Cathay Pacific flight - Ni Hao from Hong Kong! March 2014

 March 21 - 23, 2014 -  2nd China trip, catch up.  It is catch up time for our travel log that I intended to do months ago.  We've been home with Prince Isaac nearly eight months now. Thanks to notes, emails, and keeping the family at home up to date with Facebook posts, I am able to reconstruct this with what I believe to be accuracy.  Why at this point?  There were some special details surrounding our trip that I've been asked about over and over, and requests from people to make some apartment photos, etc. public.  So here goes!

We left Cincinnati on Friday, March 21.  The Little Princesses were excited to have their beloved Ruth staying with them this first weekend.  After a speedy trip to the airport (in which I thought we might die in Cincinnati traffic -not naming any names) we arrived at the airport.  One of the first things that happened was Ethan decided to try out the PIN number for the credit card to be sure he had it right.  Guess what?  He didn't.  The teller machine ATE the credit card he thought would be our primary one for use in China.  Oh well....

Our "luxury vacation" began (seriously, how can people think an adoption trip is ever - in anyone's wildest imagination- a vacation?) with being stopped at the baggage inspection when they spied something "suspicious" in my carry on.  Yup, it was a dangerous, unopened, large bottle of powdered Miralax.  I needed this over counter medication for our son and it wasn't available in China.  The officer informed me it should go in my checked luggage.  Not much chance of that since everything that HAS to go with me is carried on.  Not to imply that I don't trust that our luggage will arrive with us.  (see our homecoming surprise in a later post.)

Next stop -Chicago.  They didn't seem to care a bit about my bottle of Miralax, but the drug sniffing dog was VERY interested in ME and I was pulled aside for further dialog.  Where was I going?  Who was traveling with me?  Had anyone given me anything to carry on with me?  Had anyone given me any money?  Was I wearing a money belt?  How much cash exactly did I have on me?  Turns out that the dog smelled TOO MUCH MONEY on me!  Having too much money had really never been an issue.  Like EVER!  We giggled about that experience for days to come.

No, I wasn't intending to go on a huge shopping spree.  Those of you who have adopted from China will recognize that the parents have to carry cash for the provincial and other fees in country - in crisp, clean, undamaged bills to be changed into Chinese yuan once you arrive.  The officer accepted my story and let us board the plane.

After hearing so many good reviews about Cathay Pacific and their wonderful service I was super excited to have our international flight with them.  Perhaps going into it with such high expectations was my downfall?  In any case it was NOT the great experience I had hoped for.  Here is a rundown of my experience on this particular flight - Chicago to Hong Kong.

It didn't take very long to discover that the seats on our particular flight didn't fit my short frame at all.  There were no foot rests either.  It is a bad feeling to settle into a flight that you have to be on for about fourteen hours and be uncomfortable within the first hour. 

The next thing was shortly after take off they insisted that all of the window blinds had to be closed even though it was still very much during daylight hours.  Anyone who knows me knows I don't do well without light.  On our previous trip to China both international flights had been at night so I was looking forward to not being in the dark the whole time.  Seriously?  All day with the darkness and the flicker flicker of all the entertainment consoles?  I guess they wanted people to be able to sleep if they were inclined?  Wanted to encourage them to sleep so they wouldn't have as much work to do?  I am not an experienced flyer by any stretch of the imagination, so perhaps it is just standard practice.  Who knows the reason, but it was awful.

There was very little space between the rows of seats.  I get it, we were in economy, but they seemed extra close together - at least in comparison to the airline we'd flown previously.  At one point Tikvah (11 years old, and a very well behaved kid) was attempting to retrieve something from her bag and the grouchy guy in front turned around and grumped at us.  Well... I was sorry we disturbed him (and his very violent movie that I was glad Tikvah couldn't see from her seat) but seriously she was just attempting to work within the tiny space allotted to us.  I apologized to him and told him we would be more careful.

Thus far the actual airplane had been the primary complaint, so I didn't hold that against them so much.  What I had heard about over and over though was their stellar service.  Um- not so much.  True, Mr. Grouchy Guy in the seat in front of us got a refill on his alcoholic drink every time he (frequently) requested it.  I asked for coffee.  I was told, "Not now."  Another request, "We'll bring it later."  And I finally got up and went to their little service area and asked if  I could please have my coffee now.  I was told, "Oh, we just dumped it, but you can get a good cup in Hong Kong."  Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?

I am a coffee addict.  There I said it.  I generally make two or three pots of coffee a day at home - no I don't drink it ALL by myself!  But, a fourteen hour flight - really?  Probably the only thing that prevented an international incident was I pulled out instant coffee packets from my purse and sent my sweet husband to get me a cup of hot water.  Cathay DID give us that much.  Not impressed, Cathay, not impressed.  One a scale of 1-10, I will give them my personal rating of comfort 3, service 2.

Hong Kong - We stayed at the Regal Hotel at the airport. It looked very fancy. We had multiple minor issues - like ever try explaining to a barely English speaker that a feather pillow will make your head blow up like a balloon? I didn't even attempt explaining that our (non smoking entire hotel) room smelled badly of smoke. And I let Ethan handle the internet connection issues.  For some reason (lack of sleep - or maybe lack of coffee???) I found the whole exquisitely expensive hotel room issues fairly amusing,  AND my first thought when I woke up to the sound of VERY LOUD Chinese was, "I wonder how these people to talk to one another when they are angry?"  For some reason they seem to yell - like ALL THE TIME.

Since our flight left early in the afternoon we were advised not to leave the area of the airport.  So, not much to show or say about Hong Kong!  We walked around outside a bit, and looked at the HUGE mall within the airport complex.  One thing that caught my attention were the large amount of taxis parked outside!  

 

I've since learned that they are color coded for the parts of the city they serve.

 We didn't get to see much, but it looked like a beautiful place.

 

Next post.....On to Nanning!

 

We are OOT!

 OOT = Out Of Translation.  Our dossier has been translated from English into Chinese. All materials submitted to the CCCWA  (China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption) must have a certified Mandarin Chinese translation.  I got the news today that ours has been translated!  Our dossier now goes to the Review room where it will be matched up with Patrick's file.  Yay for progress!

A photo to help me smile

I get restless when our paperwork hits a stall.  The branch of government that handles adoptions has been shut down for the past week while the APEC meetings were going on.  BUT it is morning time now in China and I'm hoping to hear soon that our file is making progress through their system. 

In the meantime, here is a photo that helps me smile.  It was taken this past summer during the second weekend we spent with Pat.  The little boy in the background was adopted shortly before our little princesses, and both of these boys were especially good friends to our Jen during her years in the orphanage.

Love these boys!

Heart Borders

Fun stuff!  This is some family history that my oldest daughter wrote about on her Facebook this week...

Sometimes, life actually gets to be like one of those Paul Harvey broadcasts: "and now you know...the rest of the story!  Just keep your eyes peeled for about 25 years, and all of those boring little details add up to something interesting, after all.

This past summer, the Hobbits and I had occasion to stay overnight at "Grandmama" Dorothy Lanz's house.  (I call them Hobbits because they are all shorties who like to eat.  Rachael dubbed them the 'Horde of Ravenous Dwarves' after we were discussing holiday "snacks" and while she suggested crackers and cheese, I thought that pots of chili and a baked potato bar would be more apropos.  Okay, okay: her descriptor is probably more accurate).

So while we were at Grandmama's house this summer, something very, very mundane, indeed, happened: someone took forever in the bathroom, leaving me standing around waiting.  And so I wandered in circles (not too far from the bathroom door, mind you, lest someone sneak in and swindle me of my turn), observing the million or so photos and mementos posted wall-to-wall throughout the house.

Grandmama and Papa were married in the 1950's so there's a lot of family history to see.  But one thing caught my attention: a pink-and-blue, cross-stitch picture which my mom had made.  I hadn't seen it in awhile, and for some reason, I decided that I needed a photo so I could study it later.

The cross-stitch picture said, "Grandchildren hold our hands for awhile... our hearts forever," and it had a border of hearts, flowers and bluebirds around it.  Pretty typical, early-1990's stuff, but it took me back to when I was eight years old, watching my mom sort her floss colors and put together her frame for working on the Aida cloth. 

I remember Dad coming home from the office, loosening his necktie.  (It was probably a brown necktie in a diagonal stripe pattern, because that's the only necktie I ever remember him wearing for the entirety of my early childhood.  We were probably too broke to buy him another one.  That, or the other ties were such hideous representatives of the 1980s that I have barred them from my memory in self-preservation.  That's a possibility, too). 

Mom popped up from the old, beige-yellow recliner, excitedly explaining her latest (possibly crazy) project to him.  “Look, Ethan!  I'm making this for your mom and dad.  It has a verse about grandparents and there are hearts all the way around the edge!  I’m going to add the names of all the grandkids under each of the hearts.”

Dad surveyed the pattern for awhile.

“That’s a lot of hearts…” he commented.

“Well…!  I’m going to add Niki’s kids, too.  It won’t be just ours.”

Dad weighed this reply, and after awhile offered: “My sister only has three kids…”

“Well..." Mom was tabulating an argument, clearly making it up off the top of her head: "Well maybe there will be more kids!  YOU don’t know.  Maybe there will just be extra hearts on there or something, I don’t want to change the pattern.  It’s fine this way.”  (In hindsight, I'm certain that she was plotting Hannah).

Dad seemed to decide that it wasn’t worth arguing about and left Mom to merrily make her little X’s until Christmas, at which time the grandparents received their present and there were probably more comments about the number of hearts around the border.

My aunt and uncle declared they were done.  But they surprised everyone when, several years later, they adopted Mark from the Bolivian orphanage where my aunt was working.

My parents had two more bio kids, and then it seemed that the family was complete.  Until a decade passed and the Tailgate (a.k.a. Tikvah) arrived, and they turned it into an entire Tailgate Party with three more kids from China.  They were saying that they thought there was one more child out there they would find sometime later.  Over the summer though, mere weeks after returning from China, Mom and Dad announced that they had met a little boy named Pat, a little boy who had been raised with two of their other children, a little boy who was practically their brother already, whom they would be adding to the family.

At some point, it hit me that I had been studying that “Grandchildren” cross-stitch picture only perhaps five weeks prior to the "Pat Announcement."  Amazed at my oblivious foresight, I went to dig out that crookedy snapshot I'd forgotten all about, and started counting the hearts in that cross-stitched border.




Sixteen.

Sixteen hearts.  Four Elliott cousins…and Pat makes twelve on the Lanz side.  Sixteen grandchildren for Niki and Ethan’s generation: 9 bio kids and 7 adoptions.  When Mom made this thing, there were seven grandchildren, total, in the family.  Who would have thought? 

“That’s a lot of hearts, Randi…”

Cincinnati Wheelchair Dragons Basketball

Yesterday we attended the call out for a brand new youth wheelchair basketball league.  They are called the Cincinnati Dragons!  I had to pretty much TELL Isaac he was going - he is a little timid - but once he got there, he had a  really good time.

It is coached by men who are in chairs themselves, and I know it was good for Isaac to see that these men are very capable and living full lives.  The founder played college ball, in the paralympics, and even professional ball so he knows his way around a basketball court!  One of his assistants currently plays college ball.

The sports chairs were provided by the league as loaners.  They also gave us details and instructions to apply for a grant for a custom sports chair for Isaac to keep.  Oh boy, more grants to write - but we do what we need to for our kids, right?  After applying for all of those adoption grants, I could likely do this one in my sleep.  In fact it may come to that...

The personal trainer in me was cringing when it was announced that they were going to stretch.  Oh no....with no warm up?  But they had a gooooood warm up!  The coach had them "running" up and down the gym floor over and over before their stretch.

Then they played a game of sharks and minnows!  Isaac was pretty good at evading the sharks, but not so aggressive when it was his turn to BE a shark. 

 Play ball!

The rest of us watched from bleachers that were on a balcony up above the gym floor.  Crazy Mama here was hooting and hollering when my boy made a basket.  At first it seemed that Isaac didn't know what to think about that nonsense, but we soon saw him looking up at us with the most adorable little grins on his face!

The sisters were, well... being sisters.  They were eating candy, making faces, and clapping for their brother.

 

The benefits are numerous.... making new friends, getting exercise, playing a game he loves, seeing that his life isn't really that limited just because his legs don't work.  We are so excited for Isaac to have this opportunity to play basketball!

Matching Grant from Hand in Hand

We just received exciting news!

October 30, 2014

Dear Ethan & Randy:

We have reviewed your application for a matching grant and are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a dollar for dollar matching grant up to $5000.  The specific amount received will depend on the amount of funds donated by family and friends on your behalf.  The grant amount includes both the funds raised and the funds matched by HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.  If you raise $2,500 from family and friends, HANDinHAND will match those funds for a total grant of $5,000.  Funds received over the grant amount will go towards your adoption expenses not to exceed the outstanding adoption expenses but will not be matched by HANDinHAND.  Funds received over outstanding adoption expenses will help other children find "forever" families through the general fund of HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.

All monies will be disbursed directly to your adoption agency, adoption lawyer or other adoption expenses after HANDinHAND has received an approve invoice from one of these sources.  Monies already paid will not be reimbursed.  Only outstanding balances will be paid by your awarded grant.  Monies will be disbursed up to the amount of the final awarded grant.

All donated monies must be in our HANDinHAND office or postmarked by December 11, 2014 to be considered in the dollar for dollar match for your specific grant.  Funds received after this time will go toward the general fund of HNDinHND Christian Adoption, Inc. to continue to help children find "forever" families.

In the case of a disrupted adoption, monies will be hald for your use for us to 1 yeard from the disruption then after that time will be used to help other children and their families through Hand in Hand's general fund.

We are so excited to be able in a small way to help a child find a "forever" familiy.  Thank you for being obedient to Gods call in your life to help a child.  We appreciate your heart and look forward to working with you in accomplishing this goal.

Sincerely,
Trudy A. George
President
HANDinHAND Christian Adoption, Inc.

We are excited to receive this good news!  If you would like to help us meet our $2500 goal to meet this match, please send your donation made payable to "Hand in Hand Christian Adoption" and postmarked by December  11.  For tax purposes please include our name on the OUTSIDE of the envelope only - do not put our name on the check itself.  Send to:

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.
Ethan and Randy Lanz
18318 Mimosa Court
Gardner, KS 66030

If you have any questions concerning this grant you may contact Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc. They can be reached at 913-248-5015 or by email at handinhandadopt@gmail.com .  This fourth international adoption within two years has us totally tapped out, so we are very grateful for your help. 

Enjoying Photo Memories

Another family who adopted from Pat's orphanage visited there this month.  I was able to send a photo book full of pictures of our time together this summer.   It was so precious to see him enjoying these memories.

One week down in the wait for LOA.  The current average these days seems to be upwards of 75 days.  Sigh... settling in for a long wait.