Melynda's Birthday

This afternoon we all went to the American Consulate for the swearing in ceremony and thus the adoption is done and visa issued so we can travel back to the States tomorrow. The whole event was nothing more then waiting in a room then a group swearing in and then leaving. It took longer to get there then to finish everything. It was a little bit of a let down, but good to know everything is done!

After that our group went to Lucy's for one last group dinner and yet again another birthday party. This is Melynda. She turned one. She came into Civil Affairs with Claudia on Gotcha Day and the care taker was crying when she handed them over to us. Claudia clearly remembers Melynda and it is clear that they are friends. It is weird to think that they knew each other before they knew us. Melynda was described by the orphanage as obstinate...she cried in her referral picture and cried on Gotcha Day. Soon there after she became a Daddy' girl, almost snubbing her Mommy, but as each hour and day pass you could see Melynda changing. She laughed more and more. She let her mommy hold her for short times and by today she knew for sure who her mommy was..it is amazing to the transformations these little ones have made in this short time.

Dinner was another bittersweet gathering. While it will be so exciting to leave..living in this "cocoon" as Jim calls it these past weeks was like a second home. We all shared something that is hard to describe. I was in a room when five women became Mommies and five men became Daddies for the first time, that i something that I will never forget. In this short time we have found friends. Our guide Grace will be so missed. She helped us through this process and dealt with all our complaints and too became a friend. I will miss all these people and babes and only hope we continue to watch our children grow.

I will also miss the China I have seen and the China I have yet to discover. I hope to return again when Claudia is older and bring Colton along too...It is a unique country with unique and fabulous people. Much different from the US, but for the most part very warm and welcoming. Plus the food has been outstanding. I am unsure how I will deal with US takeout again??

Right now I am packing and getting everything ready for our journey home. We will be up at 5 am and then on our way home to introduce Claudia to her brother. I miss him dearly but realize that we did need this time to get to know our daughter. While not every moment has been easy, I would not trade it for the world. Cha Lian is bright and funny, likes to head-but and when she smiles and reaches for me I just melt. She is where she was always meant to be..so now I am off to finish packing and maybe stop in a shop or two..Ciao!

Oh yeah I posted today's photos below..enjoy!

Dads On A Red Couch

This morning we awoke gave Claudia a bottle dressed and headed to Breakfast eager for the mix of Chinese and western delicacies. Claudia stuck with steamed eggs, Chinese pork, dragon Fruit and Lychees.

After that we went to the lobby to meet Grace for our last tour. While we were waiting the Dads posed for photos on the Red Couch. Danea who is Maria's friend joining them to fill in for Gracie's Dad Jim.

Then, we headed to a Buddhist Temple known as the Six Banyan Tree Temple. We all purchased incense, said some prayers, the children were blessed by ministers Cathy and Jim on the sly. The Temple was beautiful despite the dreary day.

The Temple of Six Banyan Trees has a long history in Guangzhou and is an ancient monastery famous at home and abroad. There are majestic towers, dense trees, plenty of antiques and valuable heritage from those famous people in the history. It is one of the four Buddhism temple complexes in Guangzhou and the other three are Guangxiao Temple, Hualin Temple, Haizhuang Temple. Therefore, it is an important unit for the preservation of antiques.

Temple of Six Banyan Trees was first built in the 3rd year of Datong (537 A.D.), the reign of Emperor Wu in the Southern Liang Dynasty. It was originally called Baozhuangyan Temple. It was changed successively into Chaoshou Temple, Songchu Temple in the Southern Han Dynasty. But the temple was damaged in a big fire. Later, the temple was rebuilt in the 2nd year of Duangong in the Northern Song Dynasty (989 A.D.) and was named as Jinghui Temple. In the 4th year of Shaosheng in the Southern Song Dynasty (1097 A. D.), the temple was repaired and people buried Buddha's relics under it and built thousands of Buddhist statues in the niches and hence it was changed into Qianfo Temple later. In the 3rd year of Yuanfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1100 A. D.), Su Dongpo, a great litterateur, seeing that the six banyans were verdant and entangled with each other and full of power and grandeur, autographed the words of "Liurong"(means six banyan trees) when he visited the temple and was asked to inscribe for the temple by Daozong, a monk in the temple, on his way to the north after he was relegated from Hainan. Later, people valued Su Dongpo's handwriting and inscribed it into a wooden slab and hung it above the temple's gate. In the 9th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1411 A. D.), the Jinghui Temple was renamed as Liurong Temple, and hence the Dagoba Tower was called Temple of Six Banyan Trees, also the Flower Temple.

Next it was off to the Pearl Market for all types of jewelery...we are dressing now to head to the US Consulate and then our last dinner at Lucy's where we will be celebrating little Melynda's birthday.

The Red Couch

On Monday night it was Kajsa's mommy, Cathy's birthday. We celebrated with traditional Cantonese minus the snakes, bugs and dogs...Claudia has really began to show some personality. At night we watched the light and laser show again each time I see it I think I am in some anime cartoon.

On Tuesday we began the day with breakfast..lots of steamed eggs, Chinese meatballs, lychee and dragon fruit for Claudia. Hopefully I can hit the Chinese grocery on the way home from the airport. After that it was time to stroll the town. I really love it here!! I did some shopping. Arguing for good deals is a science that I am attempting to master. I had a great Mocha Latte at Starbucks. tried to get some photos there but were told by management we were not allowed. This happened in a Wal mart and at a fish market. I think every now and then they want to remind me they are communists. We enjoyed watching more brides and grooms get photographs taken. cathy and I jumped in some of their shots and when we asked the bride when the wedding was, she said December??? They love photos here and obviously do them well in advance..the whole wedding thing is very very strange here.

I then returned to the hotel and enjoyed the edited version of CNN..then came preparation for the Red Couch Photo. FYI, each adoption group must travel through Guangzhou and it is a tradition for each group to be photographed at the White Swan on the red couch. Our darlings have turned into little princesses in just over a week. Enjoy the photos below you will see they have on the best silks around!!

After that all the moms met for cocktails in the bar to catch up and enjoy the setting. dads were sent to the rooms with the babes. After drinks the guys and babes were summoned for dinner at Lucy's. The food there is great as are the beers. We were lucky and made it in time for two for one happy hour. Claudia downed two plus bowls on chicken congee. You would never believe one so small could each so much...

After some food drink and banter we did some more shopping. I am trying to get Colton a Pucca and Garo doll set (although on the phone he just said Claudia can have the Pucca) and some transformers..then off to the room for a bottle bath and bed....for Claudia that is...Now I am writing this entry and enjoying the laser light show. We have one more day here then time to go home. I am eager to get to the States and see Colton. Although admittedly this place is great and I will miss it!!

Tomorrow it is off to a Buddhist temple for a blessing of our babies then to the Pearl Market and then to the US Consulate for a swearing in ceremony to make this whole thing certified for real....Enjoy my photos below and see how each day Claudia and all her friends are becoming more and more animated, happy and part of a family...Until next time...

JULY 7th

This morning was busy. We started off at the breakfast buffet which again is the bomb...what's better than french toast with crab dumplings...Claudia chowed down on steamed egg, Chinese meatballs, lychee and dragon fruit. She seems to enjoy the Chinese food, not true for western food, too bland.

After breakfast we played ball with Kajsa is the hall and then we all we off to take passport photos and get medical examinations. Each child had to see three different doctors, I think that is what they were, one did height weight and temp, the next was an ENT - the ENT bore a striking resemblance to Joel, or perhaps it was his head gear then there was a basic physical where legs back and abdomen was checked. Claudia as well as the others passed with flying colors. The doctors did find a few babes with ear infections, and prescriptions for antibiotics were given, no one wants to deal with that on the plane ride home.

After that it was off to the Starbucks and the bartering for goods. I purchased traditional clothing for Claudia, squeaky shoes and a few other trinkets so she can have items from her homeland. As we walked through the park I saw many couples posing for wedding photos. Apparently the Chinese take pictures before the wedding day and the shots are very elaborate.

Next it was back to the room where Claudia ate noodles and more noodles and then napped. During nap time we visited the gym, Brian read and I typed this info in. Tonight we are going out for a Chinese dinner. The area we are in is known as Canton so obviously the food is Cantonese style. we have been told the Cantonese will eat anything that flies except for planes, and anything that has legs except for planes....we will see...I posted photos from our day below..I am going to shower and head to starbucks for a Mochacino..the air is cool in there, by the way it is usually over 100 degrees here each day and very humid....

Kajsa

This is Kasja Ling Stanley-Erikson. Her parents Jim and Cathy live in Madison, Wisconsin. Kajsa came with some tears and a little cradle cap...with patience love and exfoliating with her dad's chin..she has just been smiling and laughing. Cathy's parents are in Townsend VT. Cathy has a blog set up also following the trip. I have linked to it below. Just scroll down to links and hit Kajsa's Blog...I cannot access it from here but I am sure you will gain some more views and insights on this magical mystery ride!!

Gracie Turns 1

Grace is one of the babies in her group..today was her first birthday her mother Maria is from Salt Lake City and traveled to China with Auntie Danea. Gracie's dad is anxiously waiting their return to the states. Grace previously loved to put her tongue out above her lips when she encountered the whole group, but as the days have past the tongue has been replaced with smiles and laughter. She has great teeth and pretty hair!

We all celebrated her birthday at a Thai restaurant. The food was great..the service horrendous, Claudia did not get her food until we were almost done and cried and cried..she fell out of the high chair because she is really too small for it..not up to US standards clearly, however she managed to stop crying in time for the cake which she really enjoyed.

After dinner we all strolled back to the hotel doing some window shopping. they sell everything you can think of here and I can't wait to shop for real tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will head to the doctors for a medical exam which she must pass in order to leave the country..should be no problem...then the plan is to shop and enjoy the benfits of this lovely hotel...more photos of today posted below.

Chen Family Temple

This morning after a breakfast to die for which had everything from dumplings to pizza we headed off to the Chen Family Ancestral Temple.

As we entered the Temple we were surrounded by curious Chinese families. Caucasians with Chinese babies are clearly a rarity. Most of the onlookers were very friendly. Luckily our guide Grace gave us all cards to wear around our necks which explain in Chinese just who we are and what we are doing. At first the whole idea of wearing a card around my neck seemed goofy, but the card really helps us communicate with the Chinese people. I only hope it doesn't really say "look at us dumb Americans or kick me here (lol)..."

Before entering Grace demonstrated how the local hackie sack game works and we were confronted with many people trying to sell us one...I had no need for one as I have no plans to attend a Grateful Dead show anytime soon...

The Ancestral Temple of The Chen Family is now the largest and best preserved and decorated ancient architecture existing in Guangdong Province and now the site of the Guangdong Folk Art Museum.

It was designated as an important cultural relic under the State protection by the state Council in 1986. This ancestral temple was built between 1890 and 1894 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty.It was built with donations of the Chen family then spread in 72 counties in Guangdong province. The temple used to provide lodgings for candidates of the Chen family who came to Guangdong to prepare for imperial examinations in Guangzhou. Hence it was also called the Chen Clan Academy. Occupying an area of 15,000 square meters, the temple, has a rectangular main building and comprises six courtyards, nine main halls, and nineteen buildings. With an architectural design of traditional Guangdong style, the temple is especially renowned for its beautiful decorations. In the temple, historical figures, legends, and scenes are represented in many art forms, including wood carving, brick carving, pottery carving, stone carving, lime carving, clay sculpture, ash sculpture, brass and cast iron, grotto, new year painting, and so on. These artistic and historical attributes make the temple an important attraction in Guangzhou.

At the temple I bought some beautiful paintings and calligraphy for Claudia. The artist painted the works right before our eyes. After that it was off to the Jade market. The jewelery was too beautiful to leave behind so i felt compelled to buy some!! I have been buying various items to put away for Claudia in her hope chest. Most families try to buy a number of gifts for the girls to remind them of their homeland. So far I have chop sticks, a tea set, jade, porcelain, bells and will be looking for more tomorrow.

After the Jade Market we headed back to the hotel for R & R. I simply enjoyed the gym and down time with Claudia. We played with bubbles I brought from home, which do say made in China, and watched alot of Chinese MTV..she is not a half bad dancer if you can get past the drool and runny noes.

We will be heading out for a group dinner tonight. I am totally having a blast now, but miss home and Colton so much...I can't wait to return to my ordinary life.....

A Welcome Change

Our first night here on the Island was great. This is the view from my room at night. The place is amazing, neon, light shows, funky music, indescribable! After settling in the room, we took to the streets. The shopping seems great (and cheap). Everyone said I can get a good deal and that imagine they were from Jiangxi province too, just like Claudia (yeah right)...but the people are friendly and the English is spoken very well which is a welcome change. we are not far from Hong Kong so the whole feel of the island is much different then inland China.

After walking by the shops, and shop keepers, we proceeded through a park with lovely gardens and people painting everywhere. Many people we setting up tables, bands were being set up and bars. What I could give for a glass of wine here, but wine is very expensive, all imported about 20$ or so a glass, so we are all left with the local beer which is the same price as water, but much better! We all took the gals out for dinner at the infamous Lucy's which servers both Western and Asian food. The place has so much Americana memorabilia. Food was great as was the company. The babies loved the chicken congee and some even found the taste for French Fries. Little Claudia can't feed herself yet so she sticks with congee.

We were joined by Kim and Micheal and their little Mayia. They enjoyed the duck dinner with us earlier but head to another province to get their daughter, now all the families from our agency are together at the White Swan and the excitement we all feel is great.

After dinner and drinks we all walked back to the hotel taking in the feel of the City - it feels more like vacation here...after the usual stuff in the room (which does have BBC, CNN and MTV..yeah) like bath bottle, new diaper and bed.. I was lucky enough to enjoy a diet coke (not easy to find these past days) in the largest bubble bath ever (also not easy to find these past days).

The next day we will head out to do a tour and shop the pearl and jade markets and then I am hoping to hit the gym, the spa, do some shopping and enjoy the pool with Claudia.

Claudia has been very stoic throughout this whole event - she is very easy and does not put up any fuss, but each day we are seeing more smiles and more life in those little eyes..she actually reaches for me and I think she is beginning to bond. I have been teaching her to say Ge Ge so she can great Colton and when she heard him last night on the phone she smiled. She has seen Nancy and Joel, Hilary, Jim, Allison and Kristin all via web cam a few times and she is waiting to get a glimpse of the rest of the family especially Colton, Deb please get me a time so we can see Colton I miss him so much....

More photos of the evening posted below!

She Came With A Cookie She Left With A Tear

Yesterday was the Forth of July we spent the day doing much necessary paperwork, getting more supplies at the local Wal mart (which does sell frogs, turtles and snakes in the food section..all live), and packing for our airplane trip to Guangzhou.

Today we left early....as we did so it was bittersweet..we know our babies are from Jiangxi province and they are leaving all they know, the food, the people, the language. As we traveled throughout the town this past week, Claudia and some of the others would be searching in the faces of the locals for someone familiar..they would respond when the locals flocked us and talked with them, and they really really enjoyed the local cuisine, especially Claudia who eats non-stop. As we entered the airport I showed Claudia the mountains one last time and I kid you not a small tear ran down her face, (it could be the slight cold she has but somehow I believe she knows this is good bye.)

The babies were circled by strangers is the airport all eager to learn about us. Most gave us thumbs up, said thanks for all we are doing and kept saying we had big hearts. Many strangers took our photos and one man was drawn to tears expressing the gratitude to our group for helping these lost daughters of China. After a short delay we boarded the plane expecting lots of crying, but alas the girls were great and we all made it in one piece. thereafter we boarded the bus and started on to our "home" for the next few days, The White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island In Guangzhou. All I can say is this place is the bomb. The view above is the view from my room. The place has every amenity...

More than a century ago the Mandarins of Guangzhou designated a 44-acre sandbank outside the city walls in the Pearl River as an enclave for foreign merchants. The foreigners had previously lived and done business in a row of houses known as the Thirteen Factories, near the present Shamian, but local resentment after the Opium Wars -- sometimes leading to murderous attacks -- made it prudent to confine them to a protected area, which was linked to the city by two bridges that were closed at 10 every night.

The island soon became a bustling township, as trading companies from Britain, the United States, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Japan built stone mansions along the waterfront. With spacious gardens and private wharves, these served as homes, offices, and warehouses. There were churches for Catholics and Protestants, banks, a yacht club, football grounds, a cricket field, and the White Swan Hotel.

Shamian was attacked in the 1920s but survived until the 1949 Revolution when its mansions became government offices or apartment houses and the churches were turned into factories. In recent years, however, the island has resumed much of its old character. Many colonial buildings have been restored, and both churches have been beautifully renovated and reopened to worshippers. Worth visiting is Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (Shamian Dajie at Yijie), with its cream-and-white neo-Gothic tower. A park with shady walks and benches has been created in the center of the island, where local residents come to chat with friends, walk around with their caged birds, or practice tai chi.

We look forward to enjoying the next few days on the island and finalizing all the necessary paperwork so we can retun home to Colton.

Again I posted some more new photos below and the link to our hotel is also at the bottom in case anyone is curious.

The Countryside

Claudia was born in Shang Rao about 3 hours from where we are now, Nanchang. Both cities are in Jiangxi province. She was found in front of the Chatang Old Folks home. The Cha in her name comes from the finding place. The part of Shang Rao where Claudia was found indicates that her birth mother would havbe from the countryside. This is true of all of the girls in our group. In effort to attempt to understand life in such a place we took a trip to the village of Cho Xian which is about on hour or so outside Nanchang City. Life is vastly different there.
We first visited the house of a family which dated to the Ming Dynasty. The home has been in the family for generations. Its floors were made of dirt - although well swept. A stream ran through the home and pictures of ancestors hung on the wall. There was electricity but no surfeit of lamps or lighting. I did notice that the man of the house wore flip flops with "USA" on them.
The next home we visited offered everyone ice cream. The house was a little more modern with fans blowing cool air which was welcome after coming off the dry and dusty streets of this small village. Families inthe village had multiple pets which included dogs, cats, chickens and potentially the duck we saw wandering around. There is no plumbing in the village and the cooking is done by wok-like wood stoves.
It goes without saying that the people of the village showed true kindness by welcoming us into their homes. They asked nothing - although the group brought candy for the children. Obviously, we cannot read minds or speak the language, but the people of this village appeared genuinely interested in meeting us and extended hospitality one would only expect in the small towns of American fiction. One woman offered the entire group cigarettes - although nobody in the group smokes. Another family asked the group to stay for lunch. However, it was hot and humid and an air-conditioned bus beckoned us and our army of one-year-olds back to the hotel.


I have posted a new slide show below of some of the sights. Please enjoy them and try to get a feel for the life her birth mother was living.

Girls Girls Girls

This is a photo of Anna with Claudia. Anna is the eldest of the bunch born in April of 2007. Anna has the most hair and is more physically stable then most.She did not like anyone looking at her the past few days, but alas today was abreaktrough not only could we look at her but she smiled back.

Claudia and the others are all born in July of 2007. Claudia is not the youngest,although she is by far the smallest and the baldest. The orphanage director told me they always called her "Bao Bao" for just this reason. Claudia has finally started to sit unaided but only for short periods. She can't crawl or walk yet but once we are home we know things will move quickly. She can't hold a bottle or feed herself, but did hold a teething biscuit today to gnaw on. But she does have spunk and enjoys pushing the others and stealing their toys.

This evening we enjoyed Pizza from pizza Hut. It tasted like home just needed a little more sauce. While we ate the girls enjoyed bubbles. I have posted a slide show below of some of their photos. Little Grace is missing from them as she hit her head and needed a little down time. Each baby is very unique and has a totally different personality. Although they all love congee and steamed eggs. Those who had difficult first days have finally adjusted to the change and bonds between parent and child have formed and are visible. The bonding can beseen in extra smiles, little giggles and out stretched arms. The anxiety that was once on their little faces is all but gone and replaced with laughter. The fear we all felt upon meeting our daughters has totally disappeared and family units have formed. Tomorrow we are heading to porcelain alley to shop for some local items that arespecific to our daughters' province and then to the countryside to get a better idea of where are little ones come from...only two more nights here in Nanchang then off the Guangzhou.We miss everyone at home especially Colton, who we talk to daily. Claudia has been calling Ge Ge (big brother) for days now and I know she will be so happy to meet him.

Tian tian qin qin bao y bao, xiang qin xiang ai hao bu hao.

Every day {we}kiss and hug, {growing} more dear to each other

Gun Shots and Teng Wang Ge

This morning at about 5 am I was awoke by gun shots....so I thought... but it was only firecrackers. I have heard them various times since arriving in Nanchang. The reason behind the firecrackers was a funeral. Out of the hotel window I could see that there was a large procession of people in white, playing music and carrying flowers. It was much different then anything I have ever witnessed and well worth the 5 o'clock wake up call. After that it was off to breakfast' where Claudia continues to enjoy congee and steamed eggs, then and off for a short tour..

The major point of interest in Nanchang is the ancient Teng Wang Pavilion, one of three towers located south of the Yangtze River. In Chinese, the pavilion is called Teng Wang Ge - Ge' referring to a two story building; however, this tower has nine stories - three that can be seen from the naked eye, four hidden inside and two below the ground. The tower is located on the eastern side of the Gan River and the style of architecture used is from the Song Dynasty.

The reason why this tower is so famous amongst Chinese is that it is including in one of Wang Bo's poems. The poet accompanied his father to the tower, one night, and he recorded the event through poetry. His poem described the night in an emotional way that made the poem stick into the minds of many Chinese. One year later after writing this poem, he died. The popularity of the poet continues today with Chairman Mao having often quoted him and with the lines of his poem written on the pillars of the tower's front gate.

Above is a photo of our group at the Pavilion. After that we headed back to the hotel for some R&R. We will be having massages this afternoon in town (8$ a person can you believe it) and then a Pizza Hut Party in the hotel. Most families are in need of some Western food. We have been enjoying the Chinese flavors here and prefer eating Chinese while in China, but c'est la vie.

I am hoping to get photos of all the other babies and parents this evening so I can introduce you to them all. All of the girls are Ling babies, from the Ling orphanage so in all actuality they knew each other before they knew us and will share this special sisterhood for a lifetime.

I have posted a slideshow below depicting the funeral and tour. I also finally posted another which includes my photos from Tianmien Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

NANCHANG

With the advent of technology in communication, Aldous Huxley lamented that people in America would be instantly apprised of a member of the Royal familys' whooping cough and other minutiae. With that in mind, we did today all the things a parent does for a baby and we will leave it at that.
We went to a local park for a couple of hours. Other than people practising kung fu with swords - almost in a slow dance - the park was like any you might see in the United States. With no visible government presence, people went about their business, playing with their children and lounging in the grass on a hot and humid day. The local people were generally warm and friendly, often stopping to say hello to the adopting families and their children, and good-natured about having their photographs taken.
We then returned to the hotel for the afternoon. It must be remarked that on the drive back, our bus driver nearly ran over countless pedestrians and persons on scooters. This was not all his fault. In a country obsessed with certifying everything, traffic lights and directional lanes are, as one person in our group put it, merely suggestions. Pedestrians cross anywhere and do not increase their pace as vehicles approach. What is strange is that the vehicles don't really slow down either. A scooter driver literally made a left turn without signalling across multiple lanes, whisking just in front of our bus. There are countless examples which would be redundant, but it was incredible when an old woman with a cane sauntered across the street in front of our bus and the bus driver did not perceptibly slow down. Nonetheless noone was hit and we saw no accidents.
After dinner we took Claudia for a walk through some of the back streets by the hotel. Again, people were friendly and receptive. They walked up to us and spoke to Claudia. One woman and her daughter offered her two cookies. Even for people from the New York area, the population and crowds of China take one aback. People will cut in front of you to get into a doorway, up a stairway or into an escalator without so much as an "excuse me" or a "pardon." Even carrying a baby gets one no special treatment. However, there is no malice or rudeness in these actions, it is simply the way it is and after the first few times one simply acknowledges that reality.