And Another Day...

I have been taking taxis to various markets in the city... I am frequenting the "electronics" market more and more until today... I finally bought something. It's a Radio Controlled Helicopter (I'll post a picture tomorrow). For a total of 500 yuen I got TWO. I also spotted a really cool wireless video camera that can be mounted on it as well. I'll go get that tomorrow too.

During one of these trips I saw a young man (high school age) riding his bike. He was spotted by his friends as they were all walking together... well one thing led to another and... Now we know the answer to the age old question...

How MANY chinese can fit on a bicycle?

Bryon

Still Here...

We are still here... STILL... It's been 4... 5... 7... 8... Uh... Well... TOO MANY days to be in a hotel room.

I love my wife.

I love my son.

I love my new daughter.

Just not all in the same room for SO LONG.

Thank goodness Papa John's Delivers!

Clara Grace is getting a LITTLE better at letting us take photos... If we take too much time, she breaks into a wail that alarm sirens cannot duplicate.

I held her for about 30 seconds yesterday without her protest... so last night I decided to give Frances a break from carrying her from the restaurant... that was the LONGEST five minute walk of my life... Clara Grace mad EVERY STEP MISERABLE... for everyone... within a 15 block area... She was setting off car alarms!

 

 

We are accruing toys at an alarming rate...  

We went to the toy market... 5 floors over eight square blocks. 

They have a "more realistic"

 series of G.I. Joe style action figures... Appearently it is called Modern BUTCHERS or something. Notice two Osama Bin Laden's and a Sadam Hussein.

No!  We are NOT collecting these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The local shopkeepers are starting to emotionally FEAR Frances because she bargains so fiercely.

Today in the park, I was mobbed by a band of two-year-olds and was forced to play "Puff the Magic Dragon" on the guitar SEVEN times before they finally let me go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found Starbucks!

The coffee is STILL overpriced... even in Yuan!

Jian is becoming quite the photographer... He took this picture!

Cabin Fever

OK, Let me explain this post... Every afternoon there are thunderstorms in Guangzhou for it is the rainy season, here, in southern China.

The toys have lost their original appeal... the hotel room is getting smaller and SMALLER... and there is only SO MUCH chinese TV a person can stand... Water-boarding is more humane... SO...

We take pictures...

That's Different...

And then... It all went horribly wrong!

Yet another day...

We were treated to a tour of the largest of several temples in the city. The temples are beautiful with ornate decoration in exquisite detail... each decoration, every design has a meaning or a purpose.

Jian has a new friend, Le Long, or as we call him... Leon.

 Jian and Clara Grace are getting closer... when she allows it. Here Clara Grace is bestowing upon us one of her precious smiles. Jian is a GREAT big brother!

email not working

Hi Everyone,

It is 2:30 am and I am wide awake, so.... Here I am!

Clara seems to be doing well, she was shut down at the beginning, but now, a little personality and alot of tantrums are coming out!  Every little thing seems to set her off.  Typical two year old?  

Bryon is holding up well, he gets a smile from her periodically.  Jian though is the biggest trooper!  He is stepping up and really being a big brother.  He pushes her stroller, holds her hand, hugs and kisses her without encouragement.  

I was concerned about her hearing, but now, I think it is the typical issues of fluid behind the ears because of the cleft and that she really was shut down.  She now responds to her name and turns her head with loud noises.

I wish I could read your comments, but, we for some reason cannot get them off of the blog.

I seem to also be having problems with my email, so... Please send comments to Bryon's email.

artisan-media@usa.net

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, KEEP THEM COMING!

Love,

Francie

A day in the life...

Nuff Said.

High Maintenance!

Flinty! That's what I'd call her... Flinty... or at the very least maybe high maintenance.

Clara Grace has not been the most cordial to her Baba... er... Daddy. She is most decidedly a Mama's girl. I try not to take it personal. I have, more recently, caught just a glimpse of a smile... but only when she is in mama's arms... and never when I am close.

Her demeanor toward me seems to be "You don't touch... I don't scream"... It's a delicate relationship for I can stumble and fall... she giggles. I come in drenched from one of the frequent rains... she smiles.

That smile, however, makes it all worth it!

But wait... I'm sitting here, blogging, and I look over at her and I give her a big "daddy" grin and... much to my surprise... a smile! without pain or humiliation on my part! Amazing! It made my day! Wait, let me take a picture:

There... Barely caught it!

Now I feel so much bet... Uh oh... there she goes... she just seemed to remember that I am "the enemy"... and fraternization is NOT supposed to happen.

Oh... Did I mention that Jian has earned the full title of outstanding big brother?

From the very start, he was helping and holding her hand. He tries to comfort her during her many... MANY tantrums... 

with little of no thought for his self preservation as he is well within striking distance. He seems to have a knack for knowing just what will calm

 her... he seems to instinctively know when she is hungry, wet or just MAD.

Here, he quietly approaches the clench-fisted-waterspout... er... crying baby and takes her small hand to lead her to the comforting arms of Mama.

I'll blog again soon. It's been a long day... Now... lets see if I can catch her off guard once again and get one of those precious smiles...

Bryon

5:00 am

Hi Everyone!

It is 5 am and I am awake, so I thought I would give you a quick up date.  Clara Grace is doing well.  I feel she is a little shut down, but every once in awhile, I get a laugh out of her.

I am concerned about her hearing, and I did not bring my otoscope.  Not that much could be done before we get back to the states.

Right now, she is  definitely a mama's girl, she does not let me far from her sight and she keeps a close eye on Bryon (baba) not letting him get too close.  This too shall pass, Bryon is really being patient but he definitely wants to get some

 of the hugging I am getting without Clara screaming bloody murder. :)

Jian has found his calling... he is an awesome big brother! He's even worked in a little time to play with the locals. 

Thank you al for all of the thoughts and prayers.  So far the process has gone smoothly.  Connie, our guide from BOIT, has been great and, Stefani, I did give her a big hug from you and told her about Lan' s surgery.  

To all the expectant adoptive parents out there... I hope everone's PA and TA's happen soon so you can experience this as well!

Bryon and I will keep updating!

Frances

Gotcha, Clara Grace!

We have a new daughter!

After traveling to the Civil Affairs office in Guangzhou, we first spied our new daughter as the Director and Nanny of the Social Welfare Institute (SWI) came in the front door. They were holding a little, black haired girl in a bright yellow suite... Just a glimpse, but it was enough to see that she is BEAUTIFUL.

After a short wait, we were called to the center of the floor and... there she was... our beautiful daughter... screaming.

It was the most beautiful sound in the world!

And, immediately, Jian was there with a toy bus as an offering. He was not deterred even when Clara Grace pushed his gift aside. Jian rose to the occasion and has shown his innate brotherly ability.

I'll blog more later with more pictures but for now we are exhausted.

Bryon

Gotcha Day

Well, we were up at 5:30am... our meeting with Connie, the person who will introduce us to Claragrace, is scheduled for 11:30am. Our Gotcha TIME is at 3:30pm this afternoon.

We took a walk around the island and excercised with the locals in the park until 7am when we could join the other families with their new adopted youngster in the restaurant for breakfast.

That took a whole hour...

A walk?... nope... it's raining (again)

Back in the hotel room, Francie is "nesting"... re-arranging the room and Clara's stuff for the umpteenth time. I have tried to do a little work writing a script... well... I seem to have some difficulty concentrating.

So.. I blog... I think I play a little guitar or "G-tar" as the locals say.

So long for now

Bryon

Day one in Guangzhou

Well, as promised, I have taken the blogging reins from Frances... so here goes.
We have arrived. The journey was long... VERY long. We had a two hour delay in Tokyo... so four hours in a Japanese airport was somewhat taxing. Jian seemed to fair pretty well, though. He was content to play a matching video game in the children's lounge.

We got to the hotel and crashed! Waking around 2:pm local time. 

We have the day off so we just walked around Shaiman Island. We had "lunch" about 4pm at "Lucy's"... one of the few restaurants with american cuisine. 

Jain and Mama "cheesed it up" a little for the camera.

 We visited the White Swan hotel "our old stomping grounds". 

Jian doesn't seem to remember being there. I guess that's just as well.

We made the pilgrimage to a department store called Carrefour... apparently one of the "Wally world" equivalents in China.

Mama and Jian got a massage at a little booth in the store. Mama was very "impressed"... We bought a unit.

We are to get Clara Grace tomorrow at 2:30pm. We can hardly wait!

Bryon

His world is going to turn upside down!

Our 5 y.o. son does not know what is going to hit him!
He is excited about the trip to China to pick up his sister, but, his little world is about to turn upside down! He has all these people supporting him and waiting for Clara to get here! We are one very fortunate family!
Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!
Love,
Francie

Counting Down!

We are leaving for China in four sleeps! This is how our 5 yo is counting down the days!
We are so excited! Let the packing begin!

Pictures of Clara Grace's Birthday

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Because we could not be there for her birthday in person, we decided to be their for her birthday in heart and spirit!

The Harvey family and our family sent our girls a joint birthday party. Clara is the my beautiful girl who is wearing the pink birthday crown and Hazel An is the beautiful little girl with the red birthday crown! We all were very pleased with the party and so excited to get pictures! I called my great adoption pal "Jane Harvey" at 0630 in the morning, when I recieved the pictures! It looks like they had some fun! The cake was big enough to allow the other children to party too!

It was wonderful seeing the photos!

Our Journey to Clara Grace!!

05/09/08

The Road to Clara Grace!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to the blog site for our daugher Lei Yi Xiao. D.O.B. 1/23/2006.

The paperchase is complete and we have gone through all of the hoops!
We are on our way to meet our beautiful daughter Clara Grace!
The whole family is very excited!
Clara has a big brother who wants to hug and squeeze her and teach her so many things! Her Parents can not wait to hold her in their arms!

The wait seemed never ending! We started the process in September and it is finally over! We are going to leave for Guangzhou in 9 days! Yes, the countdown has started!

When I first saw Clara on the Adoption Website, I knew immediately that she was our daughter!

She spoke to me with her beautiful eyes and said "When are you going to pick me up mom!?