Homeward bound

Wednesday we took a train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong and spent the night in Hong Kong to catch an early flight. We had to put Jack in our laps for the 2 hour train ride. That wasn't fun but he was mostly good. When we got off the train at the station we were immediately hounded by cab drivers offering to take us to our hotel for $100! So far we've managed to avoid cabs taking trains and subways. It's intimidating not knowing how much is a good rate there and not knowing if they understand us and know where to take us. We had to run from the very aggressive drivers and got some dinner at the always present McDonalds in the train station while we thought about what to do. We found there was a subway station in the train station and we decided to try our luck on the subways instead of leaving ourselves at the mercy of the cabs. It was a much better deal, less than $6 to take the subway and then we had to take some super elevated train to the airport where the hotel was for about $18.

 The next day we arrived at the airport 2 hours before our plane left and had to run to catch it after waiting in several really long lines to check in, go through security and customs. Our flight to Japan was over 4 hours. Jack did good. It was late arriving in Tokyo and we had to run to catch our next plane after again going through long lines for security and customs. So we didn't get to stretch our legs much before the long 10 hr flight to the US after already doing a long flight. The inflight entertainment was terrible, a few channels on tvs in front of us that played the same 3 movies. Watch all the movies and we still had 6 hours to kill and there was only one kid friendly movie. We were spoiled on the international flight too China I guess. Hours of movies, music and games on the interactive tvs we had. Jack ate dinner and slept for quite a while on the flight. Answer to prayer!

over Tokyo

 

 When we arrived in the US. Again, we had to clear several long lines of customs, immigration and security. We presented papers that the US consulate gave us that allowed Jack to walk into the country as a US citizen. Such a big moment, that this little guy will never remember. Because of all the long lines, it again ate up most of our lay over time and but it was the longest wait we had, about a half hour to stretch our legs and grab some food. I was feeling sick and dizzy from all the flights, not to mention crossing the international date line and being sleep deprived. Another 2hr flight to go. I longed to see my girls so bad by this point I was tearing up just thinking about being reunited with them.

US Immigration, he's about to hand over his papers and come into the country as a US citizen.

 We finally, FINALLY arrived in Phoenix. What a joyous moment to finally be home, to have Jack home and be done with all the flights. We were greeted by wonderful friends holding balloons and signs at the airport. Jack is used to being the center of attention and took it as a matter of course. :-) He put on a show and hammed it up for the crowd.

 No family was at the airport and I was losing it. I needed to see my girls and they weren't there. Didn't know why. Brent got a text after about 15 minutes from his step mom saying they were in the van and it was broke down on the side of the road somewhere! It took a while to figure out where they were since his step mom isn't familiar with the area. Thank goodness our sweet friends came to the airport to meet us! We took off in a couple cars with our friends to try to fine the van and rescue all the girls sitting on the side of the road in 107 degree Arizona heat. We finally found them near the airport. I jumped out of the car and ran to the van sobbing. I was so tired and so worried about them, I just needed my girls. We piled all the girls in the car with Jack and they had a sweet time getting to know each other. Jack was like a king holding court and all the girls were entranced with him.
 Turned out the van needed gas, so Brent put gas in it and got it home. Home at last. It's so good to be home and have all our babies under one roof. Thank you all for your prayers during this incredible journey.

Days 11 and 12- Guangzhou

I wasn't able to get online for the last 2 days so I'm lumping them together in one post while I can get on. It was mostly just more walking and shopping. Monday we went back to medical and had Jack's TB test looked at, all looks good. We also got a group picture with other families here adopting the same time we are.

 After lunch we walked to Shamian Island. The island used to be a European outpost and port in the 19th century and has kept it's western feel to this day. It used to house the US Consulate, medical and in consequence, all the adoptive families would stay at the hotels on the island as well. Consulate moved. Just medical was there when we adopted Angie and Amy and now neither are there and the main hotel has closed down for renovations, it's a much different place than it once was. It still has several shops that cater to adoptive families, each shop provides laundry, strollers to loan, and tons of trinkets and souvenirs for that you can get your child's Chinese name and or American name customized on.
  We did the tourist thing and got our souvenirs there. Jack will never know the difference unless you tell him, but I did NOT get squeaky shoes for him like all my girls had when they were his age. Probably because I'm tired, it just sounds like a bad idea right now to give this little bolt of electricity of a boy shoes that squeak every time his foot comes down. At on of the shops,  Brent sat down and had traditional Chinese tea with the husband who spoke English while I shopped with the wife close by my side. He explained to Brent how to serve the tea and all the tradition involved, it was pretty fascinating.

 We got a lot of comments on the island about Jack, "A boy!" We don't see many people adopting boys!

So we found out that Hong Kong had a significant Typhoon on Monday. We got lots of rain and sloshed through Shamian Island and we had lots more rain on Tuesday as what was left of the Typhoon headed our way. Tuesday morning we had our swearing in ceremony for Jack to make him a US citizen at the US Consulate. Our guides kept telling us that there were no cameras allowed and all our baby stuff had to be in a plastic bag. I left my camera at the hotel and brought my regular bag with me, I didn't really care if security kept it while I was in the consulate, I just wanted to have my bag with me while I was out and didn't want to repack everything in a plastic bag, rebel that I am. All the families showed up with their belongings in walmart bags. Then the guides handed us all our paperwork for our babies in clear plastic envelopes labeled, "My plastic bag". Apparently, that is what they meant by putting our  baby stuff in a plastic bag. LOL I kept my bag and no one seemed to care.

We also had a funny episode with the hotel. They didn't give us a bed or a crib for Jack, so he's been sleeping on the couch at our hotel. Monday night he peed on it. We told the hotel and apologized and asked them to clean it. When we got back from the Consulate, the couch was gone. He took a nap in our bed. throughout the day, we kept trying to communicate with the hotel staff that we needed the couch back for Jack to sleep on. At bed time we still didn't have a couch. We called again and tried to tell them we needed the couch. nothing for about an hour, so we all got in the same bed to sleep. Around 11pm someone knocked at our door and brought us towels thinking that is what we've been asking for. Brent motioned to the empty space that used to have a couch. Blank stare from the hotel staff. Brent pantomined sitting on a couch. Blank stare. He tried to use his Iphone app to translate couch. (all this by the way with me in bed with the covers pulled up to my neck..) He seemed to understand nodded and left. Half an hour later he showed up with a cot. Well that will work! Around midnight, we got a call from the front desk asking if we got our couch yet. Brent said they had sent us a bed. "And how long will you be needing the bed?" They asked. Brent said, "You can have it back as soon as you bring the couch back." The next day when we got back from lunch we had a couch next to the fold out bed. Too funny.

bucket of snakes!

Snakes for sale! gag.

Today is actually Wednesday, Day 13. We start our journey home today. In a few hours we'll take a train to Hong Kong to spend the night there and catch a very early flight to Tokyo Thursday morning. From there we take the international flight to San Francisco and then after around 24 hours of traveling we will arrive in Phoenix around 3:30 in the afternoon. Please pray for us. On the trip here it was just tiring when it was just the 2 of us. But it is with fear and trepidation we make the trip with a 3 year old preschool firecracker whom we can't communicate with and cannot sit still for more than a minute.

Day 10- Guangzhou

We walked and shopped today. Nothing else. Jack and I for the most part seem to be pals now. He stays with me at a table when Brent goes to order food, he holds my hand when we walk, and he even let me carry him today.

  Pedestrian street is such a fun place to shop and people watch. Hoards of people shop here. I have great video, but we've been unable to upload video since we've been in China. It will have to wait. Our room is on the 8th floor looking down on Pedestrian Street. It's interesting, it looks so nice walking down the street, but from our view from the hotel you can tell the street is just a facade placed on some old buildings hiding all the less attractive buildings behind it.

Here's what it looks like from street level

Here's what it looks like from above

Day 9- Guangzhou

We're in Guangzhou now. This is the province all Americans need to travel to after the get their child in their province of birth to complete their adoptions. The American consulate is here. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Shi Fu when we were here 4 years ago adopting Amy and liked it so well we are staying here again. Love the spacious room and we love the pedestrian street it is located on.

 This morning we had to visit a medical clinic to get Jack examined and cleared to come to the US. with Amy, it was just us and 2 other couples, we were in and out pretty quick. Today the clinic was crammed with families getting their children checked out. I think there are 11 families just from our agency, Lifeline that were there and at least a dozen other families besides the ones from our agencies. It took a few hours. Jack was pretty good for being bored out of his mind in a crowded room for so long. We didn't get back to our hotel until well after lunch time.

 Nap and then we walked pedestrian street. Dinner and bed. Made it though another day. So glad to be in Guangzhou but we are getting so tired and want to be back home now.

Day 8- Last day in Nanchang

Today we walked around town one last time to kill time before our flight. Our flight to Guangzhou was just an hour and a half but it was a very long time with Jack. The flight was not fun at all. And we have many more hours of flights ahead of us...

So I'll just show you pictures of our our walk around town today. 

Serious card games going on in this square. The globe behind them is a TV. This square is packed at night with people watching it.

A game of some sort

there is a vast highway built over this part of town.

can you spot the foreign guy?