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One Year
It was one year ago today that we got Jasper in China. It's amazing how time flies. posted at 08:24:57 AM
Where Does the Time Go?
Hard to believe. It's been an entire year since we got the referral and our first pictures of little Jasper. She's grown and changed so much since then. No longer the quiet, serious, little girl she was then, she now laughs and plays with ease. She's also starting to assert a little independence - evidence that her second birthday is less than a month away! Here's a new photo album with some pictures taken since we've gotten home from China. It's pretty clear how much she's changed in just these last few months. Hopefully, we'll keep this website updated a little bit with new information as she grows up.posted at 11:52:02 AM
Home at Last!
We're finally home! Okay, actually we got home late Wednesday night, but the last day or so has been pretty hectic - this is the first chance we've really gotten to update the website! The trip home was long, but it went pretty well. Jasper's teething, and she was a little irritable on the last leg of the trip (from Denver to Sioux Falls), but she did just fine on all the other flights. Flying doesn't bother her at all! Thanks to everyone who showed up at the airport to greet us! I was afraid Jasper would not react well to that many strangers, but she was great. Didn't cry at all! Must be because we have such a wonderful big family. Unfortunately, the batteries in our camera chose that moment to die, so we didn't get any pictures of the group at the airport. There are some new photos in the album, however (or at least there will be soon).posted at 12:13:55 AM
Day Eight
Baba felt much better today. We did some more shopping - spent quite a bit of money today! Tomorrow, we're going to the U.S. Consulate to get Jasper's visa to allow her into the US. Then we fly to Hong Kong to spend the night and fly back home the next day. I'm not sure if we'll get a chance to get online from the Hong Kong hotel, so this may be the last update before we get back home. At any rate, there are a couple new photos in the album. posted at 09:20:33 PM
Day Seven
Not much to report for today. Everybody's been a little under the weather. Baba seems to have had the worst of it so far - he didn't get much sleep last night. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for everyone. No new pictures today, either. Sorry. posted at 09:04:30 PM
Day Six
Today, Jasper went to the doctor for a quick examination. "Perfect health," he said. She's a little over 21 pounds now. We also did quite a bit of shopping today. We bought a lot of souvenirs. Jasper spent some more time alone with Baba today, and it went much better than it did on Wednesday. She played with him, fed him Cheerios, and gave him kisses! She also gave him a poopy diaper ten minutes after he changed a wet one, but that was okay, too. Didn't take any pictures today at all, though, so there's nothing new in the album.posted at 08:49:32 PM
Day Five
Sorry about not getting the website updated yesterday. The internet connection at the Dolton Hotel in Changsha was being really finicky that last day. As you can see now, though, you didn't miss much. Jasper had her first plane ride today, about an hour flight from Changsha to Guangzhou. She didn't have any trouble with it at all. The only time she got fussy was after we landed, sitting and waiting to get off the plane. When we got to the hotel, Mama took Jasper to have her picture taken for her Visa while Baba and Nainai checked into the hotel. By then, it was time to get something to eat (soup from the local 7-11) and now it's time for bed. I haven't tried uploading photographs from here in Guangzhou yet, but check here to see if there are any new ones!posted at 10:05:44 PM
Day Four
Today we took a trip to the Hunan Provincial Museum. It was pretty interesting - they had a body that was recovered from a tomb 2000 years old, almost perfectly preserved. But you're all interested in Jasper, aren't you? She was kind of cranky today - just wanted her Mama to hold her. Although, Mama did get her to laugh quite a bit this afternoon. Didn't take very many pictures today, though. Tomorrow morning we fly out to Guangzhou where we'll get Jasper's visa so we can bring her back to the U.S. posted at 08:08:24 PM
Day Three!
Nothing official happened today. Jasper stayed at the hotel with Baba while Mama and Nainai went with the group on a tour of the Hunan Embroidery Factory. Jasper didn't much care for her Mama being gone, so she spent most of the morning crying. Still, it was good bonding time for her and her Baba. Then, after dinner, Jasper and Mama watched Nainai kick Baba's butt in bowling. In his defense, though, they didn't have the size ball he usually uses! Hopefully, we'll be able to get some more pictures uploaded tonight, so keep an eye on the album!posted at 08:42:58 PM
It's all legal now
This morning, after a good night's sleep (Jasper slept from about 8:30 until after 5:00), we went back to the Adoption Center to finalize all the paperwork. Jasper got a little irritated with the whole process, since it was very hot in the waiting room. She also didn't like getting her foot rubbed in red ink for her footprint on the paperwork. But, when all was said and done, she was officially, legally, our daughter! We got back to the hotel and had a little lunch (Jasper's discovered that Cheerios are really good), did a little playing around, and then she laid down for a nap. She's still sleeping right now. Hopefully we'll get some more pictures uploaded today, so check here to see . . .posted at 03:35:06 PM
We're Parents!
It's finally happened . . . we're parents! We went to the Adoption Center this afternoon, and about 2:45 we got our little Jasper. She cried when we first took her from her nanny, but she's already adjusting very well. She ate a lot of food for us at the restaurant, and she says "mama." She even gave Mama a kiss! Unfortunately, the Internet connection here is really bad. Keep watching here for more photos, but don't get your hopes up. :( posted at 08:51:06 PM
Forbidden City
Today we saw Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We also took a rikshaw tour through some of the older part of Beijing. We stopped at a local man's house and met some of his pets! Here's the news on tomorrow: We leave the hotel for the airport at 6AM. Our plane leaves at about 8AM, and we arrive in Changsha at about 10:45AM. We go straight from the airport to the Adoption Center, where we'll get Jasper! We'll have to go back to the adoption center on Tuesday to complete the process, but by the next time we update this website, we'll be parents!!! See some more photos hereposted at 08:30:23 PM
Great Wall of China
Today, we toured the Great Wall of China and a cloissonne factory. We are going to an acrobatic show tonight. Click here to see some of the pictures we've taken so far . . . posted at 03:59:51 PM
Beijing!
Well, we are here! Beijing, China! It's about 9:30PM local time as I write this, which means it's about 7:30AM back at home. Hi, everybody! The Internet connection here is not real reliable, so I don't know how many pictures I'm going to be able to put up. Rest assured, though, that pictures of Jasper will be posted on Monday!posted at 09:34:09 PM
Itinerary
Here's our itinerary for our travel in China: We arrive in Beijing at about 3:40PM on Friday the 25th. In Beijing, we stay at the Jianguo Hotel. On Saturday the 26th, we visit the Great Wall and the Cloisonne Factory. On Sunday the 27th, we visit Tiananmnen Square and the Forbidden City, and take the Hutong tour. Then we see an acrobatic show in the evening. On Monday the 28th, we fly to Changsha in the morning and get our little girl! We have the adoption registration late that afternoon. In Changsha, we stay at the Dolton Hotel. Tuesday the 1st is a free day. Wednesday the 2nd we visit the Hunan Embroidery Factory, and Thursday the 3rd we visit the Hunan Province Museum. Friday the 4th we fly to Guangzhou in the afternoon, where we'll stay at the White Swan Hotel. Saturday the 5th we have a medical appointment and take the visa pictures for Jasper. Sunday the 6th is a free day. Monday the 7th we have our appointment at the consulate for Jasper's visa. Tuesday the 8th we take the citizenship oath for Jasper and pick up her visa in the afternoon. Then we fly to Hong Kong, where we'll spend the night in the Airport Regal Hotel. Wednesday the 9th we leave China, arriving back home (via Tokyo, Seattle, and Denver) at about 6PM. posted at 12:51:53 AM
Finding Ad
Today we received a copy of Jasper's finding ad. This is an ad that China requires be published in the newspaper before a child can be given up for adoption, to give the parents a chance to reclaim her.
The ad was published in the April 6, 2004, edition of the Hunan Daily, and translates as: Name: Shao Yang Bing A girl, she was about 5 days old. Finding date: 1/12/04 Found abandoned at the gate of the Second Middle School in Shao Yang city. She wore a red wool coat, laid in an apple box, with a bag of rice.posted at 06:48:27 PM
Consulate Date
Well, we finally have a scheduled appointment with the US Consulate in Guangzhou to get Jasper's Visa. Unfortunately, it's scheduled for March 7th! So, we'll probably be flying out of here about the 24th of February. We'll spend a couple days in Beijing for sight-seeing, then go to Changsha on the 28th. That's where we'll get Jasper and officially adopt her. Then, it's on to Guangzhou for our consulate appointment on the 7th. We pick up the Visa on the 8th, and will probably head back to the States on the 9th. It seems so far away, but I'm sure the next five weeks will go by quickly . . . posted at 12:54:56 PM
A Poem
Last night, Bobbi wrote the most beautiful poem for our little Jasper. Click here to read it . . . posted at 08:16:31 PM
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to the soon-to-be Jasper Bing Fields! We got an update from the orphanage. She is about 21 pounds now, and almost 30 inches tall! She's got 4" feet, and six teeth! Still no word yet on when we'll be traveling to get her, though. Hopefully we'll find out next week! posted at 08:29:10 PM
More Information!
First, congratulations to Great Grandma Anna for winning the Referral Pool. She got it right down to the day. Now, click here for more information on our new little girl - including pictures! It's going to be even harder waiting now . . .posted at 05:01:31 PM
Referral
Well, it took a couple weeks longer than expected, but we got the call today that we have our referral! Our new daughter is currently named Shao Yang Bing. She was born January 7, 2004, and is waiting for us at the Shaoyang Children's Welfare Institute in Hunan Province, China. That's all we know, so far. We should get the full referral with all her medical history, etc., (and pictures!) tomorrow. We'll be posting more then! We'll hopefully be traveling to China to get her before the end of January. Chinese New Year is in early February, so hopefully we'll beat the holiday break. posted at 08:58:02 PM
Referrals Coming!
Well, the latest news is that the June referrals have been matched up and ready to be sent out. Hopefully, we'll be getting our news next week! Woo-hoo! posted at 08:24:52 PM
Referral Pool
Well, we've started a Referral Pool for anybody who's interested. The more, the merrier! posted at 08:31:10 PM
Wishes
We've uploaded a list of the wishes that we've received for our daughter as part of our bai jia bei, "Hundred Wishes Quilt." Click here to read them. UPDATE: I guess I should explain what a bai jia bei actually is. The term literally means "hundred family quilt." It is an old tradition in China that when a new baby comes into a family, the friends and family members all give a small scrap of fabric, along with a wish. The pieces of fabric are then sewn together into a quilt for the baby. The wishes here come to our little girl from our family as well as other people throughout the world who are or have adopted children from China.posted at 02:44:15 PM
New Rumors
Well, now the rumors are that the November batch of referrals will not include any June DTC dates. So, it looks like we'll have to wait another month to learn about our new daughter . . . posted at 10:43:47 AM
Still Waiting
All the paperwork has gone to China. We are currently just waiting for our referral - then it will be 5-7 weeks before we travel. The rumors are that the May and early June DTC (Dossier-to-China) referrals will be coming mid-November. Early June is us! So, hopefully, in a couple of weeks or less we'll know who our new little girl is going to be!posted at 06:22:28 PM | |||||||||
