GOTCHA DAY and the Two Days Before

Well, what can I say!!!

The last three days have been a whirlwind of activity. On Sunday we left the hotel at 8:00 a.m. for the Cloisonee Factory then on to the Great Wall (which was absolutly breath taking and packed with millions of people (so it seemed). The Chinese really don't mind togetherness as they push and shove through lines just to get where they need and no one yells at them like in America (that's just what they do!!). After the Great Wall, we stopped by a Jade factory and had a tradionional Chinese dinner. We then drove by the Olympic Village and were able to see a few sights but most were covered by trees or fence. We did see the bird's nest and the flam is going now due to the Para Olympics.

On Monday we left at 8:30 a.m. to tour Tianneman Square (spelling may not be correct - I'm tired!!), Forbidden City (super crowded again!!) and then a Hutong City tour by Rickshaw. That was the hightlight of the day to see how many Chinese actually live. Being in the city we didn't see that as much until yesterday.

We woke up this mornining at 3:30 a.m., our group got on the bus at 5:00 a.m. to head to the Beijing Airport then we all separated to fly to our prospective provinces. Three families are with us here in Changsha. We arrived around 10:45 and met our guide, Vicky. She took us to the hotel, let us settle in for a little while (I do mean a little while). We met her at 1:30 for some paper work. She walked us down to the small market to buy some formula, rice cereal, juice and water. We walked back to the hotel and 5 minutes laster boarded the bus heading towards the Civil Affairs office. There we met little Carissa and her nanny and orphanage director. They seemed to care for her and watched for the first 30-40 minutes to see how she was adjusting. She did cry for the first 10-15 minutes or so calling for "mama" - her care taker (nanny). She then calmed down and seemed to be sullen for a while. We took some passport photos with her. Signed some paperwork and then headed back to the hotel on the bus. She seemed to be very serious. Ryan was really good at interacting with her and she has warmed up very quickly. Around 5:30 I was feeding her a bottle and she started to smile. We started lauphing and so did she. We gave her her first bath and she loved it. She got dressed up in a cute outfit and we headed out for dinner. She is some what active (as a one year old should be) but so far her personality seems very pleasant and fairly calm. I cannot say "mama" because that makes her cry. Mama is a term they used for her care taker so it probably makes her think of that so we have to come up with something else for now.
Her left ear is severly deformed in that there is no hole. She can hear though because we call her by her chinese name she responds and she heard a little girl adopted by another couple (and a different agency) and turned her head to see who it was.

She is definitely a chunk. She had bigger thighs than Ryan. I chinese baby with some definite rolls!! I love leg rolls (on babies). Her eyes are so dark and bright that everyone we see stops to say "beautifle eyes". The orphanage director called her "beautiful girl" when he handed her to me. She seems to have a fond liking to males which is good for Curt. The orphanage director is a male.

I could go on and on but need to go back up to the room and check on Curt and Carissa. They both crashed. It says that she is a good sleeper. She went to bed around 8:45 (like her paper work said) and is also sais that she sleeps unitl 6:30. I hope that it is right.

The pictures that I am posting may not be in any order due to some wacky thing with my camera so please bear with them. I am also posting from my e-mail address since the directions to the blog are in chinese. I haven't mastered that language yet (nor do I think I ever can).

Thanks for all of your prayers and we will try posting when we can. Tomorrow we go back to the Civil affairs office and give them the orphanage donation along with finishing up the paper work. We still have to stay for another 3 1/2 days for the paper work to be processed so we can then fly to Guangzhou.

Goodnight!!

Our First Day in Beijing China

We finally arrived at our hotel sometime after 11:00 p.m. last night. We started the day with a good breakfast at the hotel then a meeting with our group and guide. Joy, our Beijing guide took us to a grocery store for snacks and drinks. It is amazing the different flavored chips they have here. Most are quite gross!!

Half of our group went to take naps in the afternoon then later today we were taken to an Acrobatic show. It is amazing to see the flexibility and strength they have. We got back to the hotel around 6:30 then several families walked down to a local chinese restaraunt for dinner. We chose to try the duck, per Joy's recommendation. Ryan and I were the least thrilled but Curt and his mother, Connie, seemed to like it. Tonight we are going to get a good nights rest then off to the Great Wall and Cloisonne factory for a tour.

We Are Leaving

We will be leaving at 7:15 a.m. to head to the airport. Please keep us in your prayers that travel will go smoothly and we all arrive in Beijing in one piece with all of our luggage. We will try to post as much as possible to keep you informed of our daily lives. We will meet Carissa for the first time on Tuesday afternoon (while everyone should be sleeping here in America). Please pray for bonding and adjustment. This is going to be a whole other world for her little life. Off we go!!!

Holiday Adoption Fundraiser

I know we are a few months away from Christmas, but we have a wonderful opportunity to be in on an adoption fundraiser and I wanted to post about it. I think these ornaments are beautiful and Christine is an adoptive mother and has a heart to help other adoptive families. SO- if you like these as much as I do and want to order one or a whole set - she said to order soon - they sell quickly and they do come all the way from China! Oh, and if you want the proceeds to help our family - just add "Freed family" somehwere in your email - then she gives the proceeds to us. (If you don't care who the proceeds go to, you don't need to add anything and she just divides it evenly. ) We are so grateful to people like this that are willing to help adoptive families!

You can find them at www.HolidayAdoptionFundraiser.blogspot.com

Baby Shower and 5 Days til Travel

Today some dear friends gave me a shower for Carissa. We played some fun games, opened presents and then my friends and some of their children gathered around me and they prayed for Carissa, our trip and her adjustment to our family. What a fun and neat time we had!! Our pastor's wife bought Carissa her first little doll. It even smelled like a baby. How fun!! I loved dolls when I was a young girl so I am hoping that she will love them as well.

When I got home, the roll of border that I had ordered had finally arrived so we put that up, got her gifts put away and now her room is complete. Very girly, with lots of pink and some green. We have 4 full days until we travel on Thursday so we still have some things to accomplish before traveling. I think that I will be ready to rest on the long plan ride over there.

One More Week Until Travel Day!!

We leave for China in one more week. Our travel visas arrived yesterday so the last thing to do is get all of our fresh crisp bills ready for our orphanage donation, etc. For those of you who want to follow our schedule here is our itinerary (remember that China is 12 hours ahead of our time):

September 11 - Leave Grand Rapids at 10:05 a.m. Arrive in Minneapolis at 10:40. We will meet up with Curt's mother at some point (she is traveling with us). Leave Minneapolis at 3:00 p.m. for the LOOONNNGGG flight to Tokyo arriving at 5:25 p.m. (13 hours ahead). Leave Tokyo at 6:35 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 9:35 p.m. (on the 12th).
September 12 - Arrive in Beijing at 9:35 p.m. Travel to Days Hotel and Suites.
September 13 - Orientation meeting in morning. Acrobatic show in afternoon.
September 14 - Vist the Great Well and Cloisonne Factory
September 15 - Visit Tiananment Square, the Forbidden City and Hutong Tour.
SEPTEMBER 16 (FAMILY DAY!!) - Fly to Changsha (Hunan Province) in the morning & check in to the Dolton Hotel. We will meet Carissa for the first time in the afternoon.
September 17 - Adoptoin registration and notarization
September 18 - Free Day (probably shop!!)
September 19 - Visit Hunan Embroidery Factory & Yuelu Academy
September 20 - Visit Hunan Museum
September 21 - Visit Bayli Park
September 22 - Receive all the documents. Fly to Guanghzou and stay at the White Swan Hotel
September 23 - Medical Exam for the children
September 24 - Visa appointment (U.S. Consulate/Embassy)
September 25 - 3:00 p.m. go to the consulate to take the oath and pick up visa.
September 26 - 8:20 a.m. leave Guangzhou and fly to Tokyo arriving at 1: 55 p.m. Leave Tokyo at 3:25 p.m. (another LOOONNNGGG flight) and arrive in Minneapolis at 12:05 p.m. (Once we land in Minneapolis, Carissa will become a U.S. Citizen). Leave Minneapolis at 4:55 to finally return home to Grand Rapids at 7:17 p.m.

Since we have such a long lay over in Minneapolis, we will have time for Carissa to meet some of her Aunts and cousins that will be coming to the airport to see her. Hopefully customs won't be too bad, but even so we have almost about a 4 1/2 hour lay over in the airport to give us time to visit a little while.

We are very excited for this new chapter in our lives and hopefully we will be able to post while in China to keep everyone up to speed while we are gone. Thank you for your prayers and support during this three year adventure that will be ending and beginning soon!!

Current Measurements But No Pictures

We received Carissa's updated measurements today but not a current picture. I guess we have to wait until we get there to see her. I converted her measurements and she weighs 21 lbs. and is 28.7". She will be one years old in two weeks so she isn't a tiny little Chinese girl. She is about the same in weight and height that Ryan was at one years old. If any of you knew him when he was a baby, he was a little chunk (not a big chunk but a healthy chunk). Several friends had told me to get 9-12 months clothing but I hadn't purchased too many until we knew her measurements which I am glad. She is at the end of 9 month clothing charts and beginning of 12 month clothing charts so she seems to be right where she should be. I will post more information as it gets closer. Only two weeks and one day!!