We're home and adjusting to the new time zone. The 12 hour difference has been rough, but we are slowly starting to adjust to it.

I wanted to send a special thank you to Jess for updating the blog while we were in China and unable to access it. Also wanted to thank Will and Jess for bringing us to the airport at 4am and picking us up at midnight on return (with a surprise from Dan and Becky). It was so nice to see familiar faces when getting off the plane.

We've only had Mia for about 2 weeks, but it feels as though we've had her since birth. She is our little darling!!

15 min ago

At Guangzhaou airport waiting for our flight to Beijing. 3 hours there then a 4 hour layover then a zw

Holding Mia's passport, visa, and famous "brown packet" containing her citizenship paperwork. Miss Mia is coming home!!!

1 day ago

Packing packing packing. Less than 24 hours to go. I cannot wait to get home!

Mia's last pic in China so we busted out the silk dress!

Wow US consulate was anti-climatic. In and out. Now our guide delivers our Visa tomorrow and we get the heck out of Chinese dodge on Thursday!

Boarding the shuttle bus to the US consulate for the last step in the process. Wish us luck!

Big smiles!

After 2 weeks, I'm still not used to the time change. I'm watching Monday night's Yankees game live on Tuesday morning on ESPN Hong Kong. I just got back from breakfast. It's messing me up!

Tonight: Thai food. Is eating Thai food in China like eating at a French restaurant in London?

Had a crazy day. The plan was for our guide to go to the US consulate and deliver our paperwork at 10. At 9 he calls frantically because he is missing a key paper. I think he lost it. Luckily I had an extra copy. I had to run down and get in a cab to the American Consulate on the opposite side of Guangzhaou. After a cabride in China, a NYC cabride is tame. All ended well and the paperwork was fine.

Who is that other baby????



This is the chinese adoption certificate. This makes her ours!!

Hot damn! Papa John's delivers in China. Man the pizza and breadsticks gonna taste gooooooood!!

Playing on the bed with Mia. Damn she already knows she can get me to do what she wants with a smile OR cry....I'm screwed. - Matt

Carlos! (Some will not get this)

Mia went in the pool for the first time yesterday. She loved it. Nany, she's ready for your pool!

Pearl River Dinner Cruise

Taking our Pearl River Dinner cruise. It's a big floating restaurant. Of course it was sunny all day and now it's a thunderstorm. Let's hope it passes over!

Playing!

The Swan room sponsored by Mattel. Loaded with Fisher Price toys.


Baby steps



Bouncing

The Swan room. Big playroom at the hotel.

Riding the horsey

Playing in the Swan Room

With Mia's new friend who is on her way home to Sweden

Finally! A pic together!

Even though I knew it was going to happen, it is still comforting to see the final adoption certificate knowing she is officially ours and no one can take her from us. Now we just have to complete some paperwork to convince Uncle Sam to let us take her home. We get about 4 days off now before our next appointment. Time for some R&R and some bonding time!

Applying for Mia's passport. We are at a Chinese gov't building. There are at least 50 other families here all doing the same thing. The adoption process here is a machine. Mia is doing the same thing as us: staring at the chaos in amazement.

On the way to get the passport!

Paperwork!

Getting ready to go through the mountain of paperwork for the US visa then we have to go apply for her passport at 3.

First Meltdown

Well we had our first meltdown. Not sure if it was the restaurant or if she is finally out of shock but the poor little girl has been crying all morning. All part of the process I guess. She was fine at dinner at a different restaurant. Must be something at the buffet place she doesn't like. We think that and she may be teething.

More cute Mia!!!!

playing peek a boo.....her fav game


she can stand....sorta




Hurry up and take the pic already!

Step 1. Chinese adoption complete. Step 2. chinese passport then Step 3. US visa and citizen papers. Then Step 4. Get on a dang plane!!!!

Daddy and Mia!!

Snugli

I love my Snugli so much I passed out!

Adoption complete!

Adoption complete, according to the Chinese government, she's ours! Now off to the medical exam. Tomorrow we apply for her passport.

At the adoption bureau finalizing the adoption!

Well we had our first cry. Apparently we are not a fan of the breakfast buffet environment. Now we are heading to the adoption bureau in 30 min. Assuming all goes well Mia will officially be our daughter in about 2 hours or less. Wish us luck!

More!

OK this may be heaven. Carrie and I are in a hotel with our sleeping baby. I am watching ESPN Hong Kong and they are showing last night's YES broadcast of the Yankee game. Woo Hoooooo

1 hour ago

Wow Mia is sleeping like a rock. we are awake at 6am, she is still sleeping. I'm guessing she is used to sleeping heavily at a crowded orphanage. We got her to laugh last night, but she still hasn't cried at all yet. I wonder if that is because if she cries at the orphanage no one comes? It's amazing getting to know her and her personality. Last night she fell asleep in my arms as I was reading to her!

More Mia!!!

Get used to the flash kid, you'll be seeing it a lot!


reading Mia a book

In the car

Mia!!!!!!!!!!!!

Waiting for Mia - 4 hours ago

Sitting in the lobby waiting for our ride to go get Mia. We are both shaking like leaves!! Not long now!

The beautiful nursery Mia is coming home to

Couple of websites

The hotel
http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/index.php

Guangzhou China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou

Some pictures of China so far

view from our room


the hotel waterfall



1500 yr old buddhist temple




temple 2

Pearl river view from the room

hong kong airport

carrie with her going home Barbie

carrie at the hotel

Pearl River

temple 3

10 hours ago

Sitting in my room looking at the Pearl River drinking a botle of Tsing Tao Beer. We get Mia at 3 tomorrow.

16 hours ago

Just went to the Supermarket. Wal0mart was too far away. I will never complain about Hanaford being busy again. It was chaos. I don't think they have a fire code here. Best part fo the adventure: some stockboy sees my hat and goes "NY Yankees Number 1!"

11:00 am Sunday morning in China

Carrie just got her "going home Barbie" it's a special edition Barbie made by mattel specifically as a gift to parents adopting chinese orphans at the White Swan. It's a barbie with a chinese baby. Wow that was sweet.

Sat, 10:30 pm US, Sun 10:30 am China

China is amazing and I am feeling right at home. maybe because it looks just like NJ. I can't believe my facebook works. It is Sunday morning here what's it like in the past?

sat 10:30 pm US, 10:30 am China

holy crikey my facebook is working here

friday 12:59pm

Boarding the plane to Hong Kong. Bye everyone!

Fri, 10:18 am

In chicago checking in. then a 3 hour wait then a 15 hour flight

fri, 5:00 am

FYI please don't leave us any messages on facebook in the next 2 weeks. You can't access it from China so after Friday at noon we are facebookless!

Fri, 4:53 am

50 lb Max bagage allowance.......46 lb in the suitcase....no big deal

Fri, 4:52am

Waiting for the flight at Protland Jetport. It still hasn't sunk in taht after 4 years today is the day we are going to China. It's very weird to see "hong kong" on your boarding pass.

stage 1

Preparing for China

We've been busy packing for China. We leave this Friday from Portland, Maine, arrive in Guangzhou, China late Saturday night, and will be holding Mia on Monday!

Our Journey to Mia

Our journey began in the fall of 2005. Finally, on June 7, 2010, we received the most wonderful news imaginable, we were expecting Mia! It started with a phone call from our adoption agency letting us know that our baby was born on September 12, 2009. Soon followed the picture and it was love at first sight!!

Our Mia Ruth is from Yang Jiang City, located in the coast of the South China Sea.
http://www.yangjiang.gov.cn/english/introduction/200909/t20090905_28252.htm

Mia is a smart girl who likes to put her feet to the rail of her crib and listen to music. She's quiet, smart, likes to be held, and likes colorful and noisy toys.

Mia will be coming home to 2 dogs (Piper and Claymore) and 2 cats (Lily and Jewel). She will also come home to a large family and close friends who have been eagerly waiting her arrival. Needless to say, she will be coming home to an abundance of love.

Now, Matt and I will count the days till we are able to travel to China to bring her home. We are waiting for travel approval from the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA). Our best guess is that we will be traveling mid July and will be in the country for around 2 weeks.

We would like to extend our thanks to our friends and family who have stood by us every step of the way in this process.

Love to all,
Matt and Carrie

Mia Ruth, Born 09/12/2009

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