Two days to go!

Feng Lin at Liu Hua Park

 

Whew!  We are so ready to head home.  We spent yesterday waiting on Feng Lin's TB test results.  Walked to a beautiful park across the street.  I sent a long time taking scenic pix.  So beautiful!  Feng Lin was in a playful mood so got a lot of her silly face pix like above.  TB neg!  Great news.  Ended the day with dinner with Jack, our guide from when we adopted Quinn three years ago.  We realized at dinner that it had been EXACTLY, TO THE DAY AND TIME, three years since we met him at the airport to begin our process of meeting Quinn and bringing her home.  Never in a million years would Chris and I have thought that we would be having pigeon with him again exactly three ears later at the same restaurant where we had eaten with Quinn.  We had such a great time catching up over our delicious pigeon dinner;)  He is not just our adoption guide.  He is really a friend that we will have for a lifetime! 

 After dinner photo with Jack.  He thinks Feng Lin looks a lot like Quinn did three years earlier.

 

Lollipops make the boring times more fun!



The plane ride to Guangzhou.  Hoping our net travels are as smooth!

There isn't much food Feng Lin likes twice in a row.  This cheesecake elicits he most joy!  Watermelon, yogurt, and cucumbers are the only other regular favorites.

Today we had our consulate appointment!  We were THE ONLY adoption appointment of the day.  Yep.  The only.  Beijing slowed us down so much that we are the only ones left:(  So anxious to get on that plane!
Everything went well at Consulate.  Now we wait to get Feng Lin's Visa tomorrow afternoon.  We had planned to take the train to Hong Kong Saturday morning, but no seats were available.  So, we had to book a room in Hong Kong Friday night and will take the train tomorrow afternoon instead.  It will decrease our total travel time from 27 to 22 hours.  That is a blessing for all of us, but not excited about having to "move" again!
Today, we tried to get Feng Lin some shoes.  Geez this girl is stubborn and determined.  We ended up just grabbing some shoes and leaving quickly because she couldn't make up her mind.  If I had the vocabulary, I would have narrowed it down and been done with it, but the language barrier is too much at times.  She would just vigorously shake her head no at every pair she didn't like.  Han also took us for some souvenir's.  I hate shopping.  Really do! Especially when bargaining comes into play.
Feng Lin is engaging with Chris more and more.  She seeks him out for silly play.  She also seeks out affection more instead of just accepting it.  She gives us big hugs, cuddles, and says she loves us.  She is an absolute joy to be with.   We are so grateful to be her parents and to give her a forever family.

I finally succumbed to the cold that Chris has been hanging onto for over a week.  Would appreciate prayers for health as we travel.  22 hours on a plane with a four yr old is bad enough.  Doing it while sick is a little much!  Prayers for all of our health and safety.  Prayers for all four kids as they will begin their new life together soon.
Love to all.

GUANGZHOU!

 

 

Above is one of the last pix I took from Beijing.  Her favorite place-the pool!

Last night, we arrived in Guangzhou. But before Guangzhou, Feng Lin had a lot of anxiety about leaving Auntie Susan.  She just kept shaking her head NO when Susan told her we would be flying to Guangzhou and she would stay in Beijing.  She said Susan should come, too and even said she could stay in her suitcase.  When it was time to hug Susan and say goodbye, Feng Lin didn't want a hug.  She did not shed a tear, though she looked back several times.  It broke my heart for her.  She has experienced too much loss and she has no clue how to handle it.  We will certainly stay in touch with Susan.  She will have a special place in our hearts.  As an aside, Susan said that she and our driver had been talking about Feng Lin and they agreed that Feng Lin was the smartest child they had met in their 10+ years as adoption guides.  When I laughed, she said she was very serious.  I WILL say, Feng Lin has astounded Chris and me every single day.  She catches on to everything insanely fast!

 
A picture from the lobby in Guangzhou!

Can I just say, we LOVE Guangzhou!  We LOVE it!  It is so nice to be in a temperate climate, no smog, less traffic.  Ahh!  We can breathe a breath of fresh air here.  Literally!  Our guide's name is Han.  He is soft spoken with a sarcastic sense of humor.  We barely know when he is joking and when he's being serious so I think we've missed several of his puns along the way.  He is only taking us to our appointments.  We are on our own for the rest of the time we are here, which is fine with us.  We are familiar with Guangzhou and all the wonderful parks in the city.

We have a great suite here with lots of amenities- even wine in the evenings and a playground/garden on the 4th floor.  It was raining today when I took Feng Lin out to see it.  She was SO excited to get her  "YOU- SAHN."  (Umbrella)  it was the first time she needed it.  See this girl's face(above) when she got back out in the rain.  Totally thrilled!  She posed several times with the umbrella.  Such a diva!

Today, we had Feng Lin's medical appointment.  Even the Chinese doctor said she was tiny.  She is!  Four years old and 28 lbs!  Hope that once her back is straight, she gains some height and weight.  Speaking of which, Feng Lin is such a picky eater.  It's not that she will only eat certain things all the time, it's that she has will devour something at one meal and refuse it at another.  Chris and I have no clue what she might like at any given moment.  One day for lunch she ate nothing but cucumbers and tomato soup.  The next day she was in love with duck in a pancake.  The next day she wouldn't touch those things.  I've never been so grateful for my three kiddos who eat us out of house and home!

Back to the medical appointment...had to have a blood test for TB.  No veins accessible:(  They took her in a room and closed the door on us.  My palms were sweating because I was feeling so protective.  She never cried a tear on the other side of that door, but she came back with a few puncture marks:(  And got a lollipop from BABA!

Afterward, we waited for paperwork in the lobby.  While we waited, we saw a very familiar face.  JACK!  Our guide from our last adoption three years ago.  I had emailed him that we were arriving yesterday so he came to the clinic to find us!  I could have cried.  It was as if we took a step into the past with very happy memories.  We hugged and caught up briefly.  Our guide, Han, is good friends with him.  Han said "Jack is the best looking Chinese man I know and Chris is the best looking American I know."  Ha!  Jack is going to pick us up tomorrow night for dinner.  Can't wait!

We know it is common for kids' personalities to change when they travel to a new place with their parents.  Feng Lin has been no exception.  She is testing us more and more-mostly when we are out.  She will purposefully do something she knows is not cool and look at us with a giggle while she does it.  I am usually not a fan of "no" for kids misbehaviors, but since I don't have a great Mandarin vocabulary, it is usually the first thing that comes out of my mouth.  "Boo-Shir."  When she hears that, the game is on!  Feng Lin is very strong-willed.  We have found that the best way to handle her giggling indiscretions is by ignoring them instead.  She is used to yelling out for what she wants- drink, pencil, snack (in Mandarin, of course.  I've learned the words.  Pretty sure she had better manners when she could use full sentences to explain herself.)  I have started using the "mom-look" that I have perfected over my last decade of parenting.  When she sees it, she says very precisely "Puh-leeeese."  Hey, it gets her what she wants!

The only time Feng Lin is even slightly upset is at nap or bedtime.  She just shakes her head vigorously and lets out the occasional "Boo-shir" to let us know she's not having it.  Today, she didn't want to nap and instead sat up in her bed for over an hour.  Geesh! 

I have learned so much Mandarin, it is amazing!  (Chris mostly sticks to his English:) Some of the most used phrases (by pronunciation of course) are...

1. Chir Fahn- Let's eat!
2. Zo-Ba!- Let's go!
3. A-yo!- Whoa!
4. Boo-san!- No more! (Usually when baba is tickling her.)
5. Ga-mana?- What are you doing?

Some that I've picked up as well and have to use often...

1. Neow-Neow- Pee pee
2. Shyeow sheen- Be careful
3. Waw eye nee- I love you:)
4. May gwan shee- It's ok
5. Jen Ba!- Good job!
6.  MAY la- All done.

But there are so many more words and phrases I have learned.  I love it!  Makes me want to enroll in Mandarin school when I get home.  We did get Feng Lin some great books with a special pen that pronounces words, phrases, songs, and books in Mandarin and English.  It helps Feng Lin and I am sure it will help Chris, the kids, and me, too!

Gonna try to post video soon.  For now, love to all!

Leaving Beijing!

Didn't post last night because we were out having a blast with Collin.  He took us to a fun part of town where we ate a BURGER and drank a MARGARITA!  Yum!  We love the delicious food here, but once in a while it is nice to have some tastes from home.

We leave in an hour to head to the airport for our flight to Guangzhou (as long as Feng Lin's passport is actually ready.  Oh prayers that it isnt delayed for any reason!)  Guangzhou is where all adoptions are processed for China.  We will spend the week there getting Feng Lin's medical check ups and getting her visa to come to the US.  We will finally be heading back home on Dec 6th!

Chris and I are looking forward to going back to Guangzhou.  Quinn is from Guangzhou so we spent two weeks there in 2011.  The weather is similar to Miami so everything is green there all year round.  It was acutally in the 80s there this week, but we are bringing the cold weather with us.  It will be rainy and 60 all week which is a bummer, but at least the smog wont be as bad.  We are staying at the China Hotel with a bunch of other adoptive families.  We are looking forward to seeing other Americans and having some other children for Feng Lin to play with.  I have been on FB with some of these families, so it will be so cool to finally meet them.

As we have been packing this morning, Feng Lin has seemed very nervous. Thanks to my Mandarin bible, I was able to explain tht we are leaving and going on a plane, but still very confusing for her.  I am anxious to see what kind of traveler she is and how she adjusts to our new "home" in Guangzhou.

Prayers please as we take the next step of our journey-for safe travels, Feng Lin's adjustment to new surroundings, and smooth processes of adoption-related appointments.  Prayers for the kiddos at home, too.  We miss you so much Colin, Owen, and Quinn!  Sending you major hugs and kisses and hope your first day back at school is wonderful.
Love to all.

Free day!

Today was our first full day with no agenda, no guide, no driver.  Yikes!  We were really looking forward to having no plans and going at our own pace all day.  We were able for the first time to spend as much time as we wanted Skyping and catching up with family which was so wonderful.  We miss the kids SO much!

Today was a ridiculously smoggy day so all plans for outdoor adventures were off.  Instead, we went for another swim (at Feng Lin's request:)  We walked around a fancy mall across the street and got Feng Lin an ice cream cone.  She LOVED it!  That's my girl!  She has a serious sweet tooth.

She is such a trooper.  She has had no one at all today who could speak Mandarin and she handled it remarkably well.  We are so in love with this little girl.  Our daughter!  Oh my gosh, she's our daughter!

Love to all!

 

GREAT WALL!

Today, we went to the Fu Yang section of the Great Wall.  It was cold and windy, but Feng Lin was not deterred.  She wanted to walk up all the stairs!  Very steep stairs I might add.  We finally convinced her to walk down with Susan (she calls her "EYE-E" which means Auntie) so we could do more hiking.  Evidently, on the way down, Feng Lin counted 99 stairs she walked down.  After 99, she told Susan "There aren't any more numbers."  This kid just turned four years old!  Are you kidding me?!  She also talked to her about her friends at the orphanage and her surgery.  She was under three years old, but she remembered crying a lot and getting shots.  She said she doesn't cry anymore when she gets shots.  This little girl has been through so very much in her four short years.  I feel so protective of her already that I want to take it all away, but at least I know she will have family to love and comfort her during subsequent surgeries.  She doesn't have to be so tough anymore.

I took Feng Lin to the indoor pool in our hotel today while Chris was in the gym (as I'm writing this, I realize we are incredibly spoiled!)  I have no clue if she has ever been exposed to a pool.  All I know is that she loved the bathing suit, but vigorously shook her head NO when we arrived at the pool.  With great training from my dear friend, Katie, I can happily report that she LOVED the water by the end of our pool time.  She was kicking and blowing bubbles.  Fun stuff!

We are realizing that as loved and cared for Feng Lin was, she has missed so many important factors of having parents.  Being kissed is new to her.  She thinks it is funny because she makes the sound every time we kiss her.  She hasn't had sensory experiences like being upside down, tossed on a bed, tickled, or being bounced up high.  She gets very uneasy and shakes her head NO when we do those things, but she seems to be warming up gradually to those experiences.  She is also quickly growing to love books.  She loves Goodnight Moon and Brown Bear, Brown Bear as all our kids have. 

Chris and I are in constant awe of this beautiful child's resilience.  It is an answer to our prayers.  Seriously, every single child should know what it is like to be a part of a family and to have parents that love him/her.  Consider adopting or supporting someone else's adoption.  You will NOT regret it!  Off my soap box and off to bed:)  Love to all.

 

 





Happy Thanksgiving...form Beijing!

 We have so much to be thankful for today.  We have a beautiful, new daughter, a fabulous family caring for our other kiddos at home, and the amazing opportunity to spend this special holiday making some crazy, fun memories! 

We finished our paperwork yesterday! Woo hoo!  Now we wait...and wait...until Monday to get Feng Lin's passport.  Then we can head off to Guangzhou.  Last night we had our first tears at bedtime.  Feng Lin seemed to realize that this is her new reality.  I ended up lying down in the room with her until she fell asleep.  (I also fell asleep:)  This morning, she was great!  It is so amazing to feel the connection between the three of us growing.  We understand one another without knowing every single word we are saying to each other.  I am mixing more Mandarin with my English (Chris is trying:) and Feng Lin is mixing more English with her Mandarin.  Her favorite think to say is "Oh My Gosh"  !We laugh and play so well together. She is not used to having men around her so Chris' playfulness is not always welcome, but she is certainly becoming more enthusiastic about being tickled and teased than she was day one! She learns everything incredibly quickly.  We are constantly amazed by her intelligence, determination, and wit.  She is such an amazing kid!

Chris decided that we needed to splurge for our Thanksgiving lunch after our trip to the Summer Palace today.  Instead of eating out, we ordered room service.  PIZZA!  YUM!  Nice change of pace, for sure!  Feng Lin had a much needed nap.  Oh, this girl is so adorable!

 

Then we were off to Acrobatic Show.  Feng Lin LOVED it!  She clapped so much and ate a ton of popcorn. 

Our final and most anticipated Thanksgiving event was Peking Duck (closest thing to turkey:) with my dear friend, Grocery Store Amy's son, Collin. He happens to be studying in Beijing now. Feng Lin called him our driver (she's so used to having someone pick us up to take us places.)  While we desperately miss Colin, Owen, and Quinn, and spending Thanksgiving with our families, at least we can tell Feng Lin about our first amazing Thanksgiving together as a new family.  After all, that is what Thanksgiving is all about! 

Free Day

 Oh this girl... she is such a hot mess!  We had a free day today.  Went to the zoo and aquarium.  She had to put on all her bling before we left the room.  She recited Confucius poems all the way to the zoo, to the amazement of our guide and driver.  She has been taught SO MUCH!  She can sing ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle and Happy Birthday in English-and does so often as well.  When we arrived at the zoo, she said she wanted to see the pandas and the "fush." (Her pronunciation of fish.)  After seeing the Pandas, she saw a Panda umbrella she had to have.  She said she liked the red best so Baba got it for her.  She pranced around with it like she was hot stuff.  Then Baba decided she also needed the pink, in case this one broke.  And he got one for his other baba's girl, Quinn:)

 From that point on, she had a one track mind for "fush."  We would say "Kahn.  Look!" " No.  I want to see the fush."  Oh geez.  This girl thinks she runs the show!  Well, we finally went to the aquarium to the dolphin show.  She wanted to hold baba's hand the entire time.  SO sweet!

After the zoo, we went to lunch.  On the way, Feng Lin told Susan she saw the dolphin street lights.  (All in Mandarin) "Yes Feng Lin.  How many do you see?"  "I see two, but there are more ahead."  By the end of our walk... "There are sixteen dolphins auntie."  Susan told us how amazed she was and I responded, "Oh my gosh!" To which Feng Lin replied, (in English) "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"  This girl is going to give us a real run for our money!
Los of appointments tomorrow.  Wish we could speed things up.  The pollution is making us miserable.  Coughing, allergies, difficult to even want to step foot outside.  Sad to pull Feng Lin from all she knows, but so grateful she will grow up with fresh air to breathe and plenty of fush to catch with Owen:)
Love to all.