Christmas 2009 with the Cassreinos

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

PEARL RIVER, LA. (Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009) -- No sleeping late for Matthew, Camryn, Pam and I.

Matthew was up bright and early at 6:30 a.m., playing with his train table and eating bowl of oatmeal and bananas. Camryn followed shortly, playing with her toys before joining Matthew for cereal.

Christmas was a long, quick, exhausting day -- one capped by a nice evening at my sister's house for dinner and a last-minute visit by Santa himself. The menu included beef brisket, ham, oyster dressing and sweet potato.

After that, it was back home to put two incredibly tired kids to bed while Pam and I watched the season finale of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" we taped last month but never got around to watch (the verdict -- very funny).

Below is a short slide show of photos from our Christmas. Enjoy. And don't forget: Click the closed-caption box in the bottom of the window to eliminate the captions -- and click the photo itself for a larger version of the picture.

Copyright 2009 Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

'Unconditional Love' commemorates Gotcha Day for our daughter

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

PEARL RIVER, La. (Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, 5:30 a.m.) - I have been wanting to post this video for a while, but have never been able to find a good program to convert my video file tyo a flash video.

Tonight, however, I downloaded the free Riva FLV Encoder 2.0 and successfully converted my video to flash and then uploaded it to my channel at You Tube. Then I posted it here at my blog.

A little background: I made this video slide show in April 2007, in time to mark the first anniversary of the day we got Camryn, our daughter, in China. Since we got her two days before she turned 1, this also commemorates her second birthday.

I haven't yet created a similar video for our son, Matthew. I plan to start work on something similar in the next few weeks and have it ready in time for the first anniversary of his Gotcha Day in December 2009.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy this video. Let me know what you think.

My children are the only gifts I need for Father’s Day

Holt International Children’s Services asked me to write a piece for their e-newsletter, something timed to Father’s Day. Since I rarely shy away from a chance to write, I agreed. The result is below. This is my original version; it may be slightly different from the version Holt published. Enjoy.
And Happy Father’s Day.

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

MADISON, Miss. (Thursday, June 18, 2009) – Camryn sat in my lap on the carpeted floor of our master bedroom and begged me to talk about the upcoming China adoption trip my wife and I were planning.

Her excitement had been building for months, ever since Pam and I learned in June 2008 that we were matched with a little boy through Holt International Children’s Services Child of Promise program.

“Tell me about my baby brother,” Camryn, 3, said as she smiled and laughed. “Talk to me about Matthew. Is he going to be big? Is he still a baby? Can I play with him?”

It was Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008 – two days before Pam, my wife, and I were scheduled to leave Jackson, Miss., on our 24-hour flight to Beijing, the first stop on our nearly three-week adoption trip.

We already had been to China once before in March and April 2006 to adopt Camryn. And now we were heading back for our second child, a little boy who had a club foot.
Hearing Camryn’s excitement didn’t surprise me at all. We had been talking to her about Matthew for weeks to help her prepare for his arrival and ease the transition to having a second child as a member of our family.

Smooth transition

We’ve been back from China since Dec. 18. Matthew has been a part of our family for six months, bringing joy and love to everyone. He has adjusted incredibly well to his new home.

Surprisingly, Camryn has adjusted incredibly well to Matthew.

Watching Camryn, who turned 4 on April 5, and Matthew, who turned 2 on March 16, play together would lead you to think they were biologically related.

Nothing is more touching than watching Camryn sit on the floor of her bedroom, open a book, point to the pictures and create a story for her brother as if she was reading the words on the pages. Matthew sits quiet and attentive, listening to every word.

Being a father came late for me, just like my marriage. Both have been a huge blessing.

Pam and I met in 1997 when I was 36; we married in 1999. When it became obvious we weren’t going to have a child naturally, we chose to adopt, hooked up with Holt International and the rest, to use a trite phrase, is history.

I’m 48 now – and probably will be the oldest parent in our children’s PTA organization. But that doesn’t bother me; you are only as old as you feel and act.

I know I speak for my wife and myself when I say that raising two children under 5 will keep you young at heart and young in mind. Children are wonderful; they never cease to amaze.

Typical challenges

Our lives have seen the typical challenges of most parents: Making sure our children eat right, trying to choose the right day care and treating the typical childhood illnesses and colds.

We also do other things, such as ensuring Camryn and Matthew know and learn about their Chinese culture. And we are helping Matthew correct his club foot, which hasn’t been that much of a problem at all.

With Father’s Day fast approaching, my children are more on my mind than usual.

Our family is in the process of moving to Southeast Louisiana after I accepted a job in New Orleans and began work there in May. Camryn and Matthew stayed home with my wife, helping prepare our house for sale and packing for the move.

Obviously, I haven’t seen my wife or my children that much the past month. And I may not see them again until we actually move to Pearl River, La., in early July.

But if ever I feel overwhelmed in my new job or stressed by the impending move and sudden changes in our lives, I often think back to that Sunday in Madison before our trip to China to adopt Matthew. And I smile.

That’s the only gift I need for Father’s Day

“Tell me about my baby brother,” Camryn said as she looked into my eyes. “Talk to me about Matthew. Is he going to be big? Is he still a baby? Can I play with him?

“I can’t wait for my brother. I can’t wait for Matthew.”

Text and photos copyright 2009 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved. May not be duplicated or republished without consent in advance.

Riding the rails from New Orleans to Jackson

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

JACKSON, Miss. (Wednesday, May 13, 2009) -- Camryn, Matthew and I capped a two-day quick trip to Slidell with a four-hour trip on the City of New Orleans from New Orleans to Jackson.

It was a perfect ending to a brief excursion in which I returned a car to my mom and toured Camryn's new school in Slidell. I start my new job in New Orleans on Monday, May 18; the family will likely move down in June or July.

I'll update more on the job later. For now, here is a short slide show from the train trip. Click the slide show for access to a larger version of the photo. Thanks for viewing.

Matthew's birthday memories: A slide show you must see

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

MADISON, Miss. (Sunday, May 3, 2009) -- Sorry it's been a while since I posted here. I have been up to my neck with Jackson mayoral politics, managing a candidate in the Tuesday, May 5, Democratic Party primary.

Well, I did manage to post a new slide show -- this once covering Matthew's birthday on March 16, 2009. I plan to post another slide show in the next few days for Camryn's birthday.

Hope you enjoy.

Copyright 2009 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

Managing a mayoral campaign and my family -- at the same time

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

MADISON, Miss. (Monday, April 13, 2009) - It's been a long, long day.

I got up at 4:45 a.m. and left home at 5:15 a.m. for a trip 30 minutes away in South Jackson to WAPT-TV. There, I met my Jackson mayoral candidate, Brenda Scott, for a live TV appearance on the station's morning show.

It ended more than 12 hours later when I arrived home at about 8 p.m. after attending a mayoral campaign forum at a Jackson library -- the first of at least three forums this week. It's tough when you have 10 Democrats running in the May 5 party primary.

As you probably know by now, I am managing Brenda's campaign. It's tough.

Meanwhile, when I have time, I'm sorting through some of the photos I've taken since Pam and I went to China in December 2008 for Matthew's adoption. I hope to put together a slide show in time for his Baptism sometime this summer.

I post it when I have it completed. And I'll also post the date of the Baptism for those interested. Until then, I'm posting a great photo of me and my two children. Pam snapped this photo a coupleo f weeks ago.

Reflections, clarifications on traveling in China

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

MADISON, Miss. (Monday, Dec. 29, 2008, 6:35 p.m.) – After receiving some feedback on an earlier post about my thoughts and experiences on our China adoption trip, I thought I’d share a few more observations.

These may serve to amplify or clarify my earlier thoughts.

China safety: For the most part, China is a relatively safe country. Pam and I felt safe enough to walk freely to different areas of Beijing, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou during our adoption trip this month; we did the same during our adoption trip in March and April 2006.

The people of China are proud, welcoming folks who genuinely love to visit with Americans. They love to practice their broken English as much as I enjoyed trying the little Mandarin I knew and could speak like a native.

In every city we visited, Pam and I felt comfortable enough to take a taxi just about anywhere. And we freely ate at Chinese restaurants, ordering from the menu despite our inability to speak fluent Mandarin.

Travel unease: This year’s trip fell days after the terrorist attacks in India, which led to a lot of unease on my part. I wasn’t comfortable traveling by air as long as we did (23 hours to China, 33 hours back to the United States).

To be honest, I would have felt the same way regardless of the terrorist attacks. I just don’t like to fly for any reason. Period. Exclamation point.

Once in China, Pam and I were by ourselves for the bulk of our trip. In 206, we were part of a larger group of adoptive parents (30 total, including 10 who traveled with us to Jiangxi province). So whatever we did this time around we did it by ourselves.

That didn’t necessarily mean the trip was horrible. I just would have preferred to be part of a larger group of adoptive parents who could have shared experiences.

Chinese culture: Pam and I made a conscious decision this trip to attempt to immerse ourselves more in Chinese daily culture than we did last time. In 2006, we took a few more organized tours.

This time, we took a tour to the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Peking Acrobats. Beyond that, we explored Beijing, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou on our own, seeing what its like to live day-to-day in the cities.

We visited large shopping districts, neighborhood markets, city parks and restaurants where no one spoke English and we were challenged to order food we liked. It was an adventure to say the least.

Hotel lodging: The Novotel Peace Hotel in Beijing was nice, centrally located, had a good breakfast buffet (included with our room), but an overpriced and not very good dinner buffet. The price was about $150 a night.

The Crowne Plaza in Zhengzhou was spectacular: A beautifully decorated hotel with nice rooms and a comfortable bed. The breakfast buffet (included with the room price) and the dinner buffet ( Brazilian barbecue) was excellent at about $30 a person. The price was about $150 a night.

The White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou was also very good, even though the bed felt like a rock. The breakfast buffet (included with the room price) was good, but the dinner buffet was awful and severely overpriced at more than $50 a person. The price was about $150 a night.

Trip expense: If you’re wondering about the cost for travel to China, here is a quick rundown – about $3,000 to $3,500 for round-trip air fare from the United States to China; about $5,000 for hotel and in-country airfare in China; about $50 a day in expenses per person.

I think Pam and I got by with less than $50 total per day. We usually ate a nice breakfast at the hotel and then ate a nice dinner at a local restaurant, where two could eat good for less than $20 total. Hotel meals will cost significantly more.

I hope this helps give you a better idea about our trip. Like Holt International Children’s Services told us, every adoption trip is different: The children are different, the circumstances are different, the situation is different.

Pam and I traveled to China with sinus infections that worsened rather than improved. And we were in Beijing and Zhengzhou during bitterly cold, miserable winter weather. I’m sure that contributed to the overall feel of our trip.

Don’t let that change your mind.

Copyright 2008 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

Risks and fears of traveling – even for an international adoption

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

MADISON, Miss. (Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008, 3:46 a.m.) – Now I can tell the whole story, one I purposely withheld from my wife, Pam, while we were preparing for and taking our trip to China to adopt our son.

Despite a successful and memorable trip to china in March and April 2006 to adopt our daughter, Camryn, this trip didn’t go quite as smoothly.

For starters, Pam and I traveled to China ill. I had a bad sinus infection that I still am struggling to end as I write this blog entry.

It didn’t help that Pam fell ill and bedridden for a day while in China; that Matthew, our son, became ill and had to seek help from a Chinese doctor; and that my sinus infection worsened.

On top of that, we were traveling across China – to Beijing, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou – by ourselves.

In 2006 we were part of a group from Holt International Children’s Services, our adoption agency in Oregon.

This time, Pam and I were traveling across the country by ourselves.

And we were traveling overseas less than a week after terrorists bombed a hotel and singled out Americans in a raid in Mumbai, India – next door to China.

I’m already fearful of flying. I entered the 2006 and 2008 trips to China mindful of the risks of international travel for Americans. But the terrorist attacks had me uneasy.

Everywhere we went in China, I was always making sure I knew where we were and who was around us. I kept on eye on Pam and Matthew and another on everyone else.

That was especially true on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, when a taxi ride left us on Beijing Street in Guangzhou – a scene of wall-to-wall people making a mad dash for retail shops that lined the wide thoroughfare.

I never felt so out of my element in my life. We were there maybe 30 minutes to an hour looking for a taxi; it seemed, however, like we were there for hours.

I know it sounds paranoid; heck, maybe it is. But I know how I felt, I know how uncomfortable things were for me and at times I knew I couldn’t wait to return home.

The state of our world today is pretty pathetic, isn’t it – particularly when a married couple, seeking to give an orphaned child the gift of a family, doesn’t feel safe on their journey to parenthood.

Well, we are home. We made it back safely. Our son has met our daughter. And we are grateful to Holt International, China and others for making this happen.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Copyright 2008 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

Text of Matthew's adbandonment newspaper ad

** Adoption countdown: 1 day until Pam, Terry and Matthew return home **

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

GUANGZHOU, China (Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008, 4:50 p.m.) – Thanks to the Holt International Children’s Services office in Guangzhou, Pam and I obtained a photo copy of Matthew’s abandonment newspaper ad.

These ads appear in local newspapers and are necessary before a child can be considered officially abandoned and an orphan available for adoption.

Matthew’s ad features a small mug shot and the following text:

“He Wu Di, male, was born on March 16, 2007. He was found abandoned on March 18, 2007, at the gate of Civil Affairs of HuoJia County, Xinxiang City, was sent to the Xinxiang Social Welfare Institute by HuoJia Police Station the next day. He Wu Di is round face, dark skin, congenital club foot of the right foot. He was with a bottle and a bag of formula.”

Copyright 2008 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

Cassreinos receive Matthew’s immigrant visa

** Adoption countdown: 2 days until Pam, Terry and Matthew return home **

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

GUANGZHOU, China (Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008, 7:40 p.m.) – It took less than a minute, but was a fitting end – well, almost end – to an emotional journey for two Mississippi parents looking to build their family by adopting an orphan child.

Pam, Matthew and I hopped aboard a White Swan Hotel bus late this afternoon, joined a group of other Americans adopting Chinese children and headed to the U.S. Consulate.

There, we received Matthew’s U.S. immigrant visa and immigration packets we need for him to enter the country. And we took a brief oath swearing that all of the information we provided for the adoption was correct.

A copy of the packet is in the picture on the right. That was it. Nothing else to do.

All we have left is to keep the official packet sealed and untouched until we arrive at our U.S. entry point – which, in our case, is Detroit. As soon as our plane touches down and we go through immigration, Matthew automatically becomes a U.S. citizen.

This, along with a meeting this morning with Holt International Children’s Services staff, dominated our second-to-last day in Guangzhou before we begin our long, long journey home.

And believe me, after more than two weeks away, Pam and I are more than ready to go home and sleep in our own bed.

The White Swan is a great hotel, but the beds here are literally as hard as a rock. I don’t think I’ve ever slept on anything harder except when I interned at The Clarion-Ledger in 1984 and slept on the floor of a reporter’s Jackson apartment.

On Wednesday, Pam and I plan to do one last shopping tour in Guangzhou, including hitting the Pearl and Jade Market. We also hope to visit a local market down the road before we return to the White Swan Hotel to pack.

We must be up and out of the room by 5:30 a.m. Thursday in order to catch our flight to Tokyo. There, we’ll change planes, head to Detroit and then to Jackson.

We still are scheduled to arrive on Northwest Flight 2978 at 9:21 p.m. on Thursday night, Dec. 18, 2008, at the Jackson-Evers International Airport.

Copyright 2008 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.

Matthew to receive his U.S. visa on Tuesday

** Adoption countdown: 3 days until Pam, Terry and Matthew return home **

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

GUANGZHOU, China (Monday, Dec. 15, 2008, 9:30 p.m.) – Just in case readers of this blog think that our trip to China has been all fun and games, I thought I’d give everyone an update on where we stand with adoption paperwork.

Paperwork required to complete the adoption is mind-boggling, confusing, irritating and, in some cases, repetitive. And it has taken countless hours to prepare, both before we left for China and since we’ve been here.

After we finalized Matthew’s adoption last in Zhengzhou, our trip shifted Friday to completing paperwork to obtain his visa we need for him to enter the United States.

Friday was basically a travel day, with much of the day spent moving from Zhengzhou to Guangzhou. While the flight took about two hours, traveling between cities and hotels took much of the morning and part of the afternoon.

Saturday saw me tied up with adoption paperwork for part of the afternoon. Sunday and Monday were free days for us.

The Holt International Children’s Services staff in Guangzhou, however, spent part of Monday organizing our paperwork and meeting with officials at the U.S. consulate about our case.

Tuesday is a particularly busy day: I have a morning meeting with Holt International Children’s Services, followed by an oath-taking ceremony at the U.S. Consulate office where we’ll receive Matthew’s visa.

The visa and a sealed packet we receive from the consulate is important – once we land in Detroit, our point of entry for the United States, officials will process Matthew’s documents and he will automatically become a U.S. citizen.

A lot of what we are doing now is hurry-up-and-wait. Pam and I also are spending valuable time with Matthew, letting him get to know us while we get to know him.

Oh, by the way, we are flying back on Southwest Flight 2978 and are set to arrive at Jackson-Evers International Airport at 9:21 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 – capping nearly 30 hours of travel through the air that day.

Copyright 2008 by Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.