Eliana's Mama

A day doesn't go by when I don't hold Ellie and think bout the woman who carried her for 9 months and had to leave her.  I don't think we will ever have the true answer as to why she couldn't keep her daughter.  Many reasons, perhaps she was single and couldn't provide for her alone.  Maybe she was married and already had a child and couldn't afford to feed two.  She may have simply had a son already and according to Chinese law she couldn't have another child.  There is intense pressure to not go against the good of all, and keeping the population down in China is for the good of all.  Having more than one child is seen as self serving and is looked down upon.  These are just a few of the scenarios that could have taken place, but ultimately Eliana's mother loved her enough to give her life, to deliver her and for 5 days care for her before placing her at the gate of an elementary school before dawn, knowing that soon someone would find her.  It breaks my heart to think of the agony that must have been for her.  Not knowing what has happened to her baby, was she loved?  And here I sit, typing this with a sweet baby in my lap, sleeping soundly...unaware that she is loved so much, and that all of this was already planned ahead of her birth by a God that loves her more than any parent could.  Its all really hard to comprehend, but I think it really is evidence that God still performs miracles if we look for them.

Proof that Maren did actually eat scorpion.

Many people have questioned whether Maren ate scorpion since she is pictured with an ice cream cone.  Although she did not eat her own scorpion her siblings were gracious enough to share.

Home

Wow..we made it home.  It really does feel like being on the other side of the world when you have to come home.  I realize now that we were gone so long that it started to become normal being there, because it feels strange being home.  Even been away so long that happened to you?  I am SO glad that when I walk out of the door no one was looking at me and starring!  It is also good to be able to drink water out of the faucet,  get what I need at the grocery store without having to guess at the picture on the outside, and know that the money in my wallet will be the right kind!  Its also good to sleep in my soft bed...I wasn't the only woman on the trip who complained of feeling like her hips were bruised....God bless Chinese women...I cant imagine how anyone gets used to sleeping on plywood.  That is just one of many ways that the Chinese have no idea what they are missing.  I was sent a link to a YouTube video while we were in China of Il Divo singing Amazing Grace at the Coliseum in Rome and it was blocked in China or "Unavailable in this country" is the way it was displayed,  and it made me realize that in many ways we don't know how much of Christianity and exposure to the truth is kept from the people of China.  I value my freedom now in ways I never could have before.

John 8:32  "For you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"

Eating in China

Ok so there are plenty of options when eating in China.  McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Papa Johns, and Scorpion.  Yes scorpion.  So our last night in Guangzhou and I was ready to treat the kids to a McDonalds ice cream.  Instead they chose to eat scorpion - don't ask me I don't understand either.  (Posted by Tom)

Thoughts on China

I havent had much of a chance to post lately, Tom has been adding video and things.  Its been hard to get a chance to think clearly, much less get online. Six people sharing two computers and all seven of us in two hotel rooms gets a little claustrophic.  Its a lot more intense outside of the hotel.  Its hard to explain what happens when you walk out of the hotel elevator here, but I will try.  When the doors of the elevator open you hear the clatter of construction, the bustle of city traffic and the noise similiar to what I have heard when watching reports on television about the closing of the board of trade....a constant chatter that you cant distinguish what is said but there are a hundred conversations going on around you.  The sights are just as intense...when you walk through the streets you notice that they are fairly narrow, some meant for only walking through, but cars still seem to try and squeeze through the people, bikes, strollers and merchandise. Right outside of our hotel there is a four block walk to Shamian Island and you walk through two different markets.  The first one is a pet market.  Lining both sides of the street are shops with simple plastic bins filled with fresh water and every kind of small fish or aquatic plant, right next to that could be a shop selling dog food, fish food or cat food with large bags open with cups and prices listed in chinese.  There are small cages of hampsters, gerbils, kittens, birds, turtles, rabbits and even puppies.  The chinese really like small fluffy dogs, and the ones that we have come across in shops are named funny things like Money...(for good fortune).  After going through this market we come to the specialized chinese medicine market (I get that from the map).  It honestly smells like walking into a spice closet.  All sorts of things are in bags lining the street on both sides, and all are dried.  Some look like dried flowers, ginger, and different mushrooms but others are not as obvious and smell a lot like fish.  I recognized a type of lizard that was dried and its tail was pulled straight and flat so that it looked like a triangular flyswatter unless you looked closely.  More than any of the strange sights the hardest thing to see is the reaction of people around us.  I know that seeing an American in China is a sight to begin with, but we are really an extra strange sight.  More than once when I have been in the back of the line of all of us making our way through the crowd I have seen in people's eyes the confusion of trying to figure us out.  In a place where there is only one child in the next generation, we now have five.  In addition to that, Nick is as tall as Tom and both tower over most chinese people.  Even Caila gets odd looks from people with her red hair and being so tall for a girl.  I have held up my hand to show "5" a few times only to see the people smile and nod back at me because they realize I see that they are trying to count how many children we have.  Its amazement... we have had people take our picture in restaurants and across from us in parks when they think we arent watching.  Its fun sometimes and sometimes its just tiring.  

We have had a number of college age students come up to us and ask if they can practice their english.  One girl who called herself Alice asked for our email and she actually has contacted me once.  It will be nice to correspond with someone in China if it continues.   

I am really glad that we were able to spend our time here in Guangzhou at the Holiday Inn Shifu, because we have had more culture of China here than if we had stayed on Shamian Island at the White Swan.  Its like a haven on that side of the water, with so much of the area being catered to adoptive families (all adoptions have to go through Guangzhou from China) but there is something neat about where we are staying. I love walking through the small streets seeing the hanging laundry overhead, noticing the small insence shrines at doorways and trying to imagine what living day to day as someone born in China might be like.  

I see so many of the Chinese young people looking like they are trying to be westernized. They dye their hair, have English written on their tshirts and when you talk to them they are eager to hear about how life is for you in America.  They see us as having all the opportunity and success that in many ways in out of reach to them.  Alice was so awestruck at how much school it takes to be a doctor, and it wasn't about the cost of schooling as much as it was about the ability to continue on at school.  Most Chinese aren't able to continue on into high school, and regardless of their desire for more, few are able to attend college.  Competition is tough, and spaces are few.  In many ways its a miracle to be born in China, and even more of a miracle to become educated and wealthy.  These are things that as Americans we have just taken for granted and hoped for our children.  I am sure that the Chinese hope these things for their children as well...and so when I look into the eyes of the people on the street, I wonder what they really see.   I hope that they see more than just 6 strange Americans.  I hope that somehow because we are different they see a glimpse of Christ, a sense of hope in something that they haven't seen before.  I hope its a seed planted.

Ok so as new parents of Eliana even the simple things like a diaper change can be a lot of fun.  Maybe that is because it has been about 10 years since we have changed our childs diaper but in any case we could not help but take a video of this.  (Posted by Tom)

Eliana at her medical, boys at the garden and a day at the zoo.

Eliana loves to put her tongue between her lips and spit.  There is disagreement within our family in regards to the name of this behavior.  One person says raspberries another zerbert, Ben says fart noise with her mouth.  Regardless we think it is hilarious.  

What a day!

We are new parents! As I type this the kids keep running in here saying "Mom..you gotta see this!" There is excitement in the air. I think we are all in love. I know we are, because the whole family was awakened at 4am and hasnt been back to bed yet, and no one cares. I think they are all dancing and laughing in the next room. Ben told her I love you, and I dont think I have honestly heard that from him as a spontaneous utterance before. She is healthy, hungry and all the plumbing is working...hee hee. Today we go back to the same offices we got her yesterday (I'm too eager to type to look up the name) and sign more forms for the adoption and ask any further questions about her from the orphanage director. They loved her very much. Her caregiver was there and she cried and had to leave when she handed her to me. We did get some pictures with her (I think she is in the one with our family). Today I need to find out her name. She is a sweet sweet baby. I cant wait for all of you to meet her!

In Guangzhou

We are actually here! What a day, we awoke again having fallen asleep before dinner (poor Tom) and awoke again before the sun. We waited until 6 to venture out and get breakfast at Hing Fat. We ate breakfast there on our second day, and they were great to us, I actually like having my eggs and sausage (hot dog) in a bowl of macaroni and broth. Things we have eaten have been different but all very good. I couldnt explain a lot of them to you, because words just wouldnt do it justice.
After our breakfast Tom, Caila and Nick went to the Botanical Gardens. I stayed back with Maren and Ben and did some reading and homework. I just wasnt in the mood for sightseeing. We left the hotel in Hong Kong at 11 and took two cabs to Hang Hom Trainstation to meet up with our adoption staff and the other families. There are 5 other families plus ours with our group. We rode the train here and enjoyed the peace and quiet and getting to know each other a little, as well as having our briefing about what to expect here in Guangzhou. We have the most amazing rooms at the Holiday Inn Shifu. They are huge and modern, and you look out the window and see small houses with small balconies and peoples laundry hanging from lines drying outside. It humbles you to think how much we have and how complicated our lives are compared to so many people in the world. We are truly blessed to live in the United States, and yet I see how much these people really have.
We ate at a chinese fast food place that looks like KFC, but has a Kung Fu guy as its mascot. We have no idea what we ordered, and it was an interesting meal. I'm guessing beef (lots of small bones though) with rice. Some spicy and some sweet. Boiled lettuce salad with a clear broth. Soup that none of us tried, because we just couldnt stomach what color it was. I cant say I will run back, but I'm glad I tried it.
Tomorrow around 2:30 we get Eliana. The kids are already fighting over who gets to hold her first. I was told I get to hold her first, then Tom and I forget who is after that. I think it was based on age at that point. I cant wait to blog about her to all of you , and give you new pictures of what she looks like. The fuzzy dream will be over tomorrow and it will be real!
Good night!

Friday

Last night after a day at ocean park and the Historical Museum we went back to the hotel for a little downtime and we all crashed except Tom. When I say crash I mean we all slept thru dinner and beyond. We all woke up early (5:30 ish) and went for an early breakfast and head out to the star ferry to go across the bay to Hong Kong Island. It's too early for Stanley market so we road the streetcar to Happy Valley (seriously). The Hong Kong Jockey Club is right there, and it's a huge racetrack/soccer/field hockey/park. There are a lot of British here so we don't stand out as much, although we must look American because we still get looks from people. While we were all sleeping Tom went out for a walk and came back having been fitted for a suit, and some shirts. Our plan is to go to Stanley Market and then hopefully to Victoria Peak, but it's so foggy right now you can't see the tops of the mountains so I don't know if we will make the trip. I'm looking forward to getting to Guanzhou. I would enjoy the sightseeing but I just want to be with Eliana, then who cares where we go!
Oh just an interesting observation, you cab get your eggs and sausage in a bowl of noodles and broth at McDonalds here... Litterally eggs and sausage in the bowl.. So all of you chicken soup lovers will enjoy the food!

We are taking a short break to dry off and grab some lunch so I thought I would download some photos. We went to the Ocean Park (kinda like the Oceanarium/Six Flags) but it was pouring...so we saw the pandas and rode a few rides and came back. We are going to McDonalds for lunch because the last two meals have been pretty local food and the kids are a bit leary of another bowl of noodles and something...all were great food but they are looking for something familiar. We rode the subway as well..piece of cake! Thanks for all the notes...it helps us all feel connected to familiarity!

We are here!

Its 7:4am here on Friday in Hong Kong...and its 5:45 at night Thursday by you...the night before. We jumped into the future as Nick says. It is raining buckets here and will for the next couple of days, but thats fine because it will keep my allergies and Caila's asthma under control in the city. I'm thinking of the difference between Moscow and Hong Kong...and right of the bat I would travel to Hong Kong alone but never to Moscow. Hong Kong is friendly and has a lot of English! Overall people here try to please you and in Russia you are invisible unless they know you. I loved Russia, but would not go by myself.
The flight was bearable, God worked out our seats on the plane so that instead of being scattered in three rows we were all together, and the row behind us had the most adorable twin babies to distract us. I will post later about more in detail, but we need to get some breakfast. Three more days until we see Eliana!