Meeting Ava Grace

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 05:20:41 -0700 (PDT)

Gotcha Day!!
What a day today! We went to get our sweet little girl today. It was an awesome experience. We felt so blessed just by her acceptance of us from the first minute. We had been waiting for this moment for a year and here it was all at once it seemed. The setting was not special at all- we were sitting in a conference room and as soon as we signed the last piece of paperwork, they said something to each other in Mandarin and then a lady walks in with our little AvaGrace. She came right to us almost immediately. It was an answer to many prayers!!! Her caregiver got emotional when she saw it and said it was a sign from God and that the last 2 weeks she had started preparing for us and she saw that. It seemed almost perfect the way she received us at once. We were so relieved. We asked the caregivers some questions, they gave us a great photo album of her and her days growing up to now. We were shocked by how much they really cared for her and had taken care of her. Our facilitator did a great job translating for us and he even video taped the whole meeting her. After we met her, we came back to the hotel for about 45 minutes and then were scheduled for a tour of Chinatown in Shanghai. It was at the same time she was supposed to nap, so we trekked out with her and she caught a little nap on our shoulder. We saw some more fabulous temples and ate at the best place we have been so far- Chinese food that is. The absolute best meal we had was yesterday when we ate at Pizza Hut- that was much needed to keep us going here. The good Chinese place today only served dumplings and it was so crowded, we just stood over people eating until they left their table and we jumped at their seats. That is the way it is everywhere here- driving, walking down the street, buying something, anything. After Chinatown we stopped by the Walmart to get some formula, snacks, and some Coke! That stuff holds us together here. Hot tea and warm water just don’t cut it. Then we came back to the hotel for the night and tried to relax for the evening and get to know our newest family member a little more. We have found that she loves formula, has to have something in each hand all the time, and has some personality! It has been an incredible day. Tomorrow we have to sign more paperwork and sit in on interviews.






An immediate attraction to each other

Me and my brothers



Day 2

We had another full day of sightseeing.  Today we went to the Great Wall, then to a Jade factory, next to a copper factory and to get some lunch, to a pearl factory, then to get a quick glimpse of the Olympic Venue for 2008 in Beijing, then to tour Summer Palace and end up with an Acrobatic show. 

Today was a long day.  We left the hotel at 8:30am and didn’t return until 7pm.  We went non-stop and gained a wealth of knowledge of the culture here. 

The Great Wall was definitely one of the wonders of the world.  It was incredibly massive.  We only went out on one small part of it but it was unbelievable.  It was amazing that anyone could build something so huge!  The steps were very uneven and definitely not up to code.  One step would be 4” high and the next 12”.  The climb was straight up it seemed.  Of course there were so many people climbing there that you couldn’t move without being touched and rubbed against and bumped into the whole time.  Collin and I climbed up a long way to the top of the section we were at.  Mommy and Jace decided to go back a little early because of the crowded steps and the fact that when you get halfway up it seemed like you were hanging off a 10-story building- get that dizziness from that height.  They thing that really strikes us as surprising is the uncleanliness of everything we have seen and how trash is just thrown on the ground most places and poor people are rummaging through the trash cans all the time. 

The Jade Factory was very cool.  These people have an amazing artistic ability.  They could carve most anything in that Jade.  We learned the different grades and colors of Jade and how to tell if they are valuable or not.  Of course the boys both had to get a piece and so they each got a necklace with their zodiac sign on it.  Jace’s is a snake and Collin’s is a goat. 

Next we were able to see how they make the elaborate copper vases.  It is still amazing what they do with their artistic abilities.  We had a good lunch that was served family style.  Chris, our facilitator here, got us some chicken and bamboo shoots, some sweet and sour chicken, then we had rice, cabbage, some spicy soup but who knows what was in that, and they gave us some American comfort food of french fries- although not like the ones at home.  After lunch we stopped by to buy an ornament. 

We had some extra time to kill so we stopped by a pearl factory and learned how they make the freshwater pearls and the different grades and types of them.  Mandy really wanted to get some so that one day we could pass them along to our little AvaGrace when she gets older.  So we bought a nice necklace of black pearls.  While Mandy was shopping, Collin and I were getting talked about in Mandarin by the other girls and manager there.  They all liked to hear us speak English and theirs was not that great.  They couldn’t understand where we were from- had never heard of North Carolina.

The Olympic venue tour was a drive by.  Chris asked if we wanted to stop by there to take some pictures and we said sure.  They pulled off on the side of the road and told us to go take some pictures- not exactly what we were expecting but it was ok since we were wiped out already. 

They sped down the road a ways further and dropped us off at the Acrobat show.  It was pretty good and lasted about an hour.  We got a couple of Cokes and a bag of microwave popcorn for RMB 30.  That was about $5.  Chris told us our flights were at 10am the next morning and they would pick us up at 7:30. 

We are so shocked by how dirty everything is here- trash everywhere and places where people got sick right there where everyone is walking.  The housing is little shacks everywhere- we were not expecting that.  To me they have a major issue with the population and it is evident everywhere here.  Chris confirmed the one child policy that was started back in the 80s and said that the rich people just pay the fine like $200k and have as many as they want here.  He also said that some families would have 2 children if both parents are in the one child policy ruling.

Driving is total chaos here.  We were laughing that we would never be able to get around here if we had rented a car and tried to drive ourselves.  There are really no lanes, no turn signals, and no rules.  Our van driver uses on foot on gas and one hand on the horn.  It seems that if you stick your nose out in front of someone, you have the right-of-way.  I am amazed we haven’t had a wreck or killed anyone walking or on a bike yet.  In fact one time today, we were behind a line of cars and the driver just started driving on the other side of the road. It is wild.  The people here walk that way too.  No personal space issues for them, just us.  It has been nice to see their culture and their ways from a first hand experience though.

We arrived in China

We had a big day.  We are finally here!!  We were trying to get adjusted from jetlag but we also had a few tours to do.  Mandy and Collin couldn't sleep on the plane but about 3 hrs :( We started out at 10:30 am after arriving at out hotel room at 2am, and we all felt pretty good. We toured the Tienamen Square and were able to see all the huge important govt buildings.  Then we walked to one side through the Imperial Wall and went into the Forbidden City.  We were amazed at how huge the place was and it kept going and going. We walked for 3 hours and we were dead by the time we got to the end.  We found out that the people here don't have any "personal space' rules and they will just walk up to you and right in front of you.  People stared at us like celebreties and pointed and took out picture, some even walked to us and touched Collin gently and smiled.  The driving is insane!! Look out if you are trying to cross the street.  I was amazed that no one got hit by our driver!  He was relentless and used his horn more that the brake!!!  They then took us to a REAL chinese restaurant- I knew it was that cause Mandy asked for an eggroll and they just looked at her funny- they had no clue about that here.  The bathrooms were not very welcoming either with just a hole in the ground.  We were able to ride a rickshaw for a Hutong tour of the ordinary peoples housing- it was pretty poor living.  Then we went shopping at the silk factory and then to see the Kung Fu show here and that was amazing!!!  That was really cool.  We are up this morning at 4:15am here- we were all out last night at 7pm (that was the time we finally got home from all the touring).  This morning we are off to tour at 8:30am and hopefully a little better prepared for all the sightseeing.  We are still amazed that we are Beijing, the Capital of China!!

Title: We’re Almost There Sweet Girl!!

My Dear Ava Grace,

            We are packed for our journey across this earth to meet you baby girl!  And we have a whole bag of lil clothes, socks, shoes, hairbands, stuffed animals, snacks, bottles, sippy cups and books for just YOU!!  We have prayed so long to finally meet you, for the Lord to keep you safe, and here we are about to leave in 24 hours on this wonderful journey to hold you for the first time!  We are praying for you, that you will be prepared to meet your forever family.  It won't be much longer, sweetie.  We love you so much ……Mommy

 

Ava Grace, You are So Loved!!

And that is as FACT!!  Our family and friends "showered us" with their blessings this past Sunday, and it was an adoption celebration to remember!!!  We feel so very blessed by the outpouring of love and support for our sweet girl.  We got EVERYTHING we needed, plus some more!    Folks who came ate some authentic Chinese cuisine, practiced with chopsticks, and could learn to write their name in Mandarin if they wanted.  Michelle, Donna, Kristie, Heather, Sue, Sloan, Tammy, Janie, Ben, Mom ...... a HUGE thank you from our whole family for putting all this together and making it so wonderful!!  We love you all :)

Countdown to seeing our girl is ON!!! 

8 days til we leave for China
13 days to see Ava Grace and squeeze her so tight!!

CA

We got the email yesterday letting us know our official Consulate Appointment is set for 8/29.  We were VERY disappointed that 8/22 was not available :(  So ..... this means we officially leave 8/17 for China!!!  YAY!  We are booking flights today!  This is our non-descript itinerary, details will be filled in soon of each day.

Wed.  8/17  Flight to Beijing
Thurs.  8/18  Arrive in Beijing (sightseeing)
Sun.  8/21  Travel to Shanghai
Mon 8/22  GOTCHA Ava Grace!!!
Friday 8/26  Travel to Guangzhou
Sat-Sun  Medical Exams
Monday 8/29  CA (Visa issued for her)
Wed 8/31  Return Home!!!

TA!!!!

Can you hear me shouting for joy all the way over there??  If so, its because we just got a wonderful call from our case worker telling us they issued us Travel Approval (TA) today!!  Praise the Lord!!!  I was on the way to the grocery store and Joey had JUST texted me asking if I'd heard anything yet, and I of course texted him "nutten"!!  Pulled into the parking space, kids in the back seat, and she called!!  I screamed and they screamed, and then we had to call daddy back to tell him the good news, then call the rest of the family!  So I just completed my longest grocery trip ever, and came home with hardly any groceries cause I couldn't concentrate on a thing!!  We are requesting a consulate appointment (CA) for 8/22 and will find out if we got it, and all the other travel itinerary by Tues or Wed of next week.  If we get that appt, we'll fly out on 8/10.   That's less than 2 weeks away!!  Whew ....lots of emotions right now, and lots of packing to be done!!

Culture Shock!!

I've learned alot about the Chinese culture over the last months, and found this info compiled together in someone else's blog who is also adoption.  It made me laugh, and was enlightening, so I thought I would share some of what I learned.....

Did you know you can train a baby to be potty trained at 4 months? The Chinese believe you can! The Chinese diaper a child until around the age of 4 months and then babies traditionally wear split pants. The split pants are like buttless chaps and their little bottoms are free to the air. The babies are fed and after waiting about 30 minutes the children are either held over a pot or strapped to a potty chair and wait for the inevitable to happen. Sometimes the adult makes a hissing sound to alert the baby to let go. Here are some images of babies in split pants.

Can you feel the breeze - I think I would get kind of chilly! Parents also make their formula thick and cut a large hole in the nipple of the bottle so the mixture sort of falls out of the bottle - the babies rarely have to suck.
It is also common for children to publicly urinate and other things in public. The chinese believe that children's waste is pure and not harmful. There are horror stories of people going to upscale shopping areas and seeing a child being held by the parents over or near a trashcan or bush and letting it fly! But, I guess when you have to use a squatty potty a bush doesn't seem so bad. Here is a typical squattly potty that is found in most of Asia. I am so looking forward to using one of these (insert sarcastic tone here).

Sometimes the potties are nice like the one on the left, and sometimes they are a hole in the ground. Basically you just go in and assume the position, use it, and leave...notice no TP.

Spitting is pretty common and alot of caucasians have been told to watch out or you might get spat upon. This is not out of rudeness on the part of the Chinese. We use a kleenex, they spit on the floor. I have been warned by many people to not be surprised, scared, or insulted if a Chinese person just picks my kid up, feeds her, or scolds me because of how I dress my daughter. The Chinese consider a child a treasure and people are free to play with them at will. They also believe children should be bundled or dressed in layers until an older toddler and feel the right to scold those that don't. Since I have lighter hair and lighter eyes I have been warned that lots of people will want to have a photo taken with me. In a land of darker skin and hair, a caucasian is a rare sight.
As lax as their personal space is, there is a formality to sharing dinner and showing respect. Do not accept a dinner invitation from someone if you do not plan to or cannot reciprocate with an equal value meal sometime later. The same with gift giving. It is rude to drink before your host does at the dinner table but it is ok to burp out loud. You also do NOT want to clean your plate because the host will continue to think you are not full. You must sample everything but not take the last bite. Don't be insulted if your hosts askes you why you are so fat or how much money you make. The questions are not meant to be rude, but a show of concern to the guest from the host!
We are so ready to experience this culture and ALL it has to offer. These mentioned are only a few of the cultural differences I will experience and do not encapsulate all that is China. And we may not experience all of this as Ava Grace's welfare institute is in a big city with real toilets, yay!!  We just have to remember not to drink the water, ask for no ice in my drinks, and only brush my teeth with bottled water.