Headed Home!!

We're in Hong Kong and so ready to go HOME!!!  The US Embassy appointment on Wednesday went fine, and we had time to do more shopping with the other family afterwards. Faith, of course, simply didn't have enough shopping, but that's another story.  We had dinner with the other family and our guide on Tuesday night - as the husband/daddy called it, out for a cheap Chinese dinner (better than the Arabian restaurant with the belly dancers that we went to this time 2 years ago:)... and that was after taking a stroll thru town that afternoon looking for a restaurant with an English menu, or at least a picture menu... which we succeeded at, btw.  It's amazing the different culture and the stares we get - we just politely smile and say the requisite, "Ni Hao". Sometimes I hear them say, "san ge ar-zhi!", thinking I don't understand what they're saying (3 sons), to which I often reply, "chi ge hi-zhi" (7 kids - too hard to explain Johnny being homegrown - sorry John). And that kicks of a whole other conversation, 98% of which I don't understand... so sometimes, I just leave it at them saying, "san ge ar-zhi!" and smile pretty and keep walking. Today, I actually had a grandfatherly gentleman and his buddy drilling me about why I want to adopt so many - how can we support so many - it's too much of a burden to have so many - and so forth. I told him that God gives us what we need, and he didn't have an answer to that. By the end of the conversation, he simply said, "God bless you." and I said, "He has, He has... look... see, He has!!" 

 

So, dinner with our previous guide on Wednesday night and a sweet goodbye afterwards.  She's really special and very good at what she does. Not that our guide this time was bad or anything, by any means, but this other one is just special to us. She helped us bring Theresa, Abby and Sam into our family and she really cares so much about the kids and their families... asking at breakfast how you're doing, how the child is eating, making suggestions to make things better, etc.

 

Ok, back to the other story (Faith and shopping):  All trip long, whenever she's had "retail opportunities"... everytime... she buys something... for her friend... but then says, "This store only has things for old people (after buying something for her [teenage] friend). Old people?... thankyouverymuch... I didn't see a single thing in there that this particular old person would like to wear. So by Wednesday, she's panic-ing, that she's not going to get to spend every single cent that she brought with her (the girl knows how to save!), and starts getting grumpy on me while we're shopping with the other family. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to make them wait with their toddler hungry for lunch, while you and I discuss what size jeans to buy... and after that "discussion", they're not going to wait still more while you look for another pair too. After that excursion, Daddy and the boyz went back to the hotel for a nap (4), while the other family, Faith and I headed to the Island, where you buy all the Chinesey stuff... the gifts, and adoption mementos... and stuff. She certainly could've found stuff there, but of course, all they have is stuff for old people, so the grumpier she got. Finally, I said, I'm not sure what'll happen tomorrow - I can't promise you that you can shop again or not, but you CAN be SURE of this... if you continue with that attitude and that look on your face... I can promise you for certain, that there won't be ANY shopping tomorrow. This trip is not about Faith, I've given you plenty of opportunities, each of which you've turned your nose up at, and it's not fair to Daddy to keep asking him to keep the boys while I take you shopping. We're here for the boys, not for Faith... yes, you get the benefit of being here, but that's not the point of the trip.

 

Thankfully, she got herself together and we had a pleasant afternoon. She even said, "I know it's a little selfish, but..."  That girl's growing!!  And even more thankfully, Bill was willing this morning (Thurs), to take her back to the first place we were on Wed with the other family... and BOY DID SHE SHOP!!! ... while I stayed with the boys and gave all 3 a bath (not sure who got the better deal... must've been Faith!).

 

Also, she and our guide have been discussing all week that they both wanted to get their hair cut, and just never quite getting a time/date nailed down, so this afternoon - literally an hour before we were to leave GZ - they went and got hair cuts (TYL). Faith looks drastically different, but definitely cute. She found a picture on the computer, took it to the salon (sounds expensive, but not) and got just what she asked for. She's not completely sure she likes it, now that it's on her and not on the computer, but it's growing on her.   :o)

 

So, after packing, we left the China Hotel (my favorite place in allllll of China) at 3pm to get to the US Embassy at 3:30 to pick up the boys' visas and such from the day before, then on to Hong Kong. It used to be that you'd take sort of a commuter bus to HK - but have to get off the bus (with all your luggage (and kids)) at the border leaving China, go thru customs or whatever, then back on the bus for half a minute's drive to the border entering HK, then back off the bus (with all your luggage (and kids)) and do it all over again. But since 2 years ago, our agency discovered that if you have 4 or fewer people in a car/van, you could stay in the vehicle and go thru it all with only minimal time delays... from in the vehicle (think toll booth, but it takes a bit longer as they check your passports, etc). Yes, we have more than 4 people, but getting 2 vans was still cheaper than trying to fly 6 people... and way quicker/much easier than the bus thing.

 

So, here I sit in a nice airport hotel in HK, ready to fall asleep, but knowing that if I don't post now while it's quiet, it'll be dayz before I get to again... all day flying tomorrow, then a few days of jetlag after that, not to mention the fact that we'll have 7 kidz at home.  Haha - what did that grandfatherly gentleman say about so many? Nevermind - I know that I know that I know that this is what God's called us to, and that He's never NOT been faithful before... there's certainly no reason to start doubting His plans for us now (Jer. 29:11, Eph. 3:21).

 

We're all dreading the flight tomorrow and coveting your prayers for us... esp. for David and Andrew, as we take them from their homeland (where things weren't so great, but they were normal), and hopefully to the "promised land" where they will have the opportunity to know not just earthly parents, but especially their heavenly Father too... the One who loves them far better than we!!  -  the One who said, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18 NIV

 

Got more pictures to post, but it ain't happenin' tonight. Got a big day tomorrow and better rest up for it... got 2 new US Citizens making their way HOME tomorrow - can't wait!!!!!  Love you all and oh so very grateful for your love and support!!

Toni, for the Benton Bunch