Our Red Couch Cuties!!
Thursday, December 8, 2005
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
We are now in Guangzhou!!
We have made it safely to Guangzhou. We left Rosalind and Mr. Lee (our driver) in Wuhan around 8:00am this morning. Everything with the flight went great. Julia never cried or made much of fuss. We are hoping that it will be the same when it comes to flying home. Our longest leg will be from Hong Kong to San Francisco. It’s about 11 hours. I’m sure she will be fine.
We met our new guide, Wayne (Yes, believe it or not!), at the airport. He seems to be super friendly and I’m trying to hook him up with my sister Samantha. (Just kidding!). We arrived at the Garden Hotel on the early side so were not allowed to check into our rooms just yet. We walked to a McDonald’s that was close by and had lunch. Only bad part is that the McDonald’s is close to all the schools, so it was like a high school cafeteria.
Once back at our hotel, we had to wait some more for our rooms to be finished. I know what it’s like to have impatient people waiting to get into room before they are complete, so I was in no rush. :-) Our rooms are not nearly as nice as The Mayflower, but the Garden Hotel is nice all the same. Nothing would be as nice as my own bed that has cat and dog hair stuck to the bedspread. Well, maybe it’s not so hairy seeing how my grandparents have been staying at our house. :-)
Wayne (our guide) came and got us around 3:00 to go to the medical appointment for Julia. She needed to be check before we leave China. The medical appointment is quite simple compared to American standards. We were first checked for heart/lung sounds and a visual check of her body. Passed that one and on to the ENT. Now, I’m somewhat an expert on the ENT part seeing how we’ve had 5+ years of experience with Anna. The "ENT" doctor had one good eye. She kinda checked Julia’s ears. She then looked into her nose and throat. According to Wayne (our guide) the doctor threatened Julia (not in a mean way!!) but she told Julia that she needed to look in her mouth because she had let Julia play with her toys. YIKES! Wayne (our guide) laughed it off. It was more like the doctor was teasing Julia. Julia passed the ENT part of the test. Last but not least it was the temperature and weight. Her temp was good and her weight was fine (I guess!). Phew! She passed her first test!
Wayne brought us back to do paperwork for our consulate appointment tomorrow. It’s an appointment that we don’t have to attend, but Wayne will take all our paperwork for us. We have some shopping and a Pearl River cruise planned. Wayne seemed excited about taking us on the cruise. OH! We also met the Baker family. They have a cute little boy named Henry that they adopted from ChengDu. They also have another son (bio) and a daughter from China that they adopted last year. They seem nice too.
Ok...enough for tonight. We are having dinner delivered from Danny’s. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: www.dannysbagel.com We are having club subs, wonton soup and spring rolls for Julia and for mom...a special treat: CHEESECAKE!
Have a good day and please, please PLEASE let us know what is up with Peach (aka Grandpa George). For all those that read our journal, keep Grandpa George in your prayers. He’s not feeling so well after his surgery. Love you all!!
We met our new guide, Wayne (Yes, believe it or not!), at the airport. He seems to be super friendly and I’m trying to hook him up with my sister Samantha. (Just kidding!). We arrived at the Garden Hotel on the early side so were not allowed to check into our rooms just yet. We walked to a McDonald’s that was close by and had lunch. Only bad part is that the McDonald’s is close to all the schools, so it was like a high school cafeteria.
Once back at our hotel, we had to wait some more for our rooms to be finished. I know what it’s like to have impatient people waiting to get into room before they are complete, so I was in no rush. :-) Our rooms are not nearly as nice as The Mayflower, but the Garden Hotel is nice all the same. Nothing would be as nice as my own bed that has cat and dog hair stuck to the bedspread. Well, maybe it’s not so hairy seeing how my grandparents have been staying at our house. :-)
Wayne (our guide) came and got us around 3:00 to go to the medical appointment for Julia. She needed to be check before we leave China. The medical appointment is quite simple compared to American standards. We were first checked for heart/lung sounds and a visual check of her body. Passed that one and on to the ENT. Now, I’m somewhat an expert on the ENT part seeing how we’ve had 5+ years of experience with Anna. The "ENT" doctor had one good eye. She kinda checked Julia’s ears. She then looked into her nose and throat. According to Wayne (our guide) the doctor threatened Julia (not in a mean way!!) but she told Julia that she needed to look in her mouth because she had let Julia play with her toys. YIKES! Wayne (our guide) laughed it off. It was more like the doctor was teasing Julia. Julia passed the ENT part of the test. Last but not least it was the temperature and weight. Her temp was good and her weight was fine (I guess!). Phew! She passed her first test!
Wayne brought us back to do paperwork for our consulate appointment tomorrow. It’s an appointment that we don’t have to attend, but Wayne will take all our paperwork for us. We have some shopping and a Pearl River cruise planned. Wayne seemed excited about taking us on the cruise. OH! We also met the Baker family. They have a cute little boy named Henry that they adopted from ChengDu. They also have another son (bio) and a daughter from China that they adopted last year. They seem nice too.
Ok...enough for tonight. We are having dinner delivered from Danny’s. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: www.dannysbagel.com We are having club subs, wonton soup and spring rolls for Julia and for mom...a special treat: CHEESECAKE!
Have a good day and please, please PLEASE let us know what is up with Peach (aka Grandpa George). For all those that read our journal, keep Grandpa George in your prayers. He’s not feeling so well after his surgery. Love you all!!
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Last night in Wuhan!
This will probably the last post from Wuhan and then we are headed to begin the last leg of our journey in Guangzhou. Our flight leaves Wuhan on December 7th at 8:40am. We will then be GZ until the morning of the 11th when we will begin the long flight home to Michigan.
I got up this morning feel a little sad. It’s our last day in the home province of my newest daughter. We hope that we have took enough pictures and video and will be able to tell her someday all about the area of China that she came from. I have enjoyed our time in Wuhan. Maybe a little disappointed still at not seeing Xianning, but for Julia’s sake, that place would be too hard on her. Part of a being a parent is protecting your child from things that could be harmful. I would have to say that seeing Director Lu and the orphanage would be devastating for Julia.
Wuhan is a great city. The people seem friendly and helpful. Our guide, Rosalind has been just amazing. There are so many interesting things about Hubei and Wuhan that I’m sure I won’t remember them all. The Yellow Crane Tower, the park, the museum, Mao’s villa, all the little shops (Anna, Momma got you a present today at a shoe store. Do you know what it could be? Cameron, I'm still looking for something for you!)
As Julia lays sleeping this morning she has no idea as to what is about to happen. I can only pray that she adapts to yet another change in her short life. As we’ve walked the streets I look into the faces of the people we pass. Does Julia look like any of them? Could any of these people be her parents or relatives? We will never know. What I do know is that I am grateful to her birth parents for making probably the hardest choice they have ever faced...giving her up. If her birth parents could only know the joy and happiness that this one little girl is going to give us and our families.
It’s as though she was made for our family. She enjoys many of the same things that our biological children enjoy. Shoes! Anna loves shoes...so does Julia. Potato chips! Cameron loves snacks...so does Julia. Play-Doh! Anna loves it, so does Julia. McDonald’s! Cameron loves it, so does Julia. The list goes on. I can see traits of my mom (doesn’t like to be woke up too early and likes watermelon!), Grandpa Bill (loves pistachio nuts!), Grandpa George (likes to sing...Julia is always humming little songs!) We think that she may have a similar dimple to mine (the one under my right eye...although Julia’s is under her left one).
This morning we visited Guiyuan Si. It is a Buddhist temple in Western Hanyang. There are 500 arhat statues that were sculptures. It was so cool to see all the different Buddhas. We then went to a bonsai garden. I won’t bore you with tons of pictures from that, but Aunt Samantha is going to have a field day. The girl giving the tours was Samantha’s Chinese twin. She went to university for horticulture. She knew her stuff! She even looked up a tree name for me so I would remember. :-)
After the bonsai garden we headed back to the hotel. Wayne, Julia and I went to a shoe store to get a present for Anna. :-) I can’t wait to show her what we got! After shopping we went to the little street near the school for some snacks/lunch. Julia and I tried many new things (well, new for mom!). We ate little shrimp balls, something that tasted like stuffing on a stick, cabbage dumplings and Brion and Liz had a few other interesting items.
Liz and I later went to Mark’s Bookstore. I spent about 180 yuan ($22.30 USD). I got some really neat things!! Even something that I think Cameron will like. ;-) I’m not going to post much more as we have lots more to pack. Next time I post we will be in Guangzhou!!! Love you all!!
I got up this morning feel a little sad. It’s our last day in the home province of my newest daughter. We hope that we have took enough pictures and video and will be able to tell her someday all about the area of China that she came from. I have enjoyed our time in Wuhan. Maybe a little disappointed still at not seeing Xianning, but for Julia’s sake, that place would be too hard on her. Part of a being a parent is protecting your child from things that could be harmful. I would have to say that seeing Director Lu and the orphanage would be devastating for Julia.
Wuhan is a great city. The people seem friendly and helpful. Our guide, Rosalind has been just amazing. There are so many interesting things about Hubei and Wuhan that I’m sure I won’t remember them all. The Yellow Crane Tower, the park, the museum, Mao’s villa, all the little shops (Anna, Momma got you a present today at a shoe store. Do you know what it could be? Cameron, I'm still looking for something for you!)
As Julia lays sleeping this morning she has no idea as to what is about to happen. I can only pray that she adapts to yet another change in her short life. As we’ve walked the streets I look into the faces of the people we pass. Does Julia look like any of them? Could any of these people be her parents or relatives? We will never know. What I do know is that I am grateful to her birth parents for making probably the hardest choice they have ever faced...giving her up. If her birth parents could only know the joy and happiness that this one little girl is going to give us and our families.
It’s as though she was made for our family. She enjoys many of the same things that our biological children enjoy. Shoes! Anna loves shoes...so does Julia. Potato chips! Cameron loves snacks...so does Julia. Play-Doh! Anna loves it, so does Julia. McDonald’s! Cameron loves it, so does Julia. The list goes on. I can see traits of my mom (doesn’t like to be woke up too early and likes watermelon!), Grandpa Bill (loves pistachio nuts!), Grandpa George (likes to sing...Julia is always humming little songs!) We think that she may have a similar dimple to mine (the one under my right eye...although Julia’s is under her left one).
This morning we visited Guiyuan Si. It is a Buddhist temple in Western Hanyang. There are 500 arhat statues that were sculptures. It was so cool to see all the different Buddhas. We then went to a bonsai garden. I won’t bore you with tons of pictures from that, but Aunt Samantha is going to have a field day. The girl giving the tours was Samantha’s Chinese twin. She went to university for horticulture. She knew her stuff! She even looked up a tree name for me so I would remember. :-)
After the bonsai garden we headed back to the hotel. Wayne, Julia and I went to a shoe store to get a present for Anna. :-) I can’t wait to show her what we got! After shopping we went to the little street near the school for some snacks/lunch. Julia and I tried many new things (well, new for mom!). We ate little shrimp balls, something that tasted like stuffing on a stick, cabbage dumplings and Brion and Liz had a few other interesting items.
Liz and I later went to Mark’s Bookstore. I spent about 180 yuan ($22.30 USD). I got some really neat things!! Even something that I think Cameron will like. ;-) I’m not going to post much more as we have lots more to pack. Next time I post we will be in Guangzhou!!! Love you all!!
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