Day 8 (Visa Medical Check)

Welcome to Guangzhou!!! I'm sweating profusely. High today was about 97 with 85% humidity. It's hard to even describe it. I feel like I'm breathing in an oven when outside. But it's a beautiful city. Long gone is the abhorred first floor of Walmart smell that seemed to permeate Changchun! There is a Starbucks, 7-11, and McDonalds right beside the hotel!

So after the day that shall never be spoken of again, Cindy and I slept until 8 and Lacey until 9. Then off to the buffet, which was even better than the Shangri-La! The bacon was crispier, the coffee was great, and they used the same syrup for pancakes that we use at home! The day was off to a good start.

I also should mention how surreal it was to walk into restaurant and see Americans adopting Chinese kids everywhere! Since all adopting families have to go through here, they all end up close to the same place. Pretty awesome to see so many loving families!

After breakfast, we had to meet with all the Holt families and head off to the medical clinic for Visa check ups. Lacey handled it like a trooper, which was great considering so many kids were apocalyptic. I have no idea what the results were, because they didn't know English, of course. So I guess we'll find out soon. They didn't lock her into a quarantine room, so I think that's a good thing.

Then it was back to the room. Cindy stayed with Lacey, and I went with two guys to 7-11. We bought some drinks and snacks and I snuck in an ice cream bar along with Jim. It was awesome, and we agreed to bro-code it and keep it a secret. I, of course blew it to Cindy and his wife. Oops! So much for the code.

When I got back, Cindy had just gotten out of the room from putting Lacey down for a nap. She told me she had cried for 20 minutes. It was likely because I wasn't there to put her down with Cindy. I felt really bad, both for Lacey AND for Cindy.

I had to head back downstairs for a Visa paperwork check at 3, which went smooth. Then, back to the room for a bit before heading out to a group dinner. There are 13 families here with Holt, so it was a big group! Great place, delicious food, and a nice evening out.

Lacey is doing much better with her baths, which is nice. I actually gave her a bath for the first time tonight (and also changed my first Lacey Nuke Bomb Diaper, a much less meaningful milestone). Figured she might as well get used to that since that's my job at home!

And now she's in bed. Bedtime has gotten more and more challenging, as she has gotten more stubborn about going to sleep. Then, after she is asleep, we transfer her to the crib.

The road so far hasn't been easy, and I know there are challenges ahead. But as my infinitely wiser than I wife said earlier, God brought Lacey into our lives and us into hers. It will all work out for His Glory, which is always best. I can't say enough how blessed I am to have Cindy as my wife. She keeps me so grounded and focused. She constantly shows me what it means to REALLY love. She teaches me patience. Lacey is just beyond blessed to have This wonderful woman as her mother.

Tomorrow is a free day. I miss church. I miss Monday night Bible study. I miss our families. I miss Lexi and Ava. I miss home. Tomorrow is the first day of the week we bring her home. Can't wait!

Thanks for reading,
Daniel

Day 7 (Changchun to Guangzhou)

I thought about just doing two days at once (since it's already 1:50pm here right now), but that would make the post really long. So I'll split it up and do one now.

Friday was an odd one. We didn't have anything to do except show up in the lobby at 2:00 to head to the airport. So after breakfast, we caught up on FaceTime by talking to my brother, Cindy's sister, her brother, and as usual our girls. As always, it was really nice to touch base with family!

That took us just about up to Lacey's nap, as we packed and played with her as much as we could. She took a nice nap, but we had to wake her up to head off. We met Lillian in the lobby, got Lacey's Chinese passport, and bid the Shangri-La goodbye.

Ah, Lillian - such a great guide! She went with us to the airport to get us all checked in, even though she had to go back to Changchun to catch an 11-hour train ride to Beijing! So we made it through security - Cindy loved the guy whose response to her "I have a camera in my bag" was an annoyed OK! Whatever!" At the end of security, we looked back and sweet Lillian was still there, making sure we all made it through okay. We waved goodbye and headed to our gate. Note: this marks the end of the good parts of the day.

I don't want to sound overly dramatic, but a root canal done through the nostril via the ear canal would likely have been more fun than the next 7-8 hours. First, the airport was BOILING. Second, the water and other drinks for sale were room temperature. Third, the "bathrooms" were inexplicable. Fourth, our flight was delayed 30 minutes. Fifth, there was little room to walk around. Sixth, the boarding of the airline made as much sense as, well, the Chinese language. Seventh, the plane was completely full. Eighth, the food on the plane was "food." Ninth, Lacey thought that yelling, screaming, and crying was a profitable way to spend 2 hours of a 3.5 hour flight. Tenth, it was so bad that a well-meaning flight attendant asked, "Ma'am, what is wrong with your baby?" The desired response would have led to an immediate arrest of the writer. Eleventh, we had to take a 10 minute shuttle ride to baggage. Twelfth, the baggage was on belt 19, then belt 20, then belt 21, then belt 19. Thirteenth, we had to walk a decent way to the bus. Fourteenth, the hotel was 35 minutes away (at 11:30pm, mind you). Fifteenth, after check-in, they forgot our crib so they had to bring it up in time for Lacey to get in bed at 12:30am, which is really the perfect bedtime for any 16-month old. Also note: we have no pictures from today, because photos of traumatized travelers are not the greatest thing to put on a blog.

Good news - the hotel is gorgeous, Starbucks and McDonalds are within walking distance, and we slept like stones.

I cannot overemphasize this enough - PLEASE (to the 43rd power) pray for our trip home on Thursday. This flight was 3 hours, 40 minutes. Thursday's is a tad longer at 15.5 hours. Yes, you read that right. We can only pray and trust in the power of God to help us through it. Romans 8:28 comes to mind, "...(a)ll things work together for good to them that love the Lord..."

Day 6 (Zoo Trip)

Today was probably the best day we've had so far, overall. We had quite a bit of activity to break the day up, and Lacey was really good.

We got another early start, meeting Lillian and the other two couples after breakfast at 8:30 in the lobby. From there, we headed out to he Changchun Municipal Zoo, which was about 20 minutes or so from the hotel. It's been nice to ride around the city these past few days and get a feel for our girl's hometown.

The zoo was a nice experience. Not the nicest zoo in the world - we actually kind of felt sorry for the animals. Many of them looked really dirty, tired, and in need of food & clean water. But we enjoyed pushing Lacey around in the stroller and getting outside for a few hours. While we were checking out some bears getting their Fight Club on, it started raining. We were in a shelter, so it was okay. In the shelter, a middle-aged Chinese couple started talking to me. I did the best I could, which meant I said, "Lillian, help!" So we had a nice little talk. They wanted to know why Lacey looked Chinese - seriously. Pretty funny. They asked if we were going to live in Changchun, if we had children at home, why we adopted a girl instead of a boy. At the end, the woman said she was happy Lacey and the other children were going to have good homes now, which was very sweet to hear.

Also while at the zoo, a random young woman deliberately stopped, held up her cellphone and took a picture of Cindy. Then, when we were walking out of the zoo to eat lunch, a bunch of young girls kept staring at Cindy and Alberta and excitedly talked. Lillian said this as well as the overall staring we've experienced is because Chinese women think American women are beautiful. Well put, although we told Lillian we felt the same way about the Chinese!

Lunch was adventurous. We trusted Lillian, and she took us to a local joint by the zoo. Every ounce of my psyche went into hoping our meal wasn't FROM the zoo! We had some sort of "beef" with tons of spice and pepper. It actually was delicious! Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and go with it. Plus, they had bottled Pepsi, which nearly made me weep.

After a long nap and oatmeal for dinner in the room, we took Lacey for likely her first pool experience. It went about as you would expect. Lots of nervous noises, bodily contortions to keep as much of herself out of the water, etc. I eventually got her up to her chest, but the water was kind of cool so we called it a night.

We were able to video chat back home with my sisters, my parents, and the girls/my mother-in-law. Always great to talk to the homestead! We'll probably have more opportunity to do that in Guangzhou. Also, before heading to bed, Jim (who is a PA), gave Lacey's heart a listen. He stated he couldn't hear any murmur, regurgitation, etc. We were happy to say the least! Of course we'll have it checked out when we get home, but good news indeed.

Lacey was in great spirits today, and continues to get closer to both of us. We greatly enjoyed playing with her - her smile and laugh are beautiful and infectious! She has also become openly affectionate to both of us, hugging our legs, and giving us kisses. Hopefully, the fact is starting to hit home - we're your parents!!

So that's day 7. Tomorrow, Lacey will be leaving her hometown as we fly to Guangzhou. Please pray for us - a four hour flight with Miss Energizer could be interesting.

I keep thinking about adoption as a whole. As amazing as this journey has been thus far, it astounds me to think that God would ever adopt me. Lacey brings so much to the table, but what did I bring? Why would He ever love me enough to send Jesus to die that I might become a child of the Almighty? "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we might be called the sons of God (1 John 3:1)."

Thanks for reading,
Daniel

Day 5 (Abandoned Site Visit)

Missing: Small Chinese girl; quiet, calm personality; obedient; very peaceful and solemn.

Found: Small Chinese girl; bundle of unstoppable energy; known to throw small temper tantrums; extremely energetic and playful.

Wow - what a difference one day makes. It is almost as if we have a different child. They don't come with name tags, so we're left to assume it's still Lacey and not her twin sister. She just really came out of her shell today, which really brought us much joy. But, to be honest, it makes us a bit nervous about these long flights just ahead of us!! Could be interesting.

Today was almost entirely free time. The exception was a visit to the sites where Lacey and the other two children adopted in Changchun this week were abandoned. We went to Lacey's first, the Number 6 Middle School in Changchun. It was under construction, but our guide Lillian said she was probably found at the front steps or the front gate. These are located something like 10-15 feet from the roadside. Pretty sad. We took a few photos and a quick video, then headed out to the other two sites (both were hospitals).

Then we were back to the hotel around 10:15 and on our own for the day. Lillian had given us Lacey's passport documentation for us to look over for accuracy (the English translation, thankfully). We played around in the room until "lunch time," which consisted of a blend of Cliff bars, crackers, fruit puffs, Twizzlers, and water. Lunch of Champions!! While we were eating, the Shanghai Football (soccer) Club went to eat lunch. People were taking pictures, so I guess they might be a big deal. I challenged them all to a foot race and won.

There was a reason for that, though. Some evil spirit has invaded the bowels of some of us (to go unnamed). We are REALLY missing American food! None of it tastes bad, it just often doesn't taste right. Another issue may sound trivial, but I quite honestly wake up in the middle of the night with the awful stench of the first floor of the local Walmart burned into my olfactory sense. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's kind of like the smell of the tears of Adolf Hitler. I can smell it right now!!! So that has made the day challenging even more so.

After a nice, long nap, we met up with another adopting family and Lillian for dinner at a place called Cool Boy. Yes, Cool Boy. We had sweet and sour pork and garlic pork. Tasted fine, but the evil spirit conquered that, too. We had a nice time, though. Lacey ate and ate and ate! Oh, and the cooks literally got into a fist fight in the kitchen, which was unexpected.

Then it was back into the room. Lacey played with us for awhile, and was really wound up all night. We hadn't seen her like that yet! She even threw a few tantrums when she couldn't have more snacks or couldn't go out into the hallway. A bit challenging, one that left us a little spent emotionally. She did much better with her bath, though, which was most welcome.

So now she's sleeping, and we're sitting here thinking about all the changes ahead. It won't be easy, but nobody ever said life was. We'll make it just like we always have. We're a great team! And we're also missing our girls. It has been so great to be able to face time them, but nothing beats a tickle from Lexi or a bear hug from Ava (a small bear, yes, but a bear nonetheless). Really grateful for my in-laws so graciously giving of their time to be with our girls. It really helps us knowing they're in good hands.

So that's day 5. Kind of funny - we spent all those months counting down the days until we came here. And now, all we can think about is the countdown to be back home! Oh, to be in our home with our whole family together again! Can't wait. Thanks for all your prayers and support - please keep it up!!

Thanks for reading,
Daniel

Day 4 (Passport Day)

One of the main questions people asked us before we left was, "Will you have any down time?" When we looked at the schedule for the two weeks, it didn't seem like it. But today was a day full of unexpected down time.

Last night was a bit of a challenge. Lacey and the crib aren't exactly the best of friends right now. So she started in our bed and we moved her after she fell asleep. She slept very soundly...as in she made sounds all night! Lots of mumbles, tossing & turning, and a few cries. It all meant very little sleep for us.

Lacey did well at breakfast - eggs, rice, noodles, and fruit made it from the plate to the belly (and some on the floor of course). We ate with another couple in our adoption group, Alberta and Jim. Great folks! After breakfast, we had about 3 hours until we had to meet our guide to Lacey's passport application done.

So we took the stroller and walked over to Walmart to buy a new toy. I don't know that I've mentioned this, but folks over here love to stare. It was pretty bad with just Cindy and I, but now it has reached Skill Level: Expert...to the point of being really uncomfortable. I keep imagining my brother-in-law Dan and how he would react - something akin to "You wanna go, man??" Pretty awkward and hard to get used to.

Then we all napped a little before going to the Passport Office. It was kind of like a DMV office on steroids. We particularly enjoyed the dude that muttered "Americans" while we walked in the door. But thank goodness for our guide Lillian. Without her, nothing would happen. She got us through (3 families) in just about 15 minutes. So we were done for the day and back at the hotel a little after 2:00.

Today has been challenging for Cindy and I. Having known Lacey from a great distance for 8 months, it's hard to remember that we've only been "together" about 36 hours. You just want her to always be happy, playing, and smiling, but today was not all like that. She has a cold which is likely affecting her, but sometimes she just seems a little sad. It breaks our hearts, but we can't show it, you know? Right around dinner time, though, the sweet, giggly personality started shining through again. We had dinner in our room tonight (ramen noodles for L and oatmeal for D & C). But the day ended just great. She laughed with us, played with us, responded to tickles, and even gave Cindy a kiss when she asked her. She even looked at Cindy when I asked "Where's Mama?" and yelled "Baba" (Chinese for Dad) when she was dipped into the offending bath tub. We were thrilled to end the day so well!

The couple I spoke about earlier are so great. We've enjoyed spending time with them and the other family adopting from here. Alberta and Jim were kind enough to give us some medicine for Lacey's cold which has done wonders. I had a nice walk with Jim to (where else) Walmart and the local medicine shop. So nice to speak English to somebody that understands!

So that's been day four. We're all done paperwork here in Changchun and only have to get Lacey's passport before we head to Guangzhou on Friday. Tomorrow, we'll visit the site where Lacey was abandoned, and go to the zoo on Thursday.

Hope you all are well. Been thinking of the words of James, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) availeth much." Based on what we are feeling over here, I'll add a hearty Amen to that!

Thanks for reading,
Daniel

Day 3 (Gotcha Day)

Just sitting here listening to the unbelievable sounds of our little Lacey sleeping. All the waiting- over. All the wondering - done. What does it sound like when she cries? Laughs? Talks? Thank the Lord, we know now!!

It's really hard to fully describe this day. It isn't like a birth day, but it is similar. It started just like yesterday. Buffet breakfast like mad! But it was all so different. Eating wasn't quite as easy, as it all had to pass through a ball of nerves! We came back to our room, gathered our stuff, and spent a few precious moments together with God. Then, it was down to the lobby to head out.

We showed up at the Civil Affairs Office a little early. We waited about 30 long minutes in a board room. Then, the sounds of activity, children being hustled into the room, and there she was! We weren't expecting Chariots of Fire, running into our arms, shouts of "Mommy!! Daddy!!" and we didn't get it. She was understandably sad, confused, and upset. It only lasted for a little while, though. Before too long, she was settling in, smiling, talking, and giggling...and we were falling head-over-heels in love with this little angel.

We had a few more stops to make, which featured an alarming lack of air conditioning, at least 34,000 stairs, and to ever-present joy of nervously crossing the street. But before too long, we were back at the hotel and up in the room. What a day!!! Oh, wait...it was only 12:15!

Bath time was an experience. She was none too thrilled! But all worth it for the Baby Magic smell and the sight of Cindy cuddling with her in her towel - such indelible memories being made! Then it was nap time...for all three of us!

Dinner was much more familiar - pepperoni pizza at Pizza Hut! Lacey did just fine, eating with the little fork they gave her. Funny thing, though - we left a tip on the table, and the waitress literally ran out of the restaurant to give the money back. What?? I told her to keep it!!

And that was about it. We've enjoyed playing with her. She LOVES playing silly stuff with Daddy, and, well, that's kind of my style! She is major into her snacks, too, which is hilarious. She seems to be attaching really well to both of us, which is just great. Highlight of the night, though, was Face Time/Skype with our entire family. The love was genuinely felt 7000 miles away.

So that's it. The obnoxious snores of this dude is about to blend with Lacey's sweet sounds. Poor Cindy, who sleeps quiet like the angel she is. Thanks for your continued prayers for us on this life-changing journey.

Thanks for reading,
Daniel

Days 1 & 2 (Leaving Home)

So let's call Day 1 "The Day of Waiting." First, we showed up 3 hours early for our 6:20 flight as suggested by the airline. One problem - no airline employees got there until 4:00! So we waited 30 minutes. Then our flight got delayed 45 minutes. So we waited about 2.5 hours. Then we flew to
Newark and waited about 3+ hours to connect. Then we flew 13 hours to Beijing. Then we waited for 5 hours to connect. Then we flew to Changchun. A lot of waiting!

Then we rode 40 minutesto the hotel. It was an unspeakable riding experience, because green/red lights are merely suggestions). We got in our room about 9:30pm, chiseled the day's grime off, did Face Time with our girls, took melatonin, and fell asleep around 10:15. It was our first real sleep in 32 hours!!

Day 2 has been all about settling in. We couldn't sleep as late as we wanted and hit the breakfast buffet about 7:30 There is a slight chance I may gone overboard. I may or may not have eaten eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, fried mushrooms, won tons, noodles, a fried apple slice, spring rolls, French toast casserole, a muffin, a cherry Danish, snow peas, orange juice, watermelon juice, and coffee. Back tomorrow? OKAY!!

After breakfast, we finally went outside to start experiencing this country. So, naturally, we went to Walmart (complete with a Walmart greeter!). Pretty confusing, though (that's the excuse we'll give for having to check out 3 times). We bought a bunch of stuff including local snack cakes and other sweets (uh, for Lacey). Stuff is pretty cheap here. I bought two cold drinks at the checkout for less than $1. Even the escalators are cool. Some of them are sloped sidewalks that grip the wheels of the cart to keep it from sliding.

Took the stuff back to the hotel and met with our guide at 2:00. She outlined the week ahead, gave us some updated info on Lacey, and 6 new photos! The best part of the info was the all important fact that her favorite foods include sweets and all kinds of snacks! We'll get along just fine!!

Then we hit the street to walk around. We stopped in a few mall type shops which were horrendously expensive (I saw a pair of jeans for $474)! Then we had dinner at a food court type place which led to some comedy while trying to decide what to eat. We had some kind of spicy beef on a bowl that was on top of a flame. Pretty nice stuff! Then we got frozen yogurt. Remember that place I Can't Believe It's Yogurt? I believed it was yogurt. It literally tasted like frozen yogurt. Then we walked around some more and came back to the hotel.

Just got back from the pool. Very nice! They also had spa rooms for men and women. I went into a (no joke) 190 degree sauna and lasted 10 minutes. I lasted 1 minute in the 52 degree pool, and Cindy couldn't get past her toes in the 108 degree hot tub!

And that's it! Sorry for the length. Really looking forward to the morning when we won't have to rely on pictures anymore!

Thanks for reading,
Daniel