Apple Picking

It's been a long day.
"Hmmm... which one should we get?"
Again with the eating...

Tried to get some pictures while we were apple picking, these were the best ones...

1 Month With Lily

"Sooo Big"
Mama's darlin'
She loves to play in her room and look at books.
Lily's favorite past time... eating.
Daniel & Nicholas' 1st day of school.

Daniel and Nicholas have started school and are doing great. Daniel is in 7th grade now, changing classes, doing choir, percussion, and strolls around the house playing his Ukelele. Nicholas is in 5th grade and is also starting percussion in school. They are greeted with smiles, hugs and kisses from their little sister when they get home. The 16th marked one month as a family of 5 and Lily is doing amazing. We've been to church, the library and even had a couple of play dates. She is a very social little girl and loves music, stopping to bop to the beat whenever she hears it. She's also getting used to our dogs (Cleo & Bella), saying "Hi" to them every morning and every time we come home. Bella gives her kisses and Lily likes to toss the ball for Cleo to chase. Yes her first official English word is "Hi." She waves and says "Hi" whenever she can. She also likes to SCREAM lots of other things that are just baby babble, it's hilarious, she definitely has a lot to say. She's also learned to say "Uh oh" as she drops various objects. What an appetite this girl has. Where does she put it all, I don't know, but she eats more than me! She also loves to look at books and play "Sooo Big."

We saw the pediatrician and all of her blood work came back within normal limits. She's very healthy, just little. We'll interview 2 different doctors in October for her surgery. Please pray for God to be in all the details of this decision and surgery... no complications, infections, or scars...

Dave's back to work after some much needed time off and I plan on returning to work in November. Enjoy some pictures of Lily at home.

~Sue for the family.

Back in the sweet USA. Tired, but happy.

Our Journey Continues

That "head cold" I mentioned yesterday has actually turned out to be the flu. Daniel seems to have it also. Dave and Nicholas are fine. Lily has her first doctor appointment today. She seems to have a cold also, no fever. We came home on Saturday to a broken hot water heater also. It's all fixed now. My house is an absolute mess, I have mounds of laundry to do and am feeling a bit discouraged about not being able to take care of my family and this little one. Dave has been great though. This too shall pass. There's a peace I've come to know though my heart and flesh may fail. There's an anchor for my soul and I can say it is well...

The good news is that Lily slept through the night last night. She woke up around 1am, but we let her cry a bit (16 minutes exactly) and she was back to sleep until 6:30am. I don't know if I mentioned that Lily's cleft lip and palate actually turned out to be a cleft lip and gum. Her palate is intact. We will be seeing Patricia Fox in October for a consult as she is out of the country for the month of September on a medical mission trip to Mexico to fix cleft lips and palates down there.

Sorry if this seems very jumpy and fragmented, that's all I can muster up for today. Just gonna lay low for the day. Thanks for following along with us. We'll continue to post Lily's progress through her surgeries and such so keep in touch...

Back In The USA!

Daddy and baby sleeping in the van on the way to Hong Kong.The boys playing their Calabash Flutes.
A park next to our hotel.
This girl is a natural in front of the camera.
Goodbye beautiful Shamian Island.

Friday afternoon we took a van from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, hoping to see some of China's country side. There was none to be found, just city as far as the eye can see. The ride is about 3 hours which is the equivalent of driving from Albany to NYC. Apartment buildings and factories were all that we saw. We knew when were close to Hong Kong because we could smell it. We stayed a night in the Marriott at the Hong Kong airport and it was the best night's sleep we had in 2 weeks. The beds were SO SOFT.

Our flight took off @ 9:30am on Saturday 8/28 and landed back in the SWEET USA @ 1:10pm the same day, so needless to say we have been a bit jet lagged. I have a nasty head cold, but by this morning I think we are all back on schedule... EXCEPT Lily. She was awake all night Saturday and last night too. Dave isn't here right now (5:30am) because he took her out in the car to try to make her fall asleep, he left @ 2am. Our job today is to keep her awake, which is no easy task. This girl is such a good sleeper that she can sleep anywhere, anytime regardless of the noise or light.

We came home to family and friends with a meal cooked and groceries for our refrigerator. Enjoy some pictures and we'll post more later.

Bittersweet Endings

Jeff, Shari, and LexiDan, Michelle, and Grace

Tammy, Rod, Sophie, brother Bailey, and Grandpa Jim
Amy, Sophie, and Grandma Diane
Tony, Sarah, Ruthie, and sister Clara
Tonight is our last night here in Guangzhou. We'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon for Hong Kong, spend a night there and head for home on Saturday morning. We arrive in JFK that same afternoon, although we'll have flown ~15 hours. Pray for Lily to make a smooth transition into our time difference as it is exactly the opposite of what she is used to.

Our departure is bittersweet. We've met a few new friends that we will truly miss. It has been a privilege to get to know you all, or y'all as some would affectionately say. The Lord has brought you into our lives at this moment in time and we are grateful for the time that we've spent together. We will continue to pray for you all on this continuous journey and hope to keep in touch though this fantastic "blogging" technology. We look forward to watching all of our families change and grow. We wish you all safe travels and many blessings.

We had a free day on the island today. Took a shopping trip to a place about 10 minutes away. Let's just say I have a new appreciation of our population or lack there of in my little corner of the world. I find it a bit stressful to shop here. The sales people follow you around and the prices are all negotiable. It was nice to go to Pizza Hut and know that what you see is what you get. It was quite an experience trying to get a taxi back to our hotel. It took a "good 'ole boy from Mississippi" to hail a cab for us suburbian New Yorkers. These chinamen are ruthless when it comes to getting a cab, and making a sale.

The next time you hear from us might be from home as internet access in Hong Kong is not free. Then again, we might get the opportunity. Until next time...

~The Scicchitano's

Chinese Medicine Market

Feeding our "baby bird" at Lucy's Restaurant.Dried Deer Legs
Dried Snake Skins
Some sort of beetles a man just poured out onto the sidewalk when we walked up. They were crawling all around.


Went to the Chinese Medicine Market today. Quite the experience. It is an endless maze of alley ways with displays of strange items like dried seahorses, deer limbs, bugs, roots, snake skins, and lots of stuff that we didn't even recognize. To think that some of the people in there never come out of those winding, dirty, smelly, hot alley ways. What a life. How blessed we are to live where we do with all we have.

We made a trip to the American Consulate for our swearing in, a day early. This is a ceremony that all immigrants take part in. We stood with 40+ families raising our right hands and promised that all information given about our family and Lily is correct. I have much admiration for adoptive families of all kinds. There were parents with us there for their 2nd, 3rd, even 4th time to adopt children. One girl being adopted was nearly 14, which is a critical age here. After these children turn 14 they are no longer eligible for adoption and then put out on their own at 16 years of age. Another family was adopting a blind child and yet another family here on their 3rd trip to China adopted a boy and a girl, both deaf. I am humbled by their sacrifices and tremendous ability to love.

Lily is very nearly an American Citizen. As soon as we step off the plane at JFK and set foot on American soil she becomes a citizen!!

Then it was off to lunch at Lucy's, an american restaurant here on the island. We call Lily our little baby bird because of the way she puts her head back and opens her mouth for food. Took advantage of that beautiful pool and off to sleep we went... Enjoy the pictures. Can't wait to see you all.

Love,

The Scicchitano's

Chinese Medicine Market