Update from Ruthi - Tues Feb 22

Tues Feb 22

From Ruthi:

Today we ate breakfast here at the hotel in Guiyang, China. It was raining a bit so we skipped going to the park where they have wild monkeys. We will go there Thursday instead. Today we went to two stores to buy some gifts from China. They are pictures (artwork) and some jewelry and other items to remember China by. We went to eat at KFC but could not read the menu so we came back to the hotel to eat. I had French fries and fruit. They do not have Pepsi here so I drank water. I want a Diet Pepsi SO BADLY! Tomorrow we are driving to Zunyi City, China. It will take us 2 1/2 hours to drive there. We will visit with some friends and we hope to get to go to the orphanage there so Tao Ming Zhu can take some of her friends some gifts. If we cannot visit then we will send them in the mail. Today we are really suffering some from jet lag and so are going to rest a bit this afternoon and then the girls have to do some homework. After that we will just rest again as we have a long day tomorrow. Here are some pictures...in one it shows you that we ate “hot pot.” It is where you have a pot of broth at the table for yourself and you pick out what you want to cook there. It was "ok."

TMZ - Officially a Coats!

As you can see from the pictures, TMZ is officially a Coats and she is already very tightclose to her two new sisters. One of the things I talk to people about when adopting is you have to SEE that they are your child. You cannot adopt to "save a child" no matter how hard that is...you have to have a connection.

In 2009 when leaving China, I tried to take off the red beaded bracelet and I kept putting it back on (read earlier blog posts about the significance of the red beaded bracelet and the red thread that has connected each of our children)...when leaving GZ, I saw a bracelet that was beads that reminded me of Zunyi City and TMZ...I bought that bracelet and have worn it ever since. I had this overwhelming feeling of "memory of TMZ and of leaving her behind in China." When the news arrived that we had first been able to find an agency that would help us find her paperwork, and then when we found her and then when we were approved to adopt her, I always was able to touch these beads at my wrist...my reassurance of her and my memories. Even though she and I had never met--at home I had Vicky, who has spoken of TMZ probably every day. Vicky would talk of hoping TMZ was ok in China, and how TMZ wanted to come to the United States and be adopted. Oh how Vicky prayed for her friend TMZ to find a forever family.

So today the adoption paperwork was finalized. I spoke to the SWI people who questioned me if would we find a physician for TMZ’s back. They had always felt it was better to hope she would have a physician in the United States. I was able to tell them that Claude had found the #1 physician in the world and that he was about 3 hours from our home and we were making appointments for her to see him. They were very pleased, so much so that they asked for us to email them how and what we found out about her back.(TMZ has curvature of the spine) Today the paperwork was perfect. They announced to me that she is our daughter now...and I had tears rolling down my face. I kissed TMZ and said thank you to God for this child. This child that covered up in bed last night and looked at me and said “I love you mama.” So dear to my heart those words were!
When we got back to the hotel though, I was crying. I was crying because I realized that I had saved my daughter. Not adopted to save her, but my daughter was now saved as ours. I knew that she would be safe in our home, have enough food, have the proper medical care for her spinal condition, and have parents arms to hold her forever.
TMZ has really attached herself to her new sister, Penny. At supper tonight, anything that Penny did, TMZ was doing. I wondered at one point if Penny fell off her chair, if TMZ would too. At lunch, her plate of fried rice was served first. She passed it to us to share and we told her it was all hers, that our food would be here in a minute. (Note from Nan: I remember when Kate first came to her forever home with Ruthi and Claude – Kate would put her entire elbow in her bowl of food – a defensive motion to keep anyone from taking it before she could eat, I imagine TMZ was not used to large servings of food either.) Every article of clothing that I bought for TMZ today she said thank you mama. Penny showed her how to play a game on my Ipod and in about an hour it is lights out…tomorrow we are going to the park where there are wild monkeys. The last time I went there I was glad the wild monkeys did not show up. I sort of hope they don’t again. J

To Vicky: I asked the people from the orphanage if they will look in your file and give me copies of photos that may be there to see if they have any of you when you were very little and they said yes they will look. So maybe Wednesday we will have more photos of you. In a photo book that TMZ has there is a photo or two of you as you were growing up and in a “foster” family that I think you visited a few times…and a picture of you with him I think. You will see these when I get home. Vicky, the orphanage also asked me to show them photos of you with them so on Wednesday when we go there, I have photos of you for them to keep. I will take some gifts for the lady that bought you the new shoes, the tall gentleman, and the lady that came with you when you came to me to be adopted. I will take pictures of them to show you what they look like now. I do not know if I get to see inside the orphanage where you lived but I will tell you when we get back on Wednesday what I got to see ok? I love you. Penny, Carrie, and myself are all getting sore throats from the smoking and the smog. I barely have a voice. What is it with China and my throat? I always lose my voice. Give all the girls hugs and kisses and all my love. We will be home soon!

TAO MING ZHU

This is Ruthi's sister, Nan. I have to apologize to everyone. I am updating Ruthi and Claude's blog while Ruthi is in China. I somehow managed to type in the wrong name of my new niece. Please forgive me, Tao's name is Tao Ming Zhu. I hope I didn't cause too much confusion.
Nan

Tao Zhu Gotcha Day - 3rd update from my sister: Well --no tears, Tao Zhu isjust worried about how she will communicate with us. She is saying lots of “thank you’s.” She said when she found out she was being adopted to Vicky's family she cried she was so happy. She ate some supper-tucked in bed now in the Aeropostle t-shirt that Vicky picked out and red pj pants with a big smile on her face. I bet this little girl is a sweetie over and over....our guide Richard has made the paperwork seamless! Plus we have warm fingers since this hotel has heat...if you are seeing us on the blog, or someone is posting to Facebook, don't forget that my e-mail while in China is jiaforus@yahoo.com . Now I am going to bed...I admit being tired. The cigarette smoke and smog has brought back the hoarse voice and scratchy throat. This trip I packed a steam vaporizer and will be plugging it back in! To Claude: Tao Zhu is not as tiny in size as we thought...I am not sure any of the pants will fit her but will try. None of the shoes fit her...so a bit of shopping is due! To all a goodnight, Vicky, Gracie, Addie and Kate Ilove you...and Vicky, Tao Zhu said she thinks you look like a rock star....

2nd Update from Ruthi - Reunion Day for Penny and Morgan with their Foster Families!

we have arrived in Guiyang and are at the Ramada inn but we will be moving tomorrow-i think a tent outside could be not only cleaner but much better managed-I hope that the little space heater they brought Morgan and I to our room will help the chill. Carrie and Penny already in bed under several blankets so said they passed on heater. We have had a perfect trip so far-some highlights include American Airlines saying that our connection was too short of a time and moved us right down the line to Delta...thank you! The flight to Beijing was great...Carrie and I figure we are on the "Lose 16 pounds" plan and the plan food except for the cookies have been a good start. I slept the bulk of the way as did Morgan but Penny and Carrie were hit and miss. We got to the hotel and I knew Penny's foster mother was already there -- but the biggest surprise was when we walked in and there was a piano just sitting front and center stage. Needless to say Mama G got a very emotional and heartfelt piano concert given to her before the guards at the front desk scattered us away. She and I both had tears at this child's success. Mama G spent the whole day with us visiting the Great Wall and then she went on her own to T. Square...best of all also was all of my worries were needles when Morgans foster family came. What basic lovely people this family is. They brought their two daughters and an aunt to Morgan (foster) and they brought Claude and I a Beijing duck! yep cold in the bag!!! hummm What am I to do with that? Mama g was so thankful for the gift when i put it on the plane with her, Morgan was crushed that we were not going to eat it but i asked her if she liked it and she sid "never had it"! How funny. They also brought us a huge gift of tea. Lovely people and I pray to always stay in touch with them. They raised Morgan from not yet walking age to 11 years old....Morgan reduced the mother to tears when she gave her a coat that Morgan and I had found for Morgan for the trip....the coat is now on a lady that I am sure needs it. Carrie is doing great but is tired. I am doing great but tired...Morgan hit the wall today about 6 pm...and Penny followed shortly thereafter....Morgan though, relishes Chinese tv so guess what she is doing here now at 1:30 am?? That will end soon. We get TMZ tonight at 7 pm. I wished that we had been able to Skype it but we get her at the adoption office...we will Skpe shortly after! Say a prayer for her please....signing off....R and the rest of the crew

1st Update from Ruthi - China Trip

I leave this Thursday with Morgan, Penny and my sister Carrie traveling with me. We land at midnight Friday the 18th to wake up and meet Penny’s foster mother at the hotel in Beijing, go to the Great Wall and a Hutong tour then in the afternoon we have been able to arrange a brief visit with Morgan’s foster parents. We then get on another plane that evening at 8 to go to Guiyang and receive TMZ on Sunday. At moments like these where we will be tired I always pray to get the daughter in the afternoon so we can rest some and catch our breath but normally they arrive in the a.m. and they see me exhausted but so excited.

Travel approval, Visa's and a picture

In the past we have never shared a photo of our daughters before travel but this time have been told it is ok. I wish that I could copy and paste bits of what I have wrote in the past but neither Facebook or a blog allow that action so I am typing a bit of it all again.

We are adopting TMZ who we have chose the English name of Callie Jo T.M.Z. Coats for. We hope and pray this name is one that she will love forever. This child is the one that welcomed our Vicky into the orphanage by giving her a pair of slippers to shower in and a piece of candy so she would not be scared. This child is the one that dared to always help our Vicky when she needed it, even if there were possible consequences. She is also the one little girl that always wanted to go to America. She said good bye to one friend who went to America and that left our Vicky and TMZ to be best friends and not a threesome. Then when Vicky was adopted this little girl faced telling her best friend good bye as she left Zunyi City to be adopted, to leave her there at the orphanage, and for the friend to go to America. Everything that she wanted....she was so mad and upset that she did not come to tell her friend Vicky good bye. They parted that way almost four years ago. We, thru the Grace of God, thru the Red thread that holds families together, thru government offices answers and thru the adoption agency Madison Adoption Assoc we have been able to get permission to adopt that little girl.

In the photo above on the left is our new daughter Callie Jo Tao Ming Zhu and the photo on the right is our daughter Vicky Tao Ying (on left) holding Tao Ming Zhu's hand. This photo is one of the last times the girls were together.

Today I have sent for Visa's for myself, my sister Carrie, and our two daughters Morgan and Penny. We did, because of a huge paperwork error last adoption, request a Visa for Claude too in case of an emergency again. I feel that since we have that base covered it will guarantee that there will not be an error this time. Add that to your prayer list please? Please also pray that these girls have a wonderful reunion, that the last four years being apart has not separated them. That this 7th adoption of our 7th daughter, who is 7th in the birth order of our 11 children will be completion for them and of our family.

I also want to tell you that I greatly value the small business There's Always Hope who does Visa's, state authentications and Consulate visits in the Chicago area. She does a great job! Thank you again.

Hopefully in February we will have her home. My sister will post for me on the blog while I am gone so you will be able to follow the trip. Please pray for the family that is at home and for Claude to keep his sanity listening to Justin Bieber, and looking at the color of pink :)