On Our Way

The 5:30 a.m. wake up call came early, but we got right to it.  Went to the hotel restaurant after our grand showers, and the buffet was a show stopper.  We said goodbye to Michelle and her daughter, Harper, who were our train travel buddies and then checked out.  We took a very short shuttle ride to the airport, and I snapped a few pictures before we went in. Although I didn't see anything of Hong*Kong except the back of Tom's head on the wrong side of the van we comandeered the night before to get to our hotel, we both felt like it was a place we wouldn't mind seeing more of on another trip.  Maybe it was the SUNSHINE and BLUE SKIES. 

By the time we went through check in and immigration, it was time to board the plane.  When I got to my seat, I realized the entertainment options we had on the 767 to *China* were not present on the 747 we took home.  A slump of the shoulders was all there was time for, and we were on our way.  I don't know how it can be, but it didn't seem like such a long trip.  When I noticed my watch at three hours into it, it seemed like an eternity to go, but then there were only three more hours to go, and it was a piece of cake.  I noticed the flight map south of Japan, just north of Japan and then we were over Seattle.  We landed early, made it through immigration after several chunk, chunks of the stamper and walked the newest American citizen through the doors to the rest of her life.

Thankful It's Time for the Gratitude Post

As this trip of a lifetime winds down, it's important for us to share our gratitude with so many who have made this trip possible.  In no certain order, but for this first one, here goes.  Thank you, God.  Quite a while ago, you planted a seed in our hearts that blossomed into the joy of our daughter, Maryn.  For that we are eternally grateful.  When it came time to sow seeds again, God called on us, we listened, and we are already witnessing new joy with Tenley.  Thank you for entrusting us with these incredible gifts, for guiding us to take this path, and knowing we were headed this way all along.  Thank you to our families who have supported us to this point and will continue to hold us up in the days to come, loving us every step of the way.  Thank you to our friends and church family who have waited with us and prayed for us.  Thank you to strangers, like the woman ahead of me in line at *Target* one day who asked me why I was buying bedding, and when I told her she said, "Fantastic!  I'm so happy for you," and  gave me her coupon for a $5 gift card.  You have shown us nothing but enthusiasm, excitement, smiles, "that's great"s and more prayers than we could ever count, but I know we felt every one of them.  Thank you to the writers of our letters of reference, twice!  You fooled them well.  Thank you to our wonderful, caring friends for loving our sweet Toby in our absence and for transporting us to the airport when we were excited and from the airport when we will be exhausted.  Thanks to our amazing computer guy who hooked me up technologically without which I wouldn't have been able to keep this priceless journal, and thanks to  his wife, our friend, for sacrificing his time for me, too, and making me laugh.  Thank you to our Chinese friends who brought and bring Chinese language and culture into our lives by being daughters to us and big sisters to Maryn and now Tenley.  Thank you to our Chinese friends who so graciously welcomed us to *China* this time around.  Thank you to our neighbors who shared our excitement and will warmly welcome Tenley just as they do Maryn.  Thank you to Maryn's classroom teacher and English language teacher for all you have done to enable Maryn to make this trip of a lifetime and share it with her classmates.  You have done so much to make the world a smaller, friendlier place for all your students. Thank you to our Huainan family for walking this same path before us and after us offering your support and sharing an incredible, unbreakable bond with us.  Thank you to our adoption agency which facilitated this adoption cheerfully and seamlessly.  Thank you to *Love*Without*Boundaries* and all the wonderful volunteers and sponsors who give so much to improve the lives of those whose lives truly need improving by being present physically and financially, providing nutrition, education, medical and foster care, among other things, and loving so many angels.  Thank you to the people we've been blessed to meet and those who we likely will never meet who looked into the eyes of Maryn and Tenley and loved them long before we did.

Although this is the only bronze statue we saw that looked like this while we were here, we know He has been with us throughout this journey.  We see His face everywhere we turn.  We are a blessed and grateful family.  Thank you!

The Suite Life in Hong*Kong

Don't you just hate it when your hotel messes up your reservation and doesn't have adjoining rooms available until they clean one so they put you in a three room suite with three bathrooms instead?  Yeah, we do, too.  What we really hate, though, is that we got here late and we are leaving early in the morning.  Boooo!  When we walked in the door, Tenley's eyes really sparkled, and she said something in Chinese which we think translates to "Sweet!"  She then asked if this was our house.  We tried to let her down gently, but she won't really hit rock bottom until we finally get home, and there is no buffet.  Maryn even said, "Remember, mom, you said I had to take a shower in the morning."  I gave her the head tilt and said, "You really want to, don't you?"  She nodded.  You know the accomodations are spectacular when a child puts words into your mouth about taking a shower.  Better get to bed so I can get up in just a few hours and make the most of the suite life.

Gotta Go, *Guangzhou*

Canton Tower, Guangzhou*China

Michael, our fabulous guide.

Lunch at the railroad station.

Farewell, Victory*Hotel

And on the last day, they served kai shui in a mug.

Things Are Going Swimmingly, Part II

Hotel Restaurant, August 2009

Hotel elevator, May 2012

Just couldn't finish the trip without the goggle shot.  Even though Maryn wanted nothing to do with the hotel pool even during the hottest days *Guangzhou* had to offer in 2009, she did wear her goggles frequently.  Tenley, however, has been using them for their intended purpose and giving them a good workout, be they upside down or right side up.  These girls are fish!  Everyday Tenley asks if we are going swimming.  It's adorable to hear her ask, "Meiguo youyong?" (May-gwaw yo-yong = do you swim in America?)  On more than one occasion, I have confirmed that we swim there.  Yesterday I sat at the outdoor pool on the ninth floor watching them in the pool for about three hours.  Tenley wears floaties and an inner tube made for about an 18 month old child that I got at the dollar store.  It just fits.  The whole time I hear, "Mommy," just like any kid would say when they want their parent to watch.  She puts her face in the water without hesitation and moves her arms like she sees Maryn do.  Then she comes up with a big smile on her face and repeats the same steps over and over.  She wants to know how to swim and is excited to be signed up for swimming lessons.

Maryn and Tenley have their best bonding time in the pool.  Tenley is helpless and Maryn is there to help.  Tom was throwing a ball to Tenley and making it land just out of her reach so she could "swim" to it, but if she couldn't get it, Maryn would swim over and get it for her, and each time Tenley would gratefully say "sonk you."  At this stage of the game, Maryn is really the big sister, and although she's younger and still working on her own language and social development, her life experience since coming home is making her seem way, way more mature.  She still has her moments, though, that really make me smile.  The other day I was telling Tenley something was hers so I said to her, "Ni de (knee-duh = yours), ni de."  Maryn turns to me and says, "Wait, is her name Nida now?"  Everytime I think of it, like right now, it cracks me up.  She is such a dear, and she's been working real hard on this trip.  Sonk you, Babygirl.

Taking Care of Business

On Monday morning our guide came by to round us up and get us and two other families back to the medical clinic for a reading of the TB test.  The clinic used to be right here on Shamian*Island, but it was moved sometime between the last time we were here and now.

Now it's located in an office building in the business/financial section of *Guangzhou*.  When the elevator door opens, there's that usual din that accompanies any of the official business we do here, with a lot of crying babies sprinkled on top.  The guides do a great job of getting you through the small space packed with humanity and before long your back on the bus again.

On the way back to our current hotel, we went past the hotel we stayed in last time.  Wait, let me grab a tissue and wipe a tear, not for the nostalgia but for the really sweet accomodations then: beautiful room, spacious restaurant with view, large pool with comfy lounge chairs and umbrellas, and a gym.  Every night Tom and I would lay in the dark waiting for Maryn to fall asleep, and then I would sneak out and go down to this *$$ to do my blog posting.  The internet connection was slow, but I enjoyed the international atmosphere of this spot, and the smell of coffee while I typed.

This morning we had our consulate appointment.  That's the whole purpose of coming through this city, so it's a big deal when it's done.  Those of us carrying blue passports with a big, gold eagle on the front get to go right past all the people waiting in line outside and inside the building for visa processing as we ascend to the fifth floor.  There a nice woman speaks into a tiny microphone from behind the glass, gives you a few instructions, including DO NOT OPEN THE BROWN ENVELOPE, then makes you stand and swear or affirm that everything you have declared thus far, and it's a lot!!!, is true to the best of your knowledge.  We opted for swearing, but it turns out we didn't have to because we were done in no time.  It's a strange sensation when you reach this milestone.  You're in a very nondescript, grayly colored and lit room, stripped of your camera, with a few children playing in the dirty, plastic playhouse behind you, yet you can't help but wipe a tear or two.  It's the point at which you feel like you gave birth to a mountain of paperwork, and a lot, but not all the necessary paperwork, is behind you.  Going forward from this point means you're no longer trying to get to this point, and it's a tremendous relief.  The other part of it, as I mentioned above, is that you continuously move past line after line of people who want something that you already possess, the ability to enter the country you just so happened, and I'll add by the grace of God, to have been born in.  It's an incredible feeling, and one we won't soon forget.

We were up early this morning to get to our appointment at 8:30.  There we were in the restaurant at 7 a.m., and I was throwing down my jelly bread with cream cheese, one hard boiled egg, one yougurt (and as I typed that I just realized why Louise always calls it you-gurt) and the ubiquitous kai shui (ky shuway = boiled water, and for some strange reason it's always served in a regular drinking glass not in a mug with a handle so it won't actually remove the flesh from your fingers) when I had to take someone to the restroom, once again.  I stood up from the table, looked at Tom and said, "Next time we'll be bringing home a boy!"  As I walked away from the table I heard, "I want you to look deep into my eyes.....!"