Hello all,
We are home! We got home Saturday morning at 6:30 and in our drive way by 7:30 am. Good to be home! Yesterday was full of visits from family, which was great! We were exhausted, but upside on our days and nights. Having family here was a nice way to stay awake!
The night was tough. I couldn't fall asleep, even after Tylenol PM. Tierzah woke up at 3:00, just as I was feeling like I could fall asleep. She went back to sleep for about 30 minutes and then was up again for a while. Her crying woke up Aaron and he was up for the day, so I went to bed and Aaron and Piper were up.
Tierzah went back to bed about 8:30 and Piper about 9:00. I got up at 10:00 and Aaron went to church to stay awake. It's now 11:18 and I am posting this, then I will wake everyone up and try to have a normal day and get to bed a little early, but not too early!
We still have some adjusting days ahead!
Thanks all for following our journey. Feel free to call!
Thank you Desi for staying on top of the blog while I couldn't access it. You are the best - love you so much!
Love you
Shannon
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Update!
Hi all! I got a lot of pictures and three videos from Shannon, too, but I'm in a hotel right now with very spotty internet connection, so unfortunatly I'll have to post the pictures and videos tonight! Sorry about that - I'll do it as soon as I get home. -Desi
Here's the update from Shannon:
We are now in Guangzhou. It is so much better here. The hotel is beautiful and the area is very charming. There is a Subway and Starbucks and a nice little restaurant names Lucy's which has very good American food. I had a hamburger yesterday which was really good!
The pools here are nice. Piper has been having a great time swimming with Grandpa and Grandma and yesterday she took Tierzah swimming. She was so grown up with her in the water. I will include pictures. She had a nice moment. A Chinese lady came and took her from Piper (very common here) and Tierzah cried and turned and reached for Piper. Piper was so proud. Tierzah wanted her!
Tierzah adores Piper and Piper Tierzah. It's very sweet. They play and laugh a lot together. Tierzah is everything Piper has been hoping she'd be. Thus far we have had zero jealousy issues with Piper. She is so attentive and proud of her sister.
Tierzah has really come out of her shell. She was so very stoic and unemotional the first few days. She didn't even cry, which is very heartbreaking. What I have heard is that they stop crying because they don't get any response when they cry. No one comes. Well, she cries now! Not a lot. She is very good. But we thought maybe she couldn't cry. When she first did, there wasn't much sound. Almost like when a debarked dog barks. They sound horse. She did too.
She didn't smile at all the first couple days and then slowly we were getting some, but it took a lot of work. Not now! She is a smiling happy little girl who coos and baby talks like every other little baby I've seen.
The transformation has been very interesting and heartwarming to watch. The first couple days I tried to touch her toes to her nose. Babies can do that, but she couldn't. I thought she was very unflexible. She was just tense. Now her toes are in her mouth all the time. She's a little gumby! (Nice turn out too, Teresa and Corrie!)
Tierzah had her medical exam yesterday. Diagnosis - healthy baby. She is 18 lbs and 23' long. She seems very tall to me. Much bigger than Anniston.
Tomorrow is our last appointment. We meet with the American Consulate for the Oath-taking ceremony. After that, it's all official on the US side. Since we are already official on the China side, that will make it official all the way around!
I will send a bunch a pics now and this will likely be the last post, unless I can figure out something less expensive or free! We are back home on Saturday am, so I'll see/talk to you all soon!
Love - Shannon
Here's the update from Shannon:
We are now in Guangzhou. It is so much better here. The hotel is beautiful and the area is very charming. There is a Subway and Starbucks and a nice little restaurant names Lucy's which has very good American food. I had a hamburger yesterday which was really good!
The pools here are nice. Piper has been having a great time swimming with Grandpa and Grandma and yesterday she took Tierzah swimming. She was so grown up with her in the water. I will include pictures. She had a nice moment. A Chinese lady came and took her from Piper (very common here) and Tierzah cried and turned and reached for Piper. Piper was so proud. Tierzah wanted her!
Tierzah adores Piper and Piper Tierzah. It's very sweet. They play and laugh a lot together. Tierzah is everything Piper has been hoping she'd be. Thus far we have had zero jealousy issues with Piper. She is so attentive and proud of her sister.
Tierzah has really come out of her shell. She was so very stoic and unemotional the first few days. She didn't even cry, which is very heartbreaking. What I have heard is that they stop crying because they don't get any response when they cry. No one comes. Well, she cries now! Not a lot. She is very good. But we thought maybe she couldn't cry. When she first did, there wasn't much sound. Almost like when a debarked dog barks. They sound horse. She did too.
She didn't smile at all the first couple days and then slowly we were getting some, but it took a lot of work. Not now! She is a smiling happy little girl who coos and baby talks like every other little baby I've seen.
The transformation has been very interesting and heartwarming to watch. The first couple days I tried to touch her toes to her nose. Babies can do that, but she couldn't. I thought she was very unflexible. She was just tense. Now her toes are in her mouth all the time. She's a little gumby! (Nice turn out too, Teresa and Corrie!)
Tierzah had her medical exam yesterday. Diagnosis - healthy baby. She is 18 lbs and 23' long. She seems very tall to me. Much bigger than Anniston.
Tomorrow is our last appointment. We meet with the American Consulate for the Oath-taking ceremony. After that, it's all official on the US side. Since we are already official on the China side, that will make it official all the way around!
I will send a bunch a pics now and this will likely be the last post, unless I can figure out something less expensive or free! We are back home on Saturday am, so I'll see/talk to you all soon!
Love - Shannon
Monday, May 31, 2010
Happy Memorial Day!
A quick note from Desi:
I haven't heard from Shannon since they left Hunan, but I'm sure she'd want to wish you all a happy Memorial day and say a big thanks to all of our Veterans.
Thank you for your service!
I haven't heard from Shannon since they left Hunan, but I'm sure she'd want to wish you all a happy Memorial day and say a big thanks to all of our Veterans.
Thank you for your service!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Today is our last day in Hunan. This afternoon we board a plane and head to Guangzhou, our final destination in China. We are there until Friday evening (Friday morning for you). We are hopeful that getting around and eating will be a bit less challenging. According to our current guide, Grace, it should be. We get a new guide there. I hope she is as good as this one. Grace is awesome - very cute and fun. I included a picture of her on this blog.
I am packing and the girls are with Grandma in the pool. It has been closed the last 4 days, which was a real bummer. That was about all we could do here. So, Tierzah's first time swimming. She looked pretty cute in the swimsuit (thanks SEE team!) Grandma is taking pictures, so hopefully I can get some sent to Desi to upload to the blog.
I don't know what kind of computer access we'll have in the new hotel. I may have to resort to using Sheryl's phone. If so, it will cut back on pictures, but I'll do my best.
Enjoy the pictures. They are from Leishi park, which we visited yesterday. It is a beautiful park, but it was raining and foggy, so we didn't stay long. We'll, bye from Changsha, Hunan!
PS - I have attached several pics
The group is all the people we are traveling with.
The girl with Piper on the ride is Sommer, her new friend from California. She is traveling with us.
The rest should be self explanatory.
(By the way, you can click on any picture to see it bigger - Desi)
I am packing and the girls are with Grandma in the pool. It has been closed the last 4 days, which was a real bummer. That was about all we could do here. So, Tierzah's first time swimming. She looked pretty cute in the swimsuit (thanks SEE team!) Grandma is taking pictures, so hopefully I can get some sent to Desi to upload to the blog.
I don't know what kind of computer access we'll have in the new hotel. I may have to resort to using Sheryl's phone. If so, it will cut back on pictures, but I'll do my best.
Enjoy the pictures. They are from Leishi park, which we visited yesterday. It is a beautiful park, but it was raining and foggy, so we didn't stay long. We'll, bye from Changsha, Hunan!
PS - I have attached several pics
The group is all the people we are traveling with.
The girl with Piper on the ride is Sommer, her new friend from California. She is traveling with us.
The rest should be self explanatory.
(By the way, you can click on any picture to see it bigger - Desi)
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