China Adoption....Our Journey to Jaden

My Final Post On Our Journey To Jaden...

Our Journey to Jaden is complete. 

We have traveled to Jaden's homeland and brought her home.  This particular chapter in our lives has come to an end, but a new journey has begun. 

It is now time to replicate this journal on CD and in book form for our three children to keep. 

If you're interested, feel free to join us at our new blog address:  http://journeytojaden.typepad.com/smith_family_journal/.  Currently, the blog is without a login and password.  However, we will be securing it in about a week.  Please email us for the login and password for the account.

Thank you again for all of your love and support through these past months.

Love,

Scott, Traci, Valerie, Kevin & Jaden Smith

The things we let a third child get away with....

Grandma & Grandpa were the first to allow this.....I just ran for the camera!

Our youngest cutie pie is 11 months old today!

It sounds as if we have a birthday party to start planning soon.  In addition, in three more days Jaden will have been with us for one full month.  It feels like we've been with her forever.....I mean, has it been that long?!  Funny that both of those feelings can exist at the same time, isn't it? 

We're settling in beautifully.  We still strike a bit of a snag after school as we try to entertain an eleven month old while  helping Valerie & Kevin with homework.  I am remembering now why I thought two parents and two children worked so well.  We'll figure that part out (which means we'll continue to strive for a 3 PM nap for Jaden).  Until then I will smile as I remember how narrow minded I was about growing our family.  Thank you Valerie, Kevin and God for changing our hearts and our thinking. 

We saw Dr. Horvath today and he's making a few minor adjustments.  We think the medication to reduce the acid in her belly is starting to take effect.  She has been more peaceful during sleep these past two days. 

Valerie & Kevin are finding their way as well.  It helps to keep the family at home as much as possible.  Scott & I enjoy time with all of the kids individually and collectively.  Kevin has had more of an adjustment than Valerie has.  He has displayed a lot of stress and we strive daily to meet his needs in the best way that we know how.  We're spending a lot of time with him and offering him opportunities for stress reducing activities.  High on that list is wrestling with his Dad.  That can make a grumpy boy very happy!  Coming in a close second is love time with Mom.  No one can hug like that boy can!

Valerie is in heaven.  She strives to accomplish everything on her to do list so that she can get to her sister.  She has dreamed of this forever and we allow her to care for her sister as much as possible without hurting others feelings.  We're teaching her that Jaden has many people that love her and that others (i.e., Mom, Dad & Kevin) need time with Jaden too.  She's grasping that concept and often asks her brother if he would like to hold Jaden.  We're proud of her.  She's getting there.  We are so grateful that both kids are involved and are eager to do anything possible for their sister.

  Jaden and I leave for my Dad's on Friday.  Neither of the older kids are happy about that.  Kevin doesn't want me to go and Valerie feels there's something really wrong with me taking her sister away for a week.  It was a tough decision but Dad has to have surgery and can't make it up here to meet Jaden as he had planned.  We know how excited he and Dawn have been (not to mention incredibly supportive) for Jaden's arrival.  We want to introduce Jaden to her grandparents as soon as possible.  After all, she's growing every day and she'll be out of this baby stage too soon.  So, she and I will fly down to visit and pray that our older children understand.  I found out that my younger sister will be traveling down as well.  It will be nice for Jaden to spend time with her also. 

There's our update.  We hope that everyone is doing well.  Thank you again for your love and support.

~Traci 

Traffic again?!

Please be patient with me.  This makes me laugh.  I said, "There aren't accidents in China.  The traffic is actually pretty controlled.  It's neat how they are 'in the game'."  Yada, yada, yada....

Here is a link to what happened to our friends in China yesterday.  Traci, you're so full of balogna.  It cracks me up!

Here you go, link to accident!

I'll stop about traffic soon!  Very soon.

We're on a roll now!

I have figured out video!  There's no stopping me now.  Well, the ten month old in our house might stop me, but other than that... 

I have put together a five minute clip of our girl's first few days at home and leading up to our trip home.  You'll see many smiles in this clip.  Pray that she stays happy.  She's currently struggling for the first time since we met her.  She's not sleeping well and we can tell that she's in pain.  She was diagnosed with bilateral ear infections last week and she has finished her antibiotics.  We see a nurse practitioner tonight and her doctor again on Monday.  Ibuprofin is working but it wears off too soon. 

It's amazing to us how similar she is to Valerie in terms of her medical status.  In addition to everything else she has significant reflux.  It feels great to have complete faith in our physician.  We've been down this road before.  We'll sit back and let Dr. Horvath manage her.  On occasion I've bucked his advice and I have ALWAYS been wrong.  Lesson learned.  This time I'm in the game and open for instruction.   Scott & I will take turns until she's sleeping again.  I really feel for those Mom's whose husbands are already back to work.  I'm thankful that we're both here for her (and each other.)

We hope that you enjoy the video.  If I can continue to find the time during naps and school I'll put one together of China.  I am only able to load videos up to five minutes, so I can't load the full length China video that I'll create.  You'll have to come to our house to see that one.  I need more time though.

Take Care!

Scott & Traci

A better traffic video...

Our friends, Carrie & Bryan are in Nanchang, China right now.  They have their beautiful Lily and will be home in about a week.  They just placed video on their site of an intersection at night.  What their one-and-a-half minute video has that ours doesn't is the sounds.  Just as you can't fully understand China without the smells, you can't fully understand China traffic without the horns.  Here's a link to show you what I mean:  China traffic!

Love, Traci & Scott

China Traffic....

Take four minutes out of your day to learn about one cultural difference between the U.S. and China.  If the video doesn't look like much then you need to pay attention a little more and watch a little longer.  This video was shot from the thirteenth floor of our hotel in Nanchang, China.  The mandarin that you hear in the background is the cleaning ladies chatting away.  Enjoy....it really was fascinating.

If I can upload this video then I can upload more video.  I'm working on it.  Not much time with a ten month old in my lap.  We're having a great time!

Love, Traci

Pictures from the past few days....

Daddy and his newest little one.  We lovingly call her Peanut.  Our love for Jaden was immediate and perfect.  Who knew that the love for this child could be just as deep, rich and complete as it was for Valerie & Kevin? 

Probably anyone who has ever adopted.  God is amazing!

Mommy and Jaden....I'm simply in love again!  Nineteen month wait......What nineteen month wait?!   

ONLY KIDDING!!  I will never forget that wait but at least I now know why. 

Jaden in our family pool for the first time....

On Friday night we were blessed to have Jack, Jeni, Jasmine and Josie come by with an El Sombrero dinner!  Thanks again Romicks!!  This little cutie pie is Miss Josie.  She is absolutely adorable and reminds us A LOT of Jaden.  Too cute!  Thanks for sharing our pool, a meal and your children with us. 

Jeni and Jasmine working out a problem...

"Aunt Sandy, are you watching?  Kari's pretty darn good!"

Kari serving the ball....

It was fun taking the kids to watch Kari play.  Time together on a Saturday afternoon.......

It's been a long time since we've watched Kari play and we had a lot of fun!  Thanks for letting us come to your game Buggy!

Jaden, Valerie & Kevin hanging out on a Sunday afternoon. 

Bonding issues?  No, there sure doesn't seem to be.  We are blessed!

Valerie & Daddy visiting at Grandpa's place...

Daddy & Kevin hanging out....

After time with Grandpa we went home to spend time with the Turners at our pool.  I don't know if it's beause we had a long weekend or what but I never pulled out the camera.  I wish I had pictures of their cuties.  Their four swam with Valerie & Kevin while the adults caught up.  Thank you for dinner, Ben & Tracey - it was yummy! 

I have to tell you that we are overhwhelmed with Jaden and her adjustment.  She seems to love us just as much as we love her.  When we are with others she looks to us for comfort.  We were visiting at the Lavey's yesterday and Jaden became tired during our visit.  She started to whine and turned to me for the comfort that she needed.  She left her friend Brittney (our babysitter and one of Jaden's biggest admirers) and came to me.  She fell asleep in my lap within minutes.

These past few days have been very busy for us and Jaden has met a lot of people.  We have enjoyed seeing everyone but it is definitely time to burrow back in our den.  Jaden is not napping as she should due to the activity and stimuli and she seems to smile less when there is too much stimuli.  So, we'll bring it down and hang at home.  That won't be too hard. 

We think Valerie & Kevin could use some Mommy & Daddy time too. 

Thanks for all of the wonderful visits everyone.  We've enjoyed seeing you. 

Love,

The Smiths (Who still need time with the Bundenthals!)

Jaden's Homecoming!

"Mommy, are you sure that my brother and sister are down there?"

"Yes Baby, I'm sure.  We're almost there."

"Okay, I'll keep looking."

Together at last!  This picture was taken at the gate and after our tears were through.  You can't see it in this picture but Sandy had given Valerie & Kevin Chinese and American flags to wave.  We thought that was great!  We're proud that Jaden is an American now but we honor her birth country and the fact that she is Chinese-American.  Thank you Sandy!

"So you're my Jie Jie.  They said that you love babies, and that sure seems to be true.  I sure hope we get to play with dolls soon.  I seem to be all set in the Jie Jie department."

"Hmmm...he's awful cute and our eyes match.  I'm holding my own bottle, but his arms are pretty full.  Yep, you're cool.  I'm set in the Ge Ge department too!"

The kids tried on some of the gifts that we brought home.  This is one of the pictures that we've been waiting a long time to see.

And then we prepared for bed and shared a good old American snack, straight from China......

...Chocolate cream oreos with Chinese writing on the package.  The  kids thought that was great. 

After enjoying our time together and staying up very late...we all went to bed.  It was fun tucking three kids in to bed....in our room.  This was definitely a "special night". 

(Special nights are nights that the kids sleep in sleeping bags on the floor of our room.  Very fun stuff when you're six and eight!)

"Water in America is different? Are you sure?"

"Your the parents.....if you say it's okay to drink then OKAY!!"