Praise to the internet goddess! Thanks to the magic of the world wide web, I have successfully tracked said flabby asses down. Cross referencing the information on the Guangzhou airport website to that on the Beijing one, I can breathe a tiny sigh of relief. Their flight took off on time and is scheduled to arrive about 4 minutes after I looked it up. The Guangzhou airport website is a little tricky in that the flight information is in Chinese while everything else on the page is in English. Good ole babel fish to the rescue! All they had to do was get on the plane. They are also in luck when they land because they are coming into the same terminal (terminal 2) as they are leaving from. Not that they don't have a large layover, but it is less stressful to not have to walk for miles to get to the next terminal. At 3:25am CST, they should be pulling away from the gate to begin their leg to Chicago. The are scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 4:12pm CST. Just remember that you can't hide from me!!!! BUWAAAAAAHHHH!
Tell me you got your flabby asses on the plane. Tell me you are just hanging out in the Beijing airport sucking down dry fish snacks... Tell me you not among the masses and your plane was not in pieces on the tarmac like mine was coming home with BJ... Tell me anything... Hullooooooooo????
What will I do with myself when the girls go home? I just don't know what I will do with all of the time. I will look around at homework time and wonder how we got through the line so fast. I will catch myself saying "B, stop kicking/messing with your hair and just eat!", "what do you want for fruit S?", "B, honey, come and go potty" and they won't be there. I will be hurrying supper on Tuesday and then have no where to go. I will accidently go into big G's room to tuck S in and just find big G. Big G will be thrilled to be tucked in I'm sure. I will be looking for just one more hiney to wipe before we head out the door. I will miss the morning snuggle, everyone taking a turn to plop their warm sleepiness onto my lap for some love. The ear splitting din of 6 laughing/shouting/squealing kids fighting over cards will be reduced significantly. I may be able to hear my own thoughts - scary as that may be. S's maniacal cackle, B's high pitched squeals of joy. Two less sets of clothes/coats/boots/backpacks/hugs goodnight. The quietness of the house when every precious child has drifted off to sleep. The silence is so loud you can hear their guardian angels sigh... I will have to deal with big G 24 x 7 again. I think I'm going to cry.... *SNIFF*
I tell ya what I won't miss! The stinking dog pile. My dogs smell like roses and chocolate compared to the ones next door. Oye... The traffic in the morning. Suck parking places. The feeling that I just get to work and barely have time to drink my coffee before it is time to go. Worrying that everyone is getting enough time/attention/love in the absence of their parents or the ones that are classified as mine don't feel slighted. Wait, I will still have that to worry about. Running the breakfast/lunch/supper marathons - not running them persay just the annoying habit big G has about getting things for the kids while I have my back turned doing something else and then yelling at me about my lack of alertness when I bring a duplicate. Listen woman! I have enough to do, I don't need to keep an eye on you constantly to see what you might be doing next. Announce your intentions!!! Thank you very much! Don't you have dogs that need to go out? Keeping up with everyone's schedule - I sent B in her swimsuit today - beach day is tomorrow. Big G said if that was the only thing I bungled as far as the schedule, I was doing great. It will be nice to not have somewhere to go every night of the week again. Worrying about the travelers. Thinking about what might happen if they don't make it home. Knowing if I had to, I could make this work and then some.
In a few short hours you are going to be making your way to the airport. Into that writhing sea of humanity stranded in Guangzhou. You just make sure you get your hineys on that plane, and the next, and the next. Kiss the red-headed baby boy for me and good luck - you are going to need it!
And now, to send you safely on your way, I wax poetic and give you the poignant words of Chris Daughtry. BJ and I sang this on our way home last August. Everyone else pretended they didn't know us. Sing it loud and long my friends, with your lighters raised...
Staring out into the night
Trying to hide the pain
I’m going to the place where love
Feeling good don’t never cost a thing
And the pain you feel is a different kind of pain
Well I’m going home,
To the place where I belong
Where your love has always been enough for me
I’m not running from, no I think you’ve got me all wrong
I don’t regret this life I chose for me
But these places and these faces are getting old
So I’m going home….
Well I’m going home…
The miles are getting longer, it seems
The closer I get to you
I’ve not always been the best man or friend for you
But your loving makes true, and I don’t know why
You always seem to give me another try
So I’m going home
But to the place where I belong
Where your love has always been enough for me
I’m not running from, no I think you’ve got me all wrong
I don’t regret this life I chose for me
But these places and these faces are getting old
Be careful what you wish for
Because you just might get it all
You just might get it all and then some you don’t want
Be careful what you wish for
Because you just might get it all
You just might get it all….
Godspeed people, godspeed.......
Trina just sent me a message. S told her this morning that she is not going to be in school on Monday. I sent back that I didn't see any reason why S would not be in school on Monday and that the missing parents didn't say anything to me about it. I told her to count on seeing S on Monday unless I get a super good reason from her parents that she's not going to be there...
There are currently 14,000 people stranded at the Guangzhou Airport because of snowstorms throughout Central and Southern China. Flights to Beijing are going out just fine... but some how we're going to have to find our way through 14,000 unhappy people to get to our plane tomorrow. The news hasnt really said if there are people stranded in Beijing at the airport... but I image there are.
14,000 is nothing compared to the 600,000 that are stranded at the Guangzhou train station! And the 20,000 trucks, buses, and cars that are stranded on roads all through the affected areas. So much for the New Years holiday when the country is getting the worse snow its gotten in 54 years. :( I just hope we make it out of the country without delays...but my prayers are for all of the people suffering because of their one chance a year to go home and see family.
Big G calls me a little while after I get to work. One of B's hearing aids is beeping. Dang it! I tested those batteries this morning! Big G is completely batshit and can't even follow the simplest instructions to change the batteries. I try to talk her through it but it is no use. B went to preschool without them. *SIGH*
10 minutes after I get done talking to the unmechanical wonder, I get a call from W's teacher. Apparently he was acting squirrelly and sassing the student teacher. She's a very quiet, meek little thing and he decided to try his luck this morning. BIG MISTAKE... W's teacher told him if he didn't straighten up, she was calling me. She told me the look on his face was absolutely priceless while I was on the phone and that she didn't think there would be any more problems. I told her to take away his recess and have him apologize to the student teacher. Let's just say he is in deep doodoo when he gets home.
Yesterday the wind and blowing snow made the windchills unbearable into the -20s. You see those pictures on the news of people in Chicago walking backwards into the wind, just trying to stay on their feet. That is what it was like here. Picking up the kids from school, I had to park about a block away and walk east and north. I nearly froze to death before I got to the door. My knees are so bad, extreme cold locks them up so they don't bend. Little hard to walk when your straight as boards. 8) I trying to bundle the kids for the walk back to the car and fretting over their lack of scarves. The day before was 50 degrees. Cue the light bulb! I decided to give my sheep to S and get the spare pants out for the little girls. I tied the pant legs around their faces and tucked the pants part into their coats - waaalaaa - instant scarves! The boys' coats have extra face flaps on the hoods. After much moaning and wailing about how stoopid they looked, we were finally set. When I got them all strapped into the car, BJ and M told me I was the smartest mama in the world because they were warm as toast. Thanks! I will write your vote of confidence down on the calendar.
We saw one bit of interest while we were out and about playing in the park in during the 20 minute dry period of the day. THK was running from one captraption to another trying to figure out how to make it work. Whether you turn it, push it, pull it with one part of the body or you climb on top and walk on it, the chinese have come up with some very neat things to keep themselves healthy.
While he was darting away from the device shaped like a circle, with a balance beam function we noticed a police, or quite possibly a military type vehicle approach and stop less than a 100 yards away, and the door slammed open and probably less than a dozen SWAT type personel piled out, ran around the vehicle. One or two stopped and covered the rest as they ran up into a drive way, up a staircase and into a second floor door of a house. Just about 5 minutes before we had seen probably 5-6 teenages mulling about in the driveway, but nothing out of the ordinary.
THK was oblivious to what was going on, and we were trying to keep redirectng his lines of travel away from the potential mayhem, and move to other side of the street, walking towards *gasp* STARBUCKS. As we made it safely to the next block, all the miltia had clammered back in the wagon and had went down to the next block in the opposite direction, and seemly did the same routine all over again to another house.
That has been the only big excitement that was out of the ordinary even for guangzhou, though on the same note anyone in the states would usually see the following:
A LARGE, HEAVY truck with mear slits for windows, and big holes covered by high gauge steel covers them until defense is needed. A drive stays in the vehicle(usually but not always). A couple more persons bail out that often do not look overly atheletic, and quite possibly from a rental type agency. Note I am not trying to offend, just trying to show contrast. The persons would then take they bags, and material in hand to the bank, or atm of whatever it is they are exchanging with. They usually look alert and ready, but pretty relaxed and just doing a job they have well to another dozen other stopps that day.
Heres what I saw for service of the atm just inside the side entrance of the hotel that leads to the deli and the zone-defense shops:
A very small truck, heavy but small much like the little bitty vans they have running about. Large windshield, but otherwise having small side windows, and ports for defense. The driver stayed in as usual, however there was 2 guards with guns much like the SWAT team we saw earlier stationed around the vehicle. They didn't look mean, but were very alert, standing still, hands on the gun just watching the people mill around them. Meanwhile at the ATM machine there was the typical 2 technications(possibly armed, where as perviously they were), and another 2 SWAT members stationed at 45 degrees corners around the machine, with hands on they guns in front of them, muzzle pointed up as the rest.
Whose to say which is better, and I don't read a lot of hits out on armored money transports in either country but I would say china has the advantage for keeping their yuan safe during transistion. :)
Another rainy day in Guangzhou... with a twist! We had to stay in our room today from 10am to 12pm in case Daniel called with any consulate related questions. At 12:10pm he calls and says we need to redo one form... it was expired. LOVELY! He comes over at 1:30pm, I fill out the form, and Tian is down for his nap by 2pm.
Tian's been a good sport about his forced captivity today. The little man has been playing with us and flashing his heart-melting smile all morning. We are soo going to be in trouble when he grows up... all the girls are going to love him like crazy. He got stir crazy a little bit towards mid morning so he and Dana took 10 minutes and went to Starbucks. Otherwise he's been an extremely happy boy.
With that said... I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm hoping it doesnt while we're coming home... but we'll deal as best we can if it does. Seriously... the boy has no orphanage behaviors, he's not delayed in the least, has reasonable muscle tone for someone his age, and knows his way around toys. He eats, he sleeps, he goes to the bathroom good except that one day he thought he'd be a smartass and pee in the garbage can! Boys and their ability to pee anywhere - geesh!! He interacts well - loves Dana and tolerates me - and we've seen him grieve for his foster family so we know he can form attachements. He could go off the emotional deep end at anytime...and then again he might not. We are just not that lucky of people and he's only one small boy... I'm not going to count my rose colored glass wearing chickens before they hatch....
Color me suprised when W's teacher told me yesterday that S was sobbing uncontrollably at lunch and W was so upset he wouldn't eat. "Why?", I ask because I couldn't really come up with anything plausible that would set both of them off. Apparently, since W moved to first grade, S and W have been sitting next to each other at lunch - every day. Apparently a little twit named Ricardo decided he was going to sit between S and W - wailing commensed soon after. Who knew they liked each other that much that they would throw an ever living fit about not being able to sit next to each other?!?!?!?! When I asked W about it he said "S my cousin! I like her very much. She fun to sit at lunch" Really? S of course got her stone face on and wouldn't say much about it. Apparently the cousins moving in has really improved their relationship and they consider themselves good friends. Awwwwwww. 8) I told them they didn't have to sit next to each other everyday and to try not to throw a fit if you don't get to. Just eat your lunch and get over it.
And now to other news...
1. S's cough is much better with just a bit of juicy hack when she first gets up. I also have the backs of her hands back to rights. She got all of her spelling words wrong on her pre-test so she didn't get the challenge list. They were all words that ended with E. Wondering if contractions in braille sometimes trip her up on full spellings? Also wondering if the contractions also cause her to faulter on text reading because they aren't the same?
2. BJ is over her hack but now her nose is running like a faucet. Yesterday when I picked the kids up for school, her nose and one cheek were so chapped, I started calling her Rudolf. She didn't dance last night because of her nose but she did do a front limber into a bridge and stood up for T's acro teacher. Teacher asked her who she was and why wasn't she in acro. My best friend K told her BJ was just counting the days...
3. B's nose is running. She danced last night and had a blast. I told the secretary that this was the last time B would be doing this. The secretary wanted to know if I wanted a list of class times that were doing the same song as B's regular class in case the parents don't make it home. I told her NO. They are coming home Friday. END OF STORY... She must be sleeping really good because she isn't getting up to go to the bathroom. She's been wet every morning now for several in a row.
4. M has a sore throat last night and this morning. She's getting sick I'm afraid... B told her she was a beyoch the other day. While it was totally true, B was scolded for using the WORD... She got a joke book from the library yesterday. It is so funny to see her sit there reading all of the jokes by herself, cracking herself up.
5. W - its been hit or miss on the reading group lately. Either Miss T has been sick or like yesterday, the entire class wasn't in the room when he went down. Apparently they were just a little slow getting back from recess. His teacher and I both told him if there is no one in the room, sit down and wait for them to come! His reading is really coming along, almost like something just clicked overnight. He is also enjoying not going to ELL because he can stay in the room and participate in centers.
6. T - got second place for his music composition in the school's annual reflections competition. He was so proud when he came home, showing off his prizes.
7. Big G is tired. Her butt is dragging and she is wigging about the weather...
Speaking of the weather. Yesterday was in the 50's and melting the subject of the day. Woohoo! I can see the grass but the water was rising behind the garage. Mother Nature is such a nasty wench. Today it is freezing again. Windchills below zero, blowing snow, freezing rain, yada, yada, yada. More nasty weather on Thursday expected but clear and sunny on Friday.
So happy to see more pictures of the boy! You know it's funny... La always tells me the girls are constantly want her to play with them, pretty much pestering her to the point where she can't even take a pee in peace. I find it to be the exact opposite when they are at my house. They have bigger fish to fry playing with the cousins and don't even give me a second thought. Maybe I'm just not as fun as their mom. 8)
Nothing much to report today... it was a free day and it was raining on the island. I am officially ready to come home and we've got 2 more full days to be here.
How does one spend the day when its raining and housekeeping keeps wanting to throw you out of your room so they can clean?
You go out in the rain and wander around until you're cold and wet (not real wet...we've got decent coats!)
You go in *gasp* shops. I hate to go in the shops... the sales girls always make me feel so guilty for some reason when they keep suggesting things to buy and I've already got those things at home. Okay... quick rant here!! Why must the shop girls follow just 1 step behind me while I look at stuff?? I swear thats enough to turn me off of buying anything. I wonder if I promised not to steal anything and buy *something* from them if they'd just stay back maybe 4 steps. 4 steps would be lovely!! I'd even settle for 2 steps as a compromise...See!! I can bargin!
You go to Starbucks and grab a cup of something hot to clutch as you wander more in the rain.
You go to the Deli for lunch...they have really REALLY good cakes there! So pretty with fresh fruit on them...yum!
You go back to your hotel and wander the main floors until the little man throws himself down in a fit of frustration because you still wont go near the elevator.
You go back to your room in the hopes that they've actually cleaned your room only to find that they've only just begun. Wait in hall for 20 minutes until they're finished.
Take a nap or sit in the bathroom and read your book while the others in your party crap out for a couple of hours. Those of you asleep will be rudely awaken because housekeeping wants to change out a book of some kind in your room. Wonder why the hell they didnt change out the book when they were holding your room hostage before.
Play with small boy and his toys
Decide if its a room service kind of night or to brave the rain once more and go out to Lucy's. Cow and Bridge restaurant was last night and its a long ways to go in the rain... it was very good but too spicy for a raining day.
Go to Lucy's for dinner... cheeseburger and fries, fish and chips, fresh fruit salad, and steamed broccoli. They were out of the basil beef with rice or we would have had that!!
Back home to the hotel in the drippy rain. Put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign - I love the chocolate they bring when they turn down the beds at night but I'm tired of people being in our room...its just not worth the chocolate.
Tomorrow we must stay in our room between 10am and 12pm... but it will probably be a repeat of today with not much to do but wander and hang out.
Auntie Sis here!
Our buddy Frank (aka the Italian little brother I never wanted) has just announced a much anticipated concert date for his band Faded Pearl. Valentines Day at the House of Bricks! A 3 hour set from 8-11pm. I am so proud of him *SNIFF!* 8)
As the mama and the other dadees did paperwork, BaBa and little man continued with their adventure back to the hotel. It wasn't a straight shot back by any means.
First we walked down the street to turn the corner on the main road back to the Swan. Right on the corner was this little liquoir store that dadee had seen a few times before. All the while the boy was walking beside me. I had remembered from a documentary type book I had read about a guy that had spent 2 years at a shaolin temple learning wu shu. In one the the chapters he has talked about this "chinese wine" sorta like the 'absolut' the chinese made with rice. The stuff is called Baijiu and you can't get it in the States so I picked the boy up and we saw it just inside the entrance. Very cheap, very fast transaction and away we went back on the trail.
About 1/2 way to the next block he asked nicely that he wanted to be put down and to walk himself. No he didn't struggle, and he said it in mandarin, I understand, confirmed, and let him walk again. Next up was going to the shop on the otherside of dadees favorite real 'dynasty' type chinese antique store to a place I had not been in before yesterday (to get a tea pot and tea). This time we both said 'ni hao' to the ladies and the old man running the place and went to the back to pick out more tea. Tian again was very good, curious, but patient as I looked and smelled small selection of tea to choose a few other ones. We paid for it, and he carried the bag. We said goodbye and off we went are next stop on this little bumble bee type path adventure.
We shuffled around the corner towards lucy's place past the the 7-11 store to the place that said they would have Tian's chop ready. Of course they did, The boy was shy, but eventually waved 'hi' as they looked for his chop and tried to up-sell dadee into a nice porclain tea set, and or a set of hand-caligraphied banners for childs room. Pass, pass, nice...., and pass.. I grab the tea from THK, he grabs the chop and back the way we came we go, all the while dodging a couple of quiries for addition purchase or 'look-see's into others stores.
Again at the cross-roads we have bags in hand, and dadee squats down to ask baby-boy if he wanted to join him in a frothy brewed drink, and the boy agreed, and also agreed that he wanted to motor under his own power hand in hand. Off we went to the Capitalist-laded, highly caffienated out of place that is the *gasp* Starbucks store. We past a couple of groups of youths on their way back to the hostel nearby talking german, french, and at least one other language I didn't hear enough to recognize some having already made a pit stop at the 'buck store, others just looking for a rest so it seemed. We finally made it in and got our order in for a blended fruity drink for the mister, and a regular brew for the baba-nothing fancy :) We made it outside, and reshuffled our baggage, and Dadee asked if THK wanted a ride, and he wanted to make back to the hotel on his own or at least try.
We made it about a block, and he wanted to ride a bit, making better time anyway as dadee can walk bigger steps, though the extra weight can only be carried so far. Another block away from the hotel he is back on his feet and on our ride in the 'vator. In the room we unpack, and he starts to rummage through the bags and pointing to sacks and shapes just out of his reach in a quest to find snacks to eat as we wait for MaMa to finish the paperwork and join us for some lunch. A part of the juicy drink (actually didn't like it too well, it was a bit cold for him he said), 2-3 big graham-type cracker, 3 revolutions of the channels, and 2 cartoons later mama was back in the room, and dadee handing off the baby boy to trek down to the deli for lunch and a quick scout for Nelson of course..
Auntie Sis! I had no idea you were such a port lush! You're one up on me... I didnt even know we still had port IN THE HOUSE!! If I had, there would be no port for you!
I'm sorry about not getting the swim suit out for B... but the antique wooden ice box in the laundry room IS the most logical place for swimming gear in our house! Might I say 'duh!'
Pictures of Tian... you try catching a blur on film and see how it goes for you! I tell you he's go go all the time... every time we try to take his picture, he's moved his head or his entire body is GONE! He's just like B - I've got 2 twitchy children now. Do you think its because they were both born in the year of the Sheep?
Did I not blog at all yesterday? I'm sorry!! There was a lot going on yesterday... We went to the Chen Family Temple and the Guangzhou Zoo. Tian was not at all impressed with the temple... he thought it was a shopping opprotunity and he HATES to shop. I think thats good because then at least someone will want to stay home with me when Dana goes out and about. He got a little more happy about being there at the end when Dana started chasing him about the courtyard.
The zoo was great! Tian asked questions of our guide the entire time we were there. Here's a sample:
1. Why is the rhino so stinky?
2. The monkeys stink too... why do the monkeys stink? We need to move away.
3. Can the giraffe go down stairs?
4. I want to see the sharks... will the sharks try to eat me?
5. Why do the fish have to be in the water? Why cant they be outside?
6. I'm done with the birds... can I have a bird at home?
7. I'm getting hungry... my foster family had a restaurant near them. Will there be restaurants where I'm going?
8. Why are we not in Magwar (America) yet? Why do we have to stay in this place?
Today Daniel our guide told him that this morning we were going to go visit the clinic for the visa medical. That made him cry!! I think he thought he was going to get a shot... but no such luck! That will be the Monday after we get home! BUWAHAHA!!
After the medical, me and 2 dads from the other families sat down and did the paperwork for the consulate. The dads dont really understand what Daniel says so they kept asking me questions. I've done this 3 times now and I understand Daniel so I was happy to help! The dads were so funny... they, like all other dads I've met, didnt fill out any of the adoption paper work before coming to China. The little girls they adopted are attached to the mommies really well and dont really care for the dads yet, so the dads are stuck trying to fill out papers they know nothing about. They just made me giggle but they got through it great! I was done first, so I left while they had a couple more forms to fill out.
Tonight was suppose to be the river cruise but we opted out.... been there... done that... food is NOT GOOD, its too cold to be out on the water, and Tian would probably go overboard! No Big G... he's not a demon, he's just busy like B. We cant all be a throw pillow like SHQ was! I told Dana I have visions of B and Tian dancing at the ends of my arms like little crazy people... at least both of my arms will get a workout now instead of just the one B hangs off of all the time.
Tomorrow is a free day. Wednesday we have to stay in the room between 10am and 12pm in case Daniel calls us with any questions from the consulate. Thursday we have to go to the consulate at 2:40pm with only our passports (sorry Tian.. no snacks!) for the swearing in ceremony. Friday we get to come home! We and 2 of the other families are going to be on the same United flight from Beijing to Chicago so we'll all be laying over for several hours together! The men can go russle us women and children something to eat while we're there!
Oh Auntie Sis! We'll be skipe-ing in our call tomorrow to your home number since our cell phone is dying and we werent lucky enough to find a charger. Lets hope it works!
Auntie Sis here...
The girls and I toddled over to the Cleveland house last night for our final
slumber party. I'm going to miss our Saturday night fun. 8) We pack a bag
of nighties for all of the little little people and clean clothes for my
girls. Since we haven't brought all of the Cleveland girls' clothes over,
there is plenty to choose from the next morning. For their viewing pleasure,
the watched S's choice The Cat Returns. Popcorn, apple juice, and little
bags of cereal for those who were yearning for kettle corn made everyone
happy. The boys also had popcorn with big G and watched T's new birthday
Avatar dvd. Good times were had by all. And then, my favorite part...
The girls' movie got over in time for them to be in bed by 8:00pm. That
meant that I could settle down with the stinking dog pile, a big glass of
that lovely port (took me two weekends to find it!), and Captain Jack.
SIGH... Not only did I get to see this week's episode of Torchwood, but all
of the ones La and Dana had recorded on the DVR. I was in cuddly dog/cute
dude in suspenders heaven until about midnight. I usually feel really bad
making the dogs go to bed when they are so comfortable and snoring. Not last
night. I nearly choked to death on the green cloud hovering over Butters.
That dog has some serious digestive issues. PeeYOOOOOOO. I have decided I
can't really live without BBC and am going to order up dish next week. Big G
loves the number of channels and I love that it is way cheaper than cable. I
had to reboot the receiver Saturday morning. It froze on CNN and wouldn't
move.
Attention AWOL parents - I have a couple of bones to pick with you...
1. Could we get more pictures of Tian posted? I'm seriously not impressed
with the selection and would like to see more of him than just some wierd
shots of half of his head. The towel ones were seriously cute. 8)
2. Beach day at preschool was mentioned several times before you left for
China and several times while you have been there. I looked the entire house
over last night for the required swimsuit B is suppose to be wearing this
week. While it is normally fun to snoop through someone else's house, it
seriously cut into my Captin Jack time. I finally found it but it was the
absolute last place I thought it would be. Grrr.....
3. Big G was in dire need of tp downstairs and didn't have a clue where to
look. S was extremely helpful in telling her where she might look.
4. That clock in your room is enough to turn anyone into an insominac.
Seriously, does need to be that big AND project the time on the ceiling? I
pointed it backwards and piled dirty kleenex in front of it last night just
to block out it's obnoxiousness. Big G loves it and wants one for the living
room.
I've gotten a couple questions on who all these people are that are mentioned in our blog. For those joining us late (as in after we started this blog in 2004...) here's the run down:
Tian - little person we're currently in China bringing home - he's 4 and seven months younger than B
B - thats our daughter Aubree BiXiu...she's 4 AND A HALF she'd like you to know. B is from Changsha and came home at 14 months in 2004
SHQ or S as Auntie Sis calls her - thats our daughter Shae HongQi - she's one of the 7 year olds and is from Yinchuan. She came home at 5 years old in 2006... almost 2 years ago to the day we're here again in China bringing her a brother!
Auntie Sis - thats my twin sister... she blogs MUCH better than I do and its not even her blog!
Big G - thats my mom and grandmother to all of these munchins
T - Auntie Sis's oldest son... he's going to be 10 in a couple of days!
W - Auntie Sis's next oldest at 7 yrs old. He came home from China from Ashan in July 2007
M - Auntie Sis's oldest daughter... she's 5 and a half.
BJ - Auntie Sis's youngest daughter - she's 5 and is from Xiamen in southern China. She came home when she was 26 months in 2004.
I dont frequent starbucks at home because we have a host of very awesome local coffee houses in our neighborhood...but we decided we should visit the one here in Guangzhou on Shamain Island where we're staying.
Its just like someone picked up our local, yuppy, uber trendy starbucks at home and slapped it right down the in middle of china. Its mind boggling because McDonalds, KFC, and Pizzahut (all of which I wouldnt set foot in here because thats just blasphemy!!) dont cop this kinda feel. Pizzahut (from looking in the window) has real white cloth table coverings and fancy place settings in Tianjin, McDonalds and KFC... just pittholes of greasy dispair!!
We walked in there yesterday and just blinked. Holy monkeys in a barrel it was spooky in a highly caffinated coffebean kinda way! It had the right smell, the correct looking pastries, mood lighting, trendy paint, american styled poofy chairs and couches, and ketchy coffee mug display. It was homey, inviting, and JUST PLAIN WRONG!!! We're going back today for a cup of joe and a green tea latte :D
Note to Auntie Sis... the local grocery store on the last corner before you get to the bridge is closing its doors here. The lease is up and they dont want to continue. I KNOW!! I'm devastated as well!! Its tradition to visit there and pick up supplies... it was so sad to see nothing hardly left on the shelves.
We just had the most spectacular meltdown at Lucy's during supper tonight! A couple of things started it:
1. Tian wanted ketchup... there was nothing to put ketchup on so after arguing with him for awhile... I was a smartass and put a small drop on his plate :) That went over like a lead balloon!!
2. He didnt want to drink his milk... he was pissed there was no Coke
3. He wanted Dana's beer... I draw the line at adult beverages for small children.
4. Waitress tried to talk to him and tell him to buck up *snickers*
5. He had to put up with a little shopping before supper... he HATES to go shopping.
6. His pants were a little wet on this legs because he splashed in a puddle on the way to the park (Lucy's is in the park!). I was hungry and told him he had to wait.
7. All he wanted was french fries... I made him eat broccoli, chicken, and fruit.
He cried quietly all through supper and got more and more upset towards the end of the meal. So I did as I would any of our kids - I removed him from the table and took him back to the hotel. He totally wig out because I left Dana there to pay the check and screamed at me about it all the way back to the hotel. He tried to pull the 'protest' drop and I scooped him up and carried him back. Mom means business Buster! Got sooo upset that he started glocking so I put him down long enough to see if he was going to throw up. He spit up a little and on our way we went! He cried for awhile after we got back and then was his happy little self again by the time Dana got to the room.
Oh we've got a changed little sir on our hands today!! He's starting to LIKE ME!!! I am just tickled to death that he's shown me a lot of good affection and playfulness today!! I guess I'm an okay substitute for our guide Rose since she's no longer with us. :) He's not the only one thats going to miss her... I really think the world of her! What a sweet girl she was... I hope she makes it back to her parents house in Inner Mongolia and doesnt freeze to death before she comes back to Beijing. As soon as she's home... she has to fly to Guangzhou and take care of 9 Swedish families!! Yikes!!
Back to the boy!! Yesterday on the plane he was sooo tired that I motioned to him that it would be okay to lay on my lap. He thought it was funny so we played the sleepy motion game for the longest time until he just pitched over and was gone. He wanted to sleep with my arms around him so I was NOT allowed to move for 2.5 hours on the plane. Every time I tried to adjust, he pulled my arms back around him tighter. I couldnt feel my left butt-cheek for about an hour after we got to our room because that was the direction I was leaning towards to keep him cuddled. He let me give him a good wash in the tub last night and a really tight towel hug when he got out. I even got the pleasure of him pressing his forehead in my general direction for a kiss. This morning I got a 'pick me up mom!' motion and asked to swing him back and forth several times while we were at Starbucks.
Today when Dana went out with my shopping list (NO... I dont shop... I make Dana a list and I send him out to do my shopping...I dont like to haggle and it makes me impulse buy when the sales girls start showing me all this cool stuff that I really want to have but WE MUST STICK TO THE LIST!!... so I dont go!) we went down to the hotel play room. As soon as I got his and my shoes off, Tian started to cry. I took him over to the toys and tried to engage him but he just kept crying and pulling me back over to the shoes. I put his shoes on and as soon as we went over to look at the fishes... the crying was done. I dont know what the deal was... whether it was because Dana went off without us, the room looked too familiar to him, or he was afraid of the chinese ladies in the playroom (I hope they didnt say anything about him looking different!!). We came back to the room and had a fun time playing blocks.
He's taking a nap right now but he has just talked a mile a minute to us all morning. We catch a few things... but its mostly mandarin. He is starting to mimic a few things that we say - some of his favorite things are:
I dont know!!
I know!!
Baby Woe ie Nee - Baby I love you
E DE R - means 'just a little bit' in mandarin... he rolls the crayons out too far!
Tian Han Kun!! - that started today!
Yes!! followed by No! No!
Funniest thing he does - he's currently addicted to Coke... we want him to drink milk. He points to the Coke can, I point to the milk, he shakes his head NO, I shake my head YES, he shouts YES!! and takes a drink of milk! I then give him a tiny drink of Coke :) He's in for such a rude awakening when we get home... the girls arent allowed to drink pop. BUWAHAHAHA!!!!
That was so sweet what you wrote about my girls Auntie Sis - remind me to punch you HARD when I get back for making me cry like a little bitty baby!! I can just imagine the bouncy-ness that is B on pajama day... she can barely contain herself on the days one of us helps at preschool so I dont see how she didnt just spontaniously (sp?) explode for pjs!! Just imagine what swim suit day is gong to be like!!
Oh my SHQ... the contrast between her reading text and braille just makes my heart weep most days we do homework. For our readers that dont know... Shae has low vision due to albinism. She reads both text and braille... her difficulties with text reading isnt because she cant read, its that the text has to be HUGE, a clear font, and on a decent background for her to see it clearly. I dont know how most people with her degree of albinism get through their schooling with just text reading but by the grace of God, SHQ will have braille to use as a tool. My sweet smart girl... her life would have been so empty and meaningless if she had stayed in China.
I thank God every day for my girls and now my heart melting little boy... my cup runneth over with joy and love.
Auntie Sis here...
Update on previously included items from the homefront:
1. I successfully yanked W out of ELL. Principal and homeroom teacher supportive, ELL teacher not so much. Sorry, mama knows best... His reading is really coming along. I was surprised when he read to me last night. Wahoo!
2. As I was packing M up at school, amonishing her for being so slow, her teacher comes up and said - "Well, she's not slow at everything. She blew the top right off of the gifted testing." Excuse me? Blink... Blink... Apparently she got a 99%. Jeez, couldn't you do any better? 8) M was mad though because one of the other kids got a 100%. Chill dude - you are in kindergarten, not Harvard. Big G and I could not be prouder of her. As I was when T was indentified for the gifted program, I'm not real jazzed by the "label". All I want is for my kids to be sufficiently challenged, not considered gifted. Her teacher said they really couldn't raise her to the next reading level because what would she do in 3rd grade? Oye vay just raise her or you are going to be dealing with a serious behavior problem when she gets bored.... I love M's teacher, she is a perfect fit for her. Kind of an older hippie type who provides M with a lot of free creative choices that she loves. I hope B can get her next year because their personalities would really click. Now if we can just get M to do daily living things like putting on her shoes, picking up food she drops while she is eating - without screaming that it is HARRIBLE, or packing up her stuff with as much ease as she does intellectual things, we will be golden. My daughter the savant...
3. S's cold is much better today. B is snotty. BJ is better as well. No one else has it yet. Notice I said yet...
And some new items:
1. B has been getting a boat load of "homework" from preschool. She's 4 - give her a break!
2. BJ asks me every day when her new glasses will be ready. Patience dear heart! She is also doing extremely well in school and almost above grade level for reading. Her reading fluency has really taken off in the last month or so. Her teacher wrote on her report card that she needs to try to let other people have a chance to answer questions. You let me know how that works out for ya! It's just her personality - she tries so hard to control her mouth but sometimes it simply runs off with her. I am so very proud of her - she loves school and always does her very best!
3. BJ can now do a front limber, flip over into a bridge, and stand up without blinking an eye. GULP! She is my go-to girl. If I need anything, I know I can rely on her more than any of the other kids to get er done.
4. T is recovering well from his teeth being pulled. The tooth fairy blessed him with a 5 spot for all of his pain and suffering. We are celebrating his birthday tomorrow because the boxes from Amazon.com on the kennel are torturing him. We will have pizza and strawberry/vanillia ice cream cake at his request.
5. I have decide W is far enough along in his English to see if he can join the girls' piano lesson group. He is very excited and promised to practice. BJ worked with him very nicely last night to get him further up to speed. I've tried to keep him up on what the girls have been learning in lessons so he isn't behind.
6. And a little news for our resident tax guru - The plan to give everyone a tax rebate this year was approved by the Senate yesterday. Individual taxpayers would get up to $600, working couples $1200 and those with children would get an additional $300 per child. Rebates will phase out gradually for individuals who adjusted gross income exceeds $75,000 ($150,000 for couples). 401K contributions will not count towards the income limit. The rebates are slated to start arriving in May and go through July. Come on big money!
7. It is snowing today. Monday we are suppose to get rain and 40 mph winds. Fun times, fun times.....
8. S loves the Nutri-Grain strawberry yogurt bars. BUY HER SOME WHEN YOU GET HOME. She said they are her most favorite thing in the whole world. 8)
Auntie Sis here...
Everything cracks B up. She always has that hysterical giggle of hers lurking just below the surface. She laughs when I wipe her hiney, she laughs when her sister plows her face into the carpet in an attempt to help her with the wheelbarrow, she laughs while clutching T around the waist professing her undying love for him for the hundredth time that hour, she laughs when I tell her "I WUV YOU" in a crazy monster voice and fake cry when I tell them I will miss them when they go home. W asked "Mom, why you love her, you not her mom". Close enough doodly, close enough! I wasn't your mom before we met either and I still love you! B has jammie day at preschool. Severely skunked can of sprite here people. She is bursting forth with excitement and getting it all over everything. I'm thinking big G will be heaving a huge sigh of relief when she hands her off at preschool this morning. AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE POPTARTS! Must be the snot that is spewing from her sweet button nose. 8)
Auntie Sis here...
S has to be the most graceful thing on the planet. Except when she falls down of course... 8) Ethereal in her beauty, her poise, her seriousness for one so young. It is breathtaking to watch her move about her world. It is a rare treat that I get to see her read, as I did yesterday. So proud she was to unload her backpack and take her turn on the loveseat. Watching her willowy fingers dance across the page is poetry in motion. It brings a tear to your eye to hear her read so effortlessly with beautiful fingers flying, and yet rip your heart in two as she struggles to read the unforgiving print.
We made it to Guangzhou finally after sitting for more than an hour on the tarmac in Tianjin. The traffic was just horrible getting to the White Swan... I've never seen it this bad before and I've been here at all different times. We've got Daniel again and he said this was extremely unusual traffic.
Tian had a very sad melt down when Rose left us at security. He wanted her to come with us... it was hard on her to leave him too. He slept good on the plane... ON MY LAP!!! I know!! I'm surprised as you are!
Its 8:30pm at night here and we're waiting for some room service chow to be delivered. We've got a free day tomorrow so we'll wander our island home :)
At 11:00am we are heading to the airport to go to Guangzhou today. If you're the praying kind... please do because I dont know how little red headed sir is going to take to his beloved Rose leaving him OR actually getting on an airplane and riding for 3 hours. Benedryl might be our friend today....
I'll write when we get settled in Guangzhou and let you know how it went.
To the awol parents, I present to you the "Did ya know" list...
1. It was -7 when I got up this morning with windchills in the -20 range. It is suppose to rain on Monday. What a Buddha forsaken place we live in... 8)
2. Butters got totally frozen when he went outside this morning and could barely make it back up the stairs to come inside. Big G was about to get her coat and carry him in when he managed to drag himself the last couple of steps. The cold must of really got to him because he yaked large all over the dining room floor after he came in. Before he ate, mind you...
3. Boosy doesn't like it when big G yells at Butters for eating poocicles and is then too scared to come back inside. Picture, if you will, one very cranky little woman chasing one slinky, kidney beaning dog around the backyard. Boosy was finally cornered behind the grill and drug back inside.
4. I do believe Chloe is big G's favorite of the stinking dog pile. "She's just so smuggly, bless her heart" big G exclaims.
5. Ilish screams at the top of the stairs way before big G is ready to get up. Wretched cat...
6. Speaking of beds, big G fancies your so much she is plotting ways to get it over to her room before you get home. I'm not entirely sure we can get one that big up our stairs, but I am willing to try if it makes big G happy...
7. You are a dork - don't we test our panda phone equipment BEFORE we leave for China? Note to readers - the panda phone company sent the wrong style charger for the phone they rented. Been using the phone for a week and just NOW noticed it was wrong. Um, hello?
8. Heath Ledger died this week at the age of 28 of a possible overdose. Such a waste...
9. S and B LOVE shrimp. I'm not kidding..
10. #2 for B has been awesome. Not one problem, happily skips in there on her own, and the quanity is LARGE. We must be doing something right.
11. S's report card was outstanding!
12. S has some very interesting pockets in her gums around her molars... I flipped her upside down the other night to floss her teeth. I got a whole porkchop out of those holes. I introduced her to big G's friend Listerine. To her credit, she didn't spew.
13. S's cough is starting to sound really juicy, BJ is still coughing some, and B's nose is starting to snot. When are you coming back again?
14. I sent a message to school this morning requesting ELL pull out be stopped for W. He and I got into a big fight last night over correct pronunciation. But mom, that's not the way my natively spanish speaking ell teacher says it! Sorry pumpkin, you are not going to continue learning English with a Spanish accent. End of story.
15. We got no where to go tonight - yippeeeee!
Today after we picked up Tian's passport, Rose and our taxi driver tracked down the exact building where he was left as a 5 to 6 month old baby. We know that BiXiu was left at a prefect (police station) and Shae HongQi was left on a busy pedestrian bridge but we never got to go to the exact locations. I always wondered what those places looked like... at least I dont have to wornder about where Tian was found.
Tian was left on the 4th floor of an apartment building - we actually went in and up to the exact floor. The building is a very sad and very run down slum. Tian exclaimed that 'its so dirty and dark in here! lets go back down to the street and get a taxi!' Rose said she wouldnt be surprised if the building was torn down soon since every other building around it is brand new. I can only assume that he was left on the landing... I dont know that anyone would have ventured down the pitch black hall to leave him. It would have been much better to leave him in plain sight but thats just my wishful mama heart thinking. I asked Rose if she thought his mama lived there before she left him... Rose said no, she wouldnt have because people would have ratted her out if she did unless she left town right away. Why she left him in that particular building... I know dont.
I am grateful to his mama for leaving him at least somewhere he would be found right away and in warmer weather (born in Nov... left in May). I'm so sorry that she felt she had no other choice but I know she loved him very much.
Afterwards we went to the Ancient Cultural Street where we bought a few province specific things and helped Rose pray to the female budda in the museum that she'd find a husband next year (ie chinese new year). I'm glad to help a fellow girlfriend out...not to mention talk to God in the guise of a woman deity (YES... I think God, Buddha, Allah, etc are the same thing...God takes the form of the culture)!! I highly recommend a visit here if you're in Tianjin... its a very cool place to walk through!
We rounded out our activities for the day by going to a wonderful restaurant. By this time, Tian had pretty much had all he could take and was not the best of boys at lunch... but in his defense we had tromped him a long ways in the cold. Naps immediately followed lunch.
Since we received his passport, we are free to leave tomorrow for Guangzhou!! I started packing up the stuff this afternoon and Tian became extremely upset. He tried bravely to keep it all in, but he just couldnt. I'm afraid he thought that we were packing up to leave without him. We reassured him the best we could and showed him that we packed his clothes with ours. He became happier after that and cuddled on the floor with Dana a few times.
For those wondering.... I'm still chopped liver. Dana and Rose are King and Queen of Tian's world... but the Queen is departing tomorrow to go back to her home after she drops us at the airport. He's going to be VERY VERY unhappy that Rose is leaving him... he keeps telling her he likes her and tries to get her to stay in our room with us. She told him that she wouldnt fit on his little couch and he told her that she could sleep in the bed with Baba and Mama *snickers*
Whenever you arrive somewhere with 6 kids in tow heads turn. While most people go back to their own business, some feel the need to be nosy. The questions I get are:
1. Are they all yours? No, some of them are rentals.
2. What kind of car to you drive? 8 passenger mini van.
3. Do they all dance? Yes, some on Monday, one on Tuesday, boys on Wednesday and everyday is boogie fest at home.
4. Do they all get along? Well, no one has gone bald from the hair pulling and the beyoch slapping they give each other doesn't usually leave a mark.
5. How old are they? Soon to be 10, 7, 7, 5, 5, and 4.
6. Do you want more? Are you offering yours? I don't want yours, they are naughty.
7. Is your husband Asian? I don't know, I've never met him. If you happen to see him, tell him I said "Howdy..."
8. Are they all adopted? No, like I said, some of them are rentals.
9. How do you do it? Do what - breathe? In and out, in and out - you try it is really easy. Seriously, life flows quite easily. We have a routine, everyone has a job, and the kids have been fabulous about stepping up and wanting to help out. Are there things I would do differently if I had all 6 of these kids on a permanent basis, god forbid something happen to their parents? Yes, absolutely there are. I would restructure the activities schedule so there was less running and more cuddle time. Right now, if you have something to say to me, it better be important and you had better say it fast because there are 5 other kids and big G waiting to talk. W takes the brunt of this right now. He can blather on and on if you let him or sit and think about what he is going to say after he has gotten your attention. I think it will help him to think quicker on his feet in the long run, but hard on him right now. Between big G and I, we are taking care of 2 houses, 6 kids, 6 dogs, 2 cats, and a bird. We've got make sure everyone is fed, toileted, washed, dressed, cuddled, scolded, warm, safe, and loved. I love this life.
My best dance mommy friend K questions my sanity on a weekly basis. She's a counselor. 8) You should have seen her face Monday night when I had the brethren with me at dance. She has threatened to turn me in to DHS several times, jokingly of course, because my kids are so well behaved and calm in public. Hey, they are just super good kids, even the rentals! They are loved, secure, and happy little folks - what more can you ask for? I can't wait for Tian to get home and see what an awesome group of kids he has fallen into.
Just remember who's scooping your sidewalks when you are sitting there freezing at the breakfast buffet with all manner of lovely things to eat... ZING!
Man am I tired... This has been the longest week ever and its only Wednesday! Every morning I get up, I think that your day is already over and mine is just beginning. It's like being trapped in the Groundhog Day movie and always being two steps behind to boot. The kids are doing quite fabulous, I will have you know! S is full on into her hacky/snuffly cold. She acts like she feels pretty good and was a wild little hoot for dance last night. I just pray no one else gets sick. This morning she got aquainted with my friends the cough strips. Lovely little inventions - cough syrup dried into a little strip. S didn't dig them much at all but all the other kids were trying out their fake coughs to get some. Mmmmm cherry! B - I swear on big G's bulging discs, I will never feed B another poptart again. She just loses her mind after the last crumb disappears and doesn't stop until she crashes for her nap. We've been so busy, we haven't been remembering to pull off the chains. There has been no wailing for the parents. Just happy bubbly kids who are totally jazzed to be assimulated into the collective. (Star Trek reference to the Borg for all of you non-Trekies).
Yesterday was a marathon day of run. BJ had to go to the eye doctor for her yearly. Her vision actually improved! I took M with us to pick out some sunglasses. M is extremely photophobic, where as BJ who is my household's resident albino is not. BJ was an angel, M was, well, not. M is going through a terribly annoying intellectual growth spurt right now. I have been expecting it, being very near to her 6th birthday, but it doesn't make it any easier to take. M's major problem is she is a 30 year old intellectual trapped in a 5 year old's body. While mundane things like zipping her coat, carrying her backpack, or packing her things up at the end of the day are simply below her regard, reading the following sign at the eye doctor is not:
Diaper changing policy...
Please change all diapers in the public restroom down the hall.
There is a changing table located there for your convenience.
She reads it outloud to BJ, never missing a word. M turns to me and says "Did you know convenience means handy?" Yes sweetie I do and you are so very very scary... To which she sticks out her imaginary fangs and pretends to be her alter ego Vampira. Oye... BJ picked out some awesome rectangled purple frames to replace the ones she has plowed into the ground more times than I can count. M picked out some really cute sunglasses as well but based her choice on the degree of cuteness of the case. SIGH... We fly home for lunch, play a little cards, and then run back to the dentist for the cavity fun and games. No screaming on anyone's part - I was so proud of BJ! M comes out, a little shell shocked, and said "It was HARRIBLE and my lip is totally gone! I caun't feel it!"... M speaks with a bit of an english accent but we haven't figured out why. 8) BJ comes out - she didn't get novicane because of where her cavity was. I throw them back in the car and buzz home in time to shower S/B/BJ, make supper, get S ready for dance, and all file out to the car. While S danced, the other kids played Uno for 90 minutes - the same hand. Buzzed home and everyone tottled off to bed at a reasonable hour. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
I know its cold at home... but my lord its like the artic here right now and Rose told us that Guangzhou wasnt warm either. Thats a bummer because I was hoping to arrive to warm weather on Friday.
I'm sorry for the lack of pictures but between the cold and the activities we've been doing today... there's just not that much to take pictures of. We were out and about most of the day today going to the notary and back to the orphanage. Tian did really well today going back... only had one crying jag at lunch time because Baba and Rose left him with mean old NoNo Mama to order food. Lunch was after the orphanage visit... he was tired, hungry, and emotional from being back. He wanted so badly to go to his classroom but they wouldnt let him. The orphanage director gave each family (the spanish families were there again! such a nice group of people!) a banner from the orphanage, a small doll ornament, a progress report from all through the years Tian was growing up with them, the immunization record, and the red binder that has our adoption decree in it. We gave our gifts the other day, but we had to present them to the director today. The cleft palette bottles we brough earned me a hearty thumbs up!!
Tomorrow (Thursday) is our last full day in Tianjin. Its suppose to be warmer tomorrow so maybe we wont freeze our bums off when we go to the ancient cultural street! Right now we're waiting for room service to arrive... we're treating ourselves to chocolate cake because all of our work here in the province is done!
We've graduated from Magwar Baba and Mama to Bearded Baba and NoNo Mama. This is what he told our guide Rose yesterday while we were at the hot pot restaurant :) Oh... and that he REALLY likes his underwear because they have cute pictures on them *giggles*.
Dana is clearly his favorite and I'm just the silly lady that likes to give him kisses and hugs. I'm totally okay with that - its about time we had one child that thinks Baba is the bee's knees.
He's been eating good and sleeping through the night. Plays like a little trooper and is starting to test boundaries which is sooooo good! He's starting to mimic things we say and has the sweetest laugh. Last night we gave him a bath and wow is he a skinny minnie. He's about the same size as B... maybe a little taller and his hands/feet are definately bigger but he's just not as heavy as she is.
Today we have to go back to the orphanage to give the donation...we've been trying to give it away for the last 2 days but no one wants it yet. Not sure what the deal is with that but we'll see how the trip back goes today. I'm just not sure how he will react to going back. He may be totally upset that he has to leave again OR he might be relieved that he gets to stay with us when we head back to the hotel.
Speaking of the hotel... its very nice but its COLD downstairs!! OMG we nearly froze today during breakfast. Our room is nice and warm and very home-y... its a great room. For those of you that come to Tianjin after us for your adoptions... if you stay at the Golden Ocean, make sure you close the drains when you are finished with them and keep the bathroom door closed. There's a slight sewer smell that comes from the drains but its nothing terrible. Also, the room we have doesnt smell like smoke if you can believe that!! This is actually a great location... close to everything and the 3 story grocery store is right next door for your shopping pleasure. Its like a mini department store and has everything you could need! Make sure you stand 'in line' (ie shove your way through!!) and get your fruit weighed sticker when buying produce or they will send you back to get one... you so dont want to get sent back if you've stood in line for 15 minutes to check out.
Civil Affairs appointment is finished. We were right on time, and beat the 5 families from spain by about 10 minutes. Traffic as tianjin goes was very good. We got our picture taken and signed the papers with thumb prints, and a Nawa Nawa break. We got a better look at the other kids getting families. One looked about 3, and seemed to be friends with little man, or at least they knew each other, but both were very shy to come close to each other, though they kept inching closer, but then would veer away. Another little couple little girls were probably 2, and then a boy and a girl just a little younger still. All very neat kids. The officials gave out candy to the kids, little man got a whole hand full, and just kept eating piece after piece. As things go, you give them a little leeway to get use to you, then you start to put structure around as they get more comfortable.
Taxi to the notary to finish the paper work, and a Nawa Nawa break, but this time it would have been 20 minute walk to get to potty, so Baba, our guide, and little man walked down a few pillars outside and took to the flower bed. Deed done, and everyones happy back to the office to sign a few more things. Back to the hotel we go. We take 1/2 break, and meet back up with our guide for a nice lunch just a block away from the hotel. Its a hot pot restaurant.
Not sure how many people are familiar with hot pots, what they are is a big metal firepit sorta thing. You know the really big things they sell at target and such made out of clay that are essentially outdoor round fireplaces with a small flue. Anyhow these hot pots have a ring of metal around the thing that holds water. The fill the little hotbox with charcoal or something to burn, and prime it with a tall tube attachment. Then they fill the ring with water and a bit later replace the tall tube with a short tube with a way to adjust the airflow. You order the meal and vegetables you want and they all come out on plates either fresh for vegatables, raw for some of the meats, or frozen like the fish balls. All you do is start dumping in little amounts of things you want to eat, wait a couple minutes. Use your chopsticks or slotted spoon to get it out. Just watch out not to touch the sides of the pot. Its quite fun to do, and the bowl of sauce you each get to dip your meal is just iccing on the cake so to speak. For a pallet cleanser they bring you a small plate of pickled garlic, and wow was that stuff good! As I said though the little man is starting to open up again and he discovering something he can control in his topsy tervy world and that is Nawa, Nawa which he actually did need to got twice. He was quite the chatter through lunch, eating all the little baby oranges our guide just happened to have in her bag, and sparing with her that we would give him another one, when our guide Rose would eat more bites. I think he is going to fit in with the rest of the collective quite nicely. Little man only wanted vegetables, noodles, and oranges for lunch :)
Back at the ranch.. er the hotel room, its time for a napsy poopsy for the little man, and just a little rest for us. We may or may not have to go out again, sometime we will need to give the donation to he orphanage, they seem in no hurry to take it, though rumor is they *might* have the Spain families and us do it all at the same time, as a little mini ceremony of sorts, we will just have to wait and see..
We had a very good night last night! Tian got a little upset last night when I put him in our bed with me... he wanted to sleep on the little couch in our room. I've got no problem with that! He slept all night and woke up happy and DRY this morning. I put a pull-up on him last night because his foster mama's instructions said that he got up at 12am and 4am to peepee... I wasnt about to wake him up if I didnt have to...I'm sure I'm not quite the person he wanted to see in the middle of the night.
I checked on him the couple of times I got up... he was uncovered and sucking his thumb...awwww!! He's a tummy sleeper... doesnt stick his bum in the air like BiXiu does though.
He was happy this morning when he got up... even got a few smiles out of him at breakfast. He was most interested in watermelon and yogurt this morning... didnt want eggs, rice, congee, or noodles that much.
This morning we're going to civil affairs to sign papers for his adoption. He's probably going to be an unhappy boy again because the director will probably be there and the chanting will probably start again. Give him a few days before he settles down... its hard on him to be with people he doesnt know and doesnt trust yet.
I was so excited to hear from La last night. The red-head has arrived!
She sounded a little wierded out and a tiny bit shell shocked. I wanted
so bad to hear him speak but he wouldn't. While they settled down to
the business of learning about each other, I got back to the business of
my Masterpiece Theatre episode and updating big G. It was just getting good
when I hear a wail of despair from upstairs. B was laying in bed sobbing
uncontrollably. I scooped her up and took her into the bathroom to determine
whatever could be the matter. Knuuuu, knuuu,knuuuu was all I could get out
of her for a while until I put the stern on her. The reason of her despair?
The tag had fallen off of her little stuffed unicorn. OH GOOD LORD ON A
tater tot?!?!?! All this wailing for a little paper tag? Oye... After many
reasurances that mom and dad would certainly not care if her tag came off,
she finally settled down and went back to sleep. Unfortunately, I missed
the ending of MT... I tottled off to bed in hopes of happier times tomorrow.
Tomorrow dawns and it hits me - more despair is to come. Today is the day T,
BJ, and M go to the dentist. Not so bad for the girls, they are just getting
a cleaning. T, however, is getting the royal treatment. Not only is he
having 4 permenant teeth shaved down, he's getting 4 baby teeth pulled out.
The poor kid's mouth is an orthodonist's new BMW waiting to happen. 8(
The good news is he got laughing gas, 4 very large teeth in a little case,
and 4 lovely gaping holes. He was good natured about it. The girls won
themselves a trip back to the dentist tomorrow afternoon. Mya has two
cavities between her teeth where they are so tight together. Her orthodonic
future has a Jaguar ring to it as well. BaiYu has to have one filled that we
have been watching. The dentist attempted to
soothe my guilt ridden self telling me its just weak enamel and definitely
not a result of bad brushing. My kids' teeth are spotless but unfortunately
its not enough. Big G says the same thing happened to big sister C. Do you
hear it?!.?.?. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... That's the sound of my bank account
squealing.. Two days worth of dentist will end up costing around $400 after
the insurance pays. Ah, the joys of children... 8)
Dance/acro is tonight. We will have to see if T is going to feel up to
flipping about. B's going to dance tonight as well so I only have to take
S tomorrow night.
On a lighter note... Have you ever wondered how much food it takes to feed
6 kids and two adults? Thank goodness for Sam's Club! Last night I made
scrambled eggs for supper. A dozen eggs, as many pieces of bacon, 3 cereal
bars, 3 go tarts, 6 fruit cups, 6 glasses of apple juice, and a dozen cookies
for dessert. Big G ate over with the dog pile, I got the scrapings out of
the skillet and some toaster strudel. Things that everyone eats like the
little jello bowls with fruit disappear like water when 6 kids inhale them.
Bread disappears in a blink of an eye as does lunchmeat, chips, and apple
juice. Thinking we could raid the neighbor's refrigerator for some supplies,
we were sadly mistaken! A variety of condiments, an open bottle of saki,
some chocolate stout (ew!) didn't hold much promise. What do you people eat?
I did manage to snag half a jug of apple juice and one egg to help the cause.
I think big G will have to make a trip to the grocery store twice a week
instead of her weekly trip. She just can't fit enough food to feed an army
in the mini cooper... 8)
After a couple of little rolling naps he has decided we are not such bad folks, crazy but no so 'bu hao'. He has had juice, and ate noodles for baba, more yogurt. He has been displaying his drawing collection on the shelf towards the window as SHQ had did when we were in country with her.
We also managed to even change his clothes, and he has been roaming around helping baba with water, eating little fruit snacks, and drinking way too much water. We finally managed to find a some cartoons as well, though at the moment they happen to be in French. He is such a sweet and intelligent little boy. He the right weight and height for a 4 year old, but man does he seem smart.
As I am typing he just wandered over and took a hand full of crayons and stacked them one by one on the table beside me, then proceed to toss one of his stuffed animals back and forth as we had shown him earlier.. We have even managed to get a few grins, and very very small giggle out of him as well.
So far so good, he has not asked to be send home for 3+ hours, though tomorrow will be confusing for him again since we will go out to finalize the adoption in the province and way see some familiar faces again. We decided to get room service tonight and man was it tasty, with a huge club sandwich, a plate of beef thin pilaf and cold can of coke :)
Greetings from unhappy boy central!! Might I just say he is a very HANDSOME unhappy boy and very VERY sweet. :D
We got Tian this morning at the same time as 4 couples from Spain got their children... wow was that a lot of crying in one little room!! We've had several crying jags that have ended up with him asleep on the carpet. We've gotten him to drink some water, take a little peepee, eat a few fruit snacks and a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt. Offers of noodles, juice, cookies, crackers, and oatmeal have all been bucoo'd briskly.
Today it looks like he might be dadee's boy... Dana's the one that he's been asking to please take him back to his chinese mama most of the day. In the car when Dana told him he couldnt take him back... Tian told the cab driver to please take him to his chinese mama - he knew the address and everything. Right now they're playing a rousing game of pattern smack the carpet!
He came to us wearing a conservative 2 layers of clothes with pink pooh socks. I know his foster mama loved him very much because she sent with him a book of papercuts and a photo album AND painted his finger/toe nails red for luck. He came with 2 backpacks full of clothes/toys/snacks and a wonderful package from his teachers with pictures of him and his friends plus some of his artwork! The director, teachers, and foster family are all having a tough time with him leaving... he was very much loved at the SWI and I hope Dana and I can do them proud by raising him up to be a man that understands and loves the country of his birth. Its so very hard to take him from every thing he knows... but we are soo proud to be his parents.
Auntie Sis here...
Alright Missy - just what do you think you are doing not sleeping again?!?!?!?! Don't make me come over there and hit ya with the sleepy bat!
And now for your update pleasure I bring you - Tales From the Home Front....
Saturday is pancakes. B sucked hers down with amazing speed and a whole
ton of little smokies. It is really cold here (-5 when I got up) so we stuck
close to home in the morning. 3 stinky little people bathed, 3 to go Sunday.
In the afternoon, I took my 4 kids to Prince Brat and the Whipping Boy at the
playhouse. The cleveland women stayed with Big G. I am sorry to report that
YOU TOTALLY WASTED YOUR TICKETS LA! That was the funniest play I have seen in a long time. I am just sorry your girls didn't get to giggle their butts
off like my kids did. What a hoot! We swung by the movie store and rented
some movies for our slumber party at the neighbor's house! As soon as
supper was over, we clomped next door with buddies and jammies in hand.
Talen was in charge of helping his sisters packing and was suppose to put
my jammies in the bag too. Guess who had to raid La's drawers? Yep, you
may never get those huge bumps worked out of those lovely pink jammies!
BTW - your mattress rocks!
Popcorn, candy, orange pop and apple juice were in order as we enjoyed
watching Meet the Robinsons. We watched it with the lights off - the girls
were so impressed. BJ crapped out right before the end. M weeped
uncontrollably at the end because the lady left her baby at the orphanage.
I was surprised how deeply this affected her while her cousins and sister
who have actually lived through a similar experience were not affected nearly
as bad. We had a great conversation about it which ended with M throwing
her arms around her cousins and sisters professing her love for them. 8)
Girls went to bed about 8:30 and slept until 7:00 this morning - HAR HAR!
I stayed up and watched the last Pirates of the Carribean. I felt part of a
dog pile - Butters and Boosy on either side, chloe and Ilish on top of me.
I felt bad for them when the movie was over because they were such a happy,
warm, farting pile of pets. In the morning, we packed up more clothes for
the Cleveland women and clomped back home singing chugga chugga choo choo.
One more stinky little person washed and she let me put curlers in her hair!
This is the same girl who screams when approached with hair bows. It turned
out fabulous btw. Lunch was a rousing success of apricot pork chops and
fried zuchini/onion. Everyone hoohoo'd that the vegetables were just like the chop chop fry place. Everyone is eating, sleeping, playing, and pooping well (a little too much info for some, but I figured La would want to know the last part). I was glad to see updates from La and Dana along with pictures. I showed them to the girls before lunch and they were like - okay, can we get back to playing? S and M are playing uno again, the B's are taking a nap, while the boys are watching Star Wars #2. T gets his teeth yanked out tomorrow - not looking forward to that. I won't see big G until the next breakfast marathon - she's taking her shift of the dog pile. Hang in there guys! It won't be long now and you will meet the tiny red-haired boy... I will pray he doesn't have the typical red-headed temperment - no offense to you red headed readers! BTW - we rented a movie for the boys called Dragon Wars. The heroes' names were Ethan and Sarah - some reincarnated samaris. We just chortled when we read the names!!!
Hooray! Hooray! I made it to 1am today! I crashed out about 7:30pm last night after doing a marathon tidy and stow session. So much stuff to put away and PUT UP out of little hands!! I would be willing to bet money that tomorrow when we get back to our awesomely beautiful room that there's going to be a box of MATCHES sitting on the coffee table!! Rock on little pyro boy!!!
My friend Jane and I were talking the other day about how surreal it felt to be in China the times we've been there. Jane... its just as surreal again. Drive through the towns, speed through the country side, or stand in a crowd... its almost like you're standing outside of yourself wondering if you're really here.
The country side towards the Great Wall... reminds me of Colorado before you get to the mountains. Once you're at the Wall and you're standing as high as your shaking legs could carry you... its like an entirely different universe has swallowed you whole. The majesty of the place is just breath taking...its like you've stepped directly into God's personal backyard because nothing on earth could possible be real like that.
The country side towards Tianjin looks like Iowa or any other flat lands I've driven through. Its very dry here and it looks like the poor farm animals have nothing to eat the ground is so brown and shriveled. Winter fields that hold the last harvests castoffs... some tilled...some not. Lots of abandoned clusters of communal houses, some still occupied compounds so run down that you wonder how people still live in them. Thousands of small trees along the highways... all with white paint on the trunks about 3 feet up... who in God's name went through and painted them all? The sheer mass of the litter and garbage along the roadside, in the fields, and around the buildings is just astounding.
Tianjin itself so far is all construction and insane traffic. I've been a lot of different places in China but I have NEVER seen traffic this bad! There are no lanes... its just a free for all!! Ambulance coming through! Forget it!! No one is going to get out of its way because there is just no where to go!
We didnt go out much yesterday but we did make it to the multi-level grocery store and it is very awesome! If Tian doesnt fit in the stuff we brought him... we should be able to find him something good there! Grocery stores in China are just so much more fun than at home... they have the slanty escalators you can drive your carts on and have more goods than anywhere I've ever been! We did see a couple of things that I had never seen in stores there before though... peanut butter, 'regular' bread, and beautiful frosted cakes! If they had had brownies I would have kissed the pastry chefs! The check out area at the front of the store was a sea of people... I would have to guess there were at least 200 people standing in line waiting for 20 or more checkers to get to them.
In just hours... this is going to get even more surreal. Tian will be with us and that will be most surreal as well. I've dreamed about this day since I saw his picture in May...I'm tearful at the sudden thought of ripping him out of the only world he's ever known. My God what it must be like for him...small, scared, and alone with ugly big nosed people who dont understand a word of what he's trying to say. The grief he's going to feel I want to take away and feel it for him so he doesnt have to... the best I can do feel it with him.
Here we are in Tiajin! I write this at 7pm China time on a sunday night. Tomorrow is the big day, we have everything unpacked and scattered errr tidied around the room. Its a very nice room btw.. Our wonderful guide scored us an upgrade from the 19th floor to the 27th floor the executive room. Not that we have a use for it, we even have a fax machine in the room.
Btw..
For those that are playing the home game game that didn't get the memo, pictures can be had @ Flickr.com and spill over will go to Picaso I think that is it.
The snow passed us by in Beijing as we left for the morning from our hotel on our way to the jade market. Found a few nice pieces after we watched how things were made. I'll let la describe the pieces when she gets a chance. Then it was off to the Great Wall @ Beijing. Virtually no wind, though about 29 degrees, we started our trudge up the steep steep steps.. La made it to almost the 2nd checkpoint this time around, while I went up a bit further to just pasted the 3rd point, we were short on time and La was still waiting for me at the other point so I took a bunch of pictures and then helped her and her knees get down :)
After our great walk, it was off to have lunch at the friendship store (with restaurant on the top, and the store and a small walkthrough tour of hold they make the beautiful vases on the bottom. We had a nice quiet lunch, making sure to mention to the our hosts that we like the spicy food like they do, not like the regular tourists that just want 'sweet and sour' :) Of course they bring just the two of us so much great food that we can't possibly finish it. There was a vegetable dish, spicy beef and peppers, shaved chicken and we think broccoli stalks not the tops, a spicy chicken/garlic type dish, of course wonder sticky rice. There was also some delicious pot stickers and a very spicy soup. I swear we finished the huge pot of tea that set on our table. We offered our guide to have lunch with us, but the staff prepares meals for the guides and drivers so it was just us. A special chinese bottle of whiskey is set at each table for the the guests to keep as a token of good luck in their journeys.
We all piled into the van for good 1.5 hour drive into TianJin, and since all the streets do not follow the normal direction, and just more or less wind around the city it took us a good 20 minutes to make it to the hotel, but it was just fun to see the city and the amazing traffic even on a sunday.
tata for now
I slept really good on the plane... so much so that I've been awake since midnight after going to be at 8:30pm. At 12:30am I called the girls since it was after 10am there... they're doing great and playing uno with the gang.
So it hit 3am and I had to get up... just couldnt lay there anymore. So here I sit and cruise the internet on my ill gotten wireless connection. All ye that set up networks in China... you gots to know that some crazy white girl is going to take advantage of you in the middle of the night!
This morning we're going to the Jade Factory, the Great Wall, and Tianjin. Our guide Rose said its suppose to snow today so we might get to see how Chinese roads are during snowstorms!
Yes we made it on the plane MOM!! In fact we just got done waking your hiney up at 5am in the morning :-).
We did watch Startdust which as good, Robert d'nero is hilarious, and it al works out in the end. Then it was off to Resurrecting the champ-good twist and again nice happy ending for at least the couple and there child(ren). In between cat naps, pictures out the windows, a dozen so bags of pretzels, as well our standard couple of good meals I also caught most of The game plan, turned out to be very cute self-absorbed turned new daddy flick. Finally They rounded the movie selection with December boys starting, but they stopped it about 10 minutes in and switched to some movie with one of the former women on ER that dated Lukka, and Pierce Brosan was a bad guy striking some vendetta against this couple.
The first meal was your choice of Chicken or beef (salisbury style) along with salad, carrot cake with golden raisins and a roll. Second meal about an hour out of Beijing was your choice of pasta (no meal) with peas or Chicken breast with another pasta and carrots underneath, along with salad, and cut up mixed fruit!!! Oh quick note on the whole extended traveling bit, your friend in most airports in the mixed fruit got to have the nice big cup of mixed fruit. It was actually pretty sparse flight in the chaddle (cattle) section, we were able to spread out, and off and on lie reasonably flat in between feedings.
Now we are just hanging out at the hotel, had to switch since we are getting the red-headed one on monday instead of tuesday (our day mind you). Its very nice, great big lobby, huge chandler hanging in the middle, buffet off to the side. We just finished handing off package #1 to the local travel agency, so much signing after 20+ hours of travelling.
Tomorrow its off to the great wall, and then straight towards Tians city stopping in between for a bite of lunch..
More to come, pictures of course...
According to the United website, their plane to Beijing pulled away from the gate at 1:28pm. They had better be on that plane! I have talked to them a couple of times while they just chillin... Looks like they will have the pleasure of viewing the following movies on their LONG flight:
1. 3:10 to Yuma - sad cowboy movie
2. December Boys - sad orphan movie starring Harry Potter
3. The Game Plan - single dad comedy
4. In the Shadow of the Moon - a riveting documentary I'm sure. YAWN...
5. The Nanny Diaries - sad parents disinterested in child hire nanny to keep him out of their hair flick.
6. Resurrecting the Champ - sad washed up boxer movie
7. Stardust - boy meets a girl who is supposidly a star falled out of the sky. Ow man... I wanted to see that one... 8(
Have fun kiddies and get some sleep!
Auntie Sis here. They landed in Chicago a little before 9am. The flight was suppose to get there at 7:29am. A little staff change, two dudes of middle eastern decent on standby hustled off the plane, and then once on the tarmac in Chicago another plane was double parked in front of their gate. Fun times, fun times. But at least they are there. I knew this morning wasn't going to start off on the right foot. It is an ill omen when I, usually in a perpetual state of chronically late, arrive next door and find my little world travelers in various states of unready. COME ON PEOPLE! I gimp it down the icy back stairs, through Butters' peecicles, and load the car while THEY finish their morning primp.
Note: For those unfamiliar with Butters (aka Java), he is an extremely cold blooded boston terrier who will only manage to get his front feet off of the bottom porch step before he takes his morning whiz. Back to regular programming...
Throw them in the car, quizzing as I go - got your passports, money, medications, deodorant, adoption papers? They get checked in and up the great escalator in the sky to security by 5:05am as I princess wave to them. Buhbye! Gimp it back to the car, throw a dollar at the parking police, and book it home to begin phase 2 of Operation Good Morning - the breakfast marathon.
I get home, mutter to big G (aka my mama) as she passes me on her way out to go take care of Butters and Company - "I'm going to watch the weather before the kids get up". I MUST know if there will be airport delays. Those people on the weather channel are just more chipper than I can stand that early in the morning so I switch over and watch Angel. I cease to care about delays when there are cute, moody guys instead. 8)
6:45am - Here come the clow, er I mean children! Everyone is happy and bleary eyed. B informs me "I love sleeping at your house CeeCee! I'm dry... Well, I'm a little wet maybe... Okay, I peed". It's okay dear. 4 butts wiped, 2 more upstairs. Everyone dresses and shouts their breakfast orders. I serve in shifts - W shouting - "Where's mine?". Mya calmly tells him - "She's just one old woman, give her a break!" Such wisdom for being only 5... 2 have waffles, 2 have gotarts and cereal, two have just cereal, everyone has toast, 5 have fruit. 2 sets of hearing aids in, 6 sets of teeth brushed, 3 sets of glasses, 3 get braids of some sort, 1 gets their hair just brushed because she threatened to hurt me if I approached with hairbows, and an AMEN for short boy hair. Big G shuffles back over in time to take the B as we get ready to leave. I kick them all out at school with a hearty I LOVE YOU/BE GOOD/STOP TELL ME ______ DOESN'T DO IT THIS WAY/princess wave and I'm off to begin phase 3 of Operation Good Morning - work.
I will let you know when they get to Beijing. Right now their flight appears to be on time for 12:30pm take off.
I just found out we get Tian a day early!! I couldnt figured out why we were getting him on Tuesday anyway so I'm happy as happy can be to get him on Monday. I've seen the Forbidden City... I havent seen my baby boy!!
I'm sorry I'm sooooo cheery but I wax poetic when I'm about to become a mother... again!
Some people have this idealized 'dream' in their heads about how the first meeting with their newly adopted child will be. Oh its a grand dream!! We'll all be floating across the open, flowery meadow towards each other and fall madly in love as we gently embrace.
I hate to tell you this... but its probably going to be more like 'slam into each other' or 'run... run away!! high tail it the other direction!!'
I liken adoption to Hostage Love... you know, the syndrome that happens when people start to love their captors because they've given up all hope. Oh sure... you can hold out for awhile... some maybe forever... but there will be at least a grudging attachment in the end.
I have no idea what Tian's gonna do when we're finally together... but I have experience on my side. Here are a few case studies using the kids from our family... from rosy to hell on earth!
B - 14 months old and as happy as happy can be. You're my parents? Really?!?! Will you play 'drop the chucky' with me until I drool uncontrollably and belly laugh??
Wen (Auntie Sis's son...newly adopted in July 2007) - 7 years old. Okay wierd white ladies with a gaggle of kids... I'll hang out with you as long as there are snacks, toys, and you dont make me follow rules. Wait!! You're chock full of rules?!?!? What in God's green earth is your problem?!?!?? Well... time for passive agressive I must say!! Pinch the brother!! Refuse to eat even though thats what I asked for!! Overly love one sister and overly hate the other!! Scream at top of lung when wrestled into holding time...nope... will...not...cry!!
SHQ - 5 years old. My nanny is coming with us right?!?! right?!?!? Holy brie on a cracker! Where are you going nanny?!?!?!? DONT LEAVE ME IN THIS VAN WITH THESE STRANGE PEOPLE!!! Cry unconsolably in the van to the hotel...calm down a bit when we get to hotel. As soon as the door shut and she was alone in the room with me, a soul wrenching howl came out of that child that was filled with just utter terror that I cried with her. It took me 20 minutes to get her coat off but there was NO WAY I was getting her shoes. After that... no more emotion... she didnt really talk until she had been home several days.
BaiYu - 26 months old. Screamed for 3 days straight the first week in country...screamed every time Auntie Sis spoke English to her...screamed for hours on each plane ride even when she had cold cuts in each hand - I dont know if she ate them or just held them. After she got use to Sis... she would scream non-stop when people spoke Mandarin to her... if she was in elevators...in rooms with the doors closed...and ANYONE in a white dr coat.
Not as rosy as one would dream...I'm ready for the worse. Even the ones that had rough starts have securely attached to their captors... I mean parents! Its only a matter of time and hard work and our newest captive will be okay in the end.
Girls,
I want you to know that while I'm very excited to bring home your brother... I am also very sad to leave you. If we had travelled later in the year when school was out... you would have gone with us. But I cannot quantify taking either one of you out of school for 2 weeks... B it wouldnt matter so much if you missed but SHQ would be terribly far behind. Yes it would be a good experience for you but dont think either one of you is ready to go back.
I think its way harder this time to leave you this time because your dad is going with too. It was difficult in July to be away from you when I travelled to help Auntie Sis but at least your dad was here taking care of you. Both of us are leaving this time and its tearing me apart.
Yes - your Auntie Sis is more than capable of taking care of your every need and absorbing you into the collective. And yes - she loves you more than life itself. Its not good enough... I am your mother. I love you my sweet girls clear up to the moon and back again :) You are my heart... my whole heart and the reason I thank God every single day.
Your brother I love just as much as you and this is why I must leave you for a little while. Always remember that I love you and what I always tell you whenever I have to go away... Mama loves you and always comes back to her babies!!
Dana and I have travelled enough to know that you must travel in a state of polite. The thing to remember most of all is this: DO NOT BE AN UGLY AMERICAN!
YOU are a guest in another country. DO NOT expect the same type of behavior from people that you are use to. They are not John and Jane next door - its an entirely different world than your little suburban dream.
YOU will have to deal with the language of the country you are traveling in. A smile and a hearty HI! in the native language will get you far... as well as a heartfelt THANK YOU!
YOU cannot expect to have your every whim granted.
YOU will smile politely when the chicken comes to the table staring at you.
YOU will use the squatty potty if there's nothing else available. Peeing your pants is NOT an option! Do you have any idea how proud your drivers are of their vans?!?!? They will make you ride on top!!
YOU will make the best of your situation... what every your situation is.
If you have real problems, then make sure they are dealt with calmly and politely. There is no need to get completely pissed off... it will do you no good whatsoever.
Remember, you are only there a short while... but what you do while you're there affects the person that comes after you.
It nearly killed me off when I went with CeeCee to China to get W in July. Why? Because I missed my girls so much... I cried every single day I was gone. This time will probably be no different....
I just wanted to say that right off... I will miss my girls like there is no tomorrow. But how do I get my baby boy if I dont leave my baby girls?!?!?
However... for those interested in our itinerary... here it is:
Jan 18 - leave Des Moines for Chicago on the 6:14am flight (oh god thats early!)
Jan 19 - Arrive in Beijing via Chicago at 4:05pm (its a 12 to 14 hour flight!).
What follows was NOT MY IDEA but am glad for the experience that is being offered... what I dont like is that I dont get to see Tian until Tuesday. What the hell is up with that?!?!?!
Jan 19 - Go from airport to Chang'An Grand Hotel (I thought we were going to Tianjin the day we got in?!?!?) I've been told you can see the Forbidden City from the hotel....
Jan 20 - Great Wall and lunch - YAHOO!!
Jan 21 - Tian An Men Square, Forbidden City, and lunch! Go to Tianjin and stay at Gold Ocean Hotel
Jan 22 - THE BOY ARRIVES!!!! Pray for us!!
Jan 23 - Civil Affairs
Jan 24 - Ancient Culture Street and Folklore Museum (MY IDEA!!!)
Jan 25 - Get passport and fly to Guangzhou. We're staying at the White Swan AGAIN!! This will be Dana's 3rd time and my 4th... love love LOVE that hotel!
Jan 26 - Free Day
Jan 27 - Chen Clan Folkart Museum and the Zoo (My idea but NOT ALL ON THE SAME DAY!!)
Jan 28 - Medical for Tian
Jan 29 - Free Day
Jan 30 - Visa appointment at 10am
Jan 31 - 4pm Consulate Appointment
Feb 1 - Come home from Guanzhou via Beijing via Chicago (also NOT MY IDEA - I wanted to come home through Hong Kong instead of Beijing but the flight was sold out... its okay...)
Feb 1!!! My girls are going to come to the airport and meet us!! I will be soooo excited to see them!!!
Yes children... your mother is slowing but steadly MELTING DOWN!!! Why is it SOOOOO darn hard to get travel agents to answer back a freaking email!! Good God!
If I dont get the international tickets booked... I cant send in the BOIT guide form.... If I cant send in the BOIT guide form...I DONT GET AN ITINERARY FOR IN COUNTRY BEFORE WE'RE SUPPOSE TO LEAVE!!!!
See?!?!? Melting!!!
Update!!! I gots tickets - thank you Sue Sorrels!! We are leaving on 01/18/2008, should get Tian on 01/21/2007, consulate appointment on 01/30/2008, free to come home on 02/01/2008. I dont have a BOIT itinerary but I DONT CARE at this point... well... I CARE...but at least I wont have to have a melt down for a couple of days while the in country stuff is worked out.
Our TA for Tian came today! We're trying to get a consulate appointment for 1/28/2008 which means we would leave before 1/20/2008. I'm ready and I'm not.... ready to get our boy home! Not ready to leave my girls home for 2 weeks while we travel.