November 25, 2004 (Thanksgiving Day)- We awoke early, finished getting everything together, and left South Bend shortly after 10am for Chicago. Upon arriving in Chicago, we went to the wing that deals with international flights- we were now the minority. There were people from everywhere there... and we knew we'd found our gate when we saw that every person around the gate was Asian. Sure enough, there were maybe 10 caucasians on the flight of at least 350 people, not including flight attendants. The 777 is the biggest, newest plane out there. Every seat had a screen on the back so that you can watch your position on the globe as well as assorted movies (Terminal, Spiderman II, etc...). From Chicago we flew straight north- up over the Hudson Bay (covered in ice that had cracks in it) and the North Pole (which is very dark- no Santa in sight :(....) and then down the other side of the planet over Siberia and Mongolia down to Beijing.

November 26, 2004- Somewhere over the North Pole our day switched into the 26th. We arrived in Beijing at 3pm. The Beijing airport is simply amazing... much more clean and modern than any airport in the US. Except for one detail: squatty potties. That's right- in the most modern airport probably in the world, they don't have western toilets. Anyways, our guide met us outside customs and we were off. She took us to a waiting van... and we were formally introduced to the traffic in China. It took about 2 seconds for us to determine that even though China doesn't have a seat belt rule, we would wear ours anyways. Sure I had read all about it, but you don't get the full effect sitting infront of the computer. Everyone must fend for himself- using his horn as much as possible and threatining to run over anyone or anything that dares attempt to get in his path. At any rate, we made it to our hotel and after a quick visit to the store across the street for bottled water, we collapsed. 2 hours later we awoke thinking we'd slept for maybe 10 hours. The wonders of jet lag. We went back to sleep and were up within another couple hours: wide awake. So we whipped out our sleeping pills and somehow slept till 6.

November 27, 2004- After a tasty American breakfast in the hotel, we were off to sight see. First we drove all around Beijing- spotting a McDonalds and a TGIFridays, amongst other firmilliar places to shop. We stopped at Tienamen Square and saw all that there is to see there. Meanwhile, Father bought a Beijing Olympics 2008 hat (it was a lot colder than we though it would be) for $.50 from a "street" (or "square") vender. Next we visited the Forbidden City, where generations of Chinese nobility lived totally oblivious to the rest of the world. Of special intrest would be the Starbucks shop at the heart of the compound. Smells just like home! To get from the Forbidden City onto a main road, we had to go through the "real" Beijing- a totally different side than what we would see of China for the rest of the trip- much poorer- probably closer to the conditions with which most Chinese live. Then we went off to a Chinese restaraunt for lunch. This restaurant was located on the second floor of a store where we looked around for maybe and hour before we got back on the bus and continued out to the Great Wall. We climbed the Great Wall and took our pictures. What is interesting is that you can get cards made at a shop there by the wall that say: "I've climbed the Great Wall" and you can buy t-shirts and icecream cones, too. In the parking lot by the Great Wall entrance, there was a camel which we found interesting. From there we headed back to the hotel. That night I took a quick swim in the hotel pool before eating half a box of raisins for my dinner and going to bed. I ate the other half of the raisin box at 5:00 the next morning when I was wide awake.

November 28, 2004- On this day we flew from one amazing, modern airport to an even bigger one that was even more incredible than that in Beijing: Guangzhou. Guangzhou is a city of 14 million located in southern China- the latitude of Miami. It is the former city of Canton (if you remember that from 7th grade history) and we stayed on Shaiman Island which is where all the foriegners were banished to in the 1800's. So all the buildings are English-looking. At any rate, it was a clear day and we watched China through the airplane windows. After landing, we rode to the White Swan Hotel AKA adoptive parents central. There were at least 150 other adoptive families there. All Ameicans (and Spanish and English and...) who adopt must go through this hotel because the Counsulate for the US (and all the other countrys' too) are located on the island. So the place is teeming with babies and parents who speak English. We went to a Thai restaurant for dinner which was memorable. They brought out our meal and I almost threw up- the smell was just too much. Then it was back to the hotel and to bed.

November 29, 2004- After a wonderful breakfast at the White Swan, we decided to explore the island a little bit. We walked to the far end of the island and spotted a walkway that allows one to get off the island (across a ditch which is just about the equivilant of a septic tank as well as a huge 6+ lane road) and into the "real" Guangzhou. We walked around and witnessed the skinning of a live snake (mmmm... lunch!), as well as cats in cages (same demise as the chickens in the cages below) and some large, scary looking mushrooms. I created quite a stir as my caucasion self walked about in Adidas capris, flip flops and white toenails. All the locals could not stop starting. Back at the hotel we had some lunch (pizza from one of the restaurants) and got ourselves ready for the next item in our itinerary: get the babies. At 3pm we hopped into our bus and sped through the streets to the Civil Affairs Building. Quite a place- at least 7 or 10 stories, but of course, only on elevator. And we were not the only group (there were 9 families in our group plus a guide) getting babies that day so there was an eternal line to get on the elevator. As we were standing there waiting, some babies arrived and were ushered past us. On our floor we discovered that all the rooms on the floor were already full of families from other groups, so we stayed out in the elevator "foyer" for that floor and watched the other families cram themselves onto the lone elevator to leave. Our guide sat us in order (we were 5th) and then they brought all the babies out. Jade was the only one who slept thru the entire ordeal- even sleeping through a couple babies who cried. We think they drugged her for the ride there (it was 5 hours from her orphanage) becuase she is so high energy. At any rate, we got them and went back to the hotel maybe a half hour or 45 minutes later. We took Jade up to our room and changed her clothes, gave her a bottle and later she would watch tv (the CBA- Chinese Basketball Association complete with black players and white coaches!!) with us as we ate our delivery bagel and grilled cheese. It took 2 laps around our floor before she went to sleep and so concluded our day.

November 30, 2004- On this day Mother, Father and Jade went and spent the entire morning becoming a "legal family". Then Mother and I went shopping at a giant mall. Again, the Chinese have put the Americans to shame- the place was absolutely immense- not even Christmas Eve shopping can compare with the sheer volume of people. We bought some baby clothes and formula and returned back to the hotel.

December 1, 2004- We went to the 6 Banyan Temple (Bhuddist) to sight see. While we were standing there, a brand new SUV drove though the courtyard- during a "service" and everything. Very interesting. On an average day in Guangzhou, we would go somewhere in the morning, and have the afternoons to do whatever we pleased. There was a Chinese & American restaurant near the hotel. It ajoined a park so we would eat outside under an orchid tree. We would also go to a little cybercafe` type place at least every other day to check our e-mail. Other than that, we would shop- I am pretty confident we stuck our head in every shop there.

December 2, 2004- We visited the Botanical Garden. It is the most beautiful garden- palm trees, orchids, you name it, they have it- even cactus! We marched around the whole place, and even got our picture taken with 2 Chinese girls who were pretty thrilled to see caucasians.

December 3, 2004- Father visited Jade's orphanage which was 5 hours away. Meanwhile, Mother and I stayed "home" (you know it's been a long trip when you call your hotel room "home") and went to have Jade's physical done (she enjoyed it immensly let me assure you). And went shopping :). For dinner we visited the deli next to the hotel and purchased a loaf of bread (yummy) and some fruit and yogurt and when Father got there he got some cheetos and a diet beverage. Every night from then on we'd go and get Haggan Daaz icecream from there. Yum.

December 4, 2004- The Chen Family Temple Day. This group of buildings/courtyard was built by the Chen Family in the 1800s to house all their family heirlooms and tablets with their history (distroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1970's). Now its a museum with all these fancy carvings and such along with furnishings and weavings and paintings, etc. Father and I were enthused for maybe 10 minutes and then we just wandered around and made comments :). Then we were assigned to take pictures which was interesting as well. There is a picture of Father singing a hymn under one of the patio like things- he believes that he is the only one who has sung a hymn right there. I must agree. Mother did enjoy the place immensly, including the giftshop of antiques where she bought several fragile items. While in China, she bought Jade future birthday gits and a wedding present.

December 5, 2004- Bright and early, our group gathered for pictures. First, we took one on the balcony overlooking the pond and waterfall in the hotel, and then we went over to the red couches for the world-famous red couch picture. Needless to say, almost every baby screamed through the entire ordeal :). That's what makes it memorable though, right? We also visited a church on the island- they had PowerPoint words for the songs, some of which were sung in English, some in Chinese. And the speaker was translated for the English speakers.

December 6, 2004- I want to say this was a free day, because I don't remember us doing anything except more shopping :).

December 7, 2004- Our last day in China was highlighted by the swearing "in" ceremony. Our group marched over to the American Counsulate and after going through rigerous security, went to a room. Each family was compared with some "stuff" and then another group or 2 were led in. Then this guy (American) came in, said Congrats, and told the parents to raise their right hand. He said something to the effect of "I will love this child and never abuse or abandon her/him and all the info I gave was true" (took somewhere around 25 seconds) and then all the parents said "Yes" or "I do" or whatever and it was over. So we went back "home". Our guide went and got us pizza from Pizza Hut for lunch. We ordered a plain cheese pizza (safe, right?) When it arrived we discovered that it had no sauce. Several other families didn't have sauce either. Very interesting. Later in the day, we had a little Gaozhou Girls photo shoot of the 4 girls from Jade's orphanage.

December 8, 2004- We awoke at 5:30am for the longest day of our lives. After a rushed breakfast, we hopped on the bus and took our last drive off the island, and to the ultraslick Guangzhou Airport. We boarded our plane and it was a 20 minute flight to Hong Kong. From there we stood in an slow moving line where we chatted with other families. We made our way to our gate and got on the giant 747 that would take us home. Right away on the plane Jade wanted a bottle. Of course, the bottle liner had a hole, so it got all over. Through the course of the flight, Jade slept 3 hours max (in 30-45 minute intervals) and the rest of the time wanted to wander around. Too bad you can't wander that far on a plane. Not soon enough, we landed in Chicago. The first thing I noticed was how dirty everything looked. The immigration room was deplorable- stained carpet, wooden benches (reminded me of a boys lockeroom with carpet)... not at all impressive. But immediatly outside security were some firmillar faces and we went home!!! And after 26 hours I went to bed- after eating some apple pie which was washed down with a big ole' glass of cold MILK.

...Please do tell me if you see any spelling or grammar errors- or anything that just doesn't make sense. Thanks!