Monday 2/26

Today, Emily woke up with a great appetive. She ate everything you placed in front of her, including cheerios. She ate congee, rice puding and banana bread. We bought her some american toys but she preferred a gallon of fresh water (Mommy mommy I'm thirsty!!!!) and the caps of the water bottles. The we were off again to the same office as yesterday to meet with the goverment officials. We promise to care and never abandone her. We promise to take good care of her and after a few interviews she was declared officially our daughter. YEAH!

Back at the hotel, we wonder around and had lunch at at Thai restaurant. The weather has been cloudy, moggy with rain mostly in the mornings. Polluted is another way to describe it. Not much sun either. Yesterday, we saw a few mountain on the horizon, for just about half an hour. Other than that, people are friendly and nice. Lots of street vendors, lots of cars and bicycles that run in all directions. New and old building next to each other. It's just an amazing city.

Emily has been very serious and crying a bit. I think she has been grieving. She has a very serious expression on her face and just want us to hold her thigh with we don't have a problem with it. We hope that she will come out of her shell and show us the beautiful girl she already is. Will keep you posted.

Ken and Lilly

Saturday 2/23 and Sunday 2/24

This weekend we met with my friends Ada and Doris from Hong Kong. We visited The new and old town center of Guangzhou. It's like the times square in New York City. Lots of people, aromas, food and street vendors. You name it, they have it, cheap! Food is very good and cheap too. Different species of dry food, dry goods, and everything you can imagine. We had fun visiting the different shops and of course if you are still sentimental of the US...just walk a few yards and you will also find McDonals and KFC. Good thing we didn't need it. We ate Dim Sum at a chinese restaurant with more than 150 years old. The chinese new year celebration was still in full force and everywere you look at, was a tree of mandarin oranges with small red envelopes as decorations. That was very neet! LAte afternoon was just back atthe hotel to rest and prepare for the great day.

Ken and Lilly

Gotcha Day!

Hello everyone!

Today, we went to the China Civic Affairs office to meet Emily. Everyone was very nervous and anxious. We finally got to get her and she cried at the top of her lungs! I think it was a good sign. She had traveled 6 to 7 hours to Guangzhou and was just very tired. She sleep most of the time with both of us. Arriving at the hotel, she was still crying until she met the Cheerios! That is the magic world for her. She ate one after another one after another one! Then I fixed her a bottle and she ate it all. At night, she did not want to sleep in her crib so I spoiled her by sleeping with us. What a wonderful feeling. We do not have any pictures yet because it was a chaos at the waiting room but I promise to post some in the next few days.

Ken and Lilly

Meet Emily Baldridge

Wednesday February 21

Dear friends and family,

The time has finally arrived. We are on our way to China. We depart tomorrow morning via San Francisco, Beijing, then Guangzhou, our final destination. We'll have a day to refresh and recuperate from the 20 hours flight before we meet Emily on Sunday 02/25. It will be interesting to see how she will react. I hope that my Chinese looks will somehow give her some comfort from all the things that will change her life forever.

Ken and Lilly