First play date!

Today was a busy day. We had visitors come and see Jian! Aunt Sharon and Uncle Leon came bearing gifts for BOTH boys! Auntie Julie was very excited that Jian was so playful with her without hesitation! I told her not to get to excited with herself, she looks like his "people"!!! Giggle, giggle!

Lindsay got a free pass because she brought Jian's first playmate, son Will!! Jian was a little hesitant because Will was in his playhouse! Thankfully Will is accommodating and he let Jian warm up to him slowly and then they got along splendidly! Thank you Lindsay! 

I need to run and pack so I have to make this short! I have been working from here for the last couple of hours as this is the last day of my Mary Kay year! Great way to celebrate the 50the Anniversary of Mary Kay.....successfully!!!

I would be remiss if I didn't say that Janet and Dave Lahive raised a great kid (man)! Love me some Mark and if I had to hand pick him, I couldn't have done better! I raised a smart chick, too! I also know that Aunt Lynne and Uncle Dave will fall in love with Jian just as we have! He is a joy! I love the kisses he gives out freely, so look out aunties and uncles, you are in for a treat!

FIRST PLAYDATE WITH WILL! Aren't they adorable!!!

THIS IS OUR SHOWOFF, HE IS ACTUALLY LAUGHING! His crying face and laughing face are the same!! But he was giggling here! And so darn cute!!! Love him! 

First full day home!

A 15 hour time change does some crazy things to your body, like falling on the kids bed and passing out! I should have taken a picture because that is what I saw as I passed their room and saw Mark sprawled across the bed! I quietly closed the door, he needed some sleep and the boys were in full rock out mode!

Jian wanted to go outside, and since Lizzy was cooking, I decided to take him in the stroller. I went about a half a block and was about to turn a corner when he pointed back the OTHER way, toward home, and called for "Ma, Ma!" so we turned around and went back home. He KNEW where his home was!!! Seriously! He is pretty clear about what he wants, so he wanted me to take him out of the stroller and he did not want to go in the house, but rather hold him. I held him close and he nuzzled into my neck and within 3 minutes he was sound asleep!!!! I was LOVING HIS  CUDDLY LITTLE  BODY IN MY ARMS!! SWEET!

Aunt Sonny was here and it was all giggles and laughter! He loves being chased and tickled, but what he really loves (but I admit I love it more!) is when I pretend like I can't find him. I yell out, "Jian, Jian, where are you? Where is Jian?" He comes barreling into my legs with arms open, wraps them tighly around my legs, and looks up at me like, "I am right here Gaga, where I belong!!!" PRICELESS!!

I personally passed out on the couch while Cash had Scooby full blast on the TV and Jian was coloring with Aunt Sonny.  I was super tired I guess! I needed it, too!!!!! Giggle, giggle!

I know Aunt Idie is chomping at the bit to be with him!!! Don't be jealous, Idie, you will have them all to yoursel, along with mommy, daddy, Aunt Sonny, Sammy, Lizzy, Buddy, Michael, Aunt Nicole and Alyssa! Make it count!!!

Mark and I were talking tonight (precious time we get to spend talking at night while Lizzy puts Jian down) about our trip and being able to write some thoughts down through the blog. One day Jian may enjoy reading these pages and seeing how loved he was from the get go!!! I may be 90 by the time he reads them, but he will appreciate them one day. Mark was sharing comments from one of his long time friends. I loved Mark's reply to the email and asked if I could put it here in the blog. These are his words and I loved what he had to say:

"Glad to be back. China was a great experience but happy to be home.  Jian has us and the world by the shorties and knows it.  He is hilarious, a joker and awesome.  Cash is warming to the challenge but it is one, a big one, taking on a baby bro who comes in at 2 with a fully fueled motor.  Jian was made for us. I can't say it any other way.  I can't imagine someone else being his parents or us adopting someone different.  This is our guy.  And I think he definitely agrees.  

That said the trip was a lesson in humility.  You know I'm not much of a bible thumper but the efforts from adoptive parents and volunteers we saw was amazing.  Some strangers on the street stopped us and gave us a thumbs up and bowed.  We are not worthy but it was still moving.  One of our guides said orphans in china have 0% chance of adoption in china, which may be feel good stuff but wow, seeing at least 6 kids joined with families they didn't know they could have was right up there with anything I've done.  It was one of the most human experiences ever hanging out I the hotel hall with other parents and their new kids all trying to adjust and weather the storm.  Hello perspective."

As I was starting to write tonight, there was a soft knock on my door. Mark wanted to share one more thing with me. While Lizzy was trying desperately  to figure out how to download the over 1,000 pictures I took and Mark and I were chatting, Cash went into Lizzy and Mark 's bedroom and crawled into bed with his brother! I wish I could have taken a picture, but it was too dark! PRICELESS!! 

All is working out better than we could have possibly imagined in the Lahive home.  On the East coast homefront, Elizabeth Ida had clean margins and lymph nodes came back negative. She still has decisions to make and Drs. to consult with. Please keep praying, that's our most powerful defense! Thank you for praying and sharing your thoughts on our blog! I am keeping your comments for Jian as well. I think they will be just as important to him! 

So, tomorrow as our California family heads to church in the morning, there will be extra prayers of thanksgiving! We are an extremely blessed family and we know it! 

Aunt Sonny and Jian taking a coloring break! Look at Cash in the background! Serious game!

Jian making Sushi!

Eating!!!

Home sweet home!!

We are over the moon excited to be home (well, at least in the good old USA!)!! I will be back in Maryland on Monday! Can't wait to see my honey and the rest of the babies and family!! 

What a trip to remember! I can't thank God too many times for all the graces and miracles He continually provided for us during these last 3 weeks! I thank Him for giving me Mark and Lizzy and this incredible opportunity to share these precious days with them!! And this list goes on!

We got to the airport without any drama albeit in 2 cabs!! Did you know they don't use cars seats in China! What is that about?!? So, when your cab driver actually has the opportunity to put the metal to the pedal, he does it in full throttle!! Crazy! 

The plane ride was delightful! Same incredible little bedroom-like cubicles that we had on the way to Beijing! Thank you God for Mark!!  Who knew Jian  would sleep 10 out of the 13 in flight hours! He was so good, I think he made Lizzy nervous! He surprised us all! Yay for Jian! Maybe he realized he had his very own bed! Cash was great, as well! A man on the plane stopped me to ask me if I brought my whole family with me. I had to suppress a laugh! It wasn't him, he just doesn't know MY family. I did have to answer him so I just told him just a few of us came! Blessed!

We arrived at LAX, expecting long lines and delays since we were bringing in the new kid on the block! So we get in line for US residents, get checked in, and the man who checked us in directed us to yet another area where he informed us that we would have to wait for about an hour to get Jian "welcomed to America"! What the heck did that mean?? Our little family filed down to the other end where the women behind the desk told us to go get our luggage and maybe she could have it done by then! We retrieved our luggage in record time and went directly back and Jian's 'papers' were ready! Then we headed to the customs line. We took a deep breath and headed in that direction where there were extremely long lines. Since Jian had slept so well, we were all wondering how he would be for this adventure. A FABULOUSLY WONDERFUL gentleman directed us to a 'special' line where he took down the rope to let us through and viola!!! We were out!!! Seriously, that quick! A God thing for sure!

Aunt Sonny was waiting with a house full of balloons, Jian and Cash's ceiling was filled, and a big WELCOME HOME JIAN banner splashed across the front of the house!!! We were so excited to see her and Jian took to her immediately!! She even got kisses!!! I sure hope Aunt Ida and Aunt Nicole get the same reception!!!! 

Bath time was nothing short of fun! It was so precious to see Jian fit in as if he had been here all along!! He knows he's home!!!

The only 'glitch' we seem to have is, where do we put him to sleep! We thought he would sleep with Cash. That didn't seem to work. Then Aunt Sonny got him a play pen bed and he climbed out within 2 seconds! So, that didn't work either! He did, however, fall fast asleep in mommy and daddy's bed! 

He is soooooo home! God is soooooooo good!

How cute! This is his blowfish look!!

I am officially American!!!!

First bath in his new home!

First bedtime attempt!!

Home bound at last!!

Oh my are we an excited group to be headed home in the morning!! Hong Kong is very beautiful and there is much to see, but there is no place like home!!!!

They say the Ritz-Carlton building is the tallest building in Hong Kong! While we are on the 107th floor, we found out today that they don't use floors with #4, like 24. It is nestled in the largest industrial center in Hong King so there is always something going on here! Since we got here, they have been filming a movie, so we often had to  wait to get onto the elevators between sets! Too bad I don't recognize any Asian actors here! Bummer!!! We were in and out all day so there was quite a commotion going on!

Since Jian had very few outfits and he is like Dennis the Menace, Lizzy had picked up a couple of new outfits. So he comes to breakfast with a new outfit and and within seconds he is a disaster! Whatever he eats, ends up on his clothes! Mark says when he gets home,  we will get him a black tee shirt, a tarp, a diaper and a HOSE!! Even Jian laughed at that one! 

We went through this maze of a mall that is attached to the Ritz (how many  Chanel stores can you have in one mall!?!?) in search of a Toys R Us, yes, they have one in Hong Kong! This is all part of entertaining the boys! Jian found some 'organizational' tubs, which he seems to love to do, which is funny for a messy kid!! Cash found some Hot Wheels and I took pictures! As we walked through the mall, Jian spotted a shoe store! As I mentioned earlier, Jian has a shoe fetish!!! He wanted a new pair of shoes! He is now the proud owner of his first pair of running shies! He is so dang cute! Couldn't wait to run everywhere! It was a minor miracle to find a good fit for his Fred Flinstone feet! He didn't mind trying shoes on at all!!! My kind of kid!! He is more and more like us by the day!

When we got back, Cash and Mark REALLY wanted to go to the pool and Lizzy and I REALLY wanted to go to the "Ladies Market". I thought this a strange name for an open market, but what do I know! When in Hong Kong, do as the Hong Kongs do! Lizzy said this is how you get the real 'flavor' for what the local people love to do! So, Jian, his stroller, his strap contraption Lizzy carries him on her chest with, Lizzy  and myself got in a cab and headed to the LADIES MARKET! It was about 98 degrees and there were tents and tents and more tents filled with purses, shoes, Chinese trinkets, Chinese clothing, toys, wallets, anything you could think of, it was under the row of tents!! As we wandered through, we were baited inside to make a purchase!! Merchant beware, Lizzy's bargaining skills were honed to perfection!!!! She would have made her Aunt JoAnn VERY proud. She took a merchant from a $550 purse to $150 (Chinese money) She continued her tactic with every purchase and it worked! Not that we purchased that much, we were after the 'flavor' of the people after all! 

I watched an Arab woman bargain and was very impressed! It was for refrigerator magnets, more trinkets!! I  thought I could pick up a tip or two from her!! I looked around and spotted a man who was obviously with her. As our eyes met, he said with a proud smile, "she's good, isn't she?". Yes!! I totally agreed. When she walked away, I said to the merchant, "so, how much are you going to sell those to me for?"  He looked at me and said, "the same thing I sold it to her for!!!" I guess he didn't want to waste any more time haggling with me since he just finished with her!! It was funny!!

It was so hot that we decided we enjoyed the haggling game enough and wanted to head back. We go to grab a cab and guess what, no cabs to be found. When a lone cab DID come down the street, it was full of people!! Uh oh, oh no! Now what!?! We decide to change streets but the corner we picked smelled like stinky cheese, stinky trash and stinky stink!!!!! I am sure you figured out by now I have a sensitive nose! Between the heat and the stench, I thought I would lose my stuffings!! We picked another corner, still no cab!! Jian had been a little doll the whole time (he is not nearly affected by the heat and humidity as we are, he is barely getting used to the air conditioning!) but now, he was ready to go home, too! Still no cab! Lizzy spotted an empty cab coming down the street and yells, "Mom, runnnn!!! stop him!!" What do I know about stopping a cab? I can hale a cab, but STOP one literally??! She ran out into the street and he had no CHOICE but to stop. She asked him if he could please take us to the Ritz. He said no, he couldn't. She started pleading, "can you PLEASE take us??" as he is rolling forward, he said no again. She said, "I will pay you double!!" He says no once again! I would have walked away and hoped for the best, not her!!! Now she is practically in tears, "Can you PLEASE take us, I have a baby!!!". I have a baby??? Did she just say that!!!?? I have a baby??? If she didn't look so desperate, I would have been hysterical laughing! I am hysterical writing this all over again!!  By this time, the poor guy is shaking his head. He says he is sorry but he will get fined for being late. They have some  cab driver rule, it was 5:00 and they have to be back and refueled for the next cabbie or he will get fined!! Lizzy told him she'd pay the fine!! He couldn't resist her another second! We jumped in and off we went! Turns out to be the nicest guy ever. He lived In the province where we got Jian for 9 years, told us it is one of the unsafe provinces! Glad I didn't know that! He was extremely pleasant and gave us his card if ever we come back to Hong Kong! 

We gathered the rest of our little family guys and went to dinner. Cash picked Mexican!!! I know, Mexican food in Hong Kong! Lizzy, Cash, Jian and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal, but Mark refused to take a chance this late in the journey! He figured SOMEBODY had to stay healthy!!! We really did take a chance, we have been so careful not to each anything raw, the water, all the things they tell you not to!

We toasted to a journey of a lifetime, life changing circumstances, fun, adventure and our family as Jian is so much a part of us! Mark and Lizzy thanked me for coming with them and I was speechless! I couldn't have been prouder of both of them or more honored and humbled to have the privilege to share it all with them!!! 

We left a family of 4 of us and return a family of 5 of us!!! We can't wait to get home to Aunt Sonny!!! So, look out family, here we come!!!!! Thank you, God, for this amazing life filled with blessings and graces!!!!

Lahive family!!!

The boys in Toys R Us!

Me and Cash on a cupcake in the mall!!

It's a shoe store, Mom!!!!

There's another shoe store right around this corner, Dad!!!

Jian loves to organize!! Him and Aunt Nicole will have fun together!!!

Look at those beautiful lips!!!!! He is so beautiful!!!!!!

That's what I said family, I am coming home!!!!!

Yes, I'm cute!!! 

Hong Kong!!

Well, our adventure is coming to an end in just a few short days! Today we left the China Hotel and instead of flying, Mark got us a driver and we drove. It wasn't a bad drive at all. In fact, as we traveled along, I marveled at the wonder of the world. Trees, mountains, clouds, flowers, all a beautiful sight. I guess in some ways, it is all the same, God's creation!! I was able to get in rosaries and prayers for Elizabeth today! 

HOWEVER, not all things are created equally!! For instance, our potty break was a squatty potty and, yes, you guessed it, "STINKY"!!!

I guess I am not the sharpest tool in the shed (perhaps the brightest crayon, however) but I don't think I realized we would be crossing a border!! The first border stop was to LEAVE China. They checked all our passports and had to take a 2nd look at Cash since he was sporting his surfer long hairdo in his passport picture! We never got out of the car. About 50 yards farther, we stopped at another border point to ENTER Hong Kong!! Cash got a 2nd look there, too!! That was a painless, funny experience!

Mark surprised me and Lizzy with a 2 day RELAXATION ADVENTURE in Hong Kong! As we drove up to the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, I couldn't help but think of my brother, Geaton, and all the time we spent in Boston at the Ritz there! Although it wasn't a great time in our lives, Geaton managed to make it a good time always!!!

We walked into the most enormous building I have ever seen in my life!! There  were no less than 6 men and women just waiting to wait on us!! It was fabulous!!! We never touched our bags!! Gotta love that since we added 2 more!! We are on the 107th floor! My ears popped on the elevator going up! Our rooms are stunning! When we walked into the room, the drapes automatically opened! They opened up to the HONG KONG in a very big way! Buildings and buildings and more  buildings! We are so far up! You can see mountains and I think we are IN the clouds!!! Water with cruise ships. Ok, we have a coffee pot, but if that doesn't meet your liking, you also get a single cup coffee pot with a lacquered box full of gourmet coffees!!! Just fabulously delicious! 

Cash really wanted to go to the pool, so we went to the 118th floor and there was an olympic size pool with 3 jacuzzi pools that I could see! White couches and white lounging areas with tons of fluffy white pillows and navy towels and white wicker lounge chairs set in the water that was just 6 inches on one end and the perimeter of the pool! The tile around the pool and in the pool was 50 shades of sea blue tiles with little pearl tiles here and there! The walls seems to glitter and shine so I took a closer look. It looked like swirly roses with baby twinkle lights that flicker softly on and off. It was all white. The boys had such a good time!! It was such a heart warming, beautiful, loving site to watch all 4 of them playing in the water enjoying each other! Jian was happier than all the days put together and giggled and played in the water and giggled some more! I think since the first day we got Jian, this is the first day he did not have a meltdown and it seemed like this was the first day he realized he is here to stay with this family! I could have cried watching! Such a humbling and beautiful experience for me!! Yes!!! 

We came back to the room and there were 3 tangerines and a square black lacquered plate of 6 chocolate dipped strawberries nestled on a bed of tiny round chocolate balls!! How do you spell YUMMY! I am a little oinker, I ate them ALLLLLL!! All by MYSELF!!!

We got room service for dinner, nothing like room service at the Ritz! Of course, yummy again!!

It is such a joy to watch Jian play with his mom, dad, and Cash. He is a little teaser! He teases everyone! He is very playful but not so interested in toys. Maybe he didn't have many so he doesn't know what to do with them! I do know that when you tell him anything, he remembers it!

It will be a who,e new ball game as he gets introduced to his California surroundings. I pray it will be better than they are anticipating. Lizzy said she may have to call Aunt Sonny to get a sleeping thing, maybe a playpen, for him since he seems to beat Lizzy up in his sleep!! He his a brute!! An irresistible little brute and he is OFFICIALLY ours!!!

Loves his food!!

Jian loves Gaga's glasses!!

Leaving for Hong Kong! Picture with Grace! She was a doll and was especially kind!!!!

On the ride to Hong Kong, Lizzy is trying to entertain the boys with stickers!!

Family Fun!!

Packing

Packing up for our last stop!

Believe it or not ALL the kids got their Visas today!!!  WHOOOOOOHOOOOO!! Onward to Hong Kong!

We had a fairly leisurely day packing up and getting ready for tomorrow's journey to Hong King. Originally we had planned to fly, but Mark decided the 2 1/2 hour bus ride would be easier on the boys (and Gaga)!!! The bus is super nice and air conditioned and we won't be in the airport, lugging our now even heavier luggage!!
I was happy with that decision! Especially since we don't have to get up at the crack of dawn!!

So, I went for my massage today. When I walked in I was escorted to the massage room. I was disappointed I didn't have my camera with me!!!! Rats!! It had a 'regular' potty, and full sized 'rain' shower, a dressing table, wardrobe complete with all the essentials and a lovely robe. It was a beautiful room decorated in warm browns and golds! The sink was gorgeous! It was a red bowl with a splash of white and gold oriental looking flowers sprinkled around the inside edge! It was an extremely inviting room!  Coco, my masseuse, directed me to get into the shower, wash my hair and put on my robe! She was quiet and demure, her English was fair enough for me to understand that! She came back with a hot pot of tea and handed me the cup to drink. I wish somebody else was in there with me because all I wanted to do was giggle! And it only got worse! My cold had escalated so I was already pretty stuffy, but for some reason whenever I do get a message, I get stuffier!! So here I am face down, trying to breathe through my mouth and I think she was asking me about the pressure, I just shook my head yes! (Mark said he nearly fell asleep for his, but I can assure you, there was NO sleeping for me!)  I must have agreed to more pressure!! So THEN, she asks me to turn over, which I did, stuffy as ever! I am not sure what she asked me next, all I know is, I think I got my first boob massage ever!! Seriously!!!! All I could think of is Mark wanting to fall asleep, and all I wanted to do was stay alert!!! It was funny, but my neck and back did feel 100% better by the time she was done!!! Then she served me watermelon slices and more tea and waited in the corner of the room while I finished it!! What an experience!!

Before dinner we met with all the families in a meeting room to get the kids' Visas and say goodbye to the families that we had come to know and love! It was a tearful goodbye! As far as they all have come, there is much work to do with all these little kids! They have come so far in such a short amount of time!! I know that each and every one is destined for greater possibilities than anyone can imagine! After all, Jian is destined to be a Doctor! Or Lawyer, or builder, or captain of a ship! It will be a whole new world waiting to be discovered by all of them!

At dinner tonight we met a couple from England who had just picked up their little girl yesterday. They were sitting alone and of course, Lizzy and I chatted her up! She said in England, it is so much harder to get approved to adopt. They had been waiting for years and years! (also, she was a healthy baby girl and I don't know if that had anything to do with it). They had come alone, so didn't have the advantage of being with a group like we did. Since this was our first rodeo, we didn't know any different. God was watching out for us because we definitely had an advantage by being with other families and realizing we were all going through the same thing. She was very grateful that Lizzy shared with her. Jian is like a different baby since the first few days! He's still bad though!! I am waiting for him to sing himself to sleep, (he is giggling with daddy and mommy right now,) my favorite part of the evening!!

I thought that FaceTime was going to be my best source of communication with my family in spite of the 12 hour time difference, but instead we lose service every 90 seconds and we get frustrated!! Sammy said, "Gaga, I can't stand another day without you!!" My sweet little Drama Queen! Can't wait to see them!!!

Lizzy is in the other room packing while Mark bathes Cash and I hear her say, "I feel like I have 10 kids". Mark yells to me, "you did this 5 times?". Lizzy quipped, "none of us were like this little bulldozer".

We are excited to begin the journey home! Jian has been in and out of the suitcases, packed HIMSELF, by HIMSELF and little shopping bag with Chinese money, snacks and a diaper! Bad and smart!!! That's our boy!! Cassius has been a joy, but is anxious as well to get on the road!! Thank God Aunt Sonny will be there to greet us! She will be the only family Jian will meet till next month when the Ward family (Idie and her family) visit! Then they will come to Maryland in August so we can Baptize him with Havi (Jenna and Neil's adorable new son)!!!

I miss my East coast peeps and can't wait to see them! Someone at the dinner table asked me if it will be hard to get back to work after being here in China! Had to laugh, I can't WAIT TO GET BACK TO WORK! I work with the most awesome, hard working, purpose-driven women in the world!!!

Now we are really ready for bed and I hear the familiar little voice singing. The wheels on the bus..... SWEET! SWEET! SWEET!! Love it!

Lizzy came in my room just before putting the kids down with Mark and decides she will have me try some homeopathic nasal dryer  or some such thing. She instructs me to sniff and dispense. I did it in one nostril and thought I would choke to death between being stuffy and laughing myself silly! We were both out of control laughing and choking! You really had to be here to appreciate this one!

I am thanking God constantly for His many blessings and graces. I am filled with His love and glory as I watch it in full bloom!!

I ask that you say extra special prayers for our Elizabeth Ida as Wednesday is the day they do the lumpectomy. We are looking for yet another miracle for our DeCesaris family!! We need it, are praying for it and expecting it!!

Afraid to drink the water??? Drink beer! Never liked it before! I think I may be a fan!!

Brothers!

farewell

Cash in his flip flop socks

Ready to go home!!

Saying goodbye, but not without one last game!

Whoo! Hoo! got my VISA! Ready to go! 

Pasta boy! 

It's good to be headed home!