Wednesday, August 2, 2006
DAYTON OR BUST

We have arrived safely in Hong Kong…made it in with our bags just barely breaking the weight limit…the limit was 20 kg and we were at 20.5, 20.1, and 21. :) Now our personal weight limit was a different story!!!! We both have agreed it was just ridiculous that we didn’t lose a single pound but gained quite a few instead. I guess we are taking more home from China than we bargained for.

We had a good last day in China…got some last minute shopping in, took our oaths in the US Consulate, and as soon as we touch down on US Soil, Gracie will officially be a US Citizen! We had a wonderful dinner all together with the other families we traveled with at a Dim Sum restaurant, and then said sad goodbyes. It is funny how quickly you can bond to other families who are going through this with you and how invested you feel in their journey as well. We are excited to see how their children blossom and flourish under their loving care.

Woke up to get our bags ready and yes, I had to run out ONE LAST TIME to do a little more shopping. I was out and back in a flash with only

$100 of damage to my pocketbook and many bags in tow. All of a sudden I panicked that we were really leaving China and anything I wanted for Grace or our family and friends, I needed to buy right then! It was my last chance. I felt about missing out on shopping opportunities the way I think John felt about missing out on the delicious breakfast buffet at the White Swan which was included with our room. He was always fretting about having enough time to enjoy his breakfast and that he would be able to get in multiple trips to the buffet without me hurrying him off to another destination. But it appears from the looks of our bags and our stomachs that we both met our priorities. :) John is adding that his priority was better since it also included having a long leisurely breakfast date with Gracie every morning. (I was usually running late…surprise, surprise)

Our flight was good…Gracie got her own seat as it was not a full flight…and she was really happy with that. She is so independent! If she can play alone, sit alone, sleep alone, eat alone, she is so happy and content. But when we force her to sit in our lap or interact with us, she is annoyed. My prayer for her these days is that she will open up her heart to love and be loved. She is still giving me the big wave off when I come in for contact of any kind, unless of course I am holding a treat to eat. Then she is all smiles. Since we have officially left China, I’ve tried to start talking with Grace only in English. It is so hard, since I know if I speak in mandarin, she will understand and respond, but everyone seems to agree it is better for her to make the transition and learn good English from us rather than poor Mandarin from me. :) Even our sweet guide Rebecca said yesterday, “Oh Lisa. She know very little Chinese, but she use it every opportunity. Please, Lisa! Just speak English!” :) So we are hoping and praying it won’t take long for Gracie to catch up. I’m sure once she is around our three chatterboxes at home she will be soaking the English up and hoping chattering right back at them.

After settling into our room at the Regal Airport Hotel, we met up with Naomi and her daughter, Tracey, who I had never met before. It was such an awesome evening again, as she gave us a little tour of the financial district of Hong Kong Central, and we ended up again at the famous Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, where we really dug in again for a last dinner of Indian curry buffet! Oh, our skin was weeping, we stretched our bellies so tight. Tracey was such a lovely little lady….12 years old…hmmmmm…. :)…..she speaks four languages already and is making us feel like real dunces since we can barely speak one well. We spent a long time eating and laughing and talking before they took us back to the train station. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful journey.

In a couple of hours, we will board our flight for home. It has been an incredible journey and even more wonderful than we had imagined. Thanks to everyone who has carried us along in prayer. We love and appreciate you! God’s Grace and love have indeed been sufficient for our every need and He has been so gracious to bless us with this special little girl. We are so thankful.