All Things New

This past month Yi Mei has experienced many firsts:

Sitting in Santa’s lap

Baking Christmas cookies with Aunt Debbie

Making a gingerbread house with Aunt Bette

Decorating a Christmas Tree

Discovering Advent calendar have chocolate

Hearing about the birth of Christ

Caroling with friends

The magic of Elf on t he Shelf

Rosasting marshmallow in the fireplace

Watching Rudolph, Frosty and the Little Drummer Boy

First birthday party invitation (Sophie's princess party)

First snowfall
Opening presents on Christmas morning

Christmas has always held special meaning for me- a time for embracing hope, keeping traditions and making memories. Seeing Christmas through my daughter's eyes has brought new found joy.   Nothing compares to witnessing the delight in a child's face, as they first discover the miracle of Christmas.

Three Months Home

It is hard to believe that it has been three months since I first laid eyes on my beautiful, little girl. It seemed just like yesterday that YiMei and I  exchanged our first words.  I will never forget how she slept on top of me, clinging to me for dear life during those first few nights in China.  At the same time, it feels like I have known her for a very long time, as we have become so closely knit together.

Motherhood is by far the hardest job I have ever taken on.  YiMei's iron will and fierce independence challenge me on a daily basis. I am happy to say that there has been a great improvement in her behavior,  as she has stopped deliberatley trying to push my buttons. There have even been some tantrum free days, though most days there is still one huge meltdown.  After many years of dismissing her emotions, it has been very hard for her to gain some control over them when they arise or trust that someone will be there to help her work through her pain.   Even so,  parenting has also been the most rewarding of experiences.  YiMei has melts my heart with her enormous smile.  My heart swells with pride, as I watch her  take brave new steps each day. I never grow tired of hearing her call me mommy.

YiMei has learned so much in the fthree months we have been together.  She has an expressive vocabulary of 50 words, can count to ten and recognize a few letters.  She will play outside with the neighborhood kids, as long as mom is in sight.  Snow White and Cinderella have become two of her favorite movies, though she still prefers to play with her baby dolls more than anything else.  She lays her babies in their crib each night and checks on them as soon as she gets home from school. YiMei has begun to speak in sentences such as "I want chicken nubbets or "I want i see cream."   Her food preferences have not expanded nearly as much as her sweet tooth.  Yi Mei's still prefers rice, noodles, eggs, chicken and fruit. Just recently she started eating spaghetti without meat and decided that a bowl of whipped cream tastes as yummy as ice cream. Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding are also favorites.

YiMei recently discovered that each season brings new adventures.  She loves helping mom rake the leaves.  She likes having her very own pile of leaves, which she insists on picking up all by herself.
My little girl squeals with delight when she is covered with leaves from head to toe.  YiMei loves the idea of dressing up for Halloween and can hardly wait to trick or treat with her beloved Freedom.  Freedom will wear her banana split costume and YiMei has chosen to trick or treat as a butterfly.

Her favorite night time ritual has become reading books with words and pictures, such as Richard Scary's first word book.  YiMei has a such a great desire to learn!  After we read our books, she loves when I gaze into her eyes and tell her YiMei and Mommy will be together forever and ever and ever and ever. 

Here are some pictures and video clips from the Autumn Moon Festival and other fall outings:

What I Love About Yi Mei

Yi Mei has become quite the ham.  She has come a long way from those early days in China when she would stare blankly at the camera. Yi Mei now asks me to take pictures of her and absolutely delights in watching videos of herself.  I love that she is so outgoing, as she is completely opposite of her introverted mom.  I also love how affectionate my daughter has become.  She no longer wipes of those kisses, instead she now will initite them herself.  Yi Mei comes into my bed in the early morning and the first thing she does is wake me up to give me a kiss and then crawls up to my body to sleep as close to me as possible.

I posted a few of my favorites:  Yi Mei dancing at Kaleidoscope, worshipping Jesus with her Kids Praise CD and singing "Skittlee Dinky Doo- I love you". 

Seven Weeks Home

Each week that goes by, it becomes harder and harder to remember life before YiMei.  It is hard for me to believe that we have only been together nine weeks in total.  Those first few weeks home where Yi Mei would not let me take a shower or put her down, feel like a distant memory.  Yi Mei has grown so much in the seven weeks that she has been home! Yi Mei is definitely attached to her mommy now.  Within the security of my love, she has gained some new found independence.  Yi Mei will venture out into the front yard by herself, if there are kids outside.  Of  course, she comes in to check on me every five minutes, but she is making great strides in security nonetheless.  Today she even left the health club pool to use the bathroom on on her own.  All of a sudden, she said, "bye, bye" and walked out of the pool and into the locker room.  Another big stride she has made, has been taking the bus to school in the morning.  She is fascinated with buses and things with wheels, so it wasn't too hard to coax her into trying the bus. 

Though Yi Mei has shown huge growth in independence, her behavior has been slow to improve. 
As I mentioned, Yi Mei is very ornery.  We went to a kids fair/craft show on Saturday and she shut off all the lights in the gymnasium.   This wouldn't have been so bad, except that they didn't come on for thirty minutes.    Yi Mei has a fascination with switches, as she also loves to open and close the garage door multiple times a day.  Her meltdowns persist in the afternoons, where she hits, kicks, and throws things (including her body).  In addition, Yi Mei's sensory issues have begun to impact the types of clothing she will wear.  I can only get her in sundresses, as she hates t-shirts of any type.  More often than not, Yi Mei will run around with her underwear, without shoes nor shirt.

Though she still prefers eggs, Yi Mei has branched out to spaghetti and milkshakes, these past couple weeks.  In school, Yi Mei will use English words with the kids in her class.  I was glad to hear that, as she doesn't speak much English at home.  Yi Mei knows how to say popseecle, biseecle, chocolate, shecool bus, Wreedom(Freedom), these one, hot cold, no more, wow and no.  Yes, she has discovered the "no" word.  Her current interests are taping things, trains, cleaning (she loves to vacuum and wash dishes), singing/music, riding scooters with the neighborhood kids and playing with her stuffed dog "Goo" (Chinese word for dog).  Her favorite book is currently "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes".  It is a book about a mother adopting a Chinese baby.  Yi Mei will look at the pages of the mother and baby over and over and repeat Mama wa ainee baby (mama loves baby).

It was Yi Mei's half birthday and church dedication on Sunday. It took three changes of clothes to get her to wear a dress to church.  She didn't wear the cute shoes that I selected, but at least I got a pair of sandals on her.  All but her under dress shorts came off when she got home.  Yi Mei was excited about serving her Thomas the Train cake that she picked out.  She loved the chocolate frosting, as you can see from her face. 

Sunday was a special day for us. Our pastor confirmed the significance of Yi meaning hope.  He saw Yi Mei on stepping stones, each one leading her further into hope for her future.  The verse that was selected for her was:  Psalm 121:8 "God will direct your coming and going forever more."   Yi Mei was able to receive the love around her at the dedication and the party afterwards.  I could sense a deepening of trust in her spirit.   Since Sunday, she has made an effort to please me by keeping the water in the sink when she is brushing her teeth.  She will also repeat what I have told her about not asking to get up after we have gotten in to bed..  She shakes her finger and says "no more" potty, "no more drink".  After I hold her face and tell he how special she is, she has begun to hold my face and do the same to me. 

I attached some pictures of her party, our boating outing and another of her learning to splash in rain puddles(it was a new experience for a little girl who doesn't like to get dirty). 

One Month Home

Six weeks ago today, Yi Mei was placed in my arms for the first time.  She cried, kicked and screamed something awful and at that moment I knew that I was going to be in for the ride of my life.  I will never forget how she napped sitting up with her shoes on that first afternoon, trying so hard to maintain control.  Six weeks later and four weeks at home, she is still one determined little girl!  Yi Mei has managed to wiggle out of her car seat, call my friends on the phone, lock herself in the car and find new ways to test her mom every day.  The latest antics have been spitting in bed, spilling water on purpose, squatting to pee in public places, running away from me in the parking lot, throwing things in the car, eating things at friend's houses and refusing them at home and taking bites out of all the fruit in the fruit basket.  Yes, she keeps me on my toes all the time.  While her behavior is still a challenge, there has been progress in so many other areas.  Yi Mei now laughs more than she cries, prefers to walk more often than being carried, is able to sit down to a meal at the table without throwing a fit, sleeps in her own bed, loves her dog, plays independently for short periods and understands more and more each day. 

The biggest change has been that she is seeking me out to calm her down at night rather than fight bed time.  Now she makes the motion for me to rock her to sleep.  As I hold her in my arms, I whisper affirmations to her and she smiles so wide.  A couple of times, she looked into her doll's eyes and repeated the same affirmations to her doll.  Rocking her and singing in the car with her, are some of my favorite times.  Yi Mei loves to watch the "We Sing Videos" and knows many songs by heart.  Her favorites are "Wheels on the Bus" and "Old Mc Donald". When she is very happy, she will sing Chinese songs to herself.   Yi Mei understands most simple phrases spoken to her, though she still speaks in Chinese. In addition to hello, goodbye, mama and chocolate, she now says the words:  Popsicle, bicycle, chicken nuggets, shoes, Freedom and hot.  Her favorite activities are still biking and swimming but she also likes to swing, watch Curious George, play with cars, bake, visit the neighbors and write on paper.  Her writing is a series of squiggly lines, but she is fascinated with print and will ask me to write the words:  mama, Freedom and Yi Mei.   Yi Mei loves being with people.  Though she is reserved at first, she eventually warms up and will blow kisses when it is time to leave. 

Yi Mei is still having difficulty with attachment, as she wipes off my kisses, prefers to go on outings or visit people over being at home and will cry out for her Nanny instead of her mama when scared at night.  She usually has one huge tantrum per day, where she hits me and cries for her Nanny.  As hard as it is to see, I am glad that she is able to grieve her loss. Having attachment difficulties after being in an orphanage for four years is normal.  She is giving affection a little more each day and whenever she gives it,  I soak in the moment.

My life has become so rich because of this precious little girl God has entrusted me with.  I am able to see the world in a whole new way- I can't imagine life without her anymore.

Here are some pictures of our recent outings to Deanna Rose Farmstead, Baking, Playing with Freedom and the Zoo:

First Day of School

I couldn't have been more proud of YiMei today.  Only four weeks home and she was able to stay at preschool for one hour.  When we first got there, she thought we were both going to school and was eager to play with the toys. However, when she spotted me leaving the room, she shrieked, "Mama!"  It was very hard to walk away. After twenty two years of teaching, it felt a little strange being the parent of the screaming kid, rather than the teacher today.  I couldn't help but wonder how my students were doing on their second day of school.

 Upon checking in 10 minutes later, they told me that she had allowed the para to calm her down and was able to join the kids for breakfast.  I came back an 45 minutes later and she was sitting quietly in the para's lap, listening to the teacher give instructions.  I am hopeful that she may be able to stay for the entire three hours in a couple of weeks.  I am very blessed to have  access to such a wonderful Early Childhood Program.  I am very impressed with Yi Mei's teacher and am so thankful for the nurturing teacher's aid. 

Here is a picture of Yi Mei on her first day.  She picked out her Chinese outfit and squeaky shoes for the occasion.

Our First Week Home

Yi Mei has been home for a week now and I am in awe of how brave she has been. Yi Mei has already learned to ride her bike, plunged down a huge water slide, went to a birthday party and slept by herself.   Her favorite activity is swimming. A s soon as she wakes, I hear: "Mama, pa (pool)?" 

There also have been some challenges, the most difficult being her fear of Freedom.  My neighbors had to keep Freedom for an additional week, as Yi Mei was so terrified of her.  It was very hard to have Freedom next door and not see her.  Using her favorite treat as a bribe (chocolate- the only English word she knows), we met Tony each day for a visit with either Duke or Freedom.  Now that Freedom is back in the house, Yi Mei swings between loving Freedom one moment and refusing to go near her the next.  Freedom has been a very good sport about all of this, considering she has not only had to share her mama but has had bubbles poured on her head and water squirted in her eyes.

  Yi Mei continues to have several tantrums a day.  Some have been refusing to walk and most of them are about food.  Yi Mei is having a hard time adjusting to American food- right now she only eats rice, fruit, chicken nuggets and eggs.  Every day she opens the fridge and searches for food that is simply not there.  If I knew what she wanted, I would gladly purchase it for her.  It breaks my heart to see her this way.

I am also going through a huge adjustment process myself.  Since Yi Mei's emotional age is a couple years younger than her chronological age, she does not play independently at all.  I am learning how to pack a number of tasks such as checking email, cleaning the kitchen and returning calls into the hour and a half she naps.  Yi Mei is very bright and I have no doubt she will make huge gains these next three months.  As challenging as it has been, I am enjoying every minute of this precious time.  Each night as she falls asleep in my arms, I thank God for bringing this sweet, spirited, little girl into my life and I am proud to be the one she calls, "mamma".

Here are some pics and videos from our first week home:

 I

Swimming in Kathy Aiyee's pool

Our first outing with Gabe to the Farmer's Market

Yi Mei Riding Bike, Swimming and Sprinkler Videos

An Extra Day in Hong Kong

I will be in China one more day.
The flight from Guangzhou was delayed and we missed our international flight in Hong Kong. Instead of arriving at 7:30 on Friday, I will now arrive on Sunday at 12:30 am.  So much for the expensive tickets we bought to avoid spending the night in Hong Kong- it happened anyway. Looking on the brighter side, the airlines put us up at a very nice hotel. Yi Mei has gotten very used to the hotel life. For her, it was just another day of swimming and eating at the buffet.

Yi Mei fell asleep on her own for the first time. Since we didn't get to this hotel until 3:00, she didn't get her nap. She also wore herself out from crying today. Though the flight was only 1 hour, it was a very difficult trip. Yi Mei started crying in the taxi ride over to the airport and progressed to a raging fit on the airport floor. I couldn't even carry her, as she was fighting so hard. I had to wait 15 minutes before we could move. People kept offering her candy, but even candy won't pacify her when she has reached her melting point. The airport employees took pity on us and led us to the front of the security line and also the front of the immigration line. It's not every day that you see an American woman carrying a screaming Chinese four year old around (yes- I had to carry her the entire day because she was terrified). I wish I could say that she was better on the plane, but she had three fits where she screamed at the top of her lungs again. One fit was over being restrained and the other two were over not being able to use the washroom while we were taking off and landing. There was a wonderful Chinese woman who was able to comfort YiMei. I could barely hold Yi Mei down, as she was kicking me so hard and all this woman had to do was take her in her lap. YiMei even fell asleep in her arms at one point. I couldn't believe it! Yi Mei has not let anyone else hold her since Gotcha Day, even Kathy. I was so grateful that she settled down, but my heart hurt at the same time. This woman could have taken Yi Mei and I wonder if she would have ever called for me? I thought we were further along in our bonding, but this event shows how much she still misses her Chinese nannies. Yi Mei must have seen me weeping because she patted my face and said "Boo cue, momma", later on today (Chinese for "Don't cry mommy"). She can be so exasperating one moment and totally sweet another moment.

There is another adoption family who also missed the Chicago flight. They have a 3 1/2 year old who acts out in a similar fashion. It is nice to know that I am not alone. Her mother and I are both bracing ourselves for the 13 hour flight tomorrow.  Instead of landing in Chicago, we are now going through San Francisco and have a ten hour lay over before we board a 3 1/2 hour flight for Kansas City.  We will arrive at 12:30 am in the morning.    YiMei already went through the treats I purchased to bribe her on the flight and I don't have any Hong Kong money or time to buy more.  I just pray she sleeps on the long flight.

Our Last Day

We didn't have any appointments today so Yi Mei and I slept in until 9:00. Yi Mei no longer wakes up weepy. She has learned about the tickling game and asks to be tickled each morning. Yi Mei delights in children's games such as peek a boo and the Itsy Bitsy Spider. She has the most precious laugh and she frequently erupts in giggles.

Yi Mei had a huge breakfast of sausage, a chocolate crescent, fried rice and hashed browns. We definitely have been spoiled by the breakfast buffet. Yi Mei will be disappointed with the limited offerings at home.

Since today was our first day without any appointments, we made it a quiet day. We spent the morning dancing to Chinese Children's Music (Yi Mei loves to sing). Afterwards we went to the pool with another family. They gave Yi Mei an inner tube and she was absolutely delighted! Typical to any four year old, she wanted to swim by herself. This little girl has so much determination. You should have seen her doing laps across the pool; propelling herself forward by kicking.

I think she wore herself out, as she went down for a nap without screaming. for the first time.

We leave at 7:00 am for our twenty four hour journey home. Due to weather, Kathy got stuck in Hong Kong. She had to spend the night and will now arrive home Thursday evening. So far the forecast looks good for Friday. I am very ready to come home, but I feel sad that YiMei may is leaving her birth country.

Yi Mei will become an American citizen as soon as we land in Chicago. I am now off to get the sealed brown envelope that we hand over to US Immigration in Chicago.

Your prayers and encouraging words have sustained me.

Oath Taking Ceremony

Today Yi Mei and I went to the US Embassy to take an oath and pick up her citizenship papers. Kathy left early this morning so we were on our own. The traffic is so bad that it takes at least a half hour to get anywhere. Yi Mei did well in the taxi and I was relieved to find a bathroom in our assigned room. I knew if there was a bathroom, Yi Mei would do well. She is very quiet in new situations, preferring to sit in my lap rather than interact with the other kids. Overall,it was pretty uneventful morning.

I took Yi Mei swimming this afternoon. She is a fish in the water! Unlike her mom, she had no fear of jumping in the deep end. I have to watch her all the time because she thinks she can swim. The life jacket I bought her is so big that she floats right out of it. Yi Mei already has already jumped in before I was ready to catch her. She went all the way under and it didn't scare her one bit. I wish that I could video tape her in the water. She has learned to imitate other children, kicking her feet and moving her arms forward. She even turns over on her back and does the backstroke, while I keep her afloat. Considering she has never been in a pool, her ability amazes me!

Yi Mei had a fit when she had to go down for her nap, but it was the first one of the day. I have decided that I need to start being firm with her. We are now connected enough that I can scold her. Last night, we celebrated Kathy's last evening by taking a cruise on the Pearl River. It was a scenic tour, with breathtaking views of downtown Guangzou. I think all the excitement was too much for my little one, as she began to climb chairs and knock things over. She left me no choice but to scold her. It broke my heart to do it, but I know she needs boundaries. I think last night has made an impression on her, as we have had a fairly quiet day today.

The colorful lights on the Pearl River



Yi Mei eating her snacks in Shamian Island



China

Life in China is very hard. I am more appreciative for my American life than ever. No words can adequately describe the traffic in China. There are motor bikes, buses, bikes, taxis walkers and cars sharing the same lanes. There are lights, but traffic will cross the intersection from two different directions. If someone is in your way, you beep to let them know you are coming through. Interestingly , there are less accidents than in the USA. None of our guides own cars, as they are too afraid to drive. It seems like most people take public transportation which means often waiting for thirty minutes. Most Americans won't even try to cross an intersection, but Kathy and I are more adventurous than most. Besides the constant traffic at all hours, there is construction 24 hours a day. There are massive high rises being built everywhere.

Our first guide Queenie, was an only child. If both parents are only children a family is allowed to have two kids if the first child is a girl. Queenie's family could not afford to have a second child. She said she had a lonely childhood. Our current guide is married without children because it is so expensive to have a child. Our travel escort Winnie, said that her family was able to afford to pay the extra fee to have a third child. They were hoping for a boy, but they had another girl. She said this was still a "happy thing" because it is good to have many children. We were glad to hear this.
The people have been wonderful and we have been very humbled by the way they are so eager to serve us. When we have difficulty folding our stroller, no less than six people will try to help us get it in the taxi. When we return to our hotel, four people are there to open the door and get us an elevator. On two occasions, we asked for directions and have were escorted all the way to our destination. Our guide will serve us dinner before she eats her own meal. In Hefei, a local shop owner refused to take our money for his tea because I was doing such a good thing for the people of Hefei. He offered us lunch and kept saying thank you for adopting one of our girls. The family asked if they could take a picture with us to hang in their shop so they could tell others that Americans stopped in their shop. The local people do stare at us out of curiosity, but are quick to greet you if you say "Ni Hao". The Chinese really look up to Americans and we have been asked to pose for pictures several times.
Here is a pic of the owner of the tea shop and a photo shot from are window in Hefei

A Typical Day

I have had quite the introduction to parenthood. The honeymoon has wore off after and YiMei has been showing more of the behaviors of an institutionalized child. Typical of children from an orphanage, her emotional age is a couple years behind her chronological age. She resorts to hitting and throwing tantrums when she doesn't get her way. She seeks comfort by rocking herself and banging her head, though she also seeks comfort from being held. I have to carry her 95% of the day. On the positive side, she is very independent with self care. Yi Mei has a cold right now and I have not had to remind her to blow her nose once. She is great about getting tissue and throwing away wrappers when she is finished with her snack. It breaks my heart to think of how she had to fight to survive in the orphanage all those years.

A typical day begins with Yi Mei waking up weepy. I think it takes her awhile to process where she is. I have found that giving her a snack and reading books helps soothe her. I have to carry Yi Mei while I get dressed, as she is very clingy in the morning. When we go to breakfast, Yi Mei will ask to go potty every 5 minutes. Most of the time she doesn't urinate, but it brings her comfort to sit on the stool. If she isn't able to get to a toilet, there is a huge meltdown. I try to get a few bites down in the midst of it all. Yi Mei does enjoy our outings, but is quick to meltdown if overtired or upset. Today we went to a beautiful park near our hotel. Guangzhou is very tropical with foliage similar to Hawaii. Yi Mei was in good spirits and actually asked to push the stroller for awhile. Yi Mei walking vs. asking to be carried brought a much needed break for me (the temperature was 100 degrees). We stopped for a water break and she began walking around in circles under a tree, kissing me and giving high fives each time she passed us. At moments like this, she is too precious for words. Yi Mei saw a parked bicycle and wanted to ride it. When I pulled her off the bike, she went into a huge meltdown, throwing herself to the ground and screaming. I carried her all the way home this way. We gave her a bath (her favorite activity) and she was blowing me kisses, waiving in the mirror and singing Chinese songs.

That look means trouble!

Yi Mei is napping right now- my one respite for the day. When she gets up, she will cry and cling to me. In the evening she entertains us the most. She is a night owl, like her mother. We have fun with her at night, but this is also when she is very naughty. Yi Mei throws her utensils down at dinner and often will run and hide from me. When I scold her, she slaps my hand right back and says "No" right back to me. She has broken porcelain utensils and also ran into a busy kitchen. I also have to take her to potty every five minutes during dinner. In the evening, she will sing to her toys, walk around all giggly with our shoes on and when she is really naughty get into our belongings and dump them. She is very good at opening things up. Last night, she got very silly and started pulling her pants down and mooning Kathy. At bedtime, I have to rock her for an hour to calm her down. This is very common for orphaned kids, as they are not able to regulate their emotions. By the time she falls asleep, Kathy and I are so tired, we fall asleep right along with her.

I am looking forward to coming home , as we are not able to keep a structured routine here. It has been a hard week, but I also have been delighted by her sweetness. Yi Mei is so eager to learn and makes the cutest noises when she discovers something new. Whenever I pick her up, she breaks into a smile that melts my heart. If I think of her as a two year old in a four year old body and reduce my expectations for her behavior, then things go okay. I never thought I would be the mother who would allow her child to behave poorly in public, but I have had to throw away my old notions of how children should behave. Kathy has been so wonderful through all of this. She gets out the tissue when we need it, pushes our stroller (which Yi Mei refuses to sit in) and carries all our belongings. Kathy leaves on Wed. am- please pray for us those last two days and especially for the plane trip on Friday.

Shamian Island

We went to a lovely scenic area called Shamian Island today. The architecture is European, as it was once the only Chinese port open for trade to the outside world. Chinese couples take their wedding photos here, as it is on the river and away from the massive rows of high rise buildings. A lot of American adoptive families stay on the island, so there it is the place to go souvenir shopping. I bought Yi Mei some native Chinese dresses, a tea set, a jade necklace and some squeaky shoes. She looked absolutely adorable! Kathy Aiye (aunt Kathy) got a much needed Chinese massage for $30. After hauling our stroller and suitcases everywhere, her back gave out. I may need one of those massages as well, as Yi Mei insists on being carried everywhere. Yi Mei entertained herself by pushing the stroller down the sidewalk and chasing a kitten. She loves to share her food with others and wanted to give the kitten one of her crackers.

It is typical to wait thirty minutes for a taxi here and we got caught in a downpour in the process. Yi Mei enjoyed getting wet and I was grateful for the cool down.

A Big Day

Marriott Guangzhou

Yesterday Yi Mei took her first plane ride. It was a very hard day! She started crying in the morning as soon as she saw us packing. On the plane she threw a two our tantrum because she didn't want to be strapped in. I felt sorry for the people on the plane. She kicked seats and knocked over someone's drink. She definitely is strong willed, a quality that helped her survive. She must have thought I was going to leave her. She is doing much better today. She was so brave at her medical today. This new hotel is incredible!

Yi Mei's Province

We spent our last day in Hefei City touring an ancient village called San Hui. It was so nice to get out of the city and all the traffic. The population of Hefei City is 7 million people and it is considered a small city compared to Guangzhou or Beijing which have populations over 20 million. Being out in the country was a respite for us. We saw rice paddies, people washing their clothes in the river and rickshaw drivers. We took a boat ride on the river and toured the local temple. It was raining which actually helped make the heat a little more bearable.

Later we went out for dinner at a local restaurant. We had a local specialty called Hot Pot. There is a big pot of steaming broth at each table in which you cook your vegetables and meat. Our guide Tracy has been amazed at how adventurous we are with food. We have gone to local restaurants every night and have tried all kinds of food including chicken feet and duck gizzard soup. I want to experience my daughter's culture as much as possible. Yi Mei, however, has taken a liking to the American food we have introduced her to. Chocolate crescents, french toast and candy are her favorites. She also loves fruits!

Here are some pics from our outing along with a picture of Tracy who has been our guide in Hefei. We will miss her!