One week home . . .

well. and a couple days.  I'm a little behind, as my very favorite Toddler keeps me pretty busy.  We just came in from sitting on the porch reading Dr Suess and singing songs.  One of my most favorite memories with my Mom, I'm so glad to finally share this with my daughter.  It's been a long time coming.
I will share some pictures of this past week's occurrences but I can't even describe the transformations we're seeing Delaney already.  She appears most happy and comfortable at home and in the car with Mama and Dada. Her first trip in the car seat was not pleasant as she was very scared and we didn't have it adjusted properly so it wasn't the most comfy ride.  With a little tweaking it seems to be a must more comfy way to travel now.
She has spent time with each set of grandparents and seen a  lot of her aunts and uncles and cousins.  it usually starts out slow and reserved, very quiet and reluctant, clinging to Mama but after a period of time, if she doesn't fall asleep, she begins to show her personality.  Even if she stays quiet we can usually get a wave from her a she'll blow a kiss.
She babbles and makes all sorts of noises while playing at home or in the car.  She's most animated and lively in the evening.
We have had some help from the Grandma's this week for meal prep and additional eyes on Delaney as we haven't been the most alert after dealing with the jetlag.  I feel like we are mostly over that now.  Larry returned to work today and we had to make a trip to the pharmacy so Delaney and I ventured out on our own and came back quickly as she fell asleep in the car and the medicine had to be refrigerated.
Everyone has been so kind and we've received such wonderful comments from those we know and strangers.  We attended church Sunday morning and received so many wonderful hugs and sentiments from so may of our friends.  So sorry she slept through service, since it messed us up for our afternoon nap and caused us to miss evening service, but we'll figure it out soon.
We spent Wednesday at Childrens' Hospital in Cincy for our post adoption evaluation at the international adoption clinic.  We met with several people to complete medical, developmental, occupational therapy, and infectious disease/immunology. She was immunized in China and we didn't want any unnecessary shots or to repeat them and potentially cause trouble so we had a lot of blood work done as well as them doing the typical assessments via CBC, thyroid, iron, etc.  Sadly they took 17 vials of blood and it was horrible to say the least.  They had trouble with the first two sticks as her little veins blew then the third stick via ultrasound under the work of a special team resulted it the tube clotting.  So a fourth stick was needed and finally got it all.  We were all traumatized, including  Nana who sat and cried int eh waiting room.
On a good note, we've played everyday at home, and taken wagon rides.  She enjoys sharing her snacks with Penny our dog.  She has a special fondness for a stuffed bear our niece Jenna gave her and a pink blanket.  She sucks her thumb when weh gets tired and needs a nap.  In the past week she has learned the words, Nana, Papaw, apple, uh-oh, thank you, hello (hi-yo) which is the most adorable. She says "P" for Penny and baby.
Well, there is more cuteness to share but somebody is getting tired and reaching for Mama- the best part of this job EVER!!!!!!

Goodbye Guangzhou . . . Goodbye China

This is the last post from China although there haven't been many in between Delaney Day and now.  So I am sorry for that and apologize but I also apologize to myself.  I had hoped to document our daily happenings but instead I've been busy living it, so for that I don't apologize.  We have a lot of documentation with photos and videos and will get around to sharing more in the coming days.  Seems like if we had any down time we needed to sleep or be quite so our Little Dragon could sleep.

We are very much ready to come home and  get settled into our knew normal.  It is difficult to function here as we would at home.  Each little task we take for granted is a work here.  For instance, the grocery store, you can only buy what you can manage to carry with a toddler and stroller in tow.  Not to mention you may walk for blocks, enter what looks like an office building but actually a mult-story mall compete with escalators and high end clothing and cosmetics to find the supermarket tucked away on the 4th floor of an adjoining building.  Nothing too convenient about that.

Shopping is crazy too, in and out of vans, taxi's and subways, or we have a personal driver.  I like having a driver the best, he helps with the packages and collapses the stroller for you as you board in the 150 degree heat.  That has probably been the source of the most distress here, the intense heat and humidity.  The temps haven't been much different than at home but the humidity drives it up a few more notches.  Walking out of the hotel and getting into the van in only a few steps will produce rolling sweat and doesn't help when you're toteing a 26 pound toddler.  It's like sticking your head in a 450 oven and leaving it there all day.  When you get to your destination you feel like you've been hosed down already with a garden hose.  Most of our important meetings have been early so we don't look that bad in most of our pics, but late at night we look and feel like drowned rats.

We are so happy to be coming home with our Delaney.  Thank you to all the prayer warriors at home.  The things we have asked prayer for have not been much of a worry and it is clear that God has sent His Angels to be with us on the journey.  Delaney is adjusting well and appears to be a very healthy and happy two and a half year old, sometimes with the attitude to go with it!  She grieved a  lot the first few days but then really came out of her shell.  The grieving is normal and we may have periodic bouts of it but its a good things, meaning she formed attachments to her caregivers before and it's clear she's forming attachments to us.  After about four days she became more vocal, more active and much more opinionated.

Her first real intelligible word with us has been "quack quack" after a little yellow rubber duck I brought for tub time.  She calls me "ma- maaaaaaw" and Daddy "da-daaaaaaaa".  We love it.  She imitates hand motions for pat-a-cake and itsy bitsy spider. She also does a simplified version of hte chicken dance.  She days "fi" for fish and "pu" for Penny (our dog).  She waves bye with both hands usually and says bye.  She responds so well to the Chinese people who talk with her and our guides in both cities have told us how smart she is as they have asked her to do things for them and she follows directions well. Too bad for Mom and Dad that we have such a language barrier.  She is learning from us and is a very neat girl, likes her hands and face wiped when she's eating until she's done and then she politely lets you know by spitting it out or throwing it.  We need to work a little on etiquette.
We love her dearly, I can't believe we've been entrusted to care for such a beautiful,  smart girl.  Thank you Lord.
Well, the Dragon is sleeping, we are gonna eat some noodles and prep some for her awakening.  We leave on a van at 4:15 today for Hong Kong, fly to Tokyo tomorrow, then to Newark and back to OHIO!!!! See you soon Mercerville!!!!!!  Love to you all!!!!    

Long Awaited Photos

This is Sheila.  Tonya gave me the OK to post some photos that she sent home.

Just realized after that last post . . .

I didn't update you on Delaney.   Sorry!  She us doing well, and now warming up to Baba (Larry), although Mama has been the favorite so it's been harder to accomplish much on the computer to keep you informed.  But I honestly don't mind, I'd much rather be a Mom than a blogger!
The first night she fell asleep on my chest laying on the couch and slept through the night only whimpering once and quickly (within 4 steps) was back to sleep on my shoulder.  We gave her a super quick bath that night too as she was a little frightened and holding to the side of the tub.  She are well at breakfast on Monday and we headed off to make the whole adoption legal.  She officially became a Saunders on Monday.  She opened up more on Monday night and Tuesday but then had a bad belly ache and we all layer in bed and cried and rubbed her belly, before bedtime we needed housekeeping to empty our trash.  I know, too much info but the first "movement" is a big deal when your Little One is this stressed and has experienced so many changes.  Wednesday was much better and cooler here, making it easier to carry her around and she is tolerating the stroller more.  We got more smile last night and she pirated a lot with her books, photo album and stacking cups.  We have toured a lot very day so we are on a tight schedule until about noon or a little later and our days start early.
The three of us braved a shopping mall last night and we're able to make it work with gesturing, pointing, and nodding.  We have had pizza hut delivered a couple times and have had McD's and Burger King as well.  We have had some traditional Chinese food and it's been good too, nothing too scary and mostly recognizable.
Delaney has enjoyed being out and about and watches everything so closely.  The kisses and grins are coming more often.  We are so blessed! The shop owners comment on how beautiful she is ( as our guide has translated)  sons some speak in broken English. They are surprised when webcast she's been with us 3 days.
Today we are visiting her orphanage but will definitely follow her lead. One if us is likely to stay in van with her and take turns.  We've already talked with our guide of our plans.  We don't want a set back but we would like as much of her history as we can get.  Please pray today is smooth and we are able to meet her needs emotionally.  I'll try later with some pics, I promise.

We're good!

I know so many of you have sent messages and added things to our timeline and sent texts and e-mails, but we can't possibly respond to them all.  We are face timing the grandmothers everyday so if you get too concerned you may call them.
We really appreciate all the thoughts, concerns, and prayers. Our inbox usually has 50-70 some messages per day, hope you understand and all us we'll with everyone in Mercerville!!!!  We love you all. China is NOTHING like home; although it will always have a special place in our hearts.  I hope to add some pics soon but I can't get a VPN connection on the laptop right now and I don't have the brain power to remember how to get pics from the phone to iPad- I mean it is 4:51a.m. here!  Maybe a better connection on the laptop later.  Love to all.  I will try to send a pic now since I know that's why you're reading this anyway!

Night before Delaney . . .

and all through the hotel room, the new parents were stirring to re-pack bags to fly to her province in the morning.  yep, we head out tomorrow morning August 3rd to fly to Shaanxi province to meet our lovely Miss Delaney.  We are physically wore out right now.  We toured the Tian' nan 'men square (i know I spelled it wrong but I'm too tired to google it) AND the Forbidden City AND the GREAT WALL of CHINA!!!  The heat was unbelievable, never felt heat like this before and they say August is the hottest and most humid month.  It has to be, it couldn't get much hotter!!!  We were soaking wet and dripping and only used the bathroom twice all day because we were sweating so much. The "wall" nearly kicked our hienies!

We took a lot of pics but it was very smoggy and hazy and at 96 degrees plus humidity, the visibility was pretty poor.  But we were there and we placed a lock on the wall for Delaney.  We trekked to the No. 9 Beacon Tower since the 9th is her birthday and we placed our lock there, kept one key and tossed the other over the wall after saying a quick prayer for her life.  It's customary for engaged couples or adoptive families to say the act of doing this, "locks" or binds your love.  Just a neat little tradition.

We took a lot of pics but we're tired and about to be parents TOMORROW!!!!! So we need to get some rest.  We are leaving the hotel at 6:00am to fly to Xi'an.  We'll need to gather our thoughts and baby gear, documents and other important goodies by 4:00pm when we meet her.  Next post- we'll be Mama and Baba- and no it hasn't sunk in yet!!! Appreciating all your prayers!!

Braving it alone . . .

Our first full day in Beijing was a free day and we functioned without a guide.  We had the breakfast buffet in the hotel and took some walks. We napped a lot and then took a trip to McDonalds and a little shopping area.   Here are some pics from the day (sorry, phone was on square mode for pics).  Hope the video turns out, just a little sampling of traffic.

Sidewalk with cars parked on it

Bike parking

Chinese laundry

Our hotel Poly Plaza