Guangzhou!

So, we left Xi'an last night and headed to the airport to fly two hours to Guangzhou.  We were the only Westerners on that flight (and the only ones we saw at the airport) and we were determined to "not stand out" on the plane ride.  We started out well, playing games with Grace, having snacks and water and doing anything we could to keep her happy.  About halfway through the flight, Grace was done.  We saw classic moves as the "throw your head back without care as to where it lands" and "stiffen your entire body so you can't make me sit down" and the ever popular "slide myself off your lap into the aisle" because I'm so distraught.  Such an interesting "dress rehearsal" for our flight home on Saturday.  To borrow from my friend Paul Leonard, "Who wasn't praying?"  :)  Anyway, we tried rocking to sleep...anything.  Nothing was working and calming the baby scream, until, in an act of desperation, I offered her a dum dum lollipop.  That's right.  I did.  You can judge.  I judge it myself.  Who gives a 16 month old a lollipop...a 16 month old with cleft lip and palate?  Not just any lollipop but a blue raspberry one that was all over her and I.  Big blue mouth so people probably thought she had heart problems too.  But, we didn't care.  We were happy.  And quiet!  We exited the plane after what seemed way longer than 2 hours.  The gentleman in front of me probably thought so too.

One of our many invented games...this one is called, "Cup on the Foot."

This one is called "Cup on the Foot About to Go Sour" (although she is laughing)

As we walked towards baggage claim again, it was as if the clouds parted and the sun came out in the shape of gleaming yellow arches.  We had not really had anything to eat for several hours and a family plan was made that we would be getting McDonald's no matter what.  It was like a gleaming beacon calling out to us!  We got our bags and met our awesome guide Elvin.  He really is amazing...kind of famous in the United States for being so good at his job.  He totally agreed that we had earned the right to McDonald's.  He waited with our bags while we ordered to take our dinner in the van ride (about 45 minutes) to the hotel.
I hereby take back every aversion I have ever had about McDonald's.  At the moment, none of us cared how processed it was or if it would clog our arteries.  It was SO good.  We knew they existed here in China, but we had not really found any "American" food thus far in our travels.  We happily road in the van, everyone smiling and laughing and chowing nuggets and cheese burgers.  Grace was two fisting french fries and clapping, yes clapping, for bites of cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets.  That's right.  You can judge again.  I totally gave my 16 month old McDonald's.  She loved it.  Claire, who is normally pretty picky about her hamburger, commented how great it tasted with everything on it.   We were like a McDonald's commercial waiting to happen...because we were lovin' it!

Guangzhou is a totally different city than any other we have been in so far.  Even arriving at night, we loved it from the start.  The climate is much warmer here and more familiar to us Texans with highs in the 80's.  Today we took Grace to her medical check up (really, just a funny formality that lasted about 5 minutes....the ENT doctor looked in her ears and said done!) and could see the city in the daylight.  It is really pretty with flowers and plants everywhere.  Parks and greenery...it is my favorite so far...I think I was really missing plants and flowers and just green.  After Grace's medical appointment, we were taken to a shopping building that had beautiful examples of Chinese culture in tea, ceramics, art, jewelry and clothing.  Then back to the Garden Hotel.  Ahhhhhh, the Garden Hotel.  Hands down, the nicest hotel I have every stayed in.  It is like a little city with shopping, restaurants and yes, a tea place!  We are totally checking that out! :)  It is kind of the expectation that you stay here as you process out of the country and you are staying here amidst well to do families and business people from all over the world, and of course, adoption families that are here too.    It is sort of like adoption Twilight Zone...immediately when we arrived last night, there were families all over the lobby with new children.  I have never seen anything like it.  This morning at breakfast, as we were shown to our seats, I had to choke back tears because we passed table after table of Spanish families, European families and American families, all with special needs babies and children who now have homes and families.  Simply beautiful to see us all packed in an area of the restaurant for breakfast, siblings young and old and new little family members trying the amazing buffet.  Such a great picture, again, etched in my mind.



We LOVE yogurt.  It is everywhere, but we LOVE it!

This looks very official, but it wasn't.  Grace did great though!

Little updates on Grace...she is sleeping like a champ.  I know we will probably have to re-adjust when we return home, but we all slept about 8 or 9 hours last night, which was so needed.  Grace is sleeping sound in the other room for her nap right now too.   Such a blessing.  This morning when we took off her diaper to give her a bath, she peed on the floor.  This was pretty amazing because we think the orphanage was potty training her.  She peed a little, looked at us like "Impressed?" and peed some more with a big smile on her face.  We were all laughing and very impressed!    She really is impressive...that she will sit and eat in her high chair and manipulate food and utensils so well and with such smart adaption.   She loves for us to feed her, but also really likes to "do it herself."  She is really spunky!  She easily relaxes into our laps and arms but also really likes to practice walking and using a spoon.  She also showed me today her great gymnast skills as she tried to climb out of the crib at naptime.  She thought it was funny (I did too but didn't let her know) and after a couple of times of repositioning her back down in the crib, she settled in and went to sleep.


Oh, one last story to tell about yesterday because Cory thinks it so funny.  A Chinese business woman in Xi'an started talking to me in the lobby right before we left for the airport.  She was very nice but looked concerned that Grace still seemed shy and timid.  Grace is neither, but happened to be hiding out by a lamp in the lobby, taking some personal time to get the poop out.  It is a classic move that I have seen with all of my children and we were thankful it was being done before the airport.  At that moment, I just decided to be honest and explain.   She seemed to get it.  She then told me that I was, and I quote, "A big mama with a big heart."  This was in response to seeing Carter and Claire.  In the States, not such a great compliment to be called "big mama."  Here, it was.  Cory is using it as my new nickname.  Not so sure what I think about that.

Tonight we explore the hotel and hopefully walk to a Pizza Hut down the street!  Tomorrow is Grace's consulate appointment.  Please pray that all of our papers are correct and that the process is a smooth one.  We are ready to get this girl home!