Welcome to our China travel site. We hope you enjoy following our journey. Visit us as often as you like!
We "moved"...again
Now that we are back home, I will be posting on our original blog site. This site, however, will remain open and available for viewing any time. It's been so fun having everyone follow us on our adoption journey. I'll do the best I can to continue posting, but I have a feeling life is going to get pretty busy!
Here's the link to our original blog (in case you didn't have it) www.babygirlschneider.blogspot.com
The last post from China
Well, our bags are packed, Kailahni's visa is our hands, and we are leaving China first thing in the morning. This has been such an amazing trip. We have seen (and smelt) some of the most mind blowing, impressive, unbelievable. We have memories that will last a life time...truly. As anxious as I am to be home, there is a part of me that will miss China. Miss being surround by this very interesting and complex culture. But of course, for us, the most important and awe inspiring part of this whole journey has been meeting our daughter. The things she has been through in her short life are things most of us only read about in books. She is so strong and so brave. And she's our to keep, forever and ever. We feel so privledged!
Last night, we enjoyed a cruise along the Pearl River. Seeing Guangzhou lit up at night was really awesome (the food, however, was not). If you think a Chinese buffett is scary in the U.S., you should see one in China. Hardly anyone from our group was brave enough to partake. We all came back to the hotel and ate. But, the cruise was fun, noneless.
This morning we woke up to our last full day in China. I was emotional from the word "go". I got teary at breakfast...realizing this was our last breakfast in China. I teary at the group photo session. And, the U.S. Consulate Oath Ceremony just about did me in. It was really moving. Opening Kai's passport and seeing her U.S. visa stamped inside it was one of the biggest feelings of relief I have ever had. I'm so grateful that our trip has gone so smoothly.
After we finished our packing, we joined our friends Denise and Tim for some pizza and wine. Meeting them has been a real blessing. We've had some good fun and great laughs together. Their beautiful daughter, Alyssa, has touched our hearts in so many ways. She will be in our thoughts and prayers over the next few months as we know she faces surgery and other challanges.
We leave our hotel at 6:30 tomorrow morning for our 26 hour trek home. I realized tonight that we left the Benedryl home, so we will be going "commando" tomorrow. Wish Doug luck...ha ha!
For my dear friends, who are awaiting their referrals and will soon be traveling to China, my packing advice is this....pack your patience, willingness to follow instructions, and your SENSE OF HUMOR and you will have a great trip...I promise.
See you all soon! Be sure to check out the video I posted....it's a special one!
A week?? Already??
It was a week ago, yesterday, that we met Xiu Gang. It's hard to believe. In some ways it feels like it just happened, and in other ways, I feel like we've had her forever. We love her to pieces and can't imagine our lives without her. She has personality on top of personality. Jacob and Benjamin our going to absolutely love her. She can be so funny (and so NOT funny sometimes). Doug thinks she's incredibly smart (go figure). She is bright...there's not doubt about that. Although she had never been exposed to English, she seems to understand us. It's so strange. She has more of a reaction to English words than she does Chinese. Or, at least, it seems that way. She is quickly learning to trust us and enjoy things that scared her only a few days ago (like the pool). She still panics when we put her in a highchair or stroller. She acts like she's falling off a clifff or something. We have to take it really slow and be really reassuring, but she still gets frightened. She loves, loves, loves Doug, but gets upset when I leave the room or walk away. It's getting better though. What's really interesting is seeing her play with the other adoptees. These babies can be very competitive with one another. They can also be sweet and kind, but you have to watch them very closely because things can get ugly fast. She was playing in the playpen with little Alyssa Harrigan the other night and we were joking that it looked like "baby cage fighting". I think these poor babies had to fight for attention, toys, and sadly..food in the orphanage. Most of the parents have been commenting that their child is eating hand over fist. It's a good thing because a lot of these babies are underweight, but it's also heartbreaking.
Yesterday was another relaxed day. After a little "morning worship" in our room, we went down for breakfast. We returned to our room and made a bunch of phone calls home and showed Kailahni off to some of our friends and family with the web camera Doug set up. The baby went down for a nap, Doug babysat, and I headed to the Jade market with some of the people from our group. Later that evening we went to dinner on Shamian Island with Denise and Tim Harrigan. We dined at an Italian restaurant and loved it! Good food, good wine (nice choice Tim) and good company. The highlight of our evening had to have been the taxi ride back to the hotel! NOT!!! It's not only scary, but Kailahni pooped in her diaper (a rare and normally much celebrated event) right before we got in the cab. Between the smell, and the steamy heat in Guangzhou it was a brutal experience. Thank goodness Denise and Tim had a sense of humor about it. Since I had the pleasure of holding Kailahni the whole way home...Doug had the pleasure of changing the diaper! :) It wasn't much a picture taking day, though. Sorry. I know that's all anybody is really interesting in, right?!
I have to add that Jacob and Benjamin had there first day of school today. It wasn't just the first day of school, but it was the first of school at a BRAND NEW SCHOOL! We just spoke to them a few minutes ago and sounds like everything went really well. We are so, so proud of the two of them. It takes a lot of courage to start a new school and to do it while your parents are on the other side of the world is a big deal. Sarah (and the rest of my family and friends) have done such an amazing job of taking care of the boys. We will never be able to express how much gratitude we have toward them all. But, we are truly, truly thankful!
Tonight we are going on a dinner cruise on the Pearl River. We thought about not going because of the heat, but I think we've changed our minds. Other than that, today will be rather uneventful. Our Consulate appointment was today. Interestingly enough, we don't actually go to the appoitment. Our guides go for us. We are simply asked to stay in our hotel room until 11:30 A.M. in case they need to contact us regarding any issues. OMG..our phone rang just as I was typing that last sentence. WE PASSED OUR CONSULATE APPOINTMENT!! Kailahni's visas is being issued (and will be delivered to our room tomorrow)!!!! We are free to come home!!!! It's over....the paperwork is FINALLY over! Four years of document shuffling and we are DONE!! Doug is cracking open a victory beer...feel free to do the same (it's 5:00 o'clock somewhere).
We love you all and can't wait to see you on Thursday!
Fun day in Guangzhou
Today was a pretty relaxed day for us. After breakfast we walked, with some other families from our group, over to Yuexiu Park. It's a beautiful park with a lake, a playground, and even a small amusement park. Kailahni seemed to like the park, although you would never be able to tell from the expression on her face. She rarely cracks a smile once we leave our hotel room. We held out as long as we could at the park and then headed back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. A typhoon passed by Guangzhou just before we arrived and caused a lot of rain, so it has raised the humidity level. That, coupled with the sunshine, is making it feel really hot here! The pool felt so good! There is no bathing cap required at this pool, so I went ahead and got in.
We put the baby down for a nap and I headed to a brief paperwork appointment. This evening we went with some from our group to a Cantonese Restuarant. They serve everything from snake (which they had in cages for people to choose from), to frog (also in cages), to alligator (two of which we alive and on display). The food was good, and we are no sick from it! Yahoo!
Kaihlahni showed some shyness toward strangers tonight and it got Doug and I all excited. Two different women in the restaurant wanted to touch (and probably hold) her and she wouldn't let them. She burried her head in Doug's shoulder when one of them reached for her and reached her arms out for me when they other one did. It may not seem like too big of deal to some, but we feel encouraged to see some "stranger" awareness coming from her.
After dinner we shared a bottle of wine with another couple from our group while our girls played. It was nice to hang out with fun people and laugh a little....actually, a lot.
We will check in again tomorrow!
We've made it to Guangzhou
We arrived safe and sound last night in Guangzhou. This is the last leg of our stay in China. The next time we pack our bags, it will be to come home! Yippee!
I'd love to say the flight down here went GREAT, but I'd be lying. It went well, by Kailahni was a hand full. We did the best we could to make sure she drank or ate something on take off and landing to help her ears, but I don't it worked to well. She screamed bloody murder off and on throughout the flight. In between screaming fits, she squirmed around like a tazmanian devil...we must have passed her back and forth a million times. She knocked my meal off my tray and onto the floor, pulled the hair of the guy sitting in front of me when I wasn't looking and ripped about six pages out of a book I was trying to read. In a nut shell, she kicked our asses. I laughed the whole way to baggage claim about it. If Norah, Sarah and Cori had a video of our flight I would NEVER hear the end of it. They would have loved to see the chaos. I can picture the three of them now sitting down, pouring themselves a few martinis, watching the video and laughting their butts off. I think we may need to resort to plan "B" (Benedryl) for the flight home.
Today was medical exam day. Kailahni did great. She didn't shed one tear. She weighs 15.7 lbs and is 27 inches long. So, she has lost weight and shrunk since her "medical exam" that was done at 6 months of age. Interesting, huh?! Welcome to China.
After her exam was over, we had time to do a little bit of shopping on Shamian Island. It really is a neat little island. I can't wait to explore it a little more later in the week. The meeting point for our group was STARBUCKS!!!! I couldn't have been happier to go in there, enjoy the air conditioning and drink my iced latte!!! I felt like a little slice of heaven.
The next two days are more or less free days for us. We need a couple of days without appointments because Xiu Gang is way off her schedule and it shows. She is doing much better than she was a day or two ago. We are getting smiles and kisses again. She is still struggling, but her true personality is starting to peek through. She really is a funny, sweet baby....just don't piss her off.
We love you all and thank you so much for all of the comments you have left for us. We read them and feel so loved and cared about. I look forward to reading everyone's comments as much as you guys look forward to our posts.
I've added two short videos of us playing in our hotel room in Guangzhou.
The Wedding Veil Has Fallen
Well folks, the honeymoon is over. Our little girl is grieving and is not feeling well either. She is no longer our smiley, giggely, kiss giving baby. She is a sad, uncomfortable, crying (almost inconsolibly at times) grieve stricken child. The fun started Wens night. In the middle on the night she woke up hysterical and stayed that way most of the night. Earlier that eveing, the three of us ventured out of the hotel for dinner. We thought we'd save a few dollars and taste some of the local cuisine. Others in our group have done it and lived to tell about it, so we thought we would get brave and do the same. We met a local girl on the street who spoke very good English. She told us all about the different restaurants. She helped us picked one that was "clean and not too spicy (when they say "spicy" here, they mean it). She even helped us order. The food was good and less than half the price of the hotel. However, it nearly killed us. Withing a few hours of eating, Doug and I were sicker than either one of us have been in long, long time. If you couple that, with Kai's grieve, it made for an extremely difficult night.
Thursday morning was zoo day. Although none of us had slept, and Doug and I were weak from all the vomiting and "whatnot", we thought a little distraction would do us some good. We lasted at the zoo for about 45 minutes. It was plenty of time to be outside, see some pandas....basically give Kailahni something to look at other than our hotel. I'm glad that her first trip to the zoo was here in China. It felt special. Our guide wrote down directions to the hotel for us (againts her wishes....she was nervous about us leaving the group..we weren't....at all), we hailed a cab, and headed back to our room. We spent the rest of the day recovering from our illness and trying to comfort our sweetheart.
I know that the happy, playful little girl that was placed in our arm will emerge again. I'm not worried about that. Today is already proving to be a better day. Doug and I are on the mend and we leave for Guangzhou in just a few hours. That is exciting us a lot. I'm glad that we didn't have to fly on a plane yesterday. With the way we were feeling, it would have been a nightmare!
We'll check in tomorrow once Kailahni's medical exam is finished! Here's hoping her first flight on a plane is a pleasant one!
We love you all and feel your prayer and well wishes!
The Sites of Chongqing
We didn't make it to the zoo today, because of the rain that never came. Instead we did some local touring of Chongqing. We went to the Great Hall of the People, did some shopping on the streets of Chongqing (my favorite part) and toured an emperors palace that dates back to the 17th Century!
While we were at the Great Hall of the People, Xiu Gang drew a lot of attention from the local people. They were very friendly and interested in knowing things about Xiu Gang. Some even wanted their picture taken with her. While walking through the streets of Chongqing, the attention we were attracting almost made it difficult for us to keep moving. We didn't really mind though, because the people were being so kind, and our guide, Jessie, was able to translate not only what they were saying to us, but to tell the Chinese people how happy we are to have her. They wanted to know if Xiu Gang was a local Chongqing baby. Jessie explained that she was from Qianjiang. The people were saying how fortunate Xiu Gang was to have us. Through Jessie, we were able to tell them how privileged we feel to be her parents and that we will always love her and take care of her. It was a very heartwarming exchange. I would have liked to do more shopping than we were able to, but our group wanted to forge on (they hoping to make Walmart later in the day...whatever).
After the shopping, we toured an emperor's palace. It was beautiful and interesting. People still come to this place to pay homage to the ancient emperors and ask for blessings on their lives. I said a little prayer myself while we were there....it went something like this, "Dear God please do something about the humidity". Ha ha... just kidding. It wasn't very hot today, just really humid.
I put a few pictures of our adventure to the hotel pool last night. It's an indoor pool and when we walked in, we were told that swimming caps were required...to which I said, "Oh hell, no." Doug, on the other hand, didn't think it was fare to Xiu Gang to bring her all the way down to the pool and not let her swim. So, being the sucker that he has already become for Xiu Gang, he PURCHASED a swimming cap and hopped in with her. I don't think I've laughed as hard as I laughed at him with that cap on in long, long time.
Tomorrow we should make it to the zoo....and hopefully WALMART again....NOT!!!
I should also add, that Xiu Gang seems to be feeling better. Her stomach has settled down and her cold doesn't seem as bad as it did the other day. Mornings are hard on her, emotionally speaking. She is slow to wake up (sound like anyone you guys know?!) and does some "self soothing" behaviors for the first hour or so after she wakes. She gets upset when I leave the room, but is quick to calm down when either one of us comforts her. Her "self soothing" behavior starts up again every time we leave the hotel room, which is kind of sad. Doug's neck is full of stratches from it. She doesn't really seem to respond to her Chinese name as much as they told us she did. It's not because we aren't pronouncing it right either because, when our guides say it she ignores them to. Despite that, we have continued to refer to her as Xiu Gang. We are going to have to start introducing "Kailahni" to her soon or we are going to be in trouble.
I've added to more short videos from our Gotcha Day.
Adoption Day
Today was our "Adoption Day". We returned to the Civil Bureau to sign papers and complete Xiu Gang's adoption. After signing a few brief documents and presenting Xiu Gang to a police officer (who confirmed that she was who she was and we were who we were), we entered a room where they held an Adoption Ceremony. Doug and I stood before an official from the Civil Bureau and swore to love Xiu Gang and to never abandon or abuse her (as if). I had no idea that we were going to be doing this today. I didn't realize it was part of the procedures. It was a very moving experience. I kept it together during the procedings, but afterwards, I lost it. I held Xiu Gang in the corner of the room and thanked God that we had her!
According to the People's Republic of China, Xiu Gang is now legally ours!
It was decided amongst our group that we would do some shopping after the adoption appointment. That turned out to be a crazy experience. When we left the appointment, it was rainning...hard. We had to walk across a very large, outdoor pavilion to the shopping center. Once inside, we were on our own. I had a list of things I thought I needed, but we were having a very difficult time making sense out of anything in the store...the labels didn't even give thing away. Between the confusion and the stares from the Chinese people...it was intense and sadly...not so nice. We decided to leave and head to the meeting point for our group which happened to be Mc Donalds. As soon as we got in there, Doug ordered a burger and fries. Then, he fed the fries to Xiu Gang. He also let her sip off his Coke. I was protesting, but he said that he and Xiu Gang were celebrating adoption day "their way" (she loved the fries....and the Coke...gross).
We made it make to the bus, despite being stopped almost non-stop by the locals who wanted to touch Xiu Gang and ask us questions that we couldn't understand. It was pouring rain...again. It rained so hard that the streets surrounding our hotel were completely flooded. People were crossing the street in knee, almost thigh, deep water. Between the fear that the bus driver was going to run somebody over, and the INSANE traffic condition, it was a pretty scary ride home. Doug took Xiu Gang out of my arms almost immediately and held her tight and just sat there and "found my happy place". It was nuts!
But, in the end, we were fine, we were togther and we were officially a family! Yeah!
Tomorrow, depending on the weather, we may go to the Chongqing Zoo!
Day 2 with our girl
Today we have a very different baby from yesterday. It's become more obvious that Xiu Gang is not feeling well at all. She is teething, for sure, has aslight fever, runny nose and cough and some pretty bad diahrea. Let's not forget the mosiquito bites. We have had a lot less smiles today and a lot more tears. You can tell that she is definately aware that she is in a strange place with strange people.
I'll be honest, yesterday was fantastic, but I was getting a little concerned with how "OK" Xiu Gang was with everything. Today's behavior is much more in line with what one would expect. However, we still think she is doing amazingly well. She wants comfort and love and is very accepting of it. She is still allowing both Doug and I to hold her and soothe her. She gets a little nervous when I walk away from her, but lets Doug do the healing, which is awesome.
We are leaving in a few minutes to head down to the Civil Burea to sign our Adoption Agreement paperwork!
Doug edited the Gotcha Video enough so that I could upload it. Yeah! It stops short in the end, but it's better than nothing.
We have Xiu Gang!
They say that Gotcha Day never goes as expected, and that was definately true in our case. We were prepared for the worst, but I think we may have gotten the best! We arrived at the Civil Bureau office around 2:45. We were told to expect Xiu Gang to arrive somewhere between 3:30 or 4:00, however as we stepped off the elevator and entered the lobby....THERE SHE WAS! I spotted her right away. I'm so glad that Doug already had the video camera in his hand. I was so caught off guard...the exchange happened so quickly I could hardly believe what was happening. Within seconds she was in my arms.
She never cried for a minute. She did, however, have a curious, somewhat serious look on her face for the 20 minutes or so. But, by the time we left the office, we were getting smiles and even a few kisses! She is allowing both Doug and I to hold her. She thinks Doug is amazing.
Her orphanage director had brought some of the formula she is use to eating (we brought some of our own too) so we were able to give her a bottle before we left for the hotel. It was raining outside when we were leaving, so Doug held her. We thought, for sure, she would fall asleep on the bus ride back to the hotel, but she didn't. She stared out the window with big eyes, played with her toys, and let Doug and I pass her back and forth.
She is head to toe with mosquito bites. It's so sad. She also has a little bit of a cough. She doesn't really seem sick, though. It may just be an effect of her teething. She has two top teeth and two on the bottom that are just emerging.
I was playing with her on the bed, once we got back to the room, and got the most adorable "belly laughs" out of her. It's shocking how well she is doing. I know her happy, content demeanor may not last, but for now I am grateful for the peaceful, joyful, purely enjoyable begining of our life together. She is making direct eye contact with us, responding to her name, and when I give her kisses, she leans in to kiss me back. Somebody must have given her kisses, or some kind of love, because she knows what they are, and she laughs and smiles after she tries to give you one.
After her bath (which she loved) I put lotion all over her, put her in her pajamas, gave her another bottle and held her until she fell asleep!
We feel blessed beyond words to not only have Xiu Gang, but to have had such amazing, wonderful day!
Both Doug and Xiu Gang are sleeping and I need to do the same. Tomorrow will be another busy day!
We love you all and thank you so much for "being here with us"!
UPDATE: I have really bad news....the video of me getting Xiu Gang is 336MB and this site will only allow you to upload a video with a maximum of 300MB.....AAAGGGHHH! I'm sure there is a way to reduce the size of the video, but I have no idea how to do that. I'm trying to upload a video taken about 15 minutes after I first got her. I'm so, so sorry! Hopefully Doug will be able to fix this in the morning. I really want you guys to see how well the exchange went.
We have arrived in Chongqing!
Did I really confess that I got teary while climbing the Wall to you all?! That's embarrassing. Seeing the Wall meant more to me than I realized. I loved being there. It poured rain on us when we got to the bottom and we got soaked...I loved that too. I loved it all!
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden Palace were very impressive. One of our guides, Cindy, did a great job of filling us in on the history of both places. She explained what they were used for in the past and how they are being used now. I've never, EVER, seen so many people in one place in my life. There is no way to describe it. Everyone in our group, even families that have been to China before, were talking about how unbelievable it was to see so many people. I've never been stared more in my life...or asked to have my picture taken so many times. The little kids in our group were approached by everyone to have their photos taken. One of kids got a little scared by it and refused to smile for the pictures. His mom pulled him aside and told him that if he didn't smile for the nice "Chinese people", she wasn't going to let us the pool at the hotel that night. It was a riot. Jacob and Benjamin would be HUGE hits here. Blonde hair and red hair is very impressive to the Chinese...especially on children.
At one point, while we were waiting to enter the Forbidden City, Doug noticed a group of 4 Chinese men and 3 Chinese women who were starring very intently at one of the dad's in our group. He had his Chinese daughter, who they had adopted previously, sitting on his shoulders (he wouldn't put her down for a second because of the size of the crowd). These men and women stared and stared and stared...for at least 20 minutes. The looks on their faces was one of sadness and wonderment. Eventually, all three of the women started crying. They never took their eyes off the little girl. They just stared and cried. It was heartbreaking. Doug assumed maybe one of them, or all of them, had abandoned a child. Our guide agreed. We will never know their story, but them seemed to know the story of this little girl and it was very painful for them. The dad decided to walk away and stand somewhere else so as not to continue to cause these women grief. It was a scene I will never forget.
But, now we are in Chongqing!! It's very green and mountainous here. Much different than Bejing. There are high rises everywhere. Alot of poverity, and a lot of humidity! All I can think about, however, is Xiu Gang. I sat next to our guide, Jessie, on the flight from Beijing and we talked the entire time. She has been speaking with Xiu Gang's orphanage director almost everyday since we arrived in China. She told me that Xiu Gang can sit up on her own, but cannot yet crawl. She prefers noisy toys and has a strong will!
This afternoon, our group met in our guide's hotel room to fill out some paperwork. We got to see an updated photo of our sugarplum. She is so beautiful! Her looks have matured, her face has thinned a little, and her hair is longer..past her ears!!! After we completed the paperwork, we went to the store so I could buy some supplies to donate to the orphanage.
Tomorrow, Xiu Gang will board a train at 10:00 A.M. and make a 5 hour journey from Qianjiang to Chongqing. We will leave the hotel at 1:30 and head to the Civil Affairs office. The babies will arrive at the office around 3:30. I probably won't have time to post again until after we have Xiu Gang. Please pray for her. I'm sure she is sleeping right now, with no idea what lies in store for her tomorrow.
Thank you all for all of your loving support. We can't wait to introduce you to our daughter!!
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and The Great Wall
The title of this post should say it all.....today was a LONG day! Doug and I are blow away by Beijing. I could type a post a mile long to describe all that we saw and did today, but that's not going to happen. For now, a few pictures will have to do. It's getting late here, we just got back to the hotel, haven't eaten and are getting a 4 A.M. wake up call in the morning.
I can tell you this, we got our first taste of just how many people live in China today. I promise to post more details tomorrow, once we are settled in our hotel in Chongqing.
The highlight of our day today was The Great Wall. Despite heat and humidity that I have never experienced in my life, I climbed as high as we were allowed. The visibiity was very poor, due to the heavy mist...or maybe it was fog, so the pictures do not due it justice. But, it was an amazing experience. I will confess this....I cried while climbing the wall. I'm not really sure why, but I had a wave of emotion come over me. The good new is, nobody could tell I had tears streaming down my face because I was sweating so bad...everyone was. Vanity went right out the window!
I will try to post more tomorrow, but right now we have to eat, pack and get to sleep. My thinking is shifting very quickly from the sights of today to the fact that we will be in Chongqing tomorrow. The butterflies are back in my belly!
We love you all!
Beijing
Today was a pretty awesome day. We woke up this morning, after good night's sleep, and called the boys right away. We had a nice little "video chat" with them and Sarah, Cody, Axl and Vienna. Then, Doug and I, ventured out of the hotel on our own. We took a taxi to the "Pearl Market" and did some shopping. The market is basically a five or six story, indoor, flee market. They sell everything you can imagine! We used our mad bartering skills to purchase some gifts and keepsakes! While we were shopping, I noticed a "park" across the street that looked interesting. The "park" turned out to be The Temple of Heaven, which is one of the guided tours offered by our agency that we turned down today. I didn't realized where we were until we leaving the grounds and I walked up to a booth to purchase information about the amazing park and temple we had just experienced. I laughed all the way back to the taxi when I realized that Doug and I had just toured the Temple of Heaven on accident!
The grounds surrounding the temple were almost interesting than the temple itself. There were people doing everything from playing cards, to singing and dancing, meditating (or praying...I didn't ask), selling things..you name it. At one point, while Doug and I were watching the "dancers", a man motioned for me to join him. I, of course, couldn't turn him down. So, "when in France"....I've attached a video clip...enjoy it...laugh all you want!
We returned to the hotel tired and hungry. After lunch, Doug took a little nap and I went up to the gym and ran on the treadmill. Then, we had massages in our room, drank a little wine (that I bought at the 7-Eleven across the street....yes, they have a 7-Eleven here), and went outside for a walk. All in all, it's been a pretty good day!
I could go on and on about our day, but I need to get some much needed sleep. Tomorrow we go to the Great Wall! I'm glad Doug and I did our own thing today...tomorrow will be much more of a group tour!
WE ARE IN CHINA!!
Doug and I have arrived safe and sound in Beijing. All three of our flights went great. We are happy to say that we didn't miss any of our flights, we didn't loose any of our bags, and WE WEREN'T QUARANTINED!!! Woohoo!
Right now we are sitting in the restaurant of our hotel, sipping adult beverages (one of us got a little anxious towards the end of the trip....I'll let you guess who), and grabbing a quick bite to eat. Then it's off to be...I don't think we will have any problem sleeping tonight! It's currently 10PM Thursday evening here in China, and 7 AM in Phoenix!
Dear Jacob and Benji,
We miss you guys already and will try to call you before we go to sleep!!
axl and v Part 2
IMG_6094.jpg
IMG_6094.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6095.jpg
IMG_6095.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6097.jpg
IMG_6097.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6098.jpg
IMG_6098.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6099.jpg
IMG_6099.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6100.jpg
IMG_6100.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6101.jpg
IMG_6101.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6103.jpg
IMG_6103.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6104.jpg
IMG_6104.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6105.jpg
IMG_6105.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6106.jpg
IMG_6106.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6107.jpg
IMG_6107.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6108.jpg
IMG_6108.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6109.jpg
IMG_6109.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6112.jpg
IMG_6112.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6113.jpg
IMG_6113.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6114.jpg
IMG_6114.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6115.jpg
IMG_6115.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6116.jpg
IMG_6116.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6117.jpg
IMG_6117.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6118.jpg
IMG_6118.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6119.jpg
IMG_6119.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6120.jpg
IMG_6120.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6121.jpg
IMG_6121.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6122.jpg
IMG_6122.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6123.jpg
IMG_6123.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6125.jpg
IMG_6125.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6126.jpg
IMG_6126.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6127.jpg
IMG_6127.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6128.jpg
IMG_6128.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6129.jpg
IMG_6129.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6130.jpg
IMG_6130.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6232.jpg
IMG_6232.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6231.jpg
IMG_6231.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6131.jpg
IMG_6131.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6132.jpg
IMG_6132.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6134.jpg
IMG_6134.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6135.jpg
IMG_6135.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6137.jpg
IMG_6137.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6142.jpg
IMG_6142.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6143.jpg
IMG_6143.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6144.jpg
IMG_6144.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6145.jpg
IMG_6145.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6147.jpg
IMG_6147.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6148.jpg
IMG_6148.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6149.jpg
IMG_6149.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6150.jpg
IMG_6150.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6151.jpg
IMG_6151.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6152.jpg
IMG_6152.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6153.jpg
IMG_6153.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6155.jpg
IMG_6155.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6156.jpg
IMG_6156.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6157.jpg
IMG_6157.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6158.jpg
IMG_6158.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6159.jpg
IMG_6159.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6161.jpg
IMG_6161.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6162.jpg
IMG_6162.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6164.jpg
IMG_6164.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6165.jpg
IMG_6165.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6167.jpg
IMG_6167.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6168.jpg
IMG_6168.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6169.jpg
IMG_6169.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6171.jpg
IMG_6171.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6172.jpg
IMG_6172.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6173.jpg
IMG_6173.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6174.jpg
IMG_6174.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6175.jpg
IMG_6175.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6176.jpg
IMG_6176.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6177.jpg
IMG_6177.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6178.jpg
IMG_6178.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6179.jpg
IMG_6179.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6180.jpg
IMG_6180.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6181.jpg
IMG_6181.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6182.jpg
IMG_6182.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6184.jpg
IMG_6184.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6185.jpg
IMG_6185.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6187.jpg
IMG_6187.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6188.jpg
IMG_6188.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6189.jpg
IMG_6189.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6190.jpg
IMG_6190.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6192.jpg
IMG_6192.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6193.jpg
IMG_6193.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6194.jpg
IMG_6194.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6195.jpg
IMG_6195.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6196.jpg
IMG_6196.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6197.jpg
IMG_6197.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6198.jpg
IMG_6198.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6200.jpg
IMG_6200.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6202.jpg
IMG_6202.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6206.jpg
IMG_6206.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6208.jpg
IMG_6208.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6209.jpg
IMG_6209.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6210.jpg
IMG_6210.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6214.jpg
IMG_6214.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6216.jpg
IMG_6216.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6218.jpg
IMG_6218.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6219.jpg
IMG_6219.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6220.jpg
IMG_6220.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6221.jpg
IMG_6221.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6225.jpg
IMG_6225.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6226.jpg
IMG_6226.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6227.jpg
IMG_6227.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6228.jpg
IMG_6228.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6230.jpg
IMG_6230.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6231.jpg
IMG_6231.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6232.jpg
IMG_6232.jpg 2010-11-06
axl and vienna
IMG_6003.jpg
IMG_6003.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6004.jpg
IMG_6004.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6005.jpg
IMG_6005.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6006.jpg
IMG_6006.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6008.jpg
IMG_6008.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6012.jpg
IMG_6012.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6013.jpg
IMG_6013.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6015.jpg
IMG_6015.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6016.jpg
IMG_6016.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6017.jpg
IMG_6017.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6018.jpg
IMG_6018.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6021.jpg
IMG_6021.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6023.jpg
IMG_6023.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6024.jpg
IMG_6024.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6025.jpg
IMG_6025.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6026.jpg
IMG_6026.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6027.jpg
IMG_6027.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6028.jpg
IMG_6028.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6029.jpg
IMG_6029.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6030.jpg
IMG_6030.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6031.jpg
IMG_6031.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6032.jpg
IMG_6032.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6034.jpg
IMG_6034.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6035.jpg
IMG_6035.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6036.jpg
IMG_6036.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6038.jpg
IMG_6038.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6051.jpg
IMG_6051.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6052.jpg
IMG_6052.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6053.jpg
IMG_6053.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6054.jpg
IMG_6054.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6055.jpg
IMG_6055.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6056.jpg
IMG_6056.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6057.jpg
IMG_6057.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6058.jpg
IMG_6058.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6059.jpg
IMG_6059.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6060.jpg
IMG_6060.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6061.jpg
IMG_6061.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6062.jpg
IMG_6062.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6063.jpg
IMG_6063.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6067.jpg
IMG_6067.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6070.jpg
IMG_6070.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6072.jpg
IMG_6072.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6073.jpg
IMG_6073.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6075.jpg
IMG_6075.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6076.jpg
IMG_6076.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6077.jpg
IMG_6077.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6078.jpg
IMG_6078.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6079.jpg
IMG_6079.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6080.jpg
IMG_6080.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6082.jpg
IMG_6082.jpg 2010-11-06
IMG_6086.jpg
IMG_6086.jpg 2010-11-06
Last day in China
dinner cruise
dinner cruise
dinner cruise
There's the rice on the face again!
Mary and Denise
The lights of Guangzhou
Cruising on the Pearl River
Our last breakfast in China
Group photo
Group photo
Group photo
All the Chongqing dad's and their girls
The kiddos from our group
All the kiddos from our group
Group photo
Group photo
Shopping on Shamian Island
Shopping on Shamian Island
Play date in Alyssa's room
Alyssa and her Aunt Mary
Dinner Date
Dinner in Guangzhou 002.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 002.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 004.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 004.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 005.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 005.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 006.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 006.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 007.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 007.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 008.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 008.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 009.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 009.JPG 2009-08-10
Dinner in Guangzhou 010.JPG
Dinner in Guangzhou 010.JPG 2009-08-10
Liuhua Park
Out on the town in Guangzhou
Out on the town in Guanhzhou
Liuhua Park and pool 011.JPG
Look how much Kailahni likes her stroller!!
Liuhua Park and pool 013.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 013.JPG 2009-08-08
Liuhua Park and pool 016.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 016.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 018.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 018.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 021.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 021.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 024.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 024.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 028.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 028.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 032.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 032.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 034.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 034.JPG 2009-08-09
Liuhua Park and pool 035.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 035.JPG 2009-08-09
Look...twins
Kailahni and I in our matching outfits
Look...twins!
Kailahni and I in out matching outfits.
This one's for you Axl!
Anybody hungry?! These two guys were AT our restaurant!
Liuhua Park and pool 053.JPG
Liuhua Park and pool 053.JPG 2009-08-09
Is there something on my face?!
My Dad doesn't know what the ... he's doing.
Medical Exam
Leaving Chongqing
Bus ride to the Chongqing airport
Leaving Chongqing
Our plane to Chongqing
Leaving Chongqing
Leaving Chongqing
This picture was taken moments before the "scream fest" began. :)
Medical exam 021.JPG
Medical exam 021.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 022.JPG
Medical exam 022.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 024.JPG
Medical exam 024.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 025.JPG
Medical exam 025.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 027.JPG
Medical exam 027.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 029.JPG
Medical exam 029.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 031.JPG
Medical exam 031.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 032.JPG
Medical exam 032.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 033.JPG
Medical exam 033.JPG 2009-08-07
Medical exam 035.JPG
Medical exam 035.JPG 2009-08-07
Shamian Island
STARBUCKS!!!
One happy mama....one baby who really, really needs a nap.
STARBUCKS!!!
Playing with one of the other babies from our group.
Medical exam 040.JPG
Medical exam 040.JPG 2009-08-08
Medical exam 042.JPG
Medical exam 042.JPG 2009-08-08
Medical exam 044.JPG
Medical exam 044.JPG 2009-08-08
Chongqing Zoo
Chongqing Zoo 013.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 013.JPG 2009-08-05
Chongqing Zoo 014.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 014.JPG 2009-08-05
Chongqing Zoo 015.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 015.JPG 2009-08-05
Chongqing Zoo 019.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 019.JPG 2009-08-05
Chongqing Zoo 001.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 001.JPG 2009-08-06
Chongqing Zoo 002.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 002.JPG 2009-08-06
Chongqing Zoo 004.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 004.JPG 2009-08-06
Chongqing Zoo 007.JPG
Chongqing Zoo 007.JPG 2009-08-06
Sites of Chongqing
Shopping in Chongqing 002.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 002.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 003.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 003.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 008.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 008.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 009.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 009.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 012.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 012.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 014.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 014.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 015.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 015.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 017.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 017.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 019.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 019.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 020.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 020.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 023.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 023.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 024.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 024.JPG 2009-08-04
One of the Dads from our group
You never know when it might rain
Shopping in Chongqing 028.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 028.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 031.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 031.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 033.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 033.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 038.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 038.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 039.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 039.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 040.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 040.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 041.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 041.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 046.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 046.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 047.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 047.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 048.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 048.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 051.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 051.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 052.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 052.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 053.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 053.JPG 2009-08-04
The Yangtze River
Shopping in Chongqing 058.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 058.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 059.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 059.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 060.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 060.JPG 2009-08-04
Shopping in Chongqing 061.JPG
Shopping in Chongqing 061.JPG 2009-08-04
Aren't I sweet?
I'm cute even when I cry
Precious Xiu Gang
Can you do this?
Future gymnast, perhaps.
My mom thought this cup was spill proof
Adoption Day 007.JPG 2009-08-03
Bathing beauties
Xiu Gang's first swim
Bathing Beauties
Xiu Gang's first swim
Bathing Beauties
Xiu Gang's first swim
My new screen saver
Xiu Gang's first swim
Adoption Day
Adoption Day 013.JPG
Adoption Day 013.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 015.JPG
Adoption Day 015.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 019.JPG
Adoption Day 019.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 021.JPG
Adoption Day 021.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 022.JPG
Adoption Day 022.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 023.JPG
Adoption Day 023.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 025.JPG
Adoption Day 025.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 026.JPG
Adoption Day 026.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 027.JPG
Adoption Day 027.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 029.JPG
Adoption Day 029.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 030.JPG
Adoption Day 030.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 031.JPG
Adoption Day 031.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 032.JPG
Adoption Day 032.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 033.JPG
Adoption Day 033.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 034.JPG
Adoption Day 034.JPG 2009-08-03
Adoption Day 035.JPG
Adoption Day 035.JPG 2009-08-04
Adoption Day 036.JPG
Adoption Day 036.JPG 2009-08-04
Gotcha Day
Gotcha Day 006.JPG
Gotcha Day 006.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 007.JPG
Gotcha Day 007.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 008.JPG
Gotcha Day 008.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 009.JPG
Gotcha Day 009.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 011.JPG
Gotcha Day 011.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 012.JPG
Gotcha Day 012.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 018.JPG
Gotcha Day 018.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 020.JPG
Gotcha Day 020.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 021.JPG
Gotcha Day 021.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 022.JPG
Gotcha Day 022.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 023.JPG
Gotcha Day 023.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 024.JPG
Gotcha Day 024.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 028.JPG
Gotcha Day 028.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 031.JPG
Gotcha Day 031.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 032.JPG
Gotcha Day 032.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 033.JPG
Gotcha Day 033.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 034.JPG
Gotcha Day 034.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 035.JPG
Gotcha Day 035.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 037.JPG
Gotcha Day 037.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 038.JPG
Gotcha Day 038.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 039.JPG
Gotcha Day 039.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 040.JPG
Gotcha Day 040.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 041.JPG
Gotcha Day 041.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 042.JPG
Gotcha Day 042.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 043.JPG
Gotcha Day 043.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 044.JPG
Gotcha Day 044.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 047.JPG
Gotcha Day 047.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 049.JPG
Gotcha Day 049.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 050.JPG
Gotcha Day 050.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 051.JPG
Gotcha Day 051.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 052.JPG
Gotcha Day 052.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 056.JPG
Gotcha Day 056.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 058.JPG
Gotcha Day 058.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 059.JPG
Gotcha Day 059.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 060.JPG
Gotcha Day 060.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 065.JPG
Gotcha Day 065.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 066.JPG
Gotcha Day 066.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 070.JPG
Gotcha Day 070.JPG 2009-08-03
Gotcha Day 071.JPG
Gotcha Day 071.JPG 2009-08-03
Chongqing
Chongqing 003.JPG
Chongqing 003.JPG 2009-08-01
Chongqing 004.JPG
Chongqing 004.JPG 2009-08-01
Chongqing 005.JPG
Chongqing 005.JPG 2009-08-01
Chongqing 006.JPG
Chongqing 006.JPG 2009-08-01
Chongqing hotel
Doug in the lobby of our hotel in Chongqing
Hotel Restaurant
This is one of the restaurants in our hotel in Chongqing
Hotel lobby
Another pic of the Chongqing hotel lobby
Hotel room
Our room in Chongqing
Hotel room
Our room in Chongqing
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and The Great Wall
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 003.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 003.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 005.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 005.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 007.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 007.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 009.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 009.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 010.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 010.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 022.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 022.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 028.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 028.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 029.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 029.JPG 2009-07-31
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 045.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 045.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 047.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 047.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 050.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 050.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 051.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 051.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 054.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 054.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 055.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 055.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 056.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 056.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 061.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 061.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 064.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 064.JPG 2009-08-01
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 061.JPG
Tianeman Square & Great Wall 061.JPG 2009-08-01
Beijing
Pearl Market
Shopping in the pearl market. This girl was very sweet and very interested in America.
Pearl Market
Doug outside of the pearl market
Temple of Heaven
The grounds of the the Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Partial view from the top of the Temple
Temple of Heaven
Posing with a local girl
Temple of Heaven
View from "inside" the Temple
Leaving for China
Leaving Phoenix
Leaving Phoenix
Japan airport
Standing in the Toyko airport waiting to board our flight to Beijing
Waiting for Kailahni
Mailing our dossier to China
Look how young all the kids look in this picture?!
Mailing our dossier to China
Norah was pregnant with Lincoln...he's 3 1/2 now!
Mailing our dossier to China
Aahh, sweet Sara!
Referral delivery!
Xiu Gang's referral package is finally in our hands!
Opening our referral package!
My heart was pounding.
Finally, a sister!
Xiu Gang's big brothers.
Referral celebration!
Party girls!
Our family waiting to love Xiu Gang!
At dinner on our cruise!
8/21/2009 3:06:08 PM - 002068708555
A very special 'Thank you' for who ever paid at the 'welcome back' dinner :) What a treat! It was the cherry on top at seeing the exhausted family finally able to reunite with their two sons. I'm just glad my wife and I were there to enjoy it.
8/14/2009 7:21:37 PM - 002031526770
I'm so happy to finally have gotten to see Kailahni in person - she is so precious. Glad you are all home safe. :)
8/12/2009 3:33:17 PM - 002076561335
Can't wait to see you guys! Have a safe trip home. What do you mean you forgot the benedryl??? ;)
8/11/2009 11:05:10 PM - 002080888765
Goodmorning, have fun on your last day in China. Can't wait to see you on Thursday.
8/11/2009 4:55:33 PM - 000086961330
I have SO enjoyed checking everday to read about your adventures and see pictures of your beautiful daughter. She is the sweetest thing EVER! Thank you for sharing this experience with all of us. It's something we will never forget. I can't wait to see her in person.
8/11/2009 12:17:59 AM - 001058923772
So...can we come to the airport to meet you???
8/10/2009 11:25:35 PM - 002074960852
More pictures please.
8/10/2009 3:53:59 PM - 002068708555
What a treat it was to hear from you! It's certainly nice to review all the pictures after hearing about them in greater detail. It's so nice to know that your / 'our' family is growing and to see you guys enjoying this 'first step'. Thank you for sharing.
8/10/2009 12:35:55 AM - 002009303029
Yay! I finally got to talk to you. When you got off the phone...all the kids were standing there and wanted to know everything...every detail about your trip and about Kai. Gavin says to me "let's have a party!". They are so excited and can't wait to see her!
8/9/2009 12:07:01 AM - 002009303029
:( I missed her call! Sorry Mary, I promise I will answer the phone when you call back!
8/8/2009 5:36:55 PM - 002080888765
Just talked to Mary, I feel privlaged! Go to bed now girl.
8/7/2009 2:56:14 PM - 002076561335
Thanks for the update! I was going through withdrawls...
8/7/2009 6:19:07 AM - 002009303029
Hope you guys are feeling better!!!! Now comes the exciting part...bringing her home!
8/7/2009 2:11:46 AM - 000079971452
YEAH! Xiu Gang is in your arms! We haven't been in the house 10 minutes and I had to check in and see the pictures! Congratulations you guys!!! I can't wait to read your posts and go through all the pictures! God Bless you all!!
8/6/2009 7:19:36 PM - 002074960852
I hope you all feel better soon.
8/6/2009 6:12:51 PM - 002080888765
Sorry your not feeling well :( Hope you guys feel better.
8/6/2009 6:12:05 PM - 002080888765
Thanks Cori, you know it's all about us. haha
8/6/2009 5:56:19 PM - 002031526770
For everyone missing their Xiu Gang update - I talked to Doug last night and he and Mary weren't feeling well - they are fine - updates to come. Cori
8/6/2009 5:36:21 PM - 002080477029
Yeah, I thought I was being a baby this morning when I got on and nothing... I started pouting immediately. I guess we'll live. hope everythings good. love ya:)
8/6/2009 4:28:53 PM - 002080796765
Hello!! I am with Chris, Leigh and TIna! But I guess you can take a day off from posting. Hope you had a good day.
8/6/2009 3:52:44 PM - 002080888765
I'm with Leigh, we need our daily update. No pressure though.
8/6/2009 3:16:41 PM - 002076561335
What are you guys doing today? No update??? What are doing to me? I need my Xiu Gang fix! Miss you guys:)
8/6/2009 2:39:57 PM - 002068708555
Did I mention that I check this site every 5 minutes for something new? Let's get some new photos up people. Yes you're along way off in a new undiscovered land (to some of us) but some of us are at work surfing the web for new photos of the life changing beautiful photos of our friends. Miss you guys and looking forward to your safe return. I guess I'll have to look at Doug in the shower cap again. It just keeps getting funnier. :D
8/6/2009 2:47:46 AM - 002081856420
I finally figured out how to view the videos and it's bringing me to tears...very precious moments. We're so happy for all of you...and she's the cutest one too!
8/5/2009 6:57:19 PM - 002081608538
The baby is sooooo Beatutiful!! Oh! Where is Doug's Red Rooster Tail, that goes on top of that bathing Cap?
8/5/2009 5:02:06 PM - 002081868642
Kailahni looks so cute in her swimsuit with Uncle Doug and his funny cap.
8/4/2009 6:36:55 AM - 002081664216
Mary and Doug - She is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! I am incredibly happy for you guys. Thanks for the good cry! I can't wait to see her!
8/4/2009 2:02:49 AM - 002081760997
i love the pic of her laughing she is just so cute i cant wait to see her
8/4/2009 1:58:44 AM - 002081760997
is she so cute or what
8/3/2009 10:49:22 PM - 002081413821
Can't stop staring at her pictures! She's very sweet. I bet she's even more darling in person. She's gonna have a blast with all her brothers and cousins!
8/3/2009 5:42:35 PM - 002009303029
Just showed Luke all the pics and told him they just got a new baby girl and Luke says "cool, they have GameCube and Mario, she can play them"
8/3/2009 4:53:44 PM - 002009303029
Sydney is driving back from Colorado today but she is going to FREAK OUT when she sees how cute Kailahni is!!! Congrats you guys. It was so worth the wait...look at her! So sweet and so good already...like she was just waiting for you guys!
8/3/2009 3:02:55 PM - 002080477029
The girls stayed the night together, I wish I would've had the video on them when I told them your pictures were here! It was really cute, they wanted to leave a comment too. :)
8/3/2009 2:57:16 PM - 002080477029
FROM EMMA- The baby is SO CUTE! Doug looks really happy. Can't wait for you to come home.
FROM SARAMARIE- The baby looks SO CUTE! I hope to have my cousin home soon!
8/3/2009 2:51:57 PM - 002076561335
I just love seeing Kailahni in her mommy and daddy's arms! What a big pay off for such a long wait. She is precious!
8/3/2009 2:40:20 PM - 002081441478
Mary & Doug, she is absolutely beautiful and you both looks so happy and she looks like she belongs in your arms. Congratulations.
8/3/2009 12:48:28 PM - 000090674460
Doing the happy dance in California! She is beautiful!!!!!
8/3/2009 4:22:56 AM - 002081443655
Mary I begged my mom to sign me up because I want to leave comments too. I can't wait to see Kailahani. Love Drue
8/3/2009 2:06:00 AM - 002031526770
I looked up the population in Chongqing and it has the highest population of any place on the planet - 32Million People. That is NY x 4 or 5. What an amazing experience you are both having! It is so great that we will be able to share with Kailahani as she grows up the amazing journey she has been on to become part of your family and our extended family.
8/2/2009 10:40:09 PM - 002009303029
I'm looking at the time in China and it's 6:30 in the a.m. I'm wonderingi f you're awake, I think you probably are. Today is the day!!! I can't believe after almost 4 years TODAY you will have your baby in your arms! I'm so overcome with emotion right now. I can't stop thinking of you guys. I tried to take a nap and I laid there for 2 hours just thinking about you guys and how today you will be parents for the 3rd time to a daughter and she's from CHINA! It's amazing! We love you so much and are just so excited for you guys. This is truly an experience of a lifetime and I can't wait for Baby Kailahni to be with you guys and realize what a wonderful full and blessed life she will have. :)
8/1/2009 2:55:30 AM - 002077742873
This is awesome! I feel like we are actually with you.
8/1/2009 12:11:29 AM - 002081413821
Hey Mary and Doug! We are so glad you set this up for your family and friends. It's like we're there with you. Have a fun and interesting weekend and don't forget the tissues for Monday! Lots of Love, Chris and Jayme
7/31/2009 10:42:39 PM - 002076561335
I can't wait to see Kailahani in her mommy and daddy's arms! This weekend cannot go fast enough!
7/31/2009 6:43:52 PM - 002031526770
Glad the flight went well - the pics are amazing. Can't wait to here about the Great Wall - Can't wait for Monday :)
7/31/2009 2:22:38 AM - 002080693285
We are anxiously waiting any more news of every little detail. Be safe and have a great time in waiting.
7/30/2009 8:00:34 PM - 002009303029
Mary, I love the new site...it's GREAT! Love all the pics and the videos. Enjoy every minute of this amazing journey! Love you guys!
7/30/2009 5:07:10 AM - 001058923772
I am so excited to follow you on YOUR journey!!! Yay! It's FINALLY here! My thoughts and prayers are with you and I will be checking here often! love ya!
7/29/2009 3:17:41 PM - 002080477029
I can't even belive your finally on your way! I wish you got her quicker when you arrive. Enjoy a little time with Doug and get past the jetlag . love ya. Lez~
7/28/2009 11:17:11 PM - 000090674460
Safe journey my friend. I can't believe you will be united with Xiu Gang on Monday! I will be following your journey daily and can not wait to see how it unfolds!! Much Love, Steph
7/28/2009 10:13:31 PM - 002080867471
Bring me back a Panda...
7/28/2009 12:10:55 AM - 002041816440
Let's get this party started!!!! I can't wait for pictures!!!!! And lots of details!!!! Some of us need some serious distraction at the moment and what a better way to spend our time than following you guys to China! WooHoo!!!!!
7/25/2009 3:06:53 PM - 002080913978
You are so close!!!! This is the last leg of your journey and then you will start a new journey of raising your beautiful daughter.
7/23/2009 12:20:43 AM - 000090674460
Ok my friend! The countdown is on! I can not wait to see the pictures of you with your baby girl!!
7/1/2009 10:38:09 PM - 002076561335
Love the new blog! Can't wait to follow you around China...
6/19/2009 12:58:44 AM - 002074865562
Loved the Fed Ex Video and The Catalina video. I have not been there, but I need to go!!!!!
Sat, August 1st - Sightseeing in Beijing. TianAnMen Square, Forbidden City and the Great Wall
Tues, August 11th - U.S. Consulate appointment
