OUR KIDS - Some Are Just Furrier Than Others !!

We learn new things about Maya every day:

Bananas, squash, egg, thumbs-up!... strained peas.. big thumbs-down !!!
Sam and Berkeley really like it when she throws food on the floor, over and over again !! "Keep those strained peas coming kid !!"
There's nothing like bed-time to bring out the big-time crankies !!!!!
Blowing raspberries is much more fun if you do it loudly !!!
She has cheeks like a squirrel when it comes to cheerios !!!
It's more fun - when you wear it on your head !!

It's Play-Time Boys and Girls !!!!

We've reached the conclusion that man's greatest invention is not the automobile, space travel or the personal computer -it's the Jumperoo !!!! God bless you Mr. Fisher-Price !!!!! This thing's great for bouncing the grumpies and crazies out of Miss Maya - I wonder if they make them in our sizes ??

2 A.M. - It Aint Pretty !!!

Maya, our adorable little girl, is still on 'China time'. While in China, she would usually have a nap in the afternoon, and then go to sleep between 9 and 11 p.m. We could count on her being asleep until 5 or 6 a.m. Ahhh... those were the 'good old days'. She has been awake each and every night at about 1:30, and has stayed awake until 4 or 5 a.m. She downs her formula and then insists on play-time with mom and dad. Yes, we've tried keeping her up during the day, exposure to lots of sunlight, stroller-time, and that old stand-by : gravol suppositories (I know, too much info!). We know it will take time to get her onto our schedule, but at 2 a.m., rational thought is a scarce commodity.
The only thing that helps us get through this time is knowing that most of our group is in the same sleep-deprived boat !!

Hoping for ZZZZZZZZ's,

Paul, Angela, Maya and Sam

Yes, We're Still Alive and Kicking !!

Our flight from Beijing just may go down as the longest on record. As many of you know, the air quality in Beijing is quite poor, even in the winter. When combined with a lack of sleep, and an increased stress level, many people succomb to flu bugs and colds. After a week of my snuffling and snorfing, Maya finally caught my head cold. We were both quite congested the evening of the 14th and neither of us got much sleep. I must admit to some uncharitable thoughts here - Paul slept, well...like a baby.

We left Beijing 2 hours later than our anticipated 2:40pm departure time, and settled in for our 14 hour journey. The actual ride home was pleasant enough, when you consider that there were 30+ babies on the flight. Lots of tears, mostly from the parents, but we all made it home, eventually.

For those of you who have yet to make this trip, please, please consider purchasing an extra seat for your baby. If the flight is empty, there is no need. If the flight is full, you'ld sell your soul for the extra leg room. We took a chance and bought the seat. The only problem was that Maya likes to lay completely flat when she's sleeping. If her little legs encounter any resistance to their mid-night 'exploration' of her surroundings, she wakes-up and cries. With the help of some Gravol, and some heavy-duty prayers, she slept about 4 hours on our flight home. Paul, my dear husband attempted to sleep while having the stuffing kicked out of his right leg by a 2-year old who was asleep beside him. I spent a good portion of the 'night' perched on my armrest so that Maya could lie flat on both of our seats. Did I say it was a 'lonnnnggg flight' ???

We arrived in Toronto at about 5:30 pm, and I have never been so happy to have my feet on terra firma. My poor father's feet were less impressed. My parents live in Nova Scotia, and they were scheduled to arrive in Toronto at about 11 am on the 15th. A three or four hour wait 'wasn't much', they reasoned, so they planned on staying in the airport until our flight arrived in the afternoon. After customs, immigration, and the baggage carousel, we finally made our appearance through the arrival gates at 7:30 that evening. Paul's mom Genny, dear cousin Rosemary, and my father were there to meet our weary family.

It was then that I discovered that my mom had been unable to travel to Toronto with my dad because she had a kidney infection and was in considerable discomfort. What I didn't know was that she had been taken to the emergency room twice since my father had left her that morning. Dad had arrived in Toronto at about 11:30 am, had spent the day in the airport( on two very sore feet) awaiting our arrival, and then (after a sleep-less night) was back on another plane at 7:00 am on Friday for an unscheduled return flight to Halifax. Yet another flight that doesn't end....!!

Four days later, my mom is gradually recovering but it has been a very difficult time for her. Hopefully the antibiotics fulfill their obligation and provide her with some relief very soon. Thank-you mom for your valiant effort, and yes, you will see Miss Maya in person very soon !! Dad, thank-you for being a good dad, and thank-you for making your own journey to meet your first grandchild, for the first time. I love you both, and I've never been prouder to call you my mom and dad.

Thank-you Genny for your long wait at the airport, and for the look of delight on your face when you first saw Maya. Thank-you Beryl for coming to greet us at the airport, and we're so sorry we were late. Finally, thank-you Rosemary for all your help. We really wouldn't have made it to Park'n'fly, in one piece, without your help.

At last we're home. Home Sweet Home...

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Paul took these photos an hour ago. The streets around our hotel constantly hum with activity. With a population of 14 million plus - I guess a little humming is to be expected. With Chinese New Year fast approaching, the movement of people seems to be increasing exponentially. People wait in line at the train station to get a ticket which will allow them to wait in another line for a seat which may or may exist. All of this effort to get back home, wherever that home may be, to spend New Year with their loved ones. This will be Maya's second Chinese New Year - her first with us, and we are now her loved ones. We wish we could stay just a few more days to see the New Year celebrations through the eyes of our child.

Paul and I have very mixed feelings about leaving China. This is our daughter's birthplace. ALL of her history is here, and we will be removing her from it - perhaps forever.

There are some things which we won't miss when we leave China. We won't miss the air quality in Beijing- there is a constant haze from the pollution in the atmosphere. Heaven help anyone who is here in the summer. We won't miss the traffic and the lack of rules of the road. We won't miss having to buy multiple bottles of water because the water in China is undrinkable. We won't miss the sleep deprivation from the jet lag and the stiflingly hot hotel rooms. And no, Hinson, unfortunately, we won't miss the food.

We will miss the breathtaking beauty of both China and its people. We'll miss the streets of Nanchang and the smells of the foods being cooked by the vendors. We'll miss the extraordinary kindness of the people we have met. For me personally, I will miss the palpable connection to Maya's past. I'll even miss the Chinese grannies who wag their fingers disapprovingly at you if they deem your child to be insufficiently clothed.

We will leave China tomorrow at 2:40 pm. We can't wait to get home again and to see our parents at the airport in Toronto. (That is if we can land in Toronto - there may be too much snow !!) I can't wait to see my best buddy Sam - Thank-you Sue and Kelly for taking such good care of him. Thank-you Debi for looking after little Berkeley - I'm not sure that he will want to come home after being with you for three weeks. Finally, thanks to each of you who has taken the time to read our blog, garbled as it often was (is). Thank you for your comments which helped to lift our sagging spirits, especially late at night.

Next step - the dreaded 14 hour flight home !!!
'See' you in Toronto !!

Paul, Angela and Maya

Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City

Holy Mao! was it cold out there when we took our tour! Later, Paul went out with the gang for Peking Duck and Maya and I went back to the hotel for some R & R.

We've hit the 'Silk Market' a few times now. There isn't much 'silk' to be seen though -it's more of a large indoor flea market where the vendors sell counterfeit goods. Anyone want an 'Amani' for 200 Yuan ? Bargaining is expected in malls such as these, and you really can get some amazing deals. You can also get fleeced big-time, so you have to know your prices, and know how to maintain a good 'poker face'.

Our Girl !!

Maya's Visit to the Doctor

Maya's first visit (with us) to a doctor's office went very well. She cried when they placed her on the scale to weigh her, but hey, I'd cry too if somebody put me on a cold scale! She is 71 cm tall and weighs 7.2 Kg (15.8 lbs), so, she's quite tiny for a one year old.

Maya is not able to sit by herself or to stand. She tries to pull herself onto her side when she's lying in her crib and she is developing quite the grip in her little fingers ! Her gross motor skills will improve with time, but as you can see, she is quite delayed. A few of the other children show similar characteristics, but most are on target for their development.

Little Missy LOVES to eat, and she drinks about 12 oz of formula at each feeding (3x /day). She gobbles-up fried rice, soft egg and ham, congee and of course, Cheerios and Baby Mum-Mums. Maya doesn't have any teeth yet, another sign of malnutrition, but that doesn't stop her from munching her way through cookies etc.

She smiles readily, for us, and loves to be held. She looks us both in the eyes, and we feel that she is beginning to form a healthy attachment with us. She didn't like being examined by the nurse or doctor, and she smiled at Paul when he picked her up after the exam.

I asked the orphanage director what Maya's Chinese name "Li Tian' means. "Li" means 'beautiful' and "Tian" means 'sweet'. 'Tian' also means 'heaven', but the character used in her name for 'Tian' means 'sweet'. They couldn't have been more accurate in their description of her, Maya is the 'sweetest' child we have ever seen !

That's Some Great Wall !!!!!!!!!

Today, we traveled to a jade carving factory in Beijing and were able to observe true artisans at work. We never knew that so many varieties of jade exist - who knew that it also comes in white, black, pink and purple !! After touring the carving work-shop we toured the government-run jade store. Here, we were the recipients of the old soft, hard-sell. We left that store minus a few yuans, but the proud owners of some very nice jade.

Later, we visited a small portion of the Great Wall of China. What a spectacular feat of engineering !! Paul, the adventurous one in this duo, bravely scaled the wall. I, on the other hand stayed close to the bottom with Maya asleep on my chest. I commented to Paul that it is amazing to think that each stone was carved by hand, and carried to its final resting place in this wall which spans thousands of miles. Paul's response was simple - "slave labour" - unfortunately, he was right.

My head cold has decided that it likes its host, and may stay for the duration. So far, Paul and Maya have been spared, but many members of our group haven't been so lucky.

Tomorrow we are off to the International Health Clinic in Beijing to have Maya examined. We have been told to expect a very cursory examination which may last all of three minutes. We are expecting to hear something along the line of "yes, mam that's definitely a baby - please pay your $90 US at the door ". Not to worry, we'll have Miss Maya properly checked-over when we return to Canada. So far OUR diagnosis is unanimous, she's one great kid !!!

The Beginning

When we received Maya last Sunday, I was able to talk to the orphanage director via a translator. Many parents want to visit their child's orphanage, and we were no exception. When I asked for his permission to travel to HengFeng, he responded that we would have to apply for a formal permission from the HengFeng Civil Affairs office. He could not say 'yes' or 'no' to our request. I was also told that such a request was unlikely to be granted.

The CCAA, China Centre for Adoption Affairs, is clear in its perspective on this issue. The answer is always 'no'. Families are not permitted to visit their child's orphanage at the time of the adoption. They may on subsequent visits, apply via their agency for permission, and this permission may or may not be granted. There are perhaps a thousand orphanages throughout China. Most do not participate in international adoption, and most are very, very poor. Previous visits to these orphanages have captured images on film which portray the Chinese people and government in a less than favorable light. It's a face that the government would prefer not to reveal to the western world.

I knew that I might not receive permission to travel to HengFeng, but I had to try.In the future, when Maya asked whether I had done everything I could to visit her birthplace, I wanted to be able to tell her honestly that I had. Anyone who truly knows me will know that I don't respond well to the word 'no'. I like to think of it as tenacity. Paul prefers to call it stubborness, and unfortunately for him, Maya appears to share this trait with me.

If I had to, I would have walked to HengFeng. However, since it is a three hour journey each way, a car or bus would be a more sensible choice. There are several familes who have children from counties neighboring HengFeng. I had hoped that they would also want to journey to their children's orphanages. For various reasons, they did not, and I was on my own. Paul and I both agreed that it would not be in Maya's best interests to travel to HengFeng, so he would stay behind with her in Nanchang.

I decided to rent a car to travel to Heng Feng, and as luck (actually, I prefer to think of it as divine assistance) would have it, Thursday was a 'free day' for our group. One of our guides, Ma Rui, was willing to make the journey with me, and so on Thursday morning we began our journey to Maya's birthplace.

The road to HengFeng was similar to a well-traveled interstate. I think that I had been expecting something more primitive, perhaps with potholes and rickshaws. The washrooms along the way were a different story. We had been warned about the state of the Chinese 'facilities', and they lived up to their reputation. They are one of the few things that I will not miss when I leave this country.

We arrived in Heng Feng around noon, and the director was waiting to meet us as we left the main highway. Our group of families had purchased walkers for the four orphanages, and we were able to deliver some of them directly to Maya's SWI. He expressed surprise that Paul and Maya had not accompanied me to Heng Feng, but he invited me to visit his orphanage.

I was invited to tour the children's area and was welcome to visit with the children and the nannies. Unfortunately, I was not able to meet Xu Xiang Feng, Maya's foster mother, but I had previously been told that contact with foster families is not encouraged.

The director welcomed me into his office, and he had arranged many snacks and bottles of cold water for both Ma Rui and myself. It was a very warm day, so both were very much appreciated. He showed me pictures of families who had previously adopted children from HengFeng, and he showed me the many photo albums which families had sent to him over the years. In the photo above, he is holding an album which contains pictures of Maya's foster sister Olivia. He assured me that after Chinese New Year, he would deliver the album to Xu Xiang Feng. I was also able to say hello to the nanny who cared for a little girl named Leah. Leah now lives in California, and her parents have expressed the desire to return to Heng Feng one day.

After a short tour of the orphanage, we were invited to share lunch with him and the director of Children's Services at a local hotel. It was a lovely meal and I was deeply touched by this man's generosity, and kindness. We later were able to visit the site of Maya's abandonment, and I was able to take photos to show Maya when she becomes older. I had expected only to visit the town of HengFeng and to see the abandonment site. Instead, I was welcomed with open arms into the orphanage. Previous familes have told similar tales.

I believe that the director truly wants to welcome families to HengFeng, but that his hands are tied by the red tape of government. I also believe that we as adoptive families have to be repectful of his requests not to display photos or videos of the children on the internet. To do so would reflect poorly on him, and perhaps force him to adopt a firm stand against visits to his orphanage. FengCheng SWI (another orphanage in Jiangxi) not only forbids family visits but refuses to allow families to take photos outside the gates of its property.


The director is a kind man who genuinely cares for the children in his orphanage. The building which houses the children was built in 2006, largely with funds donated by adoptive families. He receives very little financial assistance from the Chinese government or from the CCAA, and both he and Ma Rui have told me that Heng Feng is the poorest county in Jiangxi province. One need not venture far off the property to confirm this fact.

The children in his care appeared to be healthy and happy. The rooms, while not extravagant by any estimation, were clean, and well-cared for. The nannies and care-givers really appear to love these children.

When I returned to Nanchang in the evening, several families asked me if the day was very difficult for me. Strangely enough, it wasn't. My journey to HengFeng provided a confirmation that my daughter was loved by the caregivers at the SWI, and also by her birth mother. The best way for me to describe it would be to say that it was a comforting experience for me.

The two best days in my life were when I married my husband Paul, and when Maya became our daughter. The day I traveled to HengFeng, to my daughter's birthplace, follows closely behind.


(Liz, thank-you for following our blog. The most recent photos of Maya are a few entries down. We promise to post many more. Best Wishes - Angela)