Home from China 2007

We've been home almost a week and things are finally getting back to normal.  We started off bright and early on Wednesday 9/12.  We had to be in the lobby at 6:00 a.m.  We didn't sleep too well the night before.  Joy was really having difficulties sleeping in her crib.  Everything went well on the flight to Hong Kong.  We had a long layover there, so we did a bit of shopping and Seth and Jack walked around taking random pictures.

I really don't even want to post about the flight from Hong Kong to Chicago, but I have to for Joy's sake.  It is part of her journey to America.  Eva was just horrible.  She was tired and grumpy and then she had this new thing called "little sister".  Eva actually had screaming fits numerous times on the plane.  I had to take her into the tiny bathroom and just sit with her and let her scream until she was finished.  Even in Chicago's bathrooms she had her screaming fit, plus one on the flight directly home.  She was finally happy once we reached the last airport and she was in her carseat.  She even giggled at that point.  The last stewardess saw Eva smiling and laughing and said, "Now, you're awake and happy and not crying?"  I just had to share with her that we've been traveling half way around the world for the last 30 hours.  That explained a lot.  She seemed sympathetic at that point.  I also wanted to share that we had a couple of wonderful flight attendants from Hong Kong to Chicago.  One lady tried to get us an extra seat by moving someone around (it didn't work).  Another lady was so kind she brought (smuggled from business class) us Chips Ahoys and Twix bars.  She could tell I needed a sugar fix.  I have to say that both times we flew United, and both times we had wonderful people taking care of us on our flights.  Once we arrived in Chicago, Mike's mom came to visit us at the airport.  It was so nice to see her.  She brought Joy and Eva cards and gifts.  We planned on having a meal, but that didn't work out.  Poor Mike felt horrible.  Seth told him it was the airplane food,  Seth learned his lesson last year.  He was sick by the time we arrived in Chicago.  Needless to say, Mike found 5 seats and spread out on them to sleep.  I had not slept at all on the plane, but felt fine since there was so much to do with the younger girls.  They kept my adrenaline flowing all the way home.  

Once we arrived home, I bathed the girls and started unpacking.  I just couldn't stand the thought of bags sitting around.  That would be enough to keep me awake.  So, we got most things unpacked and I took a shower and we were all in bed by 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning.  Joy did not like sleeping in the crib.  Mike and I felt terrible for the first 3 days home because of lack of sleep.  Joy will sleep for a couple of hours, then start fitting in her crib.  She screams like a cat, arches her back, and kicks her feet.  Finally, Saturday night, Joy only woke up twice for about 10 minutes and we were able to sleep well.  Last night, she only woke once. 

Slowly, things are getting into a routine around here.  Joy is just blossoming under our care, attention, and love.  She is enjoying new foods and loves to explore.  She's walking all over the place.  At first she'd fall quite a bit, but that never hindered her .  She'd get right back up and try it again.  Yesterday, we attended church, and I went in the nursery with the girls.  I do have to say that I'm thrilled that Joy is very attached to us.  She obviously prefers us to others and even reached for Mike and I when someone else was holding her.  What a relief, since Eva did the exact opposite.  Eva is showing some jealousy.  When someone is holding Joy, Eva asks to be "up" with us.  This is unlike Eva, as she never wants to be held unless someone has food to share with her.  I know that slowly, Eva will get used to it all and adjust to her new sister.  We're all so in love with Joy.  She's such a funny, perfect fit into our family.  I'm glad our travels to China are finished and we can relax and enjoy our new family.  (Hindsight:  Little did I know then that we were going back to China!)

Heading out of our hotel room bright and early!  Joy looks quite chipper!

Maybe Eva would have been happier on this airline?

Hong Kong Airport

Yep, that's my hubby, all tuckered out.

Freezing at the airport in Chicago

Now she sleeps?!

Almost home!

Day 14 and 15 Guangzhou 2007

Well, this is our last post from China.  It is hard to believe that our time here is over.  When we arrived, it felt like we had such a long stay here.  It is amazing how our lives have changed these last 14 days.  We are now a family of 7.  Joy continues to amaze us with her progress and adjusting.  She's now taking about 5 steps at a time and smiles a lot.  She's learning to actually eat her food well.  Tonight, she had a pizza crust and ate it all.  Eva is still having her stuggles.  She shows Joy affection, yet she's a little rough with her.  I don't think she really knows how to handle it all.  I'm sure in a few weeks, she'll be doing much better.

Today, we had our Consulate ceremony and picked up Joy's passport with Visa.  Joy slept thru it all and Eva slept on the way to the Consulate.  Now, if we can just get them in sync for the plane rides home!  All of our flights are currently on schedule and we fly to Hong Kong in the morning, then on to Chicago from there.  We won't get home until late Wednesday night.  This evening we ordered Papa John's and it tasted delicious.  We're all packed and need to finish up a few things in the morning.  We're hoping for a good sleep tonight, but Joy seems to be restless at night.  She woke up at 1:30 a.m. with her regular screaming fit.  Mike put her in bed with him and we all slept in late. 

Tomorrow, Eva will spend her 2nd birthday in China.  It is hard to believe that we received Eva one year ago tomorrow.  I would have never dreamed we'd be back within a year.  God is so good and faithful to us.  We are so blessed to have our wonderful family.  Please pray for our safe travels and that we'll all rest well and that the girls especially will be content on the long flight home.

Day 13 Guangzhou 2007

I hate to always post that we did nothing important today, but that pretty much is the way it has been.  It seems that in Guangdong, we do a lot of waiting.

Mike took the 3 oldest children to church this morning.  Seth met a young man there who invited him to a bookstore for fellowship with other young Christians.  They meet on Tuesday, the night before we leave, so I doubt Seth will be going.  If we had another week left, I'm sure Mike would have taken him.  It would be an interesting experience, I'm sure.  So, other than that, we did the usual.  The boys went to the pool while the girls took a nap.  Afterward, Judy again took us to the restaurant we previously visited in the city.  We ordered the same meal.  This time, Joy decided to try the food.  She enjoyed the eggplant and sweet potatoes.  I'm so glad she's trying all of these new foods.  She's experiencing so many new things.

After dinner, we took a walk around the streets.  Seth went into a restaurant and decided to take pictures of the meal varieties, so, that is the reason for the pictures of "live" dinner.

 

Tonight was bath night.  Unless the girls get especially sweaty or dirty, I'll bathe them every other night.  Joy continues to immensely dislike her baths.  That is the time that she screams the hardest.  But, I did notice that the toy cup swirling around the drain after bath time caught her eye and she stopped crying.  So, I think soon, she'll come to enjoy getting clean.

 Naptime

 Trying to get noodle soup out of a bowl with chopsticks is quite hard.

Two in a single stroller.

My children being silly.

Day 12 Medical Exam Guangzhou 2007

And now it is Saturday evening.  To me, our time in China is going by so quickly.  I'm enjoying being in my daughters' birth country.  I know the rest of the family is ready for home.  The three oldest are ready to start soccer season, I need to start school with the children and try to adjust Joy and Eva back to our schedule.  I think the first week will be tough.

This morning we met our guide in the lobby at 9:30 a.m. to walk to the medical exam office.  I finally met the other 2 families in our travel group, Tracy and Kathy.  It was so nice to finally see the faces that I've been chatting with these last couple of months.  First we stopped and had Joy's visa photo taken, then we went next door to the doctor's offices.  It was busy, and we had to wait a bit.  First Joy was examined by the ENT area.  She can hear and her nose and throat looked fine.  We were in and out of that area in less than a minute.  Afterward, we went to the physical exam area.  The doctor looked Joy over and discussed her hand with another physician.  Then we were off to the weight and measuring area.  At 16 months old, Joy weighed in at 16.6 pounds.  I had figured that Joy would weigh about what Eva weighed at 12 months, 15.5 pounds.  So, I was just a pound off.  Joy just doesn't have the appetite that Eva has.

After returning to the hotel, I had to meet our guide to do some paperwork for the U.S. Consulate.  It took about an hour.  I have not been feeling well for the last couple of days.  Actually, I've felt ill, so I was happy to stay in our room all day.  I tried to rest along with the girls, but my stomach wouldn't allow me.  I had not eaten except for some breakfast, so I did venture out with the family to the Pizza Hut.  I figured the whole time we're here, it has been local food.  The Pizza Hut was for Jack.  I did manage to eat a couple of pieces and I still feel fine as I type.  Jordan awoke this morning with a sore throat.  I pray that she doesn't share it with the rest of us.  I cannot imagine being sick on the trip home.  Or worse, any of the other children.

Joy is doing a few new things.  She's enjoying copying us if we clap or click our tongue.  She doesn't really crawl anymore, she gets around on her feet and hands.  She can lift herself up to a standing position.  Yesterday, she actually took a few steps by herself.  She's still very wobbly, but adventuresome.  Her posture is horrible.  I think she lacks muscle tone.  Eva was the same way.  We had to work on sitting straight.  I've noticed little things that Eva does with Joy.  She's starting to do the "baby" things that Joy does.  It is hard for Eva to understand Joy coming into our lives, but I think she's doing great.

Dinner?

Days 10 & 11 Guangzhou 2007

Nothing new to report.  We are continuing to  see so much progress in Joy.  It is hard to believe that a week ago, I was so distraught over Joy's condition and behavior.  God is so good to us.  

On Thursday, we decided to go to the Friendship Store.  Now, I had no idea what it was, but I thought it sounded nice and quaint.  Well, we were all disappointed to find a large, overpriced mall at the end of our taxi ride.  Everyone knows that I'm not a shopper.  I think we walked around briefly, then just started walking away from the mall.  It was an interesting area.  We kept walking and I noticed that we started seeing less taxis and the streets started getting narrower.  I have to admit I got a little nervous and said a short prayer for a taxi to come along.  Sure enough, God heard another cry for help, and we made it back to our hotel.  Later that night, our guide took us for Dim Sum at the park.  It was very nice, but too much fried food.

Today Joy decided 5:00 a.m. was a good time to wake up.  I had not slept too well and I was feeling light-headed.  Joy played quietly on the bed for a bit, took about 6 ounces of formula and fell asleep on my pillow until about 7:30.  I really didn't want to get up at all, but Joy really needs to eat some solid food.  She eats congee and bananas for breakfast.  Joy seems to like that pretty much.  Eva loved congee and watermelon.  Actually, Eva has really been enjoying her large breakfast here.  Joy doesn't have the love for food like Eva does.  She probably only takes 3 bottles a day, each bottle being only 4-6 ounces.  For lunch she does eat rice cereal and really loves that.

After dinner tonight, we ran into another couple from our group that just arrived at the hotel with their little boy.  We head for our medicals in the morning.  I'm curious how much our little squirt weighs.  She seems so tiny.  Smaller than Eva, but maybe I've just forgotten how tiny she was last year.  I think at her medical in Guangzhou last year, Eva weighed 15.5 pounds.  She probably put a pound or two on the 9 days prior to the medical.

 Jack is a bit restless..can you tell?

Day 9 Guangzhou 2007

Another day of waiting.  We should receive Joy's passport on Friday.  Until then, we do whatever we want.  Today we decided to go to the park.  The Americans call it Five Rams Park.  It is very large and in the city of Guangzhou.  It is very beautiful.  We could have spent more time there if the children were not hungry for lunch.  As it was, we were there until 1:30 or 2:00.  When we first entered the park, a crowd of people gathered around us.  Only one man spoke English and everyone was asking questions about Joy and Eva.  Then they talked about Jordan, Seth, and Jack.  They said how "lucky" Joy and Eva were.  Everyone was so nice.  One older lady said that when the girls go back to the U.S. and drink our water, they'll start looking like us.  I wonder how they came up with that?  Joy just looked and listened.  She was very still and quiet.  Soon, she fell asleep in the stroller.  Eva looked like she was terrified with all eyes upon her.  Lately, she seems to more shy.  Maybe she's just overwhelmed with everything.  We continued walking through the park.  I have to say just how beautiful it is.  It is hard to believe such a beautiful place is right in the middle of the city.  You can actually hear the traffic in some places.  There were also children's rides in the amusement area, very similar to the one in Nanchang.  They were for younger children, but my older children needed the "amusement".  Even Eva enjoyed the carousel and umbrella ride.

Tonight, we had another dinner at the Thai restaurant, Cow and Bridge.  For Jack, it is bearable.  He managed to eat enough food to keep him alive, somehow.  He seems to have an upset stomach tonight.  We did a little more shopping at a few shops, and headed back to the room for baths.  It was another very warm day in Guangzhou.  At least we didn't get caught in a rainstorm.

We'll be leaving in a week.  Time is flying by for me.  I know I'll be sad to leave China again.  Last year, I knew I wanted to adopt again, and felt that we'd be back.  But, I'm not so sure about this time.  It has been such a wonderful experience and we love Eva and Joy so much.  They've added so much to our lives.  Joy continues to thrive with our family.  She's gotten to be quite the handful.  She has a temper and throws herself back when she's mad.  There seems to be only a couple of things that gets her that angry: having a toy taken away and having a bath.  She also fusses terribly when she's tired and seems to be happy to be put in her crib.  I'm not sure how that will work out for the plane ride home.  Please pray things go well for her.

The curious crowd.