1st Trip to Church

We started out Week 2 home by taking Rachel Lian to Church for the first time. She had a great time. She thought it was funny to see Ye Ye playing the piano but she really lost it when Daddy started playing the drums. She went to children's church with Olivia and stayed for the finger painting and coloring. After that she wanted to go back to the main sanctuary to be with Ma Ma and Ba Ba. After church we picked up a large bucket a KFC and headed home, she loved the mashed potatoes.

On Monday we took her to the UAB clinic. Dr. Chambers is great. She is the first doctor that Rachel Lian allowed to examine her without melting down. Dr. Chambers has 2 adopted children and the other clinic members have adopted internationally as well. She ordered hearing and eye tests and we spoke at length with the family therapist who has also adopted multiple times. We also had an abdominal ultrasound to look at her hernia and drew blood for lots of labs. We return to the clinic in 3 weeks to get the results and put together an overall plan for her development.

We learn a little more each day of her personality. She is very happy and loves to run and play outside. She is wide open all day and because of her eye issues she falls a lot. She always has a scrape or bruise from running and falling over something in the yard. The pediatricians both think her eye issues are correctable and we will find out when we go for her first appointment on this Thursday the 13th.

She continues to pick up a few words in English each day. This week's highlights were:

Wal-Mart

Book

Kitty

NO

We have noticed that she understands a great deal more in English than she expresses. She listens to our conversations and she understands if her mom asks her to do something. The other day, Joy called for Olivia to go upstairs and get her glasses from the desk. We turned around a minute later to see Rachel standing there handing the glasses to her mom with a big smile on her face. We were shocked. We better be careful what we say around her because she is catching on quick.

She also does not like to be without her shoes. As soon as she gets up in the morning she puts her shoes on. She fusses at each of us if we go outside without shoes. It is so funny. Olivia is just the opposite, you have to threaten her to keep them on.

More Fun and Trip to School

This week was busy. After the Monday appointment, Coy went back to work on Wednesday. Olivia went right back to school on Monday and her sister stopped by for a visit to the class on Tuesday. We shared many of our videos and brought Chinese snacks for the whole class. Olivia brought a string of pearls back for Mrs. Brasher and everyone had a great time. We showed them pictures from our trip and of Chinese school children that we met at the safari.

We also stopped by Chick Fil A for the first time. She loved the play area and the nuggets. She is a good eater, so far we haven't found anything that she doesn't like.

I hope you enjoy her first words in English, they sound so sweet..........

Swinging with Friends

The first weekend home we had lots of visitors from the neighborhood. Everyone knew we were back and had followed our trip to China. All of the girls came to play with Olivia and her new sister. Josh showed her how to swing and now it is her favorite thing to do. All day while Olivia is at school, Rachel points to the door and tells her mom, "car, Olivia" trying to get her to go get Olivia from school. As soon as they get her and come home the girls head straight to the swing.

One of the girls from the subdivision let Rachel Lian sit in her Barby Car. She should have turned the key off because Rachel Lian took off laughing as soon as her back was turned. They chased her all over the yard and stopped her just before she plowed into a parked car. I think I know what she is getting for her birthday after the eyes are fixed.

The first doctor appointment went well. We already knew she was up to date on her shots. The pediatrician checked her over and made follow-ups for the International Clinic and eye specialist. We scheduled the visit for the clinic for May 3rd, 3 weeks since Gotcha.

First Morning Home

We flew in and landed in Birmingham after 11PM on a Friday night. By the time we made it to bed it was after 2AM. The first morning as a family was great. Joy got up and cooked a big breakfast of eggs, sausage, cheese grits, toast, cereal and the list goes on. We texted the shopping list to the boys when we landed in Chicago and they picked everything up before we landed back home.

Rachel Lian loved the cheese grits and eggs and her favorite drink is milk. She is picking up a few words in English each day and already sleeps alone in her own bed. She is the best sleeper. When she gets tired she comes to get me and signs that she wants to go to bed. I take her upstairs, change into the pj's and she gets right to bed. No fuss, no meltdown, nothing. A big hug and kiss and the next time you see her it is 6 AM. I wish she could teach that to the other kids!

The boys really love her. Josh started calling her Rachel Lian as soon as he saw her and she answers to it every time. We have already dropped her Chinese name and nicknames. She just likes to be called Rachel Lian or Lian for short. She likes CJ and Joshy as she calls him. She is terrified of the 2 big dogs if they come inside but likes to go over to the door and talk to them when they are outside. As long as the door is closed she loves them. She tells them all of her problems. She will go over and tap on the glass for them to come to the door and then she just lets go. She jabbers on and on in Mandarin and we catch a word or name every now and then. It seems she tells them a great deal about her sister, bo-blivia. I am afraid to ask......

We scheduled appointments for the first week at our pediatricians and the second week at the UAB International Adoption Clinic. After their assessments it will be off to the eye specialist and where ever else they determine is best.

Catching Up

I owe you several posts to get caught up. After we came home, Joy and I were sick for over a week and then back to work and traveling. The latest round was a bad wisdom tooth that I had out yesterday so that is why I finally have time to catch everyone up. Sorry for leaving you hanging. I will do my best to catch you up and keep you up to date. Coy

An American Girl

God Bless AMERICA!

We finally made it home late on Friday night. We have never been so happy to be home in our lives. The trip to China was truly life-changing and an experience of a lifetime.

The last 2 days in China went something like this:

Last day in GZ:

We had breakfast and then went to pick up our last laundry. We had everything cleaned except the clothes we had on just before leaving so that we would not show up at home with smelly laundry to do. We did some last minute shopping and then repacked and weighed all of the luggage. We had a last minute snack at the deli next to the White Swan and then went down at 4 to check out. We met the other families going to the airport and got our visa packets from Kelly who had picked them up at the US Consulate that afternoon and boarded the bus to the airport.

The trip to the airport took about 45-50 minutes. About 10 miles out the shifter linkage broke and the bus was hung up in 4th gear. We had 1 last toll station to go through and the driver nearly fried the clutch trying to get the bus to take off in 4th gear again. By the time we reached the terminal it was fried and he could not make it up to the concourse that we needed. Instead he coasted down to the downstairs portion of the concourse and we unloaded our luggage on the sidewalk. Kelly was able to round up a few carts and we all headed for an elevator to get to the right level. It took another 15 minutes for us to take turns getting to the elevator and then a mad dash to the ticket counter to check bags and get our boarding passes. At the counter a group of European businessmen with a Chinese guide were arguing with the ticket agent about a silly duffel bag that they wanted to check. After 45 minutes the line was almost out the door and everybody else was freaking out because the Gate was due to close in just 15. We were all complaining LOUDLY by the time they opened another line and when I left the duffel bag gang had still not moved. By the time we got to our turn the plane was so booked that we could not all sit together. Lian and I in row 37, Joy and Olivia in 58. We had just 7 minutes to get to the gate and it was at the other end of the concourse. I took all of the carry-on bags and made a dash to hold the gate. We made it just in time and the flight was on time for a change. After 3 hours we landed at Beijing, collected our luggage and made it to the hotel around midnight. We ordered room service since the hotel restaurant was closed but the girls were asleep by the time it arrived. Olivia got back up to eat a little but Lian was a goner.

The next morning we woke up around 8 China time and went to breakfast. After breakfast we repacked the luggage again and waited to checkout. The 3 families that stayed together met at 12:45 and headed back to the airport to catch our flight home. We checked in, found our gate and spent the rest of our Chinese money on snacks and the like and waited for our plane to arrive. At 4:20 Chinese time our plane left for Chicago. Since this was a direct flight and a Friday afternoon flight, it was booked. I only saw about 3-4 empty seats which meant no room to spread out or rest. The flight was uneventful but there was no rest for the weary. The girls each slept in their seats for about 4-5 hours of the 13 hour flight but Joy and I only nodded a few times. The plane landed on time at 4:15 PM Chicago time or 5:15 AM to us and then the customs circus began. What a joke, it went something like this.

We exited the plane and walked about a mile through the terminal dragging bags, paperwork and very ill kids. We went to the first set of lines for a passport check. 30 minutes in line and then our passports and Lian's naturalization papers checked. We were then told to pick up our checked bags and go to the customs line. We found a cart, finally, and went to collect our bags. Then we took them to the second line to wait to clear customs. We went through to the proper station and gave our paperwork to the agent who told us to park our luggage and wait in the seating area for our name to be called. 30-40 minutes later, they called us and handed us back the paperwork for Lian. Congrats, she is now an official US citizen. Now take you luggage to the X-ray station and then go to the airline counter to recheck them. I have no idea why they do this. the bags were screened in China and we filled out a paper stating we had nothing to declare. The bags were in the care of a US airline the entire time. Anyway, we x-rayed them and reloaded them on the cart to push to the United station down the hall. We rechecked them and then headed to our gate which was 4 terminals away, UGH! We had to catch a train and ride to the new terminal for domestic flights. We had to go back through security, AGAIN. The same routine, bags, shoes, boarding passes, passports, x-rays, unpack the laptop, take off the jackets, etc. We went through that and then walked out on the concourse to find our gate. We stood at Gate A1 and wouldn't you know it our gate was A-22B, the last one in the building! A mile later and we were all seated at the gate with 45 minutes to spare. I went back to a McDonald's that we had passed and picked up supper for everybody. About 15 minutes before loading, both girls decided they had to go. Joy took them and headed back down to the bathroom. About 5-7 minutes went by and they called to start boarding the plane. By the time the first 2 sections had boarded I was freaking out. I could not see the girls anywhere and almost everyone was on the plane. I gathered all of the bags, purses and coats and ran like a pack mule to the bathroom. I called from the door and told Joy to HURRY. The girls were not cooperating by this time and we literally ran to the Gate. We were the last ones on the plane and by the time it took off it was 8 PM Chicago time and 9AM to us, 25 hours since the trek began.

The plane ride to Birmingham was smooth and after dodging a few storms we landed at 9:45. Our family was there to get us and we were so happy to see them. We loaded everything in the SUV and started home. Lian thought it was extremely funny that I could drive. Up to now we rode in vans or buses and had a driver. She laughed all the way home. We got home and settled in around midnight or 1PM to us, 29 hours later.

Here are a few of my observations from the 17 days that we spent there.

1. We have the most beautiful daughter and she fits into our family of 7 perfectly.

2. The most dangerous activity in China is DRIVING. They manage to pull it off but I do not know why a single line is painted on the roads since no one pays them any attention. And no, the sidewalk is not any safer.

3. The beds look like something from a camping trip. They are as small as single beds in the States and as hard as the ground. The first 2 nights home we wound up all sleeping together in a king sized bed by the end of the night and still had more room.

4. The pollution is worse than you imagine or the pictures can show. The air quality in America is 1,000 times better than anywhere in China. It make the idiots in our Congress look like they are clueless or crooks when they say we need a new Clean Energy Bill. I estimate that it would take China at least 25 years to catch up to where we are now.

5. The Chinese culture and people are very rich in tradition. We truly do not have anything to compare when they say this structure is 3 times older than your entire Country, or this was built a thousand years before George Washington.

6. Most Chinese people are very poor and struggle to make enough for basic needs. Most do not own a car or home. They ride bikes and live in apartments or rent from the government.

7. There truly are 2 China's. You have the big cities of 10-15 million and then the rural areas of nothing but sparse farmland. There are a select few people who are very rich and the rest are very poor. It makes us greatly appreciate the freedoms and the blessings that we have.

8. For all the talk about the US needing to be more like other countries, they are all trying to be just like us. They are modeling everything they do after us and there are still more people coming to this country for freedom and a new chance to thrive than anyplace else in the world.

We truly are Blessed to live in the Greatest Country on Earth! Seeing other parts of the world only reminded us to be thankful for everything that we have. God Bless America and this Family.