January 2004

As we begin our journey to China to adopt our daughter, Malia Yen.

Yen means "family, joy" in Chinese.

In January we begin our paperwork to submit to CCAI.

December 2004

We get our travel approval from CCAI to travel on December 19, 2004 from Grand Rapids, Chicago, Los Angeles and finally to Guanzghou, China.

December 21, 2004

This is the day that we will get our precious little girl, Malia.

We arrive at the Civil Office in Guangzhou. The orphanage director and nannies will be bringing the babies from Yangxi to Guangzhou. Today was a very hot and humid day in China.

At 3:00pm, all seven families from CCAI hear the babies crying and laughing in the other room, as we complete our paperwork we anxiously await to see our little girls.

We have one family that will have a little boy named Noah. He is the king of the girls.

Finally, the nannies start to bring the babies into the room. Each family is anxiously waiting for their names to be called, we get a glance of Malia. She looks like a content little girl, finally we get her and she looks very tired and hot.

December 22, 2004

Today, we went on a tour to the Buddist Temple, There were so many different kinds of buddist and each one had a meaning. A very beautiful and peacful place. The monks at the temple reside within the building, their is always incenst burning smell.

December 23, 2004

Today, we decided to go out and go shopping at Beijing Road, in the city of Guangzhou. There were so many people there all looking at Malia and saying what a lucky girl (only when Alan carried her). There were so many bargins, from clothes to purses, books and of course the shoes, which I did not purchase a lot and should have maybe next time around.

The taxi ride was interesting, they don't have stop signs or lines on the road. It seems like it is a first come first serve. the bicycles are just as bad, they don't look as to where they are going and as a pedestrian if you don't look before you cross, you might as well become roadkill.

December 24, 2004

It was another free day, we decided to just take it easy and walk around Shamien Island browse through the shops. We bought a picture that was painted by one of the locals that represented adoption and China. Everything here in China is so cheap.

We walked around the hotel and had the most wonderful noodle soup for lunch.

December 25, 2004

Merry Christmas! This is the most wonderful present that we ever had. It will of course something that we will never forget. Tonight the group of CCAI # 696 will meet at the cow bridge for Thai food. We as a group decided to buy each child a gift for their first Christmas. It was very chaotic with all the babies and different families from other adoption groups were also there. But all in all it was an exciting adventure.

December 26, 2004

We went to the Civil Affairs office today for more paperwork. getting Malia's Visa and giving our oath that we will take care of her and give her the best education.

December 27, 2004

One more week to go, we are getting to the point that we are ready to go home but there is still more paperwork to complete.
Malia is starting to learn to walk, she wants to hold our fingers and walk all the time, I guess Mommy will have to go out get shoes....uh oh, says Daddy.
The view of our hotel is just awesome at night, we get to see the Pearl River, boats that are lighted up on the river, and the view of the buildings with all the light, we just don't have that in Grand Rapids.

December 28, 2004

Today was a free day for us. We just hung out at Shamien Island, went to a few shops and we each bought a North Face Jacket. IT was getting extremely chilly as the Tsuamni hits.
A few more days to go. Tommorrow we will be sworn in the Chinese Consulate. Then it will be for sure finalized.