Long day...Long drive!

Today (Tuesday) was a tougher day.  In the morning we drove out to Feng Cheng City where Aaron is from.  We were told that it was about a 20 minute drive, turns out it was about and hour and a half drive.  But we really enjoyed the ride, we got to see some of the country side of China.  There were lots of green rice patty crops and water buffalo.  When we got there we went to the hospital where Aaron was found.  We were very much of a spectacle for the Chinese people. Some older men were asking if we were from Russia.  It's probably not every day that they see 2 white people carrying around the most adorable Chinese boy ever :)  After we left and headed home Aaron withdrew from us and went through some grieving - it is hard to watch when you can't do anything. 

We are at a business hotel where there are not any other westerners, so the afternoons are getting LONG here at the hotel.  I think we are going to get a taxi this afternoon and get out of here for a while!
Thank you for your continued prayers, 2 more nights here and then headed to Guangzhou - our last stop on our way home!! :)

Adoption Certificate, More Travels, & Elmo!

The last two days have been very busy so I haven't been able to blog quite as much.  We are now in Nanchang, the capital city of Aaron's province he was born in.  Yesterday (Sunday) not long after we got to the hotel, the orphanage staff came to the hotel to see Aaron and then we filled out paperwork.  Then today started early with running around the city to get adoption papers and the passport papers taken care of.  We saw about 40 other families that were getting their babies from this province as well.  It was wonderful to see some Americans, our hotel is further away and there are no other westerners there :(  It was really funny, these families mostly all had babies - who they had waited 5 years for - and they would hear Aaron calling us Mommy and Daddy, and speaking English - they were so confused, it was hilarious!  The Narduzzi's did such a wonderful job preparing Aaron and he is doing very well with the transition.

Today has been tough for me, really missing our 3 kiddos at home terribly.  I know they are doing great, I just miss them and I am so ready to have them back in my arms.  Please pray for them and us, it is so hard to be apart.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be going to Aaron's hometown to see the place where he was actually found, so we are really excited about that :)  

Most of the pictures today are of us waiting and running around town for meetings.  The picture of the paper is our Official Adoption Certificate! Yea! We also watched a little Elmo in the room on a DVD and it was a big hit - he LOVES Elmo!

Going Away Party...

Yesterday (Saturday) was a busy day for all of us.  In the morning we had a meeting with Holt, our agency, and we were able to meet all of the other families that are here with us to get their kiddos.  All of the families will be going to different provinces to get their children and then we will all meet up together at the end of the week in Guangzhou (sp?).  So, when we all get back together everyone will have their new children!  
 
We also took Aaron to the doctor today to have his lungs checked out before we leave.  He was doing much better yesterday and last night - so thank you for your prayers!
 
We have been into down town Beijing a couple times in the last few days, and all I can say about the traffic is organized chaos!  There are about 20 million people that live in Beijing and I think we have seen most of them either on their bikes or in their cars!  The foster family, the Narduzzi's, have an amazing driver that drives them everywhere they go.  He is better than any racecar driver in the US - I actually asked him to come home with us :))  But even with ALL of these people on bikes and in cars, the cars getting inches away from each other, and traffic "suggestions", we not once saw an accident - total organized chaos, amazing.
 
Last night, the Narduzzi's had a going away party for Aaron.  They had prepared a beautiful slide show with music of his time with them. It was so awesome to see some of the people that have loved and cared for Aaron, raised money for his surgeries, and prepared him for this time - such wonderful, selfless, caring people.  It was a very emotional night as people left and said thier goodbye's - he is a very loved little boy.
 
Today, we will be leaving and heading out to Aaron's province where we will sign the official adoption papers this evening! It is very exciting, but also very difficult to leave this wonderful family.  We came here to China barely knowing Deanne, Mario, Nico, and Talia, and we are leaving as family. We are so thankful to God for orchestrating this whole situation - nothing has happened here by mere chance.  Most of you know of our fostering and having to say goodbye to the girls last year, and we know how hard tomorrow will be on this amazing family.  So, we would really appreciate your prayers for the Narduzzi family and Aaron as we leave here, their hearts are going to be hurting as they say "see you soon".  We have already made plans to meet in California next summer J

Great Wall of China

Yesterday (Friday) we were able to go to the Great Wall - it was amazing.  It is over 3000 miles long!  A lot of the pictures are at the Great Wall with his wonderful Foster Family.  
Over the last day or two Aaron has developed a cough and has had a fever, so please be praying for his health as we prepare to leave Beijing and move on to Nanchang.  

Hope you enjoy the pictures and I will be writing more soon :)
 
Niki

Seeing China with Aaron

Well, many more pictures today!  

Yesterday (Thursday) we got out a little and went and got some snacks and things we will need for Aaron when we move on from Beijing.  So, some of the pictures are on our shopping excursion.  In the afternoon, Deanne took Ryan and I for a bike ride through some Chinese neighborhoods and a market - yes, I was a little uneasy! - but I did it and really got to see some interesting things!  So we got some great pictures :)
 
Aaron is doing great.  He is really warming up to us both, and we are so thankful for the way that God has put all of this together.  We are staying with some of the kindest people we have ever met.  This foster family is amazing, and they love Aaron so much, and have done so much to help him with this tough transition.  
 
Today (Friday) they are taking us to see the Great Wall, and Tienanmen Square, and for us to buy some more suitcases!  Yes, we need many more suitcases for Aaron's things :)
 Thanks again for your continued prayers!  Love you all :)

Hello from China!!

  

It is hard to believe that this is actually happening and we are really here! You never know how long 12 hours really is until you sit on an airplane for 12 hours! It was a LONG flight.  But we are so thankful to be here :)

Aaron and his foster family picked us up from the airport. It was super exciting! He was dressed in a suit and tie to meet us :)  He was pretty shy to start with, but he warmed up quickly to Ryan.  He is already calling him daddy :)  As for mom, we are getting closer and playing games as we get to know one another.

Today we are going to meet his teacher at his school, and then to do a little shopping.  Tomorrow it sounds like we are going to do some sightseeing.  So I will post more pictures in a day or two.
  
Thank you for your continued prayers for us and our kiddos at home, who sound like they are having a great time with Granny, Grandma, Aunt, Uncle, and cousins :)