Headed home in the morning!!!

I can't believe that our time here in China is about done!! It has been an exhausting, difficult, yet wonderful trip!!

Our precious JWH has come a long way in the last 10 days... He is picking up some English, still loves to sing all his children's songs in Chinese (one about a rabbit, another about finding lost money, and apparently twinkle twinkle??), and seems to be having less tantrums (although he is still *very* determined... pretty sure he has never heard 'no' before. Trying to say yes lots and meet lots of needs but there are just some things that are a no). He LOVES face timing with his Baba, chatters incessantly when he sees him, was beyond thrilled when I gave him his very own, brand new Chinese silks (was VERY upset when we took them off - he wanted to make sure he got to keep them so he put them straight in his bed with all of his other belongings... something totally new to him, to have things that are his own), and can't get enough of the swing (oh to be home where it is not so hot & humid so that we can swing for more than 5 minutes before being soaked in sweat!).

We fly out in the morning, have to be downstairs ready to go at 6:30 Friday morning China time and are scheduled to land at home at 10 Saturday morning China time, 28hrs later... Gulp... Really grateful for prayers!!! 

And now a few pics:

His 'grumpy' face

Shamian island fun

Pearl river 'cruise'

Canton tower

Waterfall selfie

Guangzhou medical appointment

Well... we survived the visa medical appointment - barely! We had check ups done by the nurses station (height, weight & temp), the ENT (in China that's Eyes, Nose & Throat), a general physical, and because JWH is over 2years of age a blood draw to check for TB (will get those results tomorrow).

Right now we are all resting in the room, recovering from this mornings visa medical/'trauma'.

Waiting in a non air conditioned room (30C+) to see the drs.

Where are the drs already???

The ENT...

Sorry, no pics from the melt down/raging/screaming part of our morning... which took up the majority of our morning.

Yesterday morning we went on a tour with our group. We went to see the 6 Banyan Tree Temple, the Chen Family House & then stopped at a little shopping area where we grabbed a few trinkets. 

Pagoda inside the temple

Eye opening experience for AG.

Hot hot hot- over 100 and very humid!

Chen family house

More Chen family house

AGs auntie came up from HKG to spend the afternoon with us. So grateful to her for coming such a long way for such a short amount of time! AG got to ride a paddle boat with Auntie D, like CC did 2 years ago :) 

Waiting for a table at lunch 

Only 4 more days to go!! Grateful for continued prayers - not easy for our little guy (or for us big girls). 

Guangzhou

Today we flew to Guangzhou, final stop in our China trip. We are half way there!!!!! This time next week we'll be home!!! :) :)  JWH did great on the plane, far surpassed my expectations- probably partly due to the Dramamine I gave him ;-)

Riding the bus from the hotel to the airport.

'Helping' at the airport. He's got the pushing part down, just need to work on looking where we are going/steering ;-)

Fav pic of the day

LOVED the seat belt!!

Selfie on the plane

Here we go!

Nap time + Dramamine = bliss

Day ??? in ZZ

It's all getting a bit blurry now... I do know that today is our third day waiting on JWHs passport. We received our notarized documents yesterday Kate afternoon, all looked great. I looked them over again this morning, this time not just the pages in English but the pages in Chinese too and found an error :( so our guide has taken them back, hoping it will be a quick fix and not hold things up :(

While we wait here are a few more pics:

Trying to charge Mommas phone (case). Shhh don't tell him the phones not in there ;-)

After his bath...

Practicing using headphones... Hoping he gets it down before the loooong flight home. So far 5mins is about his max :)

Day #5 in ZZ

Yesterday we were totally free, no paperwork, nothing on the schedule other than bonding with JWH. Today and tomorrow are the same - we are just waiting on his passport to be issued before we can head to our next stop, Guangzhou, where we will get his US visa and then head home.

Today has been our best day by far! So grateful to God!!! Thank you to all who have been praying! I have my precious 4 year old son napping in my arms (woooohoooooo!!!!! First time he has let me rock/hold him to sleep!!!!!) so will keep this short. Here are some pics from this morning.

Blowing bubbles in the park.

Pocky in the park! Seems everyone likes Pocky ;-)

Beach ball fun

And my favorite picture, napping in Mommas arms.

And now some pics from yesterday:

Big helpers with their little brothers.

Taking their siblings through the sprinklers - am sure that was the first time they'd ever done that! :)

More bubble fun

Walk on the sidewalk at your own risk!

In front of the hotel.

Seafood section at walmart

Preserved meats...

Day #3 in ZZ

We started off this morning with a trip back to the registration office to finalize JWHs adoption. After that we went to the notary office to get everything notarized, (up and down 6 flights of stairs) then we were back to the hotel for a quick 30 mins in which we had to photocopy the documents we'd just received that morning and try to get a quick bite to eat before heading out to apply for JWHs passport. 

We had to travel to Hebi, the city that he is from, to apply for his passport - was a 2hr drive each way. After we finished at the police station we were able to go visit his orphanage... so so sad :( They had nothing... no toys, no books, no paper/crayons, rooms empty except for their cribs and 2 small green tables. There was nothing there for a child to play with - except for the 1 car that we had sent in a care package to JWH. Seeing where he spent the first 4 years of his life is helping me to understand some of his behaviors... being here, with 2 white people (who don't understand any of the many things he is saying in mandarin), in a hotel, on a bus, in different rooms with lots of other white people who are holding toys for other kids, at a breakfast buffet in a hotel, just SO much overstimulation, seeing things for the first time... grabbing, touching, throwing, screaming, shutting down... all understandable considering what he has and hasn't known and what he is now experiencing... understandable but not easy to deal with...

Grateful for continued prayers for JWH, for me, for AG (who is doing amazingly! such a wonderful helper to her momma!!!)... also grateful for prayers for the rest of the crew back at home.

And now the pics:

With the notary official

Applying for his passport at the Hebi police station.

Waving bye at the police station.

Outside his orphanage

JWHs old bed

Playing with some of his friends/roommates.

Countryside pics that AG took on the drive out...

The Yellow River.

Watching TV with big sis.

Lego!!!