Pernicious Anemia

I promised my friend, Kirstie, to pass along our itinerary so everyone would know where we were and when we would actually meet Riley.
Nov. 11 Leave for China
Nov. 13 Arrive in Beijing around noon
Nov. 14 Great Wall during the day and acrobatic show at night
Nov. 15 Tour the Forbidden City and Hu Tongs
Nov. 16 Fly to Guangzhou
Nov. 17 WE MEET RILEY!
Nov. 18 Apply for Riley's passport
Nov. 19 Tour of the Chen Family Home
Nov. 20 Riley's medical exam
Nov. 21 Pick up passport
Nov. 22 and 23 Free days
Nov. 24 Apply for Riley's Visa
Nov. 25 Pick up Visa
Nov. Leave for HOME

Hopefully on our free days Riley will be up for a little sightseeing and shopping, but if not, we are staying in a nice hotel and we can just hunker down.

Packing for this trip has been quite a challenge. One minute we have mostly shorts picked out, and the next, we are switching to jeans. It looks like we are going to freeze in Beijing as it drops below freezing at night and the upper 80's we were looking forward to in Guangzhou have turned into mid 70's. Oh well, we're just rolling with the punches.

I was given a wonderful surprise! Our awesome adoption coordinator, Nicole, managed to get updated information on Riley's size. She's about 17 pounds and 26 inches tall - basically 9 to 12 month size. Tiny by American standards, but she registers at the 8th percentile for Asian babies.

I'm sure you've been reading this post and wondering, "What the HECK is Pernicious Anemia?" Well, the kids and I were watching Real Stories of the ER last night and the woman on the show was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia. It's a funny sounding phrase and the doctor who was explaining the condition made it sound even funnier. Maddie starting copying him - dead on, might I add - and then everyone joined in. "Let's name our next baby Pernicious Anemia!" "What an awesome dog name! Pernicious Anemia!" The more you say it, the funnier it becomes.

We went out to dinner tonight and Pernicious Anemia followed us. Maddie kept repeating it over and over, in different voices and tones. We were all in stitches laughing at how funny she sounded. Sam commented that only our slightly twisted family could take a horrible medical condition and turn it into some of the most fun we've had in a long time. Poor baby Riley. Look what she's in for!

Tomorrow is going to be busy so I better hit the sack and get a little sleep. Only two more days!!!!!!!!

Big hugs
Marlo

My children near and far

“I may not always be with you
But when we're far apart
Remember you will be with me
Right inside my heart”
― Marc Wambolt, Poems from the Heart

It does not matter how old your children are, or where they live, you never stop worrying about them, or taking care of them. 

I worry about my baby, Riley, for obvious reasons – I mean, who would be excited about their child living in an orphanage?  I worry about Sam because she needs reassurance…sometimes daily…even though she truly has things figured out.  I worry about Carter because he is trying to figure out where he fits in the world and his heart is so tender.  I worry about Maddie because she is about to have her world turned upside down when her baby sister arrives. 

But most of all I worry about my Codi.  I think I mentioned he joined the Job Corps and moved to the other end of the state.  I’ve been Codi’s mom, nurse, chauffer, teacher, punching bag, confidante, psychiatrist, champion, and every other role in between for the last 18 years.  None of those 18 years could be described as easy between juggling doctor appointments, school, medicine, counseling, and just trying to be his mom.  All that being said I really love that boy!  He is talented, artistic and can have a wicked sense of humor.  The most challenging part of his leaving home was my giving up the role of medical supervisor.  Codi had never fought me on taking his medicine, he knows it helps, and except for being forgetful, he never purposely skips his meds.  This has probably been the most difficult part to work out – turning over his day-to-day care to him.  The good news is Codi is doing great!  He really likes where he is, what he is doing, and he has a plan!  Keep him in your prayers, but just know, he sounds happy and we are happy for him.

Halloween was really fun!  Maddie was a witch and Carter went scary this year and chose a character from The Purge.  Creepy!  I told him it was a good thing he had such a cute little sister, otherwise I don’t think our neighbors would open the door for him.

 

John and I are in packing mode – which consists of packing, unpacking, repacking, juggling, unpacking, repacking…we are having a tough time deciding what to bring, while staying under the 44 pounds rule and taking into consideration a 30 degree difference from North and South China.  Beijing is COLD and Guangzhou is shorts weather.

Maddie is now reading books Carter gave her - think middle school reading versus elementary school. Carter is doing his best to keep his grades at A’s and B’s and practicing his golf game.  Sam will be home this afternoon for a long break and to take care of the little ones while we are in China.  Codi will be home for two weeks at Christmas.

This is my last week at work before I take my vacation and maternity leave.  Everyone at work has been so supportive!  I’ve relied heavily on my best friend, Angie, and all my goofy friends at work, to keep me sane and slightly distracted.  Two weeks ago we had the “Great Nevada Shake Out” to prepare for a possible earthquake at work.  This is us under Angie’s desk making the best of the situation. 

This is Angie diving under her desk because Jason blew his earthquake whistle again.  (Okay, okay, the truth is she was plugging in her new lamp and Jason and I staged the picture – but our version is WAY FUNNIER!) 

 

Here are pictures from Halloween – we were supposed to dress as a Hero or Heroine and our department chose the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Someone nicknamed us the Middle Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Whatever!  We rocked those masks!

 

Things are going to start getting FUN!  Hang on tight, here we go!

Big Hugs!

Marlo

We are goin’ to CHINA Ya’ll!

I have been so neglectful of the blog – mostly because I’m running around like a chicken with her tail feathers on fire.  So, just to keep everyone in the loop, we leave the 11^th and return the 26^th just in time for Thanksgiving.  Boy, do we have a lot to be thankful for!

Big Hugs!
Marlo