Guangzhou- 5 Star Luxury & Group Therapy

We safetly made it to the southeast city of Guangzhou, China.  

We picked up her little Chinese passport (with about the cutest little passport picture EVER) and headed to Beijing Int'l.  

Then the most awesomest thing ever happened at the gate.  Ready for it.  (It was SO not funny when it happened).  Charlie dropped her little princess between some seats.  I put my hand down to get it... and my arm got stuck- in between seats.  For like 10 minutes I was literally stuck.  There was some panic.  There was a lot of stares.   Somehow, 10 minutes later I got it out- but I have bruises up and down my arm and it's SORE.  Peeps, when I say it was stuck.  It was stuck.  And quite honestly- that was my worst fear right there- forever being chained to Beijing. 

Anyways-

She did pretty darn amazing for her first 3 hour flight.   She handled it WAY better than me.  Let me just put it this way.  The Chinese do not fly the same way as the Americans.

First off, Beijing people (I did learn that it DOES seem to be specific to Beijing area) make a sport out of the deep throat spit.  They muster all the strength they can get, get that spit all worked up & hawk it as far as it can go.  Wherever they may be.  I am pretty sure the best, loudest spit makes you a MAN (or woman).  It's HIGHLY irritating to those who don't really love everyone else's bodily fluid in their path.

And it's so incredibly awesome to be stuck on a plane with the person behind you doing it CONSTANTLY.   With the woman sitting next to you playing her IPAD movie on full volume without headphones. 

Oh, also- In Chinaland- airline passengers don't believe in say staying seated during take off, landing or taxing.  Also, when you are at the gate.  If you are in the way back of the plane.. it's best to run & push everyone out of your way to get to the front of the plane.  Regardless if the door is open or not.  Or if you are holding a 4 year old and 3 bags.  Just push me.  It's all good.

Btw...the man who did it personally to me- I hate you.  And when you stopped and paused ont he moving walkway to talk on your phone (why did you need to push your way past me at high speed to stop and take a call? Obviously not in a rush now?!), I made sure we moved our backpack to smack you on our way pass.  I kinda hope it hurt.

I will be fine if I never fly 'domestic' in China again.

But we made it to Guangzhou.  And to our new hotel...and you all, if you are considering adopting ever... find a kid in this province so you can stay here the entire time.  Why oh why could we not be stranded here for 9 days instead of Beijing?!

It's bloody fantastic.

Reception- that's a gold-guilded wall!

We had piano music playing in the lobby when we walked in.  They were playing "Winner Takes it All" from Mamma Mia.  Ah, familiarity.

Beautiful staircase in lobby...

Our room, it's a suite.  Huge.  Plush.  AMAZING.

Living room, foyer, and picture is being taken from 'office'.

Bedroom- also, notice the slim and trim me.  That's what 10 days in Beijing with a newly non-speaking Chinese kid (i.e- massive stress) does to me.  I bet you I lost between 5-10 pounds already.  So those struggling with diets- adopt.  (KIDDING)

Gigantic bathroom.  The tub there, has an automatic shade up and down.  Alos, it pipes in the TV so you can watch TV from the bath.  The shower is seperate and right next to bath- has one of those ceiling showers.   Seperate toilet area.   Marble design. 

Have I said it?  It's NICE.

And ya'll, breakfast.  THANK YOU GOD!!!  It knocked my socks off.  I had waffles with strawberry sauce (could have had chocolate), my choice of 6 types of juice, hot tea, egg mcmuffin... I even had a freakin' chocolate donut.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

And we walked in and were seated.. in the 'adoptive family section'- we walked in and saw about 10 other families.  I wanted to run up to them and hug them.  I almost did, really.

We met our agency group in the lobby to all head to medical.  8 families from Madison.  We all bonded fast  And it is a LIFESAVER (more on that in just a bit).

So we boarded a big bus and headed to the medical.

Here we waiting our turn for several of the 'stations'

Brandon and Sherry with their sweet baby.  We share hellos.  Also, there's Mickey again.  :)

It was here, that I found another mom from our agency... she looked at me.  She looked tired.  She must have known I looked tired.   She asked me how I was.  I told her it was rough.  She told me it was rough.

And before I knew it we were sharing THE SAME FEELINGS- of how much we are strugging, how much we miss our kids at home, how much this was the hardest thing we ever did, how much time we both spent in tears.  How much it's hard to do this when your baby is hurting and it doesn't feel like your kid yet.   There we were in the medical.  Crying.  And hugging.  Thank you Jill, you gave me SO MUCH today by validating that what we are feeling is normal and ok. 

We had to cycle through several 'rooms'.  First up- ENT.  She didnt like it.

Then the lady tried testing her vision by giving her a toy & taking it away.  Holy. Hell. Tantrum.  Right there in the medical.  Yowsa.

This is her being forced into me as we try to recover from the tantrum.

Then they had to measure her.  She didn't like that either.

Then a 'general' exam.  She did ok there.  Mostly because they didn't do anything too trying to her.

Then, the TB.  Ouch.  She actually did pretty good.

Also, oh, it's here I want to stop and say that within the Madison's 8 families, I found TWO that had adopted from Beijing (her orphanage) in prior adoptions.  This also gave me a world of insight into what to expect, the behaviors and the delays.

Beijing isn't a pretty place to be in an orphanage so I'm finding out.  It explains A LOT.  They kids coming out have very undeveloped skills- including language.   The hoarding, the bedtime, the fits- all so common based on survival skills.  These people come out with success stories & it gives me brief glimpses of hope that we will too.  It will just take a whole lot of work the next few months.

When we come home, please try to see her as a 2 year old and not a 4.  Because that's about where we are starting from.

After we all survived the medical, we boarded the bus again and our guides (we have two since there are 8 families here in our agency - Richard and his wife Alexa- both VERY good- both staying at the hotel with us) helped us navigate the fun that is Walmart in China.

First off, MAJOR success here.  Ready for it?  Ready????

Whoop, whoop- we got her in a cart.

Now, Walmart- China style.

Includes some grains...

Need some dried starfish?  Discount prices at Walmart on your dried starfish...

Not your fancy?  How about dried squid?

Allright, I don't want it either.  Let's move to the 'meat' department.

Choose your seafood.

Nicely wrapped up for you.  

But if you don't want crab.. there's always fresh turtle.  And by fresh.  I mean, fresh.

See the two trying to escape.  They are pleading- PLEASE DO NOT EAT ME FOR YOUR DINNER!!!!!  PLEASE!!

Anyways, on a much more pleasant trip than our first China Walmart- we managed to get some more snacks (since she's eating her way through ours at lighting speed), more water, more diet soda.  Staples of survival here in China.   Also some more milk and pull ups.  And a bus to take us back.

Success.

I'll admit, at nap- I broke down again.  This is really.  So. tough.   Kurt's being the strong one on this trip for sure (thank you!).  

And then evening happened & I had a turn around.  We met up with 4 of the 8 families for dinner. 

First big (HUGE) achievement.  She went in the stroller.  Yee Haw!

AND we managed a sit down dinner without a total and complete freak out.

AND we spent two hours at dinner bonding with families- getting to know their stories, sharing our fears and trials.  Having some beers...

Laughing.  Getting reassurance.  Getting support.  Oh my- does it go SO FAR...

Without a doubt I can see now why traveling with a group can be so incredibly beneficial. 

New friends...

She warmed up to the little boy in the front (in the skull shirt) Gus who is adorable.  And a ham.  And a sprinter!! :) 

I came back refreshed.  Feeling Ok.  For maybe the first day since we got her.   Feeling like I CAN do this (or at least survive the next 5 days).

It's a good feeling.  I'm so grateful.

Over and out.. from Guangzhou.  (pronounced 'Gong-Joe' in case you are wondering.. becasue it took me ALL YEAR to memorize that... I really wanted to pronounce it "Guang. Zhoo").

Oh, smiley girl at dinner.

In her super cute "Worth the Wait" tee-shirt from the Borla's.  Tonight MAY have felt like the first time that was true.

'Night.

B- have an AWESOME first cheerleading football game.  I promise to be at the next one! :) Love you girls!!!!  5 days till I can hug you.  I'm counting every second!