A Brother for Katie Mei

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!

2009-12-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

22 inches of snow could only mean one thing in the eyes of children. FUN!

Matthew Turns 4!!!

2009-12-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

On December 6th, our little boy turned 4. I am not sure if his birthday was celebrated at the orphanage in China or not, but his face is a clear indication that he was so very excited!!

On each birthday of both my children, I can't help but wonder what their birth mothers could be feeling. Because Matthew and Katie were both abandoned babies and not found with a notes, their birthdays are estimated by the orphanage to be approximately 2 months earlier than the dates they were found. I choose to believe that the weeks between birthday and abandonment dates were nothing but pain and heartache for their birth mothers. The decision to give up thier children is often not a choice, but rather they are victim to China's strict children policies. My heart aches for thier birth mothers who will never know the joy they continually bring me. So on the birthdays of my children, I will always quitely think of these women who loved them enough to carry them for 9 months, hold them in their arms for 2 months and then painfully let them go. (Unthinkable!!) In my heart, I know they are grieving for the children I am joyfully celebrating with.

My Thanksgiving Turkeys!!

2009-12-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

Follow the Yellow Brick Road!!

2009-11-01T03:13:00.000-08:00

Follow, Follow, Follow and you will see...Dorothy and the Scarecrow.

The kids had fun Trick or Treating and you would think that Matthew had been doing this for years they way he was running from house to house in excitement. Their favorite candy was Lollipops and M & M's.

For those who have been following my blog from the beginning, you will recall my post from China where I was referencing the ruby red shoes and clicking and wishing I was home, this was my inspiration for this years costumes.

Click, click, click...there's no place like home.

2009-11-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

Dentist Visit!!

2009-10-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

Big sister Katie showed Matthew what to expect for his very first Dentist visit. Afraid at first, but he sure was a brave little boy and allowed his teeth to be cleaned, but only from a sitting position. We will attempt to take x-rays at the next visit. There are obvious cavities (atleast 4) that will need attention soon. The overall health of his teeth and gums are good and shows that he had good nutrition in the years prior. Katie on the other hand, has previously had extensive work done including the replacement of her two front teeth, which was attributed to her nutrition as an infant. One cavity was also noted for Katie on this visit.

40 Something Birthday!!

2009-10-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I turned 40 something. I demand a recount! Oh, what’s the sense? Numbers don’t lie and nor does the experience I have behind me. Would I go back to 30 something? No Way!! I went through alot to get here and besides my children were not part of my life at 30 something and after all, they complete me. I get to see everything through their young eyes, and THAT KEEPS ME YOUNG! So here’s to you....40 something!!

Oh, by the way, I don’t look a day over 38. So, I’ve been told anyway. That's 8 years credit. I'll take it!!

My sister made dinner ....Filet Mignon and Crab Cakes with all the fix-ins, homemade strawberry cake and a banana cheese pie. Oh, how you spoil me sissy la la.

2009-10-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

Katie Update!!

2009-10-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Katie is doing well in Kindergarten, she seems to be excited to share the details of her days with enthusiasm. This week for the first time, she had homework. It went like this….

“I have homework tonight and I would appreciate some peace and quite” !!

(Oh, Okay, excuse me!) (LOL!) She talks 100 miles an hour using hand motions and words like appreciate, unacceptable and outrageous. Suddenly I realize I’m listening to myself…..she is me.

Her adjustment to Matthew has not been as seamless as his adjustment. Sharing our time has not been easy, after all, she was top dog and center of our world for 4 ½ years. She tries really hard not to be jealous, but sometimes ….Well, it goes like this….

Matthew: “ah chew” (sneeze)
Me: “God Bless You Sweetie”
Katie: “Mommy, you know he is just sneezing to get attention"

All in all though, she enjoys her new role as big sister.

Mommy words of wisdom to my Katie......

My Dear Katie Mei, right now your little brother has come and suddenly invaded your happy little world, sharing and touching your "stuff" has not been easy for you and right now, you most enjoy telling on him (LOL), but as you get older, he will become someone to lean on and count on in your life. I am so thankful for you to have the gift of a sibling. I nearly climbed a mountain to bring him home so that you will have each other long after I am gone. Trust me. Love Mommy.

Update on Matthew!!

2009-10-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

Matthew's adjustment continues to be extraordinary. His integration into our family has been seamless. He continues to be a very happy little boy. His English is incredible and he is already speaking sentences. He rarely uses any Chinese words, except for a few words he knows we continue to understand. Seeing the "first time" things though his eyes is as fulfilling as if he were an infant doing things for the first time. He wakes up very cheery everyday and yells from his room, "Mommy, good molly" (morning)! He has adjusted well to his daycare and happily goes every morning. When I arrive to pick him up, he jumps up and yells to everyone "see you too-mol-low" (tomorrow). We have a deal (or should I say, I bribe him), that if he was a good boy, he gets a tootsie pop. (So far, this bribery is working well for me). Yes, we still have days when Matthew will be naughty, but mostly he is doing things a normal 3 year old boy is doing. Scott and I have created a structured environment and maintain routines and rules that seem to have been key with his adjustment. His constant bubbly personality and smiling face is evidence of his happiness.

Difficult finding time to Blog!!

2009-10-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

It's been very difficult to keep my blog up to date. Life has been very busy and since my days start at the wee hour of 5:45 am and don't end until my very active children are both back in bed at 9:00 pm. The next hour is laundry and last minute cleanup before my body refuses to go anymore. (It doesn't matter what my mind tells my body either, the body refuses) After all, I am on an average, 15 years older than most doing this with a 3 and 5 year old.

"God doesn't call those who are equipped, he equips those who answer the call." by Mother Teresa

Dear God, I answered the call, may I have a little more equipment please....thank you! Love Katie and Matthew's mommy.

I'm working on updates, stay tuned................

Pumpkin Picking!

2009-10-04T19:10:00.000-07:00

Picking Apples!!

2009-10-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

My Little Girl Is Growing Up!!

2009-09-17T18:51:00.001-07:00

My Katie Mei started Kindergarten this week, she is growing up so fast. I am so proud of the little lady she has become. She is sweet, kind and polite and mostly I would have to agree with my Mom's one word of describing her, "elegant". I am so proud to be her mother.

Chongqing Girls Reunion!!

2009-09-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

A little over 4 years ago we had the pleasure of meeting a couple (Terri and Kevin) that would be traveling with us to China for the same reason we would be going, the adoption of our daughters. Since we were with the same Adoption Agency our babies (Katie and Allie) were referred from the same orphanage in Chongqing, China. That makes our daughters Chongqing orphanage sisters. Our friendship was an instant click and we are blessed to have them as friends. Since we live approximately 2 hours apart, we try to get together 2 times a year.

First picture is Tia, Katie, Allie and Matthew. Bottom picture is Kevin crushing our Chongqing girls. Fun was had by all.

Labor Day!!

2009-09-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

A Big Sigh!!!! I never looked forward to Labor Day, as it was always the unoffical end to summer. It's hard to believe that Fall is around the corner and my leave of absence from work has come to an end. Another Very Big Sigh!!!!

Unless a heat wave comes rolling in, I would say that these pics will be the last of the pool fun for the year. It's been a spectacular summer!

Pictures above are with cousins Andrew and Ryan. What a good time.

Fun with old friends!!

2009-09-07T19:37:00.000-07:00

Sydney, Spencer & Katie having some Barbie doll fun.

Fun with a new friend!!

2009-09-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

New Friends, Matthew and Frankie getting to know each other.

Welcome!!

2009-08-31T16:51:00.001-07:00

Miss Bobbi and Miss Megan welcome Matthew to pre-school. They were both part of Katie's learning for years prior. Katie and Mommy adore them.

After I left, Matthew had a few tears but quickly recovered and joined in the festivities for the day. He had no problem with communication and I am not surprised because he is speaking quite a bit of English already. Katie enjoyed time with some old friends.

2009-08-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

Sharing a bench at the pond in our back yard. I promised two lollipops each if they would sit still and smile for more than 20 seconds. (Bribes are necessary and part of life! and for now they are cheap. )

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

2009-08-30T17:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, you know that Staples commercial that comes on at the beginning of the school year, and the parent is dancing and flying through the isles in complete joy that it back to school time and the song that's playing is "It's the most wonderful time of the year" well...let's just say it's a good commercial. I have completely enjoyed my time being home with Katie and Matthew , a bit a sibling rivalry going on however, so it will be good for them to start school. Tomorrow they will both start 1/2 days for two weeks at the daycare/pre-school that Katie attended for a few years. She will get to spend some time with some old friends. After the two weeks, Matthew will continue to go there all day and Katie will start all day Kindergarten at a different school. I believe this next transition should be easy for Matthew since he is accustomed to being around many children. Having big sister Katie (a.k.a my little "minnie me") there should also be a plus.

A Peek Inside Shanghai Orphanage!!

2009-08-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

The following pics were taken with the camera that I sent with Matthew's care package back in June. The camera was returned to us the day we got Matthew. It is a brief peek inside the orphanage. There are also a few pics of the outside of the orphanage which I obtained from the Shanghai adoption group that I belong to. I will forever regret not being able to visit the place Matthew spent the first 3 years of his life. I have been told that Shanghai orphanage is the wealthiest orphanage in China. From the pictures of the outside, it certainly could be true.When I showed Matthew the pictures, he became very excited to see some of his buddies. There seems to be one child in particular that he is pointed out to me several times. I believe this may have been his best buddy. I feel sad for the friends he left behind and hope they are just waiting for their forever family. I will now attempt to make a post on the Shanghai Orphanage yahoo support group and see if he is possibly up for adoption in the US.

All is good with Matthew. He continues to be a happy little boy. He is learning more English words every day. The cutest thing....... Last week was my brother in law's birthday, so when we called to sing Happy Birthday to him, Matthew started whaling out the entire "Happy Birthday" song in English. Word for word, clapping his hands and stomping his feet to the tune. This was absolutely something the children in the orphanage must have learned. Now we tell him everyday it's someones birthday just hear him sing it. (Pat, we didn't forget about your birthday, this is something you have to see in person.)

I took Katie for a pedicure and manicure today so that we could have some Mommy and me time. She just loves doing girly things. We are scheduled for more girlfriend time this week.

Life is good!

Shanghai Orphanage pics

2009-08-23T20:51:00.001-07:00

2009-08-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

A Week Ago Today!

2009-08-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

One week ago today we arrived home with our new son. The feelings and emotions when the plane finally touched down on the runway was so overwhelming. We just survived the journey that seemed like an eternity. I recall thinking how relieved I was to finally be back in America, how excited I was to see my sweet princess, walking through the gate and hearing her scream Mommy would be one of the happiest moments of my life. Seeing our son and our daughter meet face to face was a moment I'd dreamed of for years. Finally, it was a reality.

Matthew continues to bond with us more and more each day. He has showed no signs of looking back. He continues to be a happy little boy who is discovering new things everyday. His sleep schedule is basically good and he has adjusted almost completely to our time. (Can't say the same for me, I have a hard time staying up past 8:00 pm....Yawn Yawn (It's 9:45 pm)!! We did have to convert his daybed back into a crib, he seems to be more content with that at this time. The room he slept in had 21 children, so I was thinking having his own bedroom and sleep time would be an obstacle for us, but I am happy to say, after a few minutes of whining, he goes right to sleep.

He continues to eat good, fruits, vegetables, rice, noodles. I have introduced some American food, but he seems happiest eating food he has been accustomed to. He has very little interest in anything sweet. (Let's see how long that lasts).

The testing of the water seems to have subsided almost entirely. He is no longer being naughty. I believe our biggest obstacle is still the language. He has already learned several words and says them all day in an attempt to communicate with us. (Hi, Bye, How are ya, Hungry, Good boy, etc. etc.) He repeats everything we say. He is like a sponge and will be talking English in no time. He absolutely loves his sister (Kaylia he calls her). Katie on the other hand has had a little bit of a tough time sharing our attention. I will call some of her school friends and have a play date this upcoming week so she can have some "Katie time".

Having two children has certainly been an adjustment for me...(Yawn again!) I think I may need to go back to work soon so I can get some rest. (LOL!) I still have not completely adjusted back to our time.

I have pictures to share, will try to load them tomorrow!

We're Coming Home!

2009-08-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

We went to the American Consulate office today, they verified all our information and that we infact have the correct child, stamped his passport with the Visa for entry into United States, we then had an oath swearing ceremony, we had to raise our right hand and swear that all the information we provided for this adoption was correct and truthful. That was it, they said congratulations you are finally done and may leave China. We're coming home!!

No pics today, we were not allowed to take any pictures at the American Consulate, they take all cameras, cell phones and anything electronic from you before you enter.

Tomorrow, we get a flight to Hong Kong, stay overnight and then finally take our flight home arriving at Newark airport. We will arrive Saturday. As soon as we land, Matthew will become an American Citizen. I am not sure if I will have a chance to update again. Hopefully the forecasted typhoon won't cause any delays.

Thank you to everyone in my family and everyone in my husband's family at home who has taken such good care of our daughter (and two cats) over the past 3 weeks. We have been blessed with a very supportive, loving family and couldn't have gotten through this without everyone. We look forward to sharing many happy times together. To Harriett, who spent the past 3 weeks at our home to keep Katie's schedule as normal as possible in our absence, Thank you. Thank you to my niece Judi, for posting my updates to my blog everyday so everyone could follow our journey. Pat, you have listened to me endlessly day in and day out about this adoption for nearly 3 years. Thank you for the daily supportive emails while in China. You are a good friend. To my husband, who stood beside me through this journey, we have been through more than most to complete our family, the past 3 weeks have been trying and joyful. I can't think of anyone I would rather do life with. To my daughter, Katie Mei, you are the most incredible child, thank you for just being you. Seeing life through your eyes convinced me to push forward and take this journey to your brother. Matthew, you don't know it yet, but you have so much awaiting you. Let's go home.

Thank you for following our journey.

Final Approval Received!

2009-08-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today we got word that the final approval that would determine if we would leave China on time had arrived. What a relief. There had been a mistake discovered at the end of last week. US Consulate had us approved for a girl not a boy. So my adoption agency and my home study agency along with our local Immigration office had to do some pretty quick work to make sure we could leave China as planned.

Since the air conditioning was getting repaired in the wing we were in, they had to move our room. So we packed and moved to another building around the corner. It was a lazy day since it was very rainy. Not too many pictures to share. We did venture out to the Italian restaurant for pizza again tonight. On the way back we witnessed the most disturbing incident. We were walking past one of the local shops and they have a cute white poodle for a pet. This absolute crazy lunatic Chinese man apparently didn't like that the poodle had barked at him and he grabbed this umbrella and started running after the poodle and the poodle, of course, was barking more, so he took the umbrella a slammed him in the nose. UGH, I looked right at him and spoke a foreign language #$%^&<*&^!@#*&^%$@. I know I was taking my chances, but I couldn't hold back. He kept walking thank goodness. Innocent little animal yelped for 3 minutes. I am an animal lover so this really lit my fire.

Only three nights left in China. Not that I would like to wish the days away....but here's to them going by fast. I am so homesick and ready to get back to some simple things that one might take for granted, like ICE!!!! A tall glass of water with ice, brushing my teeth from the facet, not a glass of bottled water or eating a piece of chicken without the head on my plate. (LOL!) Oh, a cup of coffee, I haven't had a cup of coffee in nearly 3 weeks. And most of all, kissing my daughter good night instead of throwing her kisses through SKYPE video.

Matthew continues to be ham everywhere we go. Practicing his English....saying Hi and Hello......Good bye, waving to the locals because he knows it gets their attention. The best though is when we go to the restaurants and calls the waitress over to order food or soda that we have not allowed him to order, so now we ask them...What did he just ask you for? and then tell them, No he can't have that. At the Italian restaurant, we were done eating, and he called the waitress over, we asked her what did he say, she said "he said the pizza was good" ! (Cute, I think he was flirting)

Pictures are right after Matthew's bath, he was being very silly and putting his undies on his head.

Chicken Head!

2009-08-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

The heat here makes it almost impossible to go out during the day. (around 115 heat index) We do venture out once the sun goes down and it is still near 100 degrees. Humidity is unbearable. We have had the pleasure of joining other families for dinner two nights this weeks. One night was at an Italian restaurant. We had Pizza and Spaghetti with Meat sauce. It was actually very good. And the pizza, hands down was the best I ever had. (Really)

Last night we all ate a Thai food restaurant. I ordered a half chicken thinking that would be safest. So I ate a few pieces and then came across the half HEAD of the chicken with eyeball, beak and all right there on my plate. UGH !!! Are you kidding me... They say that they include the head so that you don't think you are being cheated. Needless to say, I was done eating on the spot. If anything, we all had good laugh about it.

WHEW!!!!

2009-08-03T08:30:00.001-07:00

This morning we got a clear TB X-RAY result.

The doctor told him to stand in front of the xray machine as they took several views. He stood there like a champ as we watched through the window. He was such a good boy!

A Safari Visit!

2009-08-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how hot hot hot it is here. Today's heat index is 113, and it feels every bit of it. Not exactly perfect conditions for a Safari, but that is what we did today. We only were able to stand the train ride and decided not to do the walking part. We decided to go back to our hotel and go swimming in the pool. The pool however, is on the rooftop and the temperature of the water had to be over 90 plus degrees. Not very refreshing. Also, the pool is not exactly the safest place for children. (rooftop with railings).(How do they get away with the conditions?)

Tomorrow we go for the results of Matthew's TB skin test and from the skin reaction, it is clear that he is positive as suspected. So we will do a chest x-ray in the morning. Our guide seems to know many people as well as have allot of clout here, she made a call to a doctor to ease my anxiety and he assured her that Matthew comes from a very good orphanage and it is only likely that he is positive due to the vaccine he was given. The doctor said to look at it as a good sign, that he was vaccinated. There is currently a family here going through the worst nightmare.....Their daughter tested positive and the chest x-ray came back positive for TB. This family is facing terrible odds of either leaving the child and finding foster care, or one parent staying for several months of treatment and still no guarantee of a clear x-ray. They have been lobbying all possible congress people in the US (This is a United States rule !!) and still have not been able to get the child home. My heart goes out to them. I will feel better after tomorrow morning when we have a clear ticket to go.

Belly Laughing!

2009-08-02T07:43:00.001-07:00

Matthew seems happiest when he is doing something that he should not be doing. He lets out this huge belly laugh that comes from his toes, then looks at you from the corner of his eye. It is actually quite funny. (For Now!) Here are a few picks of him intentionally spilling water. He thinks this is hysterical!!

Guangzhou/Medical Exam/TB Test

2009-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

We arrived safely in Guangzhou last night. Matthew did fairly well with his first flight, but had a hard time staying buckled for the two hours. We settled in our room and asked them to send in an extra bed, they sent us a crib. Well, Matthew was so excited to see the crib, it made we wonder if that was part of why he was having such a hard time going to bed. We put him in there and he covered himself up and went to sleep. I had thought all along he might still have been in a crib. Hopefully his daybed at home will be okay, but if not we could turn it back into a crib for a short time if this will make him feel more secure for sleeping.

This morning we took Matthew for his Medical Exam and TB test. I would estimate that there were about 100 families there, many of them American. The children were all ages, but we did see more infants than older children. He was so cooperative for the doctors giving the exam. We will have to return on Monday morning for the reading of the TB test.

We were then free to wander around on our own through some of the local shops. It is very hot and humid here, so we came back to the Hotel so we could all take a nap and head back out later when it is a bit cooler.

Bonding Time!

2009-07-30T17:26:00.001-07:00

It's raining again today, actually we are having a whopper storm, so it was a good choice to hang back at the hotel and spend some one on one time bonding with Matthew. Having looked up some chinese words to communicate with him has been key here. He is no longer bouncing around and is fairly calm, happy and smiling. He likes to stay busy busy busy, which is a problem for now since there is not very much to do at the hotel except take him swimming, which he does love.

When I awoke this morning I knew it would be a good day. The last thing I remember before opening my eyes this morning was dreaming of my grandmother. She was sitting on the bed next to me and I was telling her I missed her. My grandmother was a best friend to me and in all the years since her passing I can't remember even 5 times of dreaming of her. Take it as you will, but to me it was clearly a message that she is right here with me.

Tomorrow we get the final adoption paperwork and can leave Shanghai! Onto Gaungzhou where the American Embassy is located to complete the United States portion of the adoption.

Adoption Day is Official!

2009-07-29T11:56:00.001-07:00

Today the adoption of Matthew was finally official. We arrived at the registration office and waited for about an hour for an orphanage official to arrive. Matthew was apparently bored and decided that he would like to run around the room scream and jump up and down on the waiting room furniture. Oh, did I mention the spitting.......There was not much we could do accept sit there and smile as all the locals in the room stared us down! So, we decided that it was time to learn a few Chinese words: Tiaopi- You are being Naughty, Bushi- No, Tangxia - Please Sit Down.

The registration office apparently decided they weren't believing Scott's signature matched his passport, so they made him sign his signature over and over and over and over again. Come on, are you kidding me. Finally they gave us our official adoption certificate. I questioned where was the birth certificate and what about his immunization records. I found myself searching frantically through my paperwork to see what was missing. The end result was they didn't have them and are now going to send them to our hotel tomorrow via courier.

Since we arrived here 100 days ago, I mean 10 days ago, Scott has been itching to take a ride on the Maglev Train. It runs between the airport anddowntown Shanghai. It tops out at 250 miles per hour and takes only 7 minutes to go 22 miles. He (Scott) was like a little boy boarding a train for the first time. (I guess I just don't get it) (must be a guy thing). Matthew seemed to enjoy the ride, but not as much a trying to climb over the back seat.

LOL! We got off the one side of train at the airport and there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken and had lunch. For a minute there, I thought I had on my ruby red shoes and I was home. Surprisingly Tasted the same.

More swimming and then we walked to the market (in the rain) because Scott's nighttime munchies were getting dangerously low. They had M & M's, Kit Kat's, and butter cookies that were in recognizable packaging.

Tomorrow we have decided to just hang back at the hotel and skip any planned excursions. We thought it best to spend some bonding time with Matthew. We are so ready to leave Shanghai. Friday can't come soon enough and we are looking forward to the familiar sights of Guangzhou.

Wizard of Oz

2009-07-28T11:32:00.001-07:00

More paperwork today, and when we arrived, they informed us that today would only be for the notarization and would not be the adoption day, tomorrow will now be the adoption day. UGH...Exhale....we are so ready to come home, or at least move to the next legg of the race. It is a rainy day, so our guide took us to a Mall(sort of). We were in search of a stroller since our little one is a bit active and since we have alot of walking to do here as well as Guangzhou and airports, we thought it would be easier on us. As we were looking at the strollers, Matthew was saying No, he wasn't going to sit in it, but after we wheeled him around a bit, he was happy to be riding. We also purchased him legos today and he sits for hours playing with them. (Great for this rainy day).

So far, besides dumping his liquid yogurt all over the hotel floor (on purpose)(and laughing) and sticking his entire arm in the toilet after he did pee pee, all is good. Oh, let me also mention, he is still having a bit of the ready, aim, and fire whatever item is in his hand at us. It's a work in progress right now as he is no longer phased for more than 2 seconds that we remove the item that was tossed for a bit.

Nap time seemed to be a bit of an issue today, we had him lay him down and he was furious and kept getting out of the bed to put his shoes back on. He kept saying the same thing over and over and over. (This is where the communication is so difficult) He didn't want water, he didn't need to us the potty and his belly was full. The only thing I can think of is that he just didn't want to nap. His orphanage information says that he takes a nap everyday, so I am not sure why is was so upset. We had to shut the blinds and make the room dark before he would go down, but he finally did. After nap, Scott took him swimming in the hotel pool, but this was obviously all new to him. Bed time seems to also be an issue as it is now 10:30 pm and he is showing no signs that he will be going to sleep anytime soon. He started out getting very furious again, but is now laughing with his feet hanging off the bed and trying to reach the phone.

Since I have what I came for, now all I want is to be in the comfort of my home. There's no place like home and no place like America. Do you think If I put on red ruby slippers, I will be able to wish myself there. Here goes.....Closing my eyes.......Click, Click, Click......There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home.......Damn I'm still here...... Oh well.

More tomorrow...I have to try to get our little one to sleep.

Gottcha Day!!

2009-07-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

What an incredible day!

It started 9:00 am this morning meeting BoBo, who took us over to the Civil Affairs building for "Gottcha Day". Upon arrival we had some paperwork and had to get medical clearance that we did not have swine flu. A medical person came in and took our temperatures and recorded our whereabouts over the past 7 days. After the green light, they brought Matthew in (YangYang is what they call him here)......He was holding two pieces of candy and immediately came over to me and gave me the candy and kissed me. (It doesn't get better than that). He then gave Scott his piece of candy and gave him a hug. The caretakers had prepared him to tell us he was ready to go live in America. In Chinese, but they translated for us). He was ready to leave, he knew we were his Mama (mother in Chinese) and BaBa (father in Chinese). The official from the Orphanage gave me a bag filled with the items I had sent him in the care package as well as the camera I sent for them to take pictures. They gave him a traditional Chinese outfit to keep from them, as well as a hand made book when he started to attend a preschool with past progress and photos. It is entirely in Chinese, but the pictures are priceless. They had even taken a photo of him using the potty for the first time. We basically took him by the hand, he waved to the caretakers and we got on the elevator and left. It was as easy at that. No tears, nothing sad about it. He was so excited to get in the car and ride. I think the car ride was his favorite part of the day.

We took him to lunch where he ate anything and everything. (vegetables, beef and noodles) It was so cute to see him eating with his chopsticks. After lunch we headed over to the department store where he picked a few toys, then we headed back to the hotel, where he played quietly for an hour or two, then he got a second wind and then, Oh my goodness, he never stopped talking and running around playing AND........well, he was being a bit naughty.........Yes he was testing the water you could say. He would take his toys and throw them across the room or at us, he would take his water glassand dump it on the floor and laugh like there was no tomorrow.... Funny at first, but we had to start letting him know he could not be throwing things anddumping water on the floor so we tried to best tell him No No and every time he winged something at us, we put the item up on the shelve for a bit. He was, of course, very mad, but caught on that he couldn't throw things.

We changed him into some of his new threads and took him to the Chinese restaurant in the hotel for dinner. Again, he ate like there was no tomorrow! I can't imagine where he put it. After dinner it was time to go back to room so he could meet his new sister on SKYPE video cam. We had arranged for her to meet Matthew at 7:00 am her time. It was so precious, he saw that she was Chinese and started talking to her 100 miles an hour. I guess he thought she would know what he was saying....very cute. After meeting everyone on Skype, we gave him a bath and it was time for bed. He is now sleeping like a little angel.

The communication between us has been a bit difficult, we are going to try to learn a few of the most important things to say in Chinese before we leave. (i.e.: hungry, water, potty, not feeling well, etc.)

Matthew seems to be a very happy little boy and always laughing. He seems to be completely content with us. We have now been blessed twice. Thank you China for giving us our second miracle. Thank you God for giving me the strength to hold on to this dream and making it come true. I wanted to give up many times. Somehow I can no longer remember what I went through and the years involved to get here. We are a complete family. He is a perfect fit.

Tomorrow we go back to the Civil Affairs office for the official adoption day and more paperwork.....(I think he was just on loan today)!

WHEW!!!!

A letter to Matthew in anticipation of his arrival!!

2009-07-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Matthew,

We have been waiting anxiously for your arrival, but realize you have not been waiting for us. We have prepared for you as best we can, we have decorated your room and filled your closet with clothes, shoes and toys. We are not sure how prepared you will be for us though. We pray this life altering experience will be an easy transition for you. We have as best we can, prepared ourselves that you may experience loss and grief. You will likely experience the loss of your caregivers you are closest to, as well as familiar sights, smells and language of your birth country. Your little world may turn upside down, but we will make you feel safe and secure that you will gain trust in your new family. You are coming home to a family who will love you beyond imagination. We promise to protect you and give you a good life filled with happiness and unconditional love. We can't wait to hold your hand, so we can take you home.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Remembering China (Gottcha Day) 4 1/2 years ago!

2009-07-25T22:38:00.001-07:00

Since today will be fairly uneventful, I thought I would reflect on 4 1/2 years ago when we were in China for the same reason we are here now. On 4/21/05, the day Katie Mei was placed in my arms would be the day I would realize why I was born, to be her mother. Nothing has been so fulfilling. Here are a few pics from within minutes of them placing her in my arms.

Day 6 - Old Town of Zhu Jia Jian

2009-07-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Today we visited the old town of Zhu Jia Jian, an ancient water town, a.k.a Shanghai's Venice. We walked the village and took a boat ride through the canals. BoBo, our guide convinced us to have lunch at one of the local restuarants. (this one had only 4 tables and was nothing you could ever imagine eating at) BoBo assured us the food would be safe to eat. She ordered us beef, pork and rice. It was tasty, but I still couldn't get past 2 bites. Two local older ladies came in to ask us if they could sing to us for 10.00 yuan ($1.50 american dollars) They sang for us for about 3 minutes, it was sweet and funny at the same time.

As we were having lunch and discussing the unusal foods that Chinese people eat, she was saying that in the Cantonese province, people eat dogs, cats and rats. (holy crap!) (Excuse me while I bend over to pick up my jaw) !! I know I have heard this before, but somehow you just don't want to actually know that it is true. (It's true) I guess my face expression was saying many things, so she followed up by saying that they don't eat thier pets, these are farm raised dogs, cats and rats! (Oh, okay that was suppose to make me feel better!) Please! BoBo said the deadly virus SARS was originated from the locals eating rats. (I always thought it was a bird virus) (I'll have to look it up, now I am curious).

On our way out of the village, there were two older Chinese people, a man and a woman, beating each other with an umbrella. BoBo said they were probably husband and wife and having a little spat. (Why am I reporting this? Well, because China is known for the women not being as superior as thier man, so I thought it was good to see she was giving him a whipping right back.)

In the evening we went to an Acrobatic Show, it is said to be the best in the world, I must say it was incredible!

Tomorrow is a day of rest, nothing is scheduled, I couldn't be happier. I want to get some laundry done and prepare for Matthew's arrival on Monday.

Everything at home is going great. Katie is actually having a blast. Thank you to all those who are caring for my angel.

Day 5 - Sightseeing!

2009-07-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

Today our guide took us to see some of Shanghai's sky scrappers, many of which are built with Chinese beliefs, for instance one is built with a squareopening at the top, it is believed that the evil spirits can fly directly though the opening and will not land there. We then went to visit Yu Garden, built in 1577 by a Ming Dynasty officer for his parents so they would have a happy place to spend their old age. The surrounding ponds were filled with hundreds of huge Koi fish with mouth openings a big as a half dollar coin. We also visited a tea house where you sit and they prepare you many different teas for tasting. All of teas had a different purpose (healing, headaches, weight loss etc.) Our guide said Chinese people drink tea every day and not from a tea bag. So fellow adoptive parents, skip the tea as an option for caretakers/guide gifts. Unless it is better quality tea leaves.

Scott and I ventured out on our own and found a shopping mall. One of the floors was just toys, we will bring Matthew back here so that he can pick out a few things to bring back to US, so that he will feel he has his own possessions. We will also have him pick out a gift to bring back to Katie. We tried to have dinner when we were out, but were unable to find a restaurant that could communicate with us. So we thought it would be best to go back to the Hotel. The experience last time we were in China was very different than this time around, this time we have a guide but they are only with us in the early parts of the day. Last time our guide was with us 24/7, a much better option as we are finding ourselves frustrated. We are very much looking forward to getting to Guangzhou where we are familiar with the surroundings and can revisit the places we already know.

3 days until Gottcha Day!!!

Day 4, Stressful Flight

2009-07-24T05:44:00.001-07:00

Our only agenda today was to fly to Shanghai, where we will wait out the remainder of the 7 days in country stay to monitor us for swine flu before we are allowed to see Matthew. So, I was not feeling too crazy about the fact that the passenger seated directly in front of my seat coughed non-stop for the entire 2 hour flight. Normally this would not wig me out so much, but it is China’s rule that we remain healthy for those 7 days prior to getting Matthew. This left me scratching my head at the logic of monitoring passengers on incoming flights only…..seems to me that the passenger should also be monitored getting on flights as well. UGH!

Then, there was the turbulence that started about ½ hr after taking off. The overhead announcement came on several times during flight, but was in Chinese. So I was saying…What? What was that? Excuse me, nervous American on board!

And the last highlight of the flight was the lunch/snack they served. I thought I would share a picture. It was unidentifiable. No thank you.

So far, Shanghai is best described as a city like Philadelphia. We ventured out to find dinner and came across a little place serving many familiar American foods. We did also have the pleasure of seeing some odd sights as well, like the guy standing on the corner in his red underwear. Oh my….

Tomorrow we are scheduled for more sightseeing with our guide, Bo Bo, she speaks English very well. She told me she called the orphanage today to arrange for our arrival to see Matthew on Monday. She said that it is currently set up for us to go to the orphanage to meet him. I am still unclear as to whether or not they will allow us to tour it, we were told prior to leaving that we would not be able to visit for fears of swine flu germs. We will have to wait and see, keeping my fingers crossed that we will be allowed to see where he spent the past 3 ½ years of his life.

Day 3

2009-07-22T08:47:00.001-07:00

Have I mentioned it's hot, very hot, very humid! At breakfast there were approximately 15 families in the restaurant that had just adopted Chinese babies. I believe they were French from the language they were speaking. It's an overwhelming feeling knowing that these children will not grow up in an orphanage.

Today we visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square "gate to heavenly peace" is a famous monument in Beijing built in 1420 and is the entrance to the Forbidden City, a Chinese Imperial Palace for five centuries and served as home to the Emperor and his household. The city consists of 980 surviving buildings and covers 7,800,000 sq.ft. That's a bit of history...

I would guess there were 200,000 plus people there. Very crowded and very hot and we were happy to get back to the hotel where we decided to both indulge in a massage. This would be Scott's first massage and he was so excited and bragging that he was going to get a massage from an Asian girl (a guy thing, I guess) (Kevin Whittman are you getting this...) They put us in a room with two beds, gave us clothes to change into, and much to Scott's surprise in walks two Asian men. Well...if you could have seen Scott's face. It was so funny, I could not contain my laughter. (This was priceless)!!!

Today was cloudy as well as we were having a total eclipse of the sun, so pictures are not very clear. Tomorrow we fly to Shanghai. One step closer to Matthew. 5 days left until we see his precious face.

Day 2

2009-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

So we can now say we climbed the Great Wall Of China. Okay, who am I kidding, I can only somewhat say it. First let me say it is very hot, even in the mountains. The steps are very steep, it's more like taking two steps at a time at once. So after 10 steps (okay 5), it was time to rest, then go a bit further, rest and so on...Our guide, James, said "Men climb to the top to prove they are a strong and great man". I let Scott off the hook...I told him he didn't need to climb to the top to prove anything. I said, "It's hot, let's get the hell out of here", so down we climbed. Our guide then took us to a restaurant for lunch, they served a variety of traditional chinese foods. ..not too bad.

Tomorrow we are headed to Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City.

Six more days until we are allowed to see Matthew.

We've Arrived!!

2009-07-20T18:23:00.001-07:00

.....and made it past the first swine flu quarantine check. The medical officials came on board looked around, made us all fill out paperwork detailing our itinerary to track us, then allowed us to depart the plane where we walked through infra red medical scanner to detect any elevated temperatures. WHEW!! We passed!!

Our flight was good. Each seat had about 90 different movies to choose from to watch. Food was adequate for those indulging. (Scott). The plane had a nice aroma of chocolate chip cookies warming….only they were for the first class passengers….Not us in coach. (sort of reminded me of a Sienfeld episode) LOL!

Missing my princess. Thank goodness, we’ve already been able to communicate through Skype.

Finally, as thought, Blogger is completely blocked here in China, therefore these posts will be sent to and uploaded from my niece Judi. (Thanks Judi!)

We are headed to the Great Wall of China on Tuesday.

Blessings from China…

Goodbye!!!

2009-07-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

Okay...our bags are packed and we are ready to go. Tomorrow we start our first legg of our journey to Matthew. We will try to update as much as possible.....rumor is however that blogger is currently getting blocked in China. Stay healthy and safe and keep us in your prayers.

Tissues!!!

2009-07-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

The past two days have been a little tough for me. As excited as I am to finally be on our way to bring our son home, I am also so sad that I have to leave my princess for 3 weeks. She is the center of my world! I am trying to keep my crocodile tears to myself, but every time she comes to me for kisses (which is about 50 times a day) I lose it. She comforts me by saying "I love you Mommy" and then runs to get me tissues. I think I will need the whole box at the airport.

Stress Continues!! UGH!

2009-07-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

The word back from my agency is that the orphanage basically doesn't want to allow the chest x-ray because these results will not be accepted by US Consulate and will have to be repeated again when we go to our medical appt. given by US in China before we can go home. I understand their concerns with giving two x-rays however, I am still very nervous about this and basically won't know until August 1st. I have asked them to tell me is he is showing any of the possible signs of TB to put my mind at ease. (not really possible if you know me)! We are quessing that the reason he is testing positive is due to the vaccine that is given in China for TB and more than likely everything will be fine.

5 days left and TB stress builds!!

2009-07-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for China in 5 days and a bit more to worry about regarding the TB testing... Because of the new rules (started 7/1) for TB testing in China, all children over 2 years of age have to be tested for TB before the US will allow us to leave China. If a child tests positive at the medical exam, we will have to have a chest xray to rule out TB. Okay......so nervous nelly that I am, I requested that Matthew be tested before we travel so that we are not detained in any way once we get there... today we got word that Matthew tested positive for TB. UGH! So now they will take him to get a chest xray to make sure he doesn't actually have it. Stay tuned for the xray results.....

Matthew Received Care Package

2009-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ann from "Red Thread" gifts in China sent me an email that she called the orphanage and has confirmed that Matthew has received his care package that we sent. In the contents of the care package was a small photo album with some pictures of us. It would be my quess that the caretakers have now told him that he will be leaving the orphanage to go live with us. I have such mixed emotions.....I am so happy for us and at the same time, my heart aches for the possible sadness and fear he might feel. Please pray for an easy transition.

Mommy and Me time!!

2009-07-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

A much deserved pampering for my princess Katie before we leave next week. She just loves to get a manicure and a pedicure. She giggles "it tickles, it tickles!!! So cute......... It makes her so happy to do big girl things.

2009-07-10T04:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a map of the provinces in China to give you an idea of where we will be.

We fly into Beijing arriving 7/20, then onto Shanghai on 7/23 where should get Matthew on 7/27, then fly to Gaungzhou where the American Embassy is on 7/31, then Hong Kong on 8/7 where we will get a flight on 8/8 to come home.

note: Yunnan is where the earthquake was yesterday.

Stressful Day!

2009-07-09T19:52:00.001-07:00

It started at 7:30 am this morning when I read an alert on the China Rumor Queen site that several families currently in Guangzhou, China (where the American Embassy is) were being detained an additional week or more in China because United States Immigration decided to unexpectedly change the rules of no longer accepting updated home studies to be carried to China. This new development effects us as we have changed our original home study requesting a girl under 15 months old to a 3 1/2 y/o boy. This new rule now requires us to send the update to our local US Immigration office and they will wire the change to China. Basically alot of red tape that had my adoption agency and myself going nuts today to find a way to get this change to them before we travel next week. The thought of being delayed in China more than the mandatory 3 weeks had me very nervous to say the least!! I made it to the post office at 4:52 (8 minutes to spare) to overnight the necessary paper work. Keeping my fingers crossed that the approval arrives at US Embassy in China before I do!!!

Count down to China begins!

2009-07-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

The count down to Matthew begins. We leave in just 10 days! The anxiety has started to set in. Our first flight is 15 1/2 hours. We will fly to Beijing where China medical officials will board the plane and take the temperature of everyone on board to detect for swine flu signs. Should there be even a slightly elevated temp. you will be taken by ambulance to quarantine. Which could also mean being separated from those you are traveling with. And Yes, it has happened to a fellow blogger in the adoption process. If someone on the flight is taken to quarantine, then 3 rows in front and behind this person will have to be monitored by China officials. If the person taken to quarantine tests positive, then those 6 rows of people will have to be swab tested and could face quarantine after you've been there several days. This process will happen again after we fly to Shanghai where Matthew is waiting for us. We have a total of 5 flights...UGH....Need I say more!

Family Photo

2009-07-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy & Katie. Our family of 3 will soon be 4!! Let the fireworks begin.

4th of July Family Fun!!

2009-07-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

2009-07-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

Camp Ox II

2009-07-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

My Adoption agency (Madison Adoption Associates) has just announced their second trip back to China to do a 2 day camp with children in an Orphanage in Guangzhou. What an incredible honor to get a second invitation from the CCAA. Please click on the link I posted on the top right side of my blog to follow their journey to these children in mid July. My agency has announced they will be able to place some of these young children that they will personally meet and interact with. At the first camp they were given 42 children to place. If it weren't for the Camp Ox trip #1 and certain circumstances surrounding it,(as mentioned in My Story post below) we would not be going to China in a few weeks to get our son. I am forever grateful to Diana at MAA who has made my dreams of becoming a mother come true twice now. (Diana, thank you with all my heart!)

The pics in this slide show are children that paricipated in MAA's camp. Many of them have been placed with their forever family and will be coming home to America soon.

Travel Arrangements!!!

2009-07-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

We will be leaving for China on Sunday, July 19th, we will fly into Beijing and stay there until Thursday, it is our intention to visit the Great Wall and and some other sights in Beijing since we are forced to be in the Country for 7 days before we get Matthew. This will be the first time away from Katie for more than 1 day at a time. Since this year Scott and I quietly celebrated our 20th wedding anniversay, we have decided to look at this extra time required in china as a get away. Last night my husband said to me that he was really looking forward to our alone time together. Of course I was weepy after that. It's good to hear how much he loves me. Anyway...we will leave on Thursday and head to Shanghai where will wait until Monday to get our little prince. We will have to then wait an additonal 7 days in Shanghai to complete his adoption and get his passport. Then we fly to Guangzhou where they will do a medical exam and U.S. Consulate appointment. Of course, we are not out of the woods for leaving until the TB test is that is now required (as of July 1) is read 48 hours after it is tested. Should there be a problem with the reading then we are off to do a chest x-ray. We will not have clearance to leave until it is determined that he does not have TB. I can't begin to even think what will happen if the chest x-ray is not clear....Let's not even go there........... We will arrive home on August 8th without delay!!!!!!!

Fun at Aunt Har's

2009-06-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

A peek at Matthew's room

2009-06-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

We decided to use Katie's crib that converts to a daybed for the the first few months. It is our understanding that he may still be in a crib, so this option won't be completely strange for him.

Care Package for Matthew

2009-06-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

We sent a care package to Matthew at the Orphanage. We will send this to Ann at "Red Thread" in China and she will make sure that the package arrives to the orphanage safely. (We had the pleasure of meeting Ann 4 years ago in Guangzhou) She has also translated a letter that we wrote to both Matthew and the Caretakers. To Matthew, we told him how much we love him and can't wait to meet him, To the Caretakers, we thanked them for the love and care they have given our son over the past 3 1/2 years. The package contains items for Matthew as well as tea and candy for the caretakers. Contents of package purchased from US $30.00, Postage to mail to Ann @ at Red Thread in China $41.00, Cost for Ann to get package to Orphanage $33.00, Being able to send our son a care package to say we love him...Priceless.

"I Want It All" Dance Recital

2009-06-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is Katie's 2nd year at Dance and her second recital. The several hundred people sitting in the audience didn't seem to make her nervous at all. She is our little star.

Travel Approval Received!!!!!!!!

2009-06-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

Our travel approval arrived 6/19/2009. Yeah! Excitement beyond words. This means we can now make our travel arrangements to bring our Matthew home. HOWEVER......we were just informed by our Adoption Agency that Shanghai is requiring the adoptive parents to be in country for 7 days before getting our little guy. This is to make sure we don't show signs of the H1N1 virus. This unexpectedly makes our 2 week trip to now a 3 week trip. Not exactly going to be easy leaving my Katie at home for this long. Thank goodness for SKYPE. (An internet website allowing us the talk face to face on the computer at no charge)

2009-06-19T06:18:00.001-07:00

Who was my Mom in China?

2009-06-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

The question I knew would come one day and dreaded most was asked by my 5 year old daughter today. I was shocked and so not prepared.

"Mom, who was my Mom in China" ? Was she at the at the orphanage?

Ohhhh my heart instantly ached as I searched for the right answer, I was silent, so unprepared and trying to hold back tears. All I could say was "I'm not sure". She immediately went on to another topic, which for now was a good thing. I have always been very open that she was in an orphanage as an infant, and that we adopted her when she was one year old. It is always my intentions to answer all her questions regarding her adoption, I just never thought I'd be asked that question so soon.

My Story

2009-05-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a blog so our friends and family can follow our journey to China to bring home our son Matthew. I had originally started a blog more than one year ago. I never got past the header. It was originally called "A Sister for Katie". I just assumed when we eventually get the referral for a girl (under 15 months old) that we requested, I would resume with it. Little did I know a series of events would not lead us to a sister for my Katie, it would lead us to her brother. Getting to this point, however, has been one big emotional roller coaster ride. When we sent our dossier in more than 2 years ago, the wait was anticipated to be about 1 1/2 years at the longest, but here we were still facing yet another possible 2 year wait on top of the 2 years we had already waited. I should also mention, somewhere in the 2 years of waiting we started a Vietnam adoption that had a series of unfortunate events and then finally ended when Vietnam closed all adoptions to the United States. We then focused back on China, but I knew the longer it would take the less likely we would go through with it. My husband had already started grumbling that we were getting older and was asking if this is still really what we wanted. After all, we are turning 46 this year. We already have the perfect family he said, and he is right, but watching my 5 year old play alone, we realized that she needed a sibling, a best friend, like my sister is to me. But how.....................................

In late December my adoption agency announced that they had been invited to China by the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) to do a "workshop" at one of the many orphanages and that they had been given the opportunity to meet, interview and place 42 children (almost all of them with moderate special needs), so when the list came in, I was surprised to see that there were 2 healthy older (5 years old) boys on the list, I asked my agency to get info on one of these boys (Lucas) who had caught my eye. My agency provided us with video and pics that they personally took. He seemed to be perfect, but this was so far from what we had been waiting for....this was not a princess, this was a pirate, I don't know anything about little pirates.. A boy...A son....Okay we can do this....Yes we will do this, we will have a son, a brother for Katie. Surely there was no way to look at this other than this was clearly a sign from above and this must be the child meant for us. We said Yes, we want this little boy and we immediately began to love him. It would be only two weeks later that my agency would call to deliver some very unfortunate news regarding the son we thought we would be ours. Lucas had already been given to another family by the CCAA and they had been working on his file longer than we had. A terrible paperwork mixup had occurred in China. This was devastating for us. His face was embedded in my mind. Our hearts were broken, I literally cried for two months. My agency promised she would do everything in her power to find us another child that would be perfect for us. And I know they were. I tried to hold on and have faith, but how much longer could I allow my heart to ache. I was depressed and crying everyday. After a talk with my husband and listening to his concerns, I had to agree, maybe it was time to think about letting it go. I sat down at my computer at 10:30 pm with tears and wrote my agency that we weren't sure we would continue pursuing another adoption. I sent my email that night. Ironically, it was also the eve of my daughter's birthday and her gotcha day 4 years ago.

When the phone rang the next day and it was Diana at my agency, I thought surely she was calling me because of the email I sent, wanting to encourage me to hang in there. So when I said hello and she responded with "I'm looking at him", in a quiet calm voice, it didn't register what she was saying, so she said it again, "I'm looking at him"......WHAT.... What do you mean....."he's beautiful she said and he is yours". I just couldn't breathe. So that's my story we have a son and my daughter has a brother, a gift for for her 5th birthday.....hence, the start of my blog......... A brother for Katie Mei.

2009-05-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ni Hao! (Hello in Chinese)

Updated pic taken May 2009.

2009-05-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

2009-05-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Referral Received (4/21/09) on my daughter's gottcha day anniversary and her birthday.

Be still heart. I cannot believe I am looking at him. He is so adorable.

Born 12/6/05
Shanghai China
healthy except for mild heart murmur, not afraid of strangers, voluntarily initiates conversation with others and is willing to express himself and articulates questions to adults. He can speak multi-word (5-10) sentences and can recite Tang Dynasty poetry. (Oh My!!!) He gets along well with peers. Enjoys playing with toys, especially a plastic bucket. (How cute is that!!) He has a good appetite and is a happy extroverted chap!