Home Sweet Home!

Future Hokie!! Olivia is doing well and we've all almost recovered from our trip and still adjusting to life with a toddler! Olivia has taken well to her older siblings and plays hard...she is still unsure about the dog. Progress though. Thanks to all of you for your kind prayers and well wishes! Pray for us when you think of us that the Lord will continue the great work He has begun in all of us! A few pics follow!

Hello from Guangzhou!

Sorry for the delay in posts as we have not had internet available. Our hotel here is first class but the internet usage is at first class rates so we are trying to add posts and check email from the local Starbucks---their internet capability is intermittent so it has taken us several tries. Our last day in Xian was very good, but long. We spent a rather quiet and leisurely morning packing and walking to the park across the street. We watched a number of men flying kites with very sophisticated equipment. After checking out of our hotel at 2:00, we visited the oldest mosque, dating 1200 years ago, and the “new” part, about 600 years old. Our walk through the Muslim quarter was very interesting--crowded and Turkish-like bazaars all along the roads. Cars and bikes muscled their way through the streets as we pressed to the edges to avoid them. On the short path to the mosque we were overtaken by a funeral procession and had to lean against the building as the body passed just inches from in front of us.

From there we retrieved our luggage and headed to the airport for our flight to Guangzhou. Olivia did very well on her first flight and considering the late hour(8:00 pm flight) and arriving after 10:00. We had to wait about an hour longer as other families arrived from various provinces to bus to the hotel. It was so wonderful to see all of these little ones settling in to their forever families.

Saturday morning started early with the mandatory medical examination for all of the kids. Though it was early after a short night of sleep, we trusted our guides’ wisdom that we would be the first in and out. As we were leaving, other families from all over the world were waiting outside to do the same---and it was becoming very hot and humid and only 11 am. We headed to the store to get some supplies and back to the hotel. That afternoon we had a “paperwork party” to organize and fill out documents for the consular appointment---a two and a half hour affair.

Today--Sunday we visited the oldest Buddhist temple in Guangzhou dating from the Qing dynasty. The carving was quite intricate and the embroideries very detailed--like oil paintings from a distance! The courtyards were beautiful and the weather cooperated--overcast, so it was cooler and the rain held off. Apparently a typhoon was headed toward Hong Kong and we got some of the benefits. We then did the mandatory tea house visit which was actually a nice rest and then back to the hotel. This afternoon was a nice rest time and we are meeting another family to venture out for dinner!

As for Olivia, she is beginning to feel comfortable around us and definitely voices her opinion. She is really very sweet---wanting to share with other children and play with them. She is full of expression--scowls that are priceless--like we saw in pics, and mad faces when she doesn’t get her way, and beautiful smiles. She “speaks” to everyone and waves. She loves to take things apart and put them together. Not crazy about dolls or stuffed animals--hopefully that will change : ). Loves duplo blocks which is great---we have a box of them at home. Loves going out and riding in the stroller.

Right now she is sitting in the box our bottled water came in and loading and unloading bottles. She fights going to sleep and can throw herself to the ground when she doesn’t get her way. If Tom or I correct her with a “no” she scowls and goes to the other parent….hmmm. She fights sleep, afraid she’ll miss the fun. So we let her cry it out if all else fails--not fun but she refuses to be comforted. We are making progress though and can see a big difference in her level of trust in us. We can see how God is working in her heart and learning much in the process!

The next few days will be busy with consulate work and oath-taking before our trip home. Our long trip back will begin early Wednesday. Plans changed about our much needed night in Hong Kong. Supposedly the bus to Hong Kong can only legally have 45 on board and so those with later flights were relegated to an early bus trip on Wednesday (3 hours) to the airport in Hong Kong for our marathon 14.5 hour flight to Chicago, layover and another 4 hours to DC. We’ll arrive at about 7 pm, stay in DC and travel home on Thursday. Whew---tired already. Love to all and we’ll try to post again before we leave!

Day 4 and 5

We’re are safe in Guanghzou. Olivia's physical went well today. Heard that a Typhoon will hit this area soon …but we have been told that we will be safe in the hotel. Posted some more pics…will also post another blog tomorrow. Unfortunately Internet access in Hotel is very expensive so we will be visiting STARBUCKS to use the free WIFI.

Pictures of Olivia

From Susie: I set up a web site with pictures of Olivia ... http://oliviaxinruiwalrond.shutterfly.com/ I set it up so all can see without registering ... hope it works. We fly to Guanghzou tonight ... Olivia's first time ... should be interesting. Love to all.

Gotch-Ya Day+2 (Wed, 15 Jul 09)

Today was our first full official day as Olivia’s parents and decided to stretch and test our parenting skills and patience to the max. It was also our first day with no official appointments--we are now waiting for Olivia’s passport to be processed. So we were to be tourists and our target site was the Terra Cotta Soldiers dig site located about 50 min drive outside the city. As usual, were up and going to breakfast so we could leave by 8:30 am--we wanted to beat the heat and be back for a late lunch. Olivia was bright and cheerful as well as playful in the morning. She beamed when we entered the restaurant…she was really enjoying her meals. All appeared well and so off we were with our personnal driver and guide. The drive was very interesting, again dodging everthing from cars, bikes, scooters and people with a degree of skill that left you almost speechless--or was that from fear? Prior to visiting the dig site we toured a factory where they craft modern terra cotta soldiers using the same methods used to build the originals. Quite interesting. When we arrived at the dig site our guide told us that the driver was “connected” and we would therefore be able to forego the very long walk from the parking lot…he literally dropped us at the front gate--received lots of stares as we entered…not sure what they were thinking. The first part of the tour was to take a brief look at the initial dig site and then view the 360 degree movies (in English) that reenacted the making of the soldiers, the rebellion that happen 4 years later…and finally the discovery in the 1970s of the soldiers by local farmers. We had purchased a stroller for Olivia on the first day we met her and decided it would be best to see if she would allow to use it versus carry her everywhere. Although she had demonstrated for us at the Civil Affairs office the day before that she could walk, she still appeared somewhat unstable and preferred for us to carry her everywhere as well as only play on the bed when in the hotel. Life was about to change. Olivia appeared content for the most part in the stroller and really was captivated by the film. However, when we left the theater and proceeded to the 2 dig sites she decided she was not happy to be strolled, nor carried…she wanted to walk…first she was content hold my hand and walk, but soon she only wanted to go her way…she even crossed her arms and turned her back on me when she was starting to throw a tantrum refusing to voluntarily let me pick her up. Then the complete melt down happen . . . for the rest of the tour she was was not happy period and proceeded to cry at the top of her lungs the rest of the tour--funnnn! It was not until we were back outside and walking toward the car that I put her down and tears immediately stopped--she was definitely tired, but she was also trying to play us for everything we had. In the car she proceeded to scream until she passed out … it wasn’t a long nap…but made the difference. When we arrived back at the hotel room she was back to normal--fatigue, heat and over stimulation probably spurred on this melt down. The rest of the afternoon was much better but different. We now had a little girl that now felt comfortable to get off the bed and walk around exploring the room and playing with her toys and anything else she could find. We capped off the evening with a stroll back down to the Bell Tower to a high end mall where we did mostly window shopping except for buying Olivia a pair of red shoes--very cute. We also stopped by McDonalds for dinner…she was very happy--Fries were a hit again. For desert we stopped by New Zealand Ice Cream--not bad…Olivia really liked the banna ice cream. Then we were off for the hotel, more play time, bath time (which she really loves--big splasher, not afraid of getting her face wet), and then to bed--that was the rough part. She just doesn’t like being put to bed…she screamed a good twenty minutes--refused to be comforted and even made enough noise to have hotel management to knock on our door--at least that is why I think they knocked--at that moment I was not sure and didn’t care--we survived…great set of lungs like her sister Alexa. Well tomorrow is an On-your-own day…more bonding time.

Day 2 and 3 Photos

Tuesday, July 14

Finished the bulk of the paperwork today. . . and paid most of the $$ . . . tomorrow is a sightseeing day and Thursday a free day. . . we now wait for her expedited passport . . . we get it Friday before we fly to Guangzhou. Now we get to relax a little and enjoy her. BTW, she gave us our first kisses today--unsolicited--pretty neat!