2-28-09 Chloe turns 5 years old! We had a birthday party at Mr. Gattis Pizza. She keeps telling people she had a Happy Birthday. She loves to open presents.
We got pictures taken of her and Seth at Olan Mills. They are so good!

2-17-09 Yesterday was our 24 year anniversary! Wow!
Chloe is doing great! Her hair is growing, she has bangs. She can speak 95% and understands 100% english. This is amazing to me. She speaks in sentences and regonizes most things.
She will not speak Mandrin to Chinese people she sees and will rarly speak to them at all.
She is doing much better with older women. She was scared of older women and would look at them, shake her head and say no no, and bury her face in someones shoulder.
We think a bad experience with foster grandma??
I am ready to plan our next trip to China 2011.

1-8-09 We made it home 8p.m. on 12-31-08. Yea! Chloe did great on the flight home. We slept some and were ready for Hannah's New Years Eve party.

Seth, Hannah, Chris, Whitney and Mikki were at the airport to greet us. Seth had his money jar with him and was excited to show it to Mommy. He got it for a present.

We arrived home 8p.m. and welcomed in the new year, with some friends. Jim and Jeremy Carlton. Angela, Kevin, Noah, Roger, Lisa and others.

Grandma Clinton brought some food for New Years Day and stayed for about one hour. I think we must be to much for her. AGH!
My two sisters, Judy, Dianna and husbands and Mom came out and brought food for a late supper.
Terry, Mikki, Gayla were here also. Others popped in and out.

Pearl shopping day

12-29-08 I had to look at the date this is so confusing having USA time and China time.
We are going to a pearl factory and a DVD store today.
Chloe is progressing at a high rate of speed. She understands what a swat on the butt means when nothing else worked. She straitened up immediatly.
This little girl said I Love You without a prompt. She is repeating words more and more everyday.
I pray that Seth and her will bond and become best friends. They will be like twins. Seth's birthdy is 1-5-04 and Chloe's birthday is 2-28-04. They both will be 5 years old.
I don't want Hannah to be left out, I also pray that Chloe will be very close to her sister.

McDonalds YEA!

12-28-08 We went on a tour of a buddist temple. Then to a museum. Helen is wonderful at explaining everything for us. She assisted us in ordering our food.
We ate at McDonalds, YEA! Never thought I would get excited about a double cheese burger, frys, real american ketchup and coke without ice.
We came back, Chloe and Daddy took a nap. Mommy shopping! This is great! I get "best price" everyone bargains or asks whats your price.
I was stuck in one shop for 1.5 hours. I got some neat, traditional made in china gifts.
We went to a Ty Restaurant. It was very good! On the menu there was a whole page of juices with frog. Yes I questioned the waitor who spoke Chinese, is it frog in the blender. Shelly drew a picture of a frog and blender Yes that was it.

We left the restaurant and stopped at a shop. Looked at traditional wedding boxes. I bought some $2.00 DVD's. While we were at the DVD store, Chloe was talking to Tessa in Chinese-Mandrin and kept yelling at me. Mark and David had the girls. I was with Paula picking thru DVD's, when the other lady in the store grabbed Chloe out of the stroller. She had to use the potty. I didn't know it! The lady put Chloe beside the tree and pulled her pants down. Tessa wanted to squat beside Chloe, Paula and David went to the motel room for the bathroom.
Dad took a picture of her squatting downtown.

We got a strawberry ice cream cone for Chloe, my guess her first. She was smiles from ear to ear. Lots of talking and giggling.

I just talked on Skype to my kids. Seth my almost 5 year old is having a melt down. Screaming and crying. He don't want to go to church. He wants Mommy!

We are now in Guangzhou which is considerably warmer. On Saturday we had medical appointment with clinic a few blocks from the hotel. All checked out fine with comments on her good teeth. Lunch was at Lucy's and the first burger and frys since day 1 in Beijing. I don't think you realize how much you miss american food. Mark and Chloe went back for nap and uploading pics (it was Chloe who took the nap) and Angie went shopping (her favorite pastime). I have included on photobucket:

http://s418.photobucket.com/albums/pp268/AngelaClinton/

one of her purchases with Chloe modeling it. We went to supper at "the station" and ate in dining car. The photos are included in photobucket. Angie ordered some italian dish which didn't taste good so ordered some sweet & sour chicken instead. Mark had rack of lamb which was very good. We are off to tour this morning with busy day planned.