Apple Pie and Egg Rolls

Breaking Hearts

2012-02-09T13:07:00.007-05:00

A post from Rush:

On July 22, 2010 in the city of Zhongshan a woman did the unthinkable. She wrapped up her child, traveled to the Yuelainan Medical Hospital, dropped her one month old infant off and walked away. And with each step her heart surely broke a little more. Social, economic, political and familial pressures that no American can truly understand backed her into a corner that she could not escape. A son was supposed to be a treasured possession, a child to carry on the family name. A blessing that would care and provide for his parents as they aged. Hearts broke when she delivered this child because he was different. He was a child with special needs, and special needs that could not be hidden. They were written right there on his lip and palate for the whole world to see.

And on this day in July her baby's heart, only a few weeks old, was also breaking. The woman who had carried him for 9 months and held him from his first breath was not there to console him any longer. His mom was gone and she wasn't coming back. He wasn't going home.

And so began the next phase of his life in an orphanage, where he would spend the next fourteen months - adjusting to life in a social welfare institute, undergoing surgery, vying for attention. A year old and weighing only thirteen pounds, his heart still not mended.

Then by the grace of our God, a foster family opened the doors of their home to this tiny little boy. A place where he could be loved, held and fed. But this family knew the risk they were taking by welcoming him. One day this child they loved would be removed from their home and sent back to the orphanage or adopted by another family, and their hearts would break.

12,000 miles away another family's hearts were breaking. Longing for their son to be home. Trudging through paperwork, processes, validations and approvals. Clinging to a couple of photos of their boy and the prayers of friends and family.

This is the story of my son, Judah.

In the next few weeks Judah will be removed from his foster family and sent back to the orphanage to "prepare" for his adoption into our family. It's not by our choice, but it is part of the process of Chinese adoption. Oh how my heart breaks just thinking about how much his will also be broken as he is once again torn away from a family. I grieve for the breaking hearts of this foster family who by now know that an American couple is coming and "FuFu" (their nickname for him) will no longer be smiling and crawling around their home.

This is a story of broken hearts. But it’s also a story of hope. In just a few short weeks we will be boarding a plane bound for our son. We know from past experience that the real journey will begin when he is handed to us and his heart breaks again, being torn from the orphanage and placed into what at that moment are stranger's arms. But we are his mom and dad. He has a home. And through the miracle of adoption, through family and through the unending love of Christ, his heart will heal.

My prayer is that God will keep breaking our hearts. Breaking it for what breaks His. Breaking for the broken hearts of the 146 million orphans across this globe. Breaking for all those who still need to hear His story.

As for FuFu, mom and dad are coming. For you and for your heart.

Next steps....

2012-01-20T09:26:00.003-05:00

We got our I800 approval last week....which in non-adoptive English, means Judah's U.S. Immigration Approval. Hooray! Now, we wait for what boils down to a few steps of communication between the US and China, and then await our Travel Approval from China, which means we are clear to go get him!!

There are a few complicating factors that we may have to deal with. There is a huge trade fair in Guangzhou which starts in mid-April (we ran into the same ordeal when adopting Rylie, although with her it was the fall trade fair). During this time, hotels are 2 or 3 times more expensive than usual, so we are really hoping to avoid that! However, we are trusting God's timing in this. His timing was absolutely and completely perfect with Rylie's adoption, down to the last detail, and we have no reason to believe it won't be the same this time around!

We did get an update on Judah a few weeks ago and sent him a care package. I can't even explain how thrilled I was with his update! New pictures of my boy gave me just what I needed to keep plugging along, especially in the midst of the weariness of waiting. He looks fantastic! I had been so concerned about his nutrition and weight. At a year of age, he was only about 13.5 pounds. I was hoping that with his cleft lip repaired, he would be able to eat a little better. Plus, we got confirmation that he has been in foster care for about 3-4 months. I had mixed feelings about that, but apparently, it is just what he needed! He now weighs close to 20 pounds, and is 19 months old. He's still small, but I think the extra attention from his foster family and time to feed him has made a world of difference! I had been concerned we were going to come home to medical issues from a nutrition standpoint, and now those concerns are mediated for the time being! Seriously...could not be more thrilled.

We had some questions answered as well...and learned that he is not walking yet, he is closest to his foster "grandmother" and has the nickname "Fu-Fu." Cute....(his Chinese name is He Fu). We are hoping we will be able to get another update before we travel!

In the meantime, we have finally started buying some clothes for him, which I am convinced are going to swallow him up. And who says nesting is just for pregnant women? I have been purging and cleaning and organizing like crazy. Still have a long way to go, but I am making progress. I guess the little man needs a place to sleep, huh?

We've also been planning on a little bit of a surprise.....I am 99% sure Jonah is going to come to China with us!!!! There are many reasons we decided on this. Primarily, leaving 3 kids here to be cared for while we are gone for over 2 weeks is a big deal. We thought taking one of them at least with us would help on that front. Also, he is fairly independent and helpful and could not be more excited to have a little brother. And I think as a 7 year old, the opportunity to, in combination, see another culture, different living conditions, and be present for the "birth" of Judah into our family will be amazing. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I just don't feel like we can pass it up. I think the girls are too young, and would present challenges during the trip that would prevent us from fully helping Judah transition, and I think Jonah will be a big help in that area. We've already talked to his teacher and principal about it, and they are fully on board! He is so excited. Now, to get him a passport!

The Adoption Train is Rolling Again!

2012-01-03T20:53:00.009-05:00

I have to admit, I've been away from my blog on purpose. Because blogging and reading blogs makes me think of adoption. And recently I haven't wanted to think about adoption. It's been too hard. It's a lot easier to just go through my day-to-day and NOT think about Jude. Or at least TRY not to think about Jude. I really didn't want to think much about him, because the past few months, waiting for China to officially approve our request to adopt him, has been tough. There is so little about adoption that is in your control....we learned that much with Rylie....but it still drives me crazy. And knowing that you have to just sit....and wait.....and wait....and wait for an approval that might come this week, or in two months from now, just makes me insane. So I guess my way of dealing with it has been to not deal with it.

That is, until a few weeks ago.

Rylie's 3rd birthday was December 15. That day just so happened to be Jude's half-birthday as well. For whatever reason, that day just set me off. I had been patiently waiting on China. But that day, my baby, who I couldn't be with, turned 18 months old. And I just felt the sense of him getting older and older....while we just waited and waited.....and it suddenly just became HARD to wait any longer. Hard to not know exactly where he was (we heard a rumor he was in foster care). Hard to not know if he was gaining weight (he was SO tiny when we got his file). Hard to not know if he was thriving. Hard to not know how much longer it would be until we could bring him home. Hard to hear silence. Hard to have no updates. Hard to have no new pictures. Just HARD.

So, I got desperate. I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I just had to find out something.

I'll spare the details. But I think God took pity on my and how crazy I had become.

Friday, December 30, I got a call from our agency. Our approval was here.

I worked that night. 3 new pictures came in an email. He looked awesome. And happy, and healthy. 20 pounds almost! In just a few short months, he gained about 6 pounds!!!

It was just what I needed. To see his face....no longer with sunken eyes, and scrawny limbs. But a full, smiling face with huge dimples....it was the best possible way to end the year! God is so good and loves so extravagantly!

So, let me share his pictures! :)

I love this kid so much already! He has grown so much. And while part of that makes me sad at what we've missed, it makes me thankful that the prayers we pray for him every night are so obviously heard.

Hopefully we will travel in March or April to bring him home!! Up next comes more paperwork and more waiting for approvals (US Immigration approval, a few other things I won't bother to explain, and finally, Travel Approval from China).

Finally, I have to share this worksheet Jonah did for school. How awesome! My heart is full.

Hurry Home Little Man!

2011-10-17T20:03:00.001-04:00

Finally!!!

Finally China has issued our Pre-Approval and I can share our news!

It turns out September 16 was a big day...bigger than we originally thought!

It marked 1 year to the day since we left for China to get Rylie.

Also, our agency called and said our dossier was complete and heading to China.

And.....they had a file of a little boy they wanted us to check out.

Well, Rush left early the next morning for Guatemala on a mission trip so we didn't really have too much time to review the file and discuss things before he left. We had zero contact through the week, so we were each on our own to consider things.

He got home on September 25th and we pretty much decided that night that we were ready to move forward. I called our agency the next morning and we sent in everything needed to pursue adopting him! We've just been waiting on our pre-approval so we could share the news officially!

So, without further ado.....

...let me introduce our newest kiddo!

Isn't he adorable?!?!

He is 16 months old, from Zhongshan in Guangdong province in China. (This is the province where the American Consulate is, where we spend the 2nd half of our trip with Rylie.) He is quite tiny though. We're praying for him to put on a few pounds!

He had a unilateral cleft lip and palate, but his lip was repaired in June. So...it looks like we will go through another palate surgery! At least we know what to expect this time around.

His Chinese name is Yi He Fu. We are going to name him Judah Colton Hefu M********.....and call him Jude.

Anyway, we are in love. The kids are smitten as well. In fact, Jonah asks every single day when we can go get him. Unfortunately, I am expecting it to take a while for various reasons...probably at least 6 months or so. :( But we are trusting that whenever we are able to go, it will be the right time. We're just praying for patience now!

We absolutely cannot wait to bring him home!

My Guatemalan Education

2011-10-13T20:12:00.011-04:00

Another post from Rush....who is apparently trying to take over my blog. :)

I recently returned from a short term medical mission trip to the Pacific Coast of Guatemala with a team from my church. Thirteen of us spent eight days in the beautiful Central American country providing medical care to some of its more needy communities and working with a missionary who has dedicated much of his life to Guatemala and its people.

I met incredible people and got to do things that I never thought I would do in my lifetime. Releasing a baby turtle into the Pacific Ocean, spending hours painting faces of little kids, pulling a tooth, helping with a surgery (more like a minor procedure --- but to me, it was surgery), playing soccer on the beach, laughing non-stop at inside jokes, and connecting in a new way with Christ are just a few of the memories that are now forever a part of who I am.

People have asked all types of questions since my return. What did we do? (Work & have fun) What were the people like? (Awesome) Would I go back? (Yes) What did I “get” out of the trip?

When I think about that last question I realize I got a lot of things out of my short time in Guatemala. An appreciation of a different culture, a renewed passion for missions and friendship come to mind. But most of all, I got an education.

I learned that we are all the same. Kids. Adults. Churches. We are all made in the same image and we all need the same things.

I learned that broken Spanish makes Guatemalan kids laugh. More broken = more laughs.

I learned that doctors, dentists, pharmacists & nurses do amazing things every day --- everywhere.

I learned that in some circles of Guatemala I’m known to be quite an artist.

(In America I can’t draw.)

I learned that I can do things that are outside of my comfort zone.

I learned that a multivitamin can give hope.

I learned that this world doesn’t make sense sometimes.

I learned that one little girl in Guatemala thought I was Justin Timberlake, even if just for a minute.

I learned that contentment doesn’t come from stuff. It comes from relationships, from community, from Christ.

I learned that Virginia really isn’t that hot.

I learned I love my church even more than I thought.

I learned that trying to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission is hard work, but it’s also the most enriching and rewarding work I’ve done. And as Christians we have a lot more work to do.

So why go on a mission trip? Why spend the vacation time and money? Why be away from family, friends and comfort for a week? There are a million reasons one could give I guess. For me though, it was all about getting an education.

I’m not who I was….

2011-09-20T00:30:00.009-04:00

A post from Rush on Rylie's 1-year adoption date.

A year ago today something happened in the city of Nanchang, a city in the Jiangxi Province of the People’s Republic of China. A common occurrence that happens just about every day and goes mostly unnoticed by the thousands of people filling the markets, shops, small apartments and busy streets below. Two people from thousands of miles away carried a little girl who looked very different from them into a dark, hot, almost-abandoned government building. There, they signed some forms, turned over American dollars and explained why they would want to take this “special needs” girl home with them. The cash was authenticated, forms stamped, and officials were satisfied. Almost as quickly as they entered the building, the couple and girl were escorted back out onto the busy street.

But this time as the bicyclists raced by, sirens wailed, and people stared at the motley crew on the sidewalk, everything was different. That little girl had a new name. And she was part of a family. She was one of us. She was our daughter. I was her dad.

And so began a year filled with ups, downs, laughs, tears, doctors, surgeries, new languages, food, customs, sights, sounds and smells. Rylie is definitely not who she was on that day she officially became ours. She has grown in every way possible. She amazes me every day at what she can do, what she is capable of learning and how she has been grafted into our family with such ease. But as much change as Rylie has experienced, I can’t help but think the biggest change has happened to us.

Over the past twelve months my little girl has taught me so much about love, patience, compassion, commitment, faith, priorities and family. Who knew that a little girl who was left of on the steps of a hospital at not-quite two months of age could be such a powerful teacher? She has brought me closer to my wife, my kids, and to Christ. I am so thankful. On her one year mark of being a Middleton I want to thank a few people:

My wife – who has been amazing and navigated so much of this adoption process like a champion. Being Rylie’s Mommy hasn’t always been easy, but she has been an incredible partner in this journey. Jennifer deserves more than I can ever give her.

Jonah & Reagan - for accepting their sister as she is, and for loving her without prejudice.

Our parents – without them none of this could have happened

Our family & friends – for encouragement, counsel and loving us.

Rylie’s birthmother - Thank you for choosing life when so many people don’t. I owe you so much. I pray you are at peace and know that Jia Hui is loved.

Rylie –Thank you for loving me even when I don’t deserve it. Your daddy loves you and can’t imagine a life without you in it.

It’s amazing to see all the changes that have taken place in our little girl over the past twelve months, and it’s beyond exciting to think and dream about what lies ahead.

Rylie isn’t who she was.

Because of her, neither am I.

And that’s the best thing ever.

Gotcha Day.....One Year Later

2011-09-19T00:30:00.000-04:00

I truly cannot believe it.

One year ago today, we were in China. Travelling from Beijing to Nanchang.

Up at 4am.

Flying south.

Arriving in the same city as our daughter.....finally.

I so distinctly remember the sights. The sounds. The smells. The traffic.

And the nerves.

I remember Rush was able to take a nap while we waited in the hotel for 2pm to arrive.

The long awaited hour where we would meet our girl.

This mama.....well, let's just say I couldn't sleep. Or sit. Or think.

I was a little distracted.

Finally, the time came.

We headed downstairs.

We waited.

Then, some commotion.

She rounded the corner.

She was handed to me.

She screamed.

I expected that part, at least.

And our world changed.

My Rylie has changed so much in the past year. It really astounds me when I look back at her pictures and videos from last year and compare them to now.

She's still got a long way to go. Lots of challenges still to overcome.

But she's come so far.

And I can't help but believe....and know...that where she is right now....

Well, it's exactly where she was meant to be.

Happy Gotcha Day, Ladybug!!

We love you so much and are thrilled God placed you in our family!

Thank you for enduring so much change over the last year.

You have blessed us immeasurably.

Black and White Wednesday- Rain Day

2011-09-06T20:40:00.011-04:00

I didn't truly realize what a distraction Jonah is to the girls until today...his first day back to school for the year. I had all day to entertain my 2 favorite ladies. And it was literally all day....no naps for these girls for some reason. We made cupcakes for Jonah....orange and green ones to be exact (Reagan picked the colors). We played, we read, we cleaned, we struggled to find other things to do.

Did I mention it poured down rain pretty much all day?

Finally, I couldn't keep these 2 chicas cooped up any longer. We broke out the raincoats and boots and headed outside.

They had a blast.

It was still raining when we went out, which provided a lovely little stream of water beside the curb.

How convenient.

Naturally, they had to check it out first.

Where it came from.

And follow it's path back down the hill.

And find out how fast it was flowing.

But then....

...they discovered their river would take leaves with it.

Which easily entertained them for the next hour.

Finally, it was time to go pick up Jonah from the bus stop.

Leaving the stream wasn't a popular decision.

Guess you can't win them all.

Thank God for our rain today....and for some bonus entertainment!

Jonah had a great day by the way.

The cupcakes were yummy.

And the kids were in bed, silent and exhausted, at 6:59pm.

2nd

2011-09-05T21:52:00.011-04:00

Today, my man starts second grade.

Second. Grade.

Yikes.

I used to hear other moms talk about their second graders. And I thought they had "big" kids.

Now, I have a "big" kid.

When the heck did that happen?

I really feel like Jonah should still be 3. And stay that way....forever.

But alas....he keeps growing.

Despite my earnest pleading.

He's an amazing kid.

Rush and I laugh at the thought of just having him as our only child....he's so easy. If he was our only child, I think we could barely call ourselves parents.

He doesn't rock the boat too much.

Responsible. Compassionate. Happy. Helpful.

The kid's a gem.

I am so proud of the person he is becoming. So proud of his heart, his choices. The big brother he is. The way he devours books and learning. His insight. His concern for others.

His joy. He has the best laugh I've ever heard. You can't help but laugh along if you hear it.

I'm not sure how I got so lucky to be his mama.

And I can't wait to ride along on his 2nd grade train and see who gets off at the end.

Whoever it is, I'm pretty sure I'll be crazy about him.

Good luck in 2nd grade, my Jonah! How I love you!

Sunday Snapshot- Washington

2011-09-04T00:30:00.003-04:00

Before school starts and takes away our summer fun, we decided to take the kids up to D.C. for the day. They've been begging to go back to the National Zoo for a while, so we packed up and headed north. We started out early, amazingly hit no traffic, and got right into the city. Much to the kids' chagrin, we started by checking out some monuments, using the zoo somewhat as a bribe to get through some history-chasing. :)

Taking our newest little U.S. citizen to the nation's capital was a pretty cool thing. She seemed impressed....

Jonah and Reagan....well, they ended up playing Star Wars. Which they found more interesting than Mr. Lincoln.

Rush really wanted to see the new Martin Luther King, Jr memorial so we headed that way. Little did we know that they were dedicating it that morning. We arrived about an hour before it was open to the public but were able to see pretty well through a fence. We also ran right into Jesse Jackson and some family members of MLK, himself right at the entrance. What timing!

After lunch in front of the White House, we headed to the zoo, which of course, the kids loved.

Sadly, school starts in just a few short days. Jonah is beyond excited, as he got the teacher he wanted, and he has some good friends in his class again. I'm excited for him, and for Reagan to restart preschool, because she loves it so much, but I am a bit sad for my buddies to be gone again. We've had such a great summer! But there's so much in store for the fall too!

The Big Announcement

2011-08-21T23:42:00.013-04:00

Ok....finally. Finally, we are ready to spill the beans.

You've been so patient.

Or annoyed.

Or both.

Sorry!

This thing has been in the works since about February or March, I guess. Plans have been made, disagreements hashed out, selfish feelings put at bay, craziness rationalized.....

You get the gist.

This thing has NOT been an easy decision. It's been something that we know we are supposed to do. Something we know is the right thing to do for our family. Something that we, *ahem*, I haven't always been 100% on board with.

But, I am now. And I am certain. And excited. And in a good place.

So...here we go.

Ready?

Our big news, is that our family will be growing again!

Sometime in the next few months....we hope to adopt again.

From China...again.

This time.....a son.

We are paperwork ready. Everything is done. We have to wait until Rylie's 1-year adoption date to send our dossier off to China (September 20).

Now, we just have to find him.

And I absolutely can not wait to see that sweet face for the first time.

Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names.
They are easier to ignore before you see their faces.
It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms.
But once you do, everything changes.
-David Platt

Sunday Snapshot- A Week of Firsts (Life and Photoshoots!)

2011-08-20T21:50:00.009-04:00

Back in the spring when I took a photography class, it was really nothing more than wanting to learn how to use my dSLR camera and take better pictures of my kids. So, when one of my co-workers asked me to take her son's newborn pictures, I was super-nervous!! I had never taken pictures for anyone other than myself, when, really...if I mess up, I mess up. No one gets disappointed except for me. And I can live with that! But, the thought of messing up pictures of a precious newborn...well, that put me in a little bit of a frenzy. Still, how could I say no to a chance to hang out with such a sweet little guy for a while?

Well, I decided to bite the bullet and go spend some time with sweet, perfect Max for a while on the day he turned a week old. Man-o-man what a great time! I loved getting to capture these shots and I must say, I was pretty happy with how they turned out! I hope his family enjoys them....because he certainly won't be this little for long! I'm so glad they let me come and play!

Here are a few of my favorites! (you can see them all at www.BabyMax2011.shutterfly.com)

Sunday Snapshot- Maymont

2011-08-14T22:03:00.004-04:00

The end of summer is starting to rear its ugly head around here, and I am suddenly feeling like I need to cram some more fun into our remaining few weeks.

We had a mild day on Friday, so the kids and I packed up and headed to Maymont Park, one of my favorite places in the city.

I wish I had more pictures, but trying to wrangle 3 kids who want to trek off through bamboo forests and climb waterfalls makes pictures a little hard to come by.

But, we had a great time regardless.

Jonah caught a little frog, which absolutely thrilled him, but it was so little and jumpy, I didn't get any pictures.

Reagan made a new friend as well.

We had a few rare moments of love between these two.

All 3 worked on their rock-climbing.

Rylie charted her own path.

And we fed some huge Koi without losing anyone into the water!

Only 3 weeks left. We'll see what else we can get in to!

Zucchini Cakes

2011-08-09T18:42:00.003-04:00

We just had these for dinner....and if you don't try them, you are seriously missing out! Yum!

Words With Spouses

2011-08-09T12:03:00.003-04:00

Rush discovered "Words With Friends" on his smart phone a while back. He and some of his friends at work have been having continuous battles for the past few weeks. I thought it was a little silly.

But then....

We discovered there is a way to play on Facebook.

Oh. My. Gosh.

They should call it "Crack with Words." Seriously addicting.

My first battle was with my husband. He smoked me. In my defense though, he's a "s" and "ed" adder. So unfair. (Unless it's me that has those chances, which I will take full advantage of, thank-you-very-much.) But, he really and truly kicked my butt. I relented. But the battle rages on....

I'm hoping our marriage survives, considering there's also a "chat" option. Better known as a "smack talk" option here. Thank God for John Acuff's guidance.

Now he has just one more excuse for not getting me a smartphone. Thanks a heap, Facebook.

Who's Coming to Breakfast?

2011-08-05T00:17:00.001-04:00

Journeys

2011-08-04T15:18:00.008-04:00

Ever been on a journey you really don't want travel?

A journey you might be dreading, but know you have to go on?

And you know with everything in you that it is what you are absolutely supposed to be doing?

But in all reality, deep down, you're not really happy about it. Because it means that you have to give up some things. Some things you really do want. Some things you always saw in store for yourself. Some things you think you deserve.

And you know it's going to be hard. And challenging. And you really have no idea how on earth you're going to get to your destination. In fact, it looks darn near impossible at times.

Surely, someone else should have been chosen for the journey. Someone better equipped. With better judgment. Better ideas. Better plans. Better resources. Someone more patient and less selfish.

But, no. It's you. You are the one that was chosen. You are the one that has to go. You are the one who has to sacrifice, and stretch, and wonder, and trust.

Ever been there?

Yep. Me too.

Right now, as a matter of fact.

Blindly having faith that it is going to be ok. Trusting that I don't have to worry about one single detail of the journey. Because when God calls us to something, he is faithful to see it to completion.

Still, I am of little faith. I am selfish. I am impatient. I am greedy, and pouty, and lazy. (Well, not all of the time!) But at our core, aren't we all? We know that usually the greatest rewards in life come from the greatest struggles. But we really don't want to go through the struggle part, do we? Who would?

"....I could not help but think that somewhere along the way

we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it

with what is comfortable. We were settling for a Christianity

that revolves around catering to ourselves when the

central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."

-David Platt, Radical

Ahhh, that whole 'die to self' thing.....that's hard. And usually it's not fun. Rewarding? Yes. Fun? Not so much. Still, we're on board. We're paddling. We're looking for the joy along the way. And the challenges.....well, we'll just hand those over to someone who can take care of them.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself,
“The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”
-Lamentations 3:22-24

Black and White Wednesday- Princess Rylie

2011-08-03T23:00:00.002-04:00

A while back, I found a blog that drew me in immediately. Adorned with gorgeous pictures of her kids, I noticed one of her beauties was Chinese....and named Reagan.....and came home from China just a few weeks after Rylie. Well, back in the spring, she offered some on-line photography classes, which I signed up for as my birthday present. I have always loved taking pictures, and a few years ago got a used dSLR camera, although I really knew nothing about its functions above staying in Auto. Well, Lisa taught us some super-useful info, which transitioned us all into shooting in manual. I still need a lot of practice, but have had fun learning!

Of course, I have lots of opportunities to practice with the kids....when they decide to cooperate.

Rylie has been my biggest challenge, though. She hasn't quite figured out the smile-on-demand thing, or how to continue looking at the camera for more than a split second. Luckily, she gave me a great opportunity to practice one morning, while she was playing dress up. She took just about every conceivable thing she could find to put on, and transformed herself into a fancy little princess.

At first, she didn't really get into it.

And I think she was annoyed at the camera being in her face.

Or distracted by her toes.

But, I couldn't let the opportunity pass by.

To capture a moment when this little girl initiated a little session of pretend play.

And one in which she looked so beautiful at that.

Well, I couldn't let that moment pass by.

How I love you, my little princess. And I love capturing your moments of joy.

Starting Over

2011-08-03T22:41:00.001-04:00

It seems the most recent theme on my little blog has either been ABSENCE or CATCHING UP. Sorry about that. I truly have no idea where 2011 has gone. August sneaked up on me from out of nowhere! I guess that's what happens with 3 kids. Time literally flies. And I am having a hard time keeping up.

For now, mostly for myself to remember....here are a few highlights!

Rush's sister came home from the Philippines, where she has been serving for the past year as a teacher at a school for kids of missionaries. Reagan was lucky enough to fly out to LA with her grandparents to meet Sharon as she arrived back in the States. While they were there, they went to Disneyland!!!! She loved every minute of being treated like a princess and had a great trip!
Rush took Jonah to Disney World for one of their Star Wars Weekends. Being the Star Wars nut he is, he went crazy. He didn't even know he was going until the morning of their flight. We woke him up and had him get ready, just as if he was going to school. Over breakfast, Rush spilled the beans. It was awesome. I think Jonah was in shock all weekend.
We had a week in the Outer Banks over spring break with Rush's family. It was Rylie's first real beach experience and minus a few moments, she loved it!
Rush and I were lucky enough to have a few days in Cozumel in May. It was nice to literally have nothing to do. Well, except sit on the beach or by the pool all day long.
Jonah lost his first tooth!
My sister had a baby....she lives in Roanoke, so my mom and I packed up the kids and headed for a visit. Sadly, the kids had never been to Virginia Tech before, so we took the opportunity to take them to Blacksburg for the first time! Rush was disappointed (to put it mildly) that he didn't get to come, but the kids LOVED it! We checked out campus, played on the drillfield, hung out at the duckpond and more. I wish we had a little more time there, but overall, it was awesome going back and having the kids with me. Last year was the first time since we graduated that we have missed going to at least one football game per season (since we just got home with Rylie). Fortunately, this year we get to head back to a game and take Jonah with us! Can. Not. Wait!

I'm sure there is so much more I could list, but I think those are the big things.

In other news, Rylie is doing great! She's progressing well in speech therapy and her therapist seems really pleased. She LOVES her Sunday School class and adored bible school last week. The girl pays attention....she knew a lot of the words and motions to the songs they learned. I was really surprised at how much she remembered!

There's some big news coming down the pipeline. I know I alluded to it months ago and left a lot of people hanging. Sorry about that! I promise I will share soon.

And, I am going to really try to get back on the blog bandwagon consistently!

Reagan's Take on Love

2011-05-28T21:52:00.004-04:00

Apparently, Reagan has a boyfriend.

Is it just me, or do these kids start early?!?!

She told us of him yesterday....a little boy from preschool. An older boy at that.

His name...Joshua.

She asked me when she could go on a date with him.

Yikes.

She also said she fell in love with him.

I asked how it happened.

Her response: "First, you run around the playground and then you fall in love."

Simplicity. :)

Jonah's response..."You're too young for that! That stuff is only for kids in kindergarten and up!"

Hopefully, way up. I have a feeling Miss Lovebird is following in the footsteps of her womanizing older brother. Although, at least he waited until Kindergarten!

6 months later...

2011-03-28T15:23:00.004-04:00

A little over a week ago, we officially reached the 6-month point of having Rylie as an official part of our family. What a ride it's been. In such a cliched way, I can easily say it seems like she's been here forever, yet I often find myself needing to stop and remember that it's ONLY been 6 months. Nothing in the grand scheme of things. Such a little amount of time to expect her to be fully grafted in to our family. The range of emotions I have felt over the past 6 months are more vast than anything else I have ever experienced in my life.....more than I could have ever anticipated. I read this post, and feel like I could have written it myself. This is such a huge process....such a gigantic step of faith....why would I expect that everything would immediately fall into place? That everything would feel perfect from day one? It hasn't and it didn't. But wow.....what a difference 6 months can make. I am sure people have judged me and our family in many ways over the last 6 months....our responses, our emotions, our choices. But ultimately, we have an audience of One, who has led us down this road, and we know He will not fail us now.

I would be lying to say this little girl doesn't try my patience in ways I didn't know were possible. But she has changed us. She has changed me. So much so, that big things are in store for us. Big things we are currently pursuing. Big things that will stretch us again, and try us again, and teach us again. Big things that will force us to rely on each other and God in new ways....again.

Big things in store.....stay tuned.

Long Time No See!

2011-03-08T21:04:00.007-05:00

Oh my poor little neglected blog.....

I've missed you so.

I'm sorry I've been absent. For 3 months almost. Sheesh....

Where the heck has the time gone?

Basically, there's no way to cover everything that's gone on.

Christmas....great. Rylie got a little overwhelmed, but still had a great time. Jonah and Reagan...on cloud 9, as expected.

New Years....no biggie. I worked.

January, I'd rather not even remember. Except for the fact that the hubby and I celebrated a decade of marriage. 10 years? Not sure how that happened!

February...I know there was a groundhog. And some hearts. And I hit the #33. For some reason, it still surprises me I'm a legitimate adult. I got to spend some much needed time with my girlfriends at the beach right after my birthday. Oh, how wonderful it was! We even went to a movie. I cannot remember the last time I went to a movie! How cute is this cupcake my sweet friend, Lisa, bought me?

Mid-February, Rylie had her cleft palate repaired. We're so thankful to have that surgery behind us. It was better than I expected....but I think it was because the surgery team did such a good job of preparing us for the worst. The first week after surgery was tough. We jokingly said "China Rylie" was back because the screaming, thrashing fits of rage came back in full force, much like when we were in China. It was difficult to see the past 5 months of work go out the window for a while. Fortunately, we're past that. She's still a little clingy, but it's improved dramatically. Soon, we will start speech therapy with her. She tries so hard to talk, but it's pretty much all unintelligible. At least she seems motivated!

Jonah had a little run-in with the law due to something that happened on the schoolbus. And by "the law," I mean Rush. Don't think that will be happening again. ;)

Today, we had our 6-month post-adoptive report visit with our awesome social worker who did our home study 3 years ago. It was a great time of reflection, and really helped us revel in the progress that has been made since we met Rylie almost 6 months ago. When we really stop and consider the changes....in her life and in her behavior, it's remarkable.

And the change in ours?

Well, I'm speechless. And thankful. The Lord sure is faithful. All. The. Time.

More from Reagan....

2010-12-15T20:47:00.004-05:00

Rylie got a giraffe toy for her birthday....

Reagan: Mommy, do giraffes poop?

Me: Of course they do.

Reagan: Do they every time (they use the bathroom)?

Me: I don't know.

Reagan: Hmmm.....I'll have to ask one.

Later, the conversation changed....

Reagan: Mommy, sharing and loving and caring about other people....that's the truth of Christmas!!

Preach it baby girl! :)

Happy Birthday Rylie Girl!!!

2010-12-08T20:56:00.010-05:00

2 is a big number around here right now.

Rylie has been home for just over 2 months.....and today she is 2 years old!!!

My, how much has changed in the past 2 months!

When we arrived home from China, we came with a little girl who was part happy, silly and crazy and part terrified-of-everything stressed out. She screamed, she tantrumed, she hated the dog, hated toys, hated blankets, hated stuffed animals, didn't know how to play, wasn't sure of her siblings, had bumps all over her skin, carried a parasite, took at least 2 hours every night to fall asleep, and nearly refused to be put down. She was unsure of us, unsure of her surroundings, unsure of everything.

Now, just 2 months later, we still have some moments....but she is a different girl.

She still has some tantrums when she doesn't get her way (hey, she's 2) but instead of having 20 in a day that are violent and lengthy, they are short and infrequent.

She LOVES the dog and will even climb into bed with her and hug her goodnight.

She loves (most) toys. She has learned to play. She likes some stuffed animals as long as they don't move and make noise. She likes blankets now and will happily be covered up and snuggle with one in bed.

She loves (for the most part) her siblings. Well, Jonah anyway. She has a love-hate relationship with Reagan....which I think is mutual!

Her skin looks great and she is rid of her giardia.

Bedtime is down to about 20 minutes and she sleeps through the night! (Praise God!!) She used to force herself to stay awake. She would kick, roll, pick at herself, her clothes, the bedding and us just to stay awake. She would rhythmically "chant" for hours until she would fall asleep...I guess as a type of self-soothing thing. She doesn't do these things anymore, unless something unusual is going on. For example, on Thanksgiving night, she was running a fever and felt miserable. I was putting her to bed when I realized she was doing her chanting thing as she was trying to go to sleep. It hit me that she hadn't done that in quite a while, and suddenly it seemed so strange!

She still likes to be held a lot, but is ok for a lot of the time to be on her own walking around.

She can run across the whole yard and not fall. She can go up steps pretty well and climb. When she first got home, she fell constantly and could hardly push up her own body weight on steps.

She eats like a horse. We have yet to find anything she doesn't like....I'm talking raw onions, peppers, just about any soup, black olives, guacamole, beans, broccoli....she loves everything. In fact, when it's mealtime, I can barely even put plates on the table without her running full speed to the table screaming with delight. She LOVES to eat. She must have the world's fastest metabolism considering how tiny she is!

She is the queen of silly faces.

The day we met her, one of the ladies from her orphanage said she was smart and liked imitating people. Boy was she accurate! Her imitations are hilarious. She'll imitate any face you make or motion you do. It's come in really handy as we have taught her signs. She knows more than 20! She has tried to start verbally imitating things we say such as, cracker, more, hot, Mama, bye-bye, night-night, I love you, and my personal favorite..."Say what??" Not bad for still having a massive hole in her mouth!

She loves music and dances pretty much right away whenever she hears it.

She loves blowing kisses.

She LOVES her Daddy.

She loves bathtime.

She loves brushing her hair, and necklaces, and anything girly.

She loves Christmas lights!

She recently learned to give real kisses and hugs. She used to just sit there if you hugged her. Now, she hugs back! And she'll pucker up to give kisses. I can't explain how awesome it felt the first time she hugged me back. Something that is so instinctive for us....people who have always received love and affection...was so unnatural for her. How much we take for granted....

In a nutshell, adoption changes lives.

Hers.

And certainly, this little girl has changed our lives.

Bringing her into our family has challenged us in more ways than we could have even anticipated, from start to finish. But she is worth it. In a short time, she has blessed us tremendously. We have learned so much about ourselves. About perseverance. About patience. About unconditional love. About choices. About faith and hope and expectations. It's been quite a ride so far. We're thrilled to be along for the journey.

Today, I'm glad she can celebrate. I'm glad there are people to celebrate her. She deserves it.

So for the first time, let me say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYLIE GIRL!!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Christmas Parade!

2010-12-06T23:12:00.006-05:00

So, post-adoption and trip to the other side of the world adding in another kiddo near the holidays....what's a family to do?

Whatever is FREE...that's what!

We packed up and headed out in the cold on Saturday morning to the Christmas Parade. It's been a while since I've been. I think I last took Jonah before Reagan was even born! It was COLD, but fun! My sweet friend Ashley came along (Thanks Ashley!!!).

We arrived over an hour early to make sure we got a good spot!

It was a long wait...

Rylie got a little concerned....

Then, she got angry....

Fortunately, it soon started, and she loved it! I just wish I had a video of her dancing to the marching bands!

And then, there's the happy boy who just saw a bunch of Star Wars characters.

It made the wait and the cold all worth it!

Thanksgiving!

2010-12-06T22:41:00.005-05:00

Lots to be thankful for around here this year! We made a "Thankful Tree" and wrote down some of our favorite things. Legos, candy, and bananas made the lists of the kids. Of course, Rylie coming home was surely the highlight!

Reagan and Rylie were my kitchen helpers. Mostly, they helped eat the supplies.

My 3 pilgrims

Thanksgiving and Christmas are always busy around here. Since our families both are local, we head to both places; one for lunch and one for dinner. We LOVE not travelling, but it makes for a long day for everyone....including our stomachs!

This year, we started at my mom's. Our family has outgrown her house, so she rented the clubhouse in her neighborhood. It was great!

The "older" cousins had their own table.

Rylie seemed to thoroughly enjoy the day.....especially since it involved food!

Unfortunately, Rylie ended up with a fever once we got to Rush's parents' house, so I don't really have any pictures from their house. She was fine once she woke up the next morning though. Regardless, I think she was impressed with her first taste of the holidays in America!

How about a random post?

2010-12-06T21:48:00.006-05:00

I'm in a period of being really bad about updating. And, unfortunately, that means it's time for a random catch-all post. Ready? Let's go!

We made shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse. We've done it since Jonah was a baby and I just love it. The kids have enjoyed participating more and more each year. This year, we even bought some milk and chickens to help people in other countries (Jonah's choice).

Jonah's school had a great Veteran's Day program. The first graders sang multiple songs. I took the girls up to the school to watch. I was so impressed! They did a great job!

Reagan is suddenly interested in helping out in the kitchen. She wants to help make

coffee every day and pretty much everything else you can think of.

Daddy taught her to make pancakes!

We've thoroughly enjoyed watching our Hokies recently. We had a great time watching them win the ACC championship game, and ending the season, of course, by beating UVA! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) Of course, along with that goes the further indoctrination of the kids. :)

Of course, around here, with fall, comes lots and lots and lots of leaves. We've raked 4 times already I believe!

We decided it's time for Rylie to start earning her keep around here...it didn't turn out so well for us! :)

Playtime!

2010-12-06T21:37:00.005-05:00

One of Rylie's Christmas presents was a family membership to our local Children's Museum.....we joined a little early, and have taken the girls a few times.

Rylie has always done great when we've gone places to play, and this has been no exception. She loves it!

She LOVED this train....in fact, her tantrum over not riding the train 12 times in a row is what made us leave! I'd say she's definitely getting over some of her fears.

My little artists!

Big Sisters

2010-11-26T12:41:00.002-05:00

Reagan: "Mommy, Rylie's going up the stairs!!"

Me: "It's ok babe, stop fussing at her please."

Reagan: "I can't help it."

Sneaky!

2010-11-26T09:39:00.004-05:00

Jonah is trying to convince Rush to buy him a Playstation 3. I am the roadblock on his street of smooth sailing. They are scheming against me.

Jonah says to Rush....

"Let's just tell her we're going to buy her a present and really come back with a Playstation 3!"

Next, I went to take a shower. He said to Rush....

"Quick Daddy! Let's go! Now's our only chance!"

How I love that boy. That sneaky scheming boy....

Thankful?

2010-11-24T21:52:00.007-05:00

Give thanks in all circumstances knowing that this is the will of God in

Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In honor of Thanksgiving, I felt compelled to write a post about how thankful I am, just as everyone else does this time of year.

But to be honest, I'm not feeling it.

I know, I know....I have a MILLION things to be thankful for.

My family.

Health.

A warm home.

Friends to look after me.

I could go on and on. But it just feels cliched to me this year. And I know, I sound completely ungrateful. I don't mean to.

And I don't mean to come across as too depressing...I've just needed a major attitude adjustment. There's been so much adjusting going on around here in other ways that I've lost sight of those typical "thankful" things. My focus has been different this year.

It's funny, for the past nearly 3 years, we've been desperate for Rylie to get here. And now she's here.....and a lot of the time, I feel neutral about it. I know...that sounds horrible. I get it. Bear with me.

It's all about expectations. Stinking expectations....

It's so easy to romanticize the process of adding a new child to your family. Whether by birth or by adoption, it's hard not to imagine what life will be like once they are here. As much as we knew bringing a nearly 2 year old into our home would bring challenges, we still had hopes and expectations. Unrealistic expectations. Expectations of ourselves and of Rylie which were fair to no one. We're not superparents but we expect a lot out of our kids. Perhaps too much too soon. It's easy to forget we've just been home 7 1/2 weeks from China. It's easy to forget Rylie doesn't understand our expectations yet. It's easy to forget she's still figuring us out...and our life, which she was very recently thrust into, without any choice. It's hard not to expect her to behave as if she is an almost-2-year-old who was born into our family. It's hard to look at her and not yet truly feel the same about her as I do about Jonah and Reagan. And I feel bad about that. And I hate to admit it. I feel bad there's been no love at first sight thing happening here. But it's the truth. I know it will come though. It will. And things will get easier.

And I will feel more thankful...because of how I feel now.

So actually, I AM thankful. For all the usual stuff, of course. But also, I am thankful for these present trials....because I know they will make us stronger in the long run.

I am thankful to have these times to look back upon one day and see how far Rylie has come.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to experience adoption and birth....to know the joys and challenges of both. Both are so awesome in their own way. What a privilege to see both sides.

I am thankful for the chance to self-reflect. To be presented with a circumstance which has tested me and revealed a lot of stuff I need to work on. A lot of stuff.

And grace. I am thankful for a heck of a lot of grace.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you

and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1 Peter 5:10

Another one...

2010-11-11T20:48:00.003-05:00

Today, Jonah's school had a great little Veteran's Day program. All the first graders were singing, so I headed down to the school with the girls bright and early this morning to watch. I have to admit, cheesy as I am, that I got a little teary watching all these kids sing songs about our country and wave flags! It was so cute!

When Jonah got home, we got on the subject of George Washington. Jonah studied him a little bit in kindergarten, but said he couldn't remember anything about him. Of course, I took the opportunity to refresh his memory... Reagan was happy to participate.

Jonah: I don't remember much about him.

Me: He was the first what?

Jonah: President

Me: What kind of hat did her wear?

Jonah: One with 3 corners.

Me: A tri-corner hat. Right. He was called the Father of what?

Reagan: Jesus!

Crazy Cakes

2010-11-08T19:56:00.007-05:00

This afternoon, Reagan wanted a snack....

Me: How about a clementine?

Reagan: No. I'll take a peach-tine.

A few days ago, she was getting dressed.

Reagan: Mommy, I want to wear my tacky pants.

Me: Your tacky pants???

Reagan: Yes, my tacky pants.

She went to the dresser and pulled out her khaki pants.

Today, we were driving in the car and she was talking about milk.

Reagan: Mommy, you should drink some milk for your tummy.

Me: I should? Why?

Reagan: Because we have 2 kids and a toddler. Now we need a baby.

Me: Ummm, no.

(She gets confused about breastfeeding.)

Fancy Times

2010-11-07T20:51:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago, one of our neighbors handed-down a suit to Jonah. He was so excited! He decided to wear it for picture day at school (which we haven't gotten back yet) and then made even bigger plans.

He decided he wanted to wear his suit to church (but come into the service with us, as his suit was too "fancy" for his class), and then, go to a "fancy" restaurant for lunch.

A really fancy place.....

....like.....

.....The Olive Garden.

So, today, we all dressed up for church. Then, we headed to the fancy Olive Garden. I figured it was worth documenting...you know, being fancy and all.

We learned a lot.

Apparently, fancy restaurants have cool things like Tic-tac-toe.

But, we didn't feel like it was fancy enough. So, we took care of that.

Rush was impressed with the prices at the fancy restaurant.

Even the girls were thrilled to have the opportunity to experience such a fancy place.

It was an experience we will certainly remember for a long time....now that we're fancy and all.

Trip to the Mountains and Halloween!

2010-11-02T21:56:00.013-04:00

It sounds cliched, but I cannot believe October is over. It is by far my favorite month....but with all of the adjusting we've been doing around here, it has flown!

We've had a lot of fun this month to go along with all of the trials.

There's been lots of pumpkin festivities of course.

We also took a spontaneous trip to the mountains over the weekend. This was the first year we haven't made it to a Virginia Tech football game, and we really missed being in the mountains, at least for a day or so. We were planning on going to pick apples anyway on Saturday, and at the last minute, decided to make a weekend out of it, since amazingly we both had the whole weekend off (which rarely ever happens). We were able to find a cabin in the woods that was still available. The time, the views...everything....was awesome. We had the best time. It was a much needed getaway after going through the last month of change! I wish I could live there!

And of course, Halloween....

Reagan had a party at preschool. We missed our church's awesome Fall Festival since we went to the mountains. But the kids did trick or treat when we got home and had a great time. Even Rylie LOVED it! She walked around the whole neighborhood excitedly, held open her bag for candy, and interacted with the homeowners! She was so cute.

Today was a month since we arrived home from China! It feels weird to say that, because it feels like Rylie has been here a lot longer than that. The past 2 weeks have gone really well. She seems to have learned some of our general rules and limits very quickly and doesn't push as much on those fronts. She has been healthy and eats everything she can get her hands on. She has been using her signs a lot to communicate her needs. She is playing with more toys, has been fine with the dog, and seems to be happy in general. We are really enjoying seeing more of her personality and silliness come out! It was cool to take her to vote in the election on her one-month-home day!

We also met with her plastic surgeon on Friday, who said we will likely do her cleft palate repair in February. :)

Losing my mind.....

2010-10-28T22:05:00.003-04:00

So, I've been a little distracted recently. I just feel like there's SO much to do, and not enough time to do it all. I'm trying....but you know how it is....

Anyway, the other day was a doozy. I am I still hoping none of my neighbors were watching through their windows. If they saw my spectacle, they haven't admitted it to me!

Saturday, I worked all day. As soon as I got home, Rush left to head to D.C. to run a race. So, Saturday night I was solo with the kids. Things were ok for the most part, aside from getting Rylie to bed. Sunday morning, we skipped out on church. Because Rylie is not going into the nursery yet, I thought getting 3 kids to church, only to do some solo child-wrangle during the whole service didn't sound too appealing. So, we stayed home. It was a beautiful day, and Jonah suggested going on a walk. Better yet, I thought he could ride his bike.

So, I loaded up the double stroller with the girls and got Jonah's bike out. We went out in front of the house and I started to help Jonah get on his bike. Once he was securely on, I turned around, only to find the girls careening backwards down our sloped cul-de-sac. I forgot to set the brake. Awesome. Ironically, both of them were just sitting there, quietly, as they wheeled backwards at increasingly fast speeds. It wasn't until I started chasing after them that Reagan started screaming. Fortunately, they didn't hit a car. They didn't hit a curb. They perfectly went into our neighbor's driveway and I was able to catch them right before they hit the garage. Whew.

I turned back around and realized that I had dumped Jonah, who was now on the ground, in the road, under his bike.

Sheesh.

I ROCK as a mom of 3! :)

Updates!

2010-10-20T22:47:00.009-04:00

I've been meaning to update for a while, but we have been drowning around here. Even with Rush working a lot less than usual, things have been crazy!

Week 2 with Rylie was definitely better than week 1. I think a lot of that had to do with us being more rested. We were able to get out and about a little more and get back into some semblance of a routine which helped a lot. Rylie still had a lot of issues in terms of sleep and hating life with our dog. We did see more and more of her personality come out every day. She definitely has a BIG personality. It will be interesting to see it in full bloom some day!

She had a lot of labwork done at the pediatrician's office and we got the results last week. Nothing too surprising, although we will need to make a visit to a Pediatric Gastroenterologist soon for a few issues. We also found out that Rylie brought a little present home from China. The dreaded "G" word of international adoption.....giardia. A lovely little intestinal parasite which is highly contagious. I half-way expected her to have it, so we have been very diligent when changing her diapers, but it was nice to get confirmation that she actually tested positive. She's been treated now even though she was asymptomatic, and none of us has been affected (although the Health Department has been bugging us and forcing us to divulge a lot of information you generally don't like to share!). Perhaps her little parasitic friend has something to do with how much she eats! She is tiny...less than 24 pounds and just fitting into some 18 month size clothes, but she eats like a horse! It will be interesting to see if her appetite decreases some now that she'll actually be absorbing more of her nutrients.

We've definitely had some more ups and downs. It's hard to believe we've only been home for 2 1/2 weeks. We have to keep reminding ourselves of that when we get discouraged at the slow pace of the progress around here. It definitely feels like she's been here longer and that we should be farther along than we are. But to think that just over a month ago she was still living in an orphanage, I think she's actually doing pretty well. I have to continually remind myself how much has changed for her in such a short period of time. I cannot say that the ride has been pleasant or even that we haven't second-guessed what we were thinking getting into this. But, we KNOW that no matter how hard things are on any given day, we are still doing what we were meant to do and that she is the child who was meant to be in our family. We see it in little moments here and there when she lets us see the real Rylie...when we witness her crazy, goofy, happy, silly self that meshes so well with Jonah and Reagan it's amazing. It's almost scary how well I know she will eventually fit in. It's a process though....it's not magic. It's not sudden or overnight. It's not a fairy tale. It's not love at first sight. It's a process that takes work, and patience, and troubleshooting, and tears and frustration. One day though.....things will be different. For now, we are trying to find the joy in the fleeting moments here and there and take them as they come....they are blessings that carry us through the less-joyful moments.

We did hit the pumpkin patch last week and get to go again this week with Reagan's preschool class.

Jonah is also wrapping up his fall ball season. Only 1 more game to go!

This past weekend, we had Rylie dedicated at church. Unfortunately, in the craziness of the day, we forgot to take pictures, so this is all we have. Maybe we'll have to dress up again and stage a picture!

Jonah had picture day at school, and decided to go all out.... :)

And today....ahhh, today was magical. Well, a little part of today anyway. And last night. Last night, in addition to going on a family walk in the amazing fall weather, Rylie actually pet the dog!!! It wasn't much, nor was it really voluntary, but she did it. We sat with her in our laps next to Bailey and took her hand in ours and had her try it. She was ok for a bit and then had enough, which was fine. We just want her to start to see that it's ok to be near the dog. Well, I thought that was a great first step considering she has continued to scream any time she even sees Bailey. Today, I worked with her a little bit again, using Jonah and Reagan as good examples for her...and this afternoon, for the very first time, she walked around the living room...one her own.....right beside the dog....WITHOUT FREAKING OUT!!!!!!!!! It may not sound like a big deal, or maybe it sounds silly, but I truly cannot over exaggerate how big this is. Her intense reaction to the dog, next to getting her to sleep at night, is the single biggest issue we have been dealing with. It has made it nearly impossible to get anything done at home, much less just function without collapsing due to the constant (and I mean CONSTANT, every waking moment) attention she demands because of her fear. Trying to balance that with 2 other kids, their needs and life in general has been difficult and frustrating to say the least. So seeing this little step forward is truly making me rejoice in a major way! In fact, I have a little video....which again, may not look like much, but it is one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen!!!

Anyway, that's all for now. Thanks for all of your prayers as we continue through this transition! We definitely feel them!

Oh....and 2 more pictures, just 'cause I think they're cute. (You can do that when you're the mom.)

One of Those?

2010-10-14T20:03:00.003-04:00

Yes...one of THOSE.

One of THOSE days.

I hate THOSE days. The ones that bring me to my knees wondering what the heck I am doing. Today, one arrived. And it was in full force.

It didn't rear it's ugly head right away, but eased in so I wouldn't notice it. They like to sneak up, you know.

The day started off normally enough, except for the fact that Rush picked up an overnight extra job, so he rolled in the door at 6:30 this morning after working all night. I got Jonah off to school and got Reagan ready for preschool. I even took a shower in anticipation of a dental appointment in the afternoon. Not bad! I fed Rylie in a mad rush to get out the door to preschool and dropped Reagan off. It was raining today, so any and all attempts to make my hair look presentable went out the window as soon as I went outside (see, it's starting).

I came home and tried to figure out how to tackle dealing with Rylie's constant need to be held and "protected" from our dog, entertain her, keep her quiet enough for Rush to sleep, clean up the house, and sort through the girls' clothes which are currently burying their bedroom. I was able to do a little bit here and there, but Rylie was really needy today, so the pulling, running into things, screaming mess that she was this morning complicated my plan (you would think that I would know not to have a plan by now, being that this is my 3rd almost-2-year old). Anyway, long story short, I ended up getting Reagan home from preschool. We walked in the door, Rylie was screaming about something, Reagan made a mess I won't mention any further (I think you can infer where it goes from there), I cleaned her up real quick and frantically tried to find my toothbrush and toothpaste to get a quick brush in before heading to the dentist. I grab my toothpaste and an entire shelf in the bathroom collapses sending personal items everywhere in the bathroom. By this point, I am a raving lunatic (did I mention Rush was late getting home from a run, which is making me more crazy, as I hate being late/rushed anywhere!), I throw my toothpaste in frustration, my bracelet I am wearing flies off and smashes sending beads screaming through the bathroom to join the already present disaster on the floor. Seriously?? SERIOUSLY?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, I brush my teeth, sit Rylie on the couch away from the dog, scoot a pants-less Reagan out of the way and go sit in the car, in the rain, in the driveway and wait for Rush to get home so I can leave...to go to the dentist. (Don't worry, I could totally see them from the car...don't go call CPS on me! Believe me, it was better for them that Mommy went outside for a bit.)

You know it's bad when your reprieve from your day is going to the dentist.

It's a good thing I didn't have a cavity.

I am happy to say that the day got better from there. Our friend, Carlos, came over this afternoon. He is moving on Saturday.....to Bogata, Colombia, so we certainly won't see him for a while. We had a great time visiting, which certainly turned my day around.

My Day is Officially Made

2010-10-12T16:06:00.007-04:00

Because of this.....

and this.....

and this......

She is making baby steps. Actually playing with toys was something I thought we were going to have to wait a while longer for. Granted, sometimes she has the attention span of a small gnat.....but it's progress!

AND I took Reagan and Rylie to the park today and she got on the swings, and climbed on steps, and came down the slide...by herself. That means she wasn't attached to my leg. That means she walked on her own 2 feet...for a while anyway. It was great. (I didn't take my camera along...so there's no proof. But it really happened!)

She takes longer to do things than other kids her age. Her gross motor and balance is obviously delayed. But she has more freedom and opportunity to move now than perhaps before so I am certain she will make strides quickly on that front. Right now she reminds me of our other kids about 1-2 months after they started walking.

In other news, we took her to the doctor on Friday for a checkup. She did amazing...she is so cooperative with people. She was like that in China too. The only time she fussed was when she had her TB test placed on her arm. They even did a finger stick and she didn't make a peep....strong girl! The doctor thought she looked great. She was 23 pounds, 8 ounces and 32 inches long. She made it on the American growth chart! Monday she had to go back to get a lot of bloodwork drawn, so we will wait to hear those results and go from there.

We are learning more and more about her personality....which I will save for another post being that she just dumped crayons all over the living room!

Week One...Check!

2010-10-09T16:28:00.004-04:00

Well, we have officially survived our first full week home. This week has been full of jet lag, tears, frustration, screams, laughs, doctors appointments, sick kids, visits from friends, troubleshooting problems, baby steps and even some periods of joy. :)

I am definitely glad to be to this point. I certainly don't want to experience another week like this one, because quite frankly, it pushed us to our limits. But, things should start to get easier with each passing day (we hope!) and we are looking forward to each new bit of progress we see with Rylie.

Ultimately, we are glad she's finally here! We can't wait to watch her get more settled and adapted to our home and family and to watch her blossom as she grows. We have 3 pretty amazing blessings!

Today....

2010-10-07T16:25:00.003-04:00

....was a good day!

I guess that's what happens when a certain little girl sleeps for 15 hours overnight!!! Thank you all for your prayers!

An Inside Look at the Past Few Days

2010-10-05T20:55:00.005-04:00

I have debated a lot about writing this post. Like I said before, I want to be honest and present reality on this blog, but I don't want to make it a whine-forum or just a place to complain. So, let me try to present a somewhat balanced look at the past few days.

I can't say enough again how amazing it felt to get home and see Jonah and Reagan. I will remember that moment as long as I live. It was like a breath of fresh air.

In my last post, I said that Rylie went to bed fairly easily on our first night home. I shouldn't have spoken so soon. She slept for about 3 hours, and as soon as Rush and I went to bed, she woke up.....screaming.....for 5 1/2 hours. And I don't mean she was just crying. I mean she was s-c-r-e-a-m-i-n-g nonstop. Inconsolable. Nothing worked. Nothing. She doesn't respond to anything you would typically expect a child to respond to in terms of comfort measures. Not walking, not rocking, not rubbing her back, not talking, nothing. Add that on top of the travel exhaustion we were experiencing and it was miserable. She finally fell asleep again about 5:30 in the morning and slept for a while until we decided to wake her up to try to get her schedule adjusted from the 12 hour time change.

Sunday got worse. She was pretty clingy, as I would expect. However, Jonah and Reagan wanted to play with her, and she wanted nothing to do with either one of them for the most part, nor anything to do with any toy she didn't play with in China. She is still weird about stuff....you offer her a toy, even a blanket, and she screams in terror. Then, all hell broke loose. We brought Bailey, our dog home. Now, let me just say that Bailey is the sweetest dog on the planet. She has not messed with Rylie at all. Nothing. However, Rylie is TERRIFIED. She screams and shakes in complete fits of terror. She ran straight into the corner of a dresser trying to get away from the dog who was nowhere near her. At this point, unless Bailey is outside or in her crate, we cannot even set Rylie down. She freaks out. In fact, Bailey can be in her crate but if Rylie sees her in it she looses it. It's very frustrating.

We went to Jonah's baseball game in the afternoon and she was ok for the most part while we were there. In fact, every time we have left the house she has been ok. We took her and Reagan to the play area at the mall yesterday and she ran around and played. Today we went to Target and she was fine. But at home, forget about it.

She's still fighting sleep a lot. She will do everything in her willpower to keep herself awake. Rush was up with her a lot last night. She woke up at 1:15, 2:15 and then for good at 3am. We have moved her into her bed in Reagan's room, and have had better success than the Pack-n-Play in our room.

She is still having tantrums to the point I am worried she is going to get a head injury. She just flings her body without regard to where she is or what she's going to hit. And it happens in response to the smallest things. Rush was holding her and just tried to readjust how he was holding her, which she didn't like. She flung herself, he was unprepared, and she hit the ground...with her head. That's happened multiple times. She can be so volatile, it's difficult to know how to prepare for that.

We are looking forward to making some progress soon....we hope.

Now, there are a few positive things. Like I said, she's been great when we go places. She is still learning signs. She knows more, eat, milk, ball, mom, dad, please, thank you, cracker, and maybe one or two others, which I think is pretty darn impressive considering she didn't hear any English until a few short weeks ago. She is seeming attached pretty well to Rush and I (especially Rush). She is slowly starting to look at other toys and interact some with Jonah and Reagan. She is eating well. We finally found a cup that works for her. We made an appointment to see the Pediatrician on Friday to get things checked out, and soon we will call the Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic about getting her checked out for surgery. Baby steps is the name of the game I guess.

Jonah and Reagan are doing ok. They are both being SO sweet to Rylie. I am so proud of them, although I know they are frustrated because she isn't responding the way they expected. I was trying to talk to Jonah about it last night, and he was very sweet about everything, but asked why she cries so much. He said "It's annoying." I can't really blame him for thinking that. They probably think we are nuts for bringing this crazy little basketcase into our home.

We are trying to remain optimistic. We know that a few months down the road, we will be pleased at her progress. That's partly why I wanted to write this post.....so I can remind myself how far we've come in a few months. For now though, we're trying to survive hour to hour. Rush went through a little emotional thing while we were in China....I'm going through it now. It's good that we can flip flop back and forth a bit and pick up the slack when the other is having a hard time. I think we've been a good team so far. We never thought this would be an easy process....but we definitely underestimated how difficult it would be.

A LONG trip, a new American, and a Great Reunion

2010-10-02T21:57:00.007-04:00

We're HOME!!!!!!!

Oh man, it feels so good to say that! I've been awake for going on 30 hours now, so forgive me if I start to make no sense. :)

We had a great night in Hong Kong with Sharon watching the National day Fireworks. We're so fortunate we were able to be there on that day! I have a video but it's taking to long to post. I'll try again later.

We woke up early in Hong Kong and took the World's Fastest Taxi Driver to the airport. Seriously, the speed limit in a lot of places was 80km/hr and most of the time he was going at least 120km/hr. We certainly got to the airport in plenty of time! Our first leg of the flight, from Hong Kong to Detroit, was supposed to last 14 hours...more than enough to make me crazy. When we got on board, the pilot told us the winds weren't favorable so it would take 14 hours and 30-some minutes. Ugh...not what I wanted to hear! Anyway, the first 5 hours of the flight were borderline miserable. Rylie was fussy and all over the place. She was exhausted though, and was doing everything in her willpower to keep herself awake. Every time she would doze off, she did something to wake herself back up. It was pretty frustrating. I resorted to Benadryl, which made her nuts...not in a wild way, just in a drunk as a skunk way. It was actually pretty amusing. Finally, after a little over an hour of fighting the Benadryl, she passed out and slept for the next 8 1/2 hours. It was glorious! Rush and I for whatever reason couldn't sleep at all. By the end of the flight, I couldn't get off of that plane fast enough. I felt like a prisoner in my seat. I can't say I am in a hurry to do any major trips like that again.

Saying goodbye to China.

(Notice her 18m size pants are falling off....we ended up changing her clothes.)

Sleepy Time on the Plane

When we got off in Detroit, we knew making our connection to Richmond might be tight. We were in the back of the plane and we had to go through Customs, do Rylie's immigration, and recheck our bags. We had about an hour and a half. After taking close to 2 hours to get through Customs, we knew there was no way we would make it to Richmond on time. I cannot say how bummed I was! I didn't want to wait one more second to see Jonah and Reagan and be done with this trip! (In the meantime though, as soon as we processed Rylie's Immigration Paperwork, she became an AMERICAN CITIZEN!!!!! Hooray! What a great day for her! I wanted to take a picture, but we were too rushed, and they won't let you take pictures right at the window.) Anyway, we went to the counter to recheck our bags and were told we couldn't make our flight and they would reschedule us for the next flight to Richmond.....5 hours later. We weren't happy, but took what we could get. I was sad, because that would put us in Richmond at 9:20pm, which meant a lot of our family who was planning on coming to the airport wouldn't be able to come. So, we finished all of that process and took our time getting to the gate. We exchanged some money and moseyed around a bit, and went to check out the gate area. We decided to get a bite to eat, when I noticed the gate still had the plane's info for the flight we supposedly missed listed....with the plane at the gate!!! Miraculously, a crew member was late arriving which delayed the flight and we were able to make it back onto our original flight! Praise God!! I can't explain how psyched I was!!!! It left almost an hour late, but made up a lot of time in the air, so we only got home about 25 minutes later than planned!! Rylie literally fell asleep as the wheels touched down, so she missed most of her welcoming committee's initial excitement.

We had a great reunion....I can't explain how great it was to hug Jonah and Reagan! Man, how I missed them!! We hung out with some other family and friends for a bit and realized our luggage didn't make it on the flight. Hopefully it was sent on the later flight and will be delivered to our house tonight. Rylie woke up after a bit and was happy as a clam, running around with the kids everywhere.

Check out this banner my mom and sister had the kids make!

Here we come, with a sleepy baby!

Our first family photo....hey, don't judge. We just traveled from the other side of the world!

We came home and Jonah and Reagan wanted to show her every square inch of everything. She laughed like crazy running around the driveway and through the yard. Jonah is doting on her constantly. Reagan seems to like her, but it is very evident there will be some competition there, especially when it comes to Daddy's attention!

It's been a great evening. Rylie screamed for about 20 minutes at bedtime but then passed out. It's no wonder though....we realized this is the 5th place she's slept in the past 2 weeks. Hopefully she will feel at home soon. She's been off to a good start, but we know there will certainly be some issues with the overall adjustment.

The three amigos, together at long last! (Rylie is screaming, but is a happy way!)

Thank you all for your prayers, messages and support! They truly helped us get through the past 17 days and will certainly carry us through the coming ones as well. We're anxious to begin the next part of this journey!

Now....I'm going to bed! :)

Hong Kong!

2010-10-01T05:32:00.009-04:00

Our view from our hotel!

At lunch....that would be apple juice, although Rylie isn't sure.

The tram coming up the mountain

Our hotel is the tall building towards the right in the picture below.

Sharon arrived late last night in Kong Kong and came to our hotel. We had a great time catching up, but by about 11:30, we were toast.

This morning, I woke up and immediately knew things were not good....my head felt like someone was taking a hammer to it, and I felt a little queasy. Within an hour, I was having a nice face-to-face meeting with the porcelain throne. I was NOT a happy camper....not only to be sick, but the prospect of missing out on this awesome city killed me! I headed back to bed while Rush, Sharon and Rylie went out to find some breakfast. They found a Starbucks close by and were quite happy!

I was feeling a little better by the time they got back, so decided to take my chances and head out with them. Fortunately, my sickness was short lived, because I felt great the rest of the day.

We headed over to the ferry stop and boarded a boat to cross the Harbor. Rylie loved it! We figured that on this trip, she has experienced her first bus, boat, plane, and train rides! After we got off the boat, we got on a double-decker bus which was open on top and headed through the streets of Hong Kong. This city is so beautiful...not only are the views amazing, but it's clean and feels very safe. We got off at The Peak Tram. The Peak is basically the top of a mountain in Hong Kong which overlooks the whole city. A cable tram takes you up some very steep hills to the top. There are a lot of stores and restaurants at the top and an observation area which gives 360 degree views of the city. It was amazing! We had lunch up top and walked around for a while, just enjoying the beauty of the area. We definitely want to come back here again someday....it's probably one of the coolest places we have ever been. I know Jonah and Reagan would LOVE it....not to mention there's a Disneyland. :)

We got back to the hotel about 4pm, and Rylie had done awesome, even though it was a very long day for her. She took a quick nap and now we are heading out to find some dinner.

It's Chinese National Day so there is a big celebration planned tonight. Every night there is a large laser show on the harbor, but tonight there is also a huge fireworks display. We can't wait! I am sure it will be an awesome sight, since it's right on the harbor.

It's been great to hang out with Sharon. Rylie hasn't had any fear of her at all....she's been happy as a clam to have even more attention, so I am hopeful she will be fine once we get home with new people all around.

I cannot tell you all how much we appreciate all of your prayers. Things have been SO much better the past few days. Rylie's behavior is improving dramatically and she is seeming right at home. She is usually pretty happy and is a big goofball. She has a funny little personality....I think both kids will really like her, but we have a feeling her and Jonah are going to be like 2 peas in a pod when it comes to being silly.

For now, we're off to have more fun!

Goodbye Mainland China....Hello Hong Kong!

2010-09-30T09:52:00.003-04:00

Rylie had a great day today (thank you for your prayers!!!). She had only 2 tantrums maybe all day long! :) She is a smart little girl and is catching on quickly. We packed up this morning and met the rest of our group at 2pm to head back to the Consulate to pick up the kids' passports and US visas. Then we headed to the train station to take the train to Hong Kong. The train station was nuts. One thing we have learned is that in China, no one waits in line, no one waits for their turn....it's literally a constant free for all. On a side note, if you see Rush, ask him about his elevator ride this morning. ;) Anyway, the station was crazy, but our guide did a fabulous job of getting us through the station with only about 3 minutes to spare getting onto the train. It was a little stressful to say the least. We had a pretty uneventful ride through China. Rylie was wonderful until literally the last minute when she freaked out about who knows what. The scenery was interesting along the way. We passed through another huge city (about 10 million people) and some countryside which was scattered with run-down shacks which were people's homes. There was a huge contrast from what we could tell, between the city and country, although we saw our fair share of shocking "homes" in the city as well.

We took a taxi to our hotel which is gorgeous! It sits right on the harbor with an amazing view of the city skyline.....I am in awe of how beautiful it is tonight. We are looking forward to seeing it in the daylight tomorrow! Right now we are waiting on Sharon to arrive, which should be any minute. We can't wait to hang out with her for a bit and explore before heading home. But now, we can officially say that everything associated with our adoption is complete!! HOORAY!!!

Oath- Taking Ceremony

2010-09-29T08:30:00.005-04:00

Today's plan got changed a bit. We were supposed to have a totally free day. At 9am, our guide went to the U.S. Consulate on our behalf to get everything arranged for Rylie's Immigration Visa into the U.S. We had to stay in the room for a few hours in case she had to call and clarify some information. Fortunately, everything was in order. However, she told us that our swearing-in ceremony was moved to this afternoon, instead of tomorrow. So, we rushed to get Rylie down for a nap, ate lunch and then headed to the Consulate, about 45 minutes away.

The whole process was kind of a formality. We went in through security and entered a room with about 50 other US families all adopting Chinese kids. It was a really cool sight, and I must say, I was very proud of our amazing country. We have such giving, loving citizens who are just flat out good people, and I felt so privileged to be in that room with them all. It really was quite a sight to behold. Each family was individually called up to a window to talk to a Visa Officer quickly and sign a paper. After everyone was done, we got a little speech and then everyone took an oath together. I really have no idea what the oath was about, because Rylie took the opportunity to scream her head off and I couldn't hear. Oh well... She's not a U.S. citizen yet. That will happen when we come through U.S. Customs in Detroit on our way home. My baby will become a citizen in Motown. :)

We came back to the hotel, ordered a pizza and Skyped with the kids at home. We haven't been able to catch up with them for a few days, so that definitely lifted our spirits to talk to them today.

Tonight, we pack up some and we will be taking the train to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon. We will spend a day there with Rush's sister, Sharon, who is coming in from the Philippines and then we fly out the next day. Hooray! We can't wait to be home.

Thank you all for your kind messages and prayers. Today was a little better....but we have so, so far to go. Please pray for Rylie to have peace and to feel secure. Please pray for Rush and I to know what to do for her, to be on the same page, and to be patient!!! Thanks.

Love you all,

Rush, Jen and Rylie

Red Couch Day and the Pearl Market

2010-09-28T10:03:00.007-04:00

The kids in our group....ranging from 10 months to 6 years.

One store in the Pearl Market...the girls were showing us how they made necklaces and the different quality of pearls.

Today, our group met up to do the "Red Couch Photo." We made quite a scene in the hotel lobby. Afterwards we did some paperwork, as tomorrow our guide goes to the US Consulate on our behalf to get Rylie's visa. This afternoon, we headed to the Pearl Market....it is crazy. Think of a large 5 story shopping mall selling only pearls and other types of beads. I have never seen anything like it!

There's not a lot else to tell today. Tomorrow is pretty much a free day, and we are trying to figure out what to do so we don't go stir crazy.

I've always wanted to be pretty truthful on our blog, especially when it comes to this adoption. Right now, the truth is that we really need your prayers right now....we are all struggling. It is very apparent to us that Rylie has had no discipline or limit setting/boundaries in the past. It seems to us that there was a general rule of appeasement for her. She has a good 20+ tantrums a day, which is really wearing on us. They are generally over the tiniest of things....she just loses it any time she doesn't get her way. The issue is much bigger than just normal almost-2-year-old tantrums. It makes it difficult to bond with her, as all three of us are generally frustrated a majority of the time. We knew this would be a challenging journey, but it is proving much more difficult than we anticipated. To take a 21 month old and try to start over is really hard. Really, really hard. Please just pray for us....we would appreciate it so much. Thanks. :)

Jonah and Reagan: We miss you guys so very, very much. We can't wait to give you some big squeezes!! Only a few more days....we're trying to hang in there. Love you, love you, love you!!!

More Sightseeing....and Hitting the Wall

2010-09-27T08:26:00.007-04:00

Bathtime!

The entrance to the weird garden

Well, we are starting to hit the wall. As much as we have enjoyed our trip, we are definitely ready to come home. We miss Jonah and Reagan, we miss ice, napkins, meals without rice and noodles, and just about everything about the good ol' US of A. Not to sound ungrateful.....this has just been a LONG trip. We're ready to move to the next phase....at home. Only a few more days.

Last night we were thrilled to run into another couple from our group at dinner. We had not seen them since our time in Beijing and we got along really well with them. We enjoyed catching up and then again, hit Starbucks. Their little boy is just a bit older than Rylie, also with cleft lip and palate, although his are both repaired.

This morning we got some pictures back from a roll of film we had developed from the camera we sent in a care package to Rylie a few months ago. The pictures weren't great, but we will treasure them as a glimpse into her time with her foster family. She appeared to be well loved.

Today we visited what I considered to be the World's Weirdest Garden. It took like an hour to get to it and was totally not what we expected. Basically, there were beautiful gardens that were kind of ruined by strange statues of cartoon-like chatacters. We saw the likes of The Incredibles, Snoopy, Super Mario Brothers, Spiderman, Nemo and more. I just didn't get the point of it....it was very confusing to us.

Anyway, we had another good and interesting lunch at a local Cantonese restaurant followed by much needed naps all around. This evening we strolled around the island some more and headed to a Chinese restaurant which was a bit of an adventure. Out front are tanks and buckets filled with fish, turtles, eels and some other stuff we couldn't identify. You can pick out your dinner, basically. We refrained from that, as well as many of the menu options which included goose intestines and pig neck to name a few. Our favorite dish were the snow peas....delicious.

Nothing else big to report. We are still figuring Rylie out and working out some kinks. When she is happy, she is hilarious, but when she is mad....watch out. All along I was praying that she would be a little less feisty than Reagan.....I don't think that prayer has been answered in the way I wanted! Let's just say we're going to have our hands full with 2 stubborn strong-willed girls.

The red-couch picture was moved to tomorrow morning. After that we will fill out some paperwork for the US Consulate and then we will head to the pearl market in the afternoon.

Jonah and Reagan: I took the picture below for you!! :) Jonah, how was your baseball game? We have missed seeing you guys on Skype! Hope we can chat soon! Love you both so much! 5 more sleeps!!

Chen Family Temple Sightseeing Day

2010-09-26T02:38:00.011-04:00

Starbucks!

Hanging out in the hotel playroom

Walking through the streets on the way to the Chen Family temple

Chinese Attitude

Yesterday evening we walked around the island a bit and did some exploring. We ended up eating at a nice Thai place and then taking Rylie to her first Starbucks. :)

This morning we visited the hotel play room before we met our group. It was great.....I think Rylie really enjoyed playing. I don't think she quite knows what to do with toys that have sound and lights yet!

Today we visited the Chen Family Temple. It was built by about 70 families who combined efforts to construct the facility as a school for their children. It was then used as an ancestral temple. Our guide, Veronica, told us that the people here, in a way, worship their ancestors. When they die, they don't really believe they are dead, but instead, they are just watching from Heaven....and still are involved in family business. Now, it's more of a Guangzhou cultural facility with stores and displays of local arts including ivory, wood and bone carvings, embroidery work (which was amazing) and paintings.

On the way to and from the bus, we walked through a series of alleyways where people lived. The "roads" were quite narrow and the area almost seemed like a movie set.....small little apartments with iron gates on the doors, bamboo scaffolding, laundry hanging everywhere, people selling items on the street. I was glad we got to walk that way to the temple...very interesting to see how these "real" people live. Suddenly, I felt like my house was huge.

We then went to a store which sold various items and then to a local Cantonese restaurant for lunch....it was delicious! By this point, it was about 2pm, and fortunately we headed back to the hotel. Rylie was in desperate need of a nap, and I think we are fairly worn out too. It will be nice to have our evening free again.

After we went to the store, Veronica talked about how much it meant to her and other guides to know that adoptive families were preserving their child's Chinese heritage in some way, whether it be through gifts of remembrance from their time here or teaching them Mandarin. She said the guides often say these kids become "bananas" once they get home...yellow on the outside, white on the inside. :) She also talked about Mao Tse Tung a lot.......in terms of how he is seen by different generations. She said her generation and younger people are really indifferent, but her grandparents really revere him. It was interesting to hear her talk about the cultural revolution and the opening of China to the outside world and how that has changed things even in her lifetime.

More sightseeing tomorrow (a garden of some type, I believe) followed by the infamous White Swan Hotel Red Couch Photo!

Medical Exam Day

2010-09-25T02:06:00.019-04:00

View from our room

Inside the White Swan Hotel

(aka The White Stork, because so many adoptive families stay here)

Amazing Jade sculptures in the hotel lobby

Walking to the medical exam, schoolkids were exercising.

Cooling off in the hot, humid clinic

This was after much of the crowd had dissipated and I could actually

extract my camera from my backpack.

My least favorite place....

I would love to see Rush driving one of these little cars.

Adoption Barbie!!!

Passed out after a long morning.

Today, all we had on the agenda was getting Rylie's visa picture taken and having her medical exam. We thought those would be quick and easy....we thought wrong!

This morning we had a great breakfast at our hotel. It was such a nice change of pace from our other hotel....we loved it! There are so many adoptive families here, they have an entire little area set up for all the families. It was so cool to look around at the kids with their new families! We found out that Rylie loves oatmeal. Finally, I have a kid that will eat oatmeal.

We met up with our group of about 8 families from our agency and went to the photo shop to get the kids' pictures taken. While we were there we dropped off film from the camera we had sent in a care package months ago. They returned it to us on our Gotcha Day, so we are hoping to get some good insight into her life before we met her.

After we were done, we walked to the medical clinic. I hardly have the words to describe this place. I think I said it was like Patient First on crack....about a thousand people crammed into a small building, everyone running around like crazy, pushing and shoving, no apparent organization at all. Seriously, if this was what health care was like in the States (and hopefully it will not become this way) there would be a revolt. There was no privacy. As people were being examined, other people were waiting in the same room! We were there for over 3 hours....all for about 10 minutes of care. She got weighed and measured, had her temperature taken, got a quick look into her ears, nose and throat, and had a 2 minute physical. Then we paid for the exam and shots. She needed 6. Such a bummer..... But let me tell you, this girl was amazing. She did awesome just about the entire time we were there (thank God for Gerber puffs). It was hot and crowded and overwhelming, and she was great. Even for the shots, she cried, but was fine within about a minute. Rush stopped and got her ice cream on the way home, which she happily scarfed down and now she's sleeping peacefully.

We came back to our room to find the infamous "Adoption Barbie." Mattel sponsors a great playroom in our hotel and gives all adoptive families staying here a Barbie memento.....it is so cute!

I included some pictures of the hotel, but haven't gotten a chance to take many pictures of the island....hopefully this afternoon we will have a chance. The hotel is on a little island that looks a lot like Charleston, SC (and has the humidity to match) right beside a river. We love it! In fact, we have a great river view from our hotel room. Our guide said it used to be a colonial town. It's funny walking around because there are statues everywhere of obviously Caucasian people....in China. It almost doesn't even seem like we're in China anymore.

Anyway, that's all for now....we're thankful to have some downtime this evening to go explore.

A few things I forgot...

2010-09-24T17:54:00.012-04:00

One last visit to the playroom where we met Rylie in Nanchang.

From our hotel window in Nanchang, we noticed these people were raising chickens on their roof.

Firecrackers...constant, annoying LOUD firecrackers outside of the hotel.

Front gate of Rylie's orphanage

The brown building in front is for older people. The tower in the back is part of the Children's area.

Our guide told us Rylie probably lived behind the tall apartment building, where there were homes for foster families.

Good-bye orphanage!!!!!!

I just realized that in last night's post, I forgot a few things! (A lot of this info is so I remember it, so feel free to skip past anything you don't find interesting....)

On our way out of town, we were able to stop by the front entrance of Rylie's orphanage. We weren't even allowed past the gates, so we weren't really able to see the main children's building well, but I have seen pictures on the internet before. I am glad we were able to stop at this spot as well as her finding spot. The other couple we were with weren't able to see either, as their daughter's orphanage was about 2 1/2 hours away. We have been blessed with such wonderful bits of Rylie's history to share with her one day.

Our Nanchang guide told us there are over 100 orphanages in Jiangxi province alone. That's an unbelievable number of orphaned kids.....it is heartbreaking. Even when we received Rylie's finding ad from the newspaper when she was abandoned, there were just rows and rows of pictures of babies who had no one to claim them. And that was from a small window of time. This goes on week after week, month after month, year after year. So many kids without families....

We were told that domestic adoption is on the rise. You may have more than one child if you adopt, as that doesn't add to the overall population. Jenny said that in order to do a domestic adoption, basically you show up at the orphanage, pick out a child, pay a few fees to the province, and go home. No application, no background check, no homestudy, nothing. What a contrast to what we went through!! She also said you have a month long trial run....if at the end of the month you change your mind, you can bring the child back to the orphanage. Fortunately, she said that doesn't happen much. It sounds horrible, but we thought to ourselves it almost seems like heading down to the SPCA to get a pet. The differences between things here and in the US are so crazy.

Rylie slept in her "crib" last night and did amazing! I didn't hear much thrashing and kicking...perhaps it helps when she feels a little more contained. I think when we get home we will try the pack and play and see how that goes. I know Rush and I were thankful for a beating-free night of sleep, although the beds here in China are pretty comparable to sleeping on a concrete slab with blankets. They are so hard!

The contrast between Nanchang and the area around our hotel here in Guangzhou is amazing. I will post about that tonight after we have had a chance to look around more and take some more pictures.

Here's hoping the medical appointment goes well and that Rylie doesn't need many shots!

Love you all!

xoxo

Rush, Jen and Rylie

Jonah and Reagan: You guys would love this area! We are right on a river! I will post pictures tonight. I can't wait for Rylie to show you her "crazy" face...it's hilarious. I have a feeling you 3 will be running around doing it often. J-man, how was your spelling test? Did you spell America correctly? Reagan, we hope preschool was fun! Only one more week until we see you guys!!! We can't wait! Have a GREAT weekend! Love you both SO MUCH!!!!

In Guangzhou....thank the Lord.

2010-09-24T08:33:00.005-04:00

Today was kind of a wasted day. We had an early afternoon flight from Nanchang to Guangzhou, where the American Consulate is. We will need to do a few things here in this city so that Rylie's U.S. visa can be issued before we leave.

I wasn't sure how her first flight would go. I had high hopes because she amazingly took a nap this morning before we left the hotel. Fortunately it was just an hour and 20 minute flight...and the results left me terrified of how the 14 hour flight home will be. Oh. My. Gosh. I have never seen a kid go so crazy. She was fine through takeoff....even waved goodbye to her hometown. Then all hell broke loose. For just about the entire flight, she had the tantrum of all tantrums. Screaming, kicking, arching, throwing her body around in every direction. Rush and I had to take turns pretty much completely restraining her so that she didn't hurt herself. Lucky for us, no one showed up to join us in our 3 seat row. I can't imagine how that would have gone. After making a lot of friends on the flight (not really....I think everyone hated us), we finally landed. We waited until everyone else was off the plane to try to get our stuff together, which meant we had to endure every single person walking by and giving ugly looks and muttering things under their breaths. It was lovely.

Rylie passed out about 2 minutes after we were picked up at the airport.

We had about an hour drive to the hotel. Guangzhou is a city of about 14 million....much bigger than I thought.

On the way to the hotel, our wonderful guide, Veronica, told us of another girl that used to be the local guide here. She is pregnant with her second child, and because of the one child policy, she is currently in hiding somewhere in the countryside until the birth. Veronica said there are community groups that monitor population and will turn you in for violation of the law. If you are caught, you can be taken to the hospital and forced to have an abortion. If you indeed have your child, you have to pay a huge fine to the government. If you do not pay the fine, your child is not issued a national ID card....which means no school, no healthcare, etc. She spoke of someone who's second child is 6 years old, and still has no ID card. The child is enrolled in a martial arts school since she cannot get into regular academic school without an ID card. We are told a lot of eye opening stories like this. It's unreal.

On a lighter note, I LOVE our hotel and the surrounding area. It is such a breath of fresh air after Nanchang. It doesn't smell like smoke everywhere and we actually feel like we can leave the hotel and walk around with lots to do. There are Americans all over the place with adopted babies. It's really cool to see! We are so thankful to be here.

We met up with another family from our Beijing group and had dinner. Their little girl is 3 1/2, also with a repaired cleft lip and cleft palate.

Rylie had a first taste of ice cream tonight. I think it was a hit!

Our itinerary changed a bit for tomorrow. We will have Rylie's medical exam and then a free afternoon. We are looking forward to exploring a bit!

No pictures today....sorry! I figured documenting a wild animal wasn't worth it! :)

Rylie's Finding Spot

2010-09-23T02:22:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, we received a certificate which states the following:

"This is to certify that, through investigation, Hong Jia Hui (female, born on December 15, 2008) was found to be abandoned at the entrance of the Medical College of Nanchang University in Nanchang City by Liu Jianzhong, a resident of Nanchang City on February 9, 2009. Hong Jia Hui was sent to the Social Welfare Institute of Nanchang City by Zhang Jianwei of Dongjiayao Police Station of Nanchang City on February 9, 2009 and was settled into the Institute. After two months' investigation and researches, there was nowhere to find Hong Jia Hui's biological parents. Hong Jia Hui is an abandoned baby, definitely."

Not any more. Not. Any. More.

And never again.

19 months ago, a woman walked down these streets carrying her daughter. After caring for her baby for nearly 2 months, she had come to a sad, heart-wrenching decision. We have no idea how far she traveled to do the task in front of her, nor if she was alone or supported by someone else. I sense she loved this baby, perhaps more than I understand. Because, as much as I love my kids, I don't know if I could do what this woman did. I don't know that I could actually bring myself to leave them, in hopes of them having a better life, medical care, and a future. I want these things for all of my kids, but I don't know if I could do what she did for them to get it.

You see, at some point, she realized, whether it be through finances, family and cultural pressure, or her situation, that she could no longer care for her baby. So, she did what she had to do. She came to this place; a place where people would surely be. A place where her child could get medical care. A place to start a new part of her daughter's journey.

She came with her child....

....set her down....

....and walked away.

Forever.

Never to know what would happen. Never to be sure of the outcome. Never to know if her hopes for her child would come to fruition. One chapter closed, another one beginning.

I don't know, nor will I probably ever know the circumstances surrounding that day. Where she was from, why she made her decision, how she feels now, if it was sunny or raining, how long Rylie sat there before she was found, etc.

What I do know is this: This woman loved her child. She cared for her as long as she could. She wanted her to be found quickly.

This woman, wherever she is, will forever have a special place of thanks and honor in my heart and in the life of our family. We will eternally be grateful for her, for her courage, and for her gift to us. She gave us our daughter...she gave us her daughter. I don't know how she did it. But I am glad she did.

What a Difference A Day Makes...

2010-09-23T01:40:00.009-04:00

Porcelain store fronts

Inside one of the stores

Rylie's tea set

Amelia, Jenny, and Rylie (it was a feat just to get this picture....sorry it's not too good!)

Goofball

Thank you all for your prayers for Rylie and for us. Without a doubt, they have worked and we are so grateful. Today has been wonderful!

Rylie slept horribly last night....so much tossing and turning, thrashing and kicking....it's a wonder she is getting any rest. I don't think she is getting much deep sleep, and I am sure that is leaving her pretty tired in the mornings. We did find out that the sponsored orphanage-based foster family residences, like she was in, have a bed for each child. Maybe that is part of the problem. She has been sleeping with us, because the "crib" the hotel brought us is made pretty much for a newborn and is not safe for her. Who knows....we are hopeful to get a little better sleeping option at our next hotel. Maybe it will make a difference (for her and for us!).

That being said, with her crazy sleep, I fully expected today to be a repeat of yesterday's day of tantrums. It has not been like that at all!!! Praise God! She started out a little feisty and has had a few moments here and there, but overall, she has been a pleasant, happy, funny, goofy almost-2-year old. :) This momma is happy and thankful for a reprieve from yesterday.

We intended to visit a local park today, but it is chilly and rainy, so we nixed that plan. Instead, we first visited Rylie's finding spot, which I will do a separate post about. I was so glad to be able to see it. It was a little surreal to imagine the events of the day she was abandoned, and to actually be standing where it all happened. Just the thought is emotional for us.

Afterwards, we went to a porcelain shop. Jiangxi province is known for porcelain, and produces 80% of China's product. We felt like we would be missing out if we didn't see firsthand Rylie's home's big product. The shop was beautiful....I was really impressed by the items we saw in the store....so much intricate detail and care goes into each piece. We were able to get her a little miniature tea set to bring home as a memento. The store owner gave her a little porcelain mouse to bring home....she said it brings prosperity. Lucky for us, she was also born in the Year of the Mouse. :)

Then we headed to Pizza Hut for lunch. It is much different than in the US! It's like a fancier restaurant....not so much like fast food. There were multiple other adoptive families there from other agencies. It was nice to see some Americans again (and to get a break from the Chinese food). It's been a while....

Rylie has been so playful and happy today. I kept her in the baby carrier most of the day, thinking that it might contain her a little better and help us avoid the arching and thrashing of yesterday, as well as help her feel secure. We really don't know how much she's been out in public, if at all, so that probably becomes overwhelming quickly. I think the carrier really helped. (Thank you, Kristen!!!)

We are also learning she is quite a little ham! She will fit in with her big brother nicely! :) She even said (completely unprompted, I might add) "Mama" at lunch today! I think God knew I needed a little boost and that sure did it. She also did her signs for "more" and "milk" completely on her own. What a smart little cookie we have on our hands! We are smitten with our newest munchkin.

I'm sure there's something I am missing. Our guide, Jenny, provides us with so much great information, it's hard to remember everything. She has been fabulous! Tomorrow afternoon, we head to Guangzhou, home of the American Consulate, for our more official business. We have enjoyed our time in Rylie's home, but are looking forward to a change of scenery and meeting back up with the rest of our group meeting their kiddos!

Love from China...

xoxo

Rush, Jen, and Rylie

Reality Sets In....and a Really Cool Pavilion

2010-09-22T09:17:00.012-04:00

The Pavilion

Part of "Old" Nanchang

"New" Nanchang in the distance

Suffice it to say, the honeymoon has ended. The past 24 hours have been pretty rough. Last night when it was time to put Rylie to bed, she completely lost it....full blown tantrum. It went on quite a while. She eventually passed out and slept well until the middle of the night when she started coughing a lot and felt a little warm. I gave her some Motrin and water, and she went back to sleep, although she was very restless. This morning she took a while to wake up, as usual, and we had a fairly uneventful breakfast. We headed across town to the Teng Wang Pavilion, and in the van, she started acting a little defiant, refusing to sit with Rush, just overall acting ugly if she didn't get exactly what she wanted.

Today starts the Mid-Autumn Festival and everyone is on holiday for the next 5 days. While we thought there were a ton of people everywhere before, today was crazier! As we drove and you could see down alleyways, each one was just packed. It was nuts!

The Pavilion was amazing. It has been rebuilt 28 times due to wars and other things, each time rebuilt in the style of the dynasty in power. There were many pieces of artwork inside....paintings, sculptures, mosaics....almost all of which told a legend of some type. Others showed landscape or history of Jiangxi Province. We saw a performance inside which included some dancing, singing and music representative of Tang history 1300 years ago. It was very interesting. The Pavilion was surrounded by beautiful gardens and butted right up to a river (I can't remember the name) which gave us great views of "new" Nanchang. They have a 10 year plan to basically build a new city, which almost seems like trying to rebuild all of lower Manhattan that time frame. I still don't really understand the concept....but it's happening nonetheless.

At the Pavilion, Rylie refused to walk or let Rush carry her. I was beat by the end of our tour from hauling her up and down stairs as she was occasionally crying and arching herself. I wanted to take her back to the hotel, but when you are with a group, it doesn't really work that way. Our guide took us to a local restaurant which I must say, was delicious and cheap, but I can't say I enjoyed a single minute of the time there. Rylie went ballistic. She screamed and arched and kicked and flailed the whole time. Nothing helped....not toys, not walking, not feeding (well, maybe for a minute or two), nothing. She was done. My biggest frustration came from everyone else trying to add their 2 cents to an already frustrating situation. Bottom line, she was exhausted, she didn't feel good, and she needed to get out of there. On top of that, I am certain that she was having some issues today emotionally. She has been with us for 3 days now, and I think reality is hitting her. I am certain even a little 21 month old can grieve their losses...on top of that, she has lost any and all control of her entire life. Add all of these up together, and it was a recipe for disaster.

Unfortunately, because she was still losing it in the van on the way back to the hotel, we were unable to visit her finding spot. I was so disappointed, because I want to be able to document it for her information down the road, but at the time, I couldn't justify doing anything but getting her in bed and away from all the overstimulation. I am praying that tomorrow we will be able to stop there and take some pictures. It would be so disappointing to miss that opportunity.

She took a good nap and woke up in a better mood. We have stayed in the hotel since we got back which has helped. She was very playful this evening, had her bath and now is sleeping. She was a little feisy at bedtime again, but nothing like last night and this morning.

I am glad she is showing us a little more of her true self. However it is very difficult to deal with a situation like today when you don't have a lot of control over things (i.e. leaving the restaurant) and other people are judging your actions. I am ready to be at home where I can call the shots and where my judgement is trusted because I am her mom. I could vent about this for a long time, because other things occurred and things in this culture are done so much differently, but I will spare you all the details. Bottom line, we were all glad to be in our room sheltered away for a bit.

The evening at least hit a high note when we were able to watch fireworks from our window....we cut off all the lights, hopped up in bed, and watched an awesome display over the skyline. Very cool.

Please pray for Rylie....overall for her adjustment and for her peace. Please pray that we would not get frustrated with the situation and that we would have tolerance for some of the things said to us. Also pray for her passport....there are some timing issues that need to be worked out for us to leave China as scheduled, which is an added stressor we hate to deal with at a time like this.

Thanks for all the messages and prayers.....we miss you all so much. We miss Jonah and Reagan like crazy, and we miss the good old USA in so many ways. This is not a journey for the faint of heart, that's for sure. Tomorrow's another day....

More Random Nanchang Pictures

2010-09-21T09:17:00.003-04:00

Shopping for Supplies Day

2010-09-21T02:43:00.014-04:00

Good morning!

(She is not a morning person....easily zoned for a good 45 minutes!)

Naked baby hineys everywhere!

I'm guessing this was her 1st shopping cart experience!

Outside of Wal-Mart in front of City Square

Scooters everywhere!

Miss Sassy Pants
(The poor child cannot keep the shades on because her little nose is too flat.

Every time she runs they fall off!)

She looks sad, but really wasn't!

Restaurant for lunch

Laughs with Daddy!

Today, Rylie woke up no longer an orphan!!!! Hooray!!

There wasn't a lot on today's agenda other than heading to Wal-Mart in the city for some needed Rylie supplies.

We started with another great breakfast in the hotel, which we are taking full advantage of since food for the rest of the day is a little questionable. After breakfast, as we were waiting on our guide and driver, I was walking Rylie around the lobby, which includes some water fountains with goldfish. We were looking at them and an older Chinese woman came up very close to us and just stood there watching. After a minute or two, we moved down a bit to get a different view and she followed. I think she was worried I was going to let Rylie fall into the water. ;) She didn't. The woman eventually moved on. No need to contact CPS, thank you. :)

Anyway, we headed through the city to Wal-Mart which was not as much of an experience as I thought. Similarly to the US, it is huge, has everything and was very busy, but I recognized a lot of the products. We bought some diapers and a new sippy cup to try as well as a few snacks and drinks for our room. I took a few pictures but was promptly told by an employee that pictures were not allowed. Ummm, ok. I am fairly certain secret Chinese government information is not being shared in Wal-Mart, but ok. So, the camera was put away.

After we bought our supplies, the other couple with us needed to feed their baby, so they sat in the nearby KFC...yes, KFC right next to the Wal-Mart....while we headed across the street to explore the August 1st Uprising Square, which apparently holds 300,000 people. It was neat, and Rylie enjoyed running around. It is HOT here though....and very humid. I don't even know why I am attempting to do my hair. We melt pretty much as soon as we leave our hotel room. Fortunately tomorrow is supposed to cool off some, but along with the cooler weather comes rain again. Oh well.

A random thing I forgot to mention earlier is how smoky it is here everywhere. The hotel and pretty much every building we have been in reeks of smoke. We sat next to a man smoking yesterday at breakfast and even got in the elevator with a man smoking. I'm not used to that at home! It's driving me nuts (and not doing my contacts any favors)!

After Wal-Mart, our guide took us to a restaurant nearby for lunch. They served a mix of Western and Chinese food although I am quickly learning that my definition of "western" food is different that theirs. :) Rylie peed all over me during lunch. :) We are also learning that she has a major problem with hitting...it's playful, but still needs to be dealt with. We'll have to work on that. After lunch, the kiddos were restless so we headed back to the hotel for naptime, while our guide went back to the notary office and picked up some paperwork for us.

She took a god nap this afternoon and then we ventured out on the streets of Nanchang again and found a great place for dinner. Rylie's province is known for rather spicy food and she loves it. I mentioned earlier that she loves the spicy noodles at breakfast each morning. This evening, I got a rice/beef/pepper dish that was pretty spicy and yet again, she loved it.

We laughed today that at lunch and dinner we listened to the likes of Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston, Air Supply, and Niel Diamond. Nothing like a little authentic music when in a foreign country!

We have seen Rylie's personality come out a lot today. She is waving at people left and right. She has also done signs for "more", "thank you", "ball" and blown kisses. She also said "Mama!" She is so smart and observant...I think she will catch on quickly at home. She has had a hard time this evening settling down. She started crying when we put her in bed and is still fighting sleep. I have a feeling we will start to have more of these adjustment moments as she feels more confortable with us. Today included the first cries we have heard since our gotcha moment. Rush took her cup to refill it and she let loose crying. I was glad to see some of her true personality, although her cry was pitiful!

Tomorrow's agenda: Sightseeing! (most likely in the rain)

Jonah and Reagan: Hi guys! I am missing you something terrible tonight! I would love to give you both a big squeeze! Jonah, I am so sorry we missed getting on Skype with you before school....we were caught up at dinner. We got you guys a few things at Wal-Mart today we think you will like. Reagan, enjoy your day with grandpa! Tomorrow you get to go back to preschool! I know you will have fun! You guys be good! We love you so much and miss you tons!!! xoxoxo

Playing with Daddy

2010-09-20T10:14:00.002-04:00

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Gotcha #3

2010-09-20T10:10:00.002-04:00

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Gotcha #2

2010-09-20T10:09:00.002-04:00

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Gotcha Rylie!

2010-09-20T10:08:00.002-04:00

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Adoption Day!

2010-09-20T09:38:00.016-04:00

Our Hotel in Nanchang

Nanchang Skyline (well....part of it. This place is huge!)

Civil Affairs Office

It's Official!!

Square near the city center which commemorates the August 1st uprising of 1927,
which occurred in Nanchang.

She's not too sure about this thing yet!

Entrance to the festival area next to the hotel.

I don't even want to know.

Rylie slept great last night....she is definitely a Kung Fu Princess throwing punches and kicks left and right, but we actually had to wake her up this morning. We ate a great breakfast in the hotel (she will eat anything by the way....even spicy noodles that were about as hot as we could handle!) and then headed to the Civil Affairs office. It seemed abandoned when we walked in! First we had photos taken for our adoption certificate and Rylie's passport. Then we had to have our adoption interview. It was quick and easy....basically them confirming our names, occupations, how long we've been married, asking why we wanted to adopt Rylie and then they made us confirm that we would never abandon or abuse her. After that, voila! We are her legal parents! Hooray!

We were given a beautiful wooden cylinder with Chinese calligraphy on it as a gift from the province as well as our "red book" which contains our adoption certificate. She is child #484 from her province this year alone to be adopted from America.

After we were done, we headed to a notary office to get some things notarized (another quick process) and that was it for the day's scheduled events. On the way back to the hotel, we drove past her finding spot. We weren't able to get any pictures, but hopefully will have a chance before we leave. It was right in the city....our guide said it is a good hospital, so perhaps she was left there in hopes of her receiving care. We headed back to the room, ordered some food from a restaurant next door and took a nap....for 5 hours!!! We had no intention on sleeping that long....it was an accident! Thank goodness one of our travel mates called our room!

This evening we ventured out onto the streets of Nanchang. Wow. Talk about culture shock. This is REAL China. Whereas Beijing is very much an international city, Nanchang is not. We are the only Westerners anywhere to be seen (along with the other couple with us) and we definitely draw some attention. Everyone stares at us constantly and tries to get us to buy things. Right next to our hotel is the start of a large street market/fair-type thing that goes on for a few blocks. There is stand after stand of games, goods, and food to buy (which we were not brave enough to attempt). Most of the food I had no idea what it was. People were EVERYWHERE!!! We reached one point where multiple people with severe diasbilities were on mats in the center of everyone on the street begging for money. It was very sad and eye-opening. It reminded me of stories from the bible....we just don't see things like this in our usual life. The traffic is still mind blowing....not just cars but buses, pedestrians, bicycles and scooters. There is a constant honking of horns, yet no one is mad. It's almost more of a warning thing....like saying, "Hey! I'm here!" I still can't believe I haven't seen someone crushed by a car. It's pretty much a perpetual game of chicken. Either you go or they go...one or the other. If you stop walking, they're going to go. So we are learning to just keep walking and they will stop!

The smells were intense, the sounds were intense, and the sights were amazing. I think Rylie was a little overwhelmed, and rightfully so. I was overwhelmed and I've seen a lot more than she has, living in an orphanage for most of her life. But we wanted to experience this city, her city as much as possible. I am sure it has more in store for us over the next few days. We didn't find anywhere to eat dinner, so we come back to the room and ordered room service....a club sandwich, french fries and some rice with egg. I think the french fries were eaten. The club sandwich consisted of ham, lettuce, tomato, egg, pickle and some type of mystery meat. No thank you.

The coolest thing that happened today was that Rylie started signing "more" at dinner. I did it with her some this afternoon as she ate a granola bar and by dinner, she was doing it independently. Talk about a smart girl! She also started waving today. She waved to Sharon on Skype and then to the kids as well. I think she really likes Skype because she keeps pointing to the computer and making some sounds and waving. So funny.....

Anyway, she had bathtime again and a massive slathering of lotion for her poor skin and it was off to bed, which took a while thanks to the 5 hour nap incident.

Tomorrow, it's off to experience Chinese Wal-Mart to stock up on some diapers and other necessities. Then our guide is taking us to a restaurant for lunch.

Yet again, we're tired, but loving every minute of being with this munchkin. She is amazing and starting to come out of her shell. It's very cool to watch!

Jonah and Reagan: It was great to see you today on Skype!! We miss you both so much and can't wait to give you big hugs! Your sister really likes watching you guys on the computer! I can't wait until she can see you in real life! You wouldn't believe some of the things we saw today....some crazy, some funny and some just scary! There are so many people all around. People carry their babies around with their hineys hanging out of their pants OR completely naked!! You guys would laugh at all the naked baby hineys everywhere! :) Love you guys so much! I can't wait to tell you about Wal-Mart tomorrow! Jonah, I hope school went well...don't forget to do your homework!!! Reagan, I hope you had a great day with Grandpa! xoxoxo Mommy and Daddy :)