The moments just before Emma Grace walks in to our lives....changing our hearts and our purpose of life....FOREVER
I can't believe it! After all this time. All the waiting. All the paper work. Monday, August 6th, 2012 has come and gone. It all happened so fast. Too fast for sure. But...What a wonderful great day! This is the day we met our daughter Emma Grace face-to-face for the first time. Emma's Gotcha Day. I didn't sleep much the night before. So afraid I would miss the alarm or it wouldn't go off and the back-up wake up call would not happen...(both went off without a hitch). So I arose early to be ready to go. We had our continental breakfast at our hotel - The Shanghai Ramada - and then returned to the room to clean up. We were told to be down in the lobby at 8:50am. We were there by 8:30am. Zhou arrived at 8:50am............. We took a local taxi today to the adoption center. We were welcomed in to a room where PAPER WORK began. What on earth am I going to do with my life now that the paper work is gone................... i kid, I kid. It was just a little room in a back office. The attendant was so sweet and kind. I loved her shirt. Chinese ladies dress so lovely. A bit of romance remains in their fashion. Very stylish. Zhou and the attendant began speaking to eachother in Mandarin. We asked Zhou where we would be meeting Emma Grace and he answered "right here" . The attendant told us our daughter was on her way now. And Zhou added, "when you hear the elevator ding, its probably her". Wow, I thought. This is not how I imagined it. I thought this would happen in a big big board room.....DING!! OMG!! I peaked through the barely cracked door, No - it was just office workers. I got the snacks ready. Had some toys for back-up. Will she cry?? Will she run away? We were seconds from finding out. DING! I peaked through the cracked door - this time some motherly banter came from inside the opened elevator and then........there they were.........there was a nanny with a small child - I have seen this nanny's picture before - another nanny was with her and another small little one. They walked in, I recognized Emma Grace immediately. I tried to touch her shoulder - she looked at me and was not interested.
gotcha video:
So much now is a blurr. The orphanage representative gave me several breathtaking gifts. A photo album of Emma Grace done so beautifully. A name chop for Emma Grace. A glass decanter from the Orphanage and a book and dvd on the orphanage. All the things I had sent Emma in her care package where there. We passed out the orphanage gifts I had worried about for months. This whole thing is so over whelming and so unbelievable. You know, I did not cry.............yes that's right - I did not cry. It was just so unreal and happening in front of me. I had dreamed of this for so long. I still have not cried. I gave her some cheerios and puffs. We had some playful banter. I spoke what Mandarin words I knew and thought would help us communicate. I showed her my Emma necklace. She had that I want to smile but I think you are poo poo look on her face. I showed her my special Emma Grace diaper bag. She was intrigued - and so where the nannies - SCORE!! I asked if I could pick her up. She allowed me. No tears yet - this is good and bad. We goofed around a bit and then Zhou said it was time to leave. Short and sweet. Emma Grace could tell something was happening and began to cry. Zhou said for us to get a move on now. The nanny patted her head. We began to walk out of the room. More tears, screams, arching of back. Emma had bonded with her nanny. It is heart breaking to see the tears but we knew this is a very good sign. She screamed in to the elevator. Poor office workers in there seem terrified of the situation. Out the door. Zhou got us a taxi and away we went. Within 1 minute of being in the taxi the tears were gone. And we were on our way...................
Back at the our hotel room at the Shanghai Ramada, Emma Grace slept in my arms for almost 2 hours. When she awoke she was very scared and sad. Poor baby had no idea what was going on. Together we tried to soothe her in a playful manner. No response. I could not believe this dream of a lifetime was happening in front of me. I knew Emma Grace would be ok in my heart, but it hurt to see her afraid. It hurt to know that we were the cause. I wished I knew how to make her smile. To show her that she could trust us. That we are hers - forever and ever - her forever family. How do you help a little one just under 2 years of age understand that its cool you are taking her away from everything she has ever known. You are taking her away from all the people she has had in her life. Everyone she has ever cared for in her own way is gone. Her bed she slept in all her life is gone. Her pillow, her blanket, her sheets - GONE. The faces of her every day life big and little - gone. As adults this would horrify us, now put yourself in the mini shoes of a small child. Then add to the situation that I have yellow hair......we make funny sounds when we speak.....we looked different...smelt dfferent....acted different.....and we weren't going away. We had to break her heart to teach her about forever love.........and doing so hurt us all. We had loved Emma Grace for over 6 months. I personally spent hours looking at her pictures, falling in love, dreaming of how it would be for us. We loved her from afar..........from the flip side of her world. She never saw it coming. She had no idea of what was about to hit her...........or even the concept of the idea in any way.
Before it got too late, I asked Scott to call down for some fresh towels for the next morning. We continued to console Emma Grace. But not even cheerios were helping now. She was grieving. She was hurting. Lost. Several minutes later you could hear something going on in the hallway. More than likely housekeeping with our much needed towels. Scott got up, walked to the door and opened it. You could hear 2 ladies in the hallway speaking in Mandarin. Suddenly Emma Grace's eyes got so big and round with the most shocked look on her face. She than turned and looked right at me, and like flipping on a lightswitch - Emma Grace smiled at me. She started blowing kisses at me and dancing around as if she was attempting to entertain me. A complete 180 out of nowhere. Scott saw what was happening and laughed with amazement. We were both so shocked at the immediate change. What on earth caused the 180??!! After a while she even let us take her shoes off.....not an easy feat......and not without additional tears..... I was made aware that getting her shoes off would be hard and traumatic. The orphanage children are very attached to their shoes. I was told to expect a hysterical fit if we came near them. We did - we touched them - it happened and we lived through it. Soon after I won her over with little pink slippers that matched the ones on her new dolly and she let us take them off and put on her slippers. She played with Daddy and I for quite a while. Silly girl!! She loved those silly pink slippers.
(right after the towels were delivered and we changed her shoes)
And I love them too! Emma eventually let me change her in to a comfy romper. I dispalyed it in front of her for approval first. She smiled and waved me in to change her in to it. (We do that to this day). Our girl loves clothing. Girly clothing. We then ordered room service, had our first meal as a family of 3 of the craziest mixture of what is this we are eating and then mama and baba watched their daughter fall asleep. Later that evening as I lay in bed, I thought about Emma Grace's complete 180 in personality long and hard. I am not sure, but I think Emma Grace thought the Chinese ladies were there to pick her up and maybe she was hoping she could stay with us....maybe...even...let us.... keep her...... maybe she did sort of like us....... maybe she found us humorously different...... could we have done enough in just a few short hours that deep down inside she didn't want to go back to what she knew before......even though what was happening around her seemed confusing and scarey.....it was a crazy moment in time....but a blessed moment I will never forget. A moment where she gave us the most wonderful, beautiful glimps in to her playful loving personality......we really were on our way......sweet girl....
The next day - Goodson Family Day!! August 7th, 2012 was the official China adoption day for Emma Grace Goodson. As a newly formed family we decked ourselves out in Red, White and Blue for the occasion. I am pretty sure that anyone and everyone who saw us walking the streets of Shanghai that day, knew what we were up to. We were given a very nice ceremony and with a signature here and a signature there - we were finally official - an official family together. Daddy baba, mommy mama and baby girl!! Feng Sheng Hong was now Emma Grace Goodson - our daugher forever. PRAISE BE!
on NO sleep!
pictured with Beth and her new son Ethan - one of Emma's school mates
Now we were to bond. Uncle Zhou and EAC requested we remain in our hotel room for the next 2 days and begin using all the bonding skills we had learned in parenting class and all the natual skills mommys and daddys have.......2 days of pure bonding....no problem......easy to do.....remaining in a hotel room for 2 straight days would be the only thing we would do and should do, but also the only thing we could do - Emma Grace's adoption day fell smack dab in the middle of the worst typhoon to hit Shanghai, China in 100 years! We go to China to receive our daughter after waiting a life time and we get to be in an official Shanghai typhoon as an added bonus!! Go Team!! We were safe so it was.....exciting??!! For the next 2 days we watched out the window. Crazy wind. Crazy rain. Crazy people out in the crazy wind and crazy rain. China does not stop for a typhoon. The streets remaind full with cars, bikes and people. People people everywhere! We watched a lot of umbrella loose their umbrella lives in those 2 days. Water even began leaking in to the main enterance of the hotel. The hotel staff spent hours mopping and brooming typhoon waters from the hotels lower level. It was something to see. And we knew we were safe and together as a family so we soaked it in. Scott did run outside real quick so he could say he was actually in the typhoon. I thought about joining him - in the olden days I would have - but now I have a daughter.....I'm a mama.......no way was I going out there with my Emma! So we stayed inside and laughed at daddy running through the crazy wind and crazy rain.......and then we wanted him back inside with us!! Being cooped up in a hotel for 2 days in a foreign country where no one knows what you are saying or can answer your questions and you can't drink the water or chew the ice and you can not understand what they are saying on the televised olympic games and the food is unique and the hamburgers are white etc etc isn't such a bad thing. We had fun! And we got to know eachother quite a bit in those 2 days and it felt good - for all of us! But we were running low on Cheerios.......we would need a break in the weather to go for supplies soon or................we shuddered at the thought.
We learned things about eachother in our typhoon days. We learned things about being parents. Important life lessons like when you go to a continental breakfast or anywhere with a child in diapers.....take your diaper bag! And have it stocked!! Life had dramatically changed....already! I hope I am good enough for this little girl. She deserves the world.
Then suddenly one day....it stopped raining!!
IT STOPPED RAINING!
The sun was shining! No more broken umbrellas. It was time! And together as a family of three we joined Uncle Zhou and he took us out in to the world of Shanghai, China to see the culture and beauty of our daughters birth providence. Emma Grace is our Shanghai Sweetie!
First stop - CHEERIOS!!
Then Uncle Zhou took us to the beautiful Yuyuan Garden. The Yuyuan Garden is an extensive
Chinese garden located beside the City God Temple in the northeast of the
Old City of Shanghai, China. Gorgeous gardens and fun fun shops! Gorgeous buildings that are really more like art. It was just a beautiful place to share as a family!
then he took us to a market....
I see a piggy foot!! and lots of.....other stuff.....
then he took us to the Bund River and walkway
.....and then he took us to the place Emma Grace knew very well. The place she was taken to on August 30th, 2010. The place where Emma Grace spent nearly the first 2 years of her life. Uncle Zhou took us to the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute. We were not permitted in the facility due to rennovations.
....and now the time had come to pack up and head to the final leg of our journey. It was time to leave for Guangzhou for the medical and visa appointments and the sights and sounds of the Shaman Island..................................
On Friday August 10th, 2012 we got on a bus at the airport to take us to our plane headed to Guangzhou and the final steps to our journey.......the bus took us right up to our plane. No fancy boarding here. Much like trying to get on an elevator - you had to push your way on. This was Emma Grace's first fight. We were becoming old pros by this time......
In Guangzhou is were we had to have Emma Grace's medical and visa processing done in order for her to leave China as our daughter. We stayed at the Guangdong Victory Hotel located on the charming historical Shamian Island.
We had already had such an incredible, once in a lifetime
journey and it wasn't stopping. The
island is just so incredible. So much
culture. So much pride in their heritage.
Beauty everywhere you looked. If I was to ever move to China……I’d live on the
island! We had a lot of fun these
days. Reunited with the other families
and found out some of them are pretty awesome!
I am glad to be home…..but I miss this part of China…………….and the
shopping!! So many stores – and cheap
cheap prices! Judy’s Shop and Sherry’s
Shop is where I spent the majority of my souvenir money. You could go broke on the island even with
the prices being so low. The clothing
there is just so nice. Little girl dress
like you have never seen. Gorgeous. Monuments and statues everywhere. There were Asian models and photographers everywhere
on the island. There was a huge bridal
shoot going on for several days we were there.
The walkway by the Pearle River was magnificent. I love Lucy’s place was the one…..sort of….taste
of home – it is the island’s try at a western restaurant. Even though it was humid like we have never ever know even on the hottest of hot Ohio days, these were fun days….. I truly miss these
days……….I wish it wasn't on the other side of the world...........
The Pearle River at night
In Guangzhou you must take care of the mandatory medical for Visa approval....
Our daughter has an inner ear infection.................
Uncle Zhou took the group to a gorgeous folk art museum!
On August 13th, 2012 the three of us stood in front of the US Consulate in Guangzhou, China for our oath taking ceremony and Visa appointment. When it was over, Feng Sheng Hong was given permission by the US government to enter the United States and become Emma Grace Goodson and upon stepping on US soil she will also be granted American citizenship. Photographs are not permitted during the ceremony, but here is mother and daughter on the bus directly after.
China - we love you! Thank you!
On August 15th our family of three boarded the first of 2 flights back to America. First flight - 14 hours...........yikes! How can you even describe what happened in those 14 hours................yikes....well.....we had a bowl of rice and then we were there....?.....yah, we'll just leave it like that.........YOU COULDN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!
At approx 2pm 8/15/12 - covered in urine, formula, spit, water, gravy, rice, noodles, tears, Chinese Cheerios and assorted crud - Emma Grace Goodson stepped on US soil at Newark airport and became an American citizen. Now we were waiting for our final flight home in to CLE. Home Sweet Home
and now.............
Our Journey of love WITH Emma Grace!!!!
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