Home Sweet Home!

We made it home to Chattanooga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :) :)  :)

What a day (days really)! According to Chattanooga time we left our hotel at 5:30 in the evening on Thursday and landed in Nashville at 8:15 PM (7:15 central time) on Friday. It was a long, long day!              

The good news is that Annabelle woke with no fever. PTL! The bad news is that it rose to 103 after about an hour on the plane. Gave her some medicine but she was fitful and didn't sleep much... only about an hour or two on our 14 hour flight.

We landed in Chicago, and immigration went smoothly. Annabelle and Timothy are US citizens!

Timothy looks happy about it, but Annabelle... not so much.

Our flight from Chicago to Nashville was delayed about an hour. Not fun. Both littles and bigs slept on the short flight to Nashville.

We finally arrived in Nashville and were greeted by family. :)

So good to be back in the USA! Spent the night at Mom and Dad's. They kept our 3 dogs so the whole Knox Fam9 came home to Chattanooga yesterday. Home Sweet Home!

So blessed we were able to all go to China to bring home Annabelle and Timothy.

Thank you for supporting us!

Annabelle's first plane ride

Timothy's first plane ride

They really shouldn't put the flight attendant call button on the armrest.

Thanks for praying.... but please don't stop

Annabelle is doing better. Her temp is down. We're keeping her on the meds so hopefully it won't go back up. Still praying for all of us to be healthy tomorrow as we travel our long journey home. The 15 hour flight with two little ones should be interesting. Actually we are hoping and praying for some sleep on the plane and for an uneventful trip.

A few pics from dinner...

Timothy knows how to count to 3 in ENGLISH! He can actually count to 5 but we are working on knowing his age. :)

 And, um, yes, that is a medicine bottle he has -- using it as a rattle. I know that's not the best toy to give a 3 year old, but it's what was in my purse while we were so PATIENTLY waiting on our food.

Alexandra the walrus.

Annabelle is looking at the goofball....

Hunter the goofball.

Timothy says he's 3. Sweet Annabelle looking a little better than this morning.

This is probably our last post before getting home so we wanted to invite anyone who would like to meet us at the Nashville airport to "come on down." We realize that most of you are too far away to welcome us home at the airport but know that you are welcome anyway. If you are in the area and would like to meet Timothy and Annabelle in person, we will be arriving in Nashville on United flight #825 from Chicago/ORD at 6:17 PM on Friday, March 16. With that said please help us continue our bonding/attachment phase by  not reaching out to hold them. But please feel free to talk to them or pat them on their backs or rub their arms. I truly don't know how they will react. Sometimes they are scared and hide behind us (usually Annabelle but sometimes Timothy) and sometimes will grin and jump around (usually Timothy but sometimes Annabelle), but after our very long flight and all the changes they've had to deal with the last ten days, arriving at a new place and meeting new people will be very overwhelming for them.

We've been so blessed to have this time as a family.... for them to get to know all four of us and begin to bond with us. We are now leaving the home they've known for the last ten days, so it will take some time to get adjusted to their new home in Chatt. We probably won't go out much so Annabelle and Timothy can get used to their new HOME.

It's 10:45 PM here and I must get up around 3:30 AM, so I guess it's time for bed. I pray Annabelle and Timothy (well, all of us really) will sleep well tonight. Thank you all for your prayers and support. You have walked this journey with us and we are honored.

 “Praise be to you, LORD,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
¹¹ Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name. "

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Prayers please...

It's about 2:30 in the afternoon here in China which means it's 2:30 AM in Chatt so I know you won't get this post for awhile, but wanted to go ahead and write it because I don't know how the rest of the day will go.

Sweet Annabelle is quite sick. We were up most of the night. She has a high fever. Feels awful. She just cries if I put her down. We have started her on an antibiotic and are giving her ibuprofen and acetaminophen in alternating doses to try to keep the fever down. Also, lots of water. Of course, we don't want her to feel bad any longer but we are also concerned about arriving at the Hong Kong airport tomorrow morning. On the way through the HK airport last time, Alexandra had a random temperature check. I don't know what would have happened if she had had a fever.... and I definitely don't want to find out tomorrow.

PLEASE pray with us that Annabelle's fever would be gone and no one else would have one. We are so ready to be home.

Thank you!
Blessings,
B

Day 12: Consulate Appointment and Dongguan

Today we loaded up with some other families and made our way to the US Consulate to turn in lots of paperwork and apply for Annabelle's and Timothy's visas to enter the US. We will get those back tomorrow. Because the US and China are part of the Hague Convention agreement, once we land in Chicago on Friday and go through immigration, they will be US citizens. They will have dual citizenship with US and China.

After the Consulate appointment we drove to Dongguan which took about an hour. Dongguan is so much prettier than Guangzhou. Jenny from True Children's Home met us there and took us into her home (a very nice suite in a very nice hotel). She was so sweet to let us order some food and have the kiddos stay in her suite while we met with Annabelle's foster parents. Her foster parents are so very nice and we could tell that they love her and miss her very much. It was an emotional meeting but we got to hear some fun stories about her and we'll be able to share those with her when she is older. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to tell them how much we appreciate their loving care of our little girl. They said they felt better after meeting us and know that she will be in a good place. It was very nice to get that compliment from them.

We made it back to our hotel around 4 this afternoon and just chilled. Annabelle has a fever and yucky nose and cough. Timothy has a cough and yucky nose. Chris and I are also getting a little under the weather. Please pray for healing for all of us, especially the Littles. Tomorrow is our last day here then we load up VERY early in the morning on Friday (5AM) and head for Hong Kong for a flight (or 2) to HOME SWEET HOME.

Thanks for praying!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings,
B

Pics from today...

Heading to Dongguan

Annabelle's picture pose

Sleeping boy

Dongguan

Dongguan

View from Jenny's suite

Eating some lunch

Playing

Sleeping girls

Day 11: Slept late!!!!!!!!!!!! and Shamian Island

I got to sleep late today... 7 AM. Annabelle and I woke up then and tried to let the others sleep for awhile. We didn't have to be anywhere with the group this morning. Chris and Timothy woke up a little later, and then we finally woke up the teenager and preteen just before 9. We had to get to breakfast before 10 or no food. It was nice not have to be somewhere for a change. After breakfast we hung out in the room and played and then went to lunch.... finally some good food. We ate at Tequila's, a Mexican restaurant like we have at home. The food was good and we were glad to have something different. Although, I am soooooooooooooooo ready for a home cooked meal. Thanks to some awesome friends we will get some good food when we get home. You just don't know what a blessing that is to me. I am so very tired and having that good food will be great as I try to catch up on laundry and rest and laundry and school and laundry. :) Thank you friends for helping us out in the food department for a few weeks!!! You are lifesavers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After lunch we came back to the room to try to get the Littles to nap for a bit. They did get a short nap and then we met the group to go to Shamian Island. It's a little famous island here where most adoptive families used to stay. The main hotel here was the White Swan. Many families have stayed there when adopting. It was closed today... I think they are refurbishing???? Also, the medical center used to be on that island but has moved to the city where we are staying now.  The island is very quiet and no hustle and bustle like here around our hotel. It was nice walking around over there. We got to do a little shopping and bought a couple of quiet toys for the plane ride home. We also got to eat at a place called Lucy's. American food. Chris and I had cheeseburgers (not like McDonald's) and the Bigs and Littles had fried chicken. We also had sweet tea!

 

Tomorrow is our consulate appointment- the last appointment we have in China. We must go to the US Consulate to apply for Annabelle and Timothy's visas to enter the US. We should receive them the next day and then travel HOME the day after that. Boy we are ready to go home. and. REST! We are all getting a little under the weather.

Also, tomorrow is the day we will travel to Dongguan (about and hour or so away) to meet Annabelle's foster family. It is my understanding that Annabelle will not see them but we will get the chance to talk with them. Jenny from True Children's Home will be with us and guide us through the meeting. We hope and pray to be able to express how thankful we are to her foster family for taking such good care of her. We know they love her and this will be an emotional meeting for them (and us, too.) We are hoping to hear of some stories of our sweet girl (special memories) so we will be able to talk with Annabelle when she is older and tell her stories of them and her. You know that I am a crier, so tomorrow will be extra tears, I'm sure!

We are now 12 hours ahead of Chattanooga time which means it is 11 PM here.... late.  I must go to bed.

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging comments!

Enjoy pics from today.....

Laughing Girlie

Annabelle and her Bigs

Fountain on Shamian Island

Hunter in line

Yum... milkshakes

Yummmmm

Daddy's girl

Sprite

sugar for the tea

Goofy boy

After the Littles went to bed.... playing Go Fish

Day 10: Zoo and River Cruise

On the way to the Zoo this morning we had to stop by the clinic for all those who are over 2 to get their TB skin test checked (adopted children only). (Annabelle slid by without having to do it by one day... Her Bday was the cut off). Everyone passed - so no xrays for anyone!

Cold and windy today. Still wet. Rains a lot here! Littles and Bigs enjoyed the animals. Mommy and Daddy are tired!

Zoo pics...

Went on the dinner cruise this evening. It was an experience. It's a buffet. Well, that means run to the food and shove your way through. No line. Just push and shove. Also, anyone reading this blog who is going to adopt from China and go on the dinner cruise in Guangzhou.... bring your own eating utensils and napkins. Wish I had. You'll be glad you did.

Lily and Miko, our guides, were so very sweet and got Annabelle a birthday cake for everyone to share tonight. It was pretty yummy!

Pics from the cruise....

our boat

Timothy sporting some stickers

another boat

Bigs

Bigs -- as usual

Annabelle's B-day cake

Bridge

630 meters

Annabelle's pose for pictures

Annabelle and her cake

This looked like a stadium or amphitheater from the water.

 

Happy Birthday, Annabelle! (Day 9)

Annabelle is 2 today! We will have to celebrate once we are home and settled. A little hard to get a cake and do birthday celebrations here.

We had another busy day. We met our group this morning and headed to a mall. Part of it was outdoor and part was indoor. The outdoor part made me think of New York City. Here are some random pics from today. Enjoy! (Sorry about some of the duplicates. Taking forever to load and if I erase one it erases them all so leaving the extras on there.)

Birthday Girlie

Go VOLS!

Timothy liked the stroller today.

outdoor area of mall

exercising

me, too

Littles waiting for pizza

Daddy's girrl

indoor area of mall

outdoor area of mall

waiting for pizza

entrance to mall

inside one section of the mall

say cheese

Littles at Papa John's

outdoor area of mall