Day 9

Tuesday started out early as we had our U.S. Consulate appointment for Lily's visa to the states and the make things good here. This is our last step before we travel to the states. 

Since last nights cruise was a little long we were all so tired this morning but thanks to some caffeine and adrenaline we were up and moving.  We gather in the hotel lobby with some others at 740 am and got on a bus. The consulate was so crazy and we all were dripping with sweat by the time we got into security. We went upstairs and to the window we needed. One family member took An oath and then we were called up for a little interview one by one. We were back at the hotel by 1030 and had an hour before we were leaving again to another sightseeing place. Shemaine island where we got some goodies and a wonderful Green Tea Frappuccino which Lily had half. 

We came back to the hotel and I started to pack up and then we decided to go swimming. Actually I wanted a nap but Lily is still picky in who goes. She is letting dan do many things with and for her mostly as long as I am around. I get out of the way when they are bonding and she does great. 

She continues to thrive in the pool we may have a little fish on our hands. 

We taught her to kick her legs today. 

Now is dinner and we introduced her to peanut butter and jelly to which her response was adorable. SHE LOVES IT! 

Day 8

We figured out why she does a little thing she does at the dinner table when we are out. She takes her shoes off, this is because at the orphanage they ate on bouncy balls and had to remove their shoes to get on them to eat.  

She is starting to show lots more personality in how she is eating. The first few days she ate everything we gave her now she tells us what she doesn't like. She is also eating really well.  She does not like anything green, onions, milk and cheese.  But she loves bananas oranges, sausage, yogurt and apple juice. 

She is learning how to brush her teeth and this morning after breakfast she learned how to make a paper airplane with baba. Lily also skyped with pong pong (Beckes dad) this morning for the first time. She wasn't sure about it but said bye bye pong pong when we hung up. 

We went to one of the local stores ( think Walmart type) called aeon. We got a few things for her there. We then returned to the hotel and spent time at the pool where she ventured in the deep area of the kiddie pool and then into the big people's pool. She did such a great job and she was fearing less. Woohoo.

We had a dinner cruise tonight on the river and it was a great time. The food was ok,fellowship great and the view amazing. See photos below. The thing that happened tonight that was huge was dan was able to take Lily potty. Woohoo!! Then upon returning she sat on his lap for a brief moment to have ice cream! 

We are now settled into bed as we have a big day tomorrow as its our U.S. Consulate appointment to get her visa for the states. It's an early morning so this tired momma is signing out. 

Day 7

Day 7

Today we were able to Skype with Oma and Opa Haas and introduce them to Lily. 

We met the rest of our group at 915 for a group photo and it was off to a tourist spot. It is the Chan's family house for many generations.  The house is now set up with many artists from the region.  After the forty minute stop we were taken to the Jade and Pearl district.  As it is Chinese custom, to give your daughter a pearl, we bought her a necklace and earrings for her wedding day. After these expos we journeyed back to receive our final paperwork for our U.S. consulate 'hearing', which will enable us to give Lily citizenship!  

We celebrated with a cake that was accidentally delivered to our front door at ten PM last night, then read the paperwork.  Our daughter was abandoned the day she was born, at a supermarket near the border of Vietnam, and China.  An unknown person alerted the police and they took her to the orphanage. Who? We know the police officers name but this all we know.  The important part is our daughter was placed in a cardboard box, with a sign that stated her birthdate only.  The orphanage gave her the name 'Fang Hi'.  Why important? One we have her! Two she could have been thrown into the river instead! 

When we squared away all the paperwork, we headed out to the kiddie pool.  Lily stayed in the shallow end and tried to splash mom, who was snapping away with her camera. We made some progress with the pool as before is she would not go near the pool!

After dinner with our friends, the Knotts, we are back in our room unwinding. 

We have a slower day tomorrow which includes waiting for the TB results and then a river cruise in the evening. 

For now, enjoy our beauty!

Day 6

Well, today started out rough for our little one. Today was the medical checkup and we went to four stations. Lily broke down waiting in line for the first one. She was so upset all throughout the process and all we could do was reassure her we were there and it was ok. The worst and best moment was in the general doctors office where she had to remove her pants and shoes. She started thrashing her legs this was the worst for us to see, however she was sweet when she cried out for Mama. That was the first cry for mama by name. It was so so hard to see her go thru this, but we had to reassure her it was ok. The last station was a TB Shot area where we had to give her over to the nurses and we could not go in. All we could do was listen and pray from the outside. Argh was so hard. However we were the heroes when she came out as she reached out to us. We decided to get her urine tested too since she's been peeing about every 30 minutes but then again she drinks a lot of water. At the orphanage they were allowed to go twice per day. We wanted to check for any infection just to be safe. 

After several attempts and even stage fright when Baba came in the bathroom with us, the second time we managed to get enough and with that all of us left the medical building.  

Lily and I headed back to the room as Dan and others went shopping. We took a lazy afternoon and decompressed. She was back to her bubbly self on the bus back. 

Mama and Lily did manage to take a trip to a coffeehouse.  Don't tell Dan it was at Starbucks!  As dad was filling out more paperwork for Lily's American Visa we sat and drank our drinks.  Lily was cute as she came and welcomed Baba as he came back into the room.  

This evening we took a walk and Baba even got to hold her (she prefers me).  We are working on Baba and Lily time as he has bath duty as this juncture and she loves it. 

Tonight we went for dim sum and oh boy was it yummy. He wait staff fell to Lily's charm one by one and when we left she said bye bye to all of them and they all were smiling ear to ear. See photo below,with momma and Lily having a Kodak moment with chopsticks. She's picking up how to use them really well. She also is grasping the fork too as both really were foreign concepts to her. In her orphanage she was fed with everyone sitting on bouncy balls around a table and the nanny would feed a scoop of Congie  ( think seafood porridge) one by one. This breaks my heart. We are learning foods she likes and doesn't like. 

After dinner we strolled in the garden at the hotel and got some great photos of crossing a path on rocks with mom, and looking at fishes with baba. Now we return back to the room where bath time has begun. She got lollipop sugar in her hair and in mamas hair from this morning. 

One other fun thing today she has been naming colors in English ( slurred English) but English much the same. She have an app for preschoolers on the iPad and she repeating colors too as well as repeating from momma too. 

Her little voice is simply amazing. Her laugh will melt the strongest of hearts. 

Thank you to those of you praying and sending kind words. Tomorrow we go on a trip in the morning to a nearby village with sightseeing and shopping. Tomorrow afternoon we will take an easy night. 

Day 5

Today we gathered in the lobby at 930 and headed to the airport. We also received from our guide the note that was left with Lily when she was born by her birth mother. We found out more information about her birthplace while here. 

We took a group photo with our guide as we said goodbye to him today. 

She does great in the car and at the airport as well but terror breaks out when she encountered a seatbelt on the plane. China does not use seatbelts so this is a foreign concept to her. She screamed, I sat her on my lap and she didn't like having the belt around us both. So we put her back into her seat. Needless to say dans hand felt the brunt as he was holding the belt buckle and she was pinching him to get it off. Finally I brought her again to my lap in hysterics and she calmed down and didn't mind the belt. I think I will have a seat buddy on the long trips to the states. I love the snuggles so it's ok! She is a snuggle bug too. 

We made it to the hotel and it's amazing. It's a 5 star hotel where dignitaries come( why are we here) and we are in a suite! Each room has a separate central air controller. Ah the only bad thing when we went for dinner the difference in temps were drastic. It's 102 here and really really hot. Yeah for AC. 

Below are some photos of our group. 

Tomorrow we are going to the doctors in the morning, please pray as she will be getting a TB shot and neither one of us are allowed to go in. My understanding is that's how it's done here. She's terrified of strangers so she will be really really upset. 

She's starting to warm up to dan a little more. She loves bath time so we are letting Dan do that. They have a great time and then they both take their cold medicine together! 

She is such a delight and is chatting up a storm and dances around the room singing and laughing. Truly the joy of the Lord shines thru. 

Day 4

Today was a down day. Other families went to see the orphanages but we decided with our guides advice to not go. So we enjoyed time together having giggles and laughed as a little family. After breakfast we walked out to a park close by the hotel and we fed some fish and strolled for about 45 minutes. We headed back to the mall where we introduced Lily to her first coffee house. NO SHE DID NOT HAVE COFFEE, just in case you were wondering. She had water and a fruit snack while Baba and I enjoyed a iced coffee. It's funny her first place was Starbucks because Dan really dislikes Starbucks. 

We went to a Thai place for lunch and were followed by this German lady who was recruiting for her German school here. This lady followed us into the place and Lily looked at her like saying " lady, you are disrupting our lunch leave us be". 

We went back to the indoor play place again and did some great building. We had a new little friend helping build our towers. see photos below. 

Also today Dan ran to the lobby to check in with his seminary and leaned to me and gave me a kiss which he then turned to Lily. Much to his surprise he was received with a kist face right back. We both looked at each other and cried 

She is such a joy and really is concerned for those that are feeling something around her. I think, this has to do with her helping in the orphanage but when I was changing my insulin pump site she came over and would not leave my side until I was done. She even took the pump as it was beeping and handed it back to me. She also comes over when I am checking my sugar and makes sure things are ok and then zips my case back up for me. What a sweetheart! 

We fly tomorrow to the next province so please be in prayer as this is her first flight and we are praying she enjoys it as we have long flights later in the week back to the states. 

I will surely document this experience of hers as I have been doing. 

Thank you all for so many prayers and kind wishes. We really could not even have met her or done this without the community that brought her to us. We are overwhelmingly grateful for all of you. 

Day 3

Today was a sight seeing tour day.  We went to a huge park and walked around in the rainforest  like weather. All of us were sweating buckets. We walked around for about 2 hours and then went to a open air market that we were able to find a few gifts at. 

One thing Lily is doing a lot is going to the potty. You can tell she didn't get enough water because she loves water. With drinking water it brings lots of potty breaks and our girl is a master squatter on the squat potty. This is our biggest bonding time. 

She lets Dan in with some snuggles and lets him do things conditionally at this point. This is mainly due to all her nannies being females and she is just not use to males. 

We are so so enjoying her and all the joy she brings to us in just one glance. She has started talking a bit more and has said a few English words.  She says "I need to use the bathroom, and Mama". 

We have a down day tomorrow as the others are visiting the orphanages but we decided along with our guides input that we didn't think it would be best to go. We did find out she was born in a different city and brought to a supermarket which then transferred her to a police station which then they transferred her to the nearest orphanage. So our guide said he could get us some photos of the city when he goes at some point. it's way to far for this trip to go. 

One of the most amazing things that I realized on the first day is her left foot has two toes fused together and it makes a heart on the tips. This is special for a few reasons. First, God did a work in my heart with letting Him show me His love by hearts each day in random places. Second it's a symbol and physical symbol from the Lord to remind her she is made with love from the Lord. What a beautiful thing to be able to share with her soon. 

Please continue to pray for bonding and rest. She is sleeping 10 hours each night but we get up to make sure she's good. Both baba and Lily have colds so they both take a herbal tea (from local herbalists) a few times a day. Please pray as we travel Friday to another part of China for the U.S. Consulate and her doctors checkups. The doctors will give a TB shot which will hurt bad so please pray for that as we can't go with her in the doc office for the shot.