Picture Taking session

The garden area at the hotel is just beautiful, despite this even being their winter time.  We ventured out to get some photos of our superstar with her traditional chinese dress.  She was very photogenic if you could catch her.  In this photo she was showing us how big she is.  She loves her flash cards and happened to being holding up the Mei mei (little sister) card!

She was not happy that we made her hold our hands or be carried across the rocks--she felt there was no need for additional safety precautions around the water, waterfalls, steps, or the rocks!

After a few serious poses, she threw in a few silly ones for dad!

There are huge gold fish in all the ponds around the garden.  Sihua would pause a moment to watch the fish swim.  She had enjoyed the freedom to run around and stretch her legs.  She does become winded quite quickly, but refuses to quit.  We decided to skip the trip to the zoo today in order for her to get some more rest during the day.  She has been fighting this cold and were not sure if this cough is just her normal lung fluid causing her to sound so congested.

Last night we went out to an Irish pub with a bunch of Lifeline families.  We had a great time celebrating our adoptions together, sharing our stories, and the lives of our new children.  They are all so special, but I have to share probably the most touching....the story of Luke.  Luke turned 14 last week.  In China, children age out of the system at 14, meaning they will never have a chance to be adopted and sent out into life without a family.  A few months ago he wrote a letter asking for a family and gave it to Lilly, the in country social worker.  She posted it on facebook.  A family who was in process of adopting their 2 y/o daughter, answered the call and said, yes Lord we are willing to bring this wonderful young man home to be our son, along with their daughter.  Yes they will have a long road to adjustment ahead of them.  Luke is their 7th child, but to watch the pure joy in his face as he walks along side his father, knowing he is loved and treasured, is something I wish you all could see!

Advertising in China is BIG!.  This is aside a building.  The building above is our
hotel-The Garden Hotel

Day of shopping & sightseeing

 Today this morning we met up with the Lifeline families and all went shopping at a wholesale mall.  Their were four floors of jewelry stores!  Yikes.    Maybe I should back up...all the Lifeline families that received their children last Monday like us are with us in Guangzhou this week for our consulate appointments.  We have them at different times this week, but are all at the same hotel, and can participate in activities together.  It is so refreshing to see God at work in so many families.

 So everyone else sits on the bus, Sihua stands!  The guide was giving instructions for tomorrow's plans and she was doing this on the headrest in front of her listening intently for instructions (in English!)  She is smart beyond what we can handle!  She goes, goes, goes and then falls asleep.
There is a pediatric nurse with us who understands the severity of her diagnosis and could not believe she was HLHS.   Huahua is a strong willed fighter, till she runs out of breath and then wants uppie!

We call this the Sihua Strut! One arm swinging, with all the confidence in the world!  Every once in a while peeking around her back to make sure were still with her :)

 We visited the Chen Ancestral Hall built from the 1888-1893 during the reign of the Qing dynasty.  It provided temporary accommodations for the Chen family people when they came to the provincial city for official business.  All the wood, stone, brick cravings, and ceramic sculptures are done by hand.

 Before we got into the Hall she spotted these cars.  It didn't take long to figure out these would be a lot of fun.  A nice lady said we could use them.  Not sure if they were for everyone to use or what, but Sihua is not the kind of girl to wait around for permission!  She tried to drive for awhile and it was not going well. So after a bit, she got out and just started pushing it around.

Then we lost our group but found our way into the hall.  Apparently you needed tickets to enter but our group had already entered without us.  So we just went up to the lady and said in our English and lifted up our baby,  "we're with a group".  And she said 'yeah, yeah go in!"  It was quite obvious, 10 American  families had just entered 10 minutes before us with little chinese children and then here came the stragglers....The Oehlhofs!!!

Videos

First Plane Ride & Medical Appointment

We were awaiting to leave our hotel lobby and we had given our guide, Michael, and our driver, Green Bay packer hats.  The driver (left) really enjoyed his!   She wasn't too sure of his funny antics!


 Huahua loves to wear her hair pretties.  Mama packed a lot of them too!  She is enjoying a little late lunch since she has slept through lunch.  Her schedule is all thrown off.  Quite easy going though.  When she gets tired she just starts hitting!  She had probably already told us she was tired, but we didn't understand it!

The traffic in Chongqing is like every man, bus, pedestrian, car for themselves!  And make sure you drive, brake, and as fast and you can.  And don't forget to honk your horn!  Thought we'd thrown in a few photos of the chaos.  And limited seat belts in vehicles, no car seats for kids, but motorcycles have to wear helmets.

Interesting in the zoo....A service vehicle (large delivery truck) would zoom through at about 40 mph, every now and then .....yikes watch for kids!

 Sihua loves to take and give food with her mouth which is a great way for us to bond with her.  She especially loves to play around with her Daddy.  Yesterday he taught her how to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in English.  It's her favorite song!

Our flight took off from Chongqing a little late and we fell asleep before even boarding the plane.  The boarding and unloading procedure much different than we're accustomed to.  People get real close and get right up to the front of the line.  We stood to the side in the priority boarding line and just got on when I lady looked over our way to take our tickets.  We could not understand when it was our time to board anyway!  She slept about 30 minutes of the flight and then......

 ......she became the entertainment for the plane!  Yes Sihua loves to play and tease.  The ladies all comment how beautiful she is and ask if she will come home with them and she always says no "mama" and Baba" and points to us or comes to us!  Great to hear!!!  She has been telling the children and nannies at the orphanage for months now she is going to the United States.  Walking through the airport she was so confident.  She loved the moving walkways and escalators.  Baba took her up and down them for entertainment.  She is really good at getting on and off.  Looks like we have another adrenline junkie in our family!  But I stand firm.....no dirt bike for her!!!  Maybe gymnastics because so is so flexible or swimming because she loves water!

Today we had a medical appointment

for her to get her visa to leave the country.  She had an "exam" by a Dr. and a dentist. Children with congential health problems can go either way the the Doctor appointments and she did not like the idea of being examined by the woman Dr.  She was extremely fearful of the rooms because she knows they represents pain to her.  We did our best to distract and and had lots of treats and toys on hand.  The most stressful part was the TB test.  They take your child from you (screaming at the top of her lungs)  me crying as well, sorry could not help it!   And take her into a room of unknown people and then draw blood from her for a TB test.  Then return her to us a few minutes later screaming and completely distraught!  So how do you think our next Dr appointment is going to go?!?!?!

 There were many upsetting and joyous points to today.  As a I looked around the room there were many families holding their sweet bundles of joy.  Children born with different special needs, loved so deeply by their adoptive families.  We have been chosen and placed with each of these children to be their parents.  There was one little girl who was especially frail, my heart just broke, I don't know her story, but I know she is not well.  She was so thin, probably about 2-3 y/o.  Pray for her mother as she gets her home safely and to health care.

 Ryan comforted me by reassuring me these are the ones going home next week and yes they are....but there are thousands left behind......and for those my heart breaks.  My baby girl is asleep in a king sized bed wrapped in physical warmth and the love of a family.  And in the meantime I pray for the millions of little ones at the orphanages in China and across the world.  They don't have heat. (That's why they are always so bundled up), they may not have enough food, water, love.   Those at Love Manor are especially loved by their nannies, but they need a mama and a baba love forever.  Doesn't every child deserve that!  If you ever thought about adoption, I would encourage you to stop thinking and move forward, as the one who created these precious ones has called you to.  Don't worry about the details or all the excuses why you shouldn't.....just act.    It's not only a child that receives the gift....it's you!