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Little Girl with a Attitude

Are they cute or what!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big Sister!!!!!!!!!!!

I pretty much know now that I am not as young as I use to be. I go to bed at night with my head spinning, and wonder if I even combed my hair that day. That's O.K., no one cares if I combed my hair or not, when I have two little china girls with me that's all everyone looks at. Addison is fitting into her American life quite nice. She is starting to be picky about what she wears. I had a dress for her to wear to school the other day and she looked at it and said "No Mommy". I said yes Addison , you will look so cute in it, and she replied again, "No Mommy". Well, she won the argument. I will let her be picky now just because she can. I am sure she wore what the Nannies told her to in China and, they were not even her own clothes.

She is starting to like school and the kids in her class just love her. When I walk her into her classroom there are a bunch of little girls that come to greet her. She is so tiny compared to the rest of the class. She is going to turn 7 in January and she looks like she would be about 4. She knows the family routine everynight and when it comes bedtime she wants me to rock her. My sister taught her the motions of pointing to her eye and crossing her arms on her chest with I LOVE YOU. She tells me everynight now, I LOVE YOU MOMMY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's hard to believe 6 weeks ago this little girl didn't have a Mommy or Daddy to love and now she has so many people that love and care about her. I looked at both the girls this evening as they layed asleep so contented (and so spoiled). I thought to myself, half way across the world are two mothers that left there babies, one in a park and one along side a road. How hard that must have been for them, probably with no option to keep them. I wonder it they ever think where they are and how they are doing. Our girls are going to be O.K. now, they have a loving family that will always be there for them and they will always have each other.

Addison has had some issues with her bowels and I even ended up taking her to the emergency room a couple of weeks ago. She had loose bowels when we got her in China but, I just figured it to be the change in diet. She continued to have it and even started to pass blood. After some testing she ended up having Giardia. It is a parasite that comes from bad drinking water and attaches itself to the small intestine. The Dr. said she has probably had this for a long, long time and has just learned to live with it. That explains why she is so small. Weight loss is one of the symptoms. We have her on some medicine now and hope to get her feeling better very soon. We also are taking her in a couple of weeks to a orthopedic Dr. at our Children's Hospital to see what can be done with her feet. I hope there is some kind of brace or something that can straighten out her foot and not need to have more surgery.

She seems to love all the Christmas decorations and even sit on Santa's lap at the Mall yesterday. This will be a big time for her this year at Christmas and we are looking forward to sharing it together with her.

Halloween at our house

I couldn't ask for things to be going any better. Addison is adjusting so well. She started to school Monday and seems to be going with the flow. The school has a Chinese tutor for her that stays in the classroom 5 of the 7 hours that she is in school. She has cried each day that I take her but the tears are getting less and less. When I picked her up yesterday she was evening smiling. She wakes up so excited to go to school each day

and hurries and gets her backpack when we head out the door. She has been such a little trooper through all of this. So many changes in her life in such a short time but she greets each day with a smile. This morning when I woke her up she sit up in bed and said "Good Morning Mommy".

Trick-or-Treat was last night and she really enjoyed it. Another first for her I am sure. I am not sure she enjoyed it as much as Ali but, I don't think that there was a Trick-or-Treater out there that enjoyed it as much as Ali. I had a cute Princess outfit for her to wear but, she wanted to be Ronald McDonald and a cute Ronald she was.

Now as for me, Wow !!!!!!!! Life has me in a whirl wind. My house is no longer in order, Robin went back to work and, I can't seem to keep on top of things. Addison brought her first homework assignment home and I didn't understand it. I said to Robin, "So it begins". It has been so many years that I have had to use that part of my brain. I am not sure if that part will even function anymore. I know things will slow down here pretty soon and everything will be back to normal. (Just in time for the Holidays).

Going to School this morning. She is such a cutie!!

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We are home and doing Good!!!!!!!!!!

In our car for the first time headed home!!!!!

I know I am along time posting but, jet lag has us down this time. Our first trip to China to get Ali wasn't this bad. We just can't get feeling very good. Robin had a week off since we got back and I am so glad. Maybe it is because we are getting older but, we didn't shake this trip very well. HA!!!!!!! Addison is doing great. She loves all the toys and her bedroom. Our big kids and my Mom and sisters have came to see her and she takes them to her bedroom and shows them her bed and her clothes. She is such a sweet little girl and is so willing to learn. She is picking up more English everyday. It is amazing what these children can learn in such a short time. I am going to make this post short because we have a busy week ahead. We are having a "Come Meet Addison Party" for friends and family and we are getting her ready to take to school next week. Will post more in a few days.

Disney

Breakfast at our Hotel

Just a quick post************ The girls have had a blast. Just seeing how excited they got this morning at breakfast with the characters was worth the whole trip to Disney. (we wouldn't have said that last night) HA! The park is packed with people (just like every place else we have been for two weeks) so it takes a while to get on any of the rides. We came back to the Hotel at 5:30 to rest a bit then we are going back to Disney to watch the Halloween parade and the fire works. Robin and myself feels and looks like we have been beat with a club but we figure this is a once in a lifetime thing we are doing so we will take our weary hineys back to Disney and not complain. We are about done with our trip and are so ready to be home. We are very close to the airport and we keep seeing planes take off. Addison points the planes out to me everytime and then points to her and all of us. She is ready to come home.

GOOD NIGHT FROM HONG KONG DISNEY


ADDISON WITH HER FIRST COTTON CANDY

Hello from Hong Kong

Well we made it to Hong Kong and we are setting in the Disneyland Hotel. We had a nightmare getting here and it took us several hours. We didn't get here until 10:30 p.m. so we ordered in room service. The Hotel is just beautiful and the girls are so excited for tomorrow to come. I am sure tomorrow will go better then today. It has to it's Disney. It's late and we need to get to bed.
Trying out the big bed

Goodnight from China

Last night in China

This is our last night in Guangdong Province and we are packing our suitcases once again. Our guide called today and our paperwork all went well at the consulate appointment so tomorrow we go for the swearing in to say yes we will take care of Addison. We then will be given Addison's Passport and the famous sealed envelope to take to the states to give to immigration. Once we pass through immigration Addison will become an American Citizen. We didn't do much again today but, eat and swim. The first picture is the girls going to breakfast and the second one is Addison making things from construction paper. She makes all kinds of cute things.We took the girls back to the pool and Ali just couldn't hang. This might be my last post because I don't know if the Disney Hotel will have internet. Our consulate appointment is at 4 o'clock and we are catching the train in Guangzhou at 5. We have 2 guides helping us do this so we should be O.K. It takes 2 hours to get to Hong Kong then we will be on our own. Everyone tells us that most people in Hong Kong speak English. We will take the girls to Disney Friday and head to the Hong Kong airport Saturday morning to fly out at 10:05. Tuscarawas County here we come. This has been another wonderful adventure and I thank God in guiding us to adopt these beautiful little girls. They not only have a Mom and Dad but they have an entire family that loves them. They are lucky little girls and we are a very lucky family to have them. Thanks to everyone that has followed our journey to Addison. It made it very comforting to read everyone's post.


We went to the local grocery store this evening and got us a snack. (Chicken Jerky)

More of our meal
This is the fish tank outside of the restaurant. The spotted fish in the front is what we had for dinner I think. I recognize his tail!!!!!!!!
Laundry at the orphanage. It was windy so all the clothes were laying on the ground.

Counting down the days

We can start counting down the days. We are soooooooooo ready to come home. Way to many people here for us. This is a far cry from Amish Country that we are use to. The first picture is of the girls this morning watching Sesame Street on the computer while Daddy watched the Indians in Chinese at 7 this morning. Yes,Ali has the bed head going. That is why I always have her hair in pigtails. We didn't do much today but hung out at the Hotel. Robin went to McDonalds and got the girls breakfast. They have the same breakfast as we do. We went swimming this afternoon then back to the room for a nap. Addison sees me get the swimming suits out and she gets so excited. We went to Pizza Hut for supper and the girls both got a Sundae. Once again when the waitress handed it to Addison her eyes got so big and she just started laughing. Our guide is taking all our paperwork to the consulate in the morning and I hope all goes well there. The girls are getting anxious to go Disney and so am I. They say most everyone speaks English in Hong Kong and maybe people won't stare at us so much. I am afraid we are going to cause a wreck here in Foshan if we don't stay inside.


You name it they ride it !!!!!
Some of our delicious dinner from yesterday. That was not my chop sticks getting the sea-weed.

Orphanage visit

It is always scary when you take the child that you are adopting back to there orphanage. Addison has spent her whole life there and she knew nothing else. The two people that brought her to us that left with her crying for them were the same two people that she was waving goodbye to today with a smile on her face. The director and all his assistance's meet us and took us into a room and gave us some tea (well that is what they call it) and a plum. (yes I said a plum) They showed us around the outside a little bit and then took us to where some of the children where. They were all setting in a little chair. Addison hung onto my hand and Ali just wanted to play with the kids. A nanny got two little chairs and told Ali and Addison to have a seat but Addison just backed up and stayed right next to me. They had Addison and three other little girls sing a song. She kept looking at us and smiling. I must say that the children were very dirty. They all had sandals on and there feet and clothes were dirty. Of course my heart just broke and I could have taken all of them home. We took a package to a little girl that her parents are adopting from our agency. We got to meet her and Ali gave her gift to her. The directors then took us to lunch at the Chinese restaurant nearby. You noticed I said Chinese restaurant. Oh my, I was just plain rude because I couldn't eat. Robin tried a few things and he told me later since I wasn't eating anything he felt he had to, so he said he took one for the team. When they brought out a plate full of crab looking animals with legs that had hair on them Ali said ,"I fink I don't like them bery much". Even Ali didn't fair well at that meal. They kept pouring us a little wine and wanting to toast. They pour a little bit in a glass and when they toast you are suppose to drink it all. Well, the director must like to drink so he wanted to toast alot and everytime we toasted they came and filled our glass again. About ten more toast and I might have tried the crab looking animals.

The orphanage staff couldn't believe how Addison had adjusted to us and how happy she looked. They took us to her finding sight (where she had been found as a baby), then it was time to say goodbye. I wondered how Addison would do but, she just smiled and waved goodbye climbed up on my lap in the Van and was ready to go back to the Hotel. That orphanage life is now behind her and she has such a bright future ahead of her. The next two days we are just hanging around the Hotel and Thursday is our consulate appointment, which it can't come fast enough. We had a big day today and I feel very content on how it went. Addison is a very happy girl and we are blessed to have her.



Toasting!!!!!!!!!!!

We are now in Foshan

Today was a travel day and we didn't do much. We went back to the electronics store for a little while. We picked up few movies and then was off to Foshan. This is a very large city. Our guide said this was the second largest city in southern China. We are staying in a 5 star Hotel and boy is it nice. We took the girls to the pool and this one was much better then at the other Hotel. Addison really loves the pool. She just kicks and kicks her legs with her floaty on. Swimming will be so good to strengthen her legs..Our guide took us out to show us around the city a little bit because we are the only ones here. Oh my, I never seen so many people. I thought I was going to lose my mind. There were bikes, motorbikes , people, cars and anything else that had wheels that turn. Road, sidewalk it made no difference what they drove on. We sure got the stares from people. In Guangzhou, they are use to Americans but, I don't think they are in Foshan. We just have 3 days here so we will live. Robin walked and got us Pizza Hut for supper and it was really good. It had big hunks of meat on it and as we were eating it we told ourselves it was sausage.

We are very excited about going to the orphanage tomorrow. Addison has treats made up to take to her favorite friends. We are also going to find out what the orphanage needs then our guide is going to take us to get it for them. Addison was taking a nap this afternoon and I told Ali that we were going to the orphanage tomorrow where Addison lived and she said "I don't want to take sister back to the orphanage." Addison has been calling me MaMa. I do think she is a happy girl and Daddy is so good with both of them. We have had a big day and are all ready for bed. Hope to have some good pictures tomorrow.
Last picture in Guangzhou with our guide XiXi (Ce Ce).
Playing Hide and seek in new Hotel closet.
Getting ready to go swimming
The pool has a warm shower to take after swimming.

Last night in Guangzhou

I tried to get Robin to go and bargain for the long johns hanging with this laundry but, he said they were not his color. Went to the electronics store this morning and bought some movies. I sure hope they are all in English. This is our last night in Guangzhou and I am glad because the trade fair in about to start and boy are things getting crazy with people and they already are crazy. I just can't figure out where everyone is going in such a hurry. When you get out and start walking you better have your red ball jets on because someone is on your back if you are not fast enough. We were headed down to Lucy's (our favorite place to eat) when all of these children came to us with a pencil and paper and wanted us to write our name. They were a class learning English and the teacher had them ask us in English to write our name then they told us Thank you and have a good day. They posed for a picture with the girls. The picture with Addison in it is a picture in a little 4 by 8 candy store picking some things out to take to her friends in the orphanage. We are going to the orphanage Monday. We bought the girls the cutest Chinese Dolls that came with a passport. Addison just plays with hers and Ali's looks like it has been ran over by a truck and they have only had them a couple of hours. (Does this sound familiar Sharon?). Well, we have a lot of packing to do . We are leaving for Foshan in the morning at 10. It is about 2 hours from Guangzhou. Good night everyone.

A few more pics!!!!!!!!!!!

Supper anyone? There is a swimming pool set up with all these different fish in it that you buy to take home and eat. There are also these yummy eels one can buy if one wanted to. Beside the bucket of eels were three cages with different size frogs in them. I guess it depends on how hungry you are. Luke and Lori ,thought maybe you wanted to consider moving to Guangzhou to work in the Yingbang Pharmacy. Addison knows what swimming is all about now. We put there bathing suits on them and she ran and got her floaty