Another B to Keep...4 Keeps!

Future Posts

2008-07-21T01:28:00.011-05:00

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for following us on our journey to our newest B. Your prayers and words of encouragement along the way have been priceless to us. If you'd like to continue to keep up with us, you can check-in on my Keeper of the B's blog.

For anyone considering adoption...have you considered an older and/or special needs child? So many still WAIT...

I've watched my friends go home from here,

To their families, one by one,

Yet here I stay through all these years,

Waiting for you to come.

I know that I'm not perfect,

Yet they tell me that I'm bright,

I just wish that you could only look,

Past what is wrong, to what is right.

I've watched my friends go home from here,

I dream of how that'd feel,

A pair of loving arms to hold me,

Will this dream ever become real?

I know that I would be home by now,

If not for fears of the unknown,

Yet I have many of my own you see,

In that you are not alone.

I've watched my friends go home from here,

It's happening to a friend today,

But wait! Her Mama has something for ME,

I take it and don't know what to say.

With trembling hands, I open the book,

And peek at what's inside,

A picture of a family,

"Can this be true?", I cried!

I've watched my friends go home from here,

It's my turn now, It's true!

I linger at the gate for one last time,

Then bravely walk on out with you.

Happy 8th Birthday!

2008-07-21T00:07:00.006-05:00

Today (July 20th) was Brock Ji Hao's 8th birthday! As I prepared and decorated, I couldn't help but remember how, during the agonizing wait, I longed to have Brock here at home in time to celebrate his birthday. I am so thankful we were able to do just that!

Because Brielle's birthday is just three days before Brock's, he was able to watch all the pomp and circumstance related to Goodrich family birthdays. We explained to him that his birthday was just three days away, and that he would be turning eight years old. He seemed to understand and proceeded to point to Brielle's b-day signs, crepe paper, etc., stating "Ji Hao" with each point. He also held up eight fingers and repeated "eight" over and over. So, when his big day arrived, he was definitely ready!

I've been reading, reading, reading to Brock, and he has really taken a liking to Curious George. So, this Curious George Rides a Bike is quite appropriate for the occasion!

Just unveiled..........

(Do you think he likes it???)

When we went to pick out Brielle's cake, Brock saw the Cars cake and excitedly pointed to it and then to himself. Sooooo, Cars it was!

Happy 8th Birthday, sweet son!

We are honored and so very blessed to be able to share all your special days and moments...

...now and forever!

Fiesta Texas!!

2008-07-16T07:47:00.021-05:00

Last week, we took Brock to Six Flags Fiesta Texas for the first time!

This photo pretty much sums up his experience...

Like his big brother, Brant, Brock LOVES Six Flags!

Much to our surprise, he wanted to go on everything...including the Scream (oh my goodness!)...

He was too short to ride the Scream (phew),

but he enthusiastically rode many other things, from kiddy rides to BIG kid ones...

(Brant, Brock, and Daddy are in the second seat from the back...)

Yes...he rode the Boomerang (yikes!)

Post-Boomerang SMILES!

Sisters waiting, waiting, waiting while their brothers ride, ride, ride...

Can we go home now????

Custom Made :o) !

2008-07-05T22:10:00.022-05:00

Have I mentioned yet how incredibly blessed we are????

I am seriously, overwhelmingly AMAZED when I pause to consider how beautifully our newest B has blended into our family. The other day, I was telling a friend about Brock Ji Hao's characteristics, and then I said, "He is custom made for us". How providentially true that is!

We have been home for almost two weeks now, and - Praise God! - I can't imagine things going any more smoothly. Brock Ji Hao has slept through every night without a notable trace of jet lag. Last night, I went in to his room to check on him, and couldn't help but smile as he lay comfortably sprawled out on his big bed, snoring loudly but peacefully. He is definitely not a child who is fearful and grieving. He honestly seems to be glowing and basking in the reality of having a home and a family. Each time we leave our house and then return back home, he gets so excited about seeing our house again. He starts rattling away in Mandarin, then points to himself and says "Ji Hao", and continues to point and name each family member. Yes, sweet son...YOU and the rest of YOUR family live here TOGETHER forever! Such sweet unpredictable rewards we are receiving day after day!

Brock is so very low maintenance. He keeps himself constantly occupied and is having a wonderful time with the seemingly endless supply of Legos, puzzles, Lincoln Logs, train sets, etc. Brielle loves to join him in whatever he is doing, and he is so sweet to her. They run around playing and laughing together...music to my ears! This has been one of the most pleasantly surprising things about our transition, as we were prepared for some rivalry between the two of them. Instead, with Brielle occupied with her new playmate, my life seems to have actually gotten easier - all so amazing!

One morning, I went upstairs to Brock's room and found him awake and building these...

Playing with Mei Mei...

Many people have asked us how we are communicating with him. It might be hard to believe, but communication has not been a problem. No, we can not yet have a conversation with this little guy (I can't wait for that day!), but you'd be surprised at how much we can get across to each other using gestures and words that are becoming more and more meaningful every day. I can actually tell him a series of three or so directions, and he will complete them all. He is using some English words (all done; eat; drink; car; thank you; bye-bye; night-night; hello; Brittany; Brant; Brielle; 1, 2, 3, 4...) and repeats a lot more. As a matter of fact, tonight I was reading him a story, and it was hard to keep going because he kept repeating everything I read - so cute!

Exciting news and big decisions...

Since being home, we have taken Brock to three doctors:
Dr. Wang - Medpor outer ear reconstruction
Dr. Perry - hearing doctor; atresia repair and/or BAHA
Dr. Bonilla - rib graft outer ear reconstruction

We were very excited to learn from Dr. Perry that Brock's inner ear is completely normal, and with the help of a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA), he will hear 100% NORMAL (not 50%, nor 90%, but 100% NORMAL)!! At this time, we have decided to go with the BAHA versus atresia repair (surgically making an ear canal), because the BAHA yields sure results while the atresia repair carries more risk with less effective results.

Below is a picture of a BAHA. How does it work? ... We receive sound in two ways - by air conduction through the ear canal, eardrum, etc. and by bone conduction. Bone conduction transmits sound directly through the bones in the jaw and skull to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. The BAHA is based on this bone conduction. A small titanium implant is surgically placed in the skull bone behind the ear. A sound processor is then connected to the implant in the bone, creating direct bone conduction of sound to the inner ear.

Brock will have an implant and processor placed on each side of his head. It is an easy, less than 2 hour, outpatient surgery. We hope to have it done within a month so that he can have optimal hearing ASAP!

The other two doctors we saw deal with the reconstruction of the outer ear. They both use different methods to reconstruct, and we are currently leaning toward Dr. Bonilla and rib graft reconstruction. His website was the one I "happened to" stumble upon the night I was researching the-little-boy-who-tugged-on-my-heart one year ago. It was on Dr. Bonilla's website that I first read about microtia/atresia and the fact that these kids usually have normal inner ears. His was the website that brought me to tears when I read that this renowned doctor lived right here in San Antonio. It was exciting to finally meet him!

We now face the decision on when to begin the surgical reconstruction. Right now our focus is not at all on the cosmetic aspect of this. We just want to maximize his hearing, let him continue to bond with us, and go from there. However, Dr. Bonilla likes to minimize anesthesia and optimally wants to work with tissue that has been untouched. SO, he suggests we do the BAHA while Brock is under anesthesia during one of the rib graft stages. This would mean getting the reconstruction sooner than later. Right now, our gut is telling us to stick with the "later" plan.

Something I forgot to mention....When we were at Dr. Perry's office getting Brock's hearing tested, the woman who did the testing really liked Brock (he was very adorable sitting in the chair with big headphones on!). She asked why he wasn't adopted sooner, and when I mentioned that it might be because of his special need, she said with a surprise, "Are you serious? This is nothing! It is so easy to take care of." So...for those of you who might run across a sweet waiting child with microtia/atresia, please remember her words!

First Picnic and Nature Walk

Eating with Mei Mei...

Brock helping Brielle with her chopsticks (which she insisted on using)

At the park...

A boy and his shadow...

Two extra photos (just because they're cute)...

Homecoming!

2008-06-29T00:50:00.020-05:00

We loved our trip to China, but it feels soooooooo good to be home!

All 4 of my B's together...safe and sound under our roof!

Brielle's little grin, sweet voice, and sweeter breath in the morning and all day!

A pot of coffee two times a day, made just like I like it!

Soft, comfie beds! (what is up with the beds in China?? has anyone ever figured out an explanation for the rock-solid hard beds??)

Brushing our teeth with water from the tap!

Opening our eyes and mouth in the shower!

Toilet paper in the bathroom...

and No holes in the ground!

Macaroni Grill!

Nature walks in parks!

Fresh air!

Blue sky!

English!

No (or very little) second hand smoke!

Uncensored internet access!

No eel for lunch :o)!

Running!

Friends!

Our trip home was eventless (unless you call an uncharged Gameboy an "event") and seemed rather quick. Below is a recap of our full day of travel...

5:30 a.m. ~ Leaving the White Swan Hotel

Ji Hao's last glimpse of China as a Chinese citizen - a bittersweet moment

During the entire 24 hours of travel, Ji Hao only slept about 4-5 hours. Even though his gameboy was completely out of battery from the very beginning of the trip, he was an excellent traveler. I had packed his backpack full of activites, and he quietly went from one to another. On the flight from Minneapolis to San Antonio, it was obvious that he was uncomfortably tired, but not a complaint was heard from him (just a writhing body and contorted face from time to time...poor guy!)

U.S soil (over Minneapolis)!!!

Ji Hao's first steps on American soil.

(He insisted on pulling that small carry-on all the time.)

We just made it through the immigration window in Minneapolis...

Ji Hao is an American citizen!!

Welcome to America, sweet boy!

Waiting for all SIX of our checked bags so that we can go through customs in Minneapolis.

First Starbucks in America,

therefore

first Strawberries and Cream Frappucino!

A definite hit!

Brielle, Miyah, Mei Lin, Megan, and Mom waiting for us in San Antonio!

Treasured friends waiting to greet us and meet Brock Ji Hao!

Finally holding my littlest B again!!!

I'd give anything to know what he is thinking...

Meeting Mei Mei...

Ahhhh...first hug!

The welcoming committee!
Thank you sooo very much, my precious family and friends.

We are honored and humbled by your warm welcome home.

You are a blessing!

4 B's in a van...

Homecoming day was also my birthday, which was also the one year anniversary of the day we received the call from Children's Hope that we could review Ji Hao's file. What an exciting day!
(Don't you dare try to count those candles)

So happy to be home!

Ji Hao is good at whatever game/activity we give him. He focuses on one activity for a long time before moving on to another, AND he puts away the first toy before taking out the next!

My mom and Cindy bought him foam swords and shields to replace the wooden sword now held together with dental floss. Here grandma and Ji Hao are sword fighting.

What an amazing grandma!

Brant was so good with the girls, and they loved playing with him, too.

Ji Hao's first "dip" in the pool. He was a little hesitant.
Bubbles for Ji Hao, but the girls were more interested at the moment.

Thanks again for following our journey! We have been so blessed by all your comments and e-mails. I'll be posting a few more "First Days at Home" updates here, and then will likely post further updates on my "Keeper of the B's" blog.

Final Thoughts

2008-06-25T10:43:00.003-05:00

All NINE of our pieces of luggage are now packed and weighed (packing light is not one of my gifts). The bell boy will be at our door at 5:00 a.m. to pick them all up. We depart for the airport at 5:30 a.m. and about 24 hours later (we gain 13 hours, so it'll be a little after 5 p.m. on Thursday), WE WILL BE HOME!

Miss Brielle ~ WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR SWEET FACE!! We can't wait to hold and kiss you. We can't wait to introduce you to your new brother. We think you are going to have sooooo much fun playing with him.

Mom, Cindy, Megan, Miyah, and Mei Lin ~ THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for taking care of our little one. We know what a complete sacrifice it was for all of you. Everytime we talked to Brielle, we could see that this whole thing was so much easier on her than we could have ever imagined. We are blessed beyond words to have you! Thanks to you, too, Dad and Pat, for giving up your families! I know you were both lonely, and we appreciate your sacrifice as well :o)!

To everyone who followed our journey and prayed for us ~ Your prayers were heard! I am overwhelmed when I think about how perfectly well this entire journey has gone. We all have been completely healthy. Brock Ji Hao was well prepared for his forever family and has adjusted beautifully. We have a one and a half page letter from his birthmother, and we found the person who found him eight years ago. He hears and talks much better than we ever imagined he would. We've enjoyed the food so much more this time and have not even craved Macaroni Grill :o). The five of us have had so many laughs and made so new many memories together. Praise God!!!

Brittany posted her final thoughts in the entry below. As you'll see in her words, China's grip on our hearts has tightened. She said it so well -- each of our trips to China has left us with a longing to know and understand more. China is complex. Both times we've been here, we seem to leave with more questions than answers. These questions, and our heart for our children's homeland, will likely beckon us to return.

Farewell for now, China. We will be back!

Farewell to China

2008-06-25T10:28:00.008-05:00

by Brittany:

Shanghai...Nanjing...Guangzhou...China. It's been an experience. More pleasant at times and less at others, but an experience nonetheless. Now, as I write this, so much of me yearns to stay here, to talk to the people, and explore the heritage of Xi Ji Hao (Brock) and Xi Ai Mei (Brielle).

And yet, I miss my friends, my home, and my life (especially my cell phone). I am torn. I love my home and I love China. Part of me wants to go home, to see my friends again, and settle in. But two weeks felt more like three days. I want to come back, to know more and dig deeper into this vast culture. However, today we took the final step of the adoption process, meaning China's had her turn- it's time we fly back to America and plough ahead into the future.

So what was this final step in the process? Well, just today, bus loads of Americans stepped into the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, passports at the ready. Escalators ascended through floors, and it was upon these that we rode our way up to floor 4, where the command of a consulate employee herded the parents into a line. Upon arrival at the counter, they got their passports and faces compared oh-so-carefully (literally about three seconds), then we all had a seat.

Minutes later, I found myself rising again, dragging little Brock out into the aisle with me. I lifted my right hand into the air in obedience to the man who was speaking to us. A chorus of "I do"s followed the little statement about all of the information provided about us "....was true to the best of our knowledge." Cheers and claps ensued as happy parents displayed various signs of joy to their new child. The process was over...and the adoption sealed!

We really didn't do too much more today. Every time we stepped out to go shopping, rain seeped through our clothes and chilled our skin. I did manage to buy a few last-minute things, though.

Lucy's provided us with our very last dinner in China. A restaurant that serves mainly American food but also satiates the appetites of their Chinese customers, Lucy's is a popular place among U.S.A. visitors to Guangzhou. Although it's not our particular favorite, we chose to go there, just as we had two years before.

Now, as I look back on all that we've done, all the things we've seen and the people we've met, it's truly hard to believe. Experiences like this are unforgettable, and, when your time's up, you are left with a longing to experience more. Although I am excited to get home, I know that I will miss China and always look back on this trip with the fondest of memories. I hope to return someday when I'm a bit older and see once again the people whose past is now so complicatedly intertwined with our family's.

I hope as they grow up Brielle and Brock will know the richness of the culture of their land, and come to appreciate in full the heritage which God has given them.

On the bus to the U.S. Consulate

Our CHI guide, Elsie, giving us instructions.

Singing Chinese children songs on the bus!

The all-important, can't-open "Brown Envelope" issued by the Consulate!

This kid has obviously done Legos before! We were packing, and he found some Legos I had brought, but never gave him. Next thing we knew, he had followed the instructions and built this...

Then, he neatly "displayed" them on the desk. He continues to amaze us!
Brant "playing" with Ji Hao.

Hmmm...Ji Hao was laughing like crazy, but I'd be pretty freaked out by that big blue giant.

We did tell Brant to come up with a better game to "play", by the way.

Day 13

2008-06-24T08:30:00.006-05:00

Morning on the Pearl River (view from our hotel room)

White Swan Breakfast

This morning, our cooordinator went to the American Consulate for Ji Hao's visa appointment. We had to wait in our room for one hour in case the Consulate had any questions about our paperwork. Thankfully, they had no questions, and tomorrow we will go to the Consulate to take "the oath" and to receive Ji Hao's visa.

Next on today's agenda was the adoption group photo. Traditionally, adoption groups take the children's photo on the White Swan Hotel's infamous "red couch". Then all the families gather in front of the lobby's waterfall for a family group photo.

Group Photo

We had a free afternoon, so we spent it shopping on the island. Knowing we had just a few more days left here, we hit the shops hard in order to finish off our shopping list. The two times we've been here, we've tried to buy both of our adopted kids many things from their homeland. Every year, on their Adoption Day and birthday, we can then give them a piece of their heritage.

The day would not be complete without a trip to Starbucks. Ji Hao has consistently asked for the Tiramisu in the display case and then methodically eats it in thin shavings to make it last. Yesterday, however, we introduced him to the Chocolate Frappucino, and now he is hooked on that! They don't have a Strawberries and Cream Frapp here in China, but my guess is that he is going to love that as much as his little sister. Looks like we'll be needing to limit our trips to Starbucks once we get home, or all these kids will never get to go to college.

We ended our day with a group "Farewell Dinner" at the Cantonese Restaurant down the street from the White Swan. The food is served family-style on a huge lazy susan, and it tasted much better than the last time we ate there. One of the dads in the group was celebrating a birthday today, so our guide asked Ji Hao and Adele (a nine year old girl in our group) to go up in front and sing "Happy Birthday" to him in Chinese. Both of them went up and sang without hesitation.

Tomorrow is our last full day in China. We have had so many unforgettable experiences here, but we are all ready to get back to the routine of life at home. We can't wait to see how Ji Hao and his little Mei Mei respond to one another. We are also excited to introduce him to "normal" life with our family (if there is such a thing as "normal" at our house). Our journey has really just begun...

One Week Later...

2008-06-23T09:43:00.012-05:00

Our adorable son has already been with us for one week. What a blessing he is! Things are going so much better than we could have ever imagined they would. He was definitely well prepared for this new chapter in his life. Praise God! His hearing also seems to be better than we thought it would be. We were prepared for very little, if any at all, hearing and speech. We are amazed how well he seems to hear. Chinese people will talk to him, and he responds appropriately. He hears us talking to him and is repeating our English words back to us. There does seem to be some frequencies he does not hear well. We have appointments with the specialists next week, and we're excited to find out just what he is and is not hearing.

Speaking of appointments with specialists (wink, wink), Ji Hao had his medical exam for the American Consulate this morning. He has been so brave in all of the new situations he has been thrown in to over the last week.

This doctor was so nice. Ji Hao heard, understood, and followed all that the doctor was telling him to do. The doctor told us that Ji Hao has "a good personality".

See the two girls in the purple dresses?? They are newly adopted 7 year old twins, and they are exactly what I was preparing myself for our son to be like. They are absolutely adorable, but oh-my-goodness, they are WILD! They are all over the place, talking loudly, and hitting anyone they decide they want to hit. I even saw one of them hit the doctor! Shortly afterwards, the doctor told us that Ji Hao had a good personality, and that these girls were "naughty". He said it all with a grin, as you could not help but think they were funny and charming.

So happy to have passed the medical exam!!

After the exam, we took a cab off the island to Liwan Plaza (a huge shopping center). The highlight of that excursion was all of the inexpensive movies the kids found at the CD/DVD store. These are actually packaged nicely, and the ones we tried have been good quality -- much better than the ones we bought on Shamian Island.

Walking to Papa John's Pizza for lunch!
Ji Hao closely watching as Ba Ba draws a self-portrait.
Ji Hao thinks Ba Ba's self-portrait is sooo funny (and a little off)
Studying Ba Ba's masterpiece

Ji Hao always picks out the most delicious looking thing on the menu. Today, it was a Snow Kiss, which is Sprite with sherbert and cream on top. Mmmmmmmm.

This morning, I woke up with shopping on my mind. As most of you know, Shamian Island is loaded with shops catering to adoptive families. Most of the shops carry the same merchandise, but prices vary greatly, and you are expected to bargain. The moment you walk passed a shop, the girls are yelling "Hello! Come inside and look!" By the end of the day, several of them will know your name, your adopted child's name and province, etc. Last time we were here, the bargaining process was fun. This time, we just want to be left alone to browse and shop. For those of you coming to China that may feel the same way, check out Jordan' Place, located at #3 Shamian 3rd St. (down near Lucy's). He and an elderly woman (possibly his mother) are the only ones in the store, and they leave you ALONE to browse and shop. No girls following you around asking, "You like?" everytime you pause to look at something for more than a second. A dream come true! Because of this, we stayed there and shopped for a long time. His prices on most things are lower than what we've seen other places, likely because he isn't paying 10 girls to irritate customers :o).

At Jordan's Place, Ji Hao finally saw some shoes he loves. We brought him three pair of shoes, but he has not wanted to depart with the shoes he wore when he first came to us -- Who can blame him....after all, they are Ultraman Max shoes (?????)? So, when he got all excited about these Croc-like shoes, and then tonight when he asked to wear them, I was pretty excited!

So cute! He is definitely a Croc kid!

Sunday in Guangzhou

2008-06-22T10:29:00.009-05:00

Guangzhou is soooo much different than the other cities we've visited in China. Maybe I should rephrase that -- Shamian Island is sooooo much different than any other part of China we've visited: no incessant honking of horns; no life-threatening street crossings; no oh-my-goodness-I've-never-seen-a-Caucasian type stares; no toxic layer of pollution blanketing the sky; (for the most part) no major language barriers. Yes -- Shamian Island in Guangzhou is a wonderful place to debrief (and detoxify) before heading home!

First thing this morning, the five CHI families all met in our coordinator's (Elsie's) room to fill-out the paperwork necessary for our appointment at the American Consulate. Yes, more paperwork! This step allows us to apply for and receive our new children's visas to America.

After all the our paperwork was checked and rechecked, we went to Shamian Christ Church here on the island. We have been told that this is a "government church", meaning it has government approval, is restricted in some way on what it can preach, and is "watched" by the government. By the message the pastor preached today (it was in both Mandarin and English), you would have never known it was restricted at all. He talked about discerning truth from heresy, used a lot of scripture, and left no doubt that Jesus is the one and only way to truth/salvation. His words about what heresy is and what form it might come in would likely cause many churches in America to fidget in their seats. We were impressed and thrilled that the people in China are hearing God's Word of Truth! This church was filled to capacity and overflowing with people. How exciting! I was moved to tears to hear them lift up their voices and sing "Praises to Your Name" in English.

The Chinese/English NIV Bible we bought in the church bookstore. Yes - God's Word being sold and spread around China :o)!!

This afternoon, Elsie took us on a walk to what she called a "grocery store". I, of course, was picturing Walmart or Carrefour. Nope! It ended up being a relatively little hole in the wall. My first clue should have been all of the interesting food items for sale a long the way (this area is "off the island", by the way).

On the way to the "grocery store"...

Are these the Chinese Forest Frogs I saw on the menu at the Thai restaurant last night??

I sure hope that these are not what we ate at the orphanage lunch -- I suddenly feel sick :o-

Take your pick: Dead...

...or Alive??

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, RUN ---It's the Monkey's Paw!!!!!!!!!!

No scorpions for us. We'd rather eat a "jelly" from the "grocery story".

Walking home from the store. Ji Hao loves his Jie Jie!

A class of children asking us to sign our names in their book. Their English was very impressive.

Tonight, Brant and Ji Hao were again sword-fighting, and (oops!) Ji Hao's sword broke when Brant was defending against it. Ji hao was so cute...He came in to our room, face scowling, finger pointing at Brant, and tattled on him in Mandarin. We tried our best to explain to him that both he and Brant were playing together, and that both were equally responsible. He seemed to understand and was soon back to all smiles! Daddy, of course, used his awesome "fix-anything" skills and put it back together with (of all things) dental floss. That should hold it for a few more battles.

Ji hao is such a sunshiny little guy. His huge smile and bubbling energy light up the room. He seems so happy, strutting along wherever we go without complaint. Today, he did a lot of singing as we were walking up and down the streets. We really have had no "issues" with him at all, and we are so amazed how perfectly he has blended in with us.

He is so very little. He will be eight in July, and most of the sizes 6-7 I bought for him are too big. The thing that fits him best is a pair of size 5 shorts my sister Cindy had bought for him. His little arms and legs are just sooo tiny. He is a great eater, so I'm sure he'll be growing quickly on the all-American diet he'll soon be consuming.

THANK YOU, Mom and Cindy for sacrificing soooo much to come and stay at our home with Brielle. I really don't know how to begin to repay you. You are priceless!

Last day in Nanjing -- First day in Guangzhou

2008-06-21T09:48:00.014-05:00

Yesterday was our last day in Nanjing. We had a great time exploring the city of Nanjing over the past week. China is such a stimulating place to visit -- all of the sights, sounds, and smells coming at you at once provide an unique and unforgettable experience. Last night, as we were walking down an alleyway from the (delicious) Italian restaurant, Max said, "I can't imagine a place I'd rather visit than China." I'm thinking like maybe Italy, since we just spent 3 of our 6 dinners in Nanjing at an Italian restaurant. Seriously, though, Max's statement has become the sentiment of all of us with the exception of Brant, who thinks the above mentioned stimulation is TOO much at times. Even though we love this country, we miss little Miss Brielle (not to mention the comforts of home), and so we were definitely ready to move on from Nanjing to our final destination, Guangzhou.

Last tour in Nanjing -- a trip to Nanjing Museum

Brothers playing while Mom and Dad pack up ALL of our things.

Our always smiling boy!

Notice the jade cross necklace. Our guide took us to a jade shop, and out of all of the pendants there, Ji Hao chose this green cross. He loves it!

Ji Hao got a hold of the camera and took the next two pictures (and 48 others :o) ) ...

The "pet store" near our hotel in Nanjing.

Quite sad...

One last walk through the shopping streets in Nanjing on the hunt for another suitcase to house all the things we have bought.

Ji Hao - armed and dangerous

Content and adorable as always!

Daddy studying

Brittany updating my blog -- her first paid writing job!

Ji Hao loves to paint and color. Here is one of the masterpieces he created in the hotel. He wanted me to hang it on the wall, so I did.
Ready for his first flight!

Everybody's ready for a change in scenery -- Guangzhou, here we come!

Ji Hao and Kay, our sweet and determined Nanjing guide

Ji Hao was so excited to see the airplanes
First airplane ride!

At first, Ji Hao seemed a little nervous, but he quickly loosened up and colored most of the flight.

On the way from the Guangzhou airport to the White Swan Hotel.

Once again, Ji Hao, our budding photographer, is behind the lens.

H.E.A.V.E.N. -- Real coffee in walking distance.

Another great discovery in China -- we've found Max's long lost twin :o)

(at Starbucks, of course)

At the park in Guangzhou

After dinner, we hit the streets for some window shopping. The girls in the shops are just as aggressive as we remembered them to be.

In one shop, this sweet young man spent a long time playing with Ji Hao.

Boys will be boys!

Bonding time between boys must include weapons, right?!?

Thank you so much for your continued prayers.

We have been blessed with more than we could have ever wished!

Goodnight from Guangzhou!!

Updated: An Emotional and Amazing Day!

2008-06-19T09:58:00.034-05:00

Wuxi Social Welfare Center

Ji Hao and his favorite person in the world!

The link between Ji Hao's birthparents and us, his forever family!

I hired Brittany to write about our amazing day yesterday :o). I was too busy tonight trying to pack up our suitcases for our flight to Guangzhou tomorrow. Below, you'll find her recollection.

I wanted to add that our guide, Kay, translated Ji Hao's birthmother's letter. It is absolutely heart wrenching. I hurt for this family who obviously loved their little baby so much. The letter states that they took Ji Hao to several doctors, even going all the way to Shanghai to seek help for him. This would have been very costly for them, as from their letter, Kay said that they were very common people. The doctors all told them that Ji Hao could not hear at all, and that there was nothing they could do for him. Sadly, his birthmother wrote that she would give anything, even her life, to help him to hear. So, we asked the people of the village to please talk about meeting us (like we could stop them if we wanted....I'm sure we'll be the talk-of-the-village for months to come), and if ever found, to tell his birthparents that he is loved, and that we will pursue every route possible to help him reach his maximum hearing potential.

We are so overwhelmed with gratitude and unbelief that we have so many pieces to Ji Hao's past. Kay has told us that she has never seen a letter written from the birthmother - just a note with the birthdate, and even that is rare. She also said that she has never dreamed of meeting the person who has found a baby. She was crying over and over again today, and told us she felt so good that we had such a "successful" day. We have been blessed beyond description!

O-kay, here is Brittany's retelling, followed by oodles of pictures -- enjoy!

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I am very sorry to you, my baby.

There I sat, tears trickling down my cheeks, a letter in my hand. I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. Fervently, I hoped no one would see me as I poured over the wail coming straight from the soul of a heartbroken mother.

Doesn't the god know black from white? questioned Ji Hao's birthmother.

I looked out the window. It didn't make sense, did it? I know God always has his reasons, but why did it happen this way?

As I looked at the almost eight-year-old boy beside me, I could hardly believe it. He is so full of energy and life. We all love him so much. This was the very same baby the woman was talking about.

Although we may never know why God made it so that this special little boy would be in our lives, we do know the answers to a bit of his past. Join me now, as I share with you how we explored the "vast record" (a translation of the name Ji Hao), of our newest little one.

Our day started at 8:00 a.m, when we met our guide in the hotel lobby and boarded the van for a 2-hour trip to Wuxi. The populated city of Nanjing faded into lush countryside covered with fields and mountains and scattered with houses. We learned that most farmers lived in clusters of houses or communities. The hours rolled by, as did the land.

A sign above a gateway on the side of the road welcomed us to the Wuxi Social Welfare Institute. Modern architecture surrounded us as we stepped inside. After a brief meeting with the orphanage director, he gave us a tour of the grounds.

Before we could even step foot into one of the children's buildings, we received a hearty greeting from Ji Hao's classmates. Shouting over the top of one another, they tried to get his attention. His teacher almost immediately came running up and embraced him, chattering away in chinese. Hugging her back, tears began to spill from our little boy's eyes. We had been told that she was his favorite nanny.

I followed closely as she led him into the room where they all did school. By now, droplets of grief blurred my vision, too. He had known some of these people all of his life, and today he was saying his final good-byes.

The classroom was very large, and, in contrast to the orphanage's main building, lacked modernity. On a table pushed up against the wall, the teacher displayed her students' artwork with pride. Selecting a few pieces, she showed them to us and explained that they were the work of Ji Hao.

While we were still visiting the school, the classmates returned on the way to one of their activities. I stood back from the action, looking from one face to another and greeting each with a cheery "Ni hao!" (hello). A little boy with downs syndrome extended his hand to me, and I shook it heartily. I watched as, one-by-one, the children drew on the bear Mom had brought for that purpose. These were Ji Hao's only friends (and family), and he was leaving them all.

We then proceeded to the sleeping quarters, where all of the children took a two-hour nap. It just happened to be nap time as we were there, so all the beds were filled with kids. All except one. Standing in the middle of the room, it lay empty, ready to cradle the next parentless little one that came its way. Ji Hao walked over to it, and the employees explained that this had been his bed. After whispering quiet "zaijians" (good-bye), we made our way back outside.

Next on the tour came lunch with the director and a few members of the orphanage staff. They are all very kind and caring people, and we are glad to know that our little Ji Hao was in such loving hands before we came to get him.

Lunch consisted of a scrumptious meal of not-so-scrumptious looking dishes. Really, in China, you learn to eat anything and EVERYTHING! Despite the appearances, the food was actually really good. A few of the dishes were: eggs, dumplings, fish, meatballs, a really liquidy tomato soup, and shrimp.

"This is really good!" Dad exclaimed as he leaned over a dish with a mysterious brown hue.

"Really? Should I have some?" I asked.

"Sure!" he said.

It was really good, and I had at least three helpings of it. Mom and Brant had some, too. Only later did we find out it was eel (told ya you learn to eat everything)!

During the meal, the nannies encouraged Ji Hao to get up and put on a little show for us, exhibiting some of the songs and dances he had learned. He performed several songs with hand gestures, did a little duet with his favorite nanny, did another one with Mom, and even put on a Chinese variation of If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands. The camera snapped away and the DVD recorder captured everything as we attempted to save each precious moment.

Soon, it came time to say good-bye to the nannies. We started heading towards the door as they called out their zaijians, then turned the corner, forever separating their lives from Ji Hao's. When we reached the van, the orphanage director had a few final words with him before letting him stride confidently into the vehicle.

Then, came the most exciting part of the day. From evidence she had extracted from his finding ad, our guide was able to figure out that Ji Hao was left to be found in a little community within Wuxi City called Plum Blossom Village. The exact address was 37 (something) bridge. Wanting if possible to see the location of this important part of his history, we set out to find it. I must give a big tip of the hat to our guide and driver, who unceasingly pursued finding this area. With the help of several locals, we found out that it was not actually a bridge, but a back alleyway. The Chinese characters had been ambiguous, and that was the cause of the mix-up.

We picked our way through the dirty alleys lined with houses. Clothes dangled from lines visible from the upstairs window. All pairs of eyes turned to us, the relatively rich foreigners in a common Asian community.

A man leaned out his window and shouted at us. Our guide explained to him where we were going, saying that we needed to get to thirty-seven ______ bridge. After trying to help us with verbal directions, he came out and told us to follow him. On the way, we gathered quite a crowd of curious onlookers, and our guide began to translate some of their speech.

"They say that they know him...they remember his ears," she said.

"Dad, they know him!" I exclaimed.

Bars guarded the porch of house number thirty-seven, and the man began to shout to the people inside. A woman came bustling out the door...and began to shout her excitement when she saw Ji Hao. Enthusiasically, she pointed out the spot where he had been found- a cement block on the side of her house elevated about a foot and a half from the ground.

It was beginning to rain. We sought shelter under a ledge. More and more people gathered around us, all but pushing us up against the wall.

As we were asking the people questions, our guide told us that the lady who had come out of house number thirty-seven was the very woman who found him! The lady had said that one morning, about 6:00 a.m., she heard a baby crying outside her window. When she went out to check, she found Ji Hao along with about ten diapers and the note from his birthmother. She called 1-1-0 (the police), and they came to take him. Elated, we again began to converse with her, not able to believe that simply by looking for the finding spot we found this very important woman in the history of our little boy!

We asked if the people knew who the birthparents were. They all claimed that they did not. They added that the baby may have been left at that location because there was a childless couple from Sichuan province living nearby. They think that maybe Ji Hao's birthparents knew this couple or knew about this couple and hoped that they would raise him. This couple, however, believed that they could not help Ji Hao's hearing, and thus he was sent to the orphanage.

And right now, as I write this to you, I hope that the writer of that heartbreaking letter knows that her baby is safe and loved. I hope that those people who had seen him will talk about us, and that the news that he has a family be brought to her ears. I pray she will not grieve for her lost little boy, but rather be comforted and given the peace that comes from God. I know that if she is still in that village, she will probably find out. I just wish I could know for sure.

Ready for the trip to Wuxi!

Gate to Wuxi Social Welfare Center

Inside the administration building at Wuxi Social Welfare Center

Welfare Center grounds. The building on the left is a home for the elderly.

Ji Hao's favorite teacher!

Ji Hao's friends and classmates

Signing Ji Hao's bear

Saying Goodbye

Ji Hao's teachers

Children's building

Lunch at the orphanage with director and teachers

(our sweet guide, Kay, is standing)

Ji Hao puts on a show for us. His teachers have done such a great job with him!

Teachers singing along

Grounds of Wuxi Social Welfare Center

We haven't even left the orphanage grounds yet, and Ji Hao is happy again and back to his new "normal", which includes Gameboy, of course. Such an amazingly brave boy!

Finding Plum Blossom Village

Getting closer...

And closer...

Leading the way...

We found it...House number 37!!

Resident of house number 37!

Starting to draw a crowd...

Our Heroes -- The woman who found Ji Hao, and the man who helped us find her!

The woman living in house number 37 heard baby Ji Hao at 6:00 a.m. and found him on this cement block outside her home.

The crowd grows bigger...

And bigger...

Kay asking the local people questions

Leaving Wuxi...The city of Wuxi is very modern, lush, and beautifully manicured.

Wuxi's Lake Tai

History Lessons

2008-06-18T08:41:00.025-05:00

Today, our guide, Kay, took us to tour two historic landmarks of Nanjing. It was a very interesting morning as we learned so much about the rich history of China.

We started our day with a visit to Nanjing’s Zhonghua Gate, the southern gate of Nanjing city. It is said to be the greatest ancient city gate in China and is the largest of 13 city gates contained in Nanjing’s city wall. Built from 1360 – 1386 (Ming Dynasty), the city wall was originally about 20 miles in length. Today, about 13 miles of the wall still exist, after 7 miles were destroyed by the Japanese during its invasion of Nanjing in 1937. Japan attacked Nanjing, because at that time it was the capital of China. As a matter of fact, Nanjing has been the capital of China off-and-on since 403 BC. Most recently, Nanjing was China’s capital from 1911 (when the last Emperor was overthrown) until 1949 (when Mao Ze Dong took over and started The Communist Party). Soon afterward, Mao moved the capital from Nanjing to its present location, Beijing.

Today, just inside the gate, resides a quaint bonsai garden, where a 78 year old man spends 10 hours a day grooming his bonsai trees. We lingered there for a while, looking at all the well-manicured little trees, and talking with this elderly man who finds contentment and purpose in his little garden.

As we ascended the stairway leading to the top of the gate, it was plain to see that each and every brick making up the gate and wall was inscribed with Chinese characters forming the name of the brick maker. Kay told us that the identity of the brick maker was important if the bricks were found to be defective. The brick maker would be shown relative mercy for the first one or two mistakes, but three strikes and he was out – literally! He, as well as the leader of the city the brick was made in, would be beheaded. How's that for quality control?

After leaving the gate, we went to visit the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge. This was the first bridge to be built across the Yangtze River in Nanjing. Construction began in 1960 and the bridge was completed in 1968. Because it was the first double-decker bridge designed and constructed by the Chinese without outside engineering assistance, the Chinese take great pride in this bridge, considering it one of their national treasures. Kay told us that children learn about this bridge in school, and that it is every child's dream to see the Yangtze River Bridge.

Before they built this bridge, the Chinese had always relied on Russia to help them build not only bridges but also railroads, factories, etc. The Russians actually had the blueprints for this bridge already drawn up, but once relations between these two countries went a little sour, Russia backed out, taking their blueprints and telling the Chinese that they'd never be able to build this bridge alone. So, with Chairman Mao as China's leader, this project was quickly undertaken in an effort to prove that Chinese engineers were indeed skilled enough to do so. It became a symbol of Chinese independence and ability. Five thousand volunteers donated their time to help build the bridge, and many people donated money for its completion. Building began in 1960 and ended in 1968. Today, over 100,000 cars, trucks, and buses cross the Yangtze River every day on this bridge.

Chairman Mao

A picture of the 200,000 gathered for the bridge's Opening Ceremony

At the bridge site, their is a crystal painting museum, housing the works of the famous artist, Gao yuan. Gao yuan paints inside crystal balls, vases, etc., and his beautiful work has made him well renowned. He was at the museum when we were visiting, and so we were able to meet him and to have him write Brock's Chinese name inside the crystal ball we purchased. He spent quite a while writing it, and then told us that he was covering the painted characters with a clear coating to protect them. He said that he didn't want the characters to fade or rub off, in hopes that Brock Ji Hao would never forget his Chinese name.

We spent a large part of the afternoon in the hotel room playing. Brock Ji Hao loves the Play Mobil sets we brought him, and he was occupied for several hours with just one small set. His favorite thing so far, though, continues to be the Game Boy. Looks like we are going to have to set some serious video game limits once we are home, or I'm afraid he'd play all day! What is it with boys and video games???

Brock once again had a terrific day! This sweet guy wears a huge smile on his face all day long, and continues to tell us all that he loves us. His behavior has been perfect (making me wonder...after all he is an eight year old boy!). He has wonderful table manners and has been eating very well at each meal. He again slept soundly last night. Max thinks that he was not allowed to get out of bed until given some sort of signal, because when he wakes up, he stays in bed until Max gets up. This morning, as soon as Max got up, Brock jumped out of bed and ran to use the bathroom. Poor guy...we'll have to explain to him that he can get up to go potty whenever he needs to. He loved his bath again tonight, and I got several deep belly laughs out of him by wrestling with him on the bed. My heart soared to hear him so very happy. Again, I am amazed at his courage.

Tonight, we took another taxi ride to our favorite restaurant in Nanjing, Ciao-Italia. If you are one of those who will soon be staying in Nanjing, we highly recommend this excellent Italian restaurant.

After dinner, we took a stroll outside our hotel and down to the Qinhuai river. It is beautifully lit up at night.

Tomorrow, we'll take the three hour drive to Wuxi to visit the orphanage. Please pray that Brock Ji Hao is able to understand that we are just visiting, not taking him back permanently. Also, pray that emotionally it will have a positive effect on him, giving him some closure on his past, and allowing him to look ahead to his future.

I can't say enough how grateful we are that you are joining us on this journey. Thanks for your friendship and support!

Love, Tracy

It's Official - The Goodrich Family has Another B !!

2008-06-17T09:03:00.012-05:00

Today, we officially gained another B! Xi Ji Hao is now Brock Ji Hao Goodrich. We are so privileged to be this amazing little guy's family. I sat back and watched with a full heart as three of my four kids were interacting and getting to know each other in the hotel room today. I realized that a piece of my heart had been unsettled for a long, long time, and today, I finally feel whole. It's almost like I can now move on with my life...does that make sense to any of you other adoptive parents????

We are all head-over-heels in love with this little man. He has been so courageous, happy, and loving. His face is always alight with a smile, and he endures with total patience all the running around this can't-sit-still family does. Today, he repeatedly said, "Baba/Mama/JieJie/ GeGe, wo ai ni" (daddy/mommy/big sister/big brother, I love you). Oh my goodness...does life get any better than this?? We are well aware that there is often a "honeymoon" period when adopting an older child, and that less-than-desirable behaviors can follow a period of calm. Whether or not this is such a period, we are still so thankful that he appears to be adjusting so very well. If this is our honeymoon, I'm glad it is happening while we are in China. We'll be much better equipped to handle any post-honeymoon behaviors when we are settled in at home.

Brock Ji Hao fell asleep right away last night and slept all through the night without waking. He woke up sometime after 6:00 am, but played quietly in his bed until Max got up. What a blessing!

We left for the Civil Affairs Office at 8:30 this morning to do the paperwork and protocol necessary for the official adoption of Brock Ji Hao. The Wuxi orphanage director was there again today, and Brock looked somewhat sullen and confused. The director spent a long time talking with him. I would have loved to be able to understand what he was saying. The director seems like a very mild, sincere, and kind man. When it was time to say good-bye to him, Brock, for the first time since we met him, looked like he was bordering on tears. I, of course, started crying, realizing how difficult this must all be for our sweet son. He never did shed any tears, and he perked right up once we started walking to the van. I am so amazed at his courage, and I praise God for preparing his little heart for his new family and home. Thursday, we will take the three hour drive to Wuxi to visit the orphanage. We'd so appreciate your prayers on this day, as I'm sure it will be emotional for all of us. We think it is extremely important that we see where our son has spent his life, and equally important for him to say good-bye to his friends and caretakers.

Talking with the orphanage director

Making things official

Once we returned from the Civil Affairs Office, our guide took us to some near-by shops to bargain for "rainflower terrace pebbles". These are colorful rocks taken from the Yangtze River near Nanjing. Their colors "come to life" when they are put in water. Truthfully, these look like any other colored rocks you can find in the States, but because they are "so special", they charge 1 US dollar for each small rock...ouch! I'm trusting that these rocks are truly from the Yangtze River, and if that is truly the case, then they are rather "special" to us.

After rock shopping, we spent some time just hanging out in the hotel room coloring, doing a puzzle, and playing Game Boy. Then, we took a taxi to the Xinjie Kou Square, where upscale store after store can be found. We really went there to find a Starbucks, and sure enough, we did! Nothing makes you feel like home more than Starbucks (except maybe my good ole Rascal Flatts songs on the i-pod). It was raining hard when we left the Square, and we had to wait in a L O N G line for a taxi back to the hotel. Poor Brock Ji Hao -- he must be concerned that his life will always be this crazy!

When we finally returned all wet and soggy, I helped Brock get a bath. He loves a bath, and it seems like he may have never been in a bathtub before. He is so interested in the faucet and the drain. He also played forever with the little rubber ducky the hotel left for him. He gets so excited to do routine tasks, like brushing his teeth. He is independent and fast at all he does. Remember the "lively, energetic, and fast" description of him? You can most definitely see that that is true - A perfect match for this family!

Our "luxurious 5 star hotel" (???)

My Chinese Breakfast

Scenes from this morning's breakfast...

Again, thank you so much for all of your e-mails and comments. They spur us on and give us confidence that there are prayers going up to heaven on our behalf. You are all cherished!

Goodnight, from Nanjing!

We Have Him!!

2008-06-16T08:12:00.029-05:00

Today we met Brock Ji Hao, and we are all in love with him!

He is a confident, brave, happy, perceptive, organized, independent, fun, smart, observant, adorable little guy.

Our appointment to meet him at the Civil Affairs office was at 10:30 a.m. We got there a little before he did, and so we were able to see him walking through the parking lot with the orphanage director. Max right away commented on how "confident" he looked, as he was actually walking ahead of the director. He also boldly entered the waiting room first, a can of milk in hand, and a big smile on his face. He came right to me and accepted my hugs with that same huge smile. He called me "Mama" (melting my heart, of course), then repeated "Baba" (dad), "Jie Jie" (big sister), and "Ge Ge" (big brother). He was obviously well prepared for this moment.

Last minute paperwork before meeting Brock Ji Hao...

Our first glimpse...

Walking bravely into the meeting room...

First hugs...

I gave him the small Magnadoodle we had brought for him, and he immediately drew a smiley face and showed it to me...how precious! The very next thing he drew was a picture of a house/home. He loves the Magnadoodle, and spent a long time drawing, erasing, and drawing some more. The director told us he loves to paint. He also does a great job coloring.

The orphanage director gave us back the little pack of toys we sent to Brock Ji Hao earlier this year. It looks like the photo album was shown and/or given to him, but the toys inside the bag were not opened. We were excited to also receive the disposable camera we had sent, and it looks like they did indeed take pictures. It'll be great fun to get those developed.

We were able to ask the director questions about Brock, and the director gave us a "portfolio"-type book of his school grades, art work, etc. There were also pictures of him and his classmates. The director mentioned that Quiren was his very special friend, and he had the Lego transformer that Quiren had given him before Quiren went home to America with his family! We are also so blessed to have been given a copy of the note Brock's birthmother left with him when she left him to be found. It is almost one-and-a-half pages long. I get teary-eyed just typing this, and I don't even know what it all says yet. Our guide started translating it for us in the Civil Affairs Office, and just the first half of the first sentence had us both in tears. She read it to herself in the van on the way to the hotel, and I could see her wiping tears from her eyes. She said she will write down the translation for us. What a treasure for our son to have a special note from his birthmother. He will always know how much she loved him, and that she lovingly acted out of the belief that she was doing the best thing for him. I would do anything do be able to tell her that he is loved and will be well taken care of. Max and I even talked about whether or not there was someway we could let her know before leaving China, but I'm not sure how we'd go about that (and I'm not sure we are allowed to try).

On a lighter note...Brock Ji Hao has had a terrific day! We were definitely preparing ourselves for the worst, and I have to truly say we got the best today (Praise God!). He held my hand walking out of the Civil Affairs Office, and he hasn't looked back yet! He loves to hold my hand whenever we are walking, and his little hand in mine just melts my heart! He is so funny, too -- we were walking to Pizza Hut tonight, holding hands, and whenever we'd come to a street light pole, he'd keep holding my hand, acting like we were going to hit the pole, but would dramatically let go just before we hit the pole, and then quickly re-hold my hand on the other side. I'd look over at him, and he'd be bobbing his little head from side to side, smiling, and quietly singing a little song. He just truly looked HAPPY! I, of course, want to plaster kisses all over his sweet face, but I'm trying not to scare him off. I repeatedly tell him, "Wo ai ni" (I love you), and he repeats it back with a grin. He is soooooo perfect!

There is no doubt he can hear some. The orphanage director asked him several questions, and he answered him just fine. He also hears and responds to us. It is clear that he isn't hearing everything, but from what I understand about microtia/atresia, if he can hear as well as we think he is hearing, his inner ears are likely in relative good condition, thereby increasing his potential for near-normal hearing with a bone conduction hearing aid (how's that for a run-on sentence?). He also talks more and clearer than we expected. Our jaws dropped quite a few times today just listening to him. His voice is soft and sweet, and when he rattles off in Mandarin it is just adorable! He loves the little plastic animals we brought, and he calls each of them their name in Mandarin over and over. Brittany is able to talk to him some, which has helped a lot.

After we left the Civil Affairs Office, we went back to our hotel. Brock was so excited to help me push the revolving door to enter the hotel, and he loved the elevator. This definitely seemed to be the first time he experienced either of those things. He also loves opening the hotel room doors with the key card, and proudly does so every time. He is very smart and catches on to everything very quickly. He could actually lead us back to our hotel room after just one or two times there. He has claimed one of the hotel room chairs as his own, and quickly had all of his things organized on his chair. He reminds us a lot of how organized Brant was at this age (and still is). Brant, by the way, gave Brock a very quick lesson on how to play Lego Star Wars on the Gameboy, and boy did he love playing that! He is no doubt a typical almost-8-year old boy!

It was nearly lunch time, so we headed out to walk to McDonalds. Along the way, we stopped at a shop to buy Brock a backpack for all of his things. Oh boy...does he love his backpack! He proudly wears it, and organizes all his toys within it. He even put it under his pillow tonight, until I talked him into putting it on a shelf next to his bed. So cute!

As we were approaching McDonalds, he saw the sign and began to point excitedly at it. The first thing he pointed to on the menu was an ice cream cone, and of course we couldn't refuse him one. So, he had a chicken nugget Happy Meal with an ice cream cone on the side. Welcome to the American way! He surely won't be so tiny for long. Especially since dinner included two whole pieces of Pizza Hut pan pizza and a berry smoothie (another thing he first pointed to on the menu), followed by a Mango Frappucino at Starbucks. He did point to a chocolate brownie in Starbuck's pastry case, but we thought indulging him any further might not be good for the G.I. system. This little guy likes sweets! At Pizza Hut, he was looking under his plate and saying the Chinese word for chopsticks. There were none, so Brant showed him how to use his fork and knife, and he did a great job cutting each piece of pizza into bite-size pieces.

Taxi ride to Pizza Hut/Starbucks for dinner

Tonight, I helped him with a bath and with brushing his teeth. He was so co-operative and helpful with everything! He was excited about his toothbrush and all of his new clothes. He has just been such a pleasant little guy today, from beginning to end. He is sleeping in the "boys' room", and I haven't heard anything from them in over two hours. I pray he rests peacefully and worry-free. He has stolen my heart! God is so very good.

Goodbye, Shanghai - Hello, Nanjing!

2008-06-15T07:36:00.031-05:00

(Sorry for the skipped update. Last night, we had some problems getting the internet up and going in our Nanjing hotel. Once it was working, I was toooooo exhausted to blog.)

Saturday, we spent all morning and early afternoon exploring Shanghai's "Old Town". This area is in walking distance from the Renaissance Hotel and is bustling with people, shops, restaurants, etc. We found some nice things in the Guangzhou-type shops, and so we were able to brush up on our bargaining skills. We noticed that they were charging prices a lot higher than we remembered from the last time we were in China. We're unsure whether it is because we were in Shanghai, or if they are catching on that Americans can and will pay up.

Scenes from Shanghai's "Old Town"...

Serving yummy Hot-n-Sour soup at a great Chinese restaurant

You can always find a friend at Starbucks...

Brittany was excited to be able to use her Mandarin to talk with some local people. A woman carrying her grandson was staring and smiling at us, so Brittany said hello and asked her how old the boy was. She understood Brittany, answered back, and then proceeded to chatter quickly in Mandarin, thinking Brittany would understand. Brittany then told her that she spoke only a little Mandarin and was able to ask her if she was the boy's grandmother. We showed them a picture of Brielle and Brock, and Brittany explained that they were her Chinese brother and sister. By now, she had drawn quite a curious crowd. It was fun to watch Brittany be able to communicate with them! She has a ton to learn, but she did great with what she has learned. She was told by two Chinese people here that she speaks Mandarin well.

Soon it was time to pack up to leave for the train station. We boarded a "bullet train" at the Shanghai Railroad Station and two hours later we were in Nanjing. This train travels about 200 mph top speed. It is a very comfortable, roomy ride and a wonderful way to see the countryside between the big cities. The train stopped in Wuxi before arriving in Nanjing, so we were able to see a small portion of the city in which our son has grown up. When we got off the train in Nanjing, at least five men crowded around us asking to help with our bags. We kept telling them "no", but they persistently followed us, chattering away, and actually grabbing the bags out of our hands, hoping for a tip after helping us. It was about ten minutes before our guide finally found us and shooed them away. Phew!

A few glimpses of Wuxi...

Approaching Nanjing - the terrain became more hilly...

On the platform, just before being swarmed...

We were very spoiled in Shanghai staying at the clean and beautiful Renaissance Hotel. The Mandarin Garden Hotel here Nanjing is rated 5 star, but I'm not sure who in the world would have rated it as such. It is musty smelling, old, and therefore appears "dirty". We have decided to try very hard not to complain about it. For dinner last night, we went to the Burger King here in the hotel. My fish filet tasted fine, but Max and the kids thought their burgers "were off" and didn't want to finish them. So, we each had $9 ice cream from Haagen Dazs for dinner instead. Good compromise.

Last night and today (Sunday), we spent a lot of time walking the streets outside our hotel. Right outside the door, there is a road that is block-off and lined on both sides with shop after shop. These shops are mainly clothing and shoe stores (not Guangzhou-type shops). I bought a cute pair of shoes for $10, and a found a few shirts, shorts, and a pair of jeans (yes, Cindy, very scary - especially because I've been here only 4 days - imagine what I'll think is cute on day 12). We were quite adventurous today, taking the taxi to and from Carrefour (a large, Walmart-type store) and to and from an Italian restaurant we decided to try. This restaurant was in a narrow, alley-type street about a 15 minute drive from our hotel. At first I was wondering what in the world we were doing - I mean, an Italian restaurant in China??? However, it was excellent. Not cheap, but very yummy and no Chinese after taste at all. We'll definitely go back!

Scenes from the streets of Nanjing...

Our laundry man sorting through our dirty laundry (how humiliating, for us all)...

Yummy dinner at an Italian restaurant...

This one's for you, Michele...

We've been checking in with Brielle everyday via webcam. She is having a lot of fun playing with her cousins, and my mom and Cindy are keeping her quite busy. Today, Brielle showed up on the webcam with a "Happy Father's Day" sign for Max. Soooo sweet! Thank you, Mom and Cindy, for that great surprise for Max, and thank you for your sweet care of Brielle. You can not imagine how absolutely priceless that is to me. Check out Cindy's blog to see what Brielle has been up to: http://www.familyalwaysandforever.blogspot.com/ It's hard not to think about her every minute, as there are so many adorable little Brielle-look-alikes running around here. However, I've said many, many times that it is good Brielle is not here with us. I just think it would've been too much for her to handle successfully.

Well, tomorrow is the BIG DAY!! I don't think we've quite wrapped our brains around the whole thing yet. We are very excited -- but, are we ready? I'm not sure - but, I know that God is prepared to equip us with whatever we will need to meet all of our new son's needs. How exciting this new chapter of all of our lives will be!

Thanks to all of you for cheering and praying us on!

Until tomorrow ~

Tracy

A Day in "The Future of China"

2008-06-13T10:10:00.030-05:00

View from our 15th floor room at the Renaissance Shanghai Hotel

2 B's in the hotel lobby!

Today we had the privilege of spending the day in Shanghai. As I mentioned yesterday, Shanghai is referred to as "The Future of China", and after spending some time here, it is easy to understand why. We all agree that out of the cities we've visited so far in China, Shanghai is our favorite.

We started our morning with breakfast at the McDonalds just around the corner from our hotel. There, Brittany spoke her first Mandarin words to someone Chinese by asking them for "three waters". The guy at the register looked like he was only expecting English from her, but the girl behind him understood and rushed to the refrigerator to get us some water. Great job, Brittany!

After breakfast, we met our guide who took us to the Oriental Pearl Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Pearl_Tower). The Oriental Pearl Tower stands 1535 feet high on the bank of the Huangpu River. It is the highest TV Tower in Asia and is the third highest one in the world. Most interesting to us was the fact that the Tower is only 12 years old, yet it is the oldest structure in what is considered "New Shanghai", or "Pudong" - East River. All the buildings standing around and behind the Oriental Pearl Tower are less than 12 years old. We were told that Shanghai is the second wealthiest city in China, and that this "Pudong" section is the wealthiest in Shanghai. This part of Shanghai looked more like a big American city than any other city we've visited in China (Hartmans - you would be very happy living in Pudong...and we'd love to come visit you there :o))

Arriving at the Oriental Pearl Tower

...Views from the top "pearl" inside the tower...

Thinking of you, Brielle - especially when we see Hello Kitty everywhere!

Next stop was the famous, Bund, which lies across the Huangpu River from the Tower. To get there, we took a cable car that ran under the river. Along the way, we were treated to a light and sound show. Pretty cool!

Emerging on the other side of the river, we took a stroll along the historic, Bund (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bund). Here, it was Brittany's turn for a moment of celebrity, as a Chinese girl asked if she could have her picture taken with her, then proceeded to hug Brittany! The pictures that we all normally see of the Oriental Pearl Tower are taken from the Bund, as you'll see in our pictures below.

Time for tea! Our guide took us to a tea demonstration, where we were able to see how the Chinese brew several different varieties of tea and sampled each of them. Although this was very interesting (and very tasty), we quickly caught on that it was also a great sales pitch for their tea. Of course, we couldn't resist and ended up spending W.A.Y. too much on tea we just might never drink (Cindy - didn't you do the same thing last time you were in China??? Please tell me you actually drink yours). So, for those of you who live in S.A. - this is a formal invitation for tea at our house sometime in the near future, and if there are enough of you, I might even break out the ridiculously expensive "flower tea". BUT, first I can need to figure out how to make it!?!? Knowing me, we'll likely all be better off meeting at Starbucks :o)!

After tea time, we had lunch at a restaurant just off the Bund. In traditional Chinese fashion, about ten different dishes were served family-style, and they were all quite good. Much better than anything we remember eating last time we were in China.

Next on the agenda was a trip to a silk factory. We were quite suspicious of the intention of the trip once our guide started talking about the lovely quality of silk carpets, quilts, etc. in the van on the way there. Sure enough - another sales pitch wrapped in an informative tour about silk making. The silk-making process is truly fascinating, and Brittany said it was the highlight of her day...even if we did pass on the multi-thousand dollar silk rugs.

The tedious work of making a hand-crafted silk rug. It has taken her 2 months to do what is shown here.

Our last stop was the Yuyuan Gardens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuyuan_Garden). Built over 400 years ago as a retirement villa for a wealthy provincial treasurer, these serene gardens are now owned by the Chinese government and are open for public enjoyment. We didn't get to stay long here, as it began to rain. Where would be the perfect place to run for cover in Shanghai??? Why, Starbucks, of course - where, today, a vanilla latte has never tasted sooooo good!

We ended the evening in Shanghai with a trip across town to see the Shanghai Acrobatic Show. Anytime you ride on a road in China, you do NOT want to watch out the front window, and the taxi ride to and from the show was no exception. The acrobatic show was not quite as good as the one we saw in Beijing two years ago, but still amazing nonetheless.

The close of this exciting day brings us one day closer to the reason we are here. So many times today, my heart swelled with excitement and gratitude as I considered the reality that we are in China to add another precious child to our home. How absolutely unpredictable, adventurous, and amazing are the ways of the Lord!

Tomorrow afternoon, we will leave Shanghai on a train bound for Nanjing, so that is where you'll hear from us next!

Blessings from China ~ Love, Tracy

Thank you for all your comments and e-mails. What a blessing it is to know that others are following and praying us through this journey :o)

We Made It!!

2008-06-12T10:55:00.016-05:00

All set to go!

After traveling for almost 24 hours, we are finally here in Shanghai, China!! Besides the fact that our long flight seemed just that....L O N G...everything went relatively smoothly -- no lost luggage, no major turbulence, no missed connections. The guide we hired to meet us at the airport wasn't there when we first arrived, but we were all too weary to get anxious. We just waited until she showed up with a sign bearing our name. Her name is "Cindy", and she is very nice and very informative. She will pick us up at our hotel tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. to begin our Shanghai tour. We are all looking forward to getting out to see "The Future of China", as our guide Cindy referred to this largest city in China.

A few interesting highlights of the day:

*When we were exiting the plane in Tokyo (after our L O N G flight), a young man standing behind me vomited, and a little splashed on my leg. Normally, this would not be deemed "interesting", but something about traveling for hours upon hours makes me numb to gross things. I felt sorry for this poor guy, who also splashed on the guy next to me.

*As we were entering the Renaissance Hotel here in Shanghai, Brittany got stuck in the revolving door...I mean literally stuck! A hotel attendant pushed the button as she was entering the door, and the door stopped - right on Brittany! Thankfully she was not hurt, but I felt so sorry for the young man who stopped it. He rushed over saying, "Oh, miss!" and assisted her out.

*As most of you know, you can not drink the tap water in China. So, we asked a housekeeper here at the hotel if we could have some bottled water. She giggled and left to get some. When she returned, she brought the bottles into our room and wouldn't stop staring at Brant. Then she said, "That's a pretty boy....a very pretty boy" and continued to repeat that a few times while giggling and staring. Poor Brant! A celebrity in China once again (like all the American boys, I'm quite sure)

*We are set up to use Skype with our webcams so that we can see Brielle at home, and she can see us here in China. We had practiced with her once at home, showing her how she'd see us in the computer while we were in China, and she screamed and cried "Mommy, Mommy". Well, we had the same result tonight when we called home and she saw us here in China. Yikes! I think we'll try again, but I hate to keep upsetting her. How very sad. My mom and Cindy say she's been doing just fine, and that when she saw us was the first time she has really cried.

Better go get some rest -- I am exhausted!

Thanks for checking in with us and goodnight from Shanghai, China!

Waiting for our flight from home to Detroit

Max on our L O N G flight (obviously not in business class)

Our layover in Tokyo

All four of us as we wait for our final flight from Tokyo to Shanghai

Finally get to rest our weary bodies at the Renaissance Hotel in Shanghai!!

Meet Brock Ji Hao

2008-04-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

Waiting for us in Wuxi SWI, Jiangsu Province.