So Good To Be Home

We're home at last. Including flights, and layovers and more flights, our travel time was a little over 37 hours. It was absolutely exhausting. The flight from Hong Kong to Newark was 15 hours and 40 minutes and little Addie did an awesome job, with no crying. However she did not sleep but three of the fifteen hours. She wanted to be held, cuddled, and entertained. I didn't mind thinking she would at least sleep during the long 9 hour layover in Newark. I was wrong. She seemed totally wired and did not sleep. Bayley on the other hand slept for 8 hours on the floor on the plane, and then she dozed on and off on the floor of the Newark airport. The funny thing was how Bayley would just plop anywhere on the rug in the airport, and it always seemed her head was on a coffee stained spot or whatever else we can imagine the stains to be. Finally at 12:38 am we landed in Bangor, and Addie met her Dad and her wonderful brothers.

We all crawled into bed sometime around 3:30 this morning, and then the crying and screaming began. It lasted for hours. Perhaps some of it was fear, but the major problem was again severe constipation for Addie. Today Addie had a very good day meeting many new people in her life. Everyone is quite surprised by her delays, as she does not seem like an 18 month old in any way. Her muscle weakness is quite severe, and she has every sign of a frightened and very neglected little girl. While in China I chose not to criticize her care for fear the blogs were monitored, but now I can clearly say that her level of care was atrocious. The flatness of her little head tells much of the story which included day after day of just being in a crib on her back. When offered toys she has no idea what they are. She rarely smiles, as if she doesn't know how. With all this said, there is something in her eyes that lets others know she is very much interested in the world and just needs lots of love and patience as she figures it all out. Her head is constantly moving in attempts to seek out what antic a particular sibling is up to. She hears every sound and makes small soft noises in reaction to things she loves.

She explored the outdoors today with her grandfather, and once again loved the grass. She slept so soundly and relaxed on her great grandmother's bed, and then had her first messy chocolate cookie upon waking. She played a special foot kissing game with her Uncle Lawrence, and every time he would stop, she would lift it up for him to kiss again. She hummed at her Uncle Jeremy and loved tinkering with the pens in his pocket. Clearly, she has so much to learn and much catching up to do, but today was a very good day for the start of her new life with us.

The picture is one taken by another couple as we put our sweet girls on the famous White Swan red couch in their traditional Chinese dresses.

We've Been Flooded

Things are a bit crazy here now. We woke this morning, and I didn't hear the wind. I said to myself that things or the typhoon must have passed in a different direction. No such luck. The heavy rains in the night flooded the island we are staying on. Business men and women are forced to walk the streets in water up to their knees. The same shops we bartered in last evening are flooded, with water damage to much on their shelves.The bad thing is that the typhoon hasn't really arrived yet. So we are very unsure what this means if more rains are on the way. If we flood even more, I fear we won't be able to leave the island for tomorrow's flight to Hong Kong.

This afternoon we are heading to the U.S. Consulate appointment off the island by bus, and we hear that for the moment the waters have receded a bit. Our Living Hope friends were not as lucky. Their daughter had a medical exam scheduled for this morning, and they were forced to walk in the knee deep waters to the clinic. Based on their report it was truly scary, as the water brought out giant earthworms. Dead cockroaches were floating everywhere, along with feminine products and other unmentionable things. I am horrified. As a precaution this family started their antibiotics. Hopefully Bayley and I and the baby can avoid the water, but even if and when the sun comes out we are told to stay off the streets, because they are still filled with germs.

On a positive note, Addie is not stressed at all- as long as she can have the whole box of Ritz crackers.


4 hours later - we are back from the Consulate. It went well and we were told they will get us to our flight no matter what. We leave the hotel at 5:30 am and hopefully this is our last post from China. We can't wait to bring Addie to her home and meet family and friends in just a few days. Our total travel time from leaving the hotel here until we reach Bangor is a little over 30 hours. Yes!!! We're coming home!!

Barbies, Bowels, and Bartering

Yes today has been filled with Barbies, bowel issues for Addie, and bartering once again for Bayley. Today all the babies who came to the White Swan yesterday received their complimentary Mattel Barbie carrying a Chinese baby girl. We showed the doll to Addie, and she flung it to the floor. Probably because she couldn't identify with me not looking quite enough like Barbie. In the playroom today, Addie again was frightened of the toys but did seem very intrigued by an older boy's temper tantrum. One toy we predict Addie will like is a puppet. When Bayley puts a sock on her hand and makes noises, Addie is quite amused.

The main issue today was that Addie had not had a bowel movement since last Friday, and she was not comfortable. Probably it is the iron in the formula, but as you know we are not changing from the American formula. At last tonight, we had a true explosion. It freaked Bayley out. Addie is resting much more comfortably now.

Moving right along from bowel explosions to food, we can say that supper this evening was wonderful. We went to Lucy's, known for its American cuisine, and I had the BLT that was in my dreams several nights ago. It was delicious. Bayley dreamily ate her fried chicken and french fries, and Addie smacked her lips often on her grilled cheese. We enjoyed dinner with the other Living Hope family we met in Beijing. Their little girl is adorable, and like us they were incredibly pleased with the food.

After dinner Bayley had another wonderful bartering night with the vendors along our street. She is so like her Uncle Jeremy. We now have enough Chinese fans and chopsticks to last quite some time. In the shops Addie makes very quiet humming noises as she reaches for things on the shelves. Yesterday she pulled several candy bars from the display counter at the 7-11 store. This evening she pulled at any dresses we strolled by. While on the street, we heard news that a typhoon is headed our way this evening and tomorrow. Winds are expected to be strong with very heavy rains. Hopefully things will be clear and not delay anything with our flight for early Thursday morning. Our big event tomorrow with be an oath ceremony at the U.S Consulate, and then packing all those fans and chopsticks Bayley has accumlated on market days.

We are counting the hours and thinking of home.

We're In Guangzhou And Getting Closer To Home

Today has been a very busy day. We left Nanchang early this morning and flew to Guangzhou where the final portions of our paperwork will be completed. Addie was great on the airplane, but then again that was only 90 minutes. Let's hope we can just manage on the big fifteen hour flight from Hong Kong to Newark, then the eight hour layover before the final flight to Maine. On the plane she ate quite a few cookies, so I can clearly see that snacks will be a top priority in packing the carry on for home.

Bayley absolutely loves the White Swan Hotel. The pools are gorgeous, and the lobby is filled with ponds of large goldfish and a huge waterfall. Here there are tons of families finalizing adoptions. Walking around Shaiman Island where we are located feels incredibly safe.

Right after our arrival in Guangzhou we had to hustle to get Addie to her adoption medical exam. She was very sleepy as she had missed her nap, but it went very well. Three doctors felt that her reflexes had greatly improved since the last medical reports, and that her muscle tone and weakness were more a matter a neglect. With lots of attention and physical therapy they predicted that things would go very well. Her hearing tests and the exam indicated she is plugged with wax, but they said they didn't have the tools required to remove it, so I should get that seen to when we arrive home.

This evening we went to the large playroom here at the White Swan. Addie was scared of the toys, but at the same time very interested. She also seemed timid around other children. She is absolutely suspicious of balls, and she squints her eyes when a ball rolls by. Bayley and I were so surprised when once while standing at a table with blocks she completely let go and stood alone for perhaps 10 seconds. As you can imagine we cannot wait to get home, but things are more comfortable here. Hugs and big kisses to the boys.

Just Hanging Out

Today we had a very lazy day of just hanging out at the hotel. Addie just didn't want to go to bed last night. She wasn't fussy, but refused to rest. She just lounged in her pajamas playing with her toys. The only problem was I was so ready for bed. Additionally Bayley and I have had some pretty bad belly aches. The only think that seems to help is tea . Addie's health reports indicate she relies too heavily on the bottle and battles attempts to feed her solid food. Bayley and I found that to be true as well, but we kept trying the rice congee and rice noodles that babies in China eat. Today there was a serious breakthrough in the eating of solid food. A couple Bayley and I met from Montreal gave us some peanut butter they had brought with them, as there is no such thing in China. Bayley and I wolfed down peanut butter and jelly on toast. From the corner of my eye I saw Addie's little mouth going up and down as if to say, "let me try." Worried about a peanut allergy, I decided to let her try bread and blackberry jelly. Wow!! She loved it, and kept smacking her lips for more. It was great to know her belly was getting something other than liquids. Later in the aftenoon, Bayley was craving chocolate ice cream. She ordered some down in the hotel restaurant and brought it back to the room. Once again, the little mouth started to move, and Bayley let Addie take a taste. That one taste turned into many more. She was so serious looking when eating this food, but upset when Bayley slowed down on feeding her. Tell Lawrence it looks like Joshy's has another new customer.

Bayley and I are very excited to fly out of Nanchang in the morning and head to Guangzhou. In Guangzhou we will stay at the White Swan hotel which is famous for catering to adoptive families. There they have a large playroom for children, many shops within the hotel, and access to American style food. That may sound trivial but I am really craving something familiar. I had a dream about a BLT last night, and Bayley has talked a good deal about french fries today. I think a new setting will be good for Addie as well. She seems to learn a great deal by exploring her surroundings, and this hotel room is getting pretty boring. When she came to us on Tuesday she could not roll from her belly to her back, but now she can go both ways with ease. On Tuesday she couldn't stabilize herself well for sitting in the bathtub, and today was a huge improvement. We practice a great deal putting her in a crawling position, but she still doesn't have the strength for this. I think I may have said before how we were worried about her being all grown up at 18 months, but truly she is so like a 7- 8 month old. Her big brothers have lots to teach her. Speaking of those brothers, Bayley misses them, and I cannot put in to words how much I miss them.

Today when I was sharing stories with the couple from Montreal I heard a sad one. I explained how when we went out yesterday, crowds would gather to ask about the baby. Their experience was a bit different. Their daughter has a repaired cleft lip and will need palate surgery when she arrives home. The doctors did a beautiful job, yet yesterday on the street they were stopped by people who made faces at the little girl and mocked her lip. Their guide explained that a cleft lip is seen as bad luck to many here in China. Bayley wonders if Addie's weak muscles made people have an "I don't care attitude" for her in the orphanage. I too wonder if anything but perfection in children elicits such an attitude from many here.

P.S. Bayley wants Tommy to know that he must watch out for his books, because Addie likes to eat books. Bayley's novel looks quite rough around the edges now.

Beautiful Pavilion, But There's No Place Like Home

Addie seemed to be feeling much better today, and she slept very well last night. Today we visited the Tengwang Pavilion which was built during the Tan Dynasty in 653 A.D. This nine story pavilion perched on the banks of the Gan River is very beautiful, and the detailed paintings are impressive. The Gan River itself is terribly polluted, and our outing today proved to be an experience in handling smells which we are not in any way used to. Today everywhere we went we were stopped, and people would swarm around the baby. We had no idea what they were saying, but our guide would translate much of it for us. They wanted to know where she would live when we returned to the United States. Younger people asked why if I already had one girl would I want another. Other people actually thanked us for giving an orphan a home. One thing I quickly noticed was that I was being scolded in some way by older Chinese women. I had to ask what they were saying. When I found out I was shocked. They felt she would catch cold because she was so scantily dressed. Imagine this, as today was 92 degrees and humid. I had trouble moving because my clothes clung to my sweaty body. To battle the heat, Bayley decided to be like the locals who use umbrellas not for rain but for shade. Nevertheless, our guide explained that traditional Chinese culture believes babies under two should be bundled regardless of the temperature.

After visiting the pavilion, we went to a large local market with no set prices. Bayley really enjoyed this, and our wonderful guide Echo helped with the bartering. Bayley found some great Chinese fans, and I decided to honor the older Chinese women by buying some leggings to go with Addie's summer dresses for when we are out and about in the next few days. This part of the market was very enjoyable. A bit different and maybe not to our liking was the food section. The open air food sales of beef and soup would not measure up to health standards we expect at home. Luckily we had a late buffet breakfast at the hotel, so we weren't hungry anyway.

Addie had lots of fun today. I do not think she had ever touched grass before. At the pavilion garden she kept looking at it and lurching forward in her carriage to touch it. When I placed a bunch in her hands, she was thrilled with the strange green matter. She is definitely teething and just about chewed the strap off my pocketbook. When I tried to redirect her to a more sanitary teething toy, she lunged at my hand, and I got quite a bite. Beware brothers!! Since then she has inhaled several Gerber Biter biscuits. Another thing that she likes is tea. Just like her brothers and sister, this girl likes to slurp warm tea with a bit (quite a bit) of sugar. With all of the sugar intake today, Bayley worried that we should snap to it in terms of her dental hygiene, so we found the baby toothbrush we had packed. We tried to brush her teeth, but were met with growl sounds. She did manage just fine when we let her handle it herself. I dare say she may be developing an independent streak already. Only two more days and we head to the very southern city of Guangzhou where we will stay for the last three days of our journey, and then HOME. If only I had some ruby red slippers right now -"There's no place like home!"

Formula, Fevers, and Finally Some Fun

Last night was another long one for Miss Addie. She developed a fever and was quite uncomfortable. The formula still isn't agreeing with her stomach, yet she's hungry and cries for more. We did get confirmation that Addie was being fed the Sanlu tainted formula, but not to worry if she is showing no symptoms of kidney problems. Yeah right- not worry. There are many wonderful things about this country, but I will feel so much better when we get home and have access to the medical care and concern to which we are are accustomed. The formula situation is sad, in that the majority of children using this brand were those in orphanages and the very, very poor as it is much cheaper than other more reputable brands.

At breakfsat this morning Addie refused to eat. In fact she truly is not very interested in any solid foods. She did enjoy banging her stacking toys on the high chair, and she loves to throw the napkins and placemats on the floor. I cannnot wait to see her at Nannie's kitchen table. Maybe by then she'll be interested in solid foods, after all who could not enjoy a good vegetable soup or some mashed potato. Bayley and I would welcome some right about now. We ordered from the restaurant in the hotel this evening and thought of Tommy when reading the selections. Some choices were: Deep Fried Pig Intestine With Green Tea, Sauteed White Fungus with Vegetable Stems, or Braised Shredded Eel with Garlic Sauce. We opted for some delicious Fried Rice.

Bayley got her wish this afternoon, and we took Addie to the pool as she seemed in good spirits. At first she was very scared, but by the time we were getting ready to leave she was enjoying herself. She loved to kick her legs, and it seemed like great exercise for her muscles. Speaking of exercise, we have a great view of the local middle school out our hotel window, and each day they have Phys. Ed at the same time. Take a look at the pictures of what we think could be the biggest P.E. class ever.

Throughout the day we have seen a variety of new behaviors from Addie. She loves to pull sister's hair, and she is making many new sounds and squeals. Now she reaches out her arms to us if we walk by while she is sitting on the floor. We think she may actually really like us now. She may have been born in the Year of the Rat, but we think she would make a terrific owl. Her head is on a constant swivel, as she is so curious about everything going on around her. We cannot say enough about how much we appreciate the comments people send to us on our blog. We are very homesick now and hearing from family and friends makes us feel better.

A Journey To Addie's Hometown

Last night little Addie was sick and cried most of the night. At last she threw up, and after that she seemed much better. I am wondering if the formula we brought with us isn't agreeing with her system. We asked our guide to help us get the same brand she was eating at the orphanage, but when we went to the store to get it, we found that all of her kind has been removed from the shelves this week. We do not know the details of the recall, so we are going to stick with what we brought and hope that her system is adjusting. After breakfast we took a van one hour southwest of Nanchang to Fengcheng which is where Addie was born and lived in the orphanage. Now that we are in China we were able to find out the details of her finding. We went to the exact location (The exit of the Fengcheng train station) of where she was found at just one day old. Bayley and I got out of the van with her and walked around. We took pictures of this place and of some buildings in her town so that she may see them if she is curious one day. Clearly her mother picked a spot that was busy with people so that she would be found right away. While walking past the market just outside the train station, Bayley grabbed my hand and said, "I wish there was just some way we could let her birth mother know that she is Ok and will be loved so much." I wish the same.

This afternoon Addie seemed so much better that we ordered the rice that she so loved yesterday. Bayley insists that she eat it with chopsticks to maintain her heritage. We have noticed that Addie gets very scared when we go on outings, and she becomes sullen again, but once back in the hotel room she perks up and enjoys playing. We are glad to see that she finds the hotel room with us to be safe and comforting so that she opens up. We also are finding that her muscle tone improves greatly after she is rested, but the minute she becomes tired the weakness in her legs is especially apparent. And just like most kids, her favorite toy is not a toy at all, but rather the remote.

She's Just Like Her Brothers and Sister

Addie's report from the orphanage states that she is a great sleeper and quietly drifts off on her own after being placed in her crib. I guess she decided that now she is a Ray-Smith child she would do as those before her have done - not sleep. Each time I tried to place her in her crib, she screamed and screamed. That didn't bother me at all, since Ron and I have always been used to having at least one child sleep with us, so I snuggled in next to her in the big bed. She kept her hand on my face and just as she would drift off, she would startle and look at my face and then scream. It was a very tough night, but eventually she did take a bottle of formula. Today has been a sad day. Most of the morning she was very depressed and sullen. Whenever I would say that I was Mama, she would hang her head and pucker. We went to breakfast at the hotel buffet, and she refused to eat and would not look at people. We met a very nice couple from Montreal, and they are here adopting their second child from China. They were super comforting to Bayley and to me, because they shared that their first daughter was extremely traumatized when they first got her and the sadness lasted a while. After breakfast Bayley dolled Addie all up in a pretty pink outfit for our outing in the People's Park of Nanchang. She resisted the hat at first, but Bayley softly explained that until her hair grew out it would cover her flat spot on back. She fell asleep at the park, but Bayley and I enjoyed the sights. Many elderly Chinese people exercise and dance in the parks. After the park we went to a shop and purchased a tiny tea set for Addie to have from her province which is famous for its porcelain. After lunch our girl really came to life, and this was a relief from her sad morning. She loves Bayley's silliness. If Bayley growls, she growls. If Bayley squints and sniffs, she does the same. We also realized that she knows our names. If I say where's Bayley, she turns and looks directly at her. Addie has also become very fascinated with the mirrors in our room. Bayley and I shook our heads about the reports we were given from the orphanage that stated she took steps on her own. Clearly this was not possible, as her legs are so weak. At breakfast the family from Montreal told us their report indicated their little girl could run and walk, and she cannot walk at all. Addie does love to play with her feet. She rips her socks off and loves to pound her feet on the crib sides. We are going to take a short walk outside after dinner, but the temperatures here are stifling , and this is not a place that feels quite as safe as Beijing, not to mention how scared I am of the traffic.

More than ever we are starting to feel homesick. I know we can do it, but I miss my boys so so so much, and it will be wonderful to get Addie home where she belongs.

The Girl We've Been Waiting For

We got our girl, and she is a sweet one!! As Bayley and I stepped off the elevator with our facilitator, I noticed a baby in the same dress we saw in the photos a few months ago - the same dress we sent her in a care package. Within moments of walking into a room filled with other families and tons of crying babies, Ting was placed in my arms. She pulled away but did not cry. She seemed scared and avoided looking at my face. But when Bayley stepped down and spoke to her, she made great eye contact and did not take her eyes off Bayley. We brought her back to the hotel, where I filled out tons of paperwork and little Addie Ting had her feet inked to get footprints for the documents. She refused and is still refusing to drink the formula or water or juice we offer her in a bottle. But she eats like crazy. She loves the Gerber biter biscuits-probably because she is teething. She has some monster teeth just breaking through the gums. She also loves the Gerber Puffs. We were instructed to give her a nap so she would be well rested for the afternoon appointments at the Civil Affairs Office, the Notary, and the police station. She would not sleep and just wanted to play with us. She loves the game of Drop It. Bayley and I comply and pick things up each time she throws them down. When I keep offering her the bottle she kicks at it. If I put it on the bed within her reach she kicks at it until it is away from her. She really liked her stroller and fell asleep shortly after the first interview began. We passed inspection and she is our daughter. Yes Ron, Tommy, and Jo-Jo we are at last a family of 6!!! You're going to love her, -that is if she ever takes her eyes off Bayley long enough to see you. She likes to mimic noises that Bayley makes and if Bayley pounds the bed, she does the same.

As far as her health goes- she responds very well when we call her name Ting Ting. She is much smaller than we expected. She was reported to weigh 26 pounds in May, but now she just weighs 22. There is nothing chunky about her. She does have low muscle tone, and they stressed how much improvement she had made with physical therapy. She sits very well, and stands when placed beside the bed. She still has a ways to go before walking. We worried she would be all grown up at 17 months, but she still seems so much like a baby, everyone will get their share of rocking and snuggling and feeding. Well I am going to go play with her and try to convince her that I am her mother, not Bayley.

Love to you all. We can't wait for you to meet Ms. Adeline Mei Ting Ray -Smith.

We're In Nanchang

Today we left Beijing and flew southeast to Nanchang in the Jianxi Province. Our new helper is not a tour guide but rather an adoption facilitator. She helps us with all the paperwork. Her name is Echo and she is just 24 years old. She is in graduate school and studying English. Nanchang is very hot and humid. We have been informed that there are many heavy thunderstorms here most days. Certainly this is not a place for Gary (Dad) if that is the case. We learned a lot from our facilitator. She said that in the north and in Beijing many families are beginning to value girls just as they do boys, however, in Nanchang and the country areas, it is still very much preferred to have a boy for both carrying on the family name and for farmwork as well. She talked a great deal about overpopulation and how China still must keep the one child policy. After checking into the Galactic Hotel which is very nice, we were asked to go to Walmart and get supplies for the baby. This was an experience. The four floor Walmart was mobbed. Now I am one to get uptight when the Bangor Walmart gets packed at Christmas time, but this was ten times more stressful. We purchased a stroller and water and snacks and baby food, and I found diet coke!! I mentioned in previous entries how Bayley received many stares because of her hair and light coloring. This was exacerbated here in Nanchang. Echo, the facilitator, explained that foreigners are very, very rare in this part of China, so it was likely that Bayley and I were some of the first caucasians the local children may have seen. Like I said, we have a great hotel, and the room was well prepared for us. (See Picture) The crib was ready along with a baby bathtub and special toy chair which converts to a potty. Bayley checked out the large pool and is pretty excited about that. She has been a wonderful traveling partner. Many adoption agencies do not recommend a single traveling parent bringing a preteen/teen because the trip is too demanding on them, but I cannot say enough about how great she has been, and I think it will be a wonderful chance for her to bond with her new sister as well. The area of Nanchang appears much poorer than Beijing. Tomorrow Addie will be driven two hours to Nanchang from Fengcheng, and we will be meeting her at 11:00. She will be accompanied by the orphanage director and a nanny. Then we have a formal interview at 2:30. We're so excited and nervous at the same time. What if she doesn't like us? We have practiced some words to help with the transition. Here are a few for Tommy and Jo-Jo and others to learn for her arrival. I will just spell them phonetically.

Wha Eye Knee - I love you.

Howla Howla - There there you'll be Ok.

Gee ah - sister

Brother is pronounced gooh -like the vowel sound look

Baba -Daddy

Mama- Mama

Hopefully the next blog post will allow us to introduce Adeline Mei Ting Ray-Smith.

An Incredible Day

Today was really incredible. We began the day by visiting a Living Hope Orphanage Training Center for unadoptable children. They are unable to be adopted because they are either too old or have a known living relative. In China even if the relative is unable to take care of a child, that child is still unadoptable because there is a known family member. At the orphanage the children are given an education and then supported in making the transition to adulthood whether it be on to college or vocational training. I was so glad Bayley had the chance to see this place. It was a great lesson in being appreciative of all that we have compared to so many others, and this was the case even though this was probably a much higher standard orphanage than most in China. The headmaster and employees of the school were very welcoming to us, and the kids were even more excited to have us tour their school. Above are some pictures of Bayley sitting in a classroom, one of her in the older girls' dorm, and a group photo in front of the school.

After the orphanage we were able to experience something words cannot truly describe. The Great Wall. It was difficult climbing to say it mildly. I was huffing and puffing and sweating and thinking wow, I am feeling old. Bayley was sprinting. I could only make it up to one tower and then half way to the second. Passing out looked very probable at one point today. Fortunately the husband of the family we are touring with, continued on with Bayley, and they went to tower three. When they descended, both Bayley and Todd, were shaking and trembling, as it really does a number on the knees and legs.

While Bayley was still trying to conquer the Great Wall, I tried my skills elsewhere -at the Squatty Potty. These toilets are holes in the floor, and one must strategically stand over them to urinate and just hope for the best in regards to dry undies, pants, and shoes when finished. Surely in another week I will be successful at least once.

This evening we were treated to an amazing acrobatic show. Our Chinese guide, Sam, has really done a terrific job selecting the sights and the delicious restaurants. Once again, it is making the wait to finally meet Adeline a bit easier. We are so happy to hear that Elizabeth and David made it home safely with Abigail. We were able to use Skype and speak with Tommy and Ron and Jo-Jo. This was a treat. Thank you to everyone checking in on them. It makes our homesickness and worries a wee bit less.

Tomorrow morning we fly out to Nan Chang. There was a glitch in our paperwork which had indicated we would be heading to Nanning. Luckily our guide caught this, as it was a full 1000km difference in where we needed to be to meet Addie.

We're getting closer to Gotcha Day, as the day is known in adoption circles.

Sightseeing In Beijing

Well sightseeing in Beijing was wonderful. Pictures and talking cannot truly do justice to the sights we enjoyed today. We visited the Summer Palace and Forbidden City which were residences of the Chinese Emperors and the royal families. We also enjoyed a pearl market showing us about the harvesting of freshwater pearls and then a silk market where we observed the process of silkworms being removed from cocoons and then silk threads being processed. Tommy -you would absolutely love it. For dinner this evening we went to a special restaurant and were served Peking duck. Bayley couldn't eat it, because she just knew the duck was a relative of our own ducks. I found the duck to be quite tasty. One thing that has been a bit strange is the fact that I just expected there would be many Caucasian tourists. I was wrong. We, along with a very nice couple using Living Hope too, are pretty much the only white poeple I have seen. We assume this may be part of the reason for so many many stares. Bayley truly is a spectacle. People stare at her blonde hair, then they nudge someone else to look at her, and then they turn around again to look at her. She's sort of clueless so doesn't notice or mind, but I find it sort of bizarre. The weather is warm here- about 82 F, but there is tremendous pollution so it remains very hazy. The city itself is extremely clean, and currently is hosting the Paralympic Games for individuals with disabilities. There are teams from all over the globe. Seeing all the new sights keeps our minds busy, but really we are so impatient for Tuesday when we get to meet the real reason we came to China -ADDIE!!!

Lots of kisses and hugs are sent to Tommy and Jo-Jo and Daddy from us. We really miss you guys!!!

We're In Beijing

Well after a very long flight we are in Beijing. We are totally exhausted and heading off to bed, but wanted you to know we are safe on the ground. We will meet Addie on Tuesday. Bayley is already enjoying China. The hotel has many fountains and aquariums with goldfish, and she is amazed by the sights around us. We did just go to a local restaurant with our guide, and the food was so delicious. Most of the things we ate were new to us, but absolutely wonderful. Bayley ate lots of spicy seaweed and bamboo shoots. Tomorrow we head out sightseeing, and hopefully we'll quickly adjust to the time change so that we will be ready for Addie on Tuesday morning. Bayley also wants me to mention that we had a Chinese Jo-Jo on the plane. What she means is that the child sitting behind us was a boy of about 4, and though we don't know what he was saying, his temperament seemed like Jo-Jo's. He ordered his father around and then would kick the seat and whine. Tommy- we sure do miss you and Jo-Jo and Daddy.

Wow - We're Off

After lots and lots of waiting the final steps have moved very fast. Today we received quite a surprise when our agency called and said we had a Consulate Appointment on September 23. Could we be ready to leave in just three days on Thursday September 11th? Certainly we would make sure to be ready, and so with just three days to get our acts together, Bayley and I will leave bright and early on a 6:00am flight. This quickness of travel is probably a good thing, giving me less time to worry about missing Thomas and Jo-Jo so very much. Oh and yes I'll miss Ron too. As far as work, it gives me less time to worry about getting things in line at school as well. As far as we know we will meet Addie on Monday September 15th, and then stay the required length of time in China. We will leave China on September 25th and be back home late the night of the 25th. We are very excited and nervous too.