Taking Some Time...

The title of this segment could have a couple of different meanings. One, we have been taking some time to get readjusted as a family of four. Or two, we have been taking some time to get over our sickness we caught while we were in China. Well, actually, we have been doing both.

Some people have commented to us that it seemed that we didn't post as faithfully near the end of our trip as we were during the first week. Well, that is because I got sick, first. No, I did not get sick from eating the food or drinking the water, which I did plenty of both. I got sick from the heat. That's right, the heat. I got a boil so big on my forehead that if I was to stand nose first next to the wall, the boil would hit the wall first. Now, that was a big boil because my nose is not that small.

Consequently, I had to go to the clinic at the White Swan. First they gave me an antibiotic and a band-aide and said this should help, but if it doesn't in 24 hours, come back. Well, it was like I was feeding the growth on forehead a five course meal. It quadrupled in size and my face started to swell up. So, after about 12 hours, I went back to the clinic and they proceeded to stab this unwanted parasite with a needle that looked like a BBQ skewer. Well, it was like they just knocked the top off of Mount Fuji, blood and puss running everywhere down my forehead. Yum right? It gets better...

After the "eruption," the nurse turns to me with a piece of gauze in her hand, with dark brown goop on it, and says, "this is a Chinese remedy that we use on the children who have boils. It should help to draw the puss out." Well, not only did it draw the puss out, it drew all the fluid in my body to my face.

By the night before we left, my eyes were almost swelled shut. I believed I was having an allergic reaction to the this dark brown goop. But, the weird thing was, there was no swelling around the popped puss pocket or the band-aide. Anyway, I took the dark brown goopped band-aide off and put on a clean band-aide with the antibiotic the doctor gave me and swelling started to subside in my face, but the puss pocket started to get bigger again. I was afraid that when I went through Customs I would have to declare and third child born from my forehead. Luckily the Customs agent had a sense of humor.

Well, while all this was going on, the boys were taking time to get to know one another.

You can never really prepare yourself for the sound of two little boys' laughter, it is overwhelming and very contagious. This little display of affection toward one another went on for over an hour. They would chase each other around the hotel room trying to tickle one another. After one would catch the other, they would laugh uncontrollably. It was a very welcomed sight.

And now back to the story. Well, the day before we left, Sawyer came down with what we thought was just an ordinary cold. His temperature was up to 100.3, so we started him on Ibuprofen. We thought we were in the clear once we got home and his temperature dropped back to normal. But by Saturday night, he started to have blisters on his lips and in his mouth. So we immediately called the doctor. Come to find out, it was more than a cold. It was a viral infection that had to run it course and the only thing we could do is give him Tylenol and Ibuprofen to help the pain. Even though all off the sickness, the bonding continues...

And now a word from our sponsors...

-Plane Tickets to China: $4500.00
-Food while in China: $250.00
-Watching a rerun of a College Football Game at two in the morning with your newly adopted son from China, because we have yet to adjust to the time and who is wearing your socks: PRICELESS
There are things money can buy, but family love and memories are the only thing that truly lasts forever.

We Made It....

After a total of 26 hour flying and driving, we have made it home. Both boys did unbelievably well on the flights from Guangzhou to Tokyo, Tokyo to Detroit (the long, long flight) and finally Detroit to Newark. Both boys slept most of the way, which made the flights really nice, but it is going to be a long night. We will post more tomorrow or the next day once we get acclimated.

Take care and thank you all for the nice comments.

Consulate Appointment...

The last step to go home has been completed. Today was Saxton's Consulate appointment. Next post will be from home. See you all soon.

The Red Couch...

In the customary tradition of the Adoption Community of China, the famous Red Couch was taken today. Last year, Sawyer did nothing but scream. Saxton on the other hand did nothing but look at us as to say, "what are you silly people doing to me now?" Well, without further ado, here is the picture:

We also got a decent family picture:

After the red couch, came the group picture:

Then we went to the Pearl Market...and came right back. Both Sawyer and Saxton had meltdowns twenty minutes after we got there. So our guide David called the van to take us back to the Hotel. Saxton went down for a nap fairly quickly after we ate lunch, but Sawyer has not wanted to take a nap this afternoon. Good thing about this is he will go down early with Daddy and get some extra needed sleep. Tomorrow is a free day for us, so we are really unsure of what we are going to do, except one of the guides we had last year, Rebecca, will be taking us out to dinner at a Cantonese Restaurant. Shelby is dying to try the snake soup.

Medical Day...

Today was the medical examination day. Shelby, Sawyer and I took Saxton to see the the Doctors to get final approval that everything was good with the boy. And of course, it was.

Unfortunately, Sawyer and I did not get to see Saxton's exam. I think Sawyer had a flashback because once we went into the Medical Exam Office, he flipped out. So, him and I went for a little walk around Shamian Island.

After the Medical Exam, we went back to the hotel and then to the pool. What a nice releif from the heat. It was 95 degrees here with about 65% humidity. So a dip in the 84 degree pool cooled us right off. Of course Sawyer was a fish, but Saxton did not know what to think at first. After about 15 minutes, he finally settled in and had fun.

Tonight, David took us to the Thai Restaurant down the road from the hotel. It was excellent food, we loved every bite. Then we went back to the White Swan and to the Mattel Room. We were really disappointed that there was not as many toys as there was last year. But, the boys had a great time anyway.

Tomorrow we go do some shopping. Yipee for me!! (not)

Also, watch for a famous picture place tomorrow.

One Step Closer to Home...

We made it the White Swan in Guangzhou at about 4:00 pm local time. I really never thought it would be so nice to be here. The rooms we were originally going to get were not available for this week, so we got upgraded to a Parlor Suite. At first we were disappointed that we would have two ordinary rooms that were connected by a door in the wall, but we soon got over that fact when our guide, David, said you guys have been upgraded to the Parlor Suite. This room is awesome!! It has three rooms, a living room, a master bedroom and another bedroom with two twin beds. It also has three bathrooms. We will take pictures and post tomorrow. What a nice way to end this journey.

Tomorrow we have Saxton's Medical Exam. so it is time to go to bed. We have two very tired little boys.

A Very Rough Day...

Today started out with a bang. At 3:00 am, Sawyer was up and ready to go. At 5:00 am, Saxton was up and ready to go. So we got ready, went to breakfast, then we prepared ourselves to go to the Orphanage.
Once we were on our way, the boys would not sit still in the van. Ya see in China, there is no law that the children have to be in a child seat, so the kids get to run around the vehicle (just like we did when we were kids). I just don't understand how we survived.

All the progress we had made with Saxton over the last few days was thrown out the window once we arrived at the Orphanage. His mood changed very dramatically from a happy little boy, to a confused and sad little boy.

Saxton was able say good-bye and get one last picture with his Nanny...
Then he got on last picture in his crib...

From this point on, we took two GIANT steps backwards. Saxton was not the happy little boy we had become accustomed to over the last few days. Once we left the room, Saxton started crying uncontrollably. He wanted to stay in the Orphanage and with his Nanny. He reverted back to the moment when we first saw him and I know he was saying to himself, "who are these people that are taking me away from the only life I have ever known?" But, how do you explain this to a two year old, who just met you three days ago, doesn't speak a lick of English and just saw the only people he has ever known for the last 26 months be taken from him? You do what you have to do. You hug him, you swing with him and you reassure him with the little Mandarin you know over and over again, "Wo ai ni, wo ai ni...(I love you, I love yo)." Then he would calm down, but only momentarily.

After the Orphanage, we went to the children's finding spots. Saxton was found at the Bing Wong Bus Station in Downtown Yiwu.

It was unclear in the documents we received from the Orphanage where Saxton was found exactly, so we took picture inside and out...













The same feeling came over me as a year ago when we saw Sawyer's finding spot. Even though this was a very loud and busy place, it was like someone turned the sound off. You could of been standing right next to me, yelling, and I would not of been able to hear you. I know that as Americans we can never really understand why people would abandon their children, but the only thing that kept running through my mind was, thank God that Saxton was abandoned in this busy bus station and not somewhere else where he might not of been found.

After Saxton's finding spot, we made the two hour ride back to the Hotel. This was NOT a pleasant journey. Saxton had his first major grieving meltdown. Understandably, he might of just realized that his life has changed forever and that he will never be going back to the life he has only known. For about an hour and fifteen minutes of the two hour drive, Saxton was grieving, again uncontrollably. Shelby did the only thing anyone can really do, let him grieve while reassuring him that we love him very much and that we will never let him go. After awhile, he finally calmed down and fell asleep for the rest of the ride.

After this very draining day, we did not feel like going anywhere. So, we just stayed in and played with the boys. Well, it was the boys who were mainly playing with each other.
Then just before we put the boys down for the night, we got the nicest surprise any parent could ask for... Tomorrow we head to Guangzhou, finally.

A Trip to the Temple...

Well, it's 2:30 in the morning and I can not sleep. So, what do most people do in this situation, they update the blog.

Yesterday, our group went to the HangZhou Lingyin Temple (also known as the Yunlin Temple). This Temple was first built in 326 AD by the Indian eminent monk Hui Li. Till this day, this temple has remained one of the largest Zen Buddhist Temples in all of China, with the Largest Statue of Buddha (over 81 feet tall) in the Center Hall. No pictures were allowed inside the Temple buildings.

As you walk up a path to this Temple, there is a stone cliff. Through out this stone cliff there are over 1000 different statues of Buddhas carved into the cliff wall.

The laughing Buddha is one of the most famous Buddhas in the world. The Chinese have really nice saying: "Tolerate the worldly unbearable things with a large belly, Laugh at any ridiculous mortal with the open mouth."

After walking through the beautiful area, we arrived at the Temple.

We walked through the buildings, marveling at the statues and admiring the scenery.

After the Temple, we went up the the Tea Village near by. Zhejiang Provence is World famous for their green tea. According the the tea expert, known the Americans as Dr. Tea, Starbucks comes to this village to get it's Green Tea. So we bought some tea, luckily we had a pot big enough to make it in.

After a long day, the boys we zonked out...
...and so are we. Good Night.

Pictures From Today...

Today we finalized Saxton's Adoption at the Civil Affairs Office in Hangzhou. Saxton is offically ours.

After the Civil Affairs Office, we went to the Police Station to start the process for Saxton's Passport. The we went to the West Lake for a boat tour of the islands. Here are some pictures from today.

We Made it through the first Night...

Here is the first picture of the boys sitting together. Sawyer might look angry, but at this point he was ready to go down for the night. Especially after a day that changed his life forever.

Saxton seems to be adjusting fairly well, so last evening we decided that we needed to get out of the Hotel and we went for a walk down to the West Lake. It is a beautiful, big lake with people all around. They had men along the shore trying to get you to take a ride in their water taxi, huge pagoda boats that will take you in Lake tours... .

and people all around wanting to take pictures with the Americans. It was a great experience and the people here are very nice. Of course, Sawyer fell asleep once we left to hotel because he really has not adjusted to the time change, yet.

Saxton fell asleep last night about 8:00 and slept through the night. Sawyer on the other hand woke up at midnight and did not want to go back to sleep until 3:00 am.

The only real concerns we have is that Saxton is really wobbly. He doesn't walk well, but he is getting used to not having so many clothes on. Today we finalize the adoption in the Provence and then go to the police station to get his passport paperwork started. Another busy day here in Hangzhou.