This is our lasr post from China.

Hello Everybody! We spent the day packing and organizing paperwork. We receive more papers to turn into the immigration in Chicago tomorrow. We leave for the airport at 6:30 a.m. -we are all excited to be heading home.

Our time here has been amazing, educational and very joyful receiving our darling and active and happy little girl. She was singing her heart out today-sorry we did not understand the words. She moved toward me to comfort her-good step today -Yea!  Marty took Hannah/Yue Yue to the hotel lobby to see the big Christmas tree they just put up-she love the star!

This is our last post- a huge thank you to Brian Miller for posting everyday onto the blog-or it would not have happened!!!!   Love you all-excited to see

you-pray for us for safe travel-thanks to Anni-Mari for the toddler games-we will use them for many -many hours tomorrow!!!!!  

God bless everyone and thanks for all the prayers! God is so good! Love Lisa, Marty, Sam (the best big brother) and little Hannah/Yue Yue 

Swearing in Ceremony

Tuesday 11/30/2011

Today we had the American Consulate appt. /swearing in ceremony and one more document to sign. Now I think it is official :0 Then we went to an interesting market-people selling all kinds of live things-to bulk tea and lots of medicinal herbs/roots-many things I had no idea what it was. They sell it wholesale and business people come from other cities in China to buy it and sell it. One thing they sold were live scorpions -turtles and special roots-you cook it all in a soup and it detoxes you -oh my. After the market we went for lunch and Sammy had ice cream for dessert. Hannah saw Sammy eating it and she wanted a taste as well-you will find the photo.

I heard from a little bird that some sweet friends would like to meet us at the airport when we return from China. We appreciate the thought but including driving time-layover time and flight time-we will be traveling for over 30 hours-+ a 13 hour time difference. By the time we make it to the airport we will be exhausted-not to mention a little girl who may be on her 20th meltdown. We REALLY cannot wait to see everyone-I have missed you and thought of you bunches- but after a few days of recovery at home we will be very excited to see all of you!!!

A big thanks goes to Jackie W. for giving us little stacking cups -it has gotten us through many official appts. And plenty of other times too :) We pack tomorrow and do a few last things(get Hannah's passport/visa) and soon we start for home.

Love you all! Lisa, Marty, Sam and Hannah

"Red Couch" photo

Monday 11/28/2011

        Today we took the other families to Shamian Island to have their TB tests checked and had the "Red Couch" photo with all 6 children. They range in age from 9 months to 9 years.  There are 4 children with special needs including a little boy who is deaf, a little baby girl with club feet (she will have corrective surgery soon and will be fine) one little boy (with the darling hat) and the 9 year old girl. All are so sweet and will be a blessing to their families-however there are life issues to work through with each child on that couch. Each need prayer, as well as, the parents to have wisdom to know how to meet their child's needs.  God has greatly blessed all the families you see in the group photos.  We toured a b. temple

today.    Tomorrow we receive Hannah's passport/visa and have the swearing

in ceremony at the American Consulate in Guangzhou. I believe it will be official then! Wow!  There is a photo of Yue yue cuddling with Sammy this morning. He is the only  one she will do that with at this point. There has been progress in the bonding :) though a while to go. Love you all-Blessings -Lisa, Marty, Sam and Hannah

Praying for a great Sunday service this morning for you!

Praying for a great Sunday service this morning for you! While the families wait for visa/passports to come for our children to enter the US-we have 1/2 days of activities to see parts of Guangzhou.

Today we went to a beautiful gardens-I thought of Michael Vincent-he would have loved these flowers and trees! The color arrangement of flowers- 80 degrees of sunshine and water fountains were amazing. There is one photo of 5 of the 6 families with their children. Hannah/Yue Yue loved chasing bubbles and running around the gardens. Our time is winding down. 3 more days here then it is homeward bound.

Keep praying for adjustment for this little girl-so many changes and more ahead of her when she comes to the US. Love and miss you all!!    :)

Lisa, Marty, Sam and Hannah     

Ready to be back

We went back to the medical clinic on Shamian Island to check Hannah's/Yue Yue's TB test-which was fine. All the other families are here now from the various provinces with their new babies. The places where the other families stayed were not so good or clean or safe. We have seen some sad places -very poor but we are also in a nice hotel here in Guangzhou. The culture is so interesting and so very different. I do miss home though and am ready to be back. We took a walk in a city park today-very beautiful-lots of flowers and it is so wonderfully warm! Thanks to everyone who is taking care of mom and dad-and the home front and the Bible study!!!! There is a photo of Marty dancing with his little girl in the lobby. Sammy continues to be a favorite and can soothe a mad /sad sister. Love and miss you all :)

Lisa, Marty, Sam and Hannah      

Today Sam turned 18 !!!!

Today Sam turned 18 !!!!  


We went to an American restaurant where he had a big hamburger and fries!!!! Whoo hoo !  


We finished (I think) the paperwork and signed the last papers (multiple papers!) Rode the subway to Shamian Island and had a free day there walking around-it is very beautiful there-did a little shopping. We took a photo with one other family from our group on the red couch. This is a tradition for all the adoptive families-only there are usually 10 or so babies on the couch. 


Great to skype with some of you. We miss you and love you. Lisa, Marty, Sam and Hannah.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving

 Hope everybody will have a wonderful Thanksgiving-right now it would be 7:14 in the morning for you. Getting ready for a turkey dinner and family/friends! :)  

 Today we went to the Guangzhou zoo and had lots of fun.

Hannah/Yue Yue enjoyed seeing many animals-I loved the pandas! The bamboo was amazing! The zoo is near or almost in the city and there were so many flowers/trees in bloom-very beautiful. Later we went to a market where they sell jade/pearls-wow :)  Then we went to a store to buy some bottled water and other things-we came across chicken feet and ones with their heads still attached. My girls don't have to worry :) Nothing is wasted here-at all!

 The one photo has our FTIA adoption guide/she has been soooo helpful and sweet. She really has taught us a lot!  Hannah goes and goes-and I am giving her Shaklee vitamins?  :0 

 Love you all and miss you -can't wait to see you!
Love always-Lisa, Marty, Sam (whose 18th birthday is tomorrow ) and Hannah