Shamian Island and River Cruise

On Tuesday most of the families we're with went to the consulate.  They're leaving Thursday.  Since we're not leaving 'til Friday, we had to wait until Wednesday.  Tuesday night we all went on a river cruise.  It was more fun than we expected.  The views were nice, and the food was ok, but we enjoyed visiting with the other families.  Zoe became good friends with a little 5-year-old named Mikaya.  They have spent quite a bit of time together these past two days.  

Today, Wednesday, we finally went to the U.S. Consulate.  They don't allow cameras, so we don't have any photos of this important step.  There were about 8 adoptive families there.  We all took an oath together, and then waited to turn in our documents one-by-one.  Once we turned everything in, they congratulated us and we were done.  Tomorrow we will pick up Zac's passport with his visa.  When we land in Chicago on Friday, Zac will instantly become a U.S. citizen!  We are so excited to be finished!  All the waiting, all the paperwork, all the heartache, all the money... it's finally done!

After the consulate, we all went to Shamian Island to sight-see and shop.  It's a beautiful area with 100-year-old buildings, cobblestone pedestrian streets, and moss-covered trees.  It reminded us of Charleston or Savannah.  There was a nice park, and interesting shops and restaurants.  We found a playground for Zac.  He loved the slide!

We've had a lot of good times these past two weeks, but we are ready to come home.  We're ready to introduce Zac to the rest of his family!  One thing our family is famous for is nicknames, and Zac has a few!  I mentioned before we call him "Zac Attack."  But when the locals find out he's from Chongqing, they say "spicy Sichuan!"  Chongqing is in the Sichuan area, known for spicy Sichuan (or Szechuan) cooking.  So DeAnna and I have taken to calling him "Sichuan."  He certainly loves local food!  We're going to have to add a few recipes to our menu!  And he is such an energetic, fun-loving, happy child.  He is going to LOVE Zander and Zuri!  We all miss them so much.  We are SO ready to have our little family together, like we belong.

  

Shamian Island

We tried to get Zac to get in line, but he said, "No!"

Zac on the playground

Enjoying the slide with Sissy

Happy family!

One, two, three, go!

"Cheese!"

Nap time

Celebrating on the cruise

With Mama and Daddy

With Mama on the boat

Zoe and Mikaya. "Clink!"

One of the amazing buildings in downtown Guangzhou

Cruise entertainment.  Has anybody seen my drink?

Zac working the floor.

River Princess

Guangzhou Zoo

Today we visited the Guangzhou Zoo.  It was a perfect day.  It was about 65°F.  We've heard so many stories about how hot it gets here in the summer, and about visiting the zoo in that heat.  We've seen pictures of families drenched in sweat after 2 hours.  We almost felt guilty that we had it so good!  DeAnna and I love the outdoors, and we were getting a little weary of the cities.  The zoo was very pretty, with ponds and plenty of trees.  And there was hardly anyone there until we were leaving.  It was very relaxing.  We started the day with a shuttle ride around the park.  We got a feel for the layout and got our first glimpse of the animals.  They have just about everything.  We liked the tigers, asian elephants, bears, rhinos and especially the panda.  This was Zac's first trip to the zoo, and he really loved it!

After the zoo, our guide took us to a traditional Chinese dumpling restaurant.  It was more of a "local" place off the beaten path.  The food was delicious! We had Japanese tofu, fried meat and cabbage dumplings, steamed vegetable dumplings, and mixed noodles with vegetables.  Zac enjoyed a little of everything!  He eats like a champ!  There's pretty much nothing he won't eat!  Zoe tried some Chinese noodles and liked them!

It's hard to believe that a week ago we met Zac in person for the first time.  It really feels like we've known him since he was born.  He is a happy child.  It's mind-boggling to think that he left behind everything he's ever known to trust in us to provide for all his needs.  Yet he truly seems to know that he can depend on us.  He really never seems scared, except sometimes when he first wakes up.  But his mama comforts him.  He realizes that he is safe.  He is loved.  He is ours.

Zoe at the fountain, Guangzhou Zoo

At the entrance

Zac and Mama

Zoe

Two 'Roos

Zoe and Daddy ridin' the hippo

Precious smile!

What a beautiful day!

At the panda bear enclosure

Panda bear!

Rhinos!

Zoe bear!

Z is for Zebra!

Our little bird!

Lunch with another adoptive family

Great food!

Local Shopping

Today was Sunday, and we drove to a local shopping area.  It was a market with stores located along a pedestrian street as well as a multi-level mall building.  They had shoes, clothes, watches, and DVDs, but also pearls and jade.  We were on a budget, so we were mainly window-shopping.  We did find a beautiful pink jade rabbit pendant for Zoe...  $35 American!

We took some time to explore the hotel today.  There's a waterfall and koi pond in the back.  Zac loved the green space!  We're not sure he's ever experienced grass!  He was so happy, but not quite sure what to do.

As I mentioned before, we're just burning time until we get his visa docs and U.S. passport.  So Lifeline has us going somewhere just about every day.  I guess to keep us from going stir-crazy!  Tomorrow we visit the Guangzhou Zoo.  We're enjoying the time with Zac.  He is changing every day, and I think in the long run we need this time with him to build the foundation of our life together.  But, at the same time, we are just ready to come home!

Zoe's jade bunny

Zoe and DeAnna

DeAnna with our guide; Zac sleeping; McDonald's

"It's Ok guys, I got it!"

Bamboo juice, anyone?

Zoe at the koi pond

Hard to see, but we're at the top of a waterfall!

Guangzhou and Our Trip to the ITHC

At the ITHC

Ice cream break

Beautiful view!

Zoe's fan!

Asleep at lunch

Relaxing with Daddy

Meeting our new guide at the hotel

As I write this it's 8pm Saturday here, 6am Saturday back home. We spent Friday packing for Guangzhou, picking up Zac's Chinese passport, and traveling. We also got our photo book of his adoption ceremony. It's really good, and includes a few more pictures of him at the orphanage that we've never seen. Each little piece of his story that falls into place means so much to us. The flight to Guangzhou was not bad, but Zac moved and wiggled all the way there. Our new guide met us at the airport and brought us to our hotel. The hotel is really nice! We have a living room and a bedroom, and they gave us a stroller and a crib for Zac. The view from our window is amazing! There is one other Lifeline family here, plus we're traveling with a family from another agency. But here at the hotel there are probably 10 or more adoptive families. Breakfast was funny! They had all of us seated near each other and away from everyone else. They've probably learned from experience that newly adopted children can be a handful!

Saturday morning we met to take Zac to the International Travel Health Clinic (ITHC). This is where anyone headed out of the country for travel gets checked out before they can leave. It was a zoo! There were so many people there, and nothing moved quickly. But we eventually made our way through the channels, and for the most part Zac was great. A little boy was infatuated with Zoe! We think he was in love! That afternoon we worked on our paperwork for Zac's Visa. This week will basically be a waiting game for his U.S. passport and Visa. At lunch, our guide, Rebecca, was feeding Zac broccoli and snow peas, and he feel asleep in his plate! Poor little guy!  This afternoon Zoe had an ice cream break... mango, coconut and green tea!  Well, she wasn't big on the green tea flavor!

Zac is really coming out of his shell. He is walking, talking and into everything! He is becoming more comfortable and confident. His new nickname around here is "Zac Attack"! But his cuteness gets him out of everything! He is warming up to me (Ken), so we're finally starting to give Mama a break now and then. She can't be far off, but at least now she doesn't ALWAYS have to hold him! Today he slept in my arms while we explored the city. He is such a blessing! He is beautiful… smart… curious… excited by the world around him. His smile will melt your heart, and when his eyes widen with happiness it's a glimpse into everything that is right in this world.

Thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts! We truly feel it! Thanks to everyone who is working the garage sale in our absence! And thank you to everyone who is helping with the kids!  You can't imagine what you mean to us and to this process!

Zachary: HE remembers! HE remembers us all. We may turn away, we may run. We may think we've never even met Him. But HE remembers us all!

Orphanage visit

One day an elephant saw a hummingbird lying on its back with its tiny feet up in the air.

"What are you doing?" asked the elephant.

The hummingbird replied, "I heard that the sky might fall today, and so I am ready to help hold it up, should it fall.”

The elephant laughed cruelly. “Do you really think,” he said, "that those tiny feet could help hold up the sky?”

The hummingbird kept his feet up in the air, intent on his purpose, as he replied, "Not alone. But each must do what he can. And this is what I can do.”
–  A Chinese Folktale

Today we visited Zac's orphanage, the Children's Welfare Institute of Chongqing City.  It was amazing to see some of the places from the pictures we were sent of Zac.  We met with the assistant director and Zac's caregiver.  We also got the opportunity to help out another Lifeline family by finding their son and taking pictures of him.  Zac was happy.  He didn't seem scared or homesick.  As usual he was glued to Mama.  We brought cookies for the orphanage, and he spent the visit smearing one all over his face.  We got to see his play areas and his sleeping area.  We took pictures outside of the playground where some of his early photos were taken.  Since his arrival at the orphanage, Zac has received physical therapy from a group called Half the Sky (from the old Chinese adage "A woman holds up half the sky").  http://www.halfthesky.org/en/content/million-rainbows  Their goal is to ensure that every orphaned child has a caring adult in his/her life and a chance at a bright future.  On the way to the orphanage our guide gave us Zac's "Child's Memory Book" from Half the Sky.  This is such an amazing blessing!  One of the truly sad things about adoption is the years that you missed....  All the memories and pictures.  We thought we would never have Zac's "baby book".  But they had maintained a thick packet of notes, photos, and drawings since the beginning!  Our hearts just about broke!  What a gift!  Of course, all the notes are in Chinese, so we will need some help to translate it.  But what a treasure!

We were so happy to have been able to visit the orphanage.  We felt like it was an important step in our journey.  But there are over 500 children at Chongqing, and it was heartbreaking to walk away with only one.

Children's Welfare Institute

The sleeping area and Zac's crib

Zac and DeAnna with his caregiver

Zac's slide.

The third floor was Zac's play area

"While there is life, there is hope."

Outside the gate.