We're Home

Hi All;

We made it home and everyone is adjusting the best we can to the time change and Jesse is adjusting well to her new brother. I will post some new pictures soon. Ryan David loves his new room he shares with Jesse. Haley and Lyla are thrilled to be home! Lyla could not wait to get our dog from my sister-in-law! Cole, our dog, is adjusting to a new kid. They both are a little scared of each other but I think they will be great friends.

Jesse does have a cast on her arm. My niece and her husband took this picture. with the caption "a safer way for Jesse" with her new blue cast! They are calling it a soft tissue fracture and they put the cast on for 4 weeks. She is suppose to be in a TaeKwonDo tournament in Oct. She did go to her class on Saturday morning. She is really handling everything very well. We are so proud of her!!

Thanks for joining our adventure to China and we have felt the prayers. We are so happy to be home. I will try to update every once in awhile with pictures of course. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. Haley and Lyla go back to school on Tuesday, Jesse starts preschool this week, Haley has to go to the doctor on Tuesday for a insect bite that won't heal (has had it for over a month) and has become very large, I call the commission for special needs children on Tuesday for Ryan, J. and I go back to work on Tuesday and Ryan will come with me and Jesse has several appointments over the next month with her arm.

Love and Hugs,

Cindy

Yangjiang

Not sure when I will write again. We go to Yangjiang tomorrow and leave on Friday for home. Our flight comes in at 6:22PM on Friday on Northwest from Detroit flight 1724. Hopefully the next post will be an update of us being home very soon!!!
Thanks to everyone for their prayers for Jesse. She is very very brave!
Hugs to all! Cindy

Jesse's pictures

Thought I would add the pictures of Jesse giving her hair to locks of love 2 days before we left to come to China!

Jesse update

She has an appointment tomorrow morning at 9:30 with the orthopedic pediatrician. My mom and dad took her to our pediatrician today and he put a splint on it so she can't move it in the sling. Dad said that he explained everything that was going to happen at the hospital to her before they got there and she did great. I asked if she has been upset at all, and he said it just hurts when she moves it. He has already prepared her for a case if the ortho doctor says she needs one.
Just two more days and then on a plane home, can't wait!
We go to Yangjiang tomorrow instead of today.

Jesse

Please send Jesse your prayers. She fell yesterday and hurt her elbow. She didn't tell anyone till later. It started really hurting in the night and my parents took her to the hospital. It seems that she has either dislocated her elbow or there is a fracture. She is in a sling and is in pain when she moves it. She has an appointment with a orthopedic doctor tomorrow morning. My mom called our pediatrician to see if they could get her seen by an orthopedic doctor today. Mom and Dad said she is doing well today, playing with her toys just a few minutes ago. I know she is in good hands. My mom and dad will go to any means to take care of any of our children, just wish I was there for her.

Pictures

Red Couch and Consulate Appointments

We leave in a few minutes to meet the other families to have the red couch photo and group photo! We will then go to the consulate appointment were we swear to take care of Ryan David and they will give him his Visa to come home!!

I will post pictures as soon as we get back. Patti's husband, Ben, and J. are going to try to get to Danny's bagel today...not sure how that will go. We found out last night it is about 25 minutes away!

Haley and I are feeling a little under the weather and I am praying it is just a slight cold. We are wishing for the days to fly so we can get home!!!

We go to Lyla's and Jesse's orphanage tomorrow. I am hoping for the details today! We told her this morning and she said "YEAHHH!!!" then the next thing was..."Oh, I am so Nervous!" I think we made the right choice to wait to tell her.

Oh, the girls talked to Ms. Georges' class (Haley's class) and Mr Wakeman's class last night using Skype! The girls did great answering the questions! Mr. Wakeman is setting up another talk tonight with Ms. Hardesty's class (Lyla's class)! Hope it goes well tonight too!!

Pictures later! Hugs, Cindy

Pictures in Guangzhou and Airplane

We are having fun walking Guangzhou despite the rain. Thank GOD for taxis so they can take us back to the hotel!!!! We all 5 sit in the back seat with the stroller and bags! I think we could have fit Jesse in there too if she was with us.

I haven't talk with Jesse since Friday coz she is staying at my niece this weekend! I am missing her so very much even if she doesn't miss us! I get to talk and see her in the morning!

Today is Sunday so I am feeling like we are almost home. We really only have four more days here because Friday we will be traveling all day! Wednesday we are going to Yangjiang to visit Lyla and Jesse's orphanage. Our coordinate in China, Kathy, spoke with us a couple of days ago and told us the director is very excited about our visit! They told her they would look through their files for additional information too! I am not really looking forward to the drive but I am looking forward to the visit! We have gifts, candy, and a photo album of some of the girls from this orphanage. We have all of the family pictures from the reunion we had in July.

We are going to the Toy Market in a few minutes!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week! I am looking forward to seeing you all very very soon!

In Guangzhou

Despite the warning of a Typhoon hitting Guangzhou and coast of China, we made it to Guangzhou safely! Ryan David loved his first airplane ride! He laughed and smiled the entire trip, which is a very good sign for the long way home!
We are doing great in Guangzhou but can not wait to get home!
We did the medical and the forms for the consulate today. We spent the rest of the day walking and seeing old friends in the shops.
more later and hugs,
Cindy

Next post from Guangzhou!

We will be heading to Guangzhou later today. We leave the hotel at 2 PM, go to the Civil Affairs office to pick our his passport, then to a turquoise factory, and then to the airport for a flight to Guangzhou! Pray for a safe, uneventful, calm, first flight for Ryan David and the rest of the family traveling!

Jesse

Jesse, we miss YOU!!!! Love and Hugs Mommy!!!!

more pics!

Baby room in orphanage

family with Director
front of orphanage (Very Big Orphanage)
family w/ director in front of orphanage

The pictures above are from yesterday.

Today has been the best day!!! Ryan David is so smart and clever. He will keep his sisters on their toes. He has been so well behaved today. We have had so many priceless moments in the last 24 hours. He holds my hand instead of me grabbing his. He waits when I ask him too. He has put his head on me so many times in the last day, I just love it!! He slept with me last night and he did cry for about 2 minutes. He just went to sleep for his nap. We shut the curtain and I was playing hearts on my computer on the bed. He watched a couple of games and then laid down on the bed and went to sleep! NO TEARS!!! We watch him in amazement. He takes all of the crayons out of the box, colors for awhile and then puts each one back in the box when he is done. He watched Lyla color and he tried very hard to stay in the lines. I am here to say, he is one smart cookie!!!

We really have no communication problems. He will let you know if he doesn't want something. We have been watching baby signing times and at lunch time he did the sign for eat! He has been doing the sign for "more" for a couple of days.

We visited the Yellow Crane Tower today. This tower was reconstructed 1984 but the original tower was constructed 1700 years ago. There was a boss man that provide a priest with food and drink for a year and in return the priest drew a crane using an orange peel on his wall. He told the boss man if he says a poem the crane with come off of the wall. This brought lots of people to the boss man's business and he earn a great deal of money. After 10 years, the priest came back and told the man he had earn his money and it was time for the crane to come off of the wall. The boss man became sad and he decided to use the money he had earned to build the tower. Hence, the Yellow Crane Tower (yellow because the orange peel made the crane a yellow color) Now, is this story is incorrect, let me know, coz I was trying to listen to our guide while two of my children were running free!! But I think I have the basic facts straight away!

Oh and there were 180 steps to the top of the tower. And did I mention that it is HOT in China!

I love my spaghetti!

I need MORE!!!

Pictures from the Yellow Crane Tower

Just facts no pics (for now)

Thought I would take this post to remember things that have happened over the last few days. Hope I can remember everything!
First, Laura Beth reminded me of the Snoopy connection! The van we have had all week has Snoopy seat covers! We could not believe it when we opened the door to the van and saw them. I want them for my van!!! I just knew we were in the right place at the right time! I love those God moments!!

We received several bags of stuff from Ryan David's foster mom and from the orphanage. We had sent a journal for the foster parents to write in. They returned the journal in the bag and they had made several entries. Our guide read and translated the entries to me today. The foster dad made most of the entries. He spoke of how proud he was on Zheng Pu and how they treated him as their son. It spoke of how they were very happy he was coming to America and having the opportunities he would have. They have been showing him the album we sent him and told him he would be riding in a plane, train, ship, and subway to get to America.
They also said he was very spoiled and he would get mad if he didn't get his way. This was mentioned numerous times in the journal! (side note....like we hadn't figured out yet, boy is he strong willed!) I will write more about the journal later, RD is asleep and it is dark in the room. I need my notes!

The director of the orphanage gave us a photo album of RD from when he was a baby to present. It is a very precious gift. He loves looking at the pictures. We will make copies when we get home so he can have them to look through. We received our film back today from the two cameras we sent. It looks like they were taken at the orphanage on two different occasions. There is one little girl in a picture and our guide said she was adopted last month from a family in America. I will post to the Wuhan group to see if anyone knows her.

Oh, for the adoption community, you will realize the importance of this next section!!! He made poop!!! Sorry but it is a big thing for your child to be regular!! At breakfast Tuesday morning he grabbed his rear in! I told J. he has to go and he took him to our room!! He is so funny! He does great with going to the bathroom. Oh, that was one of the things from the journal, the foster mom said we will need to train him on the western potty! We didn't know he didn't know and he has been using it sooooo we did good training him!!! LOL!

We went to McDonalds yesterday for ice cream and I wish I had brought my camera! RD was so funny eating his cone. I think it may have been his first ice cream cone! He loved it and wore it and I did too!!!

We did go to a huge store yesterday too and bought a stroller! Let me say AMEN to strollers!!! He loves getting in it and going for a ride. He does really well and doesn't try to get out of it at all. Now if he is lose somewhere, he is like the Tasmanian devil! So everyone watch out!!!

I think he is getting really frustrated with the rules of the Lowe gang. Everyone wants to push buttons to the elevator and open the door to the room. He does not get taking turns and boy can he have a fit! He was trying to get under the table at the restaurant we ate at today and he had a little meltdown. On the elevator this morning, there were a lot of people and I didn't let him push the buttons. He had a meltdown all the way to the room. Then he wanted to open the door but it was Lyla's turn. She was going to let him do it but I told her it was her turn and he has to learn or he will be expecting it his way all of the time. He has already learned so many things in such a few days, I don't think this will be a issue for long. I am not the mom that can let stuff slide because a child cries. Even if he is new to the family. It will make it harder on him and us if we are not up front with the rules. He has already stopped hitting for the most part! The good thing is his meltdowns only last for about 3 minutes and he is done. He can be in a full cry with tears and yelling to laughing. I always hug him and tell him he is a good boy!

We went to the orphanage today. It is huge! There are 600 children with 200 staff. Half of the children are in foster care. The children in the orphanage are special need children. There is one entire floor that is set up like a hospital. Most of the children we saw today were mentally handicapped. They have two large rooms that are sponsored by Half the Sky. There are 3 children per staff member and they keep that nanny their entire time they are in that room.

The orphanage was heartbreaking....there were so many children who will not be able to be adopted. They are so precious and it just breaks my heart.

I will end for now. Thanks again for the comments and emails. We are so happy that RD is in our family and we are able to share our journey with you!!! We are ready to go to Guangzhou and then home!!!!

more pictures

The first time we met!
Playing cars with Haley!
Putting Haley's hand on our face playing in the van!
You have to say this is the cutest little boy you have ever seen!
Wuhan from the Civil Affairs office.








The girls and the boy coloring at the Civil Affairs office!


I like to color!!!! And I am left-handed like my daddy!!


Are we done YET!!!!!!


Yeah I get to bug Haley again!!!!

Our first night

Well, it went pretty well considering what he has been through the last 24 hours. He did much better yesterday afternoon. We all got ready for bed but he would not lay down. He would not get in our bed. He did go to the couch and it was only a few minutes he started to cry and I mean LOUD! I tried to comfort him, J. tried to comfort him but he just needed to cry. So we let him. He cried loud and hard for less than five minutes then he was done. He still would not come to either of us. Then he got on the floor and went to sleep. I tried to put him in bed and he started to cry. If I left him alone, he would sleep soooo I let him be. He slept all night. He is only hitting when he wants attention, which is something we can handle. He is very happy and comes to me when he needs me. I love it!!!
The bath this morning went all right. It could have gone better. He fell in the bathtub. The good news, he let me hold him for about 15 minutes wrapped in a towel and blanket!
We did see his cleft palate last night when we brushed his teeth. It is biggggg. It is amazing how he eats and talks. He is very vocal and he does a great job repeating everything we say to him. I can't wait to hear him!
Well enough for this morning. We become official today at 9 AM!!! And then off to do some shopping!!!
Hugs to all and thank you so much for your prayers. Ryan David is amazing and we are so thrilled to have him apart of our family!!!

Would you like to meet our son?

We have our son! Let me just start off by saying…Thank you God for all you have blessed our family!
Zheng Pu has joined our family. He smiled right away and has already called me “Moma” when he was trying to get my attention. He repeats everything we say. He loves Haley and she was so good with him! He is truly amazing. I thought he was very cute in all of his pictures but they did not do him justice. He is sooooo cute! He seems to have a great personality. He is very independent. He is also very active and is testing us beyond words. He has hit and kicked me and the girls and laughed afterwards. I tell him “NO” and remove him from where he is. He had a meltdown after he went a little potty in his pants. I believe his foster mom let him in the house without underwear or pants. He did not want to put clothes back on. It took J. and myself to get at least his underwear on. He used the potty great after J. pulled his pants off. He does have a lot of great behaviors too!
We all took a very long nap which may cause trouble tonight. He eats very well with his cleft palate. He has no problem at all drinking from his cup he brought. Haley is writing in her journal right now and he is looking at a book. We are worried about taking him out because he doesn’t stay close.
I know I am rambling…I am trying to remember everything. He was pretty upset about taking a nap. His paper said he sleeps from 1PM to 4:30 PM. He walked to the door after we all laid down. We could tell that he was very tired but he would not lay down with us. J. and I left him alone and he fell asleep at the door. After he fell asleep, I moved him to the couch we have. I tried to put him in the bed and he became upset. Little steps, little steps.
He is much more calm after his nap than he was this morning, we will just have to wait and see how the rest of the week goes. Of course, he listens to J. better than me. He does put his toys away after he plays with them. He is playing quietly right now!!! YEAH!!!
Oh and he loves cars. He has a bag of cars he came with and he loves the cars we brought him. He will love his car room when we get home. I am ready to get home now!!!
I am posting some pictures Haley took the rest are on J.’s camera and he just left with it to take pictures with the girls for their school journal.

Rest Day

We spent this morning shopping about 15 minute walk from the hotel. We found a store to buy water and pepsi light. (Oh, do I miss my diet coke!) We went into a movie store and we saw a sign with converse, nike, etc and we decided to go see what they had. But the workers took us to another floor. It had books and we found a couple of books for Ryan David and a book for Jesse. I can't wait to give it to her! It seemed like we were out walking all day but we came back to hotel it was only 12 PM! URGGHHHH We were able to take a nap so hopefully we will finally get on China time!

We have so many mixed emotions tonight. We are very sad for Ryan David's foster family and for him. They have been together since he was only 1 month old. I am sure they are grieving beyond believe. It makes me very sad. I am very worried about how he will react. We are prepared for the worse and praying for all.

We miss Jesse too! We were able to see her on the web cam but there is something wrong with their webcam and the mic. They can hear us, we can see them and they can see us but we can't hear them. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. We are able to call them using Skype on the phone and talk with them. Jesse seems to be doing great...much better than me. She has already gone to the zoo and shopping. How many days have we been gone!?! ;-) Thanks Mom and Dad for being wonderful grandparents! You are the best!

Buffi, we will try to find out what we can tomorrow and Lisa, we will ask to met Dani when we go to the orphanage in a couple days. Laurie and Madison, we will take the note and gifts when we visit the orphanage too. Is there someone else that I am suppose to talk to? I think the rest is for Yangjiang.

Next post will be tomorrow evening with pictures! (Hopefully) Thanks for the prayers and keep them coming! Also, thanks for posting to the comment section.

Hugs!

We are in Wuhan

We arrived yesterday and we just couldn't get motivated to do much. We finally slept but it was from 6PM to 2 AM so we are pretty messed up regarding sleep. We are going to keep moving today and pray for a good night tonight.
All of our electronic devices have gone dead and we had no way of charging them till J. came to the rescue!!!! I have pictures I'll post later. We laughed so hard!!
We don't get Ryan David till tomorrow and I can not wait. Not much else going on....so we will post when we have some news.
Cindy

Getting Ready to leave Guangzhou

We made it through our first night. I can not believe how much sleep a man can get! J. slept almost the entire time on each plane and then sleep all night. I took a nap on the plane and a nap last night. Haley slept very well too! Lyla did not sleep until the flight from Tokyo to Guangzhou. I woke up at 1:30 AM, Lyla woke up at 3:30 AM, and then J. and Haley woke up at 4:30...as I am writing, I realize you probably don’t care about our sleep schedule…it is just what is happening! LOL
We will get on a flight to Wuhan at 10:55 AM, which is 10:55 PM for USA. We are packing up now and leaving soon!
We won’t get Ryan David until Monday, which will be Sunday night for you.
See you later!

We're Here!

Hi All;

We made it to Guangzhou! We are leaving in the morning for Wuhan so more later, just wanted to let you know that we made it!!!

Itinerary

Here is our itinerary!!!!

Aug. 14, 2008: Leave for China
Aug. 15, 2008: Arrive in Guangzhou
Aug. 16, 2008: Travel to Wuhan
Aug. 17, 2008: Rest
Aug. 18, 2008: GET OUR SON!!!!
Aug. 19, 2008: Adoption paperwork
Aug. 20, 2008: Yellow Crane Tower and shopping!
Aug. 21, 2008: Visit Countryside
Aug. 22, 2008: Visit Wuhan Orphanage and leave for Guangzhou
Aug. 23, 2008: Paperwork/Medical Exam
Aug. 24, 2008: Shopping at Toy Market and Electronic Market
Aug. 25, 2008: Consulate appointment
Aug. 26, 2008: Oath-taking
Aug. 27, 2008: Yangjiang visit!
Aug. 28, 2008: Rest
Aug. 29, 2008: Head for home with our son!!!! AND I GET TO SEE JESSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!