Lovin' Life in Guangzhou

WOW! What a night! Our guide dropped us off at the airport in Fuzhou and all was well. We got our boarding passes, made it through check-in, and arrived at the gate with an hour to spare -- enough time to get a snack and relax. Then we found out our flight was delayed. It was delayed REPEATEDLY and we were stuck in the airport for FOUR hours .... four long hours! Oakley and I made at least 50 trips up the escalator and back down the steps, which she absolutely loved. She was REALLY good even though she was exhausted.

The airline served dinner to everyone at the gate at about 8pm and she chowed down. We had white rice, a three-layer entree consisting of a fried egg, green beans and squid, a chicken drumstick and a fish cake. She ate everything but the squid .... I told you she was smart! They also served us a paper cup with a packet of what Michael thought was a seasoning mix. He debated stirring it into his rice until we saw our fellow passengers adding boiling water to it -- it was TEA!!

We finally boarded the plane at 9:20pm, almost an hour an a half past Oakley's bedtime. She sat between me and Sawyer with her blanket in her lap. She was wide-eyed during take-off and kept looking up at us with a doe-eyed stare, but she never uttered a sound. We continue to be astounded at her adaptability. Having spent the last 33 months in a very structured environment, she has responded so well to new routines, sights and experiences and seems to take it all in stride. She was sound asleep two minutes into the flight and didn't wake up until we landed and I carried her off the plane.

We met our trusty guide, David, who is ABSOLUTELY wonderful -- we adore him! She was really scared when we got to the hotel and I can't imagine what she must have thought. The White Swan Hotel is gorgeous and the view from our room overlooks the Pearl River. Luckily, our room has a similar floor plan as our hotel in Fuzhou, so we set up her little toy area again and she seemed to feel more comfortable. We all slept soundly last night and woke up this morning happy to be here.

After breakfast, we met David and walked to a little shop to have Oakley's photo made for her visa. We then walked a few blocks (and man, is it HOT and HUMID here) for her medical exam. They listened to her heart and chest, looked in her ears, squeaked a toy horn to test her hearing, and weighed her. It was all over in a matter of minutes and they sent us on our way with a stamp of approval. We brought her back to the hotel, worked through a myriad of paperwork, and returned to our room to put her down for an early nap. In the room, she was thrilled to find a Barbie, compliments of the white Swan Hotel. And not just any ordinary Barbie, but a Barbie holding a little Chinese baby:). I can't say I see the resemblance in Oakley and the baby, but Mike says I'm a dead-ringer for Barbie (HA HA! Maybe a middle-aged overweight Barbie!)

After lunch at the infamous Lucy's, we walked the streets and did a little shopping. I bought two adorable outfits for Oakley for $6 each -- they are too cute. I also purchased a silk Chinese outfit for her for $4 and will take her picture on the White Swan's red couch - a tradition for adoptive families who visit the hotel. We LOVE Guangzhou!! The shopkeepers come out on the streets to greet us and congratulate us. We realize a lot of their friendliness may be a sales tactic, but I don't care .... it's so refreshing to receive such a warm welcome and it's fun to barter for the goods they are selling. It's amazing to see all the families in the hotel getting to know their new babies. I will admit that Oakley is by far the brightest of the bunch! People continue to be amazed at how much English she knows already and all the Chinese people remark at how clever she is ... and how big!

Sullivan and Hagan:

We picked up some souvenirs for you today at some of the little shops. Oakley is learning your names and she also points to Mamaw's picture and says Mamaw. She can speak some words so clearly, one of them being banana. You'd love the view from our hotel room. We see lots of boats and we're going to take a river boat cruise later this week. We are missing you more and more every day and although I'm not looking forward to the plane ride home, I can't wait to give you both big hugs. This is too long to be away from two of my favorite guys. Sullivan, be a good boy for Lori and have fun with Spencer. And Hagan, let us know how the party was! Here's a photo of some of the seafood you can choose to put in your dinner -- eel. They have it in big buckets in front of the restaurants along with turtles, frogs, crabs and big worm looking things. I think we actually ate some of these, unknowingly, in Beijing --- ugghhhh!

We'll see you soon!!

Love, Mom