Traveling through China to Jian!: Packing

Packing up for our last stop!

Believe it or not ALL the kids got their Visas today!!! WHOOOOOOHOOOOO!! Onward to Hong Kong!

We had a fairly leisurely day packing up and getting ready for tomorrow's journey to Hong King. Originally we had planned to fly, but Mark decided the 2 1/2 hour bus ride would be easier on the boys (and Gaga)!!! The bus is super nice and air conditioned and we won't be in the airport, lugging our now even heavier luggage!!
I was happy with that decision! Especially since we don't have to get up at the crack of dawn!!

So, I went for my massage today. When I walked in I was escorted to the massage room. I was disappointed I didn't have my camera with me!!!! Rats!! It had a 'regular' potty, and full sized 'rain' shower, a dressing table, wardrobe complete with all the essentials and a lovely robe. It was a beautiful room decorated in warm browns and golds! The sink was gorgeous! It was a red bowl with a splash of white and gold oriental looking flowers sprinkled around the inside edge! It was an extremely inviting room! Coco, my masseuse, directed me to get into the shower, wash my hair and put on my robe! She was quiet and demure, her English was fair enough for me to understand that! She came back with a hot pot of tea and handed me the cup to drink. I wish somebody else was in there with me because all I wanted to do was giggle! And it only got worse! My cold had escalated so I was already pretty stuffy, but for some reason whenever I do get a message, I get stuffier!! So here I am face down, trying to breathe through my mouth and I think she was asking me about the pressure, I just shook my head yes! (Mark said he nearly fell asleep for his, but I can assure you, there was NO sleeping for me!) I must have agreed to more pressure!! So THEN, she asks me to turn over, which I did, stuffy as ever! I am not sure what she asked me next, all I know is, I think I got my first boob massage ever!! Seriously!!!! All I could think of is Mark wanting to fall asleep, and all I wanted to do was stay alert!!! It was funny, but my neck and back did feel 100% better by the time she was done!!! Then she served me watermelon slices and more tea and waited in the corner of the room while I finished it!! What an experience!!

Before dinner we met with all the families in a meeting room to get the kids' Visas and say goodbye to the families that we had come to know and love! It was a tearful goodbye! As far as they all have come, there is much work to do with all these little kids! They have come so far in such a short amount of time!! I know that each and every one is destined for greater possibilities than anyone can imagine! After all, Jian is destined to be a Doctor! Or Lawyer, or builder, or captain of a ship! It will be a whole new world waiting to be discovered by all of them!

At dinner tonight we met a couple from England who had just picked up their little girl yesterday. They were sitting alone and of course, Lizzy and I chatted her up! She said in England, it is so much harder to get approved to adopt. They had been waiting for years and years! (also, she was a healthy baby girl and I don't know if that had anything to do with it). They had come alone, so didn't have the advantage of being with a group like we did. Since this was our first rodeo, we didn't know any different. God was watching out for us because we definitely had an advantage by being with other families and realizing we were all going through the same thing. She was very grateful that Lizzy shared with her. Jian is like a different baby since the first few days! He's still bad though!! I am waiting for him to sing himself to sleep, (he is giggling with daddy and mommy right now,) my favorite part of the evening!!

I thought that FaceTime was going to be my best source of communication with my family in spite of the 12 hour time difference, but instead we lose service every 90 seconds and we get frustrated!! Sammy said, "Gaga, I can't stand another day without you!!" My sweet little Drama Queen! Can't wait to see them!!!

Lizzy is in the other room packing while Mark bathes Cash and I hear her say, "I feel like I have 10 kids". Mark yells to me, "you did this 5 times?". Lizzy quipped, "none of us were like this little bulldozer".

We are excited to begin the journey home! Jian has been in and out of the suitcases, packed HIMSELF, by HIMSELF and little shopping bag with Chinese money, snacks and a diaper! Bad and smart!!! That's our boy!! Cassius has been a joy, but is anxious as well to get on the road!! Thank God Aunt Sonny will be there to greet us! She will be the only family Jian will meet till next month when the Ward family (Idie and her family) visit! Then they will come to Maryland in August so we can Baptize him with Havi (Jenna and Neil's adorable new son)!!!

I miss my East coast peeps and can't wait to see them! Someone at the dinner table asked me if it will be hard to get back to work after being here in China! Had to laugh, I can't WAIT TO GET BACK TO WORK! I work with the most awesome, hard working, purpose-driven women in the world!!!

Now we are really ready for bed and I hear the familiar little voice singing. The wheels on the bus..... SWEET! SWEET! SWEET!! Love it!

Lizzy came in my room just before putting the kids down with Mark and decides she will have me try some homeopathic nasal dryer or some such thing. She instructs me to sniff and dispense. I did it in one nostril and thought I would choke to death between being stuffy and laughing myself silly! We were both out of control laughing and choking! You really had to be here to appreciate this one!

I am thanking God constantly for His many blessings and graces. I am filled with His love and glory as I watch it in full bloom!!

I ask that you say extra special prayers for our Elizabeth Ida as Wednesday is the day they do the lumpectomy. We are looking for yet another miracle for our DeCesaris family!! We need it, are praying for it and expecting it!!