A Letter to Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,

As I'm writing this, you are on a plane bound for The United States of America.  Leaving behind your birth country and everything you've ever known, for a new life with Winn & Scott..with your Mom & Dad.  I can't imagine what you may be feeling right now.  Are you scared? You have been so brave since the moment you met your parents, taking in the world with open eyes.  Are you nervous? You have already responded so positively to the changes- a man holding you, learning your new name, traveling, and wearing new clothes, hats and hair bows   Are you homesick? Although the orphanage isn't an ideal home, your caregivers and nannies took wonderful care of you and loved you dearly.

I want to tell you a story about what is waiting for you in America.

Sweet Lottie, your mom and dad wanted you so desperately.  You.  To say they were excited about adopting a baby is an understatement, but from the moment they laid eyes on you- saw your picture, looked into your eyes, examined your features-it was YOU.  There was an instant connection and without a doubt, YOU were meant to be their daughter.

Your parents were relentless in their quest to adopt you and give you the family you deserve.  They were so passionate-they made history and changed lives, and turned all of us into advocates along the way.  They knew that their daughter was alone in a crib on the other side of the world, and they didn't slow down until the moment you were placed in their arms.  Your mom and dad never faltered.  Not once.  For over two years they kept us engaged, and hundreds of people-friends, family, and strangers  have prayed for you, participated in fundraisers, and followed your journey.  They cheered when adoption milestones were reached-getting a government approval or a log in date- and cried when there were setbacks along the way.  ( Let's be real we cried at the milestones too!)

Your parents also made it a priority for us to learn about China.  We celebrated the Chinese New Year, learned Mandarin phrases, watched documentaries, and listened to Chinese lullabies.  Your heritage has been, and will continue to be, very important.

I am telling you this because I want you to know you have a place here.  A place in the world, in your family, and most importantly, in our hearts.  Your support system is huge, baby girl. You are loved.  So very, very loved.

On April 13, 2012, your parents asked me to be your Godmother.  I have never been more honored or proud, and didn't hesitate to say yes.  Know I take this role I've been blessed with very seriously.  You have a hold of my heart, my love.  I promise you that I will always be here for you-no matter what.

In a few short hours, I will see your face, touch your hands, and cry tears of happiness.  I will kiss your puffy cheeks and try to make you smile.  I will squeeze your Mama so hard she may burst, and watch your Baba's face as he looks at you, his beautiful daughter. But above all else, I will thank God for you.

Welcome home, baby girl.

Love always,

Auntie Kimi

Flights & Stuck in Atlanta

What a busy day (s) (42 hours to be exact) of traveling!

On Thursday 3/14 we flew from Hong Kong to Japan and then from Japan to Atlanta and then Atlanta to Austin...

So the question of the day is....how did Lottie do?!

Well Lottie did AMAZING, she is an expert traveler & never made a peep!

The first flight was 3.5-4 hours and it was in the morning time-so Lottie sat in our lap played and happily watched Disney movies.  She watched Cinderella and Finding Nemo!  We arrived in Japan to discover our 2 hour layover was extended to a 6 hour layover, boy were we bummed.  We were so happy from our successful first flight we were ready to take on the 12 hour flight, and disappointed with the delay.  Luckily the delayed flight took off on its 2nd departure time, we were so ready!

The second flight now delayed 4 hours was late in the afternoon, we settled into our seats, and Lottie did even better then the first flight.  She satin our laps, and played.  She drank her evening bottle and went down to sleep for 6 hours straight.  She woke up and we fed her and she fell back to sleep!  Can we say amazing baby?!  The flight was harder on us as we had more trouble sleeping yet we were exhausted!

Landing in Atlanta, we knew we would be cutting it close to get through immigration and recheck our baggage.  Our assumption was correct after waiting for immigration for about 45 minutes we realized we would be missing our flight to Austin.  After moments on the phone with a Delta representative we then realized we were stuck in Atlanta for the night! Talk about disappointment! We were so tired, basically had been up for 24 hours straight, we were stinky, and so ready to be home!  After a 3.5 hour wait in immigration, we missed our homecoming celebration and introducing Lottie to her Grandparents. Thankfully Delta took care of everything, bought dinner, and put us in a very nice hotel.  We didn't make it to Austin but will be landing at 10 am on Friday morning.  It will be so nice to be home!

The Garden Hotel-Guangzhou

The Garden Hotel  an impressive 30-story building in downtown Guangzhou, 
Garden Hotel Guangzhou offers 828 rooms including 42 suites. The Garden Hotel Guangzhou,the modern architecture is distinctly characterized by traditional Chinese decoration and impressive works of art. An outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, squash court, a comprehensively equipped health club and an extensive shopping arcade are all on the facilities's list.

The Garden Hotel Guangzhou has 14 dining halls specializing in Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine as well as French and Italian food. The seafood restaurant atop the hotel is certainly the best treat after a hard day's work in the busy city.

Enjoying good reputation for affluent cultural background and excellent service, The Garden Hotel, Guangzhou sets another milestone by winning the prestigious Platinum Five-Star Award issued by the China National Tourism Administration. The Garden Hotel Guangzhou is one of the three hotels in China and the only national brand hotel in South China to receive this significant award, which is the highest hospitality award in China.
Garden Hotel Guangzhou,a luxury platinum 5-star hotel in the city centre of Guangzhou in the People's Republic of China, The Garden Hotel Guangzhou is centrally located on Huanshi Dong Lu, in the heart of Guangzhou's prosperous business district. The Garden Hotel is also within easy reach of many of the tourist and leisure attractions of Guangzhou including the historic Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and Yuexiu Park as well as some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment in town!

We loved staying at The Garden Hotel.  We truly felt like royalty & every amenity was 5 star!  All the flowers in the lobby were real, we watched them change them out in the evening.  It was truly amazing.

Traditional Chinese Silk dress

Pearl River Cruise

Our last night in Guangzhou, we spent the evening on a Pearl River cruise taking in the sights and sounds of GZ.  The cruise included dinner so before going to the top of the ship to take photos and enjoy the sights we enjoyed our last dumplings in China,  The city lights up and the colors were amazing and it was a special way to spend our last evening in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou Zoo Part II: The story

We spent the morning at the Guangzhou Zoo, sadly Baba has caught a flu type illness and decided to stay back at the hotel.  So Lola and Mama took Lottie on the subway and headed out to the zoo.  It was a beautiful day, a perfect day for baby's first trip to the zoo.

The zoo was small but there was very little crowds and we could get up close and personal with the animals. We saw tigers, bears, monkeys, peacocks, and we even were able to feed the giraffes and we got to see the pandas!   We all posed next to our Chinese zodiac; Lottie and Sarina were too cute next the bunny statue, too bad we didn't see any smiles.  It was a very fun morning and Lottie enjoyed strolling around and seeing all the animals. 

Guangzhou Zoo Part I: The animals