The Girls in Their Finest!

Easter Egg Hunt at the Farm . . . .


We went to Rosemary's farm for the annual chicken co-op potluck and Easter egg hunt.

This is AK looking for eggs in the blossoming apple orchard.

This picture is deceiving - it was cold. Really, really cold. And windy.

Of course, AK wasn't cold as she never is cold. I couldn't even get her to wear a jacket :)

Here are the kids with Sarah counting their eggs and sorting through their prizes.

Inara had so much fun at the farm and was rather upset when we had to leave.

Unlike AK, our little Pumpkin Pie gets cold easily and her little lips where blue.

Ahhh, Easter in the Rockies . . . .

4/1/2011 - Journal Entry
When we first got Akasha, Chinese people would tell us she was an old soul. I never doubted that. She was always wise beyond her years. But, she also reminded me of war veterans who have seen too much in their life time.

Orphanage life can be so cruel. I have often found myself thinking that Akasha’s time in the orphanage nearly destroyed her. Her personality is not one which can withstand isolation or lack of human touch. She is an old soul, but she is also a soft soul.

I remember vividly when we got Akasha how she didn’t know how to play with a toy, how she didn’t know to cry to communicate a need since crying never led to a need being met before, how more than anything she wanted skin-on-skin contact with us, how she needed to have water within reach at all times, and how she ate every meal with obsessive vigor.

Akasha’s orphanage days were apparent not just in the weeks after we got her, but in the years to follow. Eventually most of the evidence of her orphanage days faded. She still is an overly serious child who frets and must be reassured perhaps more than most. But, generally, she is your typical six year-old.

This adoption journey has been so different and it has made what I have always known about Akasha’s experience more poignant.

Inara laughs unabatedly. She expects to be fed because she always has been. She expects to be played with because she always has been played with. She expects to be loved because she has always been loved. Everything becomes a game to her and every item becomes a toy. She cries when she is mad, when she wants to be fed, when her diaper is wet, when she is thirsty, and she expects all the needs to be met because they always have been met. She emanates the pure joy all children should have who still do not know the possible cruelties of the world.

It is impossible to know what part of Akasha’s seriousness and inwardness is just her personality and what part is from her experiences. But, I have always felt so much and respect and admiration for her as you might for a veteran of war.

We're Home!

We missed our connection in LA last night so we stayed the night and flew into Denver this afternoon. We cannot wait to see everyone soon and thanks for all the support and comments to our blog. We loved sharing our journey with you all. Off to get two very tired little girls to bed! Julie

Eric and AK had fun taking pictures with all the statutes throughout Shamian Island.

Food from our favorite restaurant! We will miss this place. It is a hole in the wall place that the locals go to - you have to climb stairs five stories to get to it and it is very much a family run/family frequented place. The food was the best we have had yet.

Akasha and Inara in their sister shirts - Inara's says "Mei Mei" which means little sister and AK's says "Jie Jie" which means big sister.

Here is us with our guide, Ike, eating at our favorite place.

Women practicing Tai Chi with swords near our hotel.

Inara breezed through her medical exam, yesterday. She weight in at a whopping 25 pounds - her nickname of "dumpling" is well earned. She charmed the medical staff just like she charms everyone she meets. Her smile is infectious.

We are going to miss China but it is time to be home. And, we cannot wait to get there.

Coming Home Early!!! . . . .

We are very excited to be coming home on Saturday. Inara's visa was processed today and we were able to move up our flight (thanks to Eric!!!) We are ready to be home. Sorry for not posting more pictures but our camera cable is malfunctioning and we have been unable to off-load photos the last few day but we will post more when we get it resolved or after we are home. Ahhh, home . . .that word sounds so nice right now. See everyone SOOOOOONNNNN!!!!

Monday, April 4 - Beijing

I have heard it said that the Forbidden City is one of the most spectacular sites to be seen in this life. And, when people would tell me that the Great Wall was nice and all, but that the Forbidden City should not be missed, I was skeptical. Now, I completely understand.

We walked all the way to the Forbidden City (AK walking and Inara in a stroller). As we approached Tiananmen Square, tears welled up in my eyes. It was the events in that square that pulled me into the practice of law. I would have never guessed 20 years ago that I would be standing there with my two Chinese daughters and my best friend. And, there at the end of the square, the Forbidden City, larger than my camera could possible capture.

I immediately wondered what it would have been like two centuries ago to approach such a formidable complex built in the middle of the vast expanse of the plain. AK suggested that we build a time machine and travel back in time but in a way that would allow us to not be seen and able to walk through walls so that we could actually enter the Forbidden City. She is such a smart cookie.

Yesterday, we went on a small tour to see the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. We had the most gracious tour guide who was so helpful with the girls. Climbing the wall from where we started was no easy feat. The steps were up to 2 foot high each. Eric stopped with Inara part way up and AK and I carried on for as long as AK's legs would carry her.

When we reached one of the higher towers, I looked at AK and unexpectedly burst into tears as I looked at my beautiful daughter with the wall rising up behind her. She put her arm on my shoulder, shook her head and said, "I knew this happen. Just take a drink of water, Mama." I had been so worried that our jaunt to Beijing would be a stressful excursion with the girls but it has turned out to have been an amazing side trip. We knew AK was a phenomenal traveler, but it has been a delight to discover that Inara is equally a great travel. Seeing this part of China has been amazing for us as a family.

My favorite part of our trip to the Ming Tombs was driving through the country side and seeing people working the earth, earth they have worked for generations, next to the Great Wall and these elaborate tombs. AK was intrigued seeing all the children working out in the fields (it is planting season). Driving in China is an art. A crazy, chaotic, frightening art. They are amazing drivers but every person and car passed is passed within millimeters and at full speed. Driving (or riding a bike in traffic) is not for the faint of heart.

Here is us changing Inara's diaper in the Forbidden City - I wonder how many times this wall has been used for such a purpose?

...spoiled, or at least I'm trying!

I have to say that I was a little tentative when we adopted AK (even though it took years...can't say I'm great with change), and it took no time at all for me to become completely enamored with her and so of course I am probably more excited about Inara because of AK!

Recently, something interesting has happened over the last few days and it's really wonderful! I've spent more time with AK and she's really growing up fast. I sometimes get jealous that Julie gets to spend all this intimate time with AK -and now, with Inara- so I'm so happy to have AK gravitate to me in the last few days as our family is adjusting and really enjoy her extrodinary intelligence and see how such an interesting girl is blossoming. Much of my adoration is drawn to the little things: noticing that there is no 4th floor on the elevator, strong determination to read everything, big smiles, her sayings that are perhaps beyond her maturity, but they are so situationally appropriate, and on, and on...

I love all pictures of AK, so it was hard to pair down, so here are some recent ones that I like, and yes, I know they are in a blog for Inara, so I hope you all appreciate also. We had a couple approach us the other night -grandparents of an adopted Chinese girl- who were just taken with not only thier daughter but both AK and Inara. This trip is about Inara, and she gets many smiles wherever we go, and we just get so many smiles also for AK that I wanted to add to Julie's incredible blog (I'm always intimidated to add to Julie's blogs because she is more eloquent than I am).

Cheers,

E

um, exec suite, plz?!

We ended up in Bejing after a fairly easy flight from Nanjing -we were a bit worried about how Inara would take it, but she giggled through take-off and landing and even napped a bit! At our new hotel in Bejing, the simple math was obvious, although I felt somehow I was being dupped when the Marriott offered a current, "deal" for an exec suite. So, price 1 with no breakfast or exec suite, free breakfast for less than 2.5 (charged for AK). Anyway, turns out that not only do we get free breakfast and hors d'oeurves, but free drinks...like, real, get-me-happy-at-sea-level drinks. Oh, and free internet in the exec suite to save on that $18/day charge, although regulated a bit by the Great Firewall of China so stil have to workaround for this blog, gmail, netflix, etc.. AK had her own king last night and although I was a bit sceptical that it was worth it, she somehow optimized her body sprawl and took up an unexpected amount of space for her size. Today, we saw the forbidden city. We walked there (about an hour) and after figuring out the stroller we grabbed a taxi on the way back and swam in an opympic length pool for a couple hours and tomorrow we see the Great Wall. Inara has been a trooper. She laughs all the time and is becoming more aware of AK, Julie and I and loves walking and hugging. She elicits many smiles and is very determined and quite resilient. Akasha is still adjusting to the family shift and very good at verbalising the feelings she has, although we are trying hard to spoil her a bit during this transition, she is doing amazingly well. Ok, so back to the exec suite...