Arrived in LA

We made it out of Guangzhou to Bejing smoothly. Plenty of time to make transfers and another security check in Bejing. We lost 2 toys in Guangzhou. A plastic gun of Chuan's and his bag got searched for a small ball that had liquid in it. A terrorist would have to be pretty desperate to infiltrate an 8 yo boys toy in a pink Hello Kitty bag but whatever! Then in Bejing we found another one of those liquid balls that Guangzhou security missed!
The flight to LA was quicker than the one to China as I think we caught a tail wind or something. We flew over Seoul and Japan which we saw none of as it was pitch black and -70 degrees or more Celsius most the trip.
Liam and chuan slept off and on tossing and turning. Liam slept mostly on me so I was tossing and turning trying not to drop him and sleeping in some awkward positions. Just ehn he would get to sleep good and arm or leg or butt cheek would go numb from a weird position then we'd have to move again. Toward the end of the flight he laid down on the floor and I just let him sleep there a little while Chuan got to stretch out in the seat.
We arrived in LA early and were just in time for shift change at immigration which translated into 3 hours wait while everyone came and went and they did nothing with the boys paperwork. Several agents picked it us, thumbed through it and put it back down. Needless to say the boys were very restless. There was no food or drink, couldn't bring any bags in the room and absolutely nothing for them to do except try to touch things like the emergency exit door and alarm pad and run down the office corridor. After 2 1/2 hours with no explanation or even acknowledgement we were there I did get some parenting advise from a female agent who had obviously slept the night before. As Liam ran into their office for about the 30th time I asked her if they could just shut the door so he wouldn't be so tempted and she told me to just sit down and "try to be a good mother to my kids". O really??? I wanted to ask her for her advise on traveling half way around the world for 3 weeks and spending the last 24 hours on airplanes and in airports, but I was really just too angry.
Not long after that another agent came and got the boys papers, spoke no words to me and 30 minutes later came and gave me their passports with their stamp. He tried to explain "what happens next" and when I explained what I knew about it he gave me a paper handout and it was obvious to me I knew more about this process than he did. But at least we had cleared!!!
We have settled in the Courtyard Marriott which is near the airport and you could fit 2 Chinese hotel rooms in here. We also don't have a hot pot so I'm not sure how to get our drinking and toothbrushing water (lol)!!
It's good to be close to home but I am already missing China.
Chuan is being sweeter and playing more with Liam now I guess since he has no one else to play with. Hopefully we get on our plane and home tomorrow!!

Amanda
www.wherethereisgreatloveandmiracles.blogspot.com
www.doublehappinessboys.blogspot.com

Last day in Guangzhou

Well our last day here has finally come.  It is good to be heading home, but we will definately miss China.  We said goodbye to some new friends who are on their way home and elsewhere today.  I can't say enough how God has put us all together in this place at this time.  Our group has truly been remarkable, supportive and each of us contributing something different but necessary. 

We had a cold day and spent the morning with a little last minute shopping. 

We went to the White Swan for some "red couch" photos, a staple in the China adoption world!  THe boys never smile or look at the camera at the same time though!. Chuan is usually trying to make Liam look at he camera and then he is looking at Liam when I finally get the pic!  THen CHuan is doing Kung Fu moves over LIam's head instead of being still and looking at the camera.  Boys. 

We had a nice lunch at Lucy's and walked back to our hotel another way and I FINALLY found my friend Judy who I knew from our last trip here.  She is really sweet and recognized me almost immediately.  Her shopt had to move and she used to be under the Victory on the main drag of shops and is now a street further than Jordan's and Lucy's if anyone else goes and is looking for her! 

After lunch and our last minute gifts, we went back to the hotel to say goodbye to our new friends and Chuan's old friends.  I'm pretty sure they don't understand the significance of what is going on.  Chuan and Guang Fu watced cartoons and played in his room for a while tonight then we came back and have been paking furiously ever since!  I think we got everything and only had to buy once suitcase!

So we're off tomorrow and can't wait to be home

Our final post from China, Amanda, Paula, Liam and Chuan

Another day in Guangzhou/The Zoo

We went to the Guangzhou Zoo today.   FIrst of all the day started off prety well.  Chaun was in a good mood.  Rainy and wet was the outside weather but the weather here is a lot like home, so if you just wait around it will usually change.  We went to the zoo last time and other than the tiger cages being just way to small, I think it is a nice zoo.  Lots of walking and exercise for the big kids and Liam was satisfied either in his stroller or walking around in his new squeaky shoes. 

Chuan apparently asked our guide about the "shows" at the zoo and she told him there wer no more shows.  I was not aware of this until late in our visit when we walked past one of the animal show areas and Chuan started pitching his classic fit.   Well, he was was hollering at Eva that she lied to him and he wanted to go to the show.  He continued to holler and holler and cry and cry.  At one point he stopped and refused to walk any more and would not keep up with our group, so I took his arm to pull him along a little.  After that he did the "my legs are noodles" thing so Paula picked Liam out of the stroller and I put Chuan in.  I'm not sure if he understood my point but what I meant was "if you act like a baby, you get treated like a baby".  So I guess he got it because he told the guide he was not a baby and started dragging his feet in the front of the stroller.  Then I popped a wheelie with the stroller and just continued to push.  He is very smart because after about a minute of this he stopped crying and told the guide he would stop crying if he can get out of the stroller.  We of course agreed and he was ok after that.  He was mad at her and walked with his friend and his dad at first, then went and held Eva's hand for a while.  He was a little quiet on the bus ride home, but then we all went to Lucy's and I let him sit with his friend and his family, we were all in one room together.  He came to me to order his food and tell me what he wanted. 

I think he must have some anger about people "lying" to him or what he perceives as a lie.  I was not even aware of the conversation about the shows with the guide but I probably would have handled it a little differently.  She did, in fact lie to him.  I would have just told him there were more shows, but we decided to ride the amusement rides instead plus the shows were not until later and we needed to leave before the shows.  He still may have thrown the fit, but at least his trust in adults might be a little less damaged.  Who knows what other lies he had been told in the orphanage?  Well, I know one and that's the lie that your new parents will buy you anything and everything you want.  So I guess we're already on strike 2?

We came back to our hotel and the kids played again in the playroom.  No more fits, no fussing.  He wanted me to help him with his bath and he does not hold a grudge.  Tonight he is writting down the names of all his friends at the orphanage.  I wanted him to do this so he doesn't forget how to write their names.  So far we have all boys, 6 of them and one girl who is coming to live nearby in Louisiana in January. 

TOmorrow is our last day and we will say goodbye to our new friends from Miami as well as some of the other great families we have met here in China.  OUr friends from Shanxi are already home by  now, hopefully settling in.  Please pray for our little one's hearts as they leave the only home they have ever known.  It is such a scary thing to get on that plane headed toward what is not known.  Pray for our friend's flights and especially that connections go smoothly as some of them are a little tighter than they should be.  And pray that God opens our children's hearts to the love their families at home are waiting to pour out to them.

From China, Amanda Paula, Liam and Chuan.

COnsulate Appointment Day

TOday was our last bit of paperwork before we get to leave Friday.  We spent the morning leisurly and went to Jordan's for some shopping.  Before we realized it, it was time to meet our group to head over to the US Consulate for our oath for citizenship.  THere were 31 families adopting 33 kids today.  Liam was introduced because he has a birthday coming up next week and he is one of the double adoptions.  The other family was from Utah and were adopting their #7 &8th children. 

We were not allowed to bring cameras into the consulate so no pictures.  Chuan has yet to sit or stand by me for a picture so I was not hopeful about that anyway!  For now, I think he is just going with the group mentality and not really convinced he is part of anything more than that.  He often wanders off with the other families, but does not fuss when he has to go home with me and Liam.  We are just in the periphery!  He was very attatched to his caregivers at the orphanage and being in a larger group seems to have helped him not have to be so "stuck" with me!  Roland and I have already talked to the kids about us meeting his needs when we get home, so he (hopefully) will quickly learn that the parents do everthing and cannot be circumvented!  He does let me help him with his bath and his wound care and his medicines, etc.  He lets me help him in the morning with his ton of lotion he puts in his hair.  He did not like the pallate on the floor but did not want to sleep "with" me in the bed so we compromise and he sleeps with his head at the foot and his feet toward me and Liam usually wakes up and comes to get in bed and sleep with me opposite Chuan.  We are all 3 in the small twin bed by the morning.  He is not pulling away as much if I hold his hand or rub his head or back, so we are taking small steps at this time.  He does call me "momma" so I think he'll come around.  I told one of the other parents experiencing some similar things that once we get to America he will need me (and dad) more so we're ok with waiting.  We knew it would not be easy for him to give up almost 9 years of his life and just go off with some strangers who say they love him and want to be his parents. 

We shopped for a while this morning and Chuan did not have any meltdowns at all.  So today was a very good day.  For sure the best day since we are in Guangzhou.  I think leaving SHanghai and going to Guangzhou makes the transition a little more severe and impending permanence so we've had more fits and crying (as have other families) since we've been here.  SO a day without a crying/foot stomping "i want, i want, iwant" fit is a GOOD day!

From Guangzhou, Amanda, CHuan, Liam and Paula.

Day 4 in GUangzhou

We got our TB tests read this morning and everyone in our group is TB free!!  That means all the paperwork can be submitted for our paperwork and appointment tomorrow at the US Consolate. 

After our TB test readings, we went for a walk through the Qing Ping market and to the Pearl market.  The Qing Ping market streets are lined with vendors selling herbs, roots, mushrooms and flower petals for teas and all kinds of traditional Chinese medicine.  I asked Eva how are you supposed to know which herbs are for which things and she says she has to ask her mother.  There were enough pets lining the streets to put Pets Mart out of business.  Lots of puppies, kitens, fish of every kind, turtles and some other more exotic animals.  The kids really liked the market.  We also got to se where the Holiday Inn Shifu is and it is just a short walk from Shaiman Island.  It looks very nice and is very close to the central shopping mall and market, like right on top of it.

Chuan initially wanted some huge Ultraman toy that probably would not even fit in the suitcase, so Eva talked to him and we went ahead with no tears.  We proceeded to the jewelry market.  We found some nice pearls of good prices.  There were all kinds of stones of evry color many of which I had never even heard of. We got some cute watches and bracelets at some bargain prices.

Next we walked back and found another toy stand.  Chuan got a toy there and agreed with Eva he was not going to ask for the other toy, but by the time we got back to it, he said she was lying (with a smirk on his face of course) but this quickly turned into a fit and a crying spell.  Eva says the kids between about 6-11 all act like this.  SHe thinks the nannies at the orphange tell the kids their new parents will buy them everything they want.  SHe asked CHuan and he said they told him this too.  Well, welcome to the real world. 

So we had to walk back to the hotel with him screaming and hollering.  Just a short walk there but it seemed much longer coming back with everyone staring at us.  We were able to calm him down enough to stop crying so we could go eat with everyone from our group for lunch,  After that he was fine and we spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the playroom with the rest of our group.  THey had a great time. 

Tomorrow we go to the US consulate for an oath ceremony. 

we are in GUangzhou, AManda , Paula, Chuan and LIam

Day 3 in Guangzhou

Today started off pretty good.  We went to Starbucks for morning coffee and muffins.  Chuan wanted hot chocolate and drank it too soon while it was still hot

 and then started with upset stomach again for a few hours.  We were on our way to the Chen Family museum here in Guangzhou.  They have added a lot since last time I was here.  There are several more gift shops and some artists perfoming their arts on display. They had a man doing paintings and drawings and another man painting porcelain.  It was very busy because of the weekend and very nice. 

After our tour, we went to Lucy's for lunch and then played at the park for at least 2 hours with Ling, Karli, Chuan, Ben and Liam.  all the kids had a great time. There is a new kids park right in the Shaiman park area next to Lucy's restaurant.   The only bad part was when we left and took the kids to 7-11 for ice cream Chuan was not satisfied with just ice cream and wanted some other things like chips and since we already had those at home at the hotel I told him "no" which is not something he likes to hear.  He started with mumbling under his breath while Paula was looking in a store then erupted into a full blown cry and scream and hollering.  Once he got into the full blown cry we started heading back to the hotel so he screamed and hollered at the top of his lungs while mumbling probably something I didn't want to hear anyway under his breath.  After 5 long blocks we made it back to our hotel and back to the room. 

The rest of the day we have been fine. Our hotel has a play area with a ping pong table set up and a little kids area with a slide.  WE also have acess to the rooftop where the boys have been bouncing and kicking the beachball to pass the time. 

So far everything else is ok.  We will go tomorrow to read the PPD or TB test and CHuan's looks ok anyway and he did not get a blister from the shot so that was also good.

From Guangzhou, Amanda CHuan, LIam and Paula

 

 

Last day in SHanghai

-----Original Message-----
From: -mail from your <alacomb@aol.com>
To: alacomb.china2010 <alacomb.china2010@blogger.com>
Sent: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 4:30 am
Subject: Last day in SHanghai

Today is our last day in Shanghai.  WE went on a trip to the suburbs to an outlying village called Zhaojaijiao which is an old fisherman village and all the houses are on the water.  Also lots of souvenirs and shopping. 

We rode on the bus about 40 minutes to get there.  The land once you leave Shanghai is a lot like driving in southern United states into Florida panhandle.  Lots of houses on the water, although the homes are not near the styles seen in Florida. 

We rode on some Gondola-like boats through the village then spent some time walking around and shopping and sightseeing.  We found some really pretty Cashmere and Silk scarves and picked out some nice ones!  Chuan got a few toys and Liam got a little psycho green eyed puppy that barks and I think he might be little scared of it. 

We walked in the streets and ate lunch at a Japanese Ramen restaurant which was really good.  Chuan has been asking for ice cream every time he sees it on the menu at a restaurant, but is usually too full after eating so we also stopped at Baskin Robbins which is right down the street from our hotel. 

Sandra has made all our travel arrangements from Shanghai to Guangzhou for tomorrow.  We leave here around 11 am and will have a short ceremony as the Jadelink hotel manager wants to present the kids with some sort of gift.  They have been very nice and we were told they have a connection to our kids because this hotel is where the Journey of Hope camp took place in July 2009 so the hotel has a soft spot for our kids!  After that we'll be off to the huge Shanghai domestic airport and to Guangzhou.  2 down and one to go.  Can't wait to get there for the final leg which means we will be home soon!  Can't wait.

Next stop Guangzhou

Amanda Paula, Chuan and Liam