China

I just realized this morning I really havent told you much about China... my brain gets so forgetful most days... :)

You will have to wait on pics though - they are on my laptop, so just the stories for now will have to do.

China was so amazing and beautiful.... we loved it.  I wish I could go back and visit (and Hong Kong too!) at least once a year, but then Daniel and I love traveling - we just like walking around, watching people and experiencing the culture first hand.  So amazing.

Anyway, I wanted to remember this story before I forgot it forever... :)

When we left for our trip, we went to Beijing first - they like for you to ahead and do the touristy stuff before you have your child so you can actually enjoy it and experience some of the Chinese culture... while in Beijing, we ate at a little authentic noodle shop (so good!), went to the Great Wall and Tienamen Square.... after that, we spent 5 days in Nanning, which is the capital city of the province that Willow was from, and then after that, we spent a week in Guangzhou for all the official paperwork and such.

I think we loved Nanning the best... it was mostly just me and Daniel and Willow... we ate breakfast every morning at the hotel, then walked around (there were two malls and a walmart within walking distance), back to the hotel where we had ramen for lunch, then willow and I would take a nap, then more walking around, and then maybe some KFC in the room for dinner and then a movie on tv, bath and bedtime.... it was such a sweet time that I know both Daniel and I will treasure.

Anyway.... :)

When we were leaving Nanning to go to Guangzhou, we met up with the 2 other couples who had adopted in our province and we got to chatting in the airport as we waited for our flight... we got to see how everyone was doing.  One of the couples had adopted a little 12 month old boy who had a cleft lip and poor thing, he was just grieving, he had been crying for 3 days straight... the other little girl was also a cleft lip but boy was she spunky and all over the place... and then there was willow - just sitting nice and quiet in the chair... she made us look good, I tell ya!

Anyway... we were all sitting there chatting, waiting on the plane in this tiny airport... and there was a guy who looked to be in his 20s sitting next to all of us... after awhile, he just got up and left and we wondered if he was maybe offended by the kids moving around and being kids... but he returned about 5 minutes later - with a kids yogurt drink - he gave it to us and told us it was for the babies.  Yall!  It was the sweetest thing.... especially in a culture where orphans (especially ones with visible disabilities like cleft) are discarded and usually thought of as a curse.  (just for the record, we did make sure it was still sealed and untampered with).... and it was even more of a blessing than we knew, because shortly after he gave it to us, we found out our plane would be delayed for an hour - which meant that we would be in the super crowded airport without having anything to eat or drink for 3-4 hours, which makes for some cranky kids.... So yeah, that guy was such a blessing to some tired, worn out parents who really needed just a bit of kindness... :)

We did later get the kids something to eat... but that is a whole other (very funny) story... :)

In case I dont blog again before then... hope everyone has a great Christmas!