Late entry

Here is my last journal entry from China that I wrote on the way home..
Today is our last day in China. we had a buffet breakfast. Hudson eats minioranges, orange juice, melon and cereal. He hands back to me what he doesn't want. Chicken nuggets, scrambled eggs were returned.

Hudson and I went to the Zoo today in GZ. We took the guided tour of the zoo with "Cathy" from CCAI. It was interesting. She had been to Wisconsin on a student visa 20 years ago when she was studying in Dixon, Il. She mentioned that she enjoyed icefishing.
Ping Ju was on his good behavior at the zoo. He liked the dogs, moneys, puppies, jaguar, lion, chinese tiger, and elephant. We looked at an animal. He said it in Chinese and I took a picture.
He squealed with delight at the animals.
The 'highlight' of the zoo was one lonely panda bear in a cage sitting at the back of the cage. The guide called him "lazy". He did not look much like the more than life sized panda statues playing in the bamboo forrest near his cage.
The zoo did not have any showy displays. It was cage, animal, cage, animal. There was no elaborite decoration like many American zoos. It was intersting seeing African wilderbeast and a Mongolian donkey.
We walked around a swan pond with koi and black swan. The zoo was beautifully landscaped appropropiate for each area. There was minimal plastic stuff to make it look like the area the animals came from.
The Children's zoo was old mini horses, emu, and old goats.
Hudosn liked the monkey colony. He thought their antics were funny.
At the zoo store, I bought him marshmellows, a stuffed panda, monkey, and tiger. He will share with his sisters. He was in seventh heaven with a stroller full of stuffed animals and the bag full of marshmellows. He liked the stuffed monkey.

The American animals were a squirrel exhibit and raccoons.

We went back to the hotel deli and we had pigs in a blanket. We walked around taking pictures on Shaimain Island. We saw a worker in a flat bottom boat floating along the river picking up little fish with a net.

There were many bronze statues on the Island. Some depicted victorian era themes and others were more modern-photographer, children in chinese pursuits, chinese women in different era clothers. Shaimain Island and White Swan hotel are the last stop for most Americans adopting in China because the child and parents have to go to the American consulate to be sworn in.

Hudson was sworn in today as an American citizen. We took a bus with 5 families from our travel group. Hudson was one of 55 chinese children who went through immigration today. We went up 5 flights of escalators. Hudson loved the escalator. He screamed the whole way passed the visa check point. Did not like one bit saying the Oath of Citizenship. All I remember about it was chasing him around. We received the brown enevelop with the big warning DO NOT OPEN wrapped in plastic wrap until we get to Chicago. You know me....I wanted to tear open the envelop and peak. Hudson quieted down once we were outside and he got a drink of water.

Doug was alittle tired of shopping. Ping Ju and I went out on the town shopping our last day in China. He ate another pig in the blanket from the deli, then we walked around. Many of the shop owners commented on his "handsome boy" or so sweet...He is nicked named "spicy boy" for his many antics. What struck me about the shop owners was their ability to remember me and what I had asked about 2 or three days ago.
Doug was in the room packing. From the middle of Nanchang, Doug would like to have packed the bags and taken Hudson home.
We went to the Deli for one more treat before we called it a night. Hudson picked out black forrest cherry cake. (fortunately all of the sweets were behind a glass case). After we all split the cake, he hoped down from his chair, walked over to the glass case and pointed to the next piece of strawberry short cake that he wanted to try.

We bought some soda, cookies, and water. We went to watch the boats on the river, but Hudson was more interested in wandering around the reception area of the hotel. I sent out a couple of post cards.

The gift from our hotel for all new adoptive parents was a white barbie holding a chinese baby (just like she would hold an accessory or purse) .
Ping Ju had a bath.
He watched us pack. He kept putting food, toys, and shoes in the drawers. He was trying to help us. He would pull out food and snack and then put it back in the drawer.

We went to bed.

The next day, we got up at 5:15 had a quick breakfast, put the suitcases out for the bellboy.

We went on a bus with other families. We met up with our guide "joslyn" We flew to Beijing. We had a layover in which I went shopping to spend our last few yuan. We ate chinese spicy chicken and sweet and sour pork.
We went to a children's play area. PJ tried to hit the tv with a plastic stool and a toy. He also pulled the leg off a stool which I could replace. BUT in typical little boy fashion...how can I tear it apart, try to destroy it to see how it works, or rearrange all of the play furniture in the play area. He would "escape" the play area and then run over to Doug to taunt him. Doug would make a big deal and put him back in the play area. He would laugh his head off.

The flight over was a big deal for such a little person. He was imigrating to America. His name officially changed from Le, Ping Ju to Jonathan Hudson Le Iverson. His life was changing for ever.

According to one story, my grandmother was also 2 when she emigrated to America from Germany in the 1890's.


Getting up to date
We flew into Chicago. Hudson cried through every line. He played when we were waiting for our connection home. He cried when he looked out the window at Milwaukee.

At this point, we would like to receive some general information through New Day if possible.

Hudson is adjusting to twin sisters. He has decided that on sister if jie jie and the other is mei mei. He likes cocopuffs, brownie, grandma's chocolate chip cookies. He does not like corn, baked beans, or mashed potatoes.

When he reached his home airport, he cried. He still chatters in chinese, but he is picking up English very quickly. He likes to say "whoo hooo, yea, beep beep, bus, boat, and e-i-e-0. His favorite songs are itsy bitsy spider (knows the hand motions to) and old mcdonald farm.

His favorite toys are monkey and a musical toy. He turned out to be a mamma'a boy.

So far, he is very curious, intelligent, funny, and tempermental. We have a long ways to go with attachment until he feels safe and secure in the family.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support. There were so many times where we know that the prayers of support made the culture barrier, long plane flights, illness, language barrier much smoother. There have been many people who have prayed for us through the years...We are so thankful that our journey to adoption that started seven or eight years ago when we lived in Virginia has finally been realized in our son.

Cheryl