More New Friends

This weekend started off with a dinner party. We had Shuang, Betty, and Sela over for dinner on Friday night. Shuang is a student at the University of Evansville. She has agreed to come over once a week or so to help ease Bridget's transition to life in the USA and to help her in communicating with us. We had a nice dinner and Bridget even cooked the vegatables. Bridget grieves for many things. Friends, Foods, Language, School and culture are all very different from a month ago. Sometimes she handles it well, while other times she pulls back and doesn't want to do much of anything. We are really glad that Shuang has agreed to help her a bit. Betty and Sela's support was really nice to have as well (Plus, Betty brought Brownies and Betty knows chocholate very well).

Getting acquainted.

Here, Lorna wonders what it is she will be eating while Bridget prepares some unidentifyable vegatables.

I think Bridget likes what she is hearing.

Bridget and Shuang talk about life in Mandarin Chinese while Marlee observes and wishes she knew what they were saying.

Film From Our Trip to the Safari Park

Here is a quick little film that captures some of our experiences at the Safari Park in Guangzhou, China. It really was an amazing place. It must have been 100 degrees and it was very humid! It was hard to keep the camera lens from fogging up. It sure was fun for us to be with Bridget at last.

Bridget has been doing really well in school and is adjusting more and more each day to life with us and in the United States. It is an overwhelming adjustment as one might imagine.

The School Girls

 

This morning both Marlee and Bridget headed off to school toting supplies and lunch.  It was so beautiful to see “the school girls” setting out together for the day. 

Bridget's Party

It seems that Bridget really had a nice 14th Birthday. She faced her fears of going to school today and seemed to do very well. Everyone made her feel so special at the party. She surely must feel like a princess. As it should be.

Bridget had a very big day. She was scared to go to her first day of school today. But, I think she ended up really liking it. Many kids tried to help her out.

 

Bridget had a nice time at the birthday party with lots of presents to open and happy people looking on.

Happy 14th Birthday Bridget!

Please join us in wishing Bridget a Happy 14th Birthday today!  Not only is it her birthday but it is also her first day of school here in the United States!  It should be a very exciting and somewhat stressful day (you think?).

When Bridget got up this morning for her first day of school she had a surprise waiting for her...

Lots of Balloons and a birthday gift from her family.

Yesterday, Linda brought her puppy over for Bridget and Marlee to play with.  This also brought out many smiles.

Feeding the Animals

Our trip to the Safari Park in Guangzhou was a really great zoo experience because we had access to some of the animals.  Here is neat footage of Marlee and a giraffe.

Kate and Nathan escorted us to Hong Kong

On our last day in China our friend Kate and her son Nathan came to Gaungzhou to spend a little time with us.  They also guided us through the train station and accompanied us all the way to the Hong Kong Airport where Kate's husband Doug and other son Evan joined us for dinner.  It was so nice to see them.  I know Bridget loved the opportunity to speak Cantonese--A bit of a break from the language struggles.  (We might still be in Hong Kong somewhere without Kate's guidance). Thanks again Kate.  We love you!

Auntie Kate and Bridget talk (In Cantonese) prior to our train ride to Hong Kong.

Fun to watch Nathan and Marlee play.  Nathan came to Guangzhou to visit Marlee when she was adopted two years ago.  They sure grow fast!

Nathan and Marlee play as we wait to head to Hong Kong.

Auntie Kate bought Bridget some chinese speaking DVDs of a TV series that apparently is laugh out loud funny because Bridget did a lot of smiling and laughing watching it on the laptop.

These are lizard skins on a stick.  We went back to the market to take a picture of them before we left.  I was hoping they weren't some kind of dessert treat.  Apparently, they have medicinal purposes.

Getting Used to the New Place

Bridget came to us speaking no English at all, so communication is tricky.  However, we're pretty sure she likes her new home, especially her room!  It has taken her no time at all to organize her things and settle in.  And, like a typical teenager, she sleeps a lot, so we're glad she's comfortable.  We're looking into starting ESL classes right away.  In addition to needing to improve our communication, we feel certain that our girl also misses her peers.  So, the sooner we can establish some new friendships, the more comfortable she'll be.  That said, we had a chance meeting with another family with three teenage girls, all adopted from China!  One of them still speaks Chinese!  All three of these lovely young ladies have reached out to Bridget to make her feel welcome.  Yesterday, we stopped by their home so they could loan her some English study guides for Chinese speaking people.  She and I are going to sit down together today and start working on them.  I think we're moving right along.

So Good To Be Home

Here it Is! Bridget Gotcha

Here it is the Bridget Gotcha Video! We are so excited to share it with you all.

We're Home!

We made it home with Bridget, safe and sound, this morning to much fanfair! Thank you so much to the great friends and family who met us at the airport and made Bridget feel so welcomed. You could tell she was pleasantly surprised to get such a greeting as we observed the biggest smiles that we have seen so far. She really seems to love her new home too. She seems almost surprised that what we told her about it was really true. She is now taking a nap in her bed. That feels really good.
The trip home was a great adventure. It started with our friend Kate and her son Nathan (who are from Hong Kong) meeting us at the hotel in Guangzhou and riding/guiding us through the train station and along on our trip to Hong Kong. What an amazing city. We got to spend a few hours with Kate and her family before we flew out of Hong Kong on our 13 hour journey back to Los Angeles. By the time we made through immigration in LA we were late to our connection flight to Chicago.
As I get the chance to reflect back on this it is truly amazing that we caught that flight. We literally ran through that airport starting with a sprint accompanied by the Cathay Pacific representative in her red suit and high heels high-tailing it through the international airport to the American Airlines check-in process (Cathay Pacific is a great service airline by the way - highly recommend). Along the way we encountered doubters who told us there was no way to catch the flight and a long delay clearly in our near and apparently distant future. But we bonded as a family (including Cathay Pacific rep) with no communications or language problems -- all on the same page -- as we ran to our departure gate. Nothing would stop our family. I (as Daddy) was burdened down with all of our carry-ons, movie cameras, and passports tenuously dangling, was out front in the final stretch bound and determined to make it to the gate to hold the plane (of course it was the gate at the furthest end of the long concourse). It was crowded as I sprinted through. I looked back at one point and I could see Lorna and Bridget still running, but well behind. I couldn't spot Marlee but she is so small I was confident that she was a few sleepy strides behind her momma. Needless to say I was shocked when I looked down to my right to see her beaming smile as she was sprinting right along side me in true "Chariots of Fire" fashion. Apparently, she had seen me take off with such great enthusiasm that she couldn't resist the "game" and was up for the challenge. I couldn't believe how fast she was running! She looks up at me and says "Are we going to make our flight Daddy?". I had to laugh though I remained focused. "Come on!" I exhorted.
We made it. They had some other delay at the last minute anyway so they let us on. I told Marlee "you are a real trooper". She went on to tell her heroic story to each person she encountered there-after. "Daddy says I'm a real trooper and we didn't miss our flight".
The rest of the journey went very smoothly including our wonderful greeting party here at home.
Well, I am currently uploading the much anticipated Bridget Gotcha Video. It will be arriving in a few minutes.

Venturing Out

We have had a couple of very nice days.  Bridget seems much more comfortable and very happy.  That makes us feel much better.  We have ventured out into Guangzhou many times on this trip and really experienced the city.  It does expand your horizons and awareness even though it is exhausting.  In these photos you will get a glimpse of some of what we experienced today.  By the way,  that is a real chicken head that Marlee is holding.  It accompanied our lunch.  Marlee isn't afraid of much.

Its a walk in the Park

Today, we went with some friends to a great park in the city of Guangzhou.  I am not sure if Bridget enjoyed it all that much.  She hasn't quite allowed herself to relax and participate in much yet.  Older child adoption is a much harder process than it is with a younger child.  But, we are making progress each day.  Here are a few more pics.  My philosophy is keep having fun and eventually fun will catch on.  I hope it works.