A day at the lake, sort of.

Today was a free day, at least as far as official adoption events go. We met Missy in the lobby at 9:30 for a visit to Daming Lake, one of Jinan's main cultural points of interest. Unfortunately the weather was less than ideal; it was about 40 degrees and drizzly. The lake is surrounded by a walkway which takes about 3 hours to walk the complete circle. There are lots of little bridges and side paths that make it an interesting layout. There are a couple of islands in the middle of the lake that are only accessible by pontoon. The lake has several pavilions, pagodas, and many gardens, creating a very calm and tranquil atmosphere. At least that's how it's supposed to be. We were freezing after a very short time. We decided to take a pontoon cruise around the lake, which was a nice way to see everything and stay warm at the same time. Once off the boat, it was clear that this was going to be too cold for the kids to enjoy, so we headed out after less than an hour. We took some pictures, but like our experience at the Great Wall, they are misty and gray. 

We needed an indoor activity to pass some time, so we headed for the Parc66 mall, just off Quancheng Square near our hotel. This is a high-end mall more suited for window-shopping than actual purchasing - think Versace. The 5th floor is dedicated to children's cloths and toys, so we headed up there to let the kids look around. They quickly spotted a toy store and soon we were leaving with a new baby doll and some Legos. They ran around a bit at a little play area and then we headed out for lunch. As we emerged from the mall the rain had stopped and the sun was shining, but at that point it was too late to go back to the lake. 

We returned to the wonton restaurant that we attempted to dine at yesterday. It was still busy, but we managed to find the last available table. It was a good thing we had Missy, as there was no English and no pictures on the menu, and no one was speaking English except us. We shared 4 varieties of wontons that were floating in a nice soupy broth (think wonton soup, but much, much larger and better than most places we've visited in the states.) On the side, vinegar and fried chili paste are served as condiments. We dished out a little vinegar in a bowl to the kids, and the adults had both. Well MJ quickly started reaching for the chili paste. We handed the bowl to her and she took a big bite of pure chili paste, licked her lips and added more to her wontons. I asked Missy how the paste was made, and it is crushed red peppers that are fried in oil and seasoned with various spices. She kept eating it like that all meal; she really, really enjoys spicy food! 

After the meal we headed back to the hotel room to let the kids play with their new toys. We decided that it would be a good time to do a little laundry in our room. We washed socks, underclothes, and a few other items in the tub. It quickly became a game, and  M&M has a lot of fun playing in the soapy water and wringing out the clothes. 

After hanging our unmentionables all around the room to dry, we headed back to Starbucks to get our afternoon coffee fix, then we strolled down the old city moat, which is fed by the Black Tiger Spring. We took a few pictures and headed back to the room. We decided to eat in tonight, and we prepared some noodles with our hot-pot (all hotel rooms have them here.) This gave us more alone time to bond with MJ. I think it's going well so far; she doesn't scream trying to get away when we take her places! She and Manu have been feeling each other out since her arrival, and today they seemed to get along well. There have been lots of laughs and giggles, and even a pillow fight! There's still a little ways to go before everyone is completely comfortable with everyone, but we're getting there. MJ also seems to be understanding a few English words and phrases already, like "no," "get down from there," "don't put that in your mouth," so that is helping bridge the communication gap a bit :-)

MJ ready for the lake.

A pontoon on the lake. 

Missy and Min Jing.

In front of a Tiger display at the mall.

Doing the laundry. Child labor, or character building?

Standing over the old city moat. 

Our Hotel, as seen from Quancheng Square.

Min Jing looking over Manu's shoulder. 

Snuggling up to...their gadgets.

One door opens as another closes.

Today was a happy day. It was also hectic and heart-wrenching. Today was the day we would finalize Min Jing's adoption. We had to get up early, as we needed to meet Missy in the lobby at 8:30 to head to the Civil Affairs office - one of three different offices, in three different parts of town - we would visit today. We were up at 6am and headed down to breakfast at 7. We ate in the room last night, so this was our first meal out as a family of 4. Min Jing ate well, preferring mostly Chinese fare as expected, but she did really enjoy a fried egg, too. We learned that she will take off running if she sees something she wants, and we had to chase her down several times this morning, and throughout the day. We went back to the room to get our things, and then we were off.

The first stop was the Civil Affairs office where we finalized Min Jing's adoption. we signed some papers, paid some money, and marked some documents with fingerprints. The ladies from the orphanage were there to present their documents, and Min Jing was happy to see them again. Before we left we were presented with her official adoption document, as well as other important papers we'll need in Guangzhou next week to process her visa. These were the documents we have been working toward for almost 6 months now. We were told by the nice lady working there, who had been at Min Jing's orphanage just last week, that they had our family picture hanging on the wall there, and Min Jing would make a point of telling everyone she saw that we were her mama, baba, and gege. More proof that they had done a great job of prepping her for our arrival. 

We then left and headed out into heavy traffic for the local police station to process her Chinese passport. Were were quickly directed to a small, crowded hallway that led to a room where Min Jing would get her passport photo taken. We got that accomplished and were hastily rushed upstairs to another waiting room. Missy went off to get things started and then came back and rushed us to an officer. More signatures were made and fees paid and we were off to the Notary office across town. There we met up once again with the orphanage staff. We signed all the forms and paid the last official fee of this adoption. We were now officially Min Jing's parents! We took a group photo with these wonderful ladies and then we headed downstairs to say our goodbyes. A lot of tears were shed in these last few minutes together. Min Jing told the director that she didn't want them to go. She told Min Jing that everything would be alright, and that she should come back and see them when she grows up. She was then overcome with emotion and had to step aside to compose herself. The second lady, who we believe was Min Jing's primary caretaker was also visibly upset. They had raised her from about 19 days old until today, and they were saying goodbye for the last time. For us, this brought into sharp focus exactly what Min Jing would be leaving behind. No child deserves to live in an institution, but she was loved there, of that we are certain. We will forever be indebted to the people there for showing her love, and taking such wonderful care of her. They watched us drive away until we were out of sight. 

On the drive back to the hotel, Min Jing was quiet. Missy would ask her if she was hungry, sleepy, or wanted anything at all, and she just shook her head slowly, with tears welling up in her eyes. She stayed like that all the way back. As excited as she seems to have been at our arrival, I think maybe she just figured out what having a mama, baba, and gege really means - leaving everyone else behind. As our door opens, the door to her past closes. We held her, rubbed her back and tried our best to console her, but it is her right to mourn, and we will let her.  

When we got back to the hotel it was time to find something to eat. We first tried to go to a wonton restaurant that Missy recommended, but we got there and the place was packed. We instead headed to KFC. You read that right, KFC. There seems to be one on every corner, and according to Missy, they are more popular than McDonalds in China. But this isn't you father's KFC. You would hardly recognize the menu. They did have chicken poppers, which the kids enjoyed, but I ordered pork curry and vegetables over rice, and Leslie had red bean turnovers. I think I'll try asking for that when we're back in Lexington! Normally we don't eat much fast food, especially when travelling, but it was close, everyone was starving, and we kind of wanted to check out the difference. It was fun, and as she was eating, Min Jing started to perk up a bit. 

We came back to the Hotel for a little break. Leslie tried to get Min Jing to take a nap, unsuccessfully, while Manu and I played a round of Pokemon cards. After a bit we headed out to Quancheng Square, just across the street. It was much less crowded today as it was on Saturday when we first passed by. We stopped first at a large metalic lotus fountain with dancing water jets that perform to music at regular intervals. the kids loved watching the sprayers move back and forth in an artistic fashion. We also admired dozens of beautiful, elaborate kites that were being flown throughout the square. This is a serious pastime in China, and kites are everywhere. We walked up a large, blue statue in the center of the square that is the symbol for the city of Jinan. We walked around a little more, and chased down Min Jing when she would take of running after something. 

On the way back, we let them look at a toy/kite stand that was near the entrance to the square. As they were looking, a middle-aged woman comes up to Min Jing and asks her if she knows us. Min Jing identified us as mama, baba, and gege, and the woman looked at us with a bit of wonder, shrugged her shoulders and walked away. I feel certain she was looking out for Min Jing's well being; there is a strong sense of community and family here, and we were obvious strangers to these parts hanging around a little Chinese girl. I'm not upset that the woman would question our relationship with her, but it does serve as a reminder of how much we stand out everywhere we go. It has been that way for us for years now, but it's different when you are in the minority, and it is but a small taste for us of what life must be like for immigrants everywhere and probably for our kids, too. 

We ended the day by ordering room service and eating in. Everyone is in bed now, and I'm about to join them. Thanks for following. 

Min Jing officially consenting to being adopted.

Manu, Min Jing, and her caretaker.

Group photo at the Notary office. 

The kids in front of the lotus fountain. 

Quancheng Square.

Brother and sister bonding.

Hello, my name is Jeff, but you can call me 爸爸

(Bàba, Papa, Father, Daddy, the Old Man, etc.)

Today was a day much like any other: you wake up in a foreign country, enjoy a breakfast of things you cannot pronounce, take a trip to the bank to exchange some money only to be accosted by several people trying to get you to use their "services" instead of the bank, stop at Starbucks for a 2pm latte, walk down a food alley where all manner of strange creatures are barbecued on a skewer, be stared at by anyone and everyone you pass on the street, and meeting your 5yo daughter for the first time. Yep, pretty ordinary by most accounts. 

 For the benefit of our parents, I'll cut right to the chase. Min Jing and adults from her orphanage came to our room at about 3pm. Leslie opened the door to find this precious little girl holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She came in followed by the adults and our interpreter/guide, Missy. Min Jing immediately recognized us as Mama, Baba, and Gege. She was a bit reserved, but not shy. She immediately allowed us to hold her and kiss her. She soon noticed a doll that we had brought for her and immediately picked it up and began taking off it's clothes. We had an assortment of toys and sweets lay'd out for her. She particularly liked the nail polish and glittering lip gloss. She soon began painting her own nails, and then Leslie's, too. The orphanage director handed her a gift that she then handed to Gege (Manu); a bank in the shape of a Chinese boy. Leslie and I were then presented with a few gifts of beautiful artwork from her hometown. They also gave us a few gifts for Min Jing from people who had worked/volunteered at her orphanage, including a beautiful boxed-set of decorated chopsticks that we will save for her until she is older. 

The director and the two other adults were very warm and friendly. They seemed to take a genuine interest in Manu. The gentleman of the group was snapping away, picture after picture, as the events were unfolding. We presented them with gifts that we had brought from the states, and then the director answered all questions we had about Min Jing and her situation. Then it was time to sign the temporary adoption paperwork. I say temporary because, in China, we have 24 hours to change our minds and cancel the adoption. No chance of that happening, but it is a formaility. We'll head to the civil affairs office tomorrow to finalize, at which point she officially becomes our daughter. Finally we said our goodbyes to the orphanage staff and they left our hotel. Once they were gone, Missy took us to a nearby photography store to have her passport photos taken. We came back to the room and, after it seemed that everything was going to be OK, Missy left for the evening as well. We were now on our own!

So much has happened in the last few hours, my head is still spinning, but I'd like to touch on a few items of note:

1st - This little girl is the most beautiful girl in the world. When she smiles and her eyes light up, it melts my heart. She is very talkative, and as yet doesn't seem much bothered by that fact that we don't understand what she is saying; she just talks and talks and talks, and sometime sings in her sweet little voice. She seems very inquisitive and fiercely independent; she doesn't want or need help opening packages or using the TV remote control. She seems to like Gege and has been mimicking a lot of what he does. Her chopstick skills put us to shame, and we're getting pretty good! She had no problems figuring out our camera or our phones; She actually took several really good photos of us, plus a selfie! She enjoyed her first bath, and went to bed easily, except for getting up a couple of times to get me to come to bed, too. 

2nd - It is obvious that the people at her orphanage deeply care for her, and have taken great care of her, and prepared her for this transition. She seems very healthy and happy. She instinctively puts things back where they belong, without being asked, and has even neatly folded and stacked all of the clothes that Leslie has lay'd out for her to look at. It seems apparent that, because of her situation, she has had more responsibility put upon her than that of a typical 5yo. Developmentally she seems right on point, both physically and intellectually. 

3rd - As part of the care package we sent to her for her 5th birthday, we included a USB thumb drive for the staff to download any pictures that had of her from over the years. They gave that back to us today. On it were almost 900 pictures of her going as far back as her pictures on the day she was found when she was approximately 19 days old! This was truly a blessing as we scanned through photos of special moments and events in her life. But as wonderful as it is to have them (and it really is), it is also a little painful as we realize more clearly all of the good times and milestones we have missed.

In the end, today went about as well as it possibly could; not a single tear and the first signs of bonding are beginning to appear. While this was a great relief, we know that it could be short-lived. Often the reality of what is happening can be delayed for adopted children, so she could break-down on us at any time. We hope it doesn't come to that, but we understand it is a normal part of the grieving process, and we'll do our best to empathize with her, cry with her, and comfort her as she cements her place in our family, forever. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for, the pictures:

My three favorite people in the world!

The nail polish was a hit.

Missy and the orphanage director.

The staff and our kids. 

All of us together. 

Having fun coloring.

More nail polish

Leslie and her flowers. 

Her first selfie. 

Daddy's princess!

All Aboard the Bullet Train!

This was a travel day and as such, there's not too much of interest to relay. We left our hotel at 11am this morning and headed out on a one-hour trip to the train station. The station we were leaving from is in south Beijing. It was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympic games, and is the largest in all of Asia. Angela helped us navigate the busy station, which resembled an airport in many respects. When the time came we said our goodbyes to her and boarded the train. The Bullet Train was long and sleek. We were in 1st class, and the inside of our cabin resembled that of an airliner. The seats were comfortable and the staff was pleasant. There was a free snack, plus more items available for purchase. Our seats were slightly separated, so Manu and I sat together, while Leslie was in the rear, adjacent row. I think she actually enjoyed being on her own for a bit, as while I was playing games with Manu, Leslie had a little bit of alone time to read in peace on her tablet. The ride was quick and smooth, stopping about 4 times at other stations before arriving at our destination; it was much more pleasant than flying. Our trip lasted just over 2 hours and we got to see a good bit of rural China along the way. The only snag was when, after we left the station in Jinan, we couldn't find our new guide, Missy. We looked and we looked, but we didn't see anyone who seemed to be looking for us. I had her phone number, so I started to dial her up when out of nowhere she arrived and asked if we were the folks she was looking for; a few tense moments, but problem averted.

After about 20 minutes we arrived at our hotel. Missy assisted with checking us in and getting us into our room. We asked her about nearby grocery options for items we were needing to purchase, and she offered to take us there. We walked out of the hotel, crossed the street into the large town-square. We then headed down some steps and into a department store that seemed to gone on for miles, It was like an entire mall inside one very large room. Being Saturday, the place was packed. Whatever you're imagining when I say "packed," just multiply that number by 10. Although Jinan is a small city of only 6 million people (Beijing's official number is 27 million, but Angela said that the real number might be pushing 40 million,) it feels more congested. We bought some snacks, bottled water, paper bowls, and some chop-sticks for the room; haven't used a fork since arriving in China. We headed back to the hotel and made arrangements to meet Missy tomorrow morning so that we can head to the Bank of China to exchange some cash. We said goodbye and headed up to our room. 

Our room is a nice-sized suite on the 9th floor. We unpacked a bit and decided it was time to head out and find dinner. We thought that it would be easier today to eat in the hotel,  and the restaurant on the second floor was offering a dinner buffet, so we just went there. There was a nice selection of Chinese, as well as American, Japanese, and Korean offerings. It was good, if slightly over-priced - we're in a hotel after all. What I'll remember most about this meal, though, is the hoards of people all converging on the buffet, pushing and cutting to get to where they were going. That, and none of the staff really spoke English, so we were like fish out of water trying to figure out what to eat, hot to get around, and how to explain to the staff that we needed more napkins. But, after a few trips to the buffet, I was pushing and shoving with the rest of them. No one seems to take offence, as this  just seems to be the Chinese way. The nice thing about the buffet was that it included all the red wine and beer you wanted; just grab a bottle or pour a glass yourself. I will admit that a glass of wine really settled my nerves a bit. Even though we have been in China for three days already, we're going to be on our own more now, and this was a bit of culture shock. Manu fell asleep in Leslie's lap before we left. We carried him back to the room and he's snoring away. He's been a really good sport about all of this so far, and I'm really proud of him. 

So here is the plan for tomorrow: We'll go out and exchange our money and come back to the hotel. Min Jing and some of the orphanage staff will arrive at 2pm. They will bring her to our room where we'll meet her for the first time. We'll sign the preliminary adoption paperwork and they will leave her with us. We expect some tears, as she'll be left by the only people she has ever known, in a new place, with strange-looking and funny-sounding people. While this will be a happy day for us, we understand that it will be a day of great loss for her, and we only hope we can help her feel as comfortable as possible as she transitions into our family, and a new phase of her life. Wish us luck, and we'll see you tomorrow, as a family of 4.

Manu on the Bullet Train

Train car #11

The Bullet Train

This speaks for itself. 

Beijing Day 2

Today was our last full day in Beijing; tomorrow we take the Bullet Train to Jinan, where on Sunday we finally meet our daughter! After another breakfast of noodles, tofu, and steamed buns, we met Angela at 9am and started out on a 2-hour trip to visit The Great Wall of China. Before arriving we stopped and had another great meal for lunch. Angela and our driver - who is very nice but doesn't speak English and whose name we do not know - were quite impressed at our willingness to eat authentic Chinese cuisine. She said that most of the Americans that she has worked with prefer only western fare, or white rice and soy sauce. That's too bad for them, because the food here is wonderful!

After arriving and on our way to the entrance, we walked down a small street of locals selling all kinds of souvenirs and foods. They were very persistent; calling out to use and trying to put items into our hands; but we resisted buying anything as prices were inflated and we didn't want to carry more stuff up to the wall. To get to the wall we took an old-style rickety-sounding ski lift. Only 2 could ride per seat, so Leslie went with Angela and I rode up with Manu. The view was gorgeous, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous as we slowly climbed the hill, dangling high above the rocky terrain below, listening to the cable creak and twang. Once we made it to the top, it was just a short walk and a few stair before we were standing on the wall. It was a surreal experience standing on one of the wonders of the modern world. It's one of those cultural icons that you see countless times in film and print, but never expect actually to see with your own eyes. We walked up and down a good bit of the wall while Angela gave us much of its history and some of its more interesting folk-legends. Unfortunately, the pollution was high again, so it was impossible to get completely clear photos; that haze is not fog, it's smog. By the time we got back to where we started, we were all exhausted from the constant, and sometimes steep, up and down stairways; the wall follows the ridge-line of the mountains, so it's never level for very long. We rode a toboggan down a curvy metal slide back to the bottom of the mountain. It kind of resembled a bobsled course, and at times, Manu and I were sliding at about 30kph. This of course was Manu's favorite part of the entire visit. 

We left the wall and began our return trip home. On the way we stopped at a cloisonne factory. This a place where they create and decorate copper vases and other items in an ancient tradition unique to Beijing. It was interesting to watch each step of the process, especially when they pulled a batch out of a floor furnace and they were glowing hot! Items in the shop were pricey, which is understandable considering the large amount of labor that goes into a single item. Larger pieces easily cost several thousand dollars. We managed to find a small vase that we could afford; we wanted to have something special for Min Jing from China when she's older. 

Back in town we had yet another wonderful meal, which included Peking Duck. It was another one of those, I can't believe I'm eating Peking Duck in Peking (Beijing) moments. We then left and headed back for the room. 

We've had a great time here in Beijing; there are many wonderful things to see and taste here. Angela and our driver have been wonderful, and we'll miss them on the rest of our trip; we'll have a new guide and driver when we arrive in Jinan tomorrow. 

It's been fun, but now on to the real reason we came - to meet our daughter!

Breakfast at the hotel

Manu conquers the wall.

On the steps.

It just keeps going up!

Another view of the wall.

Us just below the wall.

Picture from below the wall.

Dried fruits and nuts for sale nearby.

Copper items just out of the oven; glowing hot!

Beijing Day 1

Today was our first full day in Beijing, and boy was it ever. We started out by waking up at 4:30am - the unfortunate consequence of moving forward 12 time zones. At 7 we headed down to the hotel restaurant for the breakfast buffet: noodles, tofu in chili sauce, beef with sauteed zucchini, and eggs with curried tomatoes were just a few of the good things to eat. There were a few familiar western item there too, but when in Beijing...Then it occurred to me for the first time that we were eating Chinese food in China, and that made me smile.  

Our guide Angela met us in the lobby at 8 and we started on a tedious van ride to downtown Beijing. Traffic crawls as vehicles compete with bicycles, pedestrians, and rickshaws on overcrowded streets. God help you if you need to cross the street; pedestrians do NOT have right-of-way in China. On a positive note, it was a very clear day with much better air than last night thanks to somewhat windy conditions. 

Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven, a large area used by Chinese emperors for annual ceremonies and prayers for a good harvest. This was a beautiful complex of temples, courtyards, and parks. On the way in we watched some older men practicing water calligraphy on a stone pathway. 

After leaving the Temple of Heaven we headed across the street to a local tea shop. We had a demonstration of tea-brewing and sampled several varieties of black, oolong, green, and flower teas. There were some dubious health-claims being made about the benefits of the individual teas, but they all tasted great, though Manu was more interested in the free peanuts they served. We purchased a few canisters of tea and then headed off to a silk factory. This place had a working demonstration of how silk was harvested, spun, and weaved into fabric. In true tourist-trap fashion,after leaving the demonstration we were corralled  through a showroom of their products made from the local silk. We did end up purchasing a silk-filled comforter for our bed back home. The quality was good, the price was fair, and it was made there in their shop, but now we have to pack it through two more destinations and back home.

We then went on a bicycle rickshaw tour of some of the older parts of Beijing. We visited the home of a local Chinese family and admired their dwelling and surroundings. 

Next, Angela took us to a local restaurant off the touristy path - we were the only Caucasians (and Indian) in the place, as far as I could tell. We ordered 5 dished and shared among us, Angela and our driver. The food was amazing. It did bear a slight resemblance to Chinese food back home, but this was definitely stepped-up a notch. We're all getting better at eating with chopsticks, especially Manu, for whom it's becoming second nature.   

After lunch it was off to Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. These areas are adjacent to one another and lie at the center of Beijing government and politics. The square is basically a very large courtyard full of lots of tourists, hucksters, and locals flying kites and playing games. There are a couple large-screen displays at the center of the square, erected for the 2008 Summer Olympics, that show patriotic images of all of China. It is a very patriotic pro-China environment without a single mention of the more notorious events that occurred her a few years ago. Across the street begins the Forbidden City; a palace for the emperors of old and their families. For most of history, commoners were not allowed inside. The architecture was stunning and you could really get a sense of what this place might have been like hundreds of years ago. 

Lastly we caught an acrobatic show.  It was a nice display of acrobatic feats, done in Chinese style, but by this time we were all dog-tired and only feigned half-interest in what was going on up on stage. We left the show, risked our lives a couple times crossing the street to get back to our van, and opted out of dinner at a restaurant. We instead ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut and ate in the room - total vacation fail, but it was quick and we could go back to the room! I'm the last one standing tonight, and I'm headed to bed soon. Tomorrow we take a 2hr trip to see the Great Wall; should be fun. Talk to you soon. 

Men practicing the art of Water Calligraphy at the entrance to the Temple of Heaven. 

The three of us in front of the Temple of Heaven.

This is really why we came to Beijing :-)

Leslie, Manu, and our guide Angela at the Forbidden City.

One of the Forbidden City buildings.

Daddy and Manu on our Rickshaw. 

We drove by the Bird's Nest; the central stadium of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The Tea House 

Chairman Mao on the Tienanmen Gate entrance to the Forbidden City, as seen from Tienanmen Square.  

Made it to Beijing!

Well, we made it! A long flight for sure (14hrs), but no problems to speak of. We flew to Chicago early this morning and had an almost 6-hour layover before our flight to China. We got some breakfast, looked at the shops, and just sat around to pass the time...I might have had a beer or two at the Goose Island pub, for medicinal purposes :-) It was a little disheartening having this long of a wait before an extremely long flight, but soon enough it was over and we were off. We were flying United on a Boeing 777 which, while not as big and nice as the Airbus we flew to India, it was still a pretty big plane with seat-back entertainment, which helped pass the time. It looks like Manu is starting to get a respiratory infection, as he was coughing and hacking toward the end of the flight. At one point we thought he was going to throw up, but thankfully not and we didn't have to use the little barf baggies from the seat pouch. After we got off the plane he seemed to perk up a bit. We have some antibiotics for him if necessary, but we're waiting until morning to see how he is feeling; we'd like to not use them up at the very beginning of the trip if possible.

The one thing I'll say about our short time in China so far is in regards to the pollution: it is awful! As we were landing we throught that we were having trouble seeing out our window due to fog, but as soon as we got off the plane, we realized it was heavy, thick smog. Even indoors there is a stinky haze in the air. Our hotel room, which is about 40 minutes from downtown, isn't any better. You know how some hotels have bottled water, liquor, or toiletries in the room you can purchase just by using them? Well our room has 2 full-head gas mask-styled respirators. For only 180 Yuan each (about $30)  you too can have all the clean-filtered air you desire while making a fashion statement at the same time. No kidding though, this is a real problem, and it doesn't take long to make you appreciate the clean air standards we have in the states.

We met our guide Angela at the airport. She seems very nice. She and a driver took us about 40 minutes from the airport to our hotel. Traffic here is very bad, and only slightly safer/more organized than what we experienced in India. It took us a while to get to our hotel, as we were held up at several train-crossings, and a fender-bender between two sedans than slowed things down; a little bit of real-life experience right off the bat!

So we're turning in early; it's about 9pm here. Leslie is out and Manu is laying beside her playing a game on her phone; I think he's feeling better. I'm calling it quits too. Tomorrow we meet Angela early and visit the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. Should be fun, especially if the rain tonight clears the air a bit. I'll try to have some pictures for you tomorrow.

Thanks for following!

Meet Min Jing!

Please allow me to introduce our new daughter, and the inspiration for the continuation of this adoption blog, Min Jing. She just turned 5 and is currently in Rizhao City, in the Shandong Province of China. We leave next week for China to meet her and bring her home. We're super excited, as you can probably imagine. Please join us on our adventure as we'll be blogging throughout our journey. 

Deciding on a Second International Adoption - Adoption Blogs - Adoptive Families

Deciding on a Second International Adoption - Adoption Blogs - Adoptive Families

Christmas 2012