|
Tuesday, June
6, 2006
Our day began today just in time to enjoy the wonderful
breakfast buffet here at the White Swan Hotel… This meant that
we were forced to wake Ellie up at 9:40 AM after 13 hours of
sleep to make it in time. Those of you that know me personally
know what a gift from the Lord another late sleeper is! I was
convinced that it would be absolutely impossible to have another
sleeper like Kate, since she has so spoiled me with her
“sleeping in” habits over the past year and a half. But it
appears that the Lord has been merciful to me yet again and we
have been given another wonderful sleeper! I literally just give
Ellie a bottle at night, rock her for a few lullabies, lay her
down in her crib, and walk away. She will quietly put herself to
sleep and then we don’t hear from her again for 12-13
hours. Even when she does finally wake up, she lies quietly in
her crib and hums to herself until we decide to get her up for
the morning! I have just enough experience to know that this is
highly unusual and I am especially grateful to have been
“doubly” blessed in this wonderful way!
There is very
little to report for today, as things are really wrapping up
here in China. We had to stay close to the telephone this
morning while our guide went to the American Consulate to apply
for Ellie’s visa to enter the United States. After calling to
say that all of our paperwork was complete and met the approval
of the Consulate authorities, our guide released us to enjoy the
day in Guangzhou. We used this occasion to go shopping at a
local market where incredible bargains on purses, jewelry,
clothing, and DVDs abound. This was a lot of fun and the girls
were angels. Even when they were long overdue for some air
conditioning and a good nap, neither one voiced a single
complaint. Then, tonight after supper, we all walked along the
street full of shops just outside the hotel and visited with
some of our favorite shop owners we’d met while here adopting
Kate in 2004. We have found the Chinese people to be extremely
warm and friendly and I feel proud of the wonderful heritage my
daughters share.
We will travel
to the American Consulate tomorrow in order to take our
“adoption oath” and then finally be granted Ellie’s American
visa so that we can head home! It’s hard to believe that it is
already time to pack our things for the long journey home. In
some ways this journey seems to have just begun, and yet it also
seems that we have been away from home for so very long… We are
all anxious to get home now- to introduce all of you to our
precious new daughter and to finally begin our lives as a family
of seven!
Sarah’s Tip of the Day-
When climbing into a taxi cab in China, there are a few
things you might want to check for:
1. Air conditioning (especially when its 95 degrees
and bumper to bumper traffic)
2. A driver that understands at least a little bit of
English
3. A driver that KNOWS where he’s going (and where
he’s going is where you actually want to go!)
4. A driver who follows basic traffic laws (like
going the RIGHT way on a one way street). This should help
prevent your taxi from being pulled over by the authorities
5. An honest driver (one that will TELL you when he’s
lost… instead of allowing you to believe that he knows
exactly where he is, only to see him asking directions from
the cop that just ticketed him!)
|
|
|
