About Time I Posted!

I guess I am a bad blogger now that we have returned home. So by popular demand I will start blogging here again. At least once a month, if you are lucky maybe once a week. The following pictures are some I took the on Thursday. I was trying to get a good shot to send out on her announcement.

Things have been going really well. Megan is such a good baby. She is happy. She smiles and giggles. She has really started to move. She loves the freedom of being on the floor. She is rolling from her tummy to her back. From her back to her tummy. She is also sitting up. We still have to watch her because she is not super steady yet. She also waves bye, bye and has clapped her hand together once. We are playing pat a cake often.

Sleeping is the best. For nap time I turn on her music, lay her down. She fusses for a few minutes and then is off to sleep. Going to bed for the night is not as smooth. She will cry until she works herself really up when we lie her down. We have been putting her in her swing. She swings for few and them once she is asleep we put her in her crib. We will work on getting her to lie in her crib and go to sleep at night. The best thing is that she sleeps. all. night. long. She goes down between 8-9 depending on how long her nap is. She then sleeps until 7:30- 8 the next morning! I can't tell how happy that makes me!!

Sunday she will make her first appearance at church. Her grandma will be so excited to show her off.

She brings us more joy then we could have ever imagined! We have been blessed beyond words!

We're Coming Home!!

In 7 hours we will be heading home. (We almost weren't!) Sorry no pictures tonight. Things have been hectic.

The day started off great! We did the group and red couch photo. That was fun with 11 babies, most who could not sit up very well. After that we went for lunch at Lucy's and then went strolling around this beautiful island. The weather was beautiful today and I love that we are able to just walk and walk.

On our stroll today we found a Christian church. It sounded like they were having choir practice. They were singing hymns in English! We stopped at a corner bakery and got a ice cream. This whole time Megan was napping.

Next it was off to the US Consulate. That is were the fun began. The guy came out to have us take the oath. (painless, you just repeat after him basically saying that to the best of your knowledge all of the info provide on your paperwork is true) He said that he had some bad news. The way he said it we thought he was joking. We thought he might say those crying babies are forever ours or something like that. No! He told us that the Consulate in DC had been having computer issues since Monday and that of the 55 families there only 9 of the visa were ready! No visa, no travel! After a lot of stress we received the call at about 9 that the visas are ready and Genie is on her way to pick them up! (Love FTIA and especially their in country coordinators!!! After all of the other agencies had left the Consulate we were the only ones still there. Genie and Tracy were working hard to get the staff to stay and try to get the visas printed.)

Our luggage has been picked up and we think we have everything we will need in route. Chuck has gone down to make sure that the bill is taken care of and to spend the little bit of Chinese money we have left.

We have had the best time while here. We have experienced so many wonderful things and made some great friends. It is bittersweet to leave the birth country of Megan.

We will arrive in Indy at 6:09 pm on Northwest flight #1011 from Detroit. We can not wait to see everyone and to introduce you the best little thing that has ever happened to us!!

God is good!

Chuck, Wendi & Megan

Happy Tuesday!

Daddy bought Megan a stroller. She thinks it is nap time whenever she goes for a stroll.



We (Chuck said I should say I) were messing around.




Megan "helping" me blog!

Not much to report today. We woke up to rain so our trip to the Botanical Gardens was cancelled. The group went shopping for jade, but we opted not to go. The group said that is was very expensive, so it looks like we did not miss anything.

Chuck ran out to pick up something that we had ordered. While he was out he said that he was talking to a woman. During the course of the conversation he told her that he was tired of living in a hotel. She said that she could get him a companion for the night. He said it took him a few for it to click what she was saying. He was like no, no I have a wife and baby at the hotel. We both were quite shocked!!

Megan is currently down for the night. Tonight I put her in her crib, pulled it by the bed and sat by her until she went to sleep. We both would really like her to be able to fall asleep on her own.

She is really starting to eat! I am not sure how much she should be eating, so we are winging it. Today she had a bottle (formula & 4 scoops of rice cereal) then a couple bites of scrambled egg. She had a small bowl of cereal mid-morning and then another bottle for lunch. She had a bottle around 3:30 and then ate half a jar of bananas around 5. About 7:30 she had some more cereal and then a bottle. Want to fill up that belly so she sleeps through the night!

Genie let us know that Megan's visa to the US has been approved. We were not worried that it wouldn't be approved. We will go to the US Consulate tomorrow afternoon to receive the visa and to take an oath.

We love reading all of your comments. Cathie Genie said to tell you, Penny & June Hi!

Tomorrow will be our last day here. We should be very busy tomorrow. We will be doing the famous red couch picture in the morning, I will post photos of that.

As you start your day it is off to bed for us. Good night.

Monday Happenings

We had to take care of some official business this morning. Our first stop was to get Megan's picture taken for her visa. The next stop was for her official medical exam.

While there her hearing and eyesight was checked. They checked her over to make sure she had no rashes or fever. She was weighed and measured. The only measurement I can remember is her weight. She is officially 17.7 pounds. Chuck is busy with a bottle so he can't look up the other measurements.






After that a bunch of us stopped by The Station for lunch. From the picture I bet you can guess how it got its name. Chuck ordered a vanilla shake that he said tasted like sweet milk. I said maybe the Chinese version of a vanilla shake is to add vanilla to milk and shake it up!

We are getting ready to head out again. We need to drop off laundry and then are meeting Paul, Wendy and Reagan for dinner at Lucy's. I also need to get a traditional dress for Megan's red couch group photo which is scheduled for 10 Wednesday morning.

Hope everyone got their picture fix!!

Monday Happenings Continued

On our way back to the hotel we passed a couple that was out having their wedding photo taken.

Good News

The good news is.... we are back in the picture business! Everyone needs to give Paul a big Woo Hoo for fixing us up!

Megan getting ready for her first flight. She did really well. It was a hour flight, lets see how well she does on a 13 hour flight. Should be fun!




Megan in her Easter onsie.




Enjoying dinner at Lucy's.

Happy Easter

Let's start with the bad news. It looks like the memory is full on our computer, so we can not download any pictures. I know, I know. We are trying to find someone in our group that can help us delete some things without messing everything up.

This morning we went to the Folk Art Museum. It was very nice. It was outside with beautiful open building that had stone carvings. There were artifacts on display and lots of nice areas to walk.

After that we went to local mall for pearl shopping. Quite the experience. We walked into this little store and they literaly had bags of pearls sitting around the store. You then choose the shape and color of pearl you wanted. They strung the pearls together while you waited. One lady in our group spend 6500 US dollars there!! Not us.

We ended up at the famous Lucy's for a late lunch. It was decent. You hear so much about it that you have to try it.

Matt & Chuck went on a supply run this evening. Matt could not find the type of formula he needed for Candace around here. They ended up taking a cab to a shopping center. Chuck said it was an underground shopping center. He said they were the only Americans. He said they had the empty bag of formula and keep stopping people on the street. They would show them the bag and the people would point for them to go further down the street. Finally they saw a police officer and he wrote down the name of the store they needed. Chuck said it was quite the experience!

Megan continues to do very well. She ate more from a spoon today. She had some scrambled eggs this morning. Mashed potato's from Lucy's and then some cereal before bed tonight. Last night she only took half of her bottle and was up at midnight starving. That is the first time we have had to feed her in the night. Not a habit we want, so tonight I keep trying until she took the cereal.

She is quite the character. At Lucy's Chuck was letting her gum a french fry. He thought she was done and took it out of her mouth. She was not finished and she let him and everyone else know. She did this loud squeal to let him know she was not done. We love you babe, but the squeal will have to go!!

Tomorrow we go for Megan's official medical exam. I am excited to see how much she officially weighs. Each hotel scale says something different.

Hopefully we will get the picture deal worked out. If not we will continue to post.

Have a great Easter!! We wish we were there.

Greetings from the White Swan

We have made it to our final destination. The flight was good. Megan had no problem. She smiled and talked most of the way. Toward the end of the flight she took a bottle and went to sleep.

Her personality is really coming out today. She is a character! She has been blowing raspberries and squeling with delight. She has even been fighting Chuck for the remote control.

The hotel here is very nice. We have a view over looking the Pearl River. Across the river everything is lit up and there are decorative boats on the water.

Tomorrow morning we are going to a museum and the shopping for pearls.

Sorry no pictures tonight. We can't the batteries to hold a charge long enough to download the pictures. Hopefully there will be photos tomorrowr.

Good Bye Nanchang!

After we picked up Megan's passport we went shopping at a porcelain shop. While there we were swarmed by people wanting to see the babies. These ladies thought Megan was the cutest! She wasn't so sure about them holding her.



Look I am sitting up! She can only do it for a second, but that is a start.




The boys ran out and brought in KFC for dinner. Megan sucked on the chicken leg bone and loved the mashed potato's. Grammi and Grandpa looks like you will have another one wanted to join you at MCL.




She took another bath tonight. I go in the tub and held her. She was upset, but nearly as much as the last two times. I found out from those went to the orphanage that those in foster care where given sponge baths. That explains a lot!

Tomorrow we fly out for our last destination in China, Guangzhou. Good night from Nanchang.

Megan is feeling better today. I think she might be teething. No fever and she is chewing on everything.

Chuck and Megan taking a morning nap.



This Patty and Katie. Katie is Megan's foster sister.



While the boys were doing paperwork we headed for the playroom.


I can tell Megan is use to being in a walker. She was very happy when I put her in this.



Yesterday many took the trip to the orphanage. We choose not to. The trip was long. It was about 3 1/2 hours one way. We were really torn on weather to go or not. If Megan had lived at the orphanage we definitely would have. We were told that the orphanage building is very nice. It is new. The babies are in a room with 6-8 cribs and there is one caregiver for each group. The caregiver lives with the babies, so they receive constant care from the same person. We were told that it was very sad. There are about 30 babies in the orphanage. Most of them were lying in cribs. They were bundled so much that their arms were not moving and had about 5+ blankets on top of them. They said their clothes were dirty and the orphanage smelled. The children needed their noses wiped and the nanny's did not seem concerned. She said one baby was crying and she touched her face to comfort her. She said the baby turned her head looking for the comfort and wanting to be fed.

After hearing the account of the town it makes sense why the babies are so bundles. Some of the areas there were so poor that the homes did not have windows.

Her daughter was also in foster care. She said that the area is worse then any slum she had ever seen in America. She almost wished that her child had been in the orphanage instead of living out in the community.

We can tell that Megan was well cared for. She is healthy and very happy.

I guess in another group there has been a disrupted adoption. I will not go into it here. I will share it personally once I return home. When children are not accepted by their adoptive family they are no longer eligible for intl adoption. I was sobbing as I was telling Chuck the story.

When you hear the number of children being adopted from China you think that it is so many babies. For every handful of babies leaving there are hundreds left behind. I hope that some day we can come back for more babies. If you can't tell I am having a very emotional day. I am so sad for all of the babies that I can't take home.

The mental image is enough for us. I don't think my heart could have taken seeing it first had. Eventually we will get some pictures and someone has video. A huge Thank You to everyone who had a hand in helping bring our Megan home!!!!

Okay enough sadness. Let's talk about Megan. She is changing so much already. She reaches and holds her toys often. She is currently trying to feed Chuck the toy phone! Her neck and back get stronger each day. She is trying really hard to sit up. When we sit her up with the pillows she is now trying to pull herself forward. She is not sure about other people. She just stares at them. It is hard to get her to smile when others are around.

We have gotten some clothes questions. I suggest 6-9 mo clothes. I guestimated wrong on her weight. I think I said that 7 k was 13 pounds. It is actually 16, so she is on the line from 3-6 mos to 6-9 mo clothes. Her bonnet is a 0-9 mo and is just about too small. I love her bonnet, so if you run across one that is a 9-12 mo please buy it.

I need to run. We out this afternoon to pick up her passport and then we are going to a porcelain shop. I promise next time the post won't be a downer!

I Like Pizza!

Chilling out, ready for bed Wednesday night.



Grandma does this outfit look familar?



Megan has started reaching for her rattle and shaking it around.





Chuck and Andy made a Pizza Hut run tonight. Megan keep looking at me eating, so I tried to give her some. She loved sucking on the crust. When I took it out of her mouth she was not happy. Look out Uncle Brent!

Our little hunny has been cranky today. She is not feeling well. She is currently running a fever 100.8. She just had her first dose of Tylenol and is currently sleeping.

Tomorrow we will go pick up Megan's passport. It might be a long night so I should go get things together.

Megan Today

Notice her 2 bottom teeth in the next picture.


This is one of my favorite pictues.





There is so much happening that I know my post are all over the place. Last night Megan made her first trip to McDonald's. We went with Matt, Lynn & Candice. They took one cab and we took another. The bell hop let the drivers know we were together. I can not put into words how the driving is. No one has the right of way. There a bikes, people, mopeds and cars all on the rode. They basicly turn on their signal, honk and go were they want. Matt & Lynn's cab driver did not know which Micky D's to go to. Our cabbie pulled up beside him almost ramming into him to get his attention. He then yelled at him and took the lead. The cabs wanted to pass some cars so they went into on coming traffic to do it!! Chuck though the cab ride in Egypt was bad, he said China is worse. We did make it to Micky D's in one piece. The food was good. I guess McDonald's is the same everywhere. We ate there about 3 US dollars. Lynn was so freaked out that she would not take a cab back to the hotel. We walked which was about 20 minutes. The walk back was really nice and the girls enjoyed it. At least I can say I experienced the cab ride.

Once we returned back Genie (our guide) asked if anyone wanted to see the doctor. Since Lynn freaked me out a bit by saying she was not sure it was diaper rash Megan had we had the doctor come. Lynn thought it might be a parasite.

The doctor said that it is old diaper rash. Very severe. She has some sores that are scabbed over. The doctor said that she is healthy, happy and a pretty girl! Couldn't have a doctor make a "house call" for $20 at home.

Megan was cranky this morning. No smiles and she was very fussy. Her tummy was hurting. Once we got our first dirty diaper our happy girl was back.

She is taking her bottle well, but has not eaten anything else we were told. We have tried congee (rice that is boiled to dealth), noodles and scrambled egg. Tomorrow at breakfast we will try a steamed bun and steamed eggs. She did let me put some pieces of my bread in her mouth at lunch. I am not worried about the eating because she is taking the bottle well.

Both of my babies are napping. I should run and make some more bottles. Tonight we are having a group dinner out.

Nanchang Pictures

Pagoda Tour

Today Megan is in a 6-9 month outfit. This is before we went down for breakfast.



We walked to see a Pagoda (not sure if I am spelling it correctly). Megan had her first stroller ride.



The current Pagoda was built in 1989. They have had to rebuild it 28 times. If that isn't persistant I don't know what is!!



This is the Heng Feng group. We were missing two families. The Smith Family and Rossners did not join us this morning. While there we were able to take in a performance. It had local dance and music.


There was a viewing area all around the Pagoda. This is a picture of the garden.



While we were there we were approached by a Chinese woman. She said that Megan has a nice nose and a good complextion. That is our translation anyway. Then two men who spoke english came up to us and asked if all the people there with babies were adopting. They were very happy that we were. They said we were a good couple.

I will post some random pictures of Nanchang next.