BBQ Chips! YUM!!!
Nap Time!
Rice Family!!!
Mom and Olivia
Olivia and her Nannie
Here are some scenery photos before Olivia was picked up.
Tiananmen Square
Silk Museum
Pulling Silk
Day 4 Adoption Is Final
Monday, August 30,2010
Olivia slept all night. We got up and got ready for breakfast. I put an 18 month old outfit on her and the pants are falling off. We didn't have any problems getting her outfit on, so I showed her the hairbrush that I got for her and she let me comb her hair.
We went down stairs for breakfast and tried some differents things to see what she would eat. To our surprise, she ate a few bites of bacon, ham, pancake, potatoes and watermelon. She ate a whole egg omelet by herself and drank a cup of apple juice.
We came back to the room after breakfast and she helped Kevin put water bottles in the fridge. She is very curious and she had to look in our luggage to see what was in it. She loves the sippy cup and bowl and carries them everywhere and doesn't want you to touch it. I gave her a ziploc bag so she could them in it. She put the cup and bowl in the bag and after watching me open it she closed the bag by herself.
She was getting tired around lunch time, so l laid down on the bed and she crawled up on the bed by herself and laid her head next to mine with her bag in her hands. In just a few minutes, she was fast asleep and slept for a couple of hours. When she woke up, we ate lunch. Kevin had went across the street and got KFC. She ate a couple of chicken nuggets and fries.
After lunch, we had to go to the directors to do the necessary paperwork and give our donation to the orphanage. Kevin went to the bank to change our money over to RMB. He told the teller how much he had to exchange she said "WHAT!". She said that she couldn't change that much over to RMC in the same day. So, we got most of the money exchanged and Lily went to another bank for us and exchanged the rest. We were at the directors office for a couple of hours. Olivia was very content the whole time we were there. She hasn't cried any today. We answered all of their questions and paid all of the fees. We had to put our thumbprints on the papers and Olivia had to put her right foot print on the papers.
One of the ladies from the orphanage came and gave Olivia a silver bracelet with her Chinese name on it and the name of the orphanage. She put the bracelet on her wrist and she loved it. She showed the bracelet to everyone in the office. She is officially ours now!. When the paperwork was finished, she is considered an American now. Lily told us that we needed to hurry up and go the passport office because we have to get her passport expedited. When they took her picture for her passport she smiled so I believe that her passport picture should look good.
We left the directors office and returned to the room. Kevin went across the street to KFC again. The chicken is good, but the mashed potatoes are not. They have an Asian flavor to them, so french fries are safe.
After supper, Olivia got her first bath. We put about an inch of water in the tub and she got right in. She helped me wash her face and she liked splashing the water. She really liked her new pajamas and we went to bed around 10:00pm. She crawled up in the bed and went to sleep.
Olivia slept all night. We got up and got ready for breakfast. I put an 18 month old outfit on her and the pants are falling off. We didn't have any problems getting her outfit on, so I showed her the hairbrush that I got for her and she let me comb her hair.
We went down stairs for breakfast and tried some differents things to see what she would eat. To our surprise, she ate a few bites of bacon, ham, pancake, potatoes and watermelon. She ate a whole egg omelet by herself and drank a cup of apple juice.
We came back to the room after breakfast and she helped Kevin put water bottles in the fridge. She is very curious and she had to look in our luggage to see what was in it. She loves the sippy cup and bowl and carries them everywhere and doesn't want you to touch it. I gave her a ziploc bag so she could them in it. She put the cup and bowl in the bag and after watching me open it she closed the bag by herself.
She was getting tired around lunch time, so l laid down on the bed and she crawled up on the bed by herself and laid her head next to mine with her bag in her hands. In just a few minutes, she was fast asleep and slept for a couple of hours. When she woke up, we ate lunch. Kevin had went across the street and got KFC. She ate a couple of chicken nuggets and fries.
After lunch, we had to go to the directors to do the necessary paperwork and give our donation to the orphanage. Kevin went to the bank to change our money over to RMB. He told the teller how much he had to exchange she said "WHAT!". She said that she couldn't change that much over to RMC in the same day. So, we got most of the money exchanged and Lily went to another bank for us and exchanged the rest. We were at the directors office for a couple of hours. Olivia was very content the whole time we were there. She hasn't cried any today. We answered all of their questions and paid all of the fees. We had to put our thumbprints on the papers and Olivia had to put her right foot print on the papers.
One of the ladies from the orphanage came and gave Olivia a silver bracelet with her Chinese name on it and the name of the orphanage. She put the bracelet on her wrist and she loved it. She showed the bracelet to everyone in the office. She is officially ours now!. When the paperwork was finished, she is considered an American now. Lily told us that we needed to hurry up and go the passport office because we have to get her passport expedited. When they took her picture for her passport she smiled so I believe that her passport picture should look good.
We left the directors office and returned to the room. Kevin went across the street to KFC again. The chicken is good, but the mashed potatoes are not. They have an Asian flavor to them, so french fries are safe.
After supper, Olivia got her first bath. We put about an inch of water in the tub and she got right in. She helped me wash her face and she liked splashing the water. She really liked her new pajamas and we went to bed around 10:00pm. She crawled up in the bed and went to sleep.
Day 3 It's "GOTCHA" Day
Sunday, August 29, 2010
We packed up and left the hotel at 8:30 am and headed to the airport. We are going to fly from Beijing to Xi An. Mary helped us get checked in at the airport. Since Kevin and I were foreigners on board, when we went through the security check they took us to the side and searched us over more than I had expected. They made us put our passports on the conveyor belt with our carry-on. It was a very uneasy feeling knowing that they could take our passports right now and what could we do. We made it through okay. We boarded the plane and landed in Xi An at 1:00 pm and our guide Lily picked us up at the airport at 1:30 p.m. To our surprise, they came in a very small car and we have a lot of luggage. We ended up having to put some luggage in the back seat and Lily road in the back seat with me and Kevin sat up front with our driver.
On the way to the hotel, Lily told us that the director of the orphanage called and our plans had been changed. The nannies were suppose to bring Olivia to the hotel to give to us, but instead the director told Lily that she was to bring us to his office. We were thinking that his office was at the orphanage, but it wasn't. Lily took us to an old building downtown with no air conditioner to wait to see the director. His office was on the third floor and when we got off of the elevator there were a lot of people standing in the hall, all waiting for the director. We had to stand in the hall for about a half an hour then we went in an office. There we waited another half hour.
One of the other guides told Lily that he had heard that Olivia was on the elevator and on her way up. In just a few minutes the door opened up and the nannies started walking in with the babies. Olivia was the last one to come in. Olivia came walking through the door holding her nannies hand. She didn't know what was going on, but the nanny was carrying the photo album that I had sent her back in February with our pictures in it. She was telling Olivia that this was mama and baba, but when the nannie picked Olivia up and told her that this was mama and baba again she started crying immediately. The nannie showed her our picture and pointed to our faces to match to the pictures and Olivia even called the pictures mama and baba, but the nannie put her in my lap and she was not having nothing to do with us. She was so distraught that she couldn't even fix her eyes on the nannie or anyone in the room. After a half an hour ordeal, they told us that we had to leave and get her picture taken. In the meantime, Lily sent the driver downstairs to get her something to eat so that she would calm down. He came back with a bag of BBQ chips. This really helped. She ate chips then the nannie asked her if she would give her (the nannie) a chip and she did. Olivia was very happy to share her chips with the nannie. Then the nannie asked her to give Kevin a chip and me a chip. She had to think about it and then in her own time she gave us both a chip. She was still sobbing the whole time she was eating her chips. She lit up a little when she gave one of the orphans, her friend, a handful of chips. Then she went around the room giving all the women a chip and calling them mama.
We left the directors office and headed downtown to get her pictures. She got out of the car okay and even walked inside holding my hand. We went up two flight of stairsand there were the people that we had just seen at the directors office. Their children seemed to be doing okay only a few minutes after they had gotten them. When we went in to sit down to have our pictures made, she started in again crying, having a BIG fit. We got up and let another family get their pictures made. One of the guides came over to me and told that its okay. The more she cries means the more she will love you. She settled down a little bit, but when we sat down to have our pictures made she cried in all of them.
After that we came back to the hotel, I gave her a sippy cup with some water in it and a snack bowl with some gold fish in it. She ate and drank it all. She was really quiet the rest of the night. The orphanage gave us a photo album with pictures of her and her friends in it. When we opened it up to look at the pictures, Olivia opened up and started talking up a storm. To our surprise by 9:00 pm, she was a lot better and even decided to sit in my lap. We went to bed around 10. I laid down on the bed and she crawled up beside of me on the bed and laid down and was asleep in no time. She slept all night long.
We packed up and left the hotel at 8:30 am and headed to the airport. We are going to fly from Beijing to Xi An. Mary helped us get checked in at the airport. Since Kevin and I were foreigners on board, when we went through the security check they took us to the side and searched us over more than I had expected. They made us put our passports on the conveyor belt with our carry-on. It was a very uneasy feeling knowing that they could take our passports right now and what could we do. We made it through okay. We boarded the plane and landed in Xi An at 1:00 pm and our guide Lily picked us up at the airport at 1:30 p.m. To our surprise, they came in a very small car and we have a lot of luggage. We ended up having to put some luggage in the back seat and Lily road in the back seat with me and Kevin sat up front with our driver.
On the way to the hotel, Lily told us that the director of the orphanage called and our plans had been changed. The nannies were suppose to bring Olivia to the hotel to give to us, but instead the director told Lily that she was to bring us to his office. We were thinking that his office was at the orphanage, but it wasn't. Lily took us to an old building downtown with no air conditioner to wait to see the director. His office was on the third floor and when we got off of the elevator there were a lot of people standing in the hall, all waiting for the director. We had to stand in the hall for about a half an hour then we went in an office. There we waited another half hour.
One of the other guides told Lily that he had heard that Olivia was on the elevator and on her way up. In just a few minutes the door opened up and the nannies started walking in with the babies. Olivia was the last one to come in. Olivia came walking through the door holding her nannies hand. She didn't know what was going on, but the nanny was carrying the photo album that I had sent her back in February with our pictures in it. She was telling Olivia that this was mama and baba, but when the nannie picked Olivia up and told her that this was mama and baba again she started crying immediately. The nannie showed her our picture and pointed to our faces to match to the pictures and Olivia even called the pictures mama and baba, but the nannie put her in my lap and she was not having nothing to do with us. She was so distraught that she couldn't even fix her eyes on the nannie or anyone in the room. After a half an hour ordeal, they told us that we had to leave and get her picture taken. In the meantime, Lily sent the driver downstairs to get her something to eat so that she would calm down. He came back with a bag of BBQ chips. This really helped. She ate chips then the nannie asked her if she would give her (the nannie) a chip and she did. Olivia was very happy to share her chips with the nannie. Then the nannie asked her to give Kevin a chip and me a chip. She had to think about it and then in her own time she gave us both a chip. She was still sobbing the whole time she was eating her chips. She lit up a little when she gave one of the orphans, her friend, a handful of chips. Then she went around the room giving all the women a chip and calling them mama.
We left the directors office and headed downtown to get her pictures. She got out of the car okay and even walked inside holding my hand. We went up two flight of stairsand there were the people that we had just seen at the directors office. Their children seemed to be doing okay only a few minutes after they had gotten them. When we went in to sit down to have our pictures made, she started in again crying, having a BIG fit. We got up and let another family get their pictures made. One of the guides came over to me and told that its okay. The more she cries means the more she will love you. She settled down a little bit, but when we sat down to have our pictures made she cried in all of them.
After that we came back to the hotel, I gave her a sippy cup with some water in it and a snack bowl with some gold fish in it. She ate and drank it all. She was really quiet the rest of the night. The orphanage gave us a photo album with pictures of her and her friends in it. When we opened it up to look at the pictures, Olivia opened up and started talking up a storm. To our surprise by 9:00 pm, she was a lot better and even decided to sit in my lap. We went to bed around 10. I laid down on the bed and she crawled up beside of me on the bed and laid down and was asleep in no time. She slept all night long.
Day 2 Touring Beijing
Saturday, August 28, 2010
We got up early today and ate breakfast at the hotel. They served buffet with Chinese and western style foods. It was very good. After breakfast, we went to the Tian An Men square. It is the largest square in the world. It was a very clear day no smog. It was around 80 degrees. We did alot of walking. Tian An Men square is right in front of the Forbidden City. The gates to the outer and inner courts are very big. We got to see a couple of the buildings that the Emperor used for a waiting room and storage (storing porcelain, silver, gold and jade) There were very large pots sitting around the courts that they use to use to fill with water in case there was a fire. After entering the courts we got to see the area where the servants and his concubines lived. We also got to see one of the Emperors chairs that he sat in. Then we got to walk through the garden. After seeing the garden, then you leave the Forbidden City. On the way out, a man was selling books about the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Kevin agreed to the price that the man said, but when he was suppose to give us our books he gave us another book instead and started arguing with Kevin about the price. He continued to argue and then 5 or 6 of his friends showed up and they started arguing too. Finally, the man gave us the right books that Kevin had agreed too but Kevin had to give him more money.
Mary took us downtown to eat at a local restaurant. Mary ordered for us and we recieved four large dishes and dessert. One dish was very spicy it had chucks of lamb, hot peppers and little clear square cubes that looked like gelatin. The dish was so hot that even after 30 minutes later my lips were still on fire. The other dishes were steamed vegetables, spicy noodles, plain rice and stir fried mushrooms with pork.
After lunch we went to the Silk Museum. We got to see how silk is made from the beginning with the silk worms. They let us pull one of the cocoons and we had our picture taken. The tour ended in the store area so we had opportunity to buy some of the items that they make. I got Olivia a couple of outfits for Chinese New Year.
After the tour, we headed to the Great Wall. It was an hour drive out of town to get to the wall. It was very large and very high. Mary left us at the bottom of the wall and said see you in 1 1/2 hour. We started hiking up the wall. It was very steep and the step risers were higher than normal. It was a workout. I don't know how the Chinese people walk up because they are shorter than me. I made it up halfway and stopped. Kevin went on up to the top and got some GREAT pictures. We walked back down and went to the other side to get pictures of the moat. We returned to the hotel at 5:30 pm and decided after our busy day and interesting lunch that we would stay in our room and eat peanut butter and crackers and they tasted great.
We are excited about leaving Beijing in the morning because we are flying to Xi An and getting Olivia in the afternoon.
We got up early today and ate breakfast at the hotel. They served buffet with Chinese and western style foods. It was very good. After breakfast, we went to the Tian An Men square. It is the largest square in the world. It was a very clear day no smog. It was around 80 degrees. We did alot of walking. Tian An Men square is right in front of the Forbidden City. The gates to the outer and inner courts are very big. We got to see a couple of the buildings that the Emperor used for a waiting room and storage (storing porcelain, silver, gold and jade) There were very large pots sitting around the courts that they use to use to fill with water in case there was a fire. After entering the courts we got to see the area where the servants and his concubines lived. We also got to see one of the Emperors chairs that he sat in. Then we got to walk through the garden. After seeing the garden, then you leave the Forbidden City. On the way out, a man was selling books about the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Kevin agreed to the price that the man said, but when he was suppose to give us our books he gave us another book instead and started arguing with Kevin about the price. He continued to argue and then 5 or 6 of his friends showed up and they started arguing too. Finally, the man gave us the right books that Kevin had agreed too but Kevin had to give him more money.
Mary took us downtown to eat at a local restaurant. Mary ordered for us and we recieved four large dishes and dessert. One dish was very spicy it had chucks of lamb, hot peppers and little clear square cubes that looked like gelatin. The dish was so hot that even after 30 minutes later my lips were still on fire. The other dishes were steamed vegetables, spicy noodles, plain rice and stir fried mushrooms with pork.
After lunch we went to the Silk Museum. We got to see how silk is made from the beginning with the silk worms. They let us pull one of the cocoons and we had our picture taken. The tour ended in the store area so we had opportunity to buy some of the items that they make. I got Olivia a couple of outfits for Chinese New Year.
After the tour, we headed to the Great Wall. It was an hour drive out of town to get to the wall. It was very large and very high. Mary left us at the bottom of the wall and said see you in 1 1/2 hour. We started hiking up the wall. It was very steep and the step risers were higher than normal. It was a workout. I don't know how the Chinese people walk up because they are shorter than me. I made it up halfway and stopped. Kevin went on up to the top and got some GREAT pictures. We walked back down and went to the other side to get pictures of the moat. We returned to the hotel at 5:30 pm and decided after our busy day and interesting lunch that we would stay in our room and eat peanut butter and crackers and they tasted great.
We are excited about leaving Beijing in the morning because we are flying to Xi An and getting Olivia in the afternoon.
Day 1 Beijing
Thursday-Friday, August 26-27, 2010
We got up this morning at 2:00 a.m. to get ready for our exciting trip to China. We left the house at 2:45 am and arrived in Paducah at 4:15 am and got checked in. Our flight left at 6 am and we arrive in Chicago at 7:20 am while waiting for our flight to leave for China we had breakfast and lunch. We also made a few phone calls before we left.
We were supposed to leave at 12 noon but our flight was 1 hour delayed. We flew with United and was seated in the economy plus section. Economy plus gave Kevin a few more inches of leg room, which he needed. Our plane left at 1 p.m Wed and we arrived in Beijing at 3:30 pm Friday August 27 (US friday 430 am). China is 13 hours ahead of us. We were in the air 14 hours and we did not get much
sleep, maybe 2 hours. We were in customs for 2 hours and then we had to get our bags which took some time. We found all of our bags but one. We went to find someone who spoke English with no luck. We couldn't find the lost baggage counter to get someone to help. We went back to the baggage area
and looked again for our bag, which I am glad that we did because we found
our bag. Someone had picked it up off of the belt and noticed that it wasn't thiers and had just left it sitting on the floor between the 2 baggage areas. As we were leaving the airport, there were people standing outside everywhere and some were holding signs. We looked for our guide and found
her. She was holding a sign with Kevin and Penny Rice's name on it. It was wonderful to see her. Her name is Mary. She speaks english very well.
Our drivers name is John. It took us two hours to get to the hotel from the airport. We checked in at 7:30 pm Fri. After getting checked in, we ate at KFC, which is just right around the corrner. It was a very interesting experience.
We are staying at the Holiday Inn in downtown Beijing and it is beautiful. Our hotel room is very nice. We didn't get a chance to take any pictures today, but we are planning on taking some tomorrow because we
are going to the Great Wall.
We got up this morning at 2:00 a.m. to get ready for our exciting trip to China. We left the house at 2:45 am and arrived in Paducah at 4:15 am and got checked in. Our flight left at 6 am and we arrive in Chicago at 7:20 am while waiting for our flight to leave for China we had breakfast and lunch. We also made a few phone calls before we left.
We were supposed to leave at 12 noon but our flight was 1 hour delayed. We flew with United and was seated in the economy plus section. Economy plus gave Kevin a few more inches of leg room, which he needed. Our plane left at 1 p.m Wed and we arrived in Beijing at 3:30 pm Friday August 27 (US friday 430 am). China is 13 hours ahead of us. We were in the air 14 hours and we did not get much
sleep, maybe 2 hours. We were in customs for 2 hours and then we had to get our bags which took some time. We found all of our bags but one. We went to find someone who spoke English with no luck. We couldn't find the lost baggage counter to get someone to help. We went back to the baggage area
and looked again for our bag, which I am glad that we did because we found
our bag. Someone had picked it up off of the belt and noticed that it wasn't thiers and had just left it sitting on the floor between the 2 baggage areas. As we were leaving the airport, there were people standing outside everywhere and some were holding signs. We looked for our guide and found
her. She was holding a sign with Kevin and Penny Rice's name on it. It was wonderful to see her. Her name is Mary. She speaks english very well.
Our drivers name is John. It took us two hours to get to the hotel from the airport. We checked in at 7:30 pm Fri. After getting checked in, we ate at KFC, which is just right around the corrner. It was a very interesting experience.
We are staying at the Holiday Inn in downtown Beijing and it is beautiful. Our hotel room is very nice. We didn't get a chance to take any pictures today, but we are planning on taking some tomorrow because we
are going to the Great Wall.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)