This will be our last posting from China. We will leave the hotel at 7 a.m. tomorrow to head for the airport. Our itinerary is grueling... Guangzhou to Beijing, 5-hour lay-over in Beijing, Beijing to Chicago, 5-hour lay-over in Chicago, and then Chicago to Bloomington. We have tried to prepare Daniel, but how can you explain all this to a 4-year-old?? I just pray that he sleeps on the flight from Beijing to Chicago. If he doesn't, we may be considering Benadryl! :)
This morning we went to the Guangzhou zoo which Daniel loved. There were lots of monkeys, which are his favorite animal. As usual, he behaved wonderfully. He is so easy to take places. It's only when we return to the hotel room that his personality changes. It's kind of a Jekyll and Hyde thing... :) But as Neil said earlier today, we kind of feel the same way coming back to this room. It gets very old living in a hotel room.
This afternoon we went to the American consulate to pick up Daniel's passport and visa and have our "swearing in" ceremony. There were many families at the "ceremony," two huge buses full. On the way, I sat by a mother whose baby had cried non-stop ever since they got her (and she was screaming her head off as we talked). My heart went out to her. I thought I was tired!! This evening we went to a Thai restaurant here on the island and as always it was an adventure. We are never sure quite what we're ordering until it arrives at the table. And this restaurant did not have forks so I had to struggle through using chop sticks. I decided it was either master the chop sticks or starve, so I managed.
Neil and I still have to pack this evening. If I could give just one piece of advice to adoptive families coming to China I would say, don't overpack!!! We brought WAY too much stuff and are very sorry now!
Well, if you think of us tomorrow (Wednesday) please pray for us as we travel home. Thanks and we'll see you in Bloomington/Normal. Love to you all.
Lora
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Only a Couple of Days to Go!
These past two days here in Guangzhou have been relaxing. The weather is beautiful (about 80 degrees today)so we can walk around the island without coats, which is such a relief after being in Wulumuqi where it was so cold. Yesterday our guide took us and two other WACAP families sightseeing in the morning. We went to a Buddhist temple and a Chinese folk art museum. We had the option of going shopping after that, but Daniel was getting a bit antsy so we passed on that and came back to the hotel. There is a play room here in the hotel that they call the Swan Room and Daniel loves going down to it where he has room to move around and play. There is a toy there that he especially likes that makes all kinds of different noises. There are also balls to kick and throw, which he loves to do. Today has been a free day. It is nice to not have to rush off to appointments, but it is also a little difficult to keep Daniel occupied. We have relented a few times and let him watch a movie on the DVD player. He has grown very fond of The Land Before Time. He calls it the dinosaur movie.
This morning Neil took Daniel for a walk and gave me a little break. Then later we all took another walk to an outdoor playground. Then we had lunch at a small deli near the hotel and came back for nap time. Daniel must have been exhausted from all the fresh air because he fell right to sleep.
We are encouraged by a couple of things that Daniel is doing. He is walking a lot, not with the walker we brought all the way from the U.S., but with the stroller that we borrowed from a laundry near the hotel. He loves to push the stroller around and it is good exercise for his legs. This activity seems to be an outlet for him to work off some energy. The other thing is that he is using the potty sometimes, which is really exciting! It's not something that he initiates on his own but when it is time to change his diaper he will ask to sit on the potty and then he usually goes. We are hoping that with some work and patience we can actually get him potty trained.
He is sleeping better and longer at night now. This hotel room has a crib and since that is what he was used to in the foster home, he seems more comfortable. We're not sure how he'll do in his twin bed at home but I guess time will tell. At least for now he is more rested. It has been interesting to watch him go through the stages of adjusting to us and to his new life. During the first few days with us he was very compliant. Then, as he got to know us better he began to test us, apparently to determine who was in charge. The past couple of days have been challenging as we have tried to determine which behaviors to address and which to ignore. Today he seems a little more quiet and sad and I wonder what is going through his little head. This must all be very confusing to him and I wish we were better able to communicate with him. If you think of us today please pray for wisdom, discernment and patience for us. Thanks.
Tomorrow is our last full day here and then Wednesday morning we will leave the hotel at 7:15 a.m. to catch a 10:00flight to Beijing. That will begin our long trek home. I keep fretting over what the trip home will be like, but Neil tells me to just not think about it. I know he is right. God will give us what we need to endure the hours of travel. See you all in just a few days!!!
This morning Neil took Daniel for a walk and gave me a little break. Then later we all took another walk to an outdoor playground. Then we had lunch at a small deli near the hotel and came back for nap time. Daniel must have been exhausted from all the fresh air because he fell right to sleep.
We are encouraged by a couple of things that Daniel is doing. He is walking a lot, not with the walker we brought all the way from the U.S., but with the stroller that we borrowed from a laundry near the hotel. He loves to push the stroller around and it is good exercise for his legs. This activity seems to be an outlet for him to work off some energy. The other thing is that he is using the potty sometimes, which is really exciting! It's not something that he initiates on his own but when it is time to change his diaper he will ask to sit on the potty and then he usually goes. We are hoping that with some work and patience we can actually get him potty trained.
He is sleeping better and longer at night now. This hotel room has a crib and since that is what he was used to in the foster home, he seems more comfortable. We're not sure how he'll do in his twin bed at home but I guess time will tell. At least for now he is more rested. It has been interesting to watch him go through the stages of adjusting to us and to his new life. During the first few days with us he was very compliant. Then, as he got to know us better he began to test us, apparently to determine who was in charge. The past couple of days have been challenging as we have tried to determine which behaviors to address and which to ignore. Today he seems a little more quiet and sad and I wonder what is going through his little head. This must all be very confusing to him and I wish we were better able to communicate with him. If you think of us today please pray for wisdom, discernment and patience for us. Thanks.
Tomorrow is our last full day here and then Wednesday morning we will leave the hotel at 7:15 a.m. to catch a 10:00flight to Beijing. That will begin our long trek home. I keep fretting over what the trip home will be like, but Neil tells me to just not think about it. I know he is right. God will give us what we need to endure the hours of travel. See you all in just a few days!!!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
We're in Guangzhou!
Hello family and friends. We arrived safely in Guangzhou last night. Our internet connection wasn't working so we couldn't write earlier. The flight was long and a little stressful and we are so happy to be here in Guangzhou!!! It is so much different than the other cities that we have been to. It is about as close to home as we will get here in China. As you saw in the pictures Shannon posted for us we did leave Wulumuqi on a more positive note. The dinner we had with Roy's father was unbelievable. He ordered every dish that was unique to Xinjiang (an autonomous region and not a province!). I don't think we have ever had so much food served to us. We even ate some of a fish that was staring at us!! We were the honored quests of Roy's dad and he definitely wanted to show us off. We really had a good time, even with the dancing.
Daniel had his medical exam this morning. He was very patient with the doctors as they examined him, especially the scar on his back. We also got his haircut today because we were tired of people thinking that he was a girl. The stylist was very impressed with how good he was being. Everyone we meet comments on how smart, inquisitive and well behaved he is.
Many of you have asked about our arrival back into Bloomington on Wednesday. We appreciate so much that you want to meet us and welcome us home. However, due to our late arrival time and the experiences we have had with Daniel on the flights so far, we feel that he might be very tired and overwhelmed by the time we make it back home. If he doesn't get the sleep that he needs he has been known to wake up crying uncontrollably and it is not a pretty sight (just ask the people who have been on our flights). In light of this, we feel it would be best to have just his sisters at the airport to greet us. We hope that you all understand that if he is upset a large group of people might overwhelm him even more. We promise that you will get to meet him as soon as possible! We love you all. Neil and Lora
Daniel had his medical exam this morning. He was very patient with the doctors as they examined him, especially the scar on his back. We also got his haircut today because we were tired of people thinking that he was a girl. The stylist was very impressed with how good he was being. Everyone we meet comments on how smart, inquisitive and well behaved he is.
Many of you have asked about our arrival back into Bloomington on Wednesday. We appreciate so much that you want to meet us and welcome us home. However, due to our late arrival time and the experiences we have had with Daniel on the flights so far, we feel that he might be very tired and overwhelmed by the time we make it back home. If he doesn't get the sleep that he needs he has been known to wake up crying uncontrollably and it is not a pretty sight (just ask the people who have been on our flights). In light of this, we feel it would be best to have just his sisters at the airport to greet us. We hope that you all understand that if he is upset a large group of people might overwhelm him even more. We promise that you will get to meet him as soon as possible! We love you all. Neil and Lora
Thursday, December 6, 2007
More Pictures of Wulumuqi
This is Shannon again. Here are some more pictures taken in Wulumuqi. One of my students here in Bloomington, Roy, is from Wulumuqi. My parents were able to get in touch with Roy's father, and they were treated to dinner and a dancing show. So here are some pictures of that. I think it's so cool that they were able to visit with someone that I'm connected to, thousands of miles away! Daniel doesn't look all that happy, but it was late.
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