Finally, a good nights sleep!

I've had a few requests to keep the blog updated and I thought it was a great idea as we would so appreciate continued prayer!

We've been home almost a week now! I would say the hardest part about the past few days is that we've both been on China time. Sleepy during the day and wide awake at night! Thankfully, I think jet lag is starting to come to a close. Last night we both slept really well. Not sure if we've completely rounded the corner, but I'm praying it is so!!

Yesterday, Olivia got to meet her wonderful pediatrician. She was there for about an hour and a half and did really well! Her biggest problem were her ears. Lots of hard, yucky gook (that's a medical term I think I learned back in nursing school) in both her ears. She did not like the big metal thingy the doctor used to get it out. She's got some fluid in her ears (not surprising with her cleft) so the doctor put her on amoxicillin (which she LOVES and wanted more of....hmmmm....moms, how do you deal with this one?!). Other than the ears, he thought she looked great. He took lots of blood (which is routine with internationally adopted babies...they'll check for infectious diseases like hiv, hepatitis, tuberculosis) and asked me to bring back 3 stool samples to check for parasites. I'm thankful she's still in diapers :) So we'll wait for the tests and see him again in a couple of weeks. She'll get some immunizations at that time most likely.

Next week, we see her cleft surgeon for the first time. Hopefully at that visit, we'll decide the best time for her first surgery. Mommy doesn't really want to think about surgery yet though....

Otherwise, she's doing really well! She loves her home and her room. She loves her toys (especially blocks and things she can try to figure out). She's so curious! She loves her baths....and is learning how to brush her very short hair all by herself. Mommy is dressing her in pink as people are mistaking her for a boy....that's ok....mommy was mistaken for a boy too at her age!

Thanks again for the continued prayer for bonding and adjustment to her new life. And thank you too to those who have called and left messages!! I've been so tired that I just haven't been able to answer the phone much but today is a much better day and I will start returning calls very soon!

Love you!!!
Karis and Olivia

p.s....please forgive the poor photo, we need uncle John back here to take better pictures :)

p.s.s....one more cool story! Last night when I stopped at the pharmacy to fill her antibiotic, the pharmacy tech said, "Have you been here before?". I said, "I have, but this one is for my DAUGHTER". It was the first time I said that!! My DAUGHTER!

Safely Home!!

We're HOME!

Olivia was such a trooper. She made it through 14 hours on airplanes, endless security checks (in China they even frisked her!) and lots of waiting in lines. By the time we arrived in Mpls, we were SO happy to see the smiling faces of friends and family, thank you guys so much for welcoming us home. Olivia can't wait to play with Ella (who welcomed her to town so graciously! what a sweetie she is!!) and the other new friends she has yet to meet. And I just have to say a very special thank you to Luanne who took care of us so well at the airport! We even got a congratulations from the pilot on the plane! We also loved our welcome sign and flowers, thanks you tuesday night guys! And thank you auntie Maria for the perfect fitting hat, it was much needed on our drive home and Olivia even left it on her head!

When we got home, Olivia ran around the house like a mad woman, laughing and smiling and so excited! She also spent a little time getting to know grandma and grandpa. It was so precious to see her warm up to them pretty quickly. By the time grandpa had to leave to take John back to the airport (as he had one more flight today, back to San Diego) she was giving hugs to grandma and grandpa (and she does not give out hugs lightly!). Pretty special.

This evening, as we were getting ready for bed, I put on some music and we rocked a little bit. As we rocked, the tears just came and came! After 3 1/2 years of waiting and preparing her room, she is finally here. There were so many times during the wait that I was close to giving up, thinking it would never really happen. But then it did, and she is amazing and she is exactly who God created for me. And me for her. Now I am a mother. And Olivia is a daughter, and a granddaughter, and a neice. It kind of blows me away.

Photo Blitz!

Hi all,

This is my last blog entry before leaving for the US. I know you all have wanted to see more pictures... so I've been working on an Olivia photo ablum. I took over 1,100 pictures on the trip, so the blog is just a sampling. The trouble with taking so many photos is that it takes a long time to sort through them! But at last I've got something ready for you. For those who can't get enough pictures of my cute little neice (a.k.a. Karis' cute little daughter), check out my new Picasa Web album here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/johnday88/OliviaInChina?authkey=FWS8kqrCPAA#

You should not have to sign up for any account to view the album. You should be able to see a nearly full screen slideshow... and you can even download the pictures to your computer.

Enjoy! Now I had better get myself to bed. Tomorrow's trip to the airport comes early!

Uncle John

Homeward Bound!

It's about 9:30 pm here on Tuesday night and we are packed and ready to go. We leave for the airport at 6am tomorrow morning (around 4pm Tuesday afternoon MN time!). Our first flight (to Narita, Japan) is about 4 hours and then an 11 hour flight to Mpls (and then one more flight to SD for my little brother who will by that time be very tired!). Prayers for a good girl on a very long flight would be much appreciated!

A really good thing happened at nap time today. I have a pretty outgoing, non-cuddly little girl (kind of like her mom I guess!). Today at nap time, she let me rock her to sleep for the very first time. It felt so wonderful, and I'm hoping the trend will continue on the airplane tomorrow!

Everything went really well today. We went to the American consulate this afternoon to pick up the babies passports and visas. There were about 50 adoptive parents there with their kids and they had us all stand and take an oath that everything we had written on our documents was true. I was the only one in the room who did not say the pledge outloud as my daughter decided at that very moment to have a very loud tantrum....the whole room laughed. The whole room except mommy.

I can't believe this trip is coming to an end. Thank you for following along with us. It's been so wonderfully comforting to me to know that home has been just a blog away!

We love you!
Karis

The White Swan... according to a China native

Ni hao!

My mommy, uncle and auntie don't know a lot about China and they can't speak Chinese like I can. I thought I would tell you about the White Swan hotel on Shamain Island. It has a beautiful waterfall in the lobby. With that lead in... here's the real scoop on the White Swan. Watch my video.

See you all very soon!

Olivia Tian Yi Day

Mommy takes Shamian Island by storm

We finally made it to Shamian Island on Monday afternoon and mommy Karis had a blast shopping while Uncle John helped Olivia learn how to get really dirty. There was this little park area that was very fun to run around in and in it there was a platform area with a couple of steps. This is where Olivia began to learn how to do stairs. It is the cutest thing to watch and she only did a face plant once.

After loading down the stroller with shopping bags we ended up at Lucy’s outdoor patio for dinner. It is a comfortable place with great American burgers and countless families who have adopted little ones. It was here that Olivia learned the art of posing for Uncle John and his camera.

We had a great afternoon and evening and it is a beautiful location. In some ways it’s too bad we didn’t stay at the White Swan (which is on the island) as it’s a great place to get out and walk around. However, the China Hotel (Marriott) where we are staying is incredibly beautiful and there is a Starbucks right inside that we have been to every day at least once a day.

This morning (Tuesday) our entire group met together for pictures. It was actually a great time. The kids got down and ran around and played with each other and the adults had time to visit. There were cameras going off all over the place. One older gentleman who’s not part of our group, but who’s been staying at the hotel, watched us for quite some time this morning. He even took some pictures and visited with us. He commented about the kind of love these kids were learning. It’s amazing how an outsider can see that something truly beautiful is happening.

We hope you enjoy the group shot. It’s quite different than the first one we took at Tiananmen Square before we got the kids. It’s been great meeting the other families and watching their children blossom in this past week. There is one family though that we really need to lift up in prayer. They did not receive their child. The baby was misrepresented in the information they received and they knew they could not care for her or give her what she needed as they have three other children at home. The heartbreak and pain they’ve felt is truly unimaginable. Karis knows how blessed and fortunate she is that Olivia is all she was represented to be and much, much more.

This afternoon (Tuesday) we are on our way to the American Consulate. This is the final stop before the airport. Here Karis takes an oath, we’re not exactly sure for what, but I think it’s to promise to love and watch over Olivia no matter what. Then she receives Olivia’s passport back with her Visa. Then we have all we need to board our airplane heading back to the States on Wednesday morning.

This will probably be my last blog. I wish I could explain to you what a privilege it’s been to be on this journey with Karis and Olivia. Their relationship has bloomed. Karis is an incredible mother and Olivia’s personality is something else. I’m sure you will all learn to enjoy her just as I have.

It’s been a great honor relaying our journey to you. I hope you have enjoyed the blog and the pictures and videos. I look forward to being back home and sharing the adventure in person.

Signing off from China,

Auntie Teen

P.S. Karis will have one final blog later today.

Finally, Sqeaky Shoes!

Yesterday (Sunday), we spent the morning sightseeing and in the afternoon, after a little nap, we did a little shopping. I wish I could tell you exactly where we went yesterday morning; it was some sort of museum. On our way there I remember thinking, “now that’s a good idea, taking 12 families with new babies to a museum!” Thankfully it was not quite like our museums back home. We did see beautiful art work and carvings but there was lots of run around room as well. After the museum they took us to tea house, to learn how to make tea the Chinese way and have a tea tasting party. Olivia wasn’t really into tea tasting, in fact she was a little grumpy by this time so auntie Tine and Uncle John will have to tell you which tea they liked the best.

In the afternoon, after our nap, we ventured out to do a little shopping. We’re staying at a Marriot and unfortunately it’s not on the island where the White Swan is so we haven’t been able to get to those great shopping or eating places yet!! (They are taking us there this afternoon though for some shopping and we think we’ll stay and eat dinner at Lucy’s and take a cab back!) We do have a tiny little mall next to the hotel (well, it’s kind of a mall….) and I was so happy to see that they had squeaky shoes! I’d heard so much about squeaky shoes and finally Olivia has a pair! It was almost like putting the red slippers on Dorothy….they went on her feet and she was transported into this happy little kid who wanted to walk and walk and walk and walk!

This morning is our consulate appointment. Thankfully, because all of our paperwork was done ahead of time (we had a paper party with our guides 2 days ago), the parents did not have to go to the consulate. We were just asked to wait in our rooms while our guides take our paperwork. They will call if there are questions. So I wait. Olivia is sleeping, and John and Christine ventured out in a taxi to find WalMart. We’re out of diapers. Mommy isn’t quite into this mommy “being prepared” thing yet, but every day I’m learning!

It’s hard to believe we leave for home in just 2 days. On one hand, it feels like we have been in China forever, on the other, the time has gone by so fast.

I have been so blessed to have two such amazing people with me, uncle John and auntie Christine. I know I’ve leaned on them a lot these past few days and they’ve been my rocks! I think I owe them both a vacation in the Bahamas now. This one has been anything but restful! It’s also been such a blessing to lean on the words and support of all you China mom’s (and dad!) who have had the same experiences. I know I will continue to learn from you and I very much look forward to watching our kids grow up together. And to ALL my dear friends and family who I know are praying and loving Olivia so much already, thank you. I can’t wait to see you and give hugs and introduce you to this little girl we affectionately refer to as “Bam Bam”.

Love,
Mommy Karis