Goodbye Jiangsu, Hello Guangzhou

Good morning from Guangzhou. Today is Saturday, Aug. 4. 9:20am. We made it to Guangzhou last night. If yesterday's trials were any indication of how our flight home is going to be, we need some major prayers. Little Luke is MIGHTY!!! He has no intentions of sitting still for any duration of time for anyone PERIOD. It didn't help that our flight was delayed, and our gate was changed. When there is a language barrier it is hard to negotiate such things. We were at the airport with plenty of time, but our poor kids didn't have a snack before we left and it was getting to be lunch time, too. Our guide was able to get us through security, but after that we were on our own to find the gate. Originally we were down two escalators to the gate 25 waiting area where we'd have to take a bus out to board our plane. Then we were changed to gate 10 so back upstairs we went to stand in line for about 45 minutes. I had Luke in the carrier. By that time he was completely exhausted, flailing all over, and screaming. As long as I kept the Cheerios coming he was ok, but that couldn't go on forever. Finally, we boarded the plane and he had had absolutely enough. He was in full tantrum mode. So as soon as we were up, I took him and stood in the back of the plane for almost the entire 2 hr. flight. I had some terrible flashbacks of Hope's trip home. YIKES! Please pray that our travels home are much smoother for us.
Anyway, we are now in Guangzhou safe and sound. Our hotel is pretty incredible! I've never stayed anywhere even close to this lavish. We are headed out in about a half hour for Luke's medical appointment. After that I think we are going to try to find a laundry service. Not sure if there is really anything else on the agenda for the day. A little down time in the hotel would probably do us all some good.
Jiangsu
(This is our original waiting area)




Goodbye Jiangsu - This was the point where I had some emotion with Hope's adoption. Taking your child from his home, the people, places, smells, sounds....the only things he's ever known, etc...it's hard.


Guangzhou - YES! We made it. Get us off this plane!


(Blurry from the plane window but truly very polluted and overcast as well.)
Lucia - Our Guangzhou Guide - sight for sore eyes when we arrived at the baggage claim


Before signing off, I'd like to share a few pictures of our last night in Nanjing. Hope and I explored the market around our hotel with our new friend Terrie while Ron stayed back with a sleeping baby. It is such a cool area. I'm glad we got to experience this part of Luke's home. We got to be pretty darn good negotiators.

















These 'yellow' gentlemen gave rickshaw rides around the market. Every once in a while we'd here the jingle of cowbells only to turn around and narrowly miss being hit by the train or rickshaws strolling by. Watch out!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad