Our First Week Home

Happy Birthday, Daddy...you're the best!

First trip to Red Robin and I'm lovin' me some french fries....mommy also shared her hot fudge sundae with me.....good times!

Here I am eating again.....really folks, I do have a few other talents which you can see below on some of my videos! This is how I eat my meals (on the kitchen table) as mommy needs to go buy a booster seat for me

Making sure mom doesn't forget to pack what's important...........my little McDonald's animal that sings, "I want to move it, move it."

We're Home!!!!! Liliah traveled like a champ on the flights home. She only slept a couple of hours, but had her own seat between us which gave her some wiggle room. Meals, snacks & a book & Minnie Mouse phone she had not played with did the trick

Mrs. Beth our neighbor and hopefully, Liliah's Kindergarten teacher! Beth, thank you SO MUCH bringing by a lovely meal and dessert after we'd been sleeping for a couple of days - we needed the help! You were our first visitor and Liliah just loves the musical puppy and book you gave her. We look forward to taking walks with you in the neighborhood!

New Post Coming Soon....

This John Denver song came to us on the drive home from the airport and we sang it as we passed downtown Seattle! Liliah loved us singing and was making some sounds and trying to sing along.
I promise to update our blog soon! We have been recovering from jetlag, a stomach bug and new parenthood......although, that may take some time to get up to speed on! Pictures & videos soon.

Farewell, China......God Bless the USA!,

Today was the day we have all been waiting for......the day we would visit the US Consulate, raise our right hands with our children in hand to take the oath and finalize our adoption. I think there were approx. 75 families present from our country bringing home their precious gift from God! The Consulate told us that they had processed 3,690 adoptions in 2008! When we came up that escalator and saw our flag on the way into the Consulate it was a beautiful site.

Skyline view in Guangzhou

Last night for Liliah in her birth country

Hotel lobby all decked out for the New Year, January 26th

Group picture......what fun we had with everyone. We made good friends that we hope to keep in touch with......

What can I say about Dan, Becky & Bethany. God blessed us with their company & we are really going to miss these guys and all the laughs we had.......

Becky was so easy to be around........I'll miss our her squatty potty stories

Liliah's going to miss room service

View from the 45th floor rotating restaurant, where we had breakfast every morning....western style

Yummy!

I'm off to pack and put Miss Liliah back to bed....it's tough sleeping when Mom & Dad are banging around packing as fast as they can. We are getting our wake up call @ 4:30 AM to depart @ 6AM for the airport and departing for home @ 8:30 AM. Our chariot is scheduled to pull into Seattle @ 6:55 AM where we will get to do Friday ALL OVER AGAIN. We can't wait to come through our front door with Miss L, go get JT & Maddy our dogs and sleep in our own beds......

Thank you for following us along on our journey to Liliah, China & back. It has been quite a journey that I will never forget. We felt your excitement for us and prayers........see you Stateside.........love Darryl, Sharon & Liliah

Day 13 in China - Chen Family Museum

One of my favorite sites in China. I love these red lanterns.....

Chinese doggie......guarding the front entrance to the Chen Clan Ancestral Home. The Chen family is the largest clan in China which makes up 9% of it's population. They are known for their creative and detailed carvings. If it can be carved.....the Chen's did it!

Inside the courtyard

This is a tiny carving from ivory

These walls were so pretty with the carvings & etched glass

We started out the day hanging out in our room until 11AM. Our guides took our final paperwork to the Consulate for processing and we had to be on hand just in case there were any questions. The Hay's (travel buddies) and we hailed a taxi to the nearest Walmart....(we are getting good at this) to pick up some last minute supplies for the trek home. We made sure we had some baby food & snack items for our girl. We stopped for 1 last meal from KFC (you don't know how happy I am to say that) and headed home for a quick rest. Darryl decided to stay back at the room so Liliah could nap and.....watch "24" Season 1, while I headed to the group Chen Museum Tour. They told us on the bus that all of our paperwork had cleared the Consulate and after swearing tomorrow.....we can go home......HIP, HIP HOORAY WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY! We finished the night with a 10 minute walk for a group dinner @ The Banana Leaf restaurant.....great food and lots of fun. The staff regaled us with singing "Daylight Come & Me Want To Go Home"......boy did they get that right....we are all ready to come home to the States......it's been fun, but time to go! I'll have to post the video from home....Good night from Guangzhou, China

Medical Adoption Clinic & Shamian Island (SHOPPING!)

I weigh how much.......18 lbs.....that's outrageous.....your scale is just plain wrong!

28 inches long.....

Can you hear me now....???

Hey lady.......where's the popsicle.....on the end of this stick?

Shamian Island

Darryl's home away from home in Guangzhou (along with alot of the others in our group)

Petunias in January......get out of town!

Famous White Swan hotel on the Island

Loved these beautiful screens throughout this hotel

Getting the kids ready for the famous red couch pictures of the kids @ the White Swan. Mom & kid mayem for photo op

Final product.........we can check it off our list of things that adoptive families do while on their journey! Hey, at least there were no tears or screaming. The kids on this trip all really seem to enjoy each other.

This island was influenced by the British.....as this was once their territory

This was our first full day shopping excursion and we purchased everything we wanted. It was fun, but we were ready to leave as you do lots of haggling and running away from all of the other shop keepers who want you to come into their shop.

Guangzhou - Botanical Gardens (updated)

China is getting ready for it's New Year or what they call Spring Festival which runs from January 15 - February 11

This is the Year of the Ox

The whole gang.....all 30 of us

Our guides, Rosa (on left) and Maggie are from Beijing - sweet gals. They flew down to Guangzhou to meet up with our group once we all flew in from our provinces with our children. They are here to guide us through the final stages of our adoptions with the Consulate.

The day was very sunny & warm......

Family moment....

The grounds are beautiful and grand in size. I could have spent much more time here.

Tree canopy

These pussy willows stems were stuck in the ground

They had some cute & unexpected items displayed.....

Okay.....totally unexpected.....enough said

Aah roses in January.....

Sweet moment between Becky & Bethany

The Anderson Clan

Hello there!

The Orchid Hot House

Dinner outside & "The People's Cafe"....good times

Capped off the evening with a stop at the bakery & then back to Tom & Terry's suite for our dessert feast. The kids all had a great time........Miss Liliah really started walking (toddling still) up a storm and just laughing and carrying on. I have to get this on video as she is so proud of herself (and we are too!)