I Know...I Know...

They told us NOT to place the babies in the tub b/c it wouls scare them... well her big self would not fit in the sink so tonight I put her in with Nathan and they had a blast as you can tell!
















This was in a department store at the mall.














Huge Mall and market













Inside the pearl and jade market















As you can see, God has blessed us!!!










I know... I know... everyone is wanting more pictures!Just to fill you in on how our last 2 days have been going, I'll sum it by saying I've had a 30 pounder attached to me like glue, I bairly got a shower much less turn on the computer.
After we returned from gotcha moment, Kellum-Ann took a nap and when she awoke she realized that we were not just some cool visitors that jumped at her every whimb... she realized that she would not be going home. At bedtime she grieved so hard. She was calling for someone, her nannie I suppose and it was hard to watch. The next morning she did great but it hit her off and on all day. I was able to cope pretty well until yesterday when Nathan started getting upset. Of course he did not understand, I really didn't myself but let me tell you... today was alot different. She did not cry a time all day except just now at bedtime. bedtime is really hard for her. As I said before, the Director told us that she was a favorite and was spoiled by the nannies so in my mind I feel that she probably had a special bedtime routine. well tonight she only cried for about 5 minutes instead of last night's 30. so we are making progress. I feel that we will have many more trying days but I know that she knows we are here for her and that we love her. At the moment, she will not have alot to do wiht Blair. He is ok in her book if I am holding her. She plays and laughs at Nathan and he feels alot better today. He tells me often that she is beautiful.
We went to the toy market, pearl market and jade market today so we were busy. Guess where we ate... Pizza Hut! It was wonderful!

Here are some pictures... hope you enjoy. Thank you for the emails I ahve read them all, please underatnad that I don't have time to respond to them now, but they helped get us through those rough hours. Sorry for the grammar and misspelled words, really tired tonight. We go for her medical exam tomorrow anad then to tour an orphanage.
Please pray for our plane trip home... i'm afraid it will be rough for her... but who knows, God is in this thing so He will strengthen us!


V.

Introducing Miss Kellum-Ann ChunYu Parker

Well... here she is and she is beautiful. We were given her about 3:30 this afternoon and as of yet, we have not heard her cry. We have heard "da da da", uh uh and seen many many precious smiles.
We went to the supermarket on the way back to the hotel and while we were in there whenever she heard the loud music she would sing and kick. We put her down one time and she began to sway and dance and laugh. She will imitate anything that you do and she loves Nathan.
She is taking a nap at the moment, I rocked her about 3 minutes and she was gone. The Director of the orpahange came and said that she was their favorite and that she was spoiled.
Thank you for your prayers... they are the reason we are here safely and the reason Kellum-Ann is doing so well.
Here are the pictures, more to follow. I am exhausted, it really took alot out of us. Very emotional, even though I did NOT cry. I guess it has so emotional and dramatic for so long, I was just ready.

Today is the BIG Day

This is at the Koy pond in the hotel. The fish are huge and Nathan loves to watch them!















This is of some Chinese people in the park. They are playing sort of game similar to dominoes.










Well... the phrase "takes like chicken" has a not-so good meaning here. These birds were hanging in the window. This was a restaurant that had live "things" in tanks in the lobby. You choose what you want, have a seat and wait. We will not try this. I am still looking for "Olive Garden".









There are people everywhere doing TaiChi, stretching, excercising and like here doing ballroom dancing. I wonder if they would be up for an impromtu Hip Hop class tomorrow. Hey, high school girls, I could always teach them Lose Control...I'm afraid they would send me home due to a mental disease, so I will not try it!






WELL, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE WANTING TO KNOW.......

Today at 2:00 pm China time we are going to receive our daughter, Kellum-Ann ChunYu Parker. And man is it about time. Here at the hotel we have had to watch other families with their babies for two days and it has been torture. When we had our meeting with our guide yesterday, we met in the Swan Room. This is a LARGE playroom for the babies sponsored by Mattel. While we were in there, so many couples and their babies came in to play and Nathan played with lots of them. After the meeting one couple came to us and asked where we were from, we told them Alabama... they said "we can tell, we are too!". We traveled 10,000 miles from home and met a family from Anniston! The mother taught Special Ed in Roanoke for awhile and the dad is best friends with some neighbors that I grew up with. God provided someone for us to relate to and talk with (for quite a long time). They shared their gotcha moment and told us how all the babies their group have been handling things. It was wonderful, they are Christians, as well.

After we get Kellum-Ann we will be emailing one photo to our parents b/c it takes a while to post here. Once Kellum-Ann is asleep, I will post pictures here! It will proboably be at least later in your morning. Please pray for Kellum-Ann today. I know that God has been preparing her but please continue, we want this to be as easy on her as possible.

I have began to purchase small gifts for each of her birthdays. We decided to give her something from her country on every b-day until she is 18. I have alot to go but I am working on it! We love getting the emails, so keep them coming!


Blair, Vicki & Nathan

Day 2

We have made it through our first day and night. We decided yesterday to just stay up and not nap, so at 5;00 pm China time we ordered in and went to bed by 7:00. We slept till 5:00 and was up ready to go. We have been shopping and walking around the island. Nathan was recognized by some of the locals from his hackey sacking yesterday... he is quite the celebrity. About 8:00 this morning, we were in the park hackey sacking with Nathan and I looked up and some Chinese people were taking our picture... I think we look pretty comical doing it but anyway I have attached another picture with Nathan hackey sacking with some "girls" he calls them but actually they were about 45 or so.

We had a saga this morning in our room... I blew up our camera charger which knocked out all the lights in our room. We have so amny electronic things plugged up we just overloaded! It smelled like we were burning tires for awhile, but within 2 minutes a maintenece man was in our room and had it fixed. The people here take their jobs very seriuosly so the service is incredible!

We meet with our guide this afternoon at 3:3o China time about midnite for you guys. We should find out what time we will get Kellum-Ann tomorrow. I will post as soon as I know!

We shoppped this morning. Blair was actually the one that wanted to... boy has my world turned upside down... I wonder if he has a fever? Just kidding

Here are some more pictures and thanks for all of the emails. I have read everyone of them. I am saving them and I will print them out when we get home for her memory book!

Hey... someone let us know how the "Lady Cats" did at State!

picture descriptions

1. Jade carving in lobby of hotel
2. Nathan with some kind of bird carved of Jade
3. White Swan Hotel
4. Nathan playing in the park with locals
   
   
   
   
   

We Made It

After 22 hours on a plane... we are here and it is beautiful! The Chinese people that we have encountered so far have been so kind and they have gone out of their way to help us. We are located on Shamian Island and it is wonderful. Here are a couple of pics... no they are not of Kellum-Ann yet, those will come in two more days. Thank you for the prayers.

Photo Descriptions:

1. The Waterfall is in the lobby of our hotel, it is really nice!
2. We went walking in the park and we were watching some adults playing hacky sack. Well... they invited us to join them, so of course Nathan and I took them up on it. They were very patient with Nathan and cheered him on!
3. This is the Pearl River (the view from our hotel room)
4. The picture of all 3 of us was taken by man that was seated beside us. It shows how grateful and happy we were to be touching down safely in China!
5. The last one is of Nathan sleeping. He got alot of sleep and has been hanging from the ceiling since we have arrived! As you can see he got alot of use out of the eye masks given to us by China Southern Airlines.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

We're Off

Tommorow we board an airplane headed to China. I decided that I better post today because tomorrow we will be a little busy! Our lives are about to change... well, not only our lives but many of yours as well! Kellum-Ann does not realize how fortunate she is to be coming to our wonderful country and county. She will now grow up in an area that has individuals that help their neighbor, pray for those in need and are always ready to go the extra mile for you. I would rather live here than any place in the world!

Thank you to everyone that has prayed for us and encouraged us through this amazing journey. I will try to post from China... if there is not a new post in couple days, just assume I am too dumb to figure it out.

Hold on Kellum-Ann... your mama, daddy and big brother are on their way!!!!

Eight Days!

Well... we have eight more days before we become parents for the second time, eight more days until Nathan becomes a BIG brother, eight days before sleepless nights occur, eight days until we can say "party of 4" when we go out to eat and eight more days until we are blessed with finally holding our little girl!!!

We had a wonderful baby shower for Kellum-Ann at the studio last Saturday. It was so much fun and I enjoyed seeing all "my dancin' girls"! (this is what Nathan calls them) Thank you to Tammy, Sonja, Donna, Linda, Robbie, Jody, Debbie and Jean for hosting the shower, it is something that I will never forget!

Our Checklist

VISAS.....Check
Airline Tickets.....Check
The Desire to Have Another Child.....Check
White Swan Reservations.....Check
Guest Bedroom Overflowing With Stuff to Cram into Suitcases.....Check
Frazzeled Nerves.....Check
9 Year Old Son asking how much longer.....Check
Paperwork.....Check
Call Karla our Social Worker (2) times a day.....Check, Check
Gifts for Nannnies, Dir. Han, etc..... Check
Sleepless Nights.....Check (don't need new baby for this)
Kellum-Ann Sleeping in her bed in good ole' Alabama,USA.....working on it!
Being grateful to My Heavenly Father for blessing us with this journey.....Check, Check, Check!!!!
Just thought I'd share what was going through my mind at the moment...
As we wait to travel, so many things are going through my mind. The above list are just a few!

Yesterday we had a wonderful Baby Shower that was given by some friends. It was so much fun opening all of the beautiful pink and frilly things!
Thank you Ms. Cathy, Wendi, Mandy and Gracie Anna!
It is something that I will never forget!