Happy Thanksgiving-1 Month Update!

What a great day to celebrate having our little China Doll for one month now!  She is precious.  A handful, but precious.  I am so thankful for her...her healthy, her energy, her sweetness, her bonding, her determination, and the beauty she has brought to our life.  She is perfect in every way God intended her to be.  It is amazing what a month can do!

 She is bonding so well, she will even let me rock her to sleep sometimes.  She loves to copy big sister Lizzie and they are learning to get along better (though the competition between the two can be exhausting).  They are both adjusting to each other.  She has an infectious laugh that comes easily.  She doesn't cry much and is curious about everything.  She cries when she can't find me, but I don't mind that.  She loves food and tries it all.  She doesn't love chocolate milk, which is a first for our family.  She does love hot milk in a bottle still, but we haven't had to buy formula since we have been home.  She's adjusted to the food very well.  And she is potty training on her own, meaning that we've finally figured out what she is saying and she doesn't want a dirty diaper.  Still not out of diapers, but it's not bad.  She loves having the other children around and I love having them fill the air with their laughter and play.  I am so grateful to be a mother of 5 wonderful and perfect children.  They are such a blessing and light in my life and bring me so much purpose.  I don't know if I like that two of them are now taller than me, but there isn't much I can do about that :-)

Welcome Home-A USA Miracle

We're home!  And we're together as a family!  It was a great flight with a huge miracle.  Ellie didn't want anything to do with anyone until we arrived in Seattle from Shanghai.  She had fallen asleep by grandma, so I went over and picked her up and held her.  It was so nice to snuggle her.  She was still asleep when we landed, so I carried her off the plane.  She woke up after a while and looked up at me and just smiled.  She never let me put her down or be away from her after that.  She was on my lap on our last flight, had me carry her off, and wanted me to hold her while she fell asleep at home.  She took to Big Brother, the athlete, quickly, and loved meeting Grandpa.  It was truly a miracle.  Thank you for your prayers!  It was such a blessing for me!

Grandpa and the two other kids were waiting at the bottom of the escalator.  Lan Lan came running towards us with a gift for Ni Ni.  Athlete had brought balloons, Grandpa had brought flowers. It is so good to be home with my family! 

Do you see those cuddles.  What a tough 2 weeks, but so worth this joy as a mother.  I'm so grateful for this experience.  I love China and the gifts that it has given me!  Can't wait to drink water out of the tap, though, and read a menu I understand.  I also cannot wait to take my girls back to visit their homeland!

Last Day Part III-Bags Packed

All our bags are packed, we're ready to go.  

Can't wait to see the rest our family and begin the next part of our journey.  

Ellie finally crashed.  

Shuttle leaves at 5:30 am.  

Leaving with less than what we came with!

(except for that cute sleeping girl)

Last Day Part II-Jianxi Park

While I stayed back to put Ellie down (which was a failure) and pack (a success), Grandma and Daddy took the others to a nearby park.  They said it was beautiful and they expected it to be peaceful, but it was noisy and busy, but fun.  Here are some of their pictures.

Last Day Part I-Zoo

We had a great time at the zoo, though we were tired after.  Monkey Boy had begged us to go, and he really belongs in a zoo, so we went.  Ellie seemed to enjoy it, but easily lost interest.  Grandma stayed back.  Biggest disappointment was the Panda's.  They were locked behind a glass cage and you could hardly see them.  We missed the out playing in their playground.  Glad we saw them up close at the San Diego Zoo a while ago.  There were many animals to see and it was still worth it.  The subway exited right at the South entrance.  We took a taxi there for 20 rmb and the subway home for 9 rmb.  You'll see some of our favorite animals below, photos compliments of Monkey Boy.  You'll see 3 little monkeys that belong to me, too!