This video was taken only a few hours after we met YouYou...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Clara YouMei's Homecoming Pictures
Here are some more pictures from the Hammond Family Homecoming in Birmingham on Thursday night. It was so good to see all of their faces but I have to admit, I was most excited to see Clara and wanted to watch her every move. Erica (who looked great even though she just traveled for like 30 hours) set Clara down to walk once we had moved down to baggage. Clara had on those squeaker shoes (they squeak when you take a step) and we all just went wild over how cute that was. She really did well with all the attention. She didn't seem overwhelmed but definitely stuck close to her Mama. She was so curious about all the little gifts she was getting. She really liked the balloons and liked letting go of them and watching them pop back up into the air. We could have stayed there all night just watching this little angel interact with us all. But since we still had to drive back to Hsv, we slowly said our goodbyes and headed home. I haven't had a chance to talk to Erica since they have been home but I did hear that Clara loves her new room. Maybe we will get some new pictures and an update soon from Erica. I have enjoyed getting to do these updates. Thanks again for all your love for our family. Emily
The Welcoming Committee
Is she excited or what?
Showing Clara her 'welcome home' gifts
Red is definitely her color!
Mother and Daughter
Clara with her balloons
Erica, Clara, and Emily (Mimi)
Look how tiny she is!
Peek-A-Boo
True Love
The Welcoming Committee
Is she excited or what?
Showing Clara her 'welcome home' gifts
Red is definitely her color!
Mother and Daughter
Clara with her balloons
Erica, Clara, and Emily (Mimi)
Look how tiny she is!
Peek-A-Boo
True Love
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Finally Home!!!
They are here!! Papa Cycle, Me, Tyler, Amy, Erin, Evanne, Elise, Ryan, & Emily met the Hammond Crew at the airport. We were all so excited when they arrived!!
YouYou is so very sweet. She loved the balloons and the bows and the stuffed animals. Her little shoes squeaked when she walked. She likes having her picture taken and wanted to see the picture in the camera. She did very well in her car seat and she ate pretzels on the way home.
When we got home Tyler played with Carter, Jackson and Clara. He pushed her around the room on a riding toy. He yelled "AAAHHHHHH" and she repeated him "AAAAAAAAA". When he stopped pushing her, she patted the back of the seat and patted his leg and "told him" to push her more. At least that's what we think she said. When Erica told her to say "Please" she repeated it sweetly. She ate tried a bite of an apple juice popsicle, but I think it was too cold. She did like the Gogurt.
When we got ready to leave she said "bye bye". She also said "Tywer" and "Midda" AKA Tyler and Missa. Tyler and I could eat her up!!
This was our first glimpse of them as they got off the plane. (If you click on the picture it will get larger so you can actually see them.)
Here is our second glimpse.
Here we are headed to baggage claim.
YouYou reached out and put her arm around Tyler.
YouYou is so very sweet. She loved the balloons and the bows and the stuffed animals. Her little shoes squeaked when she walked. She likes having her picture taken and wanted to see the picture in the camera. She did very well in her car seat and she ate pretzels on the way home.
When we got home Tyler played with Carter, Jackson and Clara. He pushed her around the room on a riding toy. He yelled "AAAHHHHHH" and she repeated him "AAAAAAAAA". When he stopped pushing her, she patted the back of the seat and patted his leg and "told him" to push her more. At least that's what we think she said. When Erica told her to say "Please" she repeated it sweetly. She ate tried a bite of an apple juice popsicle, but I think it was too cold. She did like the Gogurt.
When we got ready to leave she said "bye bye". She also said "Tywer" and "Midda" AKA Tyler and Missa. Tyler and I could eat her up!!
This was our first glimpse of them as they got off the plane. (If you click on the picture it will get larger so you can actually see them.)
Here is our second glimpse.
Here we are headed to baggage claim.
YouYou reached out and put her arm around Tyler.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Travel Time
Hello Hammond Friends and Family - I talked to Neesie (with Erica in the background) at 7:30 am Hong Kong Time. The adults were awake, but the kids were still sleeping. They are all excited to be headed HOME!!
Yesterday, they had a great time at the botanical gardens. The swearing in ceremony went well. YouYou slept through it at her mom and dad promised that all the documents were true. They took a train to Hong Kong and by the time they got to the hotel they were all exhausted.
Aaron is feeling ok. He just has to be very careful about eating bland foods.
Please continue to pray for them for the next 25 hours. Here are some specific prayer points:
* Safe Travel.
* Aaron to stay strong and well throughout the trip.
* Patience for everyone.
* Comfort for YouYou as she leaves her birth country.
* Rest for everyone.
* Flights to be on time and uneventful.
* Patience and safety for their friends Tommy, Kim, Caleb and Rachel.
* Safe travel for family and friends that are travelling to Birmingham to meet them.
* Friendly TSA Agents and flight attendants.
* All the luggage to make it home on time and undamaged.
* Patience for everyone.
* Safe Travel.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
Melisa
Yesterday, they had a great time at the botanical gardens. The swearing in ceremony went well. YouYou slept through it at her mom and dad promised that all the documents were true. They took a train to Hong Kong and by the time they got to the hotel they were all exhausted.
Aaron is feeling ok. He just has to be very careful about eating bland foods.
Please continue to pray for them for the next 25 hours. Here are some specific prayer points:
* Safe Travel.
* Aaron to stay strong and well throughout the trip.
* Patience for everyone.
* Comfort for YouYou as she leaves her birth country.
* Rest for everyone.
* Flights to be on time and uneventful.
* Patience and safety for their friends Tommy, Kim, Caleb and Rachel.
* Safe travel for family and friends that are travelling to Birmingham to meet them.
* Friendly TSA Agents and flight attendants.
* All the luggage to make it home on time and undamaged.
* Patience for everyone.
* Safe Travel.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
Melisa
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Almost time to say goodbye...
Tonight was our last night in Guangzhou and as we stood on the boat during the Pearl River Cruise it was sad to think that YouYou might not remember the beautiful sights, unique smells, and friendly people that we have encountered during our time here. I hope that we can share China with her in the future so that she will be proud of her birth country.
Although I will miss our time here in China I am ready to come home to begin our new life as a family of five. I'm afraid our house is not ready for this curious, mischevious, silly little two year old that we call YouYou. We will need to do some serious "YouYou" proofing when we get home! I can't wait to see her with the rest of our family and friends. We will need to spend some time at home "just as a family" for awhile but pretty soon you will be able to get to know her sweet personality just like we are discovering it each day. We would love to see any of you at the airport LATE on Thursday night if you are up to it :) If not, just give us a call and hopefully you can come by for a short visit soon after we get home.
As for the flight details, we are arriving into Newark on flight CO98 from Hong Kong. I don't have the flight details of the one into Birmingham, except to tell you it is the flight that arrives at 10:25 pm from Newark (Melisa, maybe you can share that on the blog if you have it?)
Tomorrow we go to the Botanical Gardens in the morning and then get packed up to go to our swearing in ceremony and straight from there to the train to go to Hong Kong. We leave HK Thursday morning and arrive Thursday night (but the flight is a lot longer than that sounds :)
Thank you again for your prayers and encouraging words!!!! Love, hugs, and enjoy these few pictures...
Although I will miss our time here in China I am ready to come home to begin our new life as a family of five. I'm afraid our house is not ready for this curious, mischevious, silly little two year old that we call YouYou. We will need to do some serious "YouYou" proofing when we get home! I can't wait to see her with the rest of our family and friends. We will need to spend some time at home "just as a family" for awhile but pretty soon you will be able to get to know her sweet personality just like we are discovering it each day. We would love to see any of you at the airport LATE on Thursday night if you are up to it :) If not, just give us a call and hopefully you can come by for a short visit soon after we get home.
As for the flight details, we are arriving into Newark on flight CO98 from Hong Kong. I don't have the flight details of the one into Birmingham, except to tell you it is the flight that arrives at 10:25 pm from Newark (Melisa, maybe you can share that on the blog if you have it?)
Tomorrow we go to the Botanical Gardens in the morning and then get packed up to go to our swearing in ceremony and straight from there to the train to go to Hong Kong. We leave HK Thursday morning and arrive Thursday night (but the flight is a lot longer than that sounds :)
Thank you again for your prayers and encouraging words!!!! Love, hugs, and enjoy these few pictures...
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