Tainan Photos

Here are some photos from Tainan. We arrived a day before we were to get Joy to get some photos and see the city where Joy was born.

Here is Grace after we got off the high speed train...she was very excited!



The train station was not too big and easy to get around. Many people were taking the train.



This is our room in Tainan. The room was pretty big and we were on the 24th floor. Apparently this in the executive floor. That's Grace sleeping on the bed. She was so tired from the trip already.



These next 3 photos are views from our room in Tainan.







Here is the view from our floor looking down to the breakfast area. We had our own elevators used only for special floors. The room was not that expensive but we felt like VIPs :)



Photo opportunity with a huge kitty. We decided to walk around Tainan to take in the sites. We walked, and walked, and walked!



Another beautiful street in Tainan.



We happened upon a temple/old fort so we decided to take a self guided tour.





















No, Grace was not in a "time out." I told her to look through the door for a cute photo.



See..."Happy Grace!"



Some interesting driving in Taiwan!



We bought Joy some keep sake on this side street we found. We were son tired by this point from walking but it was worth it.



Another great photo in a Tainan alley.



Of the three hotels we stayed at in Taiwan, this hotel was the only one that had a Bible in the drawer...New Testament only. It was in English and Chinese.

Photos from our Journey to Joy!

Since I am up anyway...Joy still crying in her crib...I decided to start posting some photos that all have been waiting for.

Mom and Grace on the Flyaway bus to LAX. I was there too, just behind the camera. We were all so happy to be on our way.



14 hours later and we were in Taipei, Taiwan. Well, the international airport anyway. We landed around 10:30PM and were to call the hotel and a shuttle would pick us up. However, I tried calling the hotel several times and got a busy signal. After about 30 minutes, we then took a 5 minute taxi ride to the hotel which we realized later that we paid way too much for such a short ride.
The hotel was nice though and we would only be staying one night.

Here is Grace enjoying the big bed before we placed her into her crib.



The view from our airport hotel the next morning.



We were told to eat at this dumpling restaurant in Taipei. So after dropping our bags off at the hotel we headed there for lunch. It was good. Not much to look at form the out side but nice inside and the food was good.



Grace enjoying her "yummy" water.



Mommy, Grace and dumplings.



The dumplings...yummy!



Pork and rice...yummy too!



We took the high speed train to Tainan. We would stay there for two nights. The second day we would go and pick up joy. Here is Mommy and Grace on the high speed train to Tainan.



Here are some photos of the country side taken from the high speed train.

First night in new home = crying

First night home. Grace went to bed around 11:30PM. Joy on the other hand had a bottle, was placed into her crib, and has been crying for 20 minutes. We are trying to make her comfortable and calm, but nothing is working yet.

It's going to be a long night :)

Last Day in Taiwan

Well, it's our last day in Taiwan...and it's raining. Before we left the weather reports said that it would rain everyday but it was just humid. What a blessing that we were able to walk around without having to deal with any rainy weather.

Yesterday we walked around Taipei a little. We went down to this big park called Daan Park which is only 5 minutes walking from our hotel. Grace had a lot of fun playing on the slides and climbing. We then went to find something to eat and ended up at the same dumpling place we ate at the first day in Taipei. We just happened to be on the same street. Grace was getting tired and irritable after we ate and did not want to walk. We decided we wanted to go to the small bakery down the street and offerd Grace cake if she walked...just a little bribe. She walked a little but I ended up carrying her most of the way. Back at the hotel we all had cake and went to bed.

The girls are getting along for he most part even though Grace shows signs of jealousy. When we hold Joy, Grace wants to be held. When we were feeding Joy her milk in the baby bottle, Grace wanted her milk in a baby bottle :) But Grace is "helping out" as well. She offers to feed Joy, push the buttons in the elevator and carry any bags.

Last night was a little tough. Joy did not want to sleep and we gave in and let her use her pacifier. After she fell asleep we took the pacifier and she was OK. She is also getting her teeth in so it just adds to her being uncomfortable.

Joy woke up this morning around 4 AM...so did the rest of us. She can be a rather loud alarm clock :) After she had her milk she played with her tired family on the bed. One by one, we all fell asleep there on the bed...what a family moment.

Joy is just that..a true Joy! She is very pleasant to be around and is molding into our family just fine. She makes noises when she is happy and likes to clap. Her small grin just warms your heart to the point where you would give her anything. She like to crawl and roam so we need to keep a close eye on her, she is a bit adventurous.

I will post photos when we get home as I have no way o do it here. We only took about 800 of them :)

Blessings!

Quick Posting

Just a quick posting while Grace, Joy and Phuong are napping.

First of all, all is well. Garec is really becoming the big sister. She like to help out and seems concerned when Joy is crying. Although she does seem to get jealous when Phuong or I are giving Joy a lot of attention.

Joy is a mommy's girl...oh well. I did take her for a walk around the block and she did not cry. She only seems to do that when Phuong is near.

St.Lucy's was great! The people there were very welcoming. I could have spent all day there. They gave us a lot of information, clothes, food and a tour. We were not allowed to enter where the other babies were but we did see them. One of the nurses even took our camera to take a picture of Joy's crib. They were all very sweet. We will be sure to stay in touch with them.

The high speed train is great here too. Grace had a good time and fell fast asleep from Tainan to Taipei.

The hotel we are in now is nice although the on in Tainan was "the best hotel we ever stayed at"...juts to quote Phuong.

People here are so nice and helpful too.

Joy is a very sweet baby. Both Phuong and I are tired but what an awesome experience being parents of two wonderful little girls :)

We will be off to by another small luggage bag. St. Lucy's gave us so much that our bags we brought are over flowing.

More later...

Blessings!

day at AIT

This morning we went AIT to finish the Taiwan portion of the adoption. Tomorrow we pick up Joy's visa and then home on the 25th.

Phuong and Grace are napping now and I have Joy.

Needless to say, it's difficult to keep up the blog with one hand :)

more later.

:)

Joy in the morning

It's 4AM...do you know where our baby is?

Yep...right her on my lap crying. :)


All is well though!


:)