We have had so many appointments, activities and fun that it has been a whirlwind.  We leave this evening to start the long road back home!!!!!  I mean, really, how did that happen?  I feel like I blinked and we were boarding a plane to come to Ch*na and now we’re about to get right back on it and come home with two very special new treasures!!  And that’s just how I feel about them.  I had no idea looking ahead two weeks ago what in the world was going to happen.  How would they react and what would we do.  It has been amazing.  They’re just our kids, plain and simple.  With ordinary kid awesomeness and kid obnoxiousness.  We’ve seen their good moods and bad moods, etc.  It’s just family.  And it is a miracle!  The past few days we have spent time going to the last apts. we’ve had to get all of the last of the paperwork in a row.  We went to their medical apts. and to the US Consulate.  We have been to several shopping outings to buy some special things from our time here.  The thing I have absolutely enjoyed the most has been going to Shamian Island.  It’s a little section of Guangzhou that was the British and French concession during imperial Ch*na.  It was stepping into a dreamland for me.  I am such a ridiculous Anglophile.  Anything that even gives me a hint of the Victorians and I start to float away in a cloud of loveliness!!!!!!!  It actually reminds me so much of Savannah, GA.  With the palm trees and almost more colonial architecture.  It has beautiful garden areas and one can only imagine how spectacular it would have looked when it was in it’s heyday.  They have really done a fantastic job maintaining it and most of the buildings are in excellent condition and are in use.  There a lots of little shops and a few cafes and it is just SO pleasant!!!  There is a hotel on the island and I have been simply a grump ever since I saw it that we aren’t staying there!!!  It would have been a little haven from the busyness of the city.  We spent two afternoons there and took lots of pictures and just breathed in the atmosphere.  My only regret on this trip is that we haven’t gotten to do more of that in general.  I would have loved to get out of the cities into the countryside.  To really get to see the beauty of our girls’ land.  Anhui province where they are from has some stunning mountain areas and lakes.  When we come back we will do that.  We are a part of Ch*na now.  We carry it with us and always will.  When we were first here and walking around the Summer Palace I really tried to put that into the boys’ hearts.  A part of our family is Ch*nese now, our grandchildren will have Ch*nese blood, their nieces or nephews will be bound to this place and we are bound now to, because of what the Lord has done in our hearts and in our family.  I am so incredibly happy about that.  I want my children to really understand the meaning of the song “He’s Got the Whole World In HIS Hands”.  To understand it and to really live it.  To not shy away from people out of fear or desire for their own comforts.  We have embraced these children as our own and they ARE our own now.  Our family will never be the same.  And that is a GOOD thing!!!!!  Once again we thank Him that we didn’t say no to this, that we walked this road and that we are better because of it!

 Our fantastic travel group!  We had so much fun with them and gleaned a bunch of great info. from the experienced adoptive families we have in this group!  We have a lot to learn from these wonderful people!

 Fun times with Baba or Bobbeeeee, as they call him!!

 I don’t know what I would be doing without my dear chum and fellow market bargain shopper Amanda!!!! Can’t imagine them not being here with us, it has been the best part!!

 Shamian Island!!

 So…we lost Rob for a time on the island.  This was the pair I was stuck with and neither of them handled it well. They eventually joined hands for comfort. We’ve learned a lot about which child needs to paired with the other on this trip… This picture is priceless!

 The prettiest Starbucks I’ve ever seen and they had a great bathroom. Win win!!!!

 In the Catholic church

 The school kids came out to play and got a big kick out of Joshua and Andrew.

 The Queen’s post in Ch*na…of course!

 They have so many brides taking pictures everyday.  Some of them had on the most fascinating of Fascinators!!!

 The US Consulate and what could possibly be more American than the Denver Broncos!!!

~K