Sent from my iPhone
Monday, February 20, 2017
#25 Ming Kun Xi--Matthew
#25. Ming Kun Xi--Matthew
When Chan woke today, Feb 20, she was a single lady..tonight she rocked her new son to sleep, kissed his forehead & laid him down in a crib next to her bed. A day and a son she'll treasure forever!!!...and I got to watch it from a front row seat and/or behind the camera lens. This morning we were bussed to a gov't building where we sat in a large, well decorated room with lots of toys & 6 other anxious families. The first 2 kids delivered by their orphanages were not Chan's..but we were thrilled to watch each be put in their new parents arms. The loud crying soon subsided & we snapped pictures & felt their joy. Then we saw Matthew walking slowly down the hall. His many layers were topped with a furry tiger outfit. His nanny led him to Chan's open arms and pointed to her saying "Mama." He cried, turned back to his nanny. Chan's face glowed with love as she softly repeated, "Mama, Buyao you gulu (Don't be afraid) Wo Ai Ni." (I love you)." And with a sucker in her outstretched arms...in a few long minutes, Matthew was in her lap & she was his Mama!! Papers were signed, official pictures taken and the nannies answered Chan's questions finding out all she could about his past. Back on the bus, he sat quietly on her lap sucking on his 3rd sucker and watching out the window at his new world. Did he have any idea how drastically his life had changed?? From orphanage to 5 star hotel to soon a Florida home?? We ordered congee, his preferred orphanage food, as soon as we returned to the hotel. I ran out to get Subway for Chan & I. Somehow he'd already become American as he refused the congee & garfed down handfuls of Cheerios & parts of our Subways...and another sucker. When he spotted a bag of a familiar treat (small sweet cookie-like circles) he ate the orphanage and grabbed the bag and snacked on a few but then just used them to play with putting them in Chan's hand & then back in the bag. Soon it was time to meet up with Rita & Tina to do more paper signing...he took the bag with him and it kept him entertained the whole hour as he and I played the game. He got more and more sloppy as time passed dropping them...but always picking each and ever one up...even the crumbs. He was getting tired & acted drunk on goodies. Back in our room, we were surprised by a knock on our door--Tina & Rita with a birthday cake for Chan & Matthew. Since yesterday was Chan's BD in China--it's today in US. And it's Matthew's birthday today! How ironic is that! The birthday cake was not a bit hit to Matthew but several families came down to help eat it up with pleasure! We ate dinner in the hotel restaurant...Matthew's true colors started coming out as he banged on his tray, threw things on floor as said "Na" (Pick up) and spit out food. Chan hid her smile & delight...and scowled and said, "Ba" (No) and made mental notes about what she needed to bring to meals in the future. Back in the room, Chan tried to coax Matthew to let her take off his tiger suit which was only the top layer with two more under it. He screamed...so she only partially removed it, changed his pants & put it back on. Then she rocked him till he fell asleep. What a day...watching Chan & 6 other families' dreams come true!!!
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
When Chan woke today, Feb 20, she was a single lady..tonight she rocked her new son to sleep, kissed his forehead & laid him down in a crib next to her bed. A day and a son she'll treasure forever!!!...and I got to watch it from a front row seat and/or behind the camera lens. This morning we were bussed to a gov't building where we sat in a large, well decorated room with lots of toys & 6 other anxious families. The first 2 kids delivered by their orphanages were not Chan's..but we were thrilled to watch each be put in their new parents arms. The loud crying soon subsided & we snapped pictures & felt their joy. Then we saw Matthew walking slowly down the hall. His many layers were topped with a furry tiger outfit. His nanny led him to Chan's open arms and pointed to her saying "Mama." He cried, turned back to his nanny. Chan's face glowed with love as she softly repeated, "Mama, Buyao you gulu (Don't be afraid) Wo Ai Ni." (I love you)." And with a sucker in her outstretched arms...in a few long minutes, Matthew was in her lap & she was his Mama!! Papers were signed, official pictures taken and the nannies answered Chan's questions finding out all she could about his past. Back on the bus, he sat quietly on her lap sucking on his 3rd sucker and watching out the window at his new world. Did he have any idea how drastically his life had changed?? From orphanage to 5 star hotel to soon a Florida home?? We ordered congee, his preferred orphanage food, as soon as we returned to the hotel. I ran out to get Subway for Chan & I. Somehow he'd already become American as he refused the congee & garfed down handfuls of Cheerios & parts of our Subways...and another sucker. When he spotted a bag of a familiar treat (small sweet cookie-like circles) he ate the orphanage and grabbed the bag and snacked on a few but then just used them to play with putting them in Chan's hand & then back in the bag. Soon it was time to meet up with Rita & Tina to do more paper signing...he took the bag with him and it kept him entertained the whole hour as he and I played the game. He got more and more sloppy as time passed dropping them...but always picking each and ever one up...even the crumbs. He was getting tired & acted drunk on goodies. Back in our room, we were surprised by a knock on our door--Tina & Rita with a birthday cake for Chan & Matthew. Since yesterday was Chan's BD in China--it's today in US. And it's Matthew's birthday today! How ironic is that! The birthday cake was not a bit hit to Matthew but several families came down to help eat it up with pleasure! We ate dinner in the hotel restaurant...Matthew's true colors started coming out as he banged on his tray, threw things on floor as said "Na" (Pick up) and spit out food. Chan hid her smile & delight...and scowled and said, "Ba" (No) and made mental notes about what she needed to bring to meals in the future. Back in the room, Chan tried to coax Matthew to let her take off his tiger suit which was only the top layer with two more under it. He screamed...so she only partially removed it, changed his pants & put it back on. Then she rocked him till he fell asleep. What a day...watching Chan & 6 other families' dreams come true!!!
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
RE: #22. Beijing At Last
Mexico City does the same thing. One day a week you can't drive your car.
So people bought two. I guess it fits since Mexico City and Beijing are in
the top 10 for being the most populous metropolitan areas in the world
(though Tokyo, Shanghai and Jakarta are WAY out in front.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jane boyce [mailto:janeboyce@live.com]
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 8:13 PM
To: Jane boyce
Cc: bekah_boyce.emailpost@blogger.com
Subject: #22. Beijing At Last
Two hours to Dallas--met Chan--then 14 hours to Beijing where we stepped off
the plane so Chan's dream of becoming a Mom finally would become real! We
were met at the airport by George, our Chinese Children Adoption
International (CCAI) rep. Seven other excited facility boarded the
bus--strangers who quickly became friends. We headed straight for our hotel
room--spacious & luxurious. Took us 1/2 hour just to check it our and
figure out the lights! Far cry from the places we slept in last time we
were in China helping at the leprosy colonies. After long showers, we
decided to buzz into a nearby convenience store...bought Ramon noodles &
bread then opened my PJ and had a relaxing dinner our style...in our elegant
dining room. The comfy beds welcomed our heavy eyelids & aching bodies.
Day 2--After an endless selection of choices for breakfast, we met with
George & the group to head out for our Beijing tour. CCAI wants families to
get a chance to experience some of the Chinese culture...and get over jet
lag before Gotcha Day. Tiananmen Square & then Forbidden City before riding
a rickshaw through old Peking that dropped us at one of the local's homes
for dinner. Looking around, it was apparent this was the real deal. Two
round tables filled the main room & all 24 of us squeezed in. In the 4'x8'
kitchen, they prepared an amazing amount & variety of food that included
quail eggs, shrimp, chicken, cucumbers, bok choy, garlic shoots,
broccoli...all combined with various sauces & other veges. Poor rickshaw
drivers had more weight to pull back to our bus. Chan's enjoyed a massage
while I did some writing and then both napped till it was time to meet up
with the group again for a Peking duck dinner...which again was bountiful.
We needed to walk of at least part of today's meals, so we walked & browsed
street vendors ware ending up in a alley loaded with what the locals love:
deep fried baby ducks, starfish, snake, octopus, grubs, chicken feet and
scorpions still wiggling about. Rog & I had discovered a street like this 4
yrs ago...yet it was still a shock to see. Two tired gals fell into bed at
9 p.m.
Day 3
Though we longed to sleep in, we were up, dressed, choosing a slightly
smaller breakfast and on the bus by 8:30 headed for the Great Wall. The
climb up is not an easy one thanks to higher altitude & uneven steps--but
the view makes up for it! Though it was not as magnificent as the one Rog &
I saw from a different part of the wall, it was a thrill. Next we headed
for a Jade Factory. Jade here is like diamonds in US. A jade bangle
equates to our diamond ring is is often passed down through generations. A
nice bangle was $2500. We didn't buy one--or any thing else. We did eat
dinner there--another feast. Just when you think I can't eat another
bite...they bring out another new dish & gash, you gotta try it. Our bus
dropped us off just in time to catch the opening act of the Wonderful Hun,
an acrobatic performance. In awe we watched balancing, tumbling & bicycle
acts. The grand finale was 5 motorcycles racing around inside a huge metal
ball. Crazy!! We got back to our room around 6--totally exhausted. Packed
up our bags for our 6:45 PU tomorrow, ate up our left over Ramon noodles &
PJ sandwich then crashed.
Beijing info:
Beijing is home to 23 million people, hundreds of sky scrapers, a few trees
and kept clean by busy street sweepers everywhere. It's cold--about 35F and
we got lucky to have two daily clear days but third day were were enclosed
by smog...common here. Beijing is also home to 5.5 million cars. To curb
the #'s, gov't only allows driving your car 4 out of 5 business days. That
helped the car sales as people then bought 2 cars. Since days allowed are
determined by your license plate #...cost of plates is extremely high...in
Shanghai, people pay up to $15,000 for one plate! Cameras catch offenders.
Most roads have a side lane for the multitude of motorcycles, scooters,
bicycles, (most with blanket & hand covers) rickshaws, 3 wheeled mini cars &
wheel chairs. In spite of all this, traffic doesn't seem very congested and
moves at a slow pace--even expressway traffic appears under 60 MPH. People
are well dressed & all in a rush. Personal space is a foreign concept--just
as no Facebook & limited Google search is foreign to us!!
(Chan had downloaded a re-routing app which is how she can be on Facebook.
Me--well, I'm living without it.)
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
So people bought two. I guess it fits since Mexico City and Beijing are in
the top 10 for being the most populous metropolitan areas in the world
(though Tokyo, Shanghai and Jakarta are WAY out in front.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jane boyce [mailto:janeboyce@live.com]
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 8:13 PM
To: Jane boyce
Cc: bekah_boyce.emailpost@blogger.com
Subject: #22. Beijing At Last
Two hours to Dallas--met Chan--then 14 hours to Beijing where we stepped off
the plane so Chan's dream of becoming a Mom finally would become real! We
were met at the airport by George, our Chinese Children Adoption
International (CCAI) rep. Seven other excited facility boarded the
bus--strangers who quickly became friends. We headed straight for our hotel
room--spacious & luxurious. Took us 1/2 hour just to check it our and
figure out the lights! Far cry from the places we slept in last time we
were in China helping at the leprosy colonies. After long showers, we
decided to buzz into a nearby convenience store...bought Ramon noodles &
bread then opened my PJ and had a relaxing dinner our style...in our elegant
dining room. The comfy beds welcomed our heavy eyelids & aching bodies.
Day 2--After an endless selection of choices for breakfast, we met with
George & the group to head out for our Beijing tour. CCAI wants families to
get a chance to experience some of the Chinese culture...and get over jet
lag before Gotcha Day. Tiananmen Square & then Forbidden City before riding
a rickshaw through old Peking that dropped us at one of the local's homes
for dinner. Looking around, it was apparent this was the real deal. Two
round tables filled the main room & all 24 of us squeezed in. In the 4'x8'
kitchen, they prepared an amazing amount & variety of food that included
quail eggs, shrimp, chicken, cucumbers, bok choy, garlic shoots,
broccoli...all combined with various sauces & other veges. Poor rickshaw
drivers had more weight to pull back to our bus. Chan's enjoyed a massage
while I did some writing and then both napped till it was time to meet up
with the group again for a Peking duck dinner...which again was bountiful.
We needed to walk of at least part of today's meals, so we walked & browsed
street vendors ware ending up in a alley loaded with what the locals love:
deep fried baby ducks, starfish, snake, octopus, grubs, chicken feet and
scorpions still wiggling about. Rog & I had discovered a street like this 4
yrs ago...yet it was still a shock to see. Two tired gals fell into bed at
9 p.m.
Day 3
Though we longed to sleep in, we were up, dressed, choosing a slightly
smaller breakfast and on the bus by 8:30 headed for the Great Wall. The
climb up is not an easy one thanks to higher altitude & uneven steps--but
the view makes up for it! Though it was not as magnificent as the one Rog &
I saw from a different part of the wall, it was a thrill. Next we headed
for a Jade Factory. Jade here is like diamonds in US. A jade bangle
equates to our diamond ring is is often passed down through generations. A
nice bangle was $2500. We didn't buy one--or any thing else. We did eat
dinner there--another feast. Just when you think I can't eat another
bite...they bring out another new dish & gash, you gotta try it. Our bus
dropped us off just in time to catch the opening act of the Wonderful Hun,
an acrobatic performance. In awe we watched balancing, tumbling & bicycle
acts. The grand finale was 5 motorcycles racing around inside a huge metal
ball. Crazy!! We got back to our room around 6--totally exhausted. Packed
up our bags for our 6:45 PU tomorrow, ate up our left over Ramon noodles &
PJ sandwich then crashed.
Beijing info:
Beijing is home to 23 million people, hundreds of sky scrapers, a few trees
and kept clean by busy street sweepers everywhere. It's cold--about 35F and
we got lucky to have two daily clear days but third day were were enclosed
by smog...common here. Beijing is also home to 5.5 million cars. To curb
the #'s, gov't only allows driving your car 4 out of 5 business days. That
helped the car sales as people then bought 2 cars. Since days allowed are
determined by your license plate #...cost of plates is extremely high...in
Shanghai, people pay up to $15,000 for one plate! Cameras catch offenders.
Most roads have a side lane for the multitude of motorcycles, scooters,
bicycles, (most with blanket & hand covers) rickshaws, 3 wheeled mini cars &
wheel chairs. In spite of all this, traffic doesn't seem very congested and
moves at a slow pace--even expressway traffic appears under 60 MPH. People
are well dressed & all in a rush. Personal space is a foreign concept--just
as no Facebook & limited Google search is foreign to us!!
(Chan had downloaded a re-routing app which is how she can be on Facebook.
Me--well, I'm living without it.)
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
#23. Bullet Train to Zheng Zhou. #24 Preperations
#23 Bullet Train to Zheng Zhou
Boarded the bullet train & headed to Zheng Zhou going 180 mph for 3 hrs 10 min. We sped past many villages--most looked so much alike..gray bricked red roofed homes connected to outer wall that surrounded the entire village. We also saw large towns most of which had multiple high rise apartment buildings & more being built. Since we saw so much building 4 yrs ago, guess there either didn't finish or are building more!! Between towns were flat green fields--not sure what the crops were but probably veges. Our ride was as smooth as butter with each mile taking us closer to Ming Kun Xi--Matthew.
#24 Preparations
Chan had a long list of things that needed to be ready for tomorrow , GOTCHA DAY! We did some shopping at Walmart for food to cover the next 2-3 days buying several snacks Matthew is familiar with according to our CCAI reps here, Rita & Tina. Six presents needed wrapping (for nannies & directors & 7 envelopes of $$ counted & sealed (for passport, pictures, TB test, notary, registration & nannies). As Chan counted the piles of yuan currencies, she laughed saying she felt like she was playing monopoly. Since the exchange rate is 6 yuan to $1...it was a pile! She said she was glad it was yuans cause it didn't feel like real $$! Next the diaper bag needed to be packed with lots of snacks, official papers organized, camera & phones charged & ready...and finally a good night sleep!!
Sent from my iPhone
Boarded the bullet train & headed to Zheng Zhou going 180 mph for 3 hrs 10 min. We sped past many villages--most looked so much alike..gray bricked red roofed homes connected to outer wall that surrounded the entire village. We also saw large towns most of which had multiple high rise apartment buildings & more being built. Since we saw so much building 4 yrs ago, guess there either didn't finish or are building more!! Between towns were flat green fields--not sure what the crops were but probably veges. Our ride was as smooth as butter with each mile taking us closer to Ming Kun Xi--Matthew.
#24 Preparations
Chan had a long list of things that needed to be ready for tomorrow , GOTCHA DAY! We did some shopping at Walmart for food to cover the next 2-3 days buying several snacks Matthew is familiar with according to our CCAI reps here, Rita & Tina. Six presents needed wrapping (for nannies & directors & 7 envelopes of $$ counted & sealed (for passport, pictures, TB test, notary, registration & nannies). As Chan counted the piles of yuan currencies, she laughed saying she felt like she was playing monopoly. Since the exchange rate is 6 yuan to $1...it was a pile! She said she was glad it was yuans cause it didn't feel like real $$! Next the diaper bag needed to be packed with lots of snacks, official papers organized, camera & phones charged & ready...and finally a good night sleep!!
Sent from my iPhone
#22. Beijing At Last
Two hours to Dallas--met Chan--then 14 hours to Beijing where we stepped off the plane so Chan's dream of becoming a Mom finally would become real! We were met at the airport by George, our Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI) rep. Seven other excited facility boarded the bus--strangers who quickly became friends. We headed straight for our hotel room--spacious & luxurious. Took us 1/2 hour just to check it our and figure out the lights! Far cry from the places we slept in last time we were in China helping at the leprosy colonies. After long showers, we decided to buzz into a nearby convenience store...bought Ramon noodles & bread then opened my PJ and had a relaxing dinner our style...in our elegant dining room. The comfy beds welcomed our heavy eyelids & aching bodies.
Day 2--After an endless selection of choices for breakfast, we met with George & the group to head out for our Beijing tour. CCAI wants families to get a chance to experience some of the Chinese culture...and get over jet lag before Gotcha Day. Tiananmen Square & then Forbidden City before riding a rickshaw through old Peking that dropped us at one of the local's homes for dinner. Looking around, it was apparent this was the real deal. Two round tables filled the main room & all 24 of us squeezed in. In the 4'x8' kitchen, they prepared an amazing amount & variety of food that included quail eggs, shrimp, chicken, cucumbers, bok choy, garlic shoots, broccoli...all combined with various sauces & other veges. Poor rickshaw drivers had more weight to pull back to our bus. Chan's enjoyed a massage while I did some writing and then both napped till it was time to meet up with the group again for a Peking duck dinner...which again was bountiful. We needed to walk of at least part of today's meals, so we walked & browsed street vendors ware ending up in a alley loaded with what the locals love: deep fried baby ducks, starfish, snake, octopus, grubs, chicken feet and scorpions still wiggling about. Rog & I had discovered a street like this 4 yrs ago...yet it was still a shock to see. Two tired gals fell into bed at 9 p.m.
Day 3
Though we longed to sleep in, we were up, dressed, choosing a slightly smaller breakfast and on the bus by 8:30 headed for the Great Wall. The climb up is not an easy one thanks to higher altitude & uneven steps--but the view makes up for it! Though it was not as magnificent as the one Rog & I saw from a different part of the wall, it was a thrill. Next we headed for a Jade Factory. Jade here is like diamonds in US. A jade bangle equates to our diamond ring is is often passed down through generations. A nice bangle was $2500. We didn't buy one--or any thing else. We did eat dinner there--another feast. Just when you think I can't eat another bite...they bring out another new dish & gash, you gotta try it. Our bus dropped us off just in time to catch the opening act of the Wonderful Hun, an acrobatic performance. In awe we watched balancing, tumbling & bicycle acts. The grand finale was 5 motorcycles racing around inside a huge metal ball. Crazy!! We got back to our room around 6--totally exhausted. Packed up our bags for our 6:45 PU tomorrow, ate up our left over Ramon noodles & PJ sandwich then crashed.
Beijing info:
Beijing is home to 23 million people, hundreds of sky scrapers, a few trees and kept clean by busy street sweepers everywhere. It's cold--about 35F and we got lucky to have two daily clear days but third day were were enclosed by smog...common here. Beijing is also home to 5.5 million cars. To curb the #'s, gov't only allows driving your car 4 out of 5 business days. That helped the car sales as people then bought 2 cars. Since days allowed are determined by your license plate #...cost of plates is extremely high...in Shanghai, people pay up to $15,000 for one plate! Cameras catch offenders. Most roads have a side lane for the multitude of motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, (most with blanket & hand covers) rickshaws, 3 wheeled mini cars & wheel chairs. In spite of all this, traffic doesn't seem very congested and moves at a slow pace--even expressway traffic appears under 60 MPH. People are well dressed & all in a rush. Personal space is a foreign concept--just as no Facebook & limited Google search is foreign to us!!
(Chan had downloaded a re-routing app which is how she can be on Facebook. Me--well, I'm living without it.)
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
Day 2--After an endless selection of choices for breakfast, we met with George & the group to head out for our Beijing tour. CCAI wants families to get a chance to experience some of the Chinese culture...and get over jet lag before Gotcha Day. Tiananmen Square & then Forbidden City before riding a rickshaw through old Peking that dropped us at one of the local's homes for dinner. Looking around, it was apparent this was the real deal. Two round tables filled the main room & all 24 of us squeezed in. In the 4'x8' kitchen, they prepared an amazing amount & variety of food that included quail eggs, shrimp, chicken, cucumbers, bok choy, garlic shoots, broccoli...all combined with various sauces & other veges. Poor rickshaw drivers had more weight to pull back to our bus. Chan's enjoyed a massage while I did some writing and then both napped till it was time to meet up with the group again for a Peking duck dinner...which again was bountiful. We needed to walk of at least part of today's meals, so we walked & browsed street vendors ware ending up in a alley loaded with what the locals love: deep fried baby ducks, starfish, snake, octopus, grubs, chicken feet and scorpions still wiggling about. Rog & I had discovered a street like this 4 yrs ago...yet it was still a shock to see. Two tired gals fell into bed at 9 p.m.
Day 3
Though we longed to sleep in, we were up, dressed, choosing a slightly smaller breakfast and on the bus by 8:30 headed for the Great Wall. The climb up is not an easy one thanks to higher altitude & uneven steps--but the view makes up for it! Though it was not as magnificent as the one Rog & I saw from a different part of the wall, it was a thrill. Next we headed for a Jade Factory. Jade here is like diamonds in US. A jade bangle equates to our diamond ring is is often passed down through generations. A nice bangle was $2500. We didn't buy one--or any thing else. We did eat dinner there--another feast. Just when you think I can't eat another bite...they bring out another new dish & gash, you gotta try it. Our bus dropped us off just in time to catch the opening act of the Wonderful Hun, an acrobatic performance. In awe we watched balancing, tumbling & bicycle acts. The grand finale was 5 motorcycles racing around inside a huge metal ball. Crazy!! We got back to our room around 6--totally exhausted. Packed up our bags for our 6:45 PU tomorrow, ate up our left over Ramon noodles & PJ sandwich then crashed.
Beijing info:
Beijing is home to 23 million people, hundreds of sky scrapers, a few trees and kept clean by busy street sweepers everywhere. It's cold--about 35F and we got lucky to have two daily clear days but third day were were enclosed by smog...common here. Beijing is also home to 5.5 million cars. To curb the #'s, gov't only allows driving your car 4 out of 5 business days. That helped the car sales as people then bought 2 cars. Since days allowed are determined by your license plate #...cost of plates is extremely high...in Shanghai, people pay up to $15,000 for one plate! Cameras catch offenders. Most roads have a side lane for the multitude of motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, (most with blanket & hand covers) rickshaws, 3 wheeled mini cars & wheel chairs. In spite of all this, traffic doesn't seem very congested and moves at a slow pace--even expressway traffic appears under 60 MPH. People are well dressed & all in a rush. Personal space is a foreign concept--just as no Facebook & limited Google search is foreign to us!!
(Chan had downloaded a re-routing app which is how she can be on Facebook. Me--well, I'm living without it.)
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
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