Day on the town and a little quite time...

This afternoon we decided to be a little adventurous and walked down to the local shopping area about ten minutes away from the hotel. It was really interesting. They have very small shops and they are very specialized. Often people came up and touched Sadie – they were very nice. I wish I could speak Chinese and understand what they were saying… we could only imagine. Wayne said it felt kind of funny – we were really out of place verse all the rest of the people. They really looked at us as we walked from shop to shop. It was a nice time – cold and wind but a nice time. Sadie is still having issues with wanting to drink anything – I’m about to try a little Tsingtao, but Heidi will not let me – just kidding. We are a little concerned but she did eat well this morning for breakfast. We are having a nice bonding day but there are still times when Sadie has some “Troubles…” She really needs to drink some more liquids but she did eat well this morning. We will have a group dinner tonight and tomorrow off to the orphanage to hopefully meet and get some picture of Sadie’s foster family. It is about a 4-hour bus ride and we will stay in that town. Not sure if they have any Internet, so it may be an extra day before I get the pictures posted.

More Pictures from yesterday - Gotcha Day

A few more pictures from yesterday. I’m trying to post as many pictures as I can but the Internet connection is very slow and half the time it will not up-load to the blog site after 20 minutes of waiting. Then I have to do it all over again. It takes around 3 minutes and up to 10 minutes per picture… The picture of Heidi and I with a gentleman – is some one we found on the street and invited in to experience our great day - - - ha ha just kidding – He is the Orphanage Director where Sadie went in once a week to see how she was doing. As many of you know – she was with a foster family. They bring their foster kids in once a week to have them “checked out” but more importantly to get supplies. The orphanage supplies everything that is needed to raise little Sadie. The family receives about the equivalent of $30.00 per month per child. The Director was very clear that $30 per month was a good amount of money were they live. He was a really neat guy and has been the Director for 13 years. I asked him what he enjoyed about his job and he said that it makes him so happy to know that the kids at his orphanage will grow up somewhere and live happy lives… He said that a day like today when he has to hand off the babies to new families is very happy for him but also very sad… They really feel very proud of the job they have done to bring the kids, mostly girls, to the point where they get a new family… It was very clear that he takes pride in what he does…

Sadie's first bath!

Sadie’s first bath… the pictures are a little deceiving – they make it look as if she is having a good time but the truth is… she did not really enjoy it at all! She is all nice and clean though.

First Night Update and Breakfast

First night with Sadie update – she really did not sleep to well. She was a little or a lot upset most of the night. Wayne, Heidi and I all feel it is just a combination of “I got Troubles…” “I got cold troubles, my noise is running troubles, I have junk in my lungs troubles, I really do not like this formula crap troubles – it is not what I’m use too troubles, I keep looking at these people and wondering what the heck am I doing here with them troubles, I have a few teeth coming in troubles and on top of all that I just want to fight not going to bed troubles…” That being said – so is so sweet. As I’m writing this she is finally asleep in my arms. A few times last night Heidi and I got Sadie laughing… She seams to go through a few phases where she is happy and feeling good… then thoughts of all the “troubles” listed above start to come back in her little head… then – well lets just say she can cry pretty good. When morning come – we decided to just get out of the room and have breakfast – maybe this would get her little mind off all the “troubles” and it did. She ate a lot!!! We were so happy because she really has not ate that much!

WOW - What an amazing day!!!

Wow – What an amazing day. I really cannot put into words or even thoughts of the events of today. It was happy, sad, amazing, scary, overwhelming, and all inspiring of the power that God has all kind of wrapped up in to a 24-hour period and – well for me it was a lot. Sadie is doing well – I think a little scared at the events of today and just a little or lot of wondering what the heck is going on. Who are these people? Why do they smell, look and sound so different. WHO THE ARE THEY and what are they doing to and with me? I cannot imagine what went through Sadie’s little mind when they just handed her over to us… The truth in the matter is it all really just seamed so surreal but it really wasn’t - - - It was, well – very hard to explain. Heidi and I are so excited though – we feel very lucky and very blessed by God. Even though Sadie spent most of the afternoon crying – we got her to laugh a little this evening. I really think she is missing her foster family and just really wondering what the deal is… What a day though and a real God thing – who else could set up a family with a sweet little soul ½ a world away? Well we finally got her down and she is sleeping… Took a little while. I’m sure she is just wondering what this whole day is all about. My heart cries out for what she must be going through – you can see it in her little eyes and feel the energy from her little soul… the neat thing is the days ahead are great for our little Sadie and these feelings she is feeling will pass soon… Thanks for all you thoughts and prayers – IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING DAY and we are blessed in more ways then we all know. Tomorrow is a free day with nothing planed and I’m really looking forward to it. Again the power of God shown so strong today - - - Wow…

Pictures of Wayne holding the little bundle of joy, a small example of all the paper work Heidi and I filled out today and me trying to comfort the little one. I think it has been a very hard day for Sadie – she has cried a lot and does seam to have a little cold. I think a lot of it is just all the change – shocking and big day for all. The Director of the orphanage said that the foster parents gave her back to the orphanage early this morning – then they had a four-hour bus ride to Nanchang… busy day for Sadie, Heidi, Rob and Wayne! Amazing but really thoughts cannot describe this day.

Few more pictures to enjoy – was an absolutely AMAZING Moment!!! She is so sweet. We love her so much…

Our Little Gift from God!!!

Here she is – Our little gift from God!!! Isn’t she just amazing. This is the picture when she first came in the room and sat down with her nanny that brought her here. The other picture is her first snuggle with Heidi and I… She is sooooooooo sweet!!!

Almost Time...

Getting closer - This was the welcome sign on the 26th floorat the adoption service center! The picture below was the room where they brought all the babies to meet their new parents and families!!! Was a nice room. The babies were a little late so this added to the event...

Gotcha Day - Waiting and the ride over!

Heidi waiting at the Hotel - making a last min. entry in Sadie's little book... This is a picture getting on the bus for the ride over to the provincial office to get our little Sadie!!!

IT'S GOTCHA DAY!!!!
Woke up this morning about 5am with major butterflies in my stomach. I'm nervous, excited, scared, very emotional!! We get our little Sadie in about 3 hours. I just can't tell you all how strange and surreal this all is. Last night when we walked in our room and saw the crib it really hit me. Starting to seem more real now, and I've already started my crying!
Be praying for us around 8pm mountain time. We'll probably be surrounded by 11 screaming babies about that time!!
More later...with pictures! Thanks for all your comments. We feel the love from so far away!
love,
Heidi, Rob & Wayne

Sadie's little bed all made up and ready for her to sleep in tomorrow night - Ha ha... but it is at least ready!!! Wayne just happens to also have one too - - - could come in handy, that's all I'm going say. Heidi enjoying a wonderful meal of watered down rice - was not that good but I thought it would be GREAT with a little (Or Lot) of brown sugar. We all are really sleepy and tired but doing well. We are so excited about getting little Sadie tomorrow around 11 am Nanchang time!!! We will post more tomorrow - right now I'm off to bed!!! Rob :)

Day One of Travel

Wow - what a long day... we left DIA around 4pm On Sat. 11-25-2006 - Arrived in LA and left for Guangzou about 12:50 am in the morning. 15 hours later we arrived in Guangzhou. We were late leaving LA - so our grop missed the flight to Nanchange - It was fine - we just were able to spend a few extra hours in Guangzhou - have lunch and try and relax. Our flight to nanchange went well and tomorrow is the day know as "Gotcha Day" We will get Sadie around 11am Nanchang time - about 15 hours later then MST - - - All the talk about the time change - well all those people were wrong - it is simply 15 hoursw later... Tomorrow we will have some good pictures of our first time with Sadie!!! Get excited - we are!

Rob, Heidi and Wayne

Travel Dates!

We have our travel dates, and flights are booked, so I guess we're really going!!
We will be leaving Saturday afternoon, November 25, and will arrive in Guangzhou, China early Monday morning. Monday afternoon we will fly to Nanchang and possibly get baby Sadie right away....oh my!!!
We come home on the 8th of December, landing in Denver around midnight, which will be mid-morning for us. (China is 11 hours later, plus one day since we cross the
international date line.) In other words, we will be way messed up with a way messed up baby! Could be interesting.
Bye for now!

Sadie at 8 Months - already driving - - - WOW she takes after her dad... Way advanced - a little early but, well not always best to be early or advanced - Ha ha

WOW - Sadie at 8 months Old!!! She looks like a Pehkonen - am I right??? I am!!!

Sadie - 5 months old!!!

Sadie - 5 months old!!!

Welcome!

Hello friends and family. Thank you for visiting our Sadie site!
While we are in China we will be posting information and pictures
every chance we get.