Looking Back...Photos We received From Katie's Orphanage

Today we received another set of photos from Katie's orphanage, so I decided to share them here because most of you probably don't really know what Katie's first home was like. I had an idea, mostly from photos I've seen on a web site that the 'home' for a group of parents who have adopted from the same orphanage as Katie. Brad and I sent Katie a care package for Christmas that included the panda bear (returned to us on her Gotcha day), a disposable camera, candy for the caregivers, a list of questions about Katie and a photo album of our family. We received that camera back and got the photos developed yesterday. Our agency, Lifelink, also sent a disposable camera to Katie's orphanage and those were the photos we received today. While all of the photos were taken in the last month or so, they offer a glimpse into a world which we can never know.

The Suichuan Social Welfare Institute where Katie lived is a 5 hour car trip from Nanchang over bad roads. Even if we could make that trip, the orphanage does not receive visitors. Most orphanages in China do not allow the adoptive parents to visit. I

I have to admit that it is more than a bit odd to benefit from this place's philosophy on the value of gender. If it weren't for these beliefs, I would not have a daughter today. And I know I was meant to be Katie's mother. I'm still a bit fuzzy on why God decided that my daughter would be born in China, but I am certainly not the first to be sent down this path. I am only eternally grateful that this was my destiny.

So below are photos of photos, so they aren't the greatest. But they give you a glimpse into where Katie lived from the time she was about 1 day old until Sunday morning. Good people raising the babies others have abandoned. A noble task indeed.

Katie in a walker. Big smile! I can't wait until I get to see this smile in person...

Katie in walker.

Katie & caregiver and Carly Kinnamon & caregiver at entrance to orphanage.

Katie and Carly in walkers.

Katie (front) then mystery baby, Carly and Maddy Andreson.

Katie & caregiver.

You're Still Here? Okay....

First, I just want to thank everyone for their comments on the blog and e-mails. It brings home and friends/family much closer to have that connection with you while we're here.

Photo before words today. Isn't she a doll? Amy and I were talking today about how it just doesn't seem real that after so much waiting, the wait is over. To me, it feels like Katie has always been a part of our family. To Katie, well, lets just say that almost every time she looks at me, she grimaces as if to say "you're still here..." turns her head sharply to the left and thrusts her thumb in her mouth. It's not exactly heartwarming to have your child respond to your face so negatively, but I completely understand where it is coming from. We've just passed the 48 hour mark since we've met, and Katie is slowly coming around. Every baby in our group has their own issues...daddy-focused mommy-shunning love, constipation (oh, the conversations...), sleep, teething or Katie's situation where she's just not sure she wants to keep me. I haven't broken it to her yet that she has no choice; I'll save that for later.

Despite my complaining, I'm not the least bit disappointed in my baby Katie. She is the most beautiful little girl I've ever laid eyes on and it brings tears to my eyes to think that I get to bring her home to daddy soon (not soon enough!). What a wonderful gift she is to our family. Each day and almost each hour we make a little progress, and the experienced mommy in me knows that soon enough she'll be all mine emotionally. This afternoon, Grandma got her first smile. I got a bit of another, as captured in a photo below. At breakfast, I took her in her stroller so that she could see others and she preferred to be turned away from me, watching strangers. By early afternoon, she was tolerating me playing with her face to face. We had a non-screaming diaper change and actually had some real mommy/baby fun. I can't wait!

The highlight of today was getting back the photos from the camera we sent to her orphanage. We got about 15 photos of Katie and a few friends. One even caught her with a giant smile across her face. It is a beautiful smile and I cannot wait to see it for myself! One photo was of her and the nurse that we met who gave Katie to me on Sunday. She was obviously a special part of Katie's life. These photos are truly a gift. A glimpse of the place where Katie spent her first 9 months and 4 days. It tugs at my heart when I think of how I'll explain all of this to her some day, and each piece of the puzzle that I can find will help her understand and feel a connection with her early life in China.

Today was a no-paperwork day, so we did a few tourist things. Katie and I walked to Teng Wang pavilion while mom watched Olympic Ice Skating (almost as important to her as Illini Basketball!), then we enjoyed a simple cup-a-soup and Pringle lunch before I did a little shopping while Katie napped and Mom did bottle cleaning duty. Mom has been such a huge help and Katie adores her! I explored a Chinese bakery and had our guide, Mandy, help me pick out a few traditional items to try. Yum! Mom and I joined a few travel mates at a local, authentic Chinese restaurant for dinner. I could barely peel myself from the table when the time was up. I'll have to post a separate 'food only' area in the next few days because the authentic food has been really great. We came home, gave Katie another bath and both mom and Katie are asleep now. I figure I'll be up early anyway (4am today), so why go to bed too soon??


Mom's first smile from Katie. Precious.

Katie loves to be propped up on mom's bed and just hang out with us.

Katie and mom at the top of Teng Wang pavilion. Our hotel is the center building of the three to the right of the photo.

A dragon statue at the pavilion.

Grounds around the pavilion.

The Teng Wang pavilion. Note that today was a 'beautiful' day in Nanchang, probably 50F and the sun was out somewhere. You can't ever see it, though. I don't think you ever see the sun due to the smog/pollution. Sad.
One of the views from the top of the pavilion. It is hard to see here, but the 'blob' in the center of the photo in the water, just off the coast, is a woman washing clothes. That's what it is like here. While walking in the nice pedestrian mall (no cars) doing window shopping, we saw a toddler stop to go to the bathroom right on the street. Young children wear 'split pants' that are pants with an open crotch basically from ankle to ankle. Even in the cold weather, their tushies are hanging out. It is socially acceptable here for these children to just squat and go to the bathroom almost anywhere in public. And the parents are picking up after them. Sanitation has a different standard over here.

I Get To Keep Her (Whether She Likes it or Not!)

Things are pretty good here in room 1221. Katie slept through the night last night, from 6pm to 6 am! She set the group record for consecutive hours. Her thumb sucking helps her get back to sleep if she gets up for a bit. I can't say that Katie was overjoyed when she realized where she was waking up, particularly who with! She is slowing starting to enjoy us. I realize she's been through a lot in the last day or so, and I appreciate that she's giving us a chance.

She took her first bottle this morning and downed 8 oz. in under 2 minutes. She was given a bottle by her orphanage, and the hole in the nipple is as big as a pea! This is pretty common. When babies are in an orphanage, the nannies cannot spend 30 min. letting a baby slowly suck the bottle. We had breakfast (excellent buffet!) and boarded the bus to finish the adoption paperwork back where we had met Katie.

While the official events of the day were not remarkable, our interaction with the people from her orphanage was. The orphanage director came to see us along with the 'nurse' (not sure what it means) who happened to be the person who carried Katie yesterday and gave her to me. I was thrilled to find out that Katie had in fact recieved the care package that we sent her for Christmas, which I had suspected becuase the nurse had pointed me out to Katie as 'mama' yesterday before I was introduced. We were given back the suffed panda bear that we sent, along with a disposable camera. We also got some additional photos from cameras that the agency sent. They are off being developed and I'm looking forward to seeing the photos. While it wasn't cheap to send the care package, it was well worth it to know that we will have extra photos of her time in the orphanage! Katie was also presented with a red cloth necklace with her name stitched on it by the orphanage, and the province gave her a porcelein vase. We will treasure these gifts! I have given some questions to the orphanage to be asked, and I hope to get answers. The people we met from there were very personable and the nurse definitely seemed to have a special bond with Katie. It was heartwarming for me to see that.

In the room waiting for our individual interviews.

As usual, my blogging ability is lacking. Out of order, but a photo of the Superwalmart that we went to after the adoption paperwork was done. Snacks, diet coke and KFC for lunch. (Yes, I ate fast food again. It seems to be the food of choice for my group.)

Katie and the nurse from her orphanage.

Talking with the orphanage director (man on left) and the nurse (holding Katie). Katie's stuffed panda bear that we sent her is under my arm.

(Left photo) Mom, Katie & I starting out at the adoption office

(Right Photo) Our friends Deanna & Shelby Rainey and Andrea Adams at the adoption office. Today was a good day!

What China Looks Like: A Pictorial Essay

I'm still getting the hang of this blog, so please scroll to the bottom to read what I had to say to introduce the photos. :-)

View of the countryside outside Nanchang.

The street outside our hotel.

This is a pile of rubbish surrounding one side of the parking lot by the registration office where we received Katie, in a residential neighborhood. Much of the material was broken porcelain, which is produced in this area. There was also just regular trash in there.
A street scene. Many buildings are barely standing or are surrounded by rubble...piles of bricks, dirt, wood, whatever.


Third world. Communism. Cultural revolution. Economic growth. Chairman Mao. Walmart.

I have traveled much of the world and read and watched almost everything I could get my hands on to prepare for this trip. I know the history, but I was not prepared for the present. China is not a pretty country. You can find beauty here and there, but it is nothing like what we have in America. I struggle to think of how I will describe this country to Katie and I think that I cannot imagine a more different life than the one she will have now. For a year, people have told me that she is so lucky, that she will be saved. I always corrected them and said that Katie was saving us, that we were the lucky ones. Now I agree that we're all pretty lucky in this deal.

Here's what this place looks like...

Gotcha! Sunday, February 18 at approximately 3:15pm

Gotcha, Katie!

Back in the room, 5 layers of clothes removed, 2 new & clean layers added.

Shelby Rainey & parents, Katie Tillock & mom

Just before the hand off...

Meeting Grandma Bowen.

There were7 babies in our group, 3 from Katie's orphanage. Before babies were handed out, Katie was standing near the front with her nanny. I was videotaping like a madwoman to try to capture the experience for Brad. While taping the babies, Katie's caregiver pointed to me and said mama. That's your mama. She must have recognized me from the photo album that we sent for Katie, as there were still several families to receive there babies. It was an amazing moment to realize that I was looking at my daughter. I remember the first time I saw Alex after he was born, and now this moment of this day is filed in my memory. Amazing day. Amazing baby.

To say that today has been quite a day is an understatement. I'm still in a bit if a fog, and expect that will continue for awhile. We traveled to Nanchang, had about 45 min. in our hotel room, then boarded a bus for the Registration Office about 5 minutes away. I think photos will tell the story well, plus I'm just so tired from walking a crying baby all afternoon that I want to get this done and go to bed. More philosphical thoughts on motherhood in China after I've slept.
She is the most beautiful little girl I've ever need, and that is without a bit of mommy bias. :-)

While I type, Katie is quietly playing in her crib having woke up from a (late) nap. Hopefully a bottle will coax her to sleep soon.

Hey, you're my dinner. Stop climbing off my plate!

This will not be my most verbose post as I am dead tired at 8:40 pm. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I have only slept 3 hours in the last 24. Hmmm. I think so. At least, for the first time this trip, I am tired at the correct time. I ended up making the mistake of napping yesterday late afternoon, then I didn't go back to bed until 3am. I had better sleep more than 4 hours tonight, or Katie will have a tired mommy. Perhaps this is God's way of reminding me of what I'm missing by skipping those dreaded newborn sleepless nights. While I love Alex with all my heart, a helpless, short-sleeping infant is not my idea of a good time.

Today was an adventure. A slightly dreary day, however we were visiting (get a pencil to figure this one out) my aunt Jean's sister Julie's sister-in-law Chloe. Chloe grew up in China and Hong Kong and lives here with her husband Vicki (from India) who is Julie's husband Sanjay's brother. I was trying to confuse you and I think I succeeded!

So you were drawn in by the headline, and by now you're thinking, "just get to the dinner crawling part." So I'll cut to the chase. That's good, because if my eyelids droop any farther, I won't be able to see the screen.

I do have to mention that we've really enjoyed our visit to Hong Kong. Today we got to go into downtown and experience a grocery store and shopping mall (where credit cards are readily accepted...hooray!). It was much fun. Hong Kong is a big city much like Tokyo or New York, and very easy to navigate. Drivers are sensible and stay in lanes. Folks are friendly and everyone speaks English. I am very comfortable here, perhaps because this is my second visit to Asia and I'm used to the more obvious differences, like how the language sounds and the fact that most everyone looks different from us (not Caucasian).

Here is mom and I. Brad, you my recognize this smile from our Japan Fugu (puffer fish) restaurant experience. The smile on my face says "great culinary experience, glad I did it, now I'm praying to every God I can think of and hoping that the taxi drives fast so that I can get home to my Pepto. Tonight, Chloe graciously treated us to a Hot Pot restaurant. It is tough to capture on still film, but use your imagination when you look at the prawns on the plate in the far back of the photo. Can you see that they are still alive? We're about to plunge them into broiling broth, so that won't last that long.
Chloe and mom. Hot pot is much like fondue, only better. You cook in a vegetable broth in the center of the table. We enjoyed thinly sliced, locally grown beef, octopus, live prawns, crispy fish (you eat the bones, couldn't figure out what type of fish it was, though) plus bock choy and other veggies. You cooked it, fished it out with your chop sticks or a slotted spoon, then dipped it in a chili and garlic-seasoned soy sauce. Delicious! Chloe, though a size 2 maybe, has a great appetite. She was amazed that we could not eat more. Mom had to roll me into the room and cut my pants off, so I think I ate plenty.
Chloe and I at the end of the evening. Mom is going to perfect her photo abilities (note my head is partially missing) before Katie's arrival tomorrow. Mom actually is doing really great. She has been eating with chopsticks for the past two days, as have I. Today was a bit of an odd day for her, but she hung in there. We got to go, with Chloe, to a shopping mall where I picked up a wonderful outfit for Katie and a new doll. I was amazed that the Toys R Us was filled with Caucasian dolls. I could not find ONE Asian doll. What crazy toy buyers are there in this country. Blue-eyed blond dolls are not all there are. Crazy!

At Chloe's house, we enjoyed a wonderful Indian lunch with her mother-in-law who is staying with them for an extended period.

Day 1-1/2: Breakfast, Buddha and Beyond

Technical difficulties have been fixed. I posted this information earlier, but couldn't add the photos. For some reason, the photos add in their own unique order, but I'm tired and I think any of you are smart enough to figure it out.

This is the Hong Kong airport. After you go through customs and get your baggage, you walk a bit and eventually get dumped out in this big area with lots of shops and restaurants on the perimeter. This is where you would find a limo driver or train to the city. Once you get here, you go left and you'll see the Regal Hotel through the windows at the end of the building. We had many folks tell us how to get there, but we couldn't figure it out and just eventually asked someone who pointed us in the right direction. And that was 6 of us trying to locate it. When you get off that plane, you're just tired and not thinking straight.

This morning we went to McDonald's for breakfast with JD and Deanna (yes, I know I swore I'd never do it since I don't even eat at McDonald's at home, but it was cheap and easy). The food at McDonald's is mostly the same as the US, with a few different menu items such as a cup o' fresh kernels of corn. They are very into corn here in China. I've seen it in many dishes, plus soup today. After breakfast, we stopped in a few shops to window shop and picked up water, diet coke and chocolate at the 7-11. After working at Oscar, I didn't think I'd ever spend much time in a 7-11 again. But, it is also cheap and easy. Plus it is the only place that I can easily get bottled water in larger bottles for the room.
Mom and I are in the upper lobby of the Regal Hotel here. It is a very nice hotel. The rooms aren't huge, but they are comparable to any US nice hotel in a big city. We have twin beds, a couch/TV area, plus a long desk that holds our luggage and computer area. Very clean and relatively upscale. Like a Hilton or similar. The staff all speak English fine and all the signs are in English and Cantonese (Hong Kong was British until a few years back). There are several restaurants, not cheap but several are reasonable ($10 to $15 US for entrees). There is a nice bakery and after my vegetarian lunch (later in the day) I had a carb fix by buying a wheat baguette for $1.25 that came with lots of butter. I ate almost the entire thing. :-) At 10am, we boarded a bus for a 5 hour tour of Lantau Island. It is the island that the airport is attached to and it is almost entirely a county park. Very few vehicles are allowed in the park to limit pollution, mostly busses and only about 40 taxis. It is mainly green space plus about 10 monasteries, 7 prisons (??yes!!), and some expensive summer homes. This appears to be where the more well-to-do Hong Kong folks come for get always, with beaches and hiking. There is also a small fishing village which I've posted about later. While we could have gotten to the Buddha by public transportation, I think that the bus tour was a great way to see this area in an efficient manner for not a lot of cost ($50 which included lunch). Our first stop was the Cheung Sha beach. Above is Deanna Rainey and mom at the top of the beach. It would be really beautiful if the sky wasn't a murky, polluted grey which reflected into the water. It was a really great day to be out and about here, high 60's and no odors. Everyone says China stinks, but not so far!
Above is mom at the airport waiting for me to exchange $$. The exchange rate is slightly better at the airport than at the Hotel (note to future LL travelers). The $$ exchange is in the corner of the airport open area pictured above, across from the walkway to the hotel.
This is a pic of my tootsies as I walked the beach. I was amazed that we were walking on a soft beach in Hong Kong. And I thought only the Calhouns would be hitting the beach! (They are adopting 2 year old Joy from a resort island with white sand beaches often called the Hawaii of China.) I took of my shoes and walked along the water's edge a bit. Made it feel a bit more like vacation and less like The Surreal Life. For those of you yet to make this trip, just wait. Traveling halfway across the world and sightseeing for a day or two is just strange when you know you are about to meet your daughter. You take it all in, but it still feels a bit like killing time.

Tomorrow (which is actually today since it is 1:30 am and I'm awake again) we are going to meet up with my aunt's sister's sister-in-law Chloe who is going to have a meal for us at her home and then take us shopping a bit. I am very much looking forward to meeting her and hopefully seeing her little boy who is adorable in the pics I've seen. The hardest thing about the trip, hands down, is that I've had to leave Alex. I videotaped myself reading him books and he gets to watch one a night. I ask him questions and Brad says he thought I was in the TV and was talking to me. When we talked on the phone last night, Alex told me that I was gone a long time and I should come home. I reminded him that I still needed to get baby sister. He understands (??), but would still like me to come home. If he only knew how long it still is. I would never have brought him here and I know he is having fun with dad (Alex told me before I left that they would be having many parties!), but it is difficult to be away. Brad and I talk on the phone and chat a bit, too, via the computer, so it isn't as hard to be away from him. Plus he knows I am coming home eventually and is probably enjoying a little bachelor time, though it does come with child care responsibilities that most bachelors don't have. Love you both so much!

Day 1-1/2: Part 2

Okay, blogger is having some technical difficulties with part of my photos, so I'm just going to post photos for the second half of the day's tour and hopefully will have the first part done later...

Jim and Andrea on the bridge at Tai O Fishing Village. This small village is one of the few 'original' parts of Lantau Island. It is slightly touristy because the bus tours sometimes stop here, so there are signs, a parking lot, etc. However it was real life, hard-working Hong Kong citizens who speak their own dialect. Our guide said that he could not speak with them since he only knows Cantonese. The village is at the edge of the Pearl River Delta which is where the China Sea and the Pearl River meet. The Pearl River is home to the elusive pink dolphins and many new industries which are dumping mercury into the water. The Pearl River Delta is now quite polluted since about 30% of the water is fresh from the Pearl River. It is hard to tell how polluted the water is because the sky is a grey haze of pollution and the water is just a murky reflection of that.


This photo is of some of the homes on stilts in Tai O. We saw people sitting on their 'back porches' watching the water go by. These homes are very tiny. Maybe 800 sq feet, if that (I'm terrible at estimating) spread over 2 levels. I would probably refer to these homes more like floating shacks, as they are cobbled together with whatever will work.


This is the beautiful view from the Po Lin monastery at the foot of the largest outdoor Buddha Statue. The Buddha is 85 feet high with a small museum at the base. Inside is a small, pea-size piece of neck bone from Buddha (salvaged after his cremation). I got my 'fortune on a stick' at the monastery. In one of the 'temple rooms' (not sure what they are called, but the places with Buddha statues, kneeling pads, incense, etc. for prayer), I was determined to get a fortune. I had done this easily in Japan years before. Deanna, JD and I watched the locals doing the ritual to get the fortune, then I picked up my 'cup of fortune sticks' and was prepared to try. Fortunately, while I was staring at folks to figure out what to do, a very nice man from Singapore asked me if I wanted to know what to do in crystal clear English. So I found my Buddha wood pieces, knelt before Buddha, shook my cup o' sticks until one fell out (though occasionally more than one fell out, so I put the extras back in the cup and asked Buddha to forgive a first timer), then dropped my 2 Buddha wood pieces hoping for the yin/yang symbols to appear meaning Buddha was happy with my fortune. It took about 5 tries, and I was starting to get a little nervous that I didn't have a good fortune. So I took my stick to a little table, paid $2 for the opportunity to read my fortune in an English language book with Deanna's help and was pleased. It said something philosophical about me being an old well that was being refilled with fresh water, new beginnings and such. I do feel that getting Katie is just such a beginning and that my lack of success in the fertility business will be put behind me. I also remembered that Brad and I prayed for a baby (pre Alex) in Japan at a similar temple. Now I wonder if it wasn't a part of that answered prayer that I was sent back to Asia to get my daughter. Note to self: next time you pray at a temple halfway across the world, be very prepared to return to get your prayers answered. I think we'll need to save some more $$ before I send out any more baby prayers! :-)

This was our lunch! JD saw some wild boars running through the village, so he caught one with his bare hands and we paid $10 for a restaurant to roast them for us. The knife in the skull was free if you provided your own pig. The box was $2 extra. Yummy! We can eat this meat for days. They said it didn't require any refrigeration. Funny, back in the states most cooked pig needs to stay out of the 'danger zone.' Not in China!

In a nod to Brad, JD and I posed next to the dried shark skin, a la JAWS. I think you buy this to eat...hmmm...maybe not today. Seeing this can only help you imagine the aroma of all the dried and fresh fishes in the market stands.

Our group: JD and Deanna Rainey, Mom and I, and Andrea and Jim Adams enjoying a vegetarian lunch prepared by monks (though we didn't see them). It was yummy! I used my chop sticks and could manage pretty well. I'm not sure JD was happy that it was vegetarian, but there was tofu "fish." Not quite the same.

After our tour, we returned back to the Regal where I've been checking e-mail and updating this. Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed or posted comments. It really does make home seem closer to know that so many of our family and friends are coming along on this journey with us via the internet.

Less than 48 hours to Katie!!!!

Day 1: We made it. Next time I'd like an epidural please.

Okay, just for the record and before someone hands my daughter to me and all pain is forgotten, I just want to make it known that the 15 hour flight from Chicago to Hong Kong is not at all pleasant. I have had a biological child and I will argue that 4 hours of pushing (with epidural) was easier than 15 hours in coach. PLUS we had a good seat. Still coach, not economy plus or anything, but a good seat given the options.

After reading that you will probably not be surprised to hear that there will be no photos of anyone since by the time we got the camera out on the plane we all looked like something the cat drug in.

The company on our trip was great, though. We met the Raineys (from Granite City, IL) at the airport around 6:30 am and we traveled to Chicago together. At about 11:30, we boarded a 747 bound for Hong Kong along with the Adams' (from near Bloomington, IL) and the Andreson's (from Kenosha, WI...they live a few blocks from our old house in Kenosha). We all had seats fairly near each other in the back of the plane. We spent much of the flight chatting in the small area behind our seats where we could stand up. While different circumstances have brought each of us to this shared journey, it is a wonderful group of people and I know we will enjoy each other's company as we continue on this trip.

Upon landing, we did pretty good going through customs or whatever they call it when they check passports and getting our luggage. We then made our way to the Regal Airport Hotel where we're all staying. I wasn't always certain about our choice of hotel (vs. staying downtown), but it was easy to just walk over and check in. I left mom in the room, exchanged some money and walked over the the airport to pick up 1.5 L bottles of water ($1.25 US), diet coke ($.90 US for 12 oz.), and Hagen Daaz ice cream cups ($2.50 US). There are several restaurants right there, too. McDonald's, a spaghetti place, a noodle place and others. Prices seemed similar to the US, not the same inflated US airport prices.

I am writing quite a bit now because it is 4am and there isn't anything else to do. We had our snack last night, showered (quite lovely after that trip) and soon were falling into bed by 9pm. (Neither of us had really slept on the plane.) I slept great until midnight, and have yet to fall back asleep. Mom eventually woke up, too, and we just talked for a long time hoping to fall asleep. I finally got out of bed to set up the computer. I had a little difficulty, called Brad and he got me online. He gave me a great tutorial before leaving, but I had forgotten what to do. We chatted a bit. We're using Skype for phone and chat, which really works out well. Via my PC, I can call the US for just $.02 minute.

Mom finally got to talk to dad, which made her feel a little better, too. (Not sure if dad will read this, but we're not sure how he'll survive for 2-1/2 weeks without mom.) Mom is now happy as a sleepless clam because she's found men's Olympic figure skating on TV. Commentary is in Chinese, but she is actually pretty good at her own commentary which is keeping me amused while I type.

Eventually, we plan to meet up with the Rainey's to get breakfast, then we are taking a tour with them, the Adams' and possibly the Andreson's later today. It's a 5 hour bus tour to the Buddha, a rural fishing village and such. Since mom isn't a great long-distance hiker (and Deanna Rainey recently had knee surgery), it seemed like a good way to see a bit of the area that you can't easily access by public transportation.

For those keeping track, I am typing this at 5am Friday which is 3pm Thursday CST. Two days then Katie Day!

Packing...the entire house in 2 bags and a carry-on!

Okay, the packing is almost over. These 2 pictures are of the stuff we're taking. One large and one small checked bag (photo on left) and we're carrying on a rolling laptop bag (Thanks, Dina!) and a small rolling duffel bag, plus we'll carry on the diaper bag as a "purse." (It should be noted that I did not want to be in both pictures, but Brad never wants to be in a photo.) It is pretty big and will hold our snacks and such. Over half of the large bag will be used or left in China...all baby things that we aren't bringing home. Must make room for shopping! The smaller bag also is full of Katie's things.

Mom and I are each taking 3 changes of clothes besides what we wear on the plane, then we'll just send them to the laundry frequently in China. This is pretty much the way it is done. I should've bought stock in Ziplock bags before I started packing. Everything is out of the package and in them. Plus our clothes, etc. is in them so that we can remove as much air as possible and fill those bags tight! There is a 1 bag of 44 pounds limit per person on the China flights to and from Nanchang. Mom and I plan to hold off on most shopping until Guangzhou then we'll buy 2 more big bags there (I'm told a "Polo" large suitcase is $15) to fill with our purchases. Now all Katie has to do is be willing to let us shop a bit. Oh, I hope we can get it all done.

Once we are in Guangzhou, I'm told we'll only have to touch our bags to get them through customs, then we check them in right after customs passes us. I think we can manage that! Katie will be 9 months old, so hopefully she can at least carry her own diaper bag!

Katie's Room

I just realized that I've never posted any pictures of Katie's room. It's been pretty much done since September. Alex graduated to a twin bed last June and never looked back at the crib. He lovingly donated it to his baby sister (We just called Katie "baby sister" until we got her referral. Plenty of folks were trying to weasel her name out of Alex, so we knew telling him would end the surprise.). In September, we hired a local artist, Brent Alexander, to paint her room with a pink ladybug theme. Ladybugs are the symbol of little girls adopted from China and my grandmother Fleta used to collect ladybugs along with my Aunt Helen (her daughter). I have lots of fun ladybug-related memories from growing up, and I hope Katie will too, now! We had a few things in mind, particularly the design of the ladybugs, butterflies and dragonflies. Brent did an amazing job with relatively little direction. Starting about 4 feet from the floor (so that bookshelves, dressers, etc. usually will end under it) the room is surrounded in a wonderland of grass and flowers inhabited by lots of friendly little bugs. Since Katie's room is currently packing central and I'm too embarrassed to show the entire thing, here's a shot of one corner of the room. It's hard to get the full effect, but the ladybugs are my favorite. There are about 10 of them, all slightly bigger than a dinner plate. Each has a unique expression if their face is showing. One is stuck at the top of a blade of grass, some are snoozing, one is surprised, etc. I hope our little Katie-bug loves it.

One Week Left...and Remembering

It's Tuesday night and as I sit at the computer finishing a bit of my editing work, I realized that in a week I will be trying to fall asleep before rising early to get to the airport to fly to China to bring home Katie. It is amazing to me that the time is nearly here. It feels like it has been such a long journey to get to this point. Alexander arrived in our lives on October 23, 2002, and we knew almost immediately that we wanted a larger family. In November 2003, we learned that we were expecting our second child. Then we lost that baby. In April 2004, we learned were expecting another child. Our last baby would have turned 1 year old this week. In less than two weeks, we will finally have the baby we have wanted for so long. We are grateful to God for this opportunity to have Katie in our lives, yet we still grieve for the babies we never had the chance to bring home. Holding Katie, I hope, will help some of that grief to be put to rest. We will never forget, but I hope that it gets easier with time...

Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year!)

Today is the first day of Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year. Katie was born last year in the year of the Rooster (very appropriate since Lori collects folk art roosters), and now begins the year of the Dog.

Happy New Year, Katie!

China, Here We Come (in about 3 weeks...)

Our Travel Approval (TA) arrived on Friday, January 20 which meant our agency could schedule a Consulate Appointment (CA) with the US Consulate, then the rest of our myriad of appointments would get scheduled around that one.

On Tueaday, January 24 at 7:36, we got a call from our Social Worker, Carol, that we needed to be in HOng Kong by February 18 and could leave on March 3. Our CA is on February 28. Gotcha Day, the day Katie is placed in our arms, is February 19. Here are our travel plans:

TO HONG KONG
Leave St. Louis 8:38am Wednesday, February 15 on Flight 1196
Arrive Chicago O’Hare 9:45am

Leave Chicago O’Hare 12:17 on flight 895
Arrive Hong Kong 6:05pm on Thursday, Feb 16 (we lose a day in travel/time zones)


RETURN HOME
Leave Hong Kong 11:35am Friday, March 3 on flight 896
Arrive Chicago O’Hare 11:48 am Friday, March 3 (we get that day back in travel/time zones
CHICAGO-AREA FRIENDS, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THE AIRPORT...INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL #5 (you can park right there, quick in & out)

Leave Chicago O’Hare 2:45 pm on flight 1107
Arrive St. Louis 4:01pm to meet Daddy & Big Brother Alex
ST. LOUIS-AREA FRIENDS & FAMILY, WE HOME TO SEE YOU, TOO!

Katie, here we come!

Updated Info on Katie from Suichuan SWI!

We recieved updated growth and development information today on Katie! At 7 months (December or January), she was 25 inches long and 16.7 pounds. She is about 15%ile for height and 75%ile for weight. So she's a little on the chubby side, which is best for a baby! Looks like she'll be in 6 month or 6 to 9 month clothing, which could even be a little big. We know she'll grow fast once she's home, though.

We also learned from the update that she loves to eat her Hong Sing formula and Xioung Mao rice cereal. Dolls are her favorite toy right now. She is relatively introverted and loves playing in a quiet environment. Somehow, it seems that would be hard to find in an orphanage! I'm sure every baby there loves quiet...the few times that they can get it!

It's exciting to hear that she is growing well! We can't wait to bring her home!

Our TA has arrived. China will see us now!

After 6 long weeks of waiting, our TA (travel approval) arrived today from China to our agency. We got the phone call from Carol, our social worker, at 12:24 p.m. The agency that Lifelink works with in Hong Kong, called ISS, has already got our appointment requests in with the American Consulate in Guangzhou. That is our last stop in our approximately 2 week visit to China. By Monday afternoon, we should have our itinerary for China and should be able to book our flights in and out of Hong Kong. Lifelink has requested consulate appointments for mid to late-February, which means we could be traveling in just about 2-3 weeks! We are very excited to be this much closer to Katie. Lori finished her initial packing just last night. She and Carol will be taking 1 large and 1 small checked bag, plus a carry-on duffel bag on wheels and they will carry on their electronic/photographic equipment. There appears to be room for everything except perhaps diapers. There is WalMart in China, so that would be okay. Brad weighed the luggage and the big bag is up to 34 lb. without their clothes and shoes packed, so we should be fairly close to the 50 lb. maximum!