Cancel the Updates...Adoption Trip Slideshow!

Well, the best laid plans often go awry.  As much as I wanted to blog a quick synopsis of each day in China, it was challenging.  First was the difficulty I had getting onto most websites due to strict internet use policies in China (particularly Google and anything medically related).  Then, during the final week we were there, our family members each proceeded to become sick so that by the time we left, we were just able to drag ourselves onto the airplane to make it back home.
Overall, we really enjoyed the last city, Guangzhou, it's more moderate temps, lack of motorcycles and many of the different foods we tried (steamed dumplings filled with lotus seed puree - yum!).

Since returning, we have all returned to health (Haze is on his last day of antibiotics for a double ear infection) and we are slowly getting back into a new normal.  I'll say that having an adorable little boy toddling and falling around our house while trying to prepare three meals a day is challenging.  Matt has been the nighttime champion of helping Haze get on a regular sleep schedule.  They are still working that out.  And Mira has been a patient and loving big sister - after 7 years of serious amounts of attention for herself, I'd say she's doing really well with this 'sharing' thing.

So for now, I will leave you with the slideshow from our big adventure....just click on the link below!

From 3 to 4 - Adventures in China

Rundown from the Road (the Chinese road), Part 1

I was finally able to log in to my gmail account using a VPN just now, and I've got about 15 minutes to write before the family wakes up and we have to get ready for our 6th day in China.  So here is the very brief version of our amazing, exhausting adventures and hopefully I can fill in the details later.  :)

Day 1:  Arrive in Beijing after about 24 hours of traveling, check into the hotel and go to bed.
Day 2:  Tour of Tienanmen Square, the Forbidden City and rickshaw ride into old china for lunch...all in the freezing cold.  Fun! 

 And if you've never heard of a squatty potty, here you go....imagine this cultural experience.

 But the good part of this day was our afternoon/evening visit to Haze's foster home (which is really an orphanage, but they call it a foster home to differentiate it from government run orphanages).  We took a 90 minute taxi ride through Beijing to Angel Home, where our son has been living since he was about 3 months old.  And we finally met him in person.  Here are some pics...

 First glimpse of our beautiful son through the window.

Reaction to new family.  It's okay.  We understand.

  Mira and Haze's first meal together!

 

And some of the other kiddos at Angel Home...

Two babies and a volunteer in the room next to Haze's.  

None of these kids are left laying in their cribs during the day.  Yay!

 Preschool room

Dinnertime

Piggyback with Tracy, the volunteer / translator.

We felt so fortunate to have seen where Haze has spent most of the first year and half of his life.  We were welcomed with open arms.  Some families are not granted entrance into their children's orphanages.   The word thankful doesn't begin to describe how happy we are he has been in this warm, loving environment...after comparing it to the much more cold, desolate orphanages we saw later in the trip.  We didn't get to take Haze with us yet, that comes in a few more days when we meet him in Zhengzhou!

Day 3 - The Great Wall and a jade factory

Day 4 - Fly to Zhengzhou and prepare the room for our new little one!

 Walmart run with the other families

 Crown Plaza Zhengzhou

Almost Ready To Go and New Info.!

We got lucky last week and found more details out about little Haze!  In the midst of our packing frenzy, I decided to return to Facebook so that I could join a group for families who have adopted or are adopting children from Henan Province.  Through that, I found another group for families adopting specifically from Haze's foster home, Angel Home, and some nice women miraculously helped me find a whole profile about him on the Angel Home website!!  New pictures and everything!  Including the first one of him smiling, which was a huge relief....

He may even be a little jokester...  (photo bombing at age 1)

I was assuming he was back in Henan province by now so that we could pick him up there next week, and it turns out he is still at AH in Beijing, which is great news (less shuffling from place to place)!  I think they will take him by train from Beijing to Henan on Adoption Day.  

And he is walking now, for our record book!

So, thanks to those ladies who helped us put together a few more pieces of our son's puzzle.  I am so grateful.  We're heading out soon and hope to post more while in China.  

Travel Approval Received!!!!

Travel Approval is the 'last thing' to check off the list from our agency before we can schedule our flights to China.  We've had our eye on that prize for months and months now.  See the "list"?

On Tuesday (1/16/15) we received notice that the Article 5 document was being sent from the US Consulate in Beijing to the CCCWA (Chinese Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) and it would be 1.5-3 weeks until Travel Approval is received.  Little did we know how quickly China's bureaucracy can work (did I say that after 11 months of paperwork?)!  So here we are 4 days later (Friday), and we see an email from our agency letting us know that they received a soft copy of the Travel Approval from the CCCWA today!  Not in 3 weeks, or 1.5 weeks.  4 days people!  Oh My Gosh!!!!!!  Woo Hooooo!!!!!!

God is looking out for little Pokorny #2 and wants to get him here ASAP.  I sit here looking at his picture at my desk and tell him that we're coming, to hold on just a little longer.  Bags are being packed.  Antibiotics are being called in.  Let you know when we're ready to head out of town.