Our Trip To China Part 1 Beijing

Finally the time we have waited for has arrived. We are going to China! I was so fortunate to have my best friend, Laurie Stringer Moorhead, go with me. When we first started the adoption process Keith and I both agreed I would go and he would stay home with Case. My sister Leila had originally plan to go but after becoming a grandmother and her busy work schedule and our mother's health issues, she decided it wouldn't be possible.

On Friday, April 9th we finally received our travel arrangements! We are leaving the following Thursday! WOW short notice! No worry, I had been packed for weeks!

Thursday morning Keith and Case drove me to the Jackson Airport. I was flying to Atlanta where I would meet Laurie. I had only flown one other time and I wasn't all that excited about the 22 hours in the air before me. I had prayed about it and turned all my fears over to God or thought I had. When I boarded in Jackson a young man was in the seat next to mine. I thought to myself, do I keep my mouth shut or should I be nice and introduce myself. Well within the next 5 seconds he introduced himself. Yep, just as I thought, his name was Abdul! Holy Jesus, please tell me this nice looking young muslin man sitting next to me is not going to hijack this plane! I could barely speak. As it turned out, he was very nice and wished me well on my trip to China. God only knows where he was going, I never asked! I was so glad to see Laurie in Atlanta! I knew from then on she would have my back if I needed it!

Our flight from Atlanta to Tokyo seemed like an eternity! Every time we turned around they were serving us a meal. We may have gotten 2 hours total sleep the entire flight. I lost track of time back in Atlanta when I met Abdul. I was forever asking Laurie what time it was. When we finally arrived in Beijing, late, there stood an Asian man with a sign that read "McMullen". My first thought was this will be our guide, nope, he didn't even speak English! He handed me his cell phone and our guide on the other end explained to me that he will be our driver to our hotel and she would meet us there. Here we are on the other side of this world and we are doing what we have always been taught not to do, get in a car with a stranger.


We arrived at our hotel around 10:30 PM and that is where we met Sherry, our guide. Sherry was a doll from the beginning. She was waiting on 11 other families to arrive, most all having flight delays. She explained to us that we need to meet bright and early the next morning to start our tours. Ugh! All we wanted was to sleep!


The next morning after a wonderful "American" breakfast at our hotel, we loaded a bus with most all of the other families from our agency. We would be together for that weekend then on Monday we would all go our separate ways to get our angels and then meet back up the following Friday in Guangzhou. In our short time in China we developed special bonds with some in the group. Everyone was so nice. They all really made our stay extra special!


On Saturday, we went to The Forbidden City and Tinnamon Square. For lunch we went to a buffet lunch then on to the pearl and the silk factory. Later that evening Laurie and I ventured out to "Carrfore" next door to our hotel. Carrfore is supposedly a European Walmart! It was the biggest mess and nothing like our Walmarts here in the states. In the grocery department they had just about anything you may want or not want!


The next day we were fortunate to attend church. On the way to church our guide, Sherry, explained to us that in China half of the population does not believe in anything. The other half is split between Christians and other religion. I was thinking all this time Christians were not to be spoken of in China. As a matter of fact, all of our guides were born again Christians. The church service was wonderful! You could really feel the presence of our Lord and Savior in that place! I think we all had tears flowing during the singing. I knew then my God had taken away all of my fears of this trip!


After church we had a round table lunch and then on to the Great Wall. It was very pretty with Cherry Blossoms blooming on the mountain side. That night we went to an Acrobatics Performance. It was amazing!

On Sunday May 16, my sister Leila and my niece Emily hosted a "Welcome Christina" party. Christina loved all the attention. She enjoyed greeting guest, opening gifts and eating!

Welcome Home Christina

Animals

Christina "likes" animals as long as they are far way. She will tolerate our cat but Stella, our dog is a different story. She screams when she is within 5 feet from her. She was busy hamming it up for the camera when she let Stella slip by. When she realized it you could have heard her scream for miles!

Had no idea the dog was there!

Special Thanks and Photos

I would like to thank Margie and Jill for creating and keeping our blog updated while I was in China. They did such a great job. I hope I can continue with it and not mess it up!

I have also had lots of request for more pictures of our little princess. Wow, she is a mess! As most of you know she is a "moma's" girl. We are working on Daddy! She plays with him and gives him hugs and kisses but will not let him hold her. She has promised him she will go "bye bye" with him today. She loves Case and they have the normal sibling spats! She loves to tattle on him!!

Christina's Dedication

What more appropriate time to dedicate our daughter than on Mother's Day. We had only been home less than a week when we decided we were ready for her dedication. Actually, I had made up my mind along time ago that we would get her involved in church as soon as possible. I was a little overwhelmed at the whoo's and ah's over her before and after church. She loved it! After church we went to Mack's on the River for lunch with Leila and her family and my precious "adopted" neice Marlie. What a great Mother's Day!

Update from Retha!!

Hello everyone!

I wanted to send an update. We only have 6 more days!!

Today was Christina's medical exam. I over heard someone call it "Obama Care"! It was jam packed with people and limited seating. Not organized at all. The doctor gave me a thumbs up so am guessing everything went well. We are not privilege to the outcome. It will go to the consulate in a sealed envelope. She weighed 24.7 lbs. She is wearing 18 months. She has actually gained a little weight this week. She eats like there is no end. I am sure that is an issue with her coming from an orphanage. She is also very protective of her things. She is the happiest little angel. I have just been so blessed at how things have worked out. She has known from the very beginning that I am her mommy. She will only have little to do with Laurie. I can hardly wait to get home to see how she is going to take to her daddy and Case. She loves talking to them on Skype. Hopefully there will not be must adjusting there.

It is about bedtime here so I am going for now. I will email again soon.

Love to all,

Retha

Beautiful Smiling Christina!

Retha sent this beautiful picture last night. Looks like Christina is doing great!!! I emailed her back and told her that we wanted to know details lol!!

Bath Time

GOTCHA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were told our appointment was at 2 or 3 but when our guide met us at the airport at 11 she said "we go now". She took us to the orphanage and while I was signing documents, they brought her in. She was grinning from ear to ear and said "mommy". It all happened so fast, I didn't have time to get nervous. They were very nice and gave me several gifts for her. I was told she was the smartest one there. She loves music and dance.

She is sitting in my lap wanting to type. She has eaten everything we have given her. Great appetite!

Oh, she says "daddy" and "bubba" when she sees their picture!

More later! I have to go play with my doll!

Retha

Retha is in China!

Note : She sent this early this morning which was her Sat night.

......
We made it to our room last night at 12:30. Got about 3 hours sleep. Been going all day! Went to Forbidden City, Tiananman Square and Summer Palace. Great Wall and church tomorrow. The women here love the American women. They want to get their pictures made with us! :)

I am going to try to get to bed early tonight. I will check back in with you tomorrow!

Retha

Leaving in the Morning!!!!

Retha will be on her way to get Christina early in the morning!!!!!! Please pray for a safe, uneventful flight!!

Here's a reminder of the preciousness that awaits her:

Christina's Chopstick Chics Shower