Dressed for Chinese New Year Celebration

MeiLi feeding the Ducks at the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens - Oct 16, 2011

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Summer in New Mexico

We visited our local Jemez Mountains here in New Mexico. We have been here a year now. Karah starts 2nd grade in a few weeks and MeiLi is starting Pre-school.

Happy New Year 2010

Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

We now live in New Mexico, USA due to Tim's job relocating. Today we went for a drive in our local mountains and found a cool stream to cool off in and relax. Karah has started school, 1st Grade. Both girls are healthy & happy.

San Clemente, California

A day at Spenceville

A Kool-Aid Smile. These were taken at a January picnic we took. The site was an old mining ghost town name Spenceville. We found these Olive trees next to the old foundation of a home. The girls started climbing around in them. In California, the Chinese people built much of the infrastructure in the Gold Rush days, only to be treated badly and in all but a few areas, discriminated against and finally forced out. Now these Olive trees that were planted generations ago are the play ground for a new, first generation of Chinese Americans. It seems ironic that only the Olive trees remain at the site, since the Olive branch is the international symbol of peace. These girls continue to be such a source of Joy to our family and everyone who meets them.

恭喜发财

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Flower Market

上帝的美丽的花

To understand the significance of this photo, you have to read the post in the archives entitled "Inner Strength - the Bookmark". This was taken at the Kunming Flower market (the largest flower distribution center in Asia) on the day after we adopted MeiLi in Kunming.

Hebrews 11.1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Sisters & Best Friends

It's been a little over 7 weeks since we brought MeiLi home. She got a nasty ear infection 2 days after we got home from China. She had to go through a series of shots with a strong anti-biotic and then follow up with a liquid oral medicine. She is fine now. She seems to be happy and is typical for her age, getting into things and making messes. . I got some pictures of her & Karah last night.

Update on MeiLi

美丽
MeiLi is doing well. We had to treat an ear infection for her and she is finishing up the antibiotics. She gets one on one time with Mary for a few hours each school-day when Karah is in Kindergarten. MeiLi seems to be adjusting well. She really likes the neighbor's horses but she's not too sure about the dog & the cats. She likes to have a hand held when outside. She could care less about watching TV. We are trying to teach her, since we introduced her to Ketchup, that she is suppose to dip the food and then eat it, not just lick the ketchup off! She is speaking a few words of English now and I have heard her saying things in Mandarin; for example, she is saying "ni he" which means "you drink" which from her means, I want you to give me something to drink. She will take us to the refrigerator to show us what she wants to drink after saying that. She still calls me baba (daddy in mandarin) and calls Mary "mama". She loves to dress up in princess dresses after bathing, along with her sister Karah. She also is very busy getting into things (like a 2 year old does) and scattering things about. She enjoys watching hummingbirds feed in front of our living room window. Karah has shown a bit more jealousy but also watches over and protects MeiLi. Karah pulls MeiLi in the kiddie wagon outside.

Beijing - Olympics

北京
This is as close as we got to any of the Olympic activity. The Paralympics had just started the day we left Beijing. As we drove by on the expressway, we could see the Water-cube & the Bird's nest. I was delighted to see the torch burning, as I had watched when it was extinguished on TV at home. I guess they had relit it for the Paralympics It was raining (obviously) and we snapped a few photos.

A Great Wall Story

长城Chángchéng
As far up as we climbed on the great wall, I met a group of Chinese ladies who asked me to take their picture (With multiple cameras). I was conversing in Mandarin with them for about 5 minutes when one of the ladies decided to try her English with me. She asked me "Where are you from?" I replied, from California. She then asked "where in California?" I replied "near Sacramento". She said "oh .. I'm from San Francisco!" She is the lady sitting next to Karah. It's a small world sometimes. The smiles here reflect how friendly people are in Beijing. Karah was very tired by this time . Mary was visiting the shops.

Some Reflective Thoughts about China

广州 -我们去买东西！ China, seems to be, in many ways, very similar to life here in the US. People are out & about everywhere, doing the same things we do here. A typical shopping mall in a large city like Guangzhou, as pictured, is a good example. But there are some marked differences. As an adoptive group, living in 5 star hotels and having the money with you to do what you need, it can seem a little Rosy at times. The Chinese people still do not have nearly as much money in comparison to a US family of similar social stature. I'll state somethings both positive & negative about my experiences in China. I'm 51 years old and so I've seen a lot of things decline in the US. For instance, I do not feel safe going downtown in a major city in the US. Even if it is a polished up urban renewal area, there always seem to be the gangs, drug dealers, prostitutes and thieves lurking about. In China, I simply do not see that. It's probably there & I don't recognize it, but I and others have felt a surprising sense of safety in the cities. In Beijing, Chongqing, Kunming & Guangzhou, I felt as if I could walk by myself loaded up with camera gear & walk around with no fear of being victimized. My guide William simply stated it on my first trip: "The cities of China are very safe". It reminds me of a Mayberry sort of childhood I had in a small hometown of Folsom, California, where parents can let their children walk around without much worry. With this, I also find that most Chinese people on the streets are very friendly and love to chat with you, if you can get past their initial shyness. I am so glad I learned to speak Mandarin, albeit at only a first grade level, so that I could explain who we were, where we were from and what motivates us to adopt the Chinese children. Almost always, the responses were a thumbs up with thanks for having a big heart and helping. Another contrast is that Chinese people simply love to be outdoors in the parks enjoying life. It's not like here where I felt that if I did not have my kids in t-ball, soccer and all the fund raising stuff (including push long distance telephone services) that I was not doing my "duty" as a parent. Rather, they play board games, they dance, sing, do skits, exercise and play badmitten .. all just for fun. And again, because there is little crime, they don't have any fear of hanging out in the parks doing that. In downtown Sacramento near our home, we simply avoid the parks for fear of a drive by shooting, or mentally ill vagrants harassing you; we just do not go there, Instead, we have family get togethers here at homes or in a gated communities' pool area. Another thing I like .. service. Perhaps it's because we are white and so obviously different but every place we went, a store, the hotel, a restaurant, it is common to have 5 people all trying to help you at the same time. And if they can't help they rush to find someone who speaks better English. And they laugh & joke with you. In contrast here, I often go to a large store push a button for service, have 3 employees ignore me on purpose by not making eye contact. Another thing is the respect for Elders there. Here, we have retirement communities and younger people muse about how old people can't drive and generally treat them with little respect. As we slow down in life, we are met with impatience and sarcasm. That does not yet exist for the most part in China. Elders are to be respected; it simply is not tolerable to them to do otherwise. So there is my rose-colored glass view. Now for some negative things. I will do this with some humor. I don't really like the fact that elder women on the street may chew you out for things in her own language concerning your newly adopted baby, like not keeping her arms & legs covered when it is hot outside or if the child sucks her thumb; I rather think they should understand that picking one's nose or spitting is worse (which is commonplace in China). I do not like the frequent smell of methane wafting up through grates in the city streets. I do not like that the city rivers look worse than gray water & sewage dumped from a motor home. I do not like the smog in most major cities that is only relieved by rain occasionally. I don't mind blatant staring, it's understandable but some people might find that rude. I really am not much a a bargaining type of person and for everyday items, merchants will try to take you to the cleaners ( literally in some cases :-) . They might ask you 250 yuan for something that a Chinese person would pay 15 yuan for. If you are ignorant & give them more, I believe they just consider it good luck that an American passed their way. The driving there amazes me (but it is not as bad as the traffic in Manila was when I lived in the Philippines 30 years ago). People, bicycles, electric scooters, buses, taxis and pedestrians just all seem to mingle together and move around .. somehow it is all done in a civil manor with no road rage ever seen. In summary on this post, even the negative things I mentioned seem to me to be part of just enjoying the experience of the culture in China. Both of my trips there have been wonderful. I really do love the people & the culture of China, find them very hospitable and tolerant, and I consider it a great privilege and responsibility to do my best to be a good father and provider for my adopted Chinese daughters. Thank you William, Sunny, Susan and Wenzi (our Chinese guides) for helping to make our adoption trip so enjoyable. Special thanks also to Julie, our Dillon China Program person ( and of course Denise at Dillon. Thanks for the encouragement during this loooong process).

A Chapter Closes in our Lives

Before I even begin this post, I am amazed & emotional. It has been miraculous . The process of adopting Karah & MeiLi began with a small quiet voice in my spirit. I remember thinking with the initial thoughts of doing Karah's adoption, how impractical and hard it would be. I ignored it for a long time but it just would not go away. Finally I asked Mary if she had felt anything about adopting a little girl from China and she said yes, she had been feeling that way but since I was so deadest against adopting any more children ( we had 4 already from domestic adoptions) that she was not saying anything to me. With that confirmation we began the process. We had to do a major house addition to meet the requirements (our home was only 1200 sq. feet) . Then of course how do the finances come for such an undertaking? We spent a year to rebuild our home, all mostly done by our family (my 3 older boys did a lot of the labor and Mary's dad was a contractor who moved in with us to help us do it). Friends and family rallied to help us. My step dad Ricardo came to help with the labor. That process started in 2003 and was the beginning of a chapter for us. (I'm planning on going back and blogging Karah's adoption in a separate blog.) The opposition to doing all this was overwhelming at times. There were so many obstacles to overcome. One of our sons nearly died with encephalitis right before we went to China the first time but thank God he pulled through. We had to refinance our home 3 times to obtain the funds to rebuild the house and do Karah's adoption. Before MeiLi's adoption, last year, my job was eliminated and I was in a layoff. God again provided and I got another job within my company, just when it looked like I would be unemployed and have to sell the house. But we never gave up despite all the hardships. Friends and family have given us money to help cover the last minute unexpected expenses for MeiLi's adoption. You all know who you are. God will bless you richly for helping, you will see. From our hearts we thank everyone who supported us and prayed for us and encouraged us as we have dealt with the hardships. We are doing well now. MeiLi does have an ear infection so we have a Dr. Appointment for her today. Please pray for a quick healing for her. I am posting these photos I took yesterday of the girls playing on our yard. Later, I will do a post of some of the highlights of our China adventure as a recap, because I have some really neat photos that were on my HandyCam that I could not get posted until the DVD in the HandyCam was finalized to share. So check back once in a while.

The Chapter of the adoption process for these two Chinese girls is now closed. I've decided we can help others to adopt in the future as we have the resources but Mary & I both agree we are done adopting now. Our quiver seems to be full :-)

MeiLi at Home

We are getting caught up on sleep and unpacking our luggage. Mary got woken up by the girls at 1:30 AM. I woke up at 4:30 AM. It's going to take a few days to get back on California time.