First few days

March 22 last year, we made the decision we were going to fill out a medical checklist to start the process to adopt again. It's crazy to think after just one year, all that we hoped and prayed for is laying beside me in bed.    Now Grace just cried for an hour, but she is super cute now asleep.  

This is such an awesome but difficult time.... We are all still battling jet lag.  Robbie recovered from the flu.  Grace has a rough time (I mean hours of screaming) falling asleep.  She is starting to let her daddy into her heart little bit by little bit.  I predict daddy will be her go to before too long. She also has several times a day where she seems so sad.  I can't even imagine how hard all this is to process for her and she only has whimpers to tell me how she is feeling.  But then,  it' so neat to see Matthew take on his big brother role.  He will always give a Grace a cookie before he eats his.  They play well together, too.    Sonetimes, I would love to hit fast forward to about 6 months from now, but I would sadly miss how God has worked in her heart and miss all the sweet times in between. 

First trip to American Walmart, I think she really liked not having to dodge motor scooters to get inside the store.

Coloring Buddies

Wearing Matt's Ninja Turtle Mask

Home!

We touched down around 6pm Friday night.  Yay!!! We have had 2 nights of sleep in our beds, but none of us are sleeping to well.  All of us are in a foggy daze.  The adjustment to home has been overwhelming for Grace, but thankfully she has had a lot of playful sweet moments, too.  She spent several hours with Jeff and the rest of the kids playing while I took a nap.  She really loved pushing her baby stroller around. stuffed animals are ok to ride in her stroller, but all the dolls get thrown out. Unfortunately Ro woke up this morning with flu symptoms, praying he feels better soon and the rest of us can keep it at bay.   

America's newest citizen

We survived the flight!  The littles slept at least at least half the time here which was nice!  Next stop home!! One more flight!

Heading to Hong Kong today!

Today we should get Grace's visa!  After we get it, we will take a van to Hong Kong to spend the night.  

We are about 2/3 of the way packed. Grace likes to help us unpack, she keeps bringing me things and shouting mama!

Grace is a sweet silly girl.  She is also trying her limits by throwing things and swatting.  I am the main nanny right now :)  she has a lot to learn to figure out with how this family stuff works.   She will come to me when she is scared and I am the one to primarily still carry her around.    I did leave today for a little bit and she did ok with the boys.  The language barrier is frustrating for her and for us.  We have caught her jabbering in mandarin, but she mostly communicates with us by pointing and grunting. Matt and Grace are still playing together quite well which is really nice.    She is still sleeping with me at night, she constantly is reaching for me to make sure I am there.  Matthew has been a trooper and has slept in the pack n play.  Thankfully there is a zipper hatch on one side and he can get in and out by himself.  Jeff and Robbie have been sleeping buddies for the trip -we are all anxiously waiting our own beds.  

There is a small store downstairs in our hotel and it carries some food items for Americans... like Kraft American Cheese slices,  canned corn and bottles of Ketchup.  Mnmm sounds like an American treat for sure! 

We are doing well, all things considered.  We are excited to be coming home!! It has been very humid here, so our cold weather at home is sounding great.  Thankfully there is a McDonalds ice cream booth next to the hotel.  This was our lunch one day.

Life here is so different.  All the Americans are sweating to death and the Chinese here still stay bundled up.  It's also weird to have so much pushing and shoving,it is better here in Guangzhou. Rarely will anyone hold a door open and people rush right on the elevator before you have the chance to get off.  Waiting in line, yeah not so much.  You better push your way through.  We visited the US consulate yesterday and I was thankful we were able to stand in the US citizen line.  The other line was so long, people were everywhere.  It surely had to be an all day wait for them.  We have been surrounding by a lot of luxury and poverty.  It's hard to hear about how the government  will spend millions revamping their town for the Asia games, yet there are  thousands of children in orphanages. 

I looked away and Grace took my tea  and polished it off.

Robbie at the Mcauy St restaurant, he loves to be in my pictures.

Poor Matt is still my napping boy and he seems to fall asleep most nights at dinner.  If he could just teach his little sister how awesome naps are.

We took a walk in our favorite park by the hotel, Liu Hua Park. It even has a small amusement park inside of it.

A few pictures...

Headed to US consulate today, where we will take an oath and complete the last step for Grace's visa to the US!!! Overall Grace is doing really well.  She is starting to talk a little more.  She can say mamama, dadada, roro, and Nat (matt).  She is really ham in the hotel room, but still stays pretty shy and reserved out in public.  She's loving the guys and will tolerate them holding her for a just a little bit. We have been able to get out a little bit more on this trip, so that has been nice.  We went on a boat tour of the Pearl River, gone out to eat with our group and done some shopping.  Picked her up a couple of pairs of squeaky shoes, which she seems to like.  As long as I stay near, she's ok.  Thank you for your continued prayers, we are headed into the back stretch of this trip.  Looking forward to introducing Grace to her new home, when the new adjustments really start.  She is going to be surprised that we really don't do laundry and dishes in the bathroom at home....   Love to all - Kelly

Kids adopted in our travel group

Traditional outfits

Group picture, this is just half of our group

Good Morning!

Good morning from Guangzhou! Laying here on the hotel floor, doing my back exercises and completely overwhelmed with what God has done to bring us to this point.  The hurdles, the paperwork, the travel, the money,  the fears... I am beyond words.  Tears are streaming down my face thinking of how far we have come with Grace.  To see her sleeping sweetly right here in my bed... We have such a long road in front of us, but my heart is joyful.  

If adoption has ever crossed your mind, please pray about it right now.  These children are worth it.  It is awesome, God's hand is clearly on these children.  His heart cares so deeply for the fatherless, they are his treasures.    

In Guangzhou

We arrived in Guangzhou Saturday night. Grace did fairly well on the plane ride and she even sat in the seatbelt for a bit.  She didn't cry until after we landed, but it seemed like she just worried about this next transition.  A sweet lady gave her a mint (which she just held in her hand) and again she quieted.  People have been very nice to us like that.  One lady even gave up her seat on a crowded bus for us.  She tried to ask me a question, but I didn't understand.  Another man came over and interpreted for me and she gave me the warmest smile when she heard we had adopted Grace. 

  I spent my birthday traveling most of the day Saturday, however when we got here we were able to have Papa Johns pizza delivered and the boys bought me a box of chocolates. Best yet was real Air conditioning, not just a picture of a snowflake on the thermostat while it pushed out hot air.  Breakfast here is also very good so that helps too.  There are so many adoptive families staying here.  I would say probably all the children here have a special need of some sort. How awesome to see these children treasured who were once the lowest part of their society just a week ago.    It's also nice to see parents that are a lot older than us. ;)  there are several us that are adding a second generation to our families.  As we went out today, we even saw other adoptive families on the streets.  I think we need some sort of special wave or handshake.  

It is the most amazing thing to see Grace change a little bit each day.  She is really sweet and she is trusting us.   TShe is such a pretty girl.  She can still get very quiet and sad, but there have been so many sweet silly times today.  Robbie and Jeff can get her to laugh and smile now. Hopefully they can start carrying her soon too :)   She still becomes very reserved if we are in public.  She is sleeping better, but still doesn't want to lay down for nap.  She has been so exhausted at night she just crawls up in my lap and falls asleep, which is so much nicer than an hour of screaming.  She will even point and grunt.   Matthew and Grace really play together nicely.  Matthew calls her Gracie Little Starkey.  Sorry for the lack of posting - either we are running around or one of the kids has by Ipad.  Love to all and thank you for your prayers.  God is so very good!

Day 3 - Wednesday

Sorry it's taking me a long time to update... Here is from Wednesday.  Grace is even doing much better, will try and catch up soon!

The weather has warmed up here to the 60s, which is great for us since we left weather back home in the single digits. Funny enough, the people around here still act and dress like its 20 degrees.  We are just plain roasting.  We sit around in our hotel room in shorts, I'm sure people think we have totally lost it.  I have yet to use a heat wrap for my back because I am sure I might melt.  My back is doing pretty well, so no worries.  

Yesterday we travelled to Luohe in a van with one of our guides and another family.  11 of us travelled in what looked to me like an oversized mini van.  The van had 3 extra jump seats installed, there was one even between the two front seats. It was so nice to travel a day later, but unfortunately we learned we missed the trip back to Maria's which was today also.  LuoHe seemed like a very neat small town (only 5 million people).  When I told the guide that our home town only had 5000 people, she said we must know everybody in town.  As we pulled into town, we came down a road being paved that was yet unlined.  Since  lines on the road and traffic lights seem to be just a suggestion only, it was full out chaos with people driving down both sides in both directions of this road.  

  We got to visit Grace's orphanage, which in stark contrast was 100 times better than Matthew's.  It was clean and when we visited Grace's room there were just 6-8 children living in that room.  One of her nannies swooped her up immediately to hold her.  We were told many times over how smart she is and how many words she knows how to say. They all say she is very outgoing and smart.  We were also told how she doesn't like strangers and especially men. Many nannies stopped by to talk to her and it was easy to tell she was a favorite here.  The best gift of all, was that we received about 30 pictures of her from when she was a baby till recently.  I am a little frustrated in that if I hadn't been very persistent asking for these, I would have never received them. 

I didn't stay long in the orphanage with Grace and decided to head outside, leaving Jeff and the boys inside.  She was upset when we left, but one of the nannies brought her down some cookies and she soon quieted. She fell asleep and slept the whole way back.  We were unable to visit her finding spot since it was too far away, so that was a little disappointing too.  I know these orphanage visits are upsetting, but my hopes were to give her some closure and to soak in the small bits of of her life that we could.  The hard part is that Grace doesn't realize yet she needs a mom and a dad.  She only knows orphanage life, which to her benefit probably wasn't horrible.  

She still whimpers around Robbie and Jeff, but she is trusting of Matthew and I.  I am thankful she will let me take care of her and pick her up.  It's hard waiting for this flower to blossom.  We so want so see the real her, but for now she is very closed up.  She has yet to speak a word or utter a sound besides a cry or a whimper.  She mostly will just stand and not move.  Since her walking is unsteady, people mistake her for a baby.  She is eating well and otherwise seems healthy.  Her behavior right now is not uncommon for some who has recently experienced what she has, so I am not alarmed.  

We are trying to take it easy from here on out.  We have started to socialize a little bit in the hallway and she actually stood up and played a little bit by herself.  When we made this trip with Matthew two years ago,  he was happy to be with Jeff and I, but would flip out with any new transition.  He also was very obsessed with food.  Grace is the opposite.  We could probably take Grace anywhere and she wouldn't make a sound.  She also is totally fine with food. She eats exactly how she should.  I was hoping to be more of a seasoned veteran on this second trip, but God is contininually showing me that I don't have it all figured out yet.   Each child is so different and it doesn't take much to too look around at all the children in our group to see how they are all processing their new lives. 

A smile!

Jeff and Robbie both went out to get us dinner last night at Subway.  They joked that she would be laughing and smiling because they left.  They were right! I popped Grace into the tub and Matthew "Mr Entertainment" started to work his magic.  He had her giggling up a storm.  Our bathroom has a huge viewing window that has a blind that I can open and shut - Thank goodness!! I was able make silly faces at her through the window and it was such a Godsend to see her happy.  It is has been heartbreaking to see her so sad.  As soon as the guys came back, she was a little less tense, but no smiles.  Thankfully I had proof.  Her anxiety around the guys is really hard on them.  I know all Jeff wants to do is hold her and he can rarely get near her.  I am also thoroughly regretting my decision not to bring a carrier.  I didn't want to put any more strain in my back, but I wasn't planning on having to be the one carrying her all the time either.  Last time, Matt preferred Jeff, but I was still able to hold him.  

We are holding up though.  I am trying to sneak in back exercises, sometimes at 3 in the morning.  The guys are trying to keep their distance as much as they can from Grace in a hotel room.  At one point today, I finally just put on some praise music from Sunday school.  The days are hard and I miss home, but there are amazing things happening.  God is taking care of so many details and it is him that has made this day.   He gave us rest when  we desperately needed the afternoon off and a sweet smile just when my heart needed it the most. He is knitting us together.  

 We so appreciate your prayers.  We really do feel them.  Please pray for Grace to be comfortable around Jeff and Robbie.  Please also pray for a little one in our group, "baby K".  She is having some medical struggles  that would be hard to deal with in the US, but even so much harder here.  Let alone the brutal schedule the family has to go through at this part of the trip to apply for passports. , it's rough if your child is well. 

Love to all and all praise and glory to God ! - Kelly

Day 2 with Grace

JGrace's adoption is official today!  Our plans ended up changing today.  The orphanage office was not able to meet with us, so we are waiting till Wednesday to go back to Grace's birth city.  We were overjoyed.  With registering her adoption and the trip back to her birth city, we would have been gone all day.  Tomorrow we will go at 8 am with one other family to make the trip.

Grace had a rough time getting to sleep last night.  At one point while Grace was crying, Robbie awoke and got up to turn my iPad off because it was too loud in here.  We gave him the news that it wasn't the iPad but his his sister.   She cried for about an hour and finally we just put her in bed between Jeff and I.  We are sleeping in full size beds, so it was a little tight.  I finally gave up and slept on the settee.  Grace sucked her thumb and squirmed her little self till she was back near me again.  

This adjustment time is plain hard.  She wants very little to do with anyone else but me.  We still haven't heard a word from her and haven't seen a smile.  I am very thankful that she trusts me a little bit. She played ball with Robbie, Matthew and I a little bit yesterday.  She did let Jeff give her some snacks and noodles.  She doesn't like the baby doll I brought her, but she really like holding a toothbrush and a little lamb we brought (thanks Joanne!).

I have the feeling Grace was very loved at her care center.  She really seems very shell shocked right now. She often will just be staring out into nothing.  She seems a little stubborn and hasn't napped either day.  She sat up in bed and I watched her head nod 20 times, but she refused to lay down.  She has now sat next to me this whole time as i have typed, very contented.  She will occasionally look up at me, but no matter what I can't get a smile out of her.

 

She's Here!!!

We have Grace!  In Starkey adoption fashion, she was one of the last ones to arrive. She is so beautiful.  The orphanage says she is very talkative and can get in trouble.  We haven't heard her speak yet and she has only cried for about ten minutes.  She loves noodles, rice, hard boiled eggs and yogurt.  She has been my little buddy, but is starting to warm up to daddy.  Robbie and Matthew have been so helpful and matt is full taking his bid brother responsibilities very serious.  Robbie was our official photographer.  We are so glad they are with us.  Tomorrow is a long day, we will travel back to her birth city to apply for Grace's passport.  We are mostly calling her by her Chinese name, Siqi at this point.  She does respond to it.  

orphanage director posing with us

Grace's nanny

Day 2 Beijing

Startled today off feeling so much better after some sleep and a shower.  We headed down for breakfast and met up with the rest of the families to go see Tianmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Hutong (old part of Bejing).  I apologize that my photos are all out of order.  

Our meal at the Hutong.  We ate in the home of a local family.  Not to worry this is prescheduled by our agency and very safe.  Lunch was delicious, I don't know for sure what we ate but I did recognize Green beans, broccoli, chicken wings, rice and dumplings.  Robbie even liked several things.  Our agency made up cards that say Robbie has a nut allergy so that has been nice when asking about the food.  

Our dessert was these cute packaged oranges.

When we visited the Forbidden City, this boy asked to have his picture taken with him.  

This is a picture of our hotel.  Very nice hotel.  We eat breakfast down in the courtyard.  Our room is tiny though (as are all chinese hotels.  Our three beds span almost the entire length of the room. 

These are pictures of the little boy who lived at the home we visited in the Hutong.

It wouldn't be complete without a rickshaw ride.  

Matthew has met a buddy.  One of the other families with us has a son who is 4.  They have really hit it off.

These girls are the hit of our group.  Everyone asks to have their Picture taken with them.

Our guide George.  So good to see him again.  He was our guide last time.