Sunday, September 30, 2007
We're home!
WOW!
The best thing about Sept 27 was that it was Elizabeth's 1st b-day and we got home! It was incredibly long and fairly rough trip...the planes were fine, food OK, but sleep was nonexistent for at least one of us at all times on that long trip. The HongKong>Chicago was hard, but we made it! AND Elizabeth will be able to say her 1st b-day was literally 36 hrs long! ^>^
Jetlag is harder than i remember...that stay-up-too-late feeling is still here on day 3 at home. BUT - Catherine Eason just left after spending 3 nights w/ us to help organize, order, re-enter, play w/ Catherine, debrief, sort, feed, and more! She was God-sent! She'll need 3 days to recoup from all she did for us!
We all can't thank you enough for your prayers! And don't stop! There is SO much new for all of us...we haven't put Elizabeth in her exersaucer and jump seat yet b/c they are such loud colors ^>^, but she can tear it up on the walker: including LIFTING it over the quarter-inch threshold kitchen<>living room!
We have a well-baby check up this week i am really looking forward to. Elizabeth is a bit behind in moving to table food (which was NO problem for Catherine). She eats OK, but not to FULL, so fills with a bottle which means we are doing a lot of diaper and bed changing as we figure out these food<>sleep<>play<>potty schedules. ...that makes nights long and weird. As many of you traveling w/ children know, you can rejoice w/ us in our glee that Elizabeth is "regular" and that is a huge blessing amongst all this change for her.
Catherine is a FANTASTIC big sister! She and Elizabeth just GIGGLE at each other! It's delightful! Cath can get a smile and a lunge and a giggle out of Elizabeth faster than anyone!
I'm going to post a few pix and get more details to you here soon. This will be our primary way of getting info out to folks for a while. I'm hoping to be off for the month of October, but we'll see how that goes. There is PLENTY to acclaimate to! ^>^
Thank you again for your prayers, texts, calls, emails, visits, and ALL your support! Don't stop! We love and appreciate each of you!
Blessings and love -
L! for C & E too!
The best thing about Sept 27 was that it was Elizabeth's 1st b-day and we got home! It was incredibly long and fairly rough trip...the planes were fine, food OK, but sleep was nonexistent for at least one of us at all times on that long trip. The HongKong>Chicago was hard, but we made it! AND Elizabeth will be able to say her 1st b-day was literally 36 hrs long! ^>^
Jetlag is harder than i remember...that stay-up-too-late feeling is still here on day 3 at home. BUT - Catherine Eason just left after spending 3 nights w/ us to help organize, order, re-enter, play w/ Catherine, debrief, sort, feed, and more! She was God-sent! She'll need 3 days to recoup from all she did for us!
We all can't thank you enough for your prayers! And don't stop! There is SO much new for all of us...we haven't put Elizabeth in her exersaucer and jump seat yet b/c they are such loud colors ^>^, but she can tear it up on the walker: including LIFTING it over the quarter-inch threshold kitchen<>living room!
We have a well-baby check up this week i am really looking forward to. Elizabeth is a bit behind in moving to table food (which was NO problem for Catherine). She eats OK, but not to FULL, so fills with a bottle which means we are doing a lot of diaper and bed changing as we figure out these food<>sleep<>play<>potty schedules. ...that makes nights long and weird. As many of you traveling w/ children know, you can rejoice w/ us in our glee that Elizabeth is "regular" and that is a huge blessing amongst all this change for her.
Catherine is a FANTASTIC big sister! She and Elizabeth just GIGGLE at each other! It's delightful! Cath can get a smile and a lunge and a giggle out of Elizabeth faster than anyone!
I'm going to post a few pix and get more details to you here soon. This will be our primary way of getting info out to folks for a while. I'm hoping to be off for the month of October, but we'll see how that goes. There is PLENTY to acclaimate to! ^>^
Thank you again for your prayers, texts, calls, emails, visits, and ALL your support! Don't stop! We love and appreciate each of you!
Blessings and love -
L! for C & E too!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Update from Catherine!
Tomorrow we have our last appointment - a VISA appt at the American Consolate (sp?). We leave here on Thursday a.m.: early flt to Hong Kong, a little layover, and leave HK at noon-ish our time (midnight Thurs a.m. your time), for Chicago and then on to Chas/Mt Pl! Prayers now can be for the trip home.
Here's some comments from Catherine about her sister:
"I can make her laugh. She gave me 2 kisses. One was slobbery. She get up by herself in her crib. She has 6 teeth - 4 on top. She has 4 more to go. We'll be home soon. I bought a race car, maybe I can bring it to school and show you how it works. It's not a race car real, it's just a remote control race car. Maybe we can take turns. Oh I'm sorry we can't because it doesn't have much battery...it only has like 5 min of battery."
Stay tuned again for pix!
Blessings and love to all!
L! and C!
...and Elizabeth and Mom too!
Here's some comments from Catherine about her sister:
"I can make her laugh. She gave me 2 kisses. One was slobbery. She get up by herself in her crib. She has 6 teeth - 4 on top. She has 4 more to go. We'll be home soon. I bought a race car, maybe I can bring it to school and show you how it works. It's not a race car real, it's just a remote control race car. Maybe we can take turns. Oh I'm sorry we can't because it doesn't have much battery...it only has like 5 min of battery."
Stay tuned again for pix!
Blessings and love to all!
L! and C!
...and Elizabeth and Mom too!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Guangzhou at last!
We are in a wonderful city of 11million (i think) just over an hour from Hong Kong. We'll be here til we leave on Thursday a.m. I hope to send pix to Dad to post - can't get them to post today. ...stay tuned!
Elizabeth had her medical exam today - a formality mostly. She's GREAT! 20lbs and 76cm! She's the oldest of our 4 babies, but not the biggest. We have loved getting to know our "travel cousins" and now are enjoying the GREAT food here and catching up on sleep. The colds seem to be subsiding, so we are all feeling better.
Now we wait for papers and for the Visa appointment and swearing in at the American Consolate.
Please continue prayers for safety, good health, attachment, knowing in our heart of hearts that there is enough love to go around!!!...AND sharing that too!
We are staying in the White Swan Hotel - WHAT a treat: http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/eng/Public/index.asp if you want to check it out! There are several special needs children around in addition to the babies. It's prayerfully tear jerking to see these elementary-age children with eye problems or some kind of facial abnormality (which are no problem for our docs) walk shyly or exuberantly with their new parents thru the sensory overloads of this hotel, town, and now new lives. Mom and I weep 'happy tears' (as Catherine says) of HOPE for these new families and are all the more grateful for ours.
Thanks for the notes, prayers, prayer beads, cards, and all the different ways you all are supporting us! (and Dad too!!!)
We'll be home FRIDAY! ...til then, stay tuned for pix! ^>^
Blessings and love -
L!...and Catherine, Elizabeth, and Anne!!!
Elizabeth had her medical exam today - a formality mostly. She's GREAT! 20lbs and 76cm! She's the oldest of our 4 babies, but not the biggest. We have loved getting to know our "travel cousins" and now are enjoying the GREAT food here and catching up on sleep. The colds seem to be subsiding, so we are all feeling better.
Now we wait for papers and for the Visa appointment and swearing in at the American Consolate.
Please continue prayers for safety, good health, attachment, knowing in our heart of hearts that there is enough love to go around!!!...AND sharing that too!
We are staying in the White Swan Hotel - WHAT a treat: http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/eng/Public/index.asp if you want to check it out! There are several special needs children around in addition to the babies. It's prayerfully tear jerking to see these elementary-age children with eye problems or some kind of facial abnormality (which are no problem for our docs) walk shyly or exuberantly with their new parents thru the sensory overloads of this hotel, town, and now new lives. Mom and I weep 'happy tears' (as Catherine says) of HOPE for these new families and are all the more grateful for ours.
Thanks for the notes, prayers, prayer beads, cards, and all the different ways you all are supporting us! (and Dad too!!!)
We'll be home FRIDAY! ...til then, stay tuned for pix! ^>^
Blessings and love -
L!...and Catherine, Elizabeth, and Anne!!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Changsha>>Guangzhoa
...ooooI hope this posts...the only english on this screen is what i'm typing and 'Catherine's Little Sister' in the upper corner ^>^ ...so i hope it posts in english ;-)
We are great! TIRED, but great! It's Sat, Sept 22, just after 3pm here in Changsha, Hunan and we leave here in the a.m. for Guangzhoa! We are REALLY ready to get to this final leg. Things are good:
Mom is AMAZING and a PRICELESS help and support and JOY!!! I only PRAY i can do for Catherine and Elizabeth as she has done for me!
Catherine is a GREAT big sis! She's of course jealous, but LOVES entertaining Elizabeth and reall yis a good help! She's not getting enough exercise, so ran like a crazy woman when we got to a park w/ the group today.
Elizabeth MayLin Turnage is a delight! She's got a thick cold right now, so she's a little testy. But she's showing us that she'll be just the kind of sister that Catherine needs :-) We hope to post another pix sometime after we get to Guangzhoa.
Tonight we get the girls' Chinese passports with their American names in them, then one more stop in the Washington, DC of adoptions: Guangzhoa to get their physical exams and then their American visas, then we are OFF.
...Fun Elizabeth tricks: she blows her nose whenever she needs...whether you are ready or not! ^>^
...and she shakes her head and giggles and smiles HUGE whenever she sees Catherine play peek-a-boo over the back of the chair in the restaurant - like "i can't believe this is MY sister"!
Yall's prayers have been amazing supports for us! Thank you all for these and your notes too! Don't stop!
Blessings and love to you all!
L!
...for Catherine, Elizabeth, and Mom too!
We are great! TIRED, but great! It's Sat, Sept 22, just after 3pm here in Changsha, Hunan and we leave here in the a.m. for Guangzhoa! We are REALLY ready to get to this final leg. Things are good:
Mom is AMAZING and a PRICELESS help and support and JOY!!! I only PRAY i can do for Catherine and Elizabeth as she has done for me!
Catherine is a GREAT big sis! She's of course jealous, but LOVES entertaining Elizabeth and reall yis a good help! She's not getting enough exercise, so ran like a crazy woman when we got to a park w/ the group today.
Elizabeth MayLin Turnage is a delight! She's got a thick cold right now, so she's a little testy. But she's showing us that she'll be just the kind of sister that Catherine needs :-) We hope to post another pix sometime after we get to Guangzhoa.
Tonight we get the girls' Chinese passports with their American names in them, then one more stop in the Washington, DC of adoptions: Guangzhoa to get their physical exams and then their American visas, then we are OFF.
...Fun Elizabeth tricks: she blows her nose whenever she needs...whether you are ready or not! ^>^
...and she shakes her head and giggles and smiles HUGE whenever she sees Catherine play peek-a-boo over the back of the chair in the restaurant - like "i can't believe this is MY sister"!
Yall's prayers have been amazing supports for us! Thank you all for these and your notes too! Don't stop!
Blessings and love to you all!
L!
...for Catherine, Elizabeth, and Mom too!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
To Mrs Fennell's Class ALL! CHINA!
Dear Class,
I missed you on the trip. My mom is typing this for me from Hua Tian Hotel in Changsha, Hunan China. I actually really think this is funny so and um...i wrote 20 notes - one to myself - one for each person in my class. It was silly of me to write 20 b/c one was to me since there is only 19 in the class. There's 10 notes and 9 faces for yall.
Today (Wed, Sept 20) we are going to a museum today to see a real mummy. I think the first day when we get home it will be my sisters birthday. She is very cute. My mom says i'm the best big sister ever.
Love,
Catherine T.
PS - [from LT] We are all doing well. Had a few bumps w/ paperwork, but all's well now and we have Elizabeth Maylin Turnage: head of dark hair w/ great sideburns, beautiful big eys, a precious smile that reminds me of Aaron/Daniel, great disposition!!! LOVE LOVE LOVES her big sister! Thanks for all the prayers! HOpefullly we'll have a picture up in the next few days if I can figure out the port for the flashdrive ^>^
Don't stop the prayers! We love you all - blessings to ea of you!
L! & C! & E! and Mimi
I missed you on the trip. My mom is typing this for me from Hua Tian Hotel in Changsha, Hunan China. I actually really think this is funny so and um...i wrote 20 notes - one to myself - one for each person in my class. It was silly of me to write 20 b/c one was to me since there is only 19 in the class. There's 10 notes and 9 faces for yall.
Today (Wed, Sept 20) we are going to a museum today to see a real mummy. I think the first day when we get home it will be my sisters birthday. She is very cute. My mom says i'm the best big sister ever.
Love,
Catherine T.
PS - [from LT] We are all doing well. Had a few bumps w/ paperwork, but all's well now and we have Elizabeth Maylin Turnage: head of dark hair w/ great sideburns, beautiful big eys, a precious smile that reminds me of Aaron/Daniel, great disposition!!! LOVE LOVE LOVES her big sister! Thanks for all the prayers! HOpefullly we'll have a picture up in the next few days if I can figure out the port for the flashdrive ^>^
Don't stop the prayers! We love you all - blessings to ea of you!
L! & C! & E! and Mimi
Saturday, September 15, 2007
WE;RE HERE
ARRIVED IN BEIJING THIS IS DICTATED FROM MAC. WE ARE EXCITED! WE GET THE GIRLS IN CHANGSHA, HUNAN MONDAY AFTERNOON AROUND 3:00 . THAT WILL BE 3:00 AM MONDAY EASTERN TIME. TODAY WE ARE HEADED TO TIENANMEN SQUARE SP?), FORBIDDEN CITY, GREAT WALL, JADE MUSEUM, AND MORE. FOOD IS GREAT. WE'RE GOOD. THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
LOVE FROM CHINA. LYNN, CATHERINE, ANNE.
LOVE FROM CHINA. LYNN, CATHERINE, ANNE.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
We're OFF!
Thanks for your prayers! You all are GREAT! We're about 36hrs from blast off ^>^ ...yes, i'm petrified!
When you go to bed on Sunday night, say and extra ATTACHMENT prayer for Elizabeth Mei and her new family! And especially for Catherine too - to fall deeply in love with her new sister! (China is 12 hrs AHEAD of EDT!)
God IS amazingly good! Please note the amazing connections God has already put to work in, not only getting another "Hunan spiceygirl" (as the adoptive community calls these precious ones from Hunan province) but, us even staying at the same hotel where Catherine and i 1st laid eyes on each other!!! ...AND and we come back home ON Elizabeth's 1st b-day!!! ...these are little pieces of God's amazing story of Elizabeth Mei Turnage!!! whewee!!! I believe God put her in our family from before conception - so pray God's mighty hand is weaving our hearts together now and esp.ly Monday afternoon, Sept 17(China time).
I hope to have a post up here by Monday night, EDT. ...and if i'm lucky, we'll try to get some pix on too. ^>^
Blessings and love to you all!
When you go to bed on Sunday night, say and extra ATTACHMENT prayer for Elizabeth Mei and her new family! And especially for Catherine too - to fall deeply in love with her new sister! (China is 12 hrs AHEAD of EDT!)
God IS amazingly good! Please note the amazing connections God has already put to work in, not only getting another "Hunan spiceygirl" (as the adoptive community calls these precious ones from Hunan province) but, us even staying at the same hotel where Catherine and i 1st laid eyes on each other!!! ...AND and we come back home ON Elizabeth's 1st b-day!!! ...these are little pieces of God's amazing story of Elizabeth Mei Turnage!!! whewee!!! I believe God put her in our family from before conception - so pray God's mighty hand is weaving our hearts together now and esp.ly Monday afternoon, Sept 17(China time).
I hope to have a post up here by Monday night, EDT. ...and if i'm lucky, we'll try to get some pix on too. ^>^
Blessings and love to you all!
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