Audrey's Homecoming

2010-12-03T14:21:00.003-06:00

Hello

I haven't posted in FOREVER and so much has happened--including the 4th Birthday of our dear Audrey. More photos of the pink and purple princess fun soon.

We recently had a great trip to meet our good friends the Wielands in New Braunfels--I thought I would post a few photos. Audrey and Harper had a great time and she could not stop talking about her friend Harper. Even more exciting is that Harper has a new brother, Baz. Audrey was very intrigued, but worried that he put "everything in his mouth". We all had a great visit.

2010-02-03T14:18:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone--tired of the snow yet? Me too! We have had some fun times out there--few snowmen, lots of snow angels and a Snow Queen as Audrey is fond of saying--I think this is something she saw on Max and Ruby. We spend everyday being some kind of animal--still the Unicorn is her favorite. Yet some says we are cows, dolphins, horses and princesses or Snow White. Of course we all play along, which I think encourages all this creative play. What do they say about kids who have an imagination?

I think I have a few photos to share of some of our recent adventures. Enjoy.

Christmas, Birthday and New Year

2010-01-09T10:54:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!!

2010-01-09T10:32:00.002-06:00

My how the year moves so fast! I wanted to give a quick update and post some photos from over the holiday. We had a great Christmas--despite the weather! We were practically snowed in beginning on the 24th and lasting through the weekend. We did manage to make it to Granny and Pop's house on Christmas Day and see my family. We truly wished for a One Horse Open Sleigh--I think it would have been easier traveling!

Audrey had a great Christmas--big gifts this year were a Kitchen and anything with Mermaids and horses on it--including several mermaid dolls, a barbie and a costume. She also got a tent that we are sure to have strung out in the house soon. Up until Christmas she would only respond when we called her "Mermaid" she was insistent. Now it has all changed and she is ONLY a baby unicorn! I think this must come from My Little Pony which we rarely watch, but for some reason she is quite drawn to. In fact we are all Unicorns--Mommy Unicorn, Daddy Unicorn, Granny and Pops Unicorn and at dinner last night, Audrey addressed two of our friends as Craig Unicorn and Jennifer Unicorn. . . wow. Needless to say we play along, eating grass, rescuing Baby U from the water, or climbing the stairs on all fours--are we suckers or what!

Hope you enjoy these photos from Christmas etc.

2009-11-06T12:37:00.002-06:00

Halloween was a blast--such a busy week and too many choices when it came to costumes. When we asked her what she wanted to be we usually got this, "I want to be Mulan, dalmation and a horsie." So we have here a few photos--minus the horse, which was a very cute costume and will be fun for playing in later too. Mulan was by far her favorite and in the end she added a crown just because!

I am so pleased that she LOVES candy--daughter of the "candy kid" so I can't help but encourage the interest a little. She was truly "sugar baby" all night after Halloween and sleep was hard to come by. At least it onlly happens once a year--so enjoy I say!

Here are a few shots of the big night and the parties of the week. Happy Halloween.

Fall is here

2009-11-01T16:59:00.002-06:00

Freedom!

2009-09-17T09:25:00.002-05:00

No More Big Pink Cast!!

2009-09-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

Well we are happy to report that we DID get to remove the cast on Monday and now besides a small limp that we are assured will go away shortly--the broken leg is healed. Audrey was a little tentative at first to really walk on it, but with her new found freedom she is getting around. I do think she misses NOT being carried everywhere, but we are glad that part is over. They let us keep the cast (I know, why would you want it) and since she had refused any writing or stickering on the cast it still looks as clean and pink as when she got it. Audrey did not want us to bring it home, but I thought she might appreciate seeing it someday.

And as previously reported the first order of business was a bubble bath, followed by a pedicure and then of course another bath. Also a trip to Sephora to try out nail polish and lip gloss. So what follows are a few photos sans-cast and then a few from earlier just to let you know what you CAN do while in a cast.

Enjoy!

Still the cast

2009-09-13T16:22:00.002-05:00

We have survived over 3 weeks of a broken leg and a giant pink cast. Tomorrow we go back to the orthopedic physician and hopefully get the good news that the little leg is fully healed--I am ready to be done with the cast. Audrey, though, told me the other day that she wanted to "keep it on." I think she just likes to be in control of everything and will truly be excited to get to run around and up and down stairs (I know I am ready for her to walk a lot more!).

She has gotten pretty good at walking, crawling and even trying a few stairs and free falls onto her bed. I think the leg feels a lot better.

We will update you with new photos if it all goes as planned. The first order of business--a long, long bubble bath and then maybe a shower too and of course a trip to get a pedicure. We can't wait!!

THe Big Pink Cast

2009-08-27T08:37:00.003-05:00

As they say, "it's always fun until someone gets hurt" and that sums up our day at the Orr Farm. The Farm is a place with a petting zoo, pony rides, a train and carousel--all of the things Audrey loves. Then we decided to jump on the bouncing pillows. One wrong landing and I knew Audrey was hurt. So after an afternoon in the emergency room we found out she fractured her leg right below the knee!

Now she will have this beautiful cast for the next 3-4 weeks. She is quite the trooper and has learned to get around by crawling or being moved by her favorite mod of transportation--Mommy and Daddy! Walking is a little tough because the cast is so long it puts her out of balance. So far--getting comfortable at night is the toughest thing, and the fact that she can't do her favorite thing: take a bubble bath. So we improvised with a sink full of water and bubbles.

Summer Time

2009-08-09T23:29:00.003-05:00

Rocky Mt. National Park and Red Rocks seeing Lyle Lovett

Summer has come and it now almost gone, but we have had a great time. We spent a few days in Colorado visiting Brenda and her family, traveling to the Rocky Mountain National Park and Audrey even went to her first concert--Lyle Lovett at Red Rocks. Here are a few photos and I promise more this week, I think I will finally have some time to catch up.

Audrey and B.B. and painted nails!

Reunion Weekend

2009-06-17T12:50:00.003-05:00

We just had a great weekend in New Braunfels, Texas with nine other families that we traveled to China with last year. It was great fun to see everyone and to see how everyone's children have grown. The girls are all around 2-3 now and a barrel of fun.

We spent the weekend floating the river, visiting the water park, eating, see the animals at the Natural Bridge Animal Park and trying to stay cool. And we also tried to catch up on the happenings of the past year. Audrey loved the water and loved the animals! The weekend went so quickly and just when the kids were all warming up to each other it was time to travel home. We have plans to make this an annual event--visiting the home states of all the girls eventually.

Thanks again to my great friend Stephanie for all the hard work in hosting this year's reunion. And to everyone else for making the event a success!

Here are a few photos of her and some of the girls.

Growing Up

2009-05-24T14:46:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone

As we approach summer I am reminded how I always looked forward to those few months off --vacations, swimming pools and hot, hot days of trying to be very still so you could cool down just a bit. I still feel the same sense of excitement--without the few months off. Can't wait until Audrey has those school breaks and the few months of freedom that make those summer days so great!

Audrey is growing rapidly and talking non-stop! Next month we are traveling to New Braunfels, Texas to reunite with most of the 11 families we traveled to China with last year. Should be a great time--can't wait to see how all the kids have changed. Look for some great photos from that weekend. Until then, I'll leave you with a few shots of Audrey--enjoy!

2009-04-11T14:53:00.005-05:00

Hello Everyone

We recently had a great weekend of fun with our friends the Stephanie and Truitt and their daughter Harper. All of them traveled to China at the same time we did to bring their daughter home. During the weekend we also celebrated our one year "Gotcha Day" with a few friends. This will probably be the main day we celebrate for Audrey's birthday each year. Kind of the half year birthday--but also Gotcha Day and it will help spread the celebrations around the year instead of everything in December.

We had a great visit and the girls really enjoyed meeting each other again--now they really can play and interact with each other. So here are a few photos to enjoy. We should have a lot more after Easter this weekend as well.

A Moment to Remember

2009-03-23T22:24:00.008-05:00

It's hard to believe that it has been an entire year since we were handed a sweaty little bundle of China-Baby. In some ways it seems like it was just a few weeks ago, but in other ways it's hard to remember a life before she was a part of it, or as Lyle Lovett says: "Seems like she's always just been hanging here on my right arm."

I remember the day that we received her "mug-shot" pictures from the orphanage and got our first look at the baby that would become our daughter, and tried to imagine who she was and what she was like based solely on two tiny photographs. Looking back it is almost comical to think about what we expected, in the photos she is a chubby little stoic-looking kid. I remember asking her orphanage director if she ever laughed or smiled because she always seemed so somber in the few pictures we had seen. He laughed and said that she was a happy baby, and sure enough she has smiled pretty much non-stop since we got her. It is almost like she has an air that radiates around her that people are attracted to, we have never been anywhere that someone hasn't approached us and told us what a sweet child we have. Of course, since most of you have been around her, you know that already.

That long trip to China, taking her from the only life that she had ever known, those first few excruciating days when she could hardly stand to look at me...knowing now what I didn't know then would make me do every bit of it over again. Audrey has blossomed in ways that I never would have imagined, best being that she has finally figured out how much fun Da-Da is. I still rank a distant second behind Mom...OK, probably also fall behind "Granny" and "Poppa" in terms of popularity, but compared to those early days I will take it in a heartbeat. I don't know if it is nature or nurture, but Audrey likes the same things we like, loves the same foods as us, and has the same sort of temperment that we do. Her favorite things in the world are reading books, and being outside, and she is fascinated by any and all types of animals. She can already count to ten on her own, recognizes and with help can spell her name, and knows her a.b.c's. We are truly lucky to have been given the honor of caring for this amazing little girl.

Because Audrey's birthday falls smack in the midst of holiday season we have chosen to celebrate "Gotcha Day" the way most people would celebrate their actual birthday. But instead of giving gifts we would ask that you follow this link and make a small donation in honor of Audrey and all of her "sisters" who were cared for in Chinese orphanages so that those who need that same care in the future will have as much comfort as possible during their stay. Even if you only donate $5.00, it could mean an extra blanket or toy for a child who is waiting to find a family. http://www.halfthesky.org/

Thank you all for being a part of this first year, and we look forward to many, many more.

oops forgot the photos

2009-02-10T09:30:00.003-06:00

One year since that first photo!

2009-02-10T08:04:00.002-06:00

It has been one year since we got that first precious little photo of Audrey. Wow has she changed. Everyday she makes us laugh with her great personality and the many new words that she has added to her vocabulary. Some of our favorites: bu bu (butter--a favorite treat), Wil wie (our cat Willie), Hi Pa Pa (greeting to my dad), schooo schoo (what she says the moment we spot her little school down the street) and canny (candy, another favorite treat just like her mom). Here are a few more recent photos so you can see how much she has changed too.

2009-01-02T23:19:00.003-06:00

A new Rockin' Horse from Granny and Pops. A new OSU Orange Swimsuit from Cousin Taylor.

My very own Rody to ride from my friend Brenda.

So this is why we hung up those stockings--candy!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2009!

2009-01-02T23:06:00.003-06:00

Hello All

What fun Christmas is with a two-year old! We had a wonderful day with each other and our family and Audrey enjoyed every part of Christmas. We spent every evening hearing the echo of lights, lights, lights from the backseat--our neighborhood really goes all out to decorate their homes and Audrey appreciated even the most over-top ones. At home it was tree, tree--and to my surprise not one broken glass ornament. I took a chance that she would enjoy all of our detailed ornaments, prepared to sacrifice at least one from a low hanging branch--but I am proud to say that they all lived to enjoy another holiday!

Christmas day was a joy. We did not have to arise too early, but when we finally made it downstairs she was quite excited about all the toys that Santa had brought. (now I might add she is not too impressed with Santa himself, but she did like the gifts)

I will let you enjoy these photos and I will post a few more the next couple of days. Hope your holidays were happy as well.

2008-12-23T23:06:00.002-06:00

Well it is almost Christmas and I am quite bogged down with work and getting ready for the holidays--retail can be brutal or at least all consuming of your free time! So no Christmas cards yet and a whole lot of other things that won't get done, but I thought I would post a few more recent fall photos of Audrey. Perhaps I will have some time in the next few days to post 1st Christmas photos too.

Our China Baby Turns Two!

2008-12-05T20:44:00.003-06:00

When you wake up at 6 a.m. it is no fun--even if it is your birthday!

Well it is hard to believe that Audrey is two.

The time goes so quick, yet all of her language development, growth spurt and fondness for the word "no" tells us--yes, she is two. We celebrated in a low-key way as we are hoping to make her annual "birthday event" in March to coincide with her Gotcha Day on the 24th. It is hard to have a December birthday and probably would be more fun to have a celebration in the spring anyway. But we wanted to commemorate her 2nd birthday and the first one with us in some way, so friends from our neighborhood stopped by for cupcakes in the afternoon and then we visited Granny and Pops and the cousins in the evening. You can never have too much cake--so we enjoyed it several times that day and again the next day when Audrey took treats for her school friends.

She knew the day was special and can quickly answer the question--"how old are you?" with "I two" and two little fingers in the air. In the beginning she would hold out her had so one of us could fold down her thumb and fingers to leave two fingers up, but now she has mastered that as well.

Every day she still amazes us with her happy personality, good-natured attitude and sense of humor--we are truly lucky to have her with us. These milestones remind us how quickly the time goes.

Enjoy the photos!

Happy Halloween

2008-11-03T22:58:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone--as we move into the fall we have so many "firsts" to look forward to enjoying with Audrey--her first Halloween, first birthday with us, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas and hopefully her first snowfall. Keep coming back to our blog and I will share them with you as well.

Halloween was great! I wasn't sure what to expect and when we started looking for a costume about a month ago I was worried that there would be no Halloween. She did NOT like the cute ladybug that we first got and she wasn't very interested in any dress up outfits. Every time I showed her the ladybug she would through it and yell No, No, No! But one day we were at Babies are Us and she was very interested in the costumes--finally she picked out the lion and even wanted to put it on. So it was settled--she would be a lion (or as she puts it--RRRRR).

For 3 days we celebrated--at her School/church carnival (she quickly learned that at each activity you got candy--what a deal), then at the Zoo--thousands of kids and adults--crazy but fun and finally trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. It was a great week. Every night she was bouncing off the walls. Brad called her "sugar baby", but we all conceded we liked Sugar baby Audrey.

The first photos are from a Halloween festival in the Paseo. They had a little art activity where the kids could get dressed up in paper creations--Audrey wanted to be right in the middle of this. She was so patient and loved her paper dress--she kept it on all afternoon. We should all have paper dresses!

6 Great Months!

2008-10-03T11:01:00.003-05:00

Can you believe that Audrey has been here for 6 months already? What seemed like a lifetime (in fact it was her entire lifetime) to get her here and now she has been in our arms for 6 months! It has been great I must say. I thought I would just add a few photos today and let them speak for the great changes that she has seen since traveling to Oklahoma from Maoming, China. She is so special and so much fun every day. She says a lot of words now and a few two and three word sentences. Make no mistake, however, she communicates everything she wants perfectly--both Brad and I have had her lead us around to get more candy--to go " 'side" to see "Clara" (our dog) or go "up" (upstairs to her room). She communicates perfectly!

The first photos was just hours after she came to us in China and now look at that sweet smile!

I Love a Party!!

2008-09-10T13:28:00.003-05:00

Audrey has been to many birthday parties this summer--her friend Allie's, Allyson's and her cousin Jack's. Here are some photos from each--

#1 All dressed up and enjoying " 'side, 'side"

#2 Audrey and Allyson at the swim party

#3 My brother Kyle and Audrey at Jack's Pirate Party

Summer's Gone

2008-09-10T13:12:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone

It has been a while I know. Summer has quickly ended and Brad and I just returned from our last big vacation of the year. We spent a week in Roatan, Honduras scuba diving. We had a great time and Audrey had a great time with her grandparents. You are never far from the internet so we kept regular tabs on her daily activities and it looks like she ruled the house while we were gone. She was definitely treated like a princess--but we won't argue that she is well worth the attention.

She is really talking up a storm--a lot of words that we don't understand, but then she surprises you by clearly saying: Banana; Hi Dada; I'm Fine and Seeya Later. Getting her to repeat these on demand is another story. . .

Now, you're really here for the photos so I will attempt to give you a few of the newest ones. Enjoy!

Silent Monday

2008-08-18T22:05:00.003-05:00

2008-08-18T21:55:00.004-05:00

Hello Everyone

I have lots of new photos to add--I just need to download them from the camera. Audrey has really been making the party circuit--she loves an event! So I have several photos from the various birthday parties she has attended. Today I will give you a few from her friend Allie--she just had her 4th birthday!

2008-07-23T21:06:00.003-05:00

Audrey stayed a few days with my sister, Lisa and her family and had a great time!

2008-07-23T21:02:00.001-05:00

My niece, Taylor, reinforcing the proper phone technique!!

2008-07-23T20:54:00.003-05:00

This is Audrey's favorite toy--anything that can be used as a phone!

2008-07-18T17:16:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone

Just a quick update to say hello and perhaps post a few new photos. We have had a great summer. Brad and I actually went on a vacation and left our sweet one with my parents and my sisters family. She had a great time, though we missed her a lot. I will try to post a few photos from her "summer camp" and Granny and Pops. My family has been great about helping us out as Brad and I sometimes work odd hours! Today Audrey had a playdate with two other children in our neighborhood--Perri and Alex. They had fun and played as typical almost two-year-olds--pretty much by themselves with an occassional argument over the same toy. It was a nice time.

No other big news. The tubes seem to be a great thing--Audrey is talking and yelling a lot--words we are not too sure of, but I am certain she is hearing and feeling better!

2008-07-08T13:56:00.000-05:00

2008-07-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

A New Post and Photos

2008-07-08T13:28:00.004-05:00

Well I remembered my password and I am finally posting as ME. Audrey is great and growing up--much to our dismay. She is starting to say a few words and uses a lot of sign language. Much of her sign language refers to eating or sea creatures--Brad likes to teach her all the animals of the ocean in anticipation of the many trips to the beaches, oceans and dive sites of the world that we hope to share with her someday. Our favorite is Shark and she will do this on command. Like most people we ask her to perform anytime there is an audience! Today--we had tubes placed in her ears. We hope this will open up a whole new world for her and stop all the antibiotics and ear infections!

The photos are from her Baptism on Father's Day--we had our immediate family there for the big day. Audrey loves attention--but the moment of baptism she burst into tears, a classic photo opportunity.

More later. . .

The last photo is Audrey making a quick call, letting everyone know about the big day.

Shower Photos

2008-06-18T23:40:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone--We just celebrated Father's Day and also Audrey's Baptism--we have some great photos to share from that day, but I am hoping to get Brad to write a little since it was his big day and 1st time to celebrate as a Dad himself. . .

So instead I will share a few photos from one of my showers that happened about 4 weeks after we returned from China. Audrey looks a little smaller, but quite the cutie and truly enjoying her day. It was a great event hosted by my dearest friends--a.k.a the Bunco Girls! Thanks to all and enjoy these photos.

The first is Kim, Michelle, Dana, Debbie, Lisa, Audrey and me--"the hostesses with the mostesses". The second photo is Brenda, Audrey and me. Then a couple of Audrey enjoying all the attention--she loves a party!

Audrey is 18 months old!

2008-06-10T23:02:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone

Audrey is growing everyday--an inch since her last Dr. appointment and several pounds as well. Finally, her hair is growing enough to style it just a bit! We still haven't cut is, that may be a while longer. Sometimes we will still hear "what a cute boy", but that is okay because we know she is a sweet little girl. She loves books and we read a lot every day--this shot is of her and Daddy reading. She is starting to get pretty smart at bedtime --she keeps picking up more books, and then she does the sign for hungry and then she points at the light and says Da Da--anything to prolong actually going to sleep. The good news is that once she is asleep she will stay that way all night. When she wakes in the morning she is very happy and she is loving her school. Now she walks in and sits right down at the little table and doesn't even cry as I leave. She is starting to say a few words, but mainly she communicates with Baby sign language--and we definitely get the message. Her favorites are: hungry, more, please, thank you and all done. We have made up a few like--down, turtle, shark, and fish--these are great for our own entertainment. I will try to post photos of these soon. Here are a few photos--though a few weeks old. . .

2008-05-23T00:14:00.003-05:00

Hi All

Audrey is changing every day! She has two front teeth now that really gives her a whole new look. For those who worry that my sweet tooth will rub off on her (and a valid concern I know) I thought I would show you this photo as proof that she really does brush her few little teeth every night--Dr. Ed would be proud!

I am also showing a side-by-side shot of Audrey in China almost two months ago now and then a couple of shots in the last week or so. See for yourself how quickly they grow and change.

Soon I will post some of the great professional photos that Brenda shot--they are great. Also I hope to have some new shots of our fellow China travelers and their daughter, Harper Lee, we will see them this weekend when we travel to Texas for her first birthday. So stay tuned!

2008-05-14T00:08:00.002-05:00

Okay, somehow the photos didn't make it, so I will try again:

2008-05-13T23:48:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone--it is Lori again, time for a little update. Well I had my first Mother's Day and it was nice to have a reason to celebrate--the day has a whole new meaning for me now. Audrey sent me orchids (at least that's what the card said--and I do love orchids) and we had a great day together, we all went to church, had lunch, napped and just hung out--perfect!

Everyday is a better day at school--she cries a little then has a great day and then Brad picks her up and she is quite happy. So far she has learned--numbers, up/down, letters and hopping. Well, we are still working on the numbers--but I think she has mastered down. As in I am tired of the high chair and want down now; or please do not hold me anymore I want down to run around. So I will again say she is a clever girl and as a friend told me "a very hard worker."

So here are a few photos: Nutella--a favorite treat of mine, and now Audrey's too! Naptime with a sweet bear from her Aunt Aimee, and a few others. Enjoy!

2008-05-06T00:04:00.001-05:00

2008-05-05T23:51:00.004-05:00

First Week At School and Work

Hello everyone--this is Lori. All is well with dear Audrey and she is now in school at St. Lukes and I am back at work. Her first few days were a test for me and her--she is doing fine ! I do the drop off and the crying and Brad does the pick-up--lots of smiling and laughing. Every day they say she does better, cries less and really enjoys playing with the kids. To be specific--she loves the slide, likes to color and do art and likes music. Everyday she brings home an "art project"--so if I begin saving it all now, I will need another foom just to house it all. Of course, how do you part with any of it?

The photos today are the best--but I will post them anyway. I have a few really good ones, but couldn't get them to download. So these are taken with my phone.

The first is breakfast before school (and before a bath too!) cottage cheese is delicious and messy. The second, after school taking a ride with Allie. And then a little OSU spirit--go Pokes!

2008-04-22T21:10:00.004-05:00

Hi Again--it is Lori, even though it says that Brad is posting. I thought I would add a few more photos and try to keep them in the theme of eating. Eating is one thing that we have had no trouble with! She loves everything we have given her and she tries hard to feed herself too. She is a big "dipper" once Brad showed her how and now what ever she has is worthy of dipping in whatever soupy item she is consuming. Meat sticks can be dipped in ketchup, yogurt, applesauce and even creamed green beans--yumm-0.

So enjoy these photos. Oh, and tonight we celebrate "sleeping in your own bed" we will see how long before she realizes she is there--we'll let you know.

The first two photos are of our friends Tony and Margaret and Allie. They were on the first part of this trip with us and were there for Gotcha Day and a few days after. These were early photos of them with Allie--just a couple of months after getting her in 2006 and then on vacation with us about 10 months after getting her. We had forgotten how small she was and that she too was a chubby cheeked baby--I just wanted everyone else to see as well. The other photos are the first time Audrey really was successful with a spoon, then eating her favorite food at the White Swan--noodles (I haven't been able to duplicate those yet) and then contemplating the cat's food--I don't think she tried any of that . . .

2008-04-21T23:23:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone

Thought I would make a quick post and add some new photos. We are home of course and things are great. Audrey is a doll and gets more personality every day! Thank you to everyone who has made our homecoming so nice--we had quite an ordeal in the last leg of our flight, but are happy to finally be here. Now several weeks into being home, we are developing a little bit of routine and definitely getting used to Audrey being a part of the family. She is quite interested in people--like her mom she wants to be surrounded by friends. So here are a few photos and hopefully I can get Brad to post sometime soon. He said--we are home now, so I am done with the blog--but I think he might be compelled to add a few notes soon.

The photos are--my Mom and Dad and their first meeting with Audrey. Falling asleep during dinner--she won't sleep when I want her to, but mealtime works. With my dear friend Brenda! And finally--with all our luggage after our flight (the final leg) was cancelled in Dallas on the trip home, Audrey took it all in stride.

Coming Home (Part I)

2008-04-09T02:32:00.003-05:00

We are in the Tokyo airport. One leg down, three more to go. Audrey's first plane ride went even better than expected. She only got cranky a couple of times, and I think those were because her ears were hurting. We are on Japan Airlines until we get to Los Angeles, and the flight attendants are the most gracious I have ever seen. One young lady made sure that Audrey had baby food and toys, and that certainly helped to make it a smoother trip. We have been playing in the children's room of the JAL lounge hoping to keep Audrey active so that maybe she will sleep for most of the trip to L.A. Once we go through immigration at LAX our little China baby will officially be a little American baby.

These are two pictures of us with our guide Veronica. Without her help this trip would have been 1,000 times tougher. We will miss her terribly, we have both cried multiple times about the fact that we will not be able to see her again for a long time. By the way, a little bit ago I went to get food from the buffet area of the JAL lounge, and when I turned around guess who had followed me away from Mommy and all the way across the room? As much as she loves food I'm pretty sure that was the motivation, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

Final Thoughts On China

2008-04-08T09:27:00.003-05:00

Brad:

I was wrong about almost every aspect of this trip. I thought the that I would never be able to find food that I would like and be comfortable eating, and I would probably lose weight from 2 and a half weeks of eating pretty much nothing but rice. The food has been tremendous and I have gained several pounds. I was upset that our entire trip would be spent in Guangzhou and we wouldn't be able to see any of the rest of China. Though I still wish we had been able to see Beijing, Guangzhou has been wonderful. I thought the people would be cold and distant, but for the most part they have been kind and welcoming. I thought that we would get a wonderful little girl who we would be glad to spend the rest of our lives with--OK, I said I was wrong about almost everything.

I am shocked to feel the way I do about leaving here. On the one hand I am excited to see all of our friends and family and let them meet little Audrey, but on the other I don't remember ever being so sad to leave a place. The people that we have met here and the adventures that we have gone on are unlike any other I have ever known. I think part of my sadness is because of the difficulty of coming back. It is a long journey and you do have to jump through a few hoops to be able to visit a country like China, but because of our time here and what this city will always mean to us for being where we got our little girl, Guangzhou will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thanks to all of you for following along with us and giving us a taste of home during our extended stay away. We will be there before you know it.

Lori:

Well I can't believe that our long awaited trip to China is coming to an end. Sweet little Audrey has been a trooper on every bus, cab and stroller ride--long or short, hot or rainy--I hope that is indicative of how she will endure the 24 hours plus it will take to get us from Guangzhou to Oklahoma City! I may be the one kicking and screaming and she will probably be just fine.

Well I have done a lot of great things over the years on my birthday and if you know me well you will also know how much I like my annual celebration. However, finalizing an adoption half the world away to a precious little China baby tops the list of fun things. Now we need just step onto the soil of America and she, too, will be privy to all the rights, responsibilities and restrictions as the rest of us--just like that.

The swearing in ceremony didn't have much WOW factor--kind of like your actual wedding vows--you know what they meant but forget exactly what was said. The head of the American Consulate was very nice and has two adopted Chinese daughters himself. We ended the day with one last sweep through Shamian Island, good byes to all our new Chinese friends and to the families we shared the last few weeks with and more photos. We ate at Lucy's (an American Style eatery) and had birthday cake--or Fresh Cake as it is usually called. I would hate to partake in the NOT fresh cake as the Fresh Cake is good, but no Leo's Strawberry-Banana cake. I look forward to another celebration at home--perhaps with a little Ted's Escondido.

Some of our new friends should be mentioned here: from China there is Susan and Dong (they have a great shop and are very kind and will do anything to help you), Grace who has two precious kitties one with a pierced ear and she is so sweet to Audrey, and Chen who works here at the White Swan and never is without a smile and lovely laugh. And of course Veronica--the very best guide we could have had--many thanks to her for making this whole trip a hundred times better. To the 10 other families that we shared this trip with--thank you--we have enjoyed you and your children and will look forward to keeping up with you over the years. Truitt and Stephanie and Scott and Gene we are practically neighbors so we hopefully will see you guys soon.

Most of all thank you to all our family and friends anxiously waiting back home who have religiously followed our story. We love and appreciate you and thank you for your kind words and prayers and love--we have felt it every day. We'll be there soon.

Dinner On The Pearl River

2008-04-07T10:13:00.004-05:00

We have begun the arduous process of packing all of our belongings for the long journey home. We were already sad to leave here, but trying to pack three people and all of the treasures that we have acquired makes it that much tougher.

Tonight we took a dinner cruise on the Pearl River that runs through the center of Guangzhou. You can tell just from traveling around the city that there is a lot to see, but until you go right through the middle of it you have no idea what a sight it is to behold! The architecture itself is stunning, but when you add the light show that is built into most of the buildings and bridges, it is almost overwhelming. It's like Las Vegas on steroids. Because the Olympics are just a few months away, many of the buildings have adopted an Olympic theme, including the China Construction Bank building which is basically a giant billboard. It rotates from variations on the Beijing 2008 logo to all of the mascots--it is the building in the last photo. Many of them also have lasers and spotlights and other displays. While the food was less than stellar, anyone traveling to Guangzhou will not fully get to experience the city without doing this cruise. It's cheap too, only about $20 U.S. including dinner.

Audrey is slowly liking me more and more. She now lets me pick her up (though she usually thinks I am going to hand her to Lori), and this morning the two of us went without Lori to see the fish in the pond in the middle of the hotel. She also learned how to blow a kiss today. Though it's hard to tell, that's what she is doing in the picture of her. She still wants to be in close proximity to Mommy, but she keeps making progress. Hopefully by the time we get home none of you will get the cold-shoulder that I did.

Tomorrow is our last day here (and Lori's birthday). Though I can't explain to you how sad we are to leave here, we can't wait to come home and see all of you and start the normal routine of our lives together. Our consulate appointment is at 3pm tomorrow, and according to our guide Veronica all of the paperwork has been approved, so when we go through immigrations in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon Audrey will be a full-fledged American citizen.

I Knew This Face Reminded Me Of Someone

2008-04-06T22:04:00.004-05:00

This is not a full post, I will do one of those later. But I knew I had seen this face somewhere before.

For My Money Nothing Beats A Monkey On A Bicycle!

2008-04-06T09:22:00.007-05:00

Today we visited the Guangzhou Zoo, and while it wasn't nearly as animal friendly as most American zoos it was much better than what I expected. Since we didn't get to make the Beijing portion of the trip due to the length of our stay in Guangzhou it was nice to actually get to see a Giant Panda in China. Though the enclosure for the panda was not as good as I thought it would be, it was certainly the most protected. You can tell that it is the national symbol of China. The panda was in a cage, but it appeared to also be able to go outside, and it is protected by a wall, moat, and electric fence. Probably my favorite animal there was the Red or Lesser Panda (That's him in the last photo). He had a large enclosure with no bars and lots of trees to climb and grass to crawl around in--Very beautiful. This zoo reminded me of an American zoo before the 1980's (come to think of it, lots of things in China remind me of the U.S.A. in the 70's and before). Many of the animals were in cages and the way the visitors treat them is shameful, throwing things at them--we saw a poor brown bear sitting in the moat of his reasonably nice pen eating what appeared to be a plastic cup that had been thrown in. Still its hard to be too judgmental of the people here, they just haven't ever learned any different. That being said, everywhere you go there is not just one trash can, but one for recyclables and one for other trash--maybe we could learn a thing or two from them also. In one part of the zoo I spotted a building with a picture of a monkey on a bicycle. Now I don't know about you, but when someone teases me with monkeys on bicycles money is no object! It actually only cost about a dollar to go in for the show, and while certainly entertaining, it was sad to see the trained animals forced to perform. There was a bear who rode a motorcycle and bicycle and walked on a ball, a lion who pulled a chariot, a dog who walked on a ball, and of course monkeys on bikes! This also reminded me of something we would have seen in America in my childhood, and while it is nostalgic on a certain level I can't help but feel bad for the animals. Audrey loved the zoo, so we can't wait to make our first visit to the OKC Zoo.

Every day she seems to become more comfortable with us and assured that we are going to be here when she goes to sleep and when she wakes up. She still doesn't want to be comforted by me, but she is much more accepting of me and also is more tolerant of new people and faces. Hopefully the change in environment when we come home won't change this.

Auntie Andie has already made the first zoo visit request, so start making your appointments now. The line forms behind her.

The Red Couch

2008-04-05T08:00:00.009-05:00

Today we took the traditional photos on the red couches. All of the babies adopted from China who stay at The White Swan Hotel have their pictures taken as a group on one of the red couches in the lounge. It is quite a sight to behold as everyone tries to wrangle 11 little girls, most of whom are not interested in sitting still, onto the couch for a picture. The first photo today captures a split-second of the action.

Since most of my day's activity was preparing paperwork for our U.S. Consulate appointment on Monday, I thought today would be another great opportunity for Lori to bring you up to date with some of her thoughts on the trip so far.

Hello everyone--a lot of our time on the island has been spent shopping so I will share a little about that. You may think that everything is "made in China"--the truth is a lot of really neat things are made in China and are available at very good prices. We have gone to the Pearl Market, Jade Market, Art Market and Antique Market. Also here on Shamian you can get silk pajamas, robes, traditional Chinese outfits for children and shoes at a fraction of the cost in the United States. It is hard to not get carried away. The shop keepers are all very proud to show you their wares and they have learned at least enough English (though many speak quite well) to say things like: "good quality", "original not reproduction", "best price" in order to persuade you to spend money with them. We have befriended several people--Dong and Susan share tea with us every evening, have shown us how to make congee and steamed Chinese sweet potatoes and given us much insight to the Chinese culture. They are very proud of their business which is located behind the US Consulate building and they rent it from the Christian Church that sits just to the the side of their building. No matter what you want you can tell them and in a day or so they stop you as you walk by and they have it. In addition they will wash your laundry. Full service is the name of the game and we could all learn a little from their inviting hospitality. Jordon is another really sweet shop owner and he will work both ends of a block to greet passersby to ask about their new baby, and then promptly invite you to come see his store. When you visit him he will write your baby's name in Chinese characters and then also the English spelling in calligraphy and give it to you. One night I thought I had left my jacket in a restaurant and we were in his store--he wanted to run down with me to talk to them in Chinese and make sure I got it back, close his shop completely for however long it took to help me. Every shop is called by an English name--Susan's Place or Jordon's or Jennifer's Place--they want you to feel comfortable and welcome, and to send all of your friends by. If you like to bargain--then China is the place for you. So today Audrey and I shopped some while Brad completed the paperwork and we also played in the Mattel sponsored playroom here at the White Swan with a whole lot of other newly adopted kids and their parents. Audrey was at first a little timid about playing with the other kids, but she soon was interacting like I wasn't even there.

We discovered another delight--the Magnum Bar--odd name, but it is a delicious ice cream bar available at the 7-Elevens on every corner. I am glad I did not start eating them at the beginning of the trip like I was advised by my friend Margaret--I would have definitely gained weight. Audrey loves ice cream--coffee--tea and sweets. Don't worry I am also feeding her nutritious things as well--like chicken and mushroom paste.

Sadly, our trip is coming to an end. It has been much quicker than I anticipated, but we still have some fun things to do and see and I look forward to seeing everyone and sharing all of the details when we get home.

Girls Gone Wild Guangzhou!

2008-04-04T09:02:00.005-05:00

Today was the day that we got our Chinese passport, and yesterday was China's equivalent of Memorial Day, a holiday called Tomb Sweeping Day. I'm not sure which, but in honor of one of these events our girl got a little out of control and flashed her top. I didn't hear the customary "whooo" shout, nor did I see Mardi Gras beads or a Girls Gone Wild t-shirt in Chinese, but something happened that probably doesn't need to be talked about if little Audrey ever wants to run for public office or work for the FBI. Actually she was just having a good time and acting silly. We did in fact get her passport from the Chinese government, so now we begin the United States part of the project.

We had the best meal of our trip tonight. One of the co-workers of another adoptive parent is from Hong Kong, and she gave them some thing to order already written in Chinese. Knowing what to ask for makes all the difference in the world. We had amazing sweet & sour chicken with delicious fried rice and some sort of spicy soup made with coconut milk, needless to say, we will eat here again before we come home. One of the things I had really anticipated for this trip was that the food would be weird and I expected to lose weight over the course of 2 and 1/2 weeks. I don't think Audrey is the only one who has gained weight since we got her. I was really disappointed that we were going to spend our entire trip in Guangzhou and not get to visit any of the rest of China, but it has actually been a wonderful trip and Lori and I were just talking last night about how much we have enjoyed ourselves.

Now that we have our Chinese passport, we begin work on the paperwork for the U.S. Consulate. Our appointment there is Monday, on Tuesday we pick up Audrey's immigration visa, then Wednesday we start our trip home to meet all of you.

All Systems Are Go!

2008-04-03T08:53:00.002-05:00

Today we had our doctor's appointment to check everything out before we go to the U.S. consulate. While it was by no means a thorough examination it was confirmation of what we already knew, that Audrey is a healthy baby. Everything checked out well, and she has already gained 2 pounds since we first got her. All of the other children were crying and carrying on, but Audrey took it like a champ no tears at all. We think this might mean that she has a future in the medical field.

After the exam, we ventured out into Guangzhou without the group for the first time. We went to an antiques market and art district. It was somewhat difficult because pretty much no one spoke any english, but we had a blast. It was really neat to be in a place where we were the only American faces. The art was beautiful and incredibly cheap, and for the most part people were friendly. We also made our first visit to McDonalds. It was neat to see the familiarity of the golden arches but with an Asian flavor. Audrey had her first taste of a hot fudge sundae and loved it, but then again she has loved everything that she has tried. Even though it was a long day with very little time for a nap, Audrey was a champ. Barely fussy and seemed to enjoy the adventure.

We can now hear the clock ticking towards the end of our time in China and we will be sad to leave even though we can't wait to get home and see everyone. While I was sad to burn this much time away from work and not be diving somewhere, this is definitely a place that we will return to. We will try to pack in as much as we can in our final week, and of course take you with us through the blog.

Chinese Fire Drill

2008-04-02T08:38:00.004-05:00

One of the crazier aspects of China that I have yet to write about is the traffic. Apparently things like lanes, traffic lights, stop signs, and other directions that we take for granted in the U.S.A. here are merely suggestions. Suggestions that most of the drivers here don't heed! I promise that no matter where in America you think you have seen crazy drivers, it can't compare to China. The buses, taxis, and other vehicles pass literally within fractions of an inch of each other as they jockey for position and no one seems to give it a second thought. Add into the mix pedestrians, bicycles, and an odd assortment of other motorized vehicles (today we literally saw a bicycle with a motor added to it; not a moped, but a bike with something like a lawn mower motor mounted on it!) and it is almost like watching the 3 Stooges just to sit and look at traffic. All of the news that we hear about China and India being the reason for rising gasoline costs at home appears to be more hype than anything. Gas is just as expensive if not more so here, and most of the people are either walking, riding bikes, or public transportation. Personal vehicles are just too costly for the commoner here. Occasionally we have seen luxury cars like a BMW or Jaguar but it is very rare, and I can't imagine wanting to risk that kind of car in this traffic. The highways aren't much different, there is quite a bit of shipping, but no more so than in America and the trucks that they use to transport goods aren't nearly as big as at home.

Today was one of my favorite days so far on the trip. First off we went about an hour outside of Guangzhou to a park area, but since it was still raining we didn't stay there for very long. Then we came back to town and stopped at a traditional village where the people still grow and sell fruits and vegetables. It was very cool to see the common people and the way that they live. The lady in the picture was selling fresh starfruit that she had grown, and other people were just going about their daily life. There were a few Taoist temples where the people pay their respects to deceased family members. The Chinese call it ancestor worship, but it seems to me that it is not too different than the way that we put flowers and other items on the graves of our loved ones to honor them. One of the things that I find very cool about China is that there are several major religions and no one is judgmental about the religion of someone else, and everyone seems to have a lot of knowledge about all of the various religions. Whether you agree with what they believe or not, there is something beautiful about seeing the passion of the different people worshipping in their own way.

Audrey had a good day. We got our first big belly laugh today. Thanks to everyone for all of the words of advice and encouragement. She definitely has had limited interaction with men, her orphanage director told us that there are only two men who are there regularly and neither of them are caregivers, so she hasn't ever seen a man in that role in her life. The good news is that I still have never changed a diaper in my life (Go Mommy!). I think once she gets home and isn't exposed to her native culture and people on a daily basis she will make great progress.

Tomorrow we go for Audrey's health exam. We already know, from our time with her, what the result will be. She is every bit the healthy 16 month-old, who is ready to come home and meet the rest of her family.

One Step Up And Two Steps Back

2008-04-01T08:31:00.004-05:00

Not too much new to report from here. We continue to struggle with attachment issues. Audrey clings to Lori for dear life and will barely have anything to do with me. I would recommend that anyone following our blog in preparation for their trip to China pack a good book on attachment issues and be prepared for the worst. I wish we had something to guide us, and I wish I had known better about the raw side of this process. I know in the long run that things will be fine and that we are taking her to a better life, but it doesn't make the short term any easier. Even though we have struggled a bit in the past couple of days, it was nothing like day 1. Hopefully all of you will be better prepared than I was for the rejection that you might be on the receiving end of. Thanks to everyone for writing us through the blog, every day we look forward to news from home.

Yesterday we visited the pearl market. As you can see from the picture, Lori picked out a nice strand of pink pearls. It was incredible to watch these girls string and double-knot the pearls, you can't believe how fast they do it. I know that they get lots of practice, but it boggles the mind to see their speed and the fact that they never appear to make a mistake. The prices are not nearly as good as some people have told us, but still much cheaper than in the U.S. (another side note to those preparing to come here: guys, there is very little here for you, it is all gemstones and silk for the ladies, but they seem to love it!).

It has rained for the past two days and looks to rain for at least two more, so outdoor activities have been difficult. Today we went to a huge park here in Guangzhou, and we received our first scolding from an old Chinese woman. I am not sure what did not meet her approval, but she was letting us have it about something to do with the baby! I am thinking about looking for a job with a foreign company, because the one thing I learned from that experience is that is it much easier to take an ass-chewing when you don't know what they are saying to you.

Tomorrow we are going to a nearby city called Foshan which is supposed to be a very scenic place in the mountains. Hopefully we will get some respite from the rain so that we can enjoy our time there.

Hope all is well at home, and we look forward to seeing everyone in a few more days.

And Now A Word From Lori

2008-03-30T08:38:00.003-05:00

Since this is the first night that Lori has been able to put the baby to bed without her, I thought it was time that she post her thoughts about the trip:

Hello everyone, I know you are dying to hear from me. Well needless to say I have had this little spider monkey literally attached to me at the hip. That is all better now! The other mothers and I call it the Velcro Baby Diet--we are all losing weight carrying this extra 20 lbs and skipping our own meals to some extent.

I do have to say that I like her a lot! She is precious and full of personality--one that we see a little more of each day. I have had the good fortune to see up close a lot of her firsts--her first kiss!, two sign language words (more--which she uses a lot) and all done, and finally her first sleep through the night-at least for us. I truly think she is crazy about Brad--she is just keeping it to herself right now. But we all know your first love is your Mom--everything else comes along soon after.

China is great. You feel very close with the country and the people--not just because you have a child from here and because we are learning so much about the culture, but because of the Chinese people's sense of personal space. There isn't much. Everyone likes to come very close to me and to Brad and Audrey. They want to touch and hold your baby and do not feel it is odd to try to do so. Mainly they are curious as to why white people have a Chinese child. You would think it was a common site, but in a country of 1.3 billion--few really see so many children adopted out to others. The one child policy is just a fact of life and no one seems to resent it or feel marginalized by it in the least. There are a few ways that a person can qualify for two kids--be in a minority race (90% of the country is Han--the rest something else), be a government employee or have a very dangerous job, some countryside families who have dangerous jobs and a few other reasons. Most do not qualify and the fines are unbearable, so abandonment is the only alternative to the punishment for two. I can't believe someone would leave this sweet little girl or the many, many others I have seen in our hotel. There are a few boys too, they are all considered special needs however.

One truly amazing sight was at the City Office a few days ago--there was a family from Spain and they were adopting 3--triplets! They said it is truly rare and the girls were about a year old and perfect. Can you imagine someday 3 little Spanish speaking Chinese girls--life is so amazing.

Well I will sign off for now. One rule for sure--when baby rests, momma rests.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

2008-03-29T08:55:00.003-05:00

Today we visited the area of Guangzhou where the people buy products to make traditional medicines. It is incredible to see the vast amounts of mushrooms, fungi, starfish, seahorses, and other items that are either ground up to drink in tea or cooked directly into the food to cure illness or guarantee health. The above photo on the right is of two women searching through large tubs of live scorpions and picking out the ones that they want to buy. (I'm not sure how you determine a good scorpion from a bad one. I didn't see them thumping their bellies or feeling for mushy spots, but apparently there is a difference). Some of the shop owners were very adamant about not having pictures taken of them or their shops, and when I asked our guide why this was, she told me that many of them fear that we could be undercover journalists who will use these photos to try and shut them down. While I am saddened to see the giant sacks of starfish when I know that they are declining in our oceans I would never try and force them to shut down because they would still secretly use these items. If we disagree with what they are doing, we should educate them as to why it is bad for the earth and show them that there are other things that can make them well.

Today Audrey started trying to feed herself with a spoon for the first time. She certainly grasps the idea, but we haven't found any food items yet that will stick to the spoon long enough for her to find her mouth with it. It won't be long once we get home that she will be shoveling down apple sauce for herself. She has yet to reject anything that we have tried to feed her, and apparently both of her legs are hollow because she will eat and eat and eat until the food is either all gone or we think she is going to burst and make her stop. She is not much bigger than a banana, but she can eat an entire one at breakfast along with a box of yogurt, a bowl of congee, scrambled eggs, and whatever else we hand to her. It is no wonder that she has the Buddha-like figure of her Baba. She is a very good baby, happy most of the time and easy to entertain, even in a busy public restaurant. Hopefully this will not change once we get to the USA.

The Wonders of Modern China

2008-03-28T07:46:00.003-05:00

It is an interesting time to be here. For the first time since probably the Tiananmen Square demonstrations in the late 80's, some of the people here are voicing their displeasure with the Chinese government. In the run-up to the Beijing olympics they know that the eyes of the world are on them and they are seizing the opportunity to try and bring about change. In the hotel we have CNN International and BBC International and when they do a story about the demonstrations the screen will go black until the story is over. I have mixed emotions about what the results of these protests will be. On the one hand they are getting their message out to the world, but on the other hand this is a culture based on pride, or as they call it face. Maybe the country will change policy, but most likely they will not. When this happens there will be great outcry for countries to boycott the Olympics like the U.S. did against the Soviet Union. I think this will be a huge mistake. The people here, for good and bad have great pride in their country and this will bring great shame to them. It will also minimize the inflow of monies that will be spread around to everyone by the visiting athletes and spectators. Most of the common people on the street that I have talked to empathize with the protestors, but know that there is little they can do to bring about change. They still have to worry about making what money they can to put food on the table of their family. Boycotts will hurt the pride of the government, but it will directly hurt the people. It is like what we have all heard about the economic sanctions against Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Castro's Cuba, the powerful still have everything that they want while the general population does without. Still it is interesting to see the integrity of the Tibetans. They refuse to fight back even while they are being mistreated, to do so would violate the tenets of what they believe. Even though Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, most of us would not go down without a fight and never think twice about it.

Mao Tse-Tung is also an interesting figure. His presence still looms large in modern China, not just because of his policies like the one-child rule, but because he is revered like Washington or Lincoln is in the United States. In talking to the people I have befriended here I see that they have something of a love-hate relationship with "Mr. Mao" as they call him. I truly believe that if he was still here to run for president today, he would win in a land-slide. I, like almost everyone else, see the news stories about a dictator being "democratically" elected and think that it is set up to give the appearance of democracy while still being a dictatorship, but the people here still adore him even though they may not agree with some of his policies.

I am discovering that the Chinese are a wonderful and complex people. I still feel some icy stares, but the majority of people are very warm (more so than many Americans) and they have an amazing way of enjoying their simple and very hard lives. Everywhere you go you see people in the streets enjoying each other's company, exercising on public equipment, doing Tai-chi in open areas (the picture above), and going about the business of day-to-day life. Since we are close to the U.S. and Polish Embassies we do see the soldiers standing guard, but there is a beautiful dignity even in this. I can't help but be impressed to see them in their pressed green uniforms and military hats, and even they will give a small nod/bow when I do the same to them. It just goes to show you that no matter where they are from, or what their religious and political backgrounds are, when it comes right down to it people are people.

Audrey continues to take baby-steps towards becoming a full fledged member of the family. Every day she laughs a little more, and shows us new elements of her personality. She even came to Baba for the briefest of moments today! I have started to call her the Oreck vacuum cleaner because she eats anything and everything that we put in front of her. I have no idea where in that tiny body she can pack away as much as she can put in it.

Initially we were extremely angry about being forced to stay here for almost 3 weeks, but while it is still a hardship because of missing work and the added expense of food and lodging for those extra days, it probably is for the best because it gives her more time to bond with us before that long trip home. It won't be long before we will get to see you all in person.

Now that she is settling in more, hopefully we will be able to post updates and pictures on a more regular basis.

I Have Never Worked This Hard to Impress a Girl in All My Life!

2008-03-27T08:10:00.004-05:00

These have been hands down the hardest 3 days of my life. To have these grand visions of sweeping in and taking this baby away from an orphanage life to one of love and comparatively speaking, privilege, then have her struggle through the process is heart-wrenching. But every day she has blossomed just a little bit more, and now she seems to be coming to terms with the idea of being a member of our family. She has started feeding herself a little and can walk entirely by herself! If you ask her where her Mama she will either look at or point to Lori, and she even acknowledges who her Baba(Chinese for Daddy) is by pointing to me. Today for the first time she reached out and took my hand without prompting, and even reached to touch my beard. She still turns her head if I try and kiss her, but I will take what I can get.

Today we visited the Baiyun Garden. It is very beautiful, but I think the Chinese feel like they need to be more like the west, so they have decorated this wonderful place with all sorts of tacky cartoon character figures. It is sad that this is our influence on the world. Lots of Chinese people fawn over Audrey and the other babies in our group, but there is also a large number of people who look at you like "who the hell do you think you are to come here and take our babies away?" I think this is more shame at their fellow people than resentment towards us, but it doesn't make it any less painful to witness. The people who do show kindness more than make up for the others though, I have to make sure and have my sunglasses on when I see them coming because every time it makes me cry. Usually it is either the elderly or the younger generations who react this way to us. I expect as much from the young people who have been raised to want to be like the U.S., but it is the older ones that always touch my heart, because they were raised to either hate us, or at the very least, distrust us. To see the kindness in their eyes is really amazing, we might not be able to talk to them, but a smile is a smile in every language.

By the way, someone already likes Twizzlers like her Mama!

We're finally in China!!

2008-03-24T09:40:00.003-05:00

We got here at about 3:30 this afternoon (Monday the 24th). It went pretty much like clockwork, they take you into a big government building with a bunch of other families and call the babies' names one at a time and you go up and they pass her off to you. She loved Lori right away, but can barely stand to look at me. If she sees me looking at her she either looks away immediately or breaks out crying or both. Our friends Tony and Margaret Brooks are here with us with their little girl Allie who they adopted from China 2 years ago, and she will laugh a little and smile at Allie. She has taken to a tiny finger puppet of a turtle that we brought with us, she seems to be comforted by holding it against her nose. She seems very healthy, but is much smaller than we expected, but we will get a better health picture after her mandatory doctors appointment later this week. Tonight she is basically just spending the night with us, and tomorrow we will go sign the papers that will make her officially our daughter (that is if she decides that she likes me). Here are a couple of photos from "gotcha day" with more to follow.

We're going to China!

2008-03-16T06:55:00.007-05:00

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth (ask us what we think about Great Wall Adoption Agency), we are finally set for our trip to China.

We depart OKC at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday March 22nd, and arrive in Guangzhou Sunday the 23rd at 10:40 p.m.

Gotcha Day is Monday March 24th around 3:30 p.m.

Coming home we depart Guangzhou at 8:05 a.m. on April 9th, and get home 10:10 p.m., also on the 9th.

Due to scheduling conflicts, a lack of help from the agency, and the fact that they were trying to make us stay in country for 3 full weeks as opposed to the 2 weeks we have been assured for the past 3 years, we will not get to visit Beijing and see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Beijing Pandas, and all of the other sights we were excited to see. We are still excited to finally meet Audrey and get to bring her home, and we can't wait for all of you to meet her also as soon as she gets home.

We hope that you will follow along on our trip via this blog. We will post as much video, and as many photos as we can while there. Some people have reported problems with the web while in China, but since we will be in a major city the entire duration of our trip this hopefully won't be an issue for us.

New Details

2008-02-11T22:21:00.000-06:00

We just got Audrey's translated medical report, and here is some new information about her:

Height: 26.77 inches
Weight: 16.5 pounds
Head Size: 17.52 inches
Chest Size: 18.50 inches
Favorite Toy: Stuffed Turtle
Favorite Activity: Listening to music in bed.

She was found outside of the Maoming city hall on either December 4th or 5th, and her birthdate was determined by various health developments.

Though we were told that putting blocks into a container and removing them was her favorite toy, this is not correct, it is actually a developmental test that she can perform. She can also pick up a pill from the ground using her thumb and index finger.

All of her medical tests were normal. She can crawl and stand up by herself, and by the time we get her she will probably either be walking or be close to walking.

We have submitted a care package to the orphanage that includes a couple of cameras and a list of questions. Hopefully the caregivers will be cooperative and we will get answers and maybe new photos from them before we travel to China.

Meet Little Audrey!

2008-02-04T16:14:00.000-06:00

Click on the picture to make it larger.

Her name is: Gang Qiu Ping (Qiu is pronounced like Choo)

She was born December 2, 2006

She lives in the city of Maoming in the Guangdong Province

We know that she is a bit over 2 feet tall, that she is a heavy sleeper (like dad), she likes music, and her favorite toy is a game in which you place blocks into matching holes then remove them.

2006 Was The Year of The Dog

2008-02-04T14:00:00.000-06:00

Since Audrey was born in 2006, that means she was born in the year of the dog (more specifically the year of the red or fire dog).

Here is what the Chinese Calendar says about someone born during the year of the dog:

People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders. They are compatible with those born in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit.
Famous people born this year are Socrates, George Gershwin, Benjamin Franklin, Herbert Hoover, and David Niven.

I certainly hope that the Chinese version of the Red Dog is different than the OKC version.

Looks Like Today's Not The Day

2008-02-01T12:14:00.000-06:00

After getting everyone's feathers ruffled thinking that today would be the day we finally get our pictures, we received this note from our wonderful (sarcasm intended) agency:

Morning December Families,

I wanted to let you know that the package we are expecting was delayed in Customs, so it will not be arriving today. Our courier did state that the package will be delivered on Monday. I am truly sorry for this delay, please remember that I am here if you need or want to talk. I will let you know what the package contains as soon as it arrives on Monday.

Take care ~ Kim

It's been three years already, so what's three more days. Sorry for the false alarm, but check back on Monday.

The Wait Continues

2008-01-03T22:32:00.000-06:00

Well, we received the bad news officially today, the Chinese Center For Adoption Affairs only sent out referrals through the log-in date of December 19, 2005. We had held out hope that our date of December 20th would get matched as well, but no such luck. The good news is that it is a 99.99% certainty that we will finally see pictures and find out all of Audrey's information next month. Because the Chinese New Year begins February 7, we should know something before then.

It's Almost Real

2007-12-14T17:29:00.000-06:00

Well after almost 3 years and countless headaches, if all goes as planned we will finally get our first look at little Audrey sometime around the first of the year.

We wanted to establish a place where everyone could see photos and follow along during our trek to China to bring her home. As soon as we get the referral with her picture you will be able to see it here. We will also be posting pictures, video, and stories from China so it will almost be as if you were there with us (only without the foreign food and language barrier).

Please check back here often for any updates as we know more, and feel free to share any thoughts you might have. We will most likely print out the postings and put them with the thing we are saving for when Audrey is older, so think of it as her own little yearbook.

Fingers crossed there will be pictures of a little brown girl in split-pants posted here sometime in the next two weeks.