Our Beijing Room--kinda "Bond-ish"!

We finally got up to our room (or 2 room) and were sweetly surprised to find a three room suite! The largest room (which grandma, Lydia, and I claimed), is huge (!) with windowed and rounded walls. It's really old time James Bondish and very sleek! I think we'll like it here (but only for two days)! Several moms are traveling solo with their girls and probably have regular rooms, so perhaps we should keep quiet about our suite?

Why is it, the first thing the guys did was turn on the t.v.s..."It's all in Chinese!" the boys said. Welcome to China!

The cool Bond suite is nice, but we can hardly find a thing we need in all of our bags. We re-arranged so many times and restructured the bags to try a better weight that everything is mixed up---can't even find toothbrushes! Frustrating, when you are so tired and the boys aren't and want to bounce around all over the beds and leap through the place. I really can't blame them since they've been sitting on their tushies since yesterday. But, fatigue is wearing patience thin and patience lost in the end! All were put to bed (hopefully they will sleep!)

We arrive in China!

In darkness we drove to the airport, kids barely awake, ready to embark on our latest journey...Lydia's heritage trip, the "Fuling Homecoming Reunion" as it has been called. The boys were very excited to be flying again, as they haven't since they were little. Sad, but we didn't get any pics of them leaving the US! Once that stuff was packed into our bags, it was a very daunting task to get things out, even the camera!

Arriving in Newark, we immediatley saw several families with little Fuling girlies and found out we were traveling with 7 other families to Beijing. A little greasy lunch in the airport and we piled onto the plane.

After trading seats with people so that we were seated by the kiddos, Lydia excitedly put on her buckle. I said "where are we going"... "home" she said! But after several reminders, I could convince her that we were going to China, and she would eventually reply "China!" when I asked.

The flight was numbingly long, as we had anticipated. But, it was comforting to know that there were several others mommas with their little ones. Many Chinese people were curious about the girls and often asked us questions about why they were with us and why there were several of us. My favorite was from several older women milling about who encountered Jason trailing Lydia down the aisle. "Mama Chinese?" they asked, hoping to find an answer to their questions (we know they are talking about us often, and some people try to inquire). So, Jason begins a lengthy explanation on why we have Lydia, only to find that the women had already exhausted their very limited English with their two word phrase---they understood nothing he was saying!

You feel that you are constantly either eating or sleeping on flights like this...a way to pass the time I guess. Thankfully, there were screens on each seatback that had movies and simple video games, so the boys were occupied. Unfortunately, Lydia refused to sleep and closed her eyes only one hour of the flight! Exhausting to say the least, and sad for the lady sitting next to us who had to hear her scream and say "no mommy" when I held her tightly to sleep.

During the last hour, she FINALLY slept and when we got off the plane, our seatmates in front and back told us what a mischevious and strongwill she must have and must be spoiled. They said it with smiles, adding that she was so pretty too, so I didn't take much offense.

Retrieving our bags and customs were problem-free and our guides were quick to meet us. We soon had a whole area of excited running girls, amid piles of bags, droopy parents, and gawking Chinese. The girls played ring-around-the-rosy and were sweet to include Lydia (most of the girls are ages 4-8, with Lydia being the youngest Fulinger on the trip).

We arrived at the hotel around 5:00 pm, and were greeted by MANY other girlies, by this time they were quite wild (from sitting in the plane for so long) and we adults were SO tired!!! of course Jason was concerned about eating something, I just wanted to get my bags upstairs and try to sleep. It is the most uncomfortable tiredness to be up for over 26 hours, knowing that you won't be able to sleep when you go to bed anyway! But we survived.

Seeing the girls made me so teary---they are all so beautiful and sweet. They all seem perfectly adjusted, smart, and in love with their parents. It is difficult to even think that they once were orphans because they are so bonded and full of love that it seems that they have been a part of these families from birth. Only the color of skin and shape of eyes can give away their story. And that is why we are here...so that they can learn about who they are and what they have become. What strong little girls to endure such hardship that they have! In all we have 43 girls here, with over 100 people in our group---we'll see how it is traveling with such a large group of individuals!

We have already met several kiddos whom the boys have attached to. One is a 9 year old brother to a Fulinger; and another, is a SWEET outgoing little Fulinger, Emma Kate, who has surprised the boys by being a Star Wars and Spiderman freak! She can talk lightsabers and creature/character names with the best of the boys (and only 5 years old too)...I'm sure we will be hanging around with them often!

Packing-Ugh!

Packing is a very difficult task for me. I am a poor decision maker, not wanting to commit until the last possible minute. Ordering in a restaurant can take forever, planning an event is torture, and decisions on the spot usually make me look like I'm an idiot! Due to this decision-making problem, packing is very time consuming and requires alot of brain power for me, which ultimately gets put on hold because I just don't want to think about it!

Right now our living room is full of four suitcases with random clothing selections draping over the sides, and several backpacks with necessity items pouring out. That seems to be my method of tackling it---throwing everything (plus more) in, until the mounds in the suitcase look obviously ridiculous, then I go through a couple more times, weeding out unnecessary items, adding more crucial items, and basically sitting there staring at it all with a feeling of defeat.

I DO have the boys' and Lydia's clothes/items packed; but my clothes still need order and Jason has put in only the bare essentials. I know it will get done somehow, but we leave in two days! Many of the extra items are a repeat from last year...but now, we have three kiddos with us, so the need for more snacks, entertainment items, and warm clothing for Beijing. And, I have added several items for the children in the orphanage---toys, clothes, and stickers, etc.

I can't wait to spend time with those little ones, longing to give some extra joy to their hearts. I think I've said before that Fuling has a wonderful orphanage, with directors and staff that truly care for the children and their well-being. And, the parent group is unbelievable! They raise thousands of dollars for the orphanage that helps to cover things that the government funding can't...like the beautiful new building that the children will move into, surgeries for the kids, training for the ayis, etc. It is exciting that we will get to be a part of this event and be with the group of parents that make all of this happen. Donations now are being collected for playground equipment for the new location and other various items, like new beds for the special needs children.

I also know that the orphanage staff is probably working very hard to make things look great when we get there...in China, appearances are everything. And from some things said during our Gotcha Day, I'm not sure how much to believe of what they say (we only spoke with the nannies, as it was a Sunday). So, I hope to get more clarification about Lydia's life while we are there...I still have unanswered questions...or got answers that I don't think were quite accurate, as they sometimes tell you what you'd like to hear. We'll see what happens with that!

I could write forever....the suitcases are staring at me...

Return Trip to China

A wonderful opportunity has presented itself for us to return to China, specifically to Lydia's birth city. We will take part in a Heritage Tour during Thanksgiving week, 2008 almost one year after we adopted Lydia into our family. My new job at the University has enabled us to attend this fantastic event. The tour prices were extremely reasonable (airfare, hotel, meals, and activities included!) We leave on Friday, Nov 21st.

So, what are we doing there?? The parent group of Fuling adoptees has orchestrated a Homecoming trip to coincide with the opening of the beautiful new orphanage that has been recently completed. We will do some touring in Beijing, then on to Chongqing, and to Fuling (Lydia's birth city), where we will take part in helping to assist with the move to the new orphanage. We get to help move things, decorate baby rooms, take part in the opening ceremonies, and most importantly give love to babies/children who are without families. I think we even get to carry babies to the new building!

I know that Lydia will not remember this trip, but will know that we felt it was an important event...important enough to return to China just one year later. We also will get a connection with other families that have adopted from Fuling---last year, we were at the orphanage solo, for only one hour. This time, we will be with over 40 families of Fulingers, and be in Fuling for 4 days.

Jason was not excited about the idea initially. I had just happened upon the trip just one month before the registration deadline. With no time to waste, I crunched the numbers, scoured the calendar, and schemed how Lydia and I would get there. With no warning, I just sprung it on him as he poured over an Engineering book---he thought I was joking or crazy. In fact, I had to beg and finally said Lydia and I would go without him. I feel it is such an important part of learning more about her life before us and more importantly, her culture and heritage. When we returned to the US last Dec, I wondered if we would ever go back, as it was so overwhelming and exhausting. But, something is tugging my heart there and the opportunity is unique.

So, what was the final decision? Jason is going (and is now looking forward to a trip), but he only agreed after I suggested we take the boys! That was one factor last year that really put a damper on our trip...being away from our kiddos. So, he perked right up when I put pictures in his mind of him and his boys hiking the Great Wall together! AND, his mom is also going with us for extra support. She loves to travel and is quite adventurous and jumped at the chance to go around the world!

New Blog

Well first, I never thought I would have a blog in the first place. Second, I never thought that I would have two! The time has come for my first blog to remain "Lydia's" as it is her adoption story. Recently I've noticed that many things that I want to include aren't specific to her; thus the need for a new site.

Enjoy!