Trying to catch up

Wow!  Time is flying by.  I only have 2 weeks left before I go back to work and I feel like I have done about 1% of the things I wanted to do.  I am hoping to take time to update the blog next week with pictures and information about how we are doing.  I have a TON of pictures to sort through!  Thanks to those of you who let me know you would like to continue to follow our adventures.  Stay tuned!

Going Private

I am going private with the blog in one week.  Please post your email address  in a comment here if you want to continue to follow along.  Thanks to everyone who shared our journey with us.

Home at last!

We arrived home on Friday evening.  Our trip back was uneventful if a little trying on all of us. 

Is it almost Wednesday?!  Things have been a little hectic.  We have been fighting jet lag and getting to know each other, as well as trying to keep up on daily tasks (not that easy!)  Oliver is adjusting pretty well, coming out of his shell and definetly building his bond of trust with us.    I am posting a few pictures of our final days in Taipei as well as some pictures from the last few days.  

In Taipei...

Our first trip out to eat at a local dumpling restaurant.  Yummy!

We really enjoyed it :)

Sydney loved this sculpture in our hotel lobby.  It had all the cool stuff: bears, dragons, & lions!  At least that what Sydney would tell you :)

Visiting the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and grounds.  

SYS Memorial

SYS Memorial

Goodbye from the SYS Memorial!

Like the Japanese, the Taiwanese know how to bake!  There were so many yummy treats to look at!!

Back Home...

Sydney was Alice in Wonderland this year.  She got to go door to door Trick or Treating with Daddy and had a blast!

Oliver was Buzz Lightyear.  He helped me give out candy.

At the window.

Happy Oliver 

  Sydney has insisted on taking a bath with Oliver every night :)  She is really enjoying him and we are so glad to see what a wonderful sister she is already. 

St. Lucy's Part Two

Our visit to St. Lucy's was wonderful, but both times I have left feeling a little rushed and wishing that we had had more time, even though we were there for several hours.  Our visits with the birth families were quite a surprise for us.  We were not told they were going to be there and, unfortunately, I felt totally unprepared...not for myself, but for them.  I wanted to be able to give them all the comfort and information that they wanted and needed.  I think that they did feel comforted and grateful that their children were going to a good home.  It was easier with Oliver's b.m. but Sydney's was a little harder.  Sydney was getting tired, I had Oliver to watch over and our emotions were high by the time she and her family arrived.   I really regret that I did not have my thoughts together more for them.   I know how important this meeting was to them, because they drove three hours to see her. But it is what it is and the most important thing is is that they walked away happy to have seen her, comforted that she is loved and cared for.  In the end, we were happy that we could tell the children about their birthmothers in the future and have some pictures for them.  

Oliver went to Sydney right away and they colored and drew together for the longest time.  Sydney was very sweet and loving.  She knew exactly who he was and that he was her brother.

Visiting with Spring Peach. Sydney knew who she was and went right to her!

Visiting with Rosa, Sydney's nanny.  She was so happy to see Sydney.

With Daddy.

The best family photo we could get :)

The children loved spending time with Spring Peach, and visa versa.