Friday, October 26, 2007
Squatty Potties
OK. I've had several questions about the squatty potties. A squatty potty is basically a Chinese toilet. Most people there do not use a "Western" toilet, as they call our potties. At least not in a public place. Not sure what they have in their homes. We would go to a nice restaurant and even there, most are squatty potties. There would be maybe 20 stalls, with 2 "Western" toilets. The rest are squatties. We never had to wait for a "Western" toilet, as the people who live there usually prefer not to use them.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
More Miscellaneous Photos
Todd went on a guys outing to a live meat market. You choose your live animal, and they slaughter it for you. This was one of the delicacies they could choose from. They had frogs, snakes, lizards, chickens, goats, seafood. They arrived right after the slaughter, and there was blood and guts in the street.We all rode on rickshaws for a tour on Hutong, the old part of Beijing. These poor guys each pull 2 people, and they can really move! It was fun, and interesting to see how these people live. We visited the home of one older couple. We don't realize how much we are blessed by what we have. Basically, in all the cities we visited, no one has a house. Everyone lives in apartment buildings that reach to the sky. The only houses we saw in China were rural.
Red Couch Photo Day
It is traditional to take photos on the red couch in the White Swan Hotel in our final destination, Guanghzou. Mia is in purple, and wouldn't look at the camera. She was too busy visiting with the other babies in our group. They all came from the same orphanage, so they enjoyed seeing familiar faces during our trip.
Miscellaneous Photos
The infamous "squatty potty." Enjoying an authentic Chinese meal. Yummy airplane food!
Gotcha Day!
We suspected this was Mia, as we were waiting for our turn. We were right! This is an orphanage worker holding her.Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
Lots of interesting history lessons this day. These are people lined up to see Mao Zedong. Our guide said this was a slow day!
The Great Wall
Yes, that is graffiti on the Great Wall. Very cool for Bethany to find her name there. Especially since most of the graffiti is in Chinese!
We're Home!
A quick note to let everyone know that we made it home safe and sound. Everyone is doing well. I will get some photos posted in the next day or two (when we're not sleeping!).
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Update!!
We're having computer problems, but we've finally gotten on at the business center in the hotel in Chongqing. Sorry to have disappointed everyone! No photos either, until we add them when we get home. We are all doing very well. No sickness. Mia is beautiful, of course! She has adjusted to us very well (although she needs nap while she sits on my lap at this moment!). I'm going to let Todd finish this post while I tend to baby. ~Kris
We are currently staying at the Harbour Plaza Hotel in downtown Chongqing, a town of 33 million people. It is hard for an Iowa boy that grew up in a town of 7000 to fathom the amount of people that live in this area. We have taken a great deal of photos and video footage of our trip so far and will share these with everyone when we can get our computer working. Gotcha day was Monday at 10 am local time. All 9 families crowded in a small conference room while the babies were delivered to their new families. Not a dry eye in the room that day, it was a very emotional time for everyone. Two of the couples in our group are first time parents so they are learning very quickly how to deal with a 9 - 13 month baby that is dependant on them for everything. Mia is beautiful and has taken to all three of us very well. Mia continues to become more comfortable with us and seems to open up and trust us more each hour that she is with us. We have all ventured out into the masses as a family have definitely NOT blended in with the crowd very well. A couple of overfed white people from midwestern USA with an asian baby attached to one of us seems to draw lots of curious looks and an occasional crowd of interest. All reactions have been positive.During the day Bethany and I have ventured out into the city a few times and have had a good time doing some shopping and sight seeing. Today we spent the day sightseeing as a family with the other 8 adoptive families in and around Chongqing. Tonight we plan to dine in a mountain top pagoda that oversees the entire city area. Tomorrow Bethany and I will travel a couple hours to tour the orphanage where Mia spent her first 9 months. Mom and Mia will stay back and try to keep busy together, a little claustrophobic in a motel room all day. We feel that it is important to try and get to the orphanage and take some photos of where Mia's life began. All of the babies in our group are very strong and in very good condition. The orphanage has done a very good job with all of the babies, for this we are very appreciative. Everyone makes the comment that Mia and I look very much alike. You will understand more when you see her hair cut. Lets just say we look like we share the same barber. More later just got kicked off the computer..Todd
We are currently staying at the Harbour Plaza Hotel in downtown Chongqing, a town of 33 million people. It is hard for an Iowa boy that grew up in a town of 7000 to fathom the amount of people that live in this area. We have taken a great deal of photos and video footage of our trip so far and will share these with everyone when we can get our computer working. Gotcha day was Monday at 10 am local time. All 9 families crowded in a small conference room while the babies were delivered to their new families. Not a dry eye in the room that day, it was a very emotional time for everyone. Two of the couples in our group are first time parents so they are learning very quickly how to deal with a 9 - 13 month baby that is dependant on them for everything. Mia is beautiful and has taken to all three of us very well. Mia continues to become more comfortable with us and seems to open up and trust us more each hour that she is with us. We have all ventured out into the masses as a family have definitely NOT blended in with the crowd very well. A couple of overfed white people from midwestern USA with an asian baby attached to one of us seems to draw lots of curious looks and an occasional crowd of interest. All reactions have been positive.During the day Bethany and I have ventured out into the city a few times and have had a good time doing some shopping and sight seeing. Today we spent the day sightseeing as a family with the other 8 adoptive families in and around Chongqing. Tonight we plan to dine in a mountain top pagoda that oversees the entire city area. Tomorrow Bethany and I will travel a couple hours to tour the orphanage where Mia spent her first 9 months. Mom and Mia will stay back and try to keep busy together, a little claustrophobic in a motel room all day. We feel that it is important to try and get to the orphanage and take some photos of where Mia's life began. All of the babies in our group are very strong and in very good condition. The orphanage has done a very good job with all of the babies, for this we are very appreciative. Everyone makes the comment that Mia and I look very much alike. You will understand more when you see her hair cut. Lets just say we look like we share the same barber. More later just got kicked off the computer..Todd
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Flight Info
Oct 10:
NW 3171 depart Des Moines at 9:09am/arrive in Minneapolis 10:40am
NW 19 depart Minneapolis 3pm/arrive in Tokyo 5:25pm on Oct 11
NW 11 depart Tokyo 6:25pm/arrive in Beijing 9:25pm
Oct 24:
NW 10 depart Guanghzou 8:15am/arrive in Tokyo 1:55pm
NW 20 depart Tokyo 3:25pm/arrive in Minneapolis 12:05pm
NW 5692 depart Minneapolis 3:30pm/arrive in Des Moines 4:40pm
NW 3171 depart Des Moines at 9:09am/arrive in Minneapolis 10:40am
NW 19 depart Minneapolis 3pm/arrive in Tokyo 5:25pm on Oct 11
NW 11 depart Tokyo 6:25pm/arrive in Beijing 9:25pm
Oct 24:
NW 10 depart Guanghzou 8:15am/arrive in Tokyo 1:55pm
NW 20 depart Tokyo 3:25pm/arrive in Minneapolis 12:05pm
NW 5692 depart Minneapolis 3:30pm/arrive in Des Moines 4:40pm
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
China Itinerary
Oct 10: Fly from Des Moines to Minneapolis to Tokyo to Beijing.
Oct 11: Arrive in Beijing at 9:25pm
Oct 12: Orientation 9am. Acrobatic show in the afternoon.
Oct 13: Visit the Great Wall and Cloisonne Factory.
Oct 14: Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Hutong Tour. Fly to Chongqing, arriving at 10:05pm
Oct 15: Receive Mia in the afternoon!!
Oct 16: Adoption registration and notarization.
Oct 17: Free
Oct 18: Visit Chongqing Zoo and Flying Tiger Museum
Oct 19: Free
Oct 20: Receive documents. Fly to Guangzhou, arriving at 9:25am. Mia gets a medical exam.
Oct 21: Free
Oct 22: Visa appointment.
Oct 23: Todd's birthday! Go to the U.S. consulate at 3pm to take oath and pick up visa.
Oct 24: Fly from Guangzhou to Tokyo to Minneapolis to Des Moines, arriving at 4:4opm.
Oct 11: Arrive in Beijing at 9:25pm
Oct 12: Orientation 9am. Acrobatic show in the afternoon.
Oct 13: Visit the Great Wall and Cloisonne Factory.
Oct 14: Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Hutong Tour. Fly to Chongqing, arriving at 10:05pm
Oct 15: Receive Mia in the afternoon!!
Oct 16: Adoption registration and notarization.
Oct 17: Free
Oct 18: Visit Chongqing Zoo and Flying Tiger Museum
Oct 19: Free
Oct 20: Receive documents. Fly to Guangzhou, arriving at 9:25am. Mia gets a medical exam.
Oct 21: Free
Oct 22: Visa appointment.
Oct 23: Todd's birthday! Go to the U.S. consulate at 3pm to take oath and pick up visa.
Oct 24: Fly from Guangzhou to Tokyo to Minneapolis to Des Moines, arriving at 4:4opm.
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