Well, we have finished the paperwork with the Chinese officials to make the adoption final! This afternoon we will go to the police station to apply for Anna's Chinese passport, and then we'll be finished until the passport comes and we'll start on the US side.
Anna is still doing great with us! The Director of International Adoption from Anna's orphanage was at the meetings this morning. She is also the lady who brought Anna to us. Anna looked a little confused and nervous when this lady, Ms. Zhuang I believe, came in. Then Ms. Zhuang asked Anna if she wanted to go back with her. Anna scooted back on my lap as close to me and as far from the lady as she could get, shaking her head "no" the whole time. Anna wouldn't speak to her at all, until Ms. Zhuang told her "bye-bye". (Ms. Zhuang was really nice and I've heard she is really good with the children.)
At breakfast this morning, when John came back from fixing his plate, Anna smiled at him and said "Ba-Ba" (daddy)! That was a really great sign. And she's been pointing to Cara's picture that we had sent her and then pointing to Cara all on her own. We definitely think bringing Cara and Rhodes was a great idea (we couldn't go this long without them anyway!)
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Pictures!
Together at last, in the Civil Affairs office where we met Anna:
Playing back at the hotel:
Pictures! -- captions added
Back in the hotel in "Ba-Ba's" lap, with Cara and Rhodes:
Going out for supper:
First bath with us:
Brushing Mommy's hair soon after returning to the hotel the first time:
A Family of 5!!!
She is here with us! Anna has done so well! She didn't even get upset when the orphanage workers walked her over to us and I picked her up. We could tell she definitely was not sure about what was going on, but she let me hold her and let the kids fawn all over. The orphanage workers brought the things we had sent Anna as well as several other items. When I had a moment, I showed Anna the picture of each of us on her blankie and then pointed to that person saying our names. She looked wherever I pointed with an expression of trying to put it all together.
Anna's a big girl! So big that I don't think it will be long before she outgrows size 24m/2T. She's so tall the capri leggings I brought to put under her dresses fit more like shorts!But the shoes I brought are a good bit too big! (Yet much smaller than the shoes she came to us wearing.)
Rhodes got the first smile after we got back to the hotel room. He brought her a small piece of paper he had drawn on for her. Then later Cara got her first laugh while they took a bath together. (Yes, Anna took a bath with no problem! She loved it, even tried to pour water on her own head letting it run down her face.) A little later, Anna told Rhodes something while they were playing. Of course, we had no idea what it was!
I put a bow in Anna's hair, expecting her not to want it. Rhodes was playing with her and put something on her head. When he pulled it off, the bow fell out and Anna felt her head and then looked all around for that bow. She wanted it back in her hair!
Anna was happy all evening until we got back to the hotel after supper. John and Cara and Rhodes had come back a little before us because Cara fell asleep in her chair at the restaurant and Rhodes was about to. When Anna, Marla, and I got back to the hotel room, the other kids were both in their beds and sound asleep. Anna didn't smile after that. I was a little concerned Anna was about to get really upset when I started getting her ready for bed. She continued to look frightened or upset but she never cried and laid still until she fell asleep in the same position I put her down in. I hate to think of her being frightened and confused. I'd almost rather she express it more if she is feeling that way so we could comfort her. It's hard to think that she may not be crying because she isn't used to anyone being there for her.
Overall, things have gone beautifully and we are very excited and grateful to God to have Anna with us! Thank you for your prayers!
Anna's a big girl! So big that I don't think it will be long before she outgrows size 24m/2T. She's so tall the capri leggings I brought to put under her dresses fit more like shorts!But the shoes I brought are a good bit too big! (Yet much smaller than the shoes she came to us wearing.)
Rhodes got the first smile after we got back to the hotel room. He brought her a small piece of paper he had drawn on for her. Then later Cara got her first laugh while they took a bath together. (Yes, Anna took a bath with no problem! She loved it, even tried to pour water on her own head letting it run down her face.) A little later, Anna told Rhodes something while they were playing. Of course, we had no idea what it was!
I put a bow in Anna's hair, expecting her not to want it. Rhodes was playing with her and put something on her head. When he pulled it off, the bow fell out and Anna felt her head and then looked all around for that bow. She wanted it back in her hair!
Anna was happy all evening until we got back to the hotel after supper. John and Cara and Rhodes had come back a little before us because Cara fell asleep in her chair at the restaurant and Rhodes was about to. When Anna, Marla, and I got back to the hotel room, the other kids were both in their beds and sound asleep. Anna didn't smile after that. I was a little concerned Anna was about to get really upset when I started getting her ready for bed. She continued to look frightened or upset but she never cried and laid still until she fell asleep in the same position I put her down in. I hate to think of her being frightened and confused. I'd almost rather she express it more if she is feeling that way so we could comfort her. It's hard to think that she may not be crying because she isn't used to anyone being there for her.
Overall, things have gone beautifully and we are very excited and grateful to God to have Anna with us! Thank you for your prayers!
Monday, March 03, 2008
In China!
Well, we made it! The flights were long, but Cara and Rhodes did great! They had lots of activities and treats to keep them occupied.
For 12 hours from Minneapolis to Tokyo, we chased the sun never seeing the night fall even though our internal clocks said it was night. Now, it's 1:30am here and I should be sleeping. John and I are tired and the kids and Marla (my sister) are already asleep so maybe it won't take too long to adjust to the time difference.
We were met by our agency's representative who told us there was a change of plans. Anna will be joining us tomorrow afternoon! We'll leave the hotel at 4pm with the rep and another family to go to the Civil Affairs office to receive Anna and the other child. We'll try to post pictures tomorrow night!!
For 12 hours from Minneapolis to Tokyo, we chased the sun never seeing the night fall even though our internal clocks said it was night. Now, it's 1:30am here and I should be sleeping. John and I are tired and the kids and Marla (my sister) are already asleep so maybe it won't take too long to adjust to the time difference.
We were met by our agency's representative who told us there was a change of plans. Anna will be joining us tomorrow afternoon! We'll leave the hotel at 4pm with the rep and another family to go to the Civil Affairs office to receive Anna and the other child. We'll try to post pictures tomorrow night!!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Itinerary!
I can't believe it's less than three days until we leave and 6 days until we meet Anna!
Here is what we know of our itinerary for the two weeks:
Sunday, March 2: Leave Memphis at 9:57am on Northwest Airlines.
Arrive in Minneapolis/St. Paul at 12:10pm
Leave Minn/StPaul at 1:10pm.
Monday, March 3: Arrive in Tokyo, Japan, at 4:40pm (I think -- 1:40am, CST)
Leave Tokyo at 5:55pm (2:55am, CST).
Arrive in Guangzhou, China, at 10:30pm (8:30am, CST)
Tuesday, March 4: receive Anna!
Wednesday, March 5: adoption registration and notarization and either apply for Anna's Chinese passport today or Thursday
Thursday, March 6: free day except perhaps applying for Anna's passport
Friday, March 7: free day
Saturday, March 8: free day
Sunday, March 9: group tour of Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (This tour was arranged by the adoption agency's contacts. We're hoping it will be an afternoon tour so we can attend church that morning at one of the protestant churches allowed by the government.)
Monday, March 10: free day
Tuesday, March 11: group tour to Yuntai Park at White Cloud Mountain. Receive all Chinese documents.
Wednesday, March 12: Anna's medical exam for US visa in the morning. 1pm meeting to prepare consulate documents.
Thursday, March 13: US visa appointment. We don't actually go as our agency's representative will take our paperwork for us. We do have to stay in our hotel room in case they call us needing something.
Friday, March 14: 3pm, oath swearing at US consulate and pick up Anna's visa to emigrate to the US.
Saturday, March 15: Leave Guangzhou at 8:20am on Northwest. (6:00pm, Friday, March 14, CST)
Arrive in Tokyo at 1:40pm (10:40pm, Friday, March 14, CST)
Leave Tokyo at 3:25pm (12:25am, CST)
Arrive in Minn/StPaul at 12:20pm -- Anna becomes an American citizen as soon as she walks off the plane!!
Leave Minn/StPaul at 3:12pm.
Arrive in Memphis at 5:12pm.
We appreciate your prayers!!
Here is what we know of our itinerary for the two weeks:
Sunday, March 2: Leave Memphis at 9:57am on Northwest Airlines.
Arrive in Minneapolis/St. Paul at 12:10pm
Leave Minn/StPaul at 1:10pm.
Monday, March 3: Arrive in Tokyo, Japan, at 4:40pm (I think -- 1:40am, CST)
Leave Tokyo at 5:55pm (2:55am, CST).
Arrive in Guangzhou, China, at 10:30pm (8:30am, CST)
Tuesday, March 4: receive Anna!
Wednesday, March 5: adoption registration and notarization and either apply for Anna's Chinese passport today or Thursday
Thursday, March 6: free day except perhaps applying for Anna's passport
Friday, March 7: free day
Saturday, March 8: free day
Sunday, March 9: group tour of Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (This tour was arranged by the adoption agency's contacts. We're hoping it will be an afternoon tour so we can attend church that morning at one of the protestant churches allowed by the government.)
Monday, March 10: free day
Tuesday, March 11: group tour to Yuntai Park at White Cloud Mountain. Receive all Chinese documents.
Wednesday, March 12: Anna's medical exam for US visa in the morning. 1pm meeting to prepare consulate documents.
Thursday, March 13: US visa appointment. We don't actually go as our agency's representative will take our paperwork for us. We do have to stay in our hotel room in case they call us needing something.
Friday, March 14: 3pm, oath swearing at US consulate and pick up Anna's visa to emigrate to the US.
Saturday, March 15: Leave Guangzhou at 8:20am on Northwest. (6:00pm, Friday, March 14, CST)
Arrive in Tokyo at 1:40pm (10:40pm, Friday, March 14, CST)
Leave Tokyo at 3:25pm (12:25am, CST)
Arrive in Minn/StPaul at 12:20pm -- Anna becomes an American citizen as soon as she walks off the plane!!
Leave Minn/StPaul at 3:12pm.
Arrive in Memphis at 5:12pm.
We appreciate your prayers!!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Travel Dates!
We finally have our official Travel Approval from China and the date of our appointment with the US Consulate in Guangzhou! So we've made our travel arrangements:
Sunday-Monday, March 2-3: We'll leave Memphis on a Northwest flight mid-morning Sunday. We'll have a short layover in Minneapolis and then another short one in Tokyo. The entire travel time including layovers is right around 24 hours, but due to crossing the International Date Line, we won't arrive in Guangzhou until almost 11pm on Monday.
Tuesday, March 4th: We were to be in Guangzhou before noon this day, so we hope this will be when Anna is brought to us!
Wednesday & Thursday, March 5-6: Most likely this will be when we meet with Chinese officials to finalize the adoption. We will also have Anna's physical completed for her USA visa and have her photo taken for it now.
Friday -- Wednesday, March 7-12: We will be waiting on Anna's Chinese passport, so we'll spend the time getting to know one another with a little shopping and kid-friendly sightseeing thrown in.
Thursday, March 13th: Our agency's rep will take our paperwork to the US Consulate to apply for Anna's visa.
Friday, March 14th: We'll pick up Anna's visa and have a "swearing-in" ceremony. I'm not sure yet what the "swearing in" is about. :)
Saturday, March 15th: We'll leave Guangzhou early that morning and fly the same route home. Thanks to the International Date Line again, we should be in Memphis about 6pm that night!
While we are a little disappointed not to be traveling earlier, we do realize that a few extra weeks in which to settle into the new rental house will be beneficial. Plus, Cara will only miss 4 or 5 days of school thanks to Spring Break.
Sunday-Monday, March 2-3: We'll leave Memphis on a Northwest flight mid-morning Sunday. We'll have a short layover in Minneapolis and then another short one in Tokyo. The entire travel time including layovers is right around 24 hours, but due to crossing the International Date Line, we won't arrive in Guangzhou until almost 11pm on Monday.
Tuesday, March 4th: We were to be in Guangzhou before noon this day, so we hope this will be when Anna is brought to us!
Wednesday & Thursday, March 5-6: Most likely this will be when we meet with Chinese officials to finalize the adoption. We will also have Anna's physical completed for her USA visa and have her photo taken for it now.
Friday -- Wednesday, March 7-12: We will be waiting on Anna's Chinese passport, so we'll spend the time getting to know one another with a little shopping and kid-friendly sightseeing thrown in.
Thursday, March 13th: Our agency's rep will take our paperwork to the US Consulate to apply for Anna's visa.
Friday, March 14th: We'll pick up Anna's visa and have a "swearing-in" ceremony. I'm not sure yet what the "swearing in" is about. :)
Saturday, March 15th: We'll leave Guangzhou early that morning and fly the same route home. Thanks to the International Date Line again, we should be in Memphis about 6pm that night!
While we are a little disappointed not to be traveling earlier, we do realize that a few extra weeks in which to settle into the new rental house will be beneficial. Plus, Cara will only miss 4 or 5 days of school thanks to Spring Break.
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