17 - Happy Adoption Day
7/4 Happy Independence Day USA!
Happy Adoption Day to us and Kate Joy Xiyuan Burrows!
Today began with an 8:30am appointment at the Shanxi Social Welfare offices. We met the provincial director as well as the director of the Yangquan (young-chwen') Social Welfare Institute aka orphanage. Kate approached him as soon as he walked into the notary office; she appeared comfortable to talk with him. We met him and took their picture together. Then we waited as another couple were ahead of us to get their marriage license. He from Spain and she from Taiyuan. Once they received their approval papers, it was our turn to answer the official questions (why do you want to adopt when you have 5 children, why a Chinese girl), to sign and fingerprint the adoption documents, and to receive Kate's vaccination card, adoption book, finding ad, and other assorted items. As we signed the last doc and was adding our red fingerprits, fireworks went off outside of the office. Well, afterall it is July 4th, but no, it was the traditional fireworks to celebrate a marriage--the couple we met earlier. But Gerald and I are convinced it was to celebrate the adoption of our newest daughter!
After Jerome, our guide, explained to Kate where we were going, we left in a hired van for lunch, a McDonald's lunch, visit to WalMart, and then on the the Taiyuan China Care home. We learned something new about Kate, she said a big Bo Shie to the chicken nuggets and pushed them away. Baba immediately got his little girl hot wings. She once again is content with her new life :-)
WalMart was contrast to those at home. First of all, there are associates on every corner. No problem finding help. Also, the poorer locals enjoy the AC, books to read, toys to play with, and the TV sitting areas. Rows of chairs are set up for those who arrived to watch the World Cup.
We are learning more and more about how Kate is handling the changes in her life. She badly needed new shoes as those she arrived in were much too small. She definitely has opinions about what she wants and doesn't want. I would point to an item and she would either agree or shake her head and say Bo Shie and point to what she wanted. A pair of shoes was a tiny bit loose and needed thicker socks. I explained this to the concerned dept manager by saying I had thicker sooks at home in the US. Immediately, Kate turned to her and added "No China." She knows America is her final destination and seems content to be with us.
Our next stop was Taiyuan China Care. It was wonderful to finally meet Gretchen whose blog I've read for so long. Then we met the children she writes about. Oh, little Mary is so ready for her family to come take her home. It was here that something happened. Jerome had told Kate earlier that we would visit a home with little ones and then we would all leave together. When Jerome saw her distress, he immediately spoke to her and she seemed to calm down. Inside the home she asked to hold a baby and did so as well as a grandma then she busied herself playing with baby toys. She has missed out on some special parts of early childhood and we plan to take it slow and easy, allowing her to back up and be our baby for a while. It'll be easy since she's so tiny.
Another thing we notice and watch is how she responds to other people, Chinese or European. She is shy (a very good thing) yet, will finally respond although shyly. I've heard of many children completely ignoring other people, especially Chinese. Cora did this as a baby. It seems that Kate is more than ready to go to America with us, yet secure enough to keep her Chinese connections open. We'll see how she responds once home and we meet our Chinese friends.
We did some shopping on the way home while Gerald and Jerome and kids found pizza :-) All I really want to find is local folk art and will pursue this later in the week when my sister and her children leave.
I must say that I've fallen in love with Taiyuan. Sure, it has a pollution problem, yet Gerald's asthma has not become a problem. Beijing is ok for the ancient sights to tour, but it's gotten so cosmopolitan, with people are rushing around concerned about what to buy next to keep up with the latest technology or fashion. (I forgot to say earlier that we saw the Bird's Nest before we left Beijing. This stadium looks like a giant erector set of curved metal design. It will be interesting to see the finished product) So, although Taiyuan has the Paris fashion shops (they have next year's fashions ahead of us in the US) there are so many average local folks and this town still has an interest in foreigners, with a warm friendliness.
Gerald met a former OSUer today in our hotel lobby. They both attended OSU during the same period. Gerald and "Alex" enjoyed discussing their school years as well as where both are now in business. We enjoyed meeting the extended family, including Grandpa. They are a friendly Chinese family in a very friendly town. I wish we could stay longer, yet will be happy to return home.
Janise and I took the kids for their early evening swim before bed. Now everyone is asleep. We will travel to Yangquan (young-chwen') tomorrow to visit Kate's former orphange. We asked the director for permission today and he readily agreed. He also very much enjoyed the photo album of former Yangquan children. He even sought out the Taiyuan Director to show the pictures! This was a hit folks. Maybe the next visiting family can continue this project. We will tell Kate in the morning about our plans and retell her that she belongs with us now and this is only a goodbye visit. Your prayers for her and us will be appreciated.
Happy Adoption Day to us and Kate Joy Xiyuan Burrows!
Today began with an 8:30am appointment at the Shanxi Social Welfare offices. We met the provincial director as well as the director of the Yangquan (young-chwen') Social Welfare Institute aka orphanage. Kate approached him as soon as he walked into the notary office; she appeared comfortable to talk with him. We met him and took their picture together. Then we waited as another couple were ahead of us to get their marriage license. He from Spain and she from Taiyuan. Once they received their approval papers, it was our turn to answer the official questions (why do you want to adopt when you have 5 children, why a Chinese girl), to sign and fingerprint the adoption documents, and to receive Kate's vaccination card, adoption book, finding ad, and other assorted items. As we signed the last doc and was adding our red fingerprits, fireworks went off outside of the office. Well, afterall it is July 4th, but no, it was the traditional fireworks to celebrate a marriage--the couple we met earlier. But Gerald and I are convinced it was to celebrate the adoption of our newest daughter!
After Jerome, our guide, explained to Kate where we were going, we left in a hired van for lunch, a McDonald's lunch, visit to WalMart, and then on the the Taiyuan China Care home. We learned something new about Kate, she said a big Bo Shie to the chicken nuggets and pushed them away. Baba immediately got his little girl hot wings. She once again is content with her new life :-)
WalMart was contrast to those at home. First of all, there are associates on every corner. No problem finding help. Also, the poorer locals enjoy the AC, books to read, toys to play with, and the TV sitting areas. Rows of chairs are set up for those who arrived to watch the World Cup.
We are learning more and more about how Kate is handling the changes in her life. She badly needed new shoes as those she arrived in were much too small. She definitely has opinions about what she wants and doesn't want. I would point to an item and she would either agree or shake her head and say Bo Shie and point to what she wanted. A pair of shoes was a tiny bit loose and needed thicker socks. I explained this to the concerned dept manager by saying I had thicker sooks at home in the US. Immediately, Kate turned to her and added "No China." She knows America is her final destination and seems content to be with us.
Our next stop was Taiyuan China Care. It was wonderful to finally meet Gretchen whose blog I've read for so long. Then we met the children she writes about. Oh, little Mary is so ready for her family to come take her home. It was here that something happened. Jerome had told Kate earlier that we would visit a home with little ones and then we would all leave together. When Jerome saw her distress, he immediately spoke to her and she seemed to calm down. Inside the home she asked to hold a baby and did so as well as a grandma then she busied herself playing with baby toys. She has missed out on some special parts of early childhood and we plan to take it slow and easy, allowing her to back up and be our baby for a while. It'll be easy since she's so tiny.
Another thing we notice and watch is how she responds to other people, Chinese or European. She is shy (a very good thing) yet, will finally respond although shyly. I've heard of many children completely ignoring other people, especially Chinese. Cora did this as a baby. It seems that Kate is more than ready to go to America with us, yet secure enough to keep her Chinese connections open. We'll see how she responds once home and we meet our Chinese friends.
We did some shopping on the way home while Gerald and Jerome and kids found pizza :-) All I really want to find is local folk art and will pursue this later in the week when my sister and her children leave.
I must say that I've fallen in love with Taiyuan. Sure, it has a pollution problem, yet Gerald's asthma has not become a problem. Beijing is ok for the ancient sights to tour, but it's gotten so cosmopolitan, with people are rushing around concerned about what to buy next to keep up with the latest technology or fashion. (I forgot to say earlier that we saw the Bird's Nest before we left Beijing. This stadium looks like a giant erector set of curved metal design. It will be interesting to see the finished product) So, although Taiyuan has the Paris fashion shops (they have next year's fashions ahead of us in the US) there are so many average local folks and this town still has an interest in foreigners, with a warm friendliness.
Gerald met a former OSUer today in our hotel lobby. They both attended OSU during the same period. Gerald and "Alex" enjoyed discussing their school years as well as where both are now in business. We enjoyed meeting the extended family, including Grandpa. They are a friendly Chinese family in a very friendly town. I wish we could stay longer, yet will be happy to return home.
Janise and I took the kids for their early evening swim before bed. Now everyone is asleep. We will travel to Yangquan (young-chwen') tomorrow to visit Kate's former orphange. We asked the director for permission today and he readily agreed. He also very much enjoyed the photo album of former Yangquan children. He even sought out the Taiyuan Director to show the pictures! This was a hit folks. Maybe the next visiting family can continue this project. We will tell Kate in the morning about our plans and retell her that she belongs with us now and this is only a goodbye visit. Your prayers for her and us will be appreciated.
posted by Linda @ 10:27 PM
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