This is the 20th installment in a series of columns I am devoting to the adoption journey my wife, Claudette, and I started in 2005. Hank Bond, publisher and editor of the Greenup Beacon, asked that we share our story with you. Maybe you have an interest in adoption or know someone who does. If so, I hope this information is helpful. We adopted our daughter, Josie Claire Siyan, from China in 2007.

While in China, we communicated with our friends and family members via a website we set up prior to leaving for our two-week journey throughout China.

In a post titled “Josie at the White Swan Hotel!,” dated Feb. 3, 2007:

“It's 10:31 a.m. here in Guangzhou.  We woke up at 5:30 a.m. (Claudette and I did, while Josie slept) to get ready for our 7 a.m. web chat with Brock, Blake, Papaw Larry, Mamaw Patty, Nana, and Papaw Terry.  The boys enjoyed seeing their sister again.  We had a nice hour-long web chat with everyone.  That has really been a nice way to help keep us from getting too awfully homesick.  And it beats a phone call because we get to see one another (AND much cheaper!).”

“We had a great breakfast downstairs here at the hotel.  There have to be hundreds of American couples with Chinese sons and daughters here at the White Swan Hotel.  We no longer get stared at, as we did in Nanjing, because we fit right in here! 

After we finished our breakfast Rick found us and we moved to his and Antinette's table and enjoyed some coffee and conversation with Hadley and Josie.  We then took a walk with them around the hotel, and found the "Swan Room"--the playroom at the hotel.  Josie thoroughly enjoyed herself there.  We then made our way back up to our room for a bit of a rest before we hit the streets of Guangzhou in pursuit of some bargains!  We're planning on meeting back up with Rick, Antinette, and Hadley later.”

“We will meet around 2:30 p.m. with Susan, our guide, to do some paperwork.  We will have dinner with our A Helping Hand group around 5:30 p.m. at Lucy's.  I can already tell by just eating one meal that Lucy's will be our favorite spot for good, greasy American food!”

“I've taken many photos of Josie this morning.  Hope you enjoy them.  There are so many I may have to put them under two postings.  Looks like I'm on my way to buying some more space for our web site!”

“Speaking of the web site, we have been asked  by several people how long we intend to keep it going after we get back home.  We have leased the space for one year, and can renew it again if we want to do so.  We will keep it going and ‘chronicle’ Josie getting settled into her room at home, getting to know her brothers, a big party we're planning for Josie (you will be invited!), etc.  So, the answer to the question of how long we'll keep updating the site is for at least a year.  We'll be doing daily updates through next weekend, and then update the site from time to time after that.  So you'll have to plan on checking back in on "The Antics of Josie Claire Siyan Hapney"!  And I'm sure there will be many to see!”

 

Terry L. Hapney, Jr., Ph.D., is a professor in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University, and an eastern Greenup County native. He may be reached at hapney@marshall.edu.