Christmas 2010: A great success!

We are labeling Christmas 2010 as a great success.

As expected, Ella didn't quite understand everything, but it was still fun.

Jenn, Ella and I made my grandma's sugar cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Following her exact ingredients and even using her tin cut-outs, they couldn't have tasted more like them.

Of course, we left those with two carrots for Santa and the reindeer. Ella didn't understand but it was fun to see her point to the plate over and over again.

We also decided to begin a tradition of having Chinese food on Christmas Eve. Jenn made the dinner from scratch and it was very good.

I ended the day reading 'Twas the night before Christmas to Ella and explained that Santa was coming and she must sleep all the way through the night or she may not get any gifts. It sort-of worked. She woke up crying at 4 a.m. but then slept until 6:30.

As Jenn was bringing her downstairs she just had this look of "what's going on" on her face. But as we explained... she began to understand (or so we like to think).

She had 30 total gifts (and Jenn and I had seven) plus her stocking. Jenn began with her stocking and she was overwhelmed just with that. But when she saw her Radio Flyer wagon, that was it. She was done. She loved it. We took her riding around the house in it and she says "weeeeeeeeeeee" as we go. It's hilarious.

But we got through all of the presents... she loved them all. Her favorites are the wagon, her Asian doll (Cailin) and a piggy bank that is very interactive.

Of course, she has been very spoiled by her extended family... she loves all of the clothes, books, and toys she got. Since she's obsessed with shoes, she especially loved her Uggs that Auntie Monica and Uncle Jeff bought her. Seriously... she keeps pointing to them and tries to put them on her feet. HIGH-LARIOUS!

This week, I work Monday and Tuesday and then am off from 12/29 through 1/9. We will be headed to sunny Florida to spend time with my family (mom, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins). So excited to get to Florida and see my mom. :~) Jenn works Tuesday and Wednesday, so we each have a day to ourselves before our trip.

Mark, Ryan and I will be headed to the Capitol One Bowl on Jan. 1 to watch MSU play Alabama. I'm pretty excited about it and should have a fun (long) day!

Ella is such a joy... she is truly our gift this year.

Below are a few photos and videos from Christmas.

Love to all.

We've entered the world of toddler-land!

It's been nearly two months since we last posted, our apologies.

Ella is just a completely different child now than she was when we brought her home and even from two months ago! She is truly a toddler, getting into anything and everything.

On the development side, she knows 30+ words. According to Early On a typical 18 month old knows five-to-six words. When Jenn told me that she said "obviously she takes after her father." I guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. :)

From the walking perspective, she is so close. She is able to cruise along furniture and walk while holding onto mommy or daddy's fingers. Earlier this week, she stood by herself and took two steps. She's done that twice now. So, she is VERY close. She will also push her stroller or her scooter for quite a bit of time.

We've been teaching her some sign language to help us with "more", "thank you", "finished", "please", "up" and "down". This is solely to help with communication.

She loves to climb the stairs... going in both directions. She's a pro right now.

Ella is now 18 months and is just shy 18 lbs and 28.25" in height. She has increased her weight (and probably weighs more now) but has not grown in height at all. She is still in the zero percentile, but we just call her peanut.

EC3, Ella's daycare, has really come through with working with her. They have been instrumental with helping her walk, self feed and just getting her caught up. They love her so much, there. We couldn't ask for anything more. In fact, they even added a third teacher in Ella's room to give her some one-on-one time. Ella will be transitioning to a new room in the summer or fall; and, from what we hear, there are two teachers that are positioning themselves to get her in their rooms. The teachers all love her so much and fight over time with her. Again, we couldn't ask for anything more. It is so nice to go to work and not worry about her at all.

Jennifer and I had Auntie AJ come over and babysit Ella so we could just go out. This was our first time! AJ did great and Ella had a BALL. It was so nice going out and having dinner without any worrys about Ella. Thanks, Auntie AJ!

The holidays have been extra special this year, as you probably know. It's been fun buying things for her and having her sit with Santa. She really doesn't understand anything, but she certainly takes it all in. Christmas is something... we keep buying more and more stuff when she doesn't need a THING! But, Ella is what it's all about.

We are celebrating Christmas with just the three of us... which is what we wanted. Next Thursday, we leave for Fort Myers to visit my mom and her new place, and the rest of the family. Mark, Deb, Ryan and Emily will also be there along with my aunts and uncles and some cousins. It will be nice for all of us be together.

With MSU going to the Capitol One Bowl, Mark, Ryan and I will be making the trek from Fort Myers to Orlando New Year's Day to watch the Spartans beat the Crimson Tide (knock wood). That will be fun fun!

And now for what you've been waiting for... below are two photo galleries: one is the family photos we had taken in the Fall and then pictures with Santa. I'm sure we will update more tomorrow or Sunday after the BIG DAY!

Love to all!

Developing Ella...

I can't believe October is over. It's been more than two months since we came home from China and there have been A LOT of changes.

Jennifer is now back to work, as of last week; which means, last week was Ella's first week at daycare. Overall, she's done really well. Drop off is not so fun as she cries every time I put her down to play or eat. It will get better, I know. Jennifer picks her up just after 5 p.m. and every time Ella falls asleep on the car ride home. So, we believe she's having a very busy and fun day.

Ella's development has really begun to take shape. Early On, Michigan's early childhood development program, said that Ella is - developmentally - a six-to-eight month old. So, she has physical therapy and occupational therapy about every other week right now. The goal is to get her to her normal age within six months.

Over the past four weeks, she is:
- Self feeding using her fingers
- Holding her own bottle
- Crawling on her knees
- Pulling herself up
- MUCH more vocal
- Mimicking a TON
- Moving from a crawling to a sitting position and vice versa
- (has) pulled herself to a standing position in her crib

Jenn and I were talking the other day at how busy we've been... in fact, we have had more company at our house than in the past 10 years. Thankfully, we have a bit of a break until Thanksgiving. We will be able to just have some downtime while we get into a new routine with her daycare. We've loved having everyone here and visiting, catching up, but we've really only had one weekend to ourselves in late September.

Ella's swimming lessons have concluded, but Jenn is still taking her to her early music class, which ends in December. She has become more vocal in the class and mocking the music and programs.

Her teacher's at EC3 are Miss Ada and Miss Jen. They are wonderful. Miss Ada especially has been spending a TON of time with Ella and, the best part, is that they offered to put an extra teacher in the Dolphin room (Ella's classroom) so Miss Ada can spend more one-on-one time with her. We really couldn't ask for anything more. They are spectacular to work with. Anyone in the Lansing area who needs a daycare/preschool/kindergarten facility should utilize EC3... EXCELLENT!!!

With Halloween, this past Friday there was a parade with all of the children at EC3. Jenn and I attended and saw them march around the block. We were toward the end of the parade and when Ella saw us... well, she reached for us both. It was really cute to see all of the kids.

Tonight was her first Halloween with us. We went over to the Jaconette's (thank you) and Auntie Ariana took her trick-or-treating while mom and dad watched. It was hilarious. We probably went to a dozen homes or so and by the very last one, she finally understood it.

You'll see some pictures below of Ella as a Panda.

Thank you to all of you who have sent presents, it is so sweet. The UPS and FedEx folks ring the doorbell and hand us the boxes and say "here's another one for the baby." HIGH-LARIOUS!

Of course, Ella just loves the paper!!!

I think that's everything for now... I'm sure the next two months will be INSANE with the holiday's approaching.

Love to all!

You never stop learning...

It's been very busy... as you can imagine, I'm sure!

Ella continues to do very well, growing and learning! Here is just a sample of things she's done over the past couple weeks:

- Swimming lessons: As many of you know, Ella is in swimming classes with daddy every Thursday night at the YMCA. The first class was canceled because of a little dirty accident in the pool NOT caused by Ella. But last Thursday was the first one. We had a lot of fun. She did Humpty Dumpty, Wheels on the Bus and the Hokey Pokey where her head went all the way under. Once that happened, she was DONE! It was hilarious. But she does love the water.

- Music class: Jenn takes her to MSUs early on music class every Wednesday evening. She's only had one so far, but had a really good time with it. She does love her music.

- Story time: Ella continues to go to the library every Wednesday morning for story time.

- Daycare: Once a week, Jenn takes Ella to her daycare so she can get acclimated and know the kids and teachers. Last Thursday, she had lunch there. Ella had a lot of fun playing with all the other kids... all boys... so I'm sure once she starts going in late October Ella will toughen up quickly.

- Baby showers: Last Sunday was a baby shower hosted by Jenn's girlfriends. We received a lot of great gifts, books, toys, etc. Everyone was so gracious... special thanks to Shalom and Danielle for organizing and hosting. We are very thankful to have such wonderful friends and neighbors. Today, the OC at the paper are hosting a shower for us... I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun there, too!

- Playdate: Ella had her first play date with Anabelle. She had SO much fun at their house and, of course, Sweetie-licious for lunch! She had her first bite of a Sweetie cookie... YUM YUM.

- Mid-Autumn Festival: yesterday, as part of FCC (Families with Children from China), we went to the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was a great time meeting all sorts of families with adopted Asian children and their parents and grandparents. Such a great group of people. Ella had a ball!

- Early On: the State of Michigan has a program titled, Early On, that evaluates children from a developmental perspective. They spent about 90 minutes at our home with Ella and Jennifer. Basically, they said she's developmentally delayed, which is no surprise. A report will be shared with us in about two weeks. We've heard these reports are an inch (or more) thick. Some immediate next steps include: vision/hearing test (Tuesday), joining an Early On playgroup (Wednesday), physical therapy and then occupational therapy. They really want her to focus on crawling, picking things up with her thumb and first finger, and naps. The more sleep she can get the better. They did say with all of this stimulation (which she's not used to) is just exhausting her. They were very happy with what we've (mostly Jenn) been doing with her. She's come a LONG way in a SHORT time.

Some great things also have happened in the past two weeks:

- She says her name, Ella.
- She kisses everything, even her daddy!
- She is doing the army crawl.
- She knows where her baby doll is -- Deb she LOVES the baby doll.
- She continues to eat very well... and has even started chewing... well, sort of.
- We received her birth certificates in the mail, which were incorrect. So Jenn called and got that all straightened out and now we have the correct ones. Apparently, my name is not Kevin McFatridge, it's Kevin Matthew.
- She is starting to hold her bottle by herself.
- She is discovering more of the house... checking out the laundry room and Jenn's office. She does really like to scratch the walls with her nails, which drives daddy absolutely CRAZY.
- She knows the word "No" very well now. She stops whatever she's doing, looks at me and then turns right around and does it again, quickly as if I wouldn't notice.

Below are a lot of random photos. We finally downloaded from our iPhones and our camera. We don't think there are any duplicates, but you'll find some of the things I've mentioned above.

Here's the thing... being a parent is hard. Yes, I know, this comes as no surprise to any of you that are already parents. And, it really doesn't come to any surprise to me either. However, what's hard is balancing work and life. I never realized how hard this would be.

I find that I just want to be here all the time and when I'm here, I'm constantly thinking about work and projects and ideas and and and...

I find myself jealous of my wife being the primary caregiver. But at the same time, I'm thrilled it's her and not me. This stems from when I asked how her day was and she said "for three hours we handed a subscription card back and forth to one another to work on her fine motor skills." Yeah, I could NOT do that. I'm so A.D.D. that the poor thing would be confused.

I find myself jealous of other parents whose 15 month old's (and some younger) are far more advanced than Ella. But Ella does things in her own time. It's fun to see the light turn on when she finally understands.

When Early On was out and evaluated her and Jenn filled me in on everything I found myself irritated that someone would JUDGE my daughter and tell me she's developmentally delayed. Yeah, whatever. But, I know they are here to help. So, I just need to get over it and help her.

And before any of you say anything, I know she was not given the opportunity to thrive. I know her chronological age is 15 months, but her emotional age is much younger... but I just want her to succeed and be the smartest kid I know she can be. I want to be able to provide whatever she needs to her... emotionally, developmentally, financially and security. And we are. These are just the random thoughts in my head. It's hard. It's just hard.

But, I'm loving every minute of it.

A lot of firsts and some great food!

It's been a little while since we've posted, but we've been a bit busy. :)

All of Ella's documents have been turned in to get her registration of foreign birth, which is her U.S. birth certificate. We should receive her birth certificate in about four-to-six weeks.

Ella met her cousins, Bryce and Aiden, and her uncle Jason for the first time over Labor Day. She had a wonderful time with them and loved to play. I think Bryce really took to Ella... and now believes she's real!!!

We also took Ella to the Potter Park Zoo for the first time. I think she was more amazed at the people than the animals, but it will come. That was an exhausting day as we kept her busy with errands.

The DeWitt Public Library offers a story time for toddlers. Jennifer and Ella were able to attend for the first time last week. The first 15 minutes is listening to stories and music and the last 15 minutes is floor (play) time with other kids.

This past weekend, we went to the lake for the Dunn's Fun Run, which honored Larry's life. It was very wet but fun at the same time. A lot of people came out and ran and walked in the rain. Ella stayed dry, but I did run the three miles.

While at the lake, Ella was able to meet her cousins, Ryan and Emily, her uncle Mark and aunt Deb, uncle Rick and aunt Susie, uncle Al and aunt Susie, and, of course, see her mamaw again. Many friends also got to meet Ella, too!

There were a few more firsts for Ella at the lake:
1. She had her first Sycamore (the best custard in the world).
2. She had her first taste of Sugar Cream Pie (an Indiana staple that NO other state offers).
3. She went to Riverside Park and rode on the Carousel.

It was great to see everyone and spend time together (even though it was a short trip). Ella received many wishes and gifts of which we are so thankful.

This week is going to be another busy week for her.

Tomorrow (Monday), Jenn is going to take her to her daycare facility to meet everyone.

Tuesday she has another doctor's appointment. We are anxious about this one to see how much weight she's gained. She's really become a little pig, lately. We are very thankful for that. It's been fun to see her belly (or Buddha belly as we like to call it) become larger.

Wednesday, she has story time again and her first toddler music class at MSU, both with Jenn.

Thursday is her first swim lesson with daddy.

Friday is our first post-placement visit with our social worker.

She is really changing in front of our very own eyes. She is becoming more vocal, ALMOST crawling (seriously, I think we have days until she's loose), she know's how big she is (sooooo big), she knows where the ceiling fan is (she looks up), she shakes her head yes when she is asked if daddy is her favorite, and she knows how to clap.

Everyone continues to ask us 'how we're adjusting?' That question perplexes me everytime we get asked. I mean... we've been waiting for Ella for more than four years and we've been wanting a family for more than 10 years. I don't really think there's an adjustment period going on at all. We love her very much and she has made our lives much more fulfilling. With that said, we've learned a few things:

1. It takes longer to get ready to do anything.
2. We can't be on the go all the time (I'm just reiterating this for my own benefit.)
3. Whenever we go somewhere, we have everything but the kitchen sink. I almost think we should purchase a trailer for her stuff.
4. Ella cannot tolerate being fed in a moving vehicle (she puked it all up).
5. We must be prepared for anything and everything. Which really means, we've added a change of clothes in the diaper bag.

With that all said (or typed), below are some photos for all of you...

Ella, work and lessons...

Ella is doing wonderful!

She is eating extremely well now. Sitting up on her own. Standing up on her own. Pulling herself with her arms (almost crawling). Sleeping well. Picking things up. Laughing. Giggling. Smiling a lot. Adjusting to her car seat and stroller.

She is such an angel. I mean, really.

This was my first week back to work and it's gone well. It's hard to leave every morning, but when I come home she just gets so excited, so that's fun. I am getting back in the swing of things, though. Everyone has been so supportive and welcoming, it's been very nice. I think they did miss me. :~)

Jenn is doing very well with her every day. She spends a lot of time with her working on development and Ella is really doing well. I think Jenn really loves it! She is a natural.

I signed Ella up for some swim lessons at the Y. We begin on the 16th from 6-6:30. I'm really looking forward to that.

Jenn signed her up for an early learning music class at MSU and I know she's really looking forward to that.

Below are some photos of her playing, eating her first ice cream at the MSU Dairy Store (hilarious) and my office on my first day back to work.

Doctors, shots and swingsets!

We are settling here at home with Ella.

Yesterday was a big day. Ella had her first doctors appointment.

We had several questions (of course, we're first time parents)!

Ella weighed 14.1 lbs and is 28.25" long. She is in the zero percentile of her weight and the seventh percentile for her length. And, that's on the Asian charts. Clearly, we have some work to do.

Also on her first appointment, she got three immunizations and a TB test. So, she was not happy. For more added excitement, we took her to the lab at the hospital where she had blood drawn. Boy oh boy, is that ever heart wrenching for the parents. You have Jenn, me and a nurse holding her steady while a second nurse is digging in her arm for a vein to get the blood. The poor thing cried so hard and was just so upset. Thankfully, at this age, she has a very short memory as she was smiling on the way out.

She goes back in three weeks for test results and two more immunizations.

Today, we met a friend of mine in Jackson and went to Ella Sharp Park and spent quite some time walking around. Below is a photo gallery of her at the park and her first time on a swing.

How sweet is she?

Home sweet home

Well, we made it home... THANKFULLY!

It was a long flight but a safe one, which is the most important. Ella did great for the first 10 hours of the flight, but the last five were rough. She was antsy and fussy but rightfully so.

It is so nice to be home, though. We can brush our teeth with tap water rather than bottled (or boiled) water. We can wash our clothes in our own washer and dryer (and, yes, Deb, I did buy Dreft). We are sleeping in our own beds and have our own stuff. We can walk outside and not feel like we need to take a shower... Michigan was a comfortable 80 degrees today!

Scheduling is going to be the hardest and most critical right now. Getting Ella on a schedule AND us on a schedule. We all, basically, slept until 1 p.m. today. Ella went down about 8:45 p.m. for the night. We, however, aren't tired at all.

Below are some more photos, including Ella's first time in a swimming pool. That was fun. And, our great friends the Jaconette's and the Wall's decorated our house and made us food for our first night (or week) back! So, sweet!

http://s888.photobucket.com/albums/ac84/kevinmcfatridge/Miscellaneous%20Ella%20photos/

Almost home...

Last night we made it back to Hong Kong via train.

Our time in China has come to an end.

While it's exciting, it's also very sad. We feel for Ella. The emotions she must be feeling, even at 14 months, has got to be difficult.

While we are proud Americans, it is also hard to know she will not grow up in the Chinese culture for which she was born into. We have learned so much about China and Hong Kong, and, in some respects, have fallen in love with it. It's been an amazing trip and a trip of a lifetime.

We are so saddened it's come to an end, but are so grateful at the same time. We are ready to come home. We are ready to drink tap water and not boil it first. We are ready for a dishwasher. We are ready for a washer and dryer. We are ready to not live out of suitcases. We are ready to see our stuff. Our home. Our other clothes. Our friends. We are ready for Ella to see her room. Her house. Her toys. Her yard. We are just ready to begin our lives as a family.

Jennifer and I are deeply indebted to Ella's birth parents. We feel for the loss they have. The emptiness they must feel. The toughest decision they have probably ever had to make. At the same time, we are filled with so much joy it's very difficult to describe.

Now the toughest job begins for us... raising our daughter. Teaching her right from wrong. Making sure she understands values, principles and respecting others. Being courageous. She needs to understand the value of a good education -- school is important. Remaining healthy and making the right choices for exercise and nutrition. Giving her all sorts of opportunities, whether it's swimming, music, or underwater basketweaving. We will support her in whatever decision(s) she makes.

I leave with one quote:

"All of our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." Walt Disney

It's official!

[Originally posted 08/16/10]

Today we had our appointment at the US Consulate’s office and took an oath.

Ella is officially ours and we will be free to leave China tomorrow upon issuance of her visa.



Cheers!

Kev, Jenn and Ella

Photos...

[Originally posted 08/15/10]

Here are some more pictures: http://s888.photobucket.com/albums/ac84/kevinmcfatridge/

Love,
Kev, Jenn and Ella

The blessing...

[Originally posted 08/14/10]

Ni hao (Hello) from GZ (Guangzhou)

Ella gave her parents another decent night sleep, for that we are thankful. She is still battling the cough and rattling in her chest, but no fever or change in disposition.

We met our guide, Shinko, this morning at 9:30 to taxi to the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees. This temple is a stop for most adoptive families as the babies receive a blessing in the Buddhist Temple in from of the statue of Kuan Yin. We saw many other adoptive families there. We did not take photos of the blessing, we instead chose to video the ceremony. Ella was very alert during this process as the monk was chanting, ringing a bell and tapping on a wooden drum----at one point, Ella even joined in with the chanting.

We made a donation to the temple after the blessing. It is something amazing to witness and be a part of…no words.

We are waiting on her to wake up from her long afternoon nap. We will be heading out to explore more of Shamian Island as soon as she wakes.

We signed more paperwork for the US Consulate this morning with Shinko. Tomorrow, she will turn all of the documents in to the Consulate. This is the process to obtain her Visa entry into the US.

Below are a few photos of our day today, so far.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52939577@N07/sets/72157624727313616/


With love,
Kevin, Jenn and Ella.

The island...

[Originally posted 08/14/10]

Today we spent time in Guangzhou on Shamian Island and in the White Swan.

After the Visa medical visit, we went to the Swan Room, which is the children’s play room dedicated by Mattel, and played with Ella. We met some other adoptive parents from Minnesota and Tennessee. We had a nice conversation with them while the kids played with one another.

At that point, Ella got really sleep, so we came back to our room and she took a three hour nap. We couldn’t believe it!

During that time, Dong from Susan’s came and picked up our laundry for cleaning. He was in our room for quite a while with his son and he invited us for tea. Once Ella woke up, we had three different types of tea that Dong grew himself. He and his wife were very nice and welcoming. Of course, it was in his wife’s store and they were trying to sell us everything in there. But, it was neat to learn about them and their culture.

He told us that with Ella’s big ear (you know, the one I keep calling ‘Elephant Ear’ that Jenn gets really upset with me), that means she’s very smart and that she will live a long life.

At another store, Emma’s, I think, Emma herself told us that a big ear lobe will mean good luck and with Ella’s big ear, we’re sure she’ll have a big lobe!

Everywhere we went today people commented on how beautiful she is and how much hair she has (see, I told you)!

We ate dinner at Lucy’s tonight and I now have a favorite beer: Zhujiang beer. It’s made here in Guangzhou and is better that Tsing Tao. Mmmmmm!

Anyway, after dinner, we headed back to the room so she can go to bed for the night. She’s been a bit fussy today, but we think it’s because of her cold.

Tomorrow, we are meeting Shinko to go to the Temple in town to have her blessed. Jennifer and I are very excited about that. After that, we’ll take the famous “red couch” photo here at the White Swan. But once that’s done who knows what we’ll do. Probably spend some time in the pool! It looks yummy!

The temperature was 97 degrees today, but felt 109 degrees – that’s according to Weather.com, by the way. I’m not just making this stuff up!

Here are the photos I’m sure you’ve been waiting for: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52939577@N07/sets/72157624721840398/. Pay close attention to the final one with her hair! It’s hilarious!

Love,
Kev, Jenn and Ella.

Blowout, Guangzhou and shopping! Oh my!

[Originally posted 08/13/10]

We made it to Guangzhou and Ella did great on the plane with the exception of her poop blowout. That was hilarious… all over momma. Ha ha ha ha!

But, the White Swan is more than we expected.

Today we had Ella’s Visa photo taken and her Visa medical appointment.

She does not have an ear infection and the doctor believes she has a food allergy. Since Ella doesn’t eat anything but formula mixed with rice cereal we believe it’s the mixture of American formula with the Chinese formula. So we have removed the Enfamil from her mixture to see if that’s what’s causing the allergy. The only other thing she’s had is a little bit of apple juice mixed with water. But the rash appeared before we gave her that mixture. Let the testing begin!

Ella did really well at the Visa medical appointment and passed with flying colors. Her is 15 lbs and 28.4” in length. Her body temperature as normal and her lungs are clear. The doctor commented that she is a skinny baby.

While in the waiting room and at breakfast this morning, several other families commented on how pretty she is. I told you she was the most beautiful girl EVER!

While here at the White Swan, we’ve met a lot of other American families adopting. It’s been really fun comparing notes with them and learning about their children. I’m sure we will meet more.

They are very willing to share their experiences in Guangzhou with us, ie: Jordons is the place to go for squeaky shoes; Lucy’s is the best restaurants; Emma’s is also a great retail store; among others.

Guangzhou is absolutely beautiful. It seems to us like a resort town. There is a lot of construction going on because the Asian Games will be here in December. So, there is a TON of beautification going on. You will see just some of the photos we’ve taken below. English is very well spoken here and, again, the people cater to adoptive parents, especially American. In fact, the flyer from Jordon’s reads “American Adoptive Families”.

When we returned to our room at the White Swan, there was a box on our coffee table with a Barbie doll in it. The White Swan has a special partnership with Mattel. The Barbie doll is holding an orphaned China baby. The only way to get this doll is by staying at the White Swan. So, this made us very happy and laugh.

We are headed down to their play room where we will meet more people, I’m sure.

This hotel is really one of the more beautiful we’ve ever stayed. The service is amazing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52939577@N07/sets/72157624720250996/

Love to all,

Kev, Jenn and Ella

A terrific day!

[Originally posted 08/12/10]

Well, we had another terrific day in Nanchang. Probably our most favorite.

Ella slept really well last night… a full 10 hours. We hung out in the hotel for most of the morning and then went to Nanchang Lake, which is the largest lake in Nanchang. It is surrounded by a beautiful walking path and in the center is a Temple.

First of all, the lake is breathtaking. We have not been big fans of Nanchang as the city seems very dirty, poor and overly populated. But today at the lake was a whole different experience and a view of Nanchang we weren’t expecting. It was absolutely spectacular.

We walked to the Temple which was an emotional experience. I prayed to the Jade Emperor, the supreme sovereign of all. We were told that he is the god of education and prosperity.

Sitting at the lake and walking around the different temples and learning about the different gods were just emotionally overwhelming. It was both sad and exciting to learn about the Taoist beliefs. We were saddened that Xiaqing won’t be living here to understand the cultures ins and outs, but were excited that we learned about the culture and her future with us.

On a more lighter note:
- Ella is rolling over on her own.
- She is holding objects in her hands.
- She took a mixture of apple juice and water. She’s not too prone to trying new things, so this was an achievement.
- She now says Mama and Dada.
- The most fun time with her is 4-7 p.m. as she is very playful.

We purchased a very nice tea set for her from Jiangxi Province, which is known for its porcelain. Trust me, it’s beautiful.

Also we received all of the notarized documents from China confirming she’s ours. That’s a very big deal!

We also got the pictures from the two cameras we sent to the SWI and those are just amazing. There are several of her birthday party and in her high chair and even on a spittoon. They are HILARIOUS!

Tomorrow we leave Nanchang for Guangzhou, so we excited to begin that adventure.

Here some additional photos we took today: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34218295@N05/sets/72157624708664900/

Love to all!

Kev, Jenn and Ella

The most beautiful little girl EVER!

[Originally posted 08/12/10]

I think I finally have the computer issues fixed. Geesh… what an ordeal!

Yesterday, Ella woke up a bit fussy, but ended up being really good. Her fever broke and she was back to her old self. A perfect Angel.

I’m sorry to let all of you know, but she is the most beautiful little girl EVER. I know. I know. You all say that same thing about your kids or, for some, yourselves. BUT… I have to tell you, you are WRONG! Ella is the prettiest thing ever.

Okay, now that we have to all cleared up…

We had a big day yesterday. We went to the Teng Wang Pavilion, which is one of the four great towers of China. It has been destroyed and rebuilt more than 28 times, with this last building reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty in 1989. In the photos you’ll see, there are many of the replicas from the old towers as well as some artifacts. It is all hand painted and just spectacular. The photos don’t do it justice at all. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and there’s a bell that folks can pay to ring for good luck.

Some of our photos are hazy because of the high humidity. Included is a family photo taken by our guide, Shinko.

After the Pavilion excursion, we went to dinner with the other couple in our travel group. It was a nice evening and the girls were on their best behavior!

Ella slept more than 10 hours last night which gave her parents a welcomed break.

This afternoon we will be doing more site seeing.

We leave tomorrow afternoon on a 3:05 p.m. flight to Guangzhou.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52939577@N07/sets/72157624581660717/

Hope you’re all having a wonderful week.

Love,
Kev, Jenn and Ella

Wow… last night sucked...

[Originally posted 08/11/10]

For most of yesterday, Ella had a fever. It spiked around 103.6. So, she’s been on medicine. We think it was a combination of things: teething, no bowel movement, and just the overall stress of everything.

While she wasn’t feeling well, we did have some good moments yesterday as she just powered through.

Last night, however, sucked. She didn’t fall asleep until 9ish last night and then was up at midnight. That’s when Jenn spent about two hours with her until we put her in her crib where she wailed. So, we broke our number rule and allowed her in the bed with us. But I’m justifying it with the fact that she was sick.

We ended up canceling all of our sightseeing yesterday completely, so we spent the entire day in the hotel. We’re hoping to get out today and see more of Nanchang.

This morning her temp is back to normal and she actually pooped! I never thought I’d be so happy for someone to poop. But it was her first time with us. So, it was past due.

Here’s hoping to a good day.

Kev

Photos galore...

[Originally posted 08/10/10]

You’ve been asking, we’ve been taking.

Below is a link to our Flickr account with 76 photos of Ella. We got some really good ones last night so I hope you enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34218295@N05/sets/72157624690863924/

Ella went down last night about 7 p.m. and woke up at 4 a.m. She fell asleep at 6 a.m. and is still down for the count. Mommy and daddy, however, are still wide awake.

We don’t have a lot planned for today. We will head down for breakfast in a little bit and then play in the room until about 3 p.m. At that time, we will head to Teng Wing Pavilion, which is the oldest Pavilion in China and just up the street from our hotel. After that we will head to the porcelain row. Nanchang and Jiangxi are known for two things: porcelain and bamboo.

I hope you all have a wonderful night as we head into our day.

Love,
Kev and Jenn

A big day...

[Originally posted 08/09/10]

Today was a very big day for us. While it was our first full day with Ella, more importantly it became the day that she is officially ours (according to China, that is).

Last night after we got her, she had a few melt down moments and ended up passing out for the night at 5:30 p.m. She slept 10 full hours but awoke at 3:30 or 4 a.m. She had a bottle when she woke, whimpered a bit, Skyped with my mom (who got the first smile out of her), took a bath and then fell back asleep for about an hour.

We all went down for breakfast, she had a bottle and at 9 a.m. we went to the Adoption Registration office (Civil Affairs Bureau of Jiangxi Province) where we were interviewed as to why we were adopting from China and promised to never harm or abandon her. We also had to get our first family photo and her passport photo taken. Once we get to Guangzhou at the end of our trip we receive a hard bound certificate that includes our family photo and declares Dong Fan Xia Qing ours.

On the 26th floor of the office was full of other adoptive parents from many countries. It was very hot and very crowded. In China, folks are allowed to smoke everywhere (including elevators) so the rooms are hard to breathe in.

After being there for an hour we had to go to get those document notarized. That was filled with many of the same people we saw at the first office. It was slightly cooler, but not much.

It was overwhelming with emotion as other adoptive parents and their babies were all congratulating each other no matter what travel group you were in.

That process was slightly quicker.

We needed to get some supplies so after our big event, we went to the Nanchang Wal-Mart. Let me first say, I hate Wal-Mart and this experience did not help that any. Picture the dirtiest, busiest and most disorganized Wal-Mart you’ve been to and multiply by 1000 and you will have had the exact same experience. This Wal-Mart was two stories with other shops on the ground floor. We picked up water, pop and diapers.

It was an experience I will never forget, unfortunately. I do, on the other hand, now know what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie go through with people staring. (Yes, I’m equating myself to Brad Pitt). Finger pointing, comments about Jenn’s blue eyes and whispering were made by everyone who saw us. In fact, Jennifer even got her photo taken with Ella today. They aren’t rude, but they do stare and it can make you uncomfortable.

So, more on Ella: she is an angel. I mean seriously, she’s an angel. Very laid back, easy going and just a great temperament. She only whimpers when she wants something or is tired. We did see more of her personality today with laughs, smiles and her playfulness. She must be getting used to us.

With that said, there are some issues: she is 13 months and can barely pull herself up, she cannot sit up by herself and is definitely not crawling. But the motor skills will come more and more every day.

Ella does not like to sit by herself, she wants to constantly be held. We’re not sure if this is because she wasn’t or if it’s security. Either way, we don’t care.

We weighed her today and she’s about 17 pounds at almost 14 months. She is very petite and doesn’t eat much… yet. The shoes we brought do NOT fit her. The 12 mos clothes that we have are a little big and most of the clothes we brought were 12-18 mos. So, she’ll be swimming for awhile.

Best of all, she said her first word today and it was “dada”. So that’s an homage to me… or so I think.

Attached are a few pictures of her sleeping at the Civil Affairs office. We forgot the battery to our camera and had to rely on my iPhone for photos. I know. I know.

Love to you all.

We will email as often as we can. And then will post these to MairzyDoats as soon as we have access again.

Kev & Jenn

P.S. I’m dying without Facebook!

Our first night...

[Originally posted 08/09/10]

Ella had the ugly cry for about an hour and then just passed out cold around 5:30 p.m.

She slept the entire night… 10 hours. She woke up around 3:30-4 a.m. this morning. So her schedule is already messed up.

She is whimpering every now and again but we’ve learned she likes to be held right now.

Our guide, Shinko, went to the store for us last night and got us the Nestle formula and rice cereal she’s used to so she can have some “normalcy” right now.

She is very curious wondering what’s going on. She keeps looking around with a frown on her face, which is to be expected. She is not taking too kindly to me, however. Not surprisingly, we were told she’s not used to men at the SWI.

Her documents say she is very timid, quiet and shy. We think she is just trying to process everything before she’ll try anything. She likes for Jenn to hold her but does not like sitting by herself at this point.

Jennifer and I signed (and thumbprinted) a lot of paperwork last night “accepting” her into our lives. Today, those documents get notarized, so we will leave around 9 a.m.

That’s all we have planned for the day other than just trying to get her to bond with us.

So amazing...

So, the trip was just amazing!

Once we arrived in Nanchang, we were unable to access Facebook, Twitter and Blogger. So, emails to our family and friends was the best we could do during that time.

As a result, I am going to post those to Blogger and update Twitter and FB at the same time.

Ella is doing great. She seems completely different from the first day we got her... but here's the beginning of our adventure...

======================================================
[Originally posted 08/08/10]

Well, we got her!

It was the strangest thing… we were called and told to come to the lobby of the hotel. So we did.

There were two women who brought her from her SWI. One was the director and the other an assistant. They were very sweet.



We stood there and looked at her and another baby from the SWI and asked if we knew which one was Xia Qing. We didn’t really. But they told us, obviously. She is much smaller than we ever thought. In fact, she’s probably in six-nine month clothes, but we’re not quite sure at this point. She was handed to Jenn and she just looked dazed and confused… I’m sure a lot of that will be forthcoming the remainder of the week.

Jenn held her for a little while until I got her. She did really well. She didn’t wince or whimper or cry or anything.

We asked a lot of questions and then said our goodbyes.

Our guide, Shinko, who will be with us the entire two weeks, said in her experience the babies that come from her province and SWI typically are the healthiest she’s seen.

We came right up to our room where Ella just started crying… loudly. It was the ugly cry. The really ugly cry. She got herself so worked up that now she’s asleep. So we haven’t had much time to spend with her… YET!

So, that’s where we are.

What an amazing day. Jenn and I are already exhausted from anticipation. But it’s just so weird to instantly have a love for her and we just really met. I’m not sure how to describe it. Odd, but wonderful at the same time.



Nanchang is nothing like Hong Kong. The traffic here is much worse. The neighborhoods don’t really seem safe. We get strange looks wherever we go, but we don’t care. We have our daughter and that’s what makes this trip worthwhile.

Attached are a couple of photos that we have so far. One includes Jennifer and the SWI director.

Ella, here we come!

Well, it's nearly 5 a.m. on 8/8/10... the day we get little Miss Ella.

We slept... sort of. We both woke up about 1 a.m. thinking it was close to 5 and it wasn't. So, we woke up every hour on the hour and finally just got up at 4:30 a.m.

We are [almost] packed for the day.

Our shuttle bus leaves at 6:30 a.m. for Hong Kong International. We meet our guide, Shinko, at 9 a.m. That's when the fun begins.

China Eastern Airlines takes off at 11:25 a.m. for Nanchang and we arrive at 1 p.m. A relatively short flight.

As for additional posts, we're not sure when we will as we cannot anticipate the rest of our day. But we will do our best.

Love to all!

Hong Kong... Central District and The Peak

Today was a busy and exhausting day!

We started the morning with our Starbucks... then walked to the Star Ferry to go to the Central District shopping. :)

It's amazingly different here with time... Nothing opens before 11 a.m. Let me rephrase... nothing worth shopping for opens before 11 a.m. As we were leaving the girls at our hotel told us that we were leaving way too early... but did we listen? NOPE! And, you know what? It worked out just great. Just wait...

Before I tell you what Jennifer wants me to tell you, I need to set it up. Everywhere we go in Hong Kong EVERYWHERE WE GO, we are accosted by people trying to sell us something. And, it seems to be Americans in particular. But, honestly, it gets very annoying. I mean, it's not like they just ask you a question and you say "No, thank you" that they leave you alone. They literally follow you and keep talking trying to sell you on their product or goods. Okay, so... on our way to the Star Ferry, there was an older man who was dressed in monk-like attire. And, being in Hong Kong and American, he proceeded to hand us something trying to tell us the worth of God or Buddha or whomever he believes in. So, Jennifer was behind me not saying a word and I just turned to him and said "No, thank you." He kept talking to me, touched my arm trying to give me his little card thing. I said, "NO!" And, we finally walked away. I turned, looked at Jenn and said, "well, I'm going to Hell." So we've been laughing about that all day long. I'm sure I will meet most of you there, anyway. :~)

Star Ferry:


When we got of the Star Ferry, we walked into the mall, which none of the shops were open, but we walked the IFC (International Finance Center), aka shopping mall. I felt like the senior citizens in the states that walk malls for exercise. But, it was a nice mall. Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, David Yurman, Jimmy Choo, Burberry, etc. All the stores we can't afford. But it was nice. We've been to three "malls" and they all have the EXACT SAME STORES. So, fashion is a big thing in Hong Kong.

We've noticed a lot of make-up, shoes, and jewelry stores. Clearly geared toward the female demographic.

We did eat lunch at this great little place in the IFC, but it wasn't chinese. It's amazing how westernized the food is here. Perhaps we're not going to all the local hot spots, but there has not been much option or Asian cuisine, unless it's high-end. Again, we haven't been to many of the truly local restaurants, so we could be missing a lot. Nanchang, we're sure, will be much different.

After lunch we took a bus to The Peak... or Victoria's Peak. WOW! That was probably the most amazing views I've ever seen. Check them out:









Besides the amazing views at the top of The Peak, there was ANOTHER SHOPPING MALL. But, this time there were some really unique stores. Not just the typical corporate retail. Individual, cool stores. We could've done a lot of damage, but ended up just buying a couple of things. Most notably a chop with ink that has Dong Fang Xia Qing's Chinese symbols. So, that's cool!

After spending about two hours at the Peak, we walked back to our hotel and voila...

It's been an amazing and quick two days in Hong Kong. A really good friend told me to not leave with any regrets and I don't. We've done everything I wanted to do here.

This city is so easy to get around in without a vehicle (and you wouldn't want to drive, trust me) it's just not funny. We started this adventure in a car, then a plane, a train, shuttle bus, ferry, a double-decker bus and, of course, our sore feet! But it's been well worth it.

I might have one regret... not doing the fish eating pedicure. Hey, I still have 13 days!

Kowloon, continued...

After the park, we walked to the Hong Kong Museum of Art and spent quite a bit of time there. They had a wonderful exhibit by Wu Guanzhong, who is now my favorite artist. Here's just a sample of his work:



After the HKMOA, we walked along the Avenue of Stars and gazed at Victoria Harbor. The Avenue of Stars is similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame with famous Asian actors with their hand prints, etc. We saw Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Those are the only names we recognized.

But the standout for us was the Harbor and Hong Kong's skyline.


It's just beautiful.

The one down side? It's VERY HOT and HUMID!

Today, we are going to take the Star Ferry to Hong Kong and the Central District (pictured above) and walk around there.

Tomorrow, we get Ella!

Our own walking tour of Kowloon...

Today, Jennifer and I spent all morning exploring in Kowloon.

It's just so different. First of all, there is no inch spared. There are businesses EVERYWHERE. It's just amazing.

We woke at 5:30 a.m. and went to breakfast about 6:30 or so. After breakfast, we just began wandering the streets of Kowloon.

Our first stop, however, was so Jenn could get her Starbucks:






























Then we were talking about Larry and how he would have just loved to hear about our trip and all of the China experience. Literally, we turned a corner and found this:
















So, we just kept walking and found this display that is promoting a Food is Art Festival. Since it's all about the sweets, we just had to snap it!

















Nothing opens until 10 or 11 a.m. (Stacia's time) and since it was early, well we spent the morning in the most amazing park I think we've ever seen. Now, we have always held Krape Park in our hearts from a days in Freeport (just one of the nicest parks we've ever seen), but the Kowloon Park has taken the top spot! Enjoy some of the photos:

Our first night in Kowloon...

We both slept like rocks last night, but woke up at 5:30 this morning. So, we are nearly ready for the day. We're going to start with some breakfast and then just check out the sites, or should I say, shops?

:~)

24 hours of travel and we're still speaking...

Nearly 24 hours after leaving our house this morning, we arrived in our hotel in Kowloon.

So, here's the recap:

-- Car services 30 minutes late. She couldn't find our house and then got turned around. Once we were on the road, she missed the exit to the airport. She was a bit ditzy.

-- Delta. I did not get my first class upgrade I was hoping, but we did get upgraded to preferred seating with a outlet for my electronics. That made life a lot easier. Oh, and we had an entire row to ourselves.

-- Flight. We took off one our later than anticipated, but it was a 16 hour flight. The flight was not nearly as bad as we had thought. We slept quite a bit... probably six-to-eight hours total, but it was interrupted sleep, so we are a bit cranky and tired already. I'm sure this is just a sign of things to come with parenthood.

-- Hong Kong International Airport. WOW... this place is awesome! Tiffany. Burberry. Armani. Prada. Jimmy Choo. If I wasn't so tired, I'm sure we'd still be there. But, we went through Immigration with out any problems. Customs was even easier.

-- Kowloon. Because our hotel shuttle operates on certain hours, we ended up taking the train and a bus to the hotel. Once we got to Kowloon, you would just not believe the amount of stores... EVERYWHERE. Small stores, big stores, just stores everywhere. I am not kidding, there is not an inch of space left unused.

-- Hotel. The Regal Kowloon upgraded us... so the room is really nice.

I think that's it... we're tired so we're going to relax and get to it tomorrow.

Planes, trains and automobiles... so it begins!

We are as ready as we'll ever be.

Bags are packed.
Electronics are packed.
Itineraries printed.
Passports in hand.
Money in hand.
House cleaned and organized.
Trash out.
Newspapers on hold.
Mail on hold.
Lawn service ready.
Housesitter ready.
Work is done.

I'm not sure there's much else left to do. If there is, we'll figure it out.

Jenn slept like a rock last night. Me, not so much. Too many thoughts. Too many items to remember. Nervous energy.

We are just waiting on the car service... just 35 minutes to go and then we'll load up and head out. :~)

A blog that Jenn has been following said that Blogger is not accessible in Nanchang. So, we may not be able to update the blog while there. So, we may have to send some emails out to those of you interested and then do a lot of posts in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. So, please be patient.

Well, here we go... our trip of a lifetime is just minutes away.

A room of her own...

Here is Ella's room. Our goal for the room (yes, we had a goal) was to make it a place for Ella to grow. We didn't want a theme or make it a true nursery.


















Some things to point out:

Crib: We purchased the pewter-finished crib almost four years ago in Rockford. Friends of ours saw it on the floor and knew we were wanting a silver crib. They told us about it and we purchased it. We are fortunate that it hasn't been recalled. :~)

Bedding: The day we handed our life over to China, literally, we went shopping in Chicago. We hauled this PB bedding about 35 blocks back to our hotel. I swear we walked through Cabrini Green, too!

Walls: The room is painted Duchess Lilac. It was painted about a year ago to celebrate our three-year wait.

Artwork: The piece over the crib is the ABCs of China Provinces.

Mirror: Every girl deserves a full length mirror, right?



















Chandelier: Yes, it's probably too much, but we found it in Traverse City and just thought it would fit nicely in her room.

Bookcase: From Land of Nod, we liked it because the toy box is open and at the bottom.


















Rocking chair: This was my grandma's chair. It was green with a pineapple decal at the top. Not any more. :~)

Quilt: the quilt was made by a very good friend of ours, Charlo. She is so talented and made it with all sorts of ladybugs all over it. It's so sweet, we love it.

Desk: The white desk was a table in the basement of our Rockford home. The previous owners used it for a laundry basket to collect clothes from the shoot. We didn't plan on bringing it to Lansing with us, so when it came off the truck, we were surprised. We had it refinished, strengthened and a drawer added.

Closet: it's full!

Everything else was collected from various places and people. But, we are very happy with it and know that Ella will be, too!

Stressing dreams...

Stress is a something else.

Jenn told me the other morning about her dream... picture it:

It's August 4, 2010, 7:32 p.m. on a Delta flight somewhere over the western United States.

Jennifer: Kevin, do you have the money?

Kevin: No, you said you got it.

Jennifer: I didn't get it. You told me you got it.

[both look at each other and say ] &%*$

But what I didn't tell her is that I had a dream that night also. No dialogue, though.

I was sitting in bed about to get up for the day and yawned. At that point all of my teeth just fell out. YEP... just FELL out.

Of course, there's a meaning to that, right? I Googled what it meant and, basically, it means I'm stressed. But there are many interpretations. Here they are:

- fear of rejection
- fear of growing old
- fear of embarrassment
- inferiority or lack of confidence
- I put my faith, trust, and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God
- In the Greek culture, a family member or close friend is very sick or even near death
- In the Chinese culture, there is a saying that you are telling lies
- Symbolizes money

I like the last one the best. :~)

But, these dreams symbolize to us that we are stressed. As I said earlier, this is a moment in time. But our subconscious is being revealed through our stressing dreams.

Yep, a moment in time...

Anxiety is something and is associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry.

There are seven days until we leave. And, there are 16,543,102 items left on our to-do list, yet, I'm not sure where to begin. Some of the stuff is major... like getting our moolah. Others are minor, like trimming the side bushes. But, all are important for us to get done now.

The room is ready.
The house is set.
Itinerary has been set, modified, set, changed, set, finalized.
Work is, well, almost organized.

But this is a time of change.
A time of anticipation.
A time of joy.
A time of excitement.
A time of fear.
A time of birth.

Yep, a moment in time.

We're leaving on a jet plane...

Yep, it's true! We leave in less than two weeks! August 4, to be exact.

Jennifer and I will be on Delta Flight 0027 leaving Detroit at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4 direct to Hong Kong... arriving at 7:15 p.m. August 5.

Our itinerary looks like this:

August 8, 2010 (Sun): A.M. The family travels with ISS staff from Hong Kong to Nanchang OR ISS staff meet the family at the hotel in Nanchang. P.M.: Meet Ella at the hotel

August 9, 2010 (Mon): Adoption Registration & notarization

Aug 10-11, 2010 (Tue-Wed): Wait for notarized documents and passport

Aug 12, 2010 (Thurs): Notarized documents collected by ISS staff

Aug 13, 2010 (Fri): Ella’s passport collected by ISS staff. P.M.: Travels from Nanchang to Guangzhou

Aug 14, 2010 (Sat): Visa medical

August 16, 2010 (Mon): Medical report collected by ISS staff. Visa appointment date

August 17, 2010 (Tue): Visa ceremony

August 18, 2010 (Wed): Ella’s US Visa collected by ISS staff. PM we will head back to Hong Kong by train.

We will be on Delta flight 0026 leaving Hong Kong at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, August 20 and arriving in Detroit at 12:10 p.m. on the same day.

Tickets have been purchased.

The schedule is finalized.

It is actually for REAL!

So excited!

Right here, right now...

Yesterday, we received communication from our caseworker at Lifelink with regards to our "Hotel Reservation Worksheet".

We have organized our preference of hotels and rooms:

When Jennifer and I arrive in Hong Kong, we will book our own hotel... so, that's to come.

But, when we go to Nanchang, we will be staying at the Gloria Grand Hotel. We will be in Nanchang for five nights.

When we head to Guangzhou, we will be staying at the White Swan. We will be in Guangzhou for five nights.

After Guangzhou, we will head back to Hong Kong and stay at the Regal Airport Hotel.

Also, yesterday, we received a letter and receipt in the mail for our renewal of our I-600A. In the letter it states that the current processing times are 3-4 months. Um, our current I-171H (which once the I-600A is approved, we get the I-171H) expires on 8/26/10. Four months later after processing time would put is in October. Somehow, I don't think I want to stay in China until then.

The reason why the delay is because our government is consolidating and centralizing into one office. This took effect on June 28... 10 days after the Michigan office received our paperwork.

So, I've spoken with with USCIS, Senator Stabenow's office and NBC (National Benefits Center). Yeah, it's been a fun day. I hope - HOPE - it's all been straightened out... but we will see. I have to call them tomorrow to speak with Officer Merck to verify the email receipt. GEESH! Once they get our stuff in their system, it shouldn't - SHOULDN'T - be much longer.

But, I did find out a few things today... ISS (International Social Service) is wanting us to travel either August 8-19 or August 15-26. Of course, we will be front-loading a couple days in Hong Kong but we're thrilled that we have an idea.

We are still waiting for the travel invitation. Hopefully, it will come very soon.

For now, we are living in the moment.

Ready, willing and waiting to go...

We have been reminded of the lack of posts made over the past two weeks... and that it's time for an update...

According to Rumor Queen, the European Agencies received early June referrals Travel Assignments. Which, hopefully, means we'll receive ours early this week. (fingers crossed)

The wait is becoming harder each day. Knowing we'll be gone in a few short weeks and meeting Ella for the first time has been on our minds since the referral.

That said... we have been busy... some of you might say we're nesting... others would just say we are organizing. :~)

Of course, my uber-organized wife (complete with spreadsheets, highlighters and charts) has purchased everything Ella will need for when we get there. And, because of that, she wanted to get her suitcase packed so we won't have to worry about it when the time does come. Honestly, I think it took us an hour, but her suitcase is packed.

Here you'll see just an ordinary suitcase:
























But here, you'll see a suitcase packed full of hopes, dreams and, now, reality:
















Inside this suitcase consists of more than 100 items (excluding clothes). Yes... you read correctly, more than 100 items... EXCLUDING clothes. Oh, and you might ask... where are the clothes? They are in a secret compartment wrapped in Ziplock bags. Because they take up less space when you remove the air. They don't even take up 1% of the actual suitcase.

The items recommended we take includes an actual pharmacy (in case she has a cold, diarrhea, flu, etc), a blanket, bottles, a couple books, diapers, snacks, sippy cup, bibs and the list just goes on and on.

Jennifer has already created an Excel list of categories... for her, for me, and for miscellaneous items that we should not forget. Please note my list is blank.

As I type this she is yelling at me saying that "you could not have done this without any planning. If so, we would be at Meijer at midnight the night before we leave." Yeah, she's probably right.

But the point is... we're ready. We are overly ready.

Who wants some cake?

It's been awhile since we posted something, but as you can imagine, we've been very busy! Yes... we've heard from a lot of you about the fact that we haven't updated lately. :~)

We (and by we, I mean Jennifer) were able to get all of our paperwork completed. This includes our travel Visa's and the I600A form that extends our I-171H form which allows us entry back into the States with Ella.

In fact, we've already received our travel Visa's back...



The government did receive the I600A form so we are just waiting for the extension now. Shouldn't be much longer!!!

Last weekend, Jennifer and I celebrated her 40th birthday, father's day and Ella's first birthday in Traverse City, MI. We had a great time shopping, eating and just sitting on the beach. We had a great time just hanging out and lounging around!







And, most importantly, Ella turned one on 6/21. If you recall, we were able to send a birthday care package to her through BlessedKids.com. The package included a teddy bear, blanket, disposable camera, birthday cake, pictures of Jenn and I and a letter from us translated into Chinese, of course.

With this particular package, the toys and stuff are delivered first and once the delivery confirmation comes through, the birthday cake is delivered a couple days later. We were so excited when we learned the toys and such were delivered on 6/19 and her birthday cake was delivered ON her actual birthday of 6/21! VERY COOL!

When Adele from BlessedKids.com emailed us to let us know, she said she had eight other photos to share with us... so, click the photo below to view all eight of them!

HOW EXCITING IS MY CAKE?



I CAN HANDLE THAT!


Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, sugar!


HEY! It's my cake. That's okay, there's plenty to go around.


I think I'm going to be sick, now.


I don't really know what to say...


Me and my little buddy enjoying a sugar coma.


So, the next big question is when do we travel? Well, we wish we knew! We SHOULD (emphasis) receive our TA (travel assignment) within the next week or two. The TA comes from ISS (International Social Service).