A Single Step

A morning at the river

2006-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

A morning at the river
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri and Eleanor enjoy a beautiful fall morning on the riverbank, watching the boats go by. Sometimes life is very very good ...

Happy Birthday Eleanor!

2006-09-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Eleanor!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

As her fellow celebrants look on, Eleanor blows out the candles at her party in honor of birthday No. 2, held in Sherwood Forest at Fairytale Town near the zoo in Land Park. The "forest" was decorated with an "Animals of the Savannah" theme and Eleanor thought it all was glorious and had a wonderful time. The highlight came when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" ... at the "Happy Birthday dear Eleanor" part, she looked around in amazement and with a huge smile at the realization that this all was for HER. We probably won't have to point that out to her next year ...

It was a beautiful day and so was Eleanor.

Zebras and giraffes, oh my ...

2006-09-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Zebras and giraffes, oh my ...
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor's fascination with the animals of the Savannah gave way to the theme for her second birthday party, with the cake as the centerpiece. The folks at Freeport Bakery did a great job decorating the cake to mirror the party decorations, which featured animal masks made painstakingly by hand by Eleanor's grandmother DD.

New 'do

2006-09-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

New 'do
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor is looking very grown-up with her new haircut, just in time for her birthday party. She sat very still (well, mostly, anyway) in her mom's lap while hairdresser Brenda LaFrano snipped away. Eleanor really lit up when she saw the results in the mirror -- and so did we. A cute little girl deserves a cute little haircut.

SHAMELESS PLUG

2006-08-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

SHAMELESS PLUG
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Hello everyone. My name is Eleanor, and I would like to recommend a fabulous book, MY CITY WAS GONE, by Dennis Love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think you will, too! It will be in bookstores everywhere Aug. 15 or shortly thereafter, or you can order now from Amazon or your favorite other online bookseller. Buy dozens for your friends!

The old reliable

2006-08-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

The old reliable
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

For sheer entertainment value, nothing beats a big empty cardboard box in the back yard on a hot summer day.

I have no caption for this one.

2006-08-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

I have no caption for this one.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

But perhaps one isn't needed.

Will my pancakes EVER arrive?

2006-08-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Will my pancakes EVER arrive?
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Flower girl

2006-07-23T21:53:00.000-07:00

Flower girl
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Little E. checks out the floral department during a visit to Trader Joe's. Not surprising that she would be drawn to the "Ladybug."

Bath time

2006-07-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Bath time
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her rubber ducky always have a blast during bath time.

HAPPY JULY FOURTH

2006-07-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

HAPPY JULY FOURTH
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor loved her first stateside Independence Day celebration at the annual Bartley-Cavanaugh block party, attended by some 250 festive revelers. If she keeps growing, next year she'll make a run at the 6-and-under hula hoop contest ...

Eleanor on parade

2006-07-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Eleanor on parade
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Little E. was one of the many stars of the kids parade at the annual Bartley-Cavanaugh July 4th block party.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2006-02-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor points to one of the many sights Saturday at the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco. An estimated 1 million people lined the route but no one enjoyed the festivities more than Little E., who danced and waved and simply had a ball.

Checking it out

2006-02-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

Checking it out
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor is enthralled by her first visit to the ocean Sunday in San Francisco.

China sisters

2006-02-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

China sisters
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We recently had the pleasure of spending a Saturday in Berkeley with Hal Plotkin and Loren Stein and their beautiful daughter, Keira. Hal and Loren were in our group that traveled to Hunan to be united with our wonderful girls. Here Keira and Eleanor stop for a split-second while playing at the Children's Museum in Berkeley.

Christmas morning

2006-02-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor gives a new friend a whirl on Christmas morning.

Ready for Sunday lunch

2006-02-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

Ready for Sunday lunch
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri and Eleanor pose before heading for lunch at Grandma's.

On the beach

2006-02-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

On the beach
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her mom discuss strategy during Eleanor's first visit to the ocean.

Cajun fun in SFO

2006-02-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

Cajun fun in SFO
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her dad pose for a picture during brunch at PJ's Oyster Bed Sunday morning in the Sunset District. Dennis proudly wears the Mardi Gras beads that the waitress presented to Eleanor, who thought they looked better on Daddy. PJ's has long been one of Terri and Dennis' favorite San Francisco haunts, and it was fun to take Eleanor there. And of course, nothing says "Chinese New Year" quite like Louisiana cuisine.

Eleanor and Bette: A Love Story

2005-12-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Eleanor and Bette: A Love Story
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

They've been virtually inseparable from the very beginning. Who knew, when Dorothy Korber's sister Bette came visiting bearing a gift bear purchased at a San Francisco museum, that Eleanor and "Bette" (as we call the bear in honor of its origin) that would become constant companions? She has other stuffed friends -- Peter Rabbit, Herschel the dog, Olivia the pig, Mary the Care Bear, Prince the purple unicorn, and of course Smyrna, her first bear who traveled with her from China -- but Bette has become first among not-so-equals. The latest evidence: Bette's appointment as Eleanor's official escort to the Teddy Bear Tea in San Francisco today (also attended by her mother and grandmother). Report forthcoming.

Trick or treat?

2005-11-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

Trick or treat?
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor heads out for her very first Halloween dressed as a blooming flower -- a "China blossom," for sure. (Note the ladybug bag.) She was a major sensation along Cavanaugh Way.

Thanks, Erin!

2005-10-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Erin!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor models a beautiful scarf knitted by her cousin Erin in North Carolina. The scarf -- comfy and warm and very retro-glam -- arrived yesterday and was perfect for a chilly Saturday morning at the park.

2005-10-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

PUMPKIN TIME -- One of the pleasures of having Eleanor in our lives is including her in our established family rituals. A favorite pilgrimage we make every year is to Apple Hill just above Placerville in the Sierra foothills to visit the pumpkin patches that proliferate there. We made that trek Saturday on a fall gorgeous afternoon and Eleanor (and Dennis and Terri and DD) had a wonderful time looking just the right pumpkin for Halloween. Eleanor also enjoyed her first pony ride (detailed below). We also may have purchased a frozen half-baked apple-blackberry-sour cream pie at Boa Vista fruit stand, and we also may have eaten it a la mode after dinner Saturday night, and it may have been fabulous, as always. Eleanor will have to wait a year or two before joining in that particular ritual ...

Eleanor's first pony ride

2005-10-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Eleanor's first pony ride
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We weren't sure how Little E. would react to seeing a real pony for the first time (as opposed to a stuffed one or one in a book), or how enthusiastic she might be to actually ride one. But we gave it a shot anyway -- and she had a big time, laughing and smiling the entire way.

The real pumpkin head is behind the camera.

2005-10-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

The real pumpkin head is behind the camera.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her mom pose at Apple Hill.

Walking tall

2005-10-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Walking tall
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Here is the first official photo of Eleanor demonstrating her latest skill -- walking. She shocked Dennis and Terri at lunch today by taking two or three confident, unaided steps, then recreated the feat at bedtime tonight for the media. She was EXTREMELY proud of herself.

Mission accomplished, Grandma

2005-10-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Mission accomplished, Grandma
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri's mom says she thinks Eleanor may be an astronaut one day -- so here's a preview.

Good morning, world

2005-10-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Good morning, world
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

More playground fun. Eleanor loves all manner of play and games and has become a very confident climber. It's been amazing to watch her develop from the wobbly baby we met in China to the strong and robust almost-a-toddler she is today.

Early morning stroll

2005-09-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Early morning stroll
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Dennis and Eleanor cast a long shadow as they take a walk Tuesday morning.

A penny for her thoughts

2005-09-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

A penny for her thoughts
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Sometimes (it struck Dennis recently), when Eleanor seems to be gazing out at the universe at nothing and everything all at once, you'd give your meager fortune just to know what she was thinking at that precise moment. Is she taking in the expansive world and trying to figure out its rhythms and nuances? Is she marveling at the blue sky and how it serves as a painter's backdrop for a flock of geese as they glide overhead? Is she pondering a tree and how it soars into the air with majesty and grace? And then you realize what she probably is thinking is, "I like it when I poop."

Swing me again, Dad!

2005-09-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Swing me again, Dad!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her Dad take a walk to to the park nearly every morning, and it is a highlight of the day for both (especially Dad). The girl loves to swing, the higher and faster the better. Dad does his best to oblige.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2005-09-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

One Rocks
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We can't believe it, but our little girl turned one this weekend. On Saturday we celebrated the event with friends and neighbors. Eleanor's beloved bear "Smyrna" also was in attendance.

You want me to what?

2005-09-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

You want me to what?
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

At first Eleanor was reluctant to dive into her darling "itty bitty birthday cake."

That's what I'm talking about

2005-09-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

That's what I'm talking about
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

It wasn't long before she mastered the art of cake cramming.

Here's what remains....

2005-09-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here's what remains....
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

The party's over

2005-09-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

The party's over
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

The frosting is gone, but the crumb-coated topknot in her hair remains.

Birthday Beauty

2005-09-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Birthday Beauty
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Mmmmwah!

2005-09-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Mmmmwah!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor blows a kiss, complete with sound effects, to the photographer (daddy). She's flanked by buddies Grace (left) and Maya (right).

Present Pandemonium

2005-09-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Present Pandemonium
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Lots of friends, lots of presents...what more could a girl ask for?

Where's your other sock?

2005-09-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Where's your other sock?
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Oh, it's in your mouth. Of course.

Playground fun

2005-09-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Playground fun
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

One of Eleanor's favorite times of the day is her trip to the "tot lot" at nearby Land Park, where she loves to swing and plunge headfirst down the slide. (As one mother said to Dennis the other day, "You'll have to manage that ...") She's a fearless climber who seems to get stronger every day. Eleanor also made her second visit to the doctor last week and weighed in at 20 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured at 29 inches long. Dr. Zacarias pronounced her a healthy, happy, growing girl. We are thankful every day for Eleanor's health and her enthusiasm for life.

China sisters

2005-09-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

China sisters
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Last weekend we made the trip to Redwood City to attend a party in honor of Loren Stein and Hal Plotkin and their lovely daughter, Keira, who were a huge part of our experience in China. Hal and Loren were members of our group that traveled to Hunan, where Keira and Eleanor were playmates in the orphanage there. Like Eleanor, Keira is growing and thriving and seems ready to take on the world. It was wonderful to see everyone doing so well, and Eleanor and Keira seemed to enjoy each other. Pictured here is a rare moment when both were relatively still ...

Story time rocks!

2005-08-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Story time rocks!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor has a hearty laugh during story time this morning.

Sweet home Alabama

2005-08-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

Sweet home Alabama
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Dennis' family in Anniston, Alabama, had been anxious to see Eleanor for the first time, and in mid-August we flew there for a very enjoyable visit. Pictured are Dennis' parents, Bill and Virginia, with Dennis and Eleanor. Dennis' brother, Barry, his wife Debby and their children Erin, Ryan and John also drove down from their home in Charlotte, North Carolina, to check out the newest member of the Love clan.

Fun with grandpa

2005-08-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Fun with grandpa
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor enjoys a laugh with her grandfather. All the family and friends in Alabama thought Eleanor was really something, and the feeling seemed to be very mutual from Little E.

Happy (early) birthday, Eleanor!

2005-08-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Happy (early) birthday, Eleanor!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

One of the highlights of our trip to Alabama was a birthday party for Eleanor. OK, the celebration was a little ahead of schedule -- her birthday isn't until Sept. 18 -- but all the Loves in Alabama wanted to mark the day anyway while Eleanor was in attendance. A blast was had by all, especially Eleanor's cousins, (from left) John, Ryan and Erin. Eleanor loved playing with her cousins and can't wait to see them all again.

Aunt Lynette pays a visit

2005-08-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

Aunt Lynette pays a visit
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Our dear longtime friend Lynette Rice of Entertainment Weekly fame zoomed up to Sacramento last weekend for a much-too-brief visit to check out Eleanor. Weekend highlights featured a trip to the state fair and lots of catching up about who's where and why and doing what with who. We're hoping Lynette will bring her twin girls next time for a big blowout at Funderland and Fairytale Town.

"What are you rebelling against?" "Whaddaya got?"

2005-08-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

"What are you rebelling against?" "Whaddaya got?"
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

All right, Eleanor isn't really spouting dialogue from "The Wild Ones" just yet. But she did look rather anti-establishment yesterday atop her "Rock and Roll and Ride" pedalcycle sent to her by her Aunt Lynette, who will be visiting soon.

First trip to the M.D.

2005-08-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

First trip to the M.D.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri and Dennis had been dreading Eleanor's first trip to the doctor, but once again Eleanor came through with flying colors. Yes, she was VERY UNHAPPY about the blood drawn from her arm; no, she wasn't crazy about the two injections she received, either, with three of us holding her down as if we meant to saw off her leg in some Civil War-era hospital. But she recovered quickly and managed to charm everyone at the doctor's office while she was at it. The doctor's report was very positive. Eleanor is progressing nicely, seems strong and healthy and happy and has gained nearly a pound since we've returned from China (the official weigh-in is pictured here).

What heat wave?

2005-07-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

What heat wave?
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Sacramento was hit with a string of 100-degree-plus days earlier this week, but Eleanor managed just fine as she tried out her baby pool in the back yard.

2005-07-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

ELEANOR THE INTREPID makes her way through a "tunnel" at her Gymboree class earlier today. She has made exponential leaps in her body strength in the 4 weeks since we first were united with her in China, and seems to be rapidly approaching toddler status. A handful in the making ...

The winning bet

2005-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

The winning bet
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri and Eleanor grasp (and crow about) the five bucks won from Dennis regarding a certain ill-advised wager. The bet: that Eleanor would travel from one room to another under her own power before Terri's birthday (Aug. 27). Terri said she would, Dennis said no way. Dennis lost big -- Eleanor scooted from her bedroom to the bathroom down the hallway with nearly 40 days to spare. Dennis, properly chastened, gladly paid up and vowed never to underestimate Eleanor again.

Settling in

2005-07-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Settling in
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Saturday will mark one week since we've returned from China with Eleanor. The bags are all unpacked, the jet lag has diminished, and we've already made one trip to IKEA - so we must have turned the corner. We've had a couple of long nights while we (i.e., Eleanor) have cycled away from China time, but by and large things have gone well. Eleanor has settled in to her new surroundings and seems to be flourishing. Frankly, she continues to be delightful. She has a marvelous sense of play and definitely knows how to make us laugh. Physically, she gets stronger every day and is beginning to try to crawl. Terri and Dennis have a $5 bet on when she'll manage to crawl from one room to another; the over-under is Terri's birthday (August 27 HINT) and Terri has the under. Basically it looks like another of Dennis' loser bets, right up there with the time he bet Terri that the actress who plays Mrs. Landingham on "West Wing" is the same woman who portrayed Ruth Ann on "Northern Exposure. (She isn't.) Or the time he bet Terri that Carol would not become romantically involved with Mr. Martino on "Ed." (She did.) Funny, we don't seem to find the time to watch much TV lately.

Not that Eleanor hasn't presented her challenges. So far she has been the very babbling, cooing picture of the happy baby during the day, but she can definitely vent white-hot steam if things don't go her way when the sun goes down. They warned us in China about these "spicy Hunan babies" - she can get mad, and when she gets mad she hunkers down and gathers all the air and indignation and vituperation and unmitigated fury she can muster and launches an ear-piercing, moon-rattling, Hounds of Hell-unleashing, has-to-be-heard-to-be-believed cry that surely registers on the seismograph at Cal Tech. But then she usually sleeps all night, too, so we have nothing to complain about. She is a dear precious child, and we are lucky, lucky people to have her, despite that odd ringing sound in Dennis' left ear that doesn't seem to want to go away.

Now that we have had some time to decompress, that feeling of immediacy of having just been halfway around the world to China to adopt a child is, inevitably, beginning to dissolve. But it was an experience that will be with us forever, just as we know it will be for the other brave and wonderful families who shared it with us. It was daunting enough to undertake the adoption process and see it through, ultimately making our way to an incredibly foreign place to start a life with a child we knew only from a few small photographs taken months before; for that foreign place to be China, an epic adventure unto itself, made the trip nearly hallucinogenic at times. We'll reflect more on this as time goes by, but China is a massive, fascinating, beautiful, hyper-crowded, insane country with a list of problems - pollution, unemployment, cultural upheaval, surly rickshaw drivers, etc., etc. - a mile long, but with the kind of potential that rocks you back on your heels. Obviously we're no experts after three weeks over there, but China strikes you as a big, lumbering, heavily armed battleship that is slowly but inexorably turning around and beginning to focus all its considerable might in one direction. When they figure everything out, stand back.

But China is losing some of its lifeblood, too, in the form of these countless children, most of them baby girls, flowing from Chinese orphanages into the US and many other countries and into homes like ours. We don't presume to judge - China's loss is most blessedly our gain, and the beautiful little girl who now graces our home is living proof of that. But places like California are filling up with these girls, and you can't help but wonder what will happen when these incredibly gifted children become women with minds and voices of their own. I'm not sure what the future holds, but we know this - they will be heard.

That seems a long way off at the moment. In our little corner of the world Eleanor finds great amusement in soap bubbles and great sustenance in strained peas, and her parents are working hard to make sure that she feels truly loved above all else. Perhaps when she cries at night, hitting those operatic notes, she isn't really crying - maybe she's just trying to find her voice. A couple of people already are listening.

Already grown

2005-07-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Already grown
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We thought we would have at least a few weeks before Eleanor started changing before our very eyes. But here she is, looking virtually grown. We suspect that in a month or two she'll want a pony and will be trying to con us into doing her science project.

Three amigas

2005-07-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

Three amigas
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Is "amigas" a word?" No matter, the three ladies of Cavanaugh sparkle for the camera.

Made it!

2005-07-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

Made it!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor tries out her new swing one day after the long and exhausting trip home to Sacramento from Hong Kong. The trek home (train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, then flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo, Tokyo to Portland and Portland to Sacramento) seemed endless at times, but Eleanor traveled well and seemed to create a sensation wherever she went. (At the gate in Portland, eight people surrounded her at one point while she charmed them all. It's like traveling with a rock star, only not as much care and feeding.) The three of us were truly spent when we finally straggled in the door in Sacramento, but a good night's sleep and long midday nap later, all were recovering well. Eleanor even entertained a visitor on Sunday: Her Aunt Dorothy, who pronounced her "fabulous." Who are we to argue? ... We are thankful to be home, and are gratified by the wonderful responses we've received from all over the world about the blog (as our great friend Clint Williams likes to say, this internet thing may catch on). It's been an amazing journey and a life-changing experience to find and meet Eleanor and bring her home. We'll post some reflections in the coming days, but many thanks to all for your interest and support. We could feel you rooting for us, and it meant the world.

2005-07-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

FUN WITH GRANDMA: Part of the joy for Eleanor of coming home to Sacramento is getting to know her wonderful grandmother. DD thinks her new granddaughter is pretty special, too. Lots in store for these two ...

2005-07-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

The girls enjoy a bath after the long trip home. If only Dad would take the hint.

Farewell dinner wardobe

2005-07-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

Farewell dinner wardobe
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

The custom among adoptive families in China celebrating their farewell dinner is to dress the babies in traditional Chinese fashion, and Eleanor certainly held up her end of the bargain, as you can see here. She also sported a Chinese ankle bracelet, which she truly loved. (She kept shaking her leg to watch and listen to it jangle.) We'll be home in about 48 hours ... jet-lagged and happy.

And so it begins, Part 2.

2005-07-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

And so it begins, Part 2.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Sure they're cheap here, but at this rate Eleanor won't need a new pair of shoes until her first job interview.

Cruising the homestretch

2005-07-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Cruising the homestretch
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Our next-to-last night in mainland China featured a sunset cruise down the Pearl River through the heart of Guangzhou. Eleanor once again out-partied and out-lasted her parents with energy to spare -- she is a joy to be with and absoutely up for anything. We're now beginning final preparations to return home. Tomorrow (Thursday) we go to the U.S. consulate for final official doings re Eleanor's adoption and immigration; Friday we take the train from Gunagzhou to Hong Kong, spend the night and then fly out early Saturday morning for the USA via Tokyo. Obviously we're a little apprehensive about a long stressful flight with a nine-month-old, but if Eleanor handles that trip with the aplomb with which she has handled everything else, we'll be fine.

And so it begins.

2005-07-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

And so it begins.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri power-shops for Eleanor in Guangzhou. Eleanor, can you say, "Clothes horse?"

Homeward bound (almost)

2005-07-05T06:22:00.000-07:00

Homeward bound (almost)
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

In a few days we finally will head back to the good old USA, and things are beginning to remind us of home. We visited the Pearl River Delta (pictured here; you can see the hazy Guangzhou skyline in the distance) on the evening of July 4, and couldn't help but think of the California Delta country. (For the record, the Pearl River delta breeze was highly appreciated but can't compare to the DB in Sacramento, the meteorological phenomenon which of course inspired the indie cult movie hit, "Breezer," co-produced by Rex Babin and Dennis Love.) Dennis even got a little misty this morning when he heard the Beach Boys playing on the sound system in the China Hotel Starbucks. When "Don't Worry Baby" nearly brings a tear to the eye, it's time to go home.

Admit it: She's cute.

2005-07-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

Admit it: She's cute.
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor poses for a picture Sunday evening in our hotel room in Guangzhou at the end of another wonderful day. She is thriving and seems to enjoy our every outing. We feel truly fortunate to have such a healthy, happy, glowing little girl.

Dressed for the 4th

2005-07-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

Dressed for the 4th
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor models her Fourth of July ensemble she wore to a "reunion pizza party" Sunday evening held at our hotel in Guangzhou to welcome all the adoptive families back from their travels last week to distant provinces to meet their new children. Naturally her outfit is smartly accessorized by socks festooned with red, white and blue ribbon, which she loved and immediately put in her mouth.

Eleanor's first swim

2005-07-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Eleanor's first swim
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor had a blast as she took her first-ever dip in a swimming pool Sunday afternoon in Guangzhou.

Those darn paparazzi ...

2005-07-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

Those darn paparazzi ...
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her China sisters get the red carpet treatment Sunday at a Buddhist temple in Guangzhou, where they participated in a blessing ceremony.

Utterly delightful

2005-07-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

Utterly delightful
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

With each passing day, Eleanor grows more comfortable with us and reveals additional layers of her effervescent personality. She has been nothing less than a sheer pleasure, even during a difficult day like today when we made the exhausting return trip from Changsha to Guangzhou, where we will remain for another week before heading home. She was a trouper extraordinaire on her first-ever plane ride, and continues to exhibit a profoundly good nature and bubbly sense of humor. Basically, she won't stop being cute ... we've decided she can't help it. (A reminder: You can click on the blog photos to see other photos posted on flickr. Thanks for checking in ...)

Pilgrimage to YouXian

2005-07-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Pilgrimage to YouXian
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We knew that traveling deep into the rural heart of the Hunan Province to visit the orphanage that nutured Eleanor would be a powerful experience, but we had no idea just how meaningful the journey would be. Our trip from Changsha to YouXian on a searing-hot day was a hypnotic three-hour ride through some of the most lush and mesmerizing countryside that China has to offer, vast swaths of which look resolutely unchanged since the 19th Century. Crumbling stone huts interspersed with rice paddies tended by stooped peasants in straw hats; wobbly rickshaws burdened by farm-to-market goods; quaint villages thronged by midday shoppers, many in traditional dress, bartering over vegetables and other provisions ... all framed by soaring green mountain ranges and stream-dappled flood plains. Not everything is bucolic bliss -- cold-blooded madmen on rickety motorcycles swarmed the roads like angry bees, dueling with the buses and trucks and occasional cars as if giving up an inch of asphalt would disgrace their ancestors. Our bus driver was a profusely sweating, mentally deranged man with the guts of a riverboat gambler who apparently has spent most of his adult life obsessively watching the chase scene from The French Connection in a perpetual loop, and thought nothing of hurtling past a line of trucks on a blind curve, severely traumatizing the few passengers who had the courage to look.

But this was only a backdrop to the business of the day, a sobering tour of the orphanage that actually is a county home for destitute seniors as well as abandoned children. The director of the facility was very gracious but very strict about photographing the premises -- it soon became clear that there are concerns about photographs of children yet to be adopted leaking to the outside world. The children we saw were wide-eyed, beautiful, and heartbreaking -- they navigated around at knee-level on baby walkers, craning up to look at you like baby robins. The caregivers were very friendly and seemed thrilled to see the newly adopted children, like Eleanor, who had returned for a visit. The place was clean but grim, and though it probably compares fairly well to most Chinese orphanages it was wrenching to think of our Eleanor spending day after day after day there, competing for attention and love. We saw the crib that Eleanor used, a cold, institutional-looking model among a fleet of others just like it in a gray, lifeless room. It seemed terribly sad. Make no mistake -- clearly the orphanage staff works extremely hard and does their level best for the children who find their way into their care. But they face a great challenge with relatively thin resources. We were heartened to learn that US Asian Affairs, the liasion between our adoption agency and the Chinese government, has just donated $3,000 to buy air conditioners for the YouXian orphanage; we also were happy to hear that every child at the orphanage is in line to be adopted. We left the premises with heavy yet hopeful hearts, and gripped our own lovely children who will never spend another night there with all the compassion we could muster.

The climax of our day came when we were taken to the site where Eleanor was found the day after she was born, the steps of a large post office (pictured here) on the main highway leading into town. Pictures were taken and Dennis scooped up a handful of red clay from along the roadside to give to Eleanor someday, a piece of earth from this remote and other-wordly place. This entire day, in truth, was for Eleanor: a mission to investigate her roots as best we could, so that one day we might provide her with some understanding of where she is from and how abject strangers loved her enough to sustain her until a blessed and lucky couple came from halfway around the world to take her as their very own.

There goes breakfast

2005-07-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

There goes breakfast
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

For those who may be tiring of impossibly heart-warming photos of Eleanor and her new parents, here is a snapshot taken during the carnival thrill ride that was the bus trip Thursday from Changhsha to YouXian to visit Eleanor's orphanage.

Adoption Day

2005-06-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

Adoption Day
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Eleanor and her Mom

2005-06-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Eleanor and her Mom
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri and Eleanor are ready to tackle another fun day in Changsha. Eleanor continues to get more comfortable with her new parents and is revealing herself to be quite the charmer; she seems to turn heads wherever she goes. Tomorrow we make what figures to be an emotional pilgrimage to Eleanor's orphanage in YouXian.

Just another ...

2005-06-29T05:44:00.000-07:00

Just another ...
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

... sprawling Chinese mega-city that seems to go on forever. This is the view from our hotel room in Changsha.

A day like no other

2005-06-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

A day like no other
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Up early. Big breakfast. Fly from rainy Guangzhou to rainy Changsha. Check into hotel. Frantically unpack. Meet up with travel group in the lobby. Take the longest, most excruciating 15-minute bus ride in history to the adoption center in downtown Changsha. Wait in a small, humid room with several other expectant families while the almost Hitchcockian suspense builds. Then, suddenly, like a cannon shot: Eleanor Jiangnan Love, a beautiful, spirited, feisty, nine-month-old piece of work if there ever was one, materialized from an adjacent hallway as if in a dream. We fell in love with her at first sight; she proceeded to scream bloody murder for the next two hours -- but we had been forewarned about these "spicy Hunan babies." She was spitting mad at this inexplicable turn of events -- where am I, and who are these strange people gawking at me? -- and clearly heartbroken over being separated from her familiar caregivers at the orphange. (She very distinctly kept crying "Ma-ma, Ma-ma," which would have been devastating had we not been prepared for something like it. It's actually a good sign, we're told, one that means she is strong-willed, intelligent and emotionally healthy enough to form a fierce attachment that will transfer to us soon enough.) The other babies in our group cried, too, but Eleanor cried and cried and cried, from the adoption center to the bus ride back to the hotel lobby to the hotel room. But then ... she took part of a bottle, seemed to feel better, started playing blocks with her brand-new mother and before we knew it was smiling and babbling and flirting to beat the band. About an hour later she passed out cold, and the demon had become a sleeping angel. And we couldn't be happier -- and can't wait for her to wake up so we can verify that this is really happening. According to her caregivers, that confirmation will come at about 2 a.m. ...

Together at last

2005-06-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Together at last
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Dennis, Terri and Eleanor mere seconds after The Big Moment.

Eleanor Eve in Ghangzhou

2005-06-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

Eleanor Eve in Ghangzhou
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We arrived in Ghangzhou from Beijing shortly after midnight and now are literally counting down the hours until we see Eleanor for the first time tomorrow afternoon. We'll fly to Changsha in the Hunan Province in the morning where we'll stay for about five days as we are united with Eleanor and deal with all the requisite red tape. We met up with our traveling party earlier today, a great group of people who are (nearly) as excited as we are about the Big Day tomorrow. We all attended a big arrival luncheon at a wonderful restuarant on the the Pearl River and took a short tour of Guangzhou. We're pictured here by the river with "fellow travelers" Hal Plotkin and Loren Stein of Palo Alto, who also will meet their daughter, Keira, tomorrow in Changsha. If all goes well our next post will be all about our first day with Eleanor ...

Laid back in Beijing

2005-06-24T04:59:00.000-07:00

Laid back in Beijing
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

After two demanding days touring the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, we decided to check out the quieter, less crowded side of Beijing. The Back Lakes is a neighborhood originally built for families with ties to Chinese royalty but now is an upscale conglomeration of upper-crust homes, lakeside parks, trendy bars and the most obnoxious and parasitic people on the face of the Earth, i.e., Beijing rickshaw drivers. A life form so low on the evolutionary scale that they aspire to be plankton, these guys will literally block your path to attempt to hector you into doing business with them, and they don't just take a polite "no thanks" lying down, either. Not sure this is what Mao had in mind, but whatever. Otherwise, the Back Lakes was a very pleasant retreat from the frantic bustle of super-urbanized Beijing. Nearby are the Bell Tower (pictured below) and the Drum Tower, both ceremonial relics of old Beijing. Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou, where we will meet up with our group and start preparing in earnest for meeting Eleanor on Monday.

bell tower near back lakes

2005-06-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

bell tower near back lakes
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Borscht Belt East

2005-06-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

Borscht Belt East
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

There's more than Peking duck to eat in Beijing. We've had a wonderul variety of great food here. Yesterday we found ourselves eating Mediterranean food in an expat district in the Sanlitun embassy district listening to the group at the bar speak French; tonight we wound up in a Russian restaurant where Dennis swears his Ukranian roast beef casserole was one of the best dishes he ever had. Here he gives "The Elephant" his highly sought after thumbs-up.

The Great Wall

2005-06-23T02:34:00.000-07:00

The Great Wall
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

The Great Wall was everything we expected it to be: crowded, exhausting and, most of all, spectacular, even humbling. The scale of it all is absolutely stunning, slithering like some stone-and-mortar serpent along the spine of an expansive mountain range that seems to go on forever. How did they ever acquire the right-of-the-way for this particular public works project? Eminent domain, no doubt. Anyway, it's always an emotional moment when you cross another entry off the "things to see before you die" list. Still to go: the pyramids, the Taj Mahal, Turner Field ...

Courtyard hotel

2005-06-23T02:15:00.000-07:00

Courtyard hotel
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

This was our hotel room on our first night in Beijing. Very old and quaint in the traditional courtyard style. Wisteria shaded the seating areas, while parakeet cages hung from the trees; the courtyard also featured large porcelain bowls filled with goldfish. Very lovely, very authentic. This photograph, however, doesn't divulge the cramped, mold-infested nightmare within. We ditched our plans to go "old Beijing" after one night and checked into the wonderful (and modern)Marco Polo, which features marvelous amenities such as views of the Forbidden City, sparkling bathrooms, internet access and beds that don't remind you of marble slabs.

High (tea) and dry at last

2005-06-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

High (tea) and dry at last
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

After battling monsoon conditions in Hong Kong for most of the day, we pampered ourselves with a spot of high tea at the Peninsula Hotel and prepared to fly to Beijing early tomorrow morning. Finally the rain has stopped and for that we are reverently grateful. The Old Testament-class deluge we experienced today would have demoralized even Noah. Massive driving sheets of rain hammering down by the barrels-full for hours -- frankly, we've never seen anything like it, ever. We surmise the indiginous peoples must not see it all that often themselves, given the "Amber Rainstorm Alert" signs posted across the city. Not sure where "Amber" ranks on the Hong Kong catastrophic rainfall scale, but I would hate to see Rumsfeld place the "Tiffany," "Crystal" and "Brittany" alert levels into play as well -- things are scary enough around here already. The cheapo umbrella Dennis bought on the street to fend off the elements was a joke; it wilted and flopped around until he finally just punted it away in disgust, a nice tight spiral fair-caught somewhere on New Queens Road. Using that umbrella was like trying to defend against Godzilla with a garden hose. Plus, augmenting said climatological conditions today was steaming, blasting, all-pervasive, shop window-fogging heat and humidity. So if the rain gods didn't get you, the sweat devils certainly did. Dennis so resembled a drowned rat that Terri was forced to laugh out loud at him on several occasions, all in the spirit of good marital fun. But we got our sightseeing in, by God, and we ain't stopping now, either, even though they are calling for dust storms in Beijing -- we kid you not. Howling rain, eye-stinging sand, triple-digit heat ... we're coming to get you, Eleanor, we just don't know what kind of shape we'll be in by the time we get there ...

Hong Kong market

2005-06-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

8 pictures for you
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Terri peruses some of the local market wares. You can see more (unblogged) photos by clicking on the photos on the blog.

2005-06-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

GREETINGS FROM HONG KONG -- 7,000 miles later we have finished the first big leg of our journey. This is the view from our hotel room tonight. The trip was very smooth and uneventful, thanks to Terri's great planning. We were even upgraded to a suite once we arrived at the hotel, probably because after 15 hours in the air we looked like we needed one. We're beat but thrilled to be here. More soon ...

And they're off ...

2005-06-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

And they're off ...
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Dennis and Terri at SFO just before takeoff.

Crunch time ...

2005-06-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Crunch time ...
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Pictured here is the TRAVEL LIST FROM HELL that Dennis was working from earlier in the week (since superceded by another one). The mere fact that Dennis is submitting to working from a list at all should provide some indication of just how serious things are getting around here as our departure date approaches at the speed of a Nolan Ryan fastball circa 1973. We will be leaving Sunday from San Francisco flying via Tokyo to Hong Kong, then on to Beijing a couple of days later, and then on to Guangzhou a few days after that to meet up with our group.

Making those flight arrangments was an epic undertaking unto itself. Dennis was calling the Delta Skymiles desk in Salt Lake City so often to haggle for better connections that he achieved first-name status there. (Actual exchange: "Thank you for calling Delta, this is Nancy Baker, how may I help you?" "Oh, um, hi Nancy, I think we've talked before. This is Dennis in Sacramento ..." "Oh, yeah. The adoption, right?")

In less than two weeks, we'll have Eleanor -- and Dennis' list will only seem like a horrible, scarring, distant, long-ago nightmare.

Also many thanks to Jay Tingle (pictured below wielding two drills), who played a key role in installing the all-important sandbox over the weekend. And to Terry Weiner of Land Park Tree Service fame (also below), who risked life and limb to hang Eleanor's swing from the very tall London plane in the front yard. A kid's gotta have a sandbox and a swing, right?

Thanks to all as we head for China. We'll keep everyone posted ...

2005-06-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Jay Tingle, a man on a mission.

2005-06-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

Better him than Dennis ...

Packing for China

2005-06-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

China map
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

We've been so focused on Eleanor that the travel piece of our journey hasn't fully sunk in...until this weekend. We're going to CHINA very soon, for almost three weeks, and we still don't know the exact dates. Once we receive travel authorization from the Chinese government (hopefully next week), our agency will notify us and we can finally make reservations. Out of sheer frustration, Terri has already packed most of our bags.

However, we do know several components of our trip. We're planning to do a quick tourist pass-through of Hong Kong and Beijing on our own for about a week before joining in Guangzhou with several other families from our agency. Guangzhou is in Guangdong, China's southern-most province. From that starting point, families will fan out to several different provinces to unite with their babies. We'll be traveling north to the Hunan Province and its capital, Changsha. Nannies from the YouXian orphanage (a rural area south of Changsha) will bring Eleanor and her orphanage-mates to us in Changsha. We'll officially adopt Eleanor in that city and go through a few other bureaucratic steps. The families will then converge again in Guangzhou, where the U.S. Consulate is located, to finish up some paperwork, tour, shop and generally enjoy the babies.

Hunan Province

2005-06-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hunan province
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

This is Hunan Province, where the YouXian orphanage is located. You can click on either map (and several other photos posted on the blog) for an enlarged view.

One More ...

2005-06-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

eleanormug
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Another picture of Eleanor for her many clamoring fans.

PREPARING FOR HURRICANE ELEANOR

2005-06-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

PREPARING FOR ELEANOR
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

With only a couple of weeks to go before we leave for China to meet Eleanor and bring her home, things are bustling around here. A new fence is going in by virtue of the hard work by Keith Rauh; Dennis will install a new sand box very soon (if he can figure it out -- naturally, Terri ordered the coolest, most sophisticated and most complicated sand box on the market); the scene generally resembles Athens scrambling to get ready for the Olympics. Also this week we received some additional information about Eleanor from the orphanage in YouXian via the Chinese government and our agency here in the U.S. It seems that she was discovered on the steps of the post office in YouXian one day after she was born -- her date of birth was provided in a note found with her. She was wearing yellow clothing and a white cap. We believe that she was loved very much and that the decision to give her up must have been a very difficult one. She seems to be happy and healthy and developing normally. According to the translated report, she likes to play with her toes while on her back and "gets excited when she sees her bottle." Not as excited as we will be to see her ...

High chair assembled. Hilarity ensues.

2005-05-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

What's In A Name

2005-05-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

chinese character
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

These are the Chinese characters that were written on the back of the photographs of Eleanor we received last week. They represent her Chinese name, You Jiangnan (pronounced YO JUNG NAHN). You is her last name and comes from the name of her orphanage, YouXian. Jiangnan is her given name and we've been looking into what it means. The challenge, of course, is that Chinese is a very sophisticated, complicated and nuanced language. Tiny variations in tonal inflection can change the meaning of a word, we're told. Literal translations sometimes aren't always reliable because context is everything. So it's not as simple as looking something up in a translation guide (especially for those of us who struggle as it is with the ENGLISH language). We probably won't really be able to understand all that until we can talk to Eleanor's caregivers in China. But one valuable and very knowledgable resource we have on our adoption agency's members-only internet bulletin board has been very helpful. He says that Jiangnan literally means "south of the river." But he admits it's a strange name for a child unless it represents the area in which she was found. It may have both geographical and literary connotations. Jiangnan is a loosely defined region south of the Yangtze along China's eastern seaboard renowned for its scenic beauty and tropical climate. The area also is where mainstream Chinese culture is said to have originated; many of the historically important poets and painters are reputed to have derived their creativity by residing in or visiting the area. Our expert says a "possibility is that the child may be quite talented or creative. So the name Jiangnan in isolation would mean 'south of the river.' In context, the name would likely represent 'cultural prodigy.'" Obviously, we're hoping he's 100 percent correct ...

"Picture Day" hero

2005-05-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Jamie!
Originally uploaded by Dennis&Terri.

Our most excellent Fedex guy Jamie was one of the heroes of "Picture Day," gracefully enduring our video mania and general giddiness as he delivered the all-important first photos of Eleanor. Turns out he has a 10-year-old niece also adopted from China ... thanks again, Jamie. You're the man.

She's The One

2005-05-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

ELEANOR JIANGNAN LOVE

2005-05-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

The pictures have arrived at last! She is absolutely beautiful, but of course we think that -- we're her parents. After a day of waiting and watching for the Fedex truck to pull up in front of our house, the delivery finally came through a little before 3 p.m.

2005-05-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

BIG NEWS

2005-05-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Today was huge: We finally got the long-awaited "second call" -- and very critical and very welcome information about Eleanor. Now we know her Chinese name: You Jiangnan. We know her birthday: September 18, which means she currently is 8 months old (relatively young, and the younger the better developmentally speaking). She is said to be healthy, "very active," "restless," "likes to smile and laugh," and "is a deep sleeper." Sounds like Terri's daughter all the way! She's always lived in the orphanage, which is in YouXian in the Hunan province, about 400 miles NW of Hong Kong. The area is said to be very poor and doesn't have the resources for foster care. We've already been in touch with parents who have adopted from that orphanage and they say the facility does a "pretty good" job.

We don't know what her name means yet -- although You (which actually is her last name) is extracted from YouXian, the area in which the orphanage is located. (Surnames of orphans in China typically are taken from their locale or from the orphanage director.) Jiangnan is her first name and will become her middle name, as in: Eleanor Jiangnan Love. We think it's a beautiful name ...

No word yet on when we travel to China. Tomorrow we will receive photos of her and about a week later will get some more detailed medical information. We will post the pictures ASAP, of course.

We are super-elated. Terri received the call from the agency at work and tearfully hugged innocent bystander/Bee colleague Ralph Montano about 50 times. She immediately called Dennis, who was under duress in the dentist's chair but knew better than to miss this call. The dentist's office erupted in cheers at the news. Seems like everyone on Planet Earth has been WAITING for this day ... even medical professionals across Sacramento.

SHOWERING

2005-05-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful friends toast Eleanor's impending arrival stateside.