tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47615327633677166742024-03-05T05:25:28.265-05:00JourneytoAnnaKathrynUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-10840478163535857942008-12-03T20:53:00.003-05:002008-12-03T21:43:27.433-05:00It's Time...... to wrap things up on this blog. I have definitely done far more journaling about our adoption journey on here than I ever would have done in a traditional paper journal. I have really enjoyed hearing from so many friends who followed this blog and rejoiced with us as Anna Kathryn joined our family. <div><br /></div><div>But, it's time to move on. She is 13 months old today. We have been home for 9 weeks already. I returned to work on Monday, and she started going to daycare. We are both having to adjust to our new routines. I think we are both missing our cozy, relaxed days together. I know I look at the clock at school about 64 times a day and wonder what she is doing and how she is doing at her school. We are truly settled into our new normal, and while the journey <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">to</span> Anna Kathryn is over, the journey <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">with</span> her is just beginning.</div><div><br /></div><div>For those who don't already know, I have another blog I started several months before we got our referral to adopt Anna Kathryn. If you'd like the web address to follow that blog, just e-mail me at kksunshine03@aol.com. If I don't know you in real life, please just add a line or two sharing a little about how you found my blog. Thanks!</div><div><br /></div>Finally, one month ago we celebrated Anna Kathryn's first birthday! Since I operate my life on the premise of "better late than never," I have finally selected some of my favorite pictures out of the 150 or so my sister and I took the day of her birthday party. Enjoy!!<br /><br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="&offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fkksunshine03%2Fsets%2F72157610638265613%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fkksunshine03%2Fsets%2F72157610638265613%2F&set_id=72157610638265613&jump_to="></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=63961"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=63961" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="&offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fkksunshine03%2Fsets%2F72157610638265613%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fkksunshine03%2Fsets%2F72157610638265613%2F&set_id=72157610638265613&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-7491133103717223742008-11-30T21:53:00.001-05:002008-12-01T20:11:42.442-05:00Thankful<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxu7iKxzubccdYPc1pfaMNL-TqzISGLC13ItROVm4IFJi9dS-Wuu-LuuzDMrL3AKao2tEwguLjsvCl6IBaXb7nuq63y7a3ttjpoMQwUMa4B2z9ITbrObWb7rCUIj-OemCGdo4SlW62CSX/s1600-h/IMG_1598.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxu7iKxzubccdYPc1pfaMNL-TqzISGLC13ItROVm4IFJi9dS-Wuu-LuuzDMrL3AKao2tEwguLjsvCl6IBaXb7nuq63y7a3ttjpoMQwUMa4B2z9ITbrObWb7rCUIj-OemCGdo4SlW62CSX/s200/IMG_1598.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274641571596569730" /></a><br />Just a few of the things I am thankful for as we head into a season full of blessings: <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">T-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tables</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> at my in-laws' house loaded with delicious food with family all seated around it, feasting, talking, and laughing.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>H- My <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">husband</span>, Mark. He is my best friend, a wonderful husband, and a loving father to all of his kids. He has a true servant's heart and always looks for ways to lighten my load. He even makes me coffee every morning, even though he doesn't drink it himself. I have always loved watching him play with the various nieces, nephews, and special kids in our life, but it is such joy to see him romping and cuddling with Anna Kathryn... and to hear her giggle and chortle as they play. I am so glad to be married to such a great guy. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PFRTxSjLImoE6bFMZuWZAHxBJLlDjz0914OKDioqo4d188kZrwPPKkY7NEK3adYbO0dI8q9VoCcOFiOwoCYW7gIxrN_pNWbwZrgSS7JOkCqockp0sBHlX0HEjTo3hsd3YJ1F0eocdoSv/s1600-h/IMG_1623.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PFRTxSjLImoE6bFMZuWZAHxBJLlDjz0914OKDioqo4d188kZrwPPKkY7NEK3adYbO0dI8q9VoCcOFiOwoCYW7gIxrN_pNWbwZrgSS7JOkCqockp0sBHlX0HEjTo3hsd3YJ1F0eocdoSv/s200/IMG_1623.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274993976101045698" /></a><br /></div><div>A- Having <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Anna Kathryn</span> home with us to celebrate her first Thanksgiving Day (she was a big fan of the olives and sweet potatoes. Turkey and pretzel jello, not so much. Which is a shame, because pretzel jello is a little bit of heaven on a plate.)</div><div><br /></div><div>N- Friends and family, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">near</span> or far. I am blessed to have so many loved ones! </div><div><br /></div><div>K- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Kisses</span>-- drooly but oh so sweet from my baby girl. </div><div><br /></div><div>F- New <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">friends</span> from our travel group to China... we got to visit with the <a href="http://leila-ann.blogspot.com/">McBeath family</a> on our way north and spent a much-too-short couple of hours sharing dinner and catching up on all that our families have experienced in the past 2 months since coming home with our girls. Leila is so cute and growing so big! They are a wonderful family and we are thankful for the time we had together. I wish we could see all of our travel buddies again someday!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3OWcagDnBt9e5FagSiSxtGg-ALb_WFubfwusUvMs6cKCkWOkCq8dwKc4NF_yDQ0jaKtijsVRphSM3mbU7mDFG2DLZ8-wLfXBnTRRGjMinCayO4lHHZG9X38X90oHcsE21AFaBLZ4hLGL/s1600-h/Us+with+McBeath+gals+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3OWcagDnBt9e5FagSiSxtGg-ALb_WFubfwusUvMs6cKCkWOkCq8dwKc4NF_yDQ0jaKtijsVRphSM3mbU7mDFG2DLZ8-wLfXBnTRRGjMinCayO4lHHZG9X38X90oHcsE21AFaBLZ4hLGL/s200/Us+with+McBeath+gals+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274643575009012290" /></a><br /></div><div>U- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> Um</span>, I'm struggling a bit with the "u." So this one is kinda out of the pattern. But despite the fact that I am having a really, really hard time with sending my baby to day care (a wonderful day care, but still...) and going back to work full time, I am very thankful to have a job to return to. A job I enjoy, and have dreamed of doing for many years. A job where I work with so many really nice folks. In this tough economic climate, this is definitely something to be thankful for. </div><div><br /></div><div>L- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> and grace, undeserved yet unconditional, from my Heavenly Father.</div><div><br /></div><div>I realize that this is a bit on the cheesy side, but I saw the idea on one of <a href="http://whitneygang.blogspot.com/">my favorite blogs</a>, and liked it so much I decided to "blog-lift" her idea! Plus, I have never been one to back away from anything cheesy, be it a movie, a song, or a Velveeta-laden side dish. Hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!</div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-26419280968524580592008-11-17T21:00:00.005-05:002008-11-25T09:56:21.807-05:00Two Months<div>Two months (and a day) have passed since Anna Kathryn joined our family. Two months already!! I think back sometimes to those super-busy days of August and early September as we prepared to leave, and it seems rather dream-like. When I think back to the long, long days and weeks and months of never-ending waiting and wondering about our baby (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">What will she look like? What part of China will she be from? Will motherhood ever happen for me?</span>) it all seems like a long ago, somewhat bad dream. Not that the Wait didn't teach me some important lessons about God's faithfulness in the storm... but I am thankful that we are on the other side of the Wait, and Anna Kathryn is safe with us. </div><div><br /></div><div>She has grown and changed a lot in just 2 short months! Remember how she could hardly sit up without wobbling and tipping over when she first came to us? Now she is crawling (on hands and knees with occasional "commando" moments on her tummy), pulling herself up on all the furniture and cruising from coffee table to sofa and all around the place . She is beginning to walk more steadily when we hold her hands and walk with her. She has learned how to blow kisses and give a high-five. She still eats a ton, and definitely prefers to feed herself. She says "mama," "dada," "kitty," (sounds like e-e) "uh-oh," and "bye-bye." The other day I told her to say "Hi, Daddy" and she imitated me almost perfectly. Mark and I both looked at each other in disbelief, because her words were so clear. She loves to imitate us and chase the cats around the house. Most of all, she loves to play and laugh with us, and all of the other family and friends who come to lavish affection and kisses on her. We are so blessed by our funny, sweet, snuggly little snickerdoodle.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGmA3ClQYJ1_EZhbkk6tGx76e-gZZnDxFXwrDZ_6cJIpibb5Ng0T7vY6UAwG0AEYpkY_zPQT-v5JFQ8uUPUlglvijyePsyIM8U0M_SE7CtYc_PRWqrZ5maHqnUTTFNcTdOqvXwdFClcZ2/s1600-h/Me+and+AK+on+walk.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGmA3ClQYJ1_EZhbkk6tGx76e-gZZnDxFXwrDZ_6cJIpibb5Ng0T7vY6UAwG0AEYpkY_zPQT-v5JFQ8uUPUlglvijyePsyIM8U0M_SE7CtYc_PRWqrZ5maHqnUTTFNcTdOqvXwdFClcZ2/s200/Me+and+AK+on+walk.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269802798759215554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vjXk4g0yilK7vPwfZKBVU8fdw4ksJNEWcUw9HrjzNhKqwnu9N-CJEtw3AwT-DWih0r2iCH9zHlFnJ-tVyxsIn_rw96RwWQtoVMNPCon-pxO8H5QjOcFHCXbYYoN_DwP28GWgWU4AShyphenhyphenC/s1600-h/Mark+and+AK+on+walk.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vjXk4g0yilK7vPwfZKBVU8fdw4ksJNEWcUw9HrjzNhKqwnu9N-CJEtw3AwT-DWih0r2iCH9zHlFnJ-tVyxsIn_rw96RwWQtoVMNPCon-pxO8H5QjOcFHCXbYYoN_DwP28GWgWU4AShyphenhyphenC/s200/Mark+and+AK+on+walk.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269709975515695282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Last week on Veteran's Day we spent the day together up in Charlotte. We took Anna Kathryn for a long walk along our favorite greenway after a morning family photo session and a delicious brunch at the Pancake House. It was a lovely, crisp fall afternoon and we had a great time walking off the pancakes and talking. Anna Kathryn even had a little snooze in her stroller along the way!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW99spzCJCMl7NXq7VX53GpHmRHLMA3HfIOyyVYRQq6vaNDhnQL3GwOSErxQ3_EonZmTNsPPj-eOwmoXVr7P-S0Pv2HEnLXCcPhzY5dfYf8gZOfiqVgto73LKF1SL1-OdjLXUJfAwmyV41/s1600-h/Bubblehead.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW99spzCJCMl7NXq7VX53GpHmRHLMA3HfIOyyVYRQq6vaNDhnQL3GwOSErxQ3_EonZmTNsPPj-eOwmoXVr7P-S0Pv2HEnLXCcPhzY5dfYf8gZOfiqVgto73LKF1SL1-OdjLXUJfAwmyV41/s200/Bubblehead.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269707262070929554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9op7WXtF5vZ8jxqYcQ0r5KlMW8Q9vYszXYYwSwIvpYz-vpZbd8_nFqo8fLhTIyg4c0MM9nFbNxGGxqDvp8r5BNG663M-A-6eG7EzNN_5IBCsK38B133aaHG5aqyBTUfK29E_m3-mSidO5/s1600-h/Eating+washcloth.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9op7WXtF5vZ8jxqYcQ0r5KlMW8Q9vYszXYYwSwIvpYz-vpZbd8_nFqo8fLhTIyg4c0MM9nFbNxGGxqDvp8r5BNG663M-A-6eG7EzNN_5IBCsK38B133aaHG5aqyBTUfK29E_m3-mSidO5/s200/Eating+washcloth.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269807865672916978" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Bathtime is one of Anna Kathryn's favorite parts of the day. Daddy had fun giving her a special hat to wear in the bathtub!<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIKF5643279tetzLLmkdyQMwtS_ML9Ni4M7vBgbJn6KzDNzeH27f7n-MbsEsDpdZOHhyl5qq7uNp4jqnemcKvS_7xoMXd72qarGxwfMOTsprnFblgVsZucqmzBQSMUDG58wixQQke8yov/s1600-h/Feeding+herself2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIKF5643279tetzLLmkdyQMwtS_ML9Ni4M7vBgbJn6KzDNzeH27f7n-MbsEsDpdZOHhyl5qq7uNp4jqnemcKvS_7xoMXd72qarGxwfMOTsprnFblgVsZucqmzBQSMUDG58wixQQke8yov/s200/Feeding+herself2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269699070997451554" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Feeding oneself requires deep concentration and a steady hand... especially when one's food tends to slip out of one's clutches far too easily!<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWnQJj4ArZqcIwx8RnKlaBbUI3bFX3oTaBpUSoDluR6jCk6izGEVNn-lBsPfMYoDOCuKST6-JAjGynkulEH5C1p4zQcspPU7NFR8iSKKf0R7_IDWsyrievA58I6vaEhEDNA6IRT_1oSN1/s1600-h/AK+standing+%232.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWnQJj4ArZqcIwx8RnKlaBbUI3bFX3oTaBpUSoDluR6jCk6izGEVNn-lBsPfMYoDOCuKST6-JAjGynkulEH5C1p4zQcspPU7NFR8iSKKf0R7_IDWsyrievA58I6vaEhEDNA6IRT_1oSN1/s200/AK+standing+%232.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269693639278953954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Look how big I am!!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxhvTvfwzKMK68Ndhr2ehg_nAcVbVnH-3IkTtIr-g5Es-1hyPuiLs1yyYjCZjdFncCi4gpAO-ueUFueWno-aL-8wt4TTaB7te36iONKy0Vh4Q4k_TH_V8jfCl2veFPVI8D-MoN4Ry69_N/s1600-h/smiling+in+car+seat.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxhvTvfwzKMK68Ndhr2ehg_nAcVbVnH-3IkTtIr-g5Es-1hyPuiLs1yyYjCZjdFncCi4gpAO-ueUFueWno-aL-8wt4TTaB7te36iONKy0Vh4Q4k_TH_V8jfCl2veFPVI8D-MoN4Ry69_N/s200/smiling+in+car+seat.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269693461327260258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hi everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">One more thing... we know a family who has been in the adoption process with a foreign country for several years now. However, due to the deteriorated situation between the U. S. and this country as far as adoptions go, adoptions have all but shut down over the past few months and it is looking less and less likely that they will be able to complete the adoption of this baby. Please join me in praying for this family and this situation! At this point, it is God who will have to move the hearts and mind of the government officials in both countries. We know He who can move mountains can make the path clear for them to be able to adopt this child and bring her home to her forever family. Please visit my friend <a href="http://www.maggiemalady.blogspot.com/">Allison's</a> blog as well, as she started this call to prayer for her dear friends!</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-87665272360134888512008-11-12T21:36:00.000-05:002008-11-14T15:34:17.757-05:00An Overdue Halloween Post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwlC-srH83tsHPQ4LmGwBq-L00ZmJg0vpBqpNYlUuWpQ3Su9c41HHEHrLXOw8EsruQ0jKumW_dQANxNKE15JGLtQMlNR45tW4AuB2Zu-3XclbI1dCT8rnR6sV9e0ZZuhz1arl8yztHUXr/s1600-h/Spooky+friends.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwlC-srH83tsHPQ4LmGwBq-L00ZmJg0vpBqpNYlUuWpQ3Su9c41HHEHrLXOw8EsruQ0jKumW_dQANxNKE15JGLtQMlNR45tW4AuB2Zu-3XclbI1dCT8rnR6sV9e0ZZuhz1arl8yztHUXr/s200/Spooky+friends.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268611496426265218" /></a><br /><div>So, Halloween was 2 weeks ago. I'm finally getting my 4 favorite pictures from the evening posted for all to see and enjoy. I have had good intentions of being a more consistent blogger but every time I sat down at the computer to post, my brain froze. Plus, I was sick for a solid week (starting the morning of Halloween) and now Anna Kathryn is under the weather, too. I've been attempting to get some household projects done before my maternity leave is over, though I've not yet actually finished any of them. So, I have procrastinated doing any posting. </div><div><br /></div><div>Despite fighting the plague, the weekend of Oct. 31- Nov. 2 was a lot of fun. My sister, <a href="http://lookingupinthedownpour.blogspot.com/2008/11/halloween-fun.html">Hillary</a>, and my nieces Emily and Alie drove to our home for a weekend visit. (Anna Kathryn's birthday party was the next day, but that's another post). Hillary and I grew up in a home where Halloween was not celebrated due to our religious beliefs. As an adult, I now understand why my parents felt the way they do about the holiday. I agree with them, and have never done much more than attend a few costume parties back in the day. I am not a fan of the "ghost and goblin" aspects of Halloween, but Mark and I found an adorable sunflower costume for Anna Kathryn a few months ago, so we decided we'd just dress her up anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div>After a dinner of sloppy joes and homemade macaroni and cheese, we went over to Allison and David's house for the evening's festivities. All of the girls were dressed up: Anna Kathryn was the cutest sunflower ever, Emily was Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Alie was a dragonfly ( a very fussy one, too, until her mama took off her adorable satin costume. I stuck my finger in my only shot of her in costume, so you can't really see her. Go to <a href="http://maggiemalady.blogspot.com/2008/11/obligatory-halloween-post.html">Allison's blog</a> for a cute picture). Maggie was dressed as Cinderella. They were all so cute!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlANC2UI9B3SWoW0PVY5-ivOR125R0P-sEpZfN4YPpY-A3-OmbNaO8zsINm0SrU0ySv5FgAI-YcXmOlRuzfwyfbWY-uP8AGfo7V-LSNnxro0fsMsMzmvGlthbUc9iGYIpPSliPIroc1hdA/s1600-h/girls+on+Halloween+08.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlANC2UI9B3SWoW0PVY5-ivOR125R0P-sEpZfN4YPpY-A3-OmbNaO8zsINm0SrU0ySv5FgAI-YcXmOlRuzfwyfbWY-uP8AGfo7V-LSNnxro0fsMsMzmvGlthbUc9iGYIpPSliPIroc1hdA/s200/girls+on+Halloween+08.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268604967360868258" /></a>The big girls (Emily and Maggie) went Trick-or-Treating with the dads, uncles, grandpas, and several other folks. As it grew dark, their light-up princess shoes glowed as they trotted from house to house-- so cute! Mark told me that there was a "discussion" between the two girls about his true name. Emily calls him "Marko Marko" and Maggie calls him "March." Well, apparently Maggie called his name and Emily replied, "Who's March? That's Uncle Marko Marko, silly!" A small debate ensued. Fortunately, Mark was able to broker some peace by explaining that he has <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">lots</span> of nicknames. <div><br /></div><div>Hillary and I opted to hang out in front of Allison's nice warm fire with the babies and chit-chat with her, Barb, and Grandma Grace. Anna Kathryn immediately found Maggie's toys to be a whole new world of wonder. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaf9ELfQ3mXDtZK5IuYk0dUK9esHv0_Tzd8pmRXSs5IdpYD-OgoQu8C-6c34g3z5IAgq8okUixsbnQge-sX2n3SKnSU15OrNeY8euY3m8i8ELjXpMRqFun8wIH_pBLaCXC-39SJjn3ipU/s1600-h/sunflower+playing.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaf9ELfQ3mXDtZK5IuYk0dUK9esHv0_Tzd8pmRXSs5IdpYD-OgoQu8C-6c34g3z5IAgq8okUixsbnQge-sX2n3SKnSU15OrNeY8euY3m8i8ELjXpMRqFun8wIH_pBLaCXC-39SJjn3ipU/s200/sunflower+playing.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268604253671097154" /></a>Alie snoozed, so Aunt Hillary played and sang with her. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMqq6-d40BoE_cj6T7goOnSipKHvoA8CEINpFaDHDIEEPxBcRWrWOEApPwipKFuzPwJ_UPyLjVJ6e8Ub-MxuIqFvi9xuxK_nkVK_gUzpSyejmgMdAU6vzPvQg2cnMquo6kYbRTai4o8kh/s1600-h/AK+and+Hillary.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMqq6-d40BoE_cj6T7goOnSipKHvoA8CEINpFaDHDIEEPxBcRWrWOEApPwipKFuzPwJ_UPyLjVJ6e8Ub-MxuIqFvi9xuxK_nkVK_gUzpSyejmgMdAU6vzPvQg2cnMquo6kYbRTai4o8kh/s200/AK+and+Hillary.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267969214893825282" /></a>I sniffled a lot and tried not to long too much for my nice soft bed. I also tried not to get too close to anyone in case whatever I had was contagious. It totally stinks to be sick on a holiday! The Trick-or-Treat crew eventually returned with bags of sugary loot, and we eventually got the girls settled down enough to head home and to bed. It felt really late, but it was only about 8:30! I guess that's a late night out once you have kids. Hee hee. It was a fun night and a great start to Anna Kathryn's big weekend...<div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-49320270864381717452008-10-27T22:07:00.000-04:002008-10-28T08:26:47.486-04:00Our Little Pumpkin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmvtPQrblCWlLcLocvvHjzmq7QsQvBm1NylFANojHkdKIbp_D1le40NakpE_TX7ySssnA3hZx_lDsqWX1O6RaTI8R0Wx2BW2YFP8uPeMMl-6NtdBJZImbZLK8AKaS1Fjt-nBV_c8ogtDL/s1600-h/family+at+pumpkin+patch.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmvtPQrblCWlLcLocvvHjzmq7QsQvBm1NylFANojHkdKIbp_D1le40NakpE_TX7ySssnA3hZx_lDsqWX1O6RaTI8R0Wx2BW2YFP8uPeMMl-6NtdBJZImbZLK8AKaS1Fjt-nBV_c8ogtDL/s200/family+at+pumpkin+patch.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262179253577027698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Saturday was my birthday... my first as a mom! It goes without saying that I already have the best gift I could ever ask for or get, but I got some other cool things, too. Mark skipped cutting the grass at church, at my request (plus it was raining) and stayed home and cooked a big, yummy breakfast of pancakes and eggs and waffles. I was presented with a card "signed" by Anna Kathryn to her mommy (a squiggle) with some help from Daddy. This is what I overheard as they worked on the card: "No... don't eat the pen... or the card... good job, Anna Kathryn!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Mark went out later on for a haircut while I stayed home with Little Miss Sunshine to do some things around the house, put her down for a nap, and get a shower. When Mark came home, he had more goodies: a gift certificate for a spa afternoon (massage, facial, and manicure) and for a new Vera Bradley pocketbook. Mine is starting to shred, so I was very excited about that gift. Can't wait for the massage, either-- I still can't seem to get rid of the neck ache I developed in China. A day of pampering is always a perfect gift! Mark always does a fantastic job on the gift front. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lots of cards and well-wishes came in the mail, on the phone, and via Facebook from friends and family. Allison gave me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heres-Story-Surviving-Marcia-Finding/dp/0061490148/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225162429&sr=8-1">this book</a> and I am pleased to say that it is maybe a little trashy, but fun. I feel so loved... thanks, everyone!!</div><div><br /></div><div>In the late afternoon the sun finally peeked out, everyone got up from their naps, and we headed out to a local farm to visit the pumpkin patch, go on the hayride, and visit the petting zoo with Allison, David, and Maggie. Lots of fun, and Anna Kathryn helped pick out 2 cute little pumpkins after we visited the animals in the barn. She didn't mind the smells and sounds at all. In fact, Mark caught her chewing a little on the metal gate to the cow pen ((<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">shudder</span>)). </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9d9LWtHk6qOBk50LtH6DeFoiZeOIyY1gOlcwTECbdDVrUmCIL4VKivzHVkQCuicVHvigU3DeoAg3QHVXnS0GoP23wJhnn4cQK1e0444iNPhp8OlnD44GRV2nRjdtzzY00aJHeWkrmQHB/s1600-h/clappingJPG.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9d9LWtHk6qOBk50LtH6DeFoiZeOIyY1gOlcwTECbdDVrUmCIL4VKivzHVkQCuicVHvigU3DeoAg3QHVXnS0GoP23wJhnn4cQK1e0444iNPhp8OlnD44GRV2nRjdtzzY00aJHeWkrmQHB/s200/clappingJPG.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262177990822850898" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Anna Kathryn has learned how to clap and everything is worthy of applause-- especially an outing to the pumpkin patch!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7MGNk0qOVcAYNAimft9wHQVu73GMgwuIblrkAPbG2WI-MACat71_cJV2A9Uk6h9MzX9VR7VVj6G1MkSL-VQO21iQkP31OMRps9z3IoIVSUDPpfvUACKDBOZXR0sfP89suhngIsZ5YSWb/s1600-h/meeting+pigs.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7MGNk0qOVcAYNAimft9wHQVu73GMgwuIblrkAPbG2WI-MACat71_cJV2A9Uk6h9MzX9VR7VVj6G1MkSL-VQO21iQkP31OMRps9z3IoIVSUDPpfvUACKDBOZXR0sfP89suhngIsZ5YSWb/s200/meeting+pigs.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262177195114528226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mark thought Anna Kathryn needed to get up close and personal with the pigs. </div></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AecPf-n_DeMhNxAstYXVNv4bJ85b60E8OFlsmEBh8S-Mrp-RdvZhfoxtO2ub2mUPXXB3nrlyYlQ2k3RfyIBeShsIXZZ3TolukMKlzy_0EicaIb4KF1qskd9am_8TK_bAZRnn8cKXG2Ge/s1600-h/petting+goats.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AecPf-n_DeMhNxAstYXVNv4bJ85b60E8OFlsmEBh8S-Mrp-RdvZhfoxtO2ub2mUPXXB3nrlyYlQ2k3RfyIBeShsIXZZ3TolukMKlzy_0EicaIb4KF1qskd9am_8TK_bAZRnn8cKXG2Ge/s200/petting+goats.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262032541369542466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Anna Kathryn and Daddy meet-- and pet-- the goats. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrp4MUiMO3fHH1h6ar0eyP_yh50nIysXwg0gO0FhezyOuTq_jm8BzfsLPQxFV766h40SjzT9SXm7aqCQf6SDpeJpCsILsBp7Rz3DFhTftq-2DNlEm5fnyXOBwML_MwNhrw3ka8M86Jo7KR/s1600-h/AK+on+pumpkin.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrp4MUiMO3fHH1h6ar0eyP_yh50nIysXwg0gO0FhezyOuTq_jm8BzfsLPQxFV766h40SjzT9SXm7aqCQf6SDpeJpCsILsBp7Rz3DFhTftq-2DNlEm5fnyXOBwML_MwNhrw3ka8M86Jo7KR/s200/AK+on+pumpkin.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262025497021880034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Our little pumpkin... waving "bye-bye" (she can <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">almost</span> say it, too!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HmOJfnwPnMmNNAWOs6yjUXCUHRR2HFhiQDeBPsEb8T5IcFbXFVOEOsTTe3RZvGl1vo95HPNrFVWCOCzcQNFmtChHNXEpdCM5-YF07FUHV17AsiKuo_71QviTwJ5za536GocCEjWcodXi/s1600-h/girls+at+PP.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HmOJfnwPnMmNNAWOs6yjUXCUHRR2HFhiQDeBPsEb8T5IcFbXFVOEOsTTe3RZvGl1vo95HPNrFVWCOCzcQNFmtChHNXEpdCM5-YF07FUHV17AsiKuo_71QviTwJ5za536GocCEjWcodXi/s200/girls+at+PP.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262024017550342722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"> Why are Allison and I the only ones smiling in this picture?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OtTrThMsSc71gRUfsrqFCev0jWFcx7vqfLT0Vf2cQmlm4IIYYozlIA73V7n1qtt6oKzTJ8Xzw5HK_E6TWmtUr9dntcMoJOJ0cRdOndAjPJuyaMJ-f71-yvXicC4N3lx44U4jVRzFWRHT/s1600-h/Mark+w:Mag+and+AK.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OtTrThMsSc71gRUfsrqFCev0jWFcx7vqfLT0Vf2cQmlm4IIYYozlIA73V7n1qtt6oKzTJ8Xzw5HK_E6TWmtUr9dntcMoJOJ0cRdOndAjPJuyaMJ-f71-yvXicC4N3lx44U4jVRzFWRHT/s200/Mark+w:Mag+and+AK.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262023473834555266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Skipping along with "March"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolwQjl5mbKKxAtQIa1LxnuRiU3dka7l4rqBTzf5uf-SDIk3hMzU8K3r4mR1Nd9liGI6ZbA1Zs5Jo6tWBJh85tLNI3z_LkpPVc72JJgiZj8afvL0036tGSPZvEvEROvfLllb3UlUrSiqvb/s1600-h/family+at+PP+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolwQjl5mbKKxAtQIa1LxnuRiU3dka7l4rqBTzf5uf-SDIk3hMzU8K3r4mR1Nd9liGI6ZbA1Zs5Jo6tWBJh85tLNI3z_LkpPVc72JJgiZj8afvL0036tGSPZvEvEROvfLllb3UlUrSiqvb/s200/family+at+PP+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262022738097260546" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Our family, October 2008</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anna Kathryn was so tuckered out from all the fresh air and family fun that she conked out on the way to dinner, and continued to snooze in my arms as we waited for a table (I managed to sip my drink without spilling it on her...or me... there's some mom multi-tasking for you!). We had a long and totally indulgent dinner at Firebirds. I had a pomegranate martini (so so good), homemade potato chips with blue cheese, a filet with parmesan mashed potatoes, and creme brulee cheesecake. There are no calories in food on one's birthday! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then Allison and I decided we needed to go to Old Navy, so we dragged the kids and guys there. We bought new yoga pants. In black-- a winter wardrobe workhorse. My old ones are dead and have paint splattered on them. We both needed new ones, plus there was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">no way</span> I was going to try anything else on with such a full belly! They had some kind of pre-Halloween promotion going, so I got 31% off the pants-- yay! Always nice to get an unexpected bargain. The guys were thankful to get out of the store fairly quickly and really cheaply. After that, home to bed, dreaming of pumpkins and cheesecake. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> It really was the happiest birthday I have had in a long, long time. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-22003246141168292832008-10-24T14:18:00.000-04:002008-10-24T15:38:41.349-04:00An American Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5wagwdN358QDyQroCAbq3VdEDudczsGe8jSdDLjxz54yOkE8slZnjZ4RVCwWcMQ9y00vxLSdjcm_I3rBSXUUy8M_b8dJNP8HkQ5Ai1bwxw9dYl1RzYx0HNF46zKoRpNOr-7uXFD0pIGk/s1600-h/IMG_1309.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5wagwdN358QDyQroCAbq3VdEDudczsGe8jSdDLjxz54yOkE8slZnjZ4RVCwWcMQ9y00vxLSdjcm_I3rBSXUUy8M_b8dJNP8HkQ5Ai1bwxw9dYl1RzYx0HNF46zKoRpNOr-7uXFD0pIGk/s200/IMG_1309.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260807127190842418" /></a><br />Yesterday we got Anna Kathryn's Certificate of Citizenship from USCIS in the mail. We knew that she became a U.S. Citizen the moment our plane touched down on American soil the night of September 27, but somehow this makes it seem more real. Now we have the piece of paper to prove it. She also got a lovely form letter from President Bush congratulating her on her new status as an American. All adopted children travel home on a passport from their country of origin and on an immigration visa from the U.S., because their citizenship papers have to be hand delivered to the immigration officials at the airport. I think that it is pretty cool that Anna Kathryn departed from China in the capital city, Beijing, and landed in her new home's capital city, Washington, D.C. <div><br /></div><div>After two accordion files worth of paperwork, many hoops to jump, and the frequent frustrations of a predictable but unpredictable process, it's nice to see the end in sight. Now I can apply for her Social Security number and, well, do more paperwork. Our first post-placement report is due to AWAA next week, since the 27th marks one month since we returned. It's hard to believe that our first month at home together is almost over already... time really does go by so quickly. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-29290448329258648132008-10-21T23:45:00.000-04:002008-10-21T23:47:13.208-04:00Are you ready to have children?I would have found <a href="http://www.nanceestar.com/KidsTest.html">this</a> to be funny 2 months ago, but now I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">totally</span> get it.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-48218339253043374892008-10-21T16:09:00.000-04:002008-10-22T14:59:16.501-04:00A Welcome Home Party<div>On Saturday, our friends from Parkwood Middle threw a "Welcome Home, Anna Kathryn" party at a local park. It was a chilly but seasonal fall day, and the hostesses (Allison S., Linda, Randi, and Allison M.) did a great job with the whole bash. </div><div><br /></div><div>The food was yummy (fried chicken, Paula Deen's macaroni and cheese, salads galore, homemade black bean salsa) and the company excited to meet, at long last, our darling daughter. She worked the crowd like a pro. I enjoyed having plenty of time to visit with friends we just do not get to see enough now that Mark and I both teach elsewhere. The little kids ran around a lot and Anna Kathryn really wanted to be off running with them. She settled for snitching ball caps off of several of the guys' heads and romping with daddy. She also got to indulge in cake icing 2 whole weeks before her birthday party!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdVCow9seFg0XPZd0LpjLaT8QvJudJTbT7P1H3ZDXPoQ7f-8P3dvKD1nY1TjzcJULNhwO21-LYcgZF_motUpX4-GHgc58HiU0qVEKYoLFRDQSZmMyE2qZ88CqwjsRZ40nxVzMAZ2lDJsp/s1600-h/IMG_1261.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdVCow9seFg0XPZd0LpjLaT8QvJudJTbT7P1H3ZDXPoQ7f-8P3dvKD1nY1TjzcJULNhwO21-LYcgZF_motUpX4-GHgc58HiU0qVEKYoLFRDQSZmMyE2qZ88CqwjsRZ40nxVzMAZ2lDJsp/s200/IMG_1261.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260050206571805474" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The cake was dee-lish. Buttercream frosting and chocolate mousse filling. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0CbswHXZbGYaG_4RKmnMOUpgYGnnFl86FD6r7iOEVpjw19N2D0_Rr1usR76eaew4FYR_SDNQLiK5zFQXhsk39uUyPks6W0RVI6iCyOWwOw4A1wYnHneik16q23sYKO2R0UevZohVuc1O/s1600-h/IMG_1269.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0CbswHXZbGYaG_4RKmnMOUpgYGnnFl86FD6r7iOEVpjw19N2D0_Rr1usR76eaew4FYR_SDNQLiK5zFQXhsk39uUyPks6W0RVI6iCyOWwOw4A1wYnHneik16q23sYKO2R0UevZohVuc1O/s200/IMG_1269.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260048404302154418" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Out of all of the shots of our family, we never did get one where we were all smiling. Sigh. Anna Kathryn had a great time, despite this weird expression on her face. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQMXjXfGqP1VW9CxnuaM53ii6pZg3xVJl66ELRlGwhyphenhyphen7ICUj0N4uzhjWn02wQD5emgfZ9gPTR1bYgw-o8QJf9tsRFq3id2q8krAljBpThH-PC8TEPEMEf2g6AFF5yb1PU9E55yQ10Iaca/s1600-h/IMG_1260.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQMXjXfGqP1VW9CxnuaM53ii6pZg3xVJl66ELRlGwhyphenhyphen7ICUj0N4uzhjWn02wQD5emgfZ9gPTR1bYgw-o8QJf9tsRFq3id2q8krAljBpThH-PC8TEPEMEf2g6AFF5yb1PU9E55yQ10Iaca/s200/IMG_1260.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mark and the girls</span></span><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4bSQMrHUqOqmMHg0NjXK06z_MIcHc6nIDzUbj_5YIKhjUiZBejTxA9do-u60gXMZN_0JuCh8E8zCUOHykArF5jEau1ufBA-D_9Sc2HlJp4_XKGbTtC0nuMmTzUDwntqa7QPDRP2nWYKa/s200/IMG_1282.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259796922352785922" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After a busy day, a bath was a must. Mark, Chief Bather, opted for a rednecky bath in the kitchen sink this night. Anna Kathryn splashed to her heart's content! My sink was real clean and shiny afterward, too.</span></div><div><br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-60501952027629952262008-10-17T21:04:00.000-04:002008-10-18T20:33:01.415-04:00The Sweetest Thing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lKml43HK7WdNTjxaewybzQYnyhGxh2GHu49gKNVcKlQxhDoU7RjCTCW57sn3l86_PZr3NKU51DmULVHcGNO24c8tFaXZ2B90XvWUoNDOolP-S0X28HPbDF-bWM5UfuQRkcRT75YgcvpV/s1600-h/AK+asleep+with+mom.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lKml43HK7WdNTjxaewybzQYnyhGxh2GHu49gKNVcKlQxhDoU7RjCTCW57sn3l86_PZr3NKU51DmULVHcGNO24c8tFaXZ2B90XvWUoNDOolP-S0X28HPbDF-bWM5UfuQRkcRT75YgcvpV/s200/AK+asleep+with+mom.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258492873715809458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bedtime for Anna Kathryn with Nana.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAqR2dUcjNXV89DA17hNm46aUvYnRg7sV2rcPIwhz5Qg4uTWHj3euhXJJt_kkE06JWoGsmjuFajgnXtHD9-fYI92Rs9qU_0Kssof3PizWSZa9vt5ZPrL7jsJr4dfDT6Sij5YclbNawFaV/s1600-h/IAsleep+on+pop-pop.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAqR2dUcjNXV89DA17hNm46aUvYnRg7sV2rcPIwhz5Qg4uTWHj3euhXJJt_kkE06JWoGsmjuFajgnXtHD9-fYI92Rs9qU_0Kssof3PizWSZa9vt5ZPrL7jsJr4dfDT6Sij5YclbNawFaV/s200/IAsleep+on+pop-pop.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258492455269167154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Asleep in Pop-Pop's arm</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">s.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqWuhrMtlQanANP5aCjwXiI9TCnFA9f7qMKKnxqwqUi_DeRpqnO6g2xOBaSwQSmNZgyGUl3MEBsT7fhaAU4Daqhs3rMKdMLCTLCugsmlY7G0A4FNp4FFtXLts6kKtLS0-92Jev13_mleT/s1600-h/IMSonny's.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqWuhrMtlQanANP5aCjwXiI9TCnFA9f7qMKKnxqwqUi_DeRpqnO6g2xOBaSwQSmNZgyGUl3MEBsT7fhaAU4Daqhs3rMKdMLCTLCugsmlY7G0A4FNp4FFtXLts6kKtLS0-92Jev13_mleT/s200/IMSonny's.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258319165608241026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Anna Kathryn's first trip to Sonny's. Aunt Hillary was so proud of her BBQ eating efforts!</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFZhnjcbcIL25glp8tKZVC6IHXPq0xtWAhzKbnziDktq-luO17QobbbmcQEhXRWO8h3L-kV2Fsjdt6nohLy4zTtsYvrvZq5rv4PdQ2hw-sgAH7mNIH7dZcwJQB4AjsoXpPCe4RG6suGwn/s1600-h/AK+and+daddy+highchair.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFZhnjcbcIL25glp8tKZVC6IHXPq0xtWAhzKbnziDktq-luO17QobbbmcQEhXRWO8h3L-kV2Fsjdt6nohLy4zTtsYvrvZq5rv4PdQ2hw-sgAH7mNIH7dZcwJQB4AjsoXpPCe4RG6suGwn/s200/AK+and+daddy+highchair.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258301507735344290" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Playing peekaboo with daddy at dinnertime.</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz-kqHzD9Liqgyy1b8NDHTrZcCTpD4p1H6HHV2KwbhC2kbyC4mrqfHhiAkB3z8_K44VNjOikAW1R-oph8IjwJvBb4Xb0gEzIGAPQZW-l0QHGg_VM9t-0JnGIYnipC8nUQstC05rxigP6r/s1600-h/AK+go+panthers.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz-kqHzD9Liqgyy1b8NDHTrZcCTpD4p1H6HHV2KwbhC2kbyC4mrqfHhiAkB3z8_K44VNjOikAW1R-oph8IjwJvBb4Xb0gEzIGAPQZW-l0QHGg_VM9t-0JnGIYnipC8nUQstC05rxigP6r/s200/AK+go+panthers.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258298413482625394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Go Panthers!! (Mark picked out the cheerleader outfit)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>One month and one day ago Anna Kathryn was placed into my arms in the doorway of a hotel room in Nanchang, China. Mark took a bunch of pictures, and then it was his turn to hold her. <div><br /></div><div>Four and a half hours later, we had completed the adoption proceedings. Anna Kathryn was ours forever! The long wait for her was finally over.</div><div><br /></div><div>And my life changed forever. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love love <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">love</span> being Anna Kathryn's mom!!</div><div><br /></div><div>So much, that I've really enjoyed being unplugged from the computer for the past few weeks... to an extent. I do check my Google Reader and e-mail daily. Gotta stay in touch with the outside world, ya know. But, I honestly was focused on our family, and adjusting to life at home with a baby, and just didn't feel like blogging. </div><div><br /></div><div>Right now, I'm on maternity leave from my job until December 1. I get to spend my days with my baby, and so far I cannot even bring myself to think about "Black Monday." It's not always easy being at home with her, but it is always<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> good</span>. We have settled into a bit of a routine, and I enjoy our quiet mornings, lots of playtime, and a daily outing (to the library for storytime or to lunch with a friend or mochas with Allison and Maggie (highlight of the week) or --of course- Target. We go at least twice a week.). </div><div><br /></div><div>Her naptimes are getting easier, although she tends to go down during a "window" of time rather than a set time, and the length is unpredictable. In the grand tradition of moms everywhere, I am always conflicted as to what to do during naptime: should I tackle the to-do list, or enjoy some R & R? I try to do a little of both. She is sleeping through the night again (hallelujah!!) so I get plenty of sleep, for which I am truly grateful. (Maybe God knew I just wouldn't do so well with the whole newborn sleep deprivation thing. Definitely an advantage to adopting a 10 month old!!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Anna Kathryn is so playful; her favorites are peek-a-boo, tickle monster, sliding down the side of the bed into our arms, and looking at herself in the mirror. She continues to add new skills almost daily. This week she figured out how to roll form her tummy into a sitting position, pull herself up into a standing position, and she is becoming a pretty speedy crawler. She crawls really well with some motivation set in front of her, like the remote, a magazine, or one of the cats. </div><div><br /></div><div>Life is really, really good. It's been a long time coming, too. Mark used to pray that one day, when we had our baby, that our house would again be filled with laughter and singing. And it is. Every day. Although the singing <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">is</span> rather off-key. </div><div><br /></div><div>I never did post about our last 2 days in China-- we were too busy. Here's a little recap. The next to last day (Thursday) was a little rough-- I was in a weird mood and got all stressed out trying to complete our shopping list on Shamian Island. We ate dinner at a restaurant with good food but a loud atmosphere, and honestly, I was just <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">done</span> for the day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our last full day, Friday, we met the other families in our travel group for a photo session. Then, Mark, Anna Kathryn and I headed back to Shamian Island on our own to complete our shopping. We had a really fun time shopping, found some lovely things for family and AK, I got a Starbucks mocha (bliss), and I even captured some cool shots of bridal couples posing for their portraits and models at a shoot (lots of ads and commercials are shot on the Island because it has a very European feel, having once been the site for most of the Consulates). In the afternoon, we trucked over to the consulate for the swearing in ceremony, where we swore that all of the info we put in our paperwork was true. That was it. Hard to believe all the build-up was for that. Plus we got the all-important brown envelope with AK's immigration and citizenship documents. That night we went out to the Chinese Restaurant in our hotel for dinner with three other families. It was a bit of a circus, but lots of fun. We had some language barrier challenges with ordering, but the food we ended up getting was delicious. My favorite was a dish of sauteed green beans with pork. SO good. My mouth waters just thinking of it. One of the guys, Tim, ordered something with a name like "Essence of Frog with Snow Crab." It looked like tapioca pudding mixed with white jello. I sampled it, and the taste wasn't bad, but the texture... ew. Guess who loved it though?? Go <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kksunshine03/">here</a> to find out! (This is my first attempt at using Flickr, so the pictures are out of order. Frog Jello pics are on page 3).</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I'm back in the bloggy world now. It's good to be back! But better to be home with Little Miss Sunshine. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-77098112954168014452008-09-26T10:28:00.001-04:002008-09-26T10:37:48.274-04:00Leaving China for HomeWe leave tomorrow morning at 7 AM (China Time) for the airport to fly home to North Carolina. 28 hours later (if my time zone math is correct), we will land in Charlotte-- home at last with our baby girl. <div><br /></div><div>The last 2 days have been eventful. Thursday was, for me, a little blah. I think I was just in a "ready to be going home" state of mind, and still dealing with a little adjustment to parenthood. Today was great and very busy, so I really have not had time to do a final post about our last 2 days here. That will have to wait until we get home. But, we attended the swearing in ceremony at the U.S. Consulate, along with about 100 other families, and we got our Big Brown Envelope with Anna Kathryn's visa and immigration documents. We have been warned not to open it, or we may be stranded in the airport, a family without a country forever. Or something. I kinda feel like we are carrying Kryptonite in our carry on luggage. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, we need to be up in about 6 hours, so I need to cut this short. Thanks to all who followed our journey to Anna Kathryn in China! I hope the return jet lag allows me to do the last post of our trip soon!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-26205447227620499122008-09-24T03:30:00.000-04:002008-09-24T11:00:48.744-04:00Day 13: Typhoon and Chen Clan Academy<div style="text-align: left;">We woke up to stormy skies today, and our planned shopping trip was postponed due to flooding on Shamian Island. Typhoon Hagupit has rolled in and is dumping lots of rain on Guangzhou. The temperature is significantly lower, too. It was a nice change of pace to be drenched in rain, not sweat!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So, Rosa and Maggie, our terrific tour guides, made a quick change of plans and took us to the Chen Clan Academy and Guangdong Folk Arts Museum. This is a large complex that once served as living space for members of the Chen clan when they traveled to Guangzhou for study or business from other parts of China. Something like 5-8% of the population shares the Chen surname, and families in 72 counties in the province contributed to the construction of the complex. It is also known as the Chen Ancestral Hall, and the other purpose of the space was to be a place for ancestor worship. We toured the main area only, but it has 19 buildings covering a total area of 15,000 square meters. I couldn't help but be reminded of the Camp Meeting grounds back home as we learned about the Chen Clan Academy. In 1959, the Folk Arts museum was established by the government in the Academy buildings. It has since been chosen as one of the "Eight Sights of the Goat City" since then! </div><div><br /></div><div>Despite the downpour, we enjoyed the displays of carved wood and stone, sculpture, and even ancient inkwells! I was particularly interested in the hall where they have several rooms set up to look like a Guangdong home of 100 or 200 years ago. We saw the unmarried women's room, a typical married woman's room, the scholar's room, and a traditional living room. We also observed an artist creating beautiful ink paintings using just his hand and fingers-- no brush! <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After that, we headed back to the hotel for basically a free day. I have to admit, I am rather tired of hotel rooms. But, AK needed some lunch and a nap. She wasn't really sleepy at her usual naptime, having conked out on the bus in Daddy's arms. So we played for a while and she took a warm bath, since she is still having a few tummy "issues" and we are out of prunes. The bath relaxed her, did the trick we needed it to do, and she fell asleep soon after. It couldn't be the pizza and whipped cream from yesterday, could it? I think we have broken every baby feeding guideline over the past few days and it may be coming back to haunt us. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight we are going to go eat Italian (yay!!!) with a few other families from our group, and then get a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow. Big day: our paperwork goes to the US Consulate at 10:00AM (10 PM at home). We have to hang out in our room in case there are any questions and the guides have to call us. We pray all goes well with this last step. Then, hopefully, shopping and a final group dinner. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it's the typhoon, or slow connections, or my computer is tired, or the planets have misaligned, but Blogger is not cooperating with the pictures. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Again.</span> And frankly, I am sick of fighting with Blogger, even though I want my pretty pictures to accompany every post. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wish I could quit you, Blogger. </div><div><br /></div><div>So sorry, no pictures today, but trust me, Anna Kathryn's smile is still the cutest thing EVER. </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night (or day, since it's 4 PM here) from China! </div><div><br /></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Edited to add: I was able to add a few pictures tonight! </span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJa4KtoZge3IqePysIQLeD4YTV1hOcdDut7RMGAHp5hvImwwW4vkv8QQg9BBoQy7qghm_8Mj-tnhtG5o-eqMPG3f2DQHNB1BnW7HOxxrnZidK338bIzhyphenhyphenIU56EnJvaYXnjOZEjcpGFr8r/s1600-h/Family+at+Chen+temple.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJa4KtoZge3IqePysIQLeD4YTV1hOcdDut7RMGAHp5hvImwwW4vkv8QQg9BBoQy7qghm_8Mj-tnhtG5o-eqMPG3f2DQHNB1BnW7HOxxrnZidK338bIzhyphenhyphenIU56EnJvaYXnjOZEjcpGFr8r/s200/Family+at+Chen+temple.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249595844355213586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The front doors of the Hall. The big guy behind us is a protective god one of the emperors who once resided here had painted on the doors to protect him from nightmares. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGStMcMfwjrOUbmLvDGbizGMB5CXt1qOy0xUhTZ6_fen8EABTfGwelxaTaaLVLghy-X0bNSdYi29oIp8RGBehnxzIfPjmuZ0QavAo6QXQDPmQNSMdviHBj-U75vx0Ty2ZaDawW7aHaJtu-/s1600-h/giant+inkwell.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGStMcMfwjrOUbmLvDGbizGMB5CXt1qOy0xUhTZ6_fen8EABTfGwelxaTaaLVLghy-X0bNSdYi29oIp8RGBehnxzIfPjmuZ0QavAo6QXQDPmQNSMdviHBj-U75vx0Ty2ZaDawW7aHaJtu-/s200/giant+inkwell.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249587049728112786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A giant, carved inkwell. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10uGBcELQ9iAYy2FnYTCDIUjtVZLa9aYvmCG0Mu8wHuntG7uYTfqRHZJ7UwuqtMvGB_1dssU35HroNzZJ8Wr6HBgxE5DCVMWjCXtJkJuh7f31gpV3WdumvXDCNI5q5NuFbkMPmTaFs5-l/s1600-h/dad+and+AK+at+temple.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10uGBcELQ9iAYy2FnYTCDIUjtVZLa9aYvmCG0Mu8wHuntG7uYTfqRHZJ7UwuqtMvGB_1dssU35HroNzZJ8Wr6HBgxE5DCVMWjCXtJkJuh7f31gpV3WdumvXDCNI5q5NuFbkMPmTaFs5-l/s200/dad+and+AK+at+temple.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249584667342859282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoying our day, despite the rain!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpQ6mdUaT5LidxYNFxsyOTawyPFnXnJ45Eu-7HSHqzdtbXQVIdDIi_9LPAu6Z4QMvkSZbdOSY1OL8gE49FI0Uu0ExxmhT2MJWElaxBDdV5Jca3ZDRCZ5__y6sQmBIabFyxheglt2by8vn/s1600-h/hand+paint+artist.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpQ6mdUaT5LidxYNFxsyOTawyPFnXnJ45Eu-7HSHqzdtbXQVIdDIi_9LPAu6Z4QMvkSZbdOSY1OL8gE49FI0Uu0ExxmhT2MJWElaxBDdV5Jca3ZDRCZ5__y6sQmBIabFyxheglt2by8vn/s200/hand+paint+artist.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249583999676104258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This artist makes the beautiful, detailed ink drawings by hand. <br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-2782340319723995592008-09-23T08:53:00.000-04:002008-09-23T11:08:19.604-04:00Day 12: Taking care of business<div>Today was a good day but certainly not our most exciting one here in China. No sightseeing, really, just wrapping up paperwork and a few appointments. Even though our adoption was legalized in Nanchang, Jiangxi province the same day we got Anna Kathryn, we are dealing with the US end of things here in GZ. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today we had a paperwork party to fill out all the remaining forms to apply for Anna Kathryn's immigration into the USA, pulled together a packet of documents we had to bring with us (about 15 items in all), and paid the final fees for this process (whew!). The paperwork party consisted of about 10 parents all trying to follow our guide's directions in a conference room here at the hotel. I think I wrote my name, Mark's name, Anna Kathryn Bo Di's name, and our address about 467 times. A couple of times, the mom next to and I messed up something on our forms. We both kept muttering, "oh, crap" and waving over the guide to bring the correction tape. I think my brain has turned to mush over the past few weeks, because it's not like I have filled out about 100 other forms in the past 2 and 1/2 years! At least we had really good tea to drink.</div><div><br /></div><div>I got back to our room to find that Anna Kathryn had had a play date with another little girl in our group, Mikayla, and was having her lunchtime bottle and rapidly sliding into a nap. Mark and I decided we needed one, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>After that, our whole group headed out for the required medical exam and visa photo session over on Shamian Island (more on the Island tomorrow, since we are taking a shopping trip there in the morning. Whee!) The exam was fairly basic and cursory, and required for her travel visa to the USA. She was weighed and measured, had a quick hearing and vision test, and another doctor listened to her heart and lungs, and looked her over in general. Strangely, I was a little nervous but she passed the test! So did all of the children. We did find out that she now weighs 16.2 pounds! We are doing our best to fatten her up a bit, and apparently succeeding. She is also 27 inches long. Here are a few fun moments from this outing:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2ueTkSti4xhlmjjC9kO4PBuk2QuFb0XJzte9SQ6Uhyclz3oOKmfbQnJNBL0vGO9-FSQU-cqGRAKqRfuW2SMI9XLHNi_MVF2n18m3UwEwpRgOLeGAf5xN72iNAniaxGVsqN2Mj1M8BZGs/s1600-h/bus+ride+to+exam.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2ueTkSti4xhlmjjC9kO4PBuk2QuFb0XJzte9SQ6Uhyclz3oOKmfbQnJNBL0vGO9-FSQU-cqGRAKqRfuW2SMI9XLHNi_MVF2n18m3UwEwpRgOLeGAf5xN72iNAniaxGVsqN2Mj1M8BZGs/s200/bus+ride+to+exam.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249220152310580850" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Oh boy! I get to visit the doctor today!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF74qD4NQ9OT1vybJH8XuZlLjsW0LVCCLyQqOQnueRn6qg3p8E0ByvDEFYghTBpge9j67YkhoVX6YN4uJwZ39dzYnbXPPtq9KCpyRFWdzK0Uv2RSJ8lLQ9FDBVt2aXACDLott2RHPgOAx/s1600-h/waiting+for+dr..JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpF74qD4NQ9OT1vybJH8XuZlLjsW0LVCCLyQqOQnueRn6qg3p8E0ByvDEFYghTBpge9j67YkhoVX6YN4uJwZ39dzYnbXPPtq9KCpyRFWdzK0Uv2RSJ8lLQ9FDBVt2aXACDLott2RHPgOAx/s200/waiting+for+dr..JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249218328238065746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Waiting with the other families for our turn with the doctors.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeVcCkI0ZdpybNMZ4lEYpY-8xAuy12lmt1EK3mMEObaAJxlSMdvv1VtgJsymmAYAPbNpbSd07_BwYdppx0uzaQtr7gxSW1uVQGRD4VediUbDvCIZwqULuvoq2S9OefQS5migUtV0U6YNB/s1600-h/medical+exam.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeVcCkI0ZdpybNMZ4lEYpY-8xAuy12lmt1EK3mMEObaAJxlSMdvv1VtgJsymmAYAPbNpbSd07_BwYdppx0uzaQtr7gxSW1uVQGRD4VediUbDvCIZwqULuvoq2S9OefQS5migUtV0U6YNB/s200/medical+exam.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249207733384223714" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">She wasn't really a fan of the ENT exam.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then we went grocery shopping at the Carrefour, which I've heard described as the Chinese Wal-Mart. It's nicer than the actual Wal-mart we went to in Nanchang, and it certainly does seem to sell absoultely everything. It's huge. We got more bottled water and some snacks including cucumber flavored Lay's chips. We'll see how those taste. We also got real Doritos and some Oreo wafer cookies. I'll let you know if those are good or not. I bet they are! It's a little embarrassing how excited we got over American junk food.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVNLb84PWwLR8ye4m3rbfx9qrqExoUOleiiiDqeOm2w3ovmmE4Am1nU-cx90IDUHms6Po1Ha77vK_Xkt140VPvBF0injNDM2VTozIKrKZNl3FmEruxdnxc8_wAZr2-nZY2ZAdrQnPyCG3/s1600-h/Carrefour+cart.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVNLb84PWwLR8ye4m3rbfx9qrqExoUOleiiiDqeOm2w3ovmmE4Am1nU-cx90IDUHms6Po1Ha77vK_Xkt140VPvBF0injNDM2VTozIKrKZNl3FmEruxdnxc8_wAZr2-nZY2ZAdrQnPyCG3/s200/Carrefour+cart.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249225068879256898" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Riding down the moving walkway to the bottom floor is fun! The walkway is magnetized so that your cart won't roll away. It's so cool. </div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsxMdhAd8C_8XXifq4QJRwC-HTQN99U2isWQnFyUp5JuU2WBYcisg2qrDzstolRRlk6qmXEo51H0HduQfE96pRt7nABspgxyyHZrw0qa_05-LANWIGZUZmhsTItOkacnpig8vzQIHQIH6/s1600-h/Carrefour+shopping.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsxMdhAd8C_8XXifq4QJRwC-HTQN99U2isWQnFyUp5JuU2WBYcisg2qrDzstolRRlk6qmXEo51H0HduQfE96pRt7nABspgxyyHZrw0qa_05-LANWIGZUZmhsTItOkacnpig8vzQIHQIH6/s200/Carrefour+shopping.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249201880034489042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mark and Anna Kathryn are examining some kind of meat-- possibly sausages. Who knows?? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One thing I continue to find hilarious in Chinese grocery stores is the rotisserie duck display. It's like our rotisserie chicken display, but with whole ducks, cooked and hanging by their necks. Mark wanted to buy a duck head (beak and all) from the hot prepared foods counter but I managed to talk him out of it. I should've taken a picture, but I think the people in the store think we are weird Americans already so I have tried to limit the picture-taking.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also got some soy-based formula for Anna Kathryn. We just can't wean her off formula yet and all of the unfolding news about the tainted milk and formula have us very worried. Soy seems to be a safer option, and it may help her spit up a bit less. We have been giving her brands that, so far, seem to be safe. I can't wait to get her home to the States and get some formula for her that I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">know </span>is not tainted. We will be stopping at a 24-hour Harris Teeter on the way home from the airport! It makes me absolutely panicked if I think too much about the situation, and each day the news coverage is worse. She seems to be very healthy, thankfully, with no scary symptoms.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, we headed out of Carrefour and then we went to Mecca, I mean Starbucks. It smelled SO GOOD as we walked in. Like home, and happy things, and... well, y'all know I love my coffee!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wnqPw22ZjJRovO9PqnJWlO-7xNOZ2ZYiEnPg2cUR0G0_TJvrZIdW2BCNEA7UCRah4sfMECUR8mPv6-vYLTQn5H4tC52tECIdXVNIJ0Z-GinnhA6ZCy5yMZPClZ3wAhPwrqe55suE9x4v/s1600-h/Starbucks.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wnqPw22ZjJRovO9PqnJWlO-7xNOZ2ZYiEnPg2cUR0G0_TJvrZIdW2BCNEA7UCRah4sfMECUR8mPv6-vYLTQn5H4tC52tECIdXVNIJ0Z-GinnhA6ZCy5yMZPClZ3wAhPwrqe55suE9x4v/s200/Starbucks.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249199806238858450" /></a>I had one of the best mochas <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ever</span>. Anna Kathryn helped me eat the whipped cream. <div><br /></div><div>After a loooong ride home in bad traffic, with many tired and crying babies, we got back to the hotel. All we had energy to do was go eat some dinner at Pizza Hut and then back to the room to put Baby to bed. BTW, the Pizza Hut here is so nice. They do table service. And the creamy corn chowder is really good, as was the stuffed crust pizza. We went for the "stufffed with cheese" option as opposed to the "stuffed with squid" option. Also, the dessert options were plentiful. I had tiramisu, and it was sort of my appetizer, since it arrived at table first-- even before our drinks. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shopping and sight-seeing tomorrow. Apparently there is heavy rain from a typhoon headed our way, so this should be interesting! Thankfully, the rain-- which rolled in today-- has cooled things off considerably. I am SO tired of sweating, so this is fine by me. We won't melt! </div><div><br /></div><div> Good night from China!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-26251136282199076762008-09-22T10:45:00.000-04:002008-09-22T11:49:21.069-04:00Day 11: Hello Guangzhou!<div>Last night was our final night in Nanchang. We enjoyed another yummy meal at the East Restaurant with the England family, which Anna Kathryn wiggled through. As we walked the 4 blocks back to the hotel, this was the sight which we enjoyed:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09cTJCbdXdjKpe9eZ7M6-KuRYsMLrP7nX1ygCVzNp8G-TaJjU1IkfPmSTj6-W9a7mncdMhpSnk_LeGSbhE4MOfBCZubYQI7qSAgYBxNnHkqdYzrLJRUSX9cQ3-Z_dR-C7WeevAA4vcwHa/s1600-h/Pavilion+at+night2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09cTJCbdXdjKpe9eZ7M6-KuRYsMLrP7nX1ygCVzNp8G-TaJjU1IkfPmSTj6-W9a7mncdMhpSnk_LeGSbhE4MOfBCZubYQI7qSAgYBxNnHkqdYzrLJRUSX9cQ3-Z_dR-C7WeevAA4vcwHa/s200/Pavilion+at+night2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248858729658162834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The Tengwang Pavilion at night.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Last night and this morning I felt a little emotional about the fact that these were the last few hours Anna Kathryn would spend in her home province. Most Jiangxi people never travel beyond its borders. In just one short week, she has been through so many changes and experienced so many completely new things. She has handled the adjustment really well, overall. She is just thriving on all the love and attention we are so happy to lavish on her. I don't know when or if we will ever return to Jiangxi, and it wasn't always easy to be there in such a foreign place with a new baby, but I am so glad we got to experience our time there. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Today we traveled to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou">Guangzhou</a>, in the southern part of China, at the mouth of the Pearl River. Guangzhou is also known by an older name, Canton (like Cantonese food). Guangzhou is a huge city, especially after being in Nanchang. Our guide kept saying that Nanchang is just a little town, and despite just having been all over Beijing, it really didn't feel all that small. But Guangzhou is very urban. <div><br /></div><div>Our new digs are at the Asia International Hotel. We continue to be impressed by the niceness of the hotels we have stayed at, and this one has very soft beds by Chinese standards. Woo-hoo! I am hoping that I will NOT wake up tomorrow with my usual neck cramp. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are up on the 33rd floor of the hotel. It has 45 floors, and the top one is a revolving restaurant called the Sky Cafe. We splurged on the buffet dinner there tonight, and enjoyed the view as much as the food. </div><div><br /></div><div>Check out the view from our room!</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fsu59ZOrJhL5_GtZIn0liMEpkRfnlGze5x150uPyg1mOO2iaPsKM9lxcl6dU7Ztq8Hg-7rXEUfNrDfkG4pyNa8H1uTNuizgivz9N9FwTVtcr4GGT0M6xE3TQV8gja2L6GQaqlwPJsE7N/s1600-h/view+from+room.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fsu59ZOrJhL5_GtZIn0liMEpkRfnlGze5x150uPyg1mOO2iaPsKM9lxcl6dU7Ztq8Hg-7rXEUfNrDfkG4pyNa8H1uTNuizgivz9N9FwTVtcr4GGT0M6xE3TQV8gja2L6GQaqlwPJsE7N/s200/view+from+room.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248861368715812642" /></a><br /></div><div>But I am getting a little ahead of myself. We got up way too early and were on our way to the airport by 8:00 AM. Anna Kathryn was excited about her first plane ride, in between spying on the other travelers and charming everyone around her. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63pofpSaIRqtrz289Qz72Z8QSKFckm4il3-Qdphra-otS21w5gGm-e8hNpJ_KjRlwSFjxTdBBSJnYMKc6eNYjVozxTS0JIWg5VBKRx3v0ahwd0Jab0UebG7RavTFgSaXfZoT8x-SwGtf3/s1600-h/on+the+luggage.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63pofpSaIRqtrz289Qz72Z8QSKFckm4il3-Qdphra-otS21w5gGm-e8hNpJ_KjRlwSFjxTdBBSJnYMKc6eNYjVozxTS0JIWg5VBKRx3v0ahwd0Jab0UebG7RavTFgSaXfZoT8x-SwGtf3/s200/on+the+luggage.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248862869970388834" /></a><br /></div><div>Here we go to Guangzhou!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0QXNHQ-sYX5xwD9G0sHSOIxIaZsgqlL4nUSbt8yMBFy1ehD4n7EoaDZXI5O0dtRouCh59EeJcHBEUhz02IM3fzsbrfNyj14XB85h4xEaBT0OSFz8l6umGKhBEjETW7Elq6s38peVQoL9/s1600-h/GZ+sign.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0QXNHQ-sYX5xwD9G0sHSOIxIaZsgqlL4nUSbt8yMBFy1ehD4n7EoaDZXI5O0dtRouCh59EeJcHBEUhz02IM3fzsbrfNyj14XB85h4xEaBT0OSFz8l6umGKhBEjETW7Elq6s38peVQoL9/s200/GZ+sign.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248862355794248978" /></a><br /></div><div>She did really well on the flight: ate a bunch of digestive biscuits that were the in-flight snack, played the drop-the-toy game (especially fun in Coach seating), and was basically cheerful until the last 10 minutes. Then she wailed until I fed her some Puff snacks. When I tried to put away the Puffs, the wailing resumed. The Puffs reappeared. Final score: Baby 1, Mom 0. I would love to think that the flight home would go that smoothly...</div><div><br /></div><div>This was the other, VERY welcoming sign for slightly homesick and weary travelers. Guess where we ate lunch?</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsWkiQFHOG_jEdYtwf2bg025jIKUyL_FlC_bW1fU8k3m_JX-E6VJcIqaAIadUyV-q1LO71e-6FJvaBVcy9YsmobCoEEB7lcRYw5N7rNpo_rPbWRQ1KKOWl8Vh9Ric4VbulqQIwJbxhEto/s1600-h/Mcdonalds.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsWkiQFHOG_jEdYtwf2bg025jIKUyL_FlC_bW1fU8k3m_JX-E6VJcIqaAIadUyV-q1LO71e-6FJvaBVcy9YsmobCoEEB7lcRYw5N7rNpo_rPbWRQ1KKOWl8Vh9Ric4VbulqQIwJbxhEto/s200/Mcdonalds.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248860891713314082" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And it was delicious. My dessert, a peach sundae, was particularly tasty. The fries were nice and salty, too. Yum. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anna Kathryn introduced herself to a new friend:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQYHwKwoFJKX9CKxVwrpjHGLTXKP6S1ihHgwtZwjObTcGpoyt94dzGeEQQ9HHpMpsDYXTxFK02JxCCXATz_GVP0CMhNp7MbTmciXviEnCNi1rYwBlRL4lmFJsUcVMM5O3WSfViCiO8Muu/s1600-h/Ronald.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQYHwKwoFJKX9CKxVwrpjHGLTXKP6S1ihHgwtZwjObTcGpoyt94dzGeEQQ9HHpMpsDYXTxFK02JxCCXATz_GVP0CMhNp7MbTmciXviEnCNi1rYwBlRL4lmFJsUcVMM5O3WSfViCiO8Muu/s200/Ronald.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248860326966125858" /></a><br /></div><div>I took a major nap when we got back to the hotel after lunch. So did Anna Kathryn. When we got up, it was almost dinnertime. As I said, we enjoyed the amazing city views from the revolving restaurant. My camera wasn't able to capture the city lights at night, but it did capture this shot of Anna Kathryn trying chocolate ice cream for the first time. </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YSn1W5H3CDlOi3DD6omRfO9tNOFGKIQw1e9HtUHS1g8bdYjBycnRJDmXSWI9dwcpueCno-UZ6zhMT2cB2lEiy9TPaPdmjvig8rb3mVfYYJokE5t5lW-UnHzbGA_oBkUgeFcQAuryHbpc/s1600-h/ice+cream.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YSn1W5H3CDlOi3DD6omRfO9tNOFGKIQw1e9HtUHS1g8bdYjBycnRJDmXSWI9dwcpueCno-UZ6zhMT2cB2lEiy9TPaPdmjvig8rb3mVfYYJokE5t5lW-UnHzbGA_oBkUgeFcQAuryHbpc/s200/ice+cream.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248859829663932322" /></a></div><div>Apparently she is not a fan. Not yet, anyway. At least we didn't give her the sesame flavor. (Which was not bad, by the way. Mark asked what it tasted like and I said there is really no comparison.)</div><div><br /></div><div>There were a few extra kisses to make up for the torture of ice cream. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pIkaK4qSkxRFmkONsPoS3ksT_BgVq6_NycTynqrn6dzDWHRFs54AQHLMGnS2dggvk0K1js9rILeZrS_N28bLnrlXqHwfOTwuDVzVitByYJ5euSCNWb-Jsjf-oxyrPS4UoFMekqSE_geE/s1600-h/giggle.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pIkaK4qSkxRFmkONsPoS3ksT_BgVq6_NycTynqrn6dzDWHRFs54AQHLMGnS2dggvk0K1js9rILeZrS_N28bLnrlXqHwfOTwuDVzVitByYJ5euSCNWb-Jsjf-oxyrPS4UoFMekqSE_geE/s200/giggle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248859394710451330" /></a></div><div>Our fun dinner ended when I realized that when AK squirmed around on my lap, and ended up on her tummy, she spit up the aforementioned chocolate ice cream into the front pocket of my Vera Bradley hipster purse. Which I discovered when I reached into the pocket for the room key or something. Nice. Thank goodness for baby wipes. They can get practically any stain out. I think the purse will survive relatively unscathed, fortunately. I love, love, love it, even after wearing it daily for two weeks. But seriously, I really couldn't be too upset-- not with that grin. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow is our paperwork party, where "we" (me) get to fill out and gather all the paperwork and stuff needed for the US Consulate, to get AK's travel visa for the trip home and her immigration papers in order. Fun, fun. It's going to be great when we are FINALLY done with the paperwork. After that, not sure of the schedule... sightseeing and shopping, perhaps? </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night from China!</div><div><br /></div><div>PS-- Susannah (pictured in the blog button in the sidebar) and her parents and grandmother are flying home to the States tomorrow!! We are so thankful and relieved, and praying that the long flight will go well for her. Mark, AK and I got to visit for a few minutes this evening with the family and it was great to see Susannah looking so cute and feeling better. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-4181001759824651762008-09-21T02:37:00.000-04:002008-09-21T07:33:53.668-04:00Days 9 and 10-- At the Zoo (and the Park)<div>We have developed a nice little routine with Anna Kathryn. Up around 7 (depending on how she slept). Breakfast at the hotel buffet: an egg, rice or congee, fruit, banana bread, and more. This girl can really put away the groceries! I think today she ate almost as much as I did. Then we head back to our room for a bottle and an outfit change (breakfast is usually a messy meal) before heading out. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, this picture tells the whole story; Anna Kathryn enjoyed a big helping of prune baby food with her dinner. We were trying to "help things along"-- and it worked!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_gT4oKItILHcHVyxbYFARdCta8mbopCrVCr_WZaLEOcLnHEChf3y3lPZtgsyoTvzHx-mA_DEA1hjxfua5fhd2a2QTMDogcEsxLYRLjOxV_Hx-CoGx46ff5CSvhsaT6F2M4nW2czl2T5L/s1600-h/Pruneface.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_gT4oKItILHcHVyxbYFARdCta8mbopCrVCr_WZaLEOcLnHEChf3y3lPZtgsyoTvzHx-mA_DEA1hjxfua5fhd2a2QTMDogcEsxLYRLjOxV_Hx-CoGx46ff5CSvhsaT6F2M4nW2czl2T5L/s200/Pruneface.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248385442136649026" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Most days we have gone out between 10-1 for an excursion, and then back to the room to cool off and for her nap (and sometimes one for Mom and Dad). Afternoon is playtime, followed by an early dinner, bath, bed. Two times we have been able to talk online with my parents and sister, and that has been very fun, although AK is so busy hamming it up she goes to bed rather late those nights. </div><div><br /></div><div>She is already changing and gaining new skills every day! The first day we had her, she hated tummy time, couldn't roll over, and couldn't stay upright when we'd sit her up. Playtime is on the king-sized bed in our hotel room, so she has a soft place to land (the feather comforter helps. Hope they plan to wash that thing when we leave, since we have, ahem, done a lot of living on it over the past 6 days!). </div><div><br /></div><div> Now she rolls over like a champ, is sitting up more steadily, and trying to creep-- or crawl; I can't remember the difference right now. Today she spent some time digging things out of her diaper bag, which is about as big as she is. Tummy time with daddy and mommy is lots of fun! </div><div><br /></div><div>The other night we introduced her to the Wonderful World of Books. The librarian in me is so proud of her-- she just loved her book. Granted, she enjoyed chewing it more than reading it, but that's to be expected. </div><div><br /></div><div>What is this new and marvelous thing?</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJ1AFq3PRos1UkXBlumUmNamjAaB9RYOsNLuCMq8LIugGopVXevYmKCq5n3ctPACcyBv3QrNIH3GT-4dFt4sd_i_ChUhqCXEa8iWLY4uP1kRsPjq0sysg7c06OpRZRNsYq4GRj4Iz7gFp/s1600-h/book+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJ1AFq3PRos1UkXBlumUmNamjAaB9RYOsNLuCMq8LIugGopVXevYmKCq5n3ctPACcyBv3QrNIH3GT-4dFt4sd_i_ChUhqCXEa8iWLY4uP1kRsPjq0sysg7c06OpRZRNsYq4GRj4Iz7gFp/s200/book+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248387069165214210" /></a>I love books!!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHrYssUkTOhFsVeWnexcEEts8MSfL0UMNVPDkEZwctz_cAqYHWB_VPCj-HrpaYBQVFlHfIzqYD02bi7AXlOSlYu2THM6bYr74zT4Y3AVo4PsaxzfX_vgBhFsUCuCUF7ojZaFlRfIVIgLx/s1600-h/book+3+smile.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHrYssUkTOhFsVeWnexcEEts8MSfL0UMNVPDkEZwctz_cAqYHWB_VPCj-HrpaYBQVFlHfIzqYD02bi7AXlOSlYu2THM6bYr74zT4Y3AVo4PsaxzfX_vgBhFsUCuCUF7ojZaFlRfIVIgLx/s200/book+3+smile.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248387910664992034" /></a><br /></div><div>Her strong will is evident. When she wants something, she goes after it with single-minded determination. If she is not in favor of something, she will screech and bat her hands at the offending object/washcloth/diaper/etc. Today she took the shortest nap ever-- 25 minutes in Wal-Mart and in the van on the way back to the hotel after a busy morning. Considering that there were a million or so people at the Wal-Mart, the fact that she could sleep at all was impressive. We got back to the room, she woke up, and all other attempts to put her down were futile. </div><div><br /></div><div>She howled in her crib and then caught me peeking at her between the slats. Instant grin. </div><div><br /></div><div>Daddy tried to rock her to sleep. Wailing ensues. Daddy turns her upright. Smiles and laughter. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are pushovers. What can I say? We've waited a long time to do this much spoiling.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, yeah, we've also done some sightseeing around Nanchang, despite the nearly 100 degree (humidity to match) temps. Nanchang is a bustling city, somewhat industrial, but with nice public areas and plenty of shopping. Also, many KFCs. We haven't sampled that yet, but the pepperoni pizza we got from Pizza Hut yesterday was quite tasty. It came with a side of ketchup!</div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday we went to the zoo with our guide. The zoo was bigger and had more animals than I expected. It is definitely different from an American zoo: there were some species I wasnt too familiar with, and the animal pens are mostly concrete with little or no natural habitat spaces. Still, they seemed reasonable well cared for, and the animal acts were highly entertaining. Very much like what you'd expect at the circus. </div><div><br /></div><div> Anna Kathryn paid more attention to the crowds of kids with their families, but Mark and I enjoyed the animal acts a lot. She did enjoy watching the fish.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq1u_HldzFdvFdz3MF9PyDLSqZa-qsCXV1fPu6poNyJszWnzGLx5bf3Olnfvsfg64dQlGGwveKE4I2beGjjkVPI9UCTgKN0o5QHJsqW69XzZ41oz0J6h5kDBZLpLr5xmrsK1v2pAXPqcB/s1600-h/with+the+fish.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq1u_HldzFdvFdz3MF9PyDLSqZa-qsCXV1fPu6poNyJszWnzGLx5bf3Olnfvsfg64dQlGGwveKE4I2beGjjkVPI9UCTgKN0o5QHJsqW69XzZ41oz0J6h5kDBZLpLr5xmrsK1v2pAXPqcB/s200/with+the+fish.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248383721602652418" /></a> Mark couldn't resist feeding a frenzied group of giant goldfish.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb3ssRc6sUElcChvtWFVEc5-fGJ4kcpqjIQxSU3ZndvDciwT6va7cKTT2Rsc4KC9886aXDQTOetJYu7KfUWAJoTiFnao1n6d_ZQZiCTNG-RMcx5Xo84MNbUqNztmg8vakCyyadYho03C7/s1600-h/fish+frenzy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb3ssRc6sUElcChvtWFVEc5-fGJ4kcpqjIQxSU3ZndvDciwT6va7cKTT2Rsc4KC9886aXDQTOetJYu7KfUWAJoTiFnao1n6d_ZQZiCTNG-RMcx5Xo84MNbUqNztmg8vakCyyadYho03C7/s200/fish+frenzy.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248388907297048210" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>First we saw the sea lion show, then we went to the big animal show. We saw monkeys walk a tightrope and ride bike, a bear that did tricks on hanging rings, and a goat that walked the tightrope with a monkey on its back. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This pony and tiger trick was pretty amazing, too: </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvbU2K-tCIIBao-p-HmOdbdG2FiRsxg1U0ueh_dp7YJis4Yct7omJ_cU1AO4NAIUYs8Ns2-1R2Mmbdk8nD5bWN4S1Cm-rZCBPtZzE4qRJwS-Y_hYirVV0fLXU1fzQFlarY2EObO_fNO4A/s1600-h/tiger+and+pony.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvbU2K-tCIIBao-p-HmOdbdG2FiRsxg1U0ueh_dp7YJis4Yct7omJ_cU1AO4NAIUYs8Ns2-1R2Mmbdk8nD5bWN4S1Cm-rZCBPtZzE4qRJwS-Y_hYirVV0fLXU1fzQFlarY2EObO_fNO4A/s200/tiger+and+pony.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248381509374053730" /></a>Anna Kathryn and Mark got up close and personal with a bear.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrFQPOJYsdmT-HdJIEWiHxPGc3xCj7C87yLjfdpjDvV_ZvYCjE6cdWSNSq-bR3cUK4bGGE7amZWu15-eH79z6fOFmZ-TL3dDMxlkRz_Fg-NeUJJ1y0o58uIJyC-xAWyv0nP6XwUf_S2OB/s1600-h/Ak+and+bear.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrFQPOJYsdmT-HdJIEWiHxPGc3xCj7C87yLjfdpjDvV_ZvYCjE6cdWSNSq-bR3cUK4bGGE7amZWu15-eH79z6fOFmZ-TL3dDMxlkRz_Fg-NeUJJ1y0o58uIJyC-xAWyv0nP6XwUf_S2OB/s200/Ak+and+bear.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248378071756781586" /></a>The zoo is cool (even if we are sweaty)!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDabbMd3382Dk8WtjA0X-woBjlOVxGbC-aCpAIy5RcSxYqI-AXk22254cMM4HuvU6zRJcxvwOFIvw39EX3JnCCB-HotNBaiHtTuD2BeoO4NfGKvueVkqtMTyIonnAHjZQu-TDt-JPjfBl/s1600-h/family+at+zoo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDabbMd3382Dk8WtjA0X-woBjlOVxGbC-aCpAIy5RcSxYqI-AXk22254cMM4HuvU6zRJcxvwOFIvw39EX3JnCCB-HotNBaiHtTuD2BeoO4NfGKvueVkqtMTyIonnAHjZQu-TDt-JPjfBl/s200/family+at+zoo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248376457431310114" /></a><br /></div><div>Today (Sunday) we went, along with the England family, to the local park. We strolled the shady paths, watched people exercise and do tai chi, and listened to a little Peking opera.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mark and Anna Kathryn were mesmerized by the sounds of Chinese music. We saw one couple where the wife was singing, and the husband played a 2-stringed violin. Another man, a musician and teacher, played his instrument, and people would wait in line to sing impromptu duets with him. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluZJsfhLNb94E2xIRE6Fc5irpglXIH7YxRXoF36WJH2nx1MFDxdDDBsCkTbXvEZph8TxXRXmKB_l8eu0I7u6Mh8iH_yTaU_IfzAtaWGfWMA_b62kpJsUL6c7SMqr2RQwW97AObCeGu2A2/s1600-h/park+opera.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluZJsfhLNb94E2xIRE6Fc5irpglXIH7YxRXoF36WJH2nx1MFDxdDDBsCkTbXvEZph8TxXRXmKB_l8eu0I7u6Mh8iH_yTaU_IfzAtaWGfWMA_b62kpJsUL6c7SMqr2RQwW97AObCeGu2A2/s200/park+opera.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248392601911415026" /></a></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDk2VbEq-0h-UvOLViCBsc1SBTsLOORSs6vY2IGWgsUh1Gx5-rSMRT2_xefSQ_48QjwxvTlqbzqMU6jMQLitwBUSIx3YSL9j74-MrDHaXXQutSHx9OW5MbN_BJTxyKv11nmklKqb_ASGa/s1600-h/listening.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDk2VbEq-0h-UvOLViCBsc1SBTsLOORSs6vY2IGWgsUh1Gx5-rSMRT2_xefSQ_48QjwxvTlqbzqMU6jMQLitwBUSIx3YSL9j74-MrDHaXXQutSHx9OW5MbN_BJTxyKv11nmklKqb_ASGa/s200/listening.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248366420747002674" /></a><br />Sunday morning in the Park...</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAirivlkNKGJgIZbCO10M5ePJRFpklqQ64FkxzzHVEe_AsthMDnmfarTvN6XazITz9TBC3of7SjZdCPR26ebuvddSMf9APfaImFvIAIKkf7s8mSYEA20i8eWbN8CnYkyM2obCuwLqNpM-Z/s1600-h/mom+%26+Ak+park.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAirivlkNKGJgIZbCO10M5ePJRFpklqQ64FkxzzHVEe_AsthMDnmfarTvN6XazITz9TBC3of7SjZdCPR26ebuvddSMf9APfaImFvIAIKkf7s8mSYEA20i8eWbN8CnYkyM2obCuwLqNpM-Z/s200/mom+%26+Ak+park.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248367456219349506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRo0MPdCroo-hiErs8NZrY4xuoqqr_bP4dSOQGuRmg8Nln_shQySmAGAt2z7pzNcmMJ1tExaUSu-dVyiP88SLfLLchEU57ILpPu6HS5HEzMiWuxwxG2JGnoGlmKh2j1lfyUVnsgTGVHIn/s1600-h/family+at+park.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRo0MPdCroo-hiErs8NZrY4xuoqqr_bP4dSOQGuRmg8Nln_shQySmAGAt2z7pzNcmMJ1tExaUSu-dVyiP88SLfLLchEU57ILpPu6HS5HEzMiWuxwxG2JGnoGlmKh2j1lfyUVnsgTGVHIn/s200/family+at+park.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248364991019205282" /></a>We also went to "Porcelain Street", filled with shops full of Jiangxi's famous and gorgeous hand-painted porcelain. Jiangxi province is famous for this. Mark and I planned to get a tea set for Anna Kathryn and some gifts for others, so we had fun shopping! We wrapped up the day with a trip to Wal-Mart. It looked a lot like Wal-Mart at home, only it was 2 stories and FULL of shoppers. I was thrilled to find Maybelline eyeliner and Coca-cola Light. There were even rollbacks:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJznZ82xCnHElbj2RFHptQFamjzfMYgAW55KJjKdD3l0ggmTytJOBj6NQQapWdoS8QP2zOorOQVnxwa9yixnRCUzIx4pf7O7P8sh1naaHfI3fOw5LLsaPxWdFYbPFyM31BNEZs-leqfF7/s1600-h/IMG_0847.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJznZ82xCnHElbj2RFHptQFamjzfMYgAW55KJjKdD3l0ggmTytJOBj6NQQapWdoS8QP2zOorOQVnxwa9yixnRCUzIx4pf7O7P8sh1naaHfI3fOw5LLsaPxWdFYbPFyM31BNEZs-leqfF7/s200/IMG_0847.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248391409336744130" /></a><br /></div><div>First trip to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. It will not be her last!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9_zCxZlcyBzg2wsL1KOBnJFSF1AFdw1Gsi3_B6FyQeSlzBOHUZh9Yxu_CI1h9xqdRXqGMQjPrSWs_LbRs8DU6NVBlfI-wnao8NbPCj_A2GNXWywX5flfj9esitB5QouRrE9-Vg9a8-O1/s1600-h/first+walmart+trip.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9_zCxZlcyBzg2wsL1KOBnJFSF1AFdw1Gsi3_B6FyQeSlzBOHUZh9Yxu_CI1h9xqdRXqGMQjPrSWs_LbRs8DU6NVBlfI-wnao8NbPCj_A2GNXWywX5flfj9esitB5QouRrE9-Vg9a8-O1/s200/first+walmart+trip.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248363036910996018" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I was determined to get pictures into this post, and I succeeded!! It only took about 2 hours, off and on, to load all these shots. I hope it will be easier to blog (and I'll be more consistent) in Guangzhou, our next and final stop in China. In case you hadn't already noticed our itinerary has changed several times along the way. The latest is that we are leaving for the airport at 8 AM tomorrow, instead of 3 PM, and Sally is working hard today to get Anna Kathryn's passport in hand by the end of the day today. </div><div><br /></div><div>BTW: Even though the post date says Saturday, I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon, China time. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have enjoyed our time in Nanchang, and are grateful to have experienced a little bit of life here so that we can share these stories with Anna Kathryn as she grows up. However, we are excited to be heading to Guangzhou, reuniting with our travel buddies, and finishing the US end of the paperwork. </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night from China!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-69775798449409886112008-09-18T23:54:00.000-04:002008-09-19T07:56:05.985-04:00Day 7 and 8-- Hamming it up in Nanchang<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRMyIc5uFPHw_GhdIdyHEJEIf0zqFprgIDFp7e8qKq-EhIl0k9leQK1cKIO7pl4-Oi33hoIImaOnuMdIhepanVWbi6rOAOH6AZk3TN96eT7MU6AFvGrx5Noo1ag8lC2YRoThVMavg8y3s/s1600-h/AKham+1JPG.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRMyIc5uFPHw_GhdIdyHEJEIf0zqFprgIDFp7e8qKq-EhIl0k9leQK1cKIO7pl4-Oi33hoIImaOnuMdIhepanVWbi6rOAOH6AZk3TN96eT7MU6AFvGrx5Noo1ag8lC2YRoThVMavg8y3s/s320/AKham+1JPG.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247600879995149794" /></a><br />Well, we have had to take life a little slower the past day or two. I succumbed to a bit of "traveler's tummy" and a general exhaustion yesterday. That's why there was no new post-- I slept every chance I got. Both Anna Kathryn and I took long naps yesterday! Thankfully, Mark is feeling fine, so he took on a lot of the baby duty yesterday. Anna Kathryn is still adjusting well, but the nighttime is the hardest for her. She has been waking up crying and I think a little scared. We spend time soothing and comforting, and usually after a lot of this and a bottle, she get the message that it is time for sleep, not play. In the morning she always wakes up with a big smile on her face. This, of course, makes our day!<br /><br />Still, we didn't want to waste our time here, so we headed out Thursday morning to visit the Tengwang pavilion, Nanchung's top historic sight. This pavilion has been built and rebuilt 29 times since 653 AD. It was originally built for a Tang Dynasty prince who was governor of Nanchang, and was later immortalized in a lovely poem by a Tang-era poet. Despite the wilting heat and humidity, we toured the gardens surrounding the pavilion, then saw a short performance of song and dance on the top floor. We worked our way back down the 7 or 8 stories, looking at the beautiful artwork, the views of the Gan river and the city, and the lovely Chinese architecture.<br /><br />We have already learned that Anna Kathryn is a total ham (much like her cousin Emily) and LOVES to have her picture taken. She also tends to attract a crowd wherever we go. People come up and chatter with her, touch her, and tell us (via our guide/translator) what a beautiful and lucky baby she is. It's nice that the Chinese people we have met all seem to be happy to see babies adopted, and the general attitude is that adopted babies will have a very good life with loving parents and opportunities for education. Education is prized here, since compulsory education only goes to ninth grade and only about 5 % of Chinese citizens get to go to university.<br /><br />We have been enjoying spending time with other American families here in Nanchang. It's always very obvious who they are (Caucasians toting around small Chinese children, speaking English), and we tend to flock together, since we are all in the same boat here. It helps with the homesickness to be able to swap stories, play with the babies, share formula, medicine, and peanut butter (that, and more Ziploc bags, are the only two things I wish I had here. I actually dreamed about peanut butter last night. And I'm really not a big PB person, but it just tastes like home.). We have become friendly with a family from Spokane, Washington who adopted a 19-month old named Brianna, and met another family from Illinois this morning. <div><br /></div><div>We are also enjoying getting to know the other AWAA family here with us, Jim and Sherri England, Their daughter, MelodyRose, is only 3 weeks younger than Anna Kathryn, and it's fun to see all of the similarities between the girls. They have had a bigger adjustment, I think, since they arrived in China the same morning we got the babies. So they are dealing with culture shock, jet lag, and new parenthood all at once. We have had a good time during our daily excursions, at dinner, and playing "Frogger" as we brave crossing the crazy Nanchang traffic.<br /><br />Today (Friday) we toured a farming village a few miles outside of Nanchang. It was a good thing for us to see because the chances are that Anna Kathryn's birthparents were farmers, or lived in a similar community. Since we won't be able to travel to Anna Kathryn's hometown, this is the next best thing. Sally told us that everyone in the village has the same last name, Jiang (I think), and that the young men go to the city to work, since farming earns only about $600 USD per year. She said that we would mostly see women, children, and elderly people. The village was extremely poor-- the kind of poverty we just do not see in the USA. However, the people did seem happy and most everyone was friendly. One man, who was busy butchering a pig, did shoo Mark away as he approached to ask if he could take a picture. I'm sure we were the big entertainment of the day! Several older ladies followed us around as we walked through the streets. It was humbling to realize how much we take for granted in our own lives. I have been struggling with just boiling water and doing baby laundry in the tub, but I have it so easy compared with washing clothes in the lake, cooking on a wood-burning stove, and washing dishes in a pan on my front porch as these mothers do. One of the grandmothers of the village-- 80 years old and still goes out in the fields to work regularly-- asked to hold Anna Kathryn and just delighted in her. Babies translate in any culture. <br /><br />I wish I could post all-- or many more -- of our pictures from yesterday and today. We have some great ones! But Blogger is not willing to upload for me today. It took an hour and multiple attempts to post the one. Grrr. I know that's what y'all are looking for, and believe me, I wish I could deliver! I'll try again later on to see if I can edit this post and add more pictures. <div><br /></div><div>For now, good night from China!</div><div><br /></div><div>PS-- Little Susannah is doing better, but is still quite sick. So far, the provincial officials have not been willing to expedite the paperwork for her to be adopted and released early, but please keep praying for this family and situation. She is holding her own, and that is a miracle! <br /><br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-71397593860655118252008-09-17T03:19:00.000-04:002008-09-17T04:34:34.236-04:00Day 6- Getting to Know Anna Kathryn<div>It's been about 29 hours since Anna Kathryn was placed in our arms and we are having a ball getting to know her. Some highlights:<br /></div><div><ul><li>She doesn't have teeth yet! I guess our update was wrong. But we think she is going to cut one soon, because she chews on everything. I loved the sensation of her little gums sucking on my finger in the van yesterday (guess which rookie mama forgot to pack a pacifier?)</li><li>She is definitely active. She loves to play "airplane" and romp with Mark. She also loves looking at the baby in the mirror and making faces (see the picture below). </li><li>She's been fighting sleep and nap time. Not sure yet if this is a personality thing, an overstimulation thing, or an attachment thing. We are trying to follow her lead on this. Today's nap didn't happen until we put her in the crib and left her alone. I think laying on the bed with mommy and daddy made her think it was still playtime!</li><li>She has rolled with all of the firsts: restaurant, hotel, night away from the orphanage, shopping trip to a local grocery store, stroll down the street-- where she attracted lots of smiles and attention from the other shoppers. </li><li>She has no trouble telling us "no"-- she makes a hilarious stubborn face and fake cries (no tears) </li><li>She does <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">not</span> like to be on her tummy. This is a major cause of fake crying, and the occasional real tear. She can stand, but she is wobbly, and has to hold tight to us. She hasn't shown us if she can crawl yet, due to the tummy aversion. She is also wobbly when she sits up on her own (and has fallen over on the bed a few times). I think we have a few developmental milestones to work on.</li><li>We call her "Bo Di" or "Di Di" (her nickname at the orphanage) and sometimes she will look at us when we say it. We say Anna Kathryn too, but she doesn't recognize that one yet. </li><li>Her eyes gleam when she sees food. (Chip off the old block, eh?) The bottle, especially, although she has eagerly chowed down on fruit, congee, banana, oranges, bread, eggs... By the way, the formula she has been fed is not the brand involved in the tainted formula problem here, thankfully. </li><li>She has us wrapped around her finger and much prefers to be held to anything else (bed, chair, stroller). She smiles, laughs, giggles, and looks at us. We are so thankful for this, since we have been praying that the attachment process will go well for her. It's still a process, but she looks for us if we are not nearby (for example, if one of us steps into the bathroom to fix a bottle, or to go get food at the breakfast buffet). This is a good sign!</li></ul></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">More pictures from late Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning:</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The mirror game is super-fun!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbrjt0BiviicoKgjLIJ_JCAE3tC2Wz7PUKfB5xyGI_gCpyXD-ZKMNj2bxqHOQhk8widW6mj_xj_H-tkOojo6eBBZLJQLB9zTx0P9e9EkyyUS5-2mehDV6fnhIfaIK_tgSyC2aZkN0sQq5/s1600-h/mirrorgame.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbrjt0BiviicoKgjLIJ_JCAE3tC2Wz7PUKfB5xyGI_gCpyXD-ZKMNj2bxqHOQhk8widW6mj_xj_H-tkOojo6eBBZLJQLB9zTx0P9e9EkyyUS5-2mehDV6fnhIfaIK_tgSyC2aZkN0sQq5/s320/mirrorgame.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246894719564742066" /></a>Playing before bedtime<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklYPmWE-ubDm6ybOTexQvIg-nLsrFAYr6k7KxTRw-bdpT1O1lsahrKNksHNkV4Y0k8lwMB8AgdE5PfymzmficrWxCL5uV0CPN_dgwisoYMnqsSHzpyz3ZxJ9d8EJc_usa119tTHGdPnQn/s1600-h/bedtime+play.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklYPmWE-ubDm6ybOTexQvIg-nLsrFAYr6k7KxTRw-bdpT1O1lsahrKNksHNkV4Y0k8lwMB8AgdE5PfymzmficrWxCL5uV0CPN_dgwisoYMnqsSHzpyz3ZxJ9d8EJc_usa119tTHGdPnQn/s320/bedtime+play.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893453181915186" /></a>Hi to everyone in America!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FRTXQbe1CcvaBqBMT5zMyvumk0im3xahyphenhypheninVHqOKQKzsJtV84jcuQ89mxuhB24_OkD4YS6xwjqNTWOxdcJ-ufw2XXGyRr7AiHBYWuRkDfgceJrpfocxHs5uwp-CihmnH86xCeIbfuBd1/s1600-h/AK+and+mom+wave.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FRTXQbe1CcvaBqBMT5zMyvumk0im3xahyphenhypheninVHqOKQKzsJtV84jcuQ89mxuhB24_OkD4YS6xwjqNTWOxdcJ-ufw2XXGyRr7AiHBYWuRkDfgceJrpfocxHs5uwp-CihmnH86xCeIbfuBd1/s320/AK+and+mom+wave.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246892556871311426" /></a>Good morning, sunshine!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-rntdfohxSGm9kmtajQE-TWQhYvKxgYN5RaL2FwJy8g-Xi4KdyVDXeVwCy62EU8nJYXCxgfqIDBSy2ByGs-iKdhs4ax_hQgqGne1peC8sO2j7YanEUr1JtbxkFN1y8MgF0-fZwuN2_s7/s1600-h/AK+and+mom.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-rntdfohxSGm9kmtajQE-TWQhYvKxgYN5RaL2FwJy8g-Xi4KdyVDXeVwCy62EU8nJYXCxgfqIDBSy2ByGs-iKdhs4ax_hQgqGne1peC8sO2j7YanEUr1JtbxkFN1y8MgF0-fZwuN2_s7/s320/AK+and+mom.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246891376648718818" /></a>Our first breakfast together. Daddy helped her sample the breakfast buffet.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQHnK2BjfyZrhCJZxUeLUKDbhmUoqXdu6DyqLF-oM_Ar5woImPJNhmUetuyb5joZLk0geVZc64DgydhN1GnZ_oMqRhRdAYgHtg3yrZsyY6VcIzZyN-GKpmHoK8PkxCTudqFvjNM5Pf5py/s1600-h/breakfast+with+daddy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQHnK2BjfyZrhCJZxUeLUKDbhmUoqXdu6DyqLF-oM_Ar5woImPJNhmUetuyb5joZLk0geVZc64DgydhN1GnZ_oMqRhRdAYgHtg3yrZsyY6VcIzZyN-GKpmHoK8PkxCTudqFvjNM5Pf5py/s320/breakfast+with+daddy.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246890158750395890" /></a>Here is the bathroom counter, post-baby. Boiling water for every bottle and all dishwashing is more labor-intensive than we realize (the water is not drinkable for anyone. We've bought bottled but try to use that more for drinking and formula.) This area is the kitchen and laundry room, too. There is a clothesline that strings across the bathtub-- perfect for small baby things. Living with a baby in a hotel room is definitely interesting!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMJQDsIYg6ZdV7V45mEEd8PIIjVizQzeP9hC8hFJw25YuAwjXdUVnZNEw3WpHgVZd2aZt_fg3QkITZxnYEr4GNrDergIVoN7TWS6npNEnICNhmBG_Y0BgOx6iJtPfZrlwN0c0UFdRzNx3/s1600-h/bathroom+mess.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMJQDsIYg6ZdV7V45mEEd8PIIjVizQzeP9hC8hFJw25YuAwjXdUVnZNEw3WpHgVZd2aZt_fg3QkITZxnYEr4GNrDergIVoN7TWS6npNEnICNhmBG_Y0BgOx6iJtPfZrlwN0c0UFdRzNx3/s320/bathroom+mess.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246888936054768530" /></a><br />Well, I probably should be napping along with Anna Kathryn, but am enjoying some computer time instead. Today has been very relaxed, since we got pretty much all of the official business out of the way yesterday. We slept in a little, after our 3 AM wake up call from Anna Kathryn. Once she fell back to sleep, she slept hard until 8:30 AM, when we woke her up for breakfast. <div><br /></div><div>After breakfast, we went shopping with our guide in the pedestrian district and went to the grocery store for diapers, water, and hairspray (mine was confiscated in the security checkpoint at the airport, despite being in my small Ziploc baggie. A sad moment, indeed.). I was so busy checking on Anna Kathryn in the stroller and chatting with Sally that I forgot to take pictures. I'll have to get some on the next outing. After the heat and crowds, we were kinda glad to return to the hotel for lunch for Anna Kathryn and then a nap. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today we entrusted a week's worth of dirty clothes to one of the local laundries, arranged by our guide. It takes a certain level of trust to give practically every stitch you brought to a stranger, who just zips them in his suitcase and heads out. At least he had an official looking form in both English and Chinese I filled out. I am picky about my laundry, but also desperate and down to the last clean shirt! I pray that everything comes back in one piece tomorrow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mark is waking up our little sunshine, so I've got to go. We race to the computer first thing in the morning (and afternoon, and so on...) to read comments and e-mail. Even if we don't respond to all of them, please know that we love you all and appreciate every note and comment from home. </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night from China!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-91157254709720341222008-09-16T16:55:00.000-04:002008-09-16T18:05:05.922-04:00Day 5: Forever Family DayWe left for Nanchang late Monday afternoon after a much-needed and appreciated day of rest. The flight to Nanchang was about 2 hours, on China Eastern Airlines. I wish I'd remembered to snap a photo of the gate. We had a little extra time before the flight, so we stopped for a snack. It was Black Forest cake, and it was the first time I'd had chocolate in almost a week. I'd have a picture for you, but I ate it too fast. Plus, unlike in Beijing, where Blogger uploaded my photos with lightning-like speed, here in Nanchang it is taking about 5 minutes per picture. So I am going to have to edit this down to the good stuff: Gotcha Day (that's why you are all reading this anyway. Who cares about cake? ).<br /><br />Here we are, about to say goodbye to the group and our tour bus. It was hard to leave all of these folks who have turned into friends already. I'm glad we'll be meeting again in Guangzhou.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirE7bry7R235SwPRBVJ-bwxQxjGF82ZyiFG47MoLq1urDiUE1arWrUnSJJyL8zF9X4FYFtYw_SfIm2qoFicWu1Rr4q7fWSP4tMPVTQvSsoYSFN3EEdd2CsabSiZ7YQYUOEfem1PrYBm1m6/s1600-h/Leaving+Beijing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirE7bry7R235SwPRBVJ-bwxQxjGF82ZyiFG47MoLq1urDiUE1arWrUnSJJyL8zF9X4FYFtYw_SfIm2qoFicWu1Rr4q7fWSP4tMPVTQvSsoYSFN3EEdd2CsabSiZ7YQYUOEfem1PrYBm1m6/s320/Leaving+Beijing.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246728414662016322" /></a>We got to Nanchang just fine, met our guide, Sally, and headed for the Gloria Grand Hotel. It's nicer than the one in Beijing. We learned that they would bring Anna Kathryn to us at the hotel around 11:30 AM. The butterflies began. The only thing to do was go to bed so tomorrow would come quicker!<br /><br />In the morning, we went and ate (somehow, I managed to scarf down a lot of breakfast). We met another American family in the restaurant -- which is, strangely, a German-style restaurant-- who had their new daughter with them. They were so nice and even shared some Chinese formula with us, since we hadn't made it to the grocery store yet and didn't want to leave our hotel in case the group from the orphanage came early. We got a crib, stroller, and baby bathtub delivered to our room, watched a little CNN, and checked e-mail while we waited.<div><br /></div><div>At 11:15 AM, we heard a knock at the door. And after all the years of waiting, it took just a minute to have her in my arms. She is perfect.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Presenting Anna Kathryn BoDi Kovach:</div><div><br />Greeting the group from the orphanage. Sally, our guide, is holding Anna Kathryn. The man in the pinkish shirt is the director, and the lady with the sunglasses is (I think) the supervising Nanny. She knew AK well but didn't solely care for her.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSii-wrhW7h35xbEJZ8l_a3_CRP4lpBzVgnTO3aqieUJS4hrlsHS4Yc1s1L33T8ytTGE7D1ZK7uQdH6Ib5VPR9qPpNgxoEgC7mouPTnNWqoxypaGxLeK0-gMoHY04Dyuj_L3F1XrukqNlL/s1600-h/The+handoff.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSii-wrhW7h35xbEJZ8l_a3_CRP4lpBzVgnTO3aqieUJS4hrlsHS4Yc1s1L33T8ytTGE7D1ZK7uQdH6Ib5VPR9qPpNgxoEgC7mouPTnNWqoxypaGxLeK0-gMoHY04Dyuj_L3F1XrukqNlL/s320/The+handoff.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246727504391912994" /></a>Here she is!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkas6ol5uIpQ50I-nmbkpGEvVqpxZblXk6-K46g4vtFQK5FY2dOOvmJfbZyryInsrLvBpOVzSfxgbvd5mbjZb_qq9TzgK-ec2mrMkNf8GbR-jvAwbHaup8dqspqGFDjLgxhlObjbwl5XS/s1600-h/Anna+Kathryn!.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkas6ol5uIpQ50I-nmbkpGEvVqpxZblXk6-K46g4vtFQK5FY2dOOvmJfbZyryInsrLvBpOVzSfxgbvd5mbjZb_qq9TzgK-ec2mrMkNf8GbR-jvAwbHaup8dqspqGFDjLgxhlObjbwl5XS/s320/Anna+Kathryn!.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246735734588901506" /></a><br />Our first family photo<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB7Loz6skrZTAuvJ3tZPwjwhKhInvcgQ1yIEfAz0CmaeaGpdynoee83S1fj5Gs0L_Hc7ij9xqbdggHIfmlw3_ljPSVWc3ToqZBmeU321v8J-3B84hB180ahCFqHhbRslKc372LMZhO0dj/s1600-h/first+family+photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB7Loz6skrZTAuvJ3tZPwjwhKhInvcgQ1yIEfAz0CmaeaGpdynoee83S1fj5Gs0L_Hc7ij9xqbdggHIfmlw3_ljPSVWc3ToqZBmeU321v8J-3B84hB180ahCFqHhbRslKc372LMZhO0dj/s320/first+family+photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246736416556482946" /></a>After the orphanage contingent moved on to take another baby to her parents, we comforted her and played a little. AK didn't seem overly distressed until the first (and way overdue) diaper change. Tears flowed. We decided bottle next, since she'd had a 4-hour bus ride and had napped on the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>First bottle:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0ekKLPxEHu7P3PMoVd0LO4-P12W7V8ZPGKJRxlSy-5WXlT_AuQ-HtQDHGTfAU-OCz3DH6a0ZgX59j0Ugtx5E96MDq2dxmB44TNshIHJwUMDUOVjFLtUqs_AwVvjAJKUHYjZ5XP2hey9c/s1600-h/first+bottle.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0ekKLPxEHu7P3PMoVd0LO4-P12W7V8ZPGKJRxlSy-5WXlT_AuQ-HtQDHGTfAU-OCz3DH6a0ZgX59j0Ugtx5E96MDq2dxmB44TNshIHJwUMDUOVjFLtUqs_AwVvjAJKUHYjZ5XP2hey9c/s320/first+bottle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246734650455638546" /></a>Then it was playtime. Mark, the baby whisperer, swung into action.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S1D5XU2heq30QfWaxN1SVwsVZs207iU76D5NTWuoDzm6JSPRJERSi5XegTNsVAE2k_tPzK2b65FhlrzJufM_z1Fmk_Xq2Gbwcnc0c07UjMitHof_u2eo5z5qis0I4GXaR7pcb_yOxK8K/s1600-h/smile+for+daddy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S1D5XU2heq30QfWaxN1SVwsVZs207iU76D5NTWuoDzm6JSPRJERSi5XegTNsVAE2k_tPzK2b65FhlrzJufM_z1Fmk_Xq2Gbwcnc0c07UjMitHof_u2eo5z5qis0I4GXaR7pcb_yOxK8K/s320/smile+for+daddy.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246733589792064098" /></a>After a trip to the lobby to change money-- we found out all of our appointments would be the same afternoon and all would be finalized today!!-- and order lunch, we headed upstairs for another bottle and a short nap. She fell asleep in my lap. Bliss. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSbnL0bQQytg4CysScIRvLnxmgGY1TW2WknCvp1WtBfDGj5UtJkyQz_LRHPEfMocojlCiusjD5BcgJht0ZxaJgp_rT5cNe6whBSoSyVLl-2yClczmFZyCXnz-F7s5stEWbs5yyUGKe15_/s1600-h/first+nap.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSbnL0bQQytg4CysScIRvLnxmgGY1TW2WknCvp1WtBfDGj5UtJkyQz_LRHPEfMocojlCiusjD5BcgJht0ZxaJgp_rT5cNe6whBSoSyVLl-2yClczmFZyCXnz-F7s5stEWbs5yyUGKe15_/s320/first+nap.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246732115992030530" /></a><br /></div><div>At 2:30, we were off, along with another AWAA family, to our appointments. first, the Civil Affairs office. It was stifling hot, and Anna Kathryn was sleepy, but so well-behaved (the Chinese say "self-disciplined"). We answered some super-easy questions about ourselves and promised to educate Anna Kathryn, and gave the official a gift (standard practice here-- ours was coffee, snack mix, and candy).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU2IU02-Lkmse880BILFJduC0k1m5kzjYzaYlklNjM3E8Oenm2snbOzbXnsBxdTEoeLY2ILkZF09Hi3YIo-NHggphNbIzzfO1rT0TXNzf12x7gmWIzue2QLBelU2uqh8dvjy9PY8N_HHG/s1600-h/civil+afairs+office.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU2IU02-Lkmse880BILFJduC0k1m5kzjYzaYlklNjM3E8Oenm2snbOzbXnsBxdTEoeLY2ILkZF09Hi3YIo-NHggphNbIzzfO1rT0TXNzf12x7gmWIzue2QLBelU2uqh8dvjy9PY8N_HHG/s320/civil+afairs+office.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246730666296728034" /></a> Next, off to the notary. This is like going before a judge. He looked at our paperwork, asked similar questions about ourselves, and wanted to know if we were satisfied with the baby. Delighted is more like it, but we just said yes, we were. He seemed nice and smiled at us and the baby. Another gift given, we received our little red book with the adoption decree, and we were done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlseIi4VZJYRh1gvL2SQ0SnRcO2KEYaUAWadILZTY4dyEserF5eWaL7bqTTaml65vfFEEfEJ_DQiFALtaEkXVhbQlSszpv2xHVfx0MZuWmLO4jfnUgcTrB8fky5FV98WcP9cGt9wDHpnh/s1600-h/It's+official.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlseIi4VZJYRh1gvL2SQ0SnRcO2KEYaUAWadILZTY4dyEserF5eWaL7bqTTaml65vfFEEfEJ_DQiFALtaEkXVhbQlSszpv2xHVfx0MZuWmLO4jfnUgcTrB8fky5FV98WcP9cGt9wDHpnh/s320/It's+official.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246729480209835938" /></a>When we got back in the van Sally told all of us that it was official, the adoption is finalized, and we are all forever families. Sherri, the other mom, and I hugged and cried a little at that news. We had a mini-celebration as we careened through the traffic toward the passport office. All we had to do there was get a photo of AK for her passport. Appointments finished in 2 hours!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, now we have the next 5 days here in Nanchang to bond, play, and hang out and wait for the passport. We went out to dinner with the family we met at breakfast and the mom asked how motherhood felt. It's wonderful, but it's all happened in a matter of hours. The whole experience seems "surreal, but nice" (does anyone else know that movie quote?).</div><div><br /></div><div>It's 6 AM here-- Anna Kathryn was so tired when we got in from dinner we put her to bed straightaway after another bottle. She ate a ton of rice and eggs at dinner, too. Mark and I followed at 8:30 (hee). Guess who was awake at 3:15 AM? Now Mark and baby are snoozing again and I think I will join them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night from China! Love, Mark, Kimberly, and Anna Kathryn</div><div><br /></div><div>PS-- Another family in our travel group got to their daughter's province to find that she is critically ill. They are afraid if they can't get the rest of the trip and paperwork expedited and get her to an American hospital, she may not make it. Please pray for Charlie, Leslie, and Susannah (the little girl).</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-16299692241574981552008-09-14T23:55:00.000-04:002008-09-15T00:46:54.357-04:00Day 3: We Conquer the Great Wall<div>Sunday morning our jet lagged bodies finally realized that we were in a different time zone-- I woke up at 4:30, wide awake and ready for the day! Mark was already awake. So, I got online, checked e-mail, read a few blogs, etc. for about an hour. Then we decided that we should try to sleep a little bit more, so we napped for about an hour before the alarm woke us up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our adoption agency is a Christian agency, so attending a church service was on the agenda for Sunday. It may seem unlikely that this is even possible in a Communist country, but Christianity is one of the 5 recognized religions by the Chinese government, and it is the fastest growing religion in the country. However, there are many limits and controls over the practicing of any religion here, and Christianity is no exception. </div><div><br /></div><div>We attended the Beijing International Christian Fellowship Church. It is only for expats; we had to show a copy of our passports to enter to prove that we were a foreign nationality. Once inside, it looked like an American contemporary evangelical church. The church rents a theater complex and rooms in nearby hotels for Sunday school and Bible studies. The service reminded me a lot of our former church, Forest Hill. We were a little late, and got there after the praise and worship time was under way. The service was bilingual-- singing and preaching were in English and Mandarin. The congregation was, as expected, extremely diverse. </div><div><br /></div><div>The praise and worship singing was definitely my favorite part. The music was beautiful, and I admit it moved me to a few tears as I listened to voices from all nations, in multiple languages, worshiping Jesus in song. It seemed like a little taste of heaven here on Earth. There is light shining in the darkness here in China.</div><div><br /></div><div>During the passing of the peace, a lady in the row ahead of us turned and introduced herself to our group. Turns out she volunteers in an orphanage here in Beijing, and cares mainly for babies with special needs. She was delighted to hear that our group were all here to adopt babies and children. She told us that many of the nannies in that orphanage are "baby" Christians, and that while it is hard to say good-bye to the children, they are always so glad when the babies are adopted by families. I was so encouraged by this encounter and know it was a God-thing that we just happened to speak with her. The only other person we really talked to was an American man who walked in the same time we did, who told us he is a doctor who treats many orphans. </div><div><br /></div><div>After church, we headed out of Beijing to visit the Great Wall. On the way, we made several stops for shopping and lunch. The first stop was at the Jade Factory and Gift Shop. We were given a little presentation to help us learn all about jade, the quality, the symbolism, etc. one thing the shop makes is a ball-like figuring called a Happy family ball. The speaker mentioned that in a Chinese family, the eighth member is the luckiest. I thought that was pretty cool, since Anna Kathryn is the sixth child for Mark, so she is the eighth member of our immediate family. We don't believe in luck, but we do know that she is very, very special. </div><div><br /></div><div>After I got a very pretty bracelet at the jade shop, along with a few gifts, we went to the Chinese version of Cracker Barrel: a restaurant with a Friendship Store attached. The Friendship store is huge and has all kinds of handmade items, from cloisinee vases and pens, to silk dresses, porcelain, rugs, jewelry, and more. We couldn't take pictures in the shops, so no photos of this part. I was feeling pretty shopped out, plus we still have many days left to go in our trip, so mark and I browsed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, we arrived at the Great Wall. I had a "Big Ben" moment (Leslie, you know...) as we climbed higher into the mountains. I looked up and saw a little section of the wall. I hadn't realized we were so close, and said to Mark, "Is that it?" Everybody on the bus realized what we were looking at-- the real thing!!-- and craned our necks to look. </div><div><br /></div><div>View of the mountains on the road to Badaling-- another hazy day. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqplWB0Cqf1XeZsNM8WGL4Gozc0GLpqpdcpUKRTctrCoRObCc1SVNCjnxtw5r6D-ad2TzAlRhmGs8eIZ8rNW3Ve7GFI_RRmyBK5wmu8KRIEg8VUTbPQZsv2a2_ZdCLkOBbbsk2zinsFZ3e/s1600-h/outside+Beijing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqplWB0Cqf1XeZsNM8WGL4Gozc0GLpqpdcpUKRTctrCoRObCc1SVNCjnxtw5r6D-ad2TzAlRhmGs8eIZ8rNW3Ve7GFI_RRmyBK5wmu8KRIEg8VUTbPQZsv2a2_ZdCLkOBbbsk2zinsFZ3e/s320/outside+Beijing.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092941395092034" /></a>This was the view at the Badaling section, which is very popular (crowded), easy to access from Beijing, and is the best/most restored section of the wall. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwnHlk3BYXdBm9qtpD1cP2s391YSnRKFUco5_BSWmAcIhGI_eAKcJtbxscEPXgu8TH4K80tyx7ZJlvKwy9IjA6UAzoMpx5krTqxU0gr9vqFG4BfS6aS5C7k2ZQKLllszISfh7ueblRZmc/s1600-h/Sign+%26+GW.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwnHlk3BYXdBm9qtpD1cP2s391YSnRKFUco5_BSWmAcIhGI_eAKcJtbxscEPXgu8TH4K80tyx7ZJlvKwy9IjA6UAzoMpx5krTqxU0gr9vqFG4BfS6aS5C7k2ZQKLllszISfh7ueblRZmc/s320/Sign+%26+GW.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092833553968802" /></a><div>After a group photo, we were let loose to explore. We had a choice of the "easy" section or "hard" section. Guess which one Mark wanted to climb?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_WI_dE1hbGAhItUMBEcuvRRZ6lHerCmrwgbw1mJQpjealjXCMzzRfEhyphenhyphenW4611lVnZ83VaJtmIz440lIFdvSygNjSV1_LsogsMu1isI1mQB-jCKGsoCsFNUDzrVg3u1nAetkz3cMAntFW/s1600-h/M+setting+off.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_WI_dE1hbGAhItUMBEcuvRRZ6lHerCmrwgbw1mJQpjealjXCMzzRfEhyphenhyphenW4611lVnZ83VaJtmIz440lIFdvSygNjSV1_LsogsMu1isI1mQB-jCKGsoCsFNUDzrVg3u1nAetkz3cMAntFW/s320/M+setting+off.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092725222029090" /></a>I was beginning to regret all those summer mornings I skipped the gym. This sucker was steep! And, in the parts with stairs, all the steps are different heights. There is a rail, but it is literally a foot off the ground. Maybe the original occupants were midgets? <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT-Bvdz2oxpUxpbIGNvNnz5xsd0LhMFccFOZDWNDMXCUBn-HSAlCKfemoZtGUqXE5ja9kKKs-C68CpdhoqMmzBTH4C5w1i59QrAFw9E8LHsq7PuAMkRojLMQvPsgAWhSJesCo-C2GqMd4/s1600-h/K+long+way+up.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT-Bvdz2oxpUxpbIGNvNnz5xsd0LhMFccFOZDWNDMXCUBn-HSAlCKfemoZtGUqXE5ja9kKKs-C68CpdhoqMmzBTH4C5w1i59QrAFw9E8LHsq7PuAMkRojLMQvPsgAWhSJesCo-C2GqMd4/s320/K+long+way+up.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092636126147138" /></a>Mark and I found ourselves skirting around a group of students from the Experimental School at Peking University. They did a little tai chi on the wall. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSUczHLbIGTi5ATNViwRLeNb_rLth1bAvulJBL3ZvPPAcSMjGSHJuTZaPdZBuxseAFXCBhtD1vyGhyg_ErdMYZPtcSvJTRaKhwjckAjYACwgUxrPJ5Uf6W79p5X_CWbZZDO_xB6AiYqK7/s1600-h/Mark+%26+schoolkids.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSUczHLbIGTi5ATNViwRLeNb_rLth1bAvulJBL3ZvPPAcSMjGSHJuTZaPdZBuxseAFXCBhtD1vyGhyg_ErdMYZPtcSvJTRaKhwjckAjYACwgUxrPJ5Uf6W79p5X_CWbZZDO_xB6AiYqK7/s320/Mark+%26+schoolkids.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092534360469538" /></a>We made it up to one of the higher areas, where there was a small building with several rooms and lots of windows, so you could look in all directions across the Wall and the mountains. Despite the haze, the views were magnificent. The Wall stretched before us in all directions, crossing ridge after ridge. I overheard a guide telling a group of British tourists that soldiers and their families used to reside in the Wall, so that there was a guard 24 hours a day. It must have been incredibly isolating. </div><div><br /></div><div>After seeing pictures of the Wall all my life, again it seemed unbelievable that we were really there, climbing, touching the ancient graffiti-scarred bricks. Truly a once in a lifetime experience. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGadIrBplQGKFQD5dE_s-oRapzntLx0vRVNOkzWoKkKkCg-fKjCYee9dPq0pGQXUrdPhTdlIiEW6-o4hBXtpmmm3ehi-5RGjUpBiexiu21pZbREm_Lj0s3zDK6BkslXFMYtt7CiQEwN7z8/s1600-h/K+on+wall.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGadIrBplQGKFQD5dE_s-oRapzntLx0vRVNOkzWoKkKkCg-fKjCYee9dPq0pGQXUrdPhTdlIiEW6-o4hBXtpmmm3ehi-5RGjUpBiexiu21pZbREm_Lj0s3zDK6BkslXFMYtt7CiQEwN7z8/s320/K+on+wall.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092436060509954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9Ld8_pUGmMkzRDLhYO8Zrn2oRzmD3ICi9Ip1KVURhCfeZXRgfosZDrIsBhH9gupVP496wRi1sgnzr9zz2bUBicwkCl492DncMBqHj4snqpXyvcR7BamqJjuhrXjHXKXxRvSGgxAmmazI/s1600-h/M+in+window.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9Ld8_pUGmMkzRDLhYO8Zrn2oRzmD3ICi9Ip1KVURhCfeZXRgfosZDrIsBhH9gupVP496wRi1sgnzr9zz2bUBicwkCl492DncMBqHj4snqpXyvcR7BamqJjuhrXjHXKXxRvSGgxAmmazI/s320/M+in+window.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092334732039474" /></a><br /></div><div>Despite the majesty, we were really glad to see the bus and SIT. The hour and a half ride to dinner gave us plenty of time to stiffen up our sore muscles. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dinner consisted of at least a dozen dishes, including the famed Beijing (Peking) Duck, sliced thin and rolled in a flat pancake (very tortilla-like). My favorite was the spicy chickcn and vegetable dish and the steamed broccoli. When the waitress asked if we wanted one or two of something (we didn't quite understand her), one of the ladies at our table said "one." Turns out she ordered one big bottle of Tsingtao beer! I sampled it-- not bad-- but everyone else at our table drank Coke or tea instead. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mark was excited to see our dinner on display. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLDgrnSe94B0mgq8t8gwoGJDsMahd2rM4LOj6uCGzNRZFcMmy93UzcA26qdmIAJoxwYtNTe07xl26i0dobhX3C-dSzjoX5Ww-znOUQEPNWdgENyPZVsvmlGT76qPjPU3Y8OoVOM-NEoh_/s1600-h/M+with+ducks.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLDgrnSe94B0mgq8t8gwoGJDsMahd2rM4LOj6uCGzNRZFcMmy93UzcA26qdmIAJoxwYtNTe07xl26i0dobhX3C-dSzjoX5Ww-znOUQEPNWdgENyPZVsvmlGT76qPjPU3Y8OoVOM-NEoh_/s320/M+with+ducks.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092224048663922" /></a>Chicken feet-yum!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHgWqGeFa3z8muXyrHBrZjPOT4CGu9l6oCnwNIl1c_hYAs3bqIaCDzBZgXfFPRc74P5fwMRZiSMUYBL4EnUOIbyCnKe6JvcHJEIQuiAHyG_uDpMwhk6y24AD7Y9JIos3QC6pFGy-rpKhl/s1600-h/chicken+feet.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHgWqGeFa3z8muXyrHBrZjPOT4CGu9l6oCnwNIl1c_hYAs3bqIaCDzBZgXfFPRc74P5fwMRZiSMUYBL4EnUOIbyCnKe6JvcHJEIQuiAHyG_uDpMwhk6y24AD7Y9JIos3QC6pFGy-rpKhl/s320/chicken+feet.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246092107101928818" /></a>We were so tired, we collapsed as soon as we got into our room. I was asleep by 9:15 PM. Today (Monday) is our travel day to Nanchang, but our flight doesn't leave until late afternoon, so we have had a relaxing day here at the hotel. As ready as I am to finally be with Anna Kathryn, I am thankful for this extra time of R & R before things get really exciting! </div><div><br /></div><div>My next post will be for Gotcha Day-- how exciting is that??! Good night from China!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-6748347594190693822008-09-13T09:02:00.000-04:002008-09-13T09:56:11.940-04:00Day 2: Walking Through History<div>Today's entry will be a photo essay of our first day (and a half) in China. We had a terrific time sight-seeing in Beijing today. It is truly amazing to find ourselves walking around all of these historic Chinese monuments and sites. I felt like I had just landed in a Travel Channel special.</div><div><br /></div><div>First, a slight backtrack to Thursday:</div><br />Here we are, waving goodbye to <a href="http://www.maggiemalady.blogspot.com/">Allison</a>, David,and Maggie at the airport. You know you have great friends when they are willing to get up at the crack of dawn and brave the horrible Charlotte traffic to get you to the airport by 8:00 AM.<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4kRUO6SfFSltp6RYLe4rk8awZMHrj06Gvz89UP5dRq3wxLWksX4SLCSNBaCF3thkEQJU5lR7ZD66eSrDZM0CJJNKRwsYECNOYtUQqWPcMUNbhnnJepNy1LRLHux0UDkoQkXK50k9zCIN/s1600-h/waving+goodbye.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4kRUO6SfFSltp6RYLe4rk8awZMHrj06Gvz89UP5dRq3wxLWksX4SLCSNBaCF3thkEQJU5lR7ZD66eSrDZM0CJJNKRwsYECNOYtUQqWPcMUNbhnnJepNy1LRLHux0UDkoQkXK50k9zCIN/s320/waving+goodbye.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245493673746595490" /></a><br />This is what waited for us when we got to our hotel room! The flowers were a gift from our guides, Rosa and Maggie. They left a note, too, welcoming us to China and giving us some helpful hints about our time here ("Don't drink the water."). <br /><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JGS5OSJG3LNCiz4ZT84t_H0fOKk8MTBbUiXLBZGedSIQJTihP6lbyADlrdtqrdHrWAiO4tQ46icvBkEOmy8SK6sOiXIjlhMvmta_gXNdeGpctIuYl3f2HJ1psWG4uWGaKgUG4cb5cBog/s1600-h/flowers.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JGS5OSJG3LNCiz4ZT84t_H0fOKk8MTBbUiXLBZGedSIQJTihP6lbyADlrdtqrdHrWAiO4tQ46icvBkEOmy8SK6sOiXIjlhMvmta_gXNdeGpctIuYl3f2HJ1psWG4uWGaKgUG4cb5cBog/s320/flowers.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245491027498971314" /></a><br /></div><div>The pocketty bathroom vanity. I don't think the camera did justice to the sparkliness. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-itnxeUToWpy4lCkMFF8vyQe9Poaruyfeuw2cQP8Q9UC33Y5wj85yDWyIDWkrQSYJaGS8vn5RRtpCycI-4SZpuqVSvF_2fdNnCVH_7hKBl0Mmd4WBUlvYr963RiBLKeGXfH09ZlYLYRz/s1600-h/Pocketty+bathroom.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-itnxeUToWpy4lCkMFF8vyQe9Poaruyfeuw2cQP8Q9UC33Y5wj85yDWyIDWkrQSYJaGS8vn5RRtpCycI-4SZpuqVSvF_2fdNnCVH_7hKBl0Mmd4WBUlvYr963RiBLKeGXfH09ZlYLYRz/s320/Pocketty+bathroom.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245493820177050898" /></a><br /><br />Here is the view from our hotel window (13 stories up):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDlaA15oS_-hYr0wJQA6jFsqPCkISqK8CFO73WXNqD6rHZCyQcgKSJhs_c06Iq50CVASicuMaKytS0-D5pWhoPRk9kFXdyoFIRR3DXR_DBMEbPROTpZ5igY3vvNCRZAXTZldy-9tloO3H/s1600-h/hotel+view.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDlaA15oS_-hYr0wJQA6jFsqPCkISqK8CFO73WXNqD6rHZCyQcgKSJhs_c06Iq50CVASicuMaKytS0-D5pWhoPRk9kFXdyoFIRR3DXR_DBMEbPROTpZ5igY3vvNCRZAXTZldy-9tloO3H/s320/hotel+view.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245491123377292498" /></a><br /></div><div>After a hearty breakfast in the hotel restaurant (eggs, bacon, croissants, fruit, plus a few Chinese favorites: a steamed dumpling and a little congee. The congee had corn added to it and tasted like grits in desperate need of butter and salt.) our travel group hopped on the bus. Tien'anmen Square was our first stop of the day. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is all decked out for the Olympics and Paralympics.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLDFtOACcY8z18BV-b33jEhcRiajvSByRLNWPwZm_CLhRAaVQOLlHY_MFdVRgOXIRsUP5WV9j_zJLJH3vWXN9TlwU97oJSfOP5gWmTOtYuIvOhoM4DwzQIJ_rICKkLMRD8IHJ8SW1NY3y/s1600-h/Tsquare+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLDFtOACcY8z18BV-b33jEhcRiajvSByRLNWPwZm_CLhRAaVQOLlHY_MFdVRgOXIRsUP5WV9j_zJLJH3vWXN9TlwU97oJSfOP5gWmTOtYuIvOhoM4DwzQIJ_rICKkLMRD8IHJ8SW1NY3y/s320/Tsquare+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245491357967177058" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqJr_vBGY7e50QmJ3j9YG3qxT_g8a3SWENcHNfdEHL2KqNTmFhA0ogtZUfGXTSIL2PchsvVAghnCwNUyyCgSBRIlQMkqBW-59dwADUeAqngu4gElbJF7F-bXdiyuSqL8AvNSCDv18i0fr/s1600-h/Tien'namen.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqJr_vBGY7e50QmJ3j9YG3qxT_g8a3SWENcHNfdEHL2KqNTmFhA0ogtZUfGXTSIL2PchsvVAghnCwNUyyCgSBRIlQMkqBW-59dwADUeAqngu4gElbJF7F-bXdiyuSqL8AvNSCDv18i0fr/s320/Tien'namen.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245491253304862050" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Mark and I made a little game of seeing how many babies we noticed with split pants. This is a traditional Chinese alternative to using diapers, although we saw a few babies with a diaper peeking out. Here's one little fella we caught on camera. There is just a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">hint</span> of cheek. It's really funny to see parents carrying their babies on their arm, and a little bubble butt just hanging out. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5LiE8BanfCvPyKamKhj_WMN29LXE8CHhZoFIeOA0I-07byB__WSis71CtCMsYc9WV0iDhuoXiFLkukEY7Wkv0oYwKYUnTcjCQUwRSbLGLL06ivlb3Hl7RVkQvt6rCTgdROOdPG0bKKP1/s1600-h/split+pants.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5LiE8BanfCvPyKamKhj_WMN29LXE8CHhZoFIeOA0I-07byB__WSis71CtCMsYc9WV0iDhuoXiFLkukEY7Wkv0oYwKYUnTcjCQUwRSbLGLL06ivlb3Hl7RVkQvt6rCTgdROOdPG0bKKP1/s320/split+pants.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245496651190504594" /></a><br />Next, we walked through a passageway under the street-- since crossing the busy Beijing streets can be hazardous-- and entered the Forbidden City. </div></div></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfEiku_bXz8Qk20_TrKDlynecB7oI8_ZwvTK74Tr1qYjM1Z5KUf291HjmzHkL6ZCAEd60nxSSNuV3H0alzXHWnCT5gt_-XdzwOIyvVaRS5Wv16edfBv2QC3z42kzudiAk3NV_s2Q-bRd3/s1600-h/entering+forbidden+city.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfEiku_bXz8Qk20_TrKDlynecB7oI8_ZwvTK74Tr1qYjM1Z5KUf291HjmzHkL6ZCAEd60nxSSNuV3H0alzXHWnCT5gt_-XdzwOIyvVaRS5Wv16edfBv2QC3z42kzudiAk3NV_s2Q-bRd3/s320/entering+forbidden+city.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245496859469499122" /></a>Our guide, Rosa, said it wasn't very crowded today.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz4ligxUNSWp-ESusf0Pu4kr2b8AqsEt5VlcTP0LnObdwtHDQKqAaP1KQmHvvWF-o9dtdSjI4clR247jCA7Bv7W_dpJZNWxkZ29EsS7sIVP5CbneLQ48bQy4UuRI3AFYlZPdw-eVfAuxh/s1600-h/FC+crowds.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz4ligxUNSWp-ESusf0Pu4kr2b8AqsEt5VlcTP0LnObdwtHDQKqAaP1KQmHvvWF-o9dtdSjI4clR247jCA7Bv7W_dpJZNWxkZ29EsS7sIVP5CbneLQ48bQy4UuRI3AFYlZPdw-eVfAuxh/s320/FC+crowds.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245496969287727106" /></a>I don't think I have the words to do justice to the Forbidden City, so I'll sum it up in a few adjectives. Huge. Ancient. Grand. Mysterious. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7koG9Oop-ZPcyHolb1BnbdyxSh1zSF_0yzaGIJloKmchgnrGDWdLfIvA5rNCW3Ro10IU8JFXMT1ZAYTWo8x0dW7HaYm55dolgHKy8O3eOQjG5IvUBm8N1ULt7iHXp0jbj-JT4nZujztVh/s1600-h/in+forbidden+city.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7koG9Oop-ZPcyHolb1BnbdyxSh1zSF_0yzaGIJloKmchgnrGDWdLfIvA5rNCW3Ro10IU8JFXMT1ZAYTWo8x0dW7HaYm55dolgHKy8O3eOQjG5IvUBm8N1ULt7iHXp0jbj-JT4nZujztVh/s320/in+forbidden+city.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245497074919920386" /></a><br />After lunch and a visit to the Pearl Market, we headed to the serenity of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace">Summer Palace</a>. I needed some serenity after my first experience with shopping, Chinese-style. When I shop at home, I like to do my browsing and ask for help if I need it. The ladies at the Pearl Market were not exactly pushy, but they worked <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">real</span> hard to make a sale. <div><br /></div><div> I had gotten to model a beautiful strand of champagne pearls for the group during the "tour" of the pearl market. They were lovely, but represented a significant portion of our souvenir funds for the trip. Despite the hard sell, we didn't get them. As we were trying to extricate ourselves from the Pearl Ladies, we realized that our entire group had already finished shopping and left. Thankfully, our guide came in and rescued us. We did get a few gifts and some (much more modest) things for Anna Kathryn for future Gotcha Day gifts. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next to Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace. We rode one of these boats across the lake to the main garden area.<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHH43WZRM7Iep-0WVhC4XBL4EcS1wycnIRhx107RXH7yJtLaiqr0lwzBZlOhAr-RsgWdP1G7Cfm5wLDhIqEBHq4cioorEdT732zPO0qopkyLUu5ZC2IugcLknlb9-j9C8LWwjy20L6EO6/s1600-h/lakeview+summer+palace.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHH43WZRM7Iep-0WVhC4XBL4EcS1wycnIRhx107RXH7yJtLaiqr0lwzBZlOhAr-RsgWdP1G7Cfm5wLDhIqEBHq4cioorEdT732zPO0qopkyLUu5ZC2IugcLknlb9-j9C8LWwjy20L6EO6/s320/lakeview+summer+palace.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245497209011694946" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVjzcHRFBXueYACAqVle24WCG1n5nFvrvFiJATVWLvv0pdKnMZT7DSgxDQvYGAwuc0PHCcY1GE6KP1Oho0MwOLL-f4K5mgAY8Q6quNu4yOWq5KRvubLHmMtL4exK73Zl-Qu4l0C-KeaSU/s1600-h/summer+palace.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVjzcHRFBXueYACAqVle24WCG1n5nFvrvFiJATVWLvv0pdKnMZT7DSgxDQvYGAwuc0PHCcY1GE6KP1Oho0MwOLL-f4K5mgAY8Q6quNu4yOWq5KRvubLHmMtL4exK73Zl-Qu4l0C-KeaSU/s320/summer+palace.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245497303689644050" /></a>We walked along the Long Corridor and then cut down a series of winding paths. We were all getting a little tired and wondered where we were headed. We emerged into the "garden within a garden," also known as the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures. Truly lovely. Mark and I walked the perimeter of the lake and garden, and were delighted to hear a Chinese woman singing a sweet tune as she and her husband walked on the path.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYla9J1HMn4idHBQN4gQD_a_Bz0PEkMnHM39wpkXpB1i0P5rOEYs7kX1rEE4ceybr3fGfCfqY5EGvhSjtNzp2pbX_Y9VeJ-NR91_D4YdqSgDHx3zXWWFs5rwEnXRlvTRaidgWOBrOwSkoB/s1600-h/garden+at+summer+palace.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYla9J1HMn4idHBQN4gQD_a_Bz0PEkMnHM39wpkXpB1i0P5rOEYs7kX1rEE4ceybr3fGfCfqY5EGvhSjtNzp2pbX_Y9VeJ-NR91_D4YdqSgDHx3zXWWFs5rwEnXRlvTRaidgWOBrOwSkoB/s320/garden+at+summer+palace.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245497400305750306" /></a>We headed to dinner by way of the Olympic grounds. If you look carefully at this snapshot of the Bird's Nest, you can see the Olympic flame burning brightly for the Paralympics. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8wIIS484ctf6oNuKkKH3oX9XbbzoA6O0jrDCED3h-hVqOAkSpq30kuJZmuvO1HKyEmBBkLjeJjff8tIwCTKpucOZO5C4pUMaXZa_FdLMhKWgKKYDX91wWJEr-cMLTgaYE3UctDG4nub4/s1600-h/Birds+nest.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8wIIS484ctf6oNuKkKH3oX9XbbzoA6O0jrDCED3h-hVqOAkSpq30kuJZmuvO1HKyEmBBkLjeJjff8tIwCTKpucOZO5C4pUMaXZa_FdLMhKWgKKYDX91wWJEr-cMLTgaYE3UctDG4nub4/s320/Birds+nest.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245497486552746946" /></a>We ended our day with another adventurous but tasty family-style Chinese dinner. One of the more hilarious moments came when one of the 12-year-old boys in our group, not an adventurous eater, took one look at the eggplant dish that was brought out and declared, "I'm skipping that one. Besides, I don't like eggs!" When Mark found a foot in his portion of the chopped chicken and vegetables, that pretty much ended the meal for the rest of the table. We Americans just aren't used to eating the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">whole</span> chicken, if you know what I mean. At least it wasn't the beak. </div><div><br /></div><div>Good night from China!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-13858744510809498242008-09-12T09:05:00.000-04:002008-09-12T18:44:45.393-04:00Day 1: Welcome to China!We are here, safe and sound (and with all our luggage) and settled in for the night in our hotel in Beijing. The flight was... LONG. Tylenol PM is my new best friend, because I actually slept a lot on the flight and, so far, do not feel totally jet lagged. I also read a book and watched 2 movies. Thirteen and a half hours is a really, really long time. Mark did not sleep much (or well--toddler behind us cried and kicked the seat for much of the flight) so he is already out for the night. I'm about to join him, since we have a very full day of sight-seeing tomorrow. One change: we are going to the Summer Palace tomorrow and to the Great Wall on Sunday. <div><br /></div><div>The folks in our travel group seem nice, although it's a little like going to summer camp: hanging out with a bunch of people you don't really know, but everyone is here for the same purpose. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better over the next 2 weeks. As my mom always told me, there are no strangers after the first night. Mark and I were excited to learn that we will be with another AWAA family in Nanchang, and I think both our girls are from the same SWI. They are not here for the Beijing part of the trip, so we will meet them on Monday or Tuesday when we get there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beijing is still all spruced up for the Games and I am totally into the people-watching. This evening, we walked a few blocks to the local "Jian-Mart" and bought lots of bottled water and some snacks. I bought some authentic (I hope!) moon-cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is Monday. It is also called the Moon Festival, so moon-cakes are a favorite holiday treat. Mark thinks they look a little scary, but I have a feeling they will taste MUCH better than the fried scorpions in the market he says he would be willing to "try." For dinner, we split a meal from the hotel's "fast-food" restaurant. It was beef with mushrooms in a gralicky brown sauce, a pickled egg, some kind of sauteed green veggie, and what I think were spicy bamboo shoots. I got the impression from our guide, Rosa, that it is the Chinese equivalent of Taco Bell, but it was delicious! Much fresher and lighter than Americanized Chinese food. I was not brave enough to try the grilled eel, but maybe another time...</div><div><br /></div><div>Our hotel is nice, very Western in style with lots of Asian decor touches. I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">love</span> the sparkly green-- almost glittery-- bathroom vanity. Maggie and Emily would be totally into it, since it is so very sparkly and "pocketty." The staff here are so helpful. When I had trouble getting an Internet connection in my room, they sent someone up immediately to help. I am still not sure what we did to make it work, but it does and I am glad! Plus, we left our stupid adaptor plug at home. The front desk sent one up for us to borrow. Thank goodness. Also, there is a Starbucks here at our hotel. Hallelujah!! I'm all about trying the local specialites, but it's nice to know I can get a mocha when I need one. At least until we leave for Nanchang on Monday. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, it's 9:30 PM here and it's time to call it a night. Others who have traveled before us were not kidding about the hard beds. When you sit on it, it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">thuds</span>-- there is no bounce at all to the mattress. One of the guys in our travel group said his bunk on a Navy cruiser was more comfy. Whoa. I am tired enough that I think it will not matter, somehow. Good night from China!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-35681048566587719012008-09-11T08:31:00.001-04:002008-09-12T09:34:55.781-04:00And, we're off!! (plus our itinerary)8:30, Thursday morning: Mark and I are sitting in the famous white rocking chairs at the Charlotte-Douglas Airport with time to spare before our flight. I think this is the first moment I've had to relax in the past week or two. At this point, I am ready to relax a little and enjoy our trip and our girl!<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday was my first day of leave, and I spent it packing, doing laundry, running a bunch of errands, cleaning house a little, and finalizing 1,000 little details. One thing I did was go to Kinko's and make many copies of all of our documents. I felt so organized!</div><div><br /></div><div>That didn't last too long. Being me, I cannot leave on a trip without a bit of drama and some kind of last minute snafu. </div><div><br /></div><div>Around 6:30, I was looking over all our documents <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">one more time </span>in the file we're taking. I noticed something that I had somehow overlooked all of the other times I read over our travel paperwork. We have to take an affadavit regarding vaccinating Anna Kathryn when we get home. The affadavit had to be signed AND notarized before we left the states. No exceptions (I called our family coordinator just to double check.) <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Mild panic and a few tears ensued. After lots of phone calls to the various airports and online searching of banks, and several phone calls to friends who might be -- or know -- a notary willing to do their thing at 7:30 PM, my scattered brain remembered something important.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wal-Mart has banks in many of its stores, and a lot of them stay open until 9:00. I found one -- one!-- in Charlotte, open until 9:00, with a real life notary who was there until closing.</div><div><br /></div><div>We raced up to town and back in record time, and then stayed up very late (or early, depending on your perspective) packing and repacking, trying to get our suitcases under China's rather stringent weight limits.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whew.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, we're here, and we are trying hard not to fall asleep, since the first burst of adrenaline for today is wearing off rapidly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's our planned itinerary:</div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday, Sep. 11-- Depart for Beijing</div><div>Friday, Sep. 12-- Arrival in Beijing, collapse in hotel</div><div>Sat., Sep. 13-- Beijing sight-seeing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall, Beijing <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> Duck Dinner</div><div>Sunday, Sep. 14-- Church service, Summer Palace</div><div>Monday, Sep. 15-- Flight to Nanchang, Jiangxi province (Also: Chinese National Holiday: The <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> Moon Festival)</div><div>Tuesday, Sep. 16-- Gotcha Day!! Anna Kathryn BoDi is placed in our arms and will forever be <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> part of our family.</div><div>Wed., Sep. 17-- Civil Affairs Appt.-- the adoption is finalized today</div><div>Thursday, Sep. 18-- Sightseeing & shopping</div><div>Friday, Sep. 19-- Flight to Guangzhou, Guangdong province</div><div>Sat., Sep. 20-- Medical exam (for AK-- a requirement for her travel visa)</div><div>Sunday, Sep. 21-- Do more paperwork, hang out, sightsee?</div><div>Monday-Wed., Sep. 22-24-- Sightseeing & shoppping in Guangzhou</div><div>Thursday, Sep. 25-- Consulate Appt. (get all the documents to bring AK home as a U.S. citizen)</div><div>Friday, Sep. 26-- Pick up AK's travel visa, last day in China</div><div>Saturday, Sep. 27-- Travel home. Hug family and friends at airport. Collapse for real. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to all who posted comments-- what an encouragement! I hope we can view them in China. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761532763367716674.post-47880680523607564192008-09-06T12:02:00.000-04:002008-09-07T16:26:41.720-04:00Just around the corner...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGbLV2qgYq1TlTduIMwiMcqRTLikIatUA8PWbPP__MnAPcBu3XZ5jRcpLL_oZpE8s-IA4S9onJpIlGlekNAStC0dBfTvtVp15KTZsqbYBLwEUQ_onjIR8h06_HQRQvBWe0AuT1RUUj2Zg/s1600-h/AK_9mos_photo2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGbLV2qgYq1TlTduIMwiMcqRTLikIatUA8PWbPP__MnAPcBu3XZ5jRcpLL_oZpE8s-IA4S9onJpIlGlekNAStC0dBfTvtVp15KTZsqbYBLwEUQ_onjIR8h06_HQRQvBWe0AuT1RUUj2Zg/s320/AK_9mos_photo2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242940334964730402" /></a><br />Welcome to my travel blog! This blog was set up to journal our trip to China to bring home our daughter, Anna Kathryn BoDi Kovach. <div><br /></div><div><div>Today is Saturday, and I can actually count on one hand the number of days left before we board the plane that will take us halfway around the world to be united with our daughter. Mark and I are packing our bags for the trip, running errands, and adding items to our to-do list. (but not getting too many checked off!). I know that somehow, it will all be done by Wednesday night -- or possibly very early Thursday morning. I tend to work to the deadline, and this trip is no exception, considering the accelerated timeline we've had. I prayed for things in our adoption process to speed up, and since God has a sense of humor, they have gone into overdrive in the past 2 weeks!</div><div><br /></div><div>Gotcha Day-- or as I prefer to think of it, Forever Family Day, is Tuesday, September 16. That is the day we will go to the Civil Affairs office in Nanchang and she will be placed in our arms. </div></div><br /><br />Anna Kathryn at 9 months:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHGIt0Am5fgPR5LCzOBU957N0aeWL3eXJGgA5XmLHDiGpblcP6yifWztnoAP-LLc6sWnRA9_TkxcdMfi0rpSh1muNh4xQtz6KqpjhjTFCnL57XIwW0mMqJ31cyVy51OAF6D3FjmdUZd7p/s1600-h/AK_9mos_photo1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHGIt0Am5fgPR5LCzOBU957N0aeWL3eXJGgA5XmLHDiGpblcP6yifWztnoAP-LLc6sWnRA9_TkxcdMfi0rpSh1muNh4xQtz6KqpjhjTFCnL57XIwW0mMqJ31cyVy51OAF6D3FjmdUZd7p/s320/AK_9mos_photo1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242940158085806162" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23