On our way to being a Forever Family

Our morning started off perfectly with sealings at the temple.  We have enjoyed all the various temples in Taiwan and Thailand but the Taipei Temple has an incredible amount of beauty.  I have been overwhelmed with emotion here at the thought that we are not only having Le Le join our family legally but also eternally as a Forever Family!  Since being in Taiwan we have been told many times that Le Le is so lucky we are adopting her and that we "Hen You Ai Xin" (Have such Big Hearts). It seems that adoptions here are not viewed quite the same way we view them and often they don't understand why we would do this.  To many of them a child by blood has more importance than a child through adoption.  I feel confident in saying that both Brian and I know that Le Le is our daughter as if I had given birth to her.  I love her more than I could ever imagine and we are a FAMILY! It saddens me to think that some people from Taiwan and even in the United States may think otherwise.  Please know that the Lord chose her to be our daughter and Us to be her parents.  The Lord's Will may be more obvious to others with a biological child but it is just as powerful through adoption.  There are so many different ways to create a family and every child is a blessing.

And by the way, I want to get something straight, we are the lucky ones!

Flashback 16 years ago and now look where we are because of this 1 decision.

After the temple we met up with Yuan Bo who showed us the most amazing store.  For those of you that are adopting from Taiwan and are reading this blog, you need to go to this store and there is no need to bring anything with you!  The New Mamma store is awesome.  It is just like a Buy Buy Baby or Babies R Us.  It is full of everything you would need.  I was so excited to get some books in English and Chinese.  Also we were able to get diapers, bottles, formula, bibs, toys, etc.  I also found a few things for when she is older.  It was fun and Brian just couldn't grasp the idea that not only were we shopping for Le Le but we were doing it in Taiwan!  It is surreal!

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Next was lunch!  I am loving Taiwan cuisine more and more everyday that I am here!  We went Din Tai Fung which is ranked as the #1 restaurant in all of Asia.  It beat out restaurants in Japan, China, etc!  I just watched a documentary on Food in Taiwan and it was fun to come this restaurant.  It was about a 30 min. wait but it was worth it.  Also the whole lunch for all of us cost around $30 and we got ALOT of food.  They are best know for their dumplings and I could have ate them all day.  We also went to another restaurant for desert which was just as good with fresh mango, strawberries, and kiwi over shaved ice with sorbet.  Writing this is making me hungry again!

Just realized it looks like Xiao Gou is on the menu

 Tomorrow we leave for Tainan.  Brian reminds me that I if I think being in the same country as Le Le is bad then just wait until I am in the same city miles from her.  I just keep wanting to go to sleep earlier so we are one step closer.  Diaper bag is packed and we only have 2 days left!

Easy to get around Taipei on a very crowded MRT

We LOVE Taiwan

I have to start with the worst nightmare I have ever had.  We got on a plane to go to southern Taiwan and somehow we were sent home.  When we realized what they did it was too late and we only had 2 days to get back! We were pulling every favor in the book put it wasn't looking good.  All I could think is I am already the worst mom ever.  Thank goodness we are taking a high speed train to Tainan and I'm pretty sure that can not detour us back to Arizona!

Our first day back in Taiwan was perfect.  Brian and I keep thinking that maybe it would be better if we live here with Le Le but I think we would have a lot of family and friends that would disown us if we didn't bring her back to the states to meet them! The food is amazing (definitely better than Thailand which surprises me a little),  everyone is so nice, the country is safe, and great friends are here.

Breakfast at the hotel was pretty typical: noodles, dumplings, sandwiches, beef dishes, fruits, fried rice, steamed buns with meat, etc.  It was pretty good but I like street food better.  Dinner was at the Shilin Market was amazing! Fried chicken in a bag, sweet potato fries with a white pepper, and "Cows Tongue" sweet pastry that is very hard to explain. My favorite meal of the day was lunch.  Although the food was good, it was the company that made it amazing. The McDougal family took some time with their 4 wonderful children to have some lunch.  They are the first family we have met in person that also adopted from Taiwan and even better, also from St Lucy's.  They are a truly a blessed family.  They all seem to be adjusting beautifully and their Jie Jie (older sisters) seem to be crazy about them.  The 2 new girls are beautiful and it was fun to watch Brian talk with them.  They told him that they have seen Le Le but then a few moments later they weren't sure.  I am so grateful for them to allow us to be apart of their adoption journey.

Xiao Gou loved having lunch with such a great family.

You can feel the love!

Did I mention that we finally got to hang out with Yuan Bo!!  We are just crazy about him and he is one of Brian's closest friends. Also ladies, he is single and a great catch!!!  He quickly made friends with Xiao Gou.  We visited the Hot Springs which we thought it was too Hot outside to even consider sitting in the Hot Springs (plus we didn't bring swimsuits although I could have got Brian a great little speedo right there on the spot which may have made it worth it!)

Ladies!  He is adorable and Xiao Gou Approved!!!

He enjoyed the steam bath!

The water is boiling!! 90 degree C

Le Le is from an amazing country and we are both so blessed to have her in our lives.  I only hope that we can continue to show her how amazing it is to be Taiwanese American!

Xiao Gou trying to figure out where to go on the MRT

Patiently Waiting and waiting... 3 more days!

Hang?

Sit?

So close!

After the day we had, Xiao Gou wanted to hit the Bar!

Shilin Night Market

Best Chicken Ever!

Good Company

"Fishing" for shrimp

 

Travel Day Back to Taiwan

We are back in Taiwan which means we are so much closer to picking her up.  We usually are such good travels by being prepared to go through customs and security quickly but somehow Brian and I forgot that we rearranged our bags to leave some in Bangkok and placed one of our gifts for our escort in the carry-on.  This was bottles of lotions, perfume, etc and they had to throw them all away!  We were so let down. Now we have to find something here which won't quite have the same meaning.

We still have all the receiving blankets to donate to the orphanage.  This was a group effort so thank you all so much for your donations. We also took some Jelly Belly candy since we heard from friends here that they would love these. Our gift to the birthmother is much more meaningful and I hope I can give this to her in person.  It is not going to be easy to thank someone for the ultimate gift of love.

Brian took this for the Edding Family

Xiao Gou want to call home and
check on the other pups

Leaving the airport

Shuttle from airport to Taipei

Hello Kitty Time Zones

 We were just informed that there has been a change in plans with picking her up on the 18th (night of the 17th for most of you reading this).  Instead of spending some time with her a the orphanage for awhile, we will only have 10-15 minutes and then we have to take her to the pediatrician who has requested to meet with us.  This does worry us a little bit since we are not exactly sure why.  Our agency isn't sure either.  Maybe this has something to do with being quarantined or about her medical history but either way we are a little surprised. After the pediatrician visit then we will return to St Lucy's for paperwork.  We don't know if we will have the opportunity to meet Le Le's birthmother but I hope she decides to come.

Today we never got dry

Today was a very wet day and probably the worst day to go out on a high speed boat to the Ang Thong National Marine Park.  First, I need to thank Kim for my Scopolamine Patch!  I normally get sea sick on a little ocean boat ride for Scuba diving and this was no little boat ride.  It took 1 hour to get to the first island and during that time, everyone in the boat was soaked from the high waves and choppy water.  People were throwing up and uncomfortable from all the bouncing!   Yet Brian and I felt great.  Which is a first for either of us. So thank you for such an amazing little patch!

New friends Xiao Gou met from Australia! 

Our first stop was snorkeling where I am 90% certain a saw a shark (he was a little guy but a shark nevertheless).

Looks like a balancing act

Brian enjoying the snorkeling

Xaio Gou wanted to go but the mask was too big.

Then we did a little sight seeing from the boat.  These are some beautiful islands.  I just wish it wasn't cloudy and rainy. At least for the first time I was even a little chilled.

See The Monkey?

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We also stopped on one of the islands and climbed up some seriously narrow stairs to an incredible lake with an amazing view from the top.

View from the top

There were a lot of flip flops under each set of stairs (more like a ladder)

Emerald Lake

Beautiful View with or without a blue sky!

Lastly we went kayaking.  I was unable to bring a camera for this part of the trip since it was pouring and the kayaks easily could have thrown us in the water. Even Xiao Gou had to stay on the boat.

Overall, it was a fun rainy day until I decided Brian is not the clumsy one out of the two of us and I had to show him up! When you enter the boat, you must take off your shoes and dunk your feet in a bucket of water while it is rainy  and enter on the bow of the boat. This is the prefect set-up for someone to fall and yes that was me! It took me completely out flat.  Luckily I had my hair in a bun that protected my head but my back, hip, ankle, and left arm took most the force and now both of us are hobbling around.  Le Le gets parents that can barely get in and out of bed.  What a set!

This is our last day in Thailand.  Now we are headed back to Taiwan. 5 MORE DAYS!

Time at the Beach and with Big Buddha

Today has been a difficult day. Luckily we woke up little later today at 5:15 am instead of 3:30 am.  We rented a scooter to visit the Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha) and to go out for lunch.  The Big Buddha is amazing and overwhelming. The Thai food has been pretty good but I am missing my Dr. Pepper a little :).

We then thought we should spend some time at the beach but that didn't last too long.  It is HOT and not Arizona hot but Arizona + Muggy Hot which is totally different!  So we quickly went back to the hotel so we could jump into the cool pool but instead of jumping Brian slipped and fell into the pool straining his back and hitting the edge.  Now he is covered in deep scratches and serious bruising.  Now he has to lay in bed with an ice pack.  Haven't been able to find any bandages to cover it or care for the wound. We are just laying low and hopefully he is feeling better tomorrow since we have a busy last day here planned.

We also heard that our daughter is in quaratine at the orphanage for what sounds like the flu.  We think this should end before her we get there but we are praying for a healthy Le Le.  She is going to be going through a large transition and being sick won't help it go any smoother.  I can't wait to have her in our arms.

Best way to get around the island for super cheap!

This is a beautiful Big Buddha.

Even though we decided Xiao Gou is a boy,
he insisted on making him a "Mer-dog"

Playing in the sand

While enjoying the sun, Xiao Gou has all the essentials!

Even the water was warm!  Hot day at the Beach!

Brian is always ready to explore.

Le Le