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I realized that I forgot to put the link to our family blog in my last post....Sooooo if you'd like to watch our life's adventures unfold come by and say hi!!
Much love and joy.....
It's time to fly away home....
As I sleepily type this post, life outside is still going at top speed. All of China is making a mass exodus to go home for the biggest holiday of the year, Chinese New Year. It is wild to witness with your own eyes. Here in Guangzhou, the bus terminals are just lines and lines of people pouring into the streets. The train stations have tents set up to put people in while they wait for the train which could be hours. The metro stations are overflowing. And tomorrow we will see what the airports are like. Yesterday our guide said that in the next 48 hours over 2.1 million people will be be leaving this city. Walking around today was like walking in a ghost town. All the shops are closed and chained up and what is left is garbage from the sales that happened last weekend. Firecrackers litter the streets everywhere. Amazing. And amazing to think I’m leaving this.
Is it really the end?? To sit back and think that we have been standing, sitting, sleeping and eating in China for the last 16 days is unreal. Completely unreal. While we have done so much and accomplished goals that we set for ourselves years ago, it still feels as though we haven’t done it all. You cannot do it all while in China, there is just TOO much to do. TOO much to see, to smell, to taste, to touch, to absorb. I’m not ready to leave to be perfectly honest with you. I am just beginning to understand where I am and how I fit in. But it is time to go home. It’s time to move forward for the first time in over four years. That is exciting beyond words and what pushes me to pack while I can barely keep my eyes open.
We too will be leaving this beautiful city tomorrow and headed to our home. A home in another country. One where we have freedoms that are unheard of here. A home with heat, clean water and a voice. The last 24 hours here in our little hotel room have been tough. We have had very little sleep and have a beautiful daughter in our arms who we feel knows she is leaving something behind. Our little cricket has been fighting sleep and will only calm when we walk the streets of her country. We are leaving everything she’s ever known. We will always keep China in her heart and in her mind for this is the home she was born to first. The day she says, “let’s go to China” is the day I pack a bag and explore her country with her in the lead.
This trip has been incredible. There is nothing that could have prepared us for what the last 16 days has been like. No blog, no newspaper, no t.v. show can prepare you for what this adoption journey is like. It is amazing. It is life changing. It is challenging. And it is simply beautiful. I wouldn’t change a thing that we’ve done to get here and I wouldn’t change a thing about our trip. Besides seeing the sights we’ve seen, I’ve watched my son begin to look at life really differently. I am so proud of him and how he has dealt with this challenging experience. I love you J! And Michael....I can’t wait for life to continue to unfold for us. You are the love in my soul that I share with the world and with our children. Thank you for being you and most of all for loving me!
Thank you to all of YOU who have followed along with us for your constant prayers, they have lifted us so much. Thank you for following along on this journey with us and leaving comments, it means so much and has kept us connected to what we miss. Thank you for your love and support from the first day we embarked on this journey, July 19, 2005 to tomorrow when we land in San Francisco, February 12, 2010. Thank you for continuing to keep us in your prayers and for all the love we need as we continue now on a new path, one with a beautiful daughter born in our hearts and placed in our family by God. Thank you!
LOVE and JOY!
PS - We’ll be back to blogging at our family blog as soon as I catch my breath!
Never a dull moment
Life is never dull.
Welp we’re coming down to the last 36 hours, give or take of this journey, but the last 36 hours have been filled with much laughter and many, many tears. It’s hard to imagine that in two more days we will be home. Home! Can someone bring me an ice filled cup of iced tea or Diet Coke to the airport?? How about a carne asada burrito from Los Gordos?? That has been the question of the day around these parts, “What’s the first thing you want to eat or drink when you get home?” LOL!!!
We have been eating good though these last few days I must say. After our White Swan photo shoot a bunch of us had gone to Lucy’s like I had mentioned in my last post. Well, our time there didn’t end when we paid the bill. In the middle of the night I woke up feeling as though my blood sugar was pretty high so I got up to test and see if I needed insulin...well guess what we left at the table at Lucy’s?? Yeah, my blood sugar meter. Note to all those coming after us...always check and double check and triple check that you have everything!
Needless to say we spent the next morning going to several pharmacy’s near our hotel then finally getting a taxi to a pharmacy across town who carried medical supplies. It was pretty comical trying to tell people what I needed. I finally got the cutest pink meter and we went on our merry little way...until we realized that everything was in Chinese and the results read in a different format than what we are used to in the US. Luckily I was able to change my pump to match the meter and I’ve been back on track and good to go! Phew! Life is never dull with me around, never. :) Thank you my sweet for always being there with me on the ride! I love you!!!!!!!
The entire time we were out looking for a new meter we were pressured by the clock to get back to our hotel to wait in our room for a call from the consulate if there was any questions regarding our paperwork. Of course we made it back with minutes to spare and waited our hour and got the okay to get out and play! After a few hours of people watching along with people watching us and a bit of shopping we then headed out for an evening dinner cruise on the Pearl River. It was a fabulous ride with an okay dinner buffet. It was a perfect celebration with so many beautiful families that we have gotten to know and love.
Once back to “the box” we settled in for our usual long night. Our little cricket is doing so well with bonding, but night time has been a struggle for her. She fights sleep for as long as she can and will wake up every half hour or so until she finally falls asleep in the early morning hours. It has been tough, I wont lie. We’ve tried everything but she wakes up just scared outta her mind in the night. We are just exhausted! But by morning she is all smiles for us and will go to no one but the three of us all day. Bonding and attachment has been wonderful. Thank you God! (but we could use some sleep...I’m just asking) :)
With some sun coming through our window this morning, we knew it was going to be a good day, a great one in fact! For one our girl slept until almost 7, yeah!!!! 6 full hours!!!!
And the first full sunshiny day since our time Beijing! With smiles on our faces we wandered around some shops and the park while Jacob did homework and then took a quick nap before we headed out for to the consulate for our swearing in ceremony. (As we were boarding the bus one of our INCREDIBLE guides, Simon, handed me my meter I’d left in Lucy’s! Oh Simon I love you so!!!!!!!! ) Outside the consulate was filled with dozens of families who we have seen all over China, from The Great Wall to the airports! There were lots of dressed up parents and many beautiful girls and handsome boys in tow, and of course lots of crying by both parents and children.
Once we crossed that security check point my tears started and then when as we sat watching families being called one by one to confirm their paperwork my tears became more steady and then the moment came for us to raise our right hands. I lost it. The most amazing thing happened as we repeated those words, our sweet Jennifer Lee Xiaocheng held onto her daddys finger and rested her hand on my arm and afterwards she looked at us both and smiled. God is SO good! And here I go again....crying like a baby.
Until tomorrow.....
Much love and joy!
I'm Kinda A Big Deal
How many of you can say you woke up at 7am on a Monday and watched the Superbowl in China and had the privileged to see the Saints win?? Well I know we did and while it was a bit strange and we missed all the commercials, it was pretty darn cool if I do say so myself. There were quite a few differences though....there were only 2 commercials the entire game, the same two commercials from start to finish. The entire game was commentated by Chinese guys and they didn’t speak during the plays, it was actually a very quiet game on this end. All we could understand was the players names and all we could read was the score. Overall it was a great game no matter what country you watched it in! Go Saints!!
Our trip here is beginning to wind down and you can feel the air leaving all who have been with us. We are all tired and ready to go. Some are looking for earlier flights home and others are sticking close to their hotel rooms just wanting to start a scheduled life and looking for an end the constant running in the hamster ball that we’ve all been doing for what seems like months at this point. To help with our own sense of exhaustion we went for a reenergizing walk through the park across from our hotel this morning. The park was in the midst of being decorated for the new year celebrations and the colors were amazing! Beijing may be dormant but Guangzhou is filled with life! It was a nice step away from the “box” otherwise known as our room and it kind of reminded me of our long walks on the beach. The only thing missing is our pups.
The rest of our day was filled with shopping for pearls and jade and yes my wrist is adorned with a new bracelet and nope it isn’t coming off. OUCH! Our girl has her first jade pendant and we are all looking forward to watching it turn a darker shade of green as she grows older. I just love jade and it’s continued growth in beauty. It is truly a magical stone.
Our group then took a fun and overwhelming (for the babies) trip to the famous White Swan hotel for our group pictures with our children dressed up in traditional Chinese dress. It was pretty comical and the little ones did not like it to say the least! Looking at the picture I don’t think anyone is smiling. It gave me another moment of emotion to realize that I was standing in the same place of so many who have done this journey before us. I have only dreamt of standing there staring at the Pearl River from the red couch in the White Swan and today I actually lived it. Amazing!
With tired and traumatized little ones we all headed to another famous adoption stop, Lucy’s Bar and Grill for a great dinner and much needed cold drinks for all of us! It was the perfect way to end the day, one of which many before us have walked and we have watched with anticipation of our own journeys. So very cool! Now we can say, “yup! we went there too!”
Until tomorrow....
Much love and joy!
Beauty in love
There is nothing better than a warm rainy morning with a thunder storm passing by to get the day started. Today was a day to be indoors and just bond and enjoy each other and that is just what we did, well almost all of us. While Jacob spent the day with our travel group going on a safari seeing lions, tiger and a panda bear or two, Mike and I spent the day walking all around town holding hands in the rain and taking turns passing our cricket back and forth in the pack. Pure bliss!
After a nice morning nap, we went to Starbucks for our first bottle and coffee time together before heading out to explore the outside. Our first stop was a convention hall across from the hotel that was OVERFLOWING with goods ranging from underwear to dried mushrooms, two floors filled full of Chinese New Year sales. There were people standing on chairs yelling to no one in particular of what they were selling. There were stalls over crowded with beds and quilts with money flying all around. There was music playing in all directions and enough cashmere and leather to fund a small country. It was beyond overwhelming. Since we towered over most of the crowd and looked completely lost we soon found ourselves back out in the subway station and headed back up for air.
Once we caught our breath we headed out for a stroll along the streets and wandered in and out of shops just browsing and soon found ourselves looking down alleyways filled with potted orange trees being prepared to be delivered to business to bring good prosperity for the upcoming New Year. Among the orange filled trees were small business teeming with activity and yummy smells pouring out. Once again, I found myself feeling like I was witnessing something secret. All I wanted to do was find a small hole and hide and just watch this beautiful space move before me.
Not too long after the rain started to get heavy again and we picked up our pace to get back to the hotel before we were completely soaked. We weren’t quite ready to head back up to the room yet so we found an outside court yard at the hotel on the forth floor that had a waterfall and several lanai's looking out at a lush garden. The only thing missing was a warm cup of tea and some sweet cookies! We just sat back watched the rain fall and enjoyed the moment while reminiscing about what has unfolded in the last week.
It is amazing to me that it has only been a week since Jennifer was handed to us in a noisy hotel lobby in the middle of China. For me it has seemed that she has always been in my arms since the day she was born. There has not been an hour passed in the last seven days that I have not thanked God for this incredible blessing he has put in my arms. We spend hours together as a family of four in a space no bigger than most homes in this country and we feel so, so honored. And again so blessed. Thank you Lord!
As another day begins I woke up to a sweet smiling face looking up at me. Today we will venture back out into the streets of China for more new adventures and a day filled with fun ahead. I can’t wait!
The world is our oyster
The mindset here has changed completely! Are we really in China still? I feel as though I’m wondering the streets of San Francisco with a little bit of Kauai thrown in for good measure. We are quickly getting used to our new surroundings and feeling comfortable enough to wonder around outside our hotel on our own. In Nanchang we never left our hotel without our guides holding our hands but now we’re ready to explore, experience and examine!
Our day started with a fabulous breakfast at our hotel, China Hotel which is a Marriott and it is pure luxury, there is even a convertible New Beetle in the lobby so you know I’m in love!! Our travel group is in HEAVEN and Jacob is ready to move in and make this his home forever.
Soon after we headed to Shamian Island to do medical exams and take visa photos for the babies. The island was inhabited by the French and British for a while so it is a very different place completely. The streets are very much like being in New Orleans and there are people exercising everywhere as well as brides wondering the streets to be photographed in front of a beautiful steepled church. It is a world in it’s self there. Although there is lots of construction happening, it is still just beautiful.
The medical examination building was again a place of unexpected emotion for me and I found myself once again in tears over what we were doing and where I was standing. The space was overflowing with families and their children, children of all ages. It was surreal. We were quickly ushered through the process of heart check, ear check and weight and height check. Our little cricket weighed in at 13.5 pounds with her clothes on, a much different weight from the almost 18 we were told in December. The entire process took almost an hour then we were on our own to explore the island.
Being outside was fabulous! The four of us just strolled along the streets and along the river just talking, laughing and being a family, the time together has been so rewarding. I am still getting used to the fact that I have this beautiful child in my arms and I just find myself staring at her as she takes in everything around her. The world is completely new to her and you can see her just absorbing everything, from the trees to the wind blowing through her hair. It’s a very magical thing to watch. The outdoors is most definitely Jennifer’s favorite time, she just squeals in delight and of course “clicks” her way along, our little cricket.
Our first full day in Guangzhou ended with an entertaining dinner at a Cantonese restaurant where we were greeted with rabbits, snakes, fish and what ever else you wanted to choose for your meal that night. Of course Jacob was going nuts taking pictures of everything as I quickly looked the other way at the cute bunnies and pretended that I did not just see them smiling at me. Dinner though was fab and I’m happy to report we had no rabbit or snake nor did we choose what animal we wanted to enjoy. To end a perfect day we had a wonderful walk back to the hotel and enjoyed our first night of more than 5 hours of sleep!! WhaaaaHOOOOOOOO!!!
Until next time.....
Much love and joy
Bringing home a cricket
It’s early morning here in China and we have woken up feeling a bit more at home and much closer to the United States for the first time since we arrived in this beautiful country. Yesterday we flew from Nanchang to Guangzhou where the American consulate is to complete the rest of our journey. Getting off the plane and exiting the airport was heaven! Much warmer, the rain was at a drizzle and not a horn to be heard!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Today is filled with doctor appointments, paperwork, some more paperwork, visa applications and a bit more paperwork. Our little travel group is feeling recharged and filled with anticipation that we’re almost done and headed home soon.
Our little cricket, (that’s what we call Jennifer because she clicks her tongue constantly and it’s the cutest thing you ever did see or hear!) is doing great! She wakes up with a smile on her face and is a happy giggly girl all day. She is still loving her sling time and also loves spending time in the Ergo, especially if she’s with her daddy which she has wrapped around her little finger. :) She’s now eating solids about 2 - 3 times a day and absolutely loves her rice cereal and hates congee! We are really looking forward to seeing how much she weighs today, when we got our update in December it said she weighed 17 pounds well when we got her she weighed 13 pounds clothed. She is a tiny peanut!! She’s holding her head up good but is still toppling when sitting on her own and she’s just about ready to roll over! She can now use her legs to bounce and dance when held and let me tell you this girl loves the music!! Grasping things is another thing we are working on but it is coming along. She’s made huge changes in the last 6 days...has it really only been 6 days???? It feels as though she’s been with us since birth.
Cricket absolutely LOVES her brother! She sees him coming a mile a way and breaks into the most beautiful smile you ever did see! I asked Jacob the other day how he was doing with all of this and if it was what he expected. His response was one of a very proud brother and one who would stop the world for his sister if she asked him to. Now if I could only get my daughter back in my arms!! Between her daddy and her brother I have a lot of waiting for my turn time. LOL!! I did however get a few moments the other day when Jacob grabbed the big camera and did a beautiful job at capturing his sister through his eyes....go and enjoy while I suck down my coffee and grab a shower before the day begins!
A funny story.....when we started this process 4+ years ago I asked Jacob what he’d want to bring home from China. Now remember he was in 5th grade....he wanted to bring home a pet cricket ....”because that’s a lucky pet in China mom.” Well guess what, his wish came true. He’s got his little cricket.
On the run....
We are packing quickly to jump on a plane for our next and final step of this journey. As we prepare to leave Jiangxi I am filled with words but have yet to form them in my head before I spill them out on the screen before me. This area of China is filled with beautiful people, several of which my daughter leaves behind. Their sacrifices will go with me forever. For now I will take in every square inch, each sound and every second until that plane takes flight.
Thank you for your continued prayers and all of your love!
Team player
We have had a very quiet day today, just what we needed! We did a quick excursion out in the rain to a mall for some shopping and then came back via a taxi to our hotel for some playtime and naps. I’ve unfortunately come down with a nice chest cold and am feeling very run down to say the least, so a day in our room has been a blessing.
I think the word for the day for me has been teamwork. That is what this part of this journey has been for all of us. Once Jennifer was placed in our arms, Mike, Jacob and I have been working at helping each other out with different needs of either Jennifer’s or of our own. When we are out and about and I’m wearing Jennifer her daddy and big brother are all about helping me make the most out of that bonding time. Today Mike was the one to wear his daughter and he was the one who was had lots of help including an umbrella following him all over town or his team getting him all strapped in the ergo! You should see the people stare at us! We got quite a few laughs today. It’s not too often you see a woman fawning over her husband.
The biggest team member here has been Jacob! It has been wonderful for me to watch my son offer help to any family who needs it. He’s the first to hold the door for a new mom or take her diaper bag from her to give her a break from the weight. We are very proud of him on this trip. It isn’t an easy trip to say the least. This is no vacation for any of us. There is no pool time or an amusement park to go spend the day at. It is either go go go or sit in the room and play with a baby. There is the same food day in and day out and a bowl of cereal isn’t exactly the size of bowl or spoon he’s used to. His days are filled with all things baby and homework. Poor guy!
Funny thing is though is that he’s having a really wonderful time and isn’t at all bothered that we spend more time in a 12 foot square space all day now than we do outside. This trip is changing him in ways I didn’t think could happen. He is blossoming into someone who will go forward in his world and teach others of the things he has really seen here. Again this isn’t a vacation spot for any teenager. The drive from the airport to our hotel in Nanchang was heartbreaking for him as he put it. Outside our room is a world that most teens in America have no idea exists and if they did know, they chose to ignore it because it’s just too heavy to really absorb. It’s ugly heavy. But when you live it for 5 days you begin to see the enormity of it and that is what is happening to Jacob right now. He has been absorbing this life and you can see the impact it has had on him.
I sit here tonight staring out our room to a land that is my daughters homeland. Her family is somewhere out there. It is filled with severe poverty and yet I am in a posh hotel in the middle of it surrounded by God’s grace and love. I pray that Jacob takes what he’s witnessed on this trip and puts it in the minds of his friends to let them know that life isn’t really about the type of shoes on your feet, the skateboard you ride or the status they think they have to have in life. Life is about making a change in the world even if it’s one brick at a time.
I love you my sweet son! And I thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with us and for all you have done and continue to do for Mike and I and for the other families who are walking this path with you. I believe it when you say that you will come back here one day and I can not wait to see that happen! I am looking forward to tomorrow when we will get to spend the day wondering around your sisters province continuing to learn and absorb and of course find you a tea set!
Shower me happy!
I’m still in awe at the fact that I am sitting in a hotel room in China with my husband, son and new daughter. Wowza! Looking around me I’m surrounded by lots of smiles, many good laughs, and LOTS of dirty diapers! We’ve had lots of first here in this little hotel room have been enjoying every single moment!
The weather here in Nancheng has been quite rainy and is not expected to stop for the remainder of our time here, but we’re loving it and making the most of what we got. Today we went to see the beautiful Teng Wang Pavilion with a few of our traveling families and enjoyed getting out of the hotel for a few hours. While it was still pouring rain and really windy we still had a great time! Mike was the photographer of the day and took some incredible shots!
Jennifer wasn’t the happiest to be put in the little “snow suit” thing we brought though, as soon as we put her in there she just shut down for a bit. She has so enjoyed being free of her confined life in layers upon layers of clothing and today must of reminded her of what life was like just a short 48 hours ago. We have made so many strides in the last 24 hours that is was hard for us to watch her go back a bit. Soon enough we were back in our room and got her back to enjoying her hands and feet again though and the smiles returned quickly!
Our time with her these last 2 days has only been about bonding and helping her gain the skills she’s not had the chance to learn yet. She has now discovered that the things inside her layers of clothes that she plays with are her hands. We’d watched her play with her fingers without looking at them and now she just stares at them non stop. We’re working on the feet but she still can’t get over the hand thing yet. Today she used her legs to hold herself up while being held for the first time. When we first got her her legs were as limp as a wet noodle. She is now beginning to bounce up and down on them and do a little jig for a few seconds, sweet stuff! Besides working on the legs we’re also doing some daily tummy time along with some exploring of toys. She’s doing much of what a two or three month old is doing but slow and steady we move along and soon she will be caught up.
Sweet girl has had her first experience of a few things as well....solid food for one, which we were originally told was a daily thing and come to find out she’s only had formula. She takes such sweet petite bites and has enjoyed rice cereal, prunes, pears and congee (a rice soupy baby food in China). She also had her first shower with mama yesterday and completely enjoyed that! Sorry no pics. LOL! The best part of the day though was that she pooped! YEA! That’s a huge deal in the adoption world here and is celebrated by everyone. We were pretty happy because poor thing had been working on getting that thing out for most of the day. And no I don’t have a picture of that either. :)
Well all is silent here in the room and I’m fading fast! I’m going to post this without pics today because we need sleep when it comes and it’s here right now! We have some great ones from the day, so as soon as time allows in the morning I’ll get them up. For now love to all and enjoy your Tuesday...ours was GREAT!!! Oh and sorry about the video yesterday...got that up tonight....go enjoy that!
Lost at sea!
Lost at sea!
What an incredible 24 hours it has been! PHEW!! This is completely amazing, overwhelming, wild, dreamy and just....just perfect. Yesterday was incredible, did I say incredible again?
Our emotions were all over the place waiting for the official time to walk across the street to the adoptions affairs office. Which once again is across many lanes of traffic and in Nanchang there are no over or under walkways, it’s just straight across in front of cars, busses, motorbikes and bikes that wont stop for you. We are SO thankful for our guides, Mary and Elise who literally stop traffic for us. So yeahhhh back to the story right??
So as we are walking out of our hotel my heart was beating so fast and I could not catch my breath at all and as we walk out in walks two beautiful babies one of which I am certain is Xiao Cheng, Jennifer. With rain pouring down and our guides rushing the five of us families across the street we couldn’t stop and say something. Walking into the Adoption Center was another tear jerker for me as I knew the four years of waiting was almost done. All of us boarded one elevator and a silence filled the space for the 26 floors we climbed, the whole time my voice was saying “thank you Lord!”. We walked into a dark, cool room to be meet by three beautiful girls who where waiting to be met with their families. It was the most incredible thing to watch. SO beautiful. We felt so blessed to have been able to experience that so intimately.
The whole while ourselves and the other mom awaiting her daughter were looking for our girls who are from the same orphanage. Mike told our guide that we saw them at the hotel and she quickly made a call to find out....and yes that was my daughter that passed me almost shoulder to shoulder 30 minutes prior. I sat praying for what seemed like for ever that the girls would not have to walk across that street and then back again with us a while later...prayers answered we were asked to quickly get back to the hotel. Relief and once again loss of breath.
You know what happened next. I sit here and write this and just fill with such joy. It was an incredible moment. A moment I will never forget. I felt so similar to when Jacob was born, very loud all around, lots of people surrounding me and pure breathlessness but only one thing in front of me...my baby.
The night that followed was a long one. Baby Jennifer cried unconsolably for many hours. She would look at us and just cry in fright. We fed her a bottle which she quickly inhaled all the while my mom and papa on skype watching the entire thing. After removing several of her layers, 4 total, we changed her diaper and just held her for the night as she went in and out of grieving and calm. It was a sleepless night, but a joyous one. One filled with learning each others faces and constant checking to see if we were still there.
Morning broke quickly and we were greeted with shy smiles and little bits of happiness. Praise God! The day ahead was PACKED with official duties starting at 9am, so with full tummies we headed out thinking we would be having to run across the street again but nope! We got a bus!!! WHOOOOHOOOOO! We literally drove around the block to the other side of the street. LOL! The next several hours were all about becoming parents. We took oaths. We took pictures. We drove to another office. We visited with other families. We gave gifts. We talked with the orphanage director. We cried. We became the parents of the most amazingly beautiful little girl, Jennifer Lee Xiaocheng.
Then we went to Walmart. And that my friends is where we got lost at sea. OHMY! I think the best way to describe it for those who haven’t done it before is this...imagine going to Walmart the day after Thanksgiving and there are 1000’s of people in there with the music blaring the entire time and things hanging in glass display cases that you once saw walking around. Yeah, it was an experience to say the least!! The funniest part of gathering our water and diapers was watching Jennifer, she LOVED every minute. She kicked her legs the entire time and kept just smiling at us. I posted a video of her looking at a huge bear that would come home with us if it could fit in the suitcase.
We are now back in our hotel room just being a family. We’re working on our second nap, Jacob is working on school work and learning more and more about our girl. She’s got a lot of work to do to get her up to speed, but we’re doing exercises and helping her adjust to this new world she was just put into 24 hours ago. Her favorite place to be is in the sling, she just sits in there like a peanut in a shell and watches us, for hours. Ahhhh, can you say joy!
Okay...until next time, which may not be as long!
Love and joy!
Mike and Kayce
PS - I am posting this without checking my spelling so I’m sorry ahead of time if I say something totally Kayce without meaning it! LOVE YOU!!!
The day has dawned
She is in our arms. She is grieving quite heavily but has longer and longer periods of calm. She has the most beautiful sigh, the most beautiful. She is SO tiny! Thank you for your prayers and wonderful comments, they have lifted us up so much!
Until tomorrow....
Much love and joy,
Mike Kayce, Jacob and now....Jennifer!
PS - check out the video over at big brother Jakes.
Deep Breath
We are here in Nanchang, the capitol of our daughters province, Jiangxi. We left Beijing with a full moon staring us down from above. Our hotel is absolutely beautiful and we just finished a wonderful lunch with some much needed coffee to help get us through the day ahead.
We will be walking across the street in just about 2 hours (3:20pm local China time) to meet our Jennifer. All of the families with us are just filled with anticipation and pure joy! We found out as we were walking into our hotel that today is a very auspicious day in the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the lobby was filled with wedding parties and the most beautiful brides. Of course it's an auspicious day...it's Jennifer day. An already planned day.
Thank you for your continued prayers and constant love! Your comments have given us SO much strength....THANK YOU!!
Next post....will be a joyous one!
Much love and joy,
Mike and Kayce
Nothing will prepare you for what life holds
Words are hard to find today. The words in my head are filled with emotion so intense that I find myself in tears again at what conspired today. I can not imagine what tomorrow will be like for me when we get Jennifer, if standing in the middle of Tiananmen Square brought me to sobbing tears (big rolling down my cheeks tears), then I’m in trouble!
Today we went to places that MILLIONS of others have gone before us. We walked on parts of the earth that you can see from the moon. We stood next to buildings that were so old you found yourself holding your breath afraid you might break them. We basked in beauty so vibrant it made the sun seem dull. We climbed steps so worn from thousands of years of steps taken there before. We stood in parts of the world that was once a secret for so long and now we are blessed enough to be in awe of them. And then I sat by myself on The Great Wall, watched the landscape in front of me and reminisced about what we inspired today and cried some more. Thank you God!
As much as I wanted to close my eyes on the drive back to the hotel I couldn’t, if I did I was sure I would miss something. The landscape was filled with plots being prepared for future gardens, tall buildings being built in droves, and housing tracts that reminded me so much of home I thought for a minute that this has just been a wild dream. But it’s not. This is not a dream. This day was not a dream. Today I am in China and I walked through Tiananmen Square, followed my son through The Forbidden City and sat on The Great Wall waiting for my husband to complete a goal. So intense and so, so poetic. The pictures will tell you a better story than I think I ever could. (with over 400 taken today, we tried our best to narrow it down a bit.)
Tomorrow we will be connected to our Jennifer Lee Xiaocheng. We will wake up without her and fall asleep (maybe) with her in our arms. We will hold her heart in our hands and bring her into our lives forever. We can not wait! Until then....we love you and thank you all for your prayers for us and for the girl we’ve dreamed about for four years.
Experiencing the colors of China
It’s hard to explain our day today, hard only because it was so filled with color and writing in black and white seems to dull it a bit. The colors of China are very dull right now, with it being the dead of winter here, at least in Beijing, everything is dormant and quiet if you will. Looking out our hotel there is a park below us and there is only brown and gray, nothing to show life, but it is there. Life that is. You have to look for it though.
Today we found a world of color though in our journeys! We decided that our path today would begin at the Yonghegong Lama Temple also known as the Palace of Harmony and Peace. We once again were looking for something off the beaten path and we put ourselves right in the middle of it! The temple is a working Lamasery built in the 17th century originally for a prince who became Emperor Yongzheng and later it became a temple. It is absolutely stunning. There are colors everywhere.
The air was filled with the scent of incense and smoke and the sound of a bell sounding and constant chanting. We tried our hardest to slip into the crowd but we stuck out like flying pigs, we almost felt like we were intruding on something sacred. Walking through the buildings and grounds we began to feel so peaceful and a calm just permeated us. Jacob was in complete awe. We made our way into the temple that held a buddha that was carved out of one sandalwood tree, a gift from the seventh Dali Lama to Emperor Qianlong in 1750, it’s size and beauty was incredible! We were not allowed to take pictures inside but you didn’t really want to, to do so felt like you might break the beauty.
As we started to make our way out of the temple grounds we were drawn to the sound of chanting and stepped inside a hazy temple filled with monks in deep chant. The room was filled with patrons surrounding them, some in prayer others in deep meditation. We put ourselves up against a wall and just watched in complete wonder until our eyes dried out from the smoke and our spirits fulfilled. It was a moment I don’t think any of us will ever forget experiencing.
The morning soon became afternoon and we found ourselves leaving the temple and making our way towards Ditan Park a mile or more away. We walked through a community of hutongs, which are narrow alleys filled with traditional courtyard homes. As much as we wanted to peek our heads inside, we didn’t. Without a guide to translate and literally being stared at by everyone, we just moved forward and quietly said Ni hao to those who smiled at us. The sights though were just beautiful, very much the China I have always thought. Intense color and a warmth that is so intoxicating.
After another life threatening street crossing, go check it out at Jacob’s blog, we made it to Ditan Park. A beautiful park like nothing I’ve ever seen before! The park is one of the biggest areas in Beijing for celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year and while there is not a single flower in the vast park, it is filled with red decorations hanging in almost all of the trees. INTENSE BEAUTY! In the next week the park will be filled with mass excitement and celebration.
We slowly made our way to a sunny bench and enjoyed a snack and watched children with their grandparents or parents soaking up the sunshine and beauty. Most of the children stared at us in wonder while others stopped and said their hellos. Again we found ourselves just trying to blend into the bench and watch like a quiet mouse in a house.
There were people everywhere exercising in one way or another, whether physically like jumping rope or in deep concentration doing Tai Chi. There was no park equipment to play on, only the imagination of what you could do with what you come with. We must have spent a good two hours walking through when finally did see what appeared to be a play structure and as we got closer we realized it was an outdoor gym of sorts. People of all ages were riding bike, rowing, running or just getting a quick massage. Soon we found ourselves joining in and getting a laugh or two in the process.
Once we worked up a good sweat and an appetite we made our way out of the park back into the busy streets of Beijing and headed back to our hotel for an afternoon of naps, Pizza Hut and tea. Tomorrow holds a busy day for us and the last day we spend as a family of three here in China. We will wake at the crack of dawn which doesn’t seem to be a problem for us, and head to Tian’anmen Square, The Forbidden City and a trek up the Great Wall with our travel group. We are really looking forward to meeting everyone and learning more about our daughters country. In a mere 48 hours we will be holding our Jennifer......
Much love and joy,
Mike and Kayce
Exploring Olympic Village and the harrowing streets of Beijing
Where do I start? Well I guess at the beginning would be good. Today started at 3:30am and let me tell ya that’s way too early but we all felt completely rested and ready to start the day! The only problem with waking up that early is that there is no breakfast for the growing teenage boy we are traveling with, thank goodness I packed some oatmeal packets to sustain the guy until the breakfast buffet opened at 6.
After a wonderful breakfast, which I’m sure Big J has blogged ALL about, we set out to explore Beijing on our own. This place is amazing! The sounds are completely different, obviously very city like but filled with the chatter of a beautiful language. The smell is interesting. Mike says it reminds him of Tiajuana but since I’ve never been to Mexico the only way I can describe it is that it’s a sweet musty smell and it permeates you and everything about you. The sights range from pure beauty to absolute filth, but strangely the filth is not ugly. The weather, well it’s cold, like really cold! As you can see from the pictures you can tell exactly how cold it is...when was the last time anyone saw me so bundled up??? The coldness is almost unbearable sometimes but once we move past it’s displeasure and remind ourselves where we are, we get over it quickly.
One of the things the guys wanted to do was see The Olympic Center while we were here so that’s what we did today. After a daunting taxi ride we walked through a security check point and wondered around this huge square that just a few months ago was filled with the worlds best athletes. We were in awe of it’s grander but were also shocked at how run down it is already. Most of the area is under some sort of construction or is closed off and in disrepair but the incredibleness of what it is was really cool to see. We really wanted to see the inside of The Water Cube but it was under construction to be turned into a public pool. The Birds Nest though was beyond amazing. It is a snow park of sorts right now and was filled with tons of activity. The Olympics really did incredible things for China and this area is proof of what the country is capable of.
After a while the sun emerged and we started walking in the direction of our hotel in hopes that a new adventure would find us. We checked out the subway. We crossed a street that took 15 minutes of Mike and Jacob cajoling me that we wouldn’t die. OH. MY. WORD! That’s some seriously scariness. If you’re in the way, buybye! Oy! After making it across a HUGE intersection and living, I was starting to feel better about crossing streets but was really wanting a quite path somewhere which we found a few blocks later by chance.
Wondering down this quaint path along the river was so relaxing and far from the modern Olympic Village! For what seemed like hours we followed the frozen river to the end where we found ourselves among storefronts, narrow streets, street vendors, horse drawn carriages filled with fruit and suddenly we felt completely lost. Soon we found ourselves haling a cab to get back to our hotel which again was another dizzying ride through the streets of Beijing but still fun. Besides the guys eating at the golden arches, we enjoyed some yummy soup and coffee for a late lunch/early dinner.
As we wrap up our first full day in our daughters country we are not only exhausted but filled with pride. Walking the streets with her country men and women made me ache to hold her in my arms and absorb this experience from the beginning with her there with us. Soon I kept telling myself, soon. Sunday can’t be here quick enough! For now I watch the sun set and the lights flicker on across the city and prepare for another good nights sleep and dream about what tomorrow will bring us.
Departure and a safe landing!
Our journey has begun! First and foremost...THANK YOU for being here for us as we embark on an adventure of a lifetime! THANK YOU for saying prayers of safe travel, good health and easy transition for our Jennifer. THANK YOU for your love and support!
As I sit and type this first entry, I am sitting in the airport watching our plane be prepped and I am overcome with emotion. Just walking up to the ticket booth to check in made me cry and shake uncontrollably. This moment is here. I am here with my son and my husband. We are no longer dreaming, we are living it. Truly amazing once you absorb the enormity of it. God is so good!
Before we left Mike read a few days ahead in our devotional book to see what wisdom lies ahead of us and this is what was written for January 31....the day we are connected with our daughter...
Suffering Redeems
All sacrifice and all suffering is redemptive:
to teach the individual or to be used to raise and help others.
Nothing is by chance.
Divine MInd, and it’s wonder working, is beyond your finite mind to understand.
No detail is forgotten in My Plans, already perfect.
O let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion
The murmurs of self-will
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten, or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou Gardian of my soul!
Nothing in our journey to this point has been by chance. The four years of waiting has been an incredible period of growth for all of us, a period of profound change. The next part of our journey is one that is already planned out and set for us to explore, learn and take passion in. We are ready!
As I began this post I was sitting in San Francisco and now as I end this post at 9pm China time, I am sitting in a hotel room across the world in China! We have made it safely and are settling into our adventure. Our flight was good, sleep was hard to come by and it was a bit too bumpy for me but if you know me you know how much I hate flying! :) Our hotel is wonderful, clean and free of cigarette smoke! Exhaustion has set in so we are off to bed and are looking forward to what tomorrow brings us in Beijing. Thank you again for all your love!
Much love and joy!
Kayce and Mike
2/13/2010 3:33:39 AM - fb:1346629386
I have read your journal and Jacob's ,numerous time!I wish I was there for the firsts!God bless all of you!Can hardly wait tokiss and hug your baby crickets' toes!Love to all,Love,Mary JO
2/12/2010 11:06:28 AM - fb:632676679
Safe travels to you all... I am just getting ready to get fingerprinted again and the passport photos etc for our visa application... never a dull moment :) Hugs to ya...
2/12/2010 2:57:07 AM - 002092835890
Praying you have safe and happy travels home! Loved all of your photos of your journey and your precious new addition. Jennifer is just as sweet as can be! SO happy for all of you. Life will never be the same... and that's a GOOD thing!!! :)
Blessings and Hugs,
~ Tanya
2/11/2010 10:22:04 PM - 001003934337
Soon you will be home and this will bring and end to your exciting journey to China to meet your precious Jennifer. Kayce, this is so hard to believe that you are now embarking our your beautiful life here in the States of raising Jenn. Think of all the things you will be teaching her and she will be teaching you!! So awesome....
I can't wait to follow along as your journey continues to unfold and life continues to blossom for you all!!
Big hugs,
Jody
2/11/2010 2:26:02 PM - 003016802583
As you head for your pillow tonight in China - your last evening there - please know that we are praying for safe travels and a warm welcome in SF !!! Wish we could be there. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with all of us. God is Good and He has given you an awesome gift - Jennifer Lee !!! Love to all 4 of you. Mark & Nancy (hope to see you in May)
2/11/2010 3:08:19 AM - fb:632676679
Such a gorgeous little face :) Glad all is going well...
2/10/2010 2:34:52 PM - 003016900050
Dear Jen. Hi. I am one of your admiring grampas. I have been following your Mom's and your Brother's blogs about their trip to find you and bring you home. Someday you will read them and say WOW. Yesterday your Mom posted "I'm Kinda a Big Deal" and I thought I already knew that about her for a long time now. She is really special to us, too.
Then I saw you in your cute T and thought OK now I get it. Anyway you will soon discover how silly we can be sometimes.
What is your Dad doing? When I see him holding you in the pics I know how he feels. Little girls are special to their Dads and Grampas. I just got a call from your Meme and she is headed home with your Grama Grama from a little trip. It will soon be your last day to get ready to travel to the USA.
We can't wait to see you and see if our arms are big enough to wrap around your Mom and Dad and Bro and you all at once.
Love ya. Gramps T.
2/10/2010 6:04:37 AM - 003006507096
Thank you Kayce for your comments. I have been so blessed by your family's presence on this trip. So supportive and kind and it has meant so much to have you love Alice so much and see her as Jennifer's special Chinese friend. Prayers to you and your family during your travels and I know we will be in touch throughout the years as these little ones grow into the amazing people they will become.
Love to you,
Sandy
2/10/2010 5:18:07 AM - 003017485545
I'm gettin on a choo choo, to go see all of you whoooo! Woooooo whoooooo! All my prayers for your safe return!!! Love you, Lori
2/9/2010 2:14:12 PM - 001043413006
Kayce, I've loved following your blog and seeing pictures of your family enjoying China. How cool that you're there when it's all decorated for CNY! Not long now before you head for home. I just can't get over ot teeny tiny your little Jennifer is!
Kelly (aka Truly Blessed on blogger)
2/8/2010 4:40:12 AM - 003017485545
Love the blog, sounds like a wonderful day. Your dad says the neighbors had a huge superbowl party and Ella and Summit kept track of all the comings and goings and each car door slam. So they had a busy day! Now they are tired out and sleeping early. Love you and love the pic's. Lori
2/7/2010 9:13:27 PM - fb:632676679
I have been catching up... sorry it has been a while... things have been crazy of late.. still trying to get over that we have seen that gorgeous face of Shauna :) Can't wait to see you back home... hugs to ya...
2/7/2010 3:49:44 AM - 002074960852
more pictures please.
2/6/2010 10:30:06 AM - 003007904372
she is so darn cute. thinking of you lots.
Lea
xo
2/6/2010 2:38:17 AM - 003017485545
Oh so very precious! And I especially love the pic of Jacob holding Jennifer above this, he is the best big brother ever! Love you....
2/6/2010 1:44:01 AM - 002090767553
Jennifer is so beautiful! She looks a lot like our Emma who also came from Jiangxi in September. I saw you were at the Galactic Peace, which is where we stayed. Loved it! I also think I remember you saying that you are staying at the China Hotel! That is where we stayed! There is the most amazing park across the street. If you go out the Starbucks entrance and go underground (I think you are in B and you want to go to D1 or vice versa). It takes you across the street where the park is! It is beautiful! If you want any info you can email me Kramer651@cs.com (Waitingonemma.com)
2/5/2010 7:45:41 PM - fb:100000241314037
She is so cute! I am loving all of the photos. I am so happy for you all!
2/5/2010 11:32:33 AM - 003007904372
safe travel.
Lea
xo
2/4/2010 4:01:03 PM - 003017485545
Miss you all, can't wait for the next post. Remember - even poopey pants are exciting! Hope you all (K,M,J & J) are doing well.
Love you
2/4/2010 10:48:35 AM - 003007904372
enjoy every minute of this. Feel better soon. And, Jacob sounds like an amazing young man. Miss Jennifer is luck to have such a brother.
xo
2/4/2010 3:21:59 AM - 003016563886
We miss you guys and can't wait for you to get home.
2/3/2010 3:15:24 PM - fb:100000556801151
What amazing pictures! Such a contrast of old and new. But my favorite part is the family of course! Love you all!
2/2/2010 11:13:54 PM - 003007904372
get some sleep my friend. the video is adorable. Especially mom talking to her girl.
Lea
xo
2/2/2010 3:25:59 PM - fb:100000556801151
I'm glad you are able to get some sleep. Love all the words and video was great! Love all of you!
2/2/2010 1:14:58 PM - 002045372653
Hope all is well.. I haven't seen any updates... keep loving on Jenny she is adorable.. Hugs..
Love ya all...
Kim
2/2/2010 2:24:35 AM - 003007904372
oh and that Walmart picture stresses me out a bit! YIKES!
2/2/2010 2:24:07 AM - 003007904372
your post today gives me so much hope. She is beautiful. And, your writing makes me feel like I am there with you. Well, I am in spirit my friend.
Lea
xo
2/1/2010 5:29:58 PM - 003016360419
I can't stop cryn.....u have waited and ALL your dreams r here for u now.....luv, faith, happiness, joy.....dream
2/1/2010 4:56:53 PM - 003016360419
OMGOOODNESSS!!!!! u guyz rocked..u r there...to get JENNY!!!!!
2/1/2010 2:49:12 PM - fb:100000556801151
My oh my, this is my favorite time of day, get my coffee, scone, sit in front of the computer and get my next injection of happy! Love you!
2/1/2010 4:06:38 AM - fb:1518071984
You all look wonderful and happy Kayce!! I am so happy for all of you and yours!!
2/1/2010 3:40:38 AM - 002038497266
F.Y.I....we will be leaving our computer on all night so if you need us for any little thing you can Skype away....Love you 4 oh so much!!! xoxoxo, Mommie & Papa
2/1/2010 12:17:47 AM - 003007904372
this day has been a long time coming. I couldn't be happier for you.
Lea
xo
PS. the blanket looks so cute on her crib.
1/31/2010 10:40:27 PM - 002045372653
LOVED talking to you this morning.. Jennifer is BEAUTIFUL.. and sorry for the things you have had to come across. but she is going to be sooo much better.. she is with her family now...LOVE YOU TONS....
1/31/2010 10:10:31 PM - fb:100000556801151
Kayce, your dad got a call from your platinum MC and they need you to call them since they are getting suspicious of charges on your card, you can email me if you want on our personal or my business emal to get more specific info. but I will put it in your email account smbd ....etc. and your dad will try and call your mom so if she is skyping with you, she can give you the run down. Back to a personal note This is SO GREAT! Lori
1/31/2010 4:44:52 PM - 003017509267
Looked at the clock so often during the night wondering if it was Jennifer time. Big Brother Jake looks great at this already! Thank you for the beautiful photos. Love to you all, Karen and family
1/31/2010 1:51:26 PM - 003016802583
Pure JOY !!!!! We're off to church - prayers for your family today!!!! Love and hugs - from your Minnesota cousins !!
1/31/2010 3:41:24 AM - 003016894479
I'm pretty sure your flight has landed and you're within hours of meeting your amazing Jenny! Have been praying for you and your precious little girl and will continue to do so.
1/30/2010 7:53:43 PM - 002063601460
It is now 5:00 am your time in China. (I've gotten good at the time change with my kids now living in Japan!) I'm sure you didn't sleep much during the night. The reality of a dream once distant now within your reach! I can feel the emotion within my spirit and can only imagine how intense it must be for you! Can't wait to read about your "today" and see the tear drops on the screen as your heart overflows with pure JOY! ***Smoochez***
1/29/2010 10:22:00 PM - 002011750686
Wonderful wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to bring us all along on your journey! It's thrilling to see Beijing through your eyes!
1/28/2010 2:36:33 PM - fb:100000556801151
So glad to see a new post! You were asleep while we in the USA are awake and its like, wake up, we want to hear all about it! Now you're goint to bed. I hope your days are full and happy! xo Lori
1/27/2010 11:43:49 PM - 003016360419
Kayce, Mike and Jake all I can do is cry cry....so happy...Light your inner candle..luv u...from the hood LSB
1/27/2010 8:49:46 PM - 003016848020
Cannot believe your finally there! The excitement I have for you all is immense. Take it all in, cannot wait to see pictures! Love and hugs from Salem
1/27/2010 3:34:51 PM - fb:100000556801151
You're there! I am so excited to watch your travels. This and Big J's site will be the most watched place I will have on the computer ever! Lori
1/27/2010 2:38:46 PM - 003006507096
You made it. Yeah. I loved the devotional. I'll see you Friday when we arrive in Beijing. Enjoy the sights until the big day. Counting the minutes until Sunday.
Sandy Walker
1/27/2010 7:15:59 AM - 002092835890
Oh how FUN!!...I can't believe you are on your way to meet your precious little girl! Have a safe trip and post LOTS of pictures!
Happy Travels!! :)
~Tanya
http://acornsandcherryblossoms.blogspot.com/
1/27/2010 4:45:17 AM - 002071839579
This is a trip like no other....enjoy every moment! It will be a long time before you can really absorb all that is about to transpire....it's amazing! The wait is finally over!!!! Safe travels!
1/27/2010 1:33:36 AM - 002014547582
Safe travels! xoxoxo
1/26/2010 10:14:48 PM - fb:632676679
Oh my... can it be so... you are finally on your way... I am so excited for you all...
1/26/2010 9:49:58 PM - 001058923772
Enjoy every minute Kayce...we look back on our days in China and I am still taking in all the experiences, feelings, and sights we shared together as a family for the first time. The wait is FINALLY over.... praying for your safety and will be looking forward to following you on your journey to Jennifer!
1/26/2010 9:20:16 PM - 002038497266
Love you all!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxo,me
1/26/2010 6:46:20 PM - 001003934337
So excited for you!! Try to sleep before you get her (yah right!!) I know I wll not be sleeping either when we go!
She is just so beautiful and it is a match made in heaven!! Give her bigs hugs from me!!
Have a safe trip!
XOXO,Jody
1/26/2010 5:41:44 PM - 003016438930
God bless you all, what great news
Barb D
1/26/2010 5:27:04 PM - 003015931779
be safe, have fun. many prayers are headed up for you guys. love you!
1/26/2010 1:44:51 PM - fb:711413346
Enjoy this experience.
1/25/2010 7:06:01 PM - 002038497266
Safe, fun, wonderful, exciting journey to all of you....xoxoxo! me
1/25/2010 5:33:53 PM - 001073541193
Best wished Kaycee and family love Elizabeth Kerwin-Nisbet (st paul's)
1/24/2010 9:43:02 PM - 003016802583
M, K & J: We will be with you on your journey!! Shalom. Mark & Nancy Chamberlain (Minnesota cousins!)
1/22/2010 1:52:15 AM - 003007904372
Of course I will be following!
Lea
xo
1/17/2010 5:34:08 AM - 000026809080
hey that's my square with the ballerinas :)
1/15/2010 8:31:48 PM - 002074960852
I am sooo looking forward to following your family on this trip!
1/8/2010 1:26:05 AM - 002093331113
So excited to go to BJ with you when it is 5 Degrees....Just kidding. I am sure we will have a ball! I live in Illinois and we have about 12 inches of snow right now
1/7/2010 10:41:58 PM - 000090674460
Bring on the travel blog!!! It's time!!
1/7/2010 5:08:49 AM - 002041816440
Woo-hoo! Travel site ready to rock!
