Tuesday (Consulate Appt) and Wednesday

Hi everyone,
I have been quite sick, but finally am feeling better.  It was quite a nasty bug.  PTL I am on the other side of it!
 
Tuesday was our Consulate swearing in ceremony.  It was my final obligation for Annaston's adoption!  Tomorrow our guide picks up Annaston's visa and we are free to leave!
 
Wednesday (today) I will just be walking around the island and finishing some shopping and packing.  I want to keep it low key, as I want to be well rested and ready for the long journey home.  I hope to visit Sbux today, too.  You know I have been sick if I haven't been to Sbux at all since I have been on the island!!
 
Annaston is doing well and seems to be more comfortable with me every day.  I did find out she likes dogs!  We see a stray on the island and she gets very excited.  She told the guide she likes dogs and is not scared of them.  I had the guide tell her we have dogs.  Whew!  I was hoping not to have to deal with her being scared when we get home. 
 
I haven't been taking pictures.  Sorry.  I will have to update with more pictures soon. 
 
Please pray that Annaston does not get sick and that our journey home goes smoothly.  Thanks!
 
 

Slowly feeling better and a big thank you to MJ (Monday)

Last night was a rough night, but I am slowly getting better today.  I am holding liquid down and a few cheerios and crackers.  Needless to say, we hung out in the room today.
 
My first thank you to Michael was on the plane on the way here.  I did not think I could sit in that seat one. more. minute, when I found Michael's, "Th*s is it" movie and that kept me memorized for the next couple hours.
 
Tonight, we found the same movie on one of the few English channels here.  Annaston came out of her shell, singing and dancing and using her yogurt bottle drink as a microphone.  Miss Avalon sings virtually all day, so her and her new sister will be putting on many "concerts," I can feel it! 
 
Tomorrow is our Consulate appointment at 10 am!  I am hoping to have the energy to finish some shopping tomorrow afternoon.  Wed we leave for the train station at about 230 pm and pick up Annaston's visa on the way.  The long journey home will begin and I can't be more ready!  Please pray Annaston does not get this horrible stomach bug and that we have a safe, uneventful trip home. 

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday in Guangzhou

Hi everyone,
Sorry it has taken so long to update the blog.  The last few days have been quite busy. 
 
We didn't get to the hotel Friday night until after 11 pm and were exhausted.  Annaston did fine on the flight. She did not seem very interested in the lights out the window or anything.   God sent us an angel at the airport. There was a young man, 26 yrs old who asked me if Annaston was my daughter, in perfect English, right after we went through security at the airport in Xian. He said, "but she has a Chinese face." I explained we adopted her. Anyway, long story short, he carried most of my bags all the way to the gate, told us that there was a gate change, took my bags onto the airplane and helped me all the way to baggage claim. I bought a lot of stuff at the Muslim Market and I haven't donated our clothes yet, so I had extra carry ons. He was a God send! He said he was a marketing executive and had worked all over the world. 

Saturday we had to get up early after our late night to get ready for Annaston's medical.    Two doctors came and listened to Annaston's heart and said they hear a lot of noise and that it is level 2. I don't know how many levels there are and the guide was supposed to ask but forgot. We will ask on Monday when we go to get her TB test read. Annaston screamed and screamed and stomped her feet and would not let me hold her or comfort her at the medical place and that was before we ever went in to see the dr. She obviously has bad memories of her 3 or 4 weeks in the hospital when she had her heart surgery. Other than that she is 34 lbs and 37 inches tall. So she is just one inch taller than Avalon, but 8 lbs more in weight. 

 

After the medical, we met with our guide and 2 other families in a conference room in our hotel and worked on our visa paperwork.  After the meeting, we all went to Cow and Bridge (a Thai restaurant) for lunch.  In the late afternoon, I walked around the island and shopped alittle and we ordered Papa John's to the room for dinner.  Annaston loves pizza and ate 3 pieces!  We both fell asleep early Saturday night and I slept the best and longest I have since we have been here.  My stomach started hurting yesterday (before the pizza) and I am thinking it had to be the thai food. 

 

This morning (Sunday) I woke up feeling much better, but as the day has worn on, my stomach hurts again.  

 

This morning we chatted by skype on the phone with Dan and the kids, which was wonderful!  Annaston listened but would only speak to Morgan on the phone. 

 

Annaston and I went to the Shamain Island Church of Christ service at 11 am.  It was SO wonderful to see how packed the church was and all the Chinese Christians praising God with their hands raised!  The first part of the service Annaston was not behaving at all.  She is acting more and more like a 2 year old, which really was to be expected.  Finally, I brought out the big guns.....my emergency stash of skittles.  That did the trick! 

 

After church, I was still not feeling good, so I went and bought her some cup of noodles for lunch at a little store and a coke for me to settle my stomach.

 

At 2 pm we head to the Pearl market with the guide.

 

Sorry, no pictures.  I haven't even gotten the camera out yet. 

 

Thanks so much for your prayers!
 

Thursday-Drum Tower, Bell Tower and Muslim Marketplace

Hi,  It was quite a day yesterday!  Maggie went to a wonderful history museum in the morning, while I spent time at the hotel working on bonding and attachment with Annaston. 
 
At 2pm we meet the guide and other family in the lobby of the hotel.  We took 2 cabs to a shopping area and had a late lunch/early dinner at a Pizza Hut.  Pizza Hut here is different that home.  It is a nice sit down restaurant and they have a lot more food than just pizza.  We sat there a long time and had a leisurely meal.  Annaston ate 3 pieces of pizza and some noodles!  She is a good eater! 
 
Then we walked past a city Drum Tower that was used over 600 years ago.  The guide said it had been renovated just this year.  Behind the Drum Tower was a Muslim Market.  There was booth after booth of mostly the same type stuff and they barter.  Our guide told us we should pay half or less of their initial price.  I bought a few gifts and a larger backpack for Annaston for the plane.  She was quite happy with it.  I also found some painted pictures with scriptures both in english and chinese characters.  Beautiful! Those will be for Annaston when she grows up.
 
After shopping, the other family wanted to go to a HaagenDaz Ice cream shop and right next door was Starbux.  I was able to get a mug for my collection that says the city name here, Xian.  I also found a collectible bear dressed as a dragon for Chinese New Year.  Both of these will be for Annaston someday, too.
 
By the time we were all ready to go back to the hotel, it was rush hour and no cabs were available.  It was a LONG walk back to the hotel.  I can't carry Annaston for long, as she is heavy!  I also had heavy bags to carry from shopping.  The guide held Annaston for short amounts of time to give her a break, but mostly the guide and I both held her hands and we walked.  She is a slow walker and it took FOREVER to get back to the hotel.  All in all, we walked for several hours yesterday. 
 
I was so exhausted I fell asleep right after I put Annaston to bed.  I usually wake up in the middle of the night a few times and I didn't.  I woke up at 445 am and am up for the day, which has been my "normal."
 
Today (Friday) we have a leisurely day.  We will just be packing and preparing to leave for Guangzhou tonight.  We have to be out of the hotel at 2 pm and don't leave for the airport until 430 pm.  Fortunately they will hold our luggage for us until we leave.  We have a late flight out and won't get into our hotel in Guangzhou until VERY late.  Saturday is Annaston's medical, so I don't know when I will have time to post again.  It may not be until later in the day or evening on Saturday.  We are looking forward to Guangzhou and warmer weather!
 
Oh, and the highlight of the day today.......I gave Annaston a lollipop as we were walking through the market and she said, "Sheashea (thank you) Mama."  She has such an angelic voice and it melted my heart! 

More pictures of Terra Cotta Warrior Trip

More pictures

Terra Cotta Warriors

What a day!!  The day started pretty rough, but ended wonderfully. 
 
 Within a few minutes of Annaston waking up, she started to sob.  I held her, sang to her, tried to get her interested in cartoons, etc.  I don't know if reality is setting in for her and she is in mourning, if she was missing her friends at the orphanage or what.  Our guide asked her later why she was crying, but she would not answer.  Thankfully it only lasted for a short while and by the time we left for breakfast she was fine.
 
All I can say about today is that the Terra Cotta Warriors was one of the most incredible things I have seen in my whole life!  I was so awestruck that I started to tear up.  I feel so blessed to have seen this art with my own eyes!  As usual Miss Annaston was a trooper.  She is an absolutely wonderful child!  She had to be bored, but was so, so good!  
 
On the way back in the van, Annaston fell asleep.  She was SO tired from all the walking.  When we got back to the hotel, she took off her coat and put herself to bed for a nap!  Wow, what a kid! 
 
Now she is up, laughing and playing with Maggie, while I type this.  We are staying in tonight and relaxing. I plan on starting to organize our things to prepare to leave for Guangzhou Friday night. 
 
Tomorrow we meet our guide and the other family at 2 pm to go to the City Bell Tower and a Muslim market. 
 
Enjoy some pictures from today.  For anyone interested, we have many, many more of the Terra Cotta Warriors that I can share when we get home.