Playing on the Last Day

Emily May 16, 2012
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Well, tomorrow is the big travel day! Today has been a relaxing time of playing and getting mentally prepared for twenty-six hours of flying and chillin’ in the airports. Shuler is having so much fun on the playground and in the water. I could have taken a million pictures of him giggling!

I was actually reprimanded once for taking pictures in the pool this morning. There are so many people watching us around here. I don’t mean random people; I mean hotel workers, police, security guards, etc… These “watchers” are everywhere (in the hotel, in the street, in Starbucks, in the airport). They noticed Shuler sitting on the floor in the lobby and by the time his little bottom his the floor, they came over and told him to stand up. I saw this same thing in another lobby. A little two-year old girl sat down in the floor and one of the “watchers” quickly came over and lifted her up. If anything looks out of order, like my purse on the floor in the restaurant, a watcher comes over and corrects us.

Oh well, that’s just one of the quirks about traveling to a new culture!

On to a more positive thought… I cannot WAIT to see all of you. That is what I’m looking forward to most… seeing all the wonderful people who have made this trip possible. Thank you all so much for your prayers, encouragement, support, and love. We have felt it every second we were here. We have so much more to tell all of you, so we look forward to talking to y’all on the phone and seeing you soon. Most importantly, we can’t wait for you to meet Shuler! You are all going to fall in love with him instantly. He’s so easy to love!

I will warn you, though… We are probably going to take it slow with going to new places with our new little angel. I think we’ll stay in the house and let him get used to being there before we drive him to a lot of new  environments. Even here in China, he likes to stay in our little hotel room most. He tolerates going out, but he’s not very outgoing in a crowd yet.

Part of the reason we will have to stay at home is because Shuler has YET to ride in a car with a seat belt, much less a car seat. When we even try to buckle a seat belt (in a car or on the plane), he throws it off. I am going to rely on Easton to teach him how to sit in a car seat. We will probably start with a drive around the block and go from there.

So, feel free to come over and visit! This is an open invitation! We want to see you all so much. We have missed you!

Also, we are working on attachment issues, so if you come over, we are asking everyone not to pick him up or hug him. It really scares him when people reach for him right now, and it has taken two weeks for him to allow us to hold him, so I think the best bet for visitors is to give him a high five or just say, “Hello!”. He really likes to repeat the word, “Hello!” and he also likes to jump up and give five :)

So, here are some final videos and pictures until we see you all again in person!! Yay! (Well, actually, I will post some pics of Easton and Shuler meeting one another and maybe some pictures of Shuler doing important things like eating Milo’s burgers and drinking sweet tea, but this is my last post until we get home).

Video of Shuler saying, “Waterfall.” Shuler and the Waterfall

Video of Shuler splashing: Fun in the Water

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Bringing Chinese Culture Home

Emily May 15, 2012
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I know we still have a whole day until we travel, but we are already packing. We are so excited!! We don’t have any appointments left on the schedule. We can just enjoy our last day in China tomorrow and have fun with Shuler in a stress-free environment.

I’ve been brainstorming ways to incorporate what we’ve experienced here into our daily lives, and way is to eat Chinese food once a week. I think it would make Shuler feel at home to see rice, veggies, noodles, and tea. One of my favorites is simply rice that’s full of teeny, tiny vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrots, and whatever’s in the kitchen)

I even like the way Chinese restaurants set the table with two bowls (one for rice, one for soup), a small plate, and a tea cup. Plus, most of the places where we have eaten have something that looks like a lazy susan. It’s  a rotating glass circle that makes sharing really easy. When I get home, I definitely need to buy some big spoons like Shuler is used to eating with and find some little tea cups like he is used to drinking from. Even though he will adjust to American utensils, I think it’d be a nice way to celebrate his culture.

Of course, I’m also ready to be a tea drinker! Our guide has even taught us more about herbal tea. She is bringing us more from her pharmacy. She said they put healing herbs in tea and soup and use them according to the different seasons. She also said it’s good to always drink local tea because it helps you to adjust to that local environment (climate, allergens, etc…). It’s kind of like the way we eat local honey to protect against local allergens. I wonder if we have any Chinese herbs in Birmingham. Who knows?

The last thing I’d like to look for is more Chinese toys. We have so many electronic toys, but there are things here that seem to really challenge Shuler’s mind that he loves. They are mostly made of wood and are really colorful. Shuler can sit for so long just trying different ways of arranging the blocks until they make a perfect structure. It definitely develops attention span and curiosity! But, I have to be honest… he likes the game console even more! He calls it his, “computer,” and he always likes to know where it is :)

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US Consulate Day

Emily May 15, 2012
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Today, we had our appointment at the US Consulate to apply for Shuler’s visa. There were only two appointment times, 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM. We had the 8:30 AM time along with about twelve other families. So, we stood in line in front of the guard and he let us in after about fifteen minutes. Then, we sat in a room with the other families in front of some glass windows that can only be described as bank tellers. (The picture to the left is the outside of the consulate. You can’t bring cameras inside. The line you see forming is of Chinese people waiting for visas to go to the US).

Once inside, we all stood up and took an oath that the information we were providing on behalf of our adopted children was accurate to the best of our knowledge. Then, we waited to be called. I have to admit I was nervous. One of the papers we got from Hangzhou notary was wrong and we had already corrected it, but our guide said that if anything in any of the paperwork was incorrect, we could be forced to stay in China until it was resolved.

So, they called our name and we handed over the packet of papers and guess what? Everything looked good! Yay!

Tomorrow, we can pick up his visa and Thursday morning, we are all set to come home. Here is a video of Shuler giving Daddy a high five. He likes to give “hi fi” to “Da-da.”

Daddy and Shuler

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Schedule and Video

Emily May 14, 2012
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Well, it’s late here and I am sure I’ll be awake for a long time, so I thought I’d share some tidbits of information about Shuler, the trip, and our thoughts. First, here is the schedule for the next few days:

Tuesday: 8:30 AM – Appointment at the US Consulate
Wednesday – Free All Day! Yay!
Thursday – Travel Day – We leave the hotel at 5:45 AM for an 8:30 AM flight to Beijing. Then, we have a 4-hour layover where we need to get our bags and recheck them. Next, we fly for 13 hours to Chicago. We have a 4-hour layover in Chicago. Then, we fly to Birmingham and arrive at 9:25 PM.

Clay and I did a little debriefing in the van today about our expectations of the trip versus what has actually happened. This is what we came up with…

Things that were better than expected…
- Food
- Garden Hotel
- Our experience in Shuler’s province
- The first day of meeting Shuler – no crying, lots of laughing
- Communication with Shuler
- Shuler’s health – no lice, scabies, or infection
- Our health – no stomach issues
- How helpful our guides have been in each city
- Tea – yummy and healthy
- Breakfast in the hotels
- Time it has taken to feel like a family
- Mother’s Day in China
- Shuler’s ability to fall asleep in about five minutes
- The Pizza Hut here – It’s a nice restaurant in China, not just a pizza joint. It has a huge menu with lots of American stuff

As expected…
- God’s blessing and provision
- Nice Chinese people
- Some tantrums from Shuler
- Missing Easton but knowing he’s in GREAT hands with my parents
- Meeting an Auburn person who has adopted – We somehow see Auburn people everywhere

Worse than expected…
- Smog
- Traffic
- Staring
- Price of having our laundry done in the hotel – We misunderstood the pricing and somehow had to pay $180.00 to have one bag of laundry done. Live and learn.
- Flight from Hangzhou to Guangzhou

Below are pictures of Shuler all week when he holds up the “Peace” sign. Our guide in Hangzhou told us it means, “Victory.” We see Chinese people hold up two fingers like this everywhere! If some of these pictures look familiar, it’s because we usually take one picture with him holding his two fingers up and then, we hold his hand down for the next one!

Before the pics, I am trying to upload a video. We’ll see if it works!

Video with Mama: Video Playing with Mama in Hotel Room

 

 

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Temple and Island (and a headache)

Emily May 14, 2012
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So, we are really getting used to the comfort and good life here in Guangzhou. We go to our appointments in the morning, then tour a little bit and eat lunch. Then, we all take a nap. Finally, we play together in the afternoon, eat dinner and get to bed before 9:00 PM. It’s not too stressful.

Today, we only had one appointment. We had to go back to the International Medical Clinic to get the results from the tests and check everything so they can write his final medical report. Our guide, who is very efficient and knows EXACTLY what she is doing, always gets us in and out in record time.

After visiting the clinic, we visited a Buddhist temple, which was beautiful, but also kind of sad. People were burning incense and paying the monks to pray for them and the whole vibe was a little strange to me. On top of that, Clay got a terrible headache there and has not been feeling great all day. Plus, Helen realized that some of our paperwork from Hangzhou was mistranslated, so she spent a lot of time on the phone yelling at people. I like her because she gets stuff done! She does not mess around!

Once Helen realized that Clay wasn’t feeling well, she gave us the expedited tour. We saw Shamien Island for about an hour, and then ate another Cantonese meal, and came back to the hotel. Shamien Island was owned by the French and British, so the architecture and gardens are more European. There were about ten brides on the island taking pictures for their upcoming wedding because the scenery is so unique. We would have taken more pictures, but Clay was definitely not feeling well at this point.

He is sleeping now, so please pray for a full recovery. We’ve been so blessed by good health up to this point, and I’m praying that he’s able to feel like himself immediately.

Here are a few pics from the morning…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tea and Pearls on Mother’s Day

Emily May 13, 2012
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Today was our best day yet… for a lot of reasons. First, we didn’t have any appointments. Second, we started the day with Starbucks (caffeine) and herbal tea (Helen, our guide, brought us herbal tea because Clay felt like he might have a sinus infection). Clay has been drinking it all day and he feels better. Helen said we can get the tea from the pharmacy, and I want to buy some before we leave. Third,  Shuler is really understanding us well and we understand him, too. The communication has been great today. And fourth, we got to shop!!

This morning, after our gourmet breakfast in the hotel, we went to a temple that also displays local art and features local artists. It was really cool to watch the intricate workmanship of Chinese people. While we were checking out the artwork, it started pouring down rain, so we stayed inside to taste the local tea. Helen said she never buys tea from a tea house without smelling it and tasting it first. She also explained more about what each type of tea does for the body and how to prepare each kind of tea. She said, “If you have good tea but prepare it incorrectly, you ruin it.”

After the rain stopped (it’s rainy season in Guangzhou), we ate at our first Cantonese restaurant. We LOVE Cantonese food! It’s very light and fresh. And I think I ate the most delicious bread I’ve ever had. It’s in the shape of a flower and it’s a little sweet and very soft. This was definitely a memorable Mother’s Day lunch!

Then, we headed to the Wholesale Market and saw the different saltwater and freshwater pearls. Clay bought me some pearls for Mother’s Day, along with a purse, and we called it a day. Shuler was exhausted by the time we drove back to the hotel. He rested in Daddy’s arms. It’s  cool how he is starting to snuggle more with us, and he even kisses us now. It’s funny to see him kiss because it looks like he’s never done it. We had to teach him, and he was very suspicious at first, but now, he seems to sneak a kiss whenever he can. I was worried about his willingness to receive affection because he was not open to it at all for the first few days (did not want to hold hands, looked scared when we hugged him, etc…)

We decided to slowly introduce little bits of affection. I thought it would take months to get to where we are now. Yesterday and today have been neat because he reaches for us and touches our face and strokes my hair. He has always liked for us to swing him around, but this is different. It’s so sweet and tender, I’ve almost cried a few times when he rubs my hand and looks at me with those innocent eyes.

Even though things are going well, I find myself counting the days until we get to go home.  I’m trying to stay in the moment and savor each experience because I know this time together is precious, but I do miss Easton. When I hear about what he’s doing, I feel my heart break a little, but I try to ignore it because it’s not going to do any good for me to be homesick. I allow myself one good cry per day, and that’s it! One day, I was crying as I e-mailed my Mom down in the lobby of the hotel, and this little Chinese girl (about six years old) came up to me and started talking nonstop. She was so cute!! I completely snapped out of my tear fest and played with her. Maybe God sent her to keep me from wallowing.

Here are some pics from the day, and a video of Shuler saying, “Mama.” Tomorrow, we are going back to the medical examination place to get the results from the tests. Then, on Tuesday, we go to the U.S. Consulate.

Here is the video of Shuler saying, “Mama.” http://youtu.be/841vYEHtzYk

 

 

 

 

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Flight Delay and Medical Exam

Emily May 12, 2012
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Well, we had a major adventure last night. I don’t even know where to begin. I guess It started when we checked our bags at the Hangzhou airport. The guy at the counter told us, “Flight delayed indefinitely.” Those three words sounded like a death sentence. It was 5:30 PM.

Then, when we got to the gate, we kept hearing flight cancellation notices. After waiting for a few hours, we asked someone if the gate had changed. He pointed us to an ariport guide who basically told us to, “Follow him, and RUN!” So, we grabbed Shuler and all our bags and ran through the airport until we realized we were being herded onto a bus to a hotel. I think it was about 8:00 PM at that point.

So, with the help of a guy from Canada (aka, David, aka, an angel who sat next to us and translated everything), we learned that the flight will not leave until 3:00 AM, so the airline is putting us up in a hotel. We drove about thirty minutes to a hotel and checked in. At this point, we were exhausted and totally confused, but thankfully, Shuler was perfectly content. He seemed to enjoy the busride and as soon as we got to the hotel, he took off all his clothes and JUMPED into the bath. He fell asleep and we expected to be awakened in five or six hours.

Instead, there was a loud knock on the door one hour later. They pretty much told us to, “RUN… Get on the bus!” So, we scooped Shuler out of bed and ran onto the bus. At this point, I was so worried that Shuler would start crying or get upset. It was such a crazy night and we were taking him all over the world, but he just played with his toys and smiled and went with it. It was truly unbelievable!

To make a long story short, we arrived in Guangzhou at 3:30 AM and got to bed about 4:30 AM. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sleep late because we had an appointment this morning for Shuler’s medical exam and our sweet guide (Helen) told us that if we miss it, we would not be able to leave on Thursday as planned.

So, once again, I feared Shuler would have a hard time functioning on a few hours of sleep. No! He popped up like toast and ran to the bathtub to play with his bath toys. Then, we went to the International Medical Clinic where he was seen by four doctors. He never cried, never even flinched… not even when they gave him a shot. This boy is very tough, tougher than his parents!

So, now we are staying at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, which is a five star hotel. We have a suite, so we are all enjoying the extra room, plus the gardens outside are beautiful. There is a playroom here for kids, Starbucks next door for me, Subway down the street for Clay, and a pool for all of us. AND, we have Internet in our room for the first time. There are even tennis courts, and Scott, there are squash courts here.

We survived the journey and now, life is good. Clay and I keep talking about how God provided everything we needed, even in the middle of our unexpected detour. He provided David, the guy from Canada who translated. He has given Shuler such peace with us so quickly that he is willing to do anything as long as we are there to play with him. He provided the right guide in each city to make everything work out even in the middle of chaos. Oh, and my concerns about the rash on his chest and shoulders were put to rest. The doctor said, “It is nothing.”

So, thank you all for praying! God is answering your prayers every minute.

Tonight, we are going on a River Cruise down the Pearl River where there will be a buffet (Chinese food and Western food) and a magic show. Sounds good! We have all taken a long nap and we are ready to go have fun! Below is a picture of a Shuler in the airport. He was mesmerized by the airplanes and watched them for about thirty minutes. Then, there are some pics from the medical exam and a few from the garden behind our hotel.

PS. You might notice him wearing the same clothes again and again. Well, he wants to pick out his clothes and he has some favorites! I hold up a pair of shorts and he shakes his head, “No.” Then, I hold up another pair and he puts them on. It’s really cute! But he knows that one of the shirts has his name on it, and he always wants that one, so we keep washing it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later tonight…

We just got back from the cruise and we are headed to bed, so I thought I’d post a few pics.

 

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Leaving for Gaungzhou

Emily May 10, 2012
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Well, today is our last day in Shuler’s province. I asked if we could leave the hotel at 2:00 PM instead of 12:00, so Shuler can nap. I hope that makes our day better. I already feel more calm knowing that he will get to rest before his big adventure on the airplane.

Clay and I already have a game plan for the airplane that includes a new game, headphones, and a few iPhone apps. Up to this point, we have not let him see our phone, but I think it might keep him occupied if we introduce it on the plane. Plus, we have snacks and a pillow and blanket.

Since I haven’t told you that much yet about Shuler’s personality, I thought I’d tell you now since there is not much to report yet since I last posted.

Things Shuler likes…
- Taking a bath and swimming (yesterday, we took three baths because he’d just go in the bathroom and take off his clothes)
- Anything that makes noise when you push buttons
- Figuring out how to turn things on and off
- Being tickled or thrown into the air
- Repeating English words
- Watching the traffic outside our window
- EVERY kind of food! He loves to eat and is not afraid to try ANYTHING (he had his first McDonald’s experience today and he was definitely apprehensive at first. Then, he ate some fries. He never tried the burger. He looked at it the same way we look at meat that still has the head on it)

Personality Traits
- Happy (he laughs more than any kid I’ve ever seen)
- Determined (he works very hard to figure out each little toy and how to use it perfectly)
- Orderly (he likes everything to be in a certain place and he never forgets to put tops back on drinks, lotion, etc… Even at meals, he keeps his area clean and removes anything that makes his space look messy)
- Tender (if he thinks I have bumped my arm or if he accidentally hits Daddy, he looks at us with such worried eyes to make sure we are alright)
- Kind (he seems to get a lot of joy out of sharing his food with us)
- Talkative (even though we don’t always understand him, he talks all the time)

Things to Pray About…
- He has a toothache and I really want someone to look at it.
- He has some bumps on his chest and shoulders that seem to itch
- The language barrier is getting better each day, but it’s definitely a prayer request
- The flight and driving (Pray for us, too)
- His willingness to accept affection (like hugging, kissing, holding) from us
- Secure attachment to Clay and me
- His transition to a new world in the US

Here are some pictures of the hotel and outside the hotel.

 

 

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Tea Museum and a Meltdown

Emily May 10, 2012
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Yesterday, when our guide told us we’d be going to a “tea museum,” I thought it would be pretty boring (for us and for Shuler). But I was totally wrong. It was AMAZING! We went to a beautiful valley where tea is grown and learned all about the different regions for tea, and most importantly, what each kind of tea can do for your health. We even got to experience a tea ceremony and taste four kinds of tea. Yes, we spent a lot of money there.

I asked the guide where to get this kind of tea in the U.S. and she said, “You can’t find this quality in the states.” Clay and I liken it to our experience with cheese in France. When we were in France, we kept saying, “This is what cheese is SUPPOSED to taste like.” We now understand what tea is supposed to taste like. It’s no wonder people drink it so often here.

Anyway, Shuler loved the museum. He skipped around and took pictures and tried the tea. But I now realize that we are overstimulating him. By noon, he was over it. He was tired and hungry and every little thing seemed to upset him. The nannies told us that he wakes up at 6:00 AM, which he has been doing every morning and naps after lunch… but I think with so much stimulation, he probably needs to nap earlier than we are getting him to bed.

Please pray for us tomorrow. We are supposed to leave the hotel at 12:00, eat lunch, go somewhere with the guide, and then fly to Guangzhou at 7:00 PM. I’m so nervous about it. He won’t be able to nap; then we will get on the plane when he should be going to bed. Then, we will arrive in Guangzhou and I have no idea how long it will take to get to the hotel and get settled.

We need divine intervention… and don’t even let me get started on my fears about flying home next (26 straight hours of traveling).

God has brought us through all my other fears; He can handle this one, too.

And a little Dramamine never hurt anyone.

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Fun Day!

Emily May 9, 2012
[9] comments

Well, I’m happy to report that today was a great day! I do feel like I’m on a MAJOR emotional roller coaster, and I started this day with a little bit of hope, little bit of dread, and a little bit of fear. I wondered how Shuler would react to everything after so much turmoil yesterday. I know that kids are resilient, but I also know that his entire life has changed and all his routines from the orphanage have been take away. Plus, we are noticing the language barrier more. I can feel his frustration as he tries to tell us something and we can’t decipher it.

But we found one thing that breaks down all language barriers… Swinging him around. Up, down, and all around. He loves it! He can now say, “One, two, three,” or rather “Won, Too, SSSreeee!!!” He holds his arms in the air and waits for us to swing him around. We visited the Hangzhou Lake today and we must have swung him a hundred times. He laughed so hard and we laughed with him!

Here are some other words / phrases he says…

“This way”  -  or as he says, “Theesa way.”  - We are always pointing in the direction to walk and he has learned what that means.

“Thank you”  -  or as he says, “Shanka you”

“Mama” and “Dada”  -  In China, they say, “Mama” and “Baba” but he has already started saying  ”Dada”

“Shuler” – or as he says, “Shula” – I wanted our guide to explain the he has a new American name that incorporates his Chinese name. So, we say Shu Xuan and Shuler. Plus, we look at the pictures from the day each night and he points out, “Mama,” and “Dada,” and “Shula”

“War Eagle!” or as he says, “Waaa Eego!” – I told Clay to teach him useful words like “Potty” or “Eat,” but Clay can’t help himself. He has already gotten Shuler to say, “War Eagle” about twenty times. And since we react to happily to it, he loves to say it. Hey, you gotta start young!

 

 

 

 

 

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