Home at last!!!!

We are home, yeah!  We got home on Monday morning about 2:00 am.  It was a long journey but we had not a problem.  Lily did an awesome job and Bob and I did OK.  Our sweet daughter is now a US citizen and it feels so good.  She is fitting right into the family and Ava and Luci just love her and so do we as well as everyone who meets her.  Lily is trying to like Tau Tau our dog but she is still a bit afraid.  She likes to pet him if he is laying down but if her gets up he is right at her level and she is not sure.  So we are guarding her space with him.  We are suffering from jet lag and Bob had to go back to work on Tuesday and out of town till Friday.  So he is probably really tired.  I have been up with Lily we wake up anywhere from 1:30 to 3:00 am and are up from 3:00 am till 5:00 am just like a new baby.  So we are a bit tired but doing OK, Lily better than I.  My parents went home today, many countless thanks for all they did while we were away, we could have never made it without them.  My sister arrived yesterday for a week to help with the transition.  Bob is out of town next week too so she will be helpful.  Ava and Luci are on spring break so they are enjoying their time with Lily before they go back to school, that was perfect timing.

A big thank you to Luci's adoption group for the beautiful flowers to welcome us home, lilly flowers for Lily, bright and sun shinny yellow.  Perfect, what a treat.  You guys are awesome!!! Love you all.

Wow, we feel so blessed by this entire journey to bring our sweet daughter home and we are so glad we acted on the calling of God.  He laid this on my heart and the family agreed and it has been so good.  We were in a group of 15 families who all had a child with a special needs but listen these children had such small needs it was incredible to see just how small the needs were.  It is such a sad situation in China all the children left behind it just breaks your heart.  I would urge you  to look at your heart and see if you have room for one more child, a chance to make a difference that will not only change you but will change the course of a life for all eternity.  Every child deserves a home a place to be loved unconditional and God calls each and everyone of us to take care of the widows and orphans it is clear everywhere in the Bible and it is so easy.  If you don't thing you can grow your family then maybe you could look at sponsoring a child.  Chinese Children Adoption International, Love Without Boundaries and Half the Sky are just a few great organizations that are doing amazing things.  You don't have to go to China to make a difference you can do it in your own home town, wouldn't it warm your heart to know you have made such a huge difference in a child's life forever.  We are so blessed that Lily was cared for by Love Without Boundaries and that a person sponsored her but mostly that a family in China was willing to give her two years of their life to care and love her knowing that they would one day have to give her up.  What a priceless gift.  We just could never thank all the people that have been involved in her life.  God bless and keep them and may they some how know she is loved and always be.  We know she was taught and shown love, I don't think I posted this info but the day we got Lily she had arrived at the  registrar  office first and there were 10 different orphanages involved, when she saw me across the room she can running into my arms and gave me the biggest hug and it broke my heart into a thousand pieces in a good way, a day I will never forget.  A true moment in this thing called life.  It was right up there with the day Ava and Luci were placed in our arms.  We were so worried that Lily would have a difficult time but God had prepared her heart in a might way.  When we got on the bus to go back to the hotel she kissed me on the check and Bob too.  Is that special are what.  Again, I ask you to just look at the orphans in the world and see if you have room in your heart in anyway will make a difference.

Stay tuned and I have more cute photos to post.  Thanks again to all of you for your love and prayers.

On our Way

No photos today, it has been really windy here and so it has been hard to do outside activities.  Shopping, shopping and more shopping.

Love all around. Prayers for our journey we are leaving at 8:00 am and flying to Beijing about a 4 hour flight, lay over then a 13 hour flight into Dulles in DC then to Colorado so it will be a giant journey.  It was the only way to fly on miles so we took it.  We pray for peace and sleep.

We have the VISA and we are free to GO!!!

HI--We got Lily's visa yesterday and hiked to the top of the Baiyun Mountain, it was a big walk and 801 steps .  Bob was the lucky one to carry Lily to the top.  He got a work out even though she only weights 25 pounds it was a challenge.  Lily and I got to pound the Buda bell at the top it made a loud gong and it was heavy and actually hard to gong.  The gong could be heard all over the mountain.  It was fun. At high points in China they put locks on chain to represent good luck, etc... We didn't put a lock on but we did get one as a souvenir of our journey.  The top photos is actually looking out over Guangzhou but the sky is so grey and full of pollution you can not see much of anything.   The word Baiyun Mountain actually means White Cloud Mountain but we think it should be grey cloud.  It was quite a workout but very tropical and green and lush, nothing like Colorado.  But, I would rather have a dry climate any day.

We got the visa and all the paperwork all the groups have left to go home but we have to stay till Sunday to get our miles out of here.  So it feels a bit lonely.  Trying to stay focused on the goal. Live Strong.

Today, we are packing to get all our stuff home and ready to go so we don't have to do it at the last minute.   It was a job to get it all in and hopefully we make it.  We must not do anymore shopping. No photos today we will see what happens latter.  Maybe a photos opt will come about.

Love all around !!!!

Silly Lily

Lily is feeling very comfortable with her new family, she has become SILY Lily, she is your average three year old with a big laugh, lots of funny faces, silly behavior and very busy.   She loves her sunglasses and likes to wear them upside down most of the time like two other Lange sisters, Ava and Luci they just seem to fit better that way.

We had our American Consulate appointment today and took our Oath to love and protect and that all the info was correct so now tomorrow we just wait for our exit visa for Lily and we are ready to go.  The bad thing is our plane tickets back home are not till Sunday, that was all we could get using our miles so we will just have to wait it out.   It has been a long day we were up at 5:30 am left at 7:50 am for our consulate appointment,  hunted and gathered our lunch and dinner.  In between we had play time here at the hotel and shopping at a very upscale mall.  Stores like Dior, Prada, Dunhill, etc...we couldn't afford a thing except a really cool iPhone case from the Apple store with the Beijing Opera on it, and it was pricey but just to cool to pass up.  We ate at Danny's Bagels for all the friends who have been to China.   They no longer deliver, no mac and cheese no chicken but they did have pizza.  Danny the original owner passed away last year suddenly and the business moved, their business has changed since the White Swan is closed for renovations and adoptions have slowed down so they are just a restruant no delivery.  It was good and we went with another family.
Keep the prayers coming!!!!!!!!   We have to stay very busy so we don't miss home too much we have lots of down time here.  We are tired at night, so good night.

comments

Thanks for making all the comments, communication really helps.  We are still here for several more days and this is the slow part of hurry up and wait so keep them coming.  You can email me for no charge the internet is free here just no phone calls.  We have already spent our $25.00 on our one phone call.  Thanks for all your prayers!

We love you Ava and Luci and think you are doing a great job...get ready for a busy sister she is on her way and ready to roll.

Group Photos and departure info

 We started our day with group photos....14 families with 15 adoptions and multiple family members.  Several of the families it was their 10th child, one family it was their 8th and lots of 3rd and 4th's and a couple of first timers, so we had a diverse group for sure.

Then, Bob and I struck out on an adventure to visit Guangzhou City Hall built in 1934 and the People's Park, then to Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall built in 1931both had beautiful tropical gardens and grounds, the humidity pays off big time with very lush gardens.  My feet were killing me when we got back to the hotel.

Lily has learned so much, she seems to be a quick study....she is standing on her head and doing  summersaults then of course she is learning all about hair, and how important it is, even if she does pull her bow out every 5 seconds and laughs as big as she can she will get there.

$25.00 phone call

Bob called United to see if we could leave a day early and the business center said he could make the call no problem but about an hour later they called and said that the call would be $25.00.  Live and learn.  By the way United has nothing available so we have to wait it out.  Oh well.

typos and bad grammar

Sorry I have so many typos, I went back and looked at a couple of the post and it is awful.  Sorry..... that is what a tired Mom gets ya, maybe you can understand what I mean.  I don't have good grammar on a good day anyway. Ugh!!!

TB Test Negative!!!!!!

Today we went back to the clinic and Lily's TB test was negative.  She wanted no part of the doctors today after poking her little arm with a needle she did not even want to show her spot, she had had enough of that. We had to pry her arm out straight, she was not giving it up freely.  But all was well.  We are just at a hurry up and wait spot on our journey, one day at a time.  We are ready to come home but we must be patient.  We went to Shamian Island today back by Lucy's restaurant we didn't eat there today just a photo op look Mimi and Luci you are famous.  We thought Lily needed to be in the photo with the three generations of Chinese women she is number four, making her own way and going strong.  She is very busy and loud, they called her docile, we do not see that.  She loves to take a bath and splash very, very big! We have a few areas to work on when we get home.

Miss everyone!!!!

Hi..We are in Guangzhou and headed to the Safari Park it was so amazing, we have not visited it before and I would suggest it, if it is not summer because at 80 degrees it was so hot like a rainforest.  We walked and saw a lot of the animals up close them we took a train (not Lily on her first train) and went by so many animals just walking around and the Chinese could drive their car through.  The train was a Mercedes, funny such a poor nation and they have such fancy cars.  As always the panda's are by far the coolest animals to see.

The last photo is of the second tallest building in the world the first being in Dubai. It isn't that great of a photo.  Everyday it is so gray with pollution and humidity and we were going by in a bus.

Way to go Ava and Luci on your dance competitions.  You did Awesome!!!!!   Mimi you may be the better dance MOM, way to go and thank you.

Tomorrow, back to the health clinic to check the TB test.  We will see, we don't feel there will be an issue.  Keep praying.  Thanks to everyone for all you are doing back home for our family.

Love all around!!!!!  Signing off from China and counting the days till we touch down at home.  We can't wait for some cool, clean Colorado air with no humidity.

No Sign of a Heart Problem!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!

We were so tied last night we did not get to bed till 12:30 am we started out journey in Henan at 2:20 in the afternoon and didn't get into bed till 12:30 am and we took no nap today.  WE got the best news today, no sign of a heart problem from three different doctors, one of them being the doctor that Ava and Luci also saw for their American Visa Exam.  She checked out just fine and weighting in at a big 26 pounds just 5 days short of 3 1/2 years old.  She might be small but she is mighty.  We will get her all checked out back home to make sure all is well. She was a champ with all the exams even the TB test where they stick a big needle in her arm just above her wrist.  Not a tear.  We went to the new medical exam place it just opened up two weeks ago but for our friends who have been there rest assured that the disorganization is still ramped and the crowd just as crazy.  But the AC worked better.  It was about 81 degrees and humid, just doesn't work with my social hair.   We then visited Lucy's for lunch a favorite of the adoption community right across from the White Swan Hotel. Lily got some strawberry ice cream for being such a good girl and a toy Chinese drum.   The White Swan Hotel where the adoption community has always stayed is totally under construction.  We are very happy here at the China Hotel because Bob is a Marriott Member we got a free up grade to a mini suite and WOW is is nice.  This is one beautiful hotel not an American style Marriott I am talking swanky.  The breakfast has about 150 food choices and people stay here from around the world.  So we see lots of different faces and it is fun.  A family was added to our group here that is adopting a 14 year old girl so we have 14 families now and 15 children.  We are told we are the biggest group this year.  Yeah, some claim to fame.  Love all around, we are ready to come home but it is not time yet.  We are going to the Wild Life Park tomorrow and filling out Visa paperwork.  Keep the prayers coming, our God is awesome.

We went to the Henan Museum, this is the center of China and they say it is where China began.  Really old stuff, neat, I love History, Bob don't but we had fun.  It was raining and I had to use the China Daily Newspaper for an unbrella so I wouldn't mess up my social hair, it worked a cab had mercy on us and gave us a ride along with someone else.  Lily didn't mind at all.  We are headed out today at 3:00 to the airport for Guangzhou our final leg of the trip.  We can't wait.  We love and miss everyone.  Thanks for your prayers.  They are working like a charm!!!!!!!!

Thank you Papa and Mimi hang in there we are going to be home before you know it.  We love you Ava and Luci.

We visited the Shaolin Temple which is the birthplace of Kung Fu in China, it was very old and very cool.  It was about 1 1/2 hours away from our hotel, we were the only family that decided to go so we had a private driver and guide.  We have 13 families in our group who adopted 14 children so we have a huge group so the private driver was great.  One week down.

bath time

 What we know about Lily--She is very happy and giggly almost all the time, she sleeps through the night, will eat anything, kissed us both on the cheek within the first hour of meeting on her own, loves a beach ball and bubbles --they crack her up, is trying to say anything we say, pulls her bow out of her hair every five seconds and I put it back, very friendly and social but still loves us, a perfect gift from God. God knew we needed an easy one we will see as time goes on but for now it couldn't be better, except to have Ava and Luci here with us!

She's ours forever and always!!!!!!!

It is so official, our sweet Henan Honey is a Lange forever and always!!  We are so blessed and thankful that God has blessed our family with a beautiful child.  The only heart problem we can see with this one is that it is as big as can be.  Thank you all for your prayers and we thank God for the gift of life.