| Bruno and Pat Folino would like to introduce you to our daughter... |
| Leslie XiongLing Folino! |
| Before coming home, Leslie was residing at the Guiping Social Welfare Institute Guiping City, Guangxi Province PRC |
| Born on 12/14/00 which means that she is 11 1/2 months old at referral! |
| We got the phone call on 11/29/01 at apx. 8:15 p.m. (I forgot to check!!) |
| Her medical report, given on 8/3/01, says that she is very healthy, except for an Upper Respiratory Infection. |
We were also told that she weighed about 17 1/2 lbs and was around 2 feet tall at her 8 months old. She also had 2 teeth, though now she should have many more! Leslie also is said to be "active, restless, extroverted, fond of music and doesn't like when she's being dressed. What a character, huh?? |
| Given name: Jin Xiong Ling which means: Xiong = hero Ling = smart,quick Pronounciation- (Shin Shong Ling) |
| Travel to China: In January 22, 2002 Home 2/2/02! Happy Ground Hog's Day! |
| Statistics: DTC 10/26/00 Agency - Adoptions from the Heart ACR - 0-6 months - as young as possible, nsn |
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| Ok, it's now 7/03 and I just realized I didn't give any more info than this! I'm going to go straight from memory - so some dates may be incorrect! |
| ***We flew from Chicago, to Hong Kong. Arriving in Chicago was exciting! We got to meet a large part of our travel group. Many of whom I'd met online months and months before! Everyone was so happy for this moment! ***In Hong Kong, we stayed the night at the New World Hotel, very, very nice (our last night in a double bed!) The bus ride to the hotel was amazing! Everyone was so tired (can't remember if it was 14 hours or 17??). I can still remember, Ben, the guide on the bus trying patiently to walk a bus load of semi-incoherent zombies though some important paperwork. All this while our travel buddy (and by now a very good friend) was clutching her brown bad, smelling exotic Chinese oils from the guide and trying her best (though unsuccessfully) to hold it together! :-) ***The next day we were able to fly (instead of bussing it) to Nanning where we were to finally meet our daughters! The anticipation was intense! We had all waited long enough. |
| ***We finally arrived in Nanning. I remember sitting...numb and in awe of the moment...looking out the window of our bus while we awaited instructions. Out the window was a tiny, pretty beat-up looking store (I think it was a store?) covered in signs of Chinese writing. THIS is what I'd been expecting more than what we saw in Hong Kong. I mean, I knew that Hong Kong was a major city, but I was amazed at how modern it was, all the English signs and English speaking people. This ws definately more what I expected. ***We unloaded and entered the airport to find our guides for the entire trip. Helen and her translater Bonnie were as friendly and welcoming as everyone before us had said! We were then assisgned family numbers, to make the language gap easier. Our number was 13, which was very funny. After naming us #13, they quickly said that because "13" was said to unlucky (in China AND America???) we would be called "Family 14" , with there being no 13. This was a riot through the entire trip. They'd call numbers "11...12...(pause, gasp, chuckle)...14!" Very funny! ***So, here we are in the baggage area at the airport when someone in our group bravely asks "When do we meet our daughters?". Helen's answer is unclear, Bonnie smiles and said "5:30 p.m.!" It was a little after 3:00 p.m!!!!!!!!!!!!! At that point everyone went into panic mode! |
| ***We finally arrived in Nanning. I remember sitting...numb and in awe of the moment...looking out the window of our bus while we awaited instructions. Out the window was a tiny, pretty beat-up looking store (I think it was a store?) covered in signs of Chinese writing. THIS is what I'd been expecting more than what we saw in Hong Kong. I mean, I knew that Hong Kong was a major city, but I was amazed at how modern it was, all the English signs and English speaking people. This ws definately more what I expected. ***We unloaded and entered the airport to find our guides for the entire trip. Helen and her translater Bonnie were as friendly and welcoming as everyone before us had said! We were then assisgned family numbers, to make the language gap easier. Our number was 13, which was very funny. After naming us #13, they quickly said that because "13" was said to unlucky (in China AND America???) we would be called "Family 14" , with there being no 13. This was a riot through the entire trip. They'd call numbers "11...12...(pause, gasp, chuckle)...14!" Very funny! ***So, here we are in the baggage area at the airport when someone in our group bravely asks "When do we meet our daughters?". Helen's answer is unclear, Bonnie smiles and said "5:30 p.m.!" It was a little after 3:00 p.m!!!!!!!!!!!!! At that point everyone went into panic mode! |
| OK - I've got to write this a bit more condensed! We get to our hotel in Nanning - The Magestic - VERY NICE! Marble staircases, First Class service - we're all in awe! We quickly get up to our room (9th floor -non smoking floor) and are told to get quickly down to a meeting room for more information. There we're given Chinese herbs to prevent flu (which worked for us!), we're given updated pictures and brief information on our daughters and told to be go back to our rooms to get ready! (I'm sure there was more info than this...but you know where my brain was!) ***We're in our room, and my constantly panicy hubby is now cool and confident as a cucumber! I on the other hand am totally beside myself trying to decide what clothes out of the zillion that I packed, will I change her into if necessary. Should I make a bottle, ok, how do I do that? Suddenly I forget everything. I'm flying around the room and my hubby says calmly "Aren't we supposed to go down to Helen's room (room 911)for the babies?" I really panic now. "What! Go out in the hall and look! Oh my (goodness) I can't remember what we were to do!" ***"Yes", he assures me, "everyone is down there in the hallway waiting. We should go." I pretty much throw down everything in my hands, grab the camera and we run down the hall...only to wait...and wait...and wait! Suddenly everyone starts to perk up as down the hall walks a line of nannies holding bundled up and sleepy toddlers! I quickly scan the children to see if any of them could be Leslie. I can't tell! Meanwhile, I'm furiously taking pictures just so I don't miss her if I'm wrong!" They all go into Helen's room and again we wait until they start calling numbers..."Family 1"...my friend that was so plane sick! Her daughter was sound asleep. The crowd "Awwww's". Numbers 2...3...4...5...6...7.. are called slowly, each family growing with unexplainable emotion! Then they stop! What!!!!! Oh, that was the first group from only one of the two orphanages! We have to wait again!!!!! Are you in suspense? Now scroll up and click on page 2 for our story! |
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