We are not able to access our blog due to mainland China's recent internet policy change so we won't be able to post any
updates until we are back in the states. The write-up below is a summary of our first 24 hours with Grace. (Thanks mom for posting this for us.)
>
> It's a gray, windy and rainy day today as the tail of Typhoon Megi sweeps through Nanchang. You'd never know it though due to the sunshine named Grace" that has come into our lives.
>
> The past 24 hours have been life changing to say the least. Yesterday at this time our flight landed at Nanchang airport where we met Evelyn from CCAI. We boarded a mini-bus with the Maniaci's and traveled the 40 minutes to central Nanchang where we checked into the Jin Feng Hotel. Along the way we saw a moving chaos of cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and people on what appeared to be a freeway, but doubled as a sidewalk. Construction cranes dot the sky trying to keep up with the housing demands of 4.5 million people. Very different than Hong Kong. A world away from Minneapolis.
>
> About an hour after reaching the hotel, Evelyn, the orphanage director and a nanny showed up with Grace. With a knock on the door of room 712, Grace came into our arms and our lives. Our fears of us terrorizing her world were unfounded. She immediately went to Christine and then to me. She has only cried when she's hungry or tired. Within 30 minutes of meeting us we were exploring the hotel with her. It's as if she had read our adoption application and had chosen us. She loves to be held and takes turns in my arms and Christine's arms.
>
> We had dinner last night in the hotel restaurant with the Maniaci's and Jing, their 6 year old newly arrived daughter. Their son Anthony, 5 1/2, came on the trip as well. The brand new brother and sister who can't understand each other played together at dinner like it was any night around the dinner table. That is until Anthony fell asleep in mid-bite of his dessert. Very cute. We tried to put Grace down for sleep, but with all the excitement of the day she took some time to wind down. Around 10 pm she drifted off to sleep in the tiny roll away crib in our room. Christine, however, did not go to sleep until about 3 am. Some combination of excitement, fear of Grace crawling out of the crib, an occasional whimper from Grace and jet lag kept her awake.
>
> I was up early, but Christine and Grace slept to about 7:30 am. Grace woke up hungry, but happy. "Two strange old white people who I can't understand hovering over me...no big deal.". At breakfast we met a couple from Rhode Island who got their baby Mia last night. Also a couple from Boston who got their baby Jamie last night. Also their 6 year old adopted Chinese daughter was with them. Grace and Mia sat in high chairs next to each other while all the adults shared their experiences with each other. (Both couples had also been waitind 5 years.). Just your normal every day hotel breakfast...
>
> We met Evelyn in the lobby at 9:00 am and headed off to the Provincial Registration office. We took the elevator to the 25th floor of a non-descript office building where we saw our new friends from breakfast, in addition to about 5 other western families with their adopted babies. First, we had a picture taken of the three of us. Then we had to be interviewed on why we were adopting. Finally we had to pay the balance due to the orphanage and various registration fees. I was very happy to hand over the large sums of cash I had been walking around with since we left Minneapolis 4 days ago. Finally, we went into a large room lined with flags from all over the world. One by one someone walked out with the official adoption documents for each child. You can imagine that this was a room filled with joy. Lots of cheers, hugs and tears of happiness. It was pretty emotional when Evelyn walked out with Grace's. Wow...
>
> Next stop on the adoption express was the notary's office. Another mini interview about our occupations, why we are adopting and if we promise never to abandon her. "Are you kidding?". More pictures. Jing decides she has to go potty so she pulls down her pants and pees on the sidewalk in front of the notary office. Before anyone can say anything her business was done and it was if nothing had happened. We all had a good laugh.
>
> Back on the bus, then back to the hotel. We took a quick walk up the street to a small grocery store. Very cool to see all the food labeled and not be able to read any of it. Along the way we got lots of strange looks from the locals. They don't see many westerners here. Especially ones with Chinese babies. We had a quick lunch at the hotel and now Grace and Christine are taking a nap while I write this note. Tomorrow we go to Walmart for baby supplies, (no kidding), and the doctor will come give Grace a physical.
>
> A couple of fun facts about Grace we learned from the orphanage director. Her nick name is Hui Hui, pronounced "we, we.". She does not sleep much for her age. She's impatient. She has big ears, (which in China means good luck.). See, she really is a Wheeler.
> We will post another update to the blog with photos when we are back in the US.
updates until we are back in the states. The write-up below is a summary of our first 24 hours with Grace. (Thanks mom for posting this for us.)
>
> It's a gray, windy and rainy day today as the tail of Typhoon Megi sweeps through Nanchang. You'd never know it though due to the sunshine named Grace" that has come into our lives.
>
> The past 24 hours have been life changing to say the least. Yesterday at this time our flight landed at Nanchang airport where we met Evelyn from CCAI. We boarded a mini-bus with the Maniaci's and traveled the 40 minutes to central Nanchang where we checked into the Jin Feng Hotel. Along the way we saw a moving chaos of cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and people on what appeared to be a freeway, but doubled as a sidewalk. Construction cranes dot the sky trying to keep up with the housing demands of 4.5 million people. Very different than Hong Kong. A world away from Minneapolis.
>
> About an hour after reaching the hotel, Evelyn, the orphanage director and a nanny showed up with Grace. With a knock on the door of room 712, Grace came into our arms and our lives. Our fears of us terrorizing her world were unfounded. She immediately went to Christine and then to me. She has only cried when she's hungry or tired. Within 30 minutes of meeting us we were exploring the hotel with her. It's as if she had read our adoption application and had chosen us. She loves to be held and takes turns in my arms and Christine's arms.
>
> We had dinner last night in the hotel restaurant with the Maniaci's and Jing, their 6 year old newly arrived daughter. Their son Anthony, 5 1/2, came on the trip as well. The brand new brother and sister who can't understand each other played together at dinner like it was any night around the dinner table. That is until Anthony fell asleep in mid-bite of his dessert. Very cute. We tried to put Grace down for sleep, but with all the excitement of the day she took some time to wind down. Around 10 pm she drifted off to sleep in the tiny roll away crib in our room. Christine, however, did not go to sleep until about 3 am. Some combination of excitement, fear of Grace crawling out of the crib, an occasional whimper from Grace and jet lag kept her awake.
>
> I was up early, but Christine and Grace slept to about 7:30 am. Grace woke up hungry, but happy. "Two strange old white people who I can't understand hovering over me...no big deal.". At breakfast we met a couple from Rhode Island who got their baby Mia last night. Also a couple from Boston who got their baby Jamie last night. Also their 6 year old adopted Chinese daughter was with them. Grace and Mia sat in high chairs next to each other while all the adults shared their experiences with each other. (Both couples had also been waitind 5 years.). Just your normal every day hotel breakfast...
>
> We met Evelyn in the lobby at 9:00 am and headed off to the Provincial Registration office. We took the elevator to the 25th floor of a non-descript office building where we saw our new friends from breakfast, in addition to about 5 other western families with their adopted babies. First, we had a picture taken of the three of us. Then we had to be interviewed on why we were adopting. Finally we had to pay the balance due to the orphanage and various registration fees. I was very happy to hand over the large sums of cash I had been walking around with since we left Minneapolis 4 days ago. Finally, we went into a large room lined with flags from all over the world. One by one someone walked out with the official adoption documents for each child. You can imagine that this was a room filled with joy. Lots of cheers, hugs and tears of happiness. It was pretty emotional when Evelyn walked out with Grace's. Wow...
>
> Next stop on the adoption express was the notary's office. Another mini interview about our occupations, why we are adopting and if we promise never to abandon her. "Are you kidding?". More pictures. Jing decides she has to go potty so she pulls down her pants and pees on the sidewalk in front of the notary office. Before anyone can say anything her business was done and it was if nothing had happened. We all had a good laugh.
>
> Back on the bus, then back to the hotel. We took a quick walk up the street to a small grocery store. Very cool to see all the food labeled and not be able to read any of it. Along the way we got lots of strange looks from the locals. They don't see many westerners here. Especially ones with Chinese babies. We had a quick lunch at the hotel and now Grace and Christine are taking a nap while I write this note. Tomorrow we go to Walmart for baby supplies, (no kidding), and the doctor will come give Grace a physical.
>
> A couple of fun facts about Grace we learned from the orphanage director. Her nick name is Hui Hui, pronounced "we, we.". She does not sleep much for her age. She's impatient. She has big ears, (which in China means good luck.). See, she really is a Wheeler.
> We will post another update to the blog with photos when we are back in the US.
>All our best, Frank and Christine
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