Evidentally all of the
families adopting from any province in China must come to Guangzhou to the US
Consulate for visas and final paperwork. And it looks like many of them stay
here at The Garden Hotel! There are probably 10 families here at this hotel but
we saw many more at the medical clinic where we went this morning for
Mia's medical exams and TB test. Most (or maybe all) of the families
have special needs children or older children like Mia. Our driver told us that
just 10 years ago there were over 8,000 adoptions per year out of China just to
the US and 95% of those were healthy infants. Now it has reversed. Since it
takes 5-6 years to adopt a healthy infant (and, of course, they are not infants
by the time they come home), most families adopt special needs children. And
there are only 3,000 adopted to the US and 3,000 to other countries. Many of the
needs are minor, like Mia's skin disorder (which, by the way, has
improved dramatically
just since we've put Cetaphil cream on the scaly patches on her torso, head, and ears.)
It's neat seeing all of the families at breakfast every morning. It seems we have much of the SEC conference represented...a family from Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and ARKANSAS! And then there are some from Canada, Great Britain, and others who don't speak English. A few families have returned after adopting in China previously. One family had three Chinese girls at the pool today...all speaking very clear English. One family brought their four biological girls with them from the US and had their two adopted Chinese boys with them...all at the pool. Super cute.
That leads me to the pool...Oh how Mia loves the pool. Notice I didn't say she loved to swim. She loves the water. But I've never seen a child TRY to swim like she does. Honestly, she flails around like crazy with arms and legs going every direction. Completely out of control. I'm not sure how much experience she has had in the pool but she has had NO experience swimming. We even had the pool boy translate for us to tell her how to keep her legs close together to kick. It didn't help. But she loves the water. So much that we couldn't get her out.
Dinner at another Chinese joint. Luckily we sat next to two girls who knew some English. Mia just wanted drinks with ice cream and sugar and nothing to eat, so we had to have help telling her she had to eat. I'm getting tired of Chinese food. And I've gained a few kilograms. (hehe)
Vanessa is handling things at home like a pro. Even with Ava being her strong-willed self. (Please pray for Ava. Her behavior has been horrible and it has been the worst part of the trip.) As bad as we miss the kids, we feel so good that Vanessa, Kelley, and Andee have been with our kids. I think we are going to make it, thanks to Skype.
Didn't take long for Mia to go to sleep. She hasn't napped since we've had her and all of that swimming made her tired. Didn't take us long to go to sleep either.
Mia has been brushing and "fixing" my hair since I've been typing. I'm not sure I have any hair left. And Sponge Bob just came on. First time I've seen it since we've been in China. She just screamed with pleasure...even though it's in English and she can't understand a word of it. :)
just since we've put Cetaphil cream on the scaly patches on her torso, head, and ears.)
It's neat seeing all of the families at breakfast every morning. It seems we have much of the SEC conference represented...a family from Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and ARKANSAS! And then there are some from Canada, Great Britain, and others who don't speak English. A few families have returned after adopting in China previously. One family had three Chinese girls at the pool today...all speaking very clear English. One family brought their four biological girls with them from the US and had their two adopted Chinese boys with them...all at the pool. Super cute.
That leads me to the pool...Oh how Mia loves the pool. Notice I didn't say she loved to swim. She loves the water. But I've never seen a child TRY to swim like she does. Honestly, she flails around like crazy with arms and legs going every direction. Completely out of control. I'm not sure how much experience she has had in the pool but she has had NO experience swimming. We even had the pool boy translate for us to tell her how to keep her legs close together to kick. It didn't help. But she loves the water. So much that we couldn't get her out.
Dinner at another Chinese joint. Luckily we sat next to two girls who knew some English. Mia just wanted drinks with ice cream and sugar and nothing to eat, so we had to have help telling her she had to eat. I'm getting tired of Chinese food. And I've gained a few kilograms. (hehe)
Vanessa is handling things at home like a pro. Even with Ava being her strong-willed self. (Please pray for Ava. Her behavior has been horrible and it has been the worst part of the trip.) As bad as we miss the kids, we feel so good that Vanessa, Kelley, and Andee have been with our kids. I think we are going to make it, thanks to Skype.
Didn't take long for Mia to go to sleep. She hasn't napped since we've had her and all of that swimming made her tired. Didn't take us long to go to sleep either.
Mia has been brushing and "fixing" my hair since I've been typing. I'm not sure I have any hair left. And Sponge Bob just came on. First time I've seen it since we've been in China. She just screamed with pleasure...even though it's in English and she can't understand a word of it. :)
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