Double Birthday!

Birthday pics from last night.
Isabella is 7 & Hudson is 8.

Short and sweet post, I know.
Who can find the time?!
Not me!  Not now!
Maybe in a few days.
I'm very boring right now.

First Day of School!!

In keeping with tradition I took first day of school pictures!

Here are my top students of the year.

Please pray for me.

We had a double birthday today!

It was a sweet day.

Pictures to come tomorrow.

Life at Home

I didn't mean to wait so long to post again.  I knew things would be busy, but I thought I'd have time at the end of the day!  Not so when I fall into bed at 11 or 11:30!  How does that happen when everyone is in bed by 8:30 or 9?

We left our hotel room in Guangzhou at 6:30am and when we found our hotel room in Hong Kong that afternoon I was exhausted!  Our room stunk so bad and I was so grumpy that I told the front desk I either wanted a different room or a big discount on my bill!  So, they moved us to the 8th floor and to top it off you had to pay for internet (which I didn't).
Up at 5am the next morning to get ready to leave for home!  We were all ready, especially Isabella.  For two days she had been telling me she missed her dad and brothers.
We flew to Tokyo and sat for a two hour layover.  Then it was on to America!  This was the only flight home that we all sat together.  It's so much easier when I have all the kids in one spot!!  It was long and boring.  There was only one movie they could watch on the plane and they each watched it about 5 times.  I have no idea what I did- I can't remember.
We finally landed in Salt Lake City and it was such a relief to be "home"!  Because anytime you are out of the country and you hit US soil- you are home.  No matter what state you are in!  We had another two hour layover and then a short one hour tiny plane ride home to Denver where Trent and Trey were waiting for us!!

Of course Sophie ran to "Father" (as she calls him) and much to my surprise Hudson gave Trent a big smile AND a hug!!  He's pretty shy so I wasn't sure what he'd do.  I KNOW he was so happy to see other guys!  He hasn't asked to sleep with Sophie or want to cling to her since we've been home.

We stayed the night in Denver and got home around noon on Sunday where Wesley and Kim and the rest of my family were waiting for us.  Kim got lots of hugs- we missed her so bad after she left us!

The kids checked out their rooms and played for awhile.
Honestly I can't remember what the rest of the day was like.  I tried to read a book to Isabella and I couldn't do it.  My words were slurring and I couldn't see straight.  I had to lay on the couch and take a nap.  :  )  I was so tired that I told Trent I didn't even care if we had McDonalds.

Miraculously, I have felt great everyday since then!  It is hard to get up in the mornings- but once I'm up I feel fine!  What a difference from the last time!!

For the last three days we have hung out and played in the mornings and when Trent comes home at noon we swim.  The kids are doing so much better in the water.  Hudson isn't afraid of anything and will soon be swimming without a life jacket.  Sophie is also doing better- but still chokes on the water alot.  She isn't afraid to try what the others are doing.

Trey is going through his adjustment period.  His honeymoon was very short lived.
Just yesterday he told me he wished it was just him and Isabella.  I remember when he told me he wished it was just him and Wesley when we got Isabella!  Now he loves her so much and he missed her a lot while she was gone.  As he was telling me how he was feeling he made a cute comment about Isabella.  He said, "Mom, Sophie acts like she's 6 years old."  I said I knew that and it's because sometimes that happens when you come from an orphanage.  He answered, "Ya, but Isabella came from an orphanage and she acts like she's 40!"   It was too funny.

Trey has started football.
Wesley was the same age was when they started this junior football league.  Sometimes I feel like I'm reliving Wesley's life through Trey.  It makes me wish I had done things a lot different back then.
Speaking of my sweet baby- he's 22 as of Wednesday the 24th.  How in the world does that happen?  Seriously!  I can't believe how old he is!  I love this boy with all my heart.  It's strange how much we are alike.
Happy Birthday Wesley!!  I love you more than life!!!

Our last day in Guangzhou we spent at the pool and packing our suitcases.  

This boy was never so glad to see another male!!

Poor Sophie.  She threw up 6 times on the 4 1/2 hour drive home.
I felt so bad for her!

Hudson LOVES watching Trey at FB practice and he gets as close as he can to the action.  

This is what we do every afternoon!
 It's wonderful to have Trent come home at noon and not only play with the kids, but relieve me just a little!  

Supper

As I sit here in the dark listening to Sophie snore, I wanted to show you what we had for supper tonight.



























Those who know me, know it's not what I would normally feed my children.
But, hey!  I did throw in some mixed nuts and yogurt for the protein and dairy!
At this point, I'm just trying to survive.  The less I leave my hotel room, the easier it is to keep my children in sight.
I'm just sayin'......
(And remember....I've mentally checked out.)

Tomorrow is Thursday.
That means one more day until Hong Kong and two more days (or 3 if you count Saturday twice) till home.
But I'm not even going to think about it until tomorrow night when I'm packing my suitcases.
People in our group started leaving yesterday.  They will all be gone by tomorrow.
I'm gonna miss them.  Most of them asked me everyday how I was doing or if I needed anything.
A couple of the dads even helped with Hudson.

It's amazing how adoption can bring people together to form a special bond.

Another Day

Yes it was.
Another day.
One more day to check off the calendar.
One more day closer to home.

I'm numb at this point.
I don't feel like home is close enough to get excited.
On Friday when I start packing for Hong Kong is when my heart will soar!
Until then, it's just another day in China.

Today we went to Shamian Island and shopped at Jordan's.
He is a sweet Chinese Christian man who owns a shop here where most adoptive parents come to buy STUFF.  And he has a lot of stuff!
He walked us out the door with our STUFF and then he held each one of our hands at the same time and prayed for us right there on the sidewalk.  What a sweet precious man.

Then the kids and I walked over to Lucy's and shared a BLT and Peanut Butter sandwich.  After that we barely had enough money for a cab ride back to the hotel!

Tomorrow is our Consulate Appointment.  Then on Thursday I will get the kid's visas.  Friday we leave for Hong Kong and Saturday we fly home.

Yes.  This blog is officially boring.
I feel like I have nothing to write about.
Probably because I've mentally checked out.

I'll try to have something more exciting tomorrow.
No promises though.

I'll leave you with a few pics of our day.

Our White Couch photo at the China Hotel.   : )

My little man.

Jordan from Shamian Island

Stopping to see the Koi fish at the White Swan Hotel

They Came

They came yesterday at the pool.
Again, last night more came.
Actually, it was a LOT!

The tears.
Hudson has finally let it out.


He had to sit with me at the pool yesterday because he did something I told him not to.
He knew he was in trouble and his eyes welled up with big tears and when they fell he wrapped his arms around my waist and needed a hug.  I didn't see this coming.
While in the pool he wanted to splash or hang on Sophie.  I won't let him near her because he'll drown them both (remember neither one can swim!).  Again, for just a sec- he teared up.  He never cried though.

Since I've had him I've noticed he really likes to watch TV.  Especially at night.  When I shut the TV off he immediately wanted to get in bed with Sophie.  I told him no and he didn't like that.  Every time he asked and I said no he would thrash his little stout body (it's a very weak thrash I might add) for about 2 seconds.

It started out with just tears in his eyes.
Then the tears fell, no noise though.  Lot's of sniffing.  I could tell he was holding back.
Every minute or so he would ask to go to Sophie and every time I said no.  After awhile he started crying and then it turned into wailing.  It probably lasted an hour.

This morning he took the remote from Isabella and when I told him to give it back (gently) he started crying again and wanted me to hold him.  I think a breakthrough has been made!  He didn't ask for his JieJie!!  He has the sweetest heart.  I understand now why he wants TV at night.  It takes his mind off of being homesick.
The shock of being with new people has worn off and now the new fun has worn off.  Reality has hit and this just might be the hardest part for him.
Please pray for his sweet heart.  He is a sad little boy right now and even though I keep telling him it'll be ok he just doesn't know it.  And it breaks my heart to see him cry (although I know this is a good thing).

The Countdown Has Begun!!

It's Saturday night here. 

The countdown has begun!

7 more days!!

We flew into Guangzhou last night and I'm glad to be here.

Kim left us yesterday morning (VERY early) and I miss her terribly!

She flew to Hong Kong to spend one night and then on to the States this morning.

So far we've done pretty good.

We had our physical examinations this morning.  Both of them did great.

No tears or meltdowns.

Sophie had to have 2 shots and she didn't even flinch!  Very brave.

We will go back on Monday to have their TB tests read.

Our hotel is very nice here.

5 minutes after walking in the room Hudson had broken the shade to the bathroom window.

This kid is very hard on things! 

We went swimming this afternoon.

Neither one of them had ever been and they both swallowed a LOT of water.

It was fun to watch them get use to the water and see how different they are from each other.

Sophie took it nice and slow.  Walked around without making much of a splash.

Hudson started out slow and by the time we left (and I had to make him get out!) he was bouncing around and going all the way under.  One of the dad's in our group would toss him to me and I'd bring him up quickly.  He loved it.  It won't take him long to learn to swim at all.  He's a bit of a daredevil.  I wish I could take pictures of them swimming, but I don't dare leave him unattended in the water yet.  Maybe by Thursday!

Sophie is doing a better job of listening to me, yet she still wanders to all the mom's in the group to hang on.  I was told they do this to all the nannies in the orphanage so it is normal for her.  Not to mention this girl needs a LOT of attention, affection and affirmation.  The language and culture barrier make it hard for me to tell her that it's not always appropriate.  With Isabella, I could control that behavior.  It will be very hard with Sophie.

We are going to skip the tours tomorrow.  We need a break from going here and there (and the squatty potties) on a bus.  So, we will swim and watch movies.

It's been hard not having a normal schedule.  I can't always control the environment or behavior here.  It's hard to keep 3 kids safe and under control in a very crowded, foreign country.

I'm ready to come home.

I had our guide tell Hudson his name yesterday.  He was pretty uninterested and but thought it was fine.  I also had her ask him if he remembered before he came to the orphanage.  He does remember and didn't want to talk about it.  It made him very quiet and sad.  When she left she told them to help Mama pack for our trip to Guangzhou.  All I can say is that he was like a tornado!!  He packed like a madman!

I couldn't even keep up with him.  It was stressing me out because I like to pack MY way- and not anyone else's. Right, Trent?   :  )

I'm leaving with a few pictures from our last full day in Zhengzhou.  We visited the Shaolin Temple.  This is where they study KungFu.  We saw a KungFu performance and it was amazing. 

Best part of the day.

Also pictures of Hudson's first plane ride.  He loved it!

And our medical exams from today.

It was K-State day today!!

Our group for the tour.  These people are wonderful!

The KungFu show was amazing.

This place is also like a boarding school for young boys who want to learn the art of KungFu.

Hudson hung with our guide at the Temple.  Does this mean he's tired of us girls?

Monk at the Shaolin Temple.  I loved his suitcase and pink bag.

On our way to Guangzhou.

He LOVED his first airplane ride.

This is what Isabella was doing while we were waiting for our turn at the exams today.
That look on her face is SO Isabella.  Everyone here gets a kick out of her.  She makes us all laugh.

Sorry it's not a good one of Sophie.  But it's the only one I had of our first day of swimming.
It was fun!  I just wish we were at home doing this!  This boy needs a dad!!