Six Banyan Temple

We visited the Six Banyan Buddhist Temple to tour and also have a blessing of the girls. This Buddha is in the entrance way to the temple.


The temple is named for the old banyan trees on the premises, by Mr. Su.

In the center of the temple is this 17 story leaning pagoda. There seems to be only 10 stories but the last 7 are very small, on the very very top. I went all the way up, and as you get higher the floors and doorways get smaller and smaller. On the top levels the lean is really noticeable (or maybe it was a little vertigo?)



Lots of people were there, some to get a blessing like us in this building with the Past, Present and Future Buddhas.

The Red Couch

It's a standing tradition to have the kids' photos taken on the red couches on the 2nd floor by the golden bird cage. For all our efforts, they would just not smile! I think we have to be more stealthy about the cameras because they just stop whatever they're doing at the moment and look at you.

We met up with our friends from the Nanchang orphange and took a group picture of our Nanchang sisters. It was chaos!

Also, we met some people from NBC there. They are working on a story about child trafficing since thats a headline grabber after the horrible child trafficing case in the Hunan province that's been in the news. Maybe it will end up on TV? If it is, I hope its factually accurate and a net positive for the international adoption process.

Medical Exam

The medical exam ... was not one of the girls highlighted moments of the trip. Honestly, it was quick and easy. However, the girls were quite frightened. As you will see from the pictures, no one was very happy.


Avery is now 25 lb and 84cm. Sophie is 24 lb and 83 cm. Everyone thinks Avery is the older sisterbecause she has a chubbier face. We were asked so many times that we started to think that we mixed up the girls. After taking out the earlier pictures, we were relieve to discover we had not mixed them up. Phew...

Shopping and New Friends

We are really enjoying our time in Guangzhou. The shopping is terrific. We've been to the Pearl Market, as well as the Jade Market. We were able to learn about pearls and shop whole sale. Bargaining is the most fun!

The pearl market is really a big indoor mall with shops for buying individual pearls and jewelry, and then the other stores are to buy/sell in bulk.

There's also other stuff too like sculpture and geodes.
There's more pearl/pearl jewelry stores all along the street too. Here and in Nanchang (maybe most big cities in China?) all the stores of the same type are on the same street/area. We were told that's because people like to compare and negotiate prices. One of the streets we drove down in Nanchang had over a dozen different stores all selling the same (looked like it to me anyways) wood flooring supply, then a whole bunch of stores selling lumber, then PVC pipe and plumbing, etc etc.


Anyways, the same with the Jade market - it was a whole street of stores selling jade jewelry and carvings. Kind of intimidating though because nothing has a price on it and you have to negotiate, then compare to other stores.


Here is Kate expertly selecting a string of pearls to be made into bracelets for the girls for when they get older. Doesn't Eva look excited at the fierce negotiations going on???



The owner (?) of the store loved the girls, and little miss Avery let her pick her up. She was very, very nice and gave the girls 2 small pearl bracelets as a gift! What charmers, we'll have to take them shopping all the time.


On the way out of the pearl market I saw this. Quick, call the Queen Mum! the Crown Jewel is missing!!

There is a Buddhist temple just off from the jade market. I only took one picture there though as people were worshipping and there were also services going on. The air was heavy with incense and the statues were beautiful. Tomorrow we are going to another temple so stay tuned.

Around our hotel we have lots of little shops. I was able to buy the girls 2 dresses for $6 USD per dress! We've bought 4 more pairs of shoes (I'm sure there will be more). And of course- lots of gifts and souviners. In a little while Kate is going to the Silk Market, while Doug takes the girls to the playroom.



We've made a few friends in Nanchang and were able to meet up with them at the White Swan. Here are a few pictures from dinner last night. We hope to stay in touch after we get back home.

We Love Guangzhou!

Oh my goodness- it is 6pm, 90 degrees and Florida kinda humid. It is tropical and beautiful! We are staying at the White Swan hotel on Shamian Island with all the other adoption families. The hotel is amazing! There is a 2 story waterfall in one of the lobbies, we have audio through out the room/bathroom, with multiple channels in each room, marble floors, and A/C. The cribs are so much better. They are regulation size with the appropriate slats. They also have bumpers so poor Sophie doesn't get another bump on her noggin'. Mattel has a playroom for the kids and each child gets a Barbie holding a Chinese baby.

Once we got over the excitement we went to get a stroller and something to eat. We went to Lucy's, a diner that does American-style bar and grill food. Kate had a BLT, the girls had eggs (they love eggs!), and Doug had a burger. Note to other people traveling here and want to drink a beer - a 1/2 pint is 1/2 pint, a pint is a pint, and a jar is a gallon! (order the jar!) When we came back to the room we called Nana and Grampa to say goodnight. The girls were really wired, but that's ok Avery called Phyllis "Nana". I'm sure it made her day :)

We're all resting now. Tomorrow we have to complete some paperwork and then we'll go shopping at the Jade and Pearl factories. At some point we need to visit the play room and the pool.
Goodnight!

Every Girls Loves to Wear Her Mama's Shoes...

They did this all by themselves!
For those of you having a hard time telling which girl is which, Avery is the one wearing the Mama's sneakers, and Sophie is trying on Mama's clogs tonight.

Bye Bye Nanchang

The girls took their first plane ride today from Nanchang to Guangzhou. We were all sad to say good-bye to Lisa, but we also couldn't wait to get to Guangzhou. Bye Bye Lisa!

Our flight was only one hour and went very quickly. The girls drank milk at take-off and were fast asleep within 5 minutes. They slept through the entire flight. They are very well mannered little ladies!

St. Patricks Day Dinner

Nope, no corned beef and cabbage for us! We went to another local resturant and had more great food: beef with peppers (the hot, make your eyes water peppers), fried rice, a pork dish that you eat like peking duck on bread with onions, and watermelon for dessert. The girls had a whole dish of steamed eggs. They practiced with chopsticks, too!

Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou for the last leg of our trip!

River view

Here is the view out of our hotel of the Gan River. If you look closely, you can make out the water buffalo on the land in the middle of the river.




Just to the right out of the above river picture frame, there is a bridge over the Gan River, called the August 1st bridge (after the August 1, 1927 Nanchang Uprising) guarded on boths ends by giant cats.

Going shopping? I don't think so!

Since the weather was decent we decided to go out after naptime to the walking street and do some shopping. This street is for pedestrians only, no bikes,cars,or mopeds. It is about 5 blocks from the hotel. The street has all types of stores and food vendors. It is a very popular hang out.

We got to the street easy enough, but once we got there people kept coming up to us and staring. They liked talking to the twins. The adults would speak to us in Chinese and we couldn't understand any of it! =[ ) It was strange how people would point and talk about you as if you weren't there. People were so obvious about staring. Some people got right in your face to gete a good look at you. There were definately no rules about personal space. Many children would practice their English; they would say things like, "Where ?"are you going?" and "How are you?". It became more and more surreal. As one group of people were taking our pictures, many others would stop too. People just kept coming over! 10, 20, 30, huge crowds and we often got trapped! Then others came over to see what the commotion was all about. Everybody was very nice and friendly and curious. We learned there is no way to not stick out in a crowd in Nanchang! Lisa later told us that they thought we were celebrities. Ha!


We also met lots of little kids and babies. Most kids are carried, but I saw one boy inn a carriage (but not quire american style!)

Passport, please.

This morning we went to the Administration Division, Public Security Bureau of Jiangxi Province to get Huanhuan's and LeLe's passports. (The passports are in the girls' chinese names.) We can' thank Lisa enough for her guide and translator services - without her we'd be lost for sure!!

A visit to the countyside

We took a car for about an hour's drive out to a village that has been inhabited for over a thousand years. We entered through a stone archway, past a Buddhist temple and parked in a large square that was surrounded by shops and alot of people were there either playing cards, socializing or doing business. The paths through the village were all paved with large, rectangular stones. The houses and buidling are very well preserved, and in some areas more modern brick buildings abutt the old, original stone and wood dwellings. Many doorways were still decorated with red lanterns and signs of good luck from the Spring Festival.

Lots of people still live here. There doesn't seem to be any heat in any of the buildings, and although I did see some very sketchy knob and post wiring with rusty junction boxes, though I did not see nor hear any electrical devices. Everyone we passed was very friendly and wanted to say hi to the girls. I think they're very used to tourists. Most of the houses had doors or entry ways open, and we peeked in on a cooper and alot of other people too.



The main structural attraction here is a house that once belonged to an officer, and compared to all the other houses is a mansion in size. There were rooms for entertaining guests, teaching, family gatherings, exercising, the elders, in addition to servants quarters and some other parts I'm sure I'm forgetting. There was also a second story too. The second floor was for the daughters, as traditionally girls and young women were not allowed to socialize with men until they were married.


The vaulted ceilings, doorways and carved wood screens and partitions are done with masterful skill, even if they are showing considerable signs of exposure and age.


Part way through the tour there was an old woman selling snacks - there were 2 choices, chips or eggs. We chose the chips, they were made from sweet potato, steamed and then mashed flat and dried. They were pretty good, I have no idea about the eggs though!



Once we left the officer's house, we went up a narrow path, and once through an archway we were greeted by giant camphor tree that has been standing there for 1200 years. The tree was massive! The camphor tree oil is a natural insect repellent, and around under the sprawling shade of the tree are benches and tables and this is a very popular spot to relax in the summer.


Another landmark in the village is the Longevity Well - so called because there were several people who lived here to be over 70 or 80 years old, which is exceedingly rare in those times and locations.

Enjoy the pictures!

Grampa!!!

Yeh! Your getting out of the hospital today!!!!!

Orphanage Visit

Wednesday we went to visit the Nanchang Social Welfare Institute. Although the girls were in foster care we wanted to visit the location that they were abandoned.

Upon entering the gates, Avery immediately became upset and frightened. our guide explained that the girls came here every month for doctor visits. Apparently, Avery didn't like these visit. She wanted out of there.

The orphange was nothing like we expected. It is a very cheerful, loving place. They have lots of toys- the kids play indoors and outdoors. They have classrooms set up much like a public school ( pre-K, kindergarten, special needs, and primary grades). The kids are very active and appear to be having a lot of fun. The nanny's were very loving.

In addition to the infant and toddler rooms, Holt has set up group home apartments. These are not like the group homes in the US. These are apartments set up by Holt in which they train and hire a couple to be parents to 4 abandoned children. these children range in age from 2-15 and are waiting to be adopted. Holt feels that it is important for the children to have a sense of what a family is like.

Holt also has programs set up for the older (18+) special needs women who were never adopted. They teach the women lfe skills. Right now they are sewing blankets, and knitting socks and sweaters. They sell the items to earn personal money to buy shampoo, soap, clothing, etc. It gives them a sense of independence. The work they do is beautiful.

Doug and I got in trouble by the nannys. They didn't feel that we have the girls dressed warm enough. I don't think we possibly could. When we got the girls, they were each wearing 5 pairs of pants, 5 shirts, 2 pairs of socks, and then shoes. 22 articles of clothing altogether. I don't think I brought that many clothes!

After that we went back to the hotel. Sophie and Avery were emotional wiped out. We all slept for 4 hours.

The docotr came over after dinner. He prescribed an herbal cough medicine for both girls and penicillian for Sophie. They are doing much better. Sophie's infection is now gone and she's not coughing as much in her sleep.

Thursday we go to rural Nanchang.

New Photos

I really did upload those photos I swear! But, it seems every time you add anything you have to re-share, and I missed that part. So, here are the latest photos.

It's Official

Last night we signed all the papers to legalize the adoption. This morning we went to the Civil Affairs Office for our final interview. To our surprise the girls needed to sign the adoption agreement as well. Each girl put an ink printed footprint as their signature. It was a lot of fun. Everyone had their picture taken and both girls were given a porceline vase.








After all that hard work we were all very tired and needed a nap. Sophie now sleeps with her bum in the air.

Then we were off to Walmart. We bought diapers, wipes, toys, and new PJ's. It was very busy. The girls love to shop! The say wave and say "bye bye" to everyone they meet.

Shopping made the girls very hungry and cranky. There were many tears when we returned to the hotel. Finally, at 5:30pm we met Lisa (our guide from Holt) and had a traditional spicey Nanchang dinner. We had beef in round, bread bowls, noodles, sweet and sour pork, and fried rice. It was very good. Nothing like American Chinese food. The girls ate up everything! Avery is especially a good eater.

Now we are night, night. The girls both have a chest cold and are going to the doctor tomorrow afternoon. We have tylenol cold and cough. Hopefully they'll feel better soon. Good Night!