Our First Two Days Home....

The Pirate showing The Mermaid her room

They're first HappyMeal together...

How LOUD can two kids be???? Pretty loud by the look on Ba Ba's face!!!!

Getting ready to swim....

Won't get into the Pool...SCREAMS!!!!!! This is closest she will get.... at least she looks happy!!!!

Eating Popsicles Together

The Meeting....

We are Home!

Yes...we are. We had a long flight with the Mermaid. It all started with an hour delay in Guangzhou due to Typhoon Fenshen hitting Hong Kong. We almost missed our connecting flight in Tokyo...they held it for us and several other families.

We spent 7 hours in the Detroit airport. It pretty much stunk sitting there...however, we had no choice as we needed to get through Immigration to do the Mermaid's citizenship papers and we would not have made the earlier connection to home.

She hates seat belts, doesn't like to sleep on the plane and figured out if she tells me she has to go to the toilet (as they call it in China)...she can get out of her seat...one smart cookie!

We got in at midnight and were greeted by some crazy people who should be home in bed at that time...but is was so nice to see the Pirate!!!! He hugged me, then his dad and then just stood there looking at the Mermaid....almost like she was not real! Funny thing is...she did the same to him!!!! By the time we got in the car and started for home...it was very late and the two of them in the back of the car just laughing!

We are jet lagged and not feeling ourselves again. I think I ate something the last day I was in China...and have not felt well. I will NOT go into details. However, we have just been spending time together playing and laughing and getting to know each other as persons. I think the hardest thing is the Mermaid is fluent in Mandarin. She is picking up our words and using them...just not consistantly. We will keep working on it. She is very happy and so sweet. It is tough on her, not being able to communicate with us. I am glad I figured out what she says when she has to go to the bathroom!

We just wanted to say THANK YOU to a few people who have helped us out while we were on our journey to China....

Drew for watching the dog and the house

Megan for driving us to the airport

Kerri and family for taking care of The Pirate

Staci for watching the house taking care of the dog and the Pirate

Tricia for posting our pictures and text to our Blog

and if I forgot anyone else, Thank you too!

We couldn't have done it without our family and friends...

Happy Birthday Aunt Staci!!!

Love, The Pirate and The Mermaid

For Uncle Cris

Maybe you guys are REALLY the King of Beers????????

Our last day in China

We came half way around the world to run into Typhoon Fenshen!!! Thank goodness it set it\'s sights on Hong Kong instead of Guangzhou. We had a very wet day today....like hard rain, all day. We spent some time on the pedestrian mall and then had some lunch at KFC. The Mermaid got to play on the play equipment with a little boy. She was very good with him. Funny thing... Vince, one of our travel mates wanted a chicken sandwich. When he bit into it, it had carrots and peas in it! It is tough ordering food when one does not speak the language....

We came back to the room and the Mermaid took a nap. I realized I had no clean clothes for the Mermaid if she had an accident. So, I tried to buy a pair of shorts for a clean shirt she had. The clothes here do not have sizes and without a guide with us...this was an impossible task. So, let's pray our plane ride goes smooth. Thank goodness they do not have squatty potties on the planes!

We had our Visa ceremony today. It was a small group of families representing 14 states. It went smooth and we promised that all our info was correct on our forms. The Mermaid has a Visa and she can now come into the US and become a citizen!!!!!! We now have the "all important envelop" of papers that can not be opened until we hand it to the official in Detroit. That person will process and "chop"(stamp) the Mermaid's passport and that is it!!!! It took less than an hour. The Mermaid's passport picture is really cute...she is wearing the ladybug shirt her Aunt Staci bought her and we sent in her care package. After the ceremony, all three families had Pizza Hut to celebrate. We are looking forward to keeping up with Jack, age 1 and Kourtney, age 2 in the upcoming months. We will get to see Jack again in November for the Welcoming Ceremony our agency has because Jack's family lives in Florida.

We had Echo and Mary talk with the Mermaid this evening about what will happen in the next few days. She is happy about her ge ge (the pirate), the dog and her stuffed animals on her night stand. They spent time looking thru the pictures we have. Speaking of pictures, we had two rolls of film developed that was given to us from the SWI. I can't wait to share them with you all. She was the only girl, with 14 to 15 boys. Now, that explains some of those behaviors!!!!

We have to be up at 4:30 am to get to the airport in time. Our flight leaves Guangzhou at 8:20 am ( 8:20 PM Wednesday night for you guys). We fly to Tokyo and then to Detroit. Then home. Our flight number is Northwest 1108 and we arrive at 11:59 PM.

We can't wait to be home and to kiss the Pirate....

Sleep got the better of us last night...

These are pictures from the temple where the Mermaid was blessed by the monks. And one of her having ice cream. After she tasted the ice cream I said to her, "Not so bad hanging out with these people, huh?" She grinned as if she understood me...I think she did. Staci...DON'T read this part to the Pirate...we have great zoo pictures too, but I have to hold them back until we break the news to the Pirate. We saw a Panda and a Lesser Panda. When in China....T

Medical Check Up

We had a nice dinner last night on Shaimen Island at a restaurant called the Station. We went with the other two families that have been here for a while. I had pasta and shared it with The Mermaid. She had some of Daddy's sweet and sour pork. She is a good eater!We got up and had the breakfast buffet at the hotel. Compared to the other hotel, I was in food heaven! French toast, cereal, sausage, pastries, you name...that had it! The Mermaid was extremely good. She likes sitting in a high chair and loves the stroller!!! I really never thought she would.We had some time before we had to leave. So we checked out the hotel and came back to the room. Well, little miss Mermaid decide to lock herself in the bathroom!!!! Well, I kept knocking on the door while Daddy tried to pick the lock. There is a window to look in the bathroom....she was standing there laughing!!! We got her out....We made it to her medical appointment. She weighs 14 kilograms and is 97 centimeters tall. Everything checked out. However, the Doctor believes she will need more surgery on her hand. Both Daddy and I agree. We went with one of the other families this morning, his name is Jack. Both the kids checked out. We stopped at 7 Eleven to pick up some drinks and came back to the hotel to take a nap and COOL OFF!!! Temperature and humidity wise...much worse here in Guangzhou than in Florida!!!!

For the Pirate

Next to our Hotel is a market. They sell all kinds of things. Here are a few of those things that your Dad thought you would like! He took these pictures for you...Mommy thought they were kinda yucky!!!!

Travel Day

eating her first piece of Pizza Hut pizza

first plane ride

asleep on the plane

birthday cake with Karena, our guide

We left Shi Jiaz Huang this morning for Guangzhou. It was the Mermaid's first plane ride and she was very excited. She did a pretty good job onthe plane and then fell asleep. We found out today she does not like beef...as that was served for lunch on the plane...and she spit it out!That is the only thing I can say she does not like...so far!

We spent an hour driving to the Holiday Inn Shifu and checked in. This is a very nice hotel. We feel like we have died and gone to heaven compared to where we have been the last few days. We needed to do laundry because we have no clean clothes left. So, we organized that for pick up. Then we went to get a drink and in walks Mary with a birthday cake for me!! I let the Mermaid blow out the candle and we ate. It was very good and sweet. The Mermaid ate all the fruit on it! We met up with the other two families and walked to Shaimen Island and had dinner. TheMermaid and I had pasta...it was pretty good for being in China!It is very humid here and we are very tired from all our traveling today.The Mermaid fell asleep before her bedtime!!! I have not downloaded the pictures from today as we just did not have time. I will send pictures as soon as we can.I am glad we are in Guangzhou now. It means we are preparing to come home. The Mermaid has her medical exam tomorrow. After that, we have plans to do some shopping. Did you hear that Pirate? I think I might be shopping tomorrow...I better get a good report from your Aunt Staci!!!!Thank you all for the nice birthday wishes. It was a good one.

Park Fun

The Mermaid woke up and looked at us...and said Ma Ma and Ba Ba. Our hearts melted. I just gave her some Cheerios and she said "Hao Ma Ma!" which is good mommy in Mandarin. BIG SMILES!!!

Well, today was a free day for us. No plans or appointments. Since we needed something for the Mermaid to do...remember BIG BALL OF ENERGY???? We asked if we could go to a park. Well, we did not check the weather forecast as it was 100 degrees today. Anyway, we did not last very long. I think it is finally setting in that this is a permanent situation for the Mermaid, I think she expected to see the ladies from the SWI when we got out of the cab. We had a lot of fun at this park. It had a car ride for the kids, swings, a slide, bounce house, etc. She had a lot of fun and the sad look disappeared. While we were in using the squatty potty (which you have to pay for????) No, I did not. The Mermaid did! But, I had to help. Daddy bought the Mermaid some bubbles. So, we played and then were interrupted by a beggar. So, we decided to leave. It was a very nice park with lots of families.

On a side note, an older girl asked the Mermaid what was wrong with her hand while waiting to go down the slide. She looked at her hand and rubbed it, then did not answer. I really felt so sad for her at that moment. It is something we will have to deal with as she gets older.

On our way back to the hotel, she fell asleep in the cab. She took a 2 hour nap and we ordered Pizza Hut. She likes to pull the cheese off and eat it separately from the crust. She even ate two pieces!

We are repacking tonight as we leave early tomorrow to fly out of Shi Jiaz Huang to Gaungzhou. It is a two hour flight. Wish us luck as the Mermaid continues to hurl things around the room. Maybe we should stay for the Olympics...can we say "gold medal discuss thrower"?????

It's official!

She belongs to us now. It has been a very long day. It started early with a cab ride that was very scary to the Civil Affairs office. We met with the Assistant Director and caretaker from the SWI. All the paperwork was completed and we had time to sit and talk to them. They are very nice and adore the Mermaid. We got the note her birthmother left with her. We have her immunizations record, she had the chicken pox last year, and we exchanged email addresses so they may keep up with her progress.Then, we took another scary cab ride to the Notary Office and the papers were notarized. The Mermaid fussed a little when the Asst. director and caretaker left...not too bad! She told them that she likes us very much...Big smile from Ma Ma and Ba Ba.

We decided to do what every new little adopted girl does on her special day...Go to MCDONALD'S!!!!! She had chicken nuggets, french fries and milk. She then decided she wanted Karena's (our guide) corn. YES! You can get corn instead of french fries. She got to slide down the slide...which was funny because she had her pretty yellow dress on and couldn't go down it. So, she went down on her feet! Smart girl...

We took her shopping tonight and bought her some new shoes and an outfit. We let her pick out what she liked. Would you believe she picked out purple shoes over pink and blue ones???? Her room is painted in purple...On a side note, she is so smart, is a lefty but uses her right hand when she can, is funny, silly, talks a lot in Mandarin..she cracks her self up!, curious, and down right naughty!!!!!! She likes to throw things...like her toys, hat and even the remote! I had to put her in time-in after she threw it full force at the glass window. She is testing us...we know it. It's just hard because she is so stinkin' cute! Karena translated to her that we would like her to stop...so we will see.

She had her first bath tonight. I don't think they have ever washed her hair...because she never had any!!!! They just pulled her out of line last time they cut the kids hair. She was fussy and Daddy helped me. She liked the bubbles and would repeat it after I would say it.Tomorrow, we are going to a park. I think she needs it!