September 23 – 24 -- An Enjoyable Weekend in China … other than the paperwork
We are getting settled into our routine now. However, it always seems we don’t allocate quite enough time for a relaxed breakfast but we still have time to chow down at the buffet and get to our first activity.
Saturday we has a medical exam or sorts in order for Aliyah to get a Visa to enter the United States. They check her general physical health making sure there is no sign of communicable disease, weight, length and eye-ear-throat. You do this by visiting three stations about 2 minutes at each one. The best parts were there was no real line for us (we understand this was lucky but our guides had a big hand in planning this) and one of the doctors chuckled when he saw the nice little belly Aliyah has. On the way we stopped to shop for groceries to get us through the end of the trip.
Saturday afternoon, one parent (John) was sent to handle the paperwork for the US Consulate. This was a rather brutal 2.5 hour session, but our guides took us through the whole set of documents in a rather effective manner. It turns out they will present the paperwork for us at the US Consulate and we do not need to appear. During the time John was doing the paperwork Liz and Aliyah had some quality mom-daughter bonding time. Aliyah is coming out of her down period of last Thursday and really starting to have fun with us. She really is starting to look for us (especially mom). We had a group dinner at a Japanese steak-house. It is always fun to see the 15 adopted girls and boys all go someplace together with their families. The dinner lasted a long time and by the end we had to have Aliyah playing at the table on one of our laps. She is a busy girl and when awake needs to go go go. She fights sleep and has a interesting way of working this out as she closes her eyes rolls about and makes some funny (yet sad) noises until she drop off into sleep. We don’t know if this will be her style, orphanage habit or just the transition to a new place. Time will tell.
Sunday we went to the Guangzhou Folk Arts Museum and a Tea House. The Folk Arts Museum is housed in a temple built by the Chan family or Guangzhou. It was a beautiful museum filled with some amazing art and beautiful architecture. At the tea house they explained what makes a good clay tea pot (good seal, no drips, air valve to start and stop flow). We also were treated to several type of tea to understand the way it is served, and how the different varieties taste. It was a very interesting place.
If that was not enough for a day we took a cab over to the White Swan hotel to meet a Ron and Kristie School. Kristie is a childhood friend of Liz and what amazing timing for us to be in China with them as they also adopted a daughter from China. We got back just in time to feed Aliyah and get her to bed. As I write this she went to sleep a little better this night and is now wedged in the corner of her crib. She sure is darn cute. We can’t wait to introduce her to you.
Well maybe a rather bland journal for the weekend, but that means things are getting to normal. We are still working out our strategy for this busy girl on a 14.22 hour plane flight. Our best thought is she can ride the beverage cart and we can give benadryl to the passengers nearby. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
At the Guangzhou Folk Art museum
Smiles and laughs today
That’s not a bottle
Most of the Group
I may be snotty but I want that camera
September 25 -- Fascinating Guangzhou
Today we celebrate one week with our beautiful daughter!
We are really enjoying our stay in China. The weather in Beijing and Guangzhou has been great. No rain to speak of and moderate temperatures in Guangzhou by their standards are upper 80’s (Today I think it was warmer). Things have moved so fast it is hard to imagine that we will be home with Aliyah in less than one week.
We visited a 92 acre public park near the hotel with some of the other people from our group. Aliyah and Ruthie two of the “Purple” sisters made the trip. We have started calling several of the girls this as their Chinese first names all began with the Chinese character for purple. So these two Zi Yue (Aliyah) and Zi Feng (Jamie Ruthie) were according to the orphanage director girl friends (well as much friends as 8 month olds can be). We hope that we can keep these two little friends in touch when we are in the states. The park is an oasis in the middle of this city like central park is to New York. People are strolling, exercising, doing fan dance, playing badminton and hacky sack. We were invited to play hacky sack with some group of ladies. They got a big kick out of seeing John’s tall frame chasing down the hacky sack. I might add when the Americans joined the game the sack spent a lot more time on the ground than in the air.
A group of older men and women were singing and playing traditional instruments. The oldest man of the group spoke English and asked us about the babies. He was happy these girls had a new family and was even happier when we reassured him we would do our best to teach them about China and its long history.
Most of our group then took a bus over to Shamian Island for shopping. We had been there before but had just looked around. The place is teeming with small shops that cater to the tourists and adoptive families. Shops are full of art, toys, Chinese dress shops, chops, games, books etc. We had a fun time and Aliyah did very well for being out so much today. Dinner for us is a challenge for us if Aliyah (the grabber) is awake but we seem to manage. We ended up giving Aliyah her bottle sitting in a chair curbside. Even with all the commotion she downed the whole bottle.
Aliyah still is still fighting her cold and has started a cough but she is a trooper and had a lot of fun play time with us today. She really likes climbing over obstacles especially mommy and does not mind cab rides because she can see so many new things. She really is a joy and we can’t wait to see her when she is over this cold. We are still working out the best way to prepare her for sleep. She still fights the process which we would just like it to be less demanding on her.
Good rest to all. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers they are greatly appreciated.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18
Hackey Sack at the park
Three at the park
Catch me and kiss me if you can
I love to climb (and throw myself down with reckless abandon)
