Last post from China

Roger and Regina are without internet access, so I am posting for them.

They are in Hong Kong and are doing fine. Just settling in for their last night in China. They will be boarding the plane for their return trip home at 9:30 CST tonight!

Best wishes to the Hawkins family for a safe trip home.

Last post from Guangzhou

We went to the US Consulate this afternoon, it was short and sweet. We took the oath on Katie's behalf and recieved her Chinese passport complete with her visa along with the infamous sealed brown envelope with her paperwork for immigration. We are not to open the brown envelope but are to hand deliver it to the officials in Newark when we get there. We will go through customs in the foreigner line because Katie is still a Chinese citizen however, as soon as the official stamps her passport she will automatically that instant become a US citizen. Pretty cool right. I am including some photo's of her in her little red, white and blue dress she wore for the occassion today. The dress is a US 3 month but fits her fine. I am also including a picture of toddlers we saw today out walking with what we believe was their daycare workers. Do you see how they have them organized? We also saw elementary children doing their morning exercises. They marched outside and went through a whole routine. We couldn't help but notice each group had two lines of boys and one line of girls. Well, its getting late here and we still have packing to do. See everyone soon we are sooo ready!!!

Red Couch Photo's

Today we took the famous red couch photos and tried to get 7 babies and one three year old to look at the camera or camera's as it was.  The babies kept trying to touch each other or pull the other ones clothes it was pretty funny. Grace, our 3 year old would not sit on the couch so her mom is holding her in the floor in front of the couch. All the babies did great though, no one was crying so that was success. We think Katie looks adorable in her dark blue dress!! Our guide took our paperwork to the consulate today and we waited in our room as instructed in case a question came up. Luckily, no questions so all our paperwork and fees was in order.  Tomorrow we all go to the consulate at 2:45 for the citizenship ceremony. We will receive her Chinese passport back with her US visa inside. After that we are good to go!! The weather here was actually quite nice today, a breeze and lower humidity. We walked and shopped a little more. Everyone who has already been here before has told us buy what you think you want now  because you will regret it when you get home if you don't. So I have done my best to take them at their word and get what I think we need. Mostly some silk dresses for both girls in different sizes and bigger sizes for the future. The group is going to the pearl market tomorrow and to the budist temple. About half the group is going and about half is staying here to finish shopping and to start packing. We started packing tonight so we will see how it goes.

todays photo's

we took some cute photo's today of all the babies in their new outfits

Today we took all the babies for their medical check up. We walked from the hotel to the clinic, about 8 blocks. The stroller really came in handy. The clinic was full of people, practically standing room only. They took us down a hallway to the adoption area. I took a photo ofcourse as I have looked at this sign in this hallway a thousand times over the years. Its so funny to see  so many familiar things in a place I have never been before. Katie did not like the checkup. It was real fast, three stations and she cried at each one of them. They checked her ears first and she really didn't like it so it was down hill after that. She even cried hard when they weighed her. Her weight was 15lbs, with clothes and diaper on. Tomorrow is our consulate appt, we have given our guide all our paperwork and the rest of the fees.  We have to wait in the room while she goes to the consulate in case their is a question. In the afternoon we are getting all the girls together for the famous red couch photo in their silk dresses. We bought some of those today for both girls along with several pairs of squeaky shoes. We also bought a suit case today, just  a carry on. They are cheap and we need some space for the stuff we have bought. We will start to think about packing tomorrow.I forgot to mention it yesterday but we got the adoption barbie.  She is kinda funny, she has a long blonde braid and ofcourse if holding a chinese baby. The White Swan hotel is full of adoption families. We have met people from all over the US. A couple walked through breakfast wearing Auburn T-shirts yesterday. We have also met a couple from Mississippi that I got to know online while we waited. She and I had spoken on the phone several times but she is not with our agency. Anyway, they  where in the same province as us and are now here at the hotel. Super nice people. Well I know I am forgetting something. We have walked all day long today and Katie continues to be a real sweetie. Better go for now, only a few days left.

Lots of shopping today!

Roger thought Katie should have her own seat on the bus, I thought you guys would enjoy the picture. She was quite pleased with herself to be sitting there.  Today we visited the Chen Family Museum. It was full of really pretty stuff, alot of carved ivory, beautiful embroidery,and home furnishing from the time period. Everywhere we go someone stops some of us to ask about the babies. This was a real big deal back in the province, we received stares everywhere we went.  Even here, with as many adoption families as they see we still get questions and comments, Everyone is nice, the lady talking to me was trying to ask how old Katie is. Its really hard when you have no idea what they are saying yet she kept on talking to me until another lady in our group figured out what she was trying to ask. The island is GREAT! We have eaten more today than we have in the last week! The breakfast buffet here at the hotel has everything you could want for a western breakfast plus chicken nuggets, baked beans and tater tots. We bought a stroller today, Katie is a real trooper but this heat is to much to wear her all the time in the carrier. The strollers are cheap, like 25 US new. We also visited the Jade store today! Roger was very good to us, Madison, Katie and myself now all have some nice Jade. Since they are so little I will enjoy theirs as well as mine until they are older. Rhonda and I walked the island during Katie's nap today to check prices on silk dresses and sqeeky shoes. I plan to buy some tomorrow. We took a picture of a bride and groom, we have been here two days and have seen 6-8 brides getting their photo's done. It is really pretty here and alot more comfortabe. We still can't drink the water, and no ice in our glasses but we are in great shape now.

We are at the White Swan in Guangzhou

We are now in Guangzhou! We left our hotel this morning at 6:30 AM and arrived here around noon. Katie is a super traveler, she didn't fuss one time even on the plane. I was worried with her congestion that she wouldn't do well but she actually slept all during take off and most of the flight.  I am better also, I remembered pretty quickly after starting to get my cold that I had pretty much packed a pharmacy to bring with me. Katie continues to show us her personality, she is so funny and sweet. In a shop tonight (yes we are already shopping as that is what you do here, but more about that later) Roger walked in and from several feet away she spotted him and let out the cutest scream while a big smile spread across her face. It was so sweet! We are at the White Swan Hotel, I have seen the photo's of this hotel hundreds of times on the many blogs I followed for four years during this wait. It is odd to actually be here. We already know we will be happier here, the hotel is huge, so far everyone speaks English, western food is readily available inside and out, and did I mention the shopping. Our guide is taking us to the Jade store tomorrow!! Todays pictures are just some cute shots we got of Katie, she is soooo sweet. Sorry this is short again, we are busy and tired as you can imagine. Thanks Darci for sending us the comments, we really appreciate it. We are still unable to access the blog here. Hopefully we will have more time tomorrow to post, there is so much to tell that we could never place it all here anyway. I have lost track of the pictures we have taken between us but its over 500 photograghs. So when we get home we will share all those if anyone wants to see them. Better go for now.

Last day in Nanchang

Today is our last day in Katie's Province, and we toured a village that was typical of the village where Katie was born.  Very poor, but the people we very friendly and humble.  They hadn't seen many Westerners, but were quick to invite us into their homes, and we created quite a stir. Short note tonight, we need to pack, fill out paperwork, and get ready for a 6 am luggage call for our flight to Guanzhou in the morning. Talk to you from Guanzhou tomoroow!!

Shopping today

Its gonna be short and sweet tonight, we are exhausted again and I am still trying to fight off a cold. Katie seems better but not well yet. She is rolling over today and quite proud of herself. She loves the bath and splashes water everywhere. We went shopping at the Jing Chang Porcelain shopt today, and yes that is how they spell it. Our guide said to buy that here in this proviince as it is known for it and took us to a special shop to purchase it. I included a picture of Rhonda's purchase, me leaving the store with my stuff and a few of the hotel. The one photo is the building across the street from the hotel. Our hotel is a 5 star hotel but as you can see the building across the street is not. I will include more photo's of Katie tomorrow. The group is going to tour a local village in the morning. I am not sure Katie and I will go, it is soooo hot here. And yes, everyone who told me it was worse here than in Houston was right. I have never experience such heat and humidity. More tomorrow.

More random thoughts

One more post today, the first photo's are of some girls at Wal Mart yesterday. Our agency gives us a card to wear so when the Chinese people see us and come up to us wondering why we have a Chinese baby we can show them. The card says something to the effect of ..... We are American's and have come to China to get our little girl, it gives her Chinese name, says where she is from and we are taking her home to America where we will give her all our heart and make sure she receives the best education. It also says we love Chinese culture. So these three girls ask me in English is that a Chinese baby? When I said yes, Roger offered them the card which was hanging behind me so they are reading it. It was really funny as they read aloud but softly until they go to her name then they shouted Yi Xiao Kai. When finished they said it was great and then asked to have their picture taken with Roger on their cell phones. Go figure?  Several Chinese people have read our card and given us a thumbs up. I also posted a picture of the caligraphy we had done today for both Madison and Katie. They turned out really nice. The girl in the purple sweater is our guide, Grace. She is so good and a tiny girl herself. She is teaching us Chinese each morning on the bus as we go places so we will see if we can remember any of it when we get home. I think Roger mentioned it but I wanted to say this little one is a real sweetie! Her whole world has been turned upside down and yet she never fusses. She is still sick but getting better and yet she is eating good, sleeping, smiling and trying to play more everyday. We feel very lucky with how well she is doing. I am actually starting to get sick, sore throat, so I am catching what she has I guess. Roger and I are ready to come home. The trip is great, Katie is a doll, but now that we have her we miss Madison all that much more. We know she is fine, actually making it well with out us but we are ready to come home! Thats all for tonight, our papa johns is due any minute.

Todays ramblings....

Here are a few random photo's, first is a picture of Grace a little girl in our group who will be three when she arrives home with her new adoptive mom. She is doing well, but still guarded. She has yet to smile for any of us to see but today she came to breakfast in her new clothes, hat, sqeaky shoes and bracelets.  She was so big and proud of her clothes and it was sooo sweet so I took her picture but as you see she would not smile.  She would not even hardly look at me.  I don't think you can tell from the picture but her arms and legs are soooo small. Also we visited an ancient pavillion today and saw some ancient dance. It was soooo hot, even by Houston standards. Katie slept through the whole thing in the carrier. She is sleeping her way through all our outings.  We took a few photo's across the river behind the pavillion and hopefully they will post well enough for you to see the pollution, its bad!! Our guide is great, she is funny and always available for anything we need. She has been arranging meals for us and orders for us so we don't get anything to funny. Well, I hate to say it but I have found there is not much true Chinese food I can eat. The first dish on the table at lunch today was a chicken, the whole chicken, head and everything. I wish we had a photo but we did not get one. I did find a bread, rice and sweet and sour dish that I could eat. Tonight we are ordering Papa Johns!!

WalMart Excursion

This is Roger today, and since Regina is giving Katie a bath, I thought I would give this blog posting thing a try.  Today was our big trip to WalMart to shop for Katie (along with some snacks for us)!  WalMart was actually on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a mall.  You wouldn't expect to find octopus, large live fish, jellyfish, turtles, frogs, and snakes at WalMart, but this one had all of these, and most were alive.  It was interesting to find people catching fish (about 14 inches long) with a net and putting them into a plastic bag while they were still flopping around, then into their shopping cart.  Fresh fish for dinner!!  The store had ramp type escalators that would handle shopping carts between floors.  The service was also much different than that in the US - MUCH BETTER!  There were people in almost every asle to help you find things or answer questions.  When they went to get you something, they didn't walk, they ran!  Not like any WalMart I've ever been in!  We included a picture of some of our "bounty" from WalMart!  Katie missed most of the excitement and slept through most of the trip.  We finished the WalMart excursion with lunch at KFC, probably the most recognizable food on the trip so far! Katie was a little more congested this morning, and the doctor traveling with us agreed we should start her on antibiotics (which we brought with us).  There are several babies with the same condition, including the doctor's baby.  Katie is showing more personality all of the time.  She wants to see everything going on around her.  She obviously has spent most of her time on her back, and her legs are much stronger than her arms, and she won't eat from a spoon.  She's very alert, and will catch up very quickly.  She is incredibly sweet, and you fall in love with her right off the bat.  We can't wait for everyone to meet her! Oh and by the way we weighed her today in the room a whopping 13.2 lbs, we are not kidding when we say she is tiny!