I got another update from Kristy early this morning at 4 a.m. Here is what she says:
We had our free day in Beijing today and to be really honest I have not fallen in love with China like so many of those before me have :(( There is 7 million people here and they have no concept of personal space and there is 1 friendly person to every 100 that you run into ! Sorry, just being honest! The city itself has quite a skyscraper skyline, with some really awesome looking buildings!!
Frank and I tried our best with the subway system but it is really hard with the language barrier, breakfast in our Hotel the Poly Plaza was a very pleasant experience, loved it!!!
We ventured out and found the Mall, which was so different than what we are accustomed to, but it had air conditioner! It is hot here and I am thankful from Texas, the weather is very much like ours!
We went to , or shall I say we happened upon a The Temple of Earth and it was a beautiful place with hundreds and hundreds of cedar trees and the grounds were beautiful, in the 1500's the Ming Dynasty use to hold sacrifices to the Earth there and as we walked up to the place where the sacrifices were held , Frank said would you come here at night???? Hmmm I don't know , I am sure there are some angry ghosts hanging around!! lol
When we got back midday to the Hotel I decided to have a massage.....let's just say that I paid good money for some very hot water with some kind of green leaves in it that I was supposed to drink, and I also must say that we Americans are very very very more modest than the chinese, I was so embarassed and WOW did I feel violated!!!!! And as for the massage, I am sure I could have went and found a back alley and got beat up for free!!!! And at the end he was pushing really hard in the middle of my stomach saying oh this is good for the stomach and the scrub nurse in me just kept feeling the pain thinking that I was going to have an aortic aneurysm.....not a pleasant experience!!!! And I hate to waste money but I guess I could chalk it up to experience!!! LOLOL!!!
We also ate in our first "real" chinese restaurant and I must say it was pretty good, although nothing like the chinese food back home! I used my chopsticks and didn't do sooooo bad! I still prefer a good ole American fork!
Tomorrow we tour the Great Wall, The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square!!! We are pretty excited about that and also we will be meeting up with the rest of our travel group so that means ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE!!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!! I miss everyone at home and really just can't wait for the "real and only" reason we came here for......Our Franceska!!!! I dreamed about her all night!!! I feel her close, I feel like everything is going to be okay!!!
If any of you feel as though I am a little negative, I am sorry for that. In January when we went all over Europe we never really felt totally out of our comfort zone, but today at lunch I started crying and Frank said, Babe what's wrong???? And the only answer I could come up with was I just really felt out of my element and a little homesick. But that is not really different for me , I am 42 years old and really don't like being far from home, I like the comfort of knowing my momma and daddy are just right down the road , and my sisters, our kids, go ahead call me a tity baby, YES I AM!!!! And I know I am weepy because after almost 5 years of waiting , it just seems so surreal to finally be here to get her. That is all we can think about is our babygirl.....the rest is just fluff!! My momma hormones are just pretty raw right now !!! So please bare with me!! I will have Colby post again in a few days so until then God bless all of you!!!! Love to all
17 comments:
Woo hoo!! Enjoy your sightseeing. I would love to see pictures of you guys standing there in China!!
You know it does't really matter how old you are, when it comes to not being at home, I think everyone gets home sick. I'm so looking forward to our big trip coming up in a few days and i'm sure to miss home. But it's a much needed vacation for the 3 of us.
Can't wait for Gotcha Day! I hope there are pictures posted? Have a blast my dear sweet friend who I forever adore.
Love,
Sherri
YEA... so glad that you are there safe and sound..
And you can put whatever you feel on this blog becuase it is yours..
Not everyone feels the same..
LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU TONS..
I cant' just text you ..
Hugs..
Can't wait to see your girl in your arms..
Oh Kristy, please don't discount the enormity of what you are going through! It is huge, and it is emotional and you need to give yourself a break and feel what you are feeling! You want your baby and you are tired of waiting.....big girl panties or not this is a huge moment! I hope you enjoy the day tomorrow it will be easier with more english speaking friends, and more people who feel just like you do. Have some fun, and I cannot wait to see that beautiful baby in your loving arms!!!!! Hugs girl! Lisa
Kristy,
When your heart feels a little overwhelmed, just remember the rest of us with our hearts there with you. Remember the few weeks before our children are born, and we're nesting and waiting and waiting and pacing. That was at home. And then we start our labor, and it is scary as can be and we are excited to be with our angels, but scared if one little thing goes wrong, heaven forbid. You're past that, girl! You're in the delivery room, with Frank by your side. You haven't seen your baby yet and she hasn't seen you, but yall are only inches apart from seeing, holding, and loving on each other. You've done your part, no worries, my love! Let go & LET GOD now! Just allow Him to take your hands and guide you to your angel and her to you. We all love you SO BIG and love Franny just as BIG! Take care, my dear friend, and know that we all pray for yall's every step you take between where you are now and when you arrive home with your newest angel in your arms.
Love, Amy Lou
Kristy I know you are about a foot taller then those people just push them right back..Ha Ha!! Love you and cant wait for you to get home♥
Kristy, I'm not a crier, but I bawled like a baby when we got to the airport to go to China because it was such a HUGE relief to finally be going and making a dream come true. I'm hoping maybe that's a little of what you are experiencing too, it's a good thing!
Yeah... came to the conclusion long ago that you are a home body... see, you needed me there to help you through it all now me on the other hand... I loved all that... well, not smog :) The massage... oh my... I know what you mean but oh... I loved being beaten like that... I felt great later on :) Hugs to you...
Kristy and Frank,
I am so excited for you guys! I haven't seen you all since our youngest daughter was a baby and that was almost 4 years ago, you all were working on adopting then. Its so wonderful to hear your so close to having your baby girl in your arms! I can't wait to hear more about your journey. Nick and I send our love. Be safe and get home safely. God bless!
Love,
Nick and Amanda Aleman
Oh dear Kristy. Hang in there hopefully this will pass. I get so homesick too!
thinking of you.
Lea
xo
As I said in my e-mail....completely normal my sweet friend!!!! Culture shock and culture stress are different for everyone:) I thought it was unbelievably hot in China...I would shower...walk out of the White Swan...and then be completely soaked in sweat:( yuck!!!!
Can't wait to see your precious angel in your arms....know that I love you and I am praying for you!
Kristy,
I didn't fall in love with China until I arrived in the city where I picked up my daughter. It was an emotional time for me to enter into Tianjin on the bullet train to see where my child had been abandoned and cared for the past 6.5 yrs. I grew to love this city and am eager to return someday. I personally did not care for Guangzhou - however, others in our group loved it. If you have Grace or Kelly as your guide, please tell them that The Scheeles said hello. They are both wonderful guides. We grew very fond of Grace!! I'm praying for you!!
All I can say is get as much sleep as you can in the next few nights!! Enjoy all that you can, it is so much to take in and get ready for your new daughter. A good cry is wonderful at times. Take care. We can't wait to see pictures.
Alyzabeth's Mommy
Oh and Kristy... same goes for me... if you have the guide Kelly... tell her that the LaRosa family says hi and that Shauna is getting SO big and full of character... I can never thank her enough for all the help she gave us... can you ask her for her email address for me... would love to email her a photo... take care
We understand how you feel. To be quite honest everything you describe is what we loved about China. It was not like everything else. I(jeremy) agree about the lack personal space, however everyone we met was friendly and cordial. We had also hoped for more understand of English while in Beijing(due to the Olympics, but then I realized I was not in America and we did the best we could.
I hope that as your travel continues, you start to feel more at home in your daughters country.
ps Tracy cried on the first day saying she wanted to go home, after we got back to the states she said, I want to go back. :-)
Sincerely,
Tracy's husband Jeremy
I want you to know that is okay to feel all the things that you are feeling. You went to another country for one reason and one reason only to get your little girl and everything else is just what it is. God had a reason for the five year journey and that is because he knew that the two of you are such amazing people and he knows that the love you have is for one special little one that needs that love more than anyone else does. Keep your chin up... God is with you and yours at all times and he shall get you both through this and all of the new mommy hormones too. Sam and I are sending our love your way love ya.
Know I am praying for you sweet friend. Your emotions have to be on overdrive as it is.... then on top of it you are in a foreign land, jet lag and spiritual warfare. But the good news is that Jesus is right there with you and soon your Franceska will be too!
I can't believe you and Frank tried the subway by yourselves! You are quite the adventurous couple! lol
Love you and hang in there..... praying things settle down for you.
God's speed...
Yes, ok - where do I start? The elevators? 143 people all trying to cram in? What is with that? NO PERSONAL SPACE. Made us laugh and laugh...after we got home. Not while we were there!
The cigarette smoke...everywhere...in your room...in the lobby. Everywhere. It's overwhelming. You know what? I fell apart many time over in China. Many, many times.
Who cares what others think - it's a HUGE cultural difference and everywhere you go people are staring like you've sprouted a second head. I was so OVER IT by like the second day. Not to mention, it was freezing when we were there, and so we were a bit miserable. Then the hotel room would be HOT, HOT, HOT. Just couldn't win for losing.
So all this to say...I GET YOU SISTER!
You don't need to sugar-coat anything. Why? It's hard. It's tiring. It's overwhelming. It's SO MUCH to take in. Just get through the trip. Just take one day at a time.
Your sweet family and cozy bed and home are waiting right where you left them and they'll be there the minute you land. Try to take in as much as you can. This is what I had to tell myself daily. It's a tough trip, but this too shall pass. And life will be going smoothly before you know it, right back in your safe place.
It's an ADVENTURE! Soak it up, Mama! (good and bad, crammed elevators and all! snort giggle)
xo
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