Home is Where the Heart Is

A Huge Welcome Home

Big Girl in Mama's Shoes

Laundry can be Fun

Spinning Easter Eggs

Eating Lunch with Dad

I may not be rich in material terms, but... I feel right in spirit, that's all that counts to me.
Amelia Rudolph

We have been home for over a week and things are going well. We have fabulous neighbors, friends and family that are making sure of it. It is amazing how much we have gained from the adoption process, and I am not just talking about a daughter. This has truly been a journey of faith and love. We have been given so much, probably more than we deserve. We have definitely not the same people that boarded a plane in January. We have seen how people live that have absolutely nothing, not even hope. Our troubles seem to pale in comparison.
Elainea looks so much different than when we first saw her. It is amazing, but she sounds different too. Her cries no longer ring with desperation and she laughs all the time. Her eyes are full of life and there is hardly any moments where the sadness comes back. The night terrors are calming down. She actually had one night where she only woke up crying only once. She still eats more than any one else in the family, and weighs three pounds less than her referral said she did after three weeks of continuous eating! Physically she looks more robust and is starting to get baby fat on her legs.
The biggest change we have noticed lately is in the sister relationship. Elainea initially saw Hannah as competition. This seems consistent with her history in an orphanage. She would watch Hannah and try to emulate her, but really did not interact with her. She would try to prevent Hannah from getting any food or attention that she was craving. This was heart-breaking for Hannah. Slowly her attitude is changing. She now likes to interact with Hannah and shows genuine affection for her.
The most amazing part of this is how much they are alike. Both of them are funny, outgoing, precocious, and delightful. They both have a special ability to make people happy. I would love to bottle each of their laughs and make it available for anyone having a bad day. No one could be sad when either one of them laugh.
This whole experience would make a great Mastercard commercial that would go something like this:
3 Roundtrip tickets to China - $3,000
4 day Beijing tour - $400
1 orphanage donation - $3200
Forever sisters – priceless.
I have to explain one of the pictures. Every year before Easter we break out the plastic Easter eggs and spin them on the tile floor. Do not even ask how we figured this out, but it is great fun. Hannah starts talking about getting them out the day after Christmas. We finally decided that it is time. Every one should try Easter egg spinning at least once in their lifetime!

We are finally home

A view of SLC skyline from the airport.

Elainea playing with toys.

Elainea doing a Brat Doll impersonation.

Trying to get Moms attention.

Playing with Daddy.

If you enjoy living, it is not difficult to keep the sense of wonder.
Ray Bradbury

We finally arrived home last Saturday night. Since then life has been a blur. We wake up wondering what hotel and city we are at, followed by a short relief when we realize that we are home. We use the term “wake up” lightly as one child is on US time and the other is on China time. The parents have found a happy medium somewhere in the middle. Not that it does us any good with kids up 24 hrs a day.
The days are full of appointments and ‘catching up’ with all of the stuff we put on the backburner while we were in China. Most of all our days are full of laughter and fun as we get to know our newest member.
We went to the doctor to have all of the blood tests redone. They tried to draw blood from Elainea at the doctor’s office and gave up and sent us to the hospital. They successfully drew her blood so it was back to the doctor’s office to get her immunizations. Poor Elainea. She thinks we live out of hotels and spend the day on a bus, plane or in a doctor’s office!
We have some wonderful news. All of the American blood tests have come back and Elainea is healthy. She does not have any type of blood-borne disease. What a relief for our family.
Meanwhile, Elainea is blooming more and more everyday. When we first got her there was an air of sadness about her with intermittent spurts of tantrums or happiness, with an underlying layer of sadness. That is slowly going away. She smiles frequently and her eyes now smile. She is so funny and smart. She said her first American word yesterday “shoe”. (We are dismissing MaMa and DaDa because she came with those). She loves to take a bath and brush her teeth. She sits in her highchair at home, but forget it when you are out. She is so helpful. She will layout her diaper pad and diaper when she needs to be changed. She is a typical American girl because she fights to answer the phone. When it rings all the girls jump and race to the phone! Hannah knows better than to answer it, but she thinks it is fun to race Elainea to the phone.
When we arrived home we once again realized what wonderful neighbors we have. There were balloons on the mailbox and a huge sign on the garage welcoming us home. Some other dear neighbors brought us in a few groceries to get us by for a couple of days. This whole experience has changed all of us. We came back from China better people than when we left. No longer will we ever take for granted what we have in our lives. We have a reaffirmed belief in the goodness of people and are grateful for the wonderful friends and family we have.
Life is good for the Rockwell family and we again send out a heartfelt thanks to all of those people that helped us make this happen.

The Prayers Have Been Answered

A Street by the White Swan Hotel

Girls playing in the hotel room

Playing in thr Swan Room

Had to have a red couch photo

Hannah at the Pearl Market

It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.
Ursula K. LeGuin

Now that the crisis is over we should elaborate a little on the events of the past few days. We are all in LA and recovering from the flight. We ate a huge pizza and enjoying the fact that we do not have to boil the water before we brush our teeth!Now to fill you in… in a nutshell we found out the day before we had our consulate appointment and were to fly home that there is documentation that Elainea has Hepatitis C. We were at the conclusion of a celebration dinner with the other five families that have shared our journey, when our guide came to us and gave us Elainea’s immunization record and told us that it states that Elainea was not vaccinated for Hep B because she has contracted Hepatitis C. We walked back to the hotel crying as we knew this changed everything.We immediately set an appointment to get Elainea’s blood checked. We know that not everyone can understand our decision making process or perspective on this, but we needed to do what was best for our family and for Elainea. Having Hepatitis C would classify Elainea as a special needs child. We did not apply for a special needs child because we understand our own abilities and limitations. We still would have accepted her given some other type of issues, but this one we really needed to consider. This was one of the greatest challenges we faced as a family.During this process there was a silver lining. I can not begin to tell you how touched we are by all of the love and support. After we heard that she could have Hep C a friend told me that “It may be hard to see God’s hand in all of this, but keep in mind that God does not make mistakes, just people do.” Well I am telling you we did experience God in all of this. God planned the special group of families that would travel together and become friends. We saw God when our family group celebrated a Sunday devotional together to celebrate Him and the miracles that we just received in our adoption children. We saw God when we prayed with the Baptists when we received the news. We saw God when we received a sacramental blessing from three Priesthood holders in the LDS faith. We saw God when we received a flood of emails of support from our family, friends, agency, and soon-to-be friends. We saw God when he gave us support when we prayed for his grace to be with us. God was with us when we trusted his will and took our leap of faith with only preliminary results.
Finally we can say that even though there was the trial, eventually the grace of God allowed for the completion of our family.
We will post more about the return home tomorrow. For now please accept our sincere thanks for all of your love and support.
Sincerely,The Rockwells ~ Joe, Pam, Hannah and Elainea

A Leap of Faith

Whatever with the past has gone, the best is always yet to come. Lucy Larcom

We took a huge leap of faith today. We finished processing the paperwork and for better or worse she our offically our girl and will be coming home with us! We based our decision of the preliminary test results due to the fact that we are faced with the Chinese New Year and the whole country will shut down in a matter of hours, and the final results will not be available until after the shutdown. That puts us in China for another week if we did not request her visa this morning.
We are flying into LA tonight and will return to SLC on February 17th at 6:07 pm. We will talk to you again when we are in the States!
All Our Love,
The RockwellsJoe, Pam, Hannah and Elainea.

A Ray of Hope

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.Dale Carnegie

Based on the volume of email we are receiving we know that many people are awaiting to hear news on our situation. Although we are not out of the woods yet, there seems to be a glimmer of hope for Elainea.
The preliminary results are back and they are very favorable. We still are waiting for a DNA marker test which should be back in about twelve hours. When these results come back things are going to happen in rapid fire succession and so we may not be able to post the results for a while. If the results come back negative then we will be able to bring Elainea home with us. If they come back positive then we will need to spend several hours "undoing" paperwork before hopping on a plane home.
We just received word that Grandma made it home safely and that helps us feel better. Hannah misses her Grandma and can't wait to see her at the airport. Speaking of Hannah Joe and I have to say that we have an awesome kid. She has been so understanding of the circumstances and has been so brave about everything. She flairs up every once in a while, but for the most part she has handled this situation with a strength and courage that is not typical of a four-year-old.
As far as Joe and I are concerned we are doing as well as can be expected. Between crying a river of tears, fighting back nausea and praying on our sore knees we are working through this whole thing. In the mean time Elainea is blossoming. She has the funniest personality! When she smiles she does it with her whole face bringing happiness to those around her. Her laugh is totally contagious and she looks up to her big sister and tries to do everything that she does.
Elainea still eats her weight everyday, but there is small gaps between the perpetual snacking now. She is getting very picky about what she eats and so we are going to have to reel her in once we get home (hopefully).
We have packed our bags so we can hit the ground running tomorrow. We strategically packed Elainea's things on top so they can be gathered to go back with her if need be. We love her so much and can not picture our lives without her at this point. The Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs is asking us some very heavy questions such as: "Would you like to stay for another three weeks to get another referral", our resounding response is 'no'. If it comes to that we need to come home and regroup and continue on from there. We need to work through what will be an unconsolable loss of one of our daughters. We thank all of our family and friends and look forward to seeing you soon.

On pins and needles

Well another day has passed and we hopefully the next one will go by faster. Time is going by so slow for us and we await the results of Elainea's blood test. This experience has tested all of us in every way. It has tested our faith, character, relationship and patience. The thrill of visiting this place is gone and now we are just marking time until we find out which direction ours lives will take. We have struggled with the idea of keeping Elainea. We love her so much already, but we have to consider all of the ramifications of such a choice. This is the worst kind of torture a family can go through. I do not know how we will find the strength to give her back if it comes to that. We appreciate all of the emails of support we have received from everyone. They mean so much to us. With your thoughts and prayers and the strength of God we will make it through this tragedy. We will post again when we get the results.....

A bump in the road home

It looks like we will be staying Guangzhou for a couple of extra days. We ran into some unexpected health considerations with Elainea and we need to wait to get some lab tests back.
We ask that you all pray for us and her as the test results will determine if we bring her home or not.
We are being very well taken care of by our agency, guide and other families within our group. The outpouring of love and support has touched us so deeply and we will forever be grateful for the special care that the other families have given us.
They have all gone to the consulate appointment and we will remain at the hotel for two days until the results get back.
We will keep you all informed of any news that we may get.

Guangzhou is Amazing

Chen Family Hall

Intricate Buildings

Grandma in the Gardens

Look at the Pillows

Adventure can take many forms. Sometimes, following your heart is the greatest one of all.
Dagny Scott

Yesterday afternoon we toured the Chen Family Ancestral Hall. The building is absolutely gorgeous and local artists displayed some of their work. The sand paintings were incredible. I wish we could afford to buy one and bring it home. We have had a wonderful time together as we get to know each other. Elainea smiles all the time now and she loves it when we pass cars and Mom says “beep-beep”.
We still have not been successful at slowing her eating down. She eats her weight in Cheerios a day. I have never seen anything like it. She has a little budda belly and the diapers really do not fit her well anymore. Yesterday our guide Jo Jo told us that we really should not be feeding her so much and so she took her bowl of Cheerios away. Elainea screamed for about 20 minutes straight until Jo Jo said, “Maybe we should give them back.” Yep, one word to describe Elainea would be spitfire! She is full of fun and adventure and she loves her Mommy. This morning she ran down the hotel hall and into her Daddy’s arms.
I can not imagine our lives without her. We have been given such a special gift. How can we ever thank everyone that made this possible for us? I guess that is something that we will have to work on.
Tomorrow we have the consulate ceremony and then we leave for home. Our poor little Elainea probably thinks we live in hotels and eat out everyday. Boy will she have a shock when we get home! Baby boot camp is on the itinerary when we get home. No more temper tantrums. She is so funny she throws herself on the floor, gently places her head on the floor and then starts to scream!By the time you all read this it will be Valentines Day! We wish you a Happy Valentines Day with people you love surrounding you. We get an extra long one as we fly home and gain a day again. We love you all and can not wait to show you our funny little Valentine!

The Medical Examination

The Medical Center
Waiting for the Exam

More of our Group waiting for the Exam

Elainea and Mom after the Exam

In Front of the Medical Exam Office

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

We our on the last leg of our journey and having a blast! The White Swan Hotel is wonderful and is filled with hundreds of adoptive families and their beautiful babies. Yesterday was full of travel and we did not get lunch. When we got to the hotel we had to run to get dinner and then put the kids to bed. Elainea had to get her visa photo and her medical examination this morning. She did great.
On the way back to the hotel we went to a grocery store and Hannah had an allergic reaction to something in the store. Luckily I had some Benedryl fast melts in my purse and she appears to be doing fine now.
We are going on a tour this afternoon after Joe runs back to the market for some diapers. Grandma is having a ball shopping all of the stores.We look forward to our journey home.

A Day in Paradise?

Grandma and Elainea Poolside
Elainea feeling brave and exploring on her own.

One of the hotel verandas

Sanya Sunset

Incredible Beauty

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

Today was an interesting day. The hotel, although beautiful, has a few quirks that need to be worked out. The most apparent would be water. We have been without water for the majority of our stay. The shower sends water all over the bathroom floor making it very slick. Another issue is the food is very expensive. To compensate we are only eating two meals a day. Breakfast is included and then we eat a late lunch. We are really glad to have these special days in this special place, but are also looking forward to the next leg of our journey.
This morning Pam needed to do some paperwork for the American Consulate appointment. We all went to the appointment together. While there Elainea decided to get into some mischief and had a complete meltdown when Mommy said ‘No’. Dad had to take her to the room which made her even more upset. Eventually she cried herself to sleep in her Daddy’s arms and so it turned out to be a good bonding experience.
The rest of the day was spent by the pool and walking around the hotel. Elainea is into everything. We forgot what the terrible twos are like.
When then ran back to the room when we heard there was running water and filled up the bathtub on the balcony of our room. Yes, you heard it right, on the balcony. Pam packed while Elainea unpacked the suitcases while we all took baths before we settled in for the night.
Just a final thought for today. When we observe each of the six families that are here and the children that they received, we are overwhelmed with the sensation of God’s will and grace. Every family has a child that fits into that family. I really could not see the children allocated in any other way. The adoption journey has helped affirm that this is God’s plan for us.
Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou and prepare for Elainea’s doctor appointment on Monday. We can not wait to share it with you.

The Trip to Sanya

Baby picture of Elainea
The highway to Sanya, a road carved into the hillsides.

Farmers working the fields.

The Girls on the Bus

The view outside our hotel window.

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Today was a day of traveling and fun. We were not looking forward to the four hour bus ride with two kids! We all piled onto the bus and started off to our new hotel. At first we were not thrilled to pack our bags and move again, but we know that there is a reason for the move. The hotel rooms in Haikou were very nice but too small. It was hard to find activities to keep the children occupied. So the thought of being close to the beach was consoling as we packed our wet clothes (it is so humid that our laundry does not dry).
We traveled to the southern tip of the island and we were overwhelmed with the beauty of her homeland. I tried to soak it all in, but as soon as Elainea fell asleep I drifted off to sleep as well. The bus ride was symbolic of the events of the previous day. Elainea was leaving behind her old life and joining us in ours. What a precious gift! We do not know how to express the gratitude we have in our hearts.
We arrived at the Kempinski Resort and Spa and were amazed! The resort was built by a German hotel chain and just opened in January. We walked into the lobby and saw the gardens and we thought to ourselves, ‘Yes!’ No more being cramped into a little room. We will have so much to do here! Thank You to all that made this possible. It was the pick-me-up we all needed!
Joe, Hannah and Grandma went to the pool and I stayed in the room with Elainea to perform diaper duty. She again opened up a little more. She started running around the room and laughing. She then started moving her crib around the room. She then started playing with the phone, closet doors, bathroom doors, mosquito trap, TV, etc. She is a very active 2-yr-old and is into everything. She is so smart and clever and her laugh is music to our ears. We have noticed that she no longer stands in the corner when Mom is involved with Hannah. She is becoming comfortable with us, and is starting to enjoy life.
We took her down to the pool and she will have nothing to do with the water. She screams when we try to give her a bath, oh well, all in good time. She is so much fun and we look forward to having more time here tomorrow.

The Orphanage Tour

Meeting the orphanage director.
The Adopting Families and Administrative Staff

Having Fun with Mommy at Lunch

Sisters doing Lunch

Elainea's Abandonment Site

Most people who succeed in the face of seemingly impossible conditions are people who simply don't know how to quit.
Robert Schuller

Today we visited the Haikou Social Children’s Institute where Elainea lived for the past two years. I do not think there was any parent that knew what to expect. We were very anxious as we drove up. I put Elainea in her carrier so I could keep her close because I did not know what she would expect. Many of the parents were not going to go to the orphanage until our guide advised us that although it is optional, it is an experience that can benefit the families by giving them closure. We all decided to go except for one parent that stayed behind with one child. Five little children that had just learned how to smile again were going to return to the only home they knew. How would this turn out?
We arrived at the orphanage and went to the administrative building. The director and assistant director of the orphanage greeted us and gave us a photo album with baby pictures of our children. He also gave us a Chinese passport for our children. He told us that they would like to stay in touch with the families to know that the children are well and thriving. They in turn would stay in contact with us and answer any questions or help address any issues that may arise. We then went downstairs and out to the orphanage. We went inside the gate and were immediately surrounded by children. We looked at the playground and saw the children interacting with one another. We then took family and group photos in front of the building. It was then that I recognized Elainea’s nanny among a group of women. I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. She came over to Elainea and immediately wanted to hold her. Elainea cried because I could not get her out of the carrier fast enough. I was overwhelmed with emotions. I was happy to see that someone who cared for her so much was involved in her life, and it is obvious that Elainea cares for her in return. Another part of me was jealous that my child cared so deeply for another woman and called her MaMa. I was so overwhelmed and did not know what to do. What could I do besides cry…. I cried because of all the anxiety that I felt, the grief that I have experienced with her, and the wound that was just reopened. The nanny held her for a little while and then whispered something to the effect of good-bye and go to your new mommy now. Elainea just screamed and cried. I held her close and looked at some of the Nannies and told them Thank You. They nodded their head in acknowledgement. The idea of seeing the Nanny again in the orphanage went we would go inside was too much.
I took Elainea back to the bus and she calmed down. Joe, Hannah, Grandma and Rose toured the orphanage. The orphanage was very clean, organized and the staff love the children. The Chinese people in general love children. They are as well cared for as they have the means. Many people here live in shanties and life is hard. These children although on the verge of malnutrition are totally well adjusted and fun-loving. They have been provided the best life that can be given to them. I am so glad that we visited the orphanage. I was glad that the Nanny was able to see that she would be well-loved.
I worried that Elainea would sink back into the sadness that we had seen for the first few days. I was relieved when we finally left.
On the way back to the Hotel we stopped at the market and she fell asleep in my arms. She woke up when we sat down at KFC to eat and that is when she really warmed up to us. She started feeding me and laughing with me. She has a sense-of-humor that is so fun. She laughed and we had fun playing during lunch. Since then we have been back at the room kicking a ball and playing with balloons. She is drawing with her big sister right now. How much richer and fulfilling all our lives will be because of her becoming part of it.
I vow that I will keep in contact with the orphanage so they know that she will be given the same type of love that she has already received.
Tomorrow we are off to Sanya to enjoy the beach!

The Third Day ~ The First Smile

Elainea and Mom on the Beach

Girls at the Beach

The First Smile

The Dimples

The Rockwell Family

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Everyone has said that the third day a blanket of calm and happiness wraps around the children and they begin to emerge from the sadness. Well today was the third day and this morning Elainea was still sad. She followed me around with a pout on her face. She threw a temper tantrum when I left the room without her. It seemed that the cloud of gloom was not lifting. We ate breakfast and then hung out in our room for a little while. Then it was off to the beach and then the park. The beach was so beautiful. It was exactly what we needed. I stripped of Elainea’s shoes and put them into the sand. She was beginning to get playful and so I took her down to the shore and let her feet get wet. That is when the crying began. I looked into her eyes and there was still a sadness about them. After Hannah built her first sandcastle and Elainea put her feet into the pantry breaking down one of the walls, we all started laughing, except Elainea.

We then went to the park and the kids began to play. I helped Elainea slide down the slide and then it happened, a genuine smile! A couple of more times down the slide and then laughter! She has the cutest dimples!

She is Our Daughter

Keep the Cheerios coming and everything will be alright!

Hannah and Elainea, Sisters at Last!

It was but a fleeting moment the first night.

Elainea and her Grandmother.

Just hanging out in our room.

Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.Nathaniel Hawthorne

Today we signed the final Chinese adoption papers. According to the Chinese Civil Affairs Administration we are her parents!

Our first day together went better than I expected, but the night was a different story (she did not sleep well). I was overwhelmed with the amount of food she was eating. I finally had to cut her off so she would not get herself sick. Food was going in, but nothing was coming out. Then she had her first diaper. I learned that changing a diaper is like riding a bike, you never forget.
Elainea is very sweet. She clings to the little photo book we sent. She loves to look at the photos. She knows that I am her “MaMa”, Joe is “BeBe” and Hannah is “Jie Jie” but she still does not know exactly what a family is. She is very curious and has been getting into everything in the hotel room. She is very independent and you can tell that they expect the children in the orphanage to be self-reliant. She grabbed onto three hard candies at the civil affairs office and would not let them go. She would put them into something and then take them back out. She knew she had three and would look for them if one ended up missing.

We went to the market today. It is the equivalent of what we would call the mall. We bought Elainea some clothes because none of the ones we brought fit her. The local people are very kind and curious to see a white family carrying around a little Chinese girl. I was holding Elainea when a store attendant Elainea to come to her, Elainea quickly shook her head ‘No”. Way to go Elainea! This is not bonding yet, but it shows that she feels safer with a white ‘MaMa’ then with an unknown Chinese woman.

The orphanage director seemed to really care about the children at the orphanage. This orphanage had a schooling program called, Half The Sky Foundation. They created a memory book of Elainea at the orphanage. It was neat to see that she was in a photograph holding hands with another little girl in our group Emma. We are going to make sure that they remain friends when they come back home.

The culture here is slowly transforming. The country is called “New China” as it was only unified under Chairman Mao and the communist party in the late 1940’s. As the industrial revolution is taking hold of the country so is a huge cultural shift. The young people are moving to the city where they have access to the amenities of modern living. The older generation holds onto their traditional ways and live in the countryside and ghettos of the city. The generation gap here is both cultural and geographical. Still they find a way of reconciling and still maintain close relationships with their families.

The difference is also marked when you are in the ancient compound of the Forbidden City and you look out into high rise buildings.

I will never complain again about Utah drivers. Traffic here is in a whole new league. It appears to be a free-for-all between motorized vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Crossing the street I get the feeling that I am the frog in the Frogger arcade game.

Enough about China I am sure you all want to know about our little Elainea. Tomorrow we will visit some botanical gardens and then maybe the beach. Each day brings us one step closer to being home.

Gotcha Day

Our first glimpse at Elainea.

The anticipation of the parents.

Filling out the temporary placement paperwork.

Signing documents in Chinese can be a little stressful.

Her Precious Face.

Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. Storm Jameson

There is no way for a new mother to really explain how it feels when she gives birth to her child. The same can be said about the experience when you finally receive your adopted child. The day was wonderful and full of emotion. We were all full of anticipation as we drove the office of civil affairs.

We were ushered into a building and were instructed to fill out some paperwork. Well this was the last thing any one of us had in mind. The air was full of excitement and heavy with anticipation for when we would be able to finally meet our children. Our guide Jo Jo was trying to help us fill out the paperwork when the nannies started bringing the babies into the room. Immediately the focus went to the children and not the paperwork. Our guide quickly sent them out of the room. We reluctantly finished filling out the paperwork (not easy as this was no longer our focus) and Jo Jo told us we could go spend time with our children. Well we all do not dare leave the room and we thought that they were bringing the children to us. Finally Jo Jo asked us if we wanted to see our children and so we started out into the hallway. But alas, there is no one in the hall. I immediately started running down the hall to find the babies. All the parents started to follow. We looked in all the doorways and finally found them outside with the nannies.

None of us spoke Chinese and the nannies were reluctant to let us start grabbing the babies. We just stood there looking at our children and unable to hold them. I studied the faces of the babies that I had learned to know through various photographs. I could not find Elainea. I recognized many of the children but I could not find my own daughter. Finally I saw her. She was at the back just checking things out. Joe and I stood there for a little while looking at her. Wanting to run and take her into my arms. Then it was a free-for-all. Parents running to their children and picking them up, that is when the crying started. Some of them were not only crying, but also throwing themselves around. Little Elainea was frightened and crying so hard. I just held her and told her not to cry. She cried and cried and could not be consoled until we broke out the cheerios. Then the eating binge began. She ate for four hours straight! The poor thing could not get enough. She was happy as long as we were feeding her, and once we fed her she realized that we were not so bad and she began to warm up to us.

We tried to give her a sippy cup with water in it and she would have nothing to do with it. Finally we figured out that it was juice that she wanted. Then she couldn’t get enough. We juggled two kids at the civil affairs office for several hours before we were able to leave. We then stopped for a family photo for the adoption registration document. After all the families were photographed we went back to the hotel.

We immediately took off the coat, puffy pants, wool sweater and such to get a good look at her. We had no idea what she looked like underneath the heavy clothing. We then quickly gave her a bath. She sat complacently in the tub and allowed me to wash her entire body and hair.

She has been into everything since. She is very inquisitive. She is very determined and does not like stuffed animals. She is all business. She likes to organize everything. We are amazed at how smart she is. Well it is time to settle into bed. We will tell you more tomorrow.