Sunday, September 14, 2008
in Guangzhou
On Saturday morning we said goodbye to Louyang and drove back to Zhengzhou...boarded a plane for Guangzhou and arrived about 8 pm.
We took the bus with the other families to the hotel...and were pleasantly surprised...a Starbucks in the hotel, a Seven Eleven around the corner, a McDonald's next door, a Papa Johns close by, and a huge beautiful park across the street. Guangzhou is a much more cosmopolitan city and very clean in comparison to the rest of China. The Seven Eleven even had Skippy peanut butter, strawberry jam, a loaf of bread, and pringles potato chips...dinner was enjoyed by all (even Ellie likes pb&j)!
The day was filled with a great buffet breakfast, several hours in the park across the street, including a trolley ride around the park (this park is huge), finishing paperwork (my part is finally finished), a swim in the pool, that great dinner I already spoke of, and now everyone is asleep.
About Ellie...her life this last week (we will have had her one week in about 12 hours) has been full of many firsts. Today she had her first Starbucks drink, a vanilla bean frappacino, she rode on a trolley, she went swimming, and yesterday she took her first plane ride...all of these have been so fun for her. She really is a delight...is usually all smiles...can be a bit mischievous...loves playing with Alex, David and Keeli...and generally loves life. She is beginning to understand a lot...will repeat most things and beginning to tell us what things are in Chinese.
We will have several days of an appt here and there but this week is much more laid back. Please continue to pray for our trip, for health (as we all are a bit tired...mainly emotionally tired), for Ellie as she tries to embrace her new family and her new world, and for all of us as we try to meld this sweet little one into our family. God had a plan...may we continue to seek him as the week continues.
We took the bus with the other families to the hotel...and were pleasantly surprised...a Starbucks in the hotel, a Seven Eleven around the corner, a McDonald's next door, a Papa Johns close by, and a huge beautiful park across the street. Guangzhou is a much more cosmopolitan city and very clean in comparison to the rest of China. The Seven Eleven even had Skippy peanut butter, strawberry jam, a loaf of bread, and pringles potato chips...dinner was enjoyed by all (even Ellie likes pb&j)!
The day was filled with a great buffet breakfast, several hours in the park across the street, including a trolley ride around the park (this park is huge), finishing paperwork (my part is finally finished), a swim in the pool, that great dinner I already spoke of, and now everyone is asleep.
About Ellie...her life this last week (we will have had her one week in about 12 hours) has been full of many firsts. Today she had her first Starbucks drink, a vanilla bean frappacino, she rode on a trolley, she went swimming, and yesterday she took her first plane ride...all of these have been so fun for her. She really is a delight...is usually all smiles...can be a bit mischievous...loves playing with Alex, David and Keeli...and generally loves life. She is beginning to understand a lot...will repeat most things and beginning to tell us what things are in Chinese.
We will have several days of an appt here and there but this week is much more laid back. Please continue to pray for our trip, for health (as we all are a bit tired...mainly emotionally tired), for Ellie as she tries to embrace her new family and her new world, and for all of us as we try to meld this sweet little one into our family. God had a plan...may we continue to seek him as the week continues.
Friday, September 12, 2008
the last few days...
before we left Zhengzhou...after all the rainZhengzhou...well we did end up trudging out in the rain. It actually was quite the adventure. The kids had fun literally jumping in the puddles of water and just watching the people go about their business on bicycles and scooters with ponchos on as if it weren't really raining.
Thursday we traveled to Luoyang to do the official notary for all the paperwork and to get Ellie's passport. We met up with Michael, our american friend that is in most of the pictures we have of Ellie, and his friend Mikey. They went with us to do the paperwork and then to the orphanage. While we were in Zhengzhou we took Ellie to a grocery store and let her pick out cookies for all her friends. When we got to the orphanage, she couldn't wait to get up the stairs to give her goodies away. When we walked into the playroom on her floor, all the kids began shouting her name...they were all so excited to see her.
She first gave suckers to all the little kids on the floor and then dashed next door where all her older friends were and gave out cookies. She was all smiles. The nannies and preschool teachers all stood around smiling at her, smiling at us. The were all chattering about her, we just couldn't understand all they were saying. They gave us pictures of her with all of them, some of her school work, and a stack of papers where they had been recording all about her since she was really little. They were so excited for her, but when we left her floor their were a few tears behind the smiles. She has been loved so well.
Alex and I had the opportunity to go up the the 4th and 6th floors where all the older kids that we had played with last summer were. Several of them recognized us without Michael telling them who we were and when we had been in the orphanage. It was an incredible experience for Alex and me to see these kids again. Ray also got see the Hope Foster Home floor of the orphanage. As we walked past Ellie's floor one last time Ellie told her friends goodbye and never looked back. When we got outside one of her nannies who has been in the orphanage since Ellie was little gave her a hug, chatted with her for a moment, and as she said goodbye she was in tears. Ellie gave her one last hug...said something and got on the bus. In that moment, as a mom, I had such mixed feelings; God had given this little girl to love and be loved in the orphanage and now he was giving her to us. I know there will be times of deep sadness as she misses her friends, nannies, and the life that she has had, but she is smiling, laughing, cutting up, hugging and kissing us. God is indeed good!!
...the family with Director Pei and then at Longman Grottos on Friday
...Ellie's first taxi ride
A huge thanks to all for your continued prayers for our family
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
what to do in Zhengzhou?
...so this morning we went back to the civil affairs office to pick up our official red book...you know, the one that says Ellie is officially Elliana Xiaowang Mullican.
It took all of 30 minutes to get the books, receipts, and take a few photos. So, then what are we supposed to do for the rest of the day? ooohhhh,well....there is not much to do and the hotel is not in the center of the city, not many taxis available either...as a result we have been couped up in the hotel room most of the day. When dinner time rolled around, after the kids (there is another family here with us) got in trouble with the hotel staff for being too loud in the halls, we all needed to get out of the hotel and we needed something other than unknown chinese food...to McDonalds we go again. BUT, this time we had to walk. Not a problem you think...well the nearest MickyD's is about 2 miles away from the hotel and we don't really know where we are going. Part of the problem...everything in china looks the same, or at least almost the same. We talked to the hotel staff...whose English is a bit sketchy...it turns out that a really nice bellboy from the hotel walked with us there....we were on our own the way back. Well, the food was McDonald'sish, the walk was great and it turns out that we really only had to make one turn...just watch out for the cars, bicycles, and mopeds on the sidewalks...other than that, it was a great adventure for all. Oh, and the 2 miles was really only about a mile or so. Now everyone has had a shower, is pooped from the "great adventure" and ready for bed...another day in China. What does tomorrow hold...
It took all of 30 minutes to get the books, receipts, and take a few photos. So, then what are we supposed to do for the rest of the day? ooohhhh,well....there is not much to do and the hotel is not in the center of the city, not many taxis available either...as a result we have been couped up in the hotel room most of the day. When dinner time rolled around, after the kids (there is another family here with us) got in trouble with the hotel staff for being too loud in the halls, we all needed to get out of the hotel and we needed something other than unknown chinese food...to McDonalds we go again. BUT, this time we had to walk. Not a problem you think...well the nearest MickyD's is about 2 miles away from the hotel and we don't really know where we are going. Part of the problem...everything in china looks the same, or at least almost the same. We talked to the hotel staff...whose English is a bit sketchy...it turns out that a really nice bellboy from the hotel walked with us there....we were on our own the way back. Well, the food was McDonald'sish, the walk was great and it turns out that we really only had to make one turn...just watch out for the cars, bicycles, and mopeds on the sidewalks...other than that, it was a great adventure for all. Oh, and the 2 miles was really only about a mile or so. Now everyone has had a shower, is pooped from the "great adventure" and ready for bed...another day in China. What does tomorrow hold...
Monday, September 8, 2008
just a glimpse of the day...
After getting Ellie this morning we have eaten at McDonalds and gone shopping...this girl sure does like to shop. It was so much fun letting her pick out new tennis shoes and new crocs...of course they are both pink.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Ellie is officially a Mullican!!!
We met Ellie this morning at 10:15. It was a very hard time for her. Lots and lots of tears. The nannies were there, they stayed for awhile. She just wept and kept looking at them for reassurance. We were in the Civil Affairs office for about 45 minutes. Once we left that building....she has been all smiles. She has really taken to all of us already...especially Ray. But then of course he is the goofy one...who makes all the strange gestures. We will post later once we have time to put some pictures up. Much love to all!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
We made it...
We have made it to China!!! The flights were rather uneventful...which of course is great news. We are in Beijing tonight and will fly to Zhengzhou in the morning. Please pray for Ellie specifically today (Sat) and tomorrow as she leaves her life long friends. In the midst of our excitement we are very much aware of the trauma that she will face in leaving everything she has ever known.
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