Back Tracking

These pictures are of the street behind the hotel the restaurant I mention at the end of the post is on this street.

The day before we went to see the Pandas and the day after we first met Sam was one of the most important days of the trip. That was Tuesday, August 21st and that was the day we finalized the adoption of Samuel and he legally became ours. His actual name change won't take place till his paperwork here is processed.

Here are some pictures of that important day.



We didn't have our camera with us that day but our trusty driver Philip took a bunch of pictures and some video of this day and our gotcha day, and put them on a CD for us.

This office building had no AC and it was hot and sticky Anna was bored and Sam was restless. We were in this building about an hour or so and then were off to another office building where we got a little speech from some official guy who said they were thankful that we would take an orphan into our home and believed it was a great thing for Samuel. We also were thanked by the assistant orphanage director who also believed Sam would be well cared for by us it was very sincere.

This wasn't the most enjoyable day but it was significant. I think we spent the afternoon in the hotel checked out the pool then went out to eat at the local restaurant our guide had taken us to the night before.

Pictures of Pandas

Here are just a few Pictures of the Panda Research and Breeding Center. We didn't get a lot of great pictures. I think Wayne got some good video though so maybe we'll be able to get a short clip of them. They were pretty amazing. Here is the website for the research center:
http://www.panda.org.cn/ they have better picture there.

It's pretty neat that this is where Sam is from. I tried to find the Chinese word for Panda on the web but what I found was so different than what we learned I'll just tell you what Sam calls them. Sam, by the way, seems to speak a Chengdu dialect, but seems to understand Mandarin and the local dialect.

Sam says "show mare" or actually "doe mare" as he can't pronounce the sh sounds. I think the pinyin is something like xiong mao meaning bear cat. I think the phonetic way to say it is more like shao ma. I probably totally butchered it I hope no one Chinese is reading :-)

Tears of Joy

There really is such a thing as tears of joy. We hit the ground of Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, August 29th at 7:23pm. As soon as I felt the wheels thud to the ground of US soil tears started streaming down my face. I was so happy and relieved to be home I could not help myself.

I know some of you are saying you can't help crying all the time, it's true I'm a cry baby, but these really were tears of joy. Joy knowing I would see your faces soon, joy knowing English would be the first language spoken over every intercom, joy for not having to gesture with the officials. It took over an hour to get through customs and immigration but as soon as we had that final approval I nearly jumped for joy and bolted towards the doors, through one set around a corner through another set thinking I'd see some familiar faces but still there was another corner and another set of doors finally we made it to cheers and camera flashes, families and friends, my little Ruthies face and Ryan's great big grin.

I know I looked travel worn and sickly but I was the happiest I'd been in 2 weeks and really didn't feel that bad at the moment. Considering we left the China Marriott in Guangzhou, China at 10 am Wednesday morning(that would have been 10pm Tuesday evening for those in the US) took a 2.5 hour flight to Beijing, picked up all our luggage rechecked for the flight to Dulles and then spent 13 hours on a plane with Anna's legs and Sam's head both on my lap for about 8 of those hours then landed worked our way through international baggage, immigration and customs making the total about 21 hours of travel and that after being sick for 3 days I think I probably looked pretty good. Anyway that's my excuse not that it really matters.

Stayed tuned I'll be backlogging (? is that the right word) our trip I have our pictures downloaded and do want to journal before I forget the details of our days.

Almost done!!

We will be arriving in Washington at Dulles International at 7:46 pm on Wednesday August 29th.  we should be in baggage by 8:45. 
Hope to see a few people there.

I'll update with lots of pictures when we get home.

--
Martha
www.findingruth.blogspot.com

Update

Hello All!

Sorry for the silence the last couple of days. I've been checking e-mails but haven't updated the blog.

 

We have been very busy.  on Wednesday we visited the Panda Breeding Center. It was kind of like a zoo just for Pandas. They were mostly inside due to the heat. They are used to being in the mountains so the humidity and heat in the summer is not good for them.

Wayne got some great video footage of the adult Pandas. We also saw many red pandas that are smaller and very racoon like except they are red :-). Samuel seemed to enjoy the trip as well.

 

Yesterday, Thursday, we visited the silk brocade factory and shop. This is an amazing skill that takes years to learn. They have huge looms that are operated by 2 people.

 

We also visited the place where he was found back in March of 2002.  It is near the center of Chengdu at what used to be the railway ticket office. the offices there have since been torn down and it is a construction site.  We took many pictures of all of us there.  The new city center is very beautiful with many fountains. They are building subways under it all. Emily,our guide, said it is likely he was from a rural family that couldn't afford medical care for Samuel as he was a sickly child when he was found. He was brought to the police station by a man name He Yu and then brought to  the orphanage. 

 

Samuel is doing fine. Chengdu and the hotel in particular are not very kid friendly. We are longing to get to a park and playground where we can just let him run.  We've been rather confined to our room when we are not out touring or shopping or eating and it has been hard on all of us. He likes to watch us in the pool but doesn't want anything to do with getting in himself.  He likes to splash us from the side though.  I think Franklin Park Pool will be more to his liking, he'll be able to stand in the water.

 

Samuel is quite the ladies man.  He has made friends with all the young ladies in the hotel;calling them Ayi (auntie) and giving them little gifts like pieces of paper from the panda center. He especially loves our guide and we are very grateful to her and our driver Philip who has played with Samuel while we shopped at the brocade factory.

 

Emily has made it easier for him to understand us and us him. She says he is trying to speak clearly but he definately has trouble with his speech. I've noticed that words with sh,s, th or other sounds that the tongue on the roof of the  mouth are needed are especially difficult for him. He says Samuel "amuel"  just  like Ruth says Sam "am'. so I guess they'll be getting similar speech therapy.

 

We leave for Guangzhou late this afternoon and are very much looking forward to being with the other families and being near a park and finishing up all the paperwork so we can come home.  It's been very different in many ways than our trip to bring Ruth home. But it has certainly been memorable.

 

That's all for now thanks for following our journey. I hope to maybe get some pictures up in the next few days.
--
Martha
 

It's Official

 

Chengdu is the 3rd largest city in China and is full of people riding bikes, electric scooters, driving cars, walking, sitting, begging, hocking wares.  We are still not quite adjusted to the time change, we are awake by 4 am and can hardly hold our eyes open by 8pm.  On a walk to Starbucks around 5 am The city was quiet and dark. In the door way of a shopping center there were 3 young boys sleeping. I wanted to cry. down the main street in from of the hotel are high end department stores and flashy billboards, if turn down an alley way though you get more of the local flavor with many independent shops and street vendors. 

 

Dinners at one of the local restaurants is a bargain, about 8 USD to feedthe 4 of us. This afternoon we tried sichuan skewered meet and steamed dumplings from the street vendors for about 2 dollars. 

 

We get many funny looks from people they see us westerners and Anna's blonde hair then see Samuel and just stare.

 

We will be checking out the panda research center and will take lots of pictures.

 

Our computer issue is still not resolved but hope to have someone look at it tomorrow. I'll keep adding posts to the blog but I know what everyone wants is pictures!!

 

It is official as of today Samuel Fangzhou is a Mason and is ours to bring home. we will be in Chengdu until Friday then it is off to Guangzhou to receive Samuels exit visa to the US. 

 

Sam has some bad habits, spitting and hitting are a couple, please pray that he will have more of a heart of please us. Pray that we will help him understand the blessings of obedience.  He also does have a sweet side, he takes care of all his things by putting them away neatly, and is always looking around to make sure there is no one missing.  At dinner he passes out the napkins to be sure we all have one and likes to share the food. 

 

The communication barrier is not easy and it is going to take some time for us each to understand each other. It is good to have our guide around she is able to communicate with him and help him understaned what is going on when.  Sam likes our guide alot.

 

Well my eyes are drooping I better go, Please keep praying for us all.

 

Martha

 

not even 24 hours

 

 

A couple prayer requests:

as I noted  our computer died!!  It's killing me, I hope we can get it resolved. My biggest concern, besides  not being able to post pictures and share the way we'd like to on the blog, is that we don't have skype so we can talk to Ruthie.  The first time we did it was such a blessing to be able to hear her voice and for her to hear ours.  So please pray we will find an alternative or get the computer fixed or just give us all peace according to God's perfect plan. 

 

I also want to praise God for the work he is doing in all of our hearts knitting Sam into our family.  It is a little frustrating not being able to communicate with Sam the way we would like but we seem to be getting along ok.  When we first met I have to admit I was a little panicky in my heart, but as time goes by, I can feel my affection for him growing.  God is truly working on us all.

 

He is tiny we bought him 4/5 clothes and they hang on him. He seems a little malnourished. They told  us he didn't eat well, but he is eating fine with us. He loved the breakfast buffet, fruit eggs congee and sausage and ham.  We hope we'll get him fattened up a little.

 

We were also told that he was very shy and didn't smile much and wasn't very active. HA! From about 2  minutes after we met him he's been nothing but smiles and chatter!  He is much different than we expected activity wise. He loves his baba(Daddy). He always wants to run ahead of us and get into things he shouldn't, but he is learning to hold hands and slow down. 

 

It hasn't even been 24 hours and we are starting to feel he is truly part of the family. He was asking for his gugu's(big brothers) and meimei(little sister).He understands, we think, that we have a  long journey ahead of us to get home.

 

We love you and miss you all. If the computer doesn't get resolved I"ll try to find a way to get pictures onto the blog.

 

 

 

On 8/20/07, kbaihly@aol.com <kbaihly@aol.com> wrote:

Hey Guys,

The kids and I were checking out the Mason's blog this morning and were excited and thankful to God for the great news we read about.  They have Sam. Praise be to God!

Go on the blog, leave a message of encouragement, and enjoy the great pictures of this precious time the Mason's are experiencing.

Lets continue to pray for them and their children that are still here.

God is sooooooooo good!
Kay

Click on the link below to get to their sight.
http://www.findingruth.blogspot.com/

---

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com .
 

--
Martha
www.findingruth.blogspot.com

Technical Difficulties

Hi All!

I'm in the business center because our laptop computer died...

We think the battery died. I really wanted to talk to Ruth but we can't get on skype. If we can't get the computer fixed I'll try to get a panda phone or something so I can call.

 

Sorry everyone, other than computer troubles we are doing great!

--
Martha
www.findingruth.blogspot.com

Introducing Samuel!

We left Beijing at about 7:45am and arrived in Chengdu by 10:30am. Our guide met us at the airport and got us checked in to the hotel then thankfully we had a couple of hours to get settled I had a horrible headache and a little car sickness. A rest and some advil did wonders and we left the hotel a little after 1 and arrived at the orphanage before 2.

They brought Samuel in and after about 2 minutes of shyness he was all smiles and jabber!! He wanted to touch everything and immediately called us mama and baba. He was not at all afraid of us and in fact was completely ready to leave the orphanage as we toured the rooms he said byby to everybody. He is a busy little boy. Well here are some pics and I'll write more later.

Pictures for Ruth

A walk around the block in Beijing

We are staying at the Raddison in Beijing. We took a walk around the block after we checked in and this is what we saw. The construction housing is a bunk house for the construction workersT they all live together during the construction project. There are many of these in Beijing because of all the new construction for the upcoming Olympics.

We Are Here

A 13 1/2 hour flight is one of those things that seems unbearable about half way through but in hindsight doesn't seem so bad. We are here at the hotel the TV is on and the computer is booted...so much for cultural education.  I can't view the blog here in Beijing hopefully we will be able to in Chengdu. 

I get the comments in my in box though.
Love all the comments!! please keep them coming. Thank you Ryan I  feel much more at ease reading your comment.  I hated leaving Ruthie crying but I know she is in good hand.

It's 4pm here 4am there we are going to stay up till at least 10 then hopefully our internal clocks will be somewhat reset and we'll get a good nights sleep.

Joan I'll be skyping my family between 8:30 and 9:00(am Sunday to you) but feel free to give me a buzz  around 9:15 or so. or I'll try you.

Well I want to get out and see a little of Beijing so I'm getting the camera and I'll post some pics a little later.
--
Martha

T minus 14 hours

The bags are packed, the dogs are boarded the house is clean we are ready to go! Wayne picked up a Cubby's ball cap for himself and Sam. Won't they be cute? I'd love to add a picture but it might have to wait; the computer is in high demand tonight.

Please pray for us!
For safe travel
For restful travel
No jet lag
Bright and clear minds the day we meet Sam

Peace for Ruth while we are gone.
Please pray for the Faul's who are watching Ruth.

Pray for Sam:
Our prayers all along have been that God would be preparing Sam to be a part of our family. Don't know exactly how that could have been done but we do hope he is ready for this new chapter in his life; that he won't be afraid of us and that the transition will be smooth please also pray that:

He will be able to communicate with us
He will like us (that always helps)
The attachment process will begin smoothly and that we will be able to intuitively know what he needs.

Next time we post we'll be in China! See you there.

" And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." Ephesians 2:17-21

Ruthie's Adoption Video

Here is the video Wayne made while we were in China to meet Ruth. We never really finished it but it is still pretty good.

T minus 222 hours

9 days till take off! 

I making lists, checking them twice, remaking lists and trying to stay calm in the midst of it all. 
I'll have to write more later as dear little Ruthie is awake :-)

--
Martha

Confirmed Travel Dates and Travel Itenerary

Yea! We have our Consulate Appointment set for August 27th, that's my brothers and my fathers birthday!
We'll be leaving Dulles around noon on August 18th and returning on August 29th on United from Beijing.
Arrival time is 7:46. That will be our first stop in the US so we will have to go through customs but please come see us!

I'll remind everyone of the time before we return

--
Martha
www.findingruth.blogspot.com

Of Age

Ryan that is.  21 yesterday.  My, that makes me feel old.  Well, not really. His age doesn't make me feel old. But my failing eyes do and my aching back,my swollen feet at the end of the day,my need for a nap in the middle of the afternoon and the wrinkles around my eyes. That's what really makes me feel my advancing years.  Though I know some who read this will laugh and say I am still young.  It's all relative I guess.

But that is not the point of this. The point was to bring a little attention to my dear son and to give glory to God for the blessing he is to us and to those around him.  I constantly receive compliments on what a nice young man he is, engaging, thoughtful great with kids.  And good.  Now that's an interesting comment isn't it.  I've received that comment mostly from my family who know what I was like at that age and what they were like at that age. Good in relation to the sins of our youth, the partying, the promiscuity, the disregard for authority figures.  But I know they mean he is good in a moral sense too not just in comparison to our bad.

But Jesus sad no one is good, and I know Ryan would agree.  In fact I think he would prefer I point to the one who truly is good, the one who by HIS sacrifice, HIS death on a cross made it possible for us to be "good" in HIS eyes. HE paid for all our bad, all the sins of our youth and all the refined sins of our present, things like conceit, selfish ambition, self righteous anger and bitterness, and the sins of our future. 

But this salvation,this atoning for our sins is not just a way to heaven, while that is the ultimate goal, but a way to have joy in this life here on earth. A way to enjoy freedom from sin, freedom to do what is right by the grace poured out on us when we accept Christ in our life. The road is not always easy when you look to glorify God and not yourself but there is an eternal reward that far surpasses anything here on earth.

Dear Ryan,

"But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen." 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Love,
Mom

It Worked

Cool this will make it easier to blog in China. I'll be posting via e-mail for at least part of the trip.

trying again

Any body out there...

--
Martha
www.findingruth.blogspot.com

TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!!!

Yes yes yes. We are going to China!! We received our travel approval and if everything falls into place should be able to leave on the 17th or 18th of August!! yes that is just 2 weeks away!

I'm ready though, been ready for a few months now!

So stay tuned, we are going to bring Sam home!

We have been trying to prepare Ruthie for a new brother and she seems just as excited as we are to bring Sam home. She often asks to play with Sam and pray for Sam and wants to give him a blanket and say "Hi Sam"

We also are trying to prepare her to be away from us for 2 weeks. And while I know she isn't old enough to comprehend how long things take I think she understands that mommy, daddy and Anna are going and she isn't. Hopefully she won't lose heart and will know we are coming back.

Ryan and Michael will be around to help her out and she'll be with a great family.