Home Sweet home!!!!

Arrived safe and sound last night at 6P. It was a pretty uneventful trip expect for the VERYVERY full plane and our very cramped quarters. Will was a GREAT traveler. Slept about 8hrs and only got fussy about 45m before he fell asleep. Mike and I neither one slept at all for over 24h but fortuately we slept all night last night....(Will is STILL asleep actually) and I woke up feeling surprisingly well.. Hope it sticks but I'm not going to hold my breath!

It was sooo wonderful to be reunited with out family. Will was at first a bit reserved but warmed up quickly and was running around here playing like he owned the place in no time at all. He let Kenna pick him up and hold him (I'm not allowed to do that!) and was giving everyone high fives and goodnight kisses! The evening was a huge success! He and Sam played great together and shared just fine! A wonderful honeymoon indeed!

My friend Cydil is a professional photographer and met us at the airport and has already! emailed us the best of the best! I'll let the pictures tell the rest! What an amazing gift she gave us! It was so much more relaxing for me just to be able to enjoy everyone and not worry about snapping pictures! I think many of you have seen my behind the couch spread from the spring! I'm quite proud if it! ( If not...it's in my May blog entry) She is very talented, so if any of my local friends need photos....call me for her number! I give her an A+ for LOTS of reasons!!!! THANK YOU CYDIL I LOVE YOU!!!!

I also want to give props to my wonderful brother and sister in law Tom and Terry for not only staying over with my kids but for having my laundry done and the WONDERFUL hot homecooked meal waiting for us! The airplane food was HORRIBLE~ I'm not picky (for goodness sake I ate cow intestines!) and I didn't eat but a few mouthfuls for 24hours and I was starving!!! THANKYOU!!!! Terry and I caught this priceless conversation between Sam and Will last night...

They were playing trains and Will turns to Sam and gives him a 3 or 4 sentence comment in Chinese...here's Sam's reply

"What you say? Are you talkin that Chinese? Why are you talking that Chinese?"

Will of course just stares at him blankly in silence...again Sam says

"Will, are you talkin Chinese???"

again, silence....so now Sam gives him a big sigh and puts a hand on his hip and says..

"OK, if that's what you gotta do"

I would have given a million bucks for video of that!!!

Everyone I know has bragged to me how wonderful all my kids did while we were gone and I am one proud Mamma! Jessa was a wonderful sub-mommy and I think ran the show even when the sitters where here! Sammy was so brave, but brought a few tears to everyones eyes after he waited until we got off the plane and then just let it all out and cried and cried once he got with his mamma and daddy....poor little guy :(

Hong Kong...last post. Probably :)

Whoa..Hong Kong! Kinda glad we squeezed this in as crazy as I am for home! This is one crazy place! Never in my life have I seen so many people or such a big city! The sun is out and this is one beautiful place...

It was truly heartbreaking to say goodbye to my dear friends yesterday..I think I will break into tears randomly at the sight of Luke crying for years to come... :( We want to skype you guys badly Tracy but don't want to upset Luke...we will let you guys lead on that one...email me for my skype address!! Cristy...I'm so sorry about the communication blip!! You were on the skype with your sister when we called and I told Kevin we would wait for you guys at the playground until noon then we had to go to the the WS then because we had to leave at 1:30p...we saw you walking down the street with your guide when we were leaving from our van and waved and banged on the windows like fools...obviously you didn't see us...:( we will skype soon..so sorry we didn't get to say goodbye appropriatle!

and my sweet Madison! How I loved playing with her. She gave me all the love and attention Will didn't. It was so fun to see her energy and love of expereinces. and she was definetly the welcome wagon of the group. We laughed so much that her profile was described as quiet and introverted.....hmmmmm I DON"T think so!!!!!! You could hear her "HALLLLOOOOOO" in Hong Kong. Lisa and Wayne are a blast and I think if it weren't for Wayne...Will would have ran away more than once ;) (his second Baba...or "uncle Wayne") With his airline connection...we hope for frequent visits..hinthint! and don't forget that Walmart application when you get home!!! hehehehe!

Tomorrow is travel day...praying hard for a reasonably sane trip...Will is doing ok. Clinging to Mike reasonably friendly to me, but I'm not allowed to touch or provide any care. He's not spurting to many profanities or shooting daggers from his eyes like Nanging so that's better. Let's pray he will sleep on the plane! CHRP sisters...I saw your prayer emails...you guys rock! Love you all tons!

Plane arrives Sunday at 6:15pm...All are welcome. Can't wait to hug my babies! If someone at home has time to run to Krogers for banana's and strawberry yogurt, that would be great. That is all he has eaten the last two days! Thanks!!!

BIG BLUE HERE WE COME!!!!

Goodbye Guangzhou!

We leave for HongKong today. Our last stop before home...praise Jesus! I want my kids...badly! Part of me is soooo ready to be home!!! Part of me is a little nervous at the post adoption transition that awaits. (Keepin it real..right?) I sooo want to believe that when it is just us and Will he will "do better" bond better, "mind better"(and not drop to the floor in a fit everytime I touch him in public - could make for interesting travel)...but part of me relizes at least here in China he has familiar language, sites, sounds and food. He's being stubbord about English...it's commical actually...we get out the picture book...we say it in English a few times then he gives us his most stubborn face and stern voice and says it in Mandarin with conviction!!! I hope immersion and house full of English speaking children soften his stubborn streak about alot...Mom most of all

My head spins as I try to sort through all we've experiences the last two and a half weeks. It feels like we've lived a lifetime...and in some ways it feels like it's flown. China adoption trips are truly one of lifes most unique experiences...like trying to explain childbirth or surgery to someone who has never BTDT...I'm just not articulate enough to put it into words. I'll have a few more posts from HK..but I hope my friends and family have enjoyed sharing our experiences. I feel like today we are saying goodbye to China and to what I will remember most fondly. I'm bringing my tissues!

I'm excited to say I've FINALLY got to meet my dearest cyber friend Cristy. and we hit it off in person as fabulously as we did in cyberland. Her Finley is even cuter in person if you can imagine! We have truly enjoyed watching our SB kids together. One of our bonds was sharing the up and downs and the leap of faith of adopting a SB child. I can say we both couldn't be more pleased and have grinned from ear to ear watching them run and climb and jump! What a testimate to possibilities!

We went to the Safari Park yesterday and if you are coming to Guangzhou...don't miss it! It was AMAZING...truly the best zoo I've ever experienced and in general I don't love zoo's because one dirty small cage and my moods ruined. This facility was fab and VERY interactive...our kids had a blast and I ended up taking @200 pics...dont' worry...I'm not posting them all!

I have so appreciated you love, support and prayer...keep them coming dear friends and family!

Bonding

As adoptive parents you spend so much time thinking and worrying about bonding. For me at least I was a little less worried this time. I felt like I knew it would eventually come. I had gotten enough hints that Will was well loved and a bit of an orphange favorite that I wasn't worried about some of the big scaries like RAD and luckily I think we've already gotten past worries of that. We are doing the normal things that I expect on the China trip...two steps forward, one step back..great days...ok days. Last night was his first poor night. He grieved alot cried alot. It was the first time I'd seen him REALLY grieve since the first few days. But I know we will see it manymanymany more times to come. His English is slow coming...but we are communicating fine...everyone's needs are being met and luckily we have some Mandarin speaking acquaintances in our back pockets at home we will defiently be needing this adoption! I've learned TONS this trip. My Mandarin is picking up alot quicker than Will's English and with our new friends opening up our experiences to the deaf world my sign language is also picking up. I feel so smart :)

Speaking of our new friends...that brings me to another topic about bonding. This trip has been totally different for Mike and I. Especially Mike. We didn't have an agency group we traveled with last time. I had established friendships from RQ and chatgroups and still cherish those women, but even that was different. We have has SO much fun spending days touring and appointments with these families. We've been so fortunate that all of our personalities have really clicked, our children have gravitated to each other as they are used to being with other children, and I am VERY surprised how bonded I feel to these people who were almost strangers just a few weeks ago. Tracy and I had become chat friends before arriving but other than that...we didn't know each other. Now, I can tell you I get a lump in my throat at the thought of goodbye to these families...especially the kids.....and I have a feeling it's likely mutual...check out the "boy love" going on in the pics....hahahaha!!!! and as us girls we saying...that doesn't always happen quick and easy for our guys!

Here is the brief recap of our day yesterday...we went to the riverfront after breakfast with Lisa Wayne and Madison and enjoyed the dancing, birdy hackysac, and excersizing that is so typical down there. I just love the atmosphere! We met a sweet little guy with a new remote control helicopter who obviously needed some Baba help, (his Mama just watched) so Mike and Wayne filled in and the kids played with him for awhile. After we went to the playground and Will and Madison had a blast and wore themselves out! We met up with Tracy, Tom and Luke and went a park recommended by our guide Connie. We had to take two cabs due to the size of our group and inadvertnetly got let off at two different entrances. It let to a funny story for later...we eventally were reunited and had a great day...there was a small amusement park in the center. If you've noticed, Will usually has his serious face on in pic...like Sam he'll laugh and play until you put the camera in front of your face..BUT I did catch a few smile pics yesterday and ther IS a dimple in that cutey smile after all!!!

After it was dinner at Lucy's and I've never seen a grown man more happy for tea than Wayne! It was a FUNFUN tiring day! Luke doesn't LOVE having him pic made but he too was in all the fun and I just love that little guy to pieces and he love Mike to pieces :) Today is Consulate appt day...I miss my kids alot, and it's getting time to go home and start our life as a complete family. I don't think they are reading the blog, but if they are...I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOOO MUCH!!! Hugs and can't wait to see your sweet sweet faces!

Bowe gang...send me and email...yours didn't make it to China! and by the way relatives, we can receive emails!

It's tuly amazing how much different bonding can happen on a little island in a few days between all kinds of new families.