Home Sweet Home

Is this the cutest picture or what? We are so thankful to be safely home and together as a family. Praise God!
The trip went well considering the plane was full of 26 babies. Zanna slept a bit here and there, we paced the walkways, chatted with friends, looked forward to airplane food and watched imagines of bad movies because Zanna kept ripping off my headphones. After 13 or so hours, we arrived in Toronto and made it home shortly thereafter. We were greeted at the airport by my Mom and Dad, Will and Karen G. What a sight for sore eyes. I was so relieved when we touched down that I started to cry and Wayne wondered if it was because I was happy, tired or mad at him to which the answer was a little bit of all of those - haha!
After wondering how the two new siblings would respond to one another, any worries we might have had quickly disappeared. Zanna crawled right up into his arms and put her head on his shoulder and gave him a huge smile with a giggle. It was priceless.
She was not amused by the restrictive car seat as in China no one even wears seat belts. But she'll have to deal with it. Until then, we just turn up the music a bit louder.
She had another horrible night and I'm exhausted after being up - what, 2 or 3 days now? The only thing I can do at this point is to start to establish a routine and hope this comforts her after awhile. Meanwhile, I must put up with sleepless nights and since she cries even more if Wayne picks her up, we know who's getting more sleep. I try hard not to be bitter. We are very thankful she has already started to bond with me and allow me to comfort her. We know she will come around to him eventually.
In the last week and a half I've developed a sway (whether there's a child in my arms or not), food in my hair, and stains on my clothes. Guess I'll have to put the dry-clean only clothes to the back of the closet for now.
We are now forever grateful for toilets, toilet paper, drinkable tap water and fresh Canadian air. Our time in China is something we will never forget and is sure to change our lives forever. We are now more proficient at chopsticks, for instance. Ha! But seriously, it's so different from what we are accustomed to and are very grateful for China's international adoption program. Not only that but feel so blessed to have found our adoption agency. Our guides were top-notch. They carried us not only through what we needed to do and where we needed to go to complete the adoption, but shared in depth info on our daughters country to give us a better understanding of where they are from. We toured fantastic places rich in culture and heritage. We had a bus that would rock our babies to sleep (so much for that now). We met wonderful families throughout Canada that shared in our experience. Wow.
And so our new lives start. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone right now but hopefully some sleep at some point will cure that. I'm enjoying watching my children play - no fights yet, everyone is still on their best behaviour.

Worst night ever

As I write this title I fully realize that there may be worse. But for now, we are coming off our worst night ever. I don't know what the deal was - I was under the impression babies needed sleep but last night she would have none of that. We were up and down. And today we were running on fumes. She's sleeping now and I pray it lasts. We have a LONG day tomorrow and I'd like us all to be rested and refreshed. We're getting on that plane regardless.
I started to pack up today. As I did, Zanna discovered a new game - Mommy puts in suitcase, Zanna takes things out of suitcase and then crawls in. Ha!
This morning I wrestled her down for a nap (not really but she resisted) and then in the afternoon we made one more trip to the SIlk market for a few traditional outfits for her. We are happy to be through with that place - it's a love/hate relationship. We love the deals but we hate the vendors yelling at us trying to get us into their booth. It's stressful.
This evening we had one more dinner out with the group and our guide Chen Chen. It was crazy with all those babies. I had forgotten how miserable it can be to go out to eat with a baby. It's not relaxing. And since we're back to not going to Daddy - ever - it's frustrating. I guess we have 14hours for the three of us to bond tomorrow on the plane. Should be interesting being in an enclosed space with 25 or so babies and their weary parents.
After we got back from dinner, a friend we knew that lived in Canada then moved back to China where she is from came for a visit. Wayne is with them now downstairs. Funny how we could see a familiar face here.
This should be my last post until we get home. I think from there I'll be doing weekly updates for family or anyone else vaguely curious about our life. Thanks again for all the lovely well-wishes. We are so blessed to have so many friends care for us. God bless!

Shopping, shopping and more shopping

I don't think I realized the extent of the shopping we'd be doing here. But it makes sense when you figure that most of the stuff we own is "made in China". As a matter of fact, as I was packing my suitcase to come here it crossed my mind that most of the things we were bringing was returning to it's homeland. We will definately be leaving with more stuff than we came with and oh, yeah somewhere in all these bags is a baby.
We've purchased some traditional stuff that will be really neat keepsakes - one of my favorites is a scroll with her name on it in Chinese characters, the date and place she was born and a beautiful picture of a cherry blossom which symbolizes winter (the time she was born and when we got her) Also, some lovely pearls from her birth region. Here at the hotel a tailor came and personally measures us for clothes - we pick the style and fabric and poof! a few days later for less than $100 bucks I've got a really nice jacket. I also picked up a tablecloth to use for Chinese NEw Year.
Other things we've picked up are some sharp looking Columbia jackets and ski pants for a mere pitance. Wayne got some boots, etc. We picked up an extra suitcase for quite a deal too.
This morning we toured the Forbidden City and Tiennamen Square. It was really neat and we got something out of it but with babies along it's quite challenging. It was so chilly that we were really excited that near the end of the Forbidden City there was a Starbucks and my hot chocolate hit the spot. That's right you heard me = they are EVERYWHERE!
Later in the day we went out as a group for a traditional Peking Duck dinner. It was awesome. The duck was OK but it was oh so much more than that. Zanna ate rice that I fed her with chopsticks and she loved the broccoli even if she has no teeth. Should be interesting what her digestive system ends up doing with that later. I can't wait to get her home and full of good fruits and veggies. It's a struggle here to find stuff for her that's healthy.
We can't wait to get home. Tomorrow is our last day. We look forward to seeing everyone back home and showing off our little girl!

One week with Hosanna

Today marks the one week mark with Zanna Rou. What a week it's been! As we look at not only our own child but others around us, we are amazed at the progress of the babies and how adaptable they are. I say this not to lesson the tramatic experience they've had but to admire the adaptability GOd has given them. We know that we are just beginning the transitions in her life but are encouraged by how she and the others have responded so far.
This was the first morning we didn't have anything planned which worked out well considering Zanna didn't go to bed until a bit later the night before and slept in and that Wayne was feeling a bit under the weather. We had a webcam date with Will and Mom and Dad at 8:30 am, went to breakfast and had a free morning. Zanna and I headed out to the Silk market with friends from our group to get out of the hotel room to let Wayne sleep. Everyone seems to be coming down with something at this point, I suppose since our immune systems are weakened by lack of sleep and regular meals. He's feeling better now thankfully but is stuffed up.
In the afternoon we took the bus to a different market - one that has similar stuff but not so in your face. We had a successful trip and Zanna got 4 pairs of Stride Rite shoes for about 8 bucks each out of the deal along with a few other goodies.
Not much more to report today. Pretty uneventful. We took a few steps back with Wayne today probably because we weren't around him much this morning. Oh, well. We'll keep working on it.

The Great Wall

Wow, what a day we've had! As you can tell from the title we went to tour the Great Wall. But before we got there we made a pit stop to a Jade Factory. The actual Jade was a bit out of our price range, however the Jadite was right up our alley. Then on to the Great Wall. Absolutely unbelievable. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd be here to see something like that. Thankfully, Wayne took Zanna in the carrier and although previous attemps to do this have failed, she agreed to it this time as long as he sang Amazing Grace to her. Ha! The steps were extremely treacherous - the Chinese were not into precision when they built that sucker as all the steps were uneven. Some deep, some shallow - it was crazy. We didn't go that far but my legs felt like jello after I was done. Afterwards, we went out to eat and it was very good Chinese food except for the plate that had the fish head was a bit unsettling.
We got back in the late afternoon after a nice nap on the bus. Then we had a playgroup on the 16th floor. I love those times - we did it regularly in Guangxi - get together in the hallway and let the kids play. Unfortunately, this hotel was not as friendly about the noise we made and broke us up. We may have to try a new floor.
She spent more time in Wayne's arms today and she'll go in the stroller so all this is good. I need to go - she's crying!

Back in Beijing

We survived the planeride to Beijing and so did the other babies. As you can imagine, the other passengers were not amused when all 15 babies borded the plane. We sat next to a guy that by the smell of his breath had had way too much to drink before bording. He insisted on trying to communicate with us even though we quite obviously could not speak his language. He kept leaning past Wayne breathing on him and trying to play with Zanna who was just confused. He finally fell asleep, thankfully. For the most part of the flight, she was very curious and enjoyed playing with the puke bag. If only we could all be entertained this easily. She was great and finally fell asleep at the end continuing to sleep as we got our luggage and took the bus back to the hotel. That is, until a very intrusive man did not care for the way I was holding her and tried to show me the "proper" way to hold a baby. Then she woke up. Nice. That's one thing that's very difficult being here- people sticking their noses in your business. We joke about the fashion police here - the ones that are horrified you do not have 5 layers of clothing on your baby and are not afraid to share this with you.
This morning was hard. After not getting in until midnight and not getting our luggage until 12:30 or so, we had to be out of here by 8am for our medical checkup. The babies are required to get checked out by a Canadian doctor at an international clinic. NOt a big deal or anything. It was actually a nice morning. We were there until after noon or so but there was leather seats, mocha and coffee machines and a playroom. Oh, and normal bathrooms. So the parents sipped mochas while the babies played with toys. Zanna was awesome - playing for hours, exploring, crawling, walking (with my help) and it all seemed just a bit normal. which I long for right now. I need to appreciate the land my daughter was born in while we are here but I long for a normal schedule, familiar surrounding, my bed and of course, Will. We are closer but still have to survive for a few days. As far as how the checkup went, she's tall, a bit malnourished but healthy overall and weighs a slight 7.1kg.
I must admit I melted down today. It's all so overwhelming and stressful yet wonderful. I look and her and can't believe what a gift she is. Although she is making strides with Wayne, he still cannot take her for any length of time. That means I get no break- unless you count the 5 min I had in the bathroom washing socks while she screamed with Wayne in the room. I know it's temporary, it seams she is like this with men is general but warms to women easier. She does give him coy smiles and babbles at him, allows him to feed her her bottle, etc. It'll just take time I guess. More touring tomorrow so must rest up!

About the monkey

So you're probably wondering what's with the monkey picture. Wayne did that after I posted my last update. That would be one of the wild monkey's we saw on our outing to the countryside yesterday. We were told to not have food out especially around the babies because of the wild monkey's in this park. We didn't see them at first but then they all came out at the end and they were horrible. There faces were red and their butts were gross. I took Zanna to the bus as fast as I could and changed her diaper there. I threw it in the trash outside and the monkeys had a field day with it. NO thanks.
thanks so much for all the comments and emails we've been getting. It's such a blessing to have so many people care for us and our family. Ruth, you're story about Will saying he's Chinese is too funny! And thanks, Melissa, for having Will over and for all your thoughtful suggestions. Will seems to be doing well with Oma and Opa and we're so thankful to my Mom and Dad for taking such good care of him. We've seen them a few times on the webcam and they've got to see Zanna. Technology today is pretty cool!
Yes, Robin and Nicole, there is Pizza Hut. NOt the same menu as in North America but it was a little taste of home. Otherwise, we've been enjoying the Chinese food here. There is a restaurant around the corner of the hotel that is fantastic. Wayne is in heaven when he has their dumplings. Everything we've had from there has been good. The hotel breakfast buffet is very nice to - we fill up on eggs, bread, etc.
I haven't mentioned the bathrooms yet. It's a topic all unto itself. They are worse than a portapottie. They are holes you squat over. NO toilet paper. We were warned of this and took plenty of kleenex for such a situation. In our hotels, however, they are North American standards so we try to hold it if we can.
Zanna update - she slept in her crib all night. I had the whole bed to myself (we have twin beds in here). She's even napping now! I won't be posting tonight. We leave for Beijing this evening and not expected to get in until really late. Early in the morning we have medical exams scheduled for the babies. It'll be a rough 24hours or so. The plane ride to Beijing is a bit over 3hours. Good practise for our 13 hour flight next week. Yikes.
I'll update when we get settled in Beijing tomorrow night.

It just keeps getting better

We've had another busy day sightseeing the countryside. What an eye-opener! The conditions these people live in is extremely hard. It's a good reminder of how blessed we are in North America.
My big prayer last night was for Zanna to open up to Wayne and it happened today. He fed her her bottles, walked around with her, played with her, etc. Overall, she acted more like a "normal" baby. She crawled around and explored, was expressive and best of all - she giggled. Her whole face lit up! It was fantastic!!! She's such a little angel - she has the prettiest heartshape face, brown almond eyes and curled eyelashes and cute little lips. We feel so blessed. The other great achievement for the day was that she went in a stroller which Mommy really appreciated as did her back and arms. She actually took a real nap - in the crib for an hour and twenty. Then we went to Pizza Hut where she was fantastic, not crying once.
It's the witching hour now before bedtime. Wayne has taken her for a walk but they are back now and she's mad. Gotta go!

Promise of a New Day

Today is Wednesday and it started off better from the get-go. She woke up and didn't start freaking out. I had her bottle ready upon waking and after she was finished she didn't start wailing. We're making progress. She was soooooo much better today. This morning we did a sightseeing trip on the bus with the group. We up up a local mountain which was very beautiful and lush - all green. It was a bit on the cool side but it was nice to walk around and get some fresh air. She fell asleep on the bus just as we were pulling up to a buddist temple. We opted to stay on the bus and finish the nap. Then we took a bit of a hike up to some tower that Wayne proceeded to climb up. Anyway, it was a nice opportunity to see the area. We stopped at a pearl store - pearls are quite famous, especially the ones from Hepu where Zanna is from. Daddy picked out some jewelry for her to give on her 16, 18 birthdays and wedding day.
She didn't cry nearly as much in general all day (with the exception of the evening where she was just plain tired. She went to Daddy on her own briefly which was encouraging. Come to think of it, that was right before he bought her the pearls. Boy, does she know how to work him already!
In the hotel room, she actually left my arms and crawled around playing with the toys we brought and whatever else she could find. She was much more active which is great to see and we got a few sort of smiles. We'll take what we can get.
Zanna and I both have a wicked cold we hope to shake and not pass onto Dad. We also hope she continues to feel comfortable with Daddy. We know it's a matter of time but Mommy needs the break!
That's about all for now - continued progress which is great to see. Tomorrow we are taking a tour of the countryside which is where most babies are abandoned.
William - we miss you to pieces!!!!!

She's all ours

Zanna slept well our first night. Although the info from the foster family was that she slept in her own crib, she wasn't for it here. She didn't want me going anywhere and so she fell asleep next to me with one arm touching. She woke up once at 2pm and allowed me to sooth her back to sleep and then slept until 7:30 so I was able to get into the bathroom and get ready. Always a good thing. I got more sleep last night than I have since we got here. Tonight we'll see how it goes. She has a bit of congestion so everytime she started dosing off she'd wake herself up because she was having trouble breathing through her nose. I gave her some Dimatapp then and she seems to have settled (again in my bed so I can't be gone long).
This morning was busy - we got on the bus and went to the Civil Affairs Dept where we had to answer some questions like Did we get along with her so far? Did we like her? Do we want to keep her? Will we never abandon her? One couple laughed at some of these questions because of course the answer is yes. The officials were not amused by this and suggested they take this more seriously. Oops. Another couple was repremanded for not having enough clothes on their baby - Chinese custom is that babies are ridicuously overdressed even though it's 70F. When in Rome..... This was followed by a ceremony where one by one we received an official looking document with our families picture on it (without Will of course) with the announcement that the girls were ours! we piled back in the bus and went to the Notary Office and answered similar questions as before. It was all very long for parents and babies. Zanna clung to me all day never wanting to get down. Thankfully the baby carrier I purchased before we left for China is worth it's weight in gold. My arms would be falling off by now if I didn't have that sucker. Even though we know she crawls, she won't for the most part. She doesn't want to get down and play. She cries in my arms but wails in Wayne's. I feel bad for him but he seems to take it in stride and has offered to hold other babies for some of the other parents. He's also excellent at making bottles. It's interesting because every now and then we'll catch short glimpes of her personality as she forgets for a second her situation. Keeping her in the baby carrier I'm hoping will help the bonding as she is so close to me.
Despite our long morning she refused to nap although she continues to eat pretty well. SOme babies are the opposite. She had a quick half hour nap in my arms right before our big, exciting outing - Walmart. Wally World in China, let me tell you is a hoot. She seemed to enjoy herself and we and others in our group got plenty of stares. I guess we stick out like a sore thumb.
So after a long day she is officially our daughter. A few more days in Nanning and then we go back to Beijing on Friday to work on Canadian paperwork.
Our travel group here is great, lots of nice people. The couple with twins is fun to watch as they juggle the two and all their gear. There's an American group here at our hotel to so there are lots of babies.
Better get some sleep myself while I have the opportunity.

Hosanna's here!

Ok, the moment I'm sure you've all been waiting for I can only describe as unbelievable. We watched as 14 familiies and 15 babies were "delivered". Yes, that's right, someone had twins! Zanna's reaction at first was quiet but as I held her she was shaking. I knew it was a matter of time before the damn burst and when it did it lasted for about 4 hours until she fell asleep about 15min ago. The girl has some lungs on her. She is obviously teething - one little tooth is poking through and she looks for things to chew on. Gave her a bit of Tylenol to help. She seems to be in good health although has a bit a congestion in her sinus and lungs. But it's also obvious she is grieving. She calls for Mama and is quite simply scared. And we were also given an extremely precious gift - pictures from her foster family and a personal letter to "Rou Rou" from her foster mom who is also grieving. It's plainly clear our prayers were answered in that she has been well taken cared for and LOVED. It's also to be expected that it will take some time for her to grieve but we are assured by experts that this is a good thing - if she has bonded with someone before, she will again. For now, she clings to me and checks Wayne out. There was no man in the pictures we were given so this might be new to her. There was an aunt, grandma and older sister as part of the foster family so I know she will enjoy her big brother being around!
She is truly lovely and now we pray for the day she will bond with us and that we will be able to bring a smile to her face. Poor thing, she's so scared and who can blame her?
Tomorrow morning we will complete paperwork to make the adoption final. She is currently in our care for a days duration of what is called a "Harmonious Period" - not too much harmony going on here but we'll keep her nonetheless. Please pray for peace and comfort for her and patience and wisdom for us - and anything else you think of that might come in handy! Love to all. Hugs and kisses for Will!!!!

On the Move

Well, we've survived another plane ride and are now in the province of Guangxi - the city of Nanning. My first impression - lush and lovely! It's warmer here, about 20C and more humid. There are lots of flowers, green trees and well manicured lawns. OUr hotel is again far more than I expected. The lobby is impressive with a massive staircase and shiny marble floors. The most exciting part for me, however, was the crib waiting empty in our room. I have to laugh because as far as North American standards are concerned, it would totally fail. The slats have got to be too big, there's a pillow and a fat comforter in there. For someone that religiously followed the suggestions in "What to expect the first year" book, I'll have to let it go!
On our way to the airport, we stopped for a tour of a silk factory. Very interesting as they shared the way they made the silk and then, of course, gave us the opportunity to shop. Don't worry, Karen I've got ya covered!
We've seen and done so much in the short time we've been here and have been enjoying ourselves but all the time in the back of mind I am keenly aware that this is not the reason for our trip. Tomorrow is the big day. It's quite unnerving to know that at 3pm we'll be having a baby! The morning is full of paperwork and then we'll go to the place to meet the babies. It's exciting to know we're so close to her.
We've been unable to post pictures but will continue to keep trying - I know there's a way.

Our first day in Beijing

It's the end of our first day in Beijing and it's been lovely! This morning we went on a rickshaw tour of Old Beijing, was entertained by a local in his home and had a tea ceremony. All very interesting! We shopped the rest of the day at the Silk Market - great deals but pushy people in your face make it hard to think straight. We'll try to post pictures of our day.
Miss you lots, Will! Love and Kisses, Mom and Dad

We Made It!

After a very long flight (I couldn't help but to think what it'll be like with a baby on the way back) we arrived in Beijing around 4pm time here. We were met at the airport by our lovely guide Chen Chen (she suggested to help us remember her name we think of "double chen" haha!) and a driver that navigated us through rush hour traffic. We are very impressed with our hotel. We had a decent nights sleep, cleaned ourselves up and just got back from a lovely buffet breakfast. Anyone that know me understands how much all these things mean to me!
We have a free day today and will be exploring around the old part of Beijing. Thanks for the many thoughts and prayers that got us here. It means so much.

Big Brother Dinner

We had a Big Brother Dinner tonight here at home. We had pizza and balloons! I made Will this #1 Big Brother t-shirt for him to wear to the airport when they pick us up. He'll be such a good brother, I know. He's been practising his skills on Snoopy complete with diaper changes (although he insists that is one job he won't be doing!)

The room is done!

Well, it's the night before we leave and the room is finally done - better late than never! I had a bit of fun with the pink as you can see. And the dresser was my Mom's and then mine at one point - I painted it "Dill Pickle" and it looks completely different!

Itinerary

1-11 our flight leaves in the morning
1-12 we arrive in Beijing
1-14 we travel to the Guangxi province
1-15 the BIG day! we meet Zanna
1-16 Paperwork
1-19 Back to Beijing
1-25 Come home!

In between there are sight-seeing tours and things to do that are planned. There are also things like Medical exams, visa applications, more paperwork (since the adoption is finalized in China), etc. We also have an English speaking guide/interpreter available 24/7. Our travels take us to Beijing and Nanning (Guangxi province). These are two different climates. Beijing should be quite cold and windy and then we travel south where average temps this time of year are around 70F or 20C. This is challenging when it comes to packing. I keep repeating to myself "I will not overpack, I will not overpack".

Packing up

So I actually got out a suitcase tonight and started to throw some things in there. Our weight limit on Air Canada is 50lbs per bag (I think) but the in China flights are something like 22lbs total per person. That should be interesting. I've bought out our local drug store and am prepared for, well we shall see I guess. And in true blonde fashion, I completely screwed up the oral vaccine given to combat certain bathroom and digestion issues. I had to call our travel clinic doctor and fess up - he gave us another dose but this mistake cost us $85. Oops.
It's a week from now, Lord-willing, that Zanna should be in our arms. An email was forwarded to me from our agency with a gentle reminder that although we are waiting for her, she is not waiting for us. As much as I would like to believe that somehow she knows we're coming for her I know in reality it will be a shock. We won't look or sound familier to her at all and yet we've been starring at her picture for two months and praying for her far before that.

Hosanna Rou - born Feb. 21 / 2006

Next week!

Hard to believe after such a LONG wait we leave for China next week. I hope that through this blog we can connect with our family and friends all over as Wayne and I go on this amazing journey to grow our family. This is a way to also stay connected to our little doodlebug who'll stay at home with Oma and Opa while we're away. Stay tuned!