Last Post to the Blog.

We've finally made it. Sorry it took so long to post this last picture, but things have speeded up significantly since we got home. I think we forgot how much extra time a one-year old takes.


The boys with their new sister. Noah loves her. Jordan's a little ambivalent.


Getting much better at eating now. As you can see, she's a little messy.

Saturday, December 30th

We're home!!!
It took 3 flights and 27 hours but we are finally home. Leah did great! She was either sleeping or playful and happy the entire trip. It was so great to see the boys. After being with a tiny one year old for 2 weeks, they seem like giants to us. They are so cute and great with Leah and she is already smiling for them and letting them hold her. We are exhausted and so thankful to have a 3 day weekend to recover. We will post a picture of Leah with the boys when we have a chance and then we will put this blog to rest. Love, Lara

Thursday, December 28

Our last full day in China. Tomorrow morning we get up at 4:00 am in order to start getting ready for our flights. First we fly to Beijing and then to San Francisco, so our next log entry will be our final one when we reach home.

Today we went as a group to a famous budest temple called the Six Banyans Temple. We spent the afternoon relaxing and trying to repack the suitcases.

We could not have imagined a better trip than what we have had. Our agency and our guides were all amazing. The people of China were so warm and encouraging towards us and our adoption. The other families in our group were the best. We hope to remain friends for a long time so that we can watch these girls grow. A huge thankyou to Noah and Jordan for being such good sports at home. An extra huge thankyou to Grandma Cathy for keeping everything sane at home. We leave with memories that will last a lifetime and a beautiful, perfect, spastic, funny, stubborn, loving, new daughter. Love, Lara and Jim


Six Banyans Temple.


Leah has decided it's fun to look at stuff upside down.


Leah and Jim from the top of the temple.

Wednesday, December 27

We spent the morning walking around one of the main shopping districts. We spotted a McDonalds and wanted to see if Leah would like the french fries. She did. Now she eats 3 things: formula, cheerios, and now McDonalds french fries.

In the afternoon we went to the USA consolute and completed the paperwork process for Leah's US visa. It's now official. We can bring her into the US, and paperwork is now done for this side of the ocean. Interestingly, when we go through customs in the US, we will need to do so as foreigners. Leah won't become a US citizen until she passes through customs and immegration after our flight home.


Leah's first french fries at McDonalds.


This sign cracked us up. McDonalds sells a "green bean pie" in a similar form to our "hot apple pie". I've never been a bg fan of McDonalds food, and this made me even less of a fan.


People everywhere in the shopping district.

Tuesday, December 26

Today was primarily an administrative day with a little trip to an open food market thrown in. In the morning we had pictures taken with the babies in our group followed by a visit to the doctor to get approval for the American visa for Leah's passport. After visiting the market in the afternoon, I headed into town to get some paperwork done on our ticket for Leah. Three hours later I just made it in time for a group dinner at a Cantonese restaurant. They have a saying in China that the Cantonese eat everything with four legs except for the table and chairs. The more brave in our group tried the sand worm salad. It's pretty much what you think it would be. Yes, Noah and Jordan, mommy and daddy ate worms!


Leah has figured out that the little red light on the camera means it's about to flash. She doesn't like the flash, so this is what she does to blink whenever she sees the red light. We now have an enormous number of photos with this expression. Lara of course thinks this is an indication of how brilliant she is.


This is about 1/2 of the babies in are larger group that got matches in our time frame with our agency.


These are the 4 girls that came out of Chongqing orphanages. The 3 on the right were in the same room from the same orphanage.


This is the doctor's office for American visas. Leah's already gained 2 pounds since we picked her up.


Snakes in the open food market. Remember the saying above amout what the Cantonese eat.


More food in the open market. These were alive in large bins.


The open food market.

Monday, December 25

Merry Christmas!!

Didn't do much today. We had a lot of paperwork in the morning and a photo for the visa to get Leah back into the US. We're really enjoying the relaxing time around the hotel. It's 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. After an early dinner to miss the Xmas crowds, our travel group met in one of the rooms and let the girls play in the room together. We've decided we got really lucky with travel groups. Everyone is laid back and travels well, and we got a small group.


Blowing raspberries at dad.


So many adoptive families stay at the White Swan before they leave China that Mattel pays for and supplies a room full of toys just for the adoptive families to use. Here Leah is playing with one of the toys. Mattel also provides every girl and boy with a toy. The girls get a Barbie specially packaged that has a caucasian mom and an asian baby.


Early dinner at the White Swan to avoid the Xmas crowds.

Sunday, December 24 - River Cruise

This morning we did a lot of shopping before the nap. Leah says she likes pretty dresses, jade, and pearls. After the nap, we headed out for a river cruise for dinner and had lots of fun.


This is Leah's first dress. Doesn't she look pretty! This is also the first time that Lara and I have put a dress on a child, so it was a special time for us, too. Thanks to my aunt, Joan Lynch, for the dress.


Mom and Leah on the river cruise.


Our hotel (the White Swan) from the river cruise.


The 3 of us on the river cruise.