Farm work, of course…
A sponge bomb water fight….
Writing in their journals for me each day…. (I am going to LOVE this!!)
Some reading on the south side of the farm in the swing…..
Making GIANT bubbles….
Dinner around the campfire…. (I am so hungry I can SMELL that from here!)
Home sweet home! WE CAN’T WAIT TO GET THERE!!!!!
Our top notch photographer will tell you the story of today with her photos!
We had two more Lifeline families join us for this last week, so we needed a bigger bus.
Our guide, Aron, tells us everything we will need to do while the bus is in route.
The building where our appointments were is new, and it is very nice.
The children all have to go through three stations: general medical check, ENT check, and weight and height check. If your child is over two years old, they also have to have their blood drawn for a U.S.A. ordered TB test.
Poor girl was so done in. Another Mom gave us a sucker for Eliza, and she loved it!
We then had another paperwork meeting this afternoon.
After all today’s paperwork was done, we met up with some families to walk to the Trusty Mart. It has Wal-Mart brands, but that is about where the similarities stop!
This was in the grocery department. Meat for sale. Turtle anyone?
We have had the BEST day with Eliza yet. She woke up smiling. We even went down to breakfast! She (besides the medical check-ups and being in a hot crowded store) has been happy ALL day. She took a great nap, let Addie feed her, has played so nicely, and is slowly warming up to the noodle man. Her personality is ADORABLE. She is ADORABLE!!!
THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT ELIZA:
-She is a good sleeper
-She is a good eater
-She likes to mimic words we say
-She has an opinion about most things
-She likes to cuddle
Share in our praises!!!
*We are ALL feeling SO much better today!!! No fevers!!
*We have NO (none, none, none!) immediate concerns for Eliza’s health!
*That we have Addie Mae with us on this trip….we could never have done this without her!
*That the kiddos back home seem to be doing well!
*That my friend from Oregon, her husband and new son arrived in Guangzhou last night. You should have seen us run across the restaurant this morning when we saw each other!!
*That the affects of the Typhoon are gone!!!
*That lasting friendships are being made!!
Pray with us!!!
*That a piece of paperwork that we need at the U.S. Consulate will get to them. It has been expedited, but has not arrived yet.
*That Eliza will continue to feel better each and every day in each and every way.
*For our travel home….it is such a long trip.
*That we will continue to stay healthy.
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
I will start with photos today….check this out!! Yes! That is our chickadee out of my arms and not screaming! Progress!
Yes! That is our chickadee playing with Addie Mae! Progress!
Yes! That is our chickadee riding in the van on the way home from the orphanage NOT on my lap! Progress!
Yes! That is our chickadee playing in the hotel room and getting into everything! Progress!!!
The progress that we have seen with Eliza since we left the orphanage is amazing. We are SO thankful we took her there, as hard as it was, because we believe it offered her the closure we were praying for! She is playing with Blake and Addie, will let Addie do things for her, is always running around the room getting into things….it is incredible!! The girl who never left my arms for three days! Even she and Blake are starting to bond – all over noodles! Blake makes her noodles, and she just loves him for it! We now own stock in Chinese ramen like noodles…this cutie pie cannot get enough! She also loves her stroller, and so do my arms! We just need to work on the fact that once we leave the room in the stroller, we do have to eventually come back. She is not really into the coming back part. Eliza is coming out of her shell, and we are loving her little personality SO much. What an amazing transition to be a part of.
Today the affects of the Typhoon have arrived here in Guangzhou, and it started raining this afternoon. Really raining. Really, really, raining. Good thing we tried out the pool yesterday evening, even though Eliza didn’t want to go within two feet of the edge of it. We enjoyed having some snacks in the lounge chair though while Blake and Addie swam!
We ordered room service for dinner last night. Everyone (everyone but me, that is!) loved it and it was fun to eat all together!
We also sent out some laundry and it came back yesterday evening. We sent a kitchen size garbage bag full, and got it back like this – all for $33. Do you think they will come and pack our suitcases for us for the trip home?
Today we headed to the Guangdong Provincial Museum instead of the planned Liuhua Lake Park because of the predicted rain. It was SO neat! I wish you were here boys – you would have loved it! Eliza did PERFECTLY and rode in her stroller almost the entire time.
We think it is so funny when the Chinese want to get photos with us Americans!
As we left the museum right before lunch, we could hear the thunder and see the lightening. Four of us Mama’s that had strollers ran to the bus, which made everyone else follow quickly too, and we all got in the bus just in time before the skies opened up and the downpour started!
The rest of our day has been low key as Eliza has a fever with her cold and cough now. Yesterday our guide stopped on the way back to the hotel and helped us get some medicine for her. It IS helping, but she is certainly not better. She slept over five hours this afternoon. Unfortunately, she is sharing her sickness with her mama that has held her non-stop….and so we are needing some prayer. Please pray that we can both get well before we have to board that plane to come home. Thankfully, we have Eliza’s medical examination tomorrow morning, and the guide says that the doctors there will help us as much as they can!
How are things today?? You are CONSTANTLY on my mind and in my prayers. I try to imagine what you must be doing.. how hot it is.. how loud little Eliza can scream.. or how bad it smells. And I can’t. But I like to try. So anxious to see you here.
Mom, I must say the surprise bags for each day were a genius idea. Everyday as Lane comes down, even before his eyes are open, he whispers “surprise?” and I go get the bags. They love it. Today was army men and I wish I had taken a picture of them playing them for 4 plus hours in the kiddy pool after Chad finished mowing 🙂
Today went soooo fast. Its like a new, fast normal. Its hard to remember exactly what all is happening right now, it just goes by so quickly!
Getting ready for the fair, I’ll be honest, I was wondering if it really was worth all the work all afternoon of getting food made and together to take, cleaning up everyone, and getting the farm in order to leave. Later, as we drove away from the fair grounds towards the sun set over the ridge- Lane said “thank you thank you thank you Kayla.. that was sooooo fun.” and sighed tiredly. Seeing him and Chad so excited about everything was so cute! (p.s. Lane dressed himself)
check out the sheep in the background.. talk about hair do.
Dad… Chinese concessions. Wow.
The beef cattle barn was a favorite and we had to go through it ooooooonnnnneee last time before we left. As we admired the big rear ends of the sleeping bovines, one stood up at rocket launched manure unto my boots. Grant split a gut laughing for sure.
As we got to the fair, Lane loudly exclaimed that he was riding the Farris Wheel and didn’t stop talking about it all evening. He’s totally come out of his shell and I even had to watch it as he just will talk to any stranger we came across in line, etc. His excitement and desire to ride rides surprised me! He is growing up! David bought each person two tickets and we embarked on the long awaited Farris wheel ride. Oh boy, little man was thrilled! At the top it was firmly decided he was now going to ride the swings. Oh the giggles from them both!
Grant, Sarah, and David rode this thing called the Tornado, or see the colors of your dinner, or something like that. puke.
(the dude with his arms in the air is Grant. Go big or go home in his case 😉 )
Just soaking up these days.
Love love,
Kayla
