November 28, 2007 - GOING HOME!

Truly, this day was the LONGEST day of our lives! Imagine yourself in some sort of Star Trek time warp where hours pass, and yet, the time doesn't change. Over the course of the day, we crossed back over 14 time zones, spent over 15 hours flying, sat in two ER's, ate nothing but airplane food, and drove over six hours in a car. Ken was really, really uncomfortable at this point and feeling pretty miserable. ElleAnna was nervous about what was going to happen next. We were lugging around 8 stuffed suitcases plus several carry ons. We were all excited to be headed home, but growing more and more tired as the day went on. If anyone caught a nap, it was short and not very restful.

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We left our hotel in Guangzhou, China at 5:20am to board our first of three flights. We said good-bye to the other families and our wonderful guide, Cordelia. That flight was from 8:25am - 9:05am and took us from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. There, we sat in the airport until our 12:50 flight to San Francisco. When that 12+ hour flight was over, we landed in San Francisco and headed through Immigration to allow ElleAnna to enter the United States. We had to show all her documents and prove that we were her family. Once that rite of passage was over, we went to wait for our next flight. Of course, the plane going from SF to Denver had problems and the new plane had fewer seats. Most of our seats were effected, so we had to go beg to get on the same flight together as a family. When we landed in Denver, it wasn't even 2:15pm... We were tired after being up so long, but less than 90 minutes had passed since we boarded the flight to San Francisco.

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Add to this ElleAnna's intense rage about being strapped into a car seat for the first time. She screamed bloody murder for at least the first 90 minutes, but we couldn't let her out. We had intended to stay in Denver with a friend that night, but with Ken's urgent medical needs, we headed to a hospital hopes of getting him some help. That was a waste of time. We left the Med Center in disgust at their lack of professionalism. We decided to start heading home and would find another ER.... ElleAnna had fallen asleep in the car with the boys while we were in the ER, so she at least was calm for the next few hours.

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When we finally got Ken some medical attention, the doctor was very concerned. He wanted to admit Ken to their facility, but we begged to head on home where we could see our regular physicians - and at least allow some of us to sleep in our own beds. It had been an unmerciful long day.... He gave Ken a shot, opened the wound to clean it out some, and then packed it. NOT GOOD!

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We got back in the car and traveled the rest of the way home, arriving at about 1:15am on the 29th. With all the time changes, its hard to do the math, but it looks like we were awake for at least 37 hours straight... YIKES! Thank goodness that Bryant was able to help me drive because Ken was in no condition to help. We were all so glad to get into our tiny house and crash. ElleAnna didn't want anything to do with any of the beds or sleeping with anyone else. She kept her feet on the floor and slept with her head in the recliner most of what was left of the night. Ken slept on the couch as he couldn't let anyone get near his arm.

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We were glad to be home, but our journey had ended on a rather sour note... we needed Ken to get well so that we could enjoy our time as a family!

Just a WEE BIT Sassy...

Celebrating as a Family

We had a small party last night to celebrate our one year milestone as a family. A friend of mine gave Elle the most beautiful American Girl doll named Ivy. She even has a Chinese New Years dress! Bryant was such a kind big brother. He didn't even hesitate helping Elle make sure that Ivy's hair was all combed and her dress was just right. Alex made Elle a cake with all her favorite farm animals to decorate it. Everyone got a gift to help us commemorate the special day in 2007 when ElleAnna Suo joined our family, making it complete.

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Here are a couple of pictures from the evening. Enjoy and thank you for following our journey to bring E home!

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November 19, 2007 - Bringing E Home

It was one year ago today that we first met this frightened, sad little girl. Her heart was broken when her nannies told her that she was to go with us. They explained to her that we were her new Momma and Babba and that the boys were her brothers, but you could see the intense fear in her eyes. She was crying and screaming beyond what I can ever fathom. She lost everything that she had ever known that day and was often inconsolable. Over time, she came to love each of us and now, will tell you that PanSuo "cried and cried" that day - and she did. We love her too and cannot imagine life without her in our family. We truly did BRING E HOME!

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November 18, 2007

One year ago today, we boarded another flight - heading to Shenyang from Beijing. It was supposed to be easy... but in my world, NOTHING is EVER as planned. Our guides always had to leave us at the ticket counters because of security, so moving through the airport process, finding gates, listening for boarding calls, etc. had an extra element of stress given the fact that we don't speak Chinese. But, we always made it ok, eventually. Bryant usually lost his drink though, just ask him :-).

As we were boarding the flight to Shenyang, however, the stewards insisted that we check most of our carry on luggage as they claimed there was not enough room in the overhead compartments. Given all the important documents, cameras, laptop, and all those good things, checking bags always has its own element of fear, but we complied as best we could.

We landed in Shenyang, located all our bags, and began the search for our next guide at the freezing cold airport. He was not to be found. Everyone was anxious to give us a ride somewhere, but the language barrier was a little unnerving. Finally, after an hour or two (that seemed like eternity) waiting, we called the guide in Beijing. She told us to find a cab driver and she would instruct him as to our hotel location.

With eight giant suitcases and four people, no single cab could accommodate us, so we ended up in two cabs. Ken and Alex were in the back cab. Bryant and I were in the front one. Racing through the streets, knowing that we weren't together, was terrifying. I had visions of a bad Brad Pitt/George Clooney movie where they tied us up in a basement and held us for ransom as some poor Americans. It was late in the day, so the sky was gloomy and gray. It was unbelievably cold there too. The drive between the airport and our hotel was very desolate with lots of trees and "huts" along the road.

Finally, we re-entered an urban area. The traffic and huge numbers of people were overwhelming. I still cannot fathom how people don't get run over all the time! We eventually arrived at our hotel. Without a guide, checking in was a little difficult. Shenyang was not overpopulated with English speaking folks as its not a "tourist" spot. I am fairly certain that we were among the only people staying in this enormous hotel that did not speak Chinese fluently. We got up to our room and collapsed. I think I could have used some Ativan and Pepto Bismal after the harrowing experience. There was a crib in our room, however, waiting for the little girl who would be coming to us in the morning.... provided our guide showed up to get us there :-).

November 17, 2007

November 17, 2007 - The Beijing Adventure Continued. We all met in the lobby, bright and early to start the day. Today's activities included going to a Jade Factory, climbing the Great Wall, having lunch at a Cloissone Factory (that is the enamal paintings), a Tea Ceremony, and then, some of us went to see a Chinese Acrobat show in the evening. Here are a few photos from that chilly but amazing day.

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Back in the United States that day, there was a wedding being celebrated in my family. Lyndsay and Cody got married. Julie Marie also had her 21st birthday that day :-).

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Today, I want to wish Lyndsay and Cody and Happy First Anniversary. We also want to tell Julie, Happy Birthday!
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Waiting in the Lobby, Meeting out Front for the Bus - Below

Jade Factory - Below

Climbing The Great Wall - Below

Lunch at the Cloissone Factory - Below - Notice the Fries too, not just the odd things

Tea Ceremony - Below

Chinese Acrobats - Below

November 16, 2007

The Forbidden City - Below

TianAnMen Square, then the Silk Factory - Below

The Summer Palace - Below

One year ago today, we went to see The Forbidden City, TianAnMen Square, a Silk Factory, and The Summer Palace. We saw the Birds Nest and other buildings where the 2008 Olympics would be held. It felt as if we were taking pictures constantly (at least when the cameras would cooperate), and yet, there are so many things that we missed. We barely have any pictures of ourselves and only one of the four of us together, at the Great Wall. We really should have had done one of those at each location, but, as usual, those photos are the ones always forgotten .... Even worse, we only have one picture of the five of us together in China - on the Red Couch. Pretty depressing given the significance, huh?

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Anyway, I digress. November 16 was actually the first day that we met the others in our traveling group. We had all arrived in Beijing on different flights, from different parts of the United States. Each family was preparing to meet their babies in their own way. Some were soaking in the culture that was so much a part of our new daughters, trying to learn as much as we could about this world so far away from our own homes. It truly was an amazing place with its own unique sights, smells, tastes, and sounds. We saw things that our daughters had never seen - even though it was their heritage and not ours. That makes me sad for ElleAnna and the thousands of children like her. Maybe someday, we can go back again, as a family. We can show ElleAnna and she in turn can show us - just as its been all along.

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Before the Babies Came

Here is our group - Before the babies came!

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November 15, 2007

Its amazing to me, thinking back to a year ago. These pix are of suitcases, packing, loading the car, and waiting at the airports.... Anyway, we arrived in Beijing on November 15 - One Year Ago Today... And our lives changed forever :-).

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How Absolutely Gutwrenching

I have been following the blog of an amazing family who battled against all odds to get their daughter home. I have always been impressed by their honesty and determination. They had a post today about another family who is currently in China. Their special needs child was brought to them - and they were devastated to learn that her medical condition was much worse than they'd originally been told. They knew it was more than they could handle and have turned down the adoption - after all this, the CCAA has not given them another referral, so they are in China, childless. I cannot even begin to fathom their pain. Please pray that God guides them and leads them to the child destined to be theirs. Ask Him to give them peace and comfort along this dark, dark journey!

http://lydiahope.blogspot.com/
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LID - 28 Months Ago Today

We submitted our dossier to China on July 12, 2006 - 28 months ago today. Obviously, if we had not changed to the special needs program, we would still be waiting for a referral, along with so many others. China's referrals last week were only two days worth of LID's. This got them up to February 17, 2006. If we do the math, and the slow rate continues, calculations show that families with our LID of July 12, 2006 will get their referrals in December of 2010 - still another two years away. That's mind boggling to me as their total wait could be four and a half years! It was only supposed to be 12 months!

If someone decided to adopt from China today (in spite of the rumors about all the significant changes their government is likely going to be making soon about international adoptions), their wait time will could be 8 years from LID to referral. How sad for the children, who are needing to be united with their families.... and for the parents, with open arms anxious to hold their new children.... Please keep them all in your prayers, that they each have comfort, peace, and strength - and that they find what they are looking for, soon!
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November 10, 2008 - MILESTONE

Yesterday afternoon, we had our FINAL post placement visit. YIPEE! Poor little ElleAnna is even more stuck with us now than she ever was before. I meant to have our social worker take a photo of the five us together, and then, one with her and ElleAnna... but, in all the events, I forgot to have her do it. I know that she reads this blog, so please accept my apologies, Janet. We'll come down and find you on Elle's sixteenth birthday when she is hating being a part of our family (as all teenage girls do), and we'll take a photo of you and her together then instead :-). She can thank you herself then for forcing her to be part of our family.

I ordered special gifts for each of us to commemorate November 19, 2007 - when our family first welcomed ElleAnna home. They arrived in the mail yesterday too, so now, I have to hide them until next week so that nobody knows what they are getting. Its almost like Christmas!
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Last Year at This Time...

... Where has time gone? A year ago on Halloween, we purchased our plane tickets. One year ago yesterday, we got our final travel itinerary. On November 6, 2007, I ordered our Panda Phone so that we would have it during our trip (One of the BEST things I ever did). A year ago on the 8th, we went to the bank to get JUST A FEW thousand dollars in cash for our trip. The bills had to be crisp, clean, and in certain dollar amounts. It almost felt like a heist when we left the bank that day. On November 13, we loaded the car and began the journey... leaving for China at o'too early on the 14th.

Sometimes, it feels like just yesterday when we were finalizing arrangements to go to on our China Adventure to bring ElleAnna home. Other times, it truly seems as if she has always been with our family - that I cannot recall a time without her. I can hardly put it into words the way she has changed our lives. I cannot even convey the true reality of it all. Its been so amazing to watch her transition from the frightened, sobbing, heartbroken child to the vibrant, energetic little girl today. I love to watch her wrestle with her big brothers and growl at them, decide which animal is riding with her in the car to go to school in the mornings, hear her sweet little voice sing songs to Grampa on the phone at night, feel her warm little hands inside of mine. Her giggles are absolutely infectious - without a doubt.

ElleAnna is an amazing little girl and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. People say that we did an wonderful thing for her, but I usually see it the other way around. Yes, we gave her a family, but she has given us so much more than that from the very first day. She has opened our eyes and hearts to hurts and joys that we could have never fathomed before. She truly is what her name means "God has answered" and heard our prayers (and her cries too). He gave her to us and us to her.

This is My Song!

This is my song; this is my story; every day, every way, I will sing!
This is my song; it can move mountains, clear every cloud, heal every heart, this is my song!

When my heart is heavy laden and the world seems blue,
I'll sing out with joy abundant; that's just what I'll do.
And when the sunshine starts a fadin', and I'm filled with woe, I'll hum a verse of my creatin', watch the sorrow go.

This is my song; this is my story; every day, every way, I will sing!
This is my song; it can move mountains, clear every cloud, heal every heart, this is my song!

When your path is filled with sorrow, here's what you can do:
Sing out like there's no tomorrow, chase away the blue.
And if your heart is still a doubtin', try it and you'll see.
Soon you'll find yourself a shoutin', joyful harmony.

This is my song; this is my story; every day, every way, I will sing!
This is my song; it can move mountains, clear every cloud, heal every heart, this is my song!



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Sing Joy, Sing Gaudia!

From Alex's Honor Choir program yesterday....

Trick Or Treat - The First House

Jan, Conlee and Dayton's sitter, was actually Elle's first Trick or Treat ever... This video is dark, but you'll hear Elle's little voice. She obviously caught on from the beginning....

October 30 - Bryant's Last Football Game of the Season

For the last high school football game of Bryant's Sophmore year, we had a long drive (over three hours away). We actually played in another time zone if that gives you any indication of the distance. The weather started beautiful, but did get quite chilly as the night drug on. We had a couple of boys get hit a little too hard which is never a plus. We actually had already lost the game (by getting 45'd) in the third quarter, but they let the clock run to finish it out. Bryant did a great job in spite of the atmosphere and made lots of terrific tackles. We got home after midnight though... so getting up on Halloween morning was little bit painful, but you know, chocolate candy always helps one function better :-).