Harmonious Story in the Middle

The CCAA requires a 24hour period for bonding before adoptions can be completed. So, we begin our session with signatures and red thumb prints over our signatures. Notice that I didn't call this our Gotcha Day.

Our Gotcha Day was April 23, 2007 when I traveled to recieve Dang Ting (aka TB) in Beijing from her orphanage staff. She came to live in our home, as a foster child, while receiving medical treatments. Later, her file arrived at our agency and we began the usual adoption process. CCAA does not allow preidentified adoptions and they could argue that that's what we had. For our adoption's safety, we did not talk about the fostering online. Now, do you understand why we find this mandatory Harmonious Period of Bonding funny?

The HP went well; we played War and two chinese card games that Ting taught to me. We celebrated our harmony with lunch at a local Dumpling Restaurant. Oh, was the food good. They have a 6' x 12' display area of prepared dishes to examine before ordering. We chose the steamed shrimp dumplings, sweet potato balls, and stuffed pork balls. Actually, we let Ting do the choosing. The restaurant has no forks or spoons, so I was able to impress our guide with my ability to guide the food to my mouth with chopsticks. It took a while, but I managed!

Harmony prevails.

Off we Go, not!

I love to travel. Tell me that I can go and I'm packing quickly. I just love to visit new/old places and meet people. Places and people are fascinating to me. Sometimes travel stinks.

After arranging and rearranging our bags, I (without having slept) was delivered to the OKC airport by Gerald and the girls at 4am for a 5:40am flight to Detroit. You already know that it didn't happen until after 7am.

Taiyuan, again

Taiyuan, my fav city of only one million curious, friendly people. It is pronounced "tye yoo an", while only briefly pronouncing the middle syllable.

The airport is still the same. Same fading and peeling painted walls, same open doored restrooms and smells, and same spitoons near every corner. I think spitting is a national sport here.

We arrived very late; around 9:30pm since our 6pm flight didn't leave on time. No one knew why the delay. Fell into a nice firm bed at midnight. Oh, I haven't mentioned the China beds. Funny; on this trip I didn't notice that the China beds are still firmer than granite until tonight. Does this mean that I've acheived a special China travel level? Will I receive a certificate? If you've never slept on a China mattress, it's hard to convince you of it's firmness. Gerald, my dh, didn't really believe me until his experience in 2006. While I packed for this trip, Gerald offered that I should take an air mattress. That is proof that he remembers how rock hard are the China beds. I took a close look at my top mattress. It looks like a second box spring of coils with a 1" pad on top.

Well, must get sleep now that I've exhausted the China mattress issue.
Tomorrow begins the "Harmonious Period" of our adoption.

One, Two, Three, Four...I Can't Walk Anymore

Oh my legs....why did I go along with Christina's plan for the day??? Christina is our friendly guide thru Beijing and Taiyuan. She's really nice and took it upon herself to arrange our day up until our 6pm flight to Taiyuan.

We got as close to the Bird's Nest as allowed by the guards. The Olympic Stadium is unique and imposing with its woven frame and giant proportions. The Villages are spread out and receiving finishing touches. All around BJ are workers painting, brinking, planting trees and flowers, painting bridges and many other tasks. The Olympic events will spread outside of BJ. Taiyuan, a one hour flight west, is a satellite airport and housing area.

Moving on, we did a brief circle around Tianneman Square and the front steps of the Forbidden City. No time to visit the 999.5 rooms today! Then we began the drive out of town on the Badalang Expressway to the Great Wall. I was excited to learn that we were NOT going to Badalang. The crowds are heavy on any day; it is the usual tourist stop. I wanted to see the JuYongGuan section since I've been to the other two--Badalang and MuTianYu. And to be very honest, while Gerald, Cora & I climbed Badaling fairly high in 2006, I didn't go very far on MuTianYu in 1998. On that trip, Stuart(11) and Taylor(8) went up, up, up into the clouds while Kelley(19) and I waited at a lower cloud level. (Dad-Gerald was in the middle of tax season back home) So, I am not sure how bad is MuTianYu.

How do I explain JuYongGuan...think irregular height steps, ranging from 3" to 18+". A very low rail is available to drag yourself upward. Now I understand why the rail is so low--that's where you are when your body begins to revolt. To add insult to the future injury and pain, is the Mao quote carved in stone that you pass: “You are not a real man if you have not climbed the great Wall.” Ok, I'm not a man and do not look to Mao for direction, but watching a toddler, in tiny sandals and split pants, climbing upward while holding Granny's hands, demands that I must continue and not turn back. It was horrible! The Peruvian lady tourists and I were about to expire! We were panting and dripping with sweat. We must have had the same condition as we'd all stop at the same time to gasp for air, while little kids skipped from step to step, climbing like pygmy goats. TB even asked me a couple of times if I wanted to go down. "No," was easy to say during an exhale. Now I know the real reason guide Christina stayed at the first level.

Oh, the view, even with the overcast today. It is beautiful! Clouds sitting low around us. A stillness and calmness. The only sound is the faint panting of fellow climbers.

Coming down wasn't much better since at that point all upper thigh muscles are not wanting to move the needed direction and that means my knees will not bend. By halfway down, my legs were literally trembling! I've never experience this before, but then again, reading a good book or strolling thru Mardel does not do damage to leg muscles.

To take my mind off my misery, I decided to count the steps so TB could boast about her accomplishment. 394 steps (arched humps in the route were not counted since I couldn't decide if they were one or two steps. Trust me, you'd have to be there to understand that rationale.) And I must multiply by 2, for up and for down. So, that's 788 steps!

It is now Friday and my legs still hurt but no longer tremble or feel like spaghetti. So, I guess I will live and recover.

Off we Go! Not!

Monday--3:30am still awake and rearranging everything. Woke the girls. Impressively, they bounced out of bed to dress and help carry bags to the car.
4:30 arrived at airport, checked in at a kiosk, and prepared to journey thru security. I will never get used to walking barefoot in an airport-yuck yuck!
5:40am Where’s the plane?
6:00am Employee announces that they are trying to find a licensed stairway driver ??
6:40 Employee announces that stairway struck the plane which required a "potential damage" inspection.
7:30am My traveling partner and I load up and fly to Detroit. I've never been to Michigan. From the air, the landscape is beautiful—lush green with scattered pockets of trees. Guess I was expecting rows of vehicles, side by side...
So far, my traveling buddy has startled me from desperately needed sleep by seemingly constant movement. The ultimate wakeup was splashing my lap and legs with apple juice! TB (travel buddy) will remain anonymous for now.

2:30 Rain begins in Detroit, quickly followed by beautiful lightning. Oh, they don't load planes when there's lightning....finally loaded for Beijing, later than scheduled. However pilot is soon bragging on PA how the winds will allow us to make up AND get ahead of scheduled landing in Beijing. In a later announcement, I noticed that he went back to using our original landing time.

TB had rough time. She couldn't get comfortable. We were both tired, tired. I find it hard to sleep sitting up with life abounding around me. I gave up my seat so she could enjoy sleeping in a horizontal position and I spent the hours walking and standing. I got to see Siberia really well.

Tuesday night--We arrived late in Beijing, so it was after midnight for bed with a very early start planned on Wed since our guide thought she'd treat us to some outings (I hadn't planned on this) before we fly to Taiyuan, a city that I enjoy visiting.

Travel Itinerary

6/23-24 Fly OKC to Beijing (no flights to Taiyuan after arrival in BJS)
6/25 Beijing fun and fly to Taiyuan late
6/26 Sign Harmonious Period papers
......very very funny to us; you'll read why later
6/27 Sign Adoption papers
6/28 visit Pingyao, maybe (see Slideshow pics in right sidebar)
6/29 find a good Bible based church
6/30 It's Monday, do laundry
7/1 Adoption papers delivered to us; fly to Guangzhou; US medical appt & visa pictures
7/2 Consulate appt for my guide
7/3 I swear-in at US Consulate, Guangzhou
7/4 Fly home; arrive in time for fun & fireworks

Travel Approval and let's make plans

Travel Approval received!! Now we can set Consulate appointment. We’ve been told that this will be a one week trip. That’s good since only I will travel this time.

Updated Correction Apparently, at the last minute, someone, somewhere says that it is impossible to trim down the travel time. I will be there for a full 12, 24hour days. It would be a lie to say that I took the news with joy. I cried. Honestly, I just don't want to do the long trip without Gerald. I know what's involved and that knowledge prevents me from fantasizing an adoption trip. After talking with Gerald and much prayer, I have accepted the changes and am preparing to leave.

In the midst of many changes is a wonderful lady whom I've never met, yet depend upon for our adoption trips--Sue Sorrels of Arlington, TX. She can find and arrange the best travel arrangements. And she makes changes without a murmur or complaint. She even offers sympathy for the way things just don't work out. She's a nice part of sometimes difficult situations.