What an incredable experience that has just taken place!! We are now back from our chinese adoption with our wonderful little Jillian Jing Mazzola! The trip back was excellent!! Jillian did great!! It turned out that it was the Inaugural flight on united from Beijing China to Washington DC. There was a big celebration as we were getting on the plane. Jillian was the FIRST person on the plane!!! We received a gift from the United Airline CEO!! When she landed in Washington she became an offical US citizen!! You will also see from the pictures that I am not only a trained camel jockey, I am also trained to fly 747's now!!! Kerrin and I are were so excited to be met by our family and friends when we arrived in Manchester NH! It was a special moment to see Gina and Jillian finally in each other's arms!! It was incredable!!
The LONG journey is now complete as we start our new life together as a family!!
Paul
Social Welfare Institute of Dingyuan County, Anhui Province
Jillian is here.....
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Next Stop Manchester NH!!
Off to the airport....Guangzou to beijing to Washington DC to Manchester!
BYE
Love Paul Kerrin & Jillian
BYE
Love Paul Kerrin & Jillian
Last night of the Trip
Today is our last evening in China. All our friends left this morning. We miss them already. What a wonderful group of people. We have high hopes to keep in touch and have gatherings so the children won't lose touch either. They grew up together for the very first part of their lives. They are all so precious. We have seen remarkable changes in each and every one of the children since we first met them.
Today, Paul & I and Jillian went to a shopping market that was similar to Downtown Crossing except 10 times bigger and a million or so more people. We were the walking exhibit. Everyone stared most would smile back if I did. Most people don't speak english. We gave up asking for an American restaurant and hit McDonald's..... we couldn't find a sole that spoke enough English. Jillian shopped with us for 5 hours smiling and babbling and so interested in watching all the people. She is so funny. She loves the cab and bus rides. Her eyes dart back and forth quickly as not to miss a thing. I think she knows us now because when other people come up to touch her cheeks she just stares but if either Paul or I poke our heads in the carriage she she smiles and giggles. I love her so much.
I got my last massage for $25 at the hotel while Jillian was sleeping and Paul was working on downloading even more pictures. The massage therapist hung from the rafters and massaged with the heels of her feet. It was an eye opener and killed at first but quickly the knots were gone. I'm ready for the long voyage home. It's about a 24 hour journey back. Thankfully we gain 12 hours because of the time zones. I hope and pray Jillian does OK. It's a tough journey for adults never mind an 11 mos. old.
Can't wait to see everyone!
Love Kerrin
Today, Paul & I and Jillian went to a shopping market that was similar to Downtown Crossing except 10 times bigger and a million or so more people. We were the walking exhibit. Everyone stared most would smile back if I did. Most people don't speak english. We gave up asking for an American restaurant and hit McDonald's..... we couldn't find a sole that spoke enough English. Jillian shopped with us for 5 hours smiling and babbling and so interested in watching all the people. She is so funny. She loves the cab and bus rides. Her eyes dart back and forth quickly as not to miss a thing. I think she knows us now because when other people come up to touch her cheeks she just stares but if either Paul or I poke our heads in the carriage she she smiles and giggles. I love her so much.
I got my last massage for $25 at the hotel while Jillian was sleeping and Paul was working on downloading even more pictures. The massage therapist hung from the rafters and massaged with the heels of her feet. It was an eye opener and killed at first but quickly the knots were gone. I'm ready for the long voyage home. It's about a 24 hour journey back. Thankfully we gain 12 hours because of the time zones. I hope and pray Jillian does OK. It's a tough journey for adults never mind an 11 mos. old.
Can't wait to see everyone!
Love Kerrin
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Rounding third base!!
Today was picture day and a visit to the U.S. Consolate for the offical oath to confirm we will take care of our newly adopted children!
It is nice to get group photo's of all the families and children together.I don't think Jillian likes to share the camera because this is the only time she get extremely aggrevated and cry's!! When we put together with the other girls she starts to cry!!!
We had a nice lunch with the Anhui families. Lunch was fun as it felt we have known these wonderful people for a long time, though it has only been a couple of weeks!! It was nice to have a few beers along the Pearl River with such a friendly group! The babies were all having fun just sitting back and relaxing!
The consolate visit was very easy! Everyone passed the final test as we are now all official parents of these wonderful Anhui baby girls!!
Enjoy the barage of pictures
paul
It is nice to get group photo's of all the families and children together.I don't think Jillian likes to share the camera because this is the only time she get extremely aggrevated and cry's!! When we put together with the other girls she starts to cry!!!
We had a nice lunch with the Anhui families. Lunch was fun as it felt we have known these wonderful people for a long time, though it has only been a couple of weeks!! It was nice to have a few beers along the Pearl River with such a friendly group! The babies were all having fun just sitting back and relaxing!
The consolate visit was very easy! Everyone passed the final test as we are now all official parents of these wonderful Anhui baby girls!!
Enjoy the barage of pictures
paul
Monday, March 26, 2007
A day to ourselves
It was nice not to have any committments today. We always enjoy the buffet breakfast in the hotel. It faces the river with all glass windows. The White Swan hotel is filled with adoptive parents and their new chinese baby additions. Everyone is smiling and asking about each other's babies. It's a very happy experience and environment for everyone. We did some local shopping where we did some bartering and thought we got some great deals. Everything is so inexpensive. It's difficult to fathom sometimes.
This hotel is more Americanized as far as the food goes, so for a picky eater like myself, I'm very content. Beleive it or not the Italian food is fabulous. Many of the Chinese restaurants near the hotel have the live animals that are going to be served on your plate in the near future. everything from thousands of mini turtles floating around to silk worms,snakes, eels, big thick purple worms, bugs,huge fish that are served with the head. I could go on and on. For some reason, I just lose my appetite immediately. Not an adventurous sole!
Today, Paul wanted to look at some electronics so we took a cab to the"electronics market" where there were tall buildings filled with numerous booths with any electronic you can imagine....great prices.
It's seems difficult to find AC in the stores so we get very fatigued from the humidity. Jillian tags along in the stroller as people come up and pinch her cheeks and make her giggle and smile. She is a joy. She went on the potty tonight. It's always a celebration. We marvel over it.
Well the days are closing in and I can't wait for everyone to meet her in person. She is a doll.
Tomorrow, we will bring Jillian and all the other babies in our group to the"infamous red velvet couch". There, a professional photographer will take the families picture all together. I bought a beautiful purple Chinese outfit for Jillian to wear for the picture.
We ordered a silk bathrobe to be custom made for Paul. It will be all lined and only cost $35. It will be made in 24 hours. The Chinese are such a small people that Paul's size is XXXL.
Love and miss you all and see you soon. We've enjoyed all your comments and we are glad you are enjoying the blog. Keep the comments coming and please view the video clips. Paul's editting more to come. By the way, in the Gotcha video in the very beginning, look close and you will see a child laying on the table by herself. She is clothed so much she looks like a huge lump on the table. That is little and I mean little, Miss Jillian.
Kerrin
This hotel is more Americanized as far as the food goes, so for a picky eater like myself, I'm very content. Beleive it or not the Italian food is fabulous. Many of the Chinese restaurants near the hotel have the live animals that are going to be served on your plate in the near future. everything from thousands of mini turtles floating around to silk worms,snakes, eels, big thick purple worms, bugs,huge fish that are served with the head. I could go on and on. For some reason, I just lose my appetite immediately. Not an adventurous sole!
Today, Paul wanted to look at some electronics so we took a cab to the"electronics market" where there were tall buildings filled with numerous booths with any electronic you can imagine....great prices.
It's seems difficult to find AC in the stores so we get very fatigued from the humidity. Jillian tags along in the stroller as people come up and pinch her cheeks and make her giggle and smile. She is a joy. She went on the potty tonight. It's always a celebration. We marvel over it.
Well the days are closing in and I can't wait for everyone to meet her in person. She is a doll.
Tomorrow, we will bring Jillian and all the other babies in our group to the"infamous red velvet couch". There, a professional photographer will take the families picture all together. I bought a beautiful purple Chinese outfit for Jillian to wear for the picture.
We ordered a silk bathrobe to be custom made for Paul. It will be all lined and only cost $35. It will be made in 24 hours. The Chinese are such a small people that Paul's size is XXXL.
Love and miss you all and see you soon. We've enjoyed all your comments and we are glad you are enjoying the blog. Keep the comments coming and please view the video clips. Paul's editting more to come. By the way, in the Gotcha video in the very beginning, look close and you will see a child laying on the table by herself. She is clothed so much she looks like a huge lump on the table. That is little and I mean little, Miss Jillian.
Kerrin
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Last leg of the trip
The days seem to be flying by although we are looking forward to coming home in 4 days. It will be nice to get Jillian settled in to her new life in America. We are travelling with a wonderful group of people. All the children are transitioning and bonding with their new families. The older children seem to take a little bit longer. We believe possibly because of grieving or perhaps fear of abandonment. The children are all so precious.
Today we went to a buddhist temple and Paul & I got repremanded for placing Jillian on a beautiful white jade buddha. The woman pointed to the sign which was in Chinese language. Whoops, not fluent in Chinese yet. It was a beautiful temple with enormous Buddhas and magnificent Pagodas(huge Chinese tower).
We went to the pearl market and got some nice things for everyone. They string everything in front of you and put a knot in between each pearl. It's amazing how fast they do it. We went to the Jade factory but nothing stood out to us. Jillian just goes with the flow, very content and watching all the new things around her. She did wonderfully on the two hour flight to Guangzhou....slept most of the way. She's eating& sleeping well.
We are now waiting for Jillian's visa and to take an oath to take good care of her.
kerrin
Today we went to a buddhist temple and Paul & I got repremanded for placing Jillian on a beautiful white jade buddha. The woman pointed to the sign which was in Chinese language. Whoops, not fluent in Chinese yet. It was a beautiful temple with enormous Buddhas and magnificent Pagodas(huge Chinese tower).
We went to the pearl market and got some nice things for everyone. They string everything in front of you and put a knot in between each pearl. It's amazing how fast they do it. We went to the Jade factory but nothing stood out to us. Jillian just goes with the flow, very content and watching all the new things around her. She did wonderfully on the two hour flight to Guangzhou....slept most of the way. She's eating& sleeping well.
We are now waiting for Jillian's visa and to take an oath to take good care of her.
kerrin
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Off to Guangzhou
Quite day here in CHina! Had the babies picture taken... Lots of crying!!
All the girls are doing great!!! Today will be there first plane ride as we travel south to Guangzhou. This is where the U.S consolate is located...We now have Jillians passport. Next to become an official U.S. citizen!!
Paul
All the girls are doing great!!! Today will be there first plane ride as we travel south to Guangzhou. This is where the U.S consolate is located...We now have Jillians passport. Next to become an official U.S. citizen!!
Paul
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