Almost home!!!

Yesterday we finished up paperwork and just hung out at the hotel. Today (Thursday) is the day we head to Hong Kong! So, this afternoon we will get on a train and then in the morning we fly home! 
This has really been a great experience, hard, but good.  We have learned a lot about ourselves and have really grown close with Aaron.  I am braver than I thought, but keep praying for that long flight home :)

Thank you so much for your support and prayers while we have been away.  Leah, (who has been posting all of our blogs, and is absolutely awesome!) has cut and pasted almost every day so we were able to see some of your comments - thank you!  

It is still surreal that we left as a family of 5 and are coming home a family of 6.  We have 3 wonderful kiddos at home who were born of our flesh and one precious little boy here that was for sure born of our hearts.  God is so amazing.
 
I know some of you are planning on meeting us at the airport, our flight gets in around 8:15 Friday -- see you then!  :)

Pizza & the Consulate

Monday we went shopping on a beautiful island and yesterday (Tuesday) we went to the park and then on a small dinner cruise.  Our guides told us the food on the cruise was terrible, so they ordered Papa John's for all of us - and we were thrilled! :) Oh, the small things we miss from America! We have had a great time with all of the wonderful families we have been with - but we are READY to be on our way home. 

Today (Wednesday) we go the US Consulate to take our oath and finish paperwork for Aaron's visa.  Then tomorrow we will get his visa and take a train to Hong Kong to catch our flight on Friday. So, please pray for safe travel in the next couple of days - thanks so much!

Aaron Adjusting and Some Preaching

Yesterday (Sunday) we went to Baiyun Mountain, which means white cloud.  It was really beautiful and there were tons of people hiking up the mountain, and we Americans rode golf carts up the mountain :)  It was fun; we saw a funny bird show and then got stuck in a rainstorm - so it was an adventure!  Then we came back to the hotel and explored around the hotel, you can see what Ryan found!:)  It was a great day for Aaron too; he seems to be adjusting really well.  Occasionally he will have a moment, but all in all, he is doing great - thanks to his wonderful foster family preparing him so well.  
 
Today we head back to the medical clinic to get our TB results and then over to a pearl and jade market - yeah more shopping! :)  Yesterday we found out that we could watch our church online from here - it was so good to hear the worship and Pastor Skip teach - it did our weary souls well.  Praise God for these small blessings that keep us going :)  Only 4 more nights before we head home! 

Doctors Visits and Chinese Food

We flew into Guangzhou on Friday, and we were so excited to be back with our Holt group.  We barely knew the other families when we went our separate ways but it felt so good to see familiar faces again!
Yesterday, (Saturday) we had Aaron's medical check.  It was a little crazy; there were so many families at this clinic besides our group from Holt.  Parts of the medical exam were worse than I thought - I will just say that it was not a good experience. After the medial check we were able to do some shopping and take some pictures.  The one picture of the red couch is kind of a tradition with Holt, and yep, that is Aaron in the stroller on the side - sleeping :) 

In the afternoon, we had a paperwork meeting and then we all had dinner together at a Chinese restaurant. Aaron loved it!

Today (Sunday) we are going to a Mountain to see thousands of birds - pictures to come tomorrow :) Thank you for your continued prayers!

A Day at the Park...and Pics of the 3 Kids Stateside

Yesterday (Thursday) our guide took us to this huge public park.  It was beautiful and there were older people everywhere dancing and exercising.  Most of the people here live in apartments so they use the parks like their yard and space to do activities. The people were so nice and they loved Aaron :)  The kept saying how handsome and smart he looked.  We all had a lot of fun, I played badminton with a lady - she was good!, Ryan did some exercises and learned how to do a Chinese yo yo, and Aaron played and charmed everyone.
 
Today (Friday) we are packing up and moving on to Guangzhou, and we are so excited to see our Holt families!  So please pray for safe travel.  One last stop before we head home - one more week :))  So ready to hold those three in my arms!  There are some pictures of them attached too, they look great:)

Chinese History Lesson and Some Brave Wanderings...

Yesterday (Wednesday) we went to a Chinese Pagoda.  It is this big Pagoda with drawings and paintings on the inside, it all goes along with this long poem a man wrote hundreds of years ago.  It was neat and we got to learn a little more about Chinese history.  While we were there a lady told Ryan how much Aaron looks like him :))  Our Holt guide, Lisa, is great.  She is from Nanchang and so she is able to tell us a a lot about the area and some more recent history. 

After we had lunch at the hotel we decided to get a taxi and venture out on our own.  I think our guide was a little concerned, but we went anyway and had a great time exploring down town and we even crossed a couple of streets and survived!! We found a little bakery and coffee shop - we needed that :)

Today (Thursday) we are going to a park and then we will probably go our on our own again instead of staying at the hotel. Tomorrow we head to Guangzhou!! Yeah!

Please keep our kids at home in your prayers, they are at our home with Granny now, and they are missing mom and dad :(  Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.