We are HOME!

We are finally HOME!!  We were welcomed at the airport last night by a HUGE crowd!!  They had signs, balloons and best part of you...little American flags for Riley!!  She is a US Citizen NOW!!  Immigration was very east in Chicago and didn't take long.   We went on 29 straight hours of being a wake and trying to function!!  I have been experiencing some major dizziness the last 2 days.  I believe it is my vertigo that I have had in the past.  I think lack of sleep, many planes rides and a boat ride are to blame!!  We slept about 7 hours last night!!  Jet Lag is going to stink...I can already tell!!  Riley did great overall!!  The first flight was almost 14 hours, she slept about 4!!  I will post more later.  Thanks friends for keeping us in our prayers.  The boys are just loving on Riley!!  Reece doesn't want her to cry AT ALL!!  Ryan told me several times, one at 4:30 AM this morning when he happened to wake up...Mommy, I am so glad our baby is finally here!!  Let me tell you we are ALL GLAD and very thankful Riley is here with us and to start this journey as a family of 6 is ONLY beginning!!

Oath Ceremony, Park and River Cruise

We have taken our final Oath here in China at the US Consulate in Guangzhou.  As soon as Riley crosses over the border and we present her papers to Immigration in Chicago she will be a US Citizen!!  Tomorrow we pick her the brown envelope that is sealed and must remain sealed until we present it to the Immigration!  We have ONLY one full day left in China.  We head to Hong Kong tomorrow night where we will stay and Thursday morning-- we are off to Chicago!!  We enjoyed the afternoon at the Park and the evening on the River Cruise.  They were all fun but I AM READY TO BE HOME!!  :)  We have enjoyed our time here and will always remember the friends we have met!  They will all hold a special place in my heart!! 

Riley is doing GREAT!!  She is smiling, laughing, attempting to walk/run.  She is crawling all over the room.  We are so proud of her!!  Her abscess (bump) on her head finally broke open this morning.  I will have to say-- it was pretty gross but has gone down tremendously in size!!  I am still doctoring it trying to avoid any infections. 

I will let the pictures tell the story today!!         

 

 

 

 

 

  

Happy ONE Week!!

It's been one week since Riley was placed in our arms!  We are having so much fun with her.  Getting to know her!!  We are starting to see her likes and dislikes!!    She is a different girl now!!  She is wanting to cruise and walk ALL over the place.  Most of the time, we hold one of her hands and she walks in circles around us.  She is cruising around tables, the bed and even the couches!!  She is smiling and laughing more and more each day!! She is crying less and less each day!!   SHE SAID MAMA for the FIRST time today!!  Mama is her FIRST WORD!!!:)  She is babbling though and trying to copy you!!  She attempts to move her mouth like yours!  Today she starting leaning in for kisses.  She loves kisses!!  She loves bath time!  She loves the swimming pool!!  Ham and Bacon are favorites!!  The girl can EAT!!  We thought Reece ate a lot....she will keep up with him EASILY!!  She is no longer crying when we remove her from the table, she is reaching for us to pick her up!!  Yay!!  :)  She is no longer crying and screaming at night when we rock her, we have our CHINA routine.  Our home routine will include DAILY NAPS!!!  She is looking to us for our approval and reassurance!  She is opening up to Rheagan, letting her hold and carry her around.  She is a TRUE joy to have and we are so proud to call her OURS!!

 

 

Today we went to the Safari Park!!  This was better than ANY zoo I have ever been too!!  Tins of animals in their own environments not lock up in little cages or rooms like our Zoo!  Zebras were chasing each other, literally running between cars. Black bears were wrestle in the waters.  Giraffes eating out of our hands, animals within touching range!!  White tigers, koala bears, panda bears!!  Not just one or two or even three of each animals.  We saw 10-15 of each and some animals many, many MORE!! Riley took it all in!! She did fall asleep and had about a 1.5 hour nap on the tram ride but loved to point to all the animals.  Today, I wanted the boys here with us in China!!   Ryan and Reece would have LOVED the Safari. I took tons and tons of pictures and videos so they could see all the animals too.. I am SO ready to be home and to be a complete family again.  I can't wait to be able to hug and kiss on them. 

 

We ended the day at the swimming pool again!!  Riley dunks her own head into the water and comes up laughing!!  It is so cute!!  :) Tomorrow is our oath taking ceremony and completing the paperwork to get her VISA!!

 

On Wednesday, we will be able to pick up the Visa and we will be off to Hong Kong.  We will stay Wednesday night in Hong Kong and then head for Chicago on Thursday!! We will arrive in KANSAS CITY at 7:30 PM THURSDAY!!  CAN'T WAIT!!

A moving day! Truly incredible

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!! 

 

 

 

 

 We spent the day at Shamian Island.  It was a great day for shopping, laundry services and eating but the best part of the day was going to Church.  We attended the Mandarin/English Service.  It was unbelievable.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  As soon as we starting singing the first song, How Great is Our God, tears started flowing and I couldn't hold them back.  Just thinking we are in a huge crowd of people who we can't communicate with however we can all worship the same GOD and he hears ALL of us.  When you are worshipping him and goose bumps cover your body you know HE is present!  We attended church service with 5 other families who are in our group.  As I was singing, I looked around and there wasn't a dry eye in any of us Mamas.  I can't explain how cool and very touching this experience was.  Riley heard her very first sermon in her country.  We worshipped and Praised GOD in China...How AWESOME is that!!  

 

The shopping was great too!!  Probably too great!!   We had to buy another suitcase to carry back everything we have bought so far and we are still here for 4 more days!!  We are loving China.  We are missing home and the boys for sure but when we leave I know it will be with mixed emotions! 

 

Shawn, Rheagan and Riley went swimming when we got back.  Riley is splashing and kicking even putting her head into the water.  She creid tonight we when got her out.  We are waiting on Papa Johns to be delivered.  Tomorrow we are going on the Panda Safari.  We can't wait!!   

 

 

 

 

Medical Check- Posting a day late-- Bad internet connection!

Riley passed her medical exam however she did NOT like it!  Just one of the steps  we have to go through in order to finalize everything.  We had to see two different doctors.  One was an overall general evaluation and the other was an ENT.  We also had to have Riley weigh and measured!! She wanted her mama to save her  from these masked people!   

 

Riley is doing so well.  She is adjusting to us and we are adjusting to her!!  We are starting to figure out her signs and cues and we believe she is understanding us!!  Everyday she is laughing and smiling more and more.  I know I say this everyday but it is so true.  Her smiles and laughs out numbered her tears and frown by far!  She is a goer. She wants to be down and running however she doesn’t know what to do with her legs and feet so she leans and we hold onto her most of the time!  We are walking around everyday and she is definitely improving.  On day 1, she could hardly bare weight.  We would try to stand her up and she would just sink down.  Now, her legs are working and she is wanting to be independent. 

 

Riley is really bonding with us but she is finding mama to be her comfort, her rock, and go to person.  She wants to be able to see me at all times.  She is wanting me to walk her around all the time and that is a workout in itself.  For lunch, Riley had her FIRST McDonalds meal!!  She ate up the FRIES and DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER!! 

 

Tonight we ate at a Mexican restaurant.  It was just as good as the last one.  We enjoyed talking to the owner about how he got his start in China two years ago.  His restaurant has taken off over here in China. 

 

We are looking forward to the next couple of days.  They are packed with tours and activities but we are excited.   I would rather be busy than bored!!