Hi all
We are super busy since we came home. Caitlin has gone back to school, had a soccer gane and we all went to our Church Pumpkin carving night last night. I have lots of good new pictures for you. Before I do that though, if you are a prayerful person, please put Jade in your prayers. She is one of the babies whose family we travelled with in CHina. Her heart surgery was puched way ahead to today for several clinical reasons. Her surgery begins in about an hour so any prayers for her strength and the doctors skillful hands would be greatly appreciated. She is only about 13 months old if I remember correctly. Thanks for your help. Here are the pictures.
Steven Curtis Chapman and New Hope (Sammy's Foster Home) Unite to Open Maria's Big House of Hope
The Waiting Child Video from LWB
Heartbridge Healing Home at New Hope-Sammy's Foster Home!
New Love Without Bounaries Video
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Since we got home
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Last Call From China
Hi to everyone
(Hey Grandma & Grandpa O'Meara; Could you please let the dogs out Friday afternoon? I told the girls they didn't have to come back out in the afternoon. Thank you a bunch.
We are all packed up and ready to go. We had our consulate appointment today which was essentially just a huge formality. We walked in, showed our passports, sat around for a while and chatted with the other families, went up to a counter where they took our visa paperwork for Samantha, sat back down for a bit. Then a guy came out, talked for about 5 minutes, said raise your right hand "Do you swear to take care of this child (a guess on our part because we couldn't really hear him)" "Yes, we do" Okay see ya have a great day...
Not that the man wasn't sincere. He was very gracious and talked about how this is a favorite part of their day, watching families being made and getting us all home. But it was really bizarre. There were 45 families there and they do this every afternoon. Can you believe that. Every afternoon they usher famiies out of the country with these little chinese babies/children and they (we) are the lucky ones.
Hundreds and thousands of babies are left behind here to wait and or grow up in an orphanage. I knew the numbers were staggering. But every afternoon they grant visas, swear oaths and say good bye to groups of families just like ours. Amazing. I guess knowing the numbers are staggering and seeing it are two different things, and that is just the U.S. Consulate. China compeletes international adoptions with something like 15 other coutnries.
Okay anyway we had a pretty good day with Samantha overall. Her general happiness level was a little higher. Less crying and tantrumming. More willing to accept the word "no" and a little direction. We had a melt down at dinner but I couldn't really blame her. It took forever to order and we were all tired and thirsty. If I could have cried through dinner rather than eat I may have.
Samantha is beautiful, stubborn, curious, used to getting her own way, smart, very funny and perfect for our family. We just need to get back to life. Cailtin is very much missing her normal routine. She enjoys the hotel but is stir crazy too.
Caitlin absolutely is in love with Samantha and the hardest part right now is that Samantha doesn't always appreciate Caitlin's desires to play (more accurately)smother her with kisses, hugs, tickles, and hand holding from the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed.
Caitlin will also miss the families we have been with here. It has been wonderful to be with a group of compassionate and loving people who are all here to better a child's life and further their families. It has been wonderful to see these babies grow and become rounder, and happier in just a few short days. Samantha too looks bigger, or older somehow.
One woman in particular, really caught Caitlin's eye. Tall, slim and beautiful, every time she walked in the room Caitlin lit up. In fact, when she walked in to breakfast yesterday morning Caitlin nearly fell over herself and said "Mom, **** is so beautiful this morning. Can I go talk to her?" I almost choked, the awe in her voice was so sincere. So I said sure go see her, all the while wondering how our new friend would receive Caitlin's admiration. What exactly do you say to a kid so awe struck. Of course she was very gracious and Caitlin stayed to chat her up for a while.
So I guess that is all I have for now. Our time in China has been amazing, tiring, educational and wonderful all in one. We won't soon forget the incredible sights and not so incredible smells. We have had good food, scary food and okay food. One time on the plane the hot dog was white! We have made new friends, had excellent guides, wonderful happy times and frustrations too. All in all we are a bigger family and God alone knows what the future holds for us. No matter what we are ready for the next step. Coming home. So please pray for good flights and sleepy kids!!! Love you all and thanks so much for following along and offering us your support and love.
Kim, Pat, Caitlin and Samantha
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Kristi and Lesley or Brooke or anyone who knows the kids birthdays
Hey can someone emal me Robby, Rylee, Norm and Brooke's birth years?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Red Couch Photos
Hi All
We just got back from our red couch photos with all the other families. All the babies were great...the O'Meara toddler...not so great. She screamed through the entire thing and had a complete meltdown on the way back to the hotel.
At our last province Samantha was familiar with a few people we saw over and over again. I think that delayed her grieving process and we are now in it. She will hopefully get through this and allow us to comfort her along the way. Thang, if you read this, how do you say "You're okay" in Mandarin? How about "No" and "Yes". Guess I should have done a little more studying before I left.
The flight times I listed earlier are p.m. for arrival to Grand Rapids.
Here are some pictures...
Kim
Flights
Hi All
Today we are staying around the hotel until our paperwork is fully processed through the U.S. Consulate. We have to stay near a phone. Pat is going to take Caitlin back to the park with another family for some play time and I'll stay back for nap time with Samantha. We also will have our group picture taken today on the Red Couch at the White Swan Hotel. This has been a tradition for adopting families for a long time and the kids all dress in traditional Chinese outfits. Caitlin can't wait to wear her dress. Here is our flight information for those of you who are wanting to meet us at the airport in Grand Rapids. I can't wait to see all of you.
We fly out of Guangzhou to Hong Kong at 8:25.
We leave Hong Kong at 12:45.
the next day...
We leave Chicago at 6:20
Arrive in Grand Rapids at 8:14!!!
Pearl Market Adventure
Hi everyone
Today we went out shopping around the hotel and picked up laundry and pictures from a disposable camera. The pictures are not great but are a little snapshot of Samantha's life at the Foster Home.
We weren't out too long and Samantha melted down so I took her back to the hotel while everyone else shopped. She has been a crying mess today. Every little thing set her off. It is hard to distinguish naughtiness from confusion/grieving.
After a long nap we went on an excursion to the pearl market. We had to walk quite a while through several roads of markets. It was quite an incite into life in general here and what people will eat. We went past several beggars as well. Our guide told us that poor families from the country will send their disabled family members to the city were "bad men" employ them to beg on the streets. Some are without limbs and there are also disabled children on the streets as well. It is very sad especially considering the fact that the disabilities we saw were simple missing limbs. So correctable and unnecessary. Our guide said it is the best life they can have and "at least they have three meals a day. If they stayed home they would starve."
Here are some pictures from our day and our trip to the doctors for Samantha's exam yesterday.
Kim
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Six Banyan Temple
Hi All
Sorry for the late post. Hope you catch it before bed. We went to the Six Banyan Temple today. It was a very interesting place. They have all kinds of Budhas and it was intriguing to watch the people pray and light incense sticks for the Budhas. They have a Budha for fertility(who knew) and also a new one to protect them against SARS.
This city is far more western and easy to navigate than the others we have been in so far. They cator to adoptive families because all families are funneled out of the country through this city due to the presence of the US Consulate and possibly others for all I know.
We have our Visa pictures and official doctors appointment for Samantha today. We also have lots of paperwork to complete this afternoon. Then we are free to shop and eat the rest of the evening.
We ate at a Thai resturaunt last night whch was very interesting. It was good but it still seems strange to see boiled pigs feet and the like on a menu.
4 days to go until we fly home!!!The count down is on...
Kim