Friday, March 25, 2005

Another great day for us. Today we visited a local country side home and the land that they lease to plant flowers to sell at the market. The home was an amazing 3 story house that was in the middle of a very tight neighborhood, we walked a narrow cement path shared by pedestrians and motorcycles and bikes for about 10 minutes through some pretty lush growing plots to the house. We did pass their old home which is more what we expected with the poorer conditions, but the new home was very impressive. We were greeted with boiled vegetables from their garden (potatoes, sweet potatoes and a purple style potato (Taylor and I ate the normal yellow potato which was very sweet and moist). They keep us very busy with tours and meals, but it was nice to spend the afternoon wandering around on our own (with Doug as our guide) we went down some local streets with markets and live scorpions and a bunch of other things that I didn’t want to look at – I’m sure Andy or Doug will share that experience with everyone. Andy ate something on a stick that looked like squid. We shopped at this enormous shopping center, about 6 or so stories tall and what seemed like over a 1000 stores. The afternoon was over quickly and we had Taylor’s Visa photo taken and will visit the Medical Clinic tomorrow for her “okay” to leave/enter the country. Time feels like it stands still at times and other times the day is over and its time for bed before you know it. We had a rough night last night, but tonight Taylor is already asleep with no tears. I think we’re getting the hang of this! She’s an amazing child and we finally caught her smile on camera (we would have gotten it sooner, but Doug and Andy keep the camera’s so I don’t have much of an opportunity to take some shots of just Tay and I playing.)
Just a few more days and we can come home, I don’t know what our flights will be like with all the children, but I’m anxious to get home at start recuperating from Jet lag and get onto a schedule that will work for all of us, right now with all the touring and appointments its hard to know when we’ll be able to feed or change Taylor. She’s a trouper though and doing fantastic…
Good night!

Check out our beautiful Daughter's SMILE! 

Visit to Suixi

Thank you to Director Han and Vanessa and the approvals they had to get for making this visit possible for us. This was so important to us to have some information for Taylor about her early years so that when she comes back to visit China she will know where to begin:

We got to Suixi about 11:00 am. Director Han and an aide picked us up at the airport and took us to lunch. We had boiled chicken, cut up, including the head and feet. Director han ate one of the feet and I couldn’t let him outdo me, so I ate the other one (even though I didn’t know where the feet had been) We had spicy lamb, squid, and scallops (with bellies still attached). As well as some kind of soup (didn’t ask) and a really good, thin and sweet bread.

I think the director and his staff were surprised at Uncle Doug and me being able to eat and like the foods. I think they were waiting to see how the American’s liked their style of foods, though different from ours, and we enjoyed them to their surprise and comfort. None of them spoke English and we didn’t speak a lick of Chinese but we got along just fine.

They then took us to Wutang where our Taylor was from. It was quite a moving experience. The area is very poor by our standards, but the people seemed very happy and smiled and laughed at our round eyes.

We then drove back to Suixi (they pronounce it “Sweesee” and to a book store where the director bought us a book about the town and its people.

After that we went to the orphanage, which is in the middle of town and had a nice visit, where we were treated to bananas and tangerines which are the local product. We saw where the children play in the playroom, there were about 8 – 10 kids there while we visited, they seem to have been comfortable in the play room until we
"strangers" arrived. I appreciated seeing the room as that’s where our Taylor spent about ½ of her short life (until now).

All in all, it was an emotionally draining day but a wonderful one in that Taylor now has a record of our trip and her life before us.
Thank you again to Suixi and Director Han for giving us as much of Taylor's first year (15 months) as possible.
Andy - Taylor's Daddy for life!

Wednesday, March 23rd...

Wednesday, March 23, 2005
We visited the zoo today, it was overall a quiet day, but Taylor wasn’t feeling very well, not sure if its just teething or the congestion she seems to have so she slept all the way through the zoo. We had a wonderful afternoon though, the little girl who was just holding a toy yesterday started playing with it today. It was only 48 hours and already you can see that she’s starting to come out of her shell, though it was a rough dinner with about 2/3 of the babies (including Taylor) was having a rough time. I’m sure its all part of the transition and confusion the poor things have been going through the last few days, but its hard not to be able to console them some of the time. Little Taylor is now asleep in our room with Daddy (at least I think she’s asleep) and Uncle Dougie is out exploring the area (it’s a very safe neighborhood and he double checked with our guide about where to go and what to see). Doug has been a tremendous help. Just when you think its running smoothly I walk around with a deer in the head lights look.
Mom & Dad....Thanks...for everything.
Taylor’s keeping good eye contact with me and some with Andy, she’s playing with us on the floor but if she’s sitting next to me she’ll stand up, walk over and turn around to push her little butt into my chest, slide down to the floor and play while she’s leaning up against me. At first I thought it was because she was having a hard time sitting up by herself (which may be a little true) but I really think she enjoys the comfort of knowing that I’m there. She’s getting compliments by everyone that meets us about how beautiful she is, well of course she’s beautiful, she’s my daughter 
Andy and Uncle Doug have gotten permission by the powers that be to visit the Suixi SWI tomorrow. They’re taking a flight from Guangzhou to the largest city outside of Suixi (sorry, can’t remember the name) and the Director of the orphanage is going to meet the flight, take them to the orphanage and bring them to Wutang which is where Taylor is from. They’re bringing all the cameras including the video so we’ll be able to share everything with our travel group! This is a wonderful group, and tomorrow I’m sure I’ll be asking for their help while Andy and Uncle Doug are gone.
Congratulations Donna & Eric on their beautiful daughter’s picture!
We’re thrilled to be here, but getting sick of Chinese food, the hotel is beautiful and its giving a great opportunity to get to know Taylor, but I’ll be glad when were home again and we can see everyone.
Tim & Rebekah, give the cats and Bandit kisses from us, boy are they in for a surprise when Taylor’s running around behind them.
I figured there would be more time to write or read the yahoo groups while were are here, but its hard to find the time since they keep us busy with appointments and paperwork and most of all Taylor (feeding, changing, entertaining, playing, fussing). I’m sure Doug has written more than us, but know we’re thinking about you all and miss everyone.
I’m going to try to get a quilt made this week and take some more pictures of all the Chicken memorabilia. Pleasant Dreams & Good night all…oh, one more thing, we’re calling Taylor “Tumbleweed” since she rolls like the tumble weed while she sleeps!

First breakfast together. Taylor hasn't put this toy down yet! 

Taylor at the orphanage. 

Not much further to the top! 

I can't believe we climbed the Great Wall this far! 

Pleasant Dreams Taylor! 

Taylor falls asleep in Mom's arms. 

Director Han and Translator/Guide Vanessa with Mom, Dad and Taylor An. 

Mommy and Taylor meet in person finally! 

Welcome Home Taylor!

Monday 8:32pm
WOW!
Well, we have Taylor! We met at the official office at 3:00 pm and verified a few pieces of information, waited a little bit and then they arrived. We were the second family to be joined and Taylor is absolutely amazing! NO tears (at least not while we were there). She is curious about everything and shy, if she doesn’t want you to look at her she will bury her head into my neck or turn the other way. She started to cling within 10 minutes, I thought maybe she wouldn’t want to be held or to have to face me, but when I turned her around on my lap she would squirm her way around again to that we had skin touching. Its an amazing feeling!
We were there about 1 ½ hours and got to meet Director Han and ask questions about schedules, names, routines, formulas and such. The director provided each of us with a small book of pictures from the orphanage and we got back the camera, blanket and teddy we had sent to Taylor in Suixi. I don’t know if she necessarily recognized the teddy, but it didn’t matter, she’s already recognizing me and Andy and that is what is important. Uncle Doug brought the camera over to the store across from the hotel and we should have the pictures tomorrow (they’d be ready tonight, but I’m as tired as Taylor is). She is sound asleep by the way.
Well, much to my surprise, when I laid her down on the floor to check her diaper and change her pants I left her laying there with some toys thinking she may want a little freedom…WRONG…you’ll never believe this but she rolled over, got herself up and walked to me with open arms and climbed on my lap! This was about 3 hours after she was first placed into my arms. Talk about a tearful event. My heart just flipped. She is totally amazing. We walked to dinner down the street where they had “boiled egg” for the children, its almost like a custard but no sugar and very little milk, our dear little girl ate all hers and then some of the extra! Her appetite doesn’t seem to be effected by the transition today. The only time she has cried though is when I tried to put her into the high chair to eat, I don’t think any of them have been in highchairs before as they all cried, that was the first and last time Taylor cried. Now Andy is off doing paperwork for tomorrow and Taylor fell asleep in my arms in Uncle Doug’s room while we were down loading pictures.
I think that I need to get into bed because tomorrow should be a full day.
Oh, the details, okay – Taylor is about 20 pounds (or a little more) tall and skinny, size 2 diapers is working right now but the 12 month clothes is defiantly not going to work for long so we’ll be shopping tomorrow – the size medium onesies fits perfect. Long and skinny and solidly built – that’s our daughter.
Good night all!

Monday, AM - Count Down

Well, its 11:30 am here in Guangzhou and we made it to the hotel safe and sound last night and had a pizza party in Uncle Dougie's room (he is now Uncle Dougie to all the families). This morning Robin and I spent some time wandering around and packing and repacking the diaper bags, checking and rechecking our money and paperwork. We have an appointment at 3:00 to meet with the orphanage and get our children. Most of us are remarkedly calm. Almost to clam. Its like we've come all this was over the past 16 months and have been on an emotional rollercoaster but now that its completing this circle we're calm and excited and relieved. Now ask us that at 6:00pm tonight and we'll probably all be basket cases :)
We've talked with other families who have had their children for about a week and they have been saying that after the first 24 hours they really see a difference in the children and the bonding really begins, before that they tend to keep to themselves with limited emotions, probably confused and scared!
We can't wait to hold Taylor. Doug will be taping the whole process for us and hopefully we'll get some time with Taylor's direct caregiver and be able to ask some detailed questions.
Our guide, Vanessa (who is absolutely wonderful) is trying to make some arrangements for Andy and Doug to visit the Suixi region and hopefully take some pictures of where Taylor has been growing up.
Its warm here, I'm guessing in the high 60s or low 70s with a light breeze, but it is very humid.
So far we're all healthy, well maybe a little lack of sleep now and then, but if that is our worst problems we're great!
The other folks in our travel group received their children last night before checking into their hotel. We have been fortunate that we had the time last night and today to prepare.
Mary, the animals on the buildings in the Forbidden City are lead by a man on a chicken! We took some close up pictures for you~
Bye for now, the next time I get to write, I'll be holding little Taylor!!!!!
Don't forget to check out the other site that Doug has been updating. Unfortunately we can't see the site from our end, but hope you enjoy the pitures.
Sharon

Visiting Tiananmen Gate by the Forbidden City 

Andy's found the Squirrels to Feed! 

Sharon in Heaven at "Sharon's Store" Pearl Market 

Saturday March 19th

Saturday, March 19, 2005 8:51 pm.
What a day we had today. We started with a wonderful call very early this morning that Eric & Donna have their referral! YEAH!!!! We’re so excited and thrilled for them. Their daughter Hannah’s birthday is today, Happy Birthday Hannah!
We visited the Pearl Factory with the group today, it was more expensive than the Pearl Market but we were able to see the pearls right in the shell and learn more about pearls in general. We then did a quick walk through of the Summer Palace and off to the Great Wall it is definitely a great wall. We all (Robin, John, Andy, Doug and I) made it up to the first outlook, then Robin, John and Doug kept going (and going and going and going), it was really amazing to see all the work that has gone into the wall and its amazing that people climbed it on a regular basis and defended it.
Tomorrow we’re off to Guangzhou with the 5 other families that have daughters in Suixi and then on Monday we finally get Taylor, it looks like its going to be in the afternoon here so it should be around mid-night at home. We don’t have anything exciting scheduled so I may not be writing until Monday. We’ve kept Doug on his toes with meals, tours and trying to keep the camera empty (we’ve already filled 256 mb of pictures!)
Miss you all!
Love, Sharon

Friday, March 18th **and the Pearl Market**

Its 9:00 pm and the rest of China group #121 has arrived safely, their all as tired as we were our first night and we can understand why! I’m glad that we arrived two days early to get our bearings and were able to relax because the tours begin tomorrow. But today we were able to visit the Forbidden City and the Pearl Market and Mom, you’ll be proud of me and the beautiful pears we were able to get. I’ll try to post a few pictures of the past two days. Since we can not view the website we’ll have to go on faith that you’ll be able to view the pictures.

We learned today that bargaining is HARD. Its exhausted but expected with just about every purchase. Its fun sometimes and the conversations with the shop keepers can be just as fun as the purchase.

We’re getting closer and closer to Monday and can’t wait to hold Taylor.

Until Tomorrow…