jinxlink

Jinx's first roll

2007-04-01T04:23:00.000-04:00

Having found the camera, these are the results!

Dress rehearsal for the new year

2007-01-18T02:17:00.000-05:00

PPY EW EAR

2007-01-18T02:06:00.000-05:00

Happy new year, yes, undoubtedly it will be a grand year!!!

Uh Oh Posting Halloween in January...Yikes!!!

2007-01-18T01:59:00.000-05:00

Ummm, jinx won the most unusual costume for the Narberth parade, finally!
We should have won last year with the sea urchin, but late registration has its downfalls.
What you may ask was the costume?
Buddah, no need to explain further, just lots of ornamentation and quite a carriage ride!

And the pumpkin, got happier with age!

Island Park State Beach

2006-07-16T17:29:00.000-04:00

Vancouver

2006-06-14T02:43:00.000-04:00

La to Vancouver

2006-06-14T02:31:00.000-04:00

On the wat to LA from San Luis Obispo, "a watering hole" mmm...

2006-06-14T02:20:00.000-04:00

Out for a Hike

2006-06-14T01:48:00.000-04:00

Final Day - In the Atrium with families and friends

2006-06-14T01:31:00.000-04:00

At the Beach/ Sitting with Friends

2006-06-14T01:20:00.000-04:00

At the the Reunion - - - festivities including: Birthday Girl, "Ring Around the Rosy"

2006-06-14T01:08:00.000-04:00

Santa Barbara Zoo

2006-06-14T00:59:00.000-04:00

This is our ten day journey, for the reunion: first stop Santa Barbara Zoo!!!

Around the house

2006-05-20T20:00:00.000-04:00

Well it seems we've not posted in a few months.
Perhaps these will give some indication of what we've been up to...
Jinx & Katie

Winter Storm

2006-02-23T21:48:00.000-05:00

Uppy

2006-02-23T21:19:00.000-05:00

Training for the Luge

2006-02-23T21:12:00.000-05:00

Around the house and ready for the Great Outdoors

2006-02-18T23:34:00.000-05:00

Jinx and her friend Katie

2006-02-18T23:31:00.000-05:00

sunday morning with Daddy

2006-02-18T23:29:00.000-05:00

A day with friends at the zoo

2006-02-18T22:52:00.000-05:00

jinx at the park

2006-01-01T19:35:00.000-05:00

springtime in winter

2005-12-03T21:56:00.000-05:00

O.K. so I know these are "old" pictures but I was just browsing through our photo library and just couldn't resist posting them. Besides, now that it's getting cold and dreary out who couldn't use a dose of spring? Carla

jinx on the bed

2005-12-03T21:40:00.000-05:00

(oops- that's not Jinx!)

2005-12-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

2005-12-03T18:37:00.000-05:00

In the doghouse

2005-12-03T18:19:00.000-05:00

Jinx Booktime

2005-10-20T22:33:00.000-04:00

The Money Shot

2005-10-20T22:32:00.000-04:00

Standing Tall Alas

2005-10-16T22:27:00.000-04:00

Mini Me (Jinx & her cousin Zach)

2005-10-16T22:14:00.000-04:00

Inn at the Fishbowl

2005-10-16T22:05:00.000-04:00

2005-10-14T21:33:00.000-04:00

First driving lessons/cellphone etiquette

2005-10-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

Well,
being slightly envious of all of the china babies walking already,
Jinx & I have decided to surpass the walking and go straight for the driving.
As you can see it is a very good idea to learn how to 1.Signal before you turn left, 2. Look behind you before you back out the driveway, 3. Smile at people when they wave at you, 4. Look cool, 5. Keep one hand on the steering wheel while dialing, and 6. Not miss a call because you were distracted by other drivers, pedestrians or babies in strollers.
Look out for us on the roadways!

J&R

Time out to Paint

2005-10-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

Visiting Jinx

2005-10-03T23:58:00.000-04:00

Jinx & Jinx

2005-10-03T08:37:00.001-04:00

This week's tenor

2005-09-25T11:28:00.001-04:00

Well, Jinx has her first cold.

Surprisingly, this means she is adorably tender and quiet, while affectionate and snuggly with us during the day and as can be expected, not sleeping at night.
We battled and won with the Ferbers sleeping in under three days which was pleasantly easy.

She'll be sixteen months in two days and we can't believe we have been together for five months.
She's a joy, we love her and hope you keep tuning in for the latest stories and pics.

Carla & Ric

Nose Time

2005-09-05T23:20:00.000-04:00

Nap Training

2005-09-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

Time out

2005-09-05T23:13:00.000-04:00

Long Distance Call

2005-09-05T23:09:00.000-04:00

Camera-shy

2005-08-04T23:28:00.000-04:00

Modelling

2005-08-04T23:15:00.000-04:00

Park bench

2005-08-04T22:39:00.000-04:00

At the gardens

2005-08-04T22:34:00.000-04:00

Behind

2005-08-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

Boxed Lunch

2005-08-04T22:15:00.000-04:00

First meetings

2005-08-04T21:07:00.000-04:00

Dog Scratch

2005-08-03T22:31:00.000-04:00

Radio Flyer

2005-08-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

2005-08-02T22:11:00.000-04:00

sleepy time

2005-08-01T22:51:00.000-04:00

Playtime

2005-08-01T22:50:00.000-04:00

Pondside

2005-07-27T22:55:00.000-04:00

After The Beach

2005-07-13T09:36:00.000-04:00

Reading with Grandpa

2005-07-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

First time to the Ocean

2005-07-13T00:44:00.000-04:00

Balston Beach

2005-07-13T00:08:00.000-04:00

At the Wellfleet Parade

2005-07-12T11:37:00.000-04:00

Gardening

2005-06-21T23:38:00.000-04:00

A Mile in Daddy's Shoes

2005-06-20T23:46:00.000-04:00

Buddha Baby

2005-06-11T21:47:00.000-04:00

Fish Face

2005-06-09T22:27:00.000-04:00

We've worked long and hard as new parents to accomplish this.
Finally on our one month anniversary with Jinx, we have results.
You may ask, what is next?...
Stay tuned!!!

The It Girl !!!

2005-06-09T22:10:00.000-04:00

HOTTY!

I'M TOO SEXY FOR MY BISSONS!

PARTY ALL THE TIME!

Feeling Better

2005-06-09T22:09:00.000-04:00

Feelings

2005-06-08T23:09:00.000-04:00

Well, we've been back about two and a half weeks now and Jinx has been sick twice, this second time requiring antibiotics. Needless to say, she's not the only one who's been in a bad mood around here.
One thing I find I'd miscalculated is just how much laundry one has to do when one has children. Naively I had thought, " Oh, you just have her extra laundry to do in addition to your usual amount of laundry you did before she came along".
No, no, no......having a baby means doing her laundry, which is at least two or three changes a day (especially if she's projectile vomiting like she's been doing lately), ON TOP OF all of the changes of clothes you need for yourself being the recipient of those projectiles, and the endless, towels, and sheet changes that go along with the rest. There is no time that I move from one floor of the house to the other that I'm not carying some article of clothing either to be washed or put away.

The illnesses aside, having Jinx around has been more than we could have ever imagined. She is just so much fun. Never one to want to stay home and hang out, she's always on the move- her favorite haunt being the grocery store. The minute I set her into the carriage she starts to shriek with joy as we move through the supermarket. She just loves it!

Her other all-time favorite activity is admiring herself in the mirror- Whenever she's down all we have to do is walk her by a mirror and if she as much as catches a glimpse of herself a huge grin comes over her face. Ahh that I were so enamored with my own image.

Just in Case

2005-06-03T23:40:00.000-04:00

We lost our camera, temporarily, but we made sure we wouldn't lose Jinx(NWA tag).
We'll be posting to the blog with new photos, stories and making sure all of our new friends get as many of the moments we captured of them! So many more stories to tell - - - Jinx is truly charmed!
Ric & Carla

just words

2005-05-18T21:04:00.000-04:00

Well, our time here is drawing to a close- a bittersweet time.
We have loved every minute of our time here in China; the chinese people, our fellow travellers and USAA team, and it goes without saying that we've loved every minute so far with Jinx.

Today we go to the US consulate for a swearing in and Jinx will receive her US visa. She will become an American citizen when we hit soil in Minneapolis (a heretofore insignificant city in our lives) and her Chinese passport will be only a souvenir.

We are only sorry that we were not able to post every day as we had hoped. A lesson for future adoption in China bloggers- BRING A LAPTOP!!! (Also, if you are using a digital camera bring at least 3g's of memory as a number of us had our cards go bad part way through, and don't use sandisk as 1g cards. Use the extreme III.)

Every day when we wake up (or rather, when Jinx wakes us up) we gaze upon her with wonder- amazed that we are so fortunate. We can't wait to bring her home!

Carla & Ric

Farm visit

2005-05-17T03:15:00.000-04:00

PETTING THE GOAT

CONFERRING WISDOMS

DINNERTIME

ALREADY AN EXPERT

AT THE TROUGH

CAKE & CHOPSTICKS

A-O.K!

2005-05-17T03:11:00.000-04:00

Guangzou Streets

2005-05-17T02:40:00.000-04:00

Our trip to Tonggu...sites along the way(Jinx's hometown)

2005-05-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

Tonggu

2005-05-13T20:57:00.000-04:00

Tripping Around

2005-05-13T20:17:00.000-04:00

Play Time

2005-05-13T19:12:00.000-04:00

Expecting...

2005-05-11T12:30:00.000-04:00

Carla, getting ready for the big day (in one hour)

2005-05-11T12:28:00.000-04:00

One last moment...

2005-05-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

Baby 101

2005-05-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

Five minutes before...

Well worth the wait

2005-05-11T12:12:00.000-04:00

Jinx Settles In

2005-05-11T02:22:00.000-04:00

Our Extended Family

2005-05-11T02:09:00.000-04:00

Travelling through the streets of Hong Kong

2005-05-10T11:44:00.000-04:00

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BACK ONLINE

2005-05-10T09:18:00.000-04:00

Back online thanks to Lester and Dana, their good cheer and generosity.
We're gong to try to update you, give you a little bit of back information and get up to speed. Hope you like the journey so far, we're simply ecstatic!!!

Boat woman

2005-05-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

Carla Doing Tai Chi

2005-05-07T22:13:00.000-04:00

In two worlds...

2005-05-07T22:09:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been feeling, well, kind of beside myself.....

We've changed our Minds

2005-05-07T21:53:00.000-04:00

We are thrilled to announce our adoption of Kowloon Terri Allison!

(We think she'll be so much easier to care for, don't you?)
Plus she is very cuddly and soft.

Lovely people!!!

2005-05-06T21:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I admit my computer frenzied attempt at downloading photos has become humorous with all of my cords, peripherals and bargaining with the local store owners for card readers that are USB (not firewire)friendly. (My camera apparently is obsolete to most computer drivers to read (two years old), harumph!!! Well, to no avail, I have lovely pictures(I'm not sharing!) You can get them later when I get the lastest greatest technological innovation(someone else's laptop to download!).

The computer centers at the hotels have gotten to know me well, continue to offer free service on the computers("no charge, many mistakes, you no use computer successfully"). Delightful!!!(or was that an embarrassing acknowlegemant of my inept attempts?) The taxi drivers are the same, I always offer too much money(the charge) they refuse and say it didn't cost that much. I love these people!!! So civilized. When the bus says it will leave at nine, 9:00 it is (don't be late). The kids are adorable in their uniforms, polite and line up promptly marching at roll call and even the people who work on the river net the trash as they are passing by. It is amazingly comforting to have so much promtness and structure. People offer you help if you look lost, all of the things you think would not happen in a busy bustling city. Though I note, NYC has found the same courtesy for me.

Chung King Mansion was fantastic(don't stay there, or if you do do not open your door at night!), with little space in China, the air conditioners and hoses, pipes and wires seem like an archaolgical ruin with overgrowth of vines and barnacles. The food at the local Indian restaurant was great and the service(three people standing around our table) was terribly nice, though a bit unsettling. Perhaps they were security,the maitre D and the owner, or just the Uncle, the brother and the son...

I'm so glad so far we have had mostly an authentic experience of Hong Kong.
FOOD

Off the beaten path is the beaten path and I don't think I've had a better bowl of noodles in my life than in Hong Kong Central.

More later
Ric

And everything is going "well" at home...

2005-05-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

Hey Ric (& Carla!)

Everything is going pretty well here and the dogs and
I seem to be adjusting to each other just fine.
Suprisingly, Rebarr and I had a couple clashes of
wills the first night and succeeding morning, but
we've established that I'm alpha dog, since I feed and
walk him. :)
He showed some teeth when I tried to get in bed, but I
just stood up tall, stared him down and talked to him
firmly until he got down...since then he's been OK
(although reluctant) to surrender the bed. Maybe you
let him sleep with you, but I'm not a big fan of
that... anyway, he's here at my feet and says hi!
Thanks for the running tip--I found the baseball
field, and I take him down there in the evenings with
the ball for a good 15-20 mins, but maybe I need to
stay out there a while longer!

The little ones are always a circus act! I figured
out I have to keep the chairs at the kitchen table
pushed in, or they'll jump on the table and root
through whatever I've set up there. Pokey eats
Piglet's poops if I don't get them inside fast enough
to eat in the morning, but Rebarr won't eat until he's
been walked--they're letting me know the routine, but
it's taken me the better part of a week to catch on to
the nuances. Liz can learn new tricks, too... :)

Sorry Liz- I couldn't resist- Ric

2005-05-06T20:25:00.000-04:00

O.K. We're ready to move on.Whilst during the day this hotel is far more glamorous and cool than all of the cheapo budget hotels we would usually stay at, at night it becomes a towering inferno.
Due to energy conservation policies established by the HK authorities and enforced by the HK Electricity Board inspections, air conditioning gets drastically reduced at night, even in the nicest hotels. This info courtesy of the front desk clerk who I called at 3:30 in the morning, dripping in sweat and at wits end.
Although I'd prepared for the freezing rooms everyone else warned about with long silk underwear, we were completely helpless in the face of this much heat! How do you deal with that?...no windows in HK hotel high rises to open. Other than have your husband soak a towel in cold water, stand beside the bed and wave it at you for 7 hours- there isn't a whole hell of a lot you can do. (All that that because if you are like me you make no bones about thrashing around and whining as loudly as you can because, god forbid, I should be alone in my misery).
Oh yeah- well, I guess you could plan ahead and start the whole process of geting your paperwork together in mid-winter so that once a year has passed and your number comes up it's cold again. But I couldn't even imagine what other problems you'd encounter coming here in mid-winter.

Postscript. I have to report with mixed emotions that further events have rendered the above entry partially untrue. I posted it because, I admit, I did find it kind of humerous, but in the interests of fairness to the hotel and honesty in reportage, we discovered, that our thermostat was not properly adjusted and that even though they do in fact turn down the air, it is still perfectly comfortable with a correctly functioning thermostat.

O.K. so all in all, I'd say that HK is a great choice for "pre-trippers" who want a few relaxing, easy days before all the craziness starts. It's probably the easiest city I've ever visited...getting around is incredibly easy, it's very, very clean, people are warm and friendly,if you need anything and they make it on this planet you can get it here, and the food is great! If you want interesting sites and cultural activities, however, I'd go elsewhere. That's my 2 cents- Take it for what it's worth.

Today we leave for Guangzhou, mainland China, by train. We'll catch up with you from there!
C

Still...no photo

2005-05-04T21:51:00.000-04:00

No, you're not blind or having computer problems - still no pictures posted here. Without our own laptop and relying on hotel or internet cafe computers, despite the pile of cords and equipment Ric brought- we can't seem to get pictures downloaded. For those of you who are planning on hanging in there -don't worry- we'll have it worked out by the time we get Jinx. Once we meet up with the group I hope some kind soul will give us some time on their laptop

So-Hong Kong

We are eating our way through Hong Kong. Good food is easy to find anywhere thank god. Hong Kong is also an amazingly civilized place. This is due, I suppose, to the signs posted just about everywhere requesting (ordering) people to be polite. The thing is it doesn't seem to be the hardship it is in a place like, well for example, the states,to keep the noise down or god forbid, be nice and helpful. God knows I may be kidding myself but there does appear to be a level of calm here that one doesn't often find in such a big bustling city. We have also found it to be remarkably clean, unlike other Asian cities I've visited. Yesterday we went to the flower and bird markets and then walked our way south back towards the hotel on foot-strolling through many different markets and parks along the way. It seems like the only thing Hong Kong (ers,ians, ettes?) do is SHOP. I don't know how they find time to do anything else like, for instance, work. Even the hotel desk clerk, when referring to some event later in the day said,"when you return from shopping"...As if that's the only activity one could possibly engage in when stepping out the door. We, of course, obliged, and bought plenty of little knick-knacky gifts for people back home although there probably isn't anything you couldn't get in any Chinatown in the U.S.

I did have one disturbing thought I'm going to share- only because I know it will happen (and has happened a million times I hope) to someone else who does this, but after we ran into our fellow adopters from our agency who already have a (and I note)
an adorable Chinese daughter traveling with them, the thought passed through my mind- "thank god we don't have a kid with us to deal with today- What a pain!" Ha!
O.K. I said it. Now that's all on that topic.
Meanwhile, all day we ogled over every Chinese baby girl we saw and wondered what Jinx will look like, BE like... Only a few days left before we find out. I can't wait.

Just the Beginning...

2005-05-03T22:35:00.000-04:00

We arrived safely, slept well and Carla did a bit of Tai Chi with the locals.
They seemed amused, bemused as well as we were of their swimming in the bay(among the trash) and their friendliness.

Can't wait to get you the pictures online, we'll keep wortking on it, day one after all, at the darn hotel computers!

We met our first Chinese friends on the plane, saw a few mohawked babies and met some of our group members also staying at this Hotel.

This is a brief posting as we've spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to download photos (no success yet) and have to sign off.

Until later
C & R

Shoes

2005-05-01T19:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks to our wonderful friends Naomi, Joe, Sara, and Isaac, and our own family, Jinx has a ready-made wardrobe of hand-me-downs and some new stuff too.

One funny thing about adopting from China is that you often have no idea how big your child is until you lay eyes on her/him. So we've just gathered a sampling of a whole range of sizes and will worry later about how fashionably form fitting her clothes are.

Can you find the crib?

2005-04-29T22:31:00.000-04:00

.
Well, 3 days to go and we've finally (almost) finished her room. No crib in here though- it's in our bedroom as we think it will be much more cozy for all of us to have her close by at least for a few months. We'll try to spend lots of time in her room so when it comes time to move the crib it won't be too traumatic (cross your fingers for us).
The only other things we need here are a rug and my old rocking chair.

So- as for the trip. We leave Monday for Hong Kong where we will stay until Saturday. Let's hope that without a laptop we'll be able to post using the hotel computers without too much trouble. If you don't see any postings the first few days, don't give up on us!....keep trying. In mainland China (don't know about Hong Kong) blogs are blocked so we won't be able to see our website but we can still post. So- if you see upside down images or backwards sentences- please forgive us. And remember- Monday the 9th is the BIG DAY- so if you don't tune in for anything else, be sure to stop by for this moment.

For all of you who are doing your own waiting in this amazing experience of adopting from China, we will try to take the time to post whatever helpful hints we can think of- I know reading other people's blogs was incredibly helpful to us.

O.K. then- see you on (from) the other side in a few days!
carla

Jinx's Name

2005-04-02T00:49:00.000-05:00

Jinx Mindia Allison is the name we have chosen for our lovely daughter.

Jinx is from the latin word for 'charm'.
Mindia is Her given name in China meaning 'butterfly'.
Allison is Ric's family given name meaning "of noble origin".

A little background about our decisions:

We are very happy with Jinx's name, we feel that the person we know by the name of Jinx has in her own life been charmed by the name and having known her for a short time have fallen in love with her as a person and as a good friend.
She assures us this name has opened many a door for her in her life and she has always been remembered and respected for who she is lovingly, without apprehension.
Mindia is Jinx's given Chinese name and we felt it should carry with her through her life to connect her to her first foster parents, her history and her heritage.
While we did not include Tong (her surname in Tonggu China) given at the orphanage as a representation of her province of origin, we will keep it with her in her history, reminding her of the place from whence she came.
Allison is Ric's father's name and the name he proudly owns. While his connection to his father has not been represented in years, it is a reminder of how knowing one's history and genes can affect one's life in greater ways than one might know.

We intend to keep Jinx's history alive and well and will continue to keep her life as open and full as she grows and matures into a fine young girl, woman and one day perhaps, a mother herself.

Our pleasure and delight is in her happiness!!!

Ric & Carla

Jinx dreams of bagels...

Ric & Carla

2005-03-31T21:00:00.000-05:00