Oct 20 and 21 Update

On Monday we woke up early and skyped with the kids and grandkids back home (I miss them so much and can't wait to hug and kiss on them). Then we went to Brennan's Consulate appointment to apply for his Visa to enter the US. My guide will pick up Tues afternoon right before we leave Guangzhou. The US Visa will allow Brennan to become a US Citizen when he first reaches US soil. So he will become a US citizen in Seattle! Then we went back to the hotel for lunch and a nap for him. During his nap I snuck out to get directions to where we wanted to go while Chelsea stayed in the room with him. He woke up and freaked out because I wasn't there. This makes he happy that he is attached :) Then we took a taxi to the Grandview Mall. I have NEVER seen a mall like this. There were 7 floors to this mall and so many turns, bridges, escalators, they even had one whole floor for just children's clothes and toys. The top floor was a huge play area with a Carousel (yes on the 7th floor and it was HUGE), and climbing toys. This mall would be 9 of our malls around where I live. We also visited the underground Fashion Shopping. This was an outdoor booth like flea market with brand new clothes, shoes, etc. It was all kinds of turns and curves but if it was stretched out in a straight line probably would have reached 3 miles. It was huge. These two things are things that adoptive families should see. It was amazing. We also went to the Sports Stadium. It looked old and run down and not used. There was a very long walkway that we let Brennan run on. After we shopping til we dropped (my back was hurting from carrying him in the pouch all day and walking what must have been 5 miles and our legs hurting from all of that walking) we headed back to the hotel to grab dinner, baths/showers, and bed!

In China there are 2 ways to cross a street and both are nothing like where we live. The smaller streets you cross and hope you don't get hit. The pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. The cars do NOT slow down. Other pedestrians will shove you out of the way to get where they are going. The larger streets are separated by a white fence down the median which means the cars can not turn around in the streets and pedestrians can not cross. The cars have to go up on an exit ramp, turn around on the ramp and go the other directions if they need to turn that way. The pedestrians have two options (depending on which one is available). Some places have underground crossings to get to the other side of the street and others have pedestrian bridges you cross over the street. Either way you climb 100 steps up and 100 steps down. There is so much walking in China. Almost everyone walks. I have only seen public transportation on the road with the exception to 1 personal vehicle, We have to walk 5 blocks (each way) to the nearest grocery store. You have to walk everywhere. I typically eat one meal a day back home but here I have eaten 3 each day plus snacks and with all of this walking still feel like I have lost 10 pounds (and I didn't even weigh 100 pounds when I got here so I can't afford to lose any...lol). I love how healthy the culture is with all of the walking but my legs have had it. China is not clean but it is unique. It has a sense of character. The gardens and some of the greater cultural spots are amazing. You will see hundreds of apartment buildings, millions of people all with very different style, and tons of life. They do stare at us but it is to be expected. I mean, how weird would it be if there was a Chinese person walking in a predominately white neighborhood carrying a white baby with blonde hair and blue eyes like it was their own. My daughter has become a pro at getting a taxi. She has been a lifesaver while here. She carries everything for me, manages the money, juggles everything I can't, she does everything while I tend to the needs of my lil guy. She is amazing and I couldn't have made this trip without her. I love that my other daughter back home is watching all of my kids back home. She has been amazing...feeding them great meals, giving them baths, making sure everyone is doing what they should...along with juggling her own family. I have amazing children...all 7 of them!! Wow, I can now officially say I have 7 children. Brennan will have a story like no other and I am thankful for his story, his love, his life and the chance to be his family.

Today we are headed back to a shop to get one last thing and then we will head to Hong Kong tonight. We will stay one night in a hotel and then fly out the next morning to the US where my boy will become a US citizen. Please pray that our standby flights do not happen like it did to get to China. Please pray we do not get bumped from flights and we have a safe, smooth, uneventful trip home!!!