It feels like Groundhog Day

We're trying this again...,

About to leave for the airport and HOPEFULLY will be getting on a plane that will be in the air in about 3 hours.

We'll see how it goes.

SO close, and yet 7,795* Miles Away from Home (*give or take a thousand or so)

Well, things have certainly changed since my last blog.

The last blog entry was from this morning as right before we stepped out of our hotel room and headed for the airpot.

That was 9:00 a.m.

We made it through the maze of the Hong Kong airport (we went up and down 5 escalators, and had 3 different check points to go thru) and loaded on the plane at 10:25 a.m.  I only know that exact time because I looked at the clock right before stepping on to the plane.

We found our seats, strapped in, and got the suckers ready for the 14 hour flight.  Harper had 5 suckers almost by the time we sat down.

Don't judge.

We played pat-a-cake, itsy bitsy spider and Harper read the emergency landing procedure pamphlet a couple of times before we heard the captain say "We just need to sign off on a maintenance request before shoving off."

That should have been our first clue.

The captain then came on and said, "We need a part for the door seal, which should take 30 minutes, and then we will be off".  I had checked out by then.  I knew deep down we were not leaving anytime soon.

One hour rolled by, then two.  Within that time, the captain would come on sporadically and give us an update.  One update he said, "Maintenance is calling Houston to figure out how to fix the door".

That is when I knew...... we were done for the day.

Finally, around 2:30 p.m. the flight attendant came on and said the flight had been cancelled.  It actually was a relief.  We could finally get off the plane.  Surprisingly, everyone on the plane was really calm.  Then the flight attendant said, "Take all your carry on's with you, your checked luggage will be staying on board the plane. "

Wonderful.

We have nothing with us but the boys' t-shirts they bought in the airport.  We will all be smelling ripe tomorrow morning.

As much as we want to be home (by the way, we would be half way there by now), I would rather be safe that something drastic happen.

However..... we were just SO close to leaving!  Sitting on the plane with China and Hong Kong behind us.  Now, we start again tomorrow.

We gathered the few things we took on as carry on's and got off the plane.  Luckily, the family we've become close to - the family that has the boys our boys play with - were also on the same plane.  They called back to the hotel to get a room for tonight, and we did the same.  United had offered us vouchers to stay the night at a hotel further away, but it was worth the extra money to stay close..... and be with friends.

We made our way back through the maze of the Hong Kong airport, had to go back through immigration AGAIN (even though we had not been anywhere but gate 61), and finally made it back to our original hotel around 4:30 p.m.

Shoot. Me. Now.

We had dinner with our friends and now everyone is sacked out - except Harper - ready for our early morning wake up call.  We need to be at the airport at 7:00.

As we were in the airport this morning waiting at one of the check points, I started the stopwatch on my iphone to time the trip, to see how long the whole process/flight would be start to finish.  Yes, I'm a nerd that way.

We are now at 11 hours, 36  minutes, 43 seconds....

..... and counting.

Zàijiàn Y'all!! (Goodbye Y'all!)

We are packed up and ready to head to the airport in just a few minutes!  Woohoo!!!  We are going HOME!!

12 Hours from now......

We will be on the flight back to the US in 12 hours.  I can hardly contain myself!!   We have had a great  deal of fun on this little adventure to Harper, but we are all so wanting to get home.  Home to our own bed, our own showers, our own everything.

At times it doesn't feel like we've been in China for 14 days.  Other times, it feels like 14 years.  We have had so much fun and never once have felt unsafe..... well, maybe the cab ride yesterday from the pearl market, but other than that, we've felt very safe.  Oh, and the bumpy flights within China.... but other than that.... very safe :)

This trip is one that I am, in many ways, very thankful to God.  Of course, I'm very thankful we were able to make this trip so we could add the person that's been missing from our family.  It will no longer feel like someone is missing from our dinner table.  It's hard to believe that Harper has only been with us for 10 days.  It feels like she's been with us forever, that's how well she has fit in.  I can't imagine having to live one more day without her in our lives.  She has brought us all such joy in the little bit of time we've had her.

I am also very grateful that God has kept our boys healthy!  That is a huge answer to prayer.  We've not had to break out the nebulizer once on this trip.  Not once.  Griffin has needed his inhaler all of two times, but after actually seeing the pollution in the air,  and being around a ton of cigarette smoke, two times is nothing.

I'm a bit sad to leave the friends we have made on this trip.  They are all scattered throughout the US, but we've exchanged email addresses and have promised to keep in touch.  I hope we do.  They are the people that have been on this crazy journey with us.   They know some of the frustration about figuring out a child you really know nothing about.  They also know the pure excitement when that child, who also does not know anything about you, gives you a slobbery kiss or an infectious giggle.  It will be bittersweet tomorrow as we go our own ways.  Luckily, some of us are on the same flight to Chicago tomorrow.

As for today, we spent the morning gathering our things and once again stuffing them into our luggage that looks like it can't take it anymore.  I'm done with lugging all our crap around.

Anyway, after things were packed, we went to 7-11 to get some snacks for Hoover Harper for the train and plane rides we will be taking.  It stormed pretty good, so we didn't do much more than go there and hurry right back.

As usual, there are always things that just make me laugh in this country.  As we were roaming the aisles of 7-11, all 3 of them, I came across this um.....snack.  Chicken feet anyone??  I cannot figure out what is so delicious about the nasty foot of a chicken.  Don't they know what those chickens step in every day??

We got our few items and walked back into the hotel.  On the street level of our hotel, there is a Starbucks that we've become regulars of.  We stopped in for our usual drinks and this time, Harper wanted some.   Griffin was sweet and let her have a taste of his caramel frappuccino.....

Brannen was not as nice and sent her back to Griffin.  Poor thing!

 In the end, he let her lick the straw

 Our whole group loaded up on the bus and headed to the train station around 3:00 this afternoon.  Harper had not had a nap so we were prepared to pay for her crankiness once again.  To our surprise, she just laid back and took a cat nap on the 30 minute bus ride.

 At the train station,  Michael had our documents waiting for us from the Consulate.  We all then said our goodbyes to Michael since he would not be traveling with us to Hong Kong, and headed for the train.

 Harper likes to 'pinch cheeks'

On the train, the train attendant (is that what you call them? not sure, but we'll go with it) took our orders for drinks.  She mentioned they had beer, so Scott and I thought we'd each get one.  You know, we had to get rid of our Chinese money somehow!  Anyway, she brings us back these!  Not only were they HUGE, but they were also in mugs!!  It felt like we were on the train to Germany instead of Hong Kong. 

Everyone in our group were all seated around us, and we all got a good laugh at the size of the mugs of beer she brought us.  Well..... we must've been too loud because a very cranky Chinese lady two rows in front of us got up, turned around, and told us we needed to be quiet.

Oh.... no. she. did. not.  

This was the wrong group to be saying that to.  We were tired ourselves and were also toting around babies/toddlers who were done with this whole travel stuff.   However, we all stayed calmed and toned it down.  I guess on the positive side..... she yelled at us in English rather than Chinese.  haha!!

Griffin catching up on some homework on the train.

The train ride seemed to pass fairly quickly, and we all boarded a bus to our hotel.  Our hotel is just 5 minutes from the airport which will make it an easy commute tomorrow morning.  What I failed to realize..... we are 5 minutes from the airport which makes for a noisy nights sleep.  Oh well, I think we are all tired enough that we won't mind.

And with that, please say a prayer for us as we make the 14 hours to Chicago and another 2 1/2 to Dallas...... all with a 2 year old!

Suckers are a girls best friend

Yesterday morning (3/27) we went to our American Consulate appointment to get her visa so she can be legit in the US of A :)

I was fearing the appointment would be much like the medical exam.... wild, crazy and hot.  It was wild and crazy, but thankfully not hot.  Or at least, not as bad.  Our group all filed in a single line to have security guard "Jerry"(obviously his English name) look over our passports before allowing us to enter for the security check.  Once Jerry approved us, we walked thru to the security line.  It's a lot like the security check at the airport, except instead of the big ugly grey bins to put your things in, they had big ugly white bins someone purchased from Ikea.... they still had the sticker on them.  haha!

We weren't allowed to bring anything in... cameras, cell phones, strollers, etc, so I don't have any photos to document it.  Oh well.  Just think dingy DMV, and you've got it.  They did have a 'play area' (if you can call it that) and that was in the same room we were all in.  Our boys, plus their friends, and every other kid was 'playing' in the play area.  All the noise made it a bit manic and made me want to hurry and get this business over with.

Since it was the American Consulate, I was so looking forward to speaking to some Americans behind the desk.  Wrong.  There was one American there, a guy, and he was the one in charge of the oath we had to repeat.

After taking the oath, we were called one by one to the bullet proof glass window with the slot to slide all the documents back and forth (think gas station attendant window in the 'hood).  This should have been the American boy's job as well, because when they called each family's name out, no one knew what the Chinese lady was saying.  It was much like Charlie Brown's teacher's voice...... Chinese version.  It added to the mania.

All of our group was done and we were out the door and back to the hotel by 10:30.  Harper had lost her little Chinese mind when we were back on the bus.  She slept horribly the night before, and we - including everyone else on the bus - were paying for it.

We were supposed to meet up with another family to go eat Mexican for lunch.  I didn't care if it was good Mexican or not..... I was craving it badly.  Well, because of Harper's meltdown, she was put directly to bed, and I stayed with her and ordered room service.  Not the Mexican I was hoping for.  Ugh.

She had a very long nap, thankfully, and she was just waking up as the boys and Scott walked in the room from lunch.  She had chips and guac for a snack thanks to her dad and brothers bringing it back.

  The boys had planned on going swimming with their buddies, so they stayed at the hotel with that family while Scott took me and Harper on a shopping trip for some pearls!

She loves to push the buttons!

In the cab

Our guide went with us..... thankfully!!  We were taken to the section that seriously looked like you would think China would look like.  We turned off the highway and it was just row after row of little shops on this overcrowded dark street where it looked like the sun never reached.  That is, if the sun ever came out in China.  We were still looking for it.  Dirt and grime ruled this area, and wig shops looked like they dominated as well.  Every other store was a wig shop.  Very strange.

Michael led us into what looked somewhat like a mall, and took us directly to the pearl market.  

We chose a strand of pearls we liked, and the girl took them off the temporary string, and restrung them, knotting it after each pearl.  She was so quick, we were in and out in no time.  I think our cab ride was longer than the whole shopping trip.

We walked out of the mall like building and waited for a cab.  And waited.  As we were waiting, Harper spotted a vendor with suckers.  She conned Scott in to buying her one.  Who's the sucker now!  She was more thrilled with that treat than her new shiny pearl necklace.

We waited some more for a cab......

Finally, Michael was able to flag one down, and we were off back to the hotel.  

Harper's view in the cab

Just us three on this ride

Our cab driver drove like he had just gotten off the Indy 500 race track.  He took the curves like no one else.  We all hung on for our lives..... even Harper

We arrived back at hotel in record time, thanked Michael for taking us, and went to go find the boys at the pool.

This sign on the right is the main reason why I would NOT get in the pool.  You know if they had to post a sign like this, someone had spit or cleared their nose in the pool once before.  Not to mention signs like this are always an "I dare you to try it" prompting for some people.

Harper LOVED the water.  I can't wait to get her in our pool!

The boys had gotten some snacks delivered from the bar, and Harper made herself right at home by clearing out all the peanuts and raisins that were left.  She also had no problem making herself at home right in the middle of all the boys.

The boys thought they were hot stuff with their 7-Ups being delivered from the bar

Harper was in a trance watching the swimmers go by

Time for a snack break..... again

The number of bowl of peanuts and raisins they had gone through.  You would think we didn't feed any of them!

Twinkies

She was soaked from splashing on the side of the pool.  So, we had a quick wardrobe change and were off to eat some dinner.

We've come to find that Harper is not one to share her toys..... or her friends toys for that matter.  She took Sydney's bear and threw a classic 2 year old fit when we gave it back to Sydney.  Arched back and everything.    

We didn't have anywhere to go this morning, so we slept in a little later - for once - and then started packing our bags.  Next stop..... Hong Kong!

Lazy Rainy Day

Last night Harper and the boys were goofing around before going to bed.  Griffin was laying on the ground with a pillow, so Harper grabbed one more and sat next to him.  She then grabbed Brannen's hand and made him sit down.  It's so funny to see her get her way without saying a word.  Brannen put his glasses on her, and she really hammed it up.  We were all rolling which made her start to giggle.

We were up early again this morning to meet everyone in the lobby.  Before meeting up with them, we had breakfast downstairs at the breakfast buffet.  The boys love it because they can eat all the pancakes/waffles they can shove in.  This morning I put fried rice on Harper's plate.  Not what I would consider breakfast food, but she loves it. I also don't consider corn on the cob or salad breakfast food, but it was also lined up on the buffet.  Ugh.

We are at the point where we are REALLY missing food from home.  Actually, we have been for some time.   The other night we went to dinner across the street that has what we would consider American food.  On the menu they had "milkshake" listed.  It was five bucks, but we thought we'd treat each of the boys after dinner.... and more importantly, steal a bite from them for ourselves!  They bring it out, and it was just a glorified chocolate milk.  We were all disappointed, but we made the boys drink it.  We can't waste $10!!  

Anyway, back to this morning, I tried to feed Harper her fried rice, but she's pretty independent, and grabbed the spoon to feed herself.  Rice was flying everywhere.  Barney is going to love her when we get home!

After breakfast our group was supposed to go to a park for the day, but we had told a couple people we  were going to head over to Shamian Island to do some shopping.   Everyone else decided they would rather do that, so our guide changed the plans so we all could go.  That saved us a cab ride (and money)..... score!!

Harper grabbed Scott's Starbucks cup.  Luckily he had already drank it..... she's not the type that needs caffeine!

Shamian Island is surrounded by the Pearl River and had a ton of gorgeous trees and pretty landscaping.  We saw a couple photo shoots while were there today.

There was a guy in one of the shops who would write your name in Chinese characters, so I had him write all three kids names.....

He also wrote out the meanings, or rough meaning,  of each name.  The last character of Brannen's means "Buddhist nun"??  Nice.  

Here is a pic of the White Swan hotel where normally all the adoptive families stay when they are in Guangzhou.   How convenient..... close to all the souvenier shopping!  Anyway, it's been under construction for some time and still wasn't ready by the time we came over.  

We certainly did some damage when it came to buying souvenirs.   Daddy bought Harper a purse, and one very obnoxious play cell phone, which she loves to put in and take out of her purse.

Brannen chose a Chinese chess set, and Griff chose this beanie, complete with long braided tail, and wooden knife.  Griff said he can't wait to wear the beanie to Crazy Hat Day at school!  

This afternoon, we were walking by a McDonald's and saw Ronald sitting there.  We tried to put Harper on his lap, but she wasn't having it.  I guess I can't blame her.... he's pretty creepy!

Also on the walk we saw these cool looking trees with a ton of flowers on them....

Harper was really intrigued by them.  It is so fun seeing her observing and discovering new things.  Or what we think is new to her.  

The boys sat down on the sidewalk, and she wiggled her way in between them.  She just LOVES her brothers!

Our newest Cardinal fan

This afternoon after we got back from roaming around town, Harper went down for a nap, and Scott took the boys swimming with their new friends. I turned on the tv to hopefully find some sort of something to watch.  I hit the jackpot on ESPN!!  Although it wasn't the Cardinals playing (it was Boston and Baltimore....ugh), it still was baseball!  Not cricket or soccer that seems to be dominating the channel.  And... it was in ENGLISH!!!!!  However, they did have a Chinese interpreter interpreting everything after the American announcer.  It was pretty hilarious whenever someone would hit a home run, the Chinese guy would yell "Gone!!!  Ho-run!!!  See ya!!"

What I noticed most about this game?  The BLUE sky in the background!  I sure hope Dallas isn't cloudy when we get there Friday.  This two weeks of cloud/fog/pollution is not doing anything good for my mental health.  

The rest of the afternoon was really rainy, so we just stayed inside for dinner.  Harper really loves riding in the elevator and LOVES to push the buttons.  She also wanted to stand next to Griffin while we rode up to the 17th floor instead of being held.

A little milk for her 'happy hour'

A view from our room after the rain had passed.  If you look closely, you can see an ever so slight sliver of clearing sky. Just as soon as it cleared, it was filled again with the usual cloud/fog/pollution.  Oh, AND we actually SAW an airplane instead of hearing one.  Haha!  It's the little things that help pass the time.  

Tomorrow we have our appointment at the US Consulate.  It's going to be an early morning because we have to leave the hotel at 8:00 a.m. with our group.  So.... looks like we'll be going to bed soon!