Friday, August 10, 2007

August 10th

Chinese Smiles for Everyone Back Home!

Lovely Lily
It is hot, hurry up with the pictures!


In China, we chew bottles?




The locals doing what they do
Lunch?


(Pictures Added to Post below this from zoo)



Well we are officially half way. Everybody in the group is a little homesick and ready to go back to the good ole USA. This is our last night in Chongqing and it is a little bittersweet. I am glad to be moving on thru this adoption so we can get home to our son Grant and the pups, however we will be leaving our daughter's birthplace. We hope to return someday to do a homeland tour as a family so she can visit her birth city.

Yesterday we took a tour to the Ci Qi Kou Ancient Town. It was very interesting and the shopping was good. My main find was a keychain that I could give her on her 16th birthday when she starts driving. I also bought grant some goodies. Lily was in rare form yesterday. In all honesty she was a difficult baby. She is dealing with the pain of teething and the grief of loss.

Although Lily's coming home with us forever to join her family is the best thing possible, all she knows is that we have taken her away from the only home and caretakers she has ever known. Lily was born on October 10, was found on October 19, and lived in an orphanage till January 2007. In the month of January she went to foster care with another baby to live for 7 months. The week before Doug and I arrived she was moved back to the orphanage to live. Then on August 4, she made the 6-hour hot bus ride with 7 other babies to meet Doug and I. So this little Chinese baby has been through quite a lot in her short 10 months of life and it would be totally unrealistic to think that she would meet us and instantly fall in love with us and live happily ever after. Some days she is happiest when I walk her around outside and she can see and hear people she's familiar with. I guess what I am trying to say is that we are going to have some rough days ahead and I am prepared for that simply because this is the baby that was chosen for us. She is our daughter and we love her.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello to all:

Just viewed your last posting. We look forward to checking the blog every day. It's actually the highlight of my day since you all left.

As I said before, she is so precious. The first picture of her sitting up with the big smile on just makes me want to pick her up and squeeze her.

Love,

Bob, Connie, Sarah and Katie

Anonymous said...

Hello Renee, Doug & Lily!

The pictures are great! It looks like sweet little Lily is getting more and more comfortable with her mommy and daddy. Her smile is amazing...it just melts your heart. We certainly can't wait to meet her and pinch those cute, chubbly little cheeks of hers! In the meantime, please keep the pictures and blog updates coming.

Love,

Lisa, John, Emily & Olivia

Anonymous said...

Wow Renee you can see she is changing before your eyes. She looks much happier and has hope in her eyes now. The first pics she looked lost. She is so pretty. I love her rolls on her legs so cute. I wonder how her hair is going to grow out?? Do you know anything about the birth parents? Do they give you any like health history or anything? Cant wait to see more pics. Miss you. Chris Drake

Anonymous said...

hey guys,

the pictures and posts are great. Can't wait to see you when you get back.
Stacey

Anonymous said...

She's a little Budda! What a smile. Think of the journey home for her as a transformation. She is metamorphing from catepillar to butterfly. What a beautiful journey!

Love Mary

Anonymous said...

Just remember, Rene, just because you give birth to them doesn't mean they like you in the beginning either. There were times that I understood why lions eat their young. Joking aside, you're doing great, and she is a very lucky girl!!

Dawn Stillwagon