St. Louis/Children's Hope International Reunion-2008

What a great time we had during our trip to St. Louis! We were able to visit with 3 other families who traveled with us to Hunan in May, 2006. We were also able to visit with several other families who who traveled to China with us, but who went to other provinces to get their babies. It was so amazing to see everyone again, and to watch how the girls have blossomed and adjusted to their new lives in the United States. It is truly unbelievable.

There are many memories of our trip to China, but one stands out so vividly. As our bus pulled up to the Civil Affairs Office in Changsha, Hunan (after our flight from Beijing was delayed 2 hours and we only had 10 minutes to check into our hotel before going to meet our babies), we noticed two babies being held by two women in a second story window, waving to us. I remember Matt pointing it out, saying "look, honey, there are two babies in that window!" I told him to get the camera out and take a pic before they were gone, so he did. After we got our babies and returned to the hotel, I decided to update our blog and post some pics. Lo and behold, one of those babies in the pic was our Alina Jayne-the other is the daughter of a family that we see every year at the reunion and stay in touch with throughout the year. It has given us a real sense of connection. I have posted the pic of them from 2006 and one from 2008. The only difference is that Alina Jayne is on the right in 2006 and the left in 2008.



On Friday we went to the Magic House (http://www.magichouse.org) with two other families-the kids had a great time. The place was very busy, but there was so much for them to do there. Afterward we went to dinner and then the girls had ice cream in the food court at the mall. They burned off a LOT of energy playing-and even managed to chase some obviously not very kid-accustomed people away from where we were sitting! Too bad they could not see the beauty in the moment!

Saturday was the CHI Reunion Picnic. The kids got to visit again-and burn off more energy! After the reunion was over, another group of families went to the local butterfly house and playground and then to dinner. This weekend was definitely an 'Asian Invasion" wherever we went! So many China Beauties in one place!

We left for home on Sunday and some how ended downtown. We literally happened upon the Budweiser Brewery and decided to see if they were open. They were, so we browsed the lobby and the gift shop-we had tickets for a tour, but 2 of the other Hunan families had decided that maybe we should do a brewery tour next year, so we decided to wait and tour it then. Ironically, the day after we were there, they were sold to ImBev, so we'll be touring a Swedish-owned brewery next year!

Looking forward to next year's reunion already!

BY THE WAY-does everyone know you can click on the pics to view them full-size? I know I have a lot of technologically-challenged friends and family reading this blog!

Check back again soon!

The St. Louis Arch

China Window Babies 2006

China Window Babies 2008


Magic House Water Room

Magic House Library

Magic House Puppet Show

Ice Cream in the Food Court on Friday

Climbing on Poor Liza!


More Mall Clowning

Reunion Fun

Did I eat that stuff???


Butterfly House

Dinner on Saturday

The King of Beers!

Daddy & Alina Jayne

Mama & Alina Jayne

March-July, 2008

Did you wonder where we have been? I am ashamed that I have not posted since Alina Jayne's B-day in February!

As you can see, this is a FAR DIFFERENT blog than our previous Red Thread Kids blog, which we have had since we started the paper chase for Alina Jayne in January, 2005. Unfortunately, our very gracious and talented web host will not be able to continue to host our site anymore, due to family reasons. I had been planning to try making our own blog in January, 2009-it just happened a little sooner. So, please be patient-this is a work in progress! There will not be as many bells and whistles (hopefully just for a while) as our other blog had-but I am challenging myself to make this blog interesting! I do think the old blog will still be available to view for a while yet.

Check out the pic of Matt holding a crying Zhao Hong Qin (now known as Alina Jayne)on Gotcha Day in Changsha, Hunan on May 9th, 2006. The pic next to that is Alina Jayne at home on our second Gotcha Day Anniversary on May 9th, 2008-WHAT A DIFFERENCE 2 YEARS MAKES!











Not much has happened since the last posting, but so much at the same time. Ms. Alina Jayne is no longer a baby, and she wastes no time correcting anyone who calls her "baby." Whenever I tell her "you're Mama's baby” she tells me, "MAMA, I am not a baby, I am a KID!" Okay, fine-but she will always be my baby!

She is still staying at Papa's house when Matt and I are at work, and she really loves to play the Papa card. If she doesn't like something that her Dad or I do or say, she'll tell us "Papa said I don't have to eat that" or "Papa said I can stay up" etc. Can't wait until she is a teenager!

Alina Jayne's cousin Charles spent the weekend with us in March-they should be brother and sister! She is STILL tattling on him for things he did when he stayed-but if you ask her-Charles "did XYZ LAST NIGHT." Oh well, she doesn't have any concept of time!

We have celebrated our second Gotcha Day anniversary on May 9th, 2nd Adoption Day anniversary on May 10th, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day & Papa's Birthday and July 4th. Oh, and Alina Jayne’s Daddy’s 40th b-day (although he’d prefer to forget it). She baked and frosted his cake-it was a wreck, but he said it was his best birthday cake ever! Alina Jayne planted a rose bush for her Birthmother (who she refers to as her China Tummy Mama), and a lily for her Foster Mama. We do this every year for Mother's Day. She loves to water and care for those flowers, and tells everyone and anyone who will listen all about them and who they are for! Although, sometimes people don’t understand what a “China Tummy Mama” is!

On July 4th we watched fireworks from home-Alina Jayne thought they looked like "red-hot marshmallows." She was very quick to inform her Dad that "Fireworks were made in China just like me!" She is sooooo proud about all things Chinese. I hope she never loses that pride her in culture.

She started doing this really funny thing recently (well, she does a lot of hilarious things)-she extended her arm as if to introduce me, and said "This is my Mother" then she told me "Mama, now you do it and say this is my daughter." So, we have to do this routine together-we introduce each other this way, then we have to bow together and say "Thank you, thank you." Not really sure where she got this-she has NEVER called me "Mother" almost always "Mama" and sometimes "Mommy." It is too cute.

She has always talked about fishing and even pretended to fish from the bed, couch, etc using a robe tie or shoe lace. Well, Matt found a nice, private fishing pond about an hour from our house, signed us up and bought Alina Jayne a pink princess fishing pole. On her first fishing trip, Ms. Alina Jayne caught the first fish of the day! It was a really cute bluegill! She sat in her chair calling out “here fishy fishy.” Every 5 minutes she’d yell, “Dad, I need help over here-I need help getting a fish.” We have been taking her fishing every weekend. Every time we are heading out to fish, I'll say "I'm catching the first fish today." Alina Jayne always protests that "those are her fish and she is catching the first one!" Honestly, all she does is cast her princess line out and the fish jump on! She has managed to catch the first one (or 3 or 4) every time we’ve taken her!

This Saturday is our adoption agency's annual reunion picnic in St. Louis. We are sooooo looking forward to attending and seeing some of our travel mates and other families we went through the adoption process with. On Friday we are meeting 3 of the families we traveled with to Hunan with. We are going to the Magic House (Children's hands-on museum) in St. Louis. It will be so nice to see our travel mates and all of the Chinese Beauties. I promise to (eventually) post photos.

Take care and stop by again.