It has been just a little over a week since we were united with our sweet baby girl.
There is just one thing that let me know how comfortable she is getting...TANTRUM!!!! It wasn't a big one but it definitely was one and guess what I did? I bet you think I'm going to say give in but nope. I figure if you're comfy enough to throw it then you're comfy enough to realize you're not gonna get your way. She calmed down pretty quick but then refused to eat. OK, whatever. B took one look and said Jenna Grace, you don't know who you're dealing with. You do not want the wrath of mama. HAHA.
Another thing that is letting me know how attached she is to me is the crying whenever I leave her sight. I am not gonna lie, I like this. Not b/c she is being tormented on the inside but b/c I think she really knows who I am to her and I am part of her security.
We have just 5, count 'em, 5 more days until we will be on a plane and coming home. I have lost probably 5 pounds since I've been here b/c there is no way I am able to eat enough. This next 5 days is literally about waiting. Waiting for the paperwork to be finished and waiting to go to the exit interview and final Visa appt where we take our oath. I got JG a cute little red, white and blue tee for the occasion. I hope it fits.
Yesterday we went to the famous Shamian Island. I say famous b/c for years this is where all adoptive families would stay while here in this city. However, in the last few years they closed down the big hotel for remodling. When we got there yesterday I could see why it was so convenient. Laundry, a million shops, eating, parks and its so beautiful. We spent over 4 hours there and I hope to go back before we come home. We were able to drop our laundry off and they will deliver it today. We had so much yet it only cost us $25 to get it all done and delivered.
We hadn't been there too long when we bumped into John, Danielle and their little girl Lily. I mentioned them in another post. They are part of our Holt group and we did the Beijing thing with them. We all get along great. Brian and John are such dorks together and Danielle and I just laugh and walk away pretending not to be with them. Yesterday was no exception, especially after they both bought Mau watches and John insisted on telling me the time every 15 mins. It was funny. After we had walked around, eaten lunch and bought everything and anything we could get our hands on (including cuban cigars...sssshhh) we did our best to hail a cab. NO SUCH LUCK! We tried for a good 30 minutes. Finally, we realized it was 3pm and our info sheet said that between 3-4 is a shift change so most cabs will not stop. Great! Now what? We had only one choice left...THE SUBWAY!!! I have never been on a subway in my life b/c they are 1, underground and 2, they are underground. But it was this or walk for over an hour back to the hotel. Thank goodness Jenna Grace had fallen asleep b/c there were so many people she would have had a complete meltdown. Of course the downside to her sleeping were the hundreds of stairs up and down B had to carry her in the stroller just to get to the subway. Don't the Chinese use these things? By the time we made it there we were all hot, sticky and DONE! I have to say, despite all of the negatives we found the upside and had a laugh all the way back to the hotel. I was not about to lose my joy over THAT!
That night we had dinner with our friends we met in Nanchang, Sergio, Ginger and their little girl Naomi. We just love them. They live near the DC area and besides being believers, Brian and Sergio share Polish heritage and a birthday.
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| We were in Starbucks and she started hamming it up. |
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| Isn't her shirt the cutest? |
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| Some statues on Shamian Island. |
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| Just some of the beautiful foliage on the island. |
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| A wine shop. B said the cheapest bottle was $300. |
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| Don't ask. ;0) |
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| I told you. DORKS!!!! |
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| Walking to the subway, she was fast asleep 5 seconds later. |
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| WIPED!!!! |
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| Subway craziness. |
You would think after all this time in China I would be used to the masses by now. Nope. It still astounds me. You can tell I've never lived in a big city. By the time we got on and off the subway twice we had become just as pushy as them. You have no choice, they will not move unless you move them. Even with a stroller. They just don't care it seems. So its move or be moved. We moved.
Please continue to pray as we wait out this final week and prepare to travel on Saturday. We are so beyond ready to come home there aren't words. We do want to say how thankful we have been for the cards we've gotten to open everyday. They have been so amazing and encouraging. Have a great day/week.
Blessings.
