A Look Back at 2011

        I thought I'd make up for not posting after Nathan's birthday. I've had some requests for me to update my blog. I tried to blow them off and say-"We're home-there's no more excitement!" But then a part of me thought that maybe seeing our ordinary life would make you smile as much as it's made us smile in the past several months. Our home is filled with laughter, dirty laundry, dancing, apple juice, choo choos,  ravioli stained clothes,  and lots of hugs and love.

Fun in the sun. June 2011

Take me out to the ball game!

        It's New Years Eve. Fireworks are going off and with each one, I'm hoping Nathan doesn't wake up. My how things have changed since the New Year's Eve trips to Gatlinburg that Greg and I went on 10 years ago!

Enjoying Naples as a family. July 2011

       2011 has been good to us. We've been home now for over nine months. Nathan has been with us longer than he was in the orphanage in Taiwan.  In May we celebrated his first birthday and since then, so many other firsts have taken place. To bid farewell to 2011, I thought I'd share some of our highlights.
        Summer was so much fun! We traveled to  Lake Cumberland and took our first family vacation to Florida. Nathan spent lots of time splashing in whatever water he could find. Whether it was his splash table, the baby pool, or the beach, wherever there was water, Nathan would jump right in! When we weren't in the water, we were taking in Red's games and having fun with friends.
       Nathan was baptized in August at St. Al's on the Ohio. It was a wonderful day for us.  St. Al's is the church I was baptized in, and the church my dad attended as a child. This old, beautiful church held just our family and friends for the occasion. The priest asked the children to come up and watch over Nathan. Even the German Homoelle's -Dieter and Marlies were able to make it. Nathan looked quite "spiffy" in his little white outfit (There aren't many options for older children's outfits!)  My mom gave him my dad's old wooden rosary to hold.  Our ornery little guy looked angelic-just for a minute :) 

Holy Baptism- August 2011

         As the fall approached in September, Nathan spent time watching Colby's football games and going to lots of pumpkin patches.  We went to Lebanon's Apple Fest and to Iron's Fruit Farm. Nathan learned how to say pumpkin, and got used to going to Miss Nova during the day. 
         October is our favorite month. We celebrated our 10 year anniversary with our first trip away from Nathan for the night-and he did just fine for Mimi and Papa. I love the fall, and I especially LOVE Halloween. I couldn't wait to have Nathan here for our annual Homoelle Halloween Party that we always have for our neices and nephews.  I had the perfect plan-a visit from Brian at coolcrittersoutreach.com.  He brought a few creepy critters and we had a blast.

A creepy Halloween party guest. October 2011

          Halloween night was just as fun. Nathan was a monkey and loved the idea of getting things put in his pumpkin bucket. His first taste of candy-a piece of a Starburst, brought a wild, crazy look to his eyes, and I vowed to never give him it again!
          Thanksgiving came quickly in November.  We traveled to Lexington to Uncle Tom's and Aunt Patti's.  Nathan ate lots of turkey, but especially liked Aunt Patti's wicked pumpkin cheesecake. We counted our blessings.

Our little monkey. Halloween 2011

          New Years has a different feel to it this year. I'm excited for 2012. I know we have a lot more in store for us as parents. I can't look forward without looking back. We're so grateful to have Nathan in our lives. Thanks to all of you for supporting us and celebrating all the ordinary and extraordinary gifts parenthood brings.

         
          
 

Christmas Through a Child's Eyes

        Right after Halloween, the first Christmas commercial came on TV and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Christmas. Christmas with a child. It's been 5 Christmas's since we thought it would be our LAST Christmas without a little one. And finally, the joy that we had been waiting for came our way.

Decorating and adding the star to the tree at Mimi and Papa's

         Wow, we knew we were missing a lot of fun, but we really had no idea of how magical Christmas could really be.  Our holiday celebration started with the annual Homoelle tradition of decorating at Mimi and Papa's house. Each year we rotate who gets to put the star on the tree. Last year, we thought we would have Nathan by Christmas, and so there was still some sadness that he wasn't with us. This year though... he was the STAR!

"Choo choo, choo choo, choo choo!!!"

        December was full of holiday fun.  We may have gone a little overboard with the holiday hoopla. Nathan became obsessed with choo choos, and so we made trips to Entertrainment Junction and the Duke Train Display. Santa knew exactly what Nathan needed for Christmas-a train table.  For the entire month of December Nathan chased a motorized train around the house, with lips pursed saying "choo choo".

Having fun at MND's Santa's Breakfast

       Unfortunately, Nathan did not like Santa as much as he likes choo choos. We tried to see him on several occasions, and no matter what, he wasn't going to sit on Santa's lap and like it! While he had a great time at Mount Notre Dame's Santa Breakfast with his cousins, we didn't get a good reaction from "Ho Ho".  At Entertrainment Junction, the sugar cookies were better than the Santa experience, and at the Duke train display, we paid 27.00 to get the snapshot of Nathan looking up at Santa as if saying "Who the heck are you?"  

A family picture with Santa at Entertrainment Junction

      Nathan did enjoy all the lights, treats, and fun with family and friends. Daddy became Clark Griswald for a period of time. He rented a 40 foot ladder and decorated our house in lights for the first time in years.  Mommy became a little bit of  Martha-although way more sleep deprived at wired all a the same time. We made a gingerbread train with Colby, and decorated Mommy's homemade sugar cookies.   Shopping became strategic-one of us would take turns going in while Nathan napped.  And while our Christmas cards were not the ones I had envisioned, we went with the JCP portrait option and realized that an 18month old may not be able to smile on command (despite my practicing at home!) By Christmas Eve, all the baking, buying, cleaning, sending, wrapping, and recleaning was finished and we were reading.

This toy earns two thumbs up and one loud squeal of approval.

     
       Here come the Ritter's. My family always celebrates Christmas together on Christmas Eve, and after we moved into the house we're at now, we started having it here. While it's not a ton of people, they are so special! My three brothers and their families always attend. This year it meant three boys -Colby, 11, Jonathan, 3 1/2, and Nathan. We couldn't wait. Uncle Mike and Uncle Tony bought Nathan a Step2 rolleroaster. We quickly put it in the kitchen and the kids had a blast. There were squeals of delight-but they were often drowned out by the electric guitar that Colby was playing in the background. It was the loudest Christmas Eve the Ritter's have had in a while!

Santa left the perfect gift.

      Christmas morning with Nathan was magical. Santa left his train table in the living room under a blanket. When we brought him downstairs and lifted the cover, he knew immediately that it ws a "Choo Choo", and started playing with such concentration. Greg and I didn't even open our presents to each other.  It was no longer about us.

Opening lots of presents at Mimi and Papas

        Christmas Day was spent with the Homoelle's at Greg's parents house. Nathan was so spoiled by Mimi and Papa and his aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was so fun to see Nathan right in the middle of Rose, David, Michael and Sam opening all his presents. Later, the extended family joined us for a big gift exchange. Nathan sat on the floor again, the youngest of them all.  Our hearts overflowed with joy. As he ran around the big living room, we didn't have that empty feeling that struck us every year when we would watch all the cousins and we would be the only ones without kids. It felt so normal to have him there, and he had so much fun.
      Nathan was certainly our gift this year. We feel so blessed to get to see what Christmas is like through a child's eyes-our child's eyes. 

Happy 1st Birthday Nathan Wei!!!

       A year ago today Greg and I sat on a couch in our social worker's AGCI office and hashed out the "state" of our adoption journey.  It was probably one of the the lower moments of our life. I had just had my third surgery and we had been waiting for over a year to hear that we had a little girl from Nepal.  We had spent December to April completely skeptical and uncertain of whether we could continue waiting for what seemed to be an illegimate process. After 4 months, we were just done. I called our social worker from school in April. I remember crying to her over the phone, desperate.  She wanted to meet with Greg and I and see what options we were open to. So, we agreed to meet on Tuesday, May 11th.
     She knew our story. She knew our life-after all, she had to write up our home study which included a 14 page biography. She knew about our loss, my struggles, losing my dad, ALL of it! She sat and listened to us share that we couldn't continue putting our hope into a country that seemed so confused, corrupt, and cluttered when it came to adoption.  And then, she said "Let me tell you about what All God's Children is trying in Taiwan."
     When she explained the program, it sounded too good to be true. If only it had been open when we started our adoption journey. We knew we would be matched with a birthmother and she asked several times how we would feel if the mother had a little boy.  We both agreed that it didn't matter (we could repaint our pink room if we needed to!).    Little did we know that about 12 hours before, miles away in Taiwan, our baby had just been born. Chung Wei,  5lb. 5 ounces, 20.5 inches long was born on May 11th, 2010!!! 

      It wasn't until Tuesday, June 8th, that we knew that the sweet baby born on May 11th was set aside for us. Kate, our case manager called on the busiest day of my year-the last day of school. It had only been a couple weeks since we had terminated one country's set of papers and signed up for the Taiwan program, and then, we got the call. I will never forget sitting in the parking lot of Mason Intermediate and talking to Kate, who asked me if I thought we would want this little boy.  I didn't even hesitate. Of course!!! She sent us pictures within minutes.  We had a baby!!! 
    The next day I went to my teacher workday and struggled to even get my work complete. That night we recieved an email. We needed to name our baby. Hmmmm.... We hadn't even thought of that. My mom said we should pick a name that means gift. So, I Googled it, and Nathaniel came up. Nathan. Nathan Wei . Perfect!
    And now, Nathan Wei is a one year old! We are so lucky we've been able to experience so many firsts with him.   Our first zoo trip. Bubbles.  Easter. Mother's Day. So many wonderful moments.  And while all those big moments mean so much, I find myself cherishing the little ones just the same.  Feeling him grip my finger as we walk through the yard, watching Greg show him how to make pancakes, and seeing him notice an airplane in the sky for the first time.   I can't wait to see what this next year will bring!

Daddy shows Nathan how to make Homoelle pancakes.



The tulips at the zoo made for the perfect picture!



Nathan didn't care much about the candy in the egg, but he liked banging the egg together!

We couldn't get Nathan to stop bang, bang, banging his eggs together to pose!

His first Easter outfit was a little big on him, but he'll fit into those 12 month clothes soon!

We spent his first birthday getting pictures taken at Portrait Innovations, going to OT at Children's, and then to his FIRST McDonald's trip. Colby got to feed him his first french fry.  Hey-it's okay in moderation, right!?

More please! 

 

Thumbs Up! Our Eleven Month Old Slept Through the Night!

         Nathan turned eleven months today. I knew it was going to be a good day when we woke up at 6:00 and he was still in his crib. For the first time since we've had him, he slept through the night. We had to get up extra early today for an appointment at Children's and I had to wake the poor guy up!

        Our appointment was with a hand specialist, Dr. Cornwall, to check Nathan's thumbs. He has not been using them, and we were concerned that there may be some physical cause. He keeps both of them tucked into his hand, and won't use them to grab things appropriately. I will never forget getting a call from our agency months ago from our concerned case worker. The nannies in Taiwan noticed he wasn't using his thumbs and wouldn't open his hand.   Without seeing Nathan in person, we didn't know the extent of the condition. And, we had learned that children can have so many conditions.  My special ed background was more of a curse than helpful, because I knew that closed fists could mean,  CP-cerebral palsy.  We had to sign off on official paperwork that we were aware of the medical issue and whether or not we still wanted Nathan. I remember that the call came on a Friday, and I spent the entire weekend worrying and praying. All those WHAT IF's were going through our heads. By the end of the weekend, I knew we were going to sign the paper. No matter what it was, Nathan was ours already. We had named him, we wanted him, whatever he had.

        Fortunately, after a few x-rays and a look from the Doc, Nathan's thumbs are okay, and he won't need any surgery. Some occupational therapy and lots of good playing, and he should learn to use them. We've already made sure his toys include all kinds of thumb stimulating gadgets like blocks, balls, and tiny buttons!  With his dad, the physical therapist, and all our PT friends, he is in good "hands".
       After his appointment, it was off to get the shaggy boy a haircut. I can't believe he's had his head shaved already in Taiwan, and this second head of hair needed cut!  Aunt Shelby took care of him, and he looks like such a little man.

         He's grown so much since we've been home. Here's 11 things our 11 month old has learned to do:
1. Take 20 steps on his own
2. Give kisses.
3. Wait with Ellie for Daddy to come home..
4. Knock over a stack of blocks
5. Wave goodbye

6. Nod his head "yes".

7. Play with the door stop on the floor.

8. Dance by bouncing up and down.

9. Say momma and dadda

10. Bounce a ball.

11. Make us feel like we're the luckiest people in the world.

Nathan in plaid, looking a little like Papa Ritter. While he's not here with us, there have been some signs he knows what we've been waiting for has come. Every "Ritter" has had their picture on this tractor.   On the day we took this picture, I think the grass was a little greener, the sky a little more blue.   I can picture Dad behind the garage, holding  a Keystone with his tan skin, white t-shirt, navy pants and work boots on, grinning from ear to ear.

       We are so blessed.
       

3 Weeks with Nathan and Lots of Learning: Following the Bonding Rules

       Our first three weeks with Nathan have been wonderful. We've laughed, we've cried, and we've been learning as we go.  Pretty normal for parenthood, I've been told. We've also been dealing with something a little more "atypical", the issues surrounding an adopted child.
       Greg and I had to read several books, take online courses, and attend a 5 week class at Children's. Along with all of that, we've had some guidelines suggested by our agency on how to transition Nathan to our home. Now, I must admit, I am a rule follower, and these guidelines seemed a little...harsh.  We were told to coccoon for 6 weeks, allowing NO ONE else to care for Nathan but the two of us. At one point, they even said if people wanted to help, they could do the grocery shopping and the laundry and we can leave things at the doorstep for them. (Seriously? I really don't need that, but that's how serious they are!) Basically, we should "shut down" the house for 6 weeks. We were also told to "wear" Nathan in a carrier for 6 hours a day. All of these things would create a secure bond and provide Nathan with time to adjust to so many new things.
     So, we came home and followed some of the rules.  SOME.  Greg and I are the only ones feeding him and changing him, putting him to bed, and so on. BUTTTTTTT,  because he seemed to be attached to me at the hip, we thought he was bonding well. Until bedtime.  He's bonded, but after speaking with two adoption professionals today, they both think this is a really anxious bond. He's so worried that I'm not going to be there when he wakes up, that it's torture getting him to nap or sleep at night, and when he does finally get to sleep, it's broken up. He wakes 2-3 times a night wanting me. I've been sleeping on an air matress by his crib, not the best place anyway. Add that to late bedtimes, multiple wakings, and early risings, and Mommy is wiped out. Right now, I'm sure all of you moms out there are saying "Welcome to my world!".  I know, I know, I feel your pain.  I had one of those moments of desperation this morning at about 10:50 when I laid Nathan in his crib for the 3rd attempt and said out loud, "Please God, let this baby sleep".
     God had my back, and at 11:00 he was still asleep when our adoption education coordinator, one of the professionals I mentioned above, called to check in. Great timing!  After I explained everything, she really emphasized how important these next 6 weeks are for Nathan, and that we have to make some decisions for the three of us.
      Many of you know, I'm not very good at saying NO to anything, but, as she said, it's laying the groundwork for his development. We have to start limiting visits to family, and wearing Nathan more (the wearing is the easy part). All of you have supported us and we're so anxious to allow you to see and get to know Nathan. And, as you all know, we're kind of "social" people, so I hate that I have to tell you that you can't come over right now.
   So, this is a hard blog to write. I'm hoping all of you out there who've been awaiting the "visitor permit" understand and are willing to wait a few more weeks. We are hoping it's not 6 weeks, and we'll just have to see how Nathan's sleeping goes. In the meantime, I am going to go NUTS if I don't get to interact with people for 6 weeks, so be prepared. Instead of visits, there may be phone calls!  I still want to hear what's going on out there in the world!
   Despite my moaning and groaning about lack of sleep, this little boy is truly the light of our lives. All he has to do is smile, and I forget that he was thrashing around in a tantrum hours earlier :)  Thanks to all for understanding, and pray for a "secure bond" in the next few weeks.

Nathan doesn't just wake Greg and I up, he likes to check out Ellie when she naps on the couch as well!

My little froggy after bathtime.

Nathan got to meet Micah, another little one adopted from Taiwan. Micah's only 4 months older than Nathan.
We're so lucky we met his family. The Walls family  held Nathan when they picked up Micah at Hannah's Hope in June! One of my good friends happened to randomly  meet Micah's mom at Entertrainment Junction, and told her about us. Natalie, Micah's mom, was a teacher at Mason!!! Now Nathan will have a playmate here who has been in the same orphanage.  Amazing how things work, isn't it?

   

Let the Bonding Begin and Time Zone Zombies-March 12, 2011

       Our first few days at home have been wonderful and challenging at the same time. We have adjusted to the time zone change fairly well. However, little Nathan is still on Taiwan time.  He's sleeping for some of the night, but Wednesday night he was up at 3:30 in the morning wide awake, playing patty cake in bed. This was after he woke up at 1:00 wide awake and we had a play session downstairs. I thought I had him settled at about 3, but by 3:30, he was up again. As I type he's sleeping on a quilt on our living room floor. He was supposed to wake up from his nap at 4:00, and he's still sleeping. I've tried to wake him 3 times now, each time resulting in complete meltdown and then he falls back asleep.  I guess it will be a late night again.

       Despite the sleeping adjustments, he's doing so well. He's met Ellie Homoelle, and after two days, he'll crawl up to her at pat at her while she sits next to him. He's learned if she gets too close it could mean a kiss in the face, so he closes his eyes to get ready.  When it comes to eating, he's enjoying his bottles,  rice cereal, fruit desert, and broccoli. I think he feels heavier already!   Bath time, which was totally unenjoyable for all a few days ago, is now the highlight of our night. And when it comes to bonding, I think we have a spoiled baby already.  Experts say it can take up to a year for a healthy, solid bond.  We're glued to him for sure. From day one, he's had our hearts. We're starting to see that he loves us already as well.

       Bonding is a huge concern with adopted children, and we're trying to do many things to help ensure he attaches to Greg and I and develops appropriate relationships later in life. The nannies at Hannah's Hope have helped out with this already, because he's already bonded to them. It was so obvious on the first day we received him that he was particularly attached to Mei Mei. He bounced up and down in her arms and smiled. He now does that to me if I pick him up after not having him in my arms for a while. We've taken classes and read about all the things we should do to foster this bond.  Common parenting practices-like letting babies cry it out when it comes to bedtime, aren't recommended for adopted kids. Instead, we're supposed to answer every cry to show him we are there for him. Sometimes I think it's creating a spoiled rotten little boy, but when I think of all he's had to deal with, all the changes, I think I should just be there for him.

      I had a moment last night when I finally realized I've got to take his adjustment one day at a time. I was so concerned that he start sleeping in his crib. He's been waking up crying so much in his crib that we've been scooping him up and laying him between us. It's honestly been the only way he sleeps. The problem is-I don't sleep. And the other night was the "last straw" when I woke up to a finger in my eye, water streaming down my cheek, and the thought I might never see out of my left eye again. 

     So I started last night with the "that's it, no more co sleeping" mentality. I "bounced" him to sleep and he was safe and sound in his crib at 9:30. By midnight, he was standing up in his crib crying. So, I put him to sleep again. The very second he felt me put him down, he was up again. This went on 2 more times, until I placed him in between us. For the first night home he slept through the night. Around 4:50 I woke up as he stirred, and heard a song on the radio we had left on low for light noise. The song, Rascal Flat's "I Won't Let Go", said it all. No matter what, I just need to be there for this little guy as he deals with his whole world changing. While it was meant to be a love song, I'm sure that the words in the song ring out to all parents. Tears streamed down my face as my little one rested along side of me. The crib can wait another day, maybe even another week, another month.

Welcome Home Nathan Wei! March 8, 2011

          "We survived." Greg said. Then, simultaneously, we both said, "BARELY!" 
          Our travel day home to the states was certainly a test of our patience and parenting skills. We woke at 5:00 am before Nathan to get ready and head to the airport.  It took some time to get checked in and we made it to the gate with plenty of time. So far, so good. Until a gate agent approached Greg and asked if he lost a cell phone. Sure enough, it had fallen out of his pants pocket. Jacko, our great cab driver from our zoo trip was so kind, he actually drove it back to the airport. We made our flight to Tokyo just fine. Nathan even slept most of the way.
           Then came our flight from Tokyo to Detroit.  The trip through security alone should have been a clue. I had Nathan strapped to me in the carrier.  They made Greg unload every single electronic from the computer bag and then wanted to check the diaper bag. Of course, they can see all the contents in the x ray machines, but needed to see the baby food jars. Soooo,  unloading a bag that was packed to last for
at least 24 hours was not fun to unpack.  We loaded the plane and were ready to go when a flight attendant gave us a heads up that we would have to de-plane due to a chipped wing. Soooo, we all unloaded, realizing we were going to miss our connecting flight from Detroit to Cincy.
        After an hour and a half we boarded for our 12 hour flight to Detroit. Nathan hardly slept, and I'm convinced that the next Minute to Win It Challenge should be to put a diaper on a baby within the space of an airplane restroom. 3 diaper changes, 4 movies, and many walks around the plane later, we arrived in Detroit. And Nathan, once again, decided to sleep. (If only he had done this about 10 hours earlier).
       Nathan had to be emmigrated to the U.S. and receive his Green card, so it was off to customs and immigration. And Nathan continued to sleep. He missed his big moment! Then I noticed something was missing.  Our new camera was nowhere in sight. I would have cried major tears, and almost did, but I think exhaustion prevented it. Instead, I will admit, nastiness took over. I would have been devastated to lose all those pictures, except, thankfully we were downloading our images every night due to posting on this blog.
Here we are loaded down with all our luggage, and Nathan, bickering in the airport about where our camera could be.
         Our reception at the airport and at our house wiped away most of the bitterness.  My mom and Greg's family - his mom, dad, grandma,  brother Brad and sister-in-law Angie along with their children-David, Rose, Sam and Michelle stood at the window with my friend Michelle and  her daughters, Shayne and Hailey. They had cameras ready and balloons and gifts for Nathan. To see them so excited just warmed our hearts.  When we arrived home our friends Matt and Anne and our neighbors Mike and Sharon and Denise and Jeff had made signs and put up balloons. As we turned the corner, we both knew losing our camera wasn't so bad for what we had gained. Nathan Wei was finally home.

Our First Family Zoo Trip- March 6, 2011

       We have dreamed of taking a zoo trip for quite some time, and today was so special. Our first family zoo outing, and it was in Taipei. Both Greg and I love animals.  We couldn't wait to see the panda exhibit! Nathan seemed to have a great time too, when he was awake :)  The Taipei Zoo is the largest metropolitan Asian zoo, and we had a great time!  We entered the zoo for 120 NT dollars, about $4.50 in the U.S. We received our ticket for the panda exhibit, and headed off to see the "xiong mao" or "bearcat". 

       We were among so many people just ooohing and aahhhing about the panda. He really didn't do much, and we know Nathan didn't care, but we loved getting to see him!

        The zoo got VERY crowded, and once again we were quite a spectacle.  We had to take a class during our adoption process. We thought it was so odd. It was called "Conspicuous Families", and it was meant to prepare us for everyone noticing that Nathan is obviously not our biological child. At the time, we thought it was ridiculous. We thought adoption is so common, of course people know and accept what we've done. Over here though, not only are we the only American's, but we're carrying an obviously Asian child, and people walk by us with their heads turned. They slow down, they talk amongst themselves, even point. When we talk to them, if they can understand, they usually are so nice, but boy do we make for conversation!

         After using a changing station for the first time, having lunch at McDonalds-without the burgers, just chicken, we enjoyed looking at all the neat exhibits.   The biggest difference from our zoo would be how close they let you get to the animals. At one point I really could have reached out and held a monkey's hand. (Really hard for me to resist, by the way.) Most of the animals were the same. Nathan fell asleep in an appropriate place-the nocturnal house.  We looked at each other at one point and had one of those "Is this real? moments".  We know we've been waiting for this for so long. It's hard to believe he's real. 

        Next to the zoo is the Maikong Gondola.  This isn't just a short little ride up a mountain. This is a several mile ride through the mountains overseeing so much of Taipei.  It was beautiful and allowed us to see so many different sides of this city. We've learned the average income in Taipei is 1000.00 U.S. dollars a month. From the gondola we could see tenement housing, farms on the sides of hills made in "steps", and some nicer homes.  At the top, there were so many tea houses. We had an authentic afternoon tea in Taiwan, and have come to enjoy Oolong tea. Nathan, again, slept along some of the ride. But woke up for the ride down, and had a great time tapping on the windows!

        We both agree that besides getting Nathan, this was one of our favorite days in Taiwan.

Hugs in the Hotel and Sight Seeing- March 5, 2011

     Now that we have our Visa, we could technically leave Taipei, but we had booked our flight providing us with wait time in case the Visa was not issued. We now have a few days to enjoy having Nathan without appointments and to just explore Taipei.
    Nathan's getting on a more regular feeding and sleeping schedule. We had been warned that the transition could be hard, and the first day was what we had expected. He didn't eat much and was restless when it came to sleeping. He tossed and turned during the night and woke up early. While he still fights going to sleep, he's sleeping several hours at a time. He's taking bottles and eating his rice. He's almost purring when it comes to food, making it obvious he wants more. We're hoping we don't see the "hunger strike" some adopted children go through when they change homes.
    While the sights are amazing here, I love being at our hotel with Nathan. He's so fond of the big bed and has a fun personality. He can be quiet, but then rev up and start making silly noises. He loves to cuddle and will stop playing to crawl over and nuzzle his head up to our cheeks. His smile is so bright and his eyes are unlike any I've ever seen. We look at him and ask how we got so lucky.

       We've had our share of new parent moments. Considering we're new at this and in a foreign country, living out of suitcases and having all the appoinments, I'm not going to get too worried -yet :) We cheered at the first messy diaper, taking it as a sign of a healthy boy!  We've learned that eating with chopsticks while holding a baby doesn't work, and that in Taiwan, he had better have his entire body covered.  Any time his pants ride up on him, no matter where we've been, an old woman has come up to us speaking, of course, in all words we can't understand, and pulled his pants down to cover any bare skin. (It's in the 70's here!!!)
      Today we went out with a friend of Greg's brother Doug's, Ching-Mei. Her father is Taiwanese and she took us around the area. It was so nice to have someone to talk to and show us the sights. We went to a famous restraurant where busloads of people get dropped off to try the dumplings. Then we visited the  Chian-Kai Shek memorial. From there it was to the History Museaum where we had tea and parted from Ching Mei. Before leaving she directed a cab driver to take us to another famous temple in Taiwan.

     We were again the only Americans, and while I know Nathan is a cute baby,  we really create some looks and discussions from people. Everywhere we go Nathan seems to get so much attention. At the temple a woman pulled us aside and directed us to a line of people. We noticed that more women were at the end, waving incense and praying over  people. In the line, it was clear that parents were bringing their children. As we stood and waited, I wondered how the Chinese people felt about us taking part in their religious ceremony. In the end, we came to one conclusion. How could a prayer for your child, in any religion be wrong?  So, while we have NO idea what she said, the woman intensely prayed over Nathan. We bowed in respect and left the temple once again amazed by the warmth of these people.

A Taiwanese American Boy! March 4, 2011

         We sighed another sigh of relief today. In the eyes of our government, Chang Wei became Nathan Wei Homoelle, and received his U.S. Visa.  We arrived at the American Institute of Taiwan for our 8:00 appointment to see at least 50 Chinese people in line outside the door and twice as many inside already. Since we had an appointment, we could head to the third floor, where it was much less crowded. To see all of those people applying to come to the U.S made us smile with pride. We are blessed to live in a land of opportunity.

       After a few more documents to be completed and a 1 hour 30 minute wait, we were called to a window. Greg and I had to take an oath that everything in our documents was correct, and then the interview began. We had been told this could be a daunting interview. There is so much speculation about corruption that both the Taiwanese government and the U.S want to make sure this was not a money making scheme or that any trafficing is involved. We were asked specifics about where all of our fees went to. While adoption seems expensive, what people don't see is the amount of bureaucratic paperwork and court cases, translation fees, and so much more. Now that we've been here and seen all the people that need to be involved to make it successful we are confident that the Taiwan program is legitimate.  Our interviewer was American and had a 5th grader himself, so I think that helped us a little :)  However, the number one reason it went so well was due to All God's Children being so thorough.
       Nathan had no idea how important today was.  He just hung onto Greg as we answered questions. We were told to come back and pick up his Visa at 2:30.  So, after the 3 of us napped, we woke up and walked back to the AIT building.   With that, all the formalities of our adoption is now over in Taiwan. Once we get back to the states we'll start a readoption process to give him a U.S birth certificate and SS number. For now, Nathan Wei is ready for the U.S.A!

Farewell to Taitung, March 3, 2011

     With all of the business finished in Taitung for Nathan's Visa, we had half of the day before our flight back to Taipei to explore the area and take in all the little details about Nathan's homeland. San San and Jeremiah picked us up at the Naruwan after check out and took us out and about. As the social worker at AGCI says, we wore Nathan all over the town!

    We were taken to a tea shop, very popular places in Taiwan. Instead of our smoothie shops, they use tea to make different drinks. Greg had a tea, milk drink with pudding chunks at the bottom. My tea had little blue/black balls in it at the bottom. San San and Jeremiah had a big laugh when I asked "What is it?" They said "Just try it." and I asked, "Is it fish eggs?" San San said it was tapioca, and I told her it didn't look like the tapioca I have had! I finally tried it and it was very good. I'm still hoping it was some sort of tapioca!  

      After tea, our first stop was to the beach. They realized that we don't see the ocean a lot in Ohio, and we were able to take some beautiful pictures. Taiwan can be hit hard by earthquakes and typhoons, and so the water levels have varied through the years, creating a beautiful landscape of coral and driftwood. There is also some volcanic activity, which has made for dark grey sand. It was neat to see, and Nathan just hung on daddy the whole time.

       Then we were off the to the market. We just kept snapping pictures of all the amazing fresh fruits, vegetables, and yes, meat and seafood. Nothing is wasted when it comes to meat/fish here. So, I'll try not to post the REALLY interesting stuff. This is also where you bargain for the price. San San did all the negotiating for us. Budda fruit are really special in Taiwan. We were able to buy 3 for 100 New Taiwanese dollars, which is about 3 dollars in the U.S.  My favorite place was the candy shop. I have a bag of candy waiting for David, Rosie, Michael, Sam, Colby, Shayne and Hailey. They just have to promise to "Try it." as San San would say!

      Nathan was fantastic again, falling asleep along the way. Daddy really enjoyed getting to cuddle with him in the Ergo as well.

       Next stop, the hospital where Nathan was born. It is more of a clinic. We were so lucky to get to meet one of the doctors who had cared for Nathan's birth mother. He actually stopped working with a patient to meet us and talk with us. A nurse did the same. We were amazed that he would take time to see us. In the US, we would have been billed for that for sure!

          Afterwards, it was off to lunch before heading to the airport. We had a great meal here. Greg had 3 pot chicken. I was wanting a more stable meal, so I was thrilled to see shrimp fried rice. By this point, we're both very good with chop sticks.

         .

         The restroom is a different story. We read about the toilets in some parts of Taiwan. For gentelmen, there's really no difference. Well, except for that the cleaning ladies really don't care whether you're in there or not. Greg came out with a funny look on his face and said a woman was cleaning away while he, well, you know. Most of the places I've had to "go" in have had regular toilets. There was one occasion though when I just had to go, and when I walked into the restroom I was faced with this dilemma.

      No, this picture is not positioned wrong. This is a little tunnel on the FLOOR.  Hmmmm.  What would you do? 

        It was time for our flight back to Taipei. We were sad to leave Nathan's homeland. Everyone in Taitung has been so kind to us. They try to speak English to talk to us, and they do everything they can to make us feel welcome. Their smiles alone are welcoming. They are kind, hardworking, generous people who live simple lives and just enjoy each day.

       When we arrived at the airport, we had special guests. The nannies at Hannah's Hope wanted to say goodbye one more time to Nathan. It is a testament for just how wonderful these women are to the babies. Nathan is so healthy and happy because of them. He's been so loved. This is not normal in international adoption, and we've found a special place in our hearts for Hannah's Hope and the people there. We will not forget them. They rushed to the car when I stepped out holding Nathan and just smothered him with their last goodbyes. They were in tears and so were we. As we ascended into the air, both of us couldn't help feeling as though a part of our heart was still in Taitung.

     

       On to our fantastic evening. We were so excited when we were able to contact the family of a little boy who kept showing up in Nathan's pictures. I had asked our case manage about the little boy, and found out his name was Will. I was able to email Will's family. They sent us an email saying we might cross paths in Taiwan. Sure enough, their  last night here was our first night back in Taipei as we wait for the Visa appointment. They were staying at the same hotel we are, the Rido in Taipei. We were so anxious to see whether the boys recognized each other. Will was the lively boy we saw in the videos and pictures and Nathan was the same chilled out, calm little guy. Since Will's adoptive dad is Taiwanese, he was able to order us a great meal. We enjoyed sharing our journeys and agreed we will meet in Nashville once a year to let the boys see each other. They are from Alabama and we will certainly keep in touch. Both boys had their heads shaved. Look at how much Nathan has compared to Will!  So cute!

     It was the end of another great day. Tomorrow... we'll hopefully make Nathan a U.S citizen!