Everything Jensen

Yesterday we took Jefferson to the US Consulate. It was our LAST appointment in China. WAHOO! At the consulate, they reviewed our immigration application, approved it, and had Matt say the oath of allegiance (on Jefferson's behalf). The consulate employees kept Jefferson's Chinese passport, and we'll be able to pick it up tomorrow with an immigration visa inside. That means, once our little man goes through customs, he's a bona fide American. There are absolutely NO electronics allowed in the embassy. They even held Matt's smart watch at the front. So, below is the only snapshot we got of the event.  Outside in the very short "US Citizens" line. The line for foreign applicants was around the block! Today we had a free day while waiting for the passport and visa to be prepared. In the morning, we went to Yuexiu Park with a few friends from the travel group to check out the Five Ram Monument. Matt missed out on Yuexiu Park last time be...

Yesterday was a rough one for Jefferson. The US requires all immigration applicants to under go a physical with a TB test. Blood draw, ouch! The clinic that our group went to caters to US adoption groups. To make the families feel more comfortable, they decorated the office with a beloved American cartoon character - Santa Claus! Melinda took Steven to the clinic last year while Matt stayed back with the girls. So this year, Matt returned the favor and took on doctor's duty. Santa did not make Jefferson happier about the whole needle thing. While Jefferson did his patriotic duty, Melinda and the three remaining rascals explored the cavernous Marriott hotel. First, she took them to the executive lounge where they each got a water bottle and a banana. You can go anywhere when you've got your water bottle and your banana. Waterfall! Bridge! Chair! Or, as the kids called it, "The Throne!" That evening, we took the family on a...

Yesterday was a long day. Our flight to Guangzhou was delayed two hours and we were all pretty tired and hungry arriving at the hotel well past dinner time. But, poor Eleanor had the worst of it. As we gathered in the lobby of the Hilton in Zhengzhou, with our bags packed and ready to leave, Eleanor tripped and fell on the hard marble floor. She split open her chin. Fortunately, there is an ER nurse in our group. She helped us stop the bleeding and clean Eleanor up.  If we'd been at home, it would have been stitches for sure. But, medical care is not the same as what we are used to in the states, and we're all nervous of the risk of infection or illness by visiting a Chinese ER (even our local guides). So, our nurse friend pinched the wound with a butterfly bandage. You'll see E's bandage in the pictures from today. She's being a huge trooper and felt much better when Grandpa Jeff texted that he has a scar on the bottom of his chin from falling when he was ...

We checked a box off Matt's bucket list today with a trip to the Shoalin Temple! The Shoalin Temple was a two hour drive from our hotel, and a few families joined us to split the cost of a small tour bus and guide. The children were somewhat unimpressed to be standing in the birthplace of kung fu, until Melinda reminded them it looked a little like Ninjago at Legoland. Then they thought it was awesome. Their fierce kung fu poses next to the murals on the fence. Don't be deceived by Eleanor's smile, she's fierce! At the gates of the monastery grounds. Don't mind Eleanor, she's pouting because she didn't have time to think of a cool pose.  In addition to being the birthplace of kung fu the Shaolin Monastary is home to the Pagoda Forest. Some of the pagodas are over thirteen hundred years old. They were built as burial shines to honor eminent monks of the order. The most recent one is a little less than 20 years old. Posin...

Our time in Zhengzhou is passing quickly. The day after we received Jefferson, we went back to the court house to sign the papers saying, yes, after 24 hours, we have no intent to disrupt. Ours - FOREVER. Bam. Done. Stuck with us buddy. On day two with Jefferson, we spent a long few hours waiting in line at the notary office to get all our adoption documents translated and notarized, and then at the passport office. Always so much paperwork. Last year, we had to drive all the way back to Steven's city of residence to get his passport. But, the law was changed here in early 2016, so we were able to do Jefferson's here in the city with no 6 hours of travel time (wahoo!). So, now we have a few days just to hang out while we wait for the passport to be issued. Our adoption agency offered to arrange for us to drive out to Nanyang and tour Jefferson's facility, but we passed. As awesome as that would be, Jefferson is really struggling with missing his nanny. And, we fe...

Today is the day! We first put in our paperwork last September. We got a picture and a name at Christmas, and now, we're finally there. Today is the day we get our new son and brother. Obligatory happy bus ride photo. Happy on this side of the aisle too! Today was wonderful, hard, exhausting and amazing. Guang Chi (called Man Man by his caretakers), has been with the same foster group since he was three days old. So, to say this is a huge transition for him would be an understatement.  When he first walked into the room, he was excited by all the toys. He loved his siblings and they had so much fun playing. And, he tolerated the adults. But, when his nanny hugged him good bye and told him he needed to stay with his, "Mama," he went into a panic.  He was terrified without his nanny. We are strangers to him. We don't speak his language, we are unfamiliar. He cried and screamed until he threw up. We couldn't calm him with food, toys or sing...