Beijing Impressions

It was amazing to land in Beijing. We traveled on Hainan Air direct from Seattle to Beijing. Bapa Pete kindly dropped us off with our 4 rolling duffles and we were on our way. The flight was delayed by an hour so we were there 4 hours early instead of 3 but we passed the time having a good meal and settling in to travel mode.

Hainan Air economy class was great. We had a whole row with Minlan's empty seat so the boys were able to stretch out and sleep for the last two hours of the almost 12 hour flight. Mom slept a little but Thom and I just couldn't sleep. By the end, I think it was 3:20 in the AM, our time, and we were appalled that we couldn't get ourselves to rest. Oh, well.

We were met at the airport by our fantastic guide Lee from Beijing Xin Hua tours (tours@tour-beijing.com). I found the company through reviews on Trip Advisor and it really paid off. She was amazing. She took us to our comfy Mercedes van driven expertly by Mr. Zhang and we entered the suburbs of Beijing on our way to the city center. The city is laid out just like the city of Moscow, Russia with the main cultural and historical wonders at the center and multiple giant Ring Roads encircling the city and going out from the center.

Our hotel, the Marriott Beijing City Wall was glorious. Right next to an old section of the former city wall that has been preserved but amongst all kinds of modern buildings. The hotel was constructed or updated for the 2008 Olympics. A five star hotel in China costs what a standard Marriott does in the US.

In Beijing, we had an amazing day with Guide Lee and Driver Mr. Zhang. While he drove like a very safe version of James Bond, Lee taught us a great deal about the culture and history of China. We took a cable car up to the Mutianyu portion of the Great Wall and walked from that Watchtower to one much farther along the wall. The boys were enthralled and Mom was a trooper. She showed everyone what a person with low vision is capable of as she braved the very uneven and often steep terrain of the wall. Lee and Thom physically guided Mom along the whole way and she went well beyond the duties of a guide. We were so grateful to work with her. Mom wants her to join the family!

I can hardly express how phenomenal it was to actually be on the wall after dreaming of and planning this trip for so long. I kept looking and thinking that it was definitely even more impressive and crazy than I could have ever imagined. It is this huge stone/brick raised roadway on the tippy top rims of undulating mountain peaks way out in the country. Just fantastic to be there. We thanked Lulu for getting us there because we wouldn't have been there if we weren't on our way to adopt her.

We got to drive individual toboggans down the mountainside. Mom was terrified at the idea but did it anyway and loved it. Quin had to ride with me due to his age and I had to keep reminding him that the "slow" signs meant he had to use the brake a bit. He just wanted to read the "lean into corner" signs.

After the Great Wall, we went to lunch and toured a cloisonné factory owned by the government. The lunch was great for the grown-ups and fine for the kids. The factory was an added benefit to not knowing where the restroom was and me accidentally finding the beginning of the tour. Lee said we had time to take it and we got to see some artists at work and purchase a few lovely items.

Afterward, we toured the Summer Palace and saw Kunming Lake, the dragon boats, the marble boat, the 8000 paintings of the long corridor, and the area in which the last emperor was imprisoned for 10 years. We felt like movie stars because people kept coming up to us and asking to take their picture with us because we were so tall and the only non-Asians in a huge area packed with people. People also decided that Dec and Quin must be twins. I heard the word "gao" so many times, I knew it must be the word for tall. Not sure what else was said but it seemed to make a lot of people happy to take our photos with them, their kids, their mother, their aunt, etc.

After a very full day, we had dinner at the hotel and collapsed into our beds.

Today we flew from Beijing to Guilin. This is Minlan's birthplace and likely her current home. We are staying at a tiny Inn on the River called Guilin Riverside Inn. I wanted us to experience a bit more of China than just the isolated fancy hotels. Not to knock their comfort and style but this is lovely and much simpler. For perspective, I'd also like to share that the Inn costs 1/6th what the Marriot cost for our two rooms. Our entire dinner for five tonight cost the price of one room service entree at the Marriott.

This city is vibrant, hot as heck, and bustling with life amongst gorgeous bright green almost pointed slender mountains that rise straight out of the ground but with a small base. hopefully I can post some photos soon. The natural landscape is spectacular.

Tomorrow we will see Yao Mountain, learn about tea making, go to Seven Star Park and see Pandas, and visit Minlan's finding place. Oh, and we have some shopping plans too.

More tomorrow. I can hardly believe we are here and will meet Minlan 4 days from now. It feels like a long time right now but it is nothing compared to the forever we are looking forward to.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

We travel tomorrow!

Wow.  The time is finally here.  I can hardly believe it.  Now, when I look at pictures of Lulu, or pack her bag, or sit on her bed, I feel as if she is nearby.  Not so far out of reach.  Not so many miles away.  It is an amazing feeling after 9 months. I feel so grateful to know that it is ONLY 9 months as many families wait even longer to unite their families. 

The boys are just thrilled.  Ecstatic really.  They had the pleasure of spending the whole day with their cousins thanks to Auntie Kayce. This gave them a fun day of distraction while Thom and I focused on the final elements of packing.  It is amazing how much there is to do. However, as long as we have all the documents, a way to pay for things, and the Travel Approval that has to be presented in order to receive Lulu, we can get on that plane.  The clothes, the snacks, the diversions, don't really matter.  Although they do make a very long trip much more pleasant.

For those who will follow our trail, here is our itinerary:
July 19-20- Fly to Beijing.  Stay at Marriott Beijing City Wall.
July 21- Tour Great Wall Mutianyu section, then Summer Palace.
July 22- Fly to Guilin, stay Guilin Riverside Inn
July 23- Li River Cruise, Yangshuo Village in Afternoon
July 24- Perhaps Seven Star Park and visit our daughter's finding place
July 25- Train to Nanning, Stay Majestic Hotel (Min Yuan Xindu)
July 26- Gotcha Day!  We receive our daughter into the family.
July 27- Adoption Registration- we officially become a family of 5.
July 28- Free Day
July 29-  Free Day
July 30-  Receive Lulu's Chinese passport.  Fly to Guangzhou.  Stay China Hotel Marriott.
July 31- Medical Exam with TB test and possible immunizations.
August 1- Paperwork review
August 2- TB result
August 3- Paperwork submitted to US consulate in AM, shopping in PM
August 4- US Consulate Swearing-in Ceremony
August 5- Pick up immigrant visa
August 6- Rest (swim)
August 7- Fly Guangzhou to Beijing and Beijing to Seattle.  Arrive Seattle afternoon.

So, the "children (and grown-ups) are nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of [plum sauce] danced in their heads."  Okay, the grown-ups aren't in bed.  We're still working.  It's 10:30 PM.  But we are oh so close to being ready to go. 

Shower Photos/Having a Blast Celebrating Allura Minlan

Mailing from Guilin SWI/People who care about Lulu

 

 Months ago, in care package #2 I think, we sent a self-addressed stamped envelope through Ann of Red Threads in hope that the orphanage would write us something about Lulu. 

We received this envelope in the mail today.  There are four drawings but I can't get one to upload.  Each colorful drawing is labelled very lightly in Chinese in pencil.  I am going to take them to work tomorrow and hope that San-Hwan doesn't mind translating a few words for me.  I am so thrilled to see and touch our little girl's work and see what she has created for herself and for us.  

It's just amazing to have received this today.  Tomorrow is my last day at work before we go.  In 5 days, we step on that plane.  Every person I talk to at work, and I end up speaking with at least 30 people a day between patients and co-workers/colleagues, knows I am leaving to bring home my daughter.  They are so excited for our whole family.  It is phenomenal how many hearts Lulu has touched just by being herself and living the life she has lived thus far.

I arrived at work in the morning to find my desk-top stacked with adorable packages.  My friend Tanya and her generous son had chosen a dolly, outfits, and a precious doll's sleigh bed for Lulu so that she wouldn't feel lonely in her bed at night.  They thought of this when they realized that she might sleep in her foster mommy's bed right now and might feel lonely in her new bed at home.  So sweet and perceptive!

After lunch, I saw a patient and then returned to my office to find my chair stacked high with coloring books, princess items, a sparkly "Little Sister" t-shirt, jigsaw puzzles for work learning and all kinds of thoughtful and fun items for a little girl.  These gifts were thoughtfully put together by our amazing team of receptionists.  I was so touched that people had anticipated our great adventure ahead and that they wanted to make Lulu (and her mommy) feel special and loved.  I am so lucky to work with such generous and kind people. 

One week!/Showered with Love

We will get on that plane in exactly one week. One week!

It all became tangible and present yesterday when I realized that I was nervous in a happy way for the special shower my dear sister, mom, and wonderful friends Sara, Mara, and Chris threw for me. Sara even hosted at her house after a big family trip. Lovely lady friends all got together to socialize and express their joy for Lulu and for me as her Forever Mama. It was a wonderful gathering and meant so much to me to have the support and love of my friends as I embark on this part of the journey. I am so excited to parent my daughter, to love her, and for her to be a part of this welcoming community. Lulu will love all the adorable, thoughtful,sweet girly gifts our dear friends chose for her.

Today, I worked and Thom figured out what kind of baggage we need. He got all kinds of things done toward the trip.

I got prescriptions filled, others requested, new glasses, and other items done. The to-do list is long but it got shorter today.

As we work through this last week of trip prep and try to keep the adrenalin levels from rising in our haste to get to Lulu, we so appreciate the way people have showered us and our daughter with love. Thank you dear friends!

Update Surprise

I am testing out my method of posting to this blog that I hope to use in China.
We received an unexpected gift today. You will see a photo of Lulu standing from October, 2009 (just around the time of her 3rd birthday) and a photo fo Lulu sitting. We also found out how she ended up with glasses and a patch. It turns out she went to Beijing for some time for a surgery. We don't know what was done nor why they are patching the left (passive) eye. We do know that she she was gone from her foster mother for some time and had a difficult time returning to preschool because she wanted to be with her foster mommy.
It will help us a lot in our time with Lulu to know that she lost her foster mommy for some period of time, only 7 months prior to her adoption. She may grieve very hard or she may close herself off and wait for her foster mommy to return. Hopefully, her foster family has been able to prepare her somewhat for this next transition and hopefully they have let her know that we have their permission to raise her. She is clearly very loved by them and loves them immensely in return.
I am so grateful for this latest information. 8 Days to travel day!
Love,
Karin

Forever Family Day!

We sent Lulu a cake through Angela at Ladybugsnlove.com so that Lulu could celebrate her adoption with her pre-school friends.  I have been checking my email over and over and over again for some time now- looking for these magical photos.  The speak for themselves but I do want to point out that the beautiful red silk outfit was the one ordered by Nana and Bapa.  It is so nice to see her enjoying herself and to know that the things we have sent have been received.  Oh, I am such a happy Mama tonight.

Yummy!

Ten Days from Tomorrow

I haven't posted in a while.  I think that I am kind of in this strange waiting zone.  It is like there is an emotional zone where something so huge is happening but in a prolonged, dragged out, potentially painful way, that I have hunkered down into the trip prep.  I suppose it is like feeling like a balloon that is ready to take flight but needs to have that cute little heavy weight at the bottom to keep it tethered to the earth so that it may serve its intended purpose.

This must sound strange.  "You have your Travel Approval, plane tickets, work arrangements.... ", you say. Things ARE coming into order to support our trip.  Yes, I know and for all of this, I am incredibly grateful and thrilled.  It's just that we have been waiting for one specific beloved member of our family for almost 9 months, and we are so close to knowing her, that I can practically hear her laugh and smell her hair and feel those tears.  I wish it were today.  It is all I can do to just take a deep breath, stay in the moment, and be grateful for this wonderful family that I am lucky to be a part of. 

I have loads of work to do to get us ready.  Each day I get things checked off the list.  Dec and Quin are having a great week of iCamp.  Thom is working hard on getting us ready too, managing the household, and getting his film projects to a state where he can leave them for a time as we unite and establish our family.  I have one more week of work.  Every single interaction involves someone wishing me well in our upcoming adoption and my heart overflows with hope and joy.

Tonight I started reading the book Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew.  I am only 10 pages into the book and so incredibly glad that I ordered it.  We have so much to learn to assist our daughter in working through her grief related to losing her birth mother at an early age, losing her foster mother, and never knowing who or what or why.  To help with her feelings of loss, or rejection, or any aspect of adoption loss that comes up over her life.  We will just take things one step at a time but work from early on to help her build a foundation of love, and self-acceptance, and self-worth.  She is so deserving of love, appreciation, and celebration.  Teaching that will be a lifelong task of parenting and I really think that is true of all children.  Just in different ways for different children.  See, I have plenty of work to do before we go, and during, and after.

Ten days from tomorrow, we get on a plane to China.  Wow, is that amazing to say.  I am so looking forward to the adventure ahead.  And I have always been a girl who enjoys doing her homework.

A night of our own

Our 15th anniversary is July 17, two days before we leave to get Lulu. So Marilyn, Pete, Kayce and Frank gave us a special present: taking Quin and Dec for the night so we could spend our anniversary just the two of us. This photo is the view from our deck. We are right on the water in Langley, WA. Thanks to everyone who made this night special, and gave us a quiet time before the whirlwind of activity to charge our batteries and reconnect to the reason we have a family in the first place.