Day 6

All we did today was shop on Shamian Island.
We had a successful day shoe shopping! 11 pair!!
I bought XiaoHua 2 pair the other day for a
total of 13 pair of shoes. I'm not the winner though,
there are others here who have bought more.

XiaoHua is getting more and more comfortable with us.
I can tell by the way she sometimes pushes her limits.
That's a good thing, though.
I'm still carrying her everywhere. I think everyone is
starting to think I'm nuts. I'm the only one carrying around
their 5 year old. Maybe I am nuts.

XiaoHua let Trent hold her once tonight before bed.
Progress.

We went the wrong way shopping today and ended
up at a locals open street market.
We saw dried seahorse, snake, deer hooves, chicken claws,
cockroach, flies, etc. Anything gross you could think
of- it was there!

Day 5

Today was medical examination day.
Any child over the age of 2 has to have a TB test and have them
read in 48 hours. She watched them stick the needle
in her arm and give her a bubble under her skin and didn't even flinch.
It was a very quick look at each child. Not much of
an exam. She did great.
Trent and I think we've got the best one. She is perfect.
We are still calling her XiaoHua. Our guide Rosa is going
to start talking to her about her new family name in little
increments. She is very much her own person and I think
to all of a sudden change her name would not be good
for her. She amazes me with some of the
things she does or knows how to do.
She is very routine. She washes her hands like a surgeon.
She can put 4 pony tails in her hair and use her fingers doing
it better than I can. She can remember how to get back to our room.
There are so many other little things- I just can't tell them all here.
Let's just say- this girl is smart. And sweet. And funny.
She's perfect.

Day 4

Today we went to another government building and did something. I really don't know what it was we did. Afterwards, we went shopping.
The stores here are so different. Can't even explain it. They are smaller than my bathroom and have so much stuff crammed in them!
XiaoHua got 2 pair of shoes, a pink coat and 2 traditional chinese outfits.

*Lori, you're right. The kids shoes here are sooo cute! Why doesn't America have shoes like this?*

We spent the rest of the day inside playing with balloons and coloring. Her and Trey had a blast with the balloons. It is so funny to hear her laugh! She is such a fun kid and has a great sense of humor. She's so good natured!
She got mad at Trey a few times today and told on him twice! It's funny to hear her tattle in Chinese.
I've been getting kisses today. Trent still can't hold her or do anything for her. But she still continues to tease him and make faces at him. They are too funny with each other.
When it was time for bed I told her to get up in bed, she looked at Trey (who was watching a movie with Trent) and told him (in Chinese of course), that it was time for bed and he needed to get there now! It was hilarious. She is such a little mother. We keep comparing her to Emma.
She doesn't call Trey by his name, she calls him ge ge. It's so sweet!


Shopping in Guangzhou


Helping Trey with his homework.


Coloring and journaling.

Day 3

It seems we are gone most of the day and when we are here in the room
my full attention is on XiaoHua. Twice I have fallen asleep in bed with my clothes on, makeup on and contacts in. I am so tired at the end of the day because we are up very early and I carry her nearly all day long!
I won't complain though. It's like finding that dance with your newborn where you learn how to fit with each other. It's much better than the alternative- her not wanting me to hold or touch her at all. Poor Trent can't do anything with her or for her. Although, she talks to him and laughs at him. She will even share with him. One funny thing she does is tells him to carry everything so I can carry her! He's been our pack mule for the last few days. He says he's ok with that and at least she is attaching with one of us.

Day 3
We started the day off with Trey Skyping to his class at 4:45 am! He thought that was pretty cool seeing all his classmates! Emma's class came in also, along with Aunt Ollie and Jarrett!
At 9am wee went to a Chinese Garden. It was beautiful! And huge!
And I had to carry her through most of it.
Trey and XiaoHua had fun feeding the fish.
She is coming a little more out of her shell. She ran ahead a little, but never out of our sight. She listens very well and when needs to be told no- is ok with it and always listens.
She thinks Trey is funny and they tease each other and laugh.
Some of her favorite things:
coloring book and markers, cameras, cell phones, computers, alarm clock- anything tech,
headbands, hairbows, and anything girly.
She isn't into her dolly- she has only tucked it into bed once and that was it.
Tonight we went swimming- she is great in the water! Isn't scared at all- but wanted me to hold her the whole time. She is going to have so much fun in the back yard this summer.
We also painted her fingernails and she LOVED that! She's very girly.


Trey Skyping his class.


Trey and XiaoHua feeding the fish at the Chinese Garden.
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At the Garden. We needed a picture in front of the flowers
because her name means "little flower".




Our family picture at the garden. With very tired kids.



Minutes before this picture Trent was just saying how his feelings
were hurt because no chinese have asked him to take his picture
with them! At the end of the garden 2 chinese men asked him.
And he was happy to do it!!
For some strange reason ALL chinese give the peace sign
when getting their picture taken.




Part of the garden.




Chickens in the back of a truck. Thousands of them!!!!




XiaoHua found her lip gloss and couldn't get enough of it.
She spent lots of time applying one after the other.



Getting her nails done.

Day 2 with Isabella

XiaoHua slept all night last night. I even got her up to go to the bathroom and she went right back to sleep. When she woke up she was fine! She was excited to get dressed and talk on Skype and then go eat breakfast.
At 9:30am this morning we went back to the Civil Affairs office to finish the paperwork we weren't able to yesterday. Trent was a little worried about her going back there for fear she might get upset all over again.
I don't know what changed (except for the Magic Bath!), because she is happy and outgoing!

(*Like you said, Doug, "When all else fails, stick them in the tub!!"* )

The only thing different is, that she won't let Trent hold her or help her do anything. She also wants me to carry her everywhere. I'm not minding that part!
When we were leaving the Civil Affairs building one of the cleaning ladies that was there yesterday saw us again and was happy, excited and talking to me and XiaoHua about how wonderful it was to see her so happy today! It was so sweet to be able to communicate the joy between us without being able to speak the same language.
We then went to the Notary's Office to be interviewed. The man was so very nice. He even talked to XiaoHua and drew her a picture in her notebook. He asked us why we wanted to adopt her, if we liked her, would we ever abandon her and how we would take care of her.
As we left, Trent asked Rosa if anyone had ever flunked this part of the process. Haha!
We went back to the hotel to get the other two families and went to another government building to apply for XiaoHua's visa. This is also where they gave us our adoption decree. Whatever that means!
After lunch we all went to a park. It was beautiful. There were people throughout the whole park doing very different activities. We saw people playing hackey sac, ballroom dancing, thai chi (?), dancing with ribbons and fans, badminton, ping pong and so much other neat stuff! It had kiddy playground equipment also! It was the coolest park I've ever seen.
Had KFC for lunch. It was gross.
Had Pizza Hut for supper. It was ok.
Breakfast is pretty good here. They have something for everyone, every religion and every culture.
Trey has been so great on this trip. He still thinks getting a sister is one of the best things ever.

Some things I've learned about XiaoHua today-
She loves fruit! Shares with everyone. Is amazingly smart for a five year old. Is very organized.
Has great motor skills. Loves to take baths! Loves to put bows, barretts and headbands in her hair. Really likes anything with technology, such as: cell phones, alarm clocks, computer, cameras- you name it, she wants to see it, touch it and push it's buttons.

I forgot to add these yesterday. This was on Gotcha Day, right
after her bath. I am calling it The Miracle Bath, because whatever
happened in that tub- changed her outlook completely!


Trey working out at the park with the locals.


At the park.


Our first breakfast and day two together.


This is also after the Miracle Bath- because it is the only time she
has let Trent hold her!


After the park- another bath!


She is loving all her new girly things.




You have to wonder what is going through her mind
with all she has been through in the last two days

Gotcha Day

(From Stacy)

At 1:30pm we left the hotel to exchange our money at the bank for the orphanage. Trent took a picture of me and Rosa, our guide, in the bank and the chinese police jumped up and started yelling. We thought for a minute we'd have to bail him out of chinese jail!

After that we drove to the civil affairs office to pick her up.
We didn't know she was already there in the next room and didn't really have time to think about how or what or when!

When the 2 nannies brought her out she was smiling and she looked at us and said mama and baba. But, when they told her to go to us she cried out "NOOOOO!" and tried to hide behind the nannies. They quickly ordered us to get out any snacks or toys that we brought her to calm her down and get her interested in us. It didn't really work.
After a few minutes she saw them getting into the elevator to leave- she tried to run after them. Rosa was a big help in talking to her and trying to get her to understand.

XiaoHua was very angry and wanted no part of us or what was happening to her. I finally picked her up and carried her into the next room and just held her for awhile trying to talk whatever chinese I could remember! She kicked, screamed, cried, arched her back- did everything she could to get away from me.

She came with a little pink bag and a few things that we had sent her and when I opened it to talk about her belongings it made her even more mad. I was NOT to touch her stuff!

When Trent got done filling out the paperwork he and Trey came in to take over so I could sign it, I noticed her trying to dodge them to get out of the room. It was horrible. She was so upset! Later, when Rosa was trying to talk to XiaoHua, I came over to them and she looked at me and put her hand in front of her face to say, "No, no, no, no, no!" Oh, she didn't like me one bit!

Rosa decided it would be best if we finished the paperwork tomorrow since she was having such a difficult time with everything- which was fine with us AND XiaoHua!

I carried her to the elevator, down to the van and sat her on my lap all the way to the medical office where she had to be checked by a doctor to see if she was still contagious with her chicken pox. It was when she was leaving the doctor's office that she looked to me to hold my hand. Progress. Although, I know she was certain she was going back to her orphanage and I was allowed to hold her hand to do that.

We went to a store called a Carrefour, something like a very crowded Walmart with several stories to get some bottled water. I carried her the whole time and she clung to me. I think maybe because of all the people and things and noises, etc. It was probably a little overwhelming to her.

After that we went back to the hotel. I didn't carry her into the hotel- she wanted to walk- and immediately she knew this wasn't where she intended to go- she started crying again and turned around and started leaving. She also wanted to be with our guide, Rosa, instead of us.

I picked her up and we hurried up to our room where I held her and let her cry for about 20 minutes. When she was done we let her check us out and showed her a few things in her new bag we got her. She still didn't want us touching her bag or it's contents.

We ordered room service for supper. She asked to take a bath and loved every bit of it! She put her new jammies on and has been absolutely FINE ever since!! She is definitely very girly and loves to put head bands and bows in her hair. She loves her new clothes and shoes. She is most proud of her pink, princess slippers.

That's all for now. We'll give an update on day 2 tomorrow.

Tzsai jyan!

Where all Guondong province children are adopted.

Walking into the civil office affair

When they first brought her out.

Decided she didn't really want to do this.

At the civil affairs office

In the van on our way back to the motel.

At the motel room.

Site Seeing

Richmonds arrive in Guangzhou, China

Trey is a rockstar!! People are loving the
very cute blond headed boy...

HI!! Stacy was unable to access her blog, so here I am!! (Angela) It sounds like they are good, excited, a little tired but....IN CHINA...can you believe it...or is it just me?? They are getting their daughter to bring HOME...YaY!!! OK, better go before the blubbering starts...

Here is the note: (Sunday for us) We are going to the Great Wall now and then to the Forbidden City. We are alone as everyone else in the group is traveling this am to their child's province. We will fly to Guongdong Province tonight (staying in Guangzhou). We will get Isabella tomorrow.

Luggage:READY to GO!

Trey at Denver airport

Denver

We got to Denver last night at 6pm, ate supper and to bed by 9pm.
Up at 2:20am to be at the airport by 3.
Nobody's here to check out luggage.
We are talking to a guy who's been to China before-right now he's telling us about the time he went to Shenzhen (where Isabella is from). He says it's very clean, nice parks, a technological city. In the last few years it's gone from 20,000 people to 2 million! He's also on his way to Beijing via Chicago.
I've been trying to load pics on here this morning- it's not letting me.
How is airport wifi different than regular wifi?

Update

America World finally got our passports. They are going to find out when Fed Ex can get it to the Denver Airport- after that we will know when we can leave.
Secondly, we found out this morning that Isabella has the Chicken Pox!
Now the plan is to get her Tuesday or Wednesday- NOT MONDAY!!
Oh.... it just keeps getting better and better.

I am sooooo NOT HAPPY.
In fact, I'm so mad I sound like a sailer.

Yesterday our agency figured out they hadn't gotten our passports from us to be able to get our Visa's. So, since we had 30 minutes until Fed Ex pick up we same day Fed Ex'd our passports to them in Virginia. This morning they hadn't gotten them. The passports were still in Norton! Our weather was bad and so they didn't get picked up. It wasn't THAT bad out!!
So, now we will probably get to Beijing on Sunday. Fly to Guangzhou on Monday. Makes NO SENSE!!!!!! I AM SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PISSED is more like it!


Only 2 things made me a tiny bit happy today.

1. Olivia came to clean my house.
Thank God for sisters!

2. I was putting a battery in a small princess flashlight I got for Isabella and found this..........



I have never seen WHERE in China something was made.
Usually it just says MADE IN CHINA.
Shenzhen is where Isabella is from.
10/2009 is when we decided to switch to Special Needs.
How cool is that?

Foster Family

I found out today, from Ann at Red Thread China, that
Xiao Hua (Isabella) is with a foster family.
I'm happy, relieved, nervous and sad.
Happy and relieved because it is so much better for her to be in a family and learn what family is about and how to attach and bond to a mother and father.
Nervous and sad because it will be very hard for her to leave her "family". I know her grieving will be more difficult now.
But, really, it's for the best and I am thankful she is there.
God is taking care of her and knows just where she needs to be- for her and us.

Here are a few of the things we bought for her through Ann. (It is a wonderful thing for parents and their children to be able to connect before they get there.) Last month we sent a photo album of our family, a blanket, teddy bear, camera for them to take pictures of her and a fruit basket.

Boys & XBox

This is what the boys did all through Christmas Break.
It started in the basement........


...and continuted upstairs.

Ticket's Bought!

We now have our tickets to China.
Three on the way there.
Four on the way home!
We fly out of Denver on the 21st to San Francisco then to Beijing.
On February 6 we fly out of Hong Kong to San Francisco then to Denver.
Now I can pack my suitcase!

I found children's chinese music on iTunes today.
I don't know that I've ever heard anything so sweet.
I also am learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Chinese.
It's kind of fun! Or funny. However you look at it. Or listen to it.

Different Date

Shoot.
Since we can't get an appointment at the Consulate
we now have to leave a week later.
I was ready to go yesterday.
Leaving Thursday, January 21st.

China Bound

We are going to China!!!!
Next week. January 14th.
All I can say is......it's about time.

Wesley's Show Hope Trip to China

Finally got Wesley to sit down and load his video that he made
of his trip to China.
It's wonderful.
You will see a little girl that pulls herself around on the floor. Her name is Anna and her and Wesley were "best buds". He was very sad when they came back to Beijing to find her gone.
The good thing is she had been adopted.