Traveling through China to Jian!: Consulate Day

One step closer to taking Jian home!!! Today the parents took their babies and signed more papers and got 'sworn' in. The Visa's are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow evening!!! Amen!!

I kept Cash and the Bradford kids with me in the hotel. This is how Gaga babysits...hand each kid an IPad and viola! Quiet, good kids!! The Bradford kids are the sweetest kids ever and are from West Virginia! Say 'Gaga' with a southern accent! So funny and cute! So, when their parents came back thanking me like crazy, I was embarrassed! Ha!

Cash and I had a lazy day and hung out in the hotel all day! I am getting a cold of all things!!! As much "stuff" as I have been taking to prevent EVERYTHING, you wouldn't think I'd get ANYTHING! And with Lizzy spraying something that smells like Vicks Vaporub to clean the air every day, one would think we could kill all the germs in China!!!! If you know Lizzy, you know we have it all going on here!
So we watched some hotel TV and played games on the iPad. He is very competitive and feels sorry for me since I am not all that good at iPad games, so he helps me out! I think he worries his Gaga just doesn't do very well on her own! He is so loving. We had fun today.

At 4:00 Lizzy came back saying she found a 'mall' we could walk to! She seemed pretty excited so we headed out!!! We only had an hour before we had to meet our group for dinner! An hour???? How much damage can I do I an hour??? Pretty much!!! It was fun, I put my bargaining studies (since my last shopping experience) into practice!
Made out dang good!! Bought some ADORABLE little dresses for my littlest nieces!!! In my favorite color! LIMEGREEN! Can't wait to see those cuties in them!

We went to our favorite restaurant for dinner (you know you've stayed too long when you find your favorite restaurant!) again. Grace, our guide here, brought us there the first night and we all fell in love with the eggplant dish! Yummy!! They say that it is made with peanut oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce (which I do believe is in nearly every dish!) it is DELICIOUS! We also became fans of the string bean dish. They cut then into quarter inch pieces, with about a ton or two of garlic, peanut oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce (surprise!) and a touch of hot chili pepper!! Very yummy!!!

Mark made time to finally get a massage! He has been lugging heavy luggage and heavy Jian AND Cash around! He already has neck issues, so it was overdue! He walked in looking like a new man! Relaxed! He said he almost fell asleep! Today I was thinking that he has seen to our every need and how grateful I am for him. But, of course, there is no end to his generosity and caring! Here is the best part...he said "I got you and Lizzy a massage or 2, so go whenever you want"!!!! So, it's 10:30 here in China and Lizzy just walked in the door from a very relaxing massage session! She had to wait until Jian fell asleep! She's had our little two ton wrecker truck on her front or back almost constantly!! He's getting a little better though!!He's so adorable when he sings himself to sleep! I will hit that spa TOMORROW!!

One funny story...we are pretty close to the elevator and I kept hearing a door slam most of the night! Jian had a terrible night sleep so Lizzy took him out at some crazy hour of the night! The next day she said all that noise I was hearing was some 'ladies of the night'!!!!! Seriously?!? This is a super nice hotel and there are about 40 adoptive families with their babies here!!! No wonder Jian couldn't sleep!

Keep praying for our families here. Austin, Sarah, and May Lin are starting their journey home tomorrow!
And keep praying for our Elizabeth Ida!!