Building Block's

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

The Year of the Dragon started this week. Anna and Lily wore traditional Chinese dresses to school on Monday, the Chinese New Year.

Today we celebrated in our traditional way by watching the dragon parade and then enjoying lunch in our favorite Chinese restaurant. The girls loved the dragons and were even able to deal with the loud firecrackers.

Two beautiful girls in their Chinese dresses

Two scary dragons

Waiting for the dragon parade with Dad

Seattle's Chinese gate

The dragons dancing around the firecrackers

Snowy Seattle

2012-01-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

This has been a very wintry week in the Puget Sound area, which is something we don't experience very often. Heavy snow and ice pretty much shut the city down.

But for Anna and Lily it was FUN!

Flying down the hill

Playing with neighborhood friends

A Joyful Christmas

2012-01-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a joyful time for our family. How could it not be considering the excitement and fun that Anna and Lily brought to the season! These two girls relished every moment. Since Thanksgiving they were bubbling with Christmas spirit. Lily filled the house with her beautiful renditions of carols, and Anna helped Mom and Dad put up all the decorations.

Chloe joined us for the holidays and the three girls continued to build their close bond as sisters. Eric and Nana Barbara also joined us for a Christmas weekend filled with fun, food, and sharing of gifts.

We are so grateful to have been able to have our family together and to be so blessed during times that are hard for others around the world.

Lily at her pre-school Christmas celebration

A holiday trip to the Seattle Aquarium

All dressed up on Christmas Eve

Three beautiful sisters

Opening gifts with Mommy

Anna looking so different than when we picked her up at the orphanage exactly 2 years ago... such a beautiful young lady!

Presents for Dad

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving was extra fun this year. A house full of wonderful family-- Chloe, her boyfriend Erick, Nana Barbara, and Eric and his girlfriend Tara. Our dinner was traditional turkey with all the extras. As usual Anna ate an entire turkey leg!

New this year was Lily's rendition of "Albuquerque Turkey"-

Anna is 6 and Halloween Is Fun

2011-10-31T22:17:00.000-07:00

Anna and Lily choose their pumpkins

Anna celebrates her 6th birthday with her sister

Lily the "good" witch and Anna the clown

Jeff, Danielle, and Lillian Vist

2011-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Pamela's brother Jeff visited with us last week, and was joined by Danielle and her sweet daughter Lillian. We really enjoyed having them here. Saturday we had a fun day at Remlinger Farms. Several pictures are below.

Off to School!

2011-09-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

It's hard for us believe Anna is starting kindergarten tomorrow. Seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from China. She has blossomed into such a beautiful and interesting young girl. She is so excited about starting school that she's bouncing off the walls. Tomorrow she makes her first school bus ride. It was hard to get her to sleep tonight. She is so ready!

Lily is starting a new preschool and, like Anna, is very excited. She met her teachers and visited her school room today and can't wait to get started.

Anna visits her new classroom

Lilly meets her teachers

Boating Fun with Chloe and Erick

2011-09-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

Chloe and her boyfriend Erick joined us for a fun day on the boat. The girls especially enjoyed bouncing on the donut.

Snacking on Lake Washington

Bouncing in the donut

Anna swimming with Dad

Look Mom, No Training Wheels!!

2011-07-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

Anna and Lily have graduated from their training wheels! And they did it in one day! Anna was first. She worked hard to learn to balance on her scooter, and from there she was ready for her bike. Lily watched Anna and was determined to follow in her footsteps. She grabbed the scooter, mastered her balance, and asked Daddy to take off those training wheels. And before we knew it, they were off!

Anna helping Lily get started

Mom, no training wheels!

Off and riding

Picking Strawberries with Dad

2011-07-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

Anna and Lily love strawberries, and their Dad has been telling them for months that Northwest strawberries are the best. And Saturday they found out that it's true!

They were great little strawberry pickers, even though they ate almost as many as they picked!

The Girls Get a Sandbox

2011-06-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

Anna and Lily have been asking for a sandbox for some time, and thay finally have one. Dad and Chloe were the primary carpenters and Anna was a helper. And when it was done the girls had a 6 x 8 sandbox that has provided hours of fun.

The carpenters at work

Fun in the sand

With sister Chloe

Dad's three beautiful girls

Our Vacation in the Sun

2011-05-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time on our vacation aboard the ship Star Princess visiting seven islands in the Caribbean. This is the first opportunity we've had to vacation with our girls and we all had a great adventure. Anna and Lily travel so well. They had so much fun in the ship's play area and on the days we spent on the white sands of some of the world's greatest beaches.

Anna and Lily decorate cookies in the playroom

Playing in the white sands of Barbados

John's eye candy

"Is that an iceberg!?"

"This water is so warm!"

Anna after getting her corn rows.

The three most beautiful girls on the ship.

Easter Sunday

Sailors three.

Loving sisters.

It's fun to dress up!

Two beautiful sisters.

Watching the ocean roll by.

Life After the Orphanage

2011-04-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Life after a Chinese orphanage consists of many different experiences. In Lily and Anna's case here are a few:

Saying the Pledge of Allegiance taught us by Nana. But note that the Chinese flag is also represented.

Spring is here and it's time to do Spring cleaning on our playhouse.

Until Summer comes. it's fun to swim in the hot tub.

Anna loves to cook! Here she is slicing onions for the salad. Note that Anna can use a sharp knife!

Two favorite passtimes- coloring and computer games. Lily has mastered the computer mouse.

Now I Know What Love Is

2011-04-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

Every night we have routine when putting the kids to bed where we sing songs. Pamela has written two little songs - one for each girl - that she made up in China to help calm the girls down. For Anna, it was a song with the lyrics, " Close your eyes and go to sleep, go to sleep, go sleep... Close your eyes to go to sleep....know that Mommy loves you."

Tonight when Pamela was singing the song, Anna stopped her and said, " Mommy, when you picked me up in China I didn't know what love means but now I do." Pamela asked, "Anna what does love mean ?" and Anna answered in her matter of fact, sweet little voice, "It means that you care about me and you want me to be safe."

Pamela came downstairs with tears in her eyes and said. " It's been a great weekend and we have two amazing little girls."

She's right.

Lily the Ballerina

2011-04-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Lily has become quite the dramatic little lady. Her days are filled with make believe, dress-up, and role-play. She's at one moment a fairy, the next a princess, the next an actress, the next a ballerina.

Each Saturday morning she joins her classmates at her ballet class. Three and four year old girls are fun to watch as their teacher tries to keep their attention for more than a few seconds. It is fun because they are still free from being directed, free to act on their momentary impulses, free to just be what they want to me.

Don't we all wish we could be three or four again?

Lily Is Four!!

2011-03-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

Lily is four years old! How the time has flown since we picked her up in China when she was only 14 months old. She has blossomed into an incredibly happy and interesting little girl. Her flair for the dramatic keeps us laughing and amazed. She brings us such joy!

Chloe was here this weekend which made the celebration of Lily's birthday all the more special. Anna and Lily love their sister Chloe and don't leave her alone while she is here.

In addition to the cake and gifts, we went to see Rango the movie and also went bowling this weekend. Lily and Anna thought the bowling thing was especially cool!

Nana Barbara helped Lily and Anna build an incredible Easter egg tree. She creates so many interesting projects for them every day. They look forward to every day wondering what Nana has in store for today.

Opening presents

Blowing out 4 candles

With sister Chloe

Visiting Snaqualmie Falls with sister Chloe

Anna going for a strike!

Lily going for a strike!

"I just love the world!"

2011-03-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Lily was twirling around the family room this evening and suddenly she just blurted out..."I just love the world! And I love the world of me!" The demonstrations of joy she and Anna express are always so much fun to watch. Anna is not quite as dramatic as Lily, but her huge smile and her loud laugh are her way of expressing her joy with life.

Observing this joy helps us through the times when we question whether we are up to the challenges of being parents at our age (John certainly thinks about that the most!) and how we can be good parents with all the other demands in our lives.

Anna experienced a life moment yesterday when she lost her first tooth. She was both excited and a bit scared at the same time.

Anna Has Successful Surgery

2011-02-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

It's been almost exactly a year since Anna had her major surgery; the surgery that changed her life. This week she had to have surgery to remove a calcium stone from her bladder. It was successful, and she only had to spend one night in the hospital. Dr. Grady and his team at Seattle Children's Hospital did a great job again.

Anna will have two urine bags strapped to her legs for a week or so, and then she will be able go about her life as before. She's feeling a bit of discomfort but has been a real trooper during this ordeal. Her sister Lily has been helpful in keeping her spirits up since she got home. These two girls have a joyful bond that is amazing to behold.

Our Christmas Miracle - One Year Later

2010-12-29T15:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2010 has been a time of reflection for our family. In a little over two years we have grown from empty nesters to raising two energetic and joyful little girls. Last year we stood in the Nanjing Civil Affairs office holding the small hand of Chu Fang Ran and vowing to love and cherish her as our 2nd Chinese born daughter. The journey to Anna was exhilarating as well as exhausting. In five short months to the day that we first saw her picture and learned her story, Anna found her forever family.

I remember the trip as if it were yesterday. On December 23rd, 2009 we left Seattle on a non-stop flight to Beijing arriving at 4:20 PM China time on Christmas Eve. We were scheduled to have a two hour lay-over in Beijing and then fly on to Xuzhou to arrive at 6:30. A delayed flight caused us to miss our connection to Xuzhou by 10 minutes. I was devastated. After fruitlessly pleading with the gate agents to hold the flight, I called our orphanage director (Ms Tang). She arranged for a friend to come to the airport and help us get to a hotel in Beijing close to the train station. Thirty minutes later a young man showed up, lead us down a flight of stairs, and put us into a taxi. It was Christmas Eve in Beijing and we tried to get some sleep.

Christmas Day 2009 in China
After some sleep we got up Christmas morning, had breakfast, and hired the bellman at the hotel to help us get to the train station. I am not sure why we only had two tickets. Perhaps that’s all they had, or maybe Ms. Tang was trying to save us money. Whatever the reason, we endured a six and half hour train ride from Beijing to Xuzhou with Lily bouncing between laps. There wasn’t a ‘business class” car on this train so we were riding with normal everyday people. I’m sure they were very entertained as this little Chinese girl strained the patience of two exhausted white-haired Caucasians.

As lunch time passed and we all got very hungry, John went looking for something to eat. He discovered that the available snacks were mostly unrecognizable, and those he did recognize weren’t something that he thought we would find appetizing. Many were packaged meat products, including a whole Peking duck. There were large cups of noodles-like cartons containing ingredients that he couldn’t make out. But he did finally settle on a bag of peanuts and some warm juice drinks. It got us through to Xuzhou.

We arrived at the train station around 5:30 in the afternoon. Two nice strangers helped us drag our luggage up the stairs and out of the station. As we came up out of the station tunnel, our eyes scanned the hundreds of faces for familiar ones. After about 20 very nervous minutes, Ms. Tang and Ayi (Lily’s nanny who speaks English) came running up to us. We were so relieved and happy to see familiar faces in this unfamiliar place. We were taken to their van and told that we’d be going directly to the orphanage. During our drive they prepped us that there would be media cameras and newspaper reporters to greet us. They also shared with us that everyone had been waiting since 2 PM that afternoon for our arrival. We had worked so hard trying to get to Xuzhou that we hadn’t had time to reflect on the enormity of the occasion.

We were lead into the reception room of the orphanage to find a decorated Christmas tree with presents and a low table with lots of food. And the media. Reporters immediately surrounded me and spent 10-15 minutes asking questions. The reporters had been told that I wanted to be able to spend Christmas with Anna and all the orphanage children. Ms. Tang shared with us and the reporters that our desire to spend Christmas at the orphanage had warmed the hearts of the orphanage directors and the city dignitaries and a special concession was made for us to visit on Christmas day. We were given several gifts from the City of Xuzhou as well as the orphanage, and a special plaque from the City of Xuzhou. We were humbled by the gratitude being shown to us. During all the media attention I couldn’t help but wonder where Anna was. By now it was dinner time. Would we be meeting her today or had we arrived too late?

And then suddenly I saw her in the doorway. Ms. Tang motioned her to come in and she quietly and slowly walked across to room toward me. She and I never took our eyes off each other. I was sitting on my knees with my arms reaching out to her. When Anna got to me, she fell into my arms and sobbed. She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and her body melted into mine. Her whole body trembled as we held onto each other cheek to cheek. I looked over at Ms. Tang who was sitting on the floor next to me and she had tears streaming down her face, as did everyone else in the room. The three of us then hugged as Ms. Tang told me that Anna had been waiting so patiently for us to come, and had not slept the night before anticipating our arrival. We are blessed to have a copy of the News cast that will forever capture our first moments with Anna. Xuzhou SWI, Christmas 2009.wmv

The Christmas tree at the orphanage

Anna has a Mommy

Anna's First Christmas tree with her family

Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season

2010-12-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has been extra special this year since it is Anna's first with us. As the holidays approached, she was both excited and a bit perplexed and overwhelmed. Lily has had two holiday season's with us, and she got right into the spirit.

Thanksgiving was spent at home with a traditional feast. Chloe spent the weekend with us, and Nana Barbara and her friend Ann joined us for Thanksgiving. Zoe learned about and experienced our tradition of giving thanks for all our blessings for the past year. She also learned about the tradition of "Black Friday" as she and Pamela headed for the mall.

We all enjoyed the Seattle Symphony and Chorus' presentation of The Nutcracker. Lily was especially mesmerized by the ballerinas, and had been twirling on her toes since getting home.

As Christmas approaches, we are reminded of what we and Anna were doing a year ago...she waiting for her new family and us getting ready to make the trip to China. As we look back at the pictures, we are amazed at how much Anna has changed...how she has become fluent in English, how she has adjusted to her new life, and how healthy and happy she is since coming home and since having her surgery.

We have so much to be grateful for.

Thanksgiving with Zoe, Nana Barbara, Chloe, and Ann

At The Nutcracker

All dressed up at The Nutcracker

Zoe cooking Chinese dumplings

Visiting Grandma

2010-11-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Over the last week Anna, Lily, and Dad spent 7 days with Grandma Ethel in Ohio. We had the opportunity to meet some of Grandma's friends. We also were able to see Auntie Lin and Aunt Sara and cousin Hannah. It was a very fun time for Anna and Lily. They even had the opportunity to play in the sand on the shores of Lake Erie as the weather was very warm.

Traveling home proved to be more challenging as Seattle was hit with winter weather. Our flight to Seattle was cancelled and we spent a night in Denver. But on Tuesday we got home and Anna and Lily were so happy to see Mommy and Zoe.

Dancing with Grandma Ethel

Reading with Auntie Lin

Doing puzzles with Cousin Hanna

Grandma makes such good meals!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Anna chose to be a mermaid on her very first Halloween. Lily was Ladybug Girl this year. They ran and giggled their way through the neighborhood. At each door that would argue over whose turn it was to ring the doorbell, and then loudly announce "Trick or Treating!!". Then it was time to go home and answer the door. They seemed to enjoy this even more.

Look at those smiles!

Ready to go.

The whole trick or treating gang... Zoe, Chloe, Lily, Mommy,
Misha, and Anna.

Anna Turns Five

2010-11-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday Anna had her first birthday since joining our family. Last year we waited anxiously to receive pictures of her party from the orphanage.

What a difference a year makes! Leaving the orphanage, traveling all the way to America, learning a new language, having major surgery. Anna has come so far this last year and has done so well. She expresses her joy in many ways every day.

Although a bit overwhelmed, Anna had a wonderful time at her party. Our next door neighbor Howard provided a bouncy room that was the hit of the day.

That winning Anna smile!

Lily helps Anna blow her candles

Having fun in the bouncy room

Xuzhou Delegates Visit US

2010-10-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Last week Anna and I, along with two other families had the rare opportunity to meet with 5 delegates from Xuzhou in San Jose. There were three representatives from Anna's and Lily's orphanage and two city government officials touring the United States and Canada.

BAAS hosted a luncheon where the families were able to share with the orphanage officials how well the children are adjusting in their new families. The officials gave the families additional documents that were not included in the adoption paperwork. We were given the original police report on Anna's finding day including the name of man who found her and what she was wearing when she was found. It was a sobering reminder of her sad beginnings and another piece of the puzzle that we now have to help us understand her story.

Anna responded very warmly to Tang Mei, the young women who was Lily's main caregiver and the orphanage translator. She also ran and sat in the director’s lap. We had not had any prior contact with the San Francisco family that attended and were delighted to learn that Anna was obviously bonded to their daughter. Almost instantly they were hugging and laughing and rolling around on the floor. It warmed my heart to meet another Xuzhou child that shared her past with our two daughters.

Labor Day Weekend with Chloe

2010-09-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

We had a very nice Labor Day weekend with Chloe here to visit. Everything nice except the weather, which was cold and rainy. Anna and Lily love playing with Chloe, and didn't let her alone all weekend. Chloe is returning to the University of Oregon as a sophomore in a couple of weeks.
Here is a picture and a video of the girls.

Zoe and Joana- Chinese Chefs

2010-08-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

Zoe and Joana made us a wonderful Chinese dinner!! There were no leftovers! John was out of town and is very upset he missed this great meal. It was great meeting Joana who is from Zoe's home town.

Chloe Comes for a Visit

2010-08-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

Chloe, John's second oldest daughter, visited recently and it was a wonderful weekend. Chloe and Anna met for the first time. Both girls loved her and had a great time.

Chloe will be a sophomore at the University of Oregon in September. Go Ducks!

Born to Be Wild

2010-08-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Xuzhou Family Reunion, Atlanta GA

2010-08-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago several families from the US and Canada joined in Atlanta for our first Xuzhou Family Reunion. This reunion was especially meaningful for Anna as she was reunited with friends she hadn't seen since leaving the orphanage at Christmas. Here are a few memories of that very special weekend.

Off for Atlanta

Swimming at Trena and John's

Marika & Lily

Anna sees her orphanage friend Jaike.

Jia

Zoe reading to April & Lila Lee

Arlie, Sue, Jia, Juni

Anna & Lily

On Stone Mountain

Mark, Lisa, April, & Bennett

Anna plays with her orphanage friend April

Lily is tired and hot

Zoe is on top of the world!

At the Atlanta Aquarium

Zoe enjoys the aquarium.

Jaike

Lily as mermaid.

Xuzhou Family Reunion

2010-07-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have been counting down the days for months and now it’s finally happening! Tomorrow we head for Atlanta to meet up with a dozen families from all over the US and Canada who, like us, have precious little children from Xuzhou. For the past two and half years I have laughed, cried, dreamed, prayed, waited and celebrated with the moms, dads, and children I am about to meet. Our children ate, played and slept together during the first years of their lives while waiting to join their forever families half way around the world. I have been so blessed to be a part of our extended Xuzhou family and am beyond excited that we will all be together soon! Happy travels everyone!!

Zoe Has Arrived!

2010-07-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

Zoe has arrived! Our Au pair from China arrived a week ago, and has quickly become a member of our family. Lily and Anna bonded with her in a matter of minutes. Zoe is so good with them and they so enjoy playing and learning with her.

Zoe was anxious to cook a traditional Chinese meal for us, and on Saturday she dazzled us by making the most scrumptious Chinese dumplings imaginable. We hardly took time to breath as the four of us devoured the dumplings in minutes that had taken her hours to make. We responded by grilling chicken and asparagus over charcoal for her two days later to give her a taste of American cuisine. She loved it as much as we loved the dumplings.

Here are a few pictures of our first week with Zoe.

Zoe

Zoe helping Anna on her bike

Lily riding a two-wheeler for the first time

Zoe and Anna rolling out the dumpling dough

Boating fun

Zoe takes the helm

Zoe with Seattle in the background

Our girls in their tutus

Anna Enjoying Her First Summer

2010-06-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Anna is having a ball on her first summer in America! She is healing beautifully and her legs are getting stronger every day. She still loses every race up the stairs to Lily, but our guess is that one of these days Lily will taste defeat!

The bond with the two girls gets stronger and stronger. Lily is still the more assertive personality and certainly the most creative. But Anna watches Lily's every move and is gaining confidence. She even at times takes a "big sister" role, especially when watching out for Lily's well-being.

Anna's English language skills continue to amaze us. She can carry on a conversation without missing a beat. She is also showing a knack for solving challenges such as puzzles and games. She is very observant and curious and not patient with Mommy or Daddy if we aren't quick to explain something or answer questions.

Lily is starting to show an interest in being fashionable. She likes to pick out her clothes and shoes and likes things with a bit of flair. She gestures flamboyantly at times when she is making a point, and likes to sit in her car seat, legs crossed, with her big round sun glasses perched on her nose.

Here are a few summer pictures:

Riding their rocking horse. Check out the hat.

Visiting with Dru Groves, our Adoption Home Study Social Worker

Riding the Bainbridge Island Ferry with Nana Barbara

Friendly visiters in our back yard

Flying the colors of America and China in our yard

Lights, Camera, Action

2010-05-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

Today was a fun day at our house. Julie Francavilla from KIRO Channel 7 was at our house to work with documentary director Ben and the cameraman Peter to do the last bit of filming and interviewing as part of a documentary on Anna's journey. The segment is part of a "profiles" documentary that will air in July or August.

The KIRO team videotaped a segment before Ann's surgery, during Anna's surgery, and today which was the post surgery.

Anna and Lily serve Julie tea

Cameraman Peter films Lily and Anna making cupcakes for Julie

It was a fun day with Julie

Water, Water Everywhere!

2010-05-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

Anna's Cast is Off!

2010-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Last week Anna's cast was removed. She was so excited, she could hardly sleep the night before. Sarah, Pam and Anna decorated the cast for the big day. She became a sunny flowerpot! In the cast removel room, while all the other kids were crying and screaming, Anna laughed and giggled as her cast was cut off with an electric saw. "It tickles!" she said over and over.

Anna's pelvic bones have healed beautifully. She is experiencing some tenderness in her legs, but scoots around the floor to get around. She will be running around in no time.

Anna is also adjusting really well to using her catheter to go to the bathroom. She is so pleased to have her bladder inside her tummy. But she is most excited about the fact that she gets to wear panties like other little girls.

She expresses joy so easily now. She seems so aware of how her life has changed so positively.

A Visit to the ER = Another Milestone for Anna

2010-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

We had quite a scare yesterday. Soon after Pamela got to work she got a call from Sarah. Anna was complaining of pain in her bladder. After consulting with the exstrophy nurse at Seattle Children’s, it was decided that we’d try to schedule an appointment that afternoon as Anna’s urologists were both in surgery throughout the morning. A few minutes later Sarah called back and let Pamela know that her SP catheter had completely dislodged. When sharing this with the urology nurse, she advised us to get Anna to the hospital ASAP. Pamela left work and Sarah loaded Anna in the car and they both took off for Children’s. Once there, the Dr Grady and Dr “Z” were called out of the OR and met the girls in the emergency room. The concern was that the opening for SP catheter would close within a short period of time and there would not be a way to drain Anna’s bladder.

Part of the “big surgery” that Anna had last month was the Mitrofanoff procedure or appendicovesicostomy, the creation of a permanent stoma or opening on the abdomen to catheterize through. Anna’s Mitrofanoff was created with her appendix, which was removed from its original position with the vessels still intact. A stoma or cathing valve was created by molding the appendix into a channel and sewing it to the bladder and then sewing the other end of it to a small opening on the abdomen. The opening is usually made at the belly button. Because Anna didn’t have a belly button, Dr. Grady created one. The recovery for this procedure is 5-6 weeks.

Once the Doctors were able to examine Anna in the ER and explore options with us, it was decided that Anna was now ready to have her SP catheter removed and start using her permanent stoma valve. With her bladder now safely tucked inside her body, for the first time in her life Anna will be able to control the flow of her urine. We will need to empty her bladder every two hours around the clock for the next several weeks. Once her bladder stretches and grows we will only need to catheterize every three to four hours. This new way of going potty is pretty scary for Anna but she is also very excited about not having any bags attached to her anymore. We hope that with patience and practice this will become second nature for all of us.

Anna’s ready.. let’s do it!

Are you sure about this, Mommy?

Together we can do this!

Mommy learning how to catheterize

Anna and Lily Get a Visit from the Easter Bunny

2010-04-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

Anna and Lily were visited by the Easter Bunny on Sunday. They didn't understand what this Easter thing is all about, but they sure had fun. Baba John hid Easter eggs in the yard for them to find, much to their delight. Some of the plastic eggs contained candy and some contained clues to presents.

Nana Barbara joined us for Easter dinner that was made by Baba John. The consensus was that the scalloped potatoes were to die for.

Here are some pictures of our girls in their Easter dresses sent to them by Dick and Polly, Barbara's brother and sister-in-law.

Finding their Easter baskets

Lily helping Anna gather her Easter eggs

Lily hunting for her Easter eggs

Nana Barbara helping Lily gather her eggs

Anna and her Easter basket

Easter dinner

Anna Is Home

2010-03-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. Anna was released from Children's Hospital and is finally home after 17 days. Her appetite improved instantly. Home cooking is so much better than hospital food! She slept through the night for the first time since she went to the hospital. This morning, after a good breakfast of bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes, Anna settled into her Dad's recliner. She is playing with toys that so many people kindly sent while she was at the hospital and singing Chinese songs. She is so happy to be home!

THANK YOU to everyone who sent emails, cards, notes, gifts, and phone messages, and to those who visited. We haven't had the opportunity to respond and thank you all; but know that your support meant the world to us.

Anna still has 4-5 more weeks in her body cast. It's difficult for her to be comfortable being so constrained. She has only one tube left, her catheter. It has to be irrigated 3-4 times a day, which she really dislikes. Ayi Sarah will be very busy tending to Anna's needs for the next few weeks, while Mom and Dad will be busy taking care of her evenings and weekends.

Ayi Sarah was so helpful during Anna’s hospital stay. Staying with her for several nights gave Mom and Dad a much needed break. And Sarah was so good at entertaining Anna during her post-surgery recuperation.

Without Nana Barbara's support, things would have been so much more difficult. She picked up Lily from school each day and many days took care of her well into the evening giving her dinner, baths, and tucking her into bed. Lily especially loved the nights she slept at Nana's house.

Last evening we were together at home as a family for the first time in a long while. It was so nice snuggling with our little girls, watching Winnie the Pooh, and experiencing the bond that the four of us have developed in such a short period of time.

Jennifer, a Child Life Nurse, came everyday to make Anna's day more fun

Time to pack up and go home!

One last picture at the entrance to the Giraffe Wing of Children's Hospital

Waiting for the car

Lounging and playing with new toys

Lily's 3rd Birthday Party

2010-03-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

With all the focus on Anna the last couple of weeks, we wanted to share that Lily's birthday was celebrated. She and her friends had a fun afternoon at Gymboree.

Update on Anna's Hospital Stay

2010-03-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

We had hoped that Anna would have been at home a week ago, but she is still in the hospital. The issue has been her lack of appetite. She has had little interest in food, and has had to be nourished through an IV. The doctors have been quite concerned that she would not heal without enough calories. As one of the surgeons said yesterday, "She had the mother of all urinary surgeries, and she needs all the nutrition she can get in order to heal".
The last couple of days she has started to eat a bit better and, although it's still not enough, she's moving in the right direction. Our hope is that she will be released before the weekend.

Update on Anna- Friday

2010-03-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

This past week has had its ups and downs in regards to Anna’s recovery. Monday evening she was doing so well that we thought we were going to sail through her recovery. We should have anticipated some bumps along the way.

On Tuesday Anna started vomiting and refusing any food or liquids. By Wednesday morning the doctors became quite concerned with the lack of nutrients she was getting. After consulting with the doctors, it was decided that Anna would go back under anesthesia to have a PICC line catheter inserted so she can be fed intravenously. This is a delicate procedure as it is placed into her heart and is performed by a certified radiologist.

They had a terrible time getting the central IV line in place and it took several attempts. They ended up using an IV line the size of a human hair and still had trouble getting it to the heart. During the post procedure consultation the doctors shared with me that they’ve never experienced so much scar tissue in the veins of the child this age. This was a similar experience that the IV team had trying to place Anna’s pre-surgery IVs. Hearing this broke my heart as it reminds me that Anna has had so many medical procedures done in the past that we know nothing about.

On Thursday Anna's epideral was removed so we are now trying to keep her pain subsided with oral medications. We had hoped that Anna would be able to come home on Friday (today) but she is still not eating and not even able to keep liquids down at this point. I spoke with the urologist this morning and was told that this is a critical time in her healing and she really needs to eat in order to move forward. My guess is that we’re still days away from bringing Anna home. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers and the continued support from our family and friends.

Lily's 3rd Birthday

2010-03-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

Lily's 3rd birthday was a fun and full day. Her Mom shared "circle time" at school where each year of Lily's life was celebrated. Then Lily was thrown a party in Anna's hospital room with Mom, Dad, Nanna, Eric, and Sarah. She opened her presents and shared birthday cupcakes with Anna. Then she was surprised when she got home with a play kitchen in her bedroom.

Anna is Moved From ICU

2010-03-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

Anna was moved from ICU into a regular room this afternoon. It's a private room so there will be a lot less activity. She was allowed some water and ice chips and she really enjoyed that! She is still fighting a fever, but everything else is going very well.
Here are three pictures, from her two days in ICU and finally in her own room.

Weekend Update from the ICU

2010-03-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

Anna had a good day on Friday, sleeping through most the day and the night in spite of her long ordeal yesterday. The doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital have done a wonderful job of managing her pain. Today she called for Mama and Baba when they were out of site, but was for most of the day quite at peace in spite of the strange situation she awakened to after her surgery…connected to a myriad of tubes and trapped within a hard cast from her waist to her ankles.

The cast is open in the middle so her bandages can be tended. When we first saw her we were overwhelmed with emotion. Rather than her bladder bulging out of her tummy with the mutilated result of her earlier surgery in China, we saw the lower abdomen and vagina of a little girl. It will be so exciting to be with Anna the first time she sees herself and realizes she is no longer different; that she looks like other little girls.

We haven’t seen it yet because of the bandages, but Anna has a new tummy button. Her original one disappeared when her condition developed at birth and during her earlier surgery. Dr. Grady told us (flashing a huge grin) he thinks it’s the best one he’s ever created!

The highlight of Anna’s Friday in the ICU…the thing that brought forth her wide smile…was a phone conversation with her sister Lily.

Today (Saturday) was a bit up and down for Anna. She has had fevers spiking and pain in her tummy. After an increase in some pain medication she felt better and became very talkative for awhile. Later in the day she developed a mild reaction to her latest blood transfusion which was worrisome. For now it seems mild and so we are guardedly relieved.

Sarah and Nana visited today which perked Anna up. She also enjoyed talking to Lily on the phone. Lily is anxious to visit Anna as soon as she is out of ICU.

Thank you for all the positive thoughts and messages that have been sent our way.

Anna is out of Surgery! -11:30 pm Update

2010-03-11T23:54:00.000-08:00

After 13 and 1/2 hours, Anna is out of surgery and resting quietly in the ICU with Mommy, Baba and her nurse Nicole. Her doctors felt the surgery went beautifully and without any complications. It was a long day for everyone and we are all going to try and get some rest. Pamela is going to stay in the ICU with Anna and John will sleep in the parent sleeping room upstairs. Lily is fast asleep at home with Sarah and hopes to visit her sister this weekend. Good night!

Surgery Update - 6pm

2010-03-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

We've been updated throughout the day on Anna's progress and we're now coming into the final stretch of her surgery. Anna's bladder has been successfully augmented and placed into its right position. The orthopedic surgeons have just returned to the operating room and will be performing the bone graft and placing pins in her hips. Once this is completed, Anna will be fitted for a spica cast and sent to the ICU. If all goes well Anna will be resting in her room in a few more hours. Please keep Anna in your thoughts.

Surgery Update - 1pm

2010-03-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

It's almost 1 pm here at Children's Hospital and Anna has been in surgery for over 5 hours. We learned this morning that during the day 18 doctors from 6 different surgical teams will be working on her.

The orthopedic team was first, and have completed the first of their two stretches. They have made cuts in her pelvis to reposition the bones. They will be back later to do a graft using donor bone to help keep the pelvic bones from going out of position again.

Now the urology team is taking their turn of doing the very complex work of placing Anna's bladder inside her body and reconstructing her female parts. They discovered early on that her bladder was not large enough to ever allow normal function, and will be performing a bladder augmentation by taking a portion from her small intestine and her appendix to increase the size of her bladder. In doing this, Anna will have to use a catheter, but she will be able to be dry for the first time in her life!

The other doctors involved at different stages of Anna's proceedure are general, gastrointestinal, gynecological, and plastic surgical teams. We will be getting updates as the day progresses.

During the initial stage of surgery this morning, KIRO News (Channel 7) was here filming for an upcoming documentary. They interviewed us and filmed Anna and Lily several weeks ago, and will be following Anna’s recuperation throughout the following months.

We must say something about how well Anna has done over the past two days. She was very excited when she entered the hospital; she was very clear why she was here. Anna's been waiting for this day for a long time. Throughout yesterday and last night, as she endured the poking, proding, throwing up, pooping, and needles, she did it with patience,dignity and grace. When she pooped on a nurse who was changing her diaper, she giggled with glee. She’s a brave little girl…and quite a character!

Anna Goes to the Hospital

2010-03-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

After a false start on Tuesday, Anna’s trip to Children’s Hospital has finally happened. Baba dropped Anna and Mommy off at Children’s Hospital on Wednesday morning. Anna was both excited and nervous that she is finally having her “big” surgery.

Once admitted, Anna was given an IV with antibiotics and anti-fungal medicine. She has so much scar tissue on her hands from previous medical treatments that the nurses had a terrible time with her IV. Two different nursing teams tried four times before they were successful. She was then given a liquid solution to promote bowel movements and an anti-nausea medicine to help the medication go through her system faster. Because Anna needed to drink so much liquid, they decided to put a tube through her nose and down her throat. Her body didn’t handle the medicine very well and she rejected most of medicine.

After several attempts at keeping the medicine down, the doctors decided to go to plan B. Every 2 hours Anna was given an enema. The nurses and Pamela worked throughout the night trying to get Anna’s bowels cleared. When John arrived at 6am this morning, the doctors had still not given the go ahead to proceed with the surgery. Finally, at 7:30 we got the call and headed down to the surgery center.

Preparing for Surgery

2010-03-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

In the past few days the reality of Anna’s upcoming surgery has begun to sink in. On Thursday I took Anna to tour Children’s Hospital with a child life specialist and an interpreter. Anna was given a cloth doll dressed in a hospital gown with an IV, bandages, and other medical paraphernalia. She was asked to draw her herself on the doll. We then spent some time role-playing the events of next week. The nurse took notes on what Anna likes to do and helped me complete a coping plan for the staff to follow during her stay.

We then toured the pre-surgery center, the operating room, and the floor where she will be staying. We also spent some time playing in the sibling play area. Anna seems to understand that she is finally going to have her “ouchy” fixed; but I am fearful that she doesn’t understand the lengthy and painful recovery process. With the help of the interpreter, I tried to get that across along with the fact that we will be with her the whole time. I wanted Anna to be assured that she will be coming back home with us; that we are not going to leave her.

We’ve also been working with Anna at home to make her feel secure. Last week we turned the guest bedroom room into her room by painting it pink, her favorite color. It was then off to Pottery Barn Kids for the quilt she chose from the catalog. I’m framing some cute “paper cut” art we bought in Guangzhou to hang on her walls. Anna helped put her clothes in the closet and her toys in her room. Since moving into her room, she’s slept through the night both nights. She even invited Lily to sleep with her last night!

The girls started their morning with a concert for Mama and Baba and then Nana and I took the girls to Seattle Center for the day. Lily and Anna spent the afternoon going on rides and playing outside. We wanted Anna to be able run and play as much as possible before the body cast makes her immobile for the next few months. Tired after a long day, the girls are snuggling together on our bed watching Little Bear fighting to stay awake.

Playing in the Back Yard

2010-03-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

新年快乐！- Happy New Year!

2010-02-14T18:37:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed spending the day with Lily and Anna and introducing our friends, Scott, Kelly and Justin to the Chinese New Year celebration in Seattle. Sarah and her friend Matt joined us as well. We spent some time at the cultural pavilion waiting for the parade to begin. Lily wasn't afraid of the dragon this year so we were able to get up close. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant in the international district. During lunch, the lions and dragons entertained us with a dance while the fireworks went off. We wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Lily and Anna Start to Bond

2010-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

We have had Anna home for only 4 weeks and already she and Lily are beginning to bond. Although they have moments competing for attention and playthings, for the most part they get along very well. Lily imitates Ann's songs in Chinese and Anna imitates Lily's songs in English. They love to dance around the house singing away and then rolling on the floor giggling uncontrollably. In spite of their different languages, they seem to totally understand each other.

Settling In

2010-01-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

We have had so many people call and email wondering how we are doing since our arrival home with Anna. Thank you for all your messages of interest and concern.
To be honest we have been too busy and tired to think about updating the blog. If getting back to our jobs and all the demands with that was not enough, on top of that we have been busy with the team at Children's Hospital to prepare for Anna's surgery, helping Anna adjust to her new home, and helping Lily adjust to sharing her Mom and Dad and having a new classroom at school.

Anna is making great progress adjusting to a whole new world. Her nighttime routine (thanks to Pamela's dedication) has improved tremendously. It is still challenging getting her to sleep, but it is getting much better. She is eating well and enjoys her play time with Nana Barbara.

Lily is in a new classroom at school, having graduated from the toddler room into an early childhood class. The first couple of days she had trouble transitioning from Mom or Dad into the classroom, but the last few days she has bounced into the room, not even looking back to say a goodbye!

Lily has regressed a bit with her manners after the long trip to China. Sarah, our nanny, asked her one day last week what had happened to her manners. Lily explained, "I lost them in China."

Anna's surgery was originally scheduled for early February, which had us so excited. However, it has slipped into March due to one of the surgeons having a scheduling conflict. We are very disappointed, but have to remind ourselves how fortunate we are to have world-renowned surgeons working on Anna.

Barbara and Sarah have been a godsend, helping us with the girls every day. Barbara will be able to stay for another couple of months before moving into her own home, and Sarah will be here to help us through Anna's surgery and recuperation.

Now that things are settling down a bit, we will try and update the blog more often.

Making cookies with Nana Barbara

We Are Finally Home

2010-01-10T02:59:00.000-08:00

Saying goodbye to China

Becoming an American

First Bath at Home

We are finally home with Anna. It is 2:15 AM on Sunday morning and the girls are up and wired…and not the slightest bit interested in sleep. They are still on China time. Mom and Dad are hanging on by a thread. Sleep deprivation over the last three weeks is taking its toll.

It was a grueling trip home starting at 4:30 AM on Friday in China, and then traveling for over 20 hours. The flights were very easy for Lily as she slept most of the way. Anna, on the other hand, struggled with her inability to sleep the entire trip. John and Pamela have achieved a level of exhaustion that is hard to describe.

Along the way we fought with the airline to allow us to go home earlier than originally planned, due to Anna’s delicate condition, and with security to allow us to take Anna’s medicines on the planes. Pamela took the lead and fought for us so valiantly every step of the way …using her persuasive skills and the emotional tears flowing down her cheeks in desperate attempts to protect her darling daughters. Due to Pamela’s efforts we were treated like VIPS at some points during the trip, especially in Guangzhou where airline employees helped us through the ticketing process, got us through security and onto our plane…even putting us in First Class to Beijing. They seemed to understand and value the fact that we were helping these little girls.

But in Beijing we were totally stymied by airline and security employees who, in spite of our pleas for understanding, Pamela’s sobbing, and doctor’s reports on Anna’s condition, held firm that we would not take the liquid medicine aboard. They seeming cared less about this little Chinese girl who needed help as soon as possible.

In a final desperate act, John laid Anna on the floor and pulled down her diaper and showed the airline and security employees the seriousness of Anna’s condition…an exposed bladder surrounded with red and infected tissue. As Pamela sobbed uncontrollable, one of the security people let out a screamed gasp and nearly fainted. Almost immediately the others thrust the medicine into our hands and gestured for us to go through to the plane as soon as possible.

Upon our arrival in Seattle we took a taxi straight to Children's hospital where Anna was thoroughly checked out. She was seen by an internationally known surgeon who will reconstruct her bladder and her female organs, and the orthopedic surgeon who will reconstruct her pelvic bones. We were provided with a much better understanding of the difficult months ahead for Anna and for us. But we were also given a great deal of hope by these dedicated professionals who are committed to giving Anna as normal a life as possible.

Just as Lily’s life has been saved, Anna’s will be dramatically improved. Just as Lily has blossomed into an extraordinary person, so too does Anna have that same opportunity.

Today Anna suffered another setback as she became ill and dehydrated. It turned into another trip to Children’s Hospital and 3 hours of evaluation and treatment. She was successfully hydrated and we were able to get her back home tonight. She is feeling much better tonight…almost too good. It will be difficult getting our Chinese girls settled down tonight. They will probably end up in our bed, snoring and kicking and tossing to and fro. But they will be close to Momma and Baba, and feel safe and at home. Our loss of sleep is a small price to pay as we bond with our precious little daughters.

Here is a Link to Our Pictures

2010-01-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy the photos of our journey to China to bring home Anna Lin:

http://ourjourneytoannalin.shutterfly.com/

Enjoy!

A Quiet Day on Shamiam Island

2010-01-05T08:36:00.001-08:00

Families that endure the long process of adopting children from China end their adoption journey in a place called Shamian Island. It's a small island in Guangzhou, a city of around 11 million. It is the location of numerous consulates in beautiful old historic buildings. The island feels like a blend of Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC. The stone pedestrian streets are tree-lined and contain many sculptures. After experiencing Beijing, Nanjing, and similar cities it is an oasis in which to bond with your child before finally receiving a travel visa and heading home.

Okay…it's January 2010. Shamian Island is being prepared by the Chinese government for the upcoming Guangzhou Asian Games later this year. The oasis has been turned into a construction and noise nightmare. Buildings (including our hotel) are covered with scaffolding and tarps, and sealed in by rusty metal barriers. Our windows are covered with tarps that block any view and almost all sunlight. The streets are being dug up to bury pipes; walking areas are clogged with piles of debris; water is cascading down from the sides of buildings from power sprays removing dirt from the stone edifices. Jack hammers pound into the evening as our babies try to fall to sleep. As we pass by, shop vendors work extra hard to lure us into their shops to spend a few yuans; seemingly being starved as their shops are hidden from view by the construction activity and debris.

Pamela has been looking forward to enjoying dinner at a Thai restaurant that we frequented the last time we were here in Guangzhou. Last night I found what I thought was that same restaurant and went in to order take-out. The girls were already asleep in the room, having enjoyed a dinner of Subway tuna sandwiches. It turns out I was in the same location, but the restaurant had changed hands and names. But Pamela was looking forward to Thai and so I was determined to provide a good Thai dinner.

As I scanned the menu, I realized that this would be more challenging than I had supposed. The menu was many pages long and contained many strange offerings… six different pigeon dishes, three ways to enjoy ostrich kidneys, seven dishes centered on a fish head; fins; a variety of organs. What was I to do? Pamela was back in the room, salivating for a tasty meal after working so hard to get the girls fed and asleep.

As the two young Chinese restaurant hostesses (all dressed up in Thai costumes) stared at me, wondering what the hell was taking me so long, I went through the menu again and again..backwards and forwards. Finally I identified 3-4 items. As I went back and forth I stuck a finger into the page. Sometimes when I went back, I wasn't sure what I had selected. Did I really think Pamela would like that?

I returned to the room with great trepidation. But I did good! My selections turned out to be very tasty, and Pam was happy with her dinner. And after enjoying our meal together, we tucked the blankets a bit tighter around our two little daughters and drifted off to sleep. One night closer to getting home.

We've uploaded pictures to Shutterfly. Check them out at http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=c48fa2440d0130626d9889752d9a603cGood night!

Sunday in Guangzhou

2010-01-03T07:51:00.001-08:00

It's Sunday evening here in China; it's warm on Shamian Island and a bit humid. Today we visited The Six Banyan Buddhist Temple, offered incense, and prayed for the health of our children. After our tour, we opted to strike out on our own and crossed the river from Shamian Island to the streets across the Pearl River lined with shops.

This was an immersion into the "real" China on a Sunday afternoon crowded with shoppers. The first street was lined with shop after shop of dried herbs, animals, fungi, roots, and many things that we didn't recognize. The locals stared at us with curiosity, wondering why we would be there with two Chinese children in tow. The next street offered displays of snakes, frogs, eels, turtles, scorpions, and all other sorts of other treats waiting for a favorite recipe. Next we entered an area filled with pet supplies and pets of all sorts, including kittens, puppies, birds, and hundreds of different fish. That was actually hard to see, as the animals were not seemingly well.

Finally we entered an area reserved for live and dried animals, from chickens and pigeons to muscles, turtles, skins, organs, bones and feet.

At the end of the last street we suddenly encountered a pedestrian street crammed with shoppers and an endless line of retail shops. Overwhelmed with this mass of people, we retreated into a Holiday Inn (of all places) and had lunch. We then made our way back to the island winding through streets clogged with families enjoying the Sunday afternoon free time; cards games, repairing "ancient" bicycles, and snacking from white Styrofoam containers.

Tonight Anna joined Mommy and Lily in reading books for the first time. She even amazed us by joining Lily in counting to ten in English. And what was really wonderful is that Anna went to sleep without crying for the first time. We were offered so much wonderful advice after last night's blog post, and tonight some of that advice worked like a charm! Both girls are snug and asleep and Mommy and Daddy have some time to ourselves.

John and Lily are both feeling better and we owe it to the Chinese medicines from the White Swan clinic and the wonderful Wong family from the bay area who shared their US meds with John. How can we thank you?!

Tomorrow we go back to the medical clinic to read Anna's TB test. We are hoping for good news. Thanks to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts. Eric, we love you and miss you very much.

We are in Guangzhou

2010-01-02T05:23:00.001-08:00

As we approach the 9^th day of our China journey to bring Anna home, some of the sobering realities have set in. The dreary rain here in Guangzhou symbolizes our mood tonight as we try and ease Anna into sleep just as we have each night. She is seemingly very relaxed and happy all day, but as bedtime arrives the nightly agony begins. It is as if a river of pent up emotion is suddenly released, and for 60 to 90 minutes the screaming, crying, and angry behaviors emerge. As hard as we have tried, we've not figured a way to sooth her. It's not until she reaches an extreme level of absolute exhaustion does she finally succumb to sleep.

We will never know what is going on inside that little head; what fears and demons haunt her from past experiences. We've been told so little about what she has been through, and don't really know how much of that is even accurate. So we imagine the worst, and feel so ill-prepared to help this little soul through this scary and confusing time. We are doing our best and are trying to allow some self-forgiveness. In the darkest moments when we feel so helpless we remind each other that, after all, we stepped forward to save this little girl when no one else did. We know in our hearts that as overwhelmed as we feel at this moment will get through this as a family. And we will do all we can to release Anna from her fears, her demons, and the horrors that have been imposed upon her.

On to our progress through Anna's adoption….today Anna went through her Hague medical exam, and was required to have seven shots. That was a lot for anyone much less a child! But in spite of that she handled it very well. She was proud to show Baba her seven butterfly bandages when she returned. After that, Lily and Daddy visited the White Swan medical clinic to get medicine for Lily's bronchitis and Daddy's sinus infection. They hope this will help them feel better soon.

Our Chinese friend Ann delivered diapers and snacks today… thank you, Trena! This was so helpful as we have not had the energy for a trip to the local Wal-Mart. We're once again regulars at Lucy's Restaurant… but miss the gang from our 2008 trip. Tomorrow it's off for some sightseeing and more bonding time as a family.

Sue, Elvin is our guide and he is wonderful. He says "Hi"!

Thanks to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts.

Xuzhou Orphanage Visit

2009-12-30T07:24:00.000-08:00

We had the pleasure of visiting Anna's and Lily's orphanage in Xuzhou and were blessed to be able to spend time with the other waiting children. We brought Christmas treats for all the children and the orphanage sponsored a meal for us with Anna's friends. We spent some in the children's room where Anna spent the past 2+ years of her life. We also took Lily back to the rooms where she lived as a baby.

Ms. Tang, director Chu and Lily's old nanny who speaks some English toured us around town and took us to Anna's finding spot. Anna was found in the corner of the train station where you purchase tickets. The building has since been torn down. She was very weak and cold and scared. We were told that she has memories of being left and she was sad for a long time. It was clear to us that orphanage staff tried their best to make her safe and loved. They prepared her the best they could that we were coming to take her home.

Ms.Tang didn't let the day go unnoticed by the press. The TV station and two newspapers were there to greet us. We were given a plaque by the City of Xuzhou stating that we were "honored friends" of the city. This is the first time that a foreigner has received this honor. We were told that the city dignitaries, the doctors and orphanage were so happy that Anna will be getting the help she deserves. They were also touched by the fact that both our adopted daughters are from Xuzhou.

It's been a long and emotional day and the girls are tired. Anna grieved for a long time tonight and finally fell asleep in my arms.

My dear friend Trena set up a site for friends and family to view more pictures. Please login to http://annablock.shutterfly.com/

Lily Then and Now

2009-12-30T05:13:00.000-08:00

Being at the Nanjing Civil Affairs office this week brought back memories of when we hugged Lily for the first time. Hasn't she changed?

Anna is Ours

2009-12-29T01:28:00.001-08:00

Five months ago today we asked the China Civil Adoption Affairs if we could adopt Chu Fang Ran. Through the support of the Chinese Government, the Xuzhou Social Welfare Institute, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services, The National Visa Center, our wonderful China Adoption Coordinator, our home study Social Worker and the other Xuzhou families; Anna Lin officially became our daughter today! Oh, and we received TA on Christmas Day.It was waiting for us at the Nanjing office yesterday. (No comment J) The mountain of paperwork, numerous signatures and the fingerprints of John, Anna and myself solidifies that Anna Lin is our daughter forever.

After the ceremony in the Civil Affairs office, we spent some time at the Nanjing orphanage with the other family in our group. We then celebrated with lunch at Burger King. For all of you that told us Anna is a tiny little thing…we invite you carry her for awhile. She is a solid girl! Most of the clothes I brought her are too small and her feet are very wide so the shoes don't fit either. And this girl can eat! At breakfast she ate 6 dumplings, 2 fried eggs, 4 pieces of toast, a bowl of noodles, 3 yogurts and 2 glasses of orange juice. Our guide took me to the department store to buy her some clothes and a stroller. Anna's condition makes it very uncomfortable for her to walk and it hurts when we hold her. She likes riding in the stroller…I'm convinced she thinks she's VIP being pushed around in her special car.

The smile has not left her face although we have had a few testy moments with her. She's getting to know Lily and they are working through the process of living together as sisters. She's also learning to bond with us. Last night I crawled in bed with her to give her a hug. We spent several minutes in silence just looking into each other's eyes. Anna pushed back the covers and unzipped her PJ's and took them off. She then reached for my top and had me remove it. She wanted to hug skin to skin. We lay in each other's arms for awhile and she slowly drifted off to sleep. She looked so at peace with what is going on in her life. We are just amazed at how quickly she is fitting into our family.

Pamela Block
pamela.block@yahoo.com

http://johnpamelablock.blogspot.com/

Fw: Fang Ran Is In Our Arms!

2009-12-28T06:43:00.001-08:00

Today at 2:15 PM Xuzhou time at the Nanjing Civil Affairs Office, Fang Ran was put in our arms. She handled the transition so well. She took in everything happening around her while babies from several other orphanages were joining their new families. Most were crying loudly as their whole world was changing. Fang Ran took it all in with measured curiosity and calm. But it wasn't long before she cracked a wide smile and cuddled in our arms.

It was very clear that Ms. Tang and the orphanage staff had prepared her so well for this moment. Through our guide we learned that she was very well informed on what was about to happen in her life. We learned that she understood clearly that she would not return to the orphanage, and was very happy about that. During the transition today it was so fascinating to see her accept her new Mom and Dad so quickly and say goodbye to her caregivers of the last 2 years and two months since she was left cold and alone in a dirty and crowded train station.

It was very clear to us that Fang Ran was loved by the orphanage directors and staff. This was made especially clear when the deputy director traveled to Nanjing for her transition, which was not the norm. We learned that she had been a favorite of his and he was very concerned that, due to her rare condition, she would never be adopted.

As Pamela described to the orphanage directors how the surgeons in Seattle would be able to help Fang Ran live a normal life, tears streamed down their cheeks. They knew we would take care of her, but hadn't realized how we could help her live a normal life; help her look normal, and even have her own children. They were grateful and elated. The orphanage directors were overcome with emotion, embracing Pamela several times as tears rolled down everyone's cheeks.

Lily handled the situation so very well too. She wasn't sure at first about sharing Mommy's lap with her new sister, and seemed perplexed about what was happening around her. But she took it in stride without crying or being fussy at all.

This evening Lily is still a bit perplexed, but seemed to understand that her new sister really needed her help. She introduced Fang Ran to Little Bear videos and to bath toys. Fang Ran come to life. She was zipping about the hotel room touching everything she could reach. She was fascinated with each new thing she saw for the first time. She found her voice; and we discovered she loves to giggle. Sometimes she giggles for no obvious reason. Sometimes she just lets go with a scream. It seems to be an expression of pure joy.

She was so wound up that she resisted going to bed well after her bedtime. She wanted to just sit in Mommy's lap and sing her songs. When we finally decided she needed to rest, she was very unhappy about going to bed until Mommy laid down and held her tight. It wasn't long before she fell into a peaceful sleep, knowing she was with part of a family that would care for her and love her forever.

Tomorrow Fang Ran will become Anna Lin, and will officially become our daughter and Lily's sister.

PS- Scratch the peacetul sleep part.....Welcome to reality... Daddy's been trying to calm her down for the past 2 hours while I try to get a post up! We'll set up shutterbug tomorrow and post more pictures. We really need some sleep!

2009-12-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

A twelve hour flight… a missed connection….an unexpected night in Beijing without a guide….a crazy taxi ride through the crowded city….getting through the train station with 4 duffle bags, 3 back packs, and a tired 2 year old...2 economy seats in a completely full train with Lily on our lap for 8 hours was all worth it!

In a couple of hours we will walk into the Civil Affairs office in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China to bring our 4 year old daughter home. We are beyond exhausted but so happy that this day is finally here.

Lily Rides the Santa Train

2009-12-17T21:38:00.000-08:00

Lily met Santa for the first time last Saturday. She didn't quite know what to think about that! But she complied with our urging to sit on his lap, and smiled for a picture. She had fun riding on the Snoqualmie Railroad Museum train and drinking her first cup of hot cocoa. It was a very cold day which added to the Christmas spirit.

We’re Coming Anna!

2009-12-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

We've been so busy trying to push our paperwork through that we haven’t had a chance to provide an update for awhile. On November 30th, four days after we learned Anna had been hospitalized, our official “Letter of Acceptance” arrived from china. This is the document that we sign and return letting China know that we would like to move forward with the final phase of adopting Anna. Our FedEx driver joined in the celebration. We signed the document and turned it around that same day.

Next comes a flurry of more paperwork that will eventually grant us the approval to board a plane and head to China. Anna's surgeon and pediatrician have both advocated our behalf based on some new medical information that we've been given. Our agency is doing their part and the CCAA is cooperating to help us get Anna home ASAP. Everything is being processed via "soft copy" allowing us to work through the paperwork in days instead of weeks.

Lily is coming to the realization that she will be sharing mommy and daddy soon. This weekend we were running around preparing to make room in our hearts and our home for another special daughter. We bought some matching "sister" clothes as well some things that are just for Anna. Lily was a great sport except for one pair of "horsey" PJs that we bought for Anna. She wants them too. So, Pamela will be going back to the mall to purchase a 2nd pair. We'll put them under the tree. We hope we can maintain the balance of making Lily feel special and helping Anna discover what it's like to be a part of a family.

We hope that we can enjoy the next 2 to 3 weeks of being a family of three before we welcome our beautiful little Anna into our lives. I asked our agency on Friday when they thought we'd be traveling and was told with a miracle we could be hugging Anna the first week of January. We believe in Christmas miracles! Do you??

Counting down the days until we travel!

Giving Thanks for Lily Mei and Anna Lin

2009-11-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

We learned that Anna Lin was admitted to a Xuzhou hospital this week, which caused us great concern for a few hours. After quickly sending inquiries to our agency we learned that it was only a minor infection. We were very relieved, but this latest occurance increased our desire to get her home as soon as possible.

We later recieved pictures of Anna in the hospital, and it was clear she wasn't in distress. These pictures along with the several others we've received from other families who've recently traveled to Xuzhou have put our mind at ease. It was a Thanksgiving gift to know she was doing well.

Our other gifts were to have Eric join us for dinner and, of course, having our second wonderful Thanksgiving with Lily.

Anna's 4th birthday was October 30th. We sent her a box with gifts, pictures, and party favors, and the orphanage had a very nice party for her. The picture of Anna holding up her birthday card and a picture of Lily and her mom in the pumpkin patch is really special for us. What a wonderful smile she has!! We can't wait to hold her in our arms!

Halloween Fairy and her Ladybug

2009-11-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

Lily Discovers That Boys are Different

2009-10-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Lily has had her share of challenges with potty training, the only area of development that was a bit slow for her. But recently she has made great progress and rarely has "accidents" any more. And she has taken an active role at school in supporting younger children in their use of the potty.

She came home this week and exclaimed..."boys have peanuts". When asked what girls have, she didn't hesitate..."Girls have bagines".

A Message to Anna

2009-10-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

This past week has been filled with excitement for Xuzhou families. Three families are currently in China with their new Xuzhou daughters and son and many more are preparing to take the trip in early November and the coming months. For the families waiting it means we get updates of our precious children with whom we are getting to know and love through pictures and stories of the families who have just hugged them half way around the world.

When we traveled to bring home Lily in May 2008 we had a list of waiting families and were able to talk to and hug the children at their families request. It’s become a tradition that when a family travels to Xuzhou, we try to meet with all the children and send “special messages” to let the children know their families will be coming for them shortly. Many of these kids are home now and we’ve had the pleasure of watching them blossom and flourish. Now that I am once again waiting, I understand how special the orphanage visits are to the waiting parents.

Our Anna has been at the SWI for the past two years and has witnessed many of her friends become united with their forever families, including Lily who was her Xuzhou sister before we even knew it! Anna’s best friend April and her family visited the orphanage last week to say “goodbye”. The girls hugged and Mark promised Anna we would soon be coming to take her home too. You can read the story on Lisa’s blog.

http://ourmishpacha.blogspot.com/2009/10/day-6-nanjing-trip-to-xuzhou-orphanage.html

John teases me that I when I want something, I put my whole heart and soul into it. And I want to get this little girl home with all my heart.

10 weeks ago today, we were told by the China Center of Adoption Affairs that we were pre-approved to move forward with the adoption of Fang Ran. I moved mountains and raced through the paperchase in record time. As of today, we are DTC!!! - our paperwork is in China. Our paperchase is over and now the wait to travel begins!

It's Pumpkin Time, Lily!

2009-10-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

During Lily's second annual trek to the pumpkin patch, she helped us pick pumpkins that represented Daddy, Mommy, Nanny, Grandma, Eric, Anna, herself, and Misha. She helped us arrange all these pumpkin characters on the front porch next to our straw-filled scarecrow. Every morning, as Dad backs out of the driveway to take Lily to school, she waves goodbye to all the pumpkins and to the "silly scarecrow".

Lily and the Moon Festival

2009-10-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

Lily continues to amaze us. Today is a good example. As Lily and her mom were heading to the bathroom, her dad said jokingly, "Say hello to the potty for me Lily." Lily stopped, turned around, and responded, "The potty can't wave hello daddy, it doesn't have hands."

Last weekend we celebrated the Chinese Moon Festival with Lily. After Chinese New Years, it's the biggest holiday for the Chinese. We went to Chinatown in Seattle and had a wonderful Chinese dinner. Lily is especially fond of noodles. She tried chopsticks, but decided she could get more noodles with a fork.

On the way home, Lily saw the festival moon rising over Seattle. We thought about Anna who hopefully saw the same moon halfway across the world. And on the next Moon Festival she will be looking at it here with us!

At home Lily helped her mom make a moon cake, which is one of the traditions for the Chinese at Moon Festival. It was different from the traditional Chinese moon cake, but it was delicious. Yellow cake, buttercream frosting, and decorated with the moon and stars.

2009-09-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

Lily constantly surprises us with her joy for life, her curiosity, and her intelligence. But Lily has also developed an incredible sense of humor. One way she expresses that humor is by making faces. She goes from being a serious (and very cute) young lady to a major pucker mouth to whatever silly face she can think of...and then she cracks herself up!

A Special Name with Many Red Thread Connections

2009-08-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

John and I have settled on what we believe to be the perfect name for Fang Ran. When John first saw her picture, the name that came to mind was Anna. John’s Grandmother on his Father’s side was named Anna and my Great-grandmother (who I adored) on my Mother’s side was also Anna. And John loves the name. We’ve gone down many lists and Anna keeps coming back to us. Also, when I look at Fang Ran's beautiful face it fits the classic name.

Now onto the middle name. My mother's middle name is Lynne and John's sister's name is Linda (although everyone calls her Lin). Lin in Chinese means forest and Fang means nature so we feel like we’re honoring her Chinese name.

I was struggling with finding the meaning of Ran and my friend Erin, who lead us to Fang Ran, learned that Ran is a Japanese girl name. The meaning of the name is `Lily, Purity’. I later realized that Erin’s daughter from Xuzhou whose picture has been on my mantle since Lily’s first birthday and who is also pictured with Fang Ran in several pictures also has been given the middle name Lin.

So many Red Thread connections….. this is meant to be. It’s official. We’ll be calling our 2nd Xuzhou daughter Anna Lin.

Fun with Family & Friends

2009-08-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend with family and friends. Lily had the opportunity to meet Pamela's brother and sister-in-law. Jeff and Cindy fell in love with Lily and she really enjoyed all the attention. On Saturday, we met our friends for lunch and then took a boat ride on Lake Washington. Lily had fun riding in the dingy with our close friend Tim and Aunt Cindy. Uncle Jeff played with her in the back yard. She took to him immediately and loved showing off. This afternoon, Lily attended her first birthday party for a little neighbor girl. She was a little shy at first, but after a while joined in all the fun.

Jeff & Cindy with Pamela and Lily

Tim takes Cindy and Lily for a dingy ride

Heading to the birthday party

That's My Sister!!

2009-08-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Lily is so excited about sharing her life with her new sister. She looks at her pictures often and when anyone asks "Who is this?" Lily promptly replies, "That's my sister!"

I wanted to share some pictures of Fang Ran that have been shared with us from other Xuzhou mommies. Some of the pictures were taken during their wait to bring their beautiful little ones home. Others were taken during the family visit to the orphanage to say their "good bye's" to the friends they leave behind as they begin their new life with their families. We will be counting the months and days until we are able to wrap our arms around Fang Ran and bring her home.

Kathleen's sister meets Fang Ran when visting the SWI with Marika

At Maia-Cai's birthday party

Trena gives Chu Fang Ran a hug and LilaLee says goodbye to her friend

Fang Ran riding her trike

Yep, We're Doing It Again

2009-08-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

The most amazing thing has happened. As many of you know, the families that have adopted children from our orphanage have a very active and supportive Yahoo group. A couple of weeks ago Erin, one of the other Xuzhou mommy's, sent out an email with a picture of a beautiful little 3 1/2 year old girl. My heart skipped a beat. First, her name was so close to Lily's that I thought the post was about her. And second, the resemblance of her face made me do a double take.

I have seen this beautiful little face many times before and for many months. She’s in all the pictures of the other adoption families who have visited our orphanage. Most of the time her photo had the caption “little girl” as we couldn't identify her. We have all wondered when her family would find our group and share the news that she has found her family and will be soon going home.

Something made pick up the phone and call the agency and my friend who sent out the email. Both of them told me that another Xuzhou mommy was already looking at her file. I was crushed but happy that she had found a home. I was encouraged to reach out to the family that was reviewing her file and we talked at length about this little girl and our hopes that her dream of a family would be fulfilled.

Two days later I received an email from Robyn. It came in a 4 am. She had been up all night researching Fang Ran’s rare condition and learned that one the world leading surgeons and specialists was located in Seattle. Her email to me said “So my thoughts, hopes, and prayers are that Chu Fang Ran is meant to be your daughter. She deserves only the best medical care. After reading up on Dr. Grady I think she would definitely find it with him. Let me know what you think!" Robyn and I both felt this was a sign that she was meant to be mine and John's.

On Monday morning as I was boarding a plane to Miami for business, I locked her file. During my business trip and in between meetings , John and I had a consultation with Lily’s pediatrician (an adoption specialist) and Dr Grady, the surgeon who specializes in this rare condition.

Coincidentally Robyn, who had selflessly given up this referral in the best interest of Fang Ran and who happens to live in Florida, agreed to meet me. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet her family and spend time with Adam, her son who is from Lily’s orphanage.

I came home Thursday night and John and I spent the weekend reviewing Fang Ran’s files, researching her rare condition and looking at her pictures. By Sunday evening we made the decision and took the leap of faith to move forward. We sent in our Letter of Intent to Adopt and then waited.

When I got to work this morning, an email from our agency was waiting for us. We had been pre-approved to move forward with the adoption of Fang Ran. We are so happy and still in shock. It all happened so fast. To quote John, “Yep, we’re doing it again. Taking another little girl into our hearts and into our home. Yes, we are nuts, but nuts with more love to give.”

We are pleased to introduce our new daughter…..

Lily Reaps What She Sowed

2009-08-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Remember when Lily was planting garden in April? Well look what her garden has produced! She has turned out to be quite the gardener!

Sowing in April

Reaping in August!!

The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2009-08-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Kathleen brought her two beautiful daughters Mia and Marika to go boating with us a couple of weeks ago. Marika and Lily were in the same orpanage in China. The chances of their both ending up in Seattle is amazing. John spent lots of time in the water helping the girls enjoy floating in the "donut". Kathleen and Pamela got to share lots of stories of their adoption experiences.

Marika and Lily

Having fun on the donut

Enjoying lunch on the boat

Chloe Comes to Visit

2009-08-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Chloe visited us this weekend, which was so very special. Lily bonded with her instantly, seeming to sense how loving Chloe is. And that she was her half sister. Chloe is on her way to the University of Oregon this fall after achieving a very high grade point average at Lakeridge High, the toughest high school in Oregon. What an incredibly beautiful young lady Chloe has turned out to be!

Pamela & John's 5th Anniversary

2009-07-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

Bald eagle watching us float by

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary last week by taking our boat to the San Juan Islands. The scenery was beautiful and the weather was glorious. We missed Lily, but it was also really great to spend some time alone for the first time in a very long time.

It's hard to believe 5 years have passed since our wonderful wedding adventure to Fiji. Without the flurry of activity we've become accustomed to while raising Lily, we had time to enjoy small special moments and focusing totally on each other. It was a confirmation of how strong our love and friendship is, and that our bond is stronger than ever!

We stayed in Roche Harbor which is a very small picturesque place. There is little on the shore there except for businesses catering to boating tourists-- restaurants and shops—and so it’s peaceful and relaxing.

The marina, however, is filled with hundreds of boats. (Or I should say yachts.) Our 26 foot open bow was the exception and was dwarfed by yachts ranging from 30 feet to so long we couldn't estimate the length. Most of the boaters were families or retirees, but some larger yachts had staff and crew and were obviously owned by wealthy vacationers.

We took a whale-watching ride one day which didn't encounter any whales, much to Pam's disapppointment. But we did see lots of other water animals and beautiful islands and enjoyed the time together.

On the way back to Anacortes on our last day we took a route recommended by the locals to try and find one of the Killer Whale pods. It included going into the Haro Strait, a large body of water between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island. The beginning of the trip was very pleasant as the water was smooth. But things changed abruptly as we experienced very strong winds and seas much heavier than we'd ever encountered. Over the next hour and a half Pamela struggled with the swells and crashing waves while John kept us on course. By the time we were able to duck in between San Juan Island and Lopez Island, we were soaked and pretty banged around. But we survived. And no, we didn't see any whales!

Grandma Ethel, Auntie Sarah, and Cousin Rachel traveled from Ohio to take care of Lily while we were gone. Lily had a wonderful time and was totally spoiled.

Launching our boat in Anacortes

Roche Harbor

Fleeting glimpses at porpoises

Harbor Seals

The scenic San Juans

Reading with Grandma Ethel

Reading with Auntie Sarah

Fourth of July Fun

2009-07-10T22:47:00.001-07:00

Summer in Seattle has been a dream so far this year. Six weeks of sun and warm weather has given us the opportunity to share great summer fun with Lily. She loves going out boating and even swims in Lake Washington's 65 degree water. She loves the water so much that we're considering trading in our boat for one that we can sleep on. Our friend Tim took us out on his boat over the 4th of July weekend for a test "sleep over". Lily passed with flying colors and felt right at home on the water.

For the 4th, we took her to a small town country fireworks show close to our home. She had fun eating kettlecorn and hot dogs and running around the park while Mommy and Daddy took turns chasing her. We wish we could have captured her face when the fireworks started- she was awestruck!

Riding in the dingy with Daddy

Swimming in Lake Washington with Mommy

Watching a DVD before sleeping on Uncle Tim's boat

Having fun while waiting for the fireworks to start in Carnation

Lily playing in the back yard

Lily loves her Obama t-shirt

Lily licking the beater getting ready to enjoy strawberries and whipped cream

Catching up with Lily Mei

2009-05-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

I love my brother Eric

Going shopping

My new swimming pool

Nana came to visit!

Lily with an ancient Chinese soldier

Riding the merry-go-round

Swimming with Dad

Water fun at The Children's Museum

Lily and Dad archealogists at The Children's Museum

Mom and Lily at The Children's Museum

Mother Bridge of Love

2009-05-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

Once there were two women who never knew each other.

One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.

Two different lives shaped to make you one.

One became your guiding star; the other became your sun.

The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.

The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.

One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.

One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home that she could not provide.

The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.

And now you ask, of course you do, the question others ask me too:

This place or your birthplace – Which are you a daughter of?

Both of them, my darling, and two different kinds of love.

-Anonymous

Two years ago, on May 15th a mother of a beautiful little two month old baby girl made the decision that she was unable to raise her daughter. Through her heartbreaking loss, I have been blessed. The bittersweet reality of how we've come to know and love our daughter is often in my thoughts. I know that as Lily gets older, I will have to explain how we have become a family. It is my hope that the above poem will help to explain how truly special she is.

This poem is featured on the wonderful website The Mother’s Bridge of Love. http://www.motherbridge.org/ This organization was founded to foster understanding between the East and the West and to help internationally adopted children understand their Chinese heritage.