Journey to Pearl

Last Post

2006-10-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

Now that Pearl has made it home and has begun to settle in as a member of our family, and our journey is over, I think it is time to join Chloe's blog and Pearl's blog into one. Click on the link to the right entitled "My family blog" and don't forget to bookmark the page once you get there.

Lovely Miss Pearl

2006-10-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

Playing in the Pumpkin Patch

2006-10-09T22:56:00.000-07:00

Visiting Friends

2006-10-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Chloe, Mom, Wolfe, Pearl & Winter

Getaway Weekend

2006-10-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend was our first extended journey from home since Pearl joined our family. In just 3 days, we managed to pack in 4 visits with family and friends as well as major clothes shopping on Saturday for the girls. Pearl did beautifully on the entire trip, but Chloe reached her breaking point on Sunday and was full of tears and tantrums, not her usual bubbly self.

First stop was Paso Robles (1.5 hrs from home) where we visited with our ex-SIL Cindy(now just honorary SISTER), our nieces and nephews and her new husband Josh. Their new baby Quinlan is doing wonderfully well and was just starting to crawl. We took a lot of cute pictures and I hope to post one within a day or two. Later that night we dined at our favorite Chinese restaurant in Monterey, Chongs. It's not much on atmosphere, but we just LOVE their food. It has been a tradition for us since 1987.

After a leisurely morning in beautiful Carmel, we ventured on to our friends Kevin and Christie's home in Hollister. They just became foster parents to a beautiful 4 week old baby girl, who we all hope to see become a permanent member of the family. She is dainty and adorable. I used to work with Kevin at a structural engineering firm in Salinas about 15 years ago. Kevin is still there now and I have been employed with the City of Shafter for the past 12 years. We had a wonderful visit and they presented baby doll gifts to Chloe and Pearl, which were of course, a big hit!

Next was a business meeting in Gilroy followed by shopping at the outlet center in Gilroy. We only went to one store, Carters, and found tons of everyday clothes suitable for daycare. Now they are set for Winter casual wear. I won't tell you how much we spent.

Onward and upward to San Jose we traveled. After checking into our hotel and giving the girls a much needed bath, we went to my Cousin Bruce and Lorene's house. We totally love visiting them and try to get up there any chance we get. Fortunately for us, their daughter and son-in-law were also in town for the weekend. Their daughter Brenda is my age and we always have a good time when we get together. Chloe and Pearl had a blast visiting neighbors, picking flowers in the garden, and ravaging the toybox. One of the neighbors even gave the girls matching beaded necklaces, which of course, they loved. My big regret is that we did not take many pictures of this visit, but I know Pete got some video. Hopefully, it is good. Visiting the cousins is like a trip to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

So far, the girls survived two days with no naps, other than the occasional snooze in the car seat. The stimulation has been high, but everyone managed to get a good night sleep Saturday night. Sunday morning brought one more pleasant visit as we stopped by our internet friend's Chris and Rebecca's home. Chris and Rebecca have also adopted two children from China, so this was an opportunity for the girls to spend time with other Chinese adoptees, not that they noticed. Our hats are off to Chris and Rebecca for their amazing toy collection (and we didn't even see the kid's rooms). Chloe's favorite toy is anything to do with trains and when she found the play table with the full Thomas the Train setup, she was crazed. They even had a toy train that you could ride around on a small track. At this point, Chloe lost all sense of control and could not manage to see anyone, especially Pearl, playing with any of the train toys.

I really wished we had more time for conversation as Rebecca and Chris are a fascinating couple with two beautiful children. Their son Haowen (American name Wolfe), age 5.5 just came home from China a month before Pearl, so it was nice to hear how well his English language has progressed. He is speaking in sentences and understands pretty much everything. Their daughter Winter Hope was only 3 months older than Pearl and she is a lively ball of energy, much like our Chloe (on a good day). As it was, just keeping an eye on all of the activity of four young kids was enough distraction to make carrying on a conversation challenging. We took a few pictures, but Chloe was not in the mood for cooperation, so ours weren't the best. I will try to post one anyway. Hopefully, Rebecca got a good one. I guess this just means we will have to get together another time if we want to finish the conversation and the photo shoot. If you are reading this Rebecca, thank you for your hospitality!

Next we headed toward home with only one more big stop, Pete's favorite destination, Casa de Fruta, on the itinerary. It is a 100 year old fruit stand that has grown to epic proportions, including a train ride and carousel ride. There is a large fruit stand, a fancy deli/wine shop, a cafe, a candy shop and lots of other stuff. Pete has done a lot of engineering work for the owner in the past. Pete wanted to pick up some pumpkins because Halloween is his favorite holiday. The girls and I just played in the yard where some small railcars were set up as playhouses for the kids. We also took the girls on the train and carousel rides. Next door to the fruit stand was a Renaissance Faire, so there were many lively characters walking around.

Only 2.5 hours later, we arrived at home, still daylight and we let the girls play on their tricycles in the front driveway. They were so excited to be home and Chloe turned back into her sweet self once again. Pearl managed to keep her even temperment the entire weekend and had no potty accidents.

Halloween Sneak Peak

2006-10-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

The girls try on their costumes for size.

First Day of Dance Class

2006-10-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

Back to Work

2006-10-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

This week marked the beginning of our "normal" schedule. I returned to work on Monday and then promptly took most of the morning off to take Chloe and Pearl to their first dance class. Pete went too and we had a great time. Chloe was scared at first and one of the teachers had to hold her for the first 10 minutes, then she stood there for the next half hour just watching everyone else, and then finally the last 20 minutes, she joined in, in her own unique way, giving the teacher high fives and bouncing around.

Pearl, on the otherhand, also appeared to be nervous, but she joined right in from the first step and followed along without hesitation. Even though the class has been going for a few weeks and the girls just joined Monday, Pearl is already one of the better students at following along and participating. I can hardly wait for next Monday to see the girls on their second day of dance class.

Tuesday brought another first. Pearl began preschool which will occur on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for about 3 1/2 hours in the morning. Her daycare provider, Robin, dropped her off and picked her up, so I just got the report that everything went just fine. The preschool, Robin's house, our house and my work are all within a few blocks of each other. Life in a small town can have a lot of advantages.

Pearl & Chloe Meet Cousin Faith

2006-09-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

We all went out to support our local Kiwanis organization by purchasing pancake breakfasts on September 23, 2006. Pearl and Chloe had a fun time and played with Cousin Faith. After breakfast, we all moved on to the playground for another hour of fun and excitement.

2006-09-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

Pearl shops for new toys
Pearl models Elmo costume

Dad buys matching PJs for Halloween

2006-09-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

Pearl starts Daycare with Chloe

2006-09-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

After a few days home, Chloe returned to her regular daycare on the following Monday. This gave me a few days to spend some extra time with Pearl alone. Since I had so many things to take care of this week (including one day of bed rest), we decided to take Pearl to daycare with Chloe. She loved it instantly and all the kids greeted her with hugs and excitement. When we go to pick them up, they both come running with big smiles and happy faces. The first couple of days, we just took Pearl half time, but she is already happy to spend the day there.

Yesterday, we picked them up a couple of hours early and took them to the Kern County Fair. It was a little hot and Chloe was too short for even the kiddie rides (Pearl was just at the line), so the rides were not too fun. They did enjoy the animals and I think the girls really loved all the bunny rabbits in the barn. We spent a fortune on bad food and silly toys that quickly broke, but it was still a fun adventure.

Every evening is playtime with Mom and Dad. The girls love watching the Wiggles and Pearl is a master at immitation and picking up things. She can repeat the dance moves to perfection while Chloe just bounces around hysterically laughing. Pearl loves learning and she can already count to five in English, ahead of her younger sister, Chloe.

Last night was the first time Pearl and Chloe shared a bath. I think it was the first time both girls truly acted like best buddies and friends. They have had a lot of fun together since meeting, but bath time last night was on a whole new level.
I have to say that two girls really isn't much more work than one (one Chloe, that is). The extra time invested in getting Pearl dressed, fed, bathed and put to bed is balanced by the time saved when the girls play together, occasionally giving Mom and Dad a reprieve. Plus, the additional fun of two laughing, jumping giggling girls is an added bonus. I can hardly wait until Pearl starts talking in English sentences. I noticed that when Chloe hands Pearl something, Pearl says "Xie Xie Mei Mei" which means "Thank you, little sister". So cute!

Pearl and Marty become friends

2006-09-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

2006-09-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Pearl on her way home from her first US haircut.

Finally an Update--Home 2 weeks

2006-09-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

Well, first of all, I apologize for leaving you hanging. We did receive Pearl's visa and made it home safely from China. She had her first major meltdown at LAX. I think she was a bit airsick from the 13 hour flight and she refused to walk. We had been waiting for Chloe's stroller to appear in the luggage carousel for an hour and a half and we finally decided to ditch it since we had the rest of our luggage. Many of the other passengers were still waiting for their luggage. Now, how to transport our luggage and two toddlers who cannot walk out of the airport and on to the shuttle to our car. I carried Chloe and we stacked Pearl on top of the luggage on one of the airport carts. As we left the secure area, Pearl screamed and kicked hysterically as we made our way out of the airport. Everyone was staring wide eyed. We finally found the shuttle and made our way to our truck, ready with two carseats. Pearl didn't mind the carseat too much, but she did manage to throw up at some point on the way home.

Jetlag, colds and coughs kept us all staying close to home and out of touch with most of the world for the past two weeks. Pearl became a little more moody and pouty for the first 10 or 12 days home. Now she is getting back to the happy smiley girl we met in China. Her first visit to the doctor lasted 4.5 hours and she was tested for everything. Her Chinese American pediatrician thinks she has asthma and she was prescribed several medications. The way health insurance works here is you cannot add your adopted child to the policy until they are here physically. It takes several days to update the records. I added Pearl after 5 days home. Day 8 we went to the doctor's and it wasn't enough time to get her in the system. Well, I managed to get her to her appointment, and to the lab for bloodwork and to the radiologist for her lung x-rays. The only place that wouldn't accept her temporary records was the pharmacist. They said I would have to pay for the medicine now and then be reimbursed later. Well, I thought, no big deal, I can fork out a couple of hundred dollars and then we can go home. Turns out the medicine bill was nearly $500 for Pearl's prescriptions, UGH! So I did what any good mother would do, I carefully explained the situation and then nearly broke down into tears. I wasn't going home without that medicine. I guess the worker took pity on me and made a few phone calls. After another 20 minutes, she got approval to manually enter Pearl's records into the computer.

Jetlag with two toddlers is quite the experience. For 9 or 10 days, both girls woke up every night between midnight and 2 AM and did not go back to bed until 6 AM (for a couple of hours). It was miserable and I thought we would never get back on track. I kept their daytime naps to a minimum and kept them outside during the daylight, but it still took a long time to get back on schedule. Now, both girls are going to bed at an appropriate time and sleeping through the night. We are also just about over the bedtime tears.

I have been sick with cold-like symptoms ever since my second week in China, so now that I have Pearl taken care of, it was my turn to go to the doctor's. I have been so tired, mostly due to a persistent cough that becomes so intense, it causes me to vomit. They checked me for everything from TB to Valley Fever. It is probably allergies, but after 8 colds this past year, I really need them to check me out thoroughly and give me some relief before I go back to work full time in another week. The good news is Pearl is doing better and Chloe and Pete are also doing well.

Day 9 Our Consulate Appointment

2006-09-05T04:32:00.000-07:00

Today was another low-key day. We were instructed to sit in our hotel room and stay by the phone while our guide was at the US Consulate with all our paperwork. If there were any questions, they would call us. By 11, we got the call that everything was OK. The girls played in the playroom and we later took them to a playground where they played with the local children.

Pearl is starting to act more like a 3 year old. She shows distress when she doesn't get her way and she has had a few melt-downs. She is still generally happy and eager to learn. She is very smart and often reminds us when we forget things, like leaving her sippy cup on the dining table. Chloe is having nasty diaper problems today. I hope it clears up before we go home tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow, we check out of our hotel at 2, go to the US Consulate and wait for Pearl's visa. After we get it, we go straight to the airport and thankfully, head home. We will arrive at LAX the same evening 2 hours before we left Guangzhou.

Day 9 -- Pictures

2006-09-05T03:23:00.000-07:00

Day 8 --photos

2006-09-05T03:15:00.000-07:00

Day 8--Medical Examination

2006-09-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today, we met up with the other 4 families from our agency and proceeded onto the medical clinic, where the newly adopted children must undergo a medical exam before they can be issued visas to enter the US.

It was utter mayhem in the clinic with families piled on top of each other and people frantically being escorted from station to station. They kept sending us back to the first station. I don't think there was any sense of an orderly process with everyone dashing from room to room haphazardly. The exam was pretty superficial and Pearl weighed in at 12 kilos and 91 centimeters long. Not sure what that means in US units. It was hot and crazy and way too crowded to be safe.

Afterward, we headed to our hotel for group photos, but Pete had left early with Chloe and the camera, so we missed out. Then we headed back to the playroom to let the girls have a chance to unwind. This afternoon we said goodbye to Daisy as she was escorted to the airport in the hotel shuttle.

Tonight Pearl and I played a new game. She would ask me to draw her a picture on her magnadoodle and then I would tell her the word in English, like "flower", and she would repeat it back. I think this will be a great technique in teaching her English. She is getting very comfortable with us.

Day 7-Relaxing in Guangzhou

2006-09-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

Today we took it easy and didn't do any tours. We had our first breakfast at the famous White Swan buffet and it did live up to all the hype. Pearl will try almost everything, but her favorite food appears to be watermelon. For those who know me, you are probably laughing because you know this food is on my top 5 list of food dislikes. I guess I will have to start buying them now.

Pearl is still a sweet and easygoing girl. She can get wound up, but not too bad. She is a ham for the camera and will easily flash a smile on command (as you can tell by most of the photos). The only difficult time for Pearl is naps and bedtime. I am not sure if she is just crying because she doesn't want to go to bed or if she is letting out deeper feelings from all the changes. She seems very attached to Pete and I and shows no interest in going to anyone else. She isn't clingy, and doesn't mind walking everywhere while Chloe rides in the stroller (or gets carried). Of course, she really likes Daisy too, so it may be a little tough when Daisy leaves us tomorrow to head off to college in England.

We had dinner with 3 other families who are adopting special needs children. It was at the local Thai restaurant and the food was very good. Both girls ate well and were in good spirits. You can see Chloe playing with a basket and Pearl kicking it up in Daddy's lap in the photos below.

Chloe is also doing well and hamming it up as usual. Tomorrow is the medical exam for Pearl. It should be short and simple.

Day 7--Dinner at Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant

2006-09-03T05:09:00.000-07:00

Day 7--White Swan play room

2006-09-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Day 6 -- We made it to Guangzhou!

2006-09-02T02:56:00.000-07:00

I appologize for the very limited number of pictures we have posted. Partly, it is because I am having a terrible time getting them to upload, and partly, we haven't taken nearly enough. Chloe is doing a little better today and Pete went out to get her some more medicine. This time she agreed to take it, and then, an hour later, I found the medicine that I had packed, but couldn't find before. Now we are well-stocked.

Tonight we are going to take it easy and order American-style food delivered to our room. Tomorrow is paperwork and shopping.

Day 6 -- Settling in at the White Swan Hotel

2006-09-02T02:48:00.000-07:00

Day 5 picture

2006-09-02T02:31:00.000-07:00

Day 5--Touring

2006-09-02T02:06:00.000-07:00

Today was our last full day here in Chengdu. This is a very large and modern city. Our first stop was the site where Pearl was abandoned. It was downtown in front of a hostel only a few steps from the site of the old Chengdu orphanage. Amazingly, only a few days later, a brand new orphanage was opened on the outskirts of the city and Pearl was transferred there. The new orphanage had preschool and nurture programs established by an American non-profit agency, Half The Sky. We believe that their efforts have resulted in Pearl's eagerness to accept us as her parents and in her good development skills. By another amazing coincidence, while we were looking around the old orphanage, the director of the new orphanage appeared and spent a few more moments with us and Pearl. She just happened to be attending a meeting there that day. She seemed to like Pearl very much and described her further as independent and helpful with the smaller children.

Afterwards, we toured a buddhist temple with only women monks. Their heads were shaved and there were a lot of women from the city who came in to recite verses. It was very beautiful and in stark contrast to all the modern concrete framed buildings surrounding it. From there we headed to an embroidery and brocade factory. The works were stunning and very pricey too. The Sichuan province is famous for this type of artistry and it was wonderful to see them producing these beautiful fabrics and designs.

We were tired after that and returned to the room for the evening, until we boldly ventured out to Pizza Hut. During dinner, we realized that Chloe was sick, very sick. I don't think she has ever had a fever the entire time she has been with us. She kept us up most of the night. I couldn't find the medicine that I thought I had packed, so we purchased some Chinese medicine, but Chloe absolutely refused to take it. I was really worried and we just hoped things would be better the next morning. By about 5:00 AM, she popped out of bed and enthusiastically asked for a bath. We were so relieved to see her feeling better. We knew that we were heading for Guangzhou the next morning and that we could probably find some familiar medicine once we got there.

More pictures from day 4

2006-09-01T00:39:00.000-07:00

2006-08-31T04:21:00.000-07:00

2006-08-31T04:11:00.000-07:00

Day 3 and 4 with Pearl

2006-08-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written much lately. We spent most of our 3rd day together in the hotel room. It was my turn to feel sick. Pete gave me lots of time to rest and I am feeling a little better today. Mostly, it is a cough and just dealing with the humidity. We have been very fortunate with the weather as the temperatures remain fairly cool and the sun has been screened by clouds. Nevertheless, just going to KFC for dinner can be an exhausting experience with the moisture in the air.

Our hotel is conveniently situated. Within a block are McDonalds, KFC (with a play area), Pizza Hut and lots of fine shopping. Daisy and I took Pearl to a department store to buy some clothes and shoes and Pearl seemed so excited to have things of her own. The store we shopped at was an upscale department store, so the prices were not all that great, but the items we purchased were 50% off (summer clearance), so I got some good discounts.

After 4 days with Pearl, we are still in a honeymoon phase. She is so easily occupied with whatever you give her and she loves to call us "Mama" and "Baba". She smiles a lot and doesn't compete with Chloe for things, although she has a strong understanding of which things are "hers". Chloe has been very good with Pearl as well. She shares and offers affection. She had a bit of a crying fit on the second day, I think mostly to the stress of turning her world upside-down, but she is a trooper and recovers quickly.

When we go places, Pearl requires little intervention, just hold her hand and she happily follows along. Chloe is the opposite. One minute she wants to be held, then ride in the stroller, and then walk. But when Chloe walks, it is never in a straight line, she doesn't like her hand held and she prefers to run, skip or hop. It is a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. With our guide and Daisy, we have 4 adults to 2 toddlers. Pearl requires one adult; Chloe requires 3. It has been so wonderful to have this help.

Today we went to the famous Chengdu Panda Research Station and viewed pandas. One the way there, the driver remarked to our guide that Chloe never stops talking. We all laughed as he was clearly correct. Pearl sat there quietly and Chloe constantly makes noises like a cat, dog and frog. It was amazingly humid and we were sweating profusely, but it was still worth the trip as the girls really enjoyed the pandas. The guide says that Pearl was asking many questions and was very excited. The timing was very fortunate as there are two sets of twin baby pandas on display, a very rare experience. One set was about 3 weeks old and one set was about 2 weeks old. They were in incubators receiving supplemental feedings by staff when we got there. Even the cute red pandas were a source of excitement as they bounded around playfully.

This afternoon we will rest and tonight we go out for dinner. Sorry, we didn't take many pictures lately, we will try to do better tomorrow.

Pictures from Day 2 at the Notary Office

2006-08-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

Pearl and Chloe found some toys
Daisy blows bubbles for the girls
Pearl signs the official adoption decree with her hand stamped red

Pictures from our first day together

2006-08-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

We have Pearl!

2006-08-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

After trying 5 times, I have only managed to post one picture, so you will have to wait until I wake up in the morning and try again.

Wow! What a day today has been. We were prepared for a very tough meeting. Daisy, Pete, Chloe, our guide and I headed off to the Chengdu Childrens' Welfare Institution at 9 AM. Chloe must have sensed something as she was clearly out of sorts this morning. She is still waking up at 4 AM and consequently, so are we. The orphanage is located in the sub-burbs approximately 40 minutes from the center of town where our hotel is. After we passed through the city, we entered a place with very nicely designed high-tech factories by Intel and Motorola, some car manufacturers, and lots of pharmacuetical companies. Just at the end of the road was the orphanage, rather large and attractive as far as orphanages go. Our guide said it was the nicest one she had ever seen. It had been built only 4 years ago.

We entered the orphanage and were quickly escorted into a conference room. In only a moment, in walked Pearl with a timid smile upon her face, clutching the photo album we had sent her only a month ago. She calmly walked up to Pete and called him "Baba" which means Daddy. She then looked at me, smiled and called me "Mama". She is so thin and delicate with such a sweet smile upon her face. She seemed almost eager to see us. Chloe also was very interested in the activities as Pearl looked at her and addressed her as "Mei Mei" (little sister). She was so very proud of her photo album as she could name off each of the people in it and point to her bed in her room.

I was quite surprised by our initial greeting, but less so after I learned that she had never been in foster care (like I had thought), but had rather spent her entire time in the orphanage. If she had been leaving a mother that had cared for her, she would have been seriously grieving. I guess there was a misunderstanding on my part regarding the paperwork and its translation. Pearl seems to be anything but a special needs child. She is perfectly healthy except for some mosquito bites and the tail end of a cold. She was originally diagnosed with a light case of brain paralysis (cerebral palsy), but then she recovered from her symptoms and seems totally fine.

So far, after only one day with strangers (us), Pearl is quiet, yet chatty and inquisitive, calm, curious and compliant. This really made things easy for us today as Chloe was her usual rambunctious self and far more. These girls are like yin and yang. Pearl is thin and at least two inches taller than Chloe. She can wear Chloe's clothes and they are loose on her. I am sure that in time, when she comes out of her shell, she will behave more like the toddler she is. Seeing these new sisters together made me really appreciate Chloe's very unique, crazy, silly, funny and wild personality. Most people in China seem amazed and amused by her antics.

The staff at the orphanage emphasized that Pearl is very clever, a comment that reinforces her description in her medical report. She can speak Chinese fluently, although Daisy sometimes has difficulty with her Sichuan accent. Just watching Pearl color and interact with Daisy gives us the impression that this is one very smart little girl.

Immediately after meeting Pearl, we were shuffled into a larger gathering room with sofas all around the perimeter. There were three other families receiving their children. One of the babies was screaming for dear life and the other two appeared shut down and confused. It was amazing that we received such a calm smiling little girl. After that, we toured the orphanage and grounds and took a picture of Pearl by her old bed. The gardens are very beautiful and there is a brand new track and basketball court in between the playgrounds. Pearl was so excited to show us off to all the staff and other children she met along the way, however, when it was time to get in the car to leave, she became scared and cried. I think she must have expected we were coming to live with her rather than take her away from the only home she has ever known.

Next we went out to Pizza Hut for lunch and Pearl ate very well. Even Chloe ate much more than her usual 3 bites. While we were sitting there, a song began playing over the speakers. It was one of my favorite songs, entitled "Someone to Watch Over Me". Pete said hearing that song and its lyrics nearly caused him to cry. It seemed most appropriate, given our circumstances.

Well, I must get to bed. Sorry, the pictures didn't post, but check later on and I should get them up in the morning (afternoon/evening your USA time).

2006-08-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

Tour Summer Palace and Travel to Chengdu

2006-08-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

Today was a very nice day. Daisy and her family took us to the Summer Palace in Beijing. It was a beautiful day and we were able to walk all around a very large lake on mostly level ground and in the shade. It was perfect since we had Chloe in her stroller. Daisy's mom insisted on pushing the stroller and Chloe didn't seem to mind. This palace was the vacation home of the emperors and it is the largest (land area) palace in the world. After strolling halfway around the lake, we took a boat (see picture below) out to an island and then walked across a famous bridge and back to the starting point. Most of the place is under restoration for the Olympics, so much of it is inaccessible. We still enjoyed our tour very much. There are a lot of people here today and the crowds are amazing. Watching the people is half the fun of the experience.

Afterward, we got a quick rest and then headed for the airport with Daisy and her uncle to travel to Chengdu. Chloe was very good today, even when she was visably tired. She has been so much fun and is falling in love with Daisy. They are so cute together! Soon, we will have Pearl. Stay tuned.

Summer Palace

2006-08-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

Summer Palace Pictures

2006-08-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Beijing Dinner Show

2006-08-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

Chloe the drummer

Forbidden City pictures

2006-08-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Daisy's Mom,
Daisy, Pete, Chloe & Lori

Tienanmen Square & Forbidden City Gate

Forbidden City

2006-08-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! This place is awesome. We walked for two hours straight and only saw about half the place before Chloe went into melt-down mode and begged for a nap. It is so large that we walked about a mile through a park and several outer courtyards before we even reached the South gate into the Forbidden City. It is a busy Saturday and the place is very crowded with tourists, mostly Chinese.

Daisy and her mother took us and then hired a private tour guide to walk us around the place and tell us about each of the rooms. It was built in 1406 and completed in 1420, only 14 years, an amazing feat. Many of the buildings have been recently restored and others will be restored before the Olympics. It is incredible to see the detailing in the paintings on these lovely structures.

Daisy and her mother helped out oftentimes pushing Chloe in her stroller or just managing the stroller while Pete or I carried her. The guide told us that a typical day like today sees 40,000 visitors. I only saw 3 other strollers and 2 wheelchairs. I am not sure how someone can carry a toddler for this entire tour.

Tonight we will get a second chance at the dinner theater. We had to cancel out last night as we were not feeling well. It should be quite an experience. Tomorrow afternoon we will get on a plane and travel to Chengdu to meet Pearl, now only two days away.

Some pictures from Beijing

2006-08-24T23:15:00.000-07:00

Beihei Park, Beijing

Daisy, Chloe and Mom on the Great Wall of China.

We're in China!

2006-08-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

We have had quite the adventure so far. It has been fraught with some amazing challenges and I hope that what lays before us is not as difficult as we have just experienced.

We almost didn't make it to China. Pete had been sick since Sunday and our flight left Tuesday evening at 11:50 pm. It started with flu-like symptoms and a cough and by Monday, he thought he had a bladder infection. He went to the doctor on Monday, they confirmed the infection and prescribed some anti-biotics. Tuesday morning he was in agony and feared he had kidney stones. He went back to the doctor's at 10 am and they did every test possible to diagnose his condition. Stones were ruled out early, but appendicitis was not. That would have required immediate admittance to a hospital. It took 5.5 hours for them to decide that it was a bacterial infection and clear him for travel. He arrived home and we left an hour later for the airport. That was really cutting it close.

When we arrived in Beijing, we were exhausted (and Pete was still very ill). Daisy and her father picked us up at the airport and later that evening took us out to a famous restaurant that serves Peking Duck. They even give you a certificate for the number of the bird you ate. A little hard for Lori, the vegetarian, but when in Rome..............

This morning we went to the Great Wall and rode a cable car halfway up the mountain. Then we walked around a little bit, but didn't climb too far with Chloe. Chloe has done amazingly well so far on this journey. We got some really bad news from home that we cannot share on the internet, but suffice it to say, we are doing all we can to keep our wits and sanity. It is very stressful right now. Pete wasn't well enough to join us for lunch. It was an Emperor's Feast served in a beautiful Palace in Beihei park. Tonight they will take us to a dinner show. It is probably a bit much for us, but they are such gracious hosts and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Daisy's uncle is driving us around today and he has even decided to join us on our trip to Chengdu.

Well, I need a nap, so that's all for now.

Ready to Go

2006-08-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here is our itinerary thus far:

August 22, 2006 11:50 PM
Depart LAX to Guangzhou to Beijing, arriving at 10:55 AM on August 24, 2006.
August 24-27, 2006
Sight-see in Beijing and visit with Daisy and her parents. Stay at Fujian Hotel.
August 27, 2006
Depart in morning for Chengdu, Sichuan Province, taking Daisy with us. Stay at the Crowne Plaza Holiday Inn.
August 28, 2006
Meet and receive our daughter Pearl
August 29, 2006
Finalize our adoption paperwork - Pearl will be officially ours.
August 30-September 2, 2006
Time for bonding and sightseeing with Pearl as we wait for her Chinese passport.
September 2, 2006
Depart for Guangzhou with Daisy, our final destination. Stay at the White Swan hotel on Shamian Island.
September 4, 2006
Pearl's medical exam
September 5, 2006
US Consulate appointment for Pearl's visa (to travel home)
September 6, 2006
Pick up Pearl's visa and depart Guangzhou at 9 PM for LAX
September 6, 2006, 6:50 PM - same day - arrive in Los Angeles with Pearl and Chloe

*OUR TA IS HERE!!!!***

2006-08-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

For those that don't know what TA is, it is short for Travel Approval from the People's Republic of China. It is an invitation letter to come get our daughter. We are half packed and ready to go. We have tentative travel dates of August 23rd-Sept 6th with a Forever Family Day of August 28th. That means we leave in only 3 weeks.

WOO HOO!!!! Can you hear us?

Day 63 and no news yet

2006-07-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

There's not really much to add at this point, but I really need to start packing and getting everything ready for our trip. When we do get word, we may have only a couple of weeks to make all of our travel plans.

We are following the journal of a family adopting another 3 year old girl from Chengdu. It is going amazingly well for them and their little girl seems to adore her new family. Let's hope Pearl's transition is even half as good as that. I think the difference is Pearl is living with a foster family and I think their little girl was living in the orphanage. Pearl will probably have a lot of grieving for the loss of her foster parents and siblings.

I am attaching some pictures of Pearl's room. It is still pretty empty, but that is mostly because all of the toys are in the playroom downstairs. I am hoping that the girls will want to share a room since Pearl's room has two closets and Chloe's room has none. We will just have to see how Pearl's sleeping habits are.

We will post here immediately once we have word.

2006-07-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Pearl's bedroom

Pearl's Update

2006-06-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Today has turned out to be a wonderful day. Just when I had resolved that we would probably not get any updates or pictures of Pearl until we actually meet her, we received an update. I contacted a private Chinese individual that offers different types of services to waiting families. I did this only after my agency pretty much told me I was out of luck and would probably not receive an update. I am sitting here sick with a cold, but tears of joy in my eyes as I behold our daughter and Chloe's new sister.

The person we contacted spoke directly to the orphanage director and Pearl's latest measurements are as follows, 26.5 pounds and 35.5" tall. That is only slightly larger than Chloe, so they are proportionately about the same. Now I can go shopping!!!!

Pearl in front of her orphanage

2006-06-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

YAAAAY! We have an update!

2006-06-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

We have a Log In Date (LID) of 05/11/06

2006-06-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is very good news. Our LID is just 6 days after our dossier was sent to China. Generally, the LID can be 3 or 4 weeks after the DTC date. We have heard that the CCAA in China has been speeding up for families adopting waiting children. The LID is important because it is the day the clock starts ticking as our dossier travels through the review department and we become approved to adopt Pearl. Once the review is complete, the CCAA will issue us Travel Approval, which is the invitation letter to come get our daughter. Typical wait times from LID to TA can be anywhere from 50-100 days with the average being in the high 50s. We are still on track for travel in August if we get our TA within average time limits.

We are so hopeful that we can get an update on Pearl. We have no idea what size she wears, so we don't have any clothes for her. We are just starting on preparing her room. We have removed all of the wallpaper and this week we will paint her room lavender. Next week, I will get her bed and furniture and start decorating. If it turns out nice, I will take a picture and post it here.

~DTC on Cinco de Mayo!!!!~

2006-05-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

"DTC" means "Dossier to China" and that means that all of the paperwork that we have spent months collecting is now traveling its way across the ocean to Beijing where it will be "logged in" and then translated and reviewed. Our wait from this point is anywhere from 50-100 days to receive "Travel Approval (TA)" TA is the invitation from China to come get your child. Once we receive TA, our agency contacts the US consulate in Guangzhou China to schedule an appointment for Pearl's visa. Once we know that date, we can make our plans and leave!

I thought the second time around the paperchase would be easier, but it turned out to be much harder. Every little delay is exaggerated when you know the face of your child and you know where she is waiting!

It seems most appropriate that today was our DTC since Pete is Hispanic and our community is 75% Hispanic. Our daughter will become very familiar with the Mexican American culture here in Shafter and in our family.

Almost finished with the Paper Chase!

2006-04-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

One week ago today, Pete and I had our fingerprints taken for BCIS. This was our last step toward finishing our dossier. We are told that it will take 10 days to clear our prints and then it will likely take another week for them to mail us the final document we need, the coveted, but non-official looking, I-171H. This is the final approval from the US government for us to bring home our adopted child.

The good news is that there appears to be a speeding up of the processing of waiting child/special needs adoptions in China. Waits that were 100 days are now coming in around 45 days. If this trend continues, we might possibly still be able to travel to China in August or early September. This is very important to us, not only to receive Pearl as soon as possible, but also to meet up with Liu Meng Yi, AKA "Daisy", our foreign exchange daughter in China during her summer break. Hopefully, I can post news soon that our dossier has been sent to China and the countdown can officially begin.

Pearl's baby picture

2006-03-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

Pearl with a smile

2006-03-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

Homestudy is Finished!

2006-03-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

The completion of our paperwork is so much more frustrating this time around than it was the first time. I am not sure why, but we are just having more glitches with our documents and are constantly having to correct and re-do them, costing us time and aggravation. I think the other aspect that makes this time more difficult is the fact that we have had Pearl's pictures since December of 2005 (and they are very old pictures). We will probably not get to meet her until this coming Fall. That is a very long time to carry around old pictures of a daughter you haven't met.

We have been told that once our paperwork is submitted to China that we can request (with no guarantee) updated photos of Pearl. That is another reason I am in such a hurry to get things done.

Our homestudy is now finished. At this point, one original version is submitted to the BCIS (Immigration) and another original version becomes part of our dossier to China. All of our other documents are also finished. I will be sending them to our agency next week, after I receive the homestudy.

Once BCIS receives our homestudy, they will schedule us to be fingerprinted. After that, it should only take 2 or 3 weeks to issue the 171-h, the last document that must go into our dossier. In the mean time, our other documents will be traveling to Sacramento and Los Angeles to be certified and authenticated. When everything is ready, it is sent to China, translated, and then logged in. The log-in date is usually about a month after the dossier is sent. That date starts the clock ticking. After approximately 75-110 days, China will send us an invitation to travel to pick up our daughter. Once we receive this letter, we schedule a consulate appointment with the US in Guangzhou. Once we have this appointment, we book our plane tickets and pack!!!!!!!

Our most recent picture of Pearl

2006-02-22T15:13:00.000-08:00

Pearl's baby picture

2006-02-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

Pre-Approval

2006-02-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

On February 17th, our family of three received word that we have PA, that's Pre-Approval from the People's Republic of China, to adopt Yang Yun Shan from Chengdu Children's Welfare Institute in the Sichuan province.

We plan to give her an American first name of Pearl, but we also affectionately refer to her as Shan Shan. We have been told that the English translation of "Shan" is "coral". Pearl has spent over two and a half years in what appears to be one of China's most well-run orphanages. She is in foster care, but also spends her days in preschool with a class full of other children.

Her medical report describes her as follows:

At two years old, Yun Shan's memory is very good. She remembers all 25 of the kid's names in her class; she is still a quiet little girl. She enjoys playing quietly by herself with cotton dolls. Compared with her peers, in many aspects, Yun Shan does better. She can feed herself, go to the bathroom by herself and can put on and take off her clothes by herself. She can also climb into her bed and sleep by herself. Her teachers and caretakers delight in having her.

Yun Shan can imitate her caretakers. She also uses her doll to entertain other little kids. She's also very able, likes to help adults to do chores such as: help foster mother fetch things, help foster mother to feed younger kids and so on. Yun Shan likes music and will often move her body according to the rhythm. Yun Shan is a pretty, lovable little precious who loves to smile. Everybody loves her.

We feel so honored that we will be entrusted to care for and love this little girl as our very own. We know that she will make a wonderful big sister to our very lively and adorable Chloe.

Journey to Pearl

Last Post

Lovely Miss Pearl

Playing in the Pumpkin Patch

Visiting Friends

Getaway Weekend

Halloween Sneak Peak

First Day of Dance Class

Back to Work

Pearl & Chloe Meet Cousin Faith

Dad buys matching PJs for Halloween

Pearl starts Daycare with Chloe

Pearl and Marty become friends

Finally an Update--Home 2 weeks

Day 9 Our Consulate Appointment

Day 9 -- Pictures

Day 8 --photos

Day 8--Medical Examination

Day 7-Relaxing in Guangzhou

Day 7--Dinner at Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant

Day 7--White Swan play room

Day 6 -- We made it to Guangzhou!

Day 6 -- Settling in at the White Swan Hotel

Day 5 picture

Day 5--Touring

More pictures from day 4

Day 3 and 4 with Pearl

Pictures from Day 2 at the Notary Office

Pictures from our first day together

We have Pearl!

Tour Summer Palace and Travel to Chengdu

Summer Palace

Summer Palace Pictures

Beijing Dinner Show

Forbidden City pictures

Forbidden City

Some pictures from Beijing

We're in China!

Ready to Go

***OUR TA IS HERE!!!!*****

Day 63 and no news yet

Pearl's Update

Pearl in front of her orphanage

YAAAAY! We have an update!

We have a Log In Date (LID) of 05/11/06

~~~DTC on Cinco de Mayo!!!!~~~

Almost finished with the Paper Chase!

Pearl's baby picture

Pearl with a smile

Homestudy is Finished!

Our most recent picture of Pearl

Pearl's baby picture

Pre-Approval

*OUR TA IS HERE!!!!***

~DTC on Cinco de Mayo!!!!~