Day 2: Ups and Downs

The grins subsided greatly today....for a while.

We just got back from a day back at civil affairs and then to the medical clinic for the province. At civil affairs they ask all of these questions about why you are adopting, why China, will you ever abuse or abandon the child, what your jobs are, how much you make...and then they ask the child a few questions. I think it had something to do with Chop Suey or Bruce Lee movies or something, but anyway, it was all good there. She called us Mama and Papa and Mattie, we paid another large fee and we were officially adopted and now a family of six (at least in China, she is ours...next week when we get her passport at the American Consulate, she becomes ours officially in America. 

After that we left and went to Shamian Island to the medical clinic. She was examined from head to toe. She has a mouth full of gaping hole cavities in her jaw teeth, but they are baby teeth. After that we found that she needed shots according to the US policies of the CDC. They checked her records and she needed her TB test (shot) and five other shots on top of that!!! I have to say though, she came through that ordeal like a champ. She did not flinch for the first shot and she held her arm just how the nurse told her to throughout the shots. But after the first one she started sobbing and then for the last one when they cleaned her leg and knew it would go into her thigh she begged for mercy in Cantonese to the nurse. It sounded something like "I kicka yo butt", but I am not sure. Anyway she never struggled, and afterwards she just climbed up into my arms and held on while we waited the 15 minute check period and fell asleep.

Lisa took care of her all the way through and held her hand and calmed her like she does so well. I just tried to keep her laughing, which with her is not hard. She giggles and smiles and imitates everything. She is so neat. She folds her clothes and keeps her shoes tied and places them at the foot of her bed. She also is very patient. We just got back and went straight to Starbucks. She got a big cup full of fruit. She waited with it in her hand all the way until we all got served and got up into the room. No complaints, very obedient. Right now Mattie, Lisa and she are playing hide and seek in our room. Sounds like a chinese laundry in here, screaming in several languages...sheets flying everywhere. 

Well we are going to settle in for the night. I will try to attach a video soon, so you can see her funny, bright personality. I really think the orphanages teach them not to smile for photos. We have noticed it with all of the kids. They smile when the picture is over! Check the pics though. You will notice in the pics below, she has not let her new little purse off of her arm ever since she got it. It was her first possession. She came to us with a plastic bag with a bottle of water, instant camera and bear that we sent the orphanage for her birthday party back in July. She is now happy with her pink purse and plastic Barbie "cellphone".

Blessing to you all and thanks again for your prayers! We look forward to our return on the 30th!

Gotcha day success!

SAy hello to your new niece, sister, neighbor, granddaughter! 

Well it could not have gone any better! Gotcha day is almost passed. We are heading to McDonald's for Kaylees first meal with us.  We walked into a room at the civil affairs and one by one nannies and children started waking through and we spied Kaylee quietly and fearfully looking over our way. All of the adoptees went into a room and waited. Then they called out names and Tang Yang Zhi was the second one they called and out she came! She has taken to us immediately. She holds her arms up and wants to be held. She jumps on my back to do a horsey ride as soon as I sit down and she is a smart one. I had to go sign documents and Mattie got her making bead bracelets in seconds. She can tie her shoes, fold clothes, count (in Cantonese), and knows 300 Chinese characters. She is such a wonderful child. I just hope that she doesn't think that this hotel is home! How do we explain this? We will have a translator tell her tomorrow. We have pictures of home with us, but try telling that in chinglish...anyway all is well. 

Mattie is being a fantastic big sister. She is dressing her like a doll, teaching the sounds for cats, dogs, patty cake, etc. She is so excited to have a little sister!

We love and miss you all!

Today's the day!

We just enjoyed a wonderful breakfast buffet including the tastiest items from the East and West, in our China Hotel Marriott, where we met up with the previous America World Adoption group of Sept 2. They are all flying home tomorrow with their beautiful new children! It was so encouraging to see them laughing and playing together and happy! Yes, they said there were some sad moments and tantrums, but all are adjusting just fine. We particularly enjoyed watching 5 yr old Rachel crawl around on her daddy's lap, and giggle as he threw her and another little friend up in the air, one in each arm, and hung them upside down. (She reminds us of the early referral pictures of Kaylee) You would think they'd known each other forever. We are so anxious and excited and scared at the same time!. The butterflies are churning like crazy and I'm not sure that big, beautiful breakfast was such a good thing! Sleep was fitful at best last night in anticipation of THE day, and we are all just bouncing off the walls, esp. Mattie, who woke up dancing and rapping to "I'm gettin a new sister, I'm gettin a new sister!" Both David and Mattie were conversing in their sleep in the middle of the night. Mattie: "Hope Van Ryckeghem did not have to go through security" and then laughing out loud 3 different times. David" "They have no guns in China", then tossing and turning all night long! Between the 2 of them, there was no hope for me!

 But TODAY IS THE DAY...every time I think of it I gasp...we will meet in the lobby at 2PM to board a bus headed to the office of Civil Affairs where we will finally meet our children! We have enjoyed bonding with our travel group and so have all of our kids, so it will be a thrill to see them get theirs as well. Mattie has enjoyed the company of 12 year old Leanne, 9 year old Meredith, and 61/2 year old Jing Jing who was adopting at age 10 months and is such an outgoing, cute little ball of pure energy, she captures the attention of everyone she meets. These sweet girls have grown close and will be so good at welcoming this new group of siblings and helping them adjust. The Bass Family from Decatur AL will get their 12 yr old daughter, Emma, and the Frazier Family from Portland will get their 20 month old, Meili, and WE WILL GET KAYLEE. That's all my  stomach will allow me to say for now, but we will get back to you once we have her with us, and then tell you more of the incredible time we had in Beijing. It has all been like a dream. Dave keeps asking "Are you sure we're not at Epcot?"! Love to All! Lisa, Dave & Mattie

Here we go!

It's finally happened....our big, beautiful, blessed day has arrived! In less than 8 hours we are boarding a plane for Beijing, via stops in Detroit and Tokyo, and will arrive Monday night around 10:30PM local time, (while ya'll are refilling your morning coffee!)We will be 12-13 hours ahead, depending on your time zone, and since I seriously doubt there will be any substantial sleep at the Tichenor's tonight, we will be walking zombie's. 21 hours of travel. It's a good thing some really smart person put together an itinerary which allows us to check into our hotel and go straight to bed, not to be seen nor heard until the next day, when we will begin our trip with a tour of Tiananman Square, the Forbidden City & the Summer Palace. On Wednesday, we will traverse the Great Wall and just "get down to business.. before the Huns.. arrive" (...yeah I know...but after 3 daughters and over a decade of Disney, I just can't shake the Mulan out of my head! I'm half expecting to encounter angry cartoon warriors on horseback!). After all that excitement, we'll board a late afternoon flight for Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province where our daughter resides, and fortunately for us, where Chinese adoptions are finalized. We'll check into The China Hotel, (a Marriot...yay for Western food!), where we will reside for the next 14 days, and despite the demands and exhaustion of the past few, we'll not be able to sleep a wink because the NEXT day, (Oh my gosh butterflies!) Thursday, September 16 ...is "Gotcha Day"! We will meet Kaylee for the very first time and I can't even begin to describe that moment without first experiencing it... but I know it will be amaziing. Every wall we've climbed and field we've ploughed and fight we've fought and river we've cried over the past year and a half just to get to that moment will all make sense, but probably no longer matter, because we'll have Kaylee. And God will begin to reveal this chapter of our story and we can not wait!  (Dave says it will NOT include me falling in love with 5 other kids while we're there and begging to bring them home, right?) No comment. The day has almost dawned, and still much to do in the next few hours.
Thank you all so much for your love & prayers! We'll keep you posted as events unfold!