Gotcha Day Revised!

Ok.... I think we have this figured out. I have uploaded all the pictures to Flickr. On the right hand side of the blog you will see the "Butz Family Album"... Click and you will link to Flickr. I have put some slide shows together on the right hand side. Just click on the set and then click slideshow on top right. We will use the iPhone to post! I have lots to discuss but Jan would first like to talk about Gotcha Day:

Let me just say this has been has been an absolutely amazing, wonderful and surreal experience. Yesterday we arrived in Nanchang about 1:30. The seven adopting families all met in a conference room with Evelyn and Karen to go over the itinerary for the week and to discuss the babies (feeding, possible reactions from the babies, etc). About an hour into the meeting, Evelyn received a call on her cell phone that the babies and nannies were almost at the hotel (they rode a bus, the orphanage is about an hour drive away.) Evelyn said the babies would come into the room one at a time and the Butz family would be first because it's in alphabetical order. I had serious butterflies in my stomach!! In a few minutes Evelyn said the babies were in the hotel! My chair was by the glass sidelight of the door and I could see seven nannies carrying seven babies down the hall. They were walking single file down the hall and they reminded me of pastel colored marshmallows because each baby was dressed from head to toe in a puffy, pastel outfit that almost looked like a snowsuit . The door opened and we instantly recognized Leah. The staff member called out "Chen Guong!" and put Leah in my arms. My first thought was how beautiful she was and smaller than I imagined with very fine features. Leah did not cry but looked at my face with curiosity and then promptly reached for the neckace I was wearing. The woman that handed her to me repeatedly pointed at me and emphatically said to Leah "Momma". As she pointed to me. There is so much more that I would love to write but typing on this iPhone is taking me forever and I've been up since 3:45 this morning (still haven't adjusted to the time difference I'm afraid.). I would just like to say that Leah is such a wonderful and sweet baby. So far, she has been an extremely "easy" child and I'm absolutely enjoying ever minute with her!

Nanchang is an interesting city. An agricultural province and relatively poor, it covers the area about the same size as Canby but has a little over 4 million residents. Just watching the streets is fascinating... Pedestrians, bikes, scooters, carts, motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses all massed together crossing everywhich way on streets and sidewalks. At first glance it is mass hysteria, but it becomes mesmorizing. There are apparently rules and laws and they all seem to know them (the honking is constant). Although you constantly almost see catastrophe... no crashes or pedestrian manglings... Truely amazing. Oh, and NO ONE speaks English!

I went to the gym to work out today. As I walked in, there were 3 attendants and no one actually in the facility. As I walked closer I see the two men start mumbling and muttering. As I get up to them the women bows and tries to hand me a small gym towel... The two guys start yelling and pointing and she runs into the back room. About 15 seconds go by and she hurries back out and hands me a beach towel. Dude looks at me and says, " you 3X!". I mean, come on..... I am maybe 2 1/2X, tops! Blah.

The food is .... unique. Last night was braised turtle. We knew it was turtle when we opened the cover and saw the shells still on. I don't know if Alex will ever recover. Lauren and Janice have been surviving on rice, noodles and steamed buns. Janice was feeding a bottle to Leah last night... Lauren and Alex were watching. She drank too fast and when finished... projectiled a quarter of it back up. Those two almost killed themselves trying to flee the room in shear panic and horror. Welcome baby sister!

Our guides are Evelyn and Karen. I think it is great how Chinese parents give there kids traditional Chinese names.... Grin.

Went to get water and supplies tonight at ...... Wait for it...... Walmart. Yep the have a freaking Walmart here. Place was a mad house, completely packed. Evelyn said we should go on a Saturday, and that Mondays are the slowest! Oh, and they had dozens and dozens of what I would best describe as.... Carnival barkers? Workers on microphones all screaming at the same time trying to get anyone to pay attention.... Quite entertaining.

More to come tomorrow..... Sorry for the long post.