One More Week

I'm ready to come home. It's still cloudy and I can hear car horns honk 31 floors up! Today we toured an embroidery museum (beautiful stuff) then a university ("open air"). Tomorrow we leave for Guangzhou (late, 8:40pm) and the final countdown begins. I wasn't able to download pictures again but should have time tomorrow. Both yesterday and today we had "family style" lunches as part of our tours, sampling many different dishes. Andrew Z on the Travel Channel highly recommended donkey ("tender and flavorful") so I asked our guide. Sure enough, today we had donkey. Not as good as I imagined. Kinda the texture of bacon with a smoky flavor. Oh well, at least I tried something new

Cassidy has had a couple "blow outs" I think from changing formula and teething. She's been waking up every four hours for a bottle making the bags under my eyes more pronounced! She's very funny (and knows it) and loves to imitate. Hopefully, I'll get more pictures of her posted. She still has a "cold" (rattle in her throat she can't cough up), but it's not getting any worse.

It sounds like Emily is doing well, I called her this morning (my time) and she sounded well. It's awful going so long without her but think the trip would be tough with her here, too--she'd hate the long tours in the unheated buildings!

I'm a pretty boring tourist, I know; I'm here for Cassidy--the sightseeing is optional for me. I love you, Emily and can't wait to see you!

Gotcha

Sorry it's taken so long to post again; I've been unable to log on then it took forever to download pix. Cassidy is perfect!! She's just a little peanut, about the size of a six month old (and I expected a chubby baby!) She coos and sings, kicks her feet a lot and loves music. Emily better start practicing. No teeth and close to no hair (just a little stubble). She has the funniest toothless smile and "gnaws" on her gums like a toothless old person.

She wiggles all the time making baths very difficult. She woke up only once during the night, and I think she just got scared not knowing where she was. When her tummy is full, she'll sing and coo for an hour then suck on her fingers and drift off to sleep.

What a great orphanage--I got the clothes she was wearing the day she was found in addition to a "memory book" which includes a picture of her on the day she was found, wearing those clothes. There was one other family from another agency and our three. The babies were presented very formally, but first they had to see our passport to ensure I was the mommy.

Today we have the day off. Tomorrow we're touring a mueseum and not sure where we go Thursday. We leave for Guangzhou late Friday @ 8:30 pm and will be there until 3/12. There was a thunderstorm this morning, and it's still raining. Pat's knee is bothering her and I'm happy staying in and playing with Cassidy.

Emily, I can't wait to hear you sing to Cassidy. She loves all songs, even made up ones!! I love you sooooooooooooo much and send lotsa kisses.

I'll post in a day or so or whenever I can get on again!

From the cold and smog in China

Pat is napping so I thought I'd post again since tomorrow is Gotcha Day, and it might be kinda crazy. The weather is so cold and wet we haven't ventured too far. We went to a grocery store and a walk--crossed two streets and didn't get killed! This afternoon we each got a massage--my back and butt are still achy from the flights. I'm feeling better but her thumbs were pretty deep so I might be miserable tomorrow.

Out our window (we're on the 31st floor) we see many rooftops. On one of them, you'll never guess this, is a jungle gym for little kids! I suppose there's no other place to put it, but are kids safe on rooftops here?!

The other two families will be here in about an hour. The cribs are already up in the rooms!! Cassidy's stuff is unpacked, now I just need her.

Hopefully the weather will improve (or at least warm up a little) so we can enjoy some sites while we're here. Pat is quite the international traveler; if it wasn't for her, I'd probably still be sitting in Japan!

It's nice to have a break from work, but I sure do miss Emily and our pets (and my soft bed...beds here are rock hard).

Pray for healthy babies who won't be too traumitized by all of the changes tomorrow!

After a good nights sleep

Greetings from Changsha where it's cloudy and rainy! I slept great--until 3:30, but feel much better since talking to Emily. She's doing great; how fortunate I am to have such good friends. In my exhaustion last night, I locked my money in the safe and screwed up the code so am locked out lol oh well, what's $8600?!

Our liason, Vicky, speaks great English. She said there are very few babies in the orphanage--fewer babies are being abadoned and more domestic adoptions. Tomorrow at 10am we get the babies at the Civil Affairs building (that's 8pm Sunday night in MN)!!! A mere twenty-four hours away!!! Then on Wed and Thursday we have two half day tours. The orphanage is 4.5 hours away; Vicky said we can go if we want and if the babies are doing ok. I'll see what the other families think.

Stayed tuned for Gotcha!!

My butt hurts

Trying to leave Minnesota in a snow storm is never wise...because you end up sitting in the plane for five hours without even leaving the ground! Yes it's true. Pat and I didn't leave Minneapolis until 6pm. I barely got any sleep. Of course we missed not only our connecting flight but the flight after that. NWA put us up for the night in a hotel, I was up until midnight rebooking flights, etc

Japan Air Lines is the way to fly. New planes, lotsa leg room, and everyone gets their own tv screen. The other families will be in tomorrow afternoon. I'm exhausted and after supper and hitting the hay.

I forgot to pack a picture of Emily; can anyone email me one that I email you to profpayeeofmn@yahoo.com? It's really hard without her. Seeing little kids makes me miss her more.

OH so we finally get into Changsha a couple hours ago and there's no one there to take us to the hotel. Everyone smokes (if half the people of China quick smoking, I think their polution problem might be licked). We're looking for our ride and are about to take a taxi 40 minutes when we see a guy running with a sign so Pat follows him. Thanks to him, we found our driver!! She had just found out about our flight changes.

Emily, if you're reading this, I love and miss you. What a lucky little girl Cassidy will be to have you for a big sister.

More later; I gotta get some sleep

Suitcase Diet

Quick message before leaving. Good news! My last trip to China, my suitcase was a whopping 96 pounds...I just weighed mine, fearing it felt heavy; it's only 55 pounds!

Here I come Cassidy!!

Less than 24 hours

So much to do. So little time. But I do have my underwear packed! "The Biggest Snow of the Season" was the headlines I just read...then quickly changed websites! Guess it makes me even happier that I'm leaving--and very excited....for a NAP tomorrow afternoon on the plane. I love love love naps but have them so seldom. Very exciting.

Emily finally melted down. She's been so smiley and excited. Tonight she started crying, "What if you love her more..." Hopefully the reassurance will last. A couple friends recommended, "The Kissing Hand." Perfect book for the occasion.

Hopefully the Advil has kicked in so my back will last the rest of packing and hauling baby toys upstairs (doubtful I'll have the energy to do it after returning!!) The other two families are already in China; we'll be meeting up, I believe, on March 1...and March 2 is Gotcha! Unbelievable!

See you on the other side of the world!
Derrinda