Everyday's a holiday with Mary !

Miss M. attends her first social event of the season!

Frustration, courtesy of our friends at the Social Security office & a photo of Monique & Mary

I went to soc sec. office today, to try to get a card for Mary. They said I needed more documentation, spec a US birth cert, and she kept saying I didnt have the final adoption decree, which I did.

I called my agency and Ad. coordinator told me which item it was, and that soc sec often gives people a hard time. so bottom line, have to register the adoption with the orphan's court in our county court house, and then they will issue a us birth cert with mary's english name and our names on it. current one has our names and her chinese name.and then i take that, once received , along with several other docs , back to the s.s. office! your tax dollars at work.

The S.S. girl just kept repeating the same statements, and when I asked her exactly what docs i did need, she said it's on the direction sheet that you can find online. I finally asked for the manager, and then the girl was a little more helpful, and elaborated about exactly what was needed.I was close to saying something sarcastic to her, but restrained myself, even when she said my attorney (the adopt agency owner ) obviously doesn't know what he is talking about.Very frustrating,

Mary was quite clingy and a bit out of sorts to day, prob because no reg. nap in late a.m. due to being at the soc sec office.and though she fell asleep for 15 mins in the car, once home, she would not fall asleep. She also didn't eat as much lunch, though she compensated for that at dinner. In between all that , she was cheerful, and walking and clapping and giggling, so who knows.

more photos from Sunday. Doesn't Aunt MoMo look great with Mary. I can't wait until she travels to and returns from Vietnam with her baby daughter, so we can take a similar photo of me holding the new little one!

November 26, 2006 Mary's Baptism

Thanksgiving 2006 photos

Thanksgiving 2006 and more car issues !

Mary puts a spell on Minnie M.

On the road again for Thanksgiving. We were treated to two turkey dinners!!

The very next day, my car decided to have another stroke. Fortunately, I was at the Gateway Shp Center, having just made a purchase at the liquor store. Also fortunately, Dad was in the car with Mary and me, so he sat with her while I went in to buy wine.

When we tried to start the car, nothing... So 45 minutes to an hour later, the AllState ins. road side assistance guy arrived. He couldn't jump start the car, and said it could be the alternator, not the battery. So, he towed the car to my parents house, and we rode in the tow truck. Mary was in her car seat in the skinny back seat of the tow truck. I thought she would be anxious or cry because of all the noise and the bumpy ride, but she fell asleep during the 10 minute drive to the house. Could not believe it.
When we went in the house, she was all giggles ! I had gone into trader joe's while we waited, and got some snacks and a drink for her, as we didn't expect a 15 minute wine run to last 1.5 hrs. The whole thing didn't faze her.

Today, however, she was bit off her game, crying a lot, especially at bedtime, which she usually doesn't do, and not eating quite as much (which is probably the normal amount a 14 month old eats)!
I noticed at dinner that there is a third tooth on top, just peeking through, so hopefully its just teething.

and now , the photos!

Lancome's newest spokesmodel

Tresor perfume et Treasure named Mary !


Ok, so she only speaks in staccato babble at this point, but she wanted to put on a headband like I do before applying makeup!
Mary was carrying the look off very well, so we went to the Lancome Counter in search of the perfect chair (and some new renergie foundation)...

Halloween 2006

Mary's premier Halloween costume

(she is trying to type, she coloured a wee bit today, more like rearranged the crayons into and out of the box repeatedly : ) !

anyway, without further ado, here are the photos!

gotta love daimler chrysler

two days ago, I had Mary in the car seat , ready to roll, do some power shopping etc. and the key would not turn in the ignition. The wheel was locked, and I tried jiggling it, tried spare key , etc.

No avail. so 3 phone calls later, D. Chrysler roadside assistance sent a dude with a tow truck. He managed to get the key in so the car could start and be backed outta the garage. then , towed it to nearby dealer. ignit. system mech. slipped or faulty or whatever, to the tune of $370. no charge for the tow. oh well. its fixed! so we were stuck at home all day that day.

The Giggler

Lunch at Champs with Mary Rose, Corinne and Mary Rose's Mommy.
Mary had the baked potato soup and chunks of her Mom's asian chicken salad.

On this rainy day, Mary requested that Mom take her to Nordstroom Rack!

Mary in command in the Eames chair!







nordie rack party dress


The point I am trying to make is...




another foo foo dress, what is Mommy doing to me??



Elmo sleeping it off !

Mary, at the start of her two city tour

On Monday, 10/9/06, we took Mary to visit Aunt Susie at her workplace, and then to visit Daddy's office too. At Daddy's office, Mary 'met' Mr. Burns, owner of the Springfield Nuclear power plant.

Also, a few photos of Mary in her 'crib' at the Valley Forge annex (aka Grandmom and Grandpop's house).

And dubiously considering my pick for her baptism dress!!

The Dailies of Mary Rose

Everyday's a holiday with Mary... !

Just a few on location photos of the divine Miss M.

First visit to the pediatrician is on Tuesday ! this may require lots of Cheerios (no, we didn't get a royalty for branding or product placement)!!

We are back !

Mary in the Art and Artifacts Museum, Mary lunchin, chillin, and shopping, naturalement !!





We got in to PHL airpt at 12;00 midnite or so, arrived home at 2 a.m.
Saturday, 9/16.
Barely made the flight from Chicago to PHL, due to immigration and customs. We only had an hour or so between arrival and departure time, and this was the last flight to PHL for the day!

still de jet laggin, and so is baby girl, and we all got colds (most of the group did)! Settling in, hoping someone doesn't wake up at 3 a.m. this time!!! She didn't while we were at the hotels!

Mary Rose goes shopping

We were taken to a japanese dept store in Changsha, and someone (?) bought Miss Mary 6 pair of shoes, including one pair of squeaky shoes! gonna get more of those!

We are doing well, Bruce and Mary Rose are napping, and I am in the hotel business center, typing emails before we leave for dinner. time's up , gotta go.

Off to Guangzhou on monday !

Well, we're off!

Here is the scoop on our accomodations. The White Swan was a no go, but these hotels are supposed to be 4 star,,, they have pools and jacuzzis and nail salons etc. so cant be all bad !!!!!!!!!!!

in answer to next ?, Bruce will be holding Mary while my nails dry !
Don't get hysterical laughing, I am sure there will not be time for spa treatments, etc !!!

HOTEL SCHEDULE
Hunan Group

BEIJING ACCOMMODATIONS:
HENAN HOTEL Phone – 011-86-10-6775-1188
Fax - 011-86-10-6774-5644
HUNAN PROVINCE ACCOMODATIONS:
HUATIAN HOTEL Phone - 011-86-731-444-2888
Fax 011-86-731-444-2270
GUANGZHOU ACCOMMODATIONS:
WHITE CLOUD HOTEL Phone - 011-86-20-8333-3998
(BAI YUN HOTEL) Fax - 011-86-20-8333-6498

we are set to return on Sept 15th (late at night)!

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.

This past Saturday, we saw Bruce's cousin and his wife. They have a daughter from Changsha (Hunan). They traveled to her about 8 years ago.
This we knew, but we got chills when we discovered that our daughter, also from Hunan (YiYang) is in the same SWI (social welfare institute) as their daughter was.
The Red Thread principle at work !
An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." --An ancient Chinese belief

At Last, we have seen our beautiful daughter !!

They named her Qiu Ye because is to say that this lovely little girl that was abandoned in the garden is like a single autumn leaf.
Introducing ... Yin Qiu Ye

YIN
Means either "silver" or "polite" or "sound" or "shade" in Chinese.
QIU
Means "autumn" in Chinese

Precisely at 2:30 p.m Monday, July 31, 2006, we got the call from our agency. At 7:00 p.m. saw our daughter's sweet face for the very first time!! : )

She was found on September 30, 2005 in a garden circle of Yenjian Blvd. in YiYang (city), Hunan. On the same day a grocer store worker picked her up. She has a round face, fair skin, thick black hair.