Getting Through the Sickness - Recap of our trip PART 2

Here is a fun pic of Madeline and her Popsicle.  It was so fun to watch her eat one for the first time.  She wrapped her lips around and just felt the cold.  She finally learned to eat it after watching Mommy. (I LOVE these Popsicles!)  She is still battling a lower grade temp, but has finally started eating real food again.  I feel like that is a plus! 

We have an appointment at the International Adoption Center at Dallas Children's to get a full eval and blood work along with a new round of vaccinations.  So with traveling on many different airplanes and lots of germs that Madeline has never been exposed to,  I pray that this stomach virus/ear infection, whatever it is, will GO AWAY!!

Here are some fun pictures that we pulled off the boys camera of our trip . . .

This is the bicycle/cart ride through an ancient town in Beijing

They were cooking something in this little shop

This one is minutes after meeting Madeline.  She was so brave!  She started shaking the bells that we brought and hugging her doll.  Simply precious!  To realize that she can do so much more than that boggles my mind.  She really let me feed her as if she needed to be fed.  She shook bells as if they were so fascinating.  Now she is home and showing me everyday all of her abilities.  Feeding herself, pouring water from cup to cup, even screwing caps onto bottles. Amazing!

Here is a picture of Madeline's Offical Adoption Paperwork.  In China you put your fingerprint over your signature in Red Ink.  The Chinese have such beauty in their culture.

First Week at Home

I can't believe today is already Thursday and we have been home for 1 week.  It has been amazing and challenging.  Madeline was a little cranky on Monday and Tuesday and developed a 103.8 Temp on Wednesday.  Some crazy sickness is cookin' in her body.  We pray that she gets better soon and back to her cheerful self. 

Here are a few pictures from Sunday playing in her bean box.  She can scoop and pour forever.

Us girls went to Mass on Sunday evening and we went up for her birthday blessing.  She made it all the way through with some saint books and Annie's bunnies.  Back to the days of Toddler Fun during Mass! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADELINE!

Yesterday was Madeline's 2nd Birthday!  Happy Birthday Madeline!

Here are some extra pictures from our last days in China . . .

This is a picture of our group after the ZOO!

WE ARE HOME!

It is Friday around 4 AM.  Our little lady thinks it is still 4 in the afternoon.  So I thought this would be a perfect time to update everyone on the last couple of days.

The trip home was a long one ... We were so glad to be sleeping in our own beds :-D

The last days in China were so fun!  Madeline's Visa paper work was finalized on Monday at 10:00 a.m.  We took an oath on her behalf, and gave a packet of paperwork that we had been preparing for months and the whole thing was over in 15 minutes.  It felt too easy, but I guess that was the point.  2 years of paper work for 15 minutes of easy.

We then had the afternoon at an Herbal Market and a Pearl Market.  Apparently you can get pearls cheaper than the US, but they were still hundreds of dollars.  You pick your pearls and they tie them together as you wait. Did I mention that the Herbal Market had live scorpions for sale???

Tuesday we got up early for 7 am Mass and the priest blessed Madeline and welcomed her as she started her Christian Life.  It was beautiful! Then he gave her a silver cross and blessed it. 

More about Tuesday tomorrow . . . Madeline is finally ready to sleep!  5:00 A.M. YEAH! 

LOTS OF PICTURES!

I know it must be frustrating to just get text from us, so here are a lot of pictures from the last few days.  We are in Guangzhou staying on Shamian Island and it is just divine.  Dining at Lucy's frequently and walking the park.  We visited Our Lady of Lourdes yesterday and then continued to shop most of the day.  We have had Madeline's Medical Exam and finalized the Visa Paperwork at the Consulate today.  We are still waiting on Madeline's Passport from Taiyuan, but the worst case scenario would be to stay a few more days.  I really don't think it will be a problem.

Datong

After the adoption was official we had to travel 4 hours in a van to Datong to apply for her passport.  I really hope that the pictures load faster in our next hotel because they are amazing.  The city of Datong is a coal mining town.  This is not the kind of coal mining town that you would expect to see in the US.  In fact much of China is still coal powered so Datong would be more like a Houston is to the Energy industry.

Our little Miss went right to sleep in the van.  At first I didn't see an issue.  One hour in she woke up and was very somber.  We wondered if she was feeling sad or could remember this awful bus ride.  Sure enough she vomited all over Mama and Dada rushed with every Cottonelle wipe we had.  We have determined that Madeline gets car sick.  Good thing I don't go more that a 10 miles for anything in Dallas :)

Our first stop was the police station to apply for the passport.  The boys are used to the looks by now, but Isaac had a man grab his ear as he walked by.  Very Shocking! The police station was chaotic and it always amazes me how things get accomplished in these official buildings in any country.

We spent the night in the best Howard Johnson hotel Dada has ever seen.  We had a suite which gave everyone a lot of room.  Too bad it was just for one night!

Pictures to come in our next hotel!

Fun Details

Our first days with Madeline were so much fun.  Minutes after we received her we started more paper work.  Good thing I am a pro at this!  We went to a copy/photo shop for copies of our travel approval and pictures of the 3 of us for the adoption documents.  In the tiny shop Madeline started cracking up and saying MaMa and Baba (Daddy in Manderin).  The Chinese ladies were so happy to see this.  As we were leaving Madeline waved "bye-bye"

The first few moments together we ate Cherrios and played ball.  We wanted to see if she could walk so we each took turns feeding her as she walked back and forth.  She surely is an entertainer!

We went to dinner for Rice and Veggies.  She has amazing fine motor skills and can pick up the smallest piece of rice.  (She hates to see anything fall on the floor :-D)  We didn't try a bath the first night because she was super clean and why push.  We later have found that she hates the water and Mama has to get in with her and quickly wash her as she screams bloody murder.  Really that is the only thing that she hates so we are so THANKFUL!  I am sure that pool time in Texas will cure that fear.

The second day she again amazed us!  She decided that Mama was the only one who could hold her, which was great at first, but ask my right arm if it had fun ;-b)  She has so much fun interacting with Dada and her brothers.  This was the offical adoption day!  She is now Madeline Rose Landrum. 

First Days with Madeline ...

Playing ball with brothers and dada ... she's a natural ball player (YEAH!)

The Attempt ...

Turns out that one pic at a time might work from this hotel.  So, here's what we've all been waiting for.  Enough of the sight-seeing and now on to the real treasure - Madeline!!

Our 1st Meeting ... Civil Affairs Office, Taiyuan

Turns out little miss gets car sick and she met us right after a four hour ride from Da Tong.  We confirmed this car sickness thing just two days later when we rode back to Da Tong for her passport.

Technical Difficulties

The pictures are taking a lot of time to load.  So we wrote all of the text from the past 2 days and hopefully we can load the pictures at our next hotel! 

We walked the streets of Taiyuan City and found a super market.  It reminded us a lot of Chicago. This is a huge city with a lot of clothing stores and little groceries.  We also ate lunch at McDonalds.  I don't think I have longed for fries so much in my life! 

Now off to get our little Madeline!

Sunday . . .Forbidden City and Lunch with a Local Family

Day 2:  We started again this morning at 5:30 a.m.  No need to set alarms in this hotel room.  We were ready for our tour at 8:30 this morning.  I need to tell you about the breakfast.  The displays are so beautiful and fresh,  There was egg fried rice and lots of veggiess,  even noodles for breakfast.  This morning they had fried potatoes.  Now when I say fried potatoes I mean McDonald's looking hash browns.  We totally loaded up!  We were advised not to eat the fruit becasue they wash it in the water, but the doctor with us said anything with an outer layer will be fine. SO  . . . we had dragon fruit for the first time.  It tastes much like kiwi.  Delicious!

We toured the Forbidden City.  I have to say that we probably would have enjoyed it a little more if it wasn't so cold, but we made the most of it.  I couldn't help wondering what life would have been like for the emperor and the empress that can only stay in the city.  They did have a garden within the city that was divine.  I would have loved to see it in bloom.

Lunch with a local family was interesting!  The family had lived in this house for 3 generations,  150 years.  The neighborhood was 700 years old.  The streets were very narrow and felt like a maze.  The man was a Kung Fu teacher and his son is living in Houston and training other martial artist.  His wife made all of the food for our group and we sat in their living room.  Tight quarters but the most delicious Chinese food we have had yet on the trip.  We finished the Beijing tour with a bicycle ride through the HuJong town.  Then off to the airport!

Saturday Sightseeing ... Great Wall & Olympic Village

Day 1:
We officially woke up at 3AM (the first time) and got up around 5AM ... we'll get there!  Today was a great day.  We toured the Great Wall - what a marvel (and a pretty good stair master ;-b) ...

Just a little bit windy and cold but quite the place!

The view from one of the early lookout towers

The "blue eyed" American boys are popular with the ladies!!

After the Great Wall we had a Chinese lunch which was truly delicious above a Jade store.  Jade has a lot of significance in China.  We took a tour and had time to look at the various items.  Mommy had heard about the "bangel" which is a Jade bracelet that women wear and never take off.  Then once you have a daughter you will give it to her and she will pass it on to her daughter.

All of the boys had fun chillin' on the bus . . .

We finished up the day at the Olympic Village with the Bird's Nest and The Water Cube.

Daddy's 1st attempt at the panoramic feature on the new camera ;-b

Before dinner our guide took us to a supermarket.  Mommy just can't stay away from the potato chips!

Zaochen hao (Good Morning) from Beijing!!

We are finally here!  What a plane ride.  After a good night's sleep four of the Landrum's are awake in Beijing and ready for a HUGE breakfast.  We will meet our beautiful 5th Landrum in roughly 36 hours!!

Here are a few pictures from our travel day ...

Flight #1:  DFW to San Fransisco ... Early Smiles!

The BIG one ... starting our 12 hour flight to Beijing

Back on LAND ... We made it!!  Simon capturing the artwork at the Beijing airport.