Family of Four

Costa Rica

2011-01-30T19:32:00.008-06:00

We decided to escape the snow and cold (-21 with the wind chill when we left). We spent last week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It was wonderfully warm...low 90's and not a cloud in the sky. The kids loved being able to swim every day. We did a few excursions: 4-wheeling in the country, zip-lining through the rainforest, mud baths and hot springs at the volcano basin, and deep sea-fishing.

The whole group from Wisconsin.

Ian and Ella zip-lining. One of the guides hooked Ella to his harness.

Yes, we cheered on the Packers in our swimsuits. All the commentary was in Spanish!

The swim-up bar was a hit!

Bill was always first to volunteer to give Ella a nap!

The beach was dark, volcanic sand. A nice beach, but I think we prefer the white sand beaches. The dark sand stained everything!

The guys took Ian fishing. 3 hours and 45 minutes of boredom, but the last 15 minutes were worth it. They caught a Rooster fish that was as tall and weighed as much as Ian! Unfortunately Rooster fish aren't good eating, so they didn't bring it back for the resort kitchen to cook for us.

The mud pits and hot springs near the volcano.

We were woken to Howler Monkeys in the trees each morning. There is a reason why they are called Howler Monkeys...they were loud!

Ella Turns 3!

2010-11-29T16:11:00.007-06:00

Ella's third birthday was this weekend. We had a party with family and friends. The big hit was the pop-up-tent with 300 balls! She absolutely loved it!

Weekend with Friends

2010-11-22T19:48:00.009-06:00

We spent the weekend in Stillwater, MN with Jen, Jason and Addison. Ella and Addison were orphanage sisters back in China. It was great spending time with their wonderful family. We caught up on each others' lives, did some early Christmas shopping and went to the Science Museum and the aquarium at Mall of America. The guys went to the Packer/Viking game on Sunday. We stayed at a beautifully restored farmette owned by a cousin of Jen's. It was a wonderful weekend and it makes me wish we lived closer to each other. We have made some life-long friends with their family!

Fall 2010

2010-11-17T19:33:00.002-06:00

It's been a while since I posted some pictures. We've been extremely busy with Ian in 3rd grade. He turned 9 in October. And Ella will be 3 the end of this month. She'll start "big girl school" after she turns 3. They are both growing up so fast!!!

China 'Sisters' Reunion

2010-08-03T19:37:00.005-05:00

In July, we drove to Memphis, TN for a reunion with the 5 other families that adopted in our group. It was wonderful seeing how the girls have all changed. And it was great reconnecting with the families. I really wish we all lived closer together so we could meet more frequently. Even though the girls all had similar upbringings for their first year of life, they truly all are different people. Some are shy, others social. Some are climbers while others a still tentative walkers. But all were extremely beautiful, happy girls. And I think the mom's and dad's were a bit less stressed than the last time we all saw each other too!!!

March 2009 from left to right:

Addison, Carmen, Ella, Jaidyn, Emma and Kaleigh

July 2010 from left to right:

Emma, Addison, Kaleigh, Ella, Carmen and Jaidyn

Back to China

2010-06-28T19:53:00.016-05:00

Our good friends - Cathy, Dave, Collin, Brennan & Maeve - are living in Shanghai for 3 years for Dave's job. We decided to take advantage of having built-in accommodations and tour guides, and headed to China for the 2nd time. This time we took the kids. They did wonderfully on the 14-hour flight. Ella didn't squawk at all, and Ian told me he was just "too prepared" (I wonder where he gets that from?!) with a whole backpack full of snacks and time-consuming games.

Our friends' house was like an oasis in the big city of Shanghai. The neighborhood was quiet, lawns manicured, and goldfish lazily swimming in the canals behind the houses.

After a couple of days getting over jet-lag, both families (5 kids age 11 to 2 and 4 adults) flew to Guilin in Guangxi Province, which it the province that Ella is from. We drove about an hour south of Guilin to the town of Yangshuo and stayed at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat http://www.yangshuomountainretreat.com/.

The hotel was beautifully located along the Li River. The scenery was breathtaking. Even though it was the rainy season, quite hot and humid and very overcast, we hiked through the local villages. We had planned on rafting on a bamboo raft down the lazy river, but with all the rain, the river wasn't as 'lazy' as we'd hoped, and they cancelled all rafting trips. The next day we had planned on biking through the rice paddy country, but again it was raining, so we just hired a van who drove us around the countryside, through the rice paddies, and to a town with the 600 year-old Dragon Bridge. Yangshou was definately one of the highlights of our trip to China...it was so beautiful and gave us all great memories of the province where Ella is from.

Back in Shanghai for a few days, we toured the city...the World Financial Center (tallest building in China with a glass viewing floor), the Bund (area along the river where the British settled), the markets. The highlight of this part of the trip was a personal tour of the French Concession by a Chinese friend of Cathy's. She took us in a lilong, which is a old-style Shanghaiese neighboorhood. It is basically an alley with walk-up apartments on either side. The children play in the alley, and all neighbors take care of one another. We went into the house of a 78 year-old woman and her husband. The main living area was about 10 feet square, and she raised 3 kids there. Every square inch of space was used.

If you would like to view more pictures from our trip, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then click on the China June 2010 folder.

Goodbye, Casey

2010-01-10T16:36:00.005-06:00

We had to put down our old Springer, Casey today. She would have been 15 years old in March. She was our "first child" and the original "Daddy's girl", and was everything you could ask for in a dog...extremely loyal, great with kids, wonderful termperment. She will be missed dearly....but we feel comforted that she will be sitting by Grampa Russ's side in Heaven!

First Christmas as a Family of 4

2009-12-31T21:12:00.004-06:00

It was our first Christmas with two children. Ella was a bit overwhelmed with the whole thing, and like a typical 2-year old, was most interested in the wrapping paper and boxes! I swear the toys are now breeding and multiplying in our house...where will we find room for it all?!

One Year Ago Today....

2009-12-12T15:32:00.006-06:00

....we saw Ella's face for the very first time. On December 11, 2008, we received "the call" from our social worker with Ella's information. The next day, December 12, 2008, we saw pictures of our sweet girl. All I can remember is laughing at her crazy hair! Needless to say (and to Bill's dismay), I've gone a bit crazy with the hair accessories in the last year! It sure feels like we've known Ella for far longer than just a year. Enjoy these first pictures of her and some recent ones!

Ella Turns 2!!!

2009-11-29T20:14:00.005-06:00

On Friday, Ella turned 2 years old. We had her birthday party today. She did really great, considering all the people here in our house. Although she wasn't really interested in opening presents, and would have much rather played with the wrapping paper instead! Ella was definately interested in the pink cupcakes though!!!

Visitors for the Weekend

2009-11-25T19:34:00.010-06:00

This weekend our good friends Jason, Jen & little Addison drove over 7 hours to stay at our place. Ella and Addison were 'sisters' in the orphanage in China, and we first met Jason & Jen in the airport last February on our way to China to pick up our girls.

Jason and Bill went to the Packer game Sunday. Jason got the required good-natured ribbing from Bill's friends about wearing his Favre #4 Viking jersey. But tailgating and a few beers and it doesn't matter what color jersey anyone is wearing anymore! Little Addison even wore the green & gold while in Wisconsin!

While the guys were cheering on the Pack, us girls hit the outlet mall. Of course we were drawn to the cute little girl clothes! And we did our fair share of Christmas shopping and stimulating the economy...

It was a fun weekend...very laid back with good food (Ian said to make sure to mention the cool spray cheese, Jen!!!), good friends and great fun. The girls did great and there have been so many changes in each since the last time we saw each other. Both have grown so much and their personalities are really starting to shine.

We can't wait to get together again for Chinese New Year!

Grand Cayman

2009-11-24T19:43:00.013-06:00

Bill's sister moved to Grand Cayman this summer. Bill, myself, Ian (8) and Ella (2 - almost!) decided to take a trip to see her. My brother and sister-in-law, Dan & Candy, and their kids Carissa (16), Angela (13), Sean (7) & Drew (5) came along.

We had to get up at 3am to catch our flight, but it was no problem since no one slept the night before anyway! The kids all did great on the flights, and we landed in Grand Cayman to the 'perfect' summer day - upper 80's, low humidity, and not a cloud in the sky. We were greeted off the airplane with rum punch and Mardi Gras beads by pirates, as it was the start of Pirates Week in Grand Cayman.

We picked up our cars from the rental agency, and started to navigate the roads. As the Cayman Islands are part of the British West Indies, they drive on the left side of the road. It was quite odd and did not come naturally at first. Not to mention the millions of roundabouts that we were not used to navigating, and having to stop for the iguanas crossing the road. Dan & Candy's van was very odd looking - narrow and tall. It was immediately nicknamed "The Toaster", and the name stuck all week! Dan said that his kids learned to lean to the inside around corners as it felt like it would tip over!

The condo was perfect, ours a 2 bedroom garden view and Dan & Candy's a 3 bedroom ocean view. They were quite modern and very nice. And as it was low season in Cayman, we were the only occupants in the complex! We had the whole pool and beach to ourselves day after day.

The second day, we headed to downtown Georgetown to witness the Pirate festivities. There was an pirate invasion, complete with capture of the British army. A parade followed. There were floats and steel drum bands.

Polly, Bill's sister, took us to Rum Point (beach) and siteseeing around the island. We had a wonderful day in the sun and water. We snorkeled, built sand castles, and generally lounged around.

We took a cruise on the Jolly Roger, a restored pirate ship. We were the only ones on the cruise, and the crew did a wonderful job with the kids. They were lined up to check the new "deckhands" for lice, how big their muscles were, and to make sure they'd generally be good sailors. Then the kids were each given a scrub brush and had to scrub the deck! How hilarious! Then the crew tied my brother to the mast and dumped ice water on him as punishment for telling his kids "because I said so". Then the crew made us all "walk the plank" and go snorkeling!

The last thing we did was take a charter boat out to StingRay City, which is a sandbar in the ocean that is about 3-4 feet deep and swarmed with stingrays looking for free handouts. It was all I could do to be in the water with the huge stingrays swimming around my feet and rubbing against my legs. Ian did awesome with them. It was quite an experience that I'm sure the kids will never forget.

It was a wonderful trip. I have to again thank my sister-in-law Candy for all the great pictures...she took over 1,000 pictures during the week. She has her camera out so much that I get lazy and don't take mine out! If you'd like to view more pictures of our trip, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then click on the Cayman 2009 folder.

Labor Day Camping

2009-09-10T20:22:00.013-05:00

We took Ella on her first "camping" trip last weekend. I use the term camping loosely...I'm sure some of you wouldn't call staying in a 27 foot camper that sleeps 7, has a fridge, microwave, stove, toilet, shower and tub camping! But it was a change from the cottage, and we were in a campground, so I'm calling it camping. This is the second Labor Day weekend camping trip we've taken with the same group. We borrowed the camper from some good friends...the sister of Ella's godfather.

The group we went with included 14 adults, 11 kids and 3 dogs. The kids ranged in age from 21 months (Ella) to 14 years old. Most of them fell in the 5 to 8 year old range. The campground was totally geared towards children, with plenty of activities. There was a bouncy-pillow, playground, plenty of strange-looking bikes of all sorts, mini-golf, swimming pool and swimming/fishing pond with inflatable obstacles. The kids participated in t-shirt decorating, a glow party and parade, magician's show and play-dough making. One of the dad's in the group organized a great scavenger hunt one evening that was a total hit.

Ella did awesome - better than I was expecting. She was laid-back and easy-going. She had a ton of fun (especially in the pool). She was a hit with all in the group, but I must say, the dogs won the popularity contest with all the little girls! The 8 girls were constantly walking the 3 dogs around the campground...to the point of exhaustion for our 12 & 14 year-old Springer Spaniels.

It was a great weekend, the weather was absolutely perfect for the first time this summer. The friends we went with were tons of fun, and all the kids got along wonderfully. We've already agreed to doing it again next Labor Day!

Mini-Reunion

2009-08-17T19:15:00.006-05:00

We spent last weekend with Jason, Jen and Addison - our extended "China Family". Little Addison was Ella's orphanage "sister", and our families really enjoyed each others' company during our trip to China. We each had a free weekend, and decided to drive across our respective states and meet at a hotel. The setting was quite beautiful, along the Mississippi River, with cliffs and rolling hills everywhere. Unfortunately it rained the entire time we were there! So we didn't get to take advantage of the beautiful outdoors as much as we would have liked. Yup, being stuck in a hotel was definately reminiscent of our 2 weeks in China!

The girls were wonderful. Ella greeted Addison as she does other babies: a hug and either a kiss or on her way to a bite (I don't wait long enough to find out!). I don't think the girls remembered each other in case you are wondering. It was amazing to see how much each of them has grown in the 5 months we've been home: Addison has grown 4 inches, but not a lot of weight; Ella has grown 3 inches and 3 lbs.

Considering both girls had almost the same background for their first months of life, I would have thought they'd have very similar traits. But they are truly their own persons, and couldn't be further from opposite in many ways: one girl loves to look at books, the other only to eat them; one girl is wary of strangers, the other is a social butterfly; one is loud with random noises, the other is quiet but can definately communicate her wants; one girl is always on the move to destinations unknown, while the other contemplates her route with quiet determination.

There were some similarities between the two though: the girls are awesome eaters, both in quantity and variety; both have very laid-back personalities and are able to go along with any situation as long as Mom & Dad are there with them; and both are as cute as two girls can be!!!

It was wonderful being able to visit with our dear friends and see how the girls are progressing. We have plans to get together in the fall and then again for Chinese New Year. I can't wait...I wish we lived closer to each other!

5 Months Home

2009-08-04T19:38:00.008-05:00

We brought Ella home 5 months ago today. It feels like she's been part of our family for years. We've been quite busy this summer, thus the lapse in posts here on our blog for 2 months! Ian has been busy with tee-ball, golf lessons, and now has started soccer. He is growing like a weed this summer and I'm betting that none of his jeans will fit him when school starts again!

Ella is also growing. As of last week's pediatrician appointment, she was 24 lbs 10 oz, and 31.25 inches tall. She just turned 20 months old. She is almost running when she's in a hurry to get someplace (the dog food and water dish are always favorites). Ella loves to swing. Any given day, you will probably find us out on our home swingset.

Every weekend, we head to the family cottage. Ella took a few weekends to get used to the idea of spending time at another place, but now she is so comfortable that she is just at ease at the cottage as she is at home. She is starting to understand that wherever we go, we always come back home. That has taken about 4 months for her to understand. She still gets excited when we pull into our driveway at home...jumping up and down in her car seat and giggling.

As you can see by this picture, Ella is just at home at the cottage swing. So much so that Bill and my brother rigged a pully system so we don't have to stand there and push her - we just sit on the big swing and and pull the rope and like magic, Ella is swinging too!!! Yes, it is the lazy way out, but it frees up a hand for the necessary weekend beverage, and hey, all are happy and that's all that matters!

I have to give credit to my sister-in-law for most of the pictures. She has camera in hand as much as I have Ella in my arms. It's been quite an adjustment for us having to watch someone so closely again. The other day I heard Ella babbling away and after looking all over the house...finally found her at the top of the stairs! She was so proud of herself, and I didn't even know she could climb one stair as she'd shown no interest in the stairs up until then. Needless to say, the baby gate is always closed now!

I hope you enjoy the great pictures below. And stay tuned...this weekend we are meeting with one of Ella's "China sisters" in La Crosse for a couple of days. It will be wonderful to see our friends again and have our families together! I'll make sure to post pictures soon...

18 Months Old

2009-05-31T20:16:00.010-05:00

Ella was 18 months old on 5/27. What a milestone! Considering that 3 months ago, she'd basically just sit in one position on the floor and not crawl or venture anywhere, here is a list of things she now does:

She is now walking (almost running!) everywhere
She has totally mastered using her fingers to put things into her mouth
She eats every type of solid food we put in front of her
She has gone from 5 bottles a day down to just 1 before bed
She hums all the time (when that girl does start talking, she won't stop!)
She recognizes our house when driving down the street (she bounces in her car seat and giggles when she sees our house!)
She knows what both the toothbrush and comb are for and will grab them from me to do it herself

Ella has done pretty good at adapting to our busy life. Ian has swim lessons, flag football, and now tee-ball. Ella is on the sidelines cheering him on (ok, she's actually trying to eat the grass!) at every event. Now that summer is on its way, we've started spending weekends at the family cottage. This was our second weekend overnight and she's definately becoming more comfortable with the surroundings. Although the water is still quite cold, she enjoys dangling her feet in off the dock, and swinging on the porch swing with Bill. But I think she likes the company of all her cousins most of all.

Below are some pictures taken over the last few weeks. She was baptized at the end of April. We went swimming at an indoor water park in April.

One Month Ago Today....

2009-03-23T19:47:00.013-05:00

....Ella was placed in our arms for the first time. It definately feels longer than a month ago. Ella has come so far in such little time. Her personality comes out a little more each day. She is turning into a giggly, smiley little girl.

She is soooo close to walking! She moves around rooms by holding onto furniture or walls to balance herself, and will even venture to take a couple steps to be able to reach something. For the first week, she mostly stayed confined to the living room with her toys. But now she is venturing around the house. I'm finding out quick the things that need to be baby-proofed!

And the girl can eat! As much as an adult at some meals. She eats all soft table food that we eat (she doesn't have any molars yet). And we have yet to find something she doesn't like, which works for me!

Ian is an awesome big brother. He wants to feed, hold, play, walk and cuddle with Ella. "Everything but the dirty diapers", as he tells me! He is just smitten with her. I think her favorite activity is when Ian lays down and Ella crawls all over him.

It's amazing how our family has fell into a routine. It's kind of like we've been a family for longer than just one month. Ella fits our family perfectly and we can't imagine life without her!

Enjoy some of pictures of our happy kids!

We're Home!!!

2009-03-09T14:47:00.004-05:00

Sorry for not posting sooner....the jet lag is kicking our butts!

Our trip home was long but uneventful, thankfully. Ella slept most of the ride from China to Chicago. Unfortunately, neither Bill nor I slept due to a circus of misbehaving kids across the aisle. I was just waiting for the toddlers to give up, and after 9 hours of flying they finally did!

We made it through customs and immigration (Ella became a U.S. citizen when we passed through immigration) and walked out into the arrival hall. Bill's mom and sister had brought Ian down to meet us at Chicago! It's a good thing Ella was strapped to me in the baby carrier, because I dropped all my bags onto Bill when I saw Ian and ran (or rather waddled with a 22 lbs baby hanging from me!) over to him. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I saw him. I was so happy to finally have both my children with me that I started sobbing. Of course Ian got embarassed and asked me to stop crying - he's becoming such a little man. The others in our adoption group were standing there witnessing it all, and all the women had tears in their eyes also. Although we were so happy to finally be home, it was kind of sad to think that we won't be seeing this group of people whom we've grown close to over the last 2 weeks. We did plan to have a reunion in the summer of 2010 in Memphis (Graceland, here we come!), so that our daughters can keep ties with each other as they are 'sisters' from the orphanage.

Unfortunately the transition home has been hard. Bill and I have experienced jet lag...waking up in the wee hours of the morning because our bodies are still on China time. Bill even gave up trying to sleep and went into work at 4am last Thursday and Friday. It was Sunday before I felt like my old self. But Ella is still on China time. She's been waking up at 2am and wanting to stay awake until 6 or 7am. Then she wants to sleep all day. We've been trying to limit the napping during the day, with hopes of her sleeping more at night. Last night I was so excited because she made it to 3am before waking. Then I realized that with Daylight Savings time it was still 2am! Oh well, a girl can dream about sleep! Friday was the first of many 39th birthdays to come for me, and for my gift I asked Bill to let me take a Tylenol PM and sleep through the night in my own bed. He took care of the baby duty for the night. Best gift I've ever received!

Ian is one excited big brother. He loves to play with Ella (or rather reacquaint himself with all the baby toys he used to play with!). The only thing he's not interested in is diapers and feeding, as "that is just gross, Mom"!!! He always wants to give Ella a bottle, burp her and hold and snuggle her. And he's such a good helper for me. And he had the house decorated with Welcome Home signs and balloons.

We can't thank enough all the friends and family that have supported and prayed for us. We couldn't have done this without you.

Goodbye China

2009-03-03T06:14:00.010-06:00

Here we are on Day 13 already. We leave at 5:45am tomorrow. Today we had the famous "Red Couch" picture. For all adoptive families that stay at the White Swan, it has become a tradition to take a picture on the red couches that are in the lobby. All the girls wore traditional Chinese silk dresses. (I'm bringing a whole suitcase of them home - they are only about $5 each!!!)

After the picture, we all loaded onto a bus and headed over to the American Consulate. It was a welcoming sign to see the U.S. flag. We were handed our daughter's passport with a visa stamp inside. This visa indicates that the moment she steps foot on American soil, she will be a citizen of the U.S. The administrator at the Consulate told us that they have processed over 70,000 adoption visas for U.S. families that have adopted from China, making that Consulate the busiest in the world for adoption visas. All the families had to raise their right hands and take an oath stating that all information that has been provided to the government is correct and that we intend on being the new parents of our daughter. Unfortunately they did not allow cameras so there are no pictures.

Tomorrow will be a bittersweet day. On one hand, our daughter will become a U.S. citizen. On the other, Ella is leaving her home country, its heritage, and the only 'sisters' she's ever known. Tomorrow also marks the one year anniversary of the death of my grandfather. He would have wanted so much to see another great-grandchild of his. I'm sure he would have been tickled to meet Ella and see her personality.

We have made some wonderful friends on this trip. We hope to stay in touch for years to come, with annual reunions and periodic updates of how the 'sisters' are doing. It's been amazing to see the progression in each of the girls just since a week ago when they were handed to us. I can't imagine what a month at home will do!

We can't wait to get home and see Ian - we have missed him very much. Thanks to all who have emailed and posted well-wishes to us....we love to read them! We just can't wait to get home and start the next part of our life together as a family with our new daughter!

If you would like to view more pictures from our last day in Guangzhou, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the folder called Day 13 - Tuesday.

Monday - Day 12

2009-03-02T20:07:00.005-06:00

Another free day for us. Bill, Ella and I explored the hotel a bit more. There are 2 beautiful pools, and we brought our swimsuits. But unfortunately the weather has been gloomy and only in the 60's. It doesn't stop Bill from wearing shorts though!

Then we found the Swan Room. It's a playroom sponsored by Mattel in the hotel. That's how many adopted babies come through this hotel - enough to warrant a manufacturer to sponsor a playroom.

In the afternoon we took a taxi to the Guangzhou Folk Art Museum. It is a complex of buildings dating back to an emporer in the 1800's. The architecture was beautiful. My favorite exhibit was the embroidery that this province (Guangdong) is known for. It was so detailed and intricit that it looked like an oil painting.

I most likely won't be able to post again until after we're home. Tuesday we'll be packing and later in the afternoon going to the U.S. Consulate to take the oath for Ella's citizenship. We leave for the airport quite early Wednesday morning.

If you'd like to view more pictures from our day, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the Day 12 - Monday folder.

Sunday - Day 11

2009-03-02T06:28:00.007-06:00

Sunday was a very relaxing day for us. We had nothing scheduled and were able to enjoy Shaiman Island. Cathy flew back to Shanghai around noon, and then Jen (MN) and I did a lot of shopping! I have no idea how I'm going to bring it all home!

For dinner, our guide took us to a wonderful Italian restaurant. We had a birthday cake and celebrated all the girls 1st birthdays, as we had missed them while they were in the orphanage. Ella loves anything sweet, so the cake and frosting were a hit.

After the dinner, Jen, Jason and Addison strolled along the Pearl River with Bill, Ella and me. It is a lovely, quiet island and it was beautiful to look across the river at bright and bustling Guangzhou.

Ella is doing wonderfully. She snuggles up to us, and we even got belly laughs from her last night when Bill tickled under her armpits! And of course we're falling in love with her more and more each day. I just wish Ian was here to bond with his mei mei (little sister).

To view more pictures of our day, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the folder called Day 11 - Sunday.

Guangzhou

2009-03-01T00:57:00.005-06:00

Last night my friend Cathy met us at the airport in Guangzhou. She is living in Shanghai with her family for 3 years and flew in to stay with us for the weekend. Here is a picture of Ella opening her first 'Welcome the Family' gift from Cathy.

We are staying at the White Swan Hotel. It is the most beautiful hotel we've stayed at so far this trip. It has a waterfall in the lobby, and many Chinese antiques. There is a coy pond and even a huge birdcage filled with songbirds.

The White Swan is located on Shaiman Island. The island is on the Pearl River and was originally settled by the English and French back in the 19th century. All the architecture is very European. It is very laid-back and relaxing compared to the cities in China. The streets are lined with trees, boulevards have parks in the center, and there are very few cars. There are a couple of big hotels on the island and many shops that cater to the tourists who are staying at the hotels. Every adoptive family from the U.S. must come to Guangzhou to go through the American Consulate, and most families stay on Shaiman Island. We are definately not an oddity being a Caucasian couple with a Chinese baby like we were in Nanning. The breakfast buffet at the White Swan is lined with high chairs. We've met so many new families with daughters from all over China. Of course I think we have the cutest one!

As a requirement of the American government, Ella had to have her first medical exam today. It was quite cursory, with a quick check of temerature, height (30 inches), weight (23 lbs - yes, she is a chunk!!!), hearing and heartbeat.

After the medical exam, Cathy took Jen (MN) and I shopping. She's quite the bargainer and able to converse somewhat in Mandarin with the shopkeepers. She drives a hard bargain and sticks to her guns. Jen and I bought so much that we also had to have Cathy bargain for a new suitcase to haul all the stuff home - and we each got a suitcase for the equivalent of $11 each!

My sweet husband watched Ella for the evening and told Cathy and I to go out to dinner and have a drink. We ended up at a wonderful Thai restaurant and talked for 2 hours over a bottle of wine and some seafood. Who knew I'd have to come all the way to China to have a long, uninterrupted chat with one of my dearest friends?!

If you'd like to view more pictures from our first day in Guangzhou, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the folder called Day 10 - Saturday.

Day 9 - Friday

2009-03-01T00:38:00.004-06:00

Didn't do too much today. Packed up the suitcases to head to Guangzhou this evening. I haven't bought many souveniers so far, but my suitcases sure aren't packing as nicely as they did before!

It's the last day in Ella's province. I think all the families are ready to move on to the next leg of our trip. It is sad to think that we are taking Ella from the only place she's ever known though.

We've had many interesting encounters with food here. Most everything we've tried is very good. However there are some things we haven't tried. There was a super-long cafeteria style restaurant near the hotel. Bill took some pictures of the menus.

If you'd like to view more pictures from our last day in Nanning, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the Day 9 - Friday folder. You may be able to zoom in on some of the menu pictures to get an idea of what kinds of food are available.

Ella's Back!

2009-02-26T20:53:00.006-06:00

It's amazing what 24 hours can do! Last night Ella started to give us eye contact while feeding her. And she woke up smiling and giggling this morning. What a relief! And we found out from the other families this morning that they all had a rough day yesterday. It must just be something about that 3-day mark. And I'm guessing the adoption agency probably knew it, as they had nothing scheduled for us that day.

Today we went to Green Mountain Park. It was very beautifully landscaped with temples and relics, gardens and towers. There was a coy pond with an unbelievable amount of fish waiting to be fed by the tourists. It was an overcast day, which helped keep the heat down. But the humidity was so high.

After the park we went to the Pearl Market. Guangxi province is known for the pearls from the South China Sea. We are about an hour from the sea and 2 hours from Vietnam to the south. The ethnic minorities are apparently very similar here to what they are in Vietnam, and there is a large population in Nanning from Vietnam and Laos.

Friday we fly out in the afternoon to Guangzhou, the last stop on our trip. My dear friend Cathy, who is living in Shanghai, will fly in to see us. We get in late in the evening so I probably won't get to post.

If you'd like to see more pictures from our day, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the folder entitled Day 8 - Thursday.

Free Day

2009-02-26T00:00:00.013-06:00

Wednesday was the first day that we had totally free, no appointments, paperwork or tours. It was great being on our own schedule.

In the morning we walked to the Nanning People's Park, which is about 2 blocks behind the hotel. It was absolutely beautiful. Very lush and green, clean and relaxing. There were quite a few groups of elderly people playing instruments, singing and playing cards or checkers. There was an area of the park that was for children, with amusement rides and game vendors. And there was another area that had goats, rabbits, peacocks and pot-belly pigs. Even though the temperature was 92 degrees and high humidity, it was a much-needed break from the schedule we had been keeping. And Ella took to the stroller like a champ (we checked out a stroller at the hotel front desk), which gave our backs a much-needed break from her 22 lbs of weight!

The rest of the day didn't go so well due to the grieving that I wrote about in the last post.

If you'd like to view more pictures from our day, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then choose the folder entitled Day 7 - Wednesday.

She's Ours - Officially!

2009-02-25T01:40:00.010-06:00

Today was the day we did the provincial paperwork and ceremony to legally adopt Ella. First we went to a office where the notary was. We were asked if we were willing to care for Ella, never abandon or abuse her, and give her the best education and medical care available.

Then it was back to the building where we originally received the babies for a round of similar questions, fingerprints and a million signatures. The orphanage director and nannies were there. We could really tell from their reactions to seeing the girls that they truly did care deeply for each of the babies. That was very comforting to me. The director asked us to email her pictures of the girls' new lives in America, which was more of a personal request than a requirement. It was fun watching how the nannies could get each of the girls giggling, whereas us parents have yet to figure those tricks out. A couple of the babies reacted strongly to the presence of the nannies, and cried terribly for them once they left the room. Ella did not seem to be affected by that - at least outwardly.

Back at the hotel later that afternoon, we finally heard Ella cry...and cry, and cry, and cry! She was chewing hard on her fingers, and feeling her gums we could tell that she has molars about to pop through (she already has 8 teeth).

However now I'm feeling like the teething crying has proliferated into grieving crying - grieving for the only life she's known until now, the only people she's been attached to, the only place she's lived. She's with strangers now, and she doesn't understand what's happening to her. The crying is just different than before. She cries when we try to console her, but stops if we leave her by herself. She turns her head from me when she's crying and I try to come closer. She prefers just to sleep all the time, which is probably easier for her than dealing with her emotions. It is heartbreaking to say the least, but a necessary process for her to go through before she can fully trust and bond to us. Let's just hope it's a short process rather than a long one!

Not too many pictures from today, but if you'd like to view some click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then click into the Day 6 - Tuesday folder.

Gotcha Day

2009-02-23T23:31:00.008-06:00

Ok, so I'm a bit behind on my blogging...give me a break - I'm a new mom!!!

Monday morning started extremely early. We had to leave the hotel at 5:30am, which meant up at 4:30am. Unfortunately both Bill and I were up at 3:00am...plenty of time to meet for our ride to the airport, but it meant just that many less hours of sleep before we received Ella.

The flight to Nanning seemed so long. Everyone commented on how it seemed longer than the 14 hour flight we all took from Chicago last Wednesday. Anticipation was playing into it for sure.

Nanning is like paradise. Bill and I are amazed at how similar to Mexico it seems. If you just change the language on the street signs you'd think you were in Playa del Carmen - minus the huge resorts. Coral colored hibiscus, hot pink bouganvilla, pink petunias, banana trees, sugar cane - they are all over here, growing wild along highways and professionally landscaped for hotels. There is farmland everywhere, and from the plane we could see that every inch of rural land is either plowed or terraced for growing fruits and vegetables. In fact, it is known as the "Green City" here in China due to its lush tropical foliage. Nanning is considered a small city in China - only 2 million people. And everyone rides a scooter here. Much fewer cars than Beijing and thousands of people on scooters and bicycles. Nanning is a direct contrast to Beijing this time of year - warm, muggy and colorful vs. cold, windy and drab. Technically Ella is from a town about 3 hours east of Nanning, but we are here because it is the capital of Guangxi Province and where we need to do all of the official paperwork.

So on to the good stuff...

After settling into the hotel for an hour, we were off to the civil building where the babies were brought by the nannies. The anticipation of our group was unbelievable. Some of us had tears in our eyes, everyone was smiling, some were shaking. We've all waited 3 years for this day to come. After what seemed like forever, one worker called each of our family names individually, checked our document and passports, and then the director of the orphanage brought our baby in and handed her to us. It was an amazing experience.

As you can see from the pictures, Ella was asleep when the director handed her to me. She slept for probably another 15-20 minutes amongst all the commotion of the other families and babies! When she did wake up, she just looked at us with her beautiful eyes and crazy hair. I'm sure we're the strangest looking people she's ever seen...we look and smell very different from what she is used to . But she didn't cry, and 24 hours later as I'm writing this she still hasn't cried at all. She seems to be very content and not fussy (so far!). She has been snuggling up to us and reaching for us. We've gotten 2 smiles out of her this morning. I think she's still in shock and just trying to soak it all in. She is a non-stop eating machine when we give her a bottle or some table food. And last night she went to bed at 8pm and we had to wake her at 7am this morning - not a peep out of her all night! (But unfortunately the beds here are just as hard as in Beijing and neither Bill nor I slept again last night!)

Ella sucks her left index finger upside down, just as I remember my youngest brother doing. She even has the same callous on it from sucking. We did hand her a pacifier last night and she took it right away and kept it in throughout the night...kind of strange considering she's almost 15 months old and has never used a pacifier, but if it makes her happy I'm all for it.

We're having a great time with the other families. You do develop a certain special bond considering we've all just gone through 'labor and delivery' together! It's fun seeing the differences in babies and their similarities due to being from the same orphanage. It seems like most were good sleepers last night, which could mean they developed that way from the orphanage schedule or maybe they were just wiped out from the long and terrifying day they had.

I'm going to try to get a nap in while Bill and Ella are napping. Ian, if Gramma is reading this to you, we miss you soooo much and can't wait to see you!

If you'd like to view more pictures of this unforgettable day, click on the More Pictures link on the top right of this page. Then click in the Day 5 - Monday folder.

Day 4 - Sunday

2009-02-22T05:24:00.006-06:00

Today we went to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the large plaza that sits in the center of Beijing. Government buildings border it. It also holds the mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong, who was the founder of the People's Republic of China which ended the reign of emperors in China. The lines of people waiting to see the tomb stretched on for as far as you could see, and it is like that every day.

From Tiananmen Square we walked into the Forbidden City. This was the home of 24 different emperors (one at a time) and housed over 3,000 people who supported the emperor on a daily basis. The complex was forbidden to anyone but royalty, and therefore the name was derived. The complex was absolutely huge and we walked 2/3 of a mile from one end to the other.

Next we rode in rickshaws through the hutong. The hutong is the 'old' city of narrow streets and courtyard residences. Some of these houses date back 300+ years. We were fortunate enough to be invited into the home of a 290 year-old residence. It housed 3 families - the grandfather, daughter and son. The daughter gave us a talk about her family and the history of the house. The hutong area is very poor, with communal toilets and not very many amenities. The government owns a lot of the property and rents houses out very inexpensively to poor families. However the few people that own their own properties are very lucky - if they were to sell the property they could get $8,000 per square meter. The land is quite valuable as it is the center of Beijing.

Finally we ended the day with a tea ceremony. It was just what we needed to end the cold and blustery day!

For more pictures of our day, click on the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then click on Day 4 - Sunday.

I probably won't get a chance to post tomorrow. We leave for the airport at 5:30am to fly to Nanning. At 3:00pm we get Ella! I'm sure we'll be in a for a long night. The next post you will be able to see us with our daughter!

Day 3 - Great Wall

2009-02-21T16:08:00.016-06:00

Today we had a busy day. First the group toured a cloisonne factory about an hour outside of Beijing. Cloisonne is an ancient art of combining metal-working with painting. You can read more about it and see examples here. It was very interesting, but unfortunately I couldn't really view it from an art form perspective. Thanks to my safety-awareness training at work, all I could see is the potential safety hazards in the ancient production process: a man guarding his face from the kiln heat with his arms, unguarded grinders, no personal-protective equipment. I know, I'm kind of a geek to think about that stuff when I'm 6,000 miles away from home and work. Deb B - if you're reading this, can I mark this down as my February safety observation?!

Then we drove to the Great Wall at Badaling. There were people everywhere! We first took a cable car up part of the mountain, and then hiked/climbed up to another section. It was literally shoulder to shoulder with people. Fortunately we had great weather - clear and sunny and about 35 degrees. The wind was a bit brisk but it felt good to be outside in the fresh air and doing something active. I think we all felt refreshed and rejuvenated after the hike. The Great Wall is over 4,000 miles long, was built to try to keep out enemies of China, and was constructed between the 5th and 16th centuries B.C. It is estimated that 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.

I seem to be quite the novely in China - a lot of Chinese people wanted to have their pictures taken with us. I'm not sure if it's my red hair, the fact that I was wearing a pink hat and scarf with a lime-green jacket, or that we were Americans! Or maybe they're just plain friendly people!

After the Great Wall, we went to a Chinese luncheon and then to a jade factory. Jade is a precious stone that is carved into various designs by artisans.

Bill & I rested a bit back at the hotel and then caught a taxi to the Wang Jing Fu night market. It was kind of like the Times Square of Beijing, with lots of neon, fast food, stores and restaurants. But off to the left of the main drag, there was the Snack Street, with outdoor food vendors selling everything from glazed fruit on a stick to pigs intestines, starfish and crickets. All grilled before your eyes. The smell was unique to say the least, to the point of overwhelming at times. And I need to tell you that our guide, Joy, forbid Bill from eating any street food as he wanted to. We had asked her for directions on how to get there and she said "no street food - too important for you not to be sick"! Just a disclaimer stating that Bill didn't chicken out on the food...the wrath of Joy if he had become sick was too much to chance it! Next time we're in China.....

The traffic in Beijing is horrendous - all the time. There are 16.3 million people in the city, and I swear they are all in their cars at the same time on the freeways! And road signs and rules are just a 'reference' for drivers - basically if you can find an inch on a road someone will take it. We were in a taxi last night that made a right hand turn across 6 lanes of traffic from the leftmost lane! But what is amazing is that you don't see accidents everywhere, or scratched or smashed cars. They somehow all manage amongst the chaos.

Beijing is also a city of extremes - new and old. A fancy Land Rover next to a donkey pulling a cart full of bricks on the freeway; Starbucks next to a roadside noodle vendor; Burberry and Dior next to a cart selling chopsticks; the stereo-typical old Chinese man in rags walking down the street next to an obviously wealthy woman.

If you would like to view more pictures from our day, click on the More Pictures link on the top right of this page. Then choose the Day 3 - Saturday folder.

Exploring

2009-02-20T15:46:00.006-06:00

Unfortunately our bodies didn't realize that they were in a different time zone than back home. We didn't sleep much last night, even after getting to bed around 1am. At 5am we were both up and ready to go! I'm sure the fact that the beds are so hard you could literally dribble a basketball on the mattress - no kidding! The beds feel like plywood covered in a sheet!

After a nice hotel breakfast, we had an orientation meeting with our Bethany Christian Services guide. She lives in China but has studied law (if I remember correctly) in the States. She's been doing adoption guidance sine 1992 for Bethany, so she knows what she's talking about! She talked about everything from emotional state of the babies the first few days to safety in China.

Then the group walked over to a local grocery store for water and snacks for the room. It was quite comical, seeing fresh fish leap out of tanks and on to the floor as workers scrambled to wrestle them back into the tanks! Imagine that happening at Pick-N-Save! The store was very bright and colorful - the Chinese use quite a bit of 'loud' packaging to make their product stand out from the others.

After dropping off the groceries, Bill & I headed to an authentic Chinese restaurant with Jen & Jason from Minnesota. Thankfully the restaurant had picture menus, and we just pointed to what looked good. The food was awesome and we had a lot of fun with Jen & Jason.

Later in the afternoon, the group went to a Chinese Acrobat show. The show was very entertaining with lots of strength and flexibility feats.

We were pooped out after the day with very little sleep. China has a very distinct odor and feel to it. The people seem quiet and always seem to be moving with a purpose. It is very fun getting to experience Ella's birth country. Even though we've only seen a few square blocks of the area around our hotel, it has left a lasting impression on us that we will never forget.

Oh, and only 2 more days until we get our sweet Ella!

If you'd like to view more pictures of our day, click on the link at the top right corner of this page entitled More Pictures. Then choose Day 2 - Friday.

Another Long Wait

2009-02-19T19:07:00.007-06:00

Our flight from O'Hare ended up being delayed over 6 hours. We didn't leave Chicago until 7pm (we were originally scheduled to leave at 12:33pm). Apparently the airplane needed some maintenance and was eventually determined unable to be fixed. So we had to wait for the plane arriving from Shanghai to arrive before we could use it.

It was great getting to know the 5 other couples we'll be traveling with. We are a varied group for sure, and from all over the midwest. Our flight was thankfully uneventful, and we arrived in Beijing around 11pm or so. We were met at the airport by our agency guide, Joy, who will be with us through Nanning.

For pictures of the other couples we are traveling with, click the More Pictures link at the top right of this page. Then click on Day 1 - Thursday.

Hurry Up and Wait

2009-02-18T08:13:00.002-06:00

Kind of a lazy morning today. Our flight was supposed to leave at 12:33pm this afternoon, and they've already delayed it to 4:30pm due to aircraft maintenance. So we're going to take our time getting to the airport this morning and just hang around the hotel room for a while.

The ride down was comical. Bill got a new GPS that he was trying out. I think we got lost 4 times! He's the only guy I know that second-guesses a GPS! After 13 years of marriage, I think we've learned that we function much better with good ol' MapQuest instructions.

...And We're Off!!!

2009-02-17T14:09:00.005-06:00

Well, this trip's been 3 years in the making, and leave it to me to still be packing the last day! Actually, we decided to head down to Chicago tonight and spend the night in a hotel due to the predicted snow/ice storm for tomorrow. Today is Bill and my 13th wedding anniversary, so maybe we can catch a decent dinner to celebrate also.

I've got everything packed for 3 people for 2 weeks. And did it into 2 checked suitcases, 1 carry-on wheely bag and a backpack. I've got everything from diapers and formula, to baby food and sunscreen. Gifts for the nannies and the orphanage director, and toys for Ella to play with in the hotel room. A thick packet of paperwork for the U.S. Consulate, and various electronics including an iPod, laptop, camera, video camera, headphones for calling home via our computer, etc. Oh, and a few clothes for Bill & I! Don't be surprised to see us in the same clothes in every picture!

Today I went to school and had lunch with Ian. He was uncharacteristically quiet. I think it's starting to hit him that he won't see us for 2 weeks. I'm sure I will miss him more than he misses me, though. He's got some fun stuff planned for the weekends that we're gone.

Trip Itinerary

2009-02-11T09:43:00.000-06:00

Today we received our itinerary for the entire trip. Here's a breakdown of what we'll be doing each day:
Feb 18 - Leave O'Hare at 12:33 pm
Feb 19 - Arrive Beijing at 4:25pm. Met at airport by guide and taken to the Days Hotel & Suites.
Feb 20 - Orientation meeting at 10am. Chinese Acrobat show in the afternoon. We hope to visit "Snack Street" (aka Beijing Night Market on Wangfujing Street) that evening for some culinary oddities!
Feb 21 - Visit the Great Wall and Cloisonne Factory
Feb 22 - Visit Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. Take a Hutong tour in a rickshaw.
Feb 23 - Flight to Nanning. Stay at the Majestic Hotel (aka Mingyuan Xindu Hotel). Receive Ella in the afternoon!
Feb 24 - Adoption registration and notarization.
Feb 25 - Free day to spend with Ella (good - looks like we'll need a relaxing day after all the touring!)
Feb 26 - Visit Green Hill Park
Feb 27 - Receive all adoption documents. Fly to Guangzhou and stay at the White Swan Hotel.
Feb 28 - American visa pictures and medical exam.
Mar 1 - Meeting to prepare for visa appointment
Mar 2 - Visa appointment
Mar 3 - Take oath at the American Consulate and pick up visa
Mar 4 - Flight to Shanghai at 9:30am. Arrive O'Hare at 4:30pm

One Excited Big Brother!

2009-02-09T19:42:00.006-06:00

Ian is so excited to finally have a little sister! He wanted to get something special to meet her at the airport for the first time. So yesterday we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop and Ian picked out a bunny for Ella. He made sure that it wasn't stuffed too much, so it would be nice and squishy and cuddly for his baby sister. Then he took great care in picking out the softest clothes he could find. And finally, Ian named the bunny "Bella Bunny". What a sweet gesture - I know he's going to be a great big brother!

More Updates

2009-02-05T12:02:00.004-06:00

Today we received more updated measurements, this time from our adoption agency. Here's the latest:

Height = 27.95"
Weight = 22 lbs
Ella now has 8 teeth!

If you noticed, these measurements are a bit different than the ones we received on 1/12/09. Ella is 1" shorter and 2 lbs heavier! It just goes to show how difficult it can be to get accurate data when you have a squirming 14-month old and different attendants doing the measuring. In the end, it is what it is, and all the measurements in the world don't come close to the feeling of pure relief and contentment when I can hold her in my arms!

We leave 2 weeks from yesterday. I'm pretty much all packed for Ella's stuff, and Bill's and my clothes will have to be packed the day prior to departure. I've got all our paperwork organized, and lists of 'Important Stuff' for Bill's mom to have on hand while she's here with Ian. Time is ticking by very slowly waiting for February 18 to roll around.

Finally....We Have Travel Dates!!!

2009-01-15T19:44:00.008-06:00

Although I'm a bit disappointed about the length of time we have to wait before we can travel, I'm relieved to finally have definate dates!

Wednesday, 2/18 - fly from Chicago to Beijing
Monday, 2/23 - fly from Beijing to Nanning (we'll receive Ella that afternoon!!!)
Friday, 2/27 (estimate) - fly from Nanning to Guangzhou
Wednesday, 3/4 - fly from Guangzhou to Shanghai to Chicago

I'm so excited...this is finally going to come true! And as a bonus, I'm going to be able to see my great friend, Cathy. Her family moved to Shanghai last fall. She's going to fly into Guangzhou and stay with us to see our sweet Ella! I'm so looking forward to spending time with her and taking advantage of her international bargaining skills! I can envision an afternoon of shopping in the markets and then a late-day Chinese massage :)

Updated Measurements

2009-01-12T17:16:00.002-06:00

Today Ann from Red Thread China (the wonderful lady who is arranging my care package delivery to the orphanage) emailed me with new measurements of Ella which she obtained from talking to the orphanage director.

At almost 14 months old, Ella is now 28.75 inches tall and weighs 20.9 lbs! She is definately growing since the last measurements which were taken on 9/2/08. She falls at about the 25th percentile on the American growth charts, which isn't too bad. Just for a comparison, Ian was 31" tall and weighed 23 lbs at the same age. I'm very pleased to see that she is growing at a somewhat predictable rate and seems to be thriving.

Now if only we would receive our Travel Approvals so that we can make travel arrangements...

Where in China Will We Travel?

2009-01-06T21:14:00.003-06:00

We will first fly into Beijing and tour around there for a couple of days, seeing the many sites of the famous city.

Next stop will be in southern China, to Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province. This is where we will meet our sweet Ella for the first time! We will stay in Nanning for about a week.

Last stop will be to Guangzhou, where the American Embassy is. We will stay at The White Swan Hotel on Shaiman Island. The White Swan is a famous last stop for all adoptive families.

Care Package Sent

2009-01-01T19:05:00.006-06:00

I've been reading up on some of the history of the Xingye SWI (orphanage) from other families posts. One of the common things that most of the families have mentioned is that Xingye is very good about accepting and distributing care packages from adoptive parents to the children. I contacted someone in China (Ann at Red Thread China) who assured me that with pre-paid, in-country courier, I could send a care package to Ella and the nannies and it would not cost the orphanage any courier or tax fees. So here is what I sent:

fleece blanket

Hughes chocolates for the nannies - a real treat all the way from Oshkosh, WI!!!

lotions for the nannies

disposable camera (all of the families that sent these ahead of time were given them back when they received their children, full of pictures of inside of the orphanage)

small snacks for the babies

photo book with our family's pictures

small toys

soft-cover baby book

Ann should receive the package next week, and then will translate a letter I included to the orphanage director and nannies and will courier it to the orphanage. I do hope that the nannies enjoy the treats and show Ella her new family's pictures! And she snuggles up at night to the blanket that smells and feels like her new home will...

Update on Ella

2008-12-17T10:34:00.004-06:00

Yesterday we received a more detailed translation of Ella's physical examination. I think she looks to be quite healthy and developmentally right on target. Here are some highlights from her examination on 9/2/08:

2 teeth
wakes at 7am, goes to bed at 8pm
naps from 1:30-3:30
eats at 6am, 10am, 1pm, 6pm, 11:30pm (we'll have to work on this one!)
moderate sleeper and sucks fingers
eats congee 3 times a day (congee is a porridge made of rice boiled soft and may have some eggs or veggies added for flavor)
eats milk plus rice cereal 2 times a day
favorite activity: sitting in walker
favorite toy: sounding toy (rattle or something?)
weighed 2.6kg (5.7 lbs) and was 45cm (17.7 inches) at birth (11/27/07)
small black spot on left arm
currently sits steady alone, turns over easily, stands for a moment while holding onto something, has fine hand/eye coordination, turns head and coos when called
"she is a quiet child, she likes imitation, she is quick in reaction, she likes to listen to music"

Frequently Asked Questions

2008-12-15T21:28:00.004-06:00

There are 3 questions that we've been asked the most over the last couple of days. I'll try to answer each of them.

When will you travel? Our agency has quoted that on average, families travel within 6-10 weeks of receiving referral. After we send our letter of acceptance back to China, court appointments are made for the adoption in Guangxi Province and also with the American Consolute in Guangzhou. Until we know the dates of these appointments, we cannot plan definitively any travel arrangements.
What size is Ella? At the photos of Ella at 10 months, she weighed 14 lbs and was 27 inches long. That is approximately a 6-9 month clothing fit. As she will be about 14 months when we finally get her, I think that I will bring 12 month sized clothing.
How do you pronounce her name? I have to give credit to a new 'internet friend' that helped me out with the pronunciation.

Guangxi Province = Gwang-shee

Xingye Social Welfare Institute (town of Xingye) = Sheeng-yeh (the letter E makes a sound like EH, just like the E in DEB)

Ella's given name (Ye Guidie)

Ye = yeh

Gui = gway

Die = deee-ah

The nannies in the orphanage most likely call her DieDie. Die means 'butterfly' in Mandarin.

She's Ready for Her International Debut!

2008-12-12T16:45:00.002-06:00

And here she is....

Ella Guidie VanderGrinten

Given Name: Ye Guidie

Date of Birth: 11/27/07

Xingye Social Welfare Institute

Guangxi Province

We Have a Daughter!

2008-12-11T15:03:00.003-06:00

At 2:44pm today we received a call from our social worker. We are sooo pleased to announce the newest addition to our family:

Given Name: Ye Guidie
Born: 11/27/07
Province: Guangxi

At this point this is all the information we have. Tomorrow the referral packet with medical info, pictures, and other information will be forwarded to our social worker. We will meet with her late in the day to go over everything.

I am so relieved that this is finally happening. I wonder what her face will look like??? Will she have Ian's dimples?

And We Wait....a Little Bit Longer

2008-11-18T20:02:00.005-06:00

So it's official...we missed the referral cutoff by 1 day! On November 11, the CCAA posted that they have officially referred babies to families with Log-in-Dates (LID) up to February 17, 2006. We have a LID of February 20, 2006 (2/18 - 2/19 was a weekend in 2006). I was quite upset and down in the dumps when that news came out.

But it's amazing what a week can do! Now we are focusing on us being first in line for the December referrals! I wish I had saved the email, but my friend Cathy really put the additional wait in perspective: In March 2007, Cathy's family missed their referral by one day also. They were referred Maeve in April. She wrote to me that if they had received referral in March, they wouldn't have the same baby. Maeve is so perfect for their family, they can't imagine life without her. So our waiting an extra month is just God's way of ensuring our Ella is meant to be OUR baby.

So another month of distraction projects. We've started our Christmas shopping, bought Bill a new snowblower (yes, he is excited for that first snow!) and ripped out the carpet and installed hardwood in our master bedroom. We've been enjoying Saturday night dinners with friends, and Ian is at a age that he can behave appropriately (usually!) if we bring him along. We know that once we are back home with Ella, we will again be housebound with a little one and only venture to fast-food or an occasional Culver's dinner as a night out!

With the holidays fast approaching, this month's wait will fly by I'm sure. Everything seems to be in fast-forward this time of year. And December will be a crazy month to try to get all travel preparations completed.

The Long Adoption Process

2008-11-06T20:13:00.003-06:00

It has been a long process. Here's a summary of what Bill & I have gone through...

Sept 2005 - started the "paper chase". This included FBI background checks and fingerprinting, letters of referral, medical reviews, homestudies by a social worker, etc. The toughest part of this was trying to get a newly-issued, certified copy of our marriage license. As we were married in Cancun, Mexico back in 1996, I had to enlist a Spanish-speaking co-worker to try to obtain this from the city hall in Cancun! Unfortunately the only Spanish I seem to be fluent in is "vacation Spanish" - cerveza, bano, por favor, hamburgesa...
Jan 26, 2006 - our dossier is sent to China. The dossier is basically the 'story of us', a booklet that not only shows China our legal clearances, but also gives them a feel for what type of family we are.
Feb 20, 2006 - This is the most important date in the process, it is called the Log-In-Date (LID). It is the day that the CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) received our dossier and logs us into their queue.
March 2006 - Our dossier has made it through the CCAA's Review Room. This is where any problems with our dossier that would prevent us from adopting would be caught. For example a medical issue or a financial question.
March 2006 through November 2008 - Our dossier is sitting on a rack in a room (collecting dust if you notice the span in dates!). Every dossier is handled in a FIFO (first-in-first-out for those of you not in manufacturing) manner. Yes, there are that many dossiers in front of us. There are some unofficial estimates that as many as 30,000 dossiers are in the CCAA's backlog. The CCAA only gives referrals (assigns waiting babies to waiting families) once per month. When they issue referrals, they publish up to what LID they are through. When we started the process, the CCAA would issue a month's worth of LID at a time, and the expected wait was a little over 1 year. As the volume of dossiers increased dramatically, the CCAA started referring less and less LID, sometimes only 2 days worth sometimes.
Which brings us to today - as of this month, the CCAA has issued referrals for dossiers with LID up to 2/17/06. The good thing is, 2/18 and 2/19 were a Saturday and Sunday in 2006 (meaning no LID those dates). Therefore we are NEXT in line with a 2/20/06 LID. We will expect referral with the December batch of referrals.

Click to See Some Beautiful Pictures of the area in China where Ella is from

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Maps of China

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Where will Ella be from???