October 2, 2005


Well today Marielle was feeling better so we did decide to venture
out. We skipped the outing to the museum (not the embroidery museum)
and went with a few families to Church and then to walmart.

We took one of the HARROWING taxi rides that China is famous for, the
trick is do not look forward and you will kind of enjoy the ride. We
were let off at an alley and suddenly you are surrounded by what China
is really like. We waited for the group and then started down the
alley way. We saw live chickens for sale, meat being sold, and a some
clothing stores. We saw winter coats being made. We arrived at the
church. It was a large brick building with a cross so we knew we were
there. I believe it was a catholic church. It was interesting,
after the church service the choir took their pictures with us.

Then back down the alleyway where a few people got some great deals,
we did not everything was to big for Marielle and too small for McKenna.

We then took another taxi ride to Walmart. Can you say crowded, for
those who have ever been to Walmart in the states on the night before
a holiday and you have what it is like only with tons of Chinese
people and tons of meat, fish, turtles (alive), you name it and it was there.
We purchased our baby formula and headed out.

We are now back in the hotel and entertaining Marielle, she has
decided today that she wants to be held, held, held but doesn't like
the snuggli so mommies back hurts. So we go back and forth between
mommy and daddy. She is playing with toys right now and has had two
baths today and will probably need a few more. (DIAPER EXPLOSION0

Tonight we will meet with the group for dinner. The holiday(National Holiday)
is in full swing and fireworks occur
every night. It is still smoggy and cloudy and you
never see blue skies, I miss blue skies. It is supposed to rain
tomorrow.

We found out the pronunciation of Marielle's Chinese name.

September 30, 2008

Shao is pronounced C OWww
Ming is Ming
Le is LUH (like the U in BUSH)

Adoption Day September 29, 2005

Today we went back to the Civil affairs office and
officially adopted Marielle.

We met with a few officials answered questions
actually the only question we were asked is "Are you happy with her," of course YES.
All the other families were in with the officials for much much longer and had alot more questions asked. For those that know
me, I grabbed the wrong foot for the foot print, they
said right and I grabbed left, j ust like on our
wedding day when I grabbed and put the ring on Jason's
right hand. So my sense of direction is still not there.

She cries for MAMA at bedtime, I pretend she is crying for me.
At least she had someone
at night. One of us snuggles her and rocks her to sleep.
And she has been sleeping all through the night.
She is a little peanut, she fits 3-6 month clothes and
can sit up and roll over. Developmentally she is what
you would expect to see in a 5-6 month old. But she
is strong and will stand an jump up and down. She
likes music and HATES PEEK A BOO.

OH ALL the families which sent cameras received their
cameras back and we are getting those pictures
developed. We did get her rattle back I was so
suprised. Most families did not get anything other
than the camera back, two families got their family pictures
back, we did not get the pictures back we sent. We
are happy to get the cameras back. When we go to the
SWI next week we get to meet and take pictures with
our little ones main nanny. None of the girls have
been in foster care but they have a ratio of 4 babies
to one nanny per shift. You can tell these girls were
all well taken care off, some have bug bites but none
appear to have scabies or boils etc. We are so
blessed. Marielle still is not showing signs of being
sick so we are very grateful She is still her daddies
girl but is warming up to me.

We love Changsha and are so grateful to GOD, the
Peoples Republic of China and to a very brave women
who gave Marielle the opportunity of life so she could
become a part of our family.

We love our little PEANUT. She is smiling and happy
and we can't wait to show her off to everyone.
Pictures are coming soon.

Gotcha DAY September 28, 2005

Gotcha Day

Our group of eleven families got on the bus and headed
our. On the way over we were all excited some crying
and some laughing, as you look at the window you see
mixture of old and new. We say one apartment building
which looked like it had been at one time really nice
but looked destroyed with people living in it, right
next to a nice shopping mall. It just made me realize
how lucky we are to live where we do.

We arrived to the civil affairs office and went up to
the third floor and went into a large room with wooden
benches. The babies had not arrived yet. We waited about twenty minutes and
then the director came in with one of the babies
dressed in yellow. We have been
number three family the whole trip so we new she would
be the third baby given. About five minuets later the
nannies and the rest of the babies came in they sat
across the room from us, I did not see Marielle. Then the
last three babies were brought in and there she was,
Jason recognized her right away. I recognized the toy
I had sent FIRST . They let us take pictures with the
nannies holding the babies. The first two families
went and then it was our turn. They checked our
passports and then she was handed to me, she did not
cry but did sit stiffly in my arms, she went right
to Jason and only would cry if she looked directly into our eyes.
Marielle was dressed in an orange and yellow outfit. She looked
just like her pictures but smaller. I was so happy to see her, she did not cry like
the other babies but you could feel her little body shaking and her
heart beating fast. She was quiet and most likely scared.
We then took our family portraits and then went to
Walmart where we bought formula, diapers and some clothes
as all the clothes I had brought were to big.

Marielle is a daddies girl and warmed up to Jason first, he had
her smiling last night. Mommy she tolerated she does
not cry but she is a DADDY's Girl. She looks around the room if
he is not there. She lights up when she see's him. She wants DADDY to hold her only.
Mom can but only if you hand her to me so
she cannot see my face. I did not expect this but have
read the babies usually prefer one parent over the other.

We met with the director of the Shaoyang institute and arranged
to visit the SWI next week. Some of the
girls have been sick with colds and flu like symptoms
but we have been very blessed so far. Marielle is
HEALTHY as a horse. She has no fevers, no cold
symptoms at all. She has no teeth and only a small
rash. The girls at this SWI have been so well taken
care of and it is obvious that they know the director
and recognize him, he may not do day to day care but
they recognize him and light up and smile.

Marielle was the only baby who slept through the night
last night. We are the only ones who look like we slept.


Tomorrow we get their finding ads, two of the babies
have birth notes but not Marielle. We also later get
a health and growth report with pictures etc. There
is also a special picture from there main nannies. We
have been blessed. All the girls just FIT with their
families, I don't know how CCAA does it but it just is
amazing.

Short Posts From Our First Few Days in China 2005

Sunday

We left SLC bright and early and flew to San Fransico. At our gate we
met Jen and Elwood and Kim and Brent Purdue. We had a long flight
over and it seemed like they fed us every two hours.

Monday

We landed at 430 on Monday afternoon the first thing that went through
my mind was that this feels alot like RIO. The wet humidity you could
just feel. It appeared that it had rained but it did not smell like
rain. I had been soooo worried about making it through the airport.
It was a breeze and we learned quickly that when a new line opens up
at port of entry to RUN to get into the new line. We were so tired
when we arrived to the hotel and went to see the store and take some
pictures. I will have Jason upload some pictures later. We then went
to bed and thought we would sleep all night but NO I woke up at 2 am
and have been up since. I guess night shift and staying awake for
over twenty four hours is coming in handy.

The driving is crazy like everyone says and I thought once we would
crash and home we would have so you learn NOT to look out the window.

Beijing is a mixture of old and new. We took many pictures.

Tuesday


Today was a day full of sightseeing. I will be right back to tell you
about today.

McKenna mommy loves and misses you. Sorry we could not get the
internet to work last night.


We started out at Tien An Men Square, it was beautiful and brought
tears to my eyes. There was TONS of people there.

We then went to the Forbidden City, the architecture is beautiful and
there are many areas which they are restoring in preparation for the
Olympics.

After lunch we went to the Great WALL and I hiked a little bit. I
think this was the most beautiful part. But I am always partial to
landscapes and the beauty of nature. We took some beautiful pictures
there.

We then took a light flight to Changsha and are now in the hotel room.
It is a beautiful hotel. We have a crib and a baby bathtub in the
room. I have packed the backpack for tomorrow. We are getting
Marielle at 10 am in the morning and then going to Walmart and then
the rest of the day will be getting to know her.

September 21, 2005 Our Itinerary

Well here it is:
Sept 24-26 Flying from LV to SLC to SF to China
Sept 26 Arrive in Beijing to Sino-Swiss Hotel (McKenna 7th Bday)
Sept 27 Sightseeing tour to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tian
An Men Square
Fly to Changsha Dolton Hotel
Sept 28 Gotcha Day 9 AM
Sept 29 Paperwork
Sept 30 Shopping for Babies(I am glad I have the baby backpack)
Oct 1 Paperwork
Oct 2 Sightseeing tour to Museum
Oct 3 Free Day
Oct 4 Sightseeing tour to YueLu Academy
Oct 5 Free Day
Oct 6 Sightseeing Tour to Countryside
Oct 7 Sightseeing tour to JuzhiZhou Park
Oct 8 Visit Shaoyang SWI
Oct 9 Get passport
Oct 10 Fly to GZ, babies visa picture and medical exam, WS
Oct 11 Shopping, more paperwork
Oct 12 Sightseeing tour to Chen Family's Temple, Family to American
Consulate and pick up babies visa, more shopping
Oct 13 Fly to Hong Kong and then fly home

What a trip to remember.

September 18, 2005

This is the post from the Sunday prior to leaving to pick up Marielle.


I realized it was the last time in
church it would just be McKenna and I. I realized there is alot of
last times and it hit me just how much McKenna's life is about to
change. I just hope I can balance both McKenna's and Marielle's needs.
SO both realize just how much they are loved. It made me feel a
little bit sad and happy at the same time.

Tomorrow McKenna has planned a picnic and although she still asks WILL
YOU STILL LOVE ME, in the next sentence she talks about how excited
she is and what she wants to do at the park when Marielle comes home.

I look forward to Gotcha DAY with Marielle yet realize that as I make
a CD of the trip for Marielle, that McKenna also needs a CD of her life up
to this point. SO we sat down together and picked songs for her
special CD. At this point who knows when I well get either made.

Tuesday we celebrate McKenna's birthday and she is so excited to be
seven. But today she also said I don't want to grow up. I reassured
her that I love her and that even with Marielle here we can still have
special times just the two of us. So that is what this week will be
devoted to reassurring McKenna that she is special to, and that if we
ever go back to China she will come with us on that trip.

So I just hope I am up to the job of parenting both of my daughters,
both individuals and both special. One grew under my heart, one grew
in my heart and together, Jason, Marielle, McKenna and I will learn
and grow as we start our lives as a family. I realized GOTCHA day is
the day we receive Marielle BUT family day will the day we arrive home
and step off the plane and I hug both daughters in my arms that day
will be October 13, 2005.

Thanks for letting me ramble and thanks for being a part of this
wonderful journey.

Natalie

PS I am still trying to make both CD's and guess who will help me now. McKenna she knows her way around a computer better than I.

WELCOME

Once again Tina from "THE STORY OF YOU" has created something beautiful that brings tears to my eyes.

In the next few days I will be posting from our trip to CHINA to adopt Marielle to start the blog and then on to her adventures.