We Arrive in Nanjing

The busy Shanghai train station










Pamela with Leon, our guide and interpreter



Today we journeyed from Shanghai to Nanjing, a two hour ride on one of China’s sleek, smooth, and fast bullet trains. This being the end of the 3 day Chinese holiday, there were throngs of people heading home on the trains. In spite of huge numbers, the train ran right on time and was very comfortable.

We are the first family to arrive in our children’s province. The other six Great Wall Adoption families will arrive tomorrow morning. On Monday (Sunday in the States) we will all pick up our children at the Nanjing Civil Affairs Bureau.

Lily is spending her last hours in the Xuzhou orphanage where she has spent the last year. It is the only home she remembers. In a very short time her life will abruptly change when she is handed to two total strangers. The shock that she will feel is unimaginable to us, and we feel a great responsibility for easing this painful time as best as we can. We are humbled by this responsibility as much as we are thankful for this opportunity.

Today when we were arriving at the Nanjing train station, we were to be met by a representative of the adoption agency. As we made our way toward the exit, our eyes searched the crowded station for a handheld sign identifying our representative. Our eyes found the sign reading “Great Wall China Adoption- the Block Family ” at the same moment. We turned to look at each other, and Pamela’s eyes immediately welled with tears. The reality of where we were and why we are here was sinking in more and more.

We arrived at our hotel and have Lily’s crib all set up in the corner of our room. Pamela scrubbed it down and made it very snug with bedding she’s brought from home. The wait is now from days down to mere hours.

40 hours to Lily and counting.

Thanks for checking in.