The Presley - Smith Family

5/27/10  We have been home about a month now.  Everyone is adjusting to having a 1 year old in the house.  Check out the kids pages for more pic and updates.



4/29/10  We got Adayla's visa today.  So we are on our way home.  Please pray for travel safety and we get a ticket issue straighten out at the airport.  I am sitting here writing this is tears ready to get home to my sweet babies, my mom and my friends.  If you would like to met us at the airport we are arriving Friday night at 9pm from Chicago on AA.  See everyone in Dallas..  Thank you for all your prayers and support for the last 4 years.  We love all of you.


Today is our last day in China.  This afternoon we we are going to the consultant to take our oath.  Tonight  all the families are going to have dinner together.  It has been a long and stressful 14 days.  I will be glad to be back home to Chayla and Kavin tomorrow.  Please pray for safe travel back home.



4/28/10  Today is Consultant appointment day.  So we have to stay in our rooms until the guide calls and gives the all clear.  So I thought I would update a bit. 

Things are getting better with me and Adayla.  She will actually come to me if I have a bottle.  If Dad leaves the room we are just fine.  Some thing about Adayla.  She can walk.  She rolls over and can sit up but she can not go from a laying position to a seating position.  She does not crawl.  She can not pull herself up but if you stand her up she will walk.  She is very strong willed.  Likes her bottle lukewarm.  Does not like to play by herself.  Sleep with a binky (yaya).  She will play peek-a-poo.

The pictures are of us in Guangzhou shopping and eating at Lucy's.  The last pictures is of all the loot we have and Kavin and Chayla can try to figure out what is who's

 



Well we called to confirm our flights this morning....to find out that all American Airlines flights to and from Beijing have been canceled until May 4..  Yes, heartacttack city!!!!!  Kevin got it worked out we are now flying from Shanghai to Chicago and will be there in time to catch our connecting flight in to Dallas. God was watching over us there.

Please pray for Kavin he is sick.  Pray for me (Gayla) I am so homesick and now my little boy is sick.  Adayla's visa is still up in the air so pray for that as well.  

For all my Harvest Buddies...we listen to Pastor Chuck in China!!!!  It was wonderful to here last weeks sermon.

In China time I have 2 1/2 days before we are on a plane on the way home!!!!  




4/26/10  We have been mostly shopping for the last two days.  I have lots of stuff for everyone back home.  We ate at the famed Lucy's yesterday.  I have not been the same since.  I don't really know what is wrong but I don't feel good.  So please pray I get to feeling better before the long journey home.  I am also getting very home sick for my kids.  We only have 3 more days.  I will be home on Friday.   The bonding with Adayla is still going slowly sometimes I think it is better other times I don't.  We still do not know if the our consultant appointment has been changed.  So please pray we find out soon.  Also pray we can still come home on schedule.  Don't have any new pictures since we have just been shopping . 

We have 6 great families with us.  They have all been really fun to hang out with. 

Also I am not getting email every well here.  For some reason I can't open it. 


4/24/10  We are in Guangzhou now.  Yes, Robin I know how many days left but thanks for update everyday.  We went of the medical examine today.  Adayla is the biggest of my kids...weighting in at a big 15.3 pounds and is 26.5 inches longs.  So for those of you who remember when Chayla and Kavin came home this is just one pound bigger.  We are making progress on the bonding.  Please keep praying for it.  She will at least smile and touch me when Daddy is around.  In fact right now she is sitting in my lap screaming at a medium tone because Dad is not here.  So we are making so head way. 

Also please pray for our Consultant appointment for some reason we are hearing we cannot get our visas until April 30 and that is when we are suppose to fly out. 

The pictures will be of Adayla and our traveling day.


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0  We are in Guangzhou now.  Yes, Robin I know how many days left but thanks for update everyday.  We went of the medical examine today.  Adayla is the biggest of my kids...weighting in at a big 15.3 pounds and is 26.5 inches longs.  So for those of you who remember when Chayla and Kavin came home this is just one pound bigger.  We are making progress on the bonding.  Please keep praying for it.  She will at least smile and touch me when Daddy is around.  In fact right now she is sitting in my lap screaming at a medium tone because Dad is not here.  So we are making so head way.  Also please pray for our Consultant appointment for some reason we are hearing we cannot get our visas until April 30 and that is when we are suppose to fly out.  The pictures will be of Adayla and our traveling day.Congradulation to Chayla for passing both the Math and Reading TAKS!!!!!!!!
Mom and Dad are so proud of you!!!!

We are leaving Guiyang city today to start the last leg of our journey.  We will be in Guangzhou tonight.  Leaving her province is bitter sweet.  We are taking her from everything she knows.  I know I have done it 3 times now and the feelings are always the same.  I think this maybe the last time she ever see it and to all the people that loved her for the 11 months she was here.  They are grieving for her to.  But on the other hand we are starting the rest of our lives with her.  We know she is the child God has picked for us and God will get us through all the rough spot.
So to Guiyang City and Guizhou province we bid you a fond farewell and thank you the beautiful child we now have.





Kevin posted all the pictures with captions.  So I thought I would write some about how things are going with Adayla. Adayla is still grieving very hard.  Yes, I did get to carry her today to the park but she does not like the hotel room.  She does not like me in the hotel room.  She will let me feed her and she will smile at me a little.  We still have not seen alot of personality yet.  Strong willed yes.  Kevin can not leave her sight or she screams.  It is bothering Kevin that she is not bonding with me.  Kevin and I both have to remember it is not me that she is mad at.  She is mad at her foster mother for leaving her so Kevin and I have to remember it will come.  She was very attached to foster mom.   To all my friends who are waiting to adopt you think you are ready for the attachment issues but I promise you are not.  This is my 3rd time to adopt and I thought I was prepared for her to only want Dad there are time when it is very difficult handle. 

The hard part is going to be when we get home and my other kids are not going to understand why she cries so much.  They are not going to understand why she don't like when they think Mommy is it.  Especially Chayla.  We have a long road when we get home.  So start praying the bonding goes better.  Right now it is a scary thought for me to be at home with her by myself. 



More pictures from the Temple




Buddha Temple at Top of Mountain Journey...Very Peaceful...Mommy Made it



Touching the dragon head for luck






Climbing to the Top of the Mountain.....Watch out for monkeys...they jump on you and steel your juice...Ask our travel buddy Jerry.  They jumped on our backs too.."SURPRISE"





Chinese people admiring the babies...Asking if they were twins
 






This one is for Mema all in pink






4/22/2010  Journey to the top of the mountain today.  Mommy gets to carry Adayla without her fussing.... "Hooray"

4/21/2010    Adayla turns 11 months old.   It is also the National day of Mourning for China honoring the 2,000 plus people who lost their lives in the Tibet earthquake.  Flags flying at 1/2 staff and a lot more flags flying over the little shops all over town.  We went to Joshua's Pavilion.  which means first.  The pavilion was built on top of a rock formation in the middle of the river that looked like a turtle with a dragon's head, which means bad luck.  The citizens built something for good luck.  Went inside a garden area that was suppose to out do the Forbidden City.  It did not even come close.  Pictures in flowers were taken on top of Wal-Mart.  the store is underground.  Visited a museum and learned about her history.  Gayla found the store...need I say more "SHOPPING".  She bought something for everyone.   got back to hotel where we had a battle of patience.  Mommy won.


Three minutes of silence for earthquake victims


Pictures in Park above Wal- Mart.... One of 2 Chairman Mao statues in the city



4/20/10  Adayla is now officially a Smith.  The orphange person gave us a silver locket that baby's in this area wear to symbolize protection.  It is beautiful.  We will be in Guiyang for two more days while waiting on her passport.  We went to Walmart today.  It is different than ours but in alot of ways it is the same. 

Adayla is grieving very hard.  At times it does not matter who is holding her she will cry.  She ate some congee for breakfast.  She has drank 6 oz of formula.  She loves her yaya(binking).  She fights sleep very bad.  Last night she sleep for about 7 hours so that was really good I thought. 

This is my first experience with foster care.  My other children were in orphange.  There is a big difference.  When Adayla cries she expects someone to know what she is crying about and fix the problem.  My other children did not cry because no one would come when they did so they had to learn to fix their own problem.  Which I think makes the transition harder on the child.  The good part of foster is you know she will attach because she attached to her foster mom and dad.  It is also true that she is having a harder time with me than with Kevin.  She wants NOTHING to do with me which we both knew could happen.  It will come.  This poor child has been yanked out of everything she knows.  She went from her foster mom to me.  So she is associating me with taking her away from foster mom which is totally understandable. 

She is a beautiful baby girl.  Her Chinese name means to "keep healthy". 

We are starting our second day with Adayla.  She is still trying to get use to us.  She likes Kevin only!!!  I have go to feed her one part of a bottle but it will all come.  We are going to the Adoption Center to become an offical family today.  So for now I will post more pictures.  Yes, she is now wearing a Gayla bow.




WE HAVE ADAYLA!!!!  She is a very tiny little girl.  She is wearing 3 month clothes and she is 10 months old.
She has no teeth and she can walk.  She is also grieving very very hard right now.  So pray for us.
With no further ado....Presenting Adayla Rose Chen Presley Smith

Here are some pictures from Guiyang City.  We took these as we were walking around.  The statue is Chairman Mao. 
The cake is from a bakery.  Some of the others are street vendors.  On next post will be the long awaited pictures of
Adayla Rose.













4/18/10  We went to the plant and fish market yesterday.  That was very kool.  Guiyang's city flower is an orchird.  The market had some of the most beautiful ones.  They also a a pet market with birds and dogs.  No Chayla we are not bring home a dog or bird instead of your sister. 





4/17/10  We have meet Suzanne and Jerry.  And went to the grocery store with our guide.  THe store was very busy because today is shopping day in China (aka Saturday).  We also got the news we will not be getting Adayla until Monday here.  Yes, that was disappointing.  

Our guide is going to take us to a market tomorrow so that should be fun.  I think we are going to go to KFC tonight but not sure.  

Keep praying for us and Adayla.  Also pray for my sweet little boy at home.  Kavin is having a really hard time with us being gone. 
After 31 hours of travelling we are at our hotel in Guiyang.  Richard is our guide and he was at the airport to meet us.  We are going to be Adayla Sunday.  We are very excited to be here.



4/16/10

Posted by her Mom:  This is the email I received this morning

We have made to to China.  We are at the airport waiting to go to Guiyang.  Everything is fine.  We have been up for 24 hours now and have yet to see night. 

4/9/10 Four years ago God told us we had one more child so we started the process to adopt. When God tell you to do something and you follow it but it is just not going like YOU thought it should...just keep believing and trusting God because you see on Saturday April 17 Kevin and I will see and hold our sweet Adayla for the 1st time.  If God starts it.  God is Faithful complete it.


4/9/10 We are leaving April 15 and going all the way to Guiyang, China.  This is where we will pick up Adayla.

4/6/10 WE HAVE TA'S!!!!!!!  Should be traveling between April 16 - 30.  Agency is confirming consultant appointment.  Know more tomorrow.

3/28/10  Well it is looking like we will be leaving the middle part of April. But our dates are not confirmed yet.  We are still waiting on TA's.

3/18/10  We are still waiting on TA's but it looks like it will be next week when we get them.  So who knows.  Hopefully we will leave before April 1.  Stay tuned for more updates.

3/14/10  We are still waiting on TA's to arrive.  Check back in the next couple of days to see if we have them yet.


2/26/10  We are still waiting on our Travel Approval.  We are hoping they will come next week maybe.

2/4/10
46 months to the day we were logged in  we received our referral for Adayla.  She is in foster care in the Guizhou Province.  She is 8 months old.  We cannot post pictures until we are in China.

2/1/10 The cut off is April 5 2006.  So we are IN!!!!!  Check back in 2 to 3 day for another update.  I will be posting our baby's info but I can not post a picture. 

12/30/09  Well We missed the cutoff for China by one day.  So we should get our referral in January.  If it is God timing.

12/6/09

China has referred all of March.  We are next!!!  We have 4 days.  We are expecting a referral in the next 4 to 6 weeks or when China sends them the next time.  Praise GOD!!!