say, "Mother (or father), Dit Dit Dit?" And depending on where we are and the situation, we'll say "No Dit Dit Dit" or "Yes Dit Dit Dit". Crazy, isn't it? I guess we'll never forget the ways we communicated here in China.

He is now saying: Yes, No, Mother, Father, Eat, Good morning, Hello, Bye Bye, Thank You, Okay, and "bounce the ball" in daily conversation. I may have missed some. And we have known him for only four days.

We try and keep him out of the stores whenever possible. He is like a kid in a candy store. We are working on him not touching everything in sight. He is just so excited. Eric gave him some money in an envelope, and it is burning a hole in his pocket. It doesn't help that when he does spend his money, Eric replenishes the bills right away.

He loves butter. He told Bill that he has never had it before. He puts it on his toast, and even muffins when we eat breakfast. He told Bill that I was "wasting money" because I didn't drink the milk from my cereal bowl after having eaten the cereal. It gave me a different perspective on things, and I know that in our culture, we are wasteful. So I drank the milk from the bowl.

So all is well here in China. One more week, and we'll be flying home. We are missing Avery so much, and it has been pretty tough on her, having her mommy and daddy away for so long. Our precious girl could use some prayers. Can't wait to squeeze her tight and have the four of us together. That will be a great moment.

More firsts

2010-05-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry that we didn't do a post yesterday. Last night we were just exhausted. I know when I am following blogs at home, I would wake up and check the computer. It's exciting to see how each day unfolds.

So, to catch everyone up, yesterday we went to Lucy's (for the fifth time) and we were pleasantly surprised when Guohao chose chicken wings! I guess he has had his fix of hamburgers for a while. Then we surprised him with a vanilla milkshake - yum. Yesterday was a free day, so everything was done at a leisurely pace.

After lunch, we went to the park, and when the the playground came into his view, he started running toward it. The excitement in this little boy just makes us smile.

Guohao asked Bill if he would ever be able to visit China again in the future. The answer? YES! His questions that he asks are just so precious to us.

When we first got Guohao, we asked the foster care director what his favorite food was. Can you believe that the answer was pumpkin?!? So, when we went to eat dinner last night (just the three of us) at an Italian restaurant, we were unsure what he might like. Thankfully, he can read the Chinese characters, so when he read pumpkin soup, he pointed to it on the menu and said, "Yes, yes!!!" He had banana milk to drink. He loved it.

Take a look at the picture he drew. He signed his Chinese name of course in the Chinese characters. Priceless.

Doctor visit

2010-05-06T03:55:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the doctor, a requirement of the adoption process. Guohao needed four vaccines and a TB test, which is another injection. The vaccines are mandatory in order for us to proceed with the adoption procedures. I am not a fan of all of the vaccines at once, but it was completely out of our control. Guohao told us (in charades fashion) that he was going to cry, and he did. I cannot say enough about our facilitator Bill here in China. He was amazing on our first trip here with Avery, and we could not have survived this trip without him. He ended up holding Guohao for the last three shots (I held him for the first two) as he was fighting everyone, because Guohao said that the shots were too painful for him. We felt so bad for him. Bill told Guohao in Chinese, "I'm sorry." Guohao told him in the midst of being traumatized with injections, "It's okay." Again, we are amazed at the character that our son has displayed at the age of seven, and Bill even commented on that. Once it was over, we gave him Pez candy. And yes, he got another hamburger. Oh, and by the way, he is doing great so far, with no fever or adverse reactions to the shots.

Last night, we took Guohao for a vanilla ice cream cone, which he loved. Eric got a brochure from the store with a bunch of cakes on it. Guohao saw it and wanted to put it in his backpack. He keeps most of this toys and important things in his backpack. Gaohao asked Bill when his birthday was (it broke my heart that he didn't even know his birthday) and that he wanted a really big cake on his birthday to share with everyone. He is such a compassionate little boy. Guess who's getting a really big cake on his 8th birthday? :)

We have had Guohao for two days so far, and somehow it seems longer. As I type this, the boys are playing the Nintendo DS system together and cracking up. I am so glad that Eric has a son. It is a wonderful thing. God has given us a beautiful boy inside and out, and we are so thankful.

So far, Guohao is saying yes, no, and okay to us a lot. It is amazing the way that kids can pick up a language so quickly. He repeated the phrase "bounce the ball" a few times and even used "Oh brother" appropriately.

We went to the police station today to apply for Guohao's passport. Tomorrow is a free day and we plan on taking Guohao to the pool. Another first.

I'm not sure who is enjoying these "firsts" more, Guohao, or his parents.

One more thing - just wanted to give a shout out to my brother Joe to have a very Happy Birthday!!!

Sheri

Doing great

2010-05-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

We are doing great today. Guohao slept through the night without any problems. When I kissed him on the forehead goodnight, he smiled so wide. He is just so happy to have a mama and baba. I had to wake him up because we had to get to breakfast and then back to Civil Affairs to finalize the adoption.

He is officially ours!

We found out through Bill our agency representative, that Guohao asked if "this was America". Too cute. He told him no, that it was the hotel. He explained to him that we would get on a big airplane soon, and when we land, he will be in America. He had never been in a hotel before. And we had the privilege yesterday of watching him eat his first hamburger. So what did he want to eat today? You guessed it - a hamburger.

He's never been in a pool either to go swimming.

We went shopping today and bought him a calabash flute. His eyes lit up when he saw it, how could we say no? Everything is such a new experience to him. Eric had given him 5 yuan to put in his pocket. When we bought the flute, he pulled the money out of his pocket. It was so sweet.

Whenever we are eating, he wants to share his food. He even shares his M&M's, which he loves.

He is kicking the soccer ball right now with Eric and he is just squealing with laughter. Music to our ears.

He deserves the best in life. And we are honored to be his parents.

We are just smitten with him.

Gotcha Day!

2010-05-04T05:13:00.001-07:00

Today has been a great day and an answer to many prayers. We got Nathan (Guohao) today, and he was waiting for his new family. We will call him Guohao in China, and then introduce him to his American name once we are back at home. He got the album that we sent him in January, and you can tell that he has been looking at it often. The director of the foster care system was there and told us that he was counting down the days on the calendar on when he would meet us. When the director asked him if he was excited to meet his family, he said, "I already know them." He had been looking at the pictures so much that he felt like he knew us. Now if that doesn't melt a momma's heart! He is a gentle and caring, and we couldn't be happier with our precious boy. He is attaching very quickly with us.

He wanted a hamburger, so we went out to dinner, and he ate the whole thing! He also ate a lot of fries and drank a carton of milk. He is very independent and smart. And he cleans up after himself.

He loves all of his toys, and can count to ten in English and knows the alphabet. He knows the words apple, mother, father, and bed. He is very good at coloring.

When we walk around, he grabs for each of our hands. So precious.

He recently fell at school, so he has a boo boo by his eye.

We will post more tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your support and prayers. We are just beaming with joy.

Sheri

Qingping Market

2010-05-03T01:18:00.001-07:00

Today we went to Qingping Market with the other couple in our travel group and Bill here in Guangzhou. We are really enjoying each other's company.

Here is a picture of the market. There were live animals and creatures there, as well as ginger and things of that sort that are used as medicines. A very interesting experience.

In less than 24 hours, we will meet our son!

Sheri

Our Journey Continues

2010-05-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today, we leave Hong Kong. And while it's been a great time here, it is time to move on to the next step of our journey, and the reason why we came here - our son.

It is getting more real now. I keep going over in my head how he may react - different scenarios. As the hours go by, the time gets nearer to seeing his face.

We can't wait to see Bill again, our Chinese facilitator who will be with us the remainder of our trip. He will pick us up at the Guangzhou train station this afternoon. And there is another couple who is adopting an infant girl through our agency too that we will meet today.

Please pray for the best transition possible for Nathan, and for us parents to meet every need that he has - to know what to do to help this precious child. We certainly have the love and support to give him for the rest of his life.

Oh, and if you don't mind, I would love to hear your comments! Right now, I am able to review them in Hong Kong (Thanks Kristy for your prayers!) but once we reach Guangzhou, I won't be able to. I'll review them all when we return home. Thanks!

Sheri

Royal Garden Hotel

2010-05-01T03:01:00.001-07:00

We are very pleased with our hotel. The first picture is a view of the skyline from the pool, which is located on the roof. Also note the glass elevators in the third picture.

Tomorrow morning we head to Nathan's city, Guangzhou, by train. We will have a son in less than three days!

We will always remember our trip to Hong Kong.

Life is like a box of chocolates

2010-04-30T22:56:00.000-07:00

We ate lunch inside the observatory building. Who wouldn't have eaten at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Hong Kong when given the opportunity?

The views from the restaurant were unbelievable. There were windows on the entire side of the restaurant, for an unforgettable experience.

Run, Forrest, Run.

Victoria's Peak

2010-04-30T22:43:00.000-07:00

Victoria's Peak is the highest spot in Hong Kong. There is a tram available to take up to an observatory, to view the city from high above.

The tram goes up at a 45 degree angle, powered by two steel cords. I was just praying that they didn't snap in two for our ride there and back. And they didn't.

It was a very nice view, although it was cloudy. At least it wasn't raining.

We went early in the morning, and by the time we got out of there, the line for the tram was quadruple what it was when we arrived. The early bird gets the worm. And for all of you who know my husband well, it was pure satisfaction to him knowing that we had beat the rush.

Take a look at our views from the top.

Kowloon Park

2010-04-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

While on Nathan Road, we took a step off to Kowloon Park, a serene area we had read about in one of our books.

It was nice there with beautiful landscaping. I love to watch the people doing their Tai Chi in the morning.

Nathan Road

2010-04-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

After our daily regimen of Starbucks and McDonald's, we ventured out to Nathan Road. We wanted to hit the street before it was exploding at the seams with people. Even though most of the shops were closed, there were still some people walking around.

Nathan Road is the equivalent of the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. If fact, I've seen signs here referring to it as the Golden Mile. It is shops, shops, and more shops. And sorry Mom, we didn't find "Joyce's". :(

So, since our day today involved lots of things, I will post pictures in batches.

Here are the pictures of Nathan Road.

Star Ferry Ride

2010-04-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

Hi! This morning, and always first on the list, was a trip to Starbucks. Then we had to get our tickets for the Sunday train to Guangzhou. We got a quick Skype in with Avery. They called us! I spoke a little with my dad, and was unable to get a hold of my mom when I tried.

We had a wonderful time today taking the Star Ferry around Victoria Harbour. Getting a glimpse close up of the architecture was great. Oh, and being on a boat in the sun relaxing was amazing too.

We walked along the boardwalk, and also ate lunch at a place called Bulldogs, an American eatery that overlooks the water. We ate outside and enjoyed the cool breeze as we listened to Culture Club and the Scorpions. We figure our contact Bill in Guangzhou will have us get our complete fix of Chinese food.

Oh, and did I mention that the forecast that called for rain/scattered showers was wrong? It ended up being just gorgeous outside - 75 and sunny.

After eating, we went to the pool and relaxed. Eric is currently taking a nap (he never takes naps) and we will get ready to go for dinner and plan on going to a light show presentation tonight.

Check out the picture of Nathan Road that we got today.

Oh, and our hotel has a putting green. Seriously, you should have seen Eric's face light up when we saw it.

Amazingly, I already feel adjusted to this time zone.

We heart Hong Kong. We're really falling in love with this city.

Welcome to Hong Kong

2010-04-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

After a 15 1/2 hour flight, we made it to China!

Thanks to everyone for the messages yesterday both online and by phone. I did get them all.

We are loving our hotel here in Hong Kong. We have views of the Victoria Harbor and can sneak a peek of the ferries drifting by between the buildings. Eric and I just ran up to the top floor to try and check out the pool and it was closed. It is on the roof.

We spoke with Avery and Eric's parents tonight, and they are all doing well.

We will site see tomorrow and Friday and then head to Nathan's city on Sunday. Oh, and we've already seen Nathan Road in route to the hotel, courtesy of our taxi driver! It is very rainy here.

We'll post some pictures tomorrow after we explore this beautiful city a bit....

Fancing meeting you here

2010-04-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

So, I called my good friend and travel guru resource Jennifer to ask a question (okay I called her twice) and it turns out she was flying out when we were! And guess what? She was ONE GATE OVER from us!

Here is a pic of us and the parents to be at the airport.

Seemingly calm

2010-04-27T10:41:00.001-07:00

I'm much calmer than our first trip. Maybe it was the fact that there were so many unknowns. Or maybe because I do not have to pack 138 baby items this time. And I am taking vitamins diligently so that I do not become sick....

My house is clean. We are packed, other than last minute things.

I am spending the day with my precious daughter - enjoying every minute. We will return as a family of four.

Our hearts, complete.

Two days!?!?!?

2010-04-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

We are leaving in two days! Can you believe how times flies?

I still have some packing to do. I'm trying to get my house in order so that it looks good when we return.

The chain link is done and is at Grandma's house. Here are some pics and cute Mei Mei in the background, and of course the kite flying pictures.

I miss Ms. sassafras already. I cannot imagine being away from her that long. I know she is in good hands, and that comforts me. Thank goodness for Skype. I'm trying to envision saying our goodbyes to her, and I will need to keep it together for her sake. I have been trying to be very positive about the whole trip - how much fun she is going to have with her grandmas and grandpas, lots of activities to keep her busy. But then she tells me, "Mommy, I'm gonna miss you.. And Mommy, I'm gonna cry for you..." Breaks my heart.

Please pray for a safe journey, and for us to be prepared for our son's needs, as he becomes part of our family. And please throw in a prayer for Ms. sassafras, that she will cope without her parents for the eighteen days we will be gone, and will be a good girl for everyone taking care of her. Of course I know there will be at least a little drama.

Test post

2010-04-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

Okay, so we leave in ten days, and on one hand I am overwhelmed, and on the other I feel like I am making progress in getting things prepared for the trip.

This is a test post from my email. The hope is that when I email my blog account, my posts will be sent properly to the blog. And to see if a college educated girl like me can follow simple directions. :)

Then I can mark this task off my list. I will post another time in the next couple of days to try out a picture with the text.

We had a fun weekend of Daddy and Ms. sassafras flying a kite. And we couldn't get away without singing the song from that Disney classic Mary Poppins: "Let's go fly a kite!" Sing it with me everyone..... Up to the highest height......

Kite flying pictures to follow soon.

Tickets and reservations and research, oh my.

2010-04-10T14:25:00.001-07:00

We got our tickets to fly late last night. Just looking at the flight itinerary with our son's name on it for the return flight is a good feeling. This is it. Our lives are about to change.

I keep trying to imagine how things will go when he meets us. How he will react to his new parents? Have his foster parents told him a lot about getting a new family? I thinking about him grieving and his foster parents as well, and I get a little sad. An amazing thing is about to happen, for all of us, but he might not be able to see it for a while. Like anyone, he will learn to trust us, in his own timing.

We splurged on our Hong Kong hotel. You only live once, right? Besides, it will be a nice getaway for hubby and me before placement. We've heard great things about Hong Kong, and we can't wait to sight see. Last time we were there, the only place in Hong Kong that we saw was the airport for a five hour layover on our way home from China - not much fun.

This upcoming Monday we will apply for our Chinese visas and they will be ready early the following week. We leave two weeks from this upcoming Wednesday already. And I know the time will fly.

I still cannot believe this is finally happening. We are just so excited!

Consulate appointment, check.

2010-04-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

Each day that goes by gets us one day closer to meeting our son. Today, we are moving forward at a fast pace. Funny how waiting and waiting makes you feel lax, and then when things are getting closer, a sense of urgency sets in. I am thankful to God that this time has finally come.

We got our Consulate appointment, the main appointment that among others, is the basis of when the trip is scheduled.

Right now, here are some details:

Gotcha day is scheduled for May 4th at 2:30pm! This the day after the Chinese Labor Day, and exactly three years ago to that day we held our baby girl for the first time!

We'll sign the final adoption paperwork on May 5th at 9am.

The Consulate appointment is May 12th at 9am.

The itinerary is pending (hopefully we'll get it tomorrow or early next week), and we will book the flights after it is finalized.

Hooray! Time to research Hong Kong and find some fun things to do there!

Big announcement!

2010-04-05T16:17:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day! We got our travel approval and hope to book our trip this week!

It is getting more real now. Our son's future is bright. And we are lucky that we are his parents.

Spring is here.

The birds are chirping.

The earth is changing into beautiful shades of green.

We are happy.

Life is good.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T06:47:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter to all! He is risen! Let us celebrate with family and friends!

A life forever changed

2010-04-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

In a few short weeks, two parents will be on a plane to meet their son. Never in a million years did they imagine they'd have a son. Never in a million years did they know that they would be on their way to a foreign country for the second time to meet their child. And never in a million years did they know that their precious boy would be seven years old when they would meet.

But God knew.

All along.

These two parents were planners. Type A people. Had their life completely planned out, you see. Fell in love, madly. Got married. Next, kids. When fertility treatments were unsuccessful, they knew they were still meant to be parents. They decided to adopt a little girl from China. And they met that little girl on May 8, 2007.

That little girl has brought so much joy to these parents, and to her grandparents, many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. How could one little girl change the lives of so many people? How could they be so lucky?

So now, as we get ready to pick up this precious boy, we pray for him in his transition. We know that his life will be changed from the moment that we meet. And we are up for the challenges, and look forward to loving this boy with all of our hearts. Forever.

Theme: Sports

2010-03-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

When it came to thinking of a theme for our son's room, it was a no-brainer. His paperwork said that his favorite activity was to "kick a ball". And his father lives and breathes sports.

Motherbird has come to accept her hubby's obsession with sports through the years....

So, we hope he will like it. Here are the pics...

By the way, notice his beautiful red bike too (and the suitcases ready to be packed). Can't wait to get some pics of him riding it!

Waiting (impatiently) for TA

2010-03-25T14:19:00.001-07:00

Well, although life passes us by in the blink of an eye, every day I think of our son. It has already been five months since we first saw his beautiful face, and the last picture that we have of him is already four months old. I can't help but think if he has lost any teeth, and how much he is growing every day. I just can't wait to meet him, and give him a forever family. Here is one of my favorite pics of our boy.

Within the next two weeks, hopefully we will get our travel approval. Please Lord, give me peace while I wait. I know that I will be busy, as there are some things that I want to do, like a little more organizing at the house, and I still need to pack his clothes. Ms. sassafras and I need to make a chain link, one link for each day that her daddy and myself will be gone, so that she has some idea of how to process time in that 3 year old head of hers.

On a lighter note, this daughter of mine is STILL obsessed with Christmas and Santa Claus! Can you even believe it? It's almost April. Seriously. Right now, I am acting as Santa Claus, and she just told me that she got permission from her parents to fly alone to the North Pole to be an elf. I (Santa) asked her if it is really okay, since she is only 3 years old. She said, "Yeah, it's fine, I'm a 3 year old teenager."

Okay, this girl is hilarious.

Next time, I will post some pictures of his room. Can you guess the theme? Stay tuned...

Plugging along

2010-03-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

We are making some slow progress with the adoption, and for any progress at all, I am grateful. Today we found out that the Article 5 letter (authorizing our son's Visa) is in the process of being shipped to the CCAA. Once received, it takes 2-4 weeks for us to be issued our travel approval (TA in adoption language). China will send our TA to our agency, and then the appointments can be set up in China. Then the trip can be planned and booked. It's looking like an end of April/early May departure at this point. In God's time, we will have that precious child in our arms.

Even though we are on the tail end of this process, it seems now that this time is the hardest for me. On the flip side, now is the time for myself and Fatherbird to enjoy Ms. sassafras - our family dynamics will be changing soon, and every season should be celebrated.

Looking ahead, we are excited to head to China again. God gave us our precious girl in that beautiful country, and it captured our hearts. Above is a picture of the Great Wall, a lovely sight.

Tiny baby steps

2010-02-27T08:56:00.000-08:00

Well, our DS-230 paperwork got mailed to China on Friday, 2/19/10. Hopefully this upcoming week our son's visa will be processed and then China can grant our travel approval. Still hoping for word of getting travel approval in the second (or maybe third?) week in March. It's looking like it will be an early April departure, but as all of you who have adopted in the past know, there is an air of a constant variable in each step of the journey. And for the laypeople, we know that you just listen to our steps, not understanding sometimes each step and the length of it, but following along with much support, which is so appreciated.

Three other families associated with our adoption agency are leaving this upcoming week for China, and we are looking forward to following their journeys (and blogs). Each child is so precious and deserves a family - a chance for a future. And one by one this adoption community is changing a child's life. And like our baby steps in processing paperwork, one by one, step by step, these children are getting a forever family.

Anything...or nothing?

2010-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Before I start, here is a picture of the babies, both named "big baby" after they had a trip to Doctor sassafras. Yes, for you medical people, the babies have a stickers in place for getting an EKG. And let me tell you that these babies are Ms. sassafras' lifeline. Seriously, it would be a bad scene if they are not with us constantly. There have been a couple of panicked moments - like the time I left them at the oil change place and got there again the MINUTE that they closed. She is STILL telling people that story! And the reason why there are two is that I had a backup and had intentions of washing it, and Ms. sassafras found it on the top of her hamper. Man, that was probably the best day of her life. I have never seen a bigger smile on that child's face.

Well, God broke the mold when He made our Ms. sassafras. This little girl is as witty as they come. She was in the bathtub the other night, and Motherbird was trying to get her to say "anything". She was trying to say "I don't need anything". You see, she says this "anyfing" word, and I know that you are supposed to correct children by repeating the correct vocabulary of the word in your own conversation, hoping that by example they learn, but I took a different route this time.

Anyway, I said, "Say ANY".

She says, "ANY".

I say, "Now say THING"... sticking my tongue out as I am overemphasizing the "TH" in thing.

She says, "TTHHHHING".

"Great", I say. Now say, "Say anything".

She says, "ANYFING".

We go over this a few times without success, and without blinking an eye, she says, "Mommy, I want nothing."

Okay. Unbelievable. Problem solved.

Package received!!!

2010-02-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Well, after a month of not knowing if our son received the package we sent him, we did get confirmation today that he got it (and has probably had it for this past month)!! It feels so good to know that he is able to look at pictures of his family, as we pray that it eases his transition to us, his new family, even slightly. Hopefully he also liked his hat, backpack, and matchbox cars. :)

Not sure if I mentioned this yet, but we decided it was better that just us parents go to China (not brother and sister-in-law) mainly for bonding purposes, so that our precious boy will know that we are his parents, and we can concentrate solely on him. We know in our hearts that this is the best decision. Then when we get home, our sister-in-law has offered to help us with translating for him, which we are so thankful for. God has had His hand in all of this, planning every last detail.

So here is a picture that I posted a while ago. Just wanted to be able to see that face again. Can't wait to hold him tight!

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year!

2010-02-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is a special day to celebrate, especially for a hopeless romantic like me. I've always fallen hard for this occasion (people say it's not a holiday) because we always need an excuse to celebrate love. And in the dead of winter, who doesn't like some lovely red roses and heart decorations around the house?

Here are some pics of Ms. sassafras after her preschool party yesterday, bathing in a sea of candy and special Valentine's cards from her friends.

Also, check out the picture from our little artist - a beautiful smiley face. We are such proud parents, at every tiny little milestone. It doesn't take much to get us excited in this house!

On the paperwork front, on Monday, 2/8/10, we received the letter from the National Visa Center. I mailed it to our agency on Tuesday, 2/9/10, and hopefully this upcoming week, the agency can mail the DS-230 (Visa paperwork) to our contact in China for processing. So the tiny baby steps continue in this long process. It will be worth it to have that precious boy. With the Chinese New Year in full swing now, it is looking like we may get our travel approval in early to Mid March. After that, we can travel 2-5 weeks later. So, at this point, it is looking like a late March/early April departure. We shall see.

So, Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy Chinese New Year! I am so very lucky that I am married to the love of my life. Yes, I am a sappy one....

Good news....hopefully

2010-02-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

So I called the National Benefits Center (NBC) on Monday and the form was redone right away and forwarded to us. The problem was our file was already mailed to the National Visa Center (NVC) with the incorrect form. So the NBC forwarded the correct form to the NVC on Tuesday 2/2/10.

I called the NVC yesterday and our file had already been sent off to China! So, the NVC did not receive the form form for our file, but the good news is that everyone has been efficient and hopefully this will not impact us. We were just told to bring the next form to China with us so there are no problems.

Who knows - maybe we'll get travel approval before Chinese New Year on 2/14/10? That would be great. We hope to travel either March 17th or March 24th. Time does fly....

Next time I will post some pictures. I promise. :)

The great news and not so great news.

2010-01-30T06:08:00.000-08:00

Do you want the great news first, or the not so great news? Well, the great news is that we received the I-797C approval in the mail yesterday authorizing us to adopt our precious son!!! Hooray!! This was done so quickly!

The bad news is that Motherbird's fingerprint expiration date is listed incorrect (and incorrectly expired which it is not). :( Hopefully this is something that will not impact us time wise. To be continued....

I-800 in process!!

2010-01-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

I just opened the mail and we got verification that our I-800 form is processing! Hooray! This is so exciting! Our next step is for it to be approved, and then we can work on getting our travel approval from China. I cannot believe in just a matter of weeks we will have this child forever. Everyone is so supportive and happy for us, and we are so thankful. Soon it will be time to board that plane and start this new chapter in our lives.

Ms. sassafras and I were in the car this morning, and she tells me, "Sometimes you're a good mommy, and sometimes you're a bad mommy." Of course, I'm a "bad mommy" when she doesn't get her way. I've explained to her a million times that it is not nice to say mean things like that, but on the other hand, this is her opinion, and she is entitled to that. She ended the conversation with, "But I'll always love you mommy, even if you're bad." Then I said, "And I'll always love you, even when you are bad." I believe two can play at this game. Stinker.

Where did the time go?

2010-01-21T06:29:00.000-08:00

Ms. sassafras is 3 1/2 years old already. I still remember the moment she was put into my arms. My prayers were answered, and that moment changed our lives forever. At eleven months old, she still had trouble sitting up. By the time she was 15 months, with the help of physical therapy, she learned how to sit up, crawl (like a bear on all fours - too cute) and walk.

We know that she was loved in her foster family - that was very evident. She had a foster mother and two teenage foster sisters. Her paperwork said "likes to be held by adults". She still loves that! The way she bonded right away was amazing. She was put into my arms, and she kept smiling at me and put her hands in my mouth. She seemed at peace. And my dad says, "She was just waiting for you." I know that God created her for us. I am so grateful.

They say that the children may bond to one parent, and that one parent was me. It was pretty tough in China in the fact that when I put her down the first three days, she would scream, and she needed that close contact to feel safe. I, of course, did not deny her that. I could not even sit her down beside me so that our legs were touching. I felt like my right bicep muscle would fall off. Oh well, who needs it anyway? Hehe. Not to mention the fact that she had a cold, and I had THE WORST cold of my life. Uncontrollable coughing fits at complete random. So this upcoming trip to China, I pray that I stay healthy, as we stayed a lot in the hotel room and did not sightsee as much as we would have liked to.

She is an amazing little girl. She is very confident. There is no doubt in my mind that she will get what she wants out of life. I wouldn't be surprised if she was running a company some day. Cut throat, I say. But she has a good heart and a very witty mind. She will come right back at you with a comment to yours in the blink of an eye. And the comment is funny, and makes sense. She was blessed with common sense. And that makes her dad so happy. He's the type of guy that appreciates that kind of stuff.

So enjoy these flashback pics of "our baby girl". It makes me sad sometimes that she has to grow up. On the other hand, we are happy that we are over the teething thing. Wow. Many sleepless nights and sleepless nights make for a crabby Motherbird.

Just wondering how life will change again with Big Brudder. Hmmmmmmmm.......

Mei Mei's big heart

2010-01-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

Last night, we were eating dinner at the dining room table, and Motherbird had an idea to act like "big brudder" for Ms. sassafras. Of course, she excitedly dove into the opportunity. It beat me acting like Santa Claus AGAIN as I had for the past seven consecutive weeks! I could tell she was so excited to play this game. And, no surprise to me, the game continues today. If I take a peek into my crystal ball, I see that this will be going on until the day we leave for China.

Anyhow, she admitted for the first time that she asked for a football from Santa so that she could give it to her "big brudder". God bless this child for thinking of this for him. I do remember her sitting on Santa's lap and telling him she wants a football (along with another toy for her), but I was kind of thinking that she thought of it so that she could share it with her brother. It melted my heart right then and there. Here is a pic of our baby girl. Who would have ever thought she would be a mei mei? We thought that she would be the BIG sister, but God had other plans....

On the news front, we got the I-800 application form from the adoption agency in the mail yesterday. It will be over-nighted to immigration tomorrow. Even though this is another step up the ladder, I feel that this is a huge one. Once this form is processed, we will be on our way to getting our travel approval. And then the trip will be booked! I am anxious and excited and I keep thinking about what it will be like to meet this precious boy. Stay tuned!

Package sent (finally)

2010-01-06T17:30:00.001-08:00

The holidays were a complete whirlwind. It was Thanksgiving, and then we blinked, and it was Christmas. And then we were ringing in the New Year.

In the midst of everything, we prepared a care package for our son. It included an album of pictures, (mom, dad, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousin, house, pets) a baseball cap, a back pack and several matchbox cars. I wrote descriptions of everything in the album, and our sister-in-law wrote the descriptions in Chinese as well, so his foster parents can read it to him. We are so lucky that she is able to help us in this way.

So the package should arrive to him next week.

Here are some pictures of our daughter in her glory on the sled. It amazes me how she doesn't complain being out in the cold. It's probably because I am so sensitive to the cold. And as I type this I am looking at the outside temperature being a mere 14 degrees. Oh, and she loved eating the snow. YUM!!!

It's been a while....

2010-01-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the holidays have once again taken a toll on Motherbird. I think I am starting the recovery process. We had a very Merry Christmas. Happy Birthday Jesus! And we had a nice New Year at home. Yesterday was an organizing day. It was as productive as can be expected in one day. It's funny how the New Year has a way of giving you new light, and a new focus on making improvements.

Ms. sassafras got some wonderful gifts - mainly some small appliances to add to her kitchen supplies, some clothes, and some medical supply kits complete with a crash cart - can you believe they make these sorts of things for kids? Oh, and some organizing bins for her toys, which Motherbird loves - hehe. But the best gift of all (please sit down for this one) was a bin full of regular tape, blue painter's tape and multiple packages of bandaids. Her face was absolutely priceless, which unfortunately I didn't capture in a picture. Here is the actual gift. Isn't it funny that the kiddos love the silliest of gifts?

So here are some more pics of our Christmas. We were so happy to ring in 2010, because this is the year that we get our precious son!

The latest with our adoption news is that the agency is still clarifying some information on our son for an immigration form that we hope to process this upcoming week or two. Hopefully, we are still on track to travel in March.

Happy New Year everyone!

One step at a time....

2009-12-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

Here's some more good news - I got the call from immigration today that our request to switch our Addendum 3 form from an infant girl to an older boy has been granted! It was processed today. So happy and thankful!!

After this form, the next immigration form to process will be "requesting a specific child". That one takes longer to process according to our agency. Our guess is maybe a month or so.

Just for fun, here is our silly daughter eating a stick of butter (she didn't really eat it) that I have been meaning to post by now. Cracks me up.

More pictures

2009-12-09T07:09:00.000-08:00

Here are the rest of the updated pictures of our adorable (in my biased opinion) son. The one on the bottom is from late November, a couple of weeks ago. He is getting so big. The rest of them are from August of this year. I'll keep this post short and sweet. Goodbye for now.

Super excited for Santa

2009-12-04T19:06:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, we took Ms. sassafras to see Santa himself in the flesh. Oh, and of course, his lovely wife, Mrs. Claus. We were standing in line and Ms. sassafras was literally jumping up and down in anticipation. She was very professional about things - it was all business, you know. Old Saint Nick asked, "What is your name?" She told him. And then he whispered something in her ear. She whispered back, "An easy bake oven, what else, Ma?" Too cute. Motherbird gave her a few more suggestions and he concluded by giving her a goody bag and of course a candy cane. She was just thrilled. I could feel the positive energy pouring out of her. She told us that she loves Santa SO much. And now that she met him, she will REALLY listen to mommy and daddy so that she's sure to get a visit by the jolly fat man on Christmas Eve. Okay, so I believe that. For about ten minutes...

Oh well, we love her to death anyway.

At three years old, she continues to amaze me at the comprehension and processing in that small sized brain. She asked me why we celebrate Christmas. I told her it was the day Jesus was born and He is our Savior. You know, that book that we read every night. "Yes, mommy, I know now." Sweet child.

An update and excited parents!!!

2009-12-03T05:55:00.001-08:00

On Monday, November 30th, we got an update on our son! We were thrilled to get more information and pictures. He is in first grade primary school, just what we were hoping. The main language in Guangzhou is Cantonese, and in the schools he is taught Mandarin. With our sister-in-law going on the trip, she will be able to converse with big brudder in Mandarin, which is such a blessing. And daddy and myself need to start learning some Mandarin too!

Oh, and he likes fish (yay - just like his dad) and meat and chili peppers! Motherbird really needs to work on her cooking skills. Hmmm, another thing to add to the list. I think I am going to be very grateful for Chinese take out! He doesn't like green vegetables, hehe. He likes to kick balls which is great, since he will be entering a family that is MAJORLY sports dominated on the male side. He also knows that he is in the adoption program and waiting to be adopted. We will send a care package soon with match box cars (amongst other things that I need to figure out - any suggestions are appreciated) and a photo album describing his new family and surroundings which will also be written in Chinese so that his foster parents can read it to him. One more thing - he likes things that he has never seen before or played before. It looks like we have an adventurous boy on our hands!

Here are a couple of the pics that we received. This has been an amazing process. Best of all, we are able to change this little boy's life. And isn't that what life is all about?

It's official!!!

2009-11-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

We received final approval from the CCAA on Monday, November 16th! This is moving so fast! Thank you Lord for this beautiful boy! It almost feels like a dream that we are getting a son. We have a lot of be thankful for this holiday season.

Ms. sassafras is obsessed with Rudolph (and his lit up nose, of course) and cannot wait for Christmas. I know - let's get through Thanksgiving first. I agree. It is so cute though, and she found out about the ol' naughty and nice list from Santa. Oh yeah, all of us moms know to put that into our bag of tricks to encourage good behavior....

Okay, I won't keep you in suspense any longer....

And.....

Here he is.......

Sweet boy. We CANNOT wait to meet you!!!!!

drumroll please.....

2009-11-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

So, time has passed, and I am happy to report that Miss sassafras is fever free! Yes, we are excited too. An ill child makes Motherbird very worried. And I am happy to report that the virus was not spread at all throughout the house.

This upcoming Thursday will mark the three week point since we have gotten pre-approval on our son, who Miss sassafras calls "Big brudder". Our social worker told us that a final approval is generally received within three to five weeks, so hopefully it won't be long. We can't wait to see an updated picture and get Big brudder's measurements so that we can start getting him some clothes to wear. So exciting!

It's that time of year...

2009-11-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

Well, the virus bug has offically hit the household. Miss sassafras woke up yesterday morning with a temperature of 101 after having had some mild cold symptoms since last Thursday. And she had been doing so well keeping healthy, really since the early summer. Thankfully, her fever broke early this morning and we will just monitor her to make sure that she continues to be on the mend. Funny how she acts just like our pediatrician at home doctoring all of the babies, and then when we got to the office this afternoon, it was nothing but drama. Crocodile tears. Can't blame the child - I don't like people looking in my ears or down my throat either. The good news is it's probably not H1N1 based on her symptoms. The pediatrician did say that the H1N1 virus is vicious - some of her patients have had temperatures of 105 degrees, not easily responding to fever reducing medications. Very scary.

One great thing is that we told the pediatrician about her big brother, and she was so excited and said that she would accept him as a patient after I prompted the question. I don't think she is accepting new patients, so that is a huge blessing. We just love that woman for the way she is with all of the children, and of course, her intelligence.

So now we just have to pray that daddy and myself don't get sick next, as I am hearing stories of these illnesses traveling to each member of the family. Time will tell.

We have a son and some fall fun

2009-11-08T12:32:00.001-08:00

So I'm jumping into this blogging thing to follow our second adoption journey and the day to day life of our spunky 3 year old daughter, who I'll call Miss sassafras.

We are so excited to announce our referral for our second child - a boy! He is from Guangzhou, China, and he just turned 7 years old in September. Our request was submitted to China electronically on October 25, 2009. We were over the moon to get the pre-approval on October 29,2009. We hope to have a final approval by Thanksgiving, and hope to travel to China in March of 2010. We knew instantly that God had completed our family.

So yesterday, it was a beautiful day in the midwest. The tree lined view from my kitchen window showed a beautiful display of golden yellow leaves peacefully falling to the ground. Miss sassafras was able to play in the leaves, and she absolutely loved it! She was throwing the leaves all around, and daddy even thought to put the plastic slide in the mix of the pile for some extra fun. Good times.