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She looks so sad in this picture! =(
I finally got all the pictures last night that I was supposed to be getting throughout the week. In answer to this question: Yes my picture is in that book and yes I'm the one she's chewing on. LOL! She slaps Christopher's picture and chews on mine. Such love she has for us! ;D 
I found this website that does blogger layouts! The link is on the side of my blog if anybody wants to know!
Here are two posts that from Mom and Dad's blog! The first one is from Mom.
Hello Everyone!
Sorry we missed a day. Yesterday our precious one was a little crabby cake! She hadn't gone to the bathroom for a couple of days and was letting everyone know she wasn't happy about it. We pushed bananas and carrots (which she loves) throughout the day and finally had success later in the evening. But, Sarah slept and whined all day which made it difficult for us to do anything. Even Bill was surprised by her disposition. She was back to her giggly, sweet self after her plumbing was working properly again.
We did manage to get out and see the Yellow River. Well, we got in and out of the car quite a bit because it was too cold to walk along it. Sarah wasn't happy about that. She's not too thrilled with her snowsuit. Our girl doesn't like to be bound up and the snowsuit keeps her from sucking on her index finger. A definite no-no in her book and she told anyone who would listen!
She has already stolen Bill's heart. She throws him kisses all the time. He came into our room last night and was talking to Joe with his back to Sarah. Sarah started yelling "hey!" (okay, the equivalent baby sound to hey.) When he turned around she blew him a kiss. He had to come over and high-five her! It was adorable. If she is close to him she will put her hand out until he holds it. Too cute. She's not too sure about our driver, Steed. She just watches him very carefully while hanging onto us. So I know there's something special about Bill.
This morning she was way to adorable. I can't wait for all of you to meet her. Her personality is just incredible. Her laugh is real husky. Joe calls it her diabolical laugh! Her smile lights up the room. She has started to roll around on the bed and crawl a bit. It cracks her up going from one place to another on her own. She stops and laughs about it in the middle of the journey. We brought a baby picture book of the kids and gram and papa for Sarah to look at. We wanted her to at least be familiar with their faces before coming home. She loves the book. She flips through until she comes to Christopher's picture and then slaps it! We have been encouraging her in this. HAHA Christopher says that is how they show love in China. He's a good sport!
This morning for breakfast she ate pumpkin patties, watermelon, strawberry yogurt, scrambled eggs, grape bread (my favorite), and some kind of bran muffin which wasn't a big hit but she ate it anyway. This child is like the energizer bunny when it comes to food!!! She just keeps eating until we leave the restaurant. She also waves to other tables and tries to get them to give her their food! I spoon fed her some tea which she really enjoyed. With her clefts it is difficult to give her a bottle out of the room. She needs to be lying down and the liquid just flows all over the place. She needs a change of clothes after her bottle feedings. What a mess! I will introduce her to a sippy cup when we get home. Now that she has been having solids, she will only take her bottle when she wakes up and before bed. So that helps. But I have to be diligent about getting fluids into her throughout the day now.
Oh, last night after dinner we gave her a bit of strawberry ice cream. As you know she loves it. So Joe wonders what she would do with chocolate ice cream. He gives her a bit of his and Sarah just stops. Stops moving, stops blinking, just stops. She sits like that for a moment, then her eyes get real big (which is quite a feat since they are so big already) and she smacks her lips together and starts dancing in her chair, bobbing her head and giggling. I think chocolate beat strawberry!
We are doing well - Sarah is such a joy for us. Missing home and our family a lot. It feels like we've been gone for months now. Jonah told us this morning we will be coming home in a week. I was thrilled to hear it. Tomorrow we will fly to Guangzhou. It will be a day of traveling, leaving at 1 p.m. and arriving there around 8 p.m. I'm not looking forward to the 5 hour flight but am glad we are onto the next half of our journey. Lord willing, we will be home soon!
Thank you all for your comments and prayers. Joe will post more I'm sure.
Much love to all of you, Lisa
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Dad posting:
I feel bad that there wasn't a post yesterday. Actually had a touch of the blues (Mom's birthday. How ecstatic she would've been over all this.) A weather system moved through which made the outdoors real gray, and the indoors kinda achy. (And as Lisa said, Sarah had some "issues".) Tonight's the last night in Lanzhou. Click this link http://www.theodora.com/maps/china.gif to see some cool maps of China. (For home-schoolers this counts as geography class.) Tomorrow we'll fly from Lanzhou (LON-JO) to Xi'an (SHE-ON)(just a little southeast of Lanzhou) for a stop and then on to Guangzhou (GWON JO), which is on the southeast coast by Hong Kong. That's where the only American Consulate is in China that handles adoptions. That's where we'll handle all the legal aspects on the American side. We'll be busy. But it's tropical so we're really looking forward to it. Tonight we're having dinner with Bill and Steed and another guide at the same restaurant we went to on Wednesday. We have a private room reserved. More lamb with garlic for sure. Got some video there last time of the manager "briefing" the staff prior to the dinner rush. The employees stood at attention in lines that any drill sergeant would be proud of and then she yelled at them for five minutes. She makes the Sicilians look warm and fuzzy. When she was done I had to restrain myself to keep from jumping up and getting to work. All this took place right next to our table. Can't wait to share this video stuff with everyone when we get back. We're starting to get a little homesick.
Patty and the Winter boys you guy's are so kind to stop by the house on Thursday. Everyone was so glad you came!!
Carol, Dad is going to pick us up at the airport Thursday. We'll post our flight info and would you see to it that he has it? Our car is at Sam and Geri's house. He's taking us there and we'll drive home from there. But thanks for the offer. And especially thanks for the spiritual encouragement you (and everyone else) have contributed.
The Lord Jesus continues to work on our hearts, growing us up, maturing, strengthening us. We are so thankful to Him for what He is doing in our lives. Of course, saving us from our sins would be enough, but the great care He takes to daily abide with us as we sojourn here is just so amazing to me. What a privilege He has granted us to serve Him in this way, to provide a home for Sarah where the good news of salvation and the desire to serve Him are paramount.
Speaking of strength, what a difference ten years makes. That's how long it's been since Jonah was carried around. It's nice how the Creator makes it so that baby is born small and the parents can gradually build up the physical strength as baby grows. Not so with Sarah. I guess she's only 20 lbs. or so but whoa, those muscles thought they were set up for early retirement. They ain't likin' being forced back into service. Also the eyes are sorta shot too. I was the official toe and fingernail clipper man on our first batch. (I'll let Lisa tell you why.) I thought my lovely Lisa might want the job this time but such was not the case. I went to trim Sarah's nails the other day and couldn't see them! I was squinting and straining until I was seeing double. Eventually I just sorta guessed at where they were. No blood, all's well.
Okay if I gush a little? Cupcake wakes up smiling! (except for yesterday) We laugh and play non-stop. I'm not a pessimist, but I was pretty sure this was going to be traumatic for her. I was expecting a really difficult start, but it's been wall to wall enjoyment. She's already looking at the lovely one when I say, "where's Mommy?" She's communicating with us. She reaches for us when she wants to be held and that's like always. She waves at people. It's adorable! Elbow at 90 degrees hand pointing straight up and then rotations showing the back of the hand and then the front. Definitely a princess!
REALLY looking forward to Guanzhou!
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
Daddy (again)
I did talk to Mom, Dad, AND Sarah on the Webcams yesterday and Sarah actually said a few things to me.
Me: Hi Sarah!
Sarah: ah aha aha ah (with a big smile she put her red toy cup up to her mouth and pretends to drink)
That's pretty much all she does! It's so cute though! She is the sweetest little angel! When I answered the video call she saw me and broke into a HUGE smile! Which shows me that she knows who I am! YAY!!!!!! She then started blowing me kisses! She would blow me like 3 or 4 and then look at Mom; Mom would smile and say good job, and she would start blowing me more! She did this for like 1 minute! IT was so adorable! She is also addicted to ice cream! Mom gave her a little taste of her strawberry ice cream and Sarah started clapping! She especially loved the chunks of strawberrys. =D
That was yesterday, unfortunatly for Mom and Dad, lately the times we talk to them it around 2 in the morning there! So Mom and Dad are exhausted. We haven't talked to them yet today but from the emails Mom sent me she sounds like she has gotten some rest.
Quick little post on Roxi. She is depressed! She won't eat and the looks she gives us are so sad it breaks my heart! Whenever I see her she's sleeping...
That's my girl! You're on a mission!=]
So sweet!
Daddy, I know I can melt your heat if I give you this look. Can you help me get my teething ring now?We have the news on right now and they're saying that 35 tornadoes had touched down last night in the Midwest! And in January! =(
So yesterday two twisters touched down in WI and McHenry, IL. Praise the Lord, we didn't get hit, but the winds did get strong last night and we had a strong storm. Considering Johnsburg is right on the border of Wisconsion, I was kinda up throughout the night waiting to hear sirens. I was also stupid to have told Mom and Dad about the Tornado Warning on the Webcams! No one was killed and the worst injury was a broken arm. Thank God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As most of you know, I kind of have an obsession with making blogs and then deleting them! THIS is another blog on Sarah, but no pictures are involved whatsoever. I'm going to give myself a month or 2 before it's deleted. What do you guys think? =D
http://whatshebringstome.blogspot.com/
I didn't get any pictures emailed to me this morning. But I did talk to Mom, Dad, AND Sarah on the Webcams. Sarah actually said a few things to me.
Me: Hi Sarah!
Sarah: ah aha aha ah
That's pretty much all she does! It's so cute though! I have GOT to figure out how to get videos onto this blog so I can videotape her when she comes home and then you can actually hear her voice! She is the sweetest little angel! When I answered the video call she saw me and broke into a HUGE smile! Which shows me that she knows who I am! YAY!!!!!! She then started blowing me kisses! She would blow me like 3 or 4 and then look at Mom. Mom would smile and say good job, and she would start blowing me more! She did this for like 1 minute! IT was so adorable! She is also addicted to ice cream! Mom gave her a little taste of her strawberry ice cream and Sarah started clapping! She especially loved the chunks of strawberrys. =D
I was just thinking about well nothing a few seconds ago and then Sarah's sweet sleeping picture popped into my head and I realized that FINALLY after 2 1/2 years of waiting I will finally be able to see her sweet little face every morning when I wake up!! =] Although the 1 week and 3 days does still seem veeeeery far away. But at least we have these Webcam thingys! That's a plus!
Speaking of Webcam! We got in touch with Mom, Dad, and Sarah (so glad to finally add her name to the list!) at around 3:30/4:00. Sarah was soooooo sweet through the whole thing! Mom and Dad told me she kept staring at me while we were talking! She even tried "typing". LOL! She loves the laptop, from what it looks like.
Dad does this thing with her that is sooooo adorable. He rolls up her sock into a ball and then puts it on her head; she moves her head back and her eyes go upward to try and see it! It was so adorable! She then tried to put one of the stacking cups on her head along with the sock! =]She also imitates Mom and Dad now. She loves having the lotion put on her. Towards the end of our call she started rubbing herself like she was rubbing lotion on! She rubbed her cheeks and mouth and at first it looked like she was blowing kisses! And then she kept doing it. Mom then realized that she wanted a bath. She smiled pretty much the whole time we talked! She is such a precious little angle! I can't stop staring at her pictures. God is so good!More pictures coming soon!
I LOVE this picture of her! She's so beautiful!!! =D
Poor Dad, he looks so tired!
So does Mom! I love how Sarah has a toy in her hand at all times!
Doesn't she look offended by the ink that's on her foot? I love how she's just glaring at it! =DI apologize for the wait of arrival for pictures!!!!!!! I've just been in awww since I saw her!!! She is the sweetest most perfect little girl you could ever dream of! I love her sooooooo much!! Her smile is just so contagious and the way I heard her baby talking to Dad? So cute!!!!! An email Mom sent me this morning is below. And then pictures!!!!!!
Hello Everyone!!!
It is 11:30 p.m. here (9:30 a.m. your time). We tried to call you but you are not online. We will try again later. Our flight was quick and painless. Lanzhou is really amazing.
However, I know you do not want to hear about Lanzhou!!!
Sarah is just wonderful!!!! She smiled for me (Mom) right away and follows me with her eyes where ever I go! Poor baby had to drive 8 hours to get here on a terrible mountain road. She was very tired. On top of that, she is sick. She went to the clinic yesterday and we have prescriptions for her. Problem is, she will not eat for us and the meds need to go into the bottle. She has a congested cough and you can hear the rattle in her chest. She had a 101 temp. about an hour after we got her. She is such a good baby. She just loves her toys. Especially the teething ring and stacking cups. She will not let go of the teething ring. In fact the only time she cried was when Bill had to take the teething ring from her for our family photo. He felt terrible! She did cry later in the room when we gave her her first bottle. I think she didn't like not having her nanny. They told us to just lay her on the bed and she will feed herself. We tried that as a last result on the third bottle. She still won't drink. Right now she is singing to Dad!!!! It is so adorable. She fights her sleep just like Christopher. She kicks her foot and startles herself awake!!! Finally she couldn't do it anymore and fell asleep at 8 p.m. our time. She woke us up at 11 p.m. wanting to play. That is why we are up right now. Dad is playing with her and I hear her giggling. She has just started to imitate us a bit. She waved back at Dad! It is so cute how she will not let go of those two toys. Even in sleep she kept her hand on the teething ring. We really miss you guys and can't wait to have you meet Sarah!!! We will try back again later.
Much love and kisses,
Mom, Dad, and Sarah
Lisa, Joe and Sarah
This is her hand while she was crying. Mom said that her whole body turns that red when she cries.
TODAY'S GOTCHA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY SWEET LITTLE SARAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mom and Dad leave for Gansu at 8:30 AM!!!!=D
Mom and Dad called about an hour ago! They're doing great, just tired. Mom slept on and off on the plane, but Dad stayed up the whole time reading. Never expected Dad to be the one who stayed up the whole time! I thought Mom would be up and Dad would be sound asleep. But life does bring surprises out of no where! :)
They told us that when they ate dinner it was all fish. And I do mean ALL! They served the head and everything, which really grossed Mom out. I kind of wish I could have been there just to see her face when they served it! :)
They don't have internet connection right now, but they're going to try and get it up and running so we can talk to them. Dad said he's taken some amazing pictures so I can't wait to see those!
So I've decided to start my own meme! It's called "The Adoption Meme"! =D I know, I probably could have thought of something a little more clever, but it just popped into my head.
What is your Gotcha Day date?
January 6th, 2008. Only 3 days away!!!!
How old is or was your sibling when he/she was adopted?
Sarah just turned 16 months!
How old were you when the adoption started and ended?
Started- 12
Ended- 14
Did you travel with your parents when they adopted your sibling?
Unfortunatly, no. =(
How old is your sibling now?
16 months! =D
What is your siblings favorite food?
I have no idea, but I can't wait to find out!
What agency did you use for your siblings adoption?
Sunnyridge Family Center
Okay, so I now tag:
Staci
Holly
Brittany
Mom and Dad
So I probably should have posted this earlier, before Travel, but I could never find it. So here's the Itinerary for our Journey To Sarah Grace Anderson! =D
IN-CHINA ITINERARY FOR THE ANDERSONS, JANUARY 2008
3- arrive in Beijing
4- tour in Beijing
5- tour in Beijing
6- fly to Lanzhou , placement in the hotel at about 16:30 (Mom forgot to add that this is also Gotcha Day!)
7- registration in the morning, and then notary
8- bonding day
9- tour in Lanzhou or visit museum
10- tour in Lanzhou
11- get passport and notary papers
12- fly to Guangzhou
13- visa paperwork, visa picture
14- medical exam, tour in Guangzhou
15- Consulate appointment
16- oath taking ceremony
17- go home via HK
My grandpa just got to my other parents house to pick Mom and Dad up to take them to Ohare!!!!!! They're on there way to China!!!!!!! I've got butterflys!!!!! =D They're plane takes off at 12:30 (afternoon)!! =D
Mom and Dad are leaving for Chicago in 1 hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe how fast everything is going!!!!! AAAAAAAHHH!!!
Well...a little under an hour until then! ;D
Mom and Dad are leaving tomorrow night for Chicago with my grandpa and then my other grandpa is driving them to Ohare on Wednesday!!!!!!!!! so 2 days until they leave for China and 1 night until I don't see them again for 2 WHOLE WEEKS!!! I still can't wrap my brain around it!! LOL!
We just got done playing our all night Monopoly game!! Christopher won! Like really won! He owned pretty much the whole board! LOL! It was a lot of fun! We still have a bunch of food and snacks left over! =D Our next all night Monopoly game will be next year (as in the next New Year! =D) and we'll have Sarah!! Although she'll probably be sleeping.....
