Home at last

It is good to be home. We landed on Saturday morning around 9:30 and it took 2 hours to get through the customs & immigrations checks so we didn't arrive home until around 12:00 noon. We were exhausted and hungry. Fortunately, one of my wonderful friends, Pam, had stocked my refrigerator with food so all I had to do is warm up lunch for everyone. Also, my sister flew up from FL to help me adjust with life at home with 2 children and also to help us all adjust to the time zone.

The past few days have been hard for us all as we adjust to the time. Both Isabel and Evan have been tag-teaming me with their needs so I have had little sleep, but I believe we've turned a corner today. Other than their regular naps, both children have been awake and active all day. I've also been able to get Evan back to his regular schedule, which he desperately needed. Isabel will go back to daycare tomorrow and see all her friends that she has been missing and Evan and I will work on getting his room organized. My sister kept everything else going as I attended to the children, which was a huge help. My hope is that we all have a regular 8 - 10 hour sleep tonight and are refreshed tomorrow morning.

Overall, I think this trip and the adoption went very well. My adoption agency, Adoption Center of Washington [www.adoptioncenter.com] did a great job managing the adoption process. Their in-country coordinator, Thao, is a terrific person and anticipated every issue and need we had. I met several families in Vietnam who were amazed at how smooth and organized my process has been. Also, my travel agency, Professional Travel in Hagerstown, booked us great flights and made sure we had the best seats available. We had no complications or issues with any of our flights.

Vietnam is a beautiful country and the people are very friendly. Someday I hope to take Evan back to see the country in which he was born. The culture was established long before the Americas were discovered. Yet, I am amazed at how much US influence there is. Obama and US politics are everywhere. Kentucky Fried Chicken is very popular, as well as, many western foods. The US dollar is accepted almost everywhere and almost everyone knows English. If it wasn't for the "ant-like" motorbikes, Pho noodles sold on every corner, the thin people, and thick smog, one might think they were in a US city.

So, now, a new chapter in our lives begins. Based on the past 2 weeks, I think we're going to have a blast.

We're on our way home

Dec 5 12:24 pm

Well, our long trip is almost over. We depart at 11:50 tonight about 11 hours from now. My dad is doing better and the rest of us are healthy. Thank goodness.

Evan has been doing really well in the past week. He is a happy baby with a streak of determination when it comes to eating and sleeping. He loves Isabel and usually giggles when she is around. My parents tell me he watches me when I come and go from the room and fusses when I leave.

On the flight from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi he was fussy because it was his nap time and he wanted to lay down. I'm hoping we'll get bulkhead seats on the flights home so I can lay him down on the plane. If not, well, I guess I'll be walking a lot during the flight.

So, this is the last post until we return home. We'll arrive on Saturday morning. It will be good to be back in our own place.

Staying until Friday

Wednesday, Dec 3 4:10 pm

We decided to stay until Friday, which is our original departure date. My father isn't feeling well and although the cost to change the flights was nominal, he thought he wouldn't be able to travel until Friday. I think he caught what Isabel had on the trip over. Otherwise, everyone else feels well and I hope no one gets sick before we leave. So, since we have a few extra days we are doing some sightseeing. Today, we went to the Hanoi Hilton, and then we walked around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is in the center of Hanoi.

The Hanoi Hilton or Hoa Lo Prison is now a museum. The prison was originally built by the French in the late 1800's and was intended to hold Vietnamese prisoners. Since then it was used by multiple warring factions to imprison people who opposed the ruling government. Most of the information in the museum was about the French dominance of the Vietnamese and there was a small section about the American pilots captured in the Vietnam War.

I found it interesting that the information and photos presented were very positive about the treatment of the American prisoners held there. It showed them celebrating Christmas, playing volleyball, getting medical treatment, and other "luxuries" like tooth brushes. There was no mention of any of the torture we hear about in the US from the priosoners. John McCain was prominent in the photos and had a display of his personal items while he was a prisoner. There was also a large display showing the protests in America against the war.

Only part of the prison is still standing and the hotel we are staying in was built on the remaining site of the complex.

The Tortoise Temple is built on a little island in the center of the Hoan Kien Lake. The photos below are from another temple built on the northern edge of the lake. I thought the red doors were brilliant against the grey stone building.

This lady below is in a garden along the lake filled with statues that all seem to represent mothers and children. I thought her face was beautiful and calming in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city. Just like in Ho Chi Minh City, the traffic noise in Hanoi is very loud. Every driver must honk their horns at least 100 times a day. I'm not a fan of the traffic noise and the dust & smog.

This afternoon, we are relaxing and taking naps. We'll probably go out again before we turn in for the night. Tomorrow we will go shopping and see some more sights.

Evan has a visa

Tuesday Dec 2 7:15 pm

A quick update. The interview with the Immigration Officer went well. Evan's visa was issued today at 4:00 so, if we can, we can leave early. We'll look into flights and see if it is possible. If not, Hanoi has many interesting things to see ... and great shopping!!!

We're in Hanoi now

Tuesday, Dec 2 11:35 am

We spent Saturday and Sunday relaxing in Ho Chi Minh City before we left for Hanoi early Monday morning. I've copied a short video of Isabel and Evan playing together the night before we left Ho Chi Minh. They really get along very well and they are so cute together. I hope the video works for you to see.

I took this picture of Isabel at the Marriott because she had discovered all the bowls of candy the hotel had in the lobby. Every time we went by one she would say, "Mom, wait a minute, I'll be right back." She would go over to a bowl of candy and take one, and then come back to show me what she had found. Then she would say, "I'll save it for later." However, within 5 minutes, she'd pull it out of her pocket and eat it.

I'm glad my mom is with us because Evan really likes her. She is able to care for him so I can get some things done or look after Isabel. He likes Grandpa, too, but he doesn't like grandpa's beard ... neither does Isabel. She says it scratches her.

We went to see this temple on Sunday afternoon. It is called the Jade Pagoda and is very old. I don't remember how old. Typical to other temples I visited in China, there are beggars outside the gates looking for money or food. Once you pass into the gates, there are various statues and symbols of the religion. Inside, it is dark and the air is filled with the smell of incense. There are people praying to their gods in the different chambers. I'm not sure what gods were in this pagoda but there were many people praying to them.



On Monday morning, we arrived in Hanoi. We are staying in a resident type hotel on the edge of the older Hoan Kiem district. When we arrived, the Hanoi Hilton was pointed out to us next door to the hotel. From my bedroom, I can see part of the complex from the window. I took a picture of it, but it's not the best. My window has some sort of dark film on it and the picture looks dark. Hopefully, we will go and see it later today.


But, before we go anywhere, I have an appointment at the US Embassy with the Immigration Officer. He/She will interview me for Evan's immigration visa. I was told the interview should be routine, but I'm still a little nervous because the Immigration Officer is the person who approves the visa. Since he was abandoned, I don't have any information on his birth mother or family. The interview should be pretty short.


Once Evan's visa is issued, we are free to return to the US. It is possible we could get the visa this afternoon. If we do, we may try and see if we can return on Wednesday or Thursday. It would be nice to get home early.

While I've been writing this post, Isabel has been telling me (1000 times) she needs scissors and tape so she can make something. So, we are off to the grocery store next door to find them before we can do anything else. My sanity depends on me finding scissors and tape!!