2010 has been a big year for us. After five long years of waiting, we finally received our child match from China. “The Call” arrived on September 30th, just as we turned into the cemetery at lunch time. It was the anniversary of Christy’s dad passing and we were on our way to place flowers & a flag. While you might think the call would generate intense excitement, we took it in stride. After such a long wait, our enthusiasm was sometimes measured by the teaspoon. Our first photos, received that afternoon, revealed a little girl with large round eyes and a shaved head. We learned that she was residing at the LianJiang City Social Welfare Institute in Southern China. Her name was Lian Yin Ye… her surname listed first and given to all children at that facility. Yin Ye was found on the morning of February 3rd, 2010, at the orphanage gate. Her umbilical cord was still attached, but was dry. The orphanage staff estimated her birth had taken place six days earlier, on January 28, 2010.
Our adoption agency stated that travel to China would take place in five to eight weeks. After hearing rumors of delayed appointments with the US Consulate in Guangzhou, we expected to travel much later. We were quite surprised when we were informed we needed to be in Hong Kong by November 5th. The mad dash to allow two weeks abroad was underway… our China visas arriving just days prior to our scheduled departure. After a fifteen hour flight from LAX, we arrived in Hong Kong Friday evening, the first of two nights there. Our adoption agency arranged a mandatory tour of the city on Saturday. Getting us out all day was an effort to help us adjust to the time change. (HK/China are sixteen hours ahead of west coast time) While it rained all day, the tour was actually quite enjoyable. This would be our last outing as a couple only. Our accommodations in HK were quite nice: The Hyatt Regency Sha Tin. Located adjacent to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, this five-star residence was wonderful. On Sunday, we ventured from Hong Kong into China itself. We entered China at Shenzhen and went through Customs. You sense the Customs Officer wants to smile as she returns your passport, but she doesn’t. This is Communist China and things are done by the book. The bus ride took us through mile after mile of tall apartment buildings. Almost every one of them decorated with laundry drying in the hazy afternoon sun. This was in stark contrast with Hong Kong, where clothes dryers are commonplace. From the elevated freeway, we looked down upon many small farms worked by the locals. Living in wood sheds with tin roofs, it was definitely not five-star. With the 16th Asian Games (Asian Olympics) starting on Friday, traffic was heavy in Guangzhou. At one point, our bus was forced to turn around and backtrack due to street closures. Even with an odd/even day driving scheme to reduce traffic & pollution during the games, the roads were packed. Much later in the afternoon, we finally arrived at our destination: The White Swan hotel on the Pearl River. Located on Shamian Island, it’s a bit sheltered and more of a resort area than the rest of Guangzhou. In colonial times, the island provided a haven for British and French settlers. Many historic buildings remain and it’s common to come upon various photo shoots for brides and models. Because of the games, security was very tight. We had our bags searched and were required to pass through metal detectors each time we entered the hotel. Monday was “Gotcha Day” when we finally met our daughter. The scene at the Adoption Center of Guangdong Provence is difficult to describe. Anticipation, uncertainty, hope, smiles, and love all played out before us in a surreal movie of emotions. It was crowded, confining, and very noisy. The big moment arrived and our name was called. We stepped forward through a chaotic sea of transition and were given a wide-eyed little girl we named Alaina Mei Pruitt. Mei means beautiful in Chinese and she lived up to the title. It should have been the most exciting day of our lives. However, with the intensity of the commotion surrounding us, it was difficult to take it all in. As new relationships begin, old ones must end. It was a day we will always remember.
The next 1 ½ weeks in Guangzhou consisted of many different appointments to finalize our adoption. The adoption was registered and notarized. There was a medical exam for all the girls. There was yet more paper work requited to obtain Alaina’s passport and visa. We took “the oath” on Alaina’s behalf at the US Consulate. Alaina was always with us and we became quite well versed in art of chartered bus travel around city. While paperwork was processed, we had a couple of days open and free. As a group, we visited the Guangzhou zoo, a Buddist temple (where Alaina was blessed by one of the monks), a shopping area, and a museum. While we enjoyed the warm weather, it was snowing in Northern China. Twice, we ventured off the island on our own, without any English speaking assistance. We wandered through the Qing Ping Medicine Market, the Pet Market, finally reaching a huge outdoor shopping mall. The mall was very upscale compared with the other areas. As no other Americans could be found, we enjoyed a different taste of China. We also received a lot of long looks and stares. The locals must have wondered what business we had there. We pushed onward and eventually came upon a large, open square with a McDonalds. You simply point to what you want, use your fingers for the quantity, and pay in Yuan. Yes, it tastes just the same as back home. Walking around Shamian Island was always a pleasant experience. We would usually bump into someone from our group (or from another agency), stopping to chat for a few moments. The mood was relaxed and there were many small shops to visit. One of our favorite hangouts near the hotel was Lucy’s Bar & Café. They served everything from the All-American PBJ to Thai Curry with Chicken and Eggplant. The menu also described a number of other colorful selections not found stateside. The interior of Lucy’s was decorated with Hollywood movie posters. It was a nice gesture to make those far from home feel more at ease. When we finally received Alaina’s visa, it was time to head home. On Thursday, November 18th, we flew from Guangzhou back to Hong Kong. The flight from Hong Kong to LAX would be three hours shorter than LAX to HK, but we were traveling with a sixteen pound souvenir. Alaina had only a lap seat, which meant she sat on our laps. After a short layover, we boarded the plane for our flight home. While we were a bit uncertain about how this would really work, the flight turned out fine. When Alaina wasn’t amused with the remote for the screen, she slept or we walked with her. It’s truly amazing how much distance you can cover while walking inside a Boeing 777. We were greeted at LAX by Christy’s cousin Ana and her mother, our Tia Carmen. We’re now adjusting to life back in California. Alaina is almost eleven months old now. She has a ready smile, laughs, crawls everywhere, stands on her own, and is ready to walk (that will be when things really get interesting). Alaina has a great appetite and eats almost anything we give her. She’s also very curious about the world around her. Adjusting to west coast time was a challenge, but we managed to get through it. Thankfully, she now sleeps all the way through most nights. Our time in China with our new daughter will always be very special. After all of our adventures abroad, we’re confident traveling just about anywhere together. Now, it’s time to enjoy new family adventures. Happy Holidays from William, Christina, and Alaina
