Rain!

Wednesday was a day full of rain. We think caused by a tropical storm just off the coast. We got outside in the morning for a short walk and shopping trip - and then around 10 AM it started - and never stopped. You can get the picture - two boys - rainy day - no chance to swim to burn energy, small hotel room. Boy, are we ready to head home. Tomorrow doesn't look much better, but we can only hope.

We did get a chance to do some sightseeing, to two places we've never been before even though we've been to Guanghzou two previous times. We went to the The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, an ancient Buddhist Temple built in 537 and to the Guangdong Museum of Folk Handcraft. The latter had many displays of art including wood, ivory, and stone carvings.

The morning walk was done in order to get this picture. Why? Because we've had similar photos next to this same statue on previous trips with Adam and Makayla. We've met several families on their second and third adoption trip while we've been here (we are not the only crazy ones - we are in good company!). We've seen several children, like Adam, accompanying their parents back to China to adopt their new brother or sister. We got a chuckle today as one of the waitresses at breakfast tried to converse with Adam in Mandarin. He didn't understand her at all.

Aiden had a sad spell today as one of the toys we bought him this morning broke later in the day. It was a toy gun that lit up at the tip and made laser type noises. Well, the light stopped functioning and he become inconsolable for a spell. It probably broke due to some roughhousing between him and Adam. You can proably guess where the toy was made. Anyway, how do you communicate that these things happen and are a way of life when you can't use spoken language?

Tomorrow we head to the US Consulate to pick up Aiden's Visa and take the oath of citizenship for him. America's newest citizen will soon be home. One more post from China tomorrow - then the next one will be from Ohio. Thanks again for your continued prayer support and encouragement.

Guangzhou

Well Aiden did very well on his first flight - but keeping him in seat belts - especially when we get home - may be a problem. He does not like to be restrained.

We made it to Guangzhou and our hotel around 6:30 PM, Monday night. After being met by our guide we headed to Lucy's Grill for dinner. Lucy's is a little restaurant near the hotel where you can get an American style cheeseburger, fried chicken, onion rings, and such. It is frequented allot by Americans looking for a break from Chinese fare.

On Tuesday morning we went to have photo's taken for Adam's Visa and then had his medical examination. Guanghzou houses the US Consulate that deals in entrance Visas to the US. On Thursday we will have Aiden's Visa and on Friday we head for home.

We spent Tuesday afternoon having lunch at a Thai restaurant, then shopping at a Jade and Pearl market, back to the hotel for swimming, and then back to Lucy's for dinner.

Aiden, we are finding out, is the opposite of shy. He greets everyone with a loud Hello!" We've been asked if he responds well to his new name and the answer is yes. As we did with Adam we began by calling him his new name followed by his Chinese name "Aiden Yuan Peng" Most of the time now he will respond just to Aiden. We've been told he likes his new name.

Only two full days left in China. We are ready to come home. We miss our little girls very much and miss the comforts of home. We've met many new people on this journey, all coming to adopt. Most of them little girls like we did with Makayla, but other's with older kids. It's been great to be able to speak to other Americans and share stories.

Well - the journey home continues...

Let's Go Youyong!

The last two days were spent at the zoo, the park, and at the hotel swimming pool. Mostly though it was spent getting to know Aiden. We've learned for the most part he is a happy, playful kid - but at times will let you know he is unhappy when he doesn't get his way. And that's when the communication challenge is greatest. Sometimes we wish it were easier to explain to him what is going on or why we won't give him what he is asking for. But we've managed to make it through. Sometimes our communication consists of a mix of English, Chinese, and whatever other language comes to mind at the time.

Aiden loves the pool - to go swimming (youyong) - so we say Let's Go Youyong! He's learning to say "Water please" and "ice cream please". And he loves when we tell him "Good job!"

Yesterday we had lunch at Pizza Hut, one of the most expensive restaurants in Nanchang according to our guide. Pizza never tasted better! Tomorrow we leave Nanchang for Guangzhou and Aiden's first ever plane ride. Four more days in China then we can head home. Please pray that Aiden will do well on the plane rides - especially the long one on Friday from Beijing to Newark. The journey home continues...

Orphanage Trip

This morning we had the opportunity to do something that we could not do on our last two adoption trips - visit our child's orphanage. We had the privilege of meeting Aiden's foster parents and a couple of his foster siblings. Aiden had lived with this foster family for the past two years - the foster apartment is on the orphanage grounds. It was a very special time. We also visited a few sections of the orphanage where we were able to see several babies. The orphanage seemed to have many caregivers. Aiden's school was also part of the orphanage - he wanted to show us that but it was determined that that might be too disruptive.

Aiden didn't seem to be affected by the trip - in fact he seemed eager to show us around. But in the afternoon we could tell that he was missing his foster parents. We knew that time would come. Please continue to pray for him as he makes the transition to his new home. A late afternoon swim seemed to get his mind off things. By the way, Aiden seemed to be very close to the girl in the picture, his foster sister. He has been wearing (since we got him) a necklace she made for him. We've been told that she too will soon be adopted.

Aiden loves to play on the computer - where he has been learning the alphabet. He also likes to play on the Leapster (a handheld educational game system). We bought him some books to also help him with his English. Adam picked up a Chinese Sponge Bob book.

Tomorrow we take a trip to the zoo. The journey home continues...

Tengwang Pavilion and the Terrible Towel

Those of you who have been following our journeys know that we believe that each of children have been uniquely prepared for us by God. So it should also follow that we believe God has called each of our children to be Steeler fans. Many of you, we know, would be disappointed if you didn't see Aiden in a Steeler shirt holding the Terrible Towel. So here his, in front of Nanchang's most famous landmark, the Tengwang Pavilion. This pavilion was originally built over 1,300 years ago and has been destroyed and rebuilt 29 times. So in a sense - just like the Steelers, you can never rule them out - they keep coming back.

While at the Tengwang Pavilion we ran into Sissi, our guide from 4 years ago when we where here to adopt Makayla. Our current guide, Lilly, ran into her first. While they were talking we recognized her and she actually, after a moment, recognized us. In the picture, Sissi is on the left and Lilly on the right. Sissi, 4 years ago, tried to teach us Chinese nursery songs to sing to our little girls. Lilly has been wonderful helping us out with our boys as we tour and shop.

We have had the opportunity to meet several families from all over the U.S. who have come to adopt little girls. We also met a family today from New Zealand.

Adam continues to do well. We went swimming again today. Aiden and Adam are blowing bubbles as we type. Tonight he gets to say Hi to his new sisters over the phone. Tomorrow we are going to visit his old orphanage where will will also drop off some new clothes and candy.

Many thanks to all for the prayers. God has been amazing as always. We miss our girls and look forward to talking to them tonight. We think of our son, Jeremy, now in Bahrain, and how much we enjoyed his company on the last trip.

The journey home continues...

First Full Day with Aiden

OK back to the present,

Today we spent our first full day with Aiden and it was quite a day of discovery. We started the day with the boys just playing in the room. We learned that Aiden is very good at math as we would write down some addition and subtraction equations and he would solve them with ease. He also sang "Happy Birthday" in English for us and said the numbers 1-20 and most of our alphabet.

We went to a science museum where the kids had a lot of fun. Most exhibits were "hands-on" and they had a big play section. The museum almost didn't let us in because the boys were supposed to be in school. But our guide shared that they were adopted and not in the city schools.

Aiden went swimming for the first time. He was a bit scared at first but quickly adjusted and had a great time.

We also learned the need to learn a few new Chinese words to communicate things like "Stop (doing what you are doing)" and "Quiet' (he can get quite loud). Are guide has been great in helping us get a few points across.

He has a healthy appetite and uses chopsticks very well, and is not too bad with a fork. He needs to learn to finish the ice cream before he eats all the cone.

So all is well. We do miss our girls, Mackenzie and Makayla, very much. We missed Mackenzie's first loss of a tooth - but believe the tooth fairy made it to her OK. We wonder what it will be like for Aiden when he leaves China to a place where all he will here is English and the only Chinese he will here is short words and phrases that mom and dad have been able to learn.

The journey home continues...

Xi'an

OK - since we couldn't blog earlier - let us recount the first part of our trip. We decided to go to Xi'an instead of the customary Beijing trip because we wanted to see something different - and we really wanted to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. So we flew into Beijing, collected our bags and went through customs, then checked onto Air China and after a 1 1/2 flight delay we were on to Xi'an. We arrived there about 27 hours after leaving Dayton. We arrived Saturday night, spent all day Sunday and most of Monday sight-seeing and then left Monday night for Nanchang.

The highlight of our trip as we mentioned earlier were the Terra Cotta Warriors. They were made to be part of the emperors burial tomb from the first emporer or king of the Qin dynasty back around 22o something BC. supposedly to protect the tomb. Over 8,000 life size soldiers, chariots, and horses were believed to be made. They were found when a farmer was digging a well back in 1974. We got the autograph of that farmer!

We didn't realize how important Xi'an was to the history of China and how long it had been the seat of power in China. It is also the starting point of the Silk Road, a very important ancient trade route in China that also passes through Lanzhou (where we got Adam). We stopped at a silk factory and bought our girls (we miss you Mackenzie and Makayla) some silk scarves.

We really enjoyed our guide - and we had a guide all to ourselves. She told us that she didn't have a favorable impression of Americans adopting in China - but that changed with us. She was initially surprised at all the luggage we had for a two day tour - but when she realized we we at the first part of a two week adoption trip she was amazed at why we would would want such a large family and care for three Chinese orphans. She asked to be our guide next time we went to Xi'an.

We got stares from people when they saw us with Adam. Little did they know he has actually been an American afor almost 2 years and couldn't understand them. We get even greater stares now with both Adam and Aiden. We actually, in kind of an absurd way, enjoy that. Maybe because we've come to expect it and it confirms what we are doing is the right thing - God has called us to be aliens and strangers - we know that is meant in a spiritual sense - but everyone should get to experience what it feels like to be a stranger.