Friday-Day In

Today we had no business and spent the day in our room and at the hotel. We decided we were not going to sleep all day because we really needed to try and do something. So we opened our curtains and tried to sit in the chairs and not the bed. It worked and we stayed up a good part of the day. Lucy slept a good bit but also played a lot more today. She had fun playing with her stacking cups and toys. We decided to order room service in because one of the other couples had an appointment and the other had a sleeping baby at lunch time. We ordered plain fried rice with fried egg and French fries. The rice was actually pretty good and we ate it and so did Lucy. Of course, we have not found something she won’t eat except for formula. After lunch Lucy decided she wanted out of the room so we went and walked around the lobby of the hotel. We looked at fish in the pond and strolled around. She does well in the stroller and likes to be out. We then came back to the room to nap. Allen walked to the corner store with our friends from Kentucky while she and I napped. After our naps we got up and played some more in our room. Lucy snacked on her favorite snack and ate some applesauce. We then went down to the lobby to call in pizza for our group. We met in the play area again and had more fun with the other couples. It is nice to have someone to talk to and share this experience with. On Saturday, we are headed to a pavilion for some sightseeing with our guide. Hoping it is not too hot but will be glad to get out of the hotel for a while!

Things about Lucy:

• She loves to eat about anything. So far she likes-puffs, corn curls (Chinese snack), eggs, fried rice, watermelon, applesauce, prunes and pizza (LOVES)!

• She is starting to babble and talk to us a lot.

• When she smiles she has two dimples on both sides.
• She can crawl and walks a few steps when holding on to our hands.
• She observes us all the time and likes to have one us in her sight!
• She finally liked her bath last night!
• She does not like to have her diaper changed or her clothes changed!

I am typing this at 5:48 Saturday morning here. Allen and I have been up since around 3:30.It has been hard getting our bodies to adjust to the right time! A week from today we will be flying home! YAY!

Thursday-Notary, Park and Temple

We started off Thursday with our usual breakfast buffet in the hotel. We had toast with jelly, cornflakes and got adventurous and drank grape juice! After breakfast we went to the notary to have some documents notarized. Then our guide, Alicia took us to a park. The park was filled with people doing lots of different dancing and movement. There were lots of elderly people doing tai-chi and other dances together. We also saw people playing musical instruments. It was interesting to see but very hot. After we left the park she took us to see the Buddhist temple. They were having a ceremony for a festival the next day so we just went through quickly. Many families talk about having a monk bless their baby as part of tradition but we did not do that. Our guide was very respectful of our beliefs. We finished early and she offered to take us somewhere else because it was so early but we told her we were fine. As I mentioned, we are travelling with a father and daughter from Kentucky and thankfully they feel the same as we do and the heat is just too much for us and the babies. So we returned to the hotel early. We spent a lot of Thursday sleeping. We ate snacks in our room for lunch and just stayed in. On Thursday night we had a pizza dinner with our friends from Kentucky and our England friends. It was nice to get together and talk to one another. It is interesting to learn about the difference in England and the US! We ordered pepperoni pizza and it was a lot like home. Lucy is still doing awesome! She had her first poop! I know TMI but it is an important event we have been waiting on! She is comfortable with both of us and just must have one of us in her sight. We have noticed that she plays well with the other babies and probably the most outgoing and adventurous! We can’t wait to see her and Madison together! Should be interesting!

Gotcha Day and Adoption Day

We were told to expect Lucy around 3 on Tuesday. Well 3 came and went and still no call. At 3:30 I got up and was cleaning the room and Allen slept! Finally at 3:45 the doorbell rang and it was them. We walked in there she sat. Calm and watching. She cried for just a minute and then she was fine. WE did find out she was in foster care not the orphanage. We got our camera back we had sent and a blanket but doesn't seem to be the one we sent. We also go a some gift from the orphanage. Her foster mom sent her favorite snacks and a hard boiled egg. Apparently, she likes them! We also got a surprise because she had a paci and we weren't expecting that. She only wants it to go to sleep. We got her finding ad from the orphanage as well. We spent the rest of the night hanging out in our room. We ordered french fries from room service and tried to order Lucy a boiled egg but got scrambled eggs. It didn't matter because she loved them! She also enjoyed the french fries. So far she is eating great. She has eaten scrambled eggs, french fries, cereal, pizza and puffs! The only think she want take is formula but she is drinking water so we think it is ok.

Wednesday was adoption day! We are going around with a man and his 20 year old daughter who are here adoption a little girl 18 months old. The mom said home with their other children. We are really enjoying their company.We went to do the official paperwork that says we will never abandon or abuse her and will get her a college education! : ) This was all done in a room about 112 degrees. The photos are lovely I am sure!They took a family photo and that was it. She is official ours! But we still can't leave! : (  After that we went to get a passport photo taken and then to Walmart....oh what an adventure! Thankfully our guide drug us around and we stocked up on things we hoped she would like! We did find another bag of the snacks they had sent so we got those. We also spent way too much on formula that we don't think she is going to drink but we needed something and that was our choice. After our adventure there we asked about eating somewhere with American type food. So our guide sent us into the KFC and waited on the curb with the babies while we went in. Well... after staring our unfamiliar images we decided to just go back to the hotel. We were tired and ready to be back to the familiar. We ate in the hotel and I had a ham sandwich and Allen tried about four bites of a hamburger. Then we came back to the room to nap.She was a little less taken with Allen at first but tonight seems to be doing better. We had a pizza party with 2 other families that are here in the play room and that was nice. It was PAPA John's pizza and probably the best I have ever had! WE had a couple from England join us. They are here for their second adoption. Their daughter is 8 and travelling with them. Lucy was quite taken with her and wanted to play with her a lot. We think maybe she had a foster sibling. Which is good since she has 2 at home! Tonight it was nice to talk to others and hang out. We plan on getting together some more this week. Tomorrow we go to the Notary and then sightseeing. Hoping not too much because it is hot here! I will try and post a few photos upload is slow so will just put up a few!

Our first moment together!

Warming up a little bit.

Allen signing some paperwork

Playing in the room. The red dot on her head is from her foster mom.It is for good luck!

Us with the orphanage director.

Our guide Alicia and us. Lucy was done!

No car seats in China! She won't like that when we get home!

Travel

We survived our brutal days of travel and are in Nanchang. I am tired but want to get down my thoughts on travel so I don't forget. We left GSP at 7:55 Sunday morning and landed in Chicago. We had a short layover there but it was not too long and just enough time to allow us to get to where we needed to go. We then flew from Chicago to Shanghai. The flight was long but no major turbulence or discomfort. I didn't sleep much but Allen slept some. I spent my time watching movies and it was not that bad of a flight. The last 4 hours seemed the longest as it appeared our plane sat on the same place of the map and didn't move. We arrived in Shanghai and had a LONG 7 hour layover. This by far was the hardest part of the trip here. We were both exhausted and had no idea where to go and it was a bit crowded. We finally found our right ticket booth and sat on a bench near it and people watched. We got 2 bottle waters and ate some snacks we packed. Neither of us were hungry and decided we wouldn't risk eating something before another flight. We decided to try and check in early for our flight and discovered that lines don't really exist in Shanghai airport. You can stand in one but someone may decide to bypass the line and walk right up to the counter in front of everyone. Interesting! : ) After being told to come back at 8:30 we went and found a bench and sat. We dozed a little and then started to hear announcements that we couldn't understand so decided just to check on our flight. Well....they were announcing that all flights were on delay or cancelled because of a typhoon!! Let's just say I was about ready for a full meltdown at this point but decided not too panic. We knew we still had a while for our flight so we sat and waited. Well.. while we waited I prayed like crazy for the Lord to get us on that plane and to Nanchang! I knew He can move mountains and we would be able to move that Typhoon!!! Well, bless the Lord, it worked! We went back and our flight was fine and not delayed! We proceeded to wait until take off at 9:55 and boarded our last flight. This was 9:55 pm Monday night, We had been travelling since Sunday. I slept the whole hour and 10 min. flight and then prayed that when we landed our guide would be there. Because I don't know how much more I could take! Thankfully, our guide was waiting and we jumped in a van and made it to our hotel! We then slept from around 1:30am to 7:30. We got to Skype with the kids which was good and bad. Hearing Madison say could my mom drive her to us was a little heartbreaking! We went with our guide to buy some bottled water and drinks this morning. We also went to the breakfast buffet. We both had a croissant with jelly and dry cornflakes. *Brad Kinard-Allen said you would have had a field day at the buffet with the interesting items to try! Fried sponge, anyone?
 We did find out we get Lucy today! It is 10:45 in the morning on Tuesday now and we should meet Lucy at 3 this afternoon! WOW! Allen is sleeping and I couldn't so thought I would get all this down. I am mainly journaling so I will remember all these things so it may be long and boring to you but I don't want to forget a single thing! Here are a few observations from what I have seen so far:

• A family of four and their groceries can fit on a moped and fly down the street in the dark with no headlights!
• Mo-peds do not need to pay attention to red lights-they are merely a suggestion. Just blow your horn and drive on through.
• We observed a side street park today and I notice how loving and peacefully the people seemed to one another. They were dancing and doing different activities on the side street. A real picture of the culture of China. However, when you return to the street there is lots of horn blowing! : )

No pics now. Nothing to see but to tired and weary travellers and that isn't pretty! Next post will be pics of Lucy! Please pray for her as she is about to have her whole world changed!

Test for China

Travel Plans

We fly to get Lucy next Sunday! Here is our itinerary:


Day ACTIVITY
Morning Afternoon

1. (Aug. 28) Go to Province

2. (Aug. 29) meet your child, legal process

3. (Aug. 30)

4. (Aug. 31) orphanage visit

5. (Sept. 1)

6. (Sept. 2) obtain legal doc

7. (Sept 3.)

8. (Sept 4.) obtain legal doc go to Guangzhou

9. (Sept. 5.) medical

10. (Sept 6) Consulate appointment 10:00am

11. (Sept. 7.) obtain visa

12. (Sept. 8) go home!
 

We will meet Lucy on the 29th! We can't wait to have her in our arms!

Travel Approval!

I got a phone call today at 11:45. We have travel approval! We don't have exact dates yet but were told to expect to travel within the next 2 to 3 weeks! Can't believe it is almost here!