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Our favorite photo of the prices and yummy food.

Airport

Long flights, Long trip...even the camera was blurry-eyed sleepy 

Its official

Our paper work is examined before we get Karen 

Gotcha

Gotcha Moment: The Nanny/Staff gives Karen to Momma 

Flower garden

Changsha beauty 

Private home

Changsha homes and country side. 

Martyr park

Beautiful China Parks 

The Aunties

Auntie Daphne & Auntie Ellen 

Sleepy

sleep whenever you can 

Two loves

Sugar boy and Spicy girl 

Sturgill family

Our Red couch Family photo 

Red couch babies

Karen in Yellow on the red couch 

Red couch

The Red Couch Family Photograph: Guangzhou, China 

Home, Sweet Home!

It's great to be home.

After leaving Guangzhou...we boarded another airplane headed for Los Angeles. This airplane was the worst yet. Three of my group mates including myself became ill on the plane. Dizziness, unbalanced, vomiting, headache; it was so awful that in Los Angeles one of our groupmates had to go to the hospital. I hope she and her family are doing ok. They had a rough time in China. First the baby is hospitalized and then the momma.

In Los Angeles we had an 11 hour layover. Thank goodness since I was so ill. I went to a hotel and crashed only to get up still ill and head for the airport to yes another airplane. On top of being sick in Los Angeles, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) gave Karen's passport to another family. After an hour of waiting for them to return the passport, David asked what was the deal. They then admitted to the mistake and said, sorry. We now have to find the family and get the passport back. We have their child's passport which looks nothing like Karen. So here we go with another child's passport through two more security check points having to explain that TSA made the mix-up. They were about to search us and our bags because of the mismatch when a lady official said they've been through enough let them go. Thank you to that lady! Remember I was as sick as a dog during this mess.

When we reached home I have never been so happy in all my life. I will never get on another airplane without a dire emergency. Three or is it four airplane without good airpressure and I've had enough to last my lifetime. During this trip David lost 10 pounds and I lost 18 pounds. Bryan on the other hand gained 6 pounds and Karen gained 2 and a half. I thought we ate well.

We will forever remember China as a special place where our daughter first became to apple of our eyes.

Love Jenny
Enjoy the photos

Guangzhou

This is the second time I have tried to post---

We left Changsha during the night two days ago. It was a terrible time to leave with our babies. It messed up their sleep patterns and frightened many of them when they woke up in a strange environment. Again, the airplane was awful with the air pressure. The airpressure was so bad that the inside of our thermos exploded. We have been scrambling to find a replacement as that is how you keep clean water for the baby. First you boil the water and then carry it with you in the thermos. Needless to say, I hate airplanes. When I get home if I never see another airplane in my life I will be thrilled.

Guangzhou is my least favorite of all the places we have been. The White Swan is nice and shopping is great, but its not as pretty as Changsha or as comfortable as Hong Kong. David and I share a twin bed...we're not little people, ok. The White Swan is beautiful in the common areas, but lacks much to be desired in the private sleeping chambers. If you're coming to Guangzhou get a bigger bed requested if you can.

Everything has gone smoothly for us until reaching Guangzhou. Six months ago we were re-fingerprinted and told by the INS (BCIS) that everything was ok. Yesterday we found that to not be true. The consulate had no information concerning our fingerprints and we had not been provided with a new expiration date on the paperwork provided by INS (BCIS)---a stupid oversight on their part. We had to get in touch with family back home and have them scramble to help us with the dilemma. They were able to get Virginia's (we're a Tennessee couple) Congressman to help clear up the matter. Moral of the story--just because someone in BCIS says all is well doesn't mean it is true. Check to see that your expiration date is in writing on your fingerprint paperwork, especially if you have been re-fingerprinted.

The shopping in Guangzhou is great. We bought clothes for the kids and had their pictures taken in the White Swan. They are beautiful.

As internet access is expensive here this will be my last post until I get home. So all is well and enjoy the pictures. Hope to see family at the airport.

Love Jenny

Last day in Changsha

This is our last day in Changsha. I will miss being here. David and Bryan are ready to move onward. I'm home where ever I happen be. I guess that's because I don't get too attached to any one place or thing. Which means that when we reach Guangzhou, I'll be just as happy there. The only thing I don't look forward to is the airplanes. My family has come to the conclusion that if we never see another airplane after this China trip it will be wonderful. Planes have been the only nasty part of the trip...and now we have the baby to add to the stress of flying.

We leave our hotel tonight to catch a 10:00pm airflight; that's 10:00pm our time which would be your late morning time. We arrive in Guangzhou at 11:00pm. That messes up all our sleeping schedules and patterns. We go to bed at 8:00-9:00pm at night and wake at 6:00am each morning. Karen puts herself to sleep in her crib. You turn out the lights, put her to bed and she goes to sleep. She is a darling. Seeing her and Bryan together, just melts my heart. She just now woke up and Bryan immediately went to her crib and picked her up. She loves us and we love her. He is feeding her as I write. We all take turns with her needs.

It's love!!!
Jenny

Martyr Park

Today we went to Martyr Park. It is a 10 minute bus ride to the park and then inside we walked for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Martyr Park is an open park named after the revolution monument that was built in 1950. All the local people go to the park for their morning exercise as well as sword dancing, singing, social dancing, Chinese yo-yo practice, and just relaxing and visiting with each other.

While in the Park, Bryan helped his new friend Ian win a prize from one of the game vendors. There is even an amusement park located inside the park. They are very children oriented here. There was a beautiful man-made lake inside the park with pretty pagodas. The Chinese grandmother's told me I had Karen too hot, so they removed her hat. I was surprised as I had been told earlier to put an hat on her to keep the sun away. Then then Chinese grandmothers asked to see my son. They looked him over and gave me the thumbs-up sign which means I passed the test for raising a good son. They are kind women who are like our mother's and grandmother's. They are always smiling even when chiding you to do something different than what you were doing.

There are people everywhere. The women here are so beautiful, graceful and self-confident. Karen can be very proud of where she was born. It is a beautiful Country with good people. The only dangerous thing I have found so far is the traffic. Traffic is all around even when you are walking in the pedestrian marked walk-ways. We have become pros at walking in the traffic. We have had lots of practice as our market is a 15 to 20 minute walk.

The market has all the baby necessities, formula, rice, diapers, wipes, bottles, clothes, etc. You can get everything you need here. If I had to pack our bags for this trip again the only thing I would bring more of is snack food. I have lost quite a bit of weight and I am eating well. I don't know what's in American food, but I do know that it puts the pounds on you. Some things I would not bring is a travel iron, travel clock, extra clothes, too much medicine (it hasn't been necessary so far for us--just the orajel, benedryl, and tylenol), travel toilet paper (never need it).

The most important items have been a thermos for keeping the baby's water hot for her bottles, snack foods, baby toys for her amusement, toys for Bryan and the camera...Oh and a couple of clothes for us.

Well food is here for our lunch...Bye for now
Jenny

Moon Festival

We went to the embroidery factory this afternoon. It was amazing...such tiny threads used to create masterpieces of magnificent works. These ladies who stitch these creations have skills I have never seen before. They work 8 hour days with no light (the light destroys the dye in the threads), so when they get older they may or will have eyesight problems.

Today is also the Moon Festival celebration in China. As I stated in an earlier post the moon festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and dates back to the Tang Dynasty of 618 A. D. It celebrates the biggest, brightest full moon of the year, the harvest moon. The Chinese are an agricultural society and in ancient times they planted and harvested by the lunar calendar.

During the Moon Festival families come together to celebrate...it is likened to our Thanksgiving holiday. Unlike the American holiday, the Chinese celebrate with Moon Cake. Moon cake is a round pastry filled with red bean paste, fruit or jam. It tastes like pecan pie filling. The round shape is significant as it represents family reunion.

We celebrate with our group family. We all get along together and rely upon one another...we have become family away from our families.

Missing home, but loving China
jenny

P.S. We have discovered why Karen screams at 6:00pm. She is teething and after a full day of sucking at her bottle or eating rice her gums and teeth hurt. We are giving her orajel and tylenol when it hurts at night and it seems to be helping as she isn't screaming anymore. She and I are bonding even more each day. She will let her daddy out of her sight now and is contented with me. She is darling.

Changsha Countryside

I have lost track of the dates. I only found out today that it is Saturday. Now whether it is the 14 or 15 of September I don't know for sure. I think it is the 14th. I would bring a calendar next time. I do know that tomorrow is the celebration of the Moon Festival. We will celebrate it as a group with Moon Cake and a party. The Chinese Moon Festival, sometimes called the Mid-Autumn Festival, happens on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. The festival dates back to the Tang dynasty 618 A.D. and celebrates the biggest and brightest full moon of the year, the harvest moon. I will write more about the Moon Festival celebration after we celebrate it.

Today we went to the Changsha Countryside. It was very beautiful and reminded me of southeast Virginia and some parts of Tennessee. Our guide Daphne said that the people had never seen foreigners before. They would stop what they were doing and become fascinated by us. They were happy people. If you nod your head, grin, or say Ni Hao (did I spell that right?) to them they would light up and say hello back.

Such friendly people everywhere we go; not to knock us independent Americans, but we could learn a thing or two about loving our neighbor and having acceptance for one another from the Chinese people. We visited a family farm house. They live humbly, but with joy. The work is hard for them, but has its rewards. Their homes do not compare with the opulence of ours. We are sultans by comparison and yet at home we struggle to make ends just as they do. We are alike just on different scales of wealth. We struggle by choice, they don't have a choice.

We then went into a village which reminded me of a cross between a country fair and flea market. Skinned meat carcass hanging on standing racks everywhere. You could almost guess what the animal use to be, if you get my meaning. The butcher would razor off whatever piece the locals wanted to take with them. The shops are nothing like home, its an experience trust me.

Then next place we saw was a town, larger than the village but not like our towns back home. Here we saw skinned frogs and other animal carcass. They had more to offer the locals, even very beautiful wooden furniture. Some of the carved beds were gorgeous, if only we could get one sent back home. The prices are fantastic. Oh well look and dream, I guess. We were all fascinated.

And I'm sure you're wondering how our little miss is doing. Karen is doing well with us, especially during the daytime. The night is another topic. I dread 6:00pm because I know from experience that at that time she will begin screaming inconsolably. She will scream for 30 minutes to 1 hour for no reason we can discover. She's not hungry, wet, bored or sleepy. She sometimes cries until making herself sick. After the hour of what I'm calling the scream-fest, she stops as if it never happened. She can turn it off on a beat. I never saw anything like this with Bryan when he was little. He cried and sometimes screamed tantrums (when he was older than Karen is now) but never like clockwork and for no reason (I mean apparent reason, of course she has a reason we just don't know what it is at this time). She has the most beautiful little face I have ever seen; such an expressive face.


Also if you have been reading my posts you may want to go back and take a look at each one again. Sometimes I can get more pictures to go onto the log and will add them in later.

Enjoy the day
Jenny

Kindergarten in Changsha

Whether or not I can post on the blog is mostly due to the time I begin to post. I find that I can post more easily (which is not all that easy) at 6:00am each morning. So I treat the next morning as if it belongs to the day it followed. So if you come to China remember that a million people on the internet at the same moment sure slows things down. It's difficult to get pictures out to anyone much less to my blog...that's why I only have one picture with each journal entry sometimes. I have taken numerous pictures and videos.

Karen has bonded easily and firmly to David and Bryan. She and I still need more time. There are moments when she looks at me with glee and love, then other moments when she has a look of horror...the look which says oh no, you're still here why don't you go away. I'm ok with it for the most part. She and I both need to adjust to each other. I didn't expect to have such a baby-baby. She is the youngest in our group. These babies are all very young. Karen is 7 months old and will be 8 months on the 22 of this month.

It's funny but you'd think that being a seasoned mom would have prepared me for Karen's arrival. Well allow me to dispel that notion right now. I had forgotten that babies cry...a lot...for no reason sometimes! I had forgotten that babies get fussy...a lot...for no reason sometimes! I had forgotten that babies have strong will and personalities which may clash with her parents...a lot...for no reason sometimes! I didn't have my hopes set on anything in particular and so whatever happens between Karen and me is left to God's will. Time will help me and her both.

Early in the day we went to a kindergarten school named the White Crane. The children were from ages 3 to about 5 or 6. This school is famous in Changsha for teaching little children gymnastics, ballet, singing and dance. The children were brilliant. They performed for us and it was a wonderful sight to behold. Our whole group enjoyed visiting the school. Later we went to eat dim sum dinner and then swimming at the hotel. Here is where I tell my embarrassing story. It is very slick at the pool and well my feet began to dance on the tiles, before I knew what was happening my feet went airborne, my butt decided to drop like a lead weight and my mind screamed fall into the water its cushion. So yes, I slipped and fell into the water in all my beauty and grace. It scared everyone except me. I was too busy gasping for air after nearly drinking the pool. The good thing is that my mind knew enough during the one hour slow dance and fall (ok it was only a few minutes) to save me from a concussion. I didn't get hurt, except my pride. So if my prides is the only thing hurt I am truly blessed and now we can all laugh. It did terrify Karen who screamed and cried in her daddy's arms. After I got out and coughed for a little bit she stopped crying as I told her momma's ok. She came into my arms and patted my face and shoulders. There are beautiful moments between us...then she wanted her daddy back. Oh and might I add here that this next morning I have to face my group mates who were privy to my dance of the dazzling water duck. Its a nasty way to become famous so if you go to the pools please be extra careful and more graceful on the swim team than I have been.

Take care and love from the
Dazzling Water-Duck

P.S. I can write and post pictures to the blog; however I can't view the blog so I have no way of knowing if the pictures are there or how many it placed or even if the blog made to the site at all. Hopefully my brother is checking it for me, but remember he is a university professor and often very busy. So just go with it like I do and life is good.

Adoption Day

Today was adoption day for us and Karen. We got up at 4:30am and began to get ready for the day. I made Karen's thermos, got her rice formula prepared in these ingenious stacking cups which screw together to hold a 4 bottle supply and packed the diaper bag. David got the money and gifts ready last night. We got dressed and left on a bus at 8:00am.

When we arrived at the registrars office Daphne and Ellen talked us through the process. We were around the 4th to the 6th couple to go into the official office. Things blur in the moment when you are excited or worried. So which number we were or what the nanny looked like who handed Karen to me is non-existent in my mind. They asked us if we wanted the orphaned baby and we rejoicing said Yes! Then she thumb printed us and foot printed Karen and it became official. Karen is legally our daughter. What a happy moment.

Then next step was to pay our adoption fees. They literally examine each and every bill. Ours were all accepted. Two couples had trouble with some of their money that made the rest of us a little nervous. But it all went off well and now all of us are legal parents to our daughters. Our group is the greatest. We feel like a family and rely upon each other. I can't image coming so far from home and being alone through this process. I also can't imagine going through this process without CCAI and all their staff. CCAI has been the best throughout the entire process.

Karen has adjusted well to our entire family. She is an active, happy baby. She lights us as long as David and Bryan are in the room. She will tell me in baby talk just how much she loves her da-da (Bryan) and her Ba-Ba (David). Ba-Ba is Chinese for dad-dad. At around 7:00pm David and Bryan decided to go swimming. The swimming pool is located on the 9th floor of this beautiful hotel. Not more than 3 minutes after they left Karen and me behind (Karen has a cold) she began to weep and wail furiously. She didn't stop and after a half-hour of walking the floors I knew I had to go find her daddy and brother for her. Luckily as she and I were getting on the elevator they were getting off the elevator. Her screaming stopped immediately upon seeing them and she looked at me with an expression pure joy. She began telling me all about seeing them with glee in her eyes. I told David this was not the same child he left me with. It was night and day difference. From a chilly spicy temper-tantrum to a sugar sweet grinning baby all in a heart beat. She is daddy and Bryan's girl; but the light of all our eyes. We love her dearly and she loves us. I asked Bryan why he and daddy came back so early from the pool (you know how he loves swimming), with tears in his eyes he said he missed Karen too much to stay without her. We are giving her medicine for her cold which is getting worse before getting better as colds often do. Hopefully she will be getting better later in the trip and can go swimming with her big brother.

Tomorrow we are going shopping at a big department store. Good thing since none of the clothes we brought with us fit her too well. We didn't pack but one outfit and four sleepers for her anyway. We felt we could buy for her in China. We packed very light and have to do laundry every other day. I am glad we brought snack food, a travel clock, travel iron and children's toys. Those are the items we couldn't live without. I would leave behind the terrible baby snuggly we bought. It only fits well on Bryan, it slips off my shoulders every time I get into it and David doesn't wear it. I would leave behind toilet paper. We haven't needed it so far.

We are doing well and are very happy and hope to be home with our spicy baby soon.

Missing everyone,
Jenny

Gotcha Day--Karen!!!

Gotcha Day!!!

We arrived in Changsha late last night very tired. The airplane ride was the worst yet. The cabin pressure was off and for a couple of hours later I thought my chest would explode. We were met at the airport by Daphine and Ellen, our CCAI representatives. Our complete trust was in these experienced, wonderful ladies. We feel truly blessed to be with CCAI! They delivered us to the Dolton Hotel. It is lovely here. Our room is on the 25th floor, yet we are in the middle of the building. We rested well in our room last night. The beds are very low to the ground, basically all the furniture is close to the ground--great for short people. This morning we were up at 6:00am, had a great breakfast and then began paperwork at 8:30am.

At 1:30pm we boarded a bus for the Hunan county registrar office where gotcha moment was to take place. We were the 6th couple to receive our baby. All the babies were beautiful. Some cried, many were curious. Karen came to me first with bright eyes searching my face. She grabbed my hair and never let go. She is the most beautiful little girl in the world to us. How blessed we are today. After I held her, Bryan held her. He cried and cried from pure joy at having his sister in his arms. It was truly a special moment to behold. Our little girl went to her daddy next and it was love at first sight. On the bus ride back to our hotel Qin-Qin fell asleep in momma's arms. We love her dearly.

Her name Qin-Qin is her nickname and is pronounced Ching-Ching. That means that the pronunciation of her middle name is LinFuQin (Lynn Foo Ching). We call her Karen and at times Qin-Qin. She is amazing.

Love Jenny

Hong Kong

This is our first official post while being in China. We are writing from Hong Kong. The flights can only be described as too long, too tiring, and too noisy. We didn't sleep as well as we had hoped, plus we lost a whole day. We look like zombies. Bryan has what I'm calling "perpetual red eyes" plus, David and I have the old steady glassy-eyed look. We're worn out and will hopefully drop from exhaustion to sleep the night out. We met up with many of our group mates from CCAI in Los Angeles (we are group 838) while waiting for the 3rd of 4 planes. The group mates are a great bunch of people. They have been with us from the beginning pursuing their own little sweethearts just as we pursue ours.

When we reached Hong Kong, we were greeted by our guides Matthew and Joanna. I have to tell you how wonderful the whole CCAI team is with getting folks like us to where we need to be in our adoption process. Matthew is very charismatic and informative. He took us to our hotel, the Kowloon Shangri-La. This hotel is located in the Tsimshatsui East Commercial and shopping area. Some of the nearby attractions include the Star ferry, Hover ferry, Cross Harbor Tunnel and the Kowloon Canton Railway and Mass Transit System. Its remarkable just how much of the Hong Kong countryside reminds me of parts of Virginia and Florida.

Hong Kong is very smoggy and at times the air quality is quite difficult to breath. The buildings are in various states of repair or disarray, but no different than other countries we have seen. The people find us to be a curiosity which is ok since staring and pointing don't bother us. We have seen things here that we don't see back home. What an amazing place and an amazing reason which brings us to such a beautiful country.

Tonight Matthew arranged a tour of Hong Kong and dim sum dinner for us. Bryan didn't eat as much of the food looked other world to him. I tried a little of everything and used my chop sticks the whole time, even while eating little bits of rice. I thought the food tasted great. David tried many items only to have stomach upset for the rest of the evening and through the night.

Matthew told us all about Hong Kong and took us to the fish market harbor where the boat people live as shown in the photographs. There are whole families living and working on these boats which are sometimes just a tiny little boat. Their whole life takes place on the water. We took a boat ride around the harbor to see how they live. The boat ride was fantastic and I highly recommend it if you get to visit Hong Kong. Matthew told us that families live in apartments which consist of about 250 to 500 square feet. These apartments are extremely expensive even by our standards. There are often the husband, wife, child and in-laws all living in this tiny one room home. And Mamaw Potter's favorite star Jackie Chan lives in an apartment of about 2000 square feet up in the hills referred to as the view. Later in the tour, we visited a jade factory and the Stanley market. Items may be bought for a bargain, but you have to bargain which is something I dislike doing. Thus far we have had a nice time in Hong Kong. Tomorrow we leave on another plane for Changsha. We have come to dislike airplanes tremendously. We miss everyone and hope that you are well. Pray for our safe journey to Karen.

Love, Jenny

We leave this Friday!!!

These last few weeks have been very frustrating for us and our adoption agency. We have been waiting for the travel notices and final travel arrangements to arrive. Every day we hoped that the arrangements would finally come only to discover no arrangements at the end of the day. To pass the time, we have been preparing, packing, waiting, hoping and trust me, time still has not pass quickly! But we finally received the travel notices and arrangements today.

We will be traveling September 9-25. I can't believe that this coming Friday we will be on a plane headed eventually to China and Karen. We fly out of our home airport on the 9th and arrive in Hong Kong on the 11th. We will have Karen in our arms on the 13th if all goes as planned. We will leave Hong Kong on the 24th and arrive back home on the 25th (with our crying baby in poopy diapers says our son, Bryan). Crying or laughing, I just want her in my arms.

Our whole family just wants our sweet baby girl home.