December 31, 2006
NEW YEAR'S EVE -
FAMILY CELEBRATION!

*** Sorry for the delayed posts – we have not forgotten everyone back home. Difficulties with the internet have prompted me to post two updates at the same time (please check both December 30 & 31st). An earthquake in Thailand 5-6 days ago, has slowed the internet in China to a crawl. It takes anywhere from 2-3 hours to post an update each time. The local papers are forecasting rolling service outages and spotty access to hi-speed service for one or two more weeks. Suddenly we have become aware how interconnected the different countries are…

Our New Years Eve was spent sharing meals with the Biencourt family (our friends from Oregon), taking a Harrah’s family photo (with the babies as well as all families), shopping at the jewelry market for the girls, playing with Gabby (starting to see the smile and personality come out as well as having a celebration dinner with the entire Harrah’s group. In total there are 9 families currently traveling in our group (35 people, including the babies).

As we sit at breakfast every morning, we compare notes with the other parents on medical questions, personality development for our new daughters and how the older siblings are doing. We usually are in a hotel dining room (buffet) with no less than 100 U.S. families that all have little Chinese babies. Our time in China is serving as both a bond with our new daughters as well as a support system for the new parents. We are gaining an understanding of our daughter’s diet, personality, physical traits and medical history.

Today was intended for connecting, this meant:
• Grace & Allison shopping for a new Chinese dress
• playing with Gabby, trying to see a smile and personality break through her empty eyes
• shopping at the jewelry market Allison and Karen

As our trip progresses, we realize that bonding as a “family” is taking on a new meaning this year and that our family is not just mother & daughter, siblings, marriage, in-laws or “the McCutcheons”. Family has become a MUCH BIGGER word for us! We realize that it took our trip to China to create a whole new definition of family for us back in the U.S.

• A local shop owner remarked how all of our new daughters are really Chinese sisters.
• Grace (our oldest daughter) and Keelyn (the oldest daughter of our Oregon friends) are sisters from the first adoption – especially since they were cribmates in Quingyuan City SWI (social welfare institute).
• Tonight we had dinner with the McCutchen family from North Carolina. Although there is not a direct link (since our names are spelled slightly differently) we now have the tie to China and our little girls.

I make these observations on the eve of 2007 as our family wants to wish you and your family a great NEW YEAR!