(As with all our photos, click on one anywhere in our site, and it will open up bigger)
On October 26, 2002, Liz and Joe began a journey that would change their lives. They walked into an adoption agency and picked up an application to adopt a daughter from China. The whole family (Liz, Joe, Jordan, and Steven) left on January 30th, 2004 for their date with a beautiful little girl. On February 14th they returned home with their new Valentine.
While
in China, they sent me some photos and stories to post. Now that they
are back, they have more photos and stories to share. You can click the
"Show All" button to open up all the stories and entries, or
select a particular date to show.
(You will find links
to a few other stories about Madison, as well as a whole photo gallery
dedicated to her on the "Family News" page. However, now that
she is officially part of our family, she'll have to deal with being lumped
in with all the other kids for most of the stuff!)
About Liz and Joe
My name is Liz. I am 41 years young and my husband's name is Joe, and he is 39 years young. Join us in our incredible journey to our new addition Madison Mei Lewis who is awaiting us in her birthland of The Peoples Republic of China.
I thought my life complete, two beautiful children, a daughter, Jordan Elizabeth now 13 and a son, Steven, now 9. I was divorced in 1997 and finally had found some peace in raising my kids as a single parent. In July of 1999 a very good friend of mine introduced me to my husband and soul mate of today Joe.
Joe was divorced and had two step-children, Mark 21 and Barbara 18 from his first marriage, he has no biological children. We hit it off immediately and to make a beautiful story short, we were engaged on February 10th, 2000 and married on September 16th, 2000.
We could not have children of our own and were both very content with our four children we had, adoption was never mentioned. Joe was very happy and a wonderful father to my children and the children adore and love him very much.
I have a very close friend Gina, who I grew up with in our small town of Beacon Falls, Ct. We always stayed in contact, whether it be running into each other in town or a quick phone call. But our lives went in two different directions. Gina has a daughter Stevie and her wonderful husband Geordie.
In November of 1997 Gina and Geordie adopted a daughter from China, she was 6 months old when they brought her home, her name is Andie Mei Xiang Meder. I met Andie right away and for the next year was in close contact with them, but again our busy lives separated us and it was
difficult to keep in touch, and my life at this point was in turmoil.
Everytime I did get to see them, I never saw a more beautiful or happy family, Andie brought so much joy to their family I really envied them and wished for that kind of happiness. Andie was kind, funny, loving, lived life to the fullest, friendly
yet cautious with strangers, a beautiful child.
December 13th, 2000 would change all our lives forever. Andie Mei went into surgery for a routine ear tube and adnoid procedure, and by the time Gina and Geordie saw her again she was 100% braindead.
I was just married the September before and life was very happy and where I wanted to be. That call on December 13th to my office by my Mom was the most painful call to recieve. I knew right away where I needed to be and I rushed to be by Gina's side. The next few days would be the hardest and saddest days, the arrangements, people calling on the family, it was all a blur. And then the silence, everyone is gone and Gina and Geordie are left to try to move on and try to live again. I have yet to leave their side, tragedy has a way of bringing friends and family together, however unfair it might be.
Gina and Geordie were in the early stages of adopting another little girl from China. They would ask Andie if she would like a sister and for the longest time she did not. About a month before Andie passed away she agreed to have a sister, under two conditions, her name would be Jessie (Andie loved Toy Story) and daddy could not hold her. So the paperchase began and in March of 2002 Miss Jessie Mei Meder arrived home to the USA at 11 months old and hasn't stopped going yet, she is the most energetic, beautiful little 2 1/2 year old today and she will change our lives and direct us in a direction we thought we could never go in, I love that little fireball so much.
Now our journey begins with Joe & I mentioning how nice it would be to bring home a daughter from China, but how, there is no way we could
afford this, or could we, how do we get started, we knew very little on the paperchasing. So I go to Gina's office one day, and I tell her that Joe & I would love to bring home a daughter from China, watching her family and the love they share and joy these girls have brought to them we knew this was meant to be for us too.
So Gina shows me all her paperwork and gives me the social workers name, the next thing I know Joe & I are at FCA in Norwalk talking with a social worker and getting our application folder it is October 26th 2002. For the next three months we are getting together forms and documents that even I didn't know we had, your whole life is exposed for all to see, from writing about ourselves, to fingerprinting, to being cleared by DCF, local and state police, we are about ready to enter the CIA (just kidding.) Our Dossier is then finished and mailed to China on March 10th, 2003 and the wait begins, which at this point is 12 to 14 months.
Today is October 18th and we are anxiously waiting to see if China sends Feb/Mar referrals together, you see, SARS set into China last year and devastated the country with many deaths, it also hit worldwide and caused many deaths. China decided to suspend adoption travel for a few months till they could control the outbreak. When it did finally lift the travel ban, China started doubling up on referrals ( this is a picture and medical information about your daughter) to make up for the heartbreak of families waiting. Well, they are down to almost a 8 month wait, and will be if they send Feb/Mar together, so needless to say what we expected to be March of 2004 referral could very well turn into a Nov/Dec referral and travel to pick up our forever angel in Januray?
Referral Information
Chinese Name: Huang Qiong New Name: Madison Mei Qiong Lewis DOB: 12/30/2002 Residing at: Nanchong The First SWI, Sichuan Province
The first leg of our journey will bring us to Sichuan, and in the red is where our daughter await us!! She will travel to us in Chengdu on February 4th
The last week of our trip brings us to Guangzhou (bottom right) where we will hopefully stay at the famous White Swan Hotel, here is where the US Consulate is located and we receive our daughter's visa to come home!!
I am anxiously awaiting a daughter whom I cannot wait to meet and love. Most friends and family know I am in bed by 10 if I can be by 9 I'll jump, those days are few. I am up wayyyyyyyyyyy past my bedtime.
Joe is snoring away, and I mean
snoring away. (Is he in for a rude awakening?!)
As the time nears I get more anxious and nervous, and I think just feel the fears that are normal with anyone traveling these days.
You probably can't relate now (early in your stages) but you will (even though your baby could be brought to you) feel the same anxieties.
I could stay up all night doing this, I am so glad I went onto CastleWeiss tonight, cause it was where I needed to be. I will also send
pictures to you of my packing, and you tell me what I might be missing, totally anal, but hey, never been to China and want to be prepared!!!
Here is their itinerary (click to view doc) for the trip! It's a pretty busy schedule, and oh yah, guess when Madison gets turned over? Yup, a birthday present for Liz! Note the missing January 31st! Now where did that day go???
Well this is it, and it only took Liz 7 1/2 hours to do it, what a process!!! She'll send pictures as often as she can, she says she'll miss everyone very much, and asks to please keep them in your prayers. They are also very nervous and excited, can't believe in a few short days they will have their new daughter in their arms.
This is to cool, e mailing you from your future son or daughters birthland!! We have arrived safely here it is 8:30 am Korea time, and we have just eaten our breakfast of KFC. The flight from JFK to Alaska was great as well as the flight to Korea, we leave in 2 hours for China, I will post again as soon as she is in our arms and send pictures!!!
Our bodies are a little run down, but we're pumped the kids are pumped and Jessie Mei, well what can I say 2 1/2 years old and full of fire, actually she has been good just when tired fighting it to the fullest!!! (Jessie Mei is the daughter of Liz's friends Gina and Geordie, who are adopting a third daugher from China)
We are having problems sending pictures ourselves from the internet here at the hotel. A couple we are traveling with were kind enough to send pictures for us. He is going to send with a short note but I wanted to e mail you and give you a heads up, I'm not sure what his address is, but I'm sure he'll insert some sort of hint as to who it's coming from.
Anyway, WE HAVE HER, she is beautiful, she is happy, she is very happy with all of us.
The pictures we chose to send are a few from our group, wonderful group, the hotel, beautiful, as you can see in one of them the Hotel is nice, the outskirts is very poor, this is definitely set up for tourism, it's very sad.
When we received Madison, she was very bundled up, I sent a picture of that too, she only started crying when the other 2 babies cried. All the babies have adjusted well to their new families, it is amazing to see them so sad at one moment and within 24 hours so happy yet cautious.
Adjusted to China time as been a little rough but we're doing fine. We have ventured out into the streets with our guide Jack who is a lifesaver, I bought a camera in a shop for $798 yuan (about $80 us dollars) because blondie here left her camera in the Limo, very bummed, but we're all set now.
Our trip was very long, we all slept as much as we can, Joe is still catching up on his time due to not sleeping with all the beautiful young asian attendants he was flirting with.
So I hope you can open the pictures and put together a little story, you do that so well, I'm not sure that I can post pictures again, but I will write, don't want to bother the other couple.
Will talk to you soon, we are looking forward to the last leg of our trip to the White Swan, temps there are in the 60's low 70's.
Oh, today February 3rd, 2004 Madison is officially ours, we are just awaiting her passport to move on to the next step.
Love & Miss Everyone,
Liz, Joe, Jordan, Steven and Miss Madison Mei
These pictures are of the first two days, our group, our hotel, receiving Madison. She is wonderful, loves us all. Those clothes are what she came in.
Just a little update on everything, I will not update again until we get to The White Swan, we leave Sunday. Madison is doing great, she is Daddy's little girl, although she does enjoy all of us and she even goes to the waitress's and waiter's while we're eating in the hotel. She is full of smiles, giggles, I was having trouble with getting her to take a bottle, you see she didn't come with instructions, yes, these babies usually do from their caretakers, myself and 2 other couples didn't get a chance to ask questions so we had to wing it. She finally had her first bottle at 9:30pm the first night, she really does not like the formula, she does like apple juice, she is an excellent eater though, eggs, fruit, noodles, and that congee stuff, so I'm not to concern with the bottles for now. She was having trouble also going to the bathroom, hadn't gone in 3 days, well, that was taken care of also by giving her a laxative, needless to say she's fine now. She also does not like her bath. I can't wait for you all to meet her, she is a dream.
Now for the rest of us, food is a problem, Joe is fine, likes and tries everything, myself and the kids make sure we eat a huge breakfast before we venture out. The buffet is alright, I have found nothing I like, so Steven & I stick to bread and fruit. Jack has brought us twice into the fancy resturant here in the hotel (why, I have no clue) Jessie uses the chopsticks for drumsitcks, all the babies are grabbing something, and there is a lazy susan in the middle of the table that they put new dishes on, well, Liz just watches it go around and around. We have tried KFC, not bad, a little strong in the flavor and language barrier is very tough, although I have a chinese boyfriend who loves to see me coming and waves for me to come to his line.
That brings me to the people, you all know the part to leave the American attitude home, well, I need it to survive, I have already had a scuffle with a Chinese businessman and a women in KFC, not to mention the streets. They are not intentionally rude but they just keep cutting in front of you. We cannot venture out without getting swarmed by the locals about the babies, this fine, they are harmless, but it is constant. I even got in trouble for having a little of Madison's neck showing. Joe is loving all the intention, he is a celebrity in China, the bald head and shorts are a real eyecatcher here considering they don't even wear shorts in the summer. He has had his picture taken a number of times, and I have had mine taken once so far.
We went to the Panda exhibit today, it was awesome, everybody really enjoyed that, the weather is very cloudy and rainy since we got here, I am coming down with a nasty cold right now, and fighting it. So have a few people in the group. Our bus driver is like riding in a taxi in NY, there is no sense of direction here, one for all and all for one, crazy driving, with people walking and I can't even tell you how many bikes. They just stare at the bus and we all just wave at them. I just can't believe how dirty and how poor everything is. I believe every American should be required to leave the country to truly appreciate what we have.
Jack upgraded us to a 5 star American hotel (Hilton Crown Plaza) beautiful, the staff is unbelievably nice, they truly go out of their way to help you. I wanted to do some laundry and had called to find out if I could do it myself instead of housekeeping doing it, well, Rich & Deb you'll appreciate this, the guy says to me, "could you speak a little slower" so I try and he says "sorry I don't understand" well then I just decided to let them do it, a little expensive but worth it, Jack says to do just a little he knows the next trip we'll get it done a lot cheaper.
So I think that's about it for now, I feel like I've been here alot longer than I have, aside from having the babies, it is very depressing here, but I think it's just us, cause the people sure do seem happy enough, I guess that's all that matters.
I'm sorry it took so long to write, I did send an update at the beginning of the week but it did not go thru, very slow here, and we can't send pictures. Anyway, the flight to Guanzhou was 2 hours from Chengdu, a little taste as to what we're in for with the babies, they were not to happy. We arrived Sunday night around 8 had pizza and called it a night. The White Swan is paradise, it has a mall downstairs, 10 restuarants, waterfalls, a playroom for the babies. The temps here have been in the high 60's t-shirt weather, the area is nice, at least the people here know why your here, there has to be at least 100 or more families here, it is awesome.
Jack has taken us to many places, a 4 floor toy store (wholesale) a buddhist temple, White Mountain we went today, a beautiful dinner cruise last night. He could not take us out to eat in Chengdu because they are known for spicy and fiery foods, so I have a spicy girl!! Here he has taken the group to Chinese and Thai ( I have found Lucy's an American Bar & Cafe so I am a happy camper) I have drop a few pounds and Joe has gained, surprised? The set up here is like a college campus, so many shops, we have bought soooooooooooooo much cool stuff at such a low price, our dollar is 8.21 to theirs so you can imagine the damage you could do here.
The streets are clean the people are very friendly, again, Stevie and Jordan are hit, there is a local shop that a couple of young men run and they are always saying hellooooooooo to them when they go by, they also love Steven, in fact, one night after finishing up in 7-11 (many of them here) Steven had left and we found him in the arms of those guys just eating him up, had to tell them that they made Mom a nervous wreck, they just laughed!!!
All the babies in 2 weeks have come a long way, Madison could not crawl, walk or pull herself up. Today she is saying dada, mama, baba, crawls, walks a few steps to you, if she didn't crack herself up doing this she would go farther, and she crawls at a slow pace and again is so proud of herself. Jessie (my friend Gina's daughter) has not taken well to her sister, Danie is awesome, she is the ham of the bunch total showboat, again, Gina is matched with the right daughter (althought the transition was tough when they met). We were getting ready for dinner one night and Gina says lets go guys and Jessie leans over and says to Danie "and your not going" of course she did. She pretty much is just ignoring her and watch out if Daddy is holding her.
Our consulate appointment went well, we get the magic sealed envelope today, that has her visa and medical and all sorts of doc's in it, it CANNOT be opened by anybody but immigration, so we have to travel as if our life depends on it (and it does)
We have taken many many and I mean many pictures to share and so much footage of video, we have missed nothing and can't wait to share with everyone. Mom and Dad were gonna meet us at the airport but we decided it would be best to just hang and get those ice cold Mich's ready for me, by the time we get off the plane thru customs and our driver waiting for us it's not worth for them or anyone who might be thinking of coming, as much as we would love to see friendly faces.
By the time everyone is reading this, say a prayer, cause we'll be in the air!!!!
It has been an incredible journey, sooooooooooooo glad it's over even as beautiful as this part of our trip has been, and we're thrilled to be taking Madison to a whole new world and life, I'm saddened to think of all the babies left behind, especially now that we have her, it makes the whole situation here in China that more sad. But, one child at a time.
Liz sent me some, well a bunch, of photos from their journey. As you remember, sending photos from China was not a smooth sail, so here are some images of what we've read about.
Family Shot - well everyone except Joe.
Mommy's Little Girl
Nice Hat Maddie!
Gina, Geordy, Jessie, Stevie, Danie Mei
Danie
New Best Friends (Danie & Madison)
Zoe (from our group)
Panda
Danie Mei (Jessie's new sister)
China Doll store with the girls who run it
Danie Kissing Madison
Flower head pieces for Madison & Danie made by the villagers
Gina always wanted a blonde!
Joe, Madison, Liz, at the White Swan Hotel
group of villagers wanting their picture with us
Jordan, Madison & Steven on one of our trips
school (public) in Guangzhou
Pagoda Temple
villagers
the famous squat potty thank god I never had to use
White Swan at night
view from our room at The White Swan Hotel
Madison getting ready for her consulate appointment in her kimono
Jack is our guide with Madison
the famous red couch photo with all the babies
Liz & Madison
finally home at JFK with her New York Princess hat on
Papa finally has her!!!
7/08/04 - 5 Months Later....
7/08/2004 09:55 PM
Hi everyone, we have been home for 5 months now and I wanted to update
everyone on our adjustment, I know I have been sending pictures of Madison
and as you can see, she has come a long way. But I just wanted to share
my personal feelings on our journey to China and our final destination
home to the wonderful US of A!!
I would have thought
that after completing the adoption process, receiving our beautiful daughter
and coming home to give her all our love and devotion that life would
be complete, it is, BUT, every time I look into those beautiful black
pearl eyes I see more black pearl eyes waiting to be adopted. I know I
can't save the world, but my heart just aches for the babies and older
children left behind. My only wish is that they are adopted by loving
families soon, and if there is a will or a way, I will go again and again
to bring home another beautiful daughter.
I have grown so much
in this process. I went into this, loving this baby unconditional. Then,
receiving her photo, I was brought to tears. Receiving her in my arms
was an emotion I cannot explain, as a mother giving birth cannot explain.
I am very fortunate to have experienced both. Madison completed our family
picture on February 2nd. When she was handed to us at 13 months, she could
not crawl or walk. I have to say, though, that she was very well cared
for and loved, (ONE OF THE VERY FORTUNATE ONES). After two weeks in China,
she was crawling, smiling, taking steps, and dancing to the music. Five
months home on July 14th, Madison is a very happy, smart little girl.
She is very attached to mom, and of course dad, loves her brother & sister,
and of course her papa & grandma, too. Madison can say mama, papa, baba,
ahma (grandma) cooka (cookie), she loves to read books, she understands
everything you say or ask her to do. Thirteen months of hearing Chinese
and only five months of English!!
Thank you all for
following our journey, I know it's been an emotional ride for all. And
I hope you continue to watch Madison grow.
One year ago on January 30th we boarded a plane heading halfway around
the world to a faraway country "China" waiting for us was a precious baby
girl named Huang Qiong (pronounced wong chi-ong) who was abandoned by
her birthmother. I am going to imagine that her birthmother held onto
her baby girl and nutured her for 4 months (that is what our records show)
before having to make that heart breaking decision to abandon her. Her
country had rules "One Child Per Family" two in the countryside if your
firstborn was a girl. So what was she, a firstborn or does this little
baby girl have a twin, an older sister, we will never know?
What I do know is that the birthmother chose to leave her where she would be found
right away and cared for in an orphanage until hopefully one day a forever family will
come and give her a life and love she so deserves. So through the long paperchase (15 months in all)
it was time for us to meet our new daughter who was referred to us by China to be a part of our family,
her name shall be Madison Mei Qiong Lewis.
As we
settled into our rooms we anxiously awaited word that the babies would
be coming by van this afternoon "Feb 2nd" my birthday, what a gift, we
were taking in the sights when our guide received a call that the babies
were an hour away. I thought I would faint, we rushed back to the hotel
and paced, this is what we've been waiting for, for over a year and the
last 3 months of it has been staring at her most beautiful photo. She
is 13 months old now, will she like me, will she cry, will she be so scared,
my heart is so filled with love for her and yet so scared for her as well.
So much will change in her life, all for the best, and in time she will
come to realize this.
Our guide says to
meet him in room 916, (our anniversary date) how weird is that? Joe, myself,
Jordan and Steven are ready, together along with 2 other families and
Gina who will capture this incredible moment on video head for #916, as
we walk into the room I'm not quite sure who she is, as her name is called
out and this women points down to this beautiful little girl with the
rosiest of cheeks and dressed in at least 12 layers of clothes I bend
and stare I then proceed to pick her up, so far so good, cheek to cheek
I just never want to let her go, but the rest of the family wants to share
in this moment and we all have a moment that we will treasure forever.
Aside from being
hungry, overheated and exhausted she was doing great. We went to our room
and there we just stared at this cutie pie and took in everything she
had to offer, what was she thinking, faces she had never seen before were
making faces at her, hugging her, kissing her, giving her all these toys,
to overwhelming but yet she was doing great. We played music,
she swayed, we laughed, she gave us her first smile.
One
year ago today now sits besides me a loving,
silly, sensitive (or shall I say dramatic) smart, and most precious little
girl. I feel she has been with us forever, she has touched and completed
our family.
Life has changed for all, never did we expect such a gift to be given to us.
I want to thank Amy for this incredible website, and all of you that have followed
and still are following our story. Thank you for helping us through the wait, through
our trip and our adjustment at home.
In the beginning I know most of you were thinking we were crazy, how could
they, why would they, and now anyone who has been blessed with meeting and knowing
Madison knows exactly why! In closing I would like to quote a poem that a father wrote
in the most incredible book written by families who have adopted from China.
She Loves Me
You started to grow, the Authorities wouldn't learn; I knew in my heart, I'd carry you full term.
She Loves Me Not - But you left me alone that night in the park; You left me alone by myself in the dark.
She Loves Me - That place that I left you was busy by day; i knew you'd be found, I planned it that way.
She Loves Me Not - I cried through the night, your face to see; alone in the morning they discovered me.
She Loves Me - I watched you from a distance, I stayed through the night; your cries broke my heart,
the tears blurred my sight.
She Loves Me Not - I went to a home where lots of kids live; there wasn't much love like a
mother would give.
She Loves Me - I watched you that year, for I had a plan; a mother would come from a distant land.
She Loves Me Not - You watched me? You cared? You knew that some day a mother would come, to take me away?
She Loves Me - Yes, my darling, through oceans apart; a red thread connects us, a thread from my heart.
She Loves Me - I'm sorry I questioned your feelings that day; I know now that you love me, my heart is OK.
That red thread you speak of, I see it too! It comes from my heart, straight back to you.
On October 26, 2002, Liz and Joe began a journey that would change their lives. They walked into an adoption agency and picked up an application to adopt a daughter from China. The whole family (Liz, Joe, Jordan, and Steven) left on January 30th, 2004 for their date with a beautiful little girl. On February 14th they returned home with their new Valentine. 
I thought my life complete, two beautiful children, a daughter, Jordan Elizabeth now 13 and a son, Steven, now 9. I was divorced in 1997 and finally had found some peace in raising my kids as a single parent. In July of 1999 a very good friend of mine introduced me to my husband and soul mate of today Joe.
Everytime I did get to see them, I never saw a more beautiful or happy family, Andie brought so much joy to their family I really envied them and wished for that kind of happiness. Andie was kind, funny, loving, lived life to the fullest, friendly
yet cautious with strangers, a beautiful child.
Gina and Geordie were in the early stages of adopting another little girl from China. They would ask Andie if she would like a sister and for the longest time she did not. About a month before Andie passed away she agreed to have a sister, under two conditions, her name would be Jessie (Andie loved Toy Story) and daddy could not hold her. So the paperchase began and in March of 2002 Miss Jessie Mei Meder arrived home to the USA at 11 months old and hasn't stopped going yet, she is the most energetic, beautiful little 2 1/2 year old today and she will change our lives and direct us in a direction we thought we could never go in, I love that little fireball so much.
top
Here is their itinerary (
music,
she swayed, we laughed, she gave us her first smile.
,
silly, sensitive (or shall I say dramatic) smart, and most precious little
girl. I feel she has been with us forever, she has touched and completed
our family.
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