Highlights from our trip to the Wall ...
Note that Maeve is sporting her One-Of-A-Kind Auntie Col hat. (Two days in a row of top hat fashions, as it were, and Maeve is being called 'the hat babe' by others in our adoption group. Bragging rights here: wherever we go, sightseeing, shopping, document notarizing, Kath and I are approached by locals who tell us in Mandarin that we have a real beauty of a baby ... Numerous young woman gasped at Maeve on the Great Wall ... and when we entered the Passport Office, where a hundred or so adopted babies were receiving their papers, two dour staff members stepped over to Kath and told her she had the most beautiful baby they'd seen in the office all morning. Well, no arguments from her mom and dad!)
Note the camel ... In Nanchang, Marcus ordered camel hump as a course item for our group. Tasted spicy and rubbery. We wondered if this guy was our transport home or our main course for dinner :)
Note the split pants. As Lucilla pointed out, the boy's mom was dressed in quite a modern way, yet chose to freeze her son's ass off on the wintery windy high mountain Wall.
As for Maeve's opinion of the Wall, well it was as you might expect. "What wall?" She slept through the experience, for the most part ... Her response was ours too. When we reached the highest point we wanted to climb to, and looked about the beautiful and time-transporting view, I asked Kath, "Well, whatcha think of the Wall?"
"What Wall?" she asked with a grin, and pointed to her bundle. "I've got a better view here."
(As predicted by Aunt Nancy the night of our Forde Family Xmas Eve Adoption Announcement Surprise)
Final pics: Maeve awakens for hearty lunch after her tiring hike up the Wall. But then chowing down on lunch tires her out again, and she sleeps on the bus ride back at night while Kath chats with Helena, the charming and delightful nine year old who is a part of our group, and a joy to be around.
Good Night from the State Guest ...
P, K, M.
7 comments:
Hi from Guelph! It's wonderful to see the pictures of your little family and though I well understand your distraction, I must say the wall looks quite spectacular! Only the most beautiful baby (which evidently you have) would prevent one from noticing it. You're entitled to your bragging rights.
It's wonderful to see her smiles too! She is blessed! Can't wait to meet her. I'll be one of the fortunate two at the airport but there are two more here in Guelph and a multitude in Waterloo county lining up behind William and me.
Safe travels. Looking forward to seeing you all home soon.
Love, Peter, Carolyn and Connor
Kiss Maeve for us.
Wow! I for one, thought she was the most beautiful all along, but hesitated to stake claim for her in the midst of so many adoptive families!! and sure, she is the most lovely child in Nanchang, on the wall, and soon to be most beautiful in ontario!!
Among the multitude of admirers, of my gorgeous niece!!
love
carmel
bram has a message for maeve:
hello!
miller has a message for maeve, too:
i love you and thank you for coming to my world and i miss you. and i love you.
Maeve is the cutest thing I've ever seen. She looks like she is having a great time with you and you with her. Mom and I are definately going to see the great wall of China some day. I hope you get home safe and continue to have a great life with your new baby girl!
Love, Mike
hi guys - the pics are fabulous - your daughter is absolutely gorgeous - love the first one of her in the morning pics - it's the best thing to wake up and see your shining beauty smiling at you...
i love her fuzzy hair...
as for beauty - but of course!! and why not!!! no one can hold a candle to her and that's all i have to say.
the pics of you guys with her against the mountainous backdrop are amazing pics - she is of course the best view on and from the wall.
i just don't get the pics of the little boy's bum (what were the parents thinking?) but, in hindsight (haha) i'm thinking of actually purchasing a pair for bram so he can finally toilet train...haha!!! but i think i would actually have tried to walk ahead of the poor little guy rather than below - just in case.
gatestone is beckoning and quality time in abundance - so hurry home!!! we are all waiting to give her our quality time too in quantities... hope you all get a rest after a huge day at the wall. i told miller if he was in a rocket, he could have seen you from space! they enjoy all the pics of maeve and want to see more! more!! (so do we! - can't get enough!) try to rest when you can!!
lots of love,
sheila, geoff, miller & bram
xoxo
like i wrote in maeve makes it to beijing - yeah - i side with kit yee here - oh yeah THAT wall - it's okaaaaayyyyyyy. Did you see her smile right just then? did ye did ye huh huh? oh yeah THE WALL... kinda cool but oh LOOK at those eyes peeking out there - WOOOHOOO what a SIGHT!!!
she is indeed a true beauty. no surprise there - wait til she's REALLY super bonded and comfortable with you both and knows you're her mummy and daddy - she might just explode with even more unspeakable loveliness cuz she'll have finally become familiar enough with you both that any fear/hesitation will have disappeared and then WATCHOUT...
Great watching Queen Maeve become comfortably numb in mummy and daddy's arms at The Wall (did you see Pink Floyd at all?)
And i don't understand - what is this split pant thing? Is this in replacement of diapers because that child has no diapers/undies on! my GAWRSH - the poor little gaffer must be freezing his buns off (literally) - what is WITH THAT? JAYNEY MACK...
look at those button eyes sleepily closing... oh yeah The Wall - yadda yadda yadda - wall schmall and all that jazz - yeah okay - it's pretty damn cool but whatever... BRING HER HOME NOW!!! i can't wait any more.
love nance
Congratulations!
We've been enjoying your chronicles, and Danielle in particular loves looking at the pictures of your beautiful Maeve. It's been great to see her progress each day, opening up a bit more, and slowly realizing that you two are her home. How truly blessed you are that she has already begun to trust both of you.
A few more days and this magical mystery tour will be over, left only to memories and pictures. It's crazy busy but important.
Hang in there; you're almost through Paperwork Purgatory!
Cheers,
The Stroo's
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