Finally Home!

After two December 26ths and the longest flight ever, we are finally home! We had the whole local extended family including mom's BFF Sandra and her daughter, Rebecca meet us at the airport. Thanks to Rebecca, pctures of the homecoming are to come!
I will try and post more about the trip in the upcoming days. It was a joyous time with some very frustrating moments. That and taking two pep.tos a day doesn't keep you from getting ill, no matter what your doctor or the RQ posters say! =)

Ellie appears to be adjusting well to everyone, and slowly to Bernie and Gracie.
A couple of quick notes before I follow my little sleeping angel and go to bed (it's a belated Christmas Eve here for our family!)

Rumors for my February LIDder's of referrals to the 28th! That would be two months of children referred this year. What a long wait for both parents and little ones! Hoping that the stork will fly this way soon with news of your babies!

While I was gone, my parents lovingly babysat my dogs, raked leaves, vacuumed tons of dog hair, stocked the fridge and decorated with recent pictures of Ellie so I would arrive to clean and happy house. Thank you! Even the dogs seem to be barking less. Amazing!
Thank you to Shane for going with me and providing so much support and teaching Ellie how to laugh at bodily noises and put her pants on her head. =)
Thank you to his wife, D. and my niece and nephew for letting him go with me to China for so long.
Also while I was gone, Matt and our friend Michelle painted a mural on Ellie's wall. It is amazing and the pictures don't do it justice. I waited til Ellie went to bed to take pictures and the lighting, well, I'll try again in the morning. It's just such a cool 3D mural and an awesome surprise that I wanted to post. The mama has green eyes (like me) and the baby, brown eyes. The real bamboo is the coolest. Thank you both for such a wonderful, beautiful surprise!
Thanks also to all of you who read and posted while we were away. It was great to read your notes while so far from home.

Merry Christmas!

Due to some issues I hope to post about later, we had to stay in Gu@ngzhou another day. We hope to bus to Hong Kong this afternoon and leave for home tomorrow!!! We hear the weather is bad on the East Coast today and pray it clears up for you Easterners and us travelers!
Here is the blog of a wonderful family traveling with us to bring their Madeline home.Very Merry Christmas to Ozimum and family who FINALLY got to see a picture of their sweet daughter!

We're fine....

We are all okay. It has been hectic with everything. We are all ready to come home. Will try to add a post tonight if things settle.

Thanks

Last Night in Nanchang, Jiangxi

Today we did paperwork for the consulate appointment next week. Oh the paperwork! Shane and one of the dads, Jaime, watched over Ellie, Ann Elizabeth and Sophia. They did a better job than we did with the forms! We also went shopping for porcelain which is famous in this province and we also got some loose tea. The shopping experience is so different here. Each store is so little and basically sells one thing. The workers are so pleasant and helpful and they really move to help you. Hurried. Like I work! =) Several places we were offered chairs while we waited. Oh, I must add that, as I am a bull in a chinashop, Uncle Shu Shu babysat while I shopped. Seemed like Ellie and Shu Shu had a good time. When I got back, Ellie had learned how to suck on the nipple of the bottle and was starting to chew on the pacifier. She is teething and also the plane rides have us worried. I'm hoping she doesn't get too attached to it. Ellie was also now offering HIM kisses! Sigh, guess I would have had to share eventually! The nipple actually worked in helping her settle down and not scream and cry (despite the holding/singing/shushing/etc.) when it was time for bed. Many of the babies are still grieving. Ellie is so sweet. She climbs out of the crib so she is sleeping next to me, arms straight out, often kicking. If she wakes up, she looks for me and smiles. My heart just melts. Her grin is the best!
Let's see, Ellie loves mac n cheese and maple sugar oatmeal packets. Yay! She won't starve at home! haha
Shane swears she's gonna start walking in a few weeks. She is into EVERYTHING. I will have to re-baby proof the house. She and my nephew will be "partners in crime" for sure (thanks Sandra!) We can call them Team Demo.
Tomorrow is her 1st birthday and we will try and get pics of her in her cupcake outfit (from Giggy) with her cupcake bib (from Laurel). We fly to Guangzhou to stay in the famous White Sw.an Hotel. She will get a (very brief) medical check up there and the consulate will give her a visa so we can fly home at the end of the week. We also get to shop more! =)
I wrote Ellie a letter tonight, for her to read when she is older and I got all teary when I signed "Mom." Oh my goodness, I'm a mommy to a one year old! I couldn't be happier!

Visit to a Local Village in the Countryside

On Thursday we rode about 10 minutes away to one of the local villages or "suburbs" of Nanchang. We stopped by a little store and picked up some goodies for the locals that were there, mostly the older folks and chldren. Lots of boys. The men and women who could work were out in the town, etc. They seemed to appreciate the gifts, even the pencils. In between telling us to dress the children more warmly they were very happy to see us. It was an experience for all of us that we won't soon forget.

Bath Time Fun

Teng Wang Pavilion

Our group of nine families at the Pavilion.
Bell Ringing
Exchanging baby info inside the pavilion.
Teeny tiny shoes when foot binding was in fashion. Ellie couldn't even fit in some of the shoes.
One model of the pavilion as it was rebuilt by the rulers at the time.


Our guides, De and Alisha.









My pouty lipped baby.
Mommy and Baby. =)

Day Out in Bayi Park

WE were the ones being observed! Oh the fashion police were out in full force! My brother, wearing short sleeves (it's what, 60 degrees out?) and being a big guy also brought lots of commentsstories!) getting water. The park has so much tradition alongside the old, not so nice apartment buildings with laundry hanging out the balcony. We also went to a Buddhist temple and lit some incense for good luck for the babies. Ellie is still suffering from a cold and she fell asleep with me holding her in the park. One lady . He's out at the market right now in shorts (oh, can't wait for those pulled back Ellie's hood(s) and said (translated for me)She's a happy baby. HOW she knew that or what her name is from crusty nosed sleepy baby on my shoulder astounds me. But it's true! Ellie is a happy baby! She does crawl and is pulling herself up when holding on to something. Oh, she is keeping me on my toes. Giggy better watch out when she starts babysitting! She loves to handle and look at things. She will now high five and then high five herself. I just love her!!
Ok, here are the pics before she wakes up. =)
P.S. Jennifer says hi to all her followers! She and Ann Elizabeth are doing well and adjusting to life together. I tried to add some pics of her as well.