Day 11

Our consulate appointment date had finally arrived! After breakfast, we met our guide and another family and headed to the US Consulate. I was really happy to see the American flag! Cameras are not allowed in the consulate, so we only have a camera phone photo of the sign. This was taken after our appointment.




We were told that we couldn't bring anything in, so we did not bring any snacks in for Emma. That would have been fine, except all the other families brought snacks in for their children. Emma does not do well if other people have food and she does not. Since she was clearly well fed, I was really hoping we would escape the food issues that many orphans have. No such luck. She snacks A LOT and is happier if she has food available. Going into grocery stores is very challenging. I have not been able to make it through a store without opening up a package of food for her. She will share her food, once she has had enough. Food issues don't concern me at this point. An important component of building trust right now is meeting all of her eating needs. For right now, we will give her food whenever she wants it. At first, it may not always be the healthiest food. I know this sounds crazy, but it is what works. These issues should subside quickly once she really believes that she will be fed and taken care of by her family. It is also really important that we are the only ones to give her food right now. This helps her learn to trust and depend on us. If she still has these food issues after around three months home, then we will need to look at other ways to help her through it. Honestly, some orphans NEVER outgrow the need to always have food available. Many will hide food in their rooms or will hold bits of food in their mouth for hours. That always makes me sad.

Back to Emma, she was a bit wild and upset during our consulate appointment. It was so very enjoyable, or maybe not. So glad the boys were there to help entertain and to keep her contained in the room. Have I mentioned how much I am looking forward to the flight home? We had to wait a while in a room with a bunch of other families and with some other people who were not adopting (bet they loved being in that crazy room). Then all the adoptive parents had to stand and take an oath. After that, we were called to the window one by one. We were one of the last ones called. We handed over our packet of papers. They checked our documents, and Mark had to sign a document. Then we were done. It takes a day for the visa to be processed.

We decided to head out to Shamain Island. When there were a lot of adoptions going on from China, this island was the place to be. The consulate used to be there, and all the families stayed in the White Swan hotel. This hotel is currently closed for renovations. Our guide called it the Black Duck :-). There is some shopping there, and there is a restaurant that I had heard was good and served American food. I thought the boys would like that. We took the subway (yes, we took it all by ourselves - it is a well marked and easy to navigate system). We took the right exit out, but we didn't know which direction to go. We chose the wrong direction :-(. We did end up going the right direction, but we were feeling like it wasn't right. We tried to ask several people, but for some unknown reason, they do not speak English. We finally called our guide, handed my phone to a nice looking woman, and he was able to have her point us the way. We were actually really close. We finally made it to the famed "Lucy's" restaurant.





I can sum up this dining experience in a single word.....nasty. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Cade and Nate ordered a pizza to share. The tomato sauce on the pizza was ketchup, I kid you not. I had enchiladas that were really just wraps. That taste stayed with me for hours. None of us enjoyed this experience. It is one adoption-trip landmark I wished I had skipped.




At least we sat by a Texas license plate.





It is a really beautiful area. Lots of New Orleans' style buildings, beautiful flowers and greenery, and sculptures. It is a popular area for wedding photographs, and we saw several brides being photographed.








We have created a stroller pushing monster. Don't even think about touching it while she is pushing it.


















We stopped at a little park to play for a bit.



















Chase told us the other day that he wants to adopt someday. That made us both so proud and happy. He really is such a great kid, and I am so proud of him.




Nope, you can't take the stroller with you up the stairs.




















The rest of this day will have to come after we are home. It is after midnight here, and we leave at 6 in the morning. We have really loved our time in China but are all ready to be home.

- Jenna

Day Ten

Today there was no adoption related business. We hired Ann of Red Thread (she is the one who sent our care package and birthday cake to Emma) to take us shopping. She knows where to go to get the best deals. We wanted to get Emma a few souvenirs from the country of her birth. We were able to get her some traditional dresses, an umbrella, movies in mandarin, tea sets, chopsticks (starter ones too), and some jade. Everything here is very cheap, so it sounds like a lot, but really didn't cost that much money. We took the subway to the toy market. Mark took this picture in the subway station.







Ann and I at the tea set store. I could have bought so many of the tea sets. I love them. I did restrain myself (with Mark's help).




Emma was not really thrilled with the shopping. Did she not know it was all for her? I bet that will change :-)




We took a van to the jade market. I don't think this was a "taxi", but Ann made the arrangements and it worked out just fine.








See how much she is loving shopping :-)





That's better.




Picking out some jade for Emma. I got us matching heart necklaces.








Yup, still not enjoying it. Jade schmade.




Watermelon helped.




Letting Daddy hold her. She continues to do better and better with Mark. We had thought that she was calling him mama just like she calls me, but we have now realized she is calling him Mark, but it sounds like mar. Cracks me up.




The boys were troopers. They don't really enjoy the shopping either.




I guess posing for the camera helped.







The aunts and grandmothers may be getting something. Sorry to all other family members :-(

That evening we were able to eat with another adoptive family. It was really wonderful to be able to visit with them. They are adopting two cuties.











This is also when we discovered that this girl has a serious love for tofu. She ate FIVE bowls of it. She would finish a bowl and then push it towards the serving dish and ask for more. I have no clue how to fix tofu. Guess I need to learn.




Emma has shown that she has a very tender, caring, and kind side. On the dinner cruise, there was a little girl (3 years old) who was really grieving. She was just standing there crying. She won't allow her new parents to comfort her, so they just stand close by (fortunately they are experienced adoptive parents who understand grief and know how to handle a case like this). Emma was very concerned about this girl and was trying to comfort her. It really melted my heart. At the dinner with our new friends, Emma was holding a plate up for this boy because he was enjoying putting his hand on it. After that was done, she got a wipe and started cleaning his hand. It was really sweet to see. It also let me know that she has been cared for and loved. She knew how to do these things because they have been done for her.








She is still loving her brothers, and they adore her. I am so very thankful that they have been on this trip. It was another great day.

- Jenna

Day Nine - Pearl River Dinner Cruise

Day nine had no adoption related business. We took it easy most of the day. We did go to a department store where we were able to find shoes for Emma (and for Cade). Can't say I am going to miss the Gangmam style sandals (but I will be keeping them).




She really likes these shoes. She wouldn't have anything to do with the other shoes we attempted to buy her. They don't have different sizes of different styles in the kid's department. You find a shoe that fits from the shoes on display, then they give you the other shoe. We brought McDonald's to the room for lunch. I don't like McDonald's to begin with, but the McDonald's here tastes even worse, except for the fries. We were trying to be frugal, but I don't think we will be doing that again. I am so happy to see that Emma is quickly learning some signs. She has mastered "more" and is doing "please" and "thank you" some of the time. She also blows kisses. She seems to be understanding more of what we are saying to her. How hard it must be to all of a sudden be with people who are constantly babbling to you. It is impossible to know if she has any speech delays, but I am so happy to see that her receptive language (understanding) seems to be good. Receptive delays are much more difficult to overcome.

We bought a cheap umbrella stroller, and she is enjoying that. Her brothers will give her fast rides up and down the hallway. She also enjoys pushing her stuffed animal around.










She found a few crumbs in the Pringles can, the girl has a chip problem.




I am loving watching her with her brothers. She loves them, and they all adore her. She cries when they leave for their room at night. She laughs at them, bosses them around, wrestles them, loves on them, and gets mad at them. The strangest thing is that she loves Chase but will refuse to take his hand. I have no idea why.




Cade was rubbing her hair. Notice the chips bag. The girl has a serious problem. Eating habits are going to change when we get home.

Emma would not take a nap. Instead, she kept giving me zerberts which of course made me laugh and then made her laugh so hard that she could not give another zerbert. She then went over to Mark and jumped on him. We were all laughing so hard. This girl knows that we think she is cute. Nap time did not happen. One worry I had was that Emma would not have a lot of personality. She was always so serious, sad, and stoic in her pictures and videos. God must be laughing. Guides and others have described her as spicy, feisty, active, busy, happy, strong, sassy, and acting like a princess. This girl has some serious personality.

That evening we took a dinner cruise on the pearl river. Emma fell asleep in my arms right as we arrived at the boat. I don't think I will ever get tired of that.




Since she was sleeping, I asked Mark to get me a plate of food. He is so, so funny. I did NOT eat that. I put it on Cade's plate. That deeply disturbed him.





Our guide really likes to eat chicken feet. He said that China imports a lot of chicken feet from America because we don't recognize the value of chicken feet. He said that if we knew how much the Chinese like chicken feet, then we would raise the price. I will pass on trying those. Our guide in Guangzhou is excellent and very funny. We have really enjoyed having him as a guide.




We had a really nice time and especially enjoyed spending more time with other adoptive families.















Emma decided to join her brothers.





The lights outside were really pretty.
















Then there was a clown performance.




This ball is actually spinning.





After the show, Emma was busy, busy, busy. I don't think she has ever had this much stimulation in her entire life. She seems to be having a harder time going to sleep. I don't know if this is her personality, or if this is a reaction to too much stimulation. She does like to get out and do things. We will definitely be trying to keep it low key when we first get home. She will be trying to adjust to a new life, culture, country, and time zone. It should be interesting :-).












I was videoing her here. We have discovered that she loves to watch videos of herself. We are trying to take a lot for her to watch on the flights.





She went up to another white momma and was interacting with her and wanting to play with her. Her attachment to us is going so well, but that was a reminder to me that it is a process and that we need to guard that attachment until it is strongly developed. Please don't be offended if we limit her interaction with others when we first get home. I promise that we want to share Emma with all of you, but we need to build a strong relationship with her and make sure that she understands who her family is. Her life has changed so dramatically in the last couple of weeks and is about to change even more.








An adoptive family had a converter we could borrow. Nate is doing much better.





Emma was fascinated by the nebulizer. Here she is putting her ear up to it.





It took Emma about an hour and some tears before she finally fell asleep. It was another great day. One day closer to HOME.


- Jenna