November 30, 2012

Visa, park, and zoo!



It's official! We're on our way home-Glory's visa in hand.
 

 

 

 

I know i am really going to miss these strange signs when we get home... 

.....I hope they really meant PLAY ground...  
 

 

 

Our one chance all week to get out without the rain, we headed to Liuhuahu Park. It was huge, and beautiful. Meandering paths, Pagodas, bridges, impressive gigantic trees with massive root systems, open air-free!-'gym' , and plenty of locals that either found us openly amusing or just worth discreet whispers. Or maybe it wasn't Glory in the arms of some white Americans they were glaring it at all.... maybe it was the fact that i finally broke out the shorts i brought and there is not a single other human in China wearing shorts in November in public?? For the most part, we honestly have been pleasantly surprised at how friendly or indifferent most people are when they see us. There seem to be very few people just on vacation to China where we have been. Most non-Chinese people we have seen are either business men or families who are adopting chinese children! So we really stick out, even in this huge city!
 

 



Our last meal with Chad and Mandy and Micah from Virginia. These sweet friends that we met on this life-changing adventure, as well as Sarah and Dan from Oklahoma will forever be part of Glory's story. Each new day's challenge or joy was multiplied by sharing with these special people, families. Thank you Lord! 
 
 

 

This is inside what seemed to be a museum for huge rock formations, but since there was NO information that we could find in English, your guess is as good as ours by looking at the pictures!
 

Appearing to be a huge Chinese feast, if you look closely... everything is made from rocks! ...strange, but impressive. 
 

Dragon shaped rock- just for you boys!
 

Hmmm. That's sad, it looks as though Dan and i will be the only ones entering 'Happy Land' today. (this was just one entrance to part of the zoo that had amusement park rides)
 

And another...for 'the boys' (a roller coaster that went through this huge crocodile tunnel)
 

 Well, what do we have here? Why yes, you are correct, that would be Dan hiding under a giant mushroom with a real 'happy land' smile on his face. The mushrooms worked a lot better than our leaking $4 umbrella we bought on the street!
 

Well, since it was our last day in Guang Zhou and we had heard so many great reviews of the local zoo, we figured it was our last chance to go and we couldn't wait for the rain to stop. So boys, the first thing we saw were flamingos. Oh yes, this was the best part- the zoo was amazing and only cost $3 a person to get in! It has seemed so random how cheap some things are and others so much more than the U.S. go figure.
 

 





Praising God for every bit of this trip to China. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the Glory!  Not really excited about the hours of travel tomorrow, but is so worth it to walk into our house and bring 'sister' HOME!  So long for now....

November 28, 2012

Out and about

Hi again everyone. This time i have just written a little something below  most pictures.  Tomorrow we have our consulate appointment and the next day we get Glory's visa. Saturday we head home! Yay!  She is doing much better. Thank you SO much for your prayers and encouraging comments! We can see them  through gmail even though we can't respond back.
 
 
 
"Dinner"...before it makes it to the table!


We have seen so many strange phrases or funny misspellings when they are trying to write in English...it often doesn't work out very well.
 

Breakfast with Glory -- always sweet indigestion! This little peanut never stops moving. She will fit right in with our household of busy boys!
 

Um...no, thank you!
 

I know this is blurry of her, but it is the only picture with that adorable headband where she is smiling -- I just had to! The pink one she had on before this lasted about 10 minutes before she tore the flower off!
 

Arabian restaurant down the street from our hotel. Great food. Great company. Our new friends also adopted from Nanning Province.
 

 
 

Not sure why, but Glory seemed afraid of the fish!
 

 
 

French influenced Shamian Island -- US Consulate used to be here so there are many tourist shops. We did find some great treasures to give Glory some day. It was a fun rainy day...like the day before.
 

 
 

Getting out of the rain for a minute on this veranda by Starbucks.
 

Traditional Chinese boat. We had dinner on board with several other adoptive families and cruised the Pearl River while admiring the amazing and beautiful skyline of Guang Zhou.
 

Below deck was a tiny maritime museum.
 
 
Tallest tower in Asia until Japan built one a bit higher in recent years.
 
 
Daddy's girl for sure!
 

 
 
 
 
 

Best meal on the trip -- Thai, of course! Sorry Chinese food fans!
 

 

This man is testing the carved "chop" he made us, for Glory, that has the character for Xia, part of her name. It is just like a stamp with special ink.
 




Another artist busily painting "Glory" on a sheet of paper, for another treasure to hang in her room. Yes, I see we might be getting carried away here...what is a girl to do though?
 





 
Yes, this is a smile! I don't know if it was all the people, attention from being so stinkin' cute in her little  Chinese outfit, or all the crazy western Christmas decorations!